Variety in cereal cultivation in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages in relation to environmental conditions

The objective of this paper is to assess the relationship between the cereals cultivated in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages (ca. 1250–400 BC) within the area of the present-day Czech Republic, and their environmental settings. The various charred caryopses of cereal species represented in the archaeobotanical assemblages from 35 archaeological sites differ, especially in the proportion of wheat and barley. The cereal assemblages were compared regarding site altitude, weather conditions, soils and soil productivity. The most important environmental variable influencing the choice of a particular crop seemed to be altitude which is correlated with other variables such as the length of growing season, mean annual temperature, soil quality etc. Although the ecological requirements of cereals cultivated in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages are not known, they presumably thrived under similar conditions to present-day species/varieties, and the strategy of past crop husbandry was based on similar principles as today, e.g. flexible adaptation to local environmental conditions, in an effort to achieve optimal yields and reduce the danger of crop failure.     

Woman as Utopia. Against relations of representation

The argument of this paper is based on water, i.e. on the metaphor of something that does not have a form, but is forming. Attempting to write herself without representing herself, the author invites the reader to understand her/his self without having to define it. In order to do that the question ‘What IS a woman?’ must be put in question. Then the definite existence of the IS can be turned into a paradoxical (non‐)being like that of Utopia. The space of geography is a space of what IS. Could woman feel at home in such a framework? Or does she inhabit the paradoxical space of Utopia? What would a geography of the Utopia be like? What is the space of the woman?     

From pedologic indications to archaeological reconstruction: deciphering land use in the Islamic period in the Baida district (north-western Sicily)

The aim of this work was to detect imprints on soil properties from former Islamic land use (9th to 11th century) using a multi-method, soil-chemical approach. Four soil profiles (with buried horizons) found in the vicinities of former Islamic settlements in Sicily were analysed for phosphorus (total, organic and inorganic), nitrogen (total, NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺), carbon compounds (δ¹³C, lipids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and functional groups), physical and chemical C-fractions and the state of soil weathering. Two soil profiles contained ceramic sherds from the Islamic period. Inorganic nitrogen forms, phosphorous and the PAH content indicated strong impacts from traditional agriculture and/or burning. Radiocarbon dating of soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions from buried horizons showed that distinct changes must have occurred during the Islamic epoch. The isotopic composition of SOC indicated that land use was probably different in earlier times. C₄ plant cultivation was expected but surprisingly lipid analyses did not confirm this. A high amount of aliphates and low C/N ratio indicated a good, long-term SOC stabilisation under the native conditions combined with Islamic land use. The irrigation of the soils probably increased the production of weakly-crystalline Fe forms that helped to stabilise SOC.     

Relative changes in consistency of winter surface air temperature during ENSO events across western Canada

Previous studies established a connection between El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and winter surface air temperature (SAT) in western Canada. This paper compares the year-to-year variation of winter SAT across the region under ENSO and ENSO-free (neutral) conditions. The comparison is based on the ratio of the difference between the standard deviation (σ) of mean monthly ENSO SAT signals and σ of mean monthly ENSO-free signal to σ of the mean monthly ENSO-free SAT. The signal is defined as the difference between mean monthly temperature during ENSO and the mean monthly ENSO-free SAT. During El Niño December and February, SAT variability is lower by 13 and 18 percent, respectively, than in an equivalent ENSO-free period. In January, variability under El Niño is 24 percent higher than its ENSO-free counterpart. During La Niña, decrease in variability is observed during all three months by 3, 21 and 24 percent from December through February, respectively. The lower variability experienced in five of the six ENSO months underscores greater winter SAT consistency during ENSO. Variability difference is lowest along the Pacific Coast and highest in the Prairies. Except in January under El Niño, those areas, which normally experience SAT variability higher than the regional average (mostly the Prairies), achieve greater temperature stability (reduced variability) during ENSO. January variability is higher in the Prairies during El Niño. In general, in western Canada, SAT regimes look more similar under ENSO than they do under ENSO-free conditions. ENSO tends to stabilise winter temperatures more effectively in the Prairies than it does along the coast.     

古代纺织品的世界——来自于古代绘画及雕塑品上的彩绘装饰

在众多的遗物中,真正的纺织品在不同范围被保存并且作为考古出土文物被保护。在埃及,中亚和欧洲（北方）地区,由于这些地方有利于有机物的保存因此可以非常频繁发现纺织品。古代（石质）雕塑如希腊瓶饰画或亚洲陶质雕塑都详细的描绘着衣物,往往辅以详细削减和图案表现。与此相比,比较少见的是古代雕塑彩绘装饰上手绘图案或装饰仍然可以认出或保存完好。被保护的纺织技术作为另一种技术用于制作纺织品,将被介绍并与古代以往的绘画和彩绘装饰保护实例作比较。图案与技术的表现将会用于说明并与真正的纺织品发现物的图案与技术作比较,同时与纺织技术的重建相结合。发现物的样品来自于欧洲,地中海东部和中东。这将表明从古代遗物的绘画上区分独立的纺织技术,并且图案也可以用于证实真正的纺织生产工艺的结论。     

Dealing with Sustainability Trade-Offs of the Compact City in Peri-Urban Planning Across European City Regions

The compact city has become a leading concept in the planning of peri-urban areas. The compact city concept is often advocated as “sustainable” because of claims that include lower emissions and conservation of the countryside. The literature shows, however, that there are certain trade-offs in striving for compaction, especially between environmental and social aspects of sustainability. In this article, we describe expressions of the compact city concept in the planning practice of several European urban sample regions, as well as policies and developments that contradict the compact city. We look at examples of positive and negative impacts of the compact city that were observed in the sample regions. Further, we discuss attempts by planners to deal with sustainability trade-offs. Being aware that developments in the peri-urban areas are closely connected to those in the inner city, we compare the sample regions in order to learn how the compact city concept has been used in planning peri-urban areas across different contexts in Europe: in Western, Central and Mediterranean Europe, and with growing, stable or declining populations. We conclude with recommendations with respect to balance in applying the compact city concept.     

Guidelines for the “Perfect Inner City”. Discussing the Appropriateness of Monitoring Approaches for Reurbanization

In this paper, we analyse the appropriateness of monitoring approaches for the observation of inner-city reurbanization processes. Reurbanization is conceptualized here as a process of long-term stabilization of inner-city areas by both a readiness of present residents to stay and an influx of new residents. It has been recently re-set on the top of the European urban research agenda since non-growth has proved to be a major path of future development for many European cities. Recent research evidence across Europe underscores the fact that reurbanization depends much on local settings of institutional, socio-economic and infrastructural factors. To foster a clearer understanding of the nature and dynamics of local reurbanization, to assess its extent and progress and, what is more, to help practitioners to shape sustainable policy initiatives appropriate to the respective context, reurbanization needs to be observed over the long term. The complex character of reurbanization sets new challenges for monitoring approaches and indicator-based tools. Due to the genuine relation of the present debate on reurbanization to the phenomenon of non-growth or the return of the compact city, the focus in this paper is set on demographic development trends and their impact on inner-city change. In this vein, our paper presents a monitoring design and a respective newly developed indicator set for reurbanization which focuses more on the initial recognition of reurbanization than on its long-term stability. Methodically, chances and limits of the integration of household-related indicators and qualitative knowledge on reurbanization into monitoring tools are highlighted. Empirical and statistical evidence is taken from a recently completed EU FP 5 research project and from municipal surveys.