Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales: New challenges and opportunities in the big data era

2018-05-19 19:16

 

Geoscience forum

Topic

Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales: New challenges and opportunities in the big data era

Abstract

This presentation discusses the latest understanding of spatial variation in soil geochemistry at various scales, the uses of advanced spatial analysis techniques to quantify the variation, as well as the new challenges which go beyond academic research in the era of big data. Spatial variation in soil geochemistry have been found at all the scales of regional (in square kilometers), field and micro scales (in square centimeters). The techniques of local statistics, hotspot analysis and spatial correlation are explained and applied to soil geochemistry. One of the focuses is the use of local index of spatial association (LISA) and its applications in urban geochemical studies in Galway, Ireland and London, the UK. The LISA is a useful tool for identifying pollution hotspots and classifying them into spatial clusters and spatial outliers. The results were affected by the definition of weight function, data transformation and existence of extreme values. It is suggested that all the influencing factors should be considered until reasonable and reliable results are obtained. The new opportunities have arisen from the current concept of “big data”, but the challenges for stronger “data analytics” are emerging. While the assumptions for the use of parametric statistical methods are widely known, attention is needed for the requirement of spatial autocorrelation when spatial distribution maps are produced based on spatial interpolation. Furthermore, when the geochemical study results are actually applied in environmental management and agricultural practices, political and socio-economic factors are playing an important role, going far beyond academic research!

Speaker

Dr. Chaosheng Zhang, National University of Ireland

Short Resume

 

          Dr. Chaosheng Zhang

 

 Director, International Network for Environment and Health

School of Geography and Archaeology & Ryan Institute

National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

Tel:  +353-91-492375; Fax: +353-91-495505; E-mail: Chaosheng.Zhang@nuigalway.ie

Academic Background

GIS; Environmental geochemistry; Soil; Spatial analysis; Environment and Health; Precision

Agriculture; Medical Geology; Heavy metals; E-waste


Short paragraphs


Dr. Chaosheng Zhang received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Peking University, and PhD degree from Institute of Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.

Dr. Chaosheng Zhang is Director of International Network for Environment and Health, and head of Research Cluster of Environmental Change at Discipline of Geography, National University of Ireland, Galway. He was the founding and former head of Ryan Institute GIS Centre. He teaches Geographic Information System (GIS) courses at School of Geography and Archaeology of the University. Dr. Zhang’s academic background covers both GIS and environmental geochemistry. His research interest focuses on spatial analyses of environmental variables, especially metals and nutrients in soils and soil organic carbon, using GIS, geostatistics and other spatial statistical techniques, to identify hotspots and quantify spatial variation, with applications in environmental management and precision agriculture. With collaborators, he also works on the novel technology of DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) for assessment of bioavailability of chemicals in the environment. One of the current research directions of Dr. Zhang is spatial analysis of environment and health. Dr. Zhang has published more than 120 papers in peer-reviewed journals (Google Scholar H-index: 36; SCOPUS H-index: 30). He is a reviewer for more than 50 international journals.

Dr. Zhang has research experience in China, Sweden, USA, Australia, Jamaica and Ireland. He was a University Fellow of Hong Kong Baptist University in 2013. Dr. Zhang is chair and organizer of several internationally leading conferences in environment, health and GIS (SEGH 2010 International Conference and Workshops on Environmental Quality and Human Health; SESEH 2012 Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health; ISEH 2016 & Geoinformatics 2016, Joint International Conference on Environment, Health, GIS and Agriculture). Dr. Zhang was an international advisor to Jiuzhaigou National Park of China (2013-2016).

Dr. Zhang is a member in the Advisor Committee of the Overseas Chinese Affairs of the State Council of China (2017.8-Present).

Dr. Zhang holds the following international professional positions:

  • President of SEGH (2015.6-2017.10, Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health, www.segh.net)

  • Chair, ISEG (International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry) International Board (www.nuigalway.ie/ineh)

  • Member of Editorial Board of Science of the Total Environment

  • Coordinating Editor of Environmental Geochemistry and Health

  • Founder and Co-Chair of SEGH China-Ireland Consortium

  • Founder and Co-Chair of IMGA China-Ireland Concord

  • Founder: SESEH Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health (Branded as ISEH from 2014 International Symposium on Environment and Health)