Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for monitoring soil erosion in Morocco

This article presents an environmental remote sensing application using a UAV that is specifically aimed at reducing the data gap between field scale and satellite scale in soil erosion monitoring in Morocco. A fixed-wing aircraft type Sirius I (MAVinci, Germany) equipped with a digital system camera (Panasonic) is employed. UAV surveys are conducted over different study sites with varying extents and flying heights in order to provide both very high resolution site-specific data and lower-resolution overviews, thus fully exploiting the large potential of the chosen UAV for multi-scale mapping purposes. Depending on the scale and area coverage, two different approaches for georeferencing are used, based on high-precision GCPs or the UAV’s log file with exterior orientation values respectively. The photogrammetric image processing enables the creation of Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and ortho-image mosaics with very high resolution on a sub-decimetre level. The created data products were used for quantifying gully and badland erosion in 2D and 3D as well as for the analysis of the surrounding areas and landscape development for larger extents

Koinoniale en diakoniale gestaltes van die missionale gemeente binne 'n konteks van multi-kulturaliteit

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the relationship between koinonia and diakonia. Where koinonia and diakonia are in proximity, an opportunity arises to draw individuals from different context together. This leads to an inter-cultural space where individuals from different contexts are encouraged to welcome and support each other in a mutual way. Chapter 3 presents a hermeneutical Scriptural and a theological framework illustrating the important relationship between koinonia and diakonia. It is argued that such a “full koinonia” is embodied in the life of Jesus Christ. Not only did Christ came to live among human beings (koinonia ) but He also gave his life to us (diakonia). In chapter 4 the early Christian Church is evaluated as a community that exemplified a form of “full koinonia”. Within the cultural diverse community in the Roman Empire, the church was able to reach out to the so called “other” by their positive approach to the many crises and challenges of the day. Christian help and support presented itself as a unique support network. In chapter 5 “ full koinonia” is evaluated through an interdisciplinary approach by listening to sociology and community development. Both disciplines argue for a more personal or holistic approach in rendering service to communities. This calls for the addressing of greater societal issues over and above individual interests. In chapter 6 “full koinonia” is discussed from a missional perspective. A cross-cultural or intercultural framework for servanthood is explored. Six principles for a “full koinonia” is outlined: openness, acceptance, trust, learning, understanding and serving. With this hermeneutical framework as point of departure, the empirical component of the research is discussed in the following chapters. The research focuses on three Christian community projects, Shiloh Synergy, Sarfat Community Projects and the Elsiesrivier Care Centre exploring how they dealt with “full koinonia.” The design of the empirical study in chapter 7 is presented in the form of a comparative study for the discernment of: 1) The processes and structures within inter-cultural Christian community projects; and 2) an evaluation of the level of a transformation in relationships. The qualitative data is analysed and discussed in chapter 8. The study concludes in chapter 9 by establishing a meaningful interpretation of “full koinonia” in faith based involvement within a context full of societal challenges. The literature study as well as the empirical component of the research proved the hypothesis that stated that faith based personal involvement leads to holistic growth for all concerned and contributes to social transformation.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die relasie tussen koinonia en diakonia. Waar koinonia en diakonia nader aan mekaar gebring word, ontstaan ʼn geleentheid om individue vanuit verskillende kontekste byeen te bring. Dit baan die weg tot ʼn inter-kulturele ontmoeting waarbinne individue vanuit verskillende kontekste mekaar wedersyds verwelkom en versorg. In hoofstuk 3 van hierdie studie is ʼn hermeneutiese raamwerk vir die noue relasie tussen koinonia en diakonia vanuit die Skrif en die teologie verskaf. Daar is geargumenteer vir “volle koinonia” wat beliggaam is deur Jesus Christus. Nie net het Christus onder die mensdom kom woon nie (koinonia), maar het Hy sy lewe vir ander afgelê (diakonia). In Hoofstuk 4 word die vroeë Christelike kerk bespreek as ʼn gemeenskap wat gestalte wou gee aan “volle koinonia”. In die kultureel diverse samelewing van die Romeinse Ryk, was die kerk in staat om die “ander” te verwelkom deur positief te reageer op bepaalde krisisse en uitdagings. Christelike hulp en ondersteuning het na vore getree as ʼn unieke ondersteunings-netwerk. In hoofstuk 5 is daar aan die hand van ʼn interdissiplinêre benadering vanuit die sosiologie en gemeenskapsontwikkeling ondersoek ingestel na die verstaan van “volle koinonia” binne samelewingsverband. Beide dissiplines argumenteer vir ʼn meer personalistiese of holistiese benadering, waar dit nie net gaan om individuele belange nie, maar die aanspreek van dieperliggende oorsake. In hoofstuk 6 is daar vanuit ʼn missionêre perspektief gesoek na ʼn teologiese raamwerk wat so ʼn “volle koinonia” bevorder. ʼn Kruis-kulturele of inter-kulturele raamwerk vir diens word voorgestel. Ses belangrike beginsels is in die bevordering van “volle koinonia” uitgelig, naamlik die bevordering van openheid, aanvaarding, vertroue, lering, verstaan en diens. Met hierdie hermeneutiese raamwerk as uitgangspunt, is die empiriese komponent van die studie in die volgende hoofstukke beskryf. Aan die hand van drie Christelike gemeenskaps-projekte, naamlik Shiloh Synergy, Sarfat Community Projects en die Elsiesrivier Care Centre is die ervaring van “volle koinonia” prakties getoets. Die ontwerp van die empiriese deel van die studie (hoofstuk 7), was in die vorm van ʼn vergelykende studie ter onderskeiding van: 1) Die prosesse en strukture van die inter-kulturele ontmoeting by Christelike gemeenskapsprojekte; en 2) ʼn evaluering van die vlak van transformasie in verhoudinge. Die kwalitatiewe data is in hoofstuk 8 geanaliseer en bespreek. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie, in hoofstuk 9, bied ʼn interpretasie van wat “volle koinonia” in geloofsgebaseerde betrokkenheid behels en bereik. Die literatuurstudie en die empiriese komponent van die navorsing het die hipotese bewys. Dit toon aan dat geloofsgebaseerde betrokkenheid op ʼn persoonlike vlak ruim geleentheid bied vir die holistiese groei van die betrokkenes en die weg baan tot sosiale transformasie

Koinoniale en diakoniale gestaltes van die missionale gemeente binne 'n konteks van multi-kulturaliteit

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the relationship between koinonia and diakonia. Where koinonia and diakonia are in proximity, an opportunity arises to draw individuals from different context together. This leads to an inter-cultural space where individuals from different contexts are encouraged to welcome and support each other in a mutual way. Chapter 3 presents a hermeneutical Scriptural and a theological framework illustrating the important relationship between koinonia and diakonia. It is argued that such a “full koinonia” is embodied in the life of Jesus Christ. Not only did Christ came to live among human beings (koinonia ) but He also gave his life to us (diakonia). In chapter 4 the early Christian Church is evaluated as a community that exemplified a form of “full koinonia”. Within the cultural diverse community in the Roman Empire, the church was able to reach out to the so called “other” by their positive approach to the many crises and challenges of the day. Christian help and support presented itself as a unique support network. In chapter 5 “ full koinonia” is evaluated through an interdisciplinary approach by listening to sociology and community development. Both disciplines argue for a more personal or holistic approach in rendering service to communities. This calls for the addressing of greater societal issues over and above individual interests. In chapter 6 “full koinonia” is discussed from a missional perspective. A cross-cultural or intercultural framework for servanthood is explored. Six principles for a “full koinonia” is outlined: openness, acceptance, trust, learning, understanding and serving. With this hermeneutical framework as point of departure, the empirical component of the research is discussed in the following chapters. The research focuses on three Christian community projects, Shiloh Synergy, Sarfat Community Projects and the Elsiesrivier Care Centre exploring how they dealt with “full koinonia.” The design of the empirical study in chapter 7 is presented in the form of a comparative study for the discernment of: 1) The processes and structures within inter-cultural Christian community projects; and 2) an evaluation of the level of a transformation in relationships. The qualitative data is analysed and discussed in chapter 8. The study concludes in chapter 9 by establishing a meaningful interpretation of “full koinonia” in faith based involvement within a context full of societal challenges. The literature study as well as the empirical component of the research proved the hypothesis that stated that faith based personal involvement leads to holistic growth for all concerned and contributes to social transformation.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die relasie tussen koinonia en diakonia. Waar koinonia en diakonia nader aan mekaar gebring word, ontstaan ʼn geleentheid om individue vanuit verskillende kontekste byeen te bring. Dit baan die weg tot ʼn inter-kulturele ontmoeting waarbinne individue vanuit verskillende kontekste mekaar wedersyds verwelkom en versorg. In hoofstuk 3 van hierdie studie is ʼn hermeneutiese raamwerk vir die noue relasie tussen koinonia en diakonia vanuit die Skrif en die teologie verskaf. Daar is geargumenteer vir “volle koinonia” wat beliggaam is deur Jesus Christus. Nie net het Christus onder die mensdom kom woon nie (koinonia), maar het Hy sy lewe vir ander afgelê (diakonia). In Hoofstuk 4 word die vroeë Christelike kerk bespreek as ʼn gemeenskap wat gestalte wou gee aan “volle koinonia”. In die kultureel diverse samelewing van die Romeinse Ryk, was die kerk in staat om die “ander” te verwelkom deur positief te reageer op bepaalde krisisse en uitdagings. Christelike hulp en ondersteuning het na vore getree as ʼn unieke ondersteunings-netwerk. In hoofstuk 5 is daar aan die hand van ʼn interdissiplinêre benadering vanuit die sosiologie en gemeenskapsontwikkeling ondersoek ingestel na die verstaan van “volle koinonia” binne samelewingsverband. Beide dissiplines argumenteer vir ʼn meer personalistiese of holistiese benadering, waar dit nie net gaan om individuele belange nie, maar die aanspreek van dieperliggende oorsake. In hoofstuk 6 is daar vanuit ʼn missionêre perspektief gesoek na ʼn teologiese raamwerk wat so ʼn “volle koinonia” bevorder. ʼn Kruis-kulturele of inter-kulturele raamwerk vir diens word voorgestel. Ses belangrike beginsels is in die bevordering van “volle koinonia” uitgelig, naamlik die bevordering van openheid, aanvaarding, vertroue, lering, verstaan en diens. Met hierdie hermeneutiese raamwerk as uitgangspunt, is die empiriese komponent van die studie in die volgende hoofstukke beskryf. Aan die hand van drie Christelike gemeenskaps-projekte, naamlik Shiloh Synergy, Sarfat Community Projects en die Elsiesrivier Care Centre is die ervaring van “volle koinonia” prakties getoets. Die ontwerp van die empiriese deel van die studie (hoofstuk 7), was in die vorm van ʼn vergelykende studie ter onderskeiding van: 1) Die prosesse en strukture van die inter-kulturele ontmoeting by Christelike gemeenskapsprojekte; en 2) ʼn evaluering van die vlak van transformasie in verhoudinge. Die kwalitatiewe data is in hoofstuk 8 geanaliseer en bespreek. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie, in hoofstuk 9, bied ʼn interpretasie van wat “volle koinonia” in geloofsgebaseerde betrokkenheid behels en bereik. Die literatuurstudie en die empiriese komponent van die navorsing het die hipotese bewys. Dit toon aan dat geloofsgebaseerde betrokkenheid op ʼn persoonlike vlak ruim geleentheid bied vir die holistiese groei van die betrokkenes en die weg baan tot sosiale transformasie

Monitoring soil erosion in the Souss basin, Morocco, with a multiscale object-based remote sensing approach using UAV and satellite data

This article presents a multiscale approach for detecting and monitoring soil erosion phenomena (i.e. gully erosion) in the agro-industrial area around the city of Taroudannt, Souss basin, Morocco. The study area is characterized as semi-arid with an annual average precipitation of 200 mm. Water scarcity, high population dynamics and changing land use towards huge areas of irrigation farming present numerous threats to sustainability. The agro-industry produces citrus fruits and vegetables in monocropping, mainly for the European market. Badland areas strongly affected by gully erosion border the agricultural areas as well as residential areas. To counteract the significant loss of land, land-leveling measures are attempted to create space for plantations and greenhouses. In order to develop sustainable approaches to limit gully growth the detection and monitoring of gully systems is fundamental. Specific gully sites are monitored with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) taking small-format aerial photographs (SFAP). This enables extremely high-resolution analysis (SFAP resolution: 2-10 cm) of the actual size of the gully channels as well as a detailed continued surveillance of their growth. Transferring the methodology on a larger scale using Quickbird satellite data (resolution: 60 cm) leads to the possibility of a large-scale analysis of the whole area around the city of Taroudannt (Area extent: ca. 350 km²). The results will then reveal possible relationships of gully growth and agro-industrial management and may even illustrate further interdependencies. The main objective is the identification of areas with high gully-erosion risk due to non-sustainable land use and the development of mitigation strategies for the study area

El proyecto EPRODESERT. Cambios de uso del suelo y morfodinámica en el Nordeste de España

The project EPRODESERT (Evaluation of Processes Leading to Land degradation and Desertification under Extensified Farming Systems) investigates the vegetation succession/morphodynamic/land-use complex in Aragón (NE Spain). Socioeconomic investigation studies the reasons and the dynarnics of land-use change. The evolution of the abandoned fields is suiveyed using large scale aerial photographies taken from a hot air blimp and combining them with a monitoring of geomorphodinamics and vegetation. Experimental studies about infiltration, runoff and eolic erosion cuantify the processes. First results mark the different behaviour, regarding rainfall, of fields with diferent time of abandonment and the different crust types.El proyecto EPRODESERT (Evaluation of Processes Leading to Land degradation and Desertfication under Extensified Farming Systems) estudia el complejosucesión de vegetación/morfodinámica/uso del suelo en Aragón. Un primer análisis socioeconómico considera las razones y la dinámica del abandono de tierras. Utilizando fotos aéreas a gran escala, tomadas desde un zeppelin aerostática teledirigido y combinándolas con una clasificación de la morfodinámicay la vegetación, se estudia detalladamente la evolución de los campos abandonados. Con métodos experimentales se cuantifican los procesos de infiltración, escorrentía y erosión hídrica. Destaca como primer resultado el diverso comportamiento ante la precipitación de los campos abandonadns de diferente antigüedad y de las costras edáficas que los cubren

Organisationsstrukturen und Ausrichtung wissenschaftlicher Weiterbildungseinrichtungen: Ergebnisse einer Befragung bayerischer Hochschulen

Die Organisationsstrukturen wissenschaftlicher Weiterbildung in Deutschland weisen ohne Zweifel ein hohes Maß an Diversität auf. Dieses Phänomen, das unter anderem auf definitorische Spielräume und wirtschaftliche Erfordernisse zurückgeführt werden kann, ist Ursache und Wirkung einer höchst unterschiedlichen Weiterbildungsrealität an deutschen Hochschulen. Es verwundert daher nicht, dass auch die DGWF diese organisationale Vielfalt an Hochschulen bereits zum Gegenstand einer qualitativen Forschungsarbeit gemacht hat. Der vorliegende empirische Beitrag setzt an dieser Arbeit an und ergänzt eine stärkerquantitativ gelagerte Perspektive zur Organisation hochschulischer Weiterbildung. Mit den Befragungsergebnissen 26 staatlicher Hochschulen in Bayern wird erstmals ein umfassender Querschnitt der gelebten Organisation, Ausrichtung und Zuständigkeit wissenschaftlicher Weiterbildungseinrichtungeneines Bundeslandes sichtbar. Trotz einer großen Heterogenität bei Ausrichtung und Aufgabenspektrumwird deutlich, dass bayerische Hochschulen ihre Weiterbildungseinrichtungen zunehmend zentralisierenund professionalisieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich organisationale Unterschiede und Hochschulgröße nicht zwangsläufig in der Anzahl der Teilnehmenden an Angeboten der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung niederschlagen. Eine Evidenz für die Bevorzugung einzelner Organisationsmodelle scheint daher nicht  gegeben. Ein Vergleich dieser Ergebnisse mit anderen Bundesländern oder auf internationaler Ebene ist bislang nicht möglich und verweist auf zukünftige Forschungspotenziale

Improving Image Quality of Sparse-view Lung Cancer CT Images with a Convolutional Neural Network

Purpose: To improve the image quality of sparse-view computed tomography (CT) images with a U-Net for lung cancer detection and to determine the best trade-off between number of views, image quality, and diagnostic confidence. Methods: CT images from 41 subjects (34 with lung cancer, seven healthy) were retrospectively selected (01.2016-12.2018) and forward projected onto 2048-view sinograms. Six corresponding sparse-view CT data subsets at varying levels of undersampling were reconstructed from sinograms using filtered backprojection with 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, and 512 views, respectively. A dual-frame U-Net was trained and evaluated for each subsampling level on 8,658 images from 22 diseased subjects. A representative image per scan was selected from 19 subjects (12 diseased, seven healthy) for a single-blinded reader study. The selected slices, for all levels of subsampling, with and without post-processing by the U-Net model, were presented to three readers. Image quality and diagnostic confidence were ranked using pre-defined scales. Subjective nodule segmentation was evaluated utilizing sensitivity (Se) and Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: The 64-projection sparse-view images resulted in Se = 0.89 and DSC = 0.81 [0.75,0.86] while their counterparts, post-processed with the U-Net, had improved metrics (Se = 0.94, DSC = 0.85 [0.82,0.87]). Fewer views lead to insufficient quality for diagnostic purposes. For increased views, no substantial discrepancies were noted between the sparse-view and post-processed images. Conclusion: Projection views can be reduced from 2048 to 64 while maintaining image quality and the confidence of the radiologists on a satisfactory level

Rainfall-simulated quantification of initial soil erosion processes in sloping and poorly maintained terraced vineyards - Key issues for sustainable management systems

In the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), understanding landscape evolution is essential to design long-term management plans. In agricultural fields, such as the vineyards on steep slopes, the terraces offer one of the most important morphological changes. However, it is not clear if the poorly managed agricultural terraces are optimal to reduce soil erosion and overland flow, although the trafficability is improved. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to compare the differences between initial soil erosion processes on poorly managed terraced vineyards and sloping vineyards at the pedon scale, considering the key role of the SSC (Soil Surface Components). To achieve this goal, twenty-six rainfall simulations were performed, considering the inclination, vegetation and stone covers, and surface roughness. Our research was carried out in the sloping vineyards (>20°) of the Almáchar municipality, in the Montes de Málaga (Spain). Those vineyards are characterized by bare soils, low organic matter and high rock fragment contents. Our results showed that higher soil losses (42.2 g m−2 vs 9.4 g m−2) and runoff (4.9 l m−2 vs 1.6 l m−2) were detected in the plots of the poorly managed terraced vineyard than in the sloping one. Moreover, the time to runoff generation was lower in the poorly conserved terraces (232 s) than in the sloping vineyard (679 s), showing a faster saturation capacity. The SSC considered as the key factors were the reduction of the stone cover and an increase of roughness. As a conclusion, we confirm that the imminent transformation from sloping vineyards into terraced fields could lead several land degradation processes if a poor management is carried out, and no control measures are applied during the process, such as the conservation of stone walls or vegetation cover above the embankment, which is not in compliance with the SDG.Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte from Spain for the financial support of the FPU15/0149

High variability of soil erosion and hydrological processes in Mediterranean hillslope vineyards (Montes de Málaga, Spain)

Conventional Mediterranean vineyards from the Montes de Málaga (Axarquía region, Spain) are characterized by high average temperatures, extreme rainfall events during autumn and winter, elevated stoniness and steep slopes (20–50°). Traditionally, several problems of high soil loss, rill and ephemeral gully generation, and elevat- ed runoff are observed by farmers, which are increasing land degradation processes and a decrease of the productivity. According to this, the main aims of this paper were: i) to quantify the initial soil loss, surface flow and infiltration processes; ii) to characterize and describe the hydrological and geomorphological dynamics; iii) to detect the key factors, which control the soil erosion processes. For this purpose, a combined methodology was applied, using soil analysis, a small portable rainfall simulator and a Guelph permeameter on one experimental plot cultivated with vineyards with steep slopes. Results showed a high variability of soil erosion and permeability processes. Soil analysis showed an elevated concentration of silt particles and stoniness, with higher contents of sand particles between 0 and 5 cm, and clays from 5 cm. With a Guelph permeameter, high average of permeability and saturated hydraulic conductivity with elevated standard deviation were observed. Furthermore, an increase of these parameters from the upper to the foot slope was reg- istered. By using rainfall simulations, on the upper and the foot slope positions the highest runoff coefficient and soil loss were registered. The most elevated peak of sediment concentration was obtained on the middle slope. In general, high infiltration coefficients between 66.5 and 100% were observed. In conclusion it was observed that the activation of the soil erosion processes was due to the distribution of the surface soil components (high roughness, several cracks and high stoniness and silt content), the steep slopes and the impact of the soil traditional tillage practices. These Mediterranean hillslope vineyards registered a mixed Hortonian-Hewlettian model, which combines surface and sub-surface flow conditioned by the micro-topo- graphical changes and its saturation degree