Authors:Das; Raja, Nandi, Arpita, Joyner, Andrew, Luffman, Ingrid Pages: 1 - 17 Abstract: Debris-slides are fast-moving landslides that occur in the Appalachian region including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). Various knowledge and data-driven approaches using spatial distribution of the past slides and associated factors could be used to estimate the region's debris-slide susceptibility. This study developed two debris-slide susceptibility models for GRSM using knowledge-driven and data-driven methods in GIS. Six debris-slide causing factors (slope curvature, elevation, soil texture, land cover, annual rainfall, and bedrock discontinuity), and 256 known debris-slide locations were used in the analysis. Knowledge-driven weighted overlay and data-driven bivariate frequency ratio analyses were performed. Both models are helpful; however, each come with a set of advantages and disadvantages regarding degree of complexity, time-dependency, and experience of the analyst. The susceptibility maps are useful to the planners, developers, and engineers for maintaining the park's infrastructures and delineating zones for further detailed geo-technical investigation. Keywords: Environmental Science and Technologies; Environment & Agriculture; Geoinformatics Citation: International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research (IJAGR), Volume: 12, Issue: 1 (2021) Pages: 1-17 PubDate: 2021-01-01T05:00:00Z DOI: 10.4018/IJAGR.2021010101 Issue No:Vol. 12, No. 1 (2021)
Authors:White; Helen M., Resler, Lynn M., Carroll, David Pages: 18 - 37 Abstract: During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, intensive land use nearly eliminated red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) throughout portions of West Virginia (WV). Red spruce has been slow to regenerate on mountaintop heathland barrens surrounding Canaan Valley, West Virginia (WV), and little is known about the nature of encroachment. Using field surveys, geospatial data, and statistical modelling, the objectives were to 1) characterize and compare red spruce encroachment at two upland heath study areas in West Virginia (Bear Rocks and Cabin Mountain), 2) characterize percent cover of major ground cover types associated with red spruce regeneration sites in order to elucidate biotic interactions, and 3) model the biophysical correlates of red spruce encroachment using geospatial data and statistical modelling. Red spruce count was similar at both study areas, but there were substantially more seedlings and saplings at Cabin Mountain. Modelling revealed a positive relationship between red spruce count and rock cover and a negative relationship between red spruce and stand distance. Keywords: Environmental Science and Technologies; Environment & Agriculture; Geoinformatics Citation: International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research (IJAGR), Volume: 12, Issue: 1 (2021) Pages: 18-37 PubDate: 2021-01-01T05:00:00Z DOI: 10.4018/IJAGR.2021010102 Issue No:Vol. 12, No. 1 (2021)
Authors:Marston; Michael Lee, Kolivras, Korine N. Pages: 38 - 52 Abstract: The Appalachians, and Central Appalachia in particular, have a long history of resource extraction including coal mining. In the past half century, the region experienced a shift from underground to surface mining, which leaves highly visible changes on the landscape. This study presents an analysis of changes in surface mining extents between 1984 and 2015 using remote sensing techniques, and tests the methods of previous research over a broader study area. The authors found that 3070 km2 (7.1%) of land within the central Appalachian coalfield was classified as mined land through the study period, and that the rate of newly mined land, as well as total mined land has decreased in recent years. The overall classification accuracy was 0.888 and the kappa coefficient was 0.880. Study results indicate that previously developed methods for identifying surface mines in a sub-region of Central Appalachia can successfully be applied over the broader region. The resulting surface mining datasets will be applied to a future study examining the potential human health impacts of surface mining. Keywords: Environmental Science and Technologies; Environment & Agriculture; Geoinformatics Citation: International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research (IJAGR), Volume: 12, Issue: 1 (2021) Pages: 38-52 PubDate: 2021-01-01T05:00:00Z DOI: 10.4018/IJAGR.2021010103 Issue No:Vol. 12, No. 1 (2021)
Authors:Massey; Aron Douglas Pages: 53 - 67 Abstract: This research project examines the usefulness of drones in environmental activism, especially within the fight against mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia. The paper examines the tactics of Coal River Mountain Watch and the Appalachian Mountain Patrol, anti-MTR activists that use drone surveillance to enhance their fight against this destructive practice. The use of drones increases the complexity of strategies employed by Appalachian activists and challenges many of the traditionally held, but continually critiqued, stereotypes present in Appalachian research. Beyond a deeper understanding of Appalachian activism, this paper investigates the ways in which knowledge production and epistemological assumptions are challenged by less costly and more accessible technologies such as drones. Keywords: Environmental Science and Technologies; Environment & Agriculture; Geoinformatics Citation: International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research (IJAGR), Volume: 12, Issue: 1 (2021) Pages: 53-67 PubDate: 2021-01-01T05:00:00Z DOI: 10.4018/IJAGR.2021010104 Issue No:Vol. 12, No. 1 (2021)
Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
