Modeling water regulation ecosystem services: A review in the context of ecosystem accounting

Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) has evolved rapidly in recent years through substantial efforts of both international organizations and the scientific community. Water regulation ecosystem services (ES) are key elements of regulating services in ecosystem accounting, with most relevant studies strongly relying on models for ES quantification up to now. In this paper, we provide a review of modeling efforts for water regulation ES based on 148 scientific papers, properly systematized, analyzed and interpreted by using a detailed and structured original template. We examined emerging trends and gaps in model applications and the readiness to integrate them into the NCA and SEEA-EA frameworks. We propose a classification scheme which organizes the 92 different models and modeling approaches identified in the review process into eight model categories so that this scheme can be efficiently used in the water ES assessment of and for further integration into the accounting framework. Among the models, the hydrologic model SWAT and the modeling tool InVEST are by far the most popular. The results of the review revealed differences between the general ES literature and the accounting-related papers. Moreover, our analysis sets the basis for useful recommendations of which model categories are the most appropriate for the water regulation ES, included in the SEEA-EA reference list. Based on the number of relevant papers, the reliability and the confidence level of the recommendations for the use of models have been incorporated in our analysis. We highlight as model category with the highest confidence the ones relative to quantification water flow and flood control service aiming at ES accounting. Models for erosion control ES can only be recommended with a lower confidence, while for water purification the results lack clear evidence for using a particular group of models. Based on the research findings we identified the main research priorities on model integration in the accounting of water regulation ES: 1) further development of guidelines for the use of models in ecosystem accounting; 2) analyses of the spatial aspects of the model towards a clear distinction between ecosystem service supply and use; and 3) development of integrated modeling approaches for water regulation ES accounting. © 2022 The Author(s

“Magnetic Force Microscopy and Energy Loss Imaging of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles”

We present quantitative, high spatially resolved magnetic force microscopy imaging of samples based on 11 nm diameter superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in air at room temperature. By a proper combination of the cantilever resonance frequency shift, oscillation amplitude and phase lag we obtain the tip-sample interaction maps in terms of force gradient and energy dissipation. These physical quantities are evaluated in the frame of a tip-particle magnetic interaction model also including the tip oscillation amplitude. Magnetic nanoparticles are characterized both in bare form, after deposition on a flat substrate, and as magnetically assembled fillers in a polymer matrix, in the form of nanowires. The latter approach makes it possible to reveal the magnetic texture in a composite sample independently of the surface topography

Effect of the molecular structure of the polymer and nucleation on the optical properties of polypropylene homo- and copolymers.

Two soluble nucleating agents were used to modify the optical properties of nine PP homo- and random copolymers. The ethylene content of the polymers changed between 0 and 5.3 wt%. Chain regularity was characterized by the stepwise isothermal segregation technique (SIST), while optical properties by the measurement of the haze of injection molded samples. Crystallization and melting characteristics were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The analysis of the results proved that lamella thickness and change in crystallinity influence haze only slightly. A model was introduced which describes quantitatively the dependence of nucleation efficiency and haze on the concentration of the nucleating agent. The model assumes that the same factors influence the peak temperature of crystallization and optical properties. The analysis of the results proved that the assumption is valid under the same crystallization conditions. The parameters of the model depend on the molecular architecture of the polymer. Chain regularity determines supermolecular structure and thus the dependence of optical properties on nucleation

Evidence of a cubic iron sub-lattice in t-CuFe2O4 demonstrated by X-ray Absorption Fine Structure

Copper ferrite, belonging to the wide and technologically relevant class of spinel ferrites, was grown in the form of t-CuFe2O4 nanocrystals within a porous matrix of silica in the form of either an aerogel or a xerogel, and com-pared to a bulk sample. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy revealed the presence of two different sub-lattices within the crystal structure of t-CuFe2O4, one tetragonal and one cubic, defined by the Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions respectively. Our investigation provides evidence that the Jahn-Teller distortion, which occurs on the Cu2+ ions located in octahedral sites, does not affect the coordination geometry of the Fe3+ ions, regardless of their location in octahedral or tetrahedral sites

European agricultural landscapes, common agricultural policy and ecosystem services: a review

Since the 1950s, intensification and scale enlargement of agriculture have changed agricultural landscapes across Europe. The intensification and scale enlargement of farming was initially driven by the large-scale application of synthetic fertilizers, mechanization and subsidies of the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Then, after the 1990s, a further intensification and scale enlargement, and land abandonment in less favored areas was caused by globalization of commodity markets and CAP reforms. The landscape changes during the past six decades have changed the flows and values of ecosystem services. Here, we have reviewed the literature on agricultural policies and management, landscape structure and composition, and the contribution of ecosystem services to regional competitiveness. The objective was to define an analytical framework to determine and assess ecosystem services at the landscape scale. In contrast to natural ecosystems, ecosystem service flows and values in agricultural landscapes are often a result of interactions between agricultural management and ecological structures. We describe how land management by farmers and other land managers relates to landscape structure and composition. We also examine the influence of commodity markets and policies on the behavior of land managers. Additionally, we studied the influence of consumer demand on flows and values of the ecosystem services that originate from the agricultural landscape

Crowdsourced WebGIS for routing applications in disaster management situations

Successfully navigating a damaged infrastructure is challenging due to a lack of automatic routing solutions and a shortage of real-time infrastructure status information. Remote sensing techniques, which are traditionally used, have drawbacks; clouds obscure the view, observation frequency is low, many phenomena can only be observed from the ground, etc. This report presents an alternative observation strategy in the form of crowdsourcing: untrained volunteers are engaged in observing the state of the infrastructure. A web application is built that enables volunteers to make observations through desktop and mobile devices and use the collected information to plan the shortest route to a certain location. The information collected by both groups is stored in a spatial database and displayed on a Google Maps map. The application extends Google's Direction Service with obstacle avoidance functionality that enable users to find the shortest path in a disaster stricken area. This project is carried out as part of the Crisis and Disaster Management course of MSc Geomatics and is supervised by Sisi Zlatanova.GIS TechnologyOTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen

Google maps for crowdsourced emergency routing

Gathering infrastructure data in emergency situations is challenging. The affected by a disaster areas are often large and the needed observations numerous. Spaceborne remote sensing techniques cover large areas but they are of limited use as their field of view may be blocked by clouds, smoke, buildings, highways, etc. Remote sensing products furthermore require specialists to collect and analyze the data. This contrasts the nature of the damage detection problem: almost everyone is capable of observing whether a street is usable or not. The crowd is fit for solving these challenges as its members are numerous, they are willing to help and are often in the vicinity of the disaster thereby forming a highly dispersed sensor network. This paper proposes and implements a small WebGIS application for performing shortest path calculations based on crowdsourced information about the infrastructure health. The application is built on top of Google Maps and uses its routing service to calculate the shortest distance between two locations. Impassable areas are indicated on a map by people performing in-situ observations on a mobile device, and by users on a desktop machine who consult a multitude of information sources.OTB ResearchOTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen