(2020). In tribute to founding editor, Antony R. Orme, 1932–2020. Physical Geography: Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 289-290.

This study investigates the temporal variability and trend of temperature and rainfall in Gelana sub-watershed, northern highlands of Ethiopia. The study employed a mixed methods approach, but overwhelmingly relied on gridded monthly rainfall and maximum and minimum temperature data at a resolution of 10 × 10 km. The quantitative data were analyzed using standardized rainfall anomaly, precipitation

The thermal growing season (TGS) that strongly correlates with changes in temperature refers to the whole period during which vegetation growth can occur. The daily mean air temperature data of 66meteorological stations located in the Yellow River basin (YRB) from 1960 to 2017 were used to investigate the inter-annual variations in the TGS indices and their relationships with atmospheric teleconnection

Rainfall associated with Hurricane María triggered more than 70,000 shallow landslides over a 6,400 km2 area of Puerto Rico for a mean density of 11.2 slope failures per km2. When compared to other single storm landslide inventories with similarly sized search areas in tropical and sub-tropical regions, HMA’s mean landslide density is eleven times greater than the average. This study relied on frequency

Despite its adjacency to seas in the north and the south, Iran suffers from relatively low humidity. Spatial distribution of the atmospheric humidity across Iran is a function of altitude, distance to water bodies, and moisture advection. The analysis of the daily data on precipitable water from the MODIS Aqua sensor for a period of 15 years shows that average precipitable water across Iran is 12 mm

Scour is a natural phenomenon involving the removal of bed sediments by the perturbation of flow field with the erection of hydraulic structures such as guide bank, abutments and bridge piers. Removal of sediment at the base of the pier due to scouring not only undermines its foundation support considerably but also leads to deposition and siltation downstream due to lower flow velocities. This deforms

Agriculture in the Aconcagua Basin is both vital to Chile’s economy and critically dependent on water resources from snow and glaciers. Expanding croplands, a growing population, and a changing climate are all expected to exacerbate water scarcity in this arid region where agriculture requires 7.1 × 108 m3 of water for irrigation annually. We investigate agricultural water resources in the Aconcagua

The cumulative effect of anthropogenic aerosol pollution acting primarily as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and dust acting as CCN, giant CCN, and ice nuclei (IN) is examined in this study, which covers the entire Colorado Rocky Mountains from the months of October to April in the year 2004–2005. The ~6.5-month analysis provides a range of snowfall totals and variability in concentrations of anthropogenic

Using a synoptic classification technique and gridded snow dataset, snowfall was evaluated in the eastern Great Lakes region from 1950-2009 during atmospheric conditions suitable for the development of lake-effect snow. Specific emphases were placed on detailing the long-term changes to snowfall magnitude and frequency, and quantifying changes in the contribution of total snowfall from lake-effect

The sky view factor (SVF) is a key indicator in urban structures and is used in research in various fields. Recently, a method was developed to compute SVF in complex urban areas using airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR). However, it displays low accuracy in areas with trees and buildings, owing to the limited resolution of airborne LiDAR data. In this study, the accuracy of the SVF calculation

In this study, four kernels extreme learning machines (KELM): radial basis function (RBELM), polynomial (POELM), wavelet (WKELM) and linear (LNELM) extreme learning machines were compared for modelling monthly pan evaporation from Algerian dams reservoirs, according to three scenarios. In the first scenario, the model were developed using splitting ratio of 70/30%, for training and validation subset

Landslides represent one of the most frequent geodynamic phenomena in Slovakia. This contribution focuses on the relations of the selected landscape attributes and landslides in flysch area of the Western Carpathians. We presented three statistical methods of assessing and making a prognosis of the landslide hazard: multivariate, factor and zonal analysis. These methods complement each other and their

The influence of lithology on morphological variability across space presents a unique approach to understand how morphological variables and domain units respond to lithological variations. This study examines variation existing in channel morphological variables across domain units within a basement complex. Eighty-three reaches were surveyed across six third-order basins within the Upper Ogun River

The Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea comprise a semi-enclosed intercontinental Marine System (MBMS), bordered by the Eurasian and African continents. Its total marine surface is circa 3 × 106 km2, while its drainage basin exceeds 7 × 106 km2; the latter includes the watersheds of 39 large (>104 km2) river systems, which correspond to about 83% of its total area. The MBMS includes four basins, that

Cover and management (C) and support practice (P) are the most dynamic factors of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation- a widely used model to estimate mean annual soil loss. The aim of this study was, therefore, to determine C- and P-factors for four land management practices and three land use types in three agro-ecologies: Guder (highland), Aba Gerima (midland), and Dibatie (lowland) through

Induced seismicity in the mid-continental United States remains an ongoing concern. In 2016, 4,672 small-magnitude earthquakes occurred in Oklahoma, which now ranks number one for earthquake frequency in the United States. It is thought that this rise in seismicity is related to wastewater disposal (WWD) into Oklahoma’s subsurface near previously inactive faults. Here we model these earthquake frequencies

Volcanoes have a beneficial role in human development; however, this balance could turn to hazardous processes or even environmental disturbances. Costa Rica is a volcanic country. The people of Costa Rica live upon these landscapes and take advantage of the benefits afforded, such as water recharge, the fertile soils for agriculture purposes, and world-renowned ecological tourism. The Barva volcano

Lake surface water temperature (LSWT) is sensitive to long-term changes in thermal structure of lakes. This paper investigates the association of LSWT with meteorological parameters and its impact during El Nino and La Nina events over the Himalayan lake region, using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data from 2001 to 2017. The observed daytime rates of change of LSWT

We measured fine sediment accumulations (FSA) adjacent to eroding off-highway vehicle trails in Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas. Measured trailside FSA was 643 m3. Extrapolated to the entire trail network, this amounts to 216 t ha−1 of trail surface, with a residence time of <1 yr. Natural topographic features are the main storage sites, accounting for 83% of the total, and constructed features

Salt-affected soils are widely distributed in arable croplands worldwide with potential productivity so that it is important to develop and utilize these soils. This study investigated the effects of leonardite at the application dosage of 0 (CK), 1% (T1), 3% (T2), and 5% (T3) on amending salt-affected soils under intermittent leaching. Results showed that leaching effectively reduced the electrical

Global warming poses a serious threat to the alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau. Ecological restoration is an effective measure for adapting to climate change and controlling desertification. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between plant growth and the soil properties of valley-slope sand dunes during ecological restoration. We conducted a case study to investigate the changes

In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, sand dunes are widespread on the sandy floor of former Glacial Lake Algonquin, and many of the nearby uplands also have thin mantles of loess. Previous work concluded that these dunes formed during the early Holocene, long after the lake had drained. Where these dunes have migrated against bedrock uplands, many have accreted into larger dune complexes. South and east

Nehnar glacier is located in the Sindh sub-basin of the Jhelum River in the Kashmir Himalayas. We studied the dynamic response of the glacier (area, snout, Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA), specific mass balance, volume) using Survey of India (SOI) toposheets and Landsat imagery series from 1962 to 2017. The results show that this glacier has lost an area of 1.4 km2 (50.35%) during this period of 55

The study examines spatial and temporal changes in monthly precipitable water vapour (PWV) over Thailand using 37 years of monthly ERA-Interim re-analysis data (1981–2017). PWV from ERA-Interim data was compared with that derived from radiosonde observations at four stations and it was shown to have an average root-mean-square error and mean bias error of 0.264 cm and −0.137 cm, respectively. Then

Knowledge of wind flow over dune scarps and, as scarps fill, their subsequent various slopes, is important for understanding sediment transport pathways from beach to dunes. In this study, flow over scarps (also termed forward-facing steps) is reviewed, and the flow over a vertical scarp (90°) and three slopes of 45°, 24°, and 14°, all 2 m in height, is examined via CFD modelling. The flow over three

The paper explores spatial and temporal variability of rainfall and temperature in Bilate catchment based on monthly data of 11 meteorological stations. Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) and Pearson product moment correlation were used to estimate monthly concentrations and associations between annual and seasonal rainfall. Similar methods were used to analyze the association of ENSO with rainfall

Many Opuntia engage in nurse associations. Opuntia cespitosa is an endangered cactus species in Canada that is infrequent to rare in many parts of its US range. This study quantifies Opuntia cespitosa associations with other native and non-native plant species in its only substantial extant population in Canada, at Point Pelee National Park. Species cover was estimated along 100 transects across 50

Two-dimensional unsteady hydraulic models can be attractive tools for characterizing the inundation dynamics relevant to floodplain forest ecosystems because of their ability to make dynamic, spatially continuous predictions. Such models are challenging to evaluate because they require spatially and temporally extensive datasets that are expensive or logistically difficult to collect. As a result,

This study was undertaken to produce landslide susceptibility maps by the frequency ratio (FR) and weight-of-evidence (WOE) methods for the Qingshui River Basin, and compare three combinations of different controlling factors to get the best number for analysis. Since conditioning factors create suitable conditions for landslides, 11 such parameters were used for this study: slope angle, aspect, altitude

The South of the Iberian Peninsula is subject to long periods of drought followed by heavy rain events over shallow soils, promoting soil loss. The Modified Fournier Index (MFI) is a good indicator of this process; however, MFI is sometimes difficult to assess due to the scarcity of rainfall data. This study proposes a methodology using MFI and supported by a geographic information system (GIS) and

Water data collected from 33 lakes across the Upper Midwest in two sampling regimes spanning ~ 20 years were used to detect changes in water chemistry. Significant increases in chloride, total dissolved solids, and pH, and decreases in magnesium were observed between the two datasets. Rates of change per year were greatest for Cl (0.088 mg L−1 yr−1) and TDS (1.88 mg L−1 yr−1), with road salt application

Composition and richness of coastal vegetation differs with distance from the water and sheltering by topography. Transition from pioneer beach plants to mature forests is expected to be narrow on low wave energy coasts with a tropical climate favorable to vegetation growth. The goal of this paper is to determine whether vegetation on the beach and foredune will be denser and have a greater number

An attempt is made to explain the relationship of landslides to litho-tectonic and precipitation regimes. The possible influence of these factors on the dimensional pattern of landslides is also inferred. The Yamuna River valley, NW Himalaya, which traverses the Higher Himalaya (HH) and Lesser Himalaya (LH) rock mass, endures disastrous landslides and hence is taken as the case for study. To achieve

Changes in growing season length (GSL) are of concern for agricultural, phenological, economic, epidemiological, and bioclimatological reasons. This research identifies spatial and temporal changes over the last several decades in GSL, along with the day-of-year of the last spring freeze and first autumn freeze, for the northeastern United States – a region particularly susceptible to such changes

An estimated 2.7 million septic systems in Florida, USA are potential ground and surface water contaminant sources that may affect environmental and human health. This study examined the spatial distribution of septic systems, coastal surface water contamination, and related environmental factors of coastal Florida watersheds at the 8-digit hydrologic unit code level. Hydrology, in situ sampling data

This paper discusses characteristics of the seasonal variation in phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in the PM2.5 in the city of Changji, which is located an arid area of Xinjiang Province, northwest China. Samples were collected using a Laoying 2030 median discharge intelligent total suspended particulate (TSP) sampler and analyzed by a Shimadzu GC-2010 gas chromatograph. The results showed that PAEs in

The Evros deltaic plain (North Aegean Sea, Greece) covers an area of 188 km2 and is shared by Greece and Turkey by its current main channel. This paper investigates deltaic plain evolution during the last seven decades (1945–2017), taking into consideration human interventions and their impacts on deltaic processes. Outcomes indicate that the construction of more than 25 major dams in the Evros River

Land uses and soil and water conservation (SWC) structures affect topsoil moisture and carbon stocks, particularly in the water deficit semi-arid environment of the northern Ethiopian highlands. This study was undertaken to assess the effects of land use and SWC structures on topsoil moisture, biomass, and soil carbon. Soil moisture was measured manually using gravimetric methods and theta probes with

An overall hydromorphological assessment of the middle to lower Guadalquivir River (southern Spain) was conducted using the Morphological Quality Index (MQI) and a novel extension, the Hydro-Morphological Quality Index (HMQI), with the following aims: (1) investigate the morphological problems and (2) describe and test the HMQI on a case study characterized by relevant hydrological alterations related

The two primary methods for averaging daily near-surface air temperature are twice-daily averaging (i.e., the sum of the maximum and minimum divided by two) and hourly averaging (i.e., using the 24 hourly values of a day). To quantify the influence of synoptic (air mass) climatology on the numerical difference between the two types of daily temperature averaging, a synoptic climatology for 215 weather

Fire has been well studied in the Appalachians but has not been well characterized within Piedmont xeric forests. Herein we describe a dendrochronological study at Pilot Mountain State Park, NC addressing the following: How frequently did this forest experience fire? Is fire occurrence correlated with drought conditions? How did fire activity change with the onset of suppression? How does the fire

Comprehending the characteristics of infiltration is essential for conserving spring recharge areas, particularly on hillslopes of a Quaternary volcanic landscape. Quantitative investigations were carried out to identify soil physical properties and morphological features related to infiltration behavior. We used 15 transects with 70 sampling points in total to collect soil samples, observed morphological

The size distribution and concentration of atmospheric aerosol particles are important parameters that characterize the physical and optical properties of aerosols. Understanding the spectral distribution of atmospheric particles is fundamental for studying particulate pollution. Based on observational data acquired by an aerodynamic particle sizer APS-3321 and a laser dust meter LD-5 from September

The shores of the Bratsk reservoir are widely affected by bank gullies. We monitored the short- and medium-term gully dynamics at three key sites. The interaction of karst-erosional, aeolian-erosional, and gully and shore erosion processes were determined and presented as conceptual models. Gully and shore erosion were the dominating processes in the Rassvet site in the period of heavy rainfall and

We employ a dendrochronological approach to examine spatial variation in radial tree growth-climate relationships and responses to global climate oscillations across the geographic ranges of Picea glauca and Picea engelmannii. Tree-ring chronologies were constructed for 77 sites and analyzed using correlation coefficients for monthly climatic variables. In general, for Picea glauca, stands in the western

This study is based on 616 geochronological ages from aeolian and colluvial sediments as well as paleosols, representing the largest database of geochronological data from northeastern Germany available to date. Cumulative probability density functions for radiocarbon data and kernel density estimates for luminescence data were created covering the last 15 ka. The data analysis aimed at the identification

Landscape mosaics commonly reflect local terrain interactions with broad-scale processes. In the northern hemisphere, insolation interacts with terrain such that south-facing slopes are warmer, drier, and have sparser and more flammable vegetation than north-facing slopes. These vegetation differences are reinforced through positive feedbacks. In the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA, south-facing

The Wind River Range in Wyoming contains more glacial ice than any other location within the USA’s Rocky Mountain states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Bull Lake Creek watershed in the southeast portion of the range contains five major (0.6–1.5 km2) glaciers along with numerous smaller glaciers that contribute to the Wind River. Field measurements were made of discharge from the Knife Point

Gullies are common erosional features in the Piedmont of North Carolina that have often been studied as indicators of poor land-management practices. However, the timing of gully formation, and thus the specific practices that caused their formation, has been largely overlooked in the literature. Here, we use the timing of gully formation to examine the geomorphic and anthropogenic triggers for erosion

In the framework of a landslide inventory map of the Sierra Costa Region, we identified and classified landslides on the basis of extensive field-verified aerial photo interpretation. Geological and geomorphological data were gathered to assess the spatial distribution of the landslides, occurrence characteristics and possible associated risk. Of the 1262 landslides analysed and classified, the main

Soil degradation causes low land productivity. To tackle soil degradation, soil management practices have been implemented in the study area. However, less attention has been given to the management of physical soil quality. Hence, the objective of this study is to evaluate soil physical properties of long-used cultivated lands. Twelve Land Mapping Units (LMUs) were identified by overlaying slope and

This research analyzes the relationship between tropical cyclones and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for landfalling Atlantic tropical cyclones from 2000 to 2015. Daily mean PM2.5 concentrations were collected from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Tropical cyclone data were acquired from Tropical Prediction Center Best Track Reanalysis in Unisys weather. GRIdded Binary (GRIB formatted)

To explore the impact of temperature difference (TD) on the disintegration of redbed softrock, three types of redbed rock, collected from Nanxiong Basin, were analyzed under three different treatments: TD, wetting and drying (WD), and TDWD-temperature difference and WD. To better understand the influence of different ranges of TD on disintegration during WD cycles, pH (hydrogen ion concentration) values

Landslides cause considerable loss of life and property; therefore, it is important to determine landslide susceptibility. The aim of this study is to produce a geographical information system (GIS)-based landslide susceptibility map (LSM) by the frequency ratio (FR) and weight-of-evidence (WOFE) methods for the selected study area (Şavşat city, Turkey), to calculate the accuracy of the produced LSM

Reconciling the long-standing debate on the importance of niche-related and neutral factors on community assembly, recent research suggests that both deterministic and stochastic processes operate simultaneously along a continuum in many biogeographical systems. In particular, stochastic processes seem to lose importance under stressful conditions, which results in the increasing influence of deterministic

The publication of the European Landscape Convention (2000) had a stimulating effect on the development of both new systems of landscape classification and new methods of their evaluation and mapping. As an example, a new classification of physiognomic landscape types was developed in Poland in 2014. The objectives of the paper are to (1) popularize, on the international scale, the classification of

A comprehensive methodology that integrates the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and Geographic Information System (GIS) was adopted in this study to determine the soil erosion and sediment yield of the Irga watershed in Jharkhand, India. Based on the availability and applicability of data in a GIS-environment, the original equations for the model input parameters were, however, modified by researchers

The paleochannel of the Wenhekou–Liudaokou reach of the Yihe River was investigated using electrical soundings along the Zhuyong and Chuanliujie cross sections and drilling at the Chuanliujie cross section. Drilling data from the Liuhang Rubber dam and the Jiefang, Taoran, Yihe, and Luocheng road bridges were also used. Seven stratigraphic cross sections of the Yihe River paleochannel were confirmed

The Sudetes Mountains (Central Europe) were under a particularly intense long-term air pollution load during the 1970s and 1980s. Intense industrial activity in this area led to large-scale forest dieback and reductions in tree growth rates, potentially limiting the use of tree-ring data from this region in dendroclimatic research. In this paper, ring-width chronologies were constructed for 493 Norway

Glaciers in the western USA contribute summer meltwater to regional hydrological systems. In the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, where glaciers do not exist, rock glaciers serve that function during the summer runoff period. Most rock glaciers in Colorado are located on northern slopes in mountainous areas; however, some rock glaciers in southwest Colorado have different aspects. In this study, we