Verification of Beam Models for Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite Actuator

Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) can work as an actuator by applying a few voltages.A thick IPMC actuator,whereNafion-117 membrane was synthesized with polypyrrole/alumina composite filler,was analyzed to verify the equivalent beamand equivalent bimorph beam models.The blocking force and tip displacement of the IPMC actuator were measured with a DCpower supply and Young’s modulus of the IPMC strip was measured by bending and tensile tests respectively.The calculatedmaximum tip displacement and the Young’s modulus by the equivalent beam model were almost identical to the correspondingmeasured data.Finite element analysis with thermal analogy technique was utilized in the equivalent bimorph beam model tonumerically reproduce the force-displacement relationship of the IPMC actuator.The results by the equivalent bimorph beammodel agreed well with the force-displacement relationship acquired by the measured data.It is confirmed that the equivalentbeam and equivalent bimorph beam models are practically and effectively suitable for predicting the tip displacement,blockingforce and Young’s modulus of IPMC actuators with different thickness and different composite of ionic polymer membrane.     

A palynotaxonomic study of the genus Filipendula （Rosaceae）

Pollen grains from 15 species （18 taxa） of the genus Filipendula were examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. It was revealed that the pollen grains are isopolar, tricolporate, with scabrate or scabrate-microechinate surface. The pollen morphology was compared with the conventional classification systems of the genus by different authors, and supported Shimizu＇s system （1961）, in which the genus was divided into three subgenera. The monotypic subgen. Hypogyna is characterized by pollen lacking fastigium and thickened costae colpi. The other monotypic subgen. Filipendula differs from others by pollen having larger grain, larger pore size, longitudinally elliptic fastigium and thickened costae colpi. The largest subgen. Ulmaria is distinguished by pollen having rounded or latitudinally elliptic fastigium and thickened costae colpi. Sectional classification was not supported by the pollen morphology due to insufficient variability. Key words Filipendula, palynology, systematics.     

濒危植物南方红豆杉种群生命表及谱分析

Based on the investigation in Longxi Mountain National Nature Reserve and the theory of survival analysis, a static life table of Taxus chinensis var. mairei population was worked out, the curves of its survival rate, mortality rate and killing power were drawn, and the population dynamics was analyzed by spectral analysis. The results showed that the survival curve of the population appeared to be a type of Deevey-Ⅲ, and the high mortality of seeding was one of the important reasons which caused Taxus chinensis var. mairei to be endangered. The spectral analysis of the population showed that there was a marked periodic regularity in the process of natural regeneration of Taxus chinensis var. mairei.     

Landscape pattern MACRS analysis and the optimal utilization of Shiyang River Basin based on RS and GIS approach

Chose the arid interior district Shiyang River basin four issues of Landsat/TM images from 1986 to 2006 to visually interpret, and analyze the natural succession of ecological environment and the landscape pattern characteristic under the human activity interference. The results showed that in past 20 years, the number of landscape patch has increased, but the average patch size was decreasing, which explained that the landscape fragmentation degree was increasing, the landscape integrity was declining. The edge density of landscape remained invariable basically, which explained its stability maintained good. The diversity and evenness index continually enhanced, the diversity increased from 0.73 in 1986 to 0.84 in 2006. The mean core patch area of study area reduced from134.47 hm² in 1994 to 127.67 hm² in 2006, which indicated that the landscape core area was decreasing. On the one hand, it accelerated circulatory speed of species and reduced resistance of the energy flux. On the other hand it destroyed the integrity of the original landscape, easily caused the core area reducing continually, and led to vicious circle of the landscape separation. Seen from the whole study area, The utilization of landscape developed to the heterogeneous direction, indicated the proportional difference between various landscapes types was increasing, this kind of change has reflected the human activity’s influence to the whole landscape to a certain extent. It is believed that there are a series of landscape ecological problems such as low landscape ecological connectivity, simplified landscape structure and the more oasis fragmentation. In order to solve these problems, according to the principle that the movements of flow, energy and material in a landscape are related to some factors such as distance, time, impedance, etc., this study adopts the minimum accumulative resistance surface (MARS), the minimum cost resistance (MCR) model, and uses the surface diffusion technology to analyze compactness of landscape structure and the spatial difference of ecological function in Shiyang River basin. Then constructs some landscape components such as source, corridor and ecological node to strengthen the spatial connection of ecological network, and further discusses the landscape pattern optimization proposal.     

Landscape pattern MACRS analysis and the optimal utilization of Shiyang River Basin based on RS and GIS approach

Chose the arid interior district Shiyang River basin four issues of Landsat/TM images from 1986 to 2006 to visually interpret, and analyze the natural succession of ecological environment and the landscape pattern characteristic under the human activity interference. The results showed that in past 20 years, the number of landscape patch has increased, but the average patch size was decreasing, which explained that the landscape fragmentation degree was increasing, the landscape integrity was declining. The edge density of landscape remained invariable basically, which explained its stability maintained good. The diversity and evenness index continually enhanced, the diversity increased from 0.73 in 1986 to 0.84 in 2006. The mean core patch area of study area reduced from134.47 hm² in 1994 to 127.67 hm² in 2006, which indicated that the landscape core area was decreasing. On the one hand, it accelerated circulatory speed of species and reduced resistance of the energy flux. On the other hand it destroyed the integrity of the original landscape, easily caused the core area reducing continually, and led to vicious circle of the landscape separation. Seen from the whole study area, The utilization of landscape developed to the heterogeneous direction, indicated the proportional difference between various landscapes types was increasing, this kind of change has reflected the human activity’s influence to the whole landscape to a certain extent. It is believed that there are a series of landscape ecological problems such as low landscape ecological connectivity, simplified landscape structure and the more oasis fragmentation. In order to solve these problems, according to the principle that the movements of flow, energy and material in a landscape are related to some factors such as distance, time, impedance, etc., this study adopts the minimum accumulative resistance surface (MARS), the minimum cost resistance (MCR) model, and uses the surface diffusion technology to analyze compactness of landscape structure and the spatial difference of ecological function in Shiyang River basin. Then constructs some landscape components such as source, corridor and ecological node to strengthen the spatial connection of ecological network, and further discusses the landscape pattern optimization proposal.     

Vegetation Mapping of the Mond Protected Area of Bushehr Province （South-west Iran）

Arid regions of the world occupy up to 35% of the earth＇s surface, the basis of various definitions of climatic conditions, vegetation types or potential for food production. Due to their high ecological value, monitoring of arid regions is necessary and modern vegetation studies can help in the conservation and management of these areas. The use of remote sensing for mapping of desert vegetation is difficult due to mixing of the spectral reflectance of bright desert soils with the weak spectral response of sparse vegetation. We studied the vegetation types in the semiarid to arid region of Mond Protected Area, south-west Iran, based on unsupervised classification of the Spot XS bands and then produced updated maps. Sixteen map units covering 12 vegetation types were recognized in the area based on both field works and satellite mapping. Halocnemum strobilaceum and Suaeda fruticosa vegetation types were the dominant types and Ephedra foliata, Salicornia europaea-Suaeda heterophylla vegetation types were the smallest. Vegetation coverage decreased sharply with the increase in salinity towards the coastal areas of the Persian Gulf. The highest vegetation coverage belonged to the riparian vegetation along the Mond River, which represents the northern boundary of the protected area. The location of vegetation types was studied on the separate soil and habitat diversity maps of the study area, which helped in final refinements of the vegetation map produced.     

Concentrations and flux of rare earth elements in a semifield plot as influenced by their agricultural application

The concentrations of rare earth elements (REs) in atmospheric particles, soil, soil water, surface runoff, and different parts of corn in an experimental plot in the suburb of Beijing, China were measured and the flux of REs was estimated. The concentration of REs in air particles with diameter less than 10 μm is 36 ng/m³ and, by ratio analysis, the origin of REs in the atmosphere was likely local soil. The concentration of soluble REs is 0.69 μg/L in rainwater, 5–7 μg/L in surface runoff, as well as 1–4 μg/L in soil water and the application of RE mixture has no observed influences on their concentrations. The concentration of soluble REs in surface runoff and soil water was dominated by aqueous-solid-phase partitioning. By estimation of the flux, most of the REs applied will remain in the soil phase and continued application of REs will cause an accumulation of REs in agricultural soil.     

Pattern analysis in landscape ecology: progress, challenges and outlook

Landscape pattern indices or landscape metrics, an important means in landscape pattern analysis, has resulted in the prosperity of landscape ecology. However, landscape pattern analysis was criticized recently for its poor correlation with ecological processes. In this paper, the current situation and challenges in landscape pattern analysis was elaborated, and the future of landscape pattern analysis was discussed. We believe that the landscape metrics is still the main method in spatial pattern analysis, and is important for landscape ecology. However, there are 3 challenges in landscape pattern analysis: (1) how to develop new methods by integrating explicit ecological sense in landscape pattern analysis? (2) How to link landscape pattern and ecological processes? (3) How to apply the theory of “matrix-patch-corridor” to practice? In future, 5 issues are to be addressed: (1) to develop a methodology to describe landscape pattern in a dynamic manner; (2) to explore the ecological sense of landscape pattern using a series of landscape metrics; (3) to develop new methods for landscape pattern analysis related to ecological processes; (4) to conduct landscape pattern analysis at multi-dimensions; (5) to explain the relationship between landscape pattern and ecological processes by multi-scale pattern analysis.     

Kinematic Analysis and Experimental Verification on the Locomotion of Gecko

This paper presents a kinematic analysis of the locomotion of a gecko,and experimental verification of the kinematicmodel.Kinematic analysis is important for parameter design,dynamic analysis,and optimization in biomimetic robot research.The proposed kinematic analysis can simulate,without iteration,the locomotion of gecko satisfying the constraint conditionsthat maintain the position of the contacted feet on the surface.So the method has an advantage for analyzing the climbing motionof the quadruped mechanism in a real time application.The kinematic model of a gecko consists of four legs based on 7-degreesof freedom spherical-revolute-spherical joints and two revolute joints in the waist.The motion of the kinematic model issimulated based on measurement data of each joint.The motion of the kinematic model simulates the investigated real gecko’smotion by using the experimental results.The analysis solves the forward kinematics by considering the model as a combinationof closed and open serial mechanisms under the condition that maintains the contact positions of the attached feet on the ground.The motions of each joint are validated by comparing with the experimental results.In addition to the measured gait,three othergaits are simulated based on the kinematic model.The maximum strides of each gait are calculated by workspace analysis.Theresult can be used in biomimetic robot design and motion planning.     

The maximum likelihood identification method applied to insect morphometric data

To distinguish species or populations using morphometric data is generally processed through multivariate analyses,in particular the discriminant analysis.We explored another approach based on the maximum likelihood method.Simple statistics based on the assumption of normal distribution at a single variable allows to compute the chance of observing a particular data (or sample) in a given reference group.When data are described by more than one variable,the maximum likelihood (MLi) approach allows to combine these chances to fmd the best fit for the data.Such approach assumes independence between variables.The assumptions of normal distribution of variables and independence between them are frequently not met in morphometrics,but improvements may be obtained after some mathematical transformations.Provided there is strict anatomical correspondence of variables between unknown and reference data,the MLi classification produces consistent classification.We explored this approach using various input data,and compared validated classification scores with the ones obtained after the Mahalanobis distance-based classification.The simplicity of the method,its fast computation,performance and versatility,make it an interesting complement to other classification techniques.     

Spectral mapping tools from the earth sciences applied to spectral microscopy data.

BACKGROUND: Spectral imaging, originating from the field of earth remote sensing, is a powerful tool that is being increasingly used in a wide variety of applications for material identification. Several workers have used techniques like linear spectral unmixing (LSU) to discriminate materials in images derived from spectral microscopy. However, many spectral analysis algorithms rely on assumptions that are often violated in microscopy applications. This study explores algorithms originally developed as improvements on early earth imaging techniques that can be easily translated for use with spectral microscopy. METHODS: To best demonstrate the application of earth remote sensing spectral analysis tools to spectral microscopy data, earth imaging software was used to analyze data acquired with a Leica confocal microscope with mechanical spectral scanning. For this study, spectral training signatures (often referred to as endmembers) were selected with the ENVI (ITT Visual Information Solutions, Boulder, CO) "spectral hourglass" processing flow, a series of tools that use the spectrally over-determined nature of hyperspectral data to find the most spectrally pure (or spectrally unique) pixels within the data set. This set of endmember signatures was then used in the full range of mapping algorithms available in ENVI to determine locations, and in some cases subpixel abundances of endmembers. RESULTS: Mapping and abundance images showed a broad agreement between the spectral analysis algorithms, supported through visual assessment of output classification images and through statistical analysis of the distribution of pixels within each endmember class. CONCLUSIONS: The powerful spectral analysis algorithms available in COTS software, the result of decades of research in earth imaging, are easily translated to new sources of spectral data. Although the scale between earth imagery and spectral microscopy is radically different, the problem is the same: mapping material locations and abundances based on unique spectral signatures.     

Object-oriented image analysis to extract landscape elements in urban fringes, Central Japan

A method enabling the object-oriented image analysis of landscape elements incorporating topographic data was designed and tested on a Japanese countryside target area. IKONOS data (four multispectral bands with a spatial resolution of 4 m and a panchromatic band with a spatial resolution of 1 m) acquired on 23 April 2001 were used. Definiens v.5 software (Definiens AG, München, Germany) was employed for the classification. The initial segmentation was multiresolution and bottom-up, and each segment identified was considered to be one object. Two classifications employing the same landscape elements and ground truth data were implemented. One classification adopted an object-based image analysis classification method based on spectral characteristics; the other utilized an object-oriented image analysis (OOIA) that allows for a suitable scale parameter to be selected independently for each landscape element. In addition, topographic data derived from field surveys (walking surveys) and topographic maps were used to create a topographic database delineating the boundary between valley bottoms and the adjacent slopes (elevation: about 10 m). These data were then integrated into the OOIA analysis. The accuracies of the two classifications were assessed by comparing the results to a master landscape map produced directly from aerial photographs and on-site observations. The object-oriented method using the topographic data resulted in a higher overall kappa coefficients (0.63–0.47) than the object-based method. These results indicate that object-oriented image analysis of very high resolution data used in combination with topographic data can be an effective tool for landscape classification in Japan, where historical land-use patterns have resulted in finely dissected landscapes.     

Regression Tree Analysis of satellite and terrain data to guide vegetation sampling and surveys

Abstract. Monitoring of regional vegetation and surface biophysical properties is tightly constrained by both the quantity and quality of ground data. Stratified sampling is often used to increase sampling efficiency, but its effectiveness hinges on appropriate classification of the land surface. A good classification must be sufficiently detailed to include the important sources of spatial variability, but at the same time it should be as parsimonious as possible to conserve scarce and expensive degrees of freedom in ground data. As part of the First ISLSCP (International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Program) Field Experiment (FIFE), we used Regression Tree Analysis to derive an ecological classification of a tall grass prairie landscape. The classification is derived from digital terrain, land use, and land cover data and is based on their association with spectral vegetation indices calculated from single-date and multi-temporal satellite imagery. The regression tree analysis produced a site stratification that is similar to the a priori scheme actually used in FIFE, but is simpler and considerably more effective in reducing sample variance in surface measurements of variables such as biomass, soil moisture and Bowen Ratio. More generally, regression tree analysis is a useful technique for identifying and estimating complex hierarchical relationships in multivariate data sets.     

景观生态学原理在城市土地利用分类中的应用

根据城市相同土地利用类型具有相似景观格局特征的原理,探讨了融合景观格局特征指数和遥感技术的城市土地利用信息提取的新方法。以北京市五环内建城区为例,研究表明,在斑块类型水平和景观水平上,居住用地和非居住用地内景观斑块的大小、形状、边缘特征、空间连接度、核心区面积特征、多样性、均匀性等特征都有极显著的差异。进一步融合TM遥感影像和这些景观格局特征指数,提取了居民用地和非居民用地类型,总分类精度是79.7%,Kappa系数达到59.8%。研究揭示,景观生态学原理的引入,为传统的遥感技术应用提供了新的思路,在格局复杂的城市土地利用信息提取中有很大的应用发展潜力。     

基于景观及微地形特征的丘陵区土壤属性预测

为探讨小流域尺度丘陵区的高分辨率数字土壤制图方法,通过对景观相分类的探索,配合应用不同尺度的Geomorphons(GM)微地形特征数据构成分类变量组参与高分辨率土壤pH、黏粒含量和阳离子交换量的预测制图,并与传统数字高程模型衍生变量和遥感变量进行组合与比较分析。此外,采用支持向量机、偏最小二乘回归和随机森林3种机器学习模型择优与残差回归克里金复合参与预测模型的构建与评价。结果表明: 景观及多尺度微地形分类变量组的应用分别提高小流域尺度丘陵地貌区pH、黏粒含量和阳离子交换量预测精度的18.8%、8.2%和8.7%。包含植被信息的景观相分类图相比土地利用数据有更高的模型贡献度;5 m分辨率的GM微地形分类图相比低分辨率的分类图更适宜高精度的预测制图。黏粒含量使用随机森林复合模型有最高的预测精度,而pH和阳离子交换量则不适宜在随机森林模型的基础上加入残差回归克里金模型。景观-多尺度微地形分类变量、数字高程模型衍生变量和遥感变量三者结合的模型预测表现最佳,表明多元变量在起伏地形区域相比单一数据源能够包含更多的土壤有效信息。由GM数据和地表景观数据组成的景观分类变量组作为主要变量能够解释小流域丘陵区部分土壤属性约40%的空间变异。在同类型土壤预测制图研究中,多分辨率GM及景观分类数据有潜力作为环境变量参与预测模型的构建。     

Remote sensing of riverine landscapes

1. The fashion for examining riverine landscapes is changing as our technical instruments, from microprobes to satellites, expands to be able to examine the spatial and temporal relationships among biota, hydrology and geomorphology across scales from microhabitats to channel units to valleys to catchments. 2. The range of successful applications from remote sensing analyses of riverine landscapes has especially increased with the launch of many new instruments that record data across the electromagnetic spectrum. Engineering of the instruments has also improved such that knowledge of the radiometric properties of the digital data is more complete as a result of better instrumentation and installation of on‐board calibrations systems for many instruments. 3. With the development of faster processing on cheaper computers, it is now common for comprehensive data sets to be processed through algorithms that previously could only be applied to relatively small (<1 Mbyte) rasters of data. This technical advance is especially important for the statistical algorithms such as principal components and spectral mixture analysis that can decompose gradients in the spectral data. The combined effect is the production of regional views of riverine landscapes separated into components of water, vegetation and soil. 4. The landscape properties of riverine landscapes that have been most successfully measured with remote sensing data include community and habitat level classification and connectivity of waterbodies with optical and radar data. Laser and radar altimetric data measured from aircraft provide land elevations at resolutions as fine as decimetres. A remaining challenge is to achieve an exact match between the categories of landscape classification from the remote sensing analysis and data from field surveys or model outputs. 5. In contrast to many landscape properties, several water properties are now routinely measured as absolute values (water surface elevation, temperature, surface sediment concentration and algal concentration) with remote sensing. New analyses of both passive and active radar data in addition have led to measurements of inundation and wetness that are providing valuable insight into the dynamics of flooding and its effect on riverine landscapes. 6. Finally, an effective examination of the variability in landscape cover includes additional analyses of remote sensing products using pattern metrics that measure the scale of patchiness and distribution of the landscape properties. These types of variability measures at the regional scale contribute to an increased understanding of the way in which spatial heterogeneity of riverine landscapes varies across scales and how landscape filters (sensu Poff, 1997) influence the evolution of these diversity patterns.     

Temporal and spatial changes in a mountainous area of central Italy

Abstract. In this paper we present an application of aerial remote sensing to the analysis of spatial information in a mountainous area of central Italy by applying texture measures and landscape indices. Land cover data acquired in different time periods are used to calculate measures of landscape pattern and structure at pixel level (tone and texture variables) and patch‐level (landscape indices). Images of the patches from the 1950s, 1980s and 1990s have been derived from the tone‐texture classification of scanned black‐and‐white photographs. Multitemporal analysis of landscape indices has been performed to detect changes of landscape elements and related effects on vegetation dynamics due to the reduction of human impact.     

西安市景观格局与城市热岛效应的耦合关系

基于西安市2000、2006和2015年3期遥感数据,进行景观分类和温度反演,建立两者的回归模型,探讨景观格局对城市热岛效应的影响及预测作用.结果表明:不同尺度上的景观格局指数与温度具有不同的相关性,在景观尺度上,景观形状指数(LSI)、景观分割指数(DIVISION)和Shannon多样性指数(SHDI)与温度显著相关;在类型尺度上,CA₁、PD₁、LSI₁、AI₁、LPI₂、AI₂、CA₃、DIVISION₃、LPI₃、AI₄ (其中,1代表建设用地、2代表耕地、3代表林地、4代表草地;CA指斑块类型面积,PD指斑块密度,LSI指景观形状指数,AI指聚集指数,DIVISION指景观分割指数,LPI指最大斑块指数)与温度显著相关.景观格局是影响热岛效应的主要因子,对城市热岛效应响应明显.部分景观指数可以表征地表温度,合理的景观配置对缓解城市热岛效应具有长远意义.通过不同尺度上建立的多元线性回归模型预测,2030年的热岛效应同比2015年有所回落,但减幅不明显,依旧强于2006年的热岛状况.热岛效应先由主城区蔓延,以点向面扩展,随后主城区呈现减弱趋势,而周围区(县)热岛出现明显增幅.     

基于类型和要素的城市多等级景观分类方法

城市区域的景观格局具有高度的异质性和复杂性,因而单一等级的景观分类方法难以揭示其复杂的多等级景观特征。基于等级斑块动态范式,探讨了针对城市区域基于景观类型和要素的多等级景观分类方法。以北京市为研究区,首先根据其景观类型和景观要素的特征,将城市区域划分为"城市"、"农田"和"森林"3种景观类型,同时确定"植被"、"裸地"、"水体"和"不透水表面"4类景观要素。然后,应用自上而下的分类思路和面向对象的分类方法对研究区进行了景观类型和要素的分类,其总体精度分别为93.36%和87.89%。相比单一等级的景观分类结果,多等级的分类结果不仅体现了城市生态系统不同等级的景观组成,还能揭示多级景观间的隶属关系,因而能更完整的描述城市景观格局,进而为认识城市生态系统的结构和功能提供新的视角。     

1980—2015年秦岭地区景观格局变化及其对人为干扰的响应

了解景观格局变化及其对人为干扰的响应对于生态系统保护和管理具有重要意义.本研究利用秦岭地区1980—2015年土地利用数据,基于景观格局指数和地表覆盖分类系统,构建景观格局脆弱度指数和人为干扰度,研究了秦岭地区景观格局时空变化及其对人为干扰的响应.结果表明: 1980—2015年,秦岭地区景观破碎化程度逐渐增加,景观形状变得复杂,景观聚集度、连通性降低,景观格局指数空间分布呈现明显的地形分异特征;景观格局脆弱性整体呈下降趋势,其中,低脆弱区空间格局变化比较明显,主要以西安市、汉中市为中心向周围区域扩张;景观格局人为干扰程度逐渐增加,空间分布表现为东部高、西部低,北坡高、南坡低,周边高、中间低;人为干扰度越大,景观格局脆弱度、斑块密度、Shannon多样性指数越大,聚集指数、最大斑块指数越小;人为干扰程度对景观格局脆弱度影响逐渐减弱,对Shannon多样性指数、最大斑块指数的影响逐渐增强,而对斑块密度、聚集指数的影响变化不明显.