Papers by Joseph P Messina
Landscape and Urban Planning, Jul 1, 2019
Global distribution of urban lands is one of the essential pieces of information necessary for ur... more Global distribution of urban lands is one of the essential pieces of information necessary for urban planning. However, large disagreement exists among different products and the uncertainty remains difficult to quantify. We applied a Bayesian approach to map the uncertainties of global urban lands. We demonstrated the approach by producing a hybrid global urban land map that synthesized five different urban land maps in ca. 2000 at 1-km resolution. The resulting hybrid map is a posterior probability map with pixel values suggesting the probability of being urban land, which is validated by 30-m higher resolution references. We also quantified the minimum and maximum urban areas in 2000 for each country/continent based on subjective probability thresholds (i.e., 0.9 and 0.1) on our hybrid urban map. Globally, we estimated that the urban land area was between 377,000 and 533,000 km 2 in 2000. The credible interval of minimum/maximum urban area can help guide future studies in estimating urban areas. In addition to providing uncertainty information, the hybrid map also achieves higher accuracy than individual maps when it is converted into a binary urban/non-urban map using a probability threshold of 0.5. This new method has the ability to further integrate discrete site/location-based data, local, regional, and global urban land maps. As more data is sequentially integrated, the accuracy is expected to improve. Therefore, our hybrid map should not be regarded as a final product, but a new prior product for future synthesis and integration toward a "big data" solution.
Proceedings of SPIE, Sep 19, 1997
ABSTRACT
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Oct 1, 2013
Land use and land cover (LULC) is now recognized as an important driver of disease. For emerging ... more Land use and land cover (LULC) is now recognized as an important driver of disease. For emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases, LULC offers context and serves as a likely proximate driver of risk particularly when considering vector-borne or zoonotic diseases. Ontological differences embedded within disciplinary structures impede progress limiting the ultimate potential of both LULC data and land change theory within disease research. Geography, space, and time serve as effective complements to traditional health and place organizational and disease-research strategies. Improved systemic clarity is obtained if one orients the disease relationship to particular contexts and if the scales of the relationships are clearly defined.
PhDT, 2010
It is now well-recognized that, at local, regional, and global scales, land use changes are signi... more It is now well-recognized that, at local, regional, and global scales, land use changes are significantly altering land cover, perhaps at an accelerating pace. Further, the world's scientific community is increasingly recognizing what, in retrospect, should have been obvious, that human behavior and agency is a critical driver of Land Cover and Land Use Change. In this research, using recently
Journal of Geophysical Research, Nov 14, 2006
Journal of Planning Education and Research, Dec 19, 2016
Since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympic ... more Since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympic Games, large-scale transportation infrastructures have been transforming the city. We examine the transportation planning process and consequences of implementation in the run-up to the 2016 Olympic Games by triangulating qualitative and quantitative methods. We argue that because of the low cost, speed of implementation, best-practice knowledge, existing political coalitions, ease of land acquisition, and flexibility in planning, BRTs emerged as the dominant Olympic transport solution. We find that the transport planning process has undermined the public interest and placed the burdens of implementation disproportionally on the urban poor.
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, Feb 1, 2017
AbstractIn the context of changing climate, this study assessed the effects of global warming on ... more AbstractIn the context of changing climate, this study assessed the effects of global warming on water resources in Tanzania for the mid-21st century. Climate projections from six global circulation models under the most extreme emission scenario (RCP 8.5) were used as inputs to the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) to examine the effects. The results were analyzed both at spatial (country-level, watershed-level, and subbasin-level) and temporal (annual and seasonal) scales concerning potential and actual evapotranspiration, surface runoff, water yield, and soil moisture. At the country level, the results showed a 0.8–27.4% increase in annual precipitation, which led to a general increase in evapotranspiration (−2.2–7.3%), surface runoff (12.6–94.1%), water yield (7.5–73.4%), and soil moisture (2.9–20.7%). Watershed-level analysis showed 2.4–31.5%, −2.6–6.8%, 18.4–159.7%, and 3.2–22.8% changes in average precipitation, evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and soil moisture, respectively. While no disti...
International Journal of Health Geographics, 2014
Background: Predictive models of malaria vector larval habitat locations may provide a basis for ... more Background: Predictive models of malaria vector larval habitat locations may provide a basis for understanding the spatial determinants of malaria transmission. Methods: We used four landscape variables (topographic wetness index [TWI], soil type, land use-land cover, and distance to stream) and accumulated precipitation to model larval habitat locations in a region of western Kenya through two methods: logistic regression and random forest. Additionally, we used two separate data sets to account for variation in habitat locations across space and over time. Results: Larval habitats were more likely to be present in locations with a lower slope to contributing area ratio (i.e. TWI), closer to streams, with agricultural land use relative to nonagricultural land use, and in friable clay/sandy clay loam soil and firm, silty clay/clay soil relative to friable clay soil. The probability of larval habitat presence increased with increasing accumulated precipitation. The random forest models were more accurate than the logistic regression models, especially when accumulated precipitation was included to account for seasonal differences in precipitation. The most accurate models for the two data sets had area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.864 and 0.871, respectively. TWI, distance to the nearest stream, and precipitation had the greatest mean decrease in Gini impurity criteria in these models. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the usefulness of random forest models for larval malaria vector habitat modeling. TWI and distance to the nearest stream were the two most important landscape variables in these models. Including accumulated precipitation in our models improved the accuracy of larval habitat location predictions by accounting for seasonal variation in the precipitation. Finally, the sampling strategy employed here for model parameterization could serve as a framework for creating predictive larval habitat models to assist in larval control efforts.
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Oct 1, 2020
Round air jet development downstream from an abrupt contraction coupled to a uniform circular tub... more Round air jet development downstream from an abrupt contraction coupled to a uniform circular tube extension with length to diameter ratio L/D = 1.2 and L/D = 53.2 is studied experimentally. Smoke visualisation and systematic hot film velocity measurements are performed for low to moderate Reynolds numbers 1130 < Re b < 11320. Mean and turbulent velocity profiles are quantified at the tube exit and along the centerline from the tube exit down to 20 times the diameter D. Flow development is seen to be determined by the underlying jet structure at the tube exit which depends on Reynolds number, initial velocity statistics at the tube exit and the presence/absence of coherent structures. It is shown that the tube extension ratio L/D as well as the sharp edged abrupt contraction influence the initial jet structure at the tube exit. For both L/D ratios, the presence of the abrupt contraction results in transitional jet flow in the range 2000 < Re b < 4000 and in flow features associated with forced jets and high Reynolds numbers Re b > 10 4. The tube extension ratio L/D downstream from the abrupt contraction determines the shear layer roll up so that for L/D = 1.2 flow visualisation suggests the occurrence of toroidal vortices for Re b < 4000 whereas helical vortices are associated with the transitional regime for L/D = 53.2. Found flow features are compared to features reported in literature for smooth contraction nozzles and long pipe flow.
Springer eBooks, 2004
It is now well-recognized that, at the local, regional, and global scales, landuse changes are si... more It is now well-recognized that, at the local, regional, and global scales, landuse changes are significantly altering land cover, perhaps at an accelerating pace. This transformation of the Earth’s surface, particularly through deforestation, is, in turn, linked to a variety of scientific and policy issues affecting climate change and environmental sustainability. The world’s scientific cornmunity is increasingly recognizing what, in retrospect, should have been obvious: that human behavior, as exacerbated by government policy, is a critical driver of global change.
China Economic Review, Apr 1, 2015
This paper analyzes whether hospital competition is associated with improved health care delivery... more This paper analyzes whether hospital competition is associated with improved health care delivery in China, particularly in the dimensions of health care quality and cost. We explore the differences in competition over time and across regions to examine the relationship in an environment wherein the hospital industry is largely state owned, the price of medical care is partially regulated, and hospitals can compete on both quality and cost. Using provincial-and individuallevel data, along with a set of outcome indicators, we find that hospital competition is significantly correlated with lower observation room mortality, shorter outpatient waiting time, and fewer outpatient costs, while we do not find evidence that would suggest negative influences of competition on the other measures of hospital performance. Our results offer new evidence in support of competition-based reforms in China's health care sector and provide implications for other developing countries facing similar health care challenges.
International Journal of Health Geographics, 2012
Background: Inequalities in geographic access to health care result from the configuration of fac... more Background: Inequalities in geographic access to health care result from the configuration of facilities, population distribution, and the transportation infrastructure. In recent accessibility studies, the traditional distance measure (Euclidean) has been replaced with more plausible measures such as travel distance or time. Both network and raster-based methods are often utilized for estimating travel time in a Geographic Information System. Therefore, exploring the differences in the underlying data models and associated methods and their impact on geographic accessibility estimates is warranted. Methods: We examine the assumptions present in population-based travel time models. Conceptual and practical differences between raster and network data models are reviewed, along with methodological implications for service area estimates. Our case study investigates Limited Access Areas defined by Michigan's Certificate of Need (CON) Program. Geographic accessibility is calculated by identifying the number of people residing more than 30 minutes from an acute care hospital. Both network and raster-based methods are implemented and their results are compared. We also examine sensitivity to changes in travel speed settings and population assignment. Results: In both methods, the areas identified as having limited accessibility were similar in their location, configuration, and shape. However, the number of people identified as having limited accessibility varied substantially between methods. Over all permutations, the raster-based method identified more area and people with limited accessibility. The raster-based method was more sensitive to travel speed settings, while the network-based method was more sensitive to the specific population assignment method employed in Michigan. Conclusions: Differences between the underlying data models help to explain the variation in results between raster and network-based methods. Considering that the choice of data model/method may substantially alter the outcomes of a geographic accessibility analysis, we advise researchers to use caution in model selection. For policy, we recommend that Michigan adopt the network-based method or reevaluate the travel speed assignment rule in the raster-based method. Additionally, we recommend that the state revisit the population assignment method.
Transactions in Gis, Aug 1, 2010
The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), the first relatively high spatial resolution near‐gl... more The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), the first relatively high spatial resolution near‐global digital elevation dataset, possesses great utility for a wide array of environmental applications worldwide. This article concerns the accuracy of SRTM in low‐relief areas with heterogeneous vegetation cover. Three questions were addressed about low‐relief SRTM topographic representation: to what extent are errors spatially autocorrelated, and how should this influence sample design? Is spatial resolution or production method more important for explaining elevation differences? How dominant is the association of vegetation cover with SRTM elevation error? Two low‐relief sites in Louisiana, USA, were analyzed to determine the nature and impact of SRTM error in such areas. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data were employed as reference, and SRTM elevations were contrasted with the US National Elevation Dataset (NED). Spatial autocorrelation of errors persisted hundreds of meters spatially in low‐relief topography; production method was more critical than spatial resolution, and elevation error due to vegetation canopy effects could actually dominate the SRTM representation of the landscape. Indeed, low‐lying, forested, riparian areas may be represented as substantially higher than surrounding agricultural areas, leading to an inverted terrain model.
Geocarto International, Jun 1, 2006
Many universities around the world are actively pursuing or have recently implemented professiona... more Many universities around the world are actively pursuing or have recently implemented professional graduate programs in geographic information science. However, the number of undergraduate programs focusing on geographic information science is far more limited. This is despite the rapid hiring of GIS faculty and the implementation of undergraduate program “specializations.” At first glance, this fact is surprising given the far
IGI Global eBooks, Jun 21, 2012
International Journal of Remote Sensing, Jan 10, 2006
Analysis of three Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images of the Putumayo region of C... more Analysis of three Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images of the Putumayo region of Colombia, one of the primary regions of coca production in Colombia, demonstrated that aerial spraying of defoliants under the US ‘Plan Colombia’ programme impacted broad swaths of the landscape and had the unintended consequence of defoliating contiguous and interspersed native plant and food crop parcels.
Remote Sensing Letters, Aug 3, 2021
ABSTRACT Predictable outcomes from precision agriculture (PA) solutions require accurate measurem... more ABSTRACT Predictable outcomes from precision agriculture (PA) solutions require accurate measurements of crop status and a remote sensing knowledgebase that spans ecoregions. This paper evaluates the relationships between 20 multispectral vegetation indices derived from small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) image collection and on-farm measurements of crop chlorophyll content at two smallholder experimentation maize farms in Malawi with varied nitrogen fertilizer treatments. Results of this analysis show that prominent green-based multispectral indices, such as the green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI), were among the models with the strongest correlations. This study is consistent with other research in this field, contributes to mounting evidence supporting a shift in status quo for greater adoption of green-based indices in PA, and offers data specific to the semi-arid sub-Saharan context.
These data were collected using custom built Onset weather stations. Coordinates for each weather... more These data were collected using custom built Onset weather stations. Coordinates for each weather station are provided in the coordinate file. The Bunda site is on the grounds of LUANAR - the agriculture university of Malawi. The other sites are small-holder agriculture villages in Central Malawi.
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Papers by Joseph P Messina