Environmental Geography Seminar 5/22

Dear all,

Hello!

This is an announcement of the upcoming Environmental Geography Seminar.

Please see all the details carefully below.

【Date】 22nd. May. Wed. （Time: 15:00~）

【Place】 D101

【Content】

1. Presenters
i. Cui Song
Title: Glacial Lakes in the Nepal Himalaya: Inventory and Decadal Dynamics (1977–2017)
Author: Nitesh Khadka, Guoqing Zhang and Sudeep Thakuri
Journal: Remote Sensing, v. 10, no. 12, p. 1913.
Abstract: Himalayan glaciers, in general, are shrinking and glacial lakes are evolving and growing rapidly in number and size as a result of climate change. This study presents the latest remote sensing-based inventory (2017) of glacial lakes (size ≥0.0036 km2) across the Nepal Himalaya using optical satellite data. Furthermore, this study traces the decadal glacial lake dynamics from 1977 to 2017 in the Nepal Himalaya. The decadal mapping of glacial lakes (both glacial-fed and nonglacial-fed) across the Nepal Himalaya reveals an increase in the number and area of lakes from 1977 to 2017, with 606 (55.53 ± 16.52 km2), 1137 (64.56 ± 11.64 km2), 1228 (68.87 ± 12.18 km2), 1489 (74.2 ± 14.22 km2), and 1541 (80.95 ± 15.25 km2) glacial lakes being mapped in 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007, and 2017, respectively. Glacial lakes show heterogeneous rates of expansion in different river basins and elevation zones of Nepal, with apparent decadal emergences and disappearances. Overall, the glacial lakes exhibited ~25% expansion of surface areas from 1987 to 2017. For the period from 1987 to 2017, proglacial lakes with ice contact, among others, exhibited the highest incremental changes in terms of number (181%) and surface area (82%). The continuous amplified mass loss of glaciers, as reported in Central Himalaya, is expected to accompany glacial lake expansion in the future, increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). We emphasize that the rapidly increasing glacial lakes in the Nepal Himalaya can pose potential GLOF threats to downstream population and infrastructure.

ii. John Mawenda
Title: ” Assessing driving forces of land use and land cover change by a mixed-method approach in north-eastern Ghana, West Africa.”
Abstract: Land use and land cover change (LULCC) is the result of complex human-environmental interactions. The
high interdependencies in social-ecological systems make it difficult to identify the main drivers.
However, knowledge of key drivers of LULCC, including indirect (underlying) drivers which cannot be
easily determined by spatial or economic analyses, is essential for land use planning and especially
important in developing countries. We used a mixed-method approach in order to detect drivers of
LULCC in the Upper East Region of northern Ghana by different qualitative and quantitative methods
which were compared in a confidence level analysis. Viewpoints from experts help to answer why the
land use is changing, since many triggering effects, especially non-spatial and indirect drivers of LULCC,
are not measurable by other methodological approaches. Geo-statistical or economic analyses add to
validate the relevance of the expert-based results. First, we conducted in-depth interviews and developed
a list of 34 direct and indirect drivers of LULCC. Subsequently, a group of experts was asked in a
questionnaire to select the most important drivers by using a Likert scale. This information was complemented
by remote sensing analysis. Finally, the driver analysis was compared to information from
literature. Based on these analyses there is a very high confidence that population growth, especially in
rural areas, is a major driver of LULCC. Further, current farming practice, bush fires, livestock, the road
network and climate variability were the main direct drivers while the financial capital of farmers and
customary norms regarding land tenure were listed as important indirect drivers with high confidence.
Many of these driving forces, such as labour shortage and migration, are furthermore interdependent.
Governmental laws, credits, the service by extension officers, conservational agriculture and foreign
agricultural medium-scale investments are currently not driving land use changes. We conclude that the
mixed-method approach improves the confidence of findings and the selection of most important
drivers for modeling LULCC, especially in developing countries.
Accessed from: https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0301479717300713?token=A60A98E5A69D825FB3223F4FB85D45E2776DAFAABB5316BA9B7B178E0F98772CC42187766F9467612EC7415BCF3C626E

iii. Mohan Chand
Title: Identification of Hazard and Risk for Glacial Lakes in the Nepal Himalaya Using Satellite Imagery from 2000–2015
Journal: Remote Sensing
Author: David R. Rounce, C. Scott Watson and Dane C. McKinney
Impact factor: 3.40
Volume: 9, Issue 7
Abstract: Glacial lakes in the Nepal Himalaya can threaten downstream communities and have large socio-economic consequences if an outburst flood occurs. This study identified 131 glacial lakes in Nepal in 2015 that are greater than 0.1 km2 and performed a first-pass hazard and risk assessment for each lake. The hazard assessment included mass entering the lake, the moraine stability, and how lake expansion will alter the lake’s hazard in the next 15–30 years. A geometric flood model was used to quantify potential hydropower systems, buildings, agricultural land, and bridges that could be affected by a glacial lake outburst flood. The hazard and downstream impacts were combined to classify the risk associated with each lake. 11 lakes were classified as very high risk and 31 as high risk. The potential flood volume was also estimated and used to prioritize the glacial lakes that are the highest risk, which included Phoksundo Tal, Tsho Rolpa, Chamlang North Tsho, Chamlang South Tsho, and Lumding Tsho. These results are intended to assist stakeholders and decision-makers in making well-informed decisions with respect to the glacial lakes that should be the focus of future field studies, modeling efforts, and risk-mitigation actions.

2. Note this:

Please send me the detailed information about your presentation at least 5 days before your turn.

For a paper review: title and author of the paper, journal name, which volume, pages, also the link (if possible) should be provided.

If a paper written in Japanese is going to be presented, please kindly send me the information both in Japanese and English.

【Notice】

※ In case you are absent from the seminar or late for the seminar, please contact Professors or me in advance. Any absence without permission is not allowed;

※ Please be punctual (very important);

※ Please do your full preparation for the seminar;

※ Your active participation is always appreciated;

※ Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions or comments.

Best Regards,

Chang Liang