{"title":"Assessment of soil resources of agricultural landscapes in Turkestan region of the Republic of Kazakhstan based on agrochemical indexes","authors":"Zhumakhan Mustafayev, Irina Skorintseva, Askhat Toletayev, Amanzhol Kuderin, Aidos Omarov","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0652","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0652","url":null,"abstract":"Natural and climatic features of the soil cover formation of Turkestan region of the Republic of Kazakhstan are identified by a set of hydrological and bioclimatic factors serving as important environment-forming functions, which are reflected in the landscape organization of the territory. When assessing soil resources of agricultural landscapes, integrated index of soil fertility was applied – the “soil index,” which takes into account the reserves of humus, mineral elements, and hydrolytic acidity. Based on monitoring observations (1996–2019) of soil fertility in agricultural landscapes (agricultural lands) of Turkestan region, assessment of soil resources was performed, which showed that in general, the generalized “soil index” ranges from 1.086 to 4.800 units depending on natural features of the territory. It is found that the “soil index” in agricultural landscapes is significantly less than its maximum value (20.000 units), which suggests a pronounced humus deficiency, showing low soil fertility in all agricultural landscapes. To assess the soil resources of agricultural landscapes in Turkestan region, a new approach was applied, which is based on the assessment of energy costs for the soil formation process, which enables to quantitatively reflect the radiation balance of the earth surface, heat, and moisture supply of agricultural land for 1941–1960 and 2001–2020. The indicators applied are subject to the law of vertical zonation and change from the mountain to the arid zone, where the potential energy costs for soil formation range from 82.2–101.9 to 129.4–135.5 kJ/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>, and natural energy costs energy costs for soil formation from 17.2–21.7 to 121.7–125.2 kJ/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142219901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maan Habib, Bashar Bashir, Abdullah Alsalman, Hussein Bachir
{"title":"Evaluating the impact of DEM interpolation algorithms on relief index for soil resource management","authors":"Maan Habib, Bashar Bashir, Abdullah Alsalman, Hussein Bachir","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0667","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0667","url":null,"abstract":"Soil resource management is fundamentally integral to environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity. The digital elevation model (DEM) is the fundamental data for analyzing landform surfaces, which introduces an opportunity to obtain a broad spectrum of terrain factors to simplify interpreting the patterns and processes in the geoscience field. The accuracy and resolution of DEM are crucial for their effective use, and many algorithms have been developed to interpolate digital elevation data from a set of known points. Although primary topographic variables derived from grid datasets are important, secondary variables, such as the relief index (RFI), play a more critical role in understanding the complicated relationship between soil properties and landform attributes. The RFI is attained from a DEM by calculating the elevation range within a given neighborhood surrounding a central cell. It is an essential predictor of soil natural resource management that measures the degree of differentiation surface relief. In addition, it is beneficial for perceiving the landscape and its management. This study presents a comprehensive zonal analysis comparing the RFI values derived from multiple interpolation-based DEMs. It investigates deterministic and geostatistical interpolators, such as inverse distance weighted and natural neighbor across distinct zones with diverse topographical characteristics. The findings indicated a high correlation between the RFI and the reliability of the DEM, and the natural neighbor technique provided superior performance against others. The results revealed that the choice of spatial interpolation technique significantly affects the accuracy and reliability of RFI models.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"182 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142219900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Efficient development technology of Upper Paleozoic Lower Shihezi tight sandstone gas reservoir in northeastern Ordos Basin","authors":"Tao Lei, Longkan Shao, Yanzheng Xu, Chao Yin","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0656","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0656","url":null,"abstract":"The Lower Shihezi Formation of the Upper Paleozoic at the northeastern margin of the Ordos Basin develops widely distributed thick massive and multilayer gas reservoirs. How to formulate an effective development policy is a difficult and hot spot. In this article, reservoir characteristics and production capacity influencing factors of the tight gas sandstone in Lower Shihezi Formation in this area are systematically studied, and optimization schemes of development measures for massive and multilayer gas reservoirs are proposed. The results show that the petrophysical characteristics of the small pore–mesopore type gas reservoir in the target layer are the best, with the average porosity, permeability, and coordination number of 7.6%, 0.74 mD, and 3.3, respectively. Thick sand body, high structural position, good petrophysical properties, and high drilling rate of sandstone are all conducive to drilling high production gas wells. Development policies for massive and multilayer gas reservoirs have been formulated: (1) the preferred well type for massive gas reservoir is vertical well + horizontal well, while the preferred well type for multilayer gas reservoir is horizontal well + stepped horizontal well; (2) the reasonable horizontal segment length of massive gas reservoir is 1,000 m, and the reasonable horizontal segment length of multilayer gas reservoir is 1,250 m; (3) similar to massive and multilayer gas reservoirs, the more the fracture stages, the higher the cumulative gas production, and the optimal fracture stage number of both gas reservoirs is 8; (4) the optimal fracture half-length and the angle between the fracture and the horizontal section are 140 m and 90°, respectively; and (5) the reasonable well spacing of vertical wells is 600 m and that of horizontal wells is 750 m. The development policy proposed in this study is suitable for the efficient development of complex tight sandstone gas reservoirs in similar areas.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141940613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Usability of PPGIS tools exemplified by geodiscussion – a tool for public participation in shaping public space","authors":"Marek Młodkowski, Piotr Jankowski","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0668","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0668","url":null,"abstract":"The article explores the usability of the geodiscussion administrative panel, an online tool aiding Public Participation Geographic Information Systems. This tool was specifically designed and developed for distribution in a Software as a service model, offering geodiscussion users the flexibility to leverage the tool without the need for substantial investments in expensive infrastructure or complex deployments. The research primarily centers on the geodiscussion administrative panel, a key component empowering organizers of public consultations in spatial planning to efficiently create and manage consultation processes. In contrast to previous studies that focused on the usability for consultation participants, this research uniquely targets individuals responsible for organizing and overseeing the consultation processes. A diverse array of usability research methods were employed, ranging from the creation of personas and conducting direct interviews based on test scenarios to non-invasive methods for recording user activities. The study involved 682 participants who had prior experience with public consultations across various public administration units and representatives from consulting firms. Given that the usability studies were an integral part of the geodiscussion administrative panel’s development process, the research team has the opportunity to influence the further implementation of the applied functionalities. This implies that insights gained from the research can actively shape and enhance the tool’s features as it progresses in its development cycle.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"73 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141785440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Runcheng Xie, Shuangjun Fu, Honggang Liang, Kun Deng, Shuai Yin, Tingting Ma, Siyuan Li, Wenli Cai
{"title":"Geological genesis and identification of high-porosity and low-permeability sandstones in the Cretaceous Bashkirchik Formation, northern Tarim Basin","authors":"Runcheng Xie, Shuangjun Fu, Honggang Liang, Kun Deng, Shuai Yin, Tingting Ma, Siyuan Li, Wenli Cai","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0662","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0662","url":null,"abstract":"The genesis and prediction of high-porosity and low-permeability sandstone reservoirs are hot spots in oil and gas geology research worldwide. High-porosity and low-permeability sandstone reservoirs are developed in the Cretaceous Bashkirchik Formation of the Luntai Uplift in the northern Tarim Basin, China. In this article, we conducted a systematic study on the geological origin and logging identification of high-porosity and low-permeability tight sandstone based on core observation, thin section, logging index response, and mathematical discrimination methods. The results show that the K<jats:sub>1</jats:sub>bs sandstone segment in the study area generally contains calcium carbonate, which mainly comes from carbonate rock debris and calcite cement. Calcite cement mainly fills the pores between primary particles, and it is the main factor leading to the densification of the reservoir. The geological origin of the formation of low-permeability layer is mainly due to the early cementation of carbonate, and the development mode of the low-permeability layer is “high content of calcium debris → severe calcium cementation → poor petrophysical properties → formation of low-permeability layer.” The low-permeability layer has the characteristics of high gamma and high resistivity, and the multi-parameter discriminant method established based on the Fisher criterion has a good identification effect for the low-permeability layer. The low-permeability layer has a small thickness, poor stability and continuity, and strong longitudinal heterogeneity, thus it can form a low-permeability baffle inside the reservoir, which greatly reduces the oil and gas migration capacity.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141785442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria V. Alvanou, Konstantinos Feidantsis, Dimitrios K. Papadopoulos, Athanasios Lattos, John A. Theodorou, Basile Michaelidis, Ioannis A. Giantsis
{"title":"Major ascidian species with negative impacts on bivalve aquaculture: Current knowledge and future research aims","authors":"Maria V. Alvanou, Konstantinos Feidantsis, Dimitrios K. Papadopoulos, Athanasios Lattos, John A. Theodorou, Basile Michaelidis, Ioannis A. Giantsis","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0660","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0660","url":null,"abstract":"Biofouling constitutes one of the main obstacles in the sector of shellfish farming. Under this perspective, it is of highly importance to critically combine the updated information regarding the invasive potential of ascidian species, together with the factors contributing toward these events. The biological features of each species in relation to the gathering of the main non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean basin represent the first step toward mitigation of negative effects of the phenomenon. Further, there are limited studies investigating the physiological changes of bivalves caused by biofouling while leading to an increase in stress biomarkers. In the present review, the major ascidian species negatively affecting bivalve culture in the Mediterranean Sea are presented, alongside monitoring of ascidians from four Greek mussel farming locations as typical mussel culture cases. Among the main ascidian species, <jats:italic>Styela plicata</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Clavelina oblonga</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Ciona robusta</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Aplidium</jats:italic> sp., <jats:italic>Didemnum</jats:italic> sp., <jats:italic>Botryllus schlosse</jats:italic>r<jats:italic>i</jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Didemnum drachi</jats:italic> are included, with the last three being the most harmful for this aquaculture sector. Based on the existing literature and research conducted so far, future research directions are proposed, in an effort to effectively control or efficiently manage ascidian biofouling organisms. Overall, perspectives toward the way we manage the biofouling phenomenon, such as the use of ascidian’s by-products in feedstuffs, chemical and pharmaceutical industry, or their incorporation in bivalve co-culture and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems represent promising alternative approaches.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141742602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vladimir M. Cvetković, Srna Sudar, Aleksandar Ivanov, Tin Lukić, Goran Grozdanić
{"title":"Exploring environmental awareness, knowledge, and safety: A comparative study among students in Montenegro and North Macedonia","authors":"Vladimir M. Cvetković, Srna Sudar, Aleksandar Ivanov, Tin Lukić, Goran Grozdanić","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0669","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0669","url":null,"abstract":"This comparative study aims to investigate environmental awareness, knowledge, and safety among students in Montenegro and North Macedonia, considering the unique socio-cultural and environmental contexts of both countries. A mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews was employed to gather data from students in educational institutions across Montenegro and North Macedonia. The study assessed various factors, including students’ awareness of environmental issues, their perceived level of knowledge, and their attitudes towards safety measures. A comprehensive series of 400 face-to-face interviews was carried out, and these interviews encompassed 200 students from Montenegro and an equal number from North Macedonia, taking place at two esteemed academic institutions: The University of Montenegro in Podgorica and The University of St. Clement of Ohrid, Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia. Our hypothetical conceptual framework proposes that a combination of variables, including gender (H1), age (H2), year of study (H3), and rate of study (H4), significantly influences the attitudes of students from Montenegro and North Macedonia towards environmental awareness, safety, and knowledge. Research findings indicate significant variations in environmental awareness and knowledge perception among students in the two countries. While both Montenegro and North Macedonia face environmental challenges, differences in educational systems and socio-economic factors contribute to distinct attitudes and behaviours towards environmental issues and safety practices. This study sheds light on the importance of understanding regional differences in environmental awareness and knowledge perception among students. By identifying areas of strength and areas needing improvement, policymakers and educators can develop targeted interventions to enhance environmental education and foster a culture of sustainability in both Montenegro and North Macedonia.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141615050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jieru Zhao, Juan Wang, Bingjian Cui, Biyu Zhai, Chao Hu, Yuan Liu, Lu Xia, Chuncheng Liu, Zhongyang Li
{"title":"Mixed irrigation affects the composition and diversity of the soil bacterial community","authors":"Jieru Zhao, Juan Wang, Bingjian Cui, Biyu Zhai, Chao Hu, Yuan Liu, Lu Xia, Chuncheng Liu, Zhongyang Li","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0659","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0659","url":null,"abstract":"Water resource shortage has become an important factor limiting agricultural sustainability in China. In addition, the development and utilization of unconventional water resources are greatly important for alleviating agricultural water resource deficit. The Pakchoi was cultivated by using the surface soil (0–20 cm) from the field in this pot experiment. The experiment lasted for approximately 1 month to study microbial community structure variation under brackish water and reclaimed water irrigation. The 16S rDNA high-throughput assays revealed that soil bacteria mainly consisted of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria at the Phylum level, along with <jats:italic>Arenimonas</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Nocardioides</jats:italic> at the Genus level under mixed irrigation with brackish water and reclaimed water. In summary, irrigation with pure reclaimed water promoted part of microbial communities and irrigation with pure brackish water inhibited the growth and activities of certain microbial communities. We found that mixed irrigation improved the microbial community structure diversity compared with that in response to pure brackish water irrigation, while decreased the community structure diversity compared with that in response to fresh water irrigation and pure reclaimed water irrigation.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141614260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining the swelling potential of cohesive soils with high plasticity according to their index properties using GIS","authors":"Murat Kalkan","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0664","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0664","url":null,"abstract":"As the value ranges presented in the literature with tables and graphs that feature soil index properties related to the soil swelling potential are intertwined, their interpretation may pose certain challenges. In this study, the spatial distribution maps of soil swelling potential were created using soil index data obtained from this research, and those values of ranges from the swelling potential of the study area were assessed by combining all maps, resulting in a single comprehensive map and new limit ranges in the high plasticity cohesive soils. Soils in the study area were evaluated according to the newly determined limit value ranges. The findings show that the high plasticity cohesive soils in the region should have swelling potential in all parameters of the new limit value ranges to show swelling potential. The limit values for high plasticity cohesive soils to demonstrate a high swelling potential are: % natural water content <18, % passing through #200 sieve >90, liquid limit >65, plasticity index >21, swelling pressure >240 kPa, and % swelling percentage >6.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141614259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Research progress of freeze–thaw rock using bibliometric analysis","authors":"Pengtao Zhao, Ying Wang, Zhengxuan Xu, Xingwang Chang, Yunhui Zhang","doi":"10.1515/geo-2022-0663","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0663","url":null,"abstract":"Freeze–thaw cycles significantly impact resource development and construction projects in alpine regions. This study presents a bibliometric analysis based on the Web of Science database, spanning the period from 2000 to 2023. This analysis evaluates the status of hotspots and research trends in freeze–thaw rock. Our findings reveal that rock freeze–thaw research is a typical multiauthor, multicounty, and multi-institution cooperative field involved in many research fields. China had the highest number (420) of peer-review publications. According to the number of publications, 28 of the top 30 institutions are in China. The top 30 authors, ranked by their publications, contributed 55.4% of the total publications. The cumulative number of publications has presented an exponential increase over the past 23 years, with maximum annual growth rate of 36.9%. The keyword analysis suggests the emergence of modern technological techniques, including numerical simulation, microscopic rock structure analysis, and machine learning, in recent years augment to traditional methods. This article also identifies three potential areas for future research, thereby aiding in understanding the past developments, current status, and future trends of freeze–thaw rock research. Additionally, it provides a theoretical basis for engineering construction and slope disaster management in alpine regions.","PeriodicalId":48712,"journal":{"name":"Open Geosciences","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141615052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}