Clyde superficial deposits and bedrock models released to the ASK Network 2013 : a guide for users

This report draft provides an overview of the Clyde superficial deposits models to be released in 2013 and detail on the Central Glasgow Superficial Deposits Model currently released to the ASK network. The geological models are an interpretation of digital datasets held by the British Geological Survey. A summary of the construction and limitations of the models and a brief description of the modelled units is given. The report will be updated and revised as more models become available for release to the ASK network. More details on the models can be found in the previous reports Merritt et al. (2009), Monaghan (2012a) and Monaghan et al. (2012)

Channel geometry data set for the northwest Scottish Highlands

This report provides the channel geometry data set to accompany the paper “Substrate, sediment and slope controls on bedrock channel geometry in postglacial streams” by Whitbread et al. (2015), published in the Journal Geophysical Research – Earth Surface (available from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014JF003295/full). The data set includes reach average channel geometry data (width and depth) for 139 reaches in the River Elchaig, River Canaird and River Carron (Dornoch Firth) in the northwest Scottish Highlands. The study reaches are classified according to the main substrate making up the banks and bed of the stream (Alluvial, Mixed bedrock – alluvial and Bedrock). Whitbread et al. (2015) use these data to assess differences in the downstream scaling of channel width and depth with catchment area (or discharge) for reaches developed in different substrates, and analyse the roles of slope and sediment in constraining channel geometry

The geomorphic impact of road construction : a case study of the A9 in Scotland

This study is a preliminary assessment of the geomorphic impacts of road construction based on two test areas located along the A9 in Scotland; a southern section 30 km in length just north of the city of Perth, and a northern section12.5 km in length just south of the city of Inverness. Estimates of the depths of cuttings and embankments formed during road construction have been made through comparison of ground levels recorded in pre-construction borehole logs along the road route with digital elevation models representing the modern ground surface. This study trials two methods of assessing surface change and the volume of material excavated or deposited along the road route. Firstly a direct comparison of borehole ground levels with the modern ground surface is used. The second method involves reconstruction of the pre-road ground surface through re-interpolation of the digital elevation models which are then validated by comparison with the actual pre-road ground level recorded in the boreholes. Volumes of material excavated and deposited are then derived by comparison of the re-interpolated digital elevation model with original (the modern ground surface). Both analysis methods indicate that there has been a net loss of material in the study areas, that equates to an average surface lowering along the road route of 2 to 2.5 m in the northern area, and 0.4 – 0.7 m in the southern area. Comparison of average rates of ‘erosion’ resulting from road construction with natural river erosion rates indicates that erosion associated with road construction occurs at rates that are 2 – 3 orders of magnitude faster than even the most rapid erosion recorded in natural streams worldwide, and 3 – 4 orders of magnitude faster than previously measured river erosion rates in Scotland. Only rare catastrophic flood events are capable of excavating gorges at rates equivalent to the rate of cutting excavation during road construction. The surface lowering and net material transfer associated with road construction is likely to strongly affect local geomorphic systems, with knock-on effects for hydrological and ecological systems in the vicinity of roads. As there are nearly 250 thousand miles of road within the UK, road construction is likely to have significant impacts on geomorphic and environmental systems at national scales

Devonian and Carboniferous stratigraphical correlation and interpretation in the Orcadian area, Central North Sea, Quadrants 7 - 22

This report details the stratigraphy and palaeogeography of Devonian and Carboniferous rocks of the northern sector of the UK Central North Sea (the ‘Orcadian Area’) for the 21CXRM Palaeozoic project. The work integrates the lithostratigraphic framework for the Middle Devonian to Late Carboniferous succession in the region of the Mid North Sea High developed in the first phase of the 21CXRM Palaeozoic project (Kearsey et al., 2015), with the Early Devonian to Early Carboniferous succession present in the north Central North Sea. This report describes the stratigraphical correlation of Devonian and Carboniferous strata of the Orcadian Basin and the northern extension of the Forth Approaches into the Witch Ground Graben (Quadrants 7 – 22). A lithostratigraphic framework for the region is presented, building on the work of Cameron (1993) and Marshall and Hewett (2003). For the Devonian strata, the lithostratigraphic framework developed by Marshall and Hewett (2003) is followed. Their study presented a substantial revision of the previous Devonian stratigraphy for the region, particularly related to (1) reassessment of the Devonian - Permian contact and (2) the identification of the Eday Group offshore in the Inner Moray Firth Basin. In this study, onshore outcrops, well data and seismic interpretation (cf. Arsenikos et al., 2016) verify the key elements of the framework of Marshall and Hewett (2003). In addition, well interpretations further define the extent of the stratigraphical units and form the basis of potential source and reservoir horizon palaeogeographic reconstructions for four time intervals within the Devonian succession. For example, the potential source rock of the Orcadia Formation has been interpreted to the north of the Halibut Horst and into the East Orkney Basin, significantly increasing the extent of this unit outside the Inner Moray Firth. A revised lithostratigraphic framework for the Carboniferous strata of Quadrants 14, 15, 20 and 21 is presented. This framework links the Carboniferous succession of the Orcadian Area with equivalent age strata in areas on and surrounding the Mid North Sea High (Kearsey et al., 2015). Well and seismic interpretations have been integrated to better define the extent of Carboniferous units. Regional facies variations for key time intervals in the Early Carboniferous are presented which highlight relationships between the Carboniferous basins of the Witch Ground Graben and Forth Approaches, and those of the Mid North Sea High and adjacent regions to the south. For example, fluvial channel systems have been interpreted within late Visean age coal-bearing, fluvial and lacustrine deposits of the Firth Coal Formation, that are potential feeder systems for Yoredale Formation fluvio-deltaic to marine deposits farther south. This report forms one of a series of outputs from the 21CXRM Palaeozoic project (Orcadian Area) and provides explanatory information for the associated digital datasets (spreadsheet). The Orcadian Area study follows previous work undertaken in the Mid North Sea High area of the Central North Sea (CNS area; Figure 1). Key elements of the regional petroleum geology of the Orcadian area are summarised in an accompanying synthesis report (Monaghan et al., 2016)

Landslide survey : High Lossit, near Machrihanish Bay, Mull of Kintyre

A walkover survey was carried out from the 20th to the 21st of February 2014 to inspect a landslide at High Lossit, Mull of Kintyre, Scotland [NR 62655, 19980]. The subsidence and ground deformation associated with the landslide affected an area of approximately 12 000 sq m of rough grazing land, bordering coastal cliffs, and causing minor damage to stone walls and fencing. The reported landslide occurred within the boundary of a larger, pre-existing landslide that probably occurred following deglaciation of the area during the Late Devensian. The original landslide had an estimated area of 40 000 sq m and likely occurred by rotational failure or sliding of deeply weathered basalt of the Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation, forming a mass movement deposit comprising angular blocks of bedrock in a matrix of gravelly clay within an area bound by a 5 to 30 m high back-scarp. The recently reported landslide (with an area of approximately 12 000 sq m) is classified as a dominantly translational slide within the older landslide deposit, with rotation at the head of the landslide, developing into a translational slide in the main body and toe. The landslide is developed in a north to north-west facing slope, in gently north-east dipping basalt of the Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation. The cause of the recent slope failure is likely due to a combination of driving forces including excessive water ingress after prolonged heavy rainfall, and existing slope instability due to the high slope angle and presence of large blocks of heavily weathered and altered basalt. The slope has a history of instability, reflected in the pre-existing scarp of the post-Late Devensian landslide and there is evidence for active soil movement prior to the recent slip recorded by offset of a stone wall at the foot of the recent slip. Large Post-Late Devensian landslips have been identified in numerous coastal locations around the Mull of Kintyre. The causes of these large landslips are poorly understood, but in the High Lossit area, intense weathering of basalts and local faulting in addition to over-steepening of the slope through glacial erosion may have been contributing factors to slope instability soon after deglaciation. Further assessment, including detailed geological mapping, would be required to properly understand the effect of the highly weathered and altered basalt on the ground stability and to develop the ground model. To assess for likelihood of future movement, a hydrogeological study of the site would also be required as the drainage of the affected field has been altered following the landslide

Assessment of on-farm, market and wild food diversity in three agro-ecological zones of Western Kenya

Poster presented at Tropentag 2014. International Conference on Research on Food Security, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development. "Bridging the Gap between Increasing Knowledge and Decreasing Resources" Prague (Czech Republic) Sep 17-19 2014

Environment Agency: Durham Permian Sections

This report describes six sections constructed through the Permian and Carboniferous sequence in north-east England. The main north-south section (split into two parts) extends from near Sunderland in the north to near Darlington in the south. Four east-west sections are situated in the north, centre and southern parts of the area. In addition, a short north-south section is located just to the west of Hartlepool. The sections have been constructed to a depth of 300m and created from borehole and map information compiled using the GSI3D modelling software

Integrated systems approach for enhancing resilience of arid farming systems in South Asia

This paper aims to share the methods and processes of designing resilient farming systems to improve livelihoods under the drylands in South-Asia. The study is based on 250 randomly selected farm households along the rainfall gradient from Jodhpur- Barmer-Jaisalmer districts in Western Rajasthan in India. Our analysis demonstrates that the dryland smallholder farming systems occur within diverse agro-ecological and socio-economic environments and develop different livelihood strategies driven by opportunities and constraints encountered. Multiple livelihood assets determine different land use patterns and agricultural management practices in dryland systems in south Asia. Well-designed household survey on socio-economic and agroecological variables and statistical approach helped capture the diversity of livelihood assets to categorize households into homogenous farm types. The follow up FDG’s with farmers and stakeholder were equally important to validate farm typologies and prioritization of interventions. Engaging the innovation platform for identification of potential innovation options and their prioritization at district level; involving farmers for each farm typology, and ex-ante assessment of promising options led to the on-farm assessment of farm type specific most appropriate interventions in the action villages. Landscape and community level options were prioritized with the village development committee and proactive farmers. The institutional platforms experimented at village to regional level has strengthened the capacity of the community/stakeholders to innovate to improve the farming systems resilience and economic viability. An ex-post assessment demonstrates significant increase in farming systems productivity, household income and development of value chains as well as sustainable management of natural resource including common pastures. This study contributes to the understanding of how research for development through integrated systems approach can contribute towards stabilizing farm incomes, sustainable intensification and smoothening livelihood of resource poor farmers in vulnerable dry regions

The geology of the A9 corridor between Luncarty and Ballinluig

This report is an initial review of data from a resurvey of the superficial geology of the A9 corridor between Luncarty and Ballinluig. The resurvey was conducted to improve understanding of the superficial deposits and ground conditions along a vital transport route linking southern and northern Scotland. During the resurvey, information from historic geological maps was supplemented by data from field surveys conducted in 2013 and analysis of borehole records from the BGS archive. Preliminary geological maps and cross-sections are included in this report. The production of new 1:10,000 scale digital geological maps based on these data is ongoing. Note this report was originally released as an internal report in 2014, and reissued as an open report in 2019

Climate risk, vulnerability and resilience: Supporting livelihood of smallholders in semiarid India

Using panel data from 256 smallholder households from 2006 to 2014 in three semiarid regions India, this study develops a framework for quantifying vulnerability and resilience by accounting for a smallholder household’s ability to adapt and respond to climatic risk. Findings indicate that although smallholders with smaller landholdings are more vulnerable to climatic risk (drought, in our case), they are also more resilient than their counterparts. Results reveal that cropping intensity and crop risk increase the vulnerability of smallholders to climatic risk, but large farms are less vulnerable. Diversification in on-farm enterprises, like livestock units, and off-farm income sources, play significant roles in increasing smallholder households’ resilience to climatic risk. Other drivers of resiliency include the choice of cash and risky crops, borrowing capacity, liquid investments, and the ability to regain yields