Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Noam Greenbaum, Lea Wittenberg, Dan Malkinson, Moshe Inbar
Summary: The study found that wildfires significantly impact the hydrological and sedimentological characteristics of the basin, leading to an increase in flow events, peak flow and duration, shortened base flows, and significantly increased suspended sediment concentrations. However, over time, these indicators gradually return to pre-fire levels.
Article
Ecology
Claudia Herbert, Van Butsic
Summary: This study explores the potential of incorporating landscape features as fire buffer zones, using golf courses as an example. The research found that golf courses that burned in California showed a predicted 49% reduction in fire severity compared to similar vegetated land. Additionally, golf courses function similarly to airports in limiting fire spread, suggesting that irrigation and vegetation management are effective in creating desired buffering qualities.
Article
Environmental Sciences
David Beltran-Marcos, Leonor Calvo, Jose Manuel Fernandez-Guisuraga, Victor Fernandez-Garcia, Susana Suarez-Seoane
Summary: Due to complex interactions between climate and land use changes, large forest fires have increased in frequency and severity. In southern European countries affected by demographic challenges, fire risk and danger are particularly relevant at the wildland-urban interfaces (WUIs). This study aims to develop a comprehensive scheme for identifying WUI typologies most at risk to fire severity and found that isolated, scattered, and sparsely clustered buildings in a high-cover shrub matrix are the most susceptible to high-severity fires.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
David E. Friesem, Ron Shimelmitz, Mara L. Schumacher, Christopher E. Miller, Andrew W. Kandel
Summary: This study presents a micro-geoarchaeological investigation of the sedimentary sequence in Sefunim Cave, Israel, spanning from the Middle Paleolithic to the early Epipaleolithic periods. The study utilizes FTIR and micromorphological techniques to reconstruct site use patterns and archaeological formation processes. The findings reveal common formation processes and taphonomic disturbances in Paleolithic cave sites in the Southern Levant, as well as an inverse correlation between human and carnivore activity. The study concludes that human activity at the site was characterized by varying intensity episodes, while also highlighting the close interactions between humans and carnivores in Paleolithic caves.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Anne Ganteaume, Bruno Guillaume, Bertrand Girardin, Fabien Guerra
Summary: This study simulated historical wildland-urban interface fires using Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling to examine the feasibility of this approach in different scenarios of vegetation management and fire propagation. The results showed that brush-clearing can mitigate fire intensity and propagation, but its effectiveness can be enhanced when considering the effects of topography and wind. This modeling can help assess the efficacy of fuel reduction in fire mitigation and identify potential limitations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Morgen W. Burke, Bradley C. Rundquist
Summary: The use of near-surface remote sensing for monitoring vegetation phenology has greatly advanced in recent years, with the Phenocam Network deploying over 500 web-enabled cameras globally to capture color information and measure changes in vegetation phenology. A method using Gaussian process regression was developed to standardize Phenocam imagery to align with Harmonized Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 surface reflectance products, providing a novel approach for comparing multiple Phenocam locations with standardized surface reflectance products from satellites or other sensors.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Panteleimon Xofis, Peter G. Buckley, Ioannis Takos, Jonathan Mitchley
Summary: This study conducted in the socially and geographically isolated peninsula of Mount Athos in northern Greece examines vegetation dynamics over a period of 30 years since the last fire. The research highlights that different vegetation communities respond to fires in varying ways and exhibit significant differences in recovery rates. The slow recovery of the most fire-prone communities in the study area is likely influenced by the dry climatic conditions, emphasizing the importance of adopting measures for controlling wildfires and preventing ecosystem degradation.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Xin Tian, Mengliang Zhang, Changcai Yang, Jiayi Ma
Summary: This study investigates a novel computational fusion approach for obtaining high-resolution NDVI in remote sensing. By fusing low-resolution NDVI and high-resolution red band, the proposed method overcomes the issue of inaccurate spatial information introduced by pansharpening, demonstrating superior fusion performance in remote sensing applications.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
N. Pelletier, K. Millard, S. Darling
Summary: While peatland fires are less common, long periods of moisture deficit can increase fire risks. Peatland fires release pollutants and estimating their likelihood is challenging due to lack of data. Remote sensing can provide information about local conditions and help improve fire prediction.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yelong Zeng, Li Jia, Massimo Menenti, Min Jiang, Beatrice Asenso Barnieh, Ali Bennour, Yunzhe Lv
Summary: This study analyzed the relationship between vegetation greenness trends and rainfall variability in the Sudano-Saharan region and quantified the contributions of rainfall variability, land use/land cover change, and fire occurrence change to vegetation greenness trends. The results showed widespread vegetation greening and clustered vegetation browning in central West Africa. Land use changes had significant effects on vegetation greenness, with strong spatial heterogeneity in specific sub-regions. The intensification of vegetation browning in central West Africa was driven by cropland gain and natural vegetation loss associated with extensive agricultural production activities.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew M. Barton, Helen M. Poulos, George W. Koch, Thomas E. Kolb, Andrea E. Thode
Summary: The American Southwest is experiencing increased aridity and wildfire incidence, causing some surface forests to convert to non-forest. Extensive research has focused on ponderosa pine forests, but less is known about Madrean pine-oak forests. Increased fire and drought in these forests are limiting pine regeneration and leading to biodiverse forests converting to oak shrublands.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandra Gemitzi, Nikos Koutsias
Summary: The study assessed the properties of vegetation phenology in fire-affected areas in the Peloponnese, Greece over a 10-year period. Fire events caused breaks in NDVI time series and affected the trend and seasonality of vegetation recovery patterns. Areas with homogeneous vegetation without fire breaks were found to be the most vulnerable and severely affected by fires.
REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS-SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandra Gemitzi, Nikos Koutsias
Summary: This study demonstrates the application of a previously published methodology for analyzing the properties of NDVI time series in fire-affected areas. The research was motivated by the devastating fire events in Evia island, Greece in August 2021. The findings show lower standard deviation values in the NDVI time series of the fire-affected areas. The study utilized Landsat 8 NDVI time series data and developed a Google Earth Engine tool for processing and estimating the properties of the remotely sensed data.
REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS-SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xavier Zapata-Rios, Carmen Lopez-Fabara, Abigail Navarrete, Sandra Torres-Paguay, Miguel Flores
Summary: Field-based fire studies in the equatorial Andes have revealed strong associations between fires and biophysical as well as anthropogenic variables. This paper analyzes spatial and temporal burned-area patterns, identifies key fire drivers, and quantifies fire probability across a specific area in the equatorial Andes. The study highlights the importance of factors such as climate, vegetation, and human activities in influencing fire occurrence and distribution.
JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
N. Fedorov, S. N. Zhigunova, V. B. Martynenko, O. Mikhaylenko
Summary: The study aimed to analyze the impact of extreme drought on the phenological development of Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus robur L. forests in Ufa city and outside it. The results showed that higher temperatures in the city led to an earlier start of seasonal development for pine and oak forests. The delay in phenological development continued for forests outside the city in the dry year, but it started earlier in pine forests compared to oak forests. Pine forests are more sensitive to long periods of water scarcity, which is attributed to the characteristics of their root systems.
APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Yael Ram, Anat Tchetchik
Summary: The study in Tel Aviv shows that Airbnb has a dual function in the accommodation market, complementing hotel demand while also competing with residents and increasing rental prices. Contextual understanding is necessary to grasp the impact of Airbnb on housing markets.
CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hongqing Liu, Haiwei Yin, Fanhua Kong, Ariane Middel, Xiandi Zheng, Jing Huang, Tao Sun, Ding Wang, Itamar M. Lensky
Summary: The study demonstrates the importance of vegetation in protecting and maintaining the substrate of green roofs (GR), which helps to sustain their ecosystem services and improve their sustainability. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to maintaining vegetation cover and regularly maintaining GR to ensure that ecological and economic benefits are not reduced.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Qian Wang, Mengmeng Hao, David Helman, Fangyu Ding, Dong Jiang, Xiaolan Xie, Shuai Chen, Tian Ma
Summary: This study explores the relationship between climate variability under normal conditions and armed conflicts, finding that deviations from temperature and rainfall norms increase the risk of conflict. These findings provide empirical support for policymakers and relevant organizations.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabriel Mulero, Duo Jiang, David J. Bonfil, David Helman
Summary: The spectral-based photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and leaf surface temperature (T-leaf) are two indicative metrics of plant functioning. This study investigates how these metrics are influenced by drought and elevated carbon dioxide concentrations. It finds that there are relationships between PRI and radiation-use efficiency (RUE) as well as between T-leaf and leaf transpiration. The study also highlights the importance of leaf thickness in determining efficient thermoregulation.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Duo Jiang, Gabriel Mulero, David J. Bonfil, David Helman
Summary: The combination of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and drought will significantly impact wheat production and quality. The response of wheat genotype phenology to elevated carbon dioxide and drought has not been studied before. This study found that elevated carbon dioxide had a significant effect on plants grown under drought, particularly on the booting stage and carbon assimilation rate. However, there was no effect on transpiration rate and grain protein content. The complex water x carbon dioxide x genotype interaction highlights the need to account for multiple factors when modeling wheat response to future climate change.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiaolan Xie, Mengmeng Hao, Fangyu Ding, David Helman, Jurgen Scheffran, Qian Wang, Quansheng Ge, Dong Jiang
Summary: This study utilizes structural equation modeling to analyze the extensive database of armed conflict, climate, and non-climate data in South Asia. The findings reveal that precipitation has both direct and indirect effects on armed conflict, while temperature only has a direct impact. However, the net impact of the indirect effects is weak due to the offsetting of two contradictory effects, indicating the complexity of the link between climate variability and armed conflict. This highlights the importance of conducting detailed regional-scale analysis of the mechanisms in South Asia.
Article
Forestry
Matan Azar, Gabriel Mulero, Yaara Oppenheimer-Shaanan, David Helman, Tamir Klein
Summary: In this study, non-destructive remote sensing methods including optical, infrared, and spectral means were used to monitor the belowground root system and investigate the aboveground responses to mechanical damage of roots as well as the redundancy of roots. The results showed significant changes in leaf temperature and chlorophyll response index (PRI) in response to root damage, with leaf warming and decreased PRI being the most rapid and significant responses. The normalized difference water index (NDWI) and leaf greenness were the least sensitive indicators. The responses varied among species, with carob being the most sensitive and pine being the least. Overall, root damage adversely affected transpiration and photosynthesis in trees.
Article
Plant Sciences
Matanel Hipsch, Yaron Michael, Nardy Lampl, Omer Sapir, Yigal Cohen, David Helman, Shilo Rosenwasser
Summary: Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is a devastating disease of potatoes. This study used whole-plant redox imaging to detect the initial biotrophic growth stage of the pathogen on potato leaves. The mislocalization of chloroplast-targeted proteins was found to be an efficient marker of late blight infection, enabling non-destructive monitoring of the disease.
Article
Environmental Sciences
George Zodiatis, Steve Brenner, Isaac Gertman, Tal Ozer, Simona Simoncelli, Marinos Ioannou, Sotiris Savva
Summary: The in-situ data collected over 20 years in the South-Eastern Levantine Basin provided insight on the dominant circulation features, including the migratory Cyprus Eddy and the Shikmona Eddy. The Mid-Mediterranean Jet plays a role in transporting water masses and its spatial fluctuations affect the western boundaries of the Cyprus Eddy. Long-term monitoring showed an increase in temperature and salinity of the Levantine Surface Water and the subsurface Modified Atlantic Water.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Sociology
Orly Benjamin, Karni Krigel, Nir Cohen, Anat Tchetchik
Summary: Through interviews with senior administrators in Israeli local governments, it was found that they justify anti-poverty policies by emphasizing conditionality and pride in budget management. The study shows that conditionality is replacing universalism in in-kind support.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL POLICY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yehuda Yungstein, David Helman
Summary: Vertical green-living walls (VGWs) are a promising solution for sustainable building design, but their effectiveness in improving indoor air quality and reducing energy consumption in real-world settings needs further study. This study examines six indoor plant species in a VGW system and finds that they can reduce CO2 levels, provide cooling effects, and improve indoor air quality.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ofir Avizemel, Sigal Frishman, Yishay Pinto, Yaron Michael, Sondra Turjeman, Kinneret Tenenbaum-Gavish, Or Yariv, Yoav Peled, Eran Poran, Joseph Pardo, Rony Chen, Moshe Hod, Betty Schwartz, Eran Hadar, Omry Koren, Keren Agay-Shay
Summary: This study examined the associations between residential greenness and blood glucose levels and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in pregnant women, and explored the potential mediating role of gut microbiome diversity. The results showed that although the associations with GDM risk were not statistically significant, pregnant women living in areas with medium levels of greenness had a lower likelihood of developing GDM. There was also no significant mediation effect of gut microbiome diversity on the associations between greenness and GDM. Further studies in larger populations are needed to investigate these associations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ann Kronrod, Anat Tchetchik, Amir Grinstein, Lior Turgeman, Vered Blass
Summary: Promoting pro-environmental behavior is challenging, and promoting new pro-environmental behaviors faces additional barriers like perceived lack of information. This study explores the effectiveness of a communication approach based on education psychology, which integrates encouraging and discouraging language in a single message. The results show that this integrated message elicits higher engagement with new pro-environmental behaviors compared to separate messages. The findings highlight the importance of education and perceived informativeness in promoting new pro-environmental behaviors.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Anat Tchetchik, Yvonne Mathews, Adi Weidenfeld, Aliza Fleischer
Summary: This paper examines the interrelationships between the spatial characteristics, thematic similarities, and product complementarities of visitor attractions, as well as the compatibility between attractions. It also explores the relationships between thematic diversity, complementarities, and attraction appeal at the intra-attraction level. The study utilizes a conceptual framework and empirical approach to analyze these relationships and tests several hypotheses using primary data from visitors to attractions.
CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dong Jiang, Jiajie Wu, Fangyu Ding, Tobias Ide, Juergen Scheffran, David Helman, Shize Zhang, Yushu Qian, Jingying Fu, Shuai Chen, Xiaolan Xie, Tian Ma, Mengmeng Hao, Quansheng Ge
Summary: Human security is threatened by terrorism in the 21st century. Existing research on predicting terrorism has reached its limits using a single perspective. Here, we propose a deep learning framework that incorporates multi-scalar data to discover behavior patterns of terrorist groups, outperforming conventional models and providing insights into terrorism and organized violent crimes.