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The purpose of this paper is to assess the land utilization in the erosion and landslide vulnerable mountainous region using the Rapid Appraisal for Agricultural Land Utilization (RApALU) model.

A multidimensional RApALU model is used for sustainable agriculture land utilization.

Ecological dimension was less sustainable, whereas socio-economic, socio-cultural, and eco-technological dimensions were comparatively more sustainable. It was found from the analysis that 9 out of 21 attributes have sensitive effect on the sustainability index and status.

One of the implications of this research is that this model could be used to quickly measure the arrangement of an area that is experiencing environmental problems so that the land use planning process could be done more effectively and efficiently. The parameters used in each variable could be chosen by the researchers themselves according to location. As far as known by the researcher, the methods used have not been well integrated, they are still separated, for example, only physical problems, and social problems have not been measured properly. This model is not perfect yet, and it could be developed further because environmental problems are very complex and could be different from one location to another.

RApALU analysis can be used as preliminary analysis to comprehend general and overall description on the status of the sustainability index of land utilization for agriculture in hilly mountainous regions. The study confirmed that RApALU analysis can help determine the status of the sustainability of land utilization in intricate areas. This technique was able to comprehensively identify important factors affecting sustainability status of various dimensions.

The main objective of the study is to identify the vulnerable areas for river‐line and flash flood hazard and its mitigation through GIS Database Management System (DBMS) of geo‐hydrometeorological parameters. The Dabka watershed constitutes a part of the Kosi Basin in the Lesser Himalaya, India in district Nainital has been selected for the case illustration.

The Dabka DBMS is constituted of three GIS (Geographic Information System) modules, i.e. geo‐informatics (consists of geomorphology, soils, geology and land use pattern, slope analysis, drainage density and drainage frequency), weather informatics (consists of daily, monthly and annual weather data about temperature, rainfall, humidity and evaporation) and hydro‐informatics (consist of runoff, sediment delivery, and denudation). The geo‐informatics and weather informatics modules carried out by comprehensive field work and GIS mapping than both modules used to carry out hydro‐informatics module. Through the integration and superimposing of spatial data and attribute data with their GIS layers of all these modules prepared Flood Hazard Index (FHI) to identify the level of vulnerability for flood hazards and their socio‐economic and environmental risks.

The results suggest that geo‐environmentally most stressed areas of barren land (i.e. river‐beds, flood plain, denudational hills, sites of debris flow, gullies, landslide prone areas etc.) have extreme vulnerability for flood hazard due to high rate of runoff, sediment load delivery and denudation during rainy season (i.e. respectively 84.56 l/s/km², 78.60 t/km² and 1.21 mm/year) whereas in geo‐environmentally least stressed dense forest areas (i.e. oak, pine and mixed forests) have low vulnerability due to low rate of stream runoff, sediment load delivery and denudation (i.e. respectively 20.67 l/s/km², 19.50 t/km² and 0.20 mm/year). The other frazzled geo‐environment which also found high vulnerable for flood hazard and their risks is agricultural land areas due to high rate of stream runoff, sediment load delivery and denudation rates (i.e. respectively 53.15 l/s/km², 90.00 t/km² and 0.92 mm/year).

For hydro‐informatics module it is quite difficult to monitor water and sediment discharge data from each and every stream of the Himalayan terrain due the steep and rugged topography. It requires strategic planning and trained man power as well as sufficient funds; therefore representative micro‐watershed approach of varied ecosystem followed for a three years (2006‐2008) period.

The study will have great scientific relevance in the field of river‐line flood and flash flood hazard and its socio‐economic and environmental risks prevention and management in Himalaya and other mountainous terrain of the world.

This study generated primary data on hydro‐informatics and weather informatics to integrate with geo‐informatics data for flood hazard assessment and mitigation as constitutes a part of multidisciplinary project, Department of Science and Technology (D.S.T.) Government of India.

The purpose of the present work is to develop a methodology for making physical models of catchment areas and terrains by rapid prototyping (RP) using geographic information systems (GIS) data. It is also intended to reduce data loss by minimising intermediate data translations.

The GIS data of a catchment area or a terrain were directly translated to an stereo lithography (STL) file. The STL surface was then manipulated in Magics‐RP to obtain a solid STL part, which can then be downloaded to a RP machine to obtain a physical model or representation of a terrain or catchtment area.

Intricate geometries of landforms were created with ease and great accuracy in RP machines. Terrain models were created in less time and lower cost than with conventional methods.

DEM ASCII XYZ (digital elevation model) data were used to input the required GIS data of specific terrains. Software can be developed for translation and manipulation of DEM, STL and other relevant file formats. This will eliminate any data loss associated with intermediate file transfer.

Terrain models were created with ease and great accuracy in RP machines. It takes less time and can be done more cost‐effectively. Terrain models have intricate geometries and for complex models, it may take months to make using conventional methods.

STL surfaces were obtained directly from GIS data for terrain modeling. This work fulfils the need of terrain modeling for catchment management, town‐planning, road‐transport planning, architecture, military applications, geological education, etc.

Approaches to land use planning have gone through considerable evolution during the past 30 years. Western nations have learned hard lessons about the consequences of not considering ecological process and structures when undertaking land use planning, development, and when harvesting resources. As a result, modern concepts of conservation biology and landscape level planning have developed and are beginning to be implemented in North America, Europe, Australia and portions of South America. An approach to ecological based landscape planning, as developed through several applications in Canada, is discussed. The approach incorporates principles of conservation biology and relies heavily on abiotic landscape components for mapping and interpretation. Landscape planning is defined and discussed according to three key components: (1) the planning framework; (2) ecological analysis; and (3) implementation of the whole. The planning framework includes the goals and objectives of the plan which is based on prevailing socio‐cultural values. The analysis attempts to determine full landscale representivity then maximize ecological integrity.

Thailand: Enchantment of the World describes the southeast Asian nation of Thailand with recent photographs, maps, and figures accompanying the text. Graphic and text elements together build a description of Thailand today. History and geography are discussed as is the natural environment and a changing economy. Characteristics important to the establishment of the nation as a 21st century leader in its region are discussed. Students will enjoy a wide and deep range of photographs of Thai peoples, culture, and landforms from early in the 19th century through recent years. This book facilitates students’ development of an understanding of the influences contributing to similarities and differences among Thailand and other nations.

Geology itself is a descriptive science (i.e., the description of landforms, rocks, etc.). To apply these observations geology depends heavily on the other sciences for data, theories, etc. Thus the geologist is very much dependent on works in chemistry, physics and biology (depending on his particular area of interest) in addition to those discussed here, and the reader is referred to the surveys in those fields.

Japan is an island arc that sits in the monsoon region, and is under the influence of warm and moist air masses in summer and cool air masses in winter. The moisture that is taken in the lower leaves of the air masses over the sea is poured on the country by typhoons in summer, by snowfall in winter, by the “Bai-u Front” (in Japanese) in June and July, and by depressions and fronts in all seasons. Owing to Japan's slender shape and complicated landform, aerial differences in climate are great. Japan is located on the eastern edge of the monsoonal region of Asia, and its climate varies according to seasonal and regional conditions. Typically, heavy rains occur in various parts of the country, both during the rainy season in June and July and during the typhoon season from August to October. This precipitation is predominantly in the form of locally specific temporary downpours. In winter, the northern part of the country usually receives heavy snowfall that causes prolonged floods in spring from the melting of snow. The average amount of precipitation is 1,800mm (70 inches) a year. This is two or three times the amount received in other areas of the same latitude. In the southern Pacific coast areas, rainfall amounts to 4,000mm (160 inches). Precipitation in Tokyo is twice as much as other large cities in western countries. Some 50–60% of the annual precipitation in the Pacific coast of Japan is concentrated from June to October. Artificial changes in natural environments are rapid and large, accompanying the great increase in economic activity and exploitation (Nakano, Kadomura, Mizutani, Okuda, & Sekiguchi, 1974). Although the country's 10% of land area is flood prone, about 50% of the population lives in floodplains and almost 75% of the property is concentrated in the floodplains (JWF, 2006).