Journal of Geography and Geology, Issue: Vol.17, No.2

Proposed Marine Low-stand Depocenter as a Contributor to the Development of the Namib Sand Sea or Namib Pleistocene Coastal Dune Sheet, Namibia

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 02:52:47 +0000

Two isolated dune complexes are developed in the Namibia and southern Angola coastlines in the southwest coast of Africa. They include the very-large Namibia Sand Sea or Namib dune sheet (35,000 km² surface area) and two smaller dune sheets or ergs (~4,500 km² combined surface areas) at the north end of the Skeleton Coast. In this article, 31 across-shelf and across-shore transects are used to test regional factors of 1) shelf width, 2) coastline orientation, 3) coastline elevation, and 4) alongshore eolian deflation corridors for controlling the localized development of the coastal dune sheets. A lack of apparent correspondence between the four factors and the isolated dune complexes prompted a search of the continental shelf for submerged barriers that could have bounded northward alongshore transport of Orange River sand during Pleistocene marine low-stands. Such localized entrapment of littoral sand could have enabled across-shelf sand supply by coast-oblique eolian transport and marine transgression wave transport to the Namib dune sheet and the Skeleton Coast dune sheets. Two mid-shelf paleo-headlands do correspond to the two anomalous dune complexes. They include a Namib paleo-headland with a 28 km projection distance (80° west-of-north offset of the -100 m MSL depth contour) and a north Skeleton Coast paleo-headland with a 14 km projection distance (50° west-of-north offset of the -100 m depth contour). Smaller offsets occur in the -75 m depth contour but not in the -50 m depth contour in both paleo-headlands. The Namib paleo-headland currently extends between -75 and -140 m depth or 60 % of the mid-shelf width. Together with alongshore sand supply from a southern eolian deflation plain corridor, the localized offshore sand supply from the Namib paleo-headland, and an associated low-stand depocenter, might have contributed to the origin of the Namib Sand Sea or Pleistocene coastal dune sheet.

Impact of Domestic Wastewater on Lotic Surface Water Quality: A Literature Review

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 09:28:56 +0000

The contamination of lotic surface waters, defined as freshwater bodies with continuous flow, such as rivers and streams, by domestic wastewater represents an urgent and growing threat to both human and environmental health. The objective was to analyze the scientific literature related to the impact of domestic wastewater on the quality of lotic surface waters, using a comparative approach by geographic region, to identify degradation factors, ecological impacts, and technological strategies applied for their treatment. The analysis focuses on the Americas, the area with the highest number of available studies, and is complemented by evidence from Africa, Europe, and Asia. Common patterns and regional differences are identified in the degradation factors, environmental impacts, and technological strategies used for wastewater treatment. The results demonstrate the priority of integrated approaches that consider technical, community-based and regulatory aspects. These approaches are crucial for addressing the critical factors, including untreated discharges, low sanitation coverage, and contamination by nutrients and pathogens. Documented impacts include eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and associated diseases. The technologies applied vary by region, ranging from conventional systems to natural and advanced solutions. Gaps persist in the integration of these approaches. This study contributes to a stronger global understanding of the impacts of domestic wastewater. It provides a scientific foundation for designing public policies, sanitation strategies, and community-based actions aimed at improving the sustainable quality of water.

Climate Variability, Land Ownership Characteristics and Wildfire Frequency in Missouri, United States of America, 2002-2017

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 21:59:32 +0000

Better understanding of wildfire activity is critical because wildfire activity fluctuates with weather and climate trends. This study analyzes the impact of climate variability and land ownership on wildfire frequency in Missouri. The relationship between burnt area and climate variables (temperature and rainfall) from 2002 to 2017 for the state of Missouri were examined using a simple regression analysis. The results show that warmer annual temperatures have a low positive correlation with wildfire occurrence, and negative correlation exists with annual rainfall. Landowner characteristics were observed to have a profound influence on wildfire frequency, and the study concludes with some suggested strategies for reducing wildfire frequency in Missouri.

Appalachian Great Valley Headward Erosion through the Lake Champlain Valley and its Implications for New England Icesheet Stagnation, New York and Vermont, USA and Quebec, Canada

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 06:52:00 +0000

Topographic map drainage system and erosional landform evidence is interpreted from a new geology and glacial history paradigm’s perspective and suggests headward erosion of the Appalachian Great Valley (Great Valley) through the Lake Champlain valley caused New England icesheet stagnation. The new paradigm interprets through valleys (including the Great Valley) now crossing the Lake Champlain-Hudson River drainage divide to have been eroded by huge and prolonged meltwater floods which flowed across the rising rim of an icesheet created and occupied deep “hole.” East of the Great Valley the floodwaters flowed southward across a rising Green Mountain region from the Lake Champlain area toward the Housatonic River valley until Batten Kill valley headward erosion from the actively eroding Great Valley captured that flow. Next Great Valley headward erosion into the Lake Champlain valley beheaded and reversed south-oriented floodwaters moving to Batten Kill on the now north-oriented Mettawee River and Otter Creek alignments. West of the Great Valley the floodwaters flowed in a southwest direction from the Lake Champlain area across a rising Adirondack Mountain region and into today’s northeast Susquehanna River drainage basin area until Great Valley headward erosion enabled Mohawk River valley headward erosion to capture that flow which headward erosion of the southeast-oriented Hudson River headwaters valley next captured. Subsequently Great Valley headward erosion through what is now the Lake Champlain valley beheaded and reversed southwest oriented flood flow routes to create northeast-oriented Lake Champlain tributaries such as the Ausable River. A thought experiment then demonstrates how during a thick continental icesheet’s decay ice-walled canyons carved by immense supraglacial meltwater rivers converged to the north of the Lake Champlain area and led to Saint Lawrence River formation and to New England icesheet stagnation.

Predicting Tourists' Accommodation Location Scores Using Spatial Machine Learning Techniques A Case Study of Middle Vancouver Island

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:42:07 +0000

This study develops a predictive framework to optimize site selection for tourist accommodations - including hotels, motels, resorts, and guest houses (HMRG) - across the central and northern regions of Vancouver Island, aiming to reduce investor uncertainty through data-driven decision support. Unlike traditional models that focus on price prediction, this research emphasizes predicting location scores, a less explored yet highly relevant metric for assessing accommodation desirability. Despite a relatively small sample size, the framework offers promising insights for early-stage modeling in emerging markets. By integrating geospatial analytics and customer sentiment data, the study evaluates three techniques - Ordinary Least Squares Regression (OLSR), Random Forest (RF) regression, and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) regression - to identify key determinants of location suitability. A four-phase methodology was employed: (1) variable selection and preprocessing, prioritizing tourism-relevant spatial features extracted from user-generated content and refined through spatial data engineering; (2) evaluation of predictor effect sizes, directional relationships, and multicollinearity; (3) iterative model optimization through feature engineering and hyperparameter tuning; and (4) comparative validation using robustness metrics.

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Geography and Geology, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2025

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 22:39:42 +0000

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Geography and Geology, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2025