Spatial assessment of forest cover and land-use changes in the Hindu-Kush mountain ranges of northern Pakistan     

Sami Ullah  Muhammad Farooq  Muhammad Shafique  Muhammad Afra Siyab  Fazli Kareem  Matthias Dees 《山地科学学报》2016,13(7):1229-1237

Anthropogenic activities and natural processes are continuously altering the mountainous environment through deforestation, forest degradation and other land-use changes. It is highly important to assess, monitor and forecast forest cover and other land-use changes for the protection and conservation of mountainous environment. The present study deals with the assessment of forest cover and other land-use changes in the mountain ranges of Dir Kohistan in northern Pakistan, using high resolution multi-temporal SPOT-5 satellite images. The SPOT-5 satellite images of years 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013 were acquired and classified into land-cover units. In addition, forest cover and land-use change detection map was developed using the classified maps of 2004 and 2013. The classified maps were verified through random field samples and Google Earth imagery (Quick birds and SPOT-5). The results showed that during the period 2004 to 2013 the area of forest land decreased by 6.4%, however, area of range land and agriculture land have increased by 22.1% and 2.9%, respectively. Similarly, barren land increased by 1.1%, whereas, area of snow cover/glacier is significantly decreased by 21.3%. The findings from the study will be useful for forestry and landscape planning and can be utilized by the local, provincial and national forest departments; and REDD+ policy makers in Pakistan.  相似文献   

First level seismic microzonation map of Al-Madinah province,western Saudi Arabia using the geographic information system approach     

Sayed S. R. Moustafa  Nassir SN Al-Arifi  Muhammad Kamran Jafri  Muhammad Naeem  Eslam A. Alawadi  Mohamed A. Metwaly 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2016,75(3):251

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Contamination of soil and carrots irrigated with different sources of water in Punjab,Pakistan     

Kafeel Ahmad  Zafar Iqbal Khan  Sumaira Yasmin  Asma Ashfaq  Ijaz Rasool Noorka  Nudrat Aisha Akram  Hazoor Ahmad Shad  Abrar Hussain  Fahim Arshad  Muhammad Sher  Hafiz Muhammad Tahir  Humayun Bashir  Asma Zafar 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2016,75(5):426

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Statistical modeling of atmospheric trace metals in Lahore,Pakistan for correlation and source identification     

Muhammad Irfan Jalees  Zukhruf Asim 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2016,75(9):842

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Petrology and geochemistry of Jura granite and granite gneiss in the Neelum Valley,Lesser Himalayas (Kashmir,Pakistan)     

Muhammad Saleem Mughal  Muhammad Sabir Khan  Muhammad Rustam Khan  Sohail Mustafa  Fahad Hameed  Muhammad Basharat  Abrar Niaz 《Arabian Journal of Geosciences》2016,9(8):528

Late Proterozoic rocks of Tanol Formation in the Lesser Himalayas of Neelum Valley area are largely green schist to amphibolite facies rocks intruded by early Cambrian Jura granite gneiss and Jura granite representing Pan-African orogeny event in the area. These rocks are further intruded by pegmatites of acidic composition, aplites, and dolerite dykes. Based on field observations, texture, and petrographic character, three different categories of granite gneiss (i.e., highly porphyritic, coarse-grained two micas granite gneiss, medium-grained two micas granite gneiss, and leucocratic tourmaline-bearing muscovite granite gneiss), and granites (i.e., highly porphyritic coarse-grained two micas granite, medium-grained two micas granite, and leucocratic tourmaline-bearing coarse-grained muscovite granite) were classified. Thin section studies show that granite gneiss and granite are formed due to fractional crystallization, as revealed by zoning in plagioclase. The Al saturation index indicates that granite gneiss and granite are strongly peraluminous and S-type. Geochemical analysis shows that all granite gneisses are magnesian except one which is ferroan whereas all granites are ferroan except one which is magnesian. The CaO/Na₂O ratio (>0.3) indicates that granitic melt of Jura granite gneiss and granite is pelite-psammite derived peraluminous granitic melt formed due to partial melting of Tanol Formation. The rare earth element (REE) patterns of the Jura granite and Jura granite gneiss indicate that granitic magma of Jura granite and Jura granite gneiss is formed due to partial melting of rocks that are similar in composition to that of upper continental crust.  相似文献   

Is Ziarat a Potential Site for Conventional or Unconventional Energy Resources?     

Sarfraz KHAN  Umair Bin NISAR  Khawar A. AHMED  Muhammad WASEEM  Waqas AHMED 《《地质学报》英文版》2018,92(4):1544-1557

A structural interpretation of the Ziarat block in the Balochistan region (a part of the Suleiman Fold and Thrust Belt) has been carried out using seismic and seismological data. Seismic data consists of nine 2.5D pre‐stack migrated seismic lines, whereas the seismological data covers the Fault Plane Solution and source parameters. Structural interpretation describes two broad fault sets of fore and back thrusts in the study area that have resulted in the development of pop‐up structures, accountable for the structural traps and seismicity pattern in terms of seismic hazard. Seismic interpretation includes time and depth contour maps of the Dungan Formation and Ranikot group, while seismological interpretation includes Fault Plane Solution, that is correlated with a geological and structural map of the area for the interpretation of the nature of the subsurface faults. Principal stresses are also estimated for the Ranikot group and Dungan Formation. In order to calculate anisotropic elastic properties, the parameters of the rock strength of the formations are first determined from seismic data, along with the dominant stresses (vertical, minimum horizontal, and maximum horizontal). The differential ratio of the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses is obtained to indicate optimal zones for hydraulic fracturing, and to assess the potential for geothermal energy reservoir prospect generation. The stress maps indicate high values towards the deeper part of the horizon, and low towards the shallower part, attributed to the lithological and structural variation in the area. Outcomes of structural interpretation indicate a good correlation of structure and tectonics from both seismological and seismic methods.  相似文献   

Seismic stratigraphy of the Mianwali and Bannu depressions,north-western Indus foreland basin     

Farid  Asam  Khalid  Perveiz  Ali  Muhammad Y.  Iqbal  Muhammad Asim  Jadoon  Khan Zaib 《International Journal of Earth Sciences》2018,107(5):1557-1578

International Journal of Earth Sciences - Regional seismic reflection profiles, deep exploratory wells, and outcrop data have been used to study the structure and stratigraphic architecture of the...  相似文献   

Short-term greenhouse emission lowering effect of biochars from solid organic municipal wastes     

Djaafar Rehrah  Rishipal R. Bansode  Osman Hassan  Mohamed Ahmedna 《International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology》2018,15(5):1093-1102

Qatar economy has been growing rapidly during the last two decades during which waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions increased exponentially making them among the main environmental challenges facing the country. Production of biochar from municipal solid organic wastes (SOWs) for soil application may offer a sustainable waste management strategy while improving crop productivity and sequestering carbon. This study was conducted to (1) investigate the physicochemical parameters of biochars for SOW, (2) select the best-performing biochars for soil fertility, and (3) evaluate the potential benefits of these biochars in lowering greenhouse gases (GHGs) during soil incubation. Biochars were produced from SOW at pyrolysis temperatures of 300–750 °C and residence times of 2–6 h. Biochars were characterized before use in soil incubation to select the best-performing treatment and evaluation of potential GHG-lowering effect using CO₂ emission as proxy. Here, soil–biochar mixtures (0–2%w/w) were incubated in greenhouse settings for 120 days at 10% soil moisture. Soil properties, such as pH, EC, TC, and WHC, were significantly improved after soil amendment with biochar. Two biochars produced from mixed materials at 300–500 °C for 2 h and used at 0.5–1% application rate performed the best in enhancing soil fertility parameters. A significant decrease in CO₂ emission was observed in vials with soil–biochar mixtures, especially for biochars produced at 500 °C compared the corresponding raw materials which exhibited an exponential increase in the CO₂ emission. Hence, application of biochar to agricultural soils could be beneficial for simultaneously improving soil fertility/crop productivity while sequestering carbon, thereby reducing anthropogenic emissions of GHGs.  相似文献   

Isolation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus cereus</Emphasis> from botanical soil and subsequent biodegradation of waste engine oil     

S. Bhurgri  F. N. Talpur  S. M. Nizamani  H. I. Afridi  M. A. Surhio  Muhammad Raza Shah  C. W. Bong 《International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology》2018,15(7):1453-1466

Waste engine oil causes a vital environmental pollution when it spill during change and transportation and products of waste engine oil causes lethal effects to the living systems. Thus, abiotic and biotic approaches are being extensively used for removal of waste engine oil pollution. Therefore in present study, waste engine oil degradation was accomplished by a new bacterial culture, isolated from the soil by an enrichment technique. Morphological, biochemical and gene sequence analysis revealed that isolate was Bacillus cereus. Subsequently, biodegradation potential of B. cereus for waste engine oil was studied. Experimental variables, such as pH, substrate concentration, inoculum size, temperature and time on the biodegradation, were checked in mineral salt medium. The biodegradation efficiency of B. cereus was determined by gravimetry, UV–visible spectrophotometry and gas chromatography. In addition, waste engine oil was also characterized by GC–MS and FTIR for its major constituents, which showed total 38 components in waste engine oil, including hopanes, benzopyrene, long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, dibenzothiophenes, biphenyl and their derivatives. Results of successive biodegradation indicated that B. cereus was capable to degrade 1% of waste engine oil with 98.6% degradation potential at pH 7 within 20 days. Hence, B. cereus presents an innovative tool for removing the engine oil from the contaminated area.  相似文献   

Geospatial assessment of soil erosion intensity and sediment yield: a case study of Potohar Region,Pakistan   总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2  

Saleem Ullah  Amjad Ali  Muhammad Iqbal  Muhammad Javid  Muhammad Imran 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(19):705

Estimation of spatial extent of soil erosion, one of the most serious forms of land degradation, is critical because soil erosion has serious implications on soil fertility, water ecosystem, crop productivity and landscape beauty. The primary objective of the current study was to assess and map the soil erosion intensity and sedimentation yield of Potohar region of Pakistan. Potohar is the rainfed region with truncated and complex topography lying at the top of the Indus Basin, the world’s largest irrigation networks of canals and barrages. Spatially explicit Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) Model integrated with Remote Sensing-GIS techniques was used for detecting/mapping of erosion prone areas and quantification of soil losses. The results show that the Potohar region is highly susceptible to soil erosion with an average annual soil loss of 19 tons ha^?1 year^?1 of which the maximum erosion (70–208 tons ha^?1 year^?1) was near the river channels and hilly areas. The sediment yield due to the erosion is as high as 148 tons ha^?1 year^?1 with an average of 4.3 tons ha^?1 year^?1. It was found that 2.06% of the total area falls under severe soil erosion, 13.34% under high erosion, 15.35% under moderate soil erosion while 69.25% of the area lies in the low (tolerable) soil erosion. Chakwal and Jhelum districts of the region are seriously affected by erosion owing to their topography and soil properties. The information generated in this study is a step forward towards proper planning and implementation of strategies to control the erosion and for protection of natural resources. It is, hence, necessary that suitable water harvesting structures be made to control water to prevent soil erosion and provision of water in the lean season in this region. Tree plantation and other erosion control practices such as strip cropping can also minimize soil erosion in this region.  相似文献