ALBERT

Description: The purpose of this study is to assess seismic hazards in the 57 administration districts of the Chianan area (Chiayi County, Chiayi City, and Tainan City), Taiwan, in the form of ShakeMaps, as well as to estimate potential human fatalities from scenario earthquakes on the three type I active faults in this area. The resultant ShakeMap patterns of maximum ground motion show two regions with high modified Mercalli intensity (MMI; greater than IX). One is in the Chiayi area around Minsyong, Dalin, and Meishan due to presence of the Meishan fault and large site amplification factors. The other is in the Tainan area around Jiali, Madou, Siaying, Syuejia, Jiangjyun, and Yanshuei. The projected probabilities in 10, 30, and 50 yr periods with seismic intensity exceeding MMI VIII in these areas are greater than 45%, 80%, and 95%, respectively. Furthermore, from the distribution of probabilities, high values of greater than 95% over a 10 yr period with seismic intensity corresponding to Central Weather Bureau intensity V and MMI VI are found in central and northern Chiayi and northern Tainan. Finally, from estimation of potential human fatalities for scenario earthquakes on three active faults in Chianan area, it is noted that potential fatalities increase rapidly for people above age 45. Total fatalities reach high peaks in two age groups, ages 60–64 and 75–79, respectively, from scenario earthquakes on the Meishan and Chukou faults. On the other hand, total fatalities peak at ages 55–64 in the case of Hsinhua fault; this is probably because more people in this age group live in the nearby densely populated urban areas (〉5000 persons/km 2 ) such as the Yongkang District. We urge the local and central governments to pay special attention to seismic-hazard mitigation in this urbanized area, with its large number of old buildings. Online Material: Maps of probabilities of exceeding Central Weather Bureau intensity (CWBI) V, VI, and VII and modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) VI and VII of ground shaking over 10, 30, and 50 yr periods.

Description: InSAR time series analysis is widely used for detection and monitoring of slow surface deformation. In this paper, 15 TerraSAR-X radar images acquired in stripmap mode between 2012 and 2013 are processed for land subsidence monitoring with the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) approach in Beijing Plain in China. Mapping results produced by SBAS show that the subsidence rates in the area of Beijing Plain range from −97.5 (subsidence) and to +23.8 mm yr−1 (uplift), relative to a presumably stable benchmark. The mapping result also reveals that there are the five subsidence centers formed by surface deformation spreading north to south east of the downtown. An uneven subsidence patten was detected near the Beijing Capital International Airpor, which may be related to loading of buildings and the aircraft.

Description: Cultivated pastures in southern China are being used to improve forage productivity and animal performance, but studies on grazing behaviour of goats in these cultivated pastures are still rare. In the current study, the grazing behaviour of Yunling black goats under low (5 goats/ha) and high (15 goats/ha) stocking rates (SRs) was evaluated. Data showed that the proportion of time goats spent on activities was: eating (0.59–0.87), ruminating (0.05–0.35), walking (0.03–0.06) and resting (0.01–0.03). Compared with low SR, goats spent more time eating and walking, and less time ruminating and resting under high SR. Goats had similar diet preferences under both SR and preferred to eat grasses (ryegrass and cocksfoot) more than a legume (white clover). The distribution of eating time on each forage species was more uniform under high v. low SR. Bites/step, bite weight and daily intake were greater under low than high SR. Results suggest that the SR affects grazing behaviour of goats on cultivated pasture, and identifying an optimal SR is critical for increasing bite weight and intake.