Planning for Intensifying Suburbs: Analyzing Markham and Vaughan

In the North American context suburbs are where the majority of the population resides, as they attract families of all types, provide a variety of housing typologies as well as play critical roles in the economy and fixation of local governments. Though this development trend has been in strong demand for years, cities have become increasingly aware of the negative costs associated with sprawl, which has lead the government of Ontario to adopt smart growth principles. Since this time the government has made significant steps in order to curb sprawl, through the Places to Grow Act as well as the Greenbelt Act, where large masses of land and protected and growth is designated to certain highlighted growth centres. Both Markham Centre as well as the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre are part of Ontario’s growth centres as outlined in the Places to Grow Act. Analyzing literature on suburban intensification as well as plans and policies which have lead to the development of Markham Centre, this paper attempts to answer what the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre will become. The City of Vaughan is primarily a place of low density while also being automobile reliant, therefore the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre represents something completely different than the current landscape and does not belong to an existing area or neighbourhood. Using literature on suburban intensification as well as Markham Centre as an example of having good planning principles, the specific question put toward the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre in this Major Paper will ask if Vaughan’s downtown can be regarded as suitable and appropriate growth

Monolingual and Bilingual Spanish-English Children\u27s Phonological Production on Rapid Automatized Naming Tasks

Monolingual English and bilingual Spanish-English kindergarteners participated in rapid automatized naming (RAN) tasks with results quantified in terms of weighted phonological accuracy and accentedness. Fifty-six typically developing monolingual English children and 41 typically developing bilingual children were included in this study. Single-word speech samples were obtained to examine (a) total articulation time, (b) phonological accuracy, and (c) phonological transfer between L1 and L2. Findings indicated that similar phonological accuracy occurred in monolinguals and bilinguals in English, phonological transfer occurred between L1 and L2 in English and Spanish for bilinguals (resulting in accentedness in both languages), faster RAN was associated with higher phonological accuracy, and a significant difference occurred for phonological accuracy between object and color subtests. These findings indicate the need for longitudinal examination of monolingual and bilingual phonological development in RAN tasks

Toward Scalable Docker-Based Emulations of Blockchain Networks

Blockchain, like any other technology, needs a strong testing methodology to support its evolution. Setting up meaningful blockchain tests is a notoriously complex task for several reasons: software is complex, large number of nodes are involved, network is non ideal, etc. Developers usually adopts small virtual laboratories or costly real devnets, based on real software. Researchers usually prefer simulations of a large number of nodes, based on simplified models. In this paper, we aim to obtain the advantages of both approaches, i.e., performing large, realistic, unexpensive, and flexible experiments, using real blockchain software within a virtual environment. To do that, we tackle the challenge of running large blockchain networks in a single physical machine, leveraging Linux and Docker. We analyze a number of problems that arise when large blockchain networks are emulated and we provide technical solutions for all of them. Finally, we describe our experience of emulating a fairly large blockchain network, comprising more than 3000 containers, for research purposes

Planing hull seakeeping in irregular head seas

The paper presents the results of planing hull seakeeping tests in irregular seas. The tested model belongs to a small systematic series developed at the University of Naples; it is a prismatic hull very similar to the well-known Fridsma's models. The 16.7 degrees deadrise angle, length-to-breadth and load coefficient are representative of modern hull forms of pleasure boats. Tests in irregular waves have been performed at three speeds for one displacement in three sea states. The measured heave, pitch, acceleration at the centre of gravity and at bow have been analysed in the time domain and the results are presented in terms of significant values (the mean of 1/3rd highest values). They are given in tabular and graphical form. Furthermore, the obtained results are commented with respect to the state of the art in planing hull seakeeping, and compared with the available experimental data from literature. The conclusions highlight the applicability of these data in design practice, commenting on trends and the range of significant parameters

Herramientas basadas en indicadores tróficos para la implementación del enfoque ecosistémico en pesquerías con escasez de datos: ejemplos de Argelia y Bahía Bou-Ismail

Over the past decade, the Algerian government has undertaken several incentives financed by state subsidies, via a range of development plans for fishing activities. Although these have led to the growth and modernization of the fishing fleet and the creation of various jobs, this increased fishing pressure has not maximized production as anticipated. In fact, catch is decreasing, and there are clear signs of stock overexploitation for several species, particularly sardines, for which catches have fallen dramatically. This study analyses the impact of fishing from an ecosystem perspective, with a view to the implementation of ecosystem approach to fishery management (EAFM) at the level of Algerian fisheries. To this end, a series of trophic indicators are used. The analysis shows that ecosystems at both national level and in the Bou-Ismail Bay are excessively exploited, and are altered by overexploitation and probably eutrophication. This situation is demonstrated in particular by the decrease in the average trophic level of catch, which is synonymous with “Fishing Down Marine Food Webs” (FDMW).Durante la década pasada, el gobierno argelino puso en marcha varios incentivos de financiación estatal, a través de una serie de planes de desarrollo para actividades pesqueras. A pesar de que este hecho ha originado crecimiento y modernización en la flota pesquera, además de la creación de puestos de trabajo, este aumento de la presión pesquera no ha permitido aumentar la producción pesquera como se había previsto. De hecho, las capturas están decreciendo y hay claros signos de sobreexplotación en varias especies, particularmente la sardina, para la cual las capturas han descendido drásticamente. Este estudio analiza el impacto de la pesca desde una perspectiva ecosistémica, con vistas a implementar el enfoque ecosistémico en la ordenación pesquera argelina. Se utilizan una serie de indicadores tróficos para este fin. El análisis muestra que los ecosistemas están muy explotados, alterados por la sobreexplotación y probablemente eutrofizados, tanto a nivel nacional como en la bahía de Bou-Ismail. Esta situación ha quedado demostrada concretamente por el descenso en el nivel trófico medio de las capturas, que significa la pesca de los niveles inferiores de la cadena trófica marina

L'utilizzo di "criteri ambientali minimi" nella progettazione, costruzione e manutenzione delle "strade verdi"

ope

A social-ecological approach to estimate fisher resilience: a case study from Brazil

Social-ecological systems (SESs), such as fishing communities, are human and biophysical subsystems that are intrinsically connected to one another and strongly depend on natural resources. That is why these human groups are usually the first to feel the effects of policies concerning fisheries and ocean governance and the most affected by them. These policies can potentially build or erode social-ecological resilience (SER), especially if they are coupled with environmental changes. SER assessments offer a valuable tool to identify human-nature linkages, and the implications and feedbacks in SESs when facing human-induced or natural changes. We created a SER index by combining interviews with fishers with environmental datasets on a fine scale that has never been presented for the Brazilian coast. This scale was then tested in marine protected areas that allow sustainable use. Our approach estimated SER from information on fisheries ecosystem services and adaptive capacity at the local scale, considering the individual and community levels. We synthesized blocks of critical indicators of an individual or community’s ability to build and maintain resilience in SESs, such as flexibility, ability to learn, ability to organize, assets, social capital, and ecological characteristics. We identified that fishers’ ability to learn and to organize, as well as the biological sensitivity of an ecosystem are determinant to enhancing SER in the studied coastal communities. A Bayesian model also showed that the fishers’ SER was related to socioeconomic factors, thereby indicating that older fishers, fishers who consistently catch more fish, and fishers with a higher reliance on fishing for their income presented lower index values. By knowing the variables that influence the ability of fishers to cope with changes to their SESs, we can devise smarter management approaches that may include compensatory mechanisms for more fragile fishers. Our findings can also inform decision making about where fisheries management strategies are likely to be more participative and effective in order to minimize the social impacts of policy decisions and increase SER in coastal communities.Postprint2,51

Coral distribution and bleaching vulnerability areas in Southwestern Atlantic under ocean warming

Global climate change is a major threat to reefs by increasing the frequency and severity of coral bleaching events over time, reducing coral cover and diversity. Ocean warming may cause shifts in coral communities by increasing temperatures above coral’s upper thermal limits in tropical regions, and by making extratropical regions (marginal reefs) more suitable and potential refugia. We used Bayesian models to project coral occurrence, cover and bleaching probabilities in Southwestern Atlantic and predicted how these probabilities will change under a high-emission scenario (RCP8.5). By overlapping these projections, we categorized areas that combine high probabilities of coral occurrence, cover and bleaching as vulnerability-hotspots. Current coral occurrence and cover probabilities were higher in the tropics (1°S–20°S) but both will decrease and shift to new suitable extratropical reefs (20°S–27°S; tropicalization) with ocean warming. Over 90% of the area present low and mild vulnerability, while the vulnerability-hotspots represent ~ 3% under current and future scenarios, but include the most biodiverse reef complex in South Atlantic (13°S–18°S; Abrolhos Bank). As bleaching probabilities increase with warming, the least vulnerable areas that could act as potential refugia are predicted to reduce by 50%. Predicting potential refugia and highly vulnerable areas can inform conservation actions to face climate change.Postprint2,92