Mapping decadal land cover changes in the woodlands of north eastern Namibia using the Landsat satellite archive (1975-2014)

Woodland savannahs provide essential ecosystem functions and services to communities. On the African continent, they are widely utilized and converted to intensive land uses. This study investigates the land cover changes of 108,038 km**2 in NE Namibia using multi-temporal, multi-sensor Landsat imagery, at decadal intervals from 1975 to 2014, with a post-classification change detection method and supervised Regression Tree classifiers. We discuss likely impacts of land tenure and reforms over the past four decades on changes in land use and land cover. These changes included losses, gains and exchanges between predominant land cover classes. Exchanges comprised logical conversions between woodland and agricultural classes, implying woodland clearing for arable farming, cropland abandonment and vegetation succession. The most dominant change was a reduction in the area of the woodland class due to the expansion of the agricultural class, specifically, small-scale cereal and pastoral production. Woodland area decreased from 90% of the study area in 1975 to 83% in 2014, while cleared land increased from 9% to 14%. We found that the main land cover changes are conversion from woodland to agricultural and urban land uses, driven by urban expansion and woodland clearing for subsistence-based agriculture and pastoralism.

Classification of coral reef types in Torres Strait (GIS files in zip-archive 319 kB)

Coral reefs represent major accumulations of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The particularly labyrinthine network of reefs in Torres Strait, north of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), has been examined in order to estimate their gross CaCO3 productivity. The approach involved a two-step procedure, first characterising and classifying the morphology of reefs based on a classification scheme widely employed on the GBR and then estimating gross CaCO3 productivity rates across the region using a regional census-based approach. This was undertaken by independently verifying published rates of coral reef community gross production for use in Torres Strait, based on site-specific ecological and morphological data. A total of 606 reef platforms were mapped and classified using classification trees. Despite the complexity of the maze of reefs in Torres Strait, there are broad morphological similarities with reefs in the GBR. The spatial distribution and dimensions of reef types across both regions are underpinned by similar geological processes, sea-level history in the Holocene and exposure to the same wind/wave energetic regime, resulting in comparable geomorphic zonation. However, the presence of strong tidal currents flowing through Torres Strait and the relatively shallow and narrow dimensions of the shelf exert a control on local morphology and spatial distribution of the reef platforms. A total amount of 8.7 million tonnes of CaCO3 per year, at an average rate of 3.7 kg CaCO3 m-2 yr-1 (G), were estimated for the studied area. Extrapolated production rates based on detailed and regional census-based approaches for geomorphic zones across Torres Strait were comparable to those reported elsewhere, particularly values for the GBR based on alkalinity-reduction methods. However, differences in mapping methodologies and the impact of reduced calcification due to global trends in coral reef ecological decline and changing oceanic physical conditions warrant further research. The novel method proposed in this study to characterise the geomorphology of reef types based on classification trees provides an objective and repeatable data-driven approach that combined with regional census-based approaches has the potential to be adapted and transferred to different coral reef regions, depicting a more accurate picture of interactions between reef ecology and geomorphology.

Consideration of three proposals to conduct research on possible health effects of radiation from nuclear weapon testing in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, and nuclear weapon testing and studies related to health effects : an historical summary : responding to recommendations by the panel of experts on the archive of PHS documents /

Mode of access: Internet.

Verfassungs-urkunde für das königreich Württemberg vom 25. september 1819 : nach dem von den Ständen ausgestellten, in dem Königl. staats-archive aufbewahrten exemplar getreu abgedruckt ; mit einer geschichtlichen einleitung.

"Vorlaufige festschrift zur feier der 15 jährigen verfassungs-urkunde im jahr 1844."

Die Früheren und Gegenwärtigen : Verhältnisse der Juden in den sammtlichen Landest heilen des Preussischen Staates ; eine Darstellung und Revision der gesetzlichen Bestimmungen über ihre Staats- und privatrechtlichen Zustände. Mit Benutzung der Archive der Ministerien des Innern und der Justiz /

Mode of access: Internet.

History of the archdiocese of Boston in the various stages of its development, 1604 to 1943 ...

I. 1604-1825: pt. I. Catholic people and Catholic priests in colonial New England, by J. E. Sexton. pt. II. The organized Catholic church in Boston from its beginnings to the end of Bishop Cheverus' reign, by J. E. Sexton.--II. 1825-1866: pt. III. The diocese under Bishop Benedict Joseph Fenwick, S. J. (1825-1846) by R. H. Lord. pt. IV. The diocese under Bishop Bernard Fitzpatrick (1846-1866) by E. T. Harrington.--III. 1866-1943: pt. V. The archdiocese of Boston under the Most Reverend John Joseph Williams (1866-1907) by R. H. Lord. pt. VI. The archdiocese of Boston under His Eminence William cardinal O'Connell (1907-1943) by R. H. Lord.

Katalog der in der Kreis- und Stadt-Bibliothek, dem Staedtischen Archive und der Bibliothek des Historischen Vereins zu Augsburg befindlichen Musikwerke.

471 titles.

Napoleons I. Politik und Diplomatie in der Schweiz wahrend der Gesandtschaftszeit des Grafen Auguste de Talleyrand. Erster Teil. Von der Berufung Talleyrands bis zum Wienerfrieden 1808-1809 : mit Benutzung schweizerischer und franzosischer Archive.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universitat Basel.