Md Abdul Halim- PhD
- Schmidt AI in Science Fellowship at University of Toronto
Md Abdul Halim
- PhD
- Schmidt AI in Science Fellowship at University of Toronto
Leveraging deep learning and satellite imagery for high-resolution methane emission mapping in complex urban landscapes.
About
69
Publications
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Introduction
My ongoing research investigates the capabilities of artificial intelligence in identifying methane point sources by incorporating open-access remote sensing data in complex urban landscapes. Simultaneously, I study the multifaceted biogeophysical and biogeochemical aspects of managed ecosystems to formulate nature-based solutions to counteract climate change impacts. I am deeply committed to teaching and mentorship while championing an equitable and inclusive learning atmosphere.
Current institution
Additional affiliations
June 2009 - September 2023
June 2009 - June 2011
Education
September 2013 - September 2019
University of Toronto
Field of study
- Biometeorology
June 2006 - June 2007
June 2002 - June 2006
Publications
Publications (69)
Background: Urban environments are increasingly recognized as both significant contributors to and primary victims of climate change. Buildings in urban settings are responsible for approximately 33% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while cities themselves are often situated on fertile land with high carbon sequestration potential. To mitigate t...
Urban areas are at the forefront of climate change impacts, with cities being responsible for ~75% of global GHG emissions. Methane, a GHG 80 times more potent than CO2, is significantly emitted from a range of urban sources including biogenic (e.g., landfills, drainage channels, and wetlands) and abiogenic (e.g., transportation, compressor station...
Comprising 45% of global forest cover, tropical forests are pivotal in the GHG budgets. Emerging research highlights the significance of tropical trees as CH₄ sources, yet tree-foliage emissions have been minimally investigated. Moreover, the N₂O fluxes from tropical tree foliage remain almost completely unexamined. Objectives: This study presents...
Biochar (BC) application to low-fertility soils enhances crop yield, soil quality, and sustainable agricultural production. Although many studies have explored the effects of biochar on tropical crops, research specific to Bangladesh is limited. Given the agrarian system in Bangladesh, dense population, and vulnerability to climate change, adopting...
Methane (CH₄), a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with high global warming potential, significantly contributes to urban GHG emissions. Organic mulching, commonly practiced in urban forestry, may promote CH₄ emissions via anaerobic decomposition; yet its impact on the urban carbon budget has largely been unexamined. Biochar has shown promise in mitigati...
Co-management is a promising forest governance strategy that integrates local communities' traditional rights and forest dependencies while aiming to improve forest cover and ecosystem health. Bangladesh, facing high deforestation rates and limited per capita forest area, has implemented co-management initiatives since 2003 to restore forest cover...
Abstract: Methane (CH4) ranks as the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, contributing substantially ot global warming through its net radiative forcing. Over the past century, atmospheric CH4 concentrations have surged 250%, exacerbating climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has recommended targeted...
Methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) are critical biogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) with global warming potentials substantially greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO₂). The exchange of these gases in tropical forests, particularly via foliar processes, remains poorly understood. We quantified foliar CH₄ and N₂O fluxes among tropical tree species...
Mushroom farming using agri-waste as substrates can offer a sustainable solution to the food security challenges of inadequate and imbalanced diets. However, developing strategies to exploit the potential of the mushroom industry fully is yet to be explored in Bangladesh. We, thus, conducted this study to investigate the challenges and opportunitie...
Co-management is increasingly recognized as an effective approach of forest governance while recognizing local people's forest dependency and traditional rights. Moreover, co-management is expected to positively impact forest cover and ecosystem health. Bangladesh, facing a rapid decline in forest cover, has one of the lowest per capita forest area...
Biochar has emerged as a promising amendment for agricultural lands characterized by low fertility and elevated levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Arsenic (As), a highly toxic trace metalloid, has the potential to contaminate food chains, with serious effects on human health. However, the efficacy of biochar in alleviating PTE toxicity in...
Urban foraging research has been growing in the past two decades. Likewise, trends in social practice are moving towards connecting with nature through activities that include urban foraging. While the global urban population increases, it brings into focus on food security issues and practices such as foraging are seen as one possible mitigation s...
The fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2) to and from vegetation can be significant on a regional scale. It is therefore important to understand the biogenic fluxes of CO2 in order to quantify local carbon budgets. The Greenbelt of Ontario is a protected region of cropland and natural vegetation surrounding the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) in...
Urban areas are at the forefront of climate change impacts, with cities being responsible for~75% of global GHG emissions. Methane, a GHG 80 times more potent than CO 2 , is significantly emitted from a range of urban sources including biogenic (e.g., landfills, drainage channels, and wetlands) and abiogenic (e.g., transportation, compressor statio...
Fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO) to and from vegetation can be significant on a regional scale. It is therefore important to understand biogenic CO fluxes in order to quantify local carbon budgets. However, these fluxes are often difficult to estimate in urban emission studies. This work uses the Solar Induced Fluorescence (SIF) for Modelling Urban bi...
Biomass fuel could effectively address the existing energy crisis in developing countries, including Bangladesh, yet its potential remains largely overlooked in scholarly and policy discussions. The objective of this study was to understand the people's perception of fuelwood, LPG, and cow dung as well as to identify factors influencing the choices...
Urbanization has degraded ecosystem services on a global
scale, and cities are vulnerable to long-term stresses and risks exacerbated
by climate change. Green infrastructure (GI) has been increasingly
implemented in cities to improve ecosystem functions and enhance city
resilience, yet GI degradation or failure is common. Biochar has been
recently...
Urbanization has degraded ecosystem services on a global scale, and cities are vulnerable to long-term stresses and risks exacerbated by climate change. Green infrastructure (GI) has been increasingly implemented in cities to improve ecosystem functions and enhance city resilience, yet GI degradation or failure is common. Biochar has been recently...
Green roof systems have been increasingly implemented to enhance vegetation cover and associated ecosystem services in urban spaces, with primary goals being the reduction of peak surface runoff, enhanced water quality, and mitigation of urban heat island effects. Recently, green roofs have also received attention as a means to enhance carbon seque...
A body of emerging research shows the promise of charcoal soil amendments ("biochars") in restoring fertility in degraded agricultural and forest soils. "Sustainable biochars" derived from locally produced waste biomass and produced near the application site are of particular interest. We tested the effects of surface applications of wood-derived b...
One of humanity's most significant challenges in the process of attaining the established sustainability goals is balancing the growing human demand for food and the need to conserve biodiversity. This challenge requires appropriate land uses that are able to conserve biodiversity while ensuring ample food supply. This study compares bird species d...
One of humanity’s most significant challenges in the process of attaining the established sustainability goals is balancing the growing human demand for food and the need to conserve biodiversity. This challenge requires appropriate land uses that are able to conserve biodiversity while ensuring ample food supply. This study compares bird species d...
Boreal forests play a critical role in global climate via important biophysical and biogeochemical feedbacks. Large-scale disturbances, particularly fire and harvesting, significantly affect these feedbacks by altering the surface and stand attributes, and can impact boreal forests’ role in the global climate system. Surface- and stand-attribute-driv...
Forests cover about thirty percent of the Earth’s land surface and are important in providing critical ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, storage, and cycling. Forests sequester and store more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. In forests, plants take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen durin...
Biochar, or pyrolyzed organic matter intended for use as a soil amendment, has a variety of properties of interest from the perspective of agroforestry, in particular its potential to increase soil C sequestration and enhance yields by increased retention of soil mineral nutrients. Nitrogen-fixing legumes commonly show large growth responses to bio...
Surface albedo is one of the most important processes governing climate forcing in the boreal forest and is directly affected by management activities such as harvesting and natural disturbances such as forest fires. Empirical data on the effects of these disturbances on boreal forest albedo are sparse. We conducted ground-based measurements of sur...
Field comparisons of silicon-based pyranometers and thermopile pyranometers for land surface albedo measurements
Human population is increasing day by day, but land resources is limited. To meet
with the growing food demand, crop production needs to be increased as well. Normally, Land sharing ensures maximum yield from a single land where land sparing provides less yield. A vital debate arises here, which land use type is better for biodiversity conservation...
Surface albedo is one of the most important processes governing climate forcing in the boreal forest and is directly affected by management activities such as harvesting and natural disturbances such as forest fires. Empirical data on effects of these disturbances on boreal forest albedo are sparse. We conducted ground-based measurements of surface...
Abstract Scientists unequivocally agree that winter air temperature (TA) in northern high latitudes will increase sharply with anthropogenic climate change, and that such increases are already pervasive. However, contrasting hypotheses and results exist regarding the magnitude and even direction of changes in winter soil temperature (TS). Here we u...
Climate model studies have suggested that harvesting of boreal forest has a net cooling effect, in contrast to other terrestrial biomes, by increasing surface albedo. However, albedo estimation in these models has been achieved by simplifying processes governing albedo at a coarse scale. Biophysical processes that determine albedo likely operate on...
Climate model studies have suggested that harvesting of boreal forest has a net cooling effect, in contrast to other terrestrial biomes, by increasing surface albedo. However, albedo estimation in these models has been achieved by simplifying processes governing albedo at a coarse scale. Biophysical processes that determine albedo likely operate on...
Charcoal is thought to facilitate rapid plant regeneration following fires by increasing the retention and availability of nutrients and water, increasing soil pH, and by sorbing toxic and inhibitory soil compounds – responses that have recently encouraged research on ”biochar,” or charcoal used as a soil amendment. Interest in biochar for use in t...
Charcoal used as a soil amendment, or " biochar, " has received considerable recent research attention as a means to increase plant productivity while mitigating climate change through enhanced carbon sequestration. Interest in biochar for use in the restoration of disturbed sites is growing; however, biochar effects on wild plant species of the ea...
Background/Question/Methods:
Charcoal facilitates rapid growth and regeneration following fires by increasing retention and availability of nutrients and water, increasing soil pH, and by sorbing toxic and inhibitory compounds. Biochar (BC) is the term given to charcoal used as a soil amendment, which is generally derived from pyrolysis of lignoce...
For many years foresters have been using statistical probability density functions to describe and characterise stand structure. Predicting the current and future yields of a stand is essential for successful stand and timber management. Implicit prediction of current yield is accomplished by using diameter distribution methods. All diameter distri...
Coarse woody debris (CWD) is the standing or fallen dead trees and the remains of large or small branches on the forest floor usually larger than 10cm in diameter. CWD forms major structural features within a forested ecosystem with many vital ecological functions such as habitat for organisms (including endangered and threatened), in energy flow,...
Both for environmental and aesthetic purposes, urban street trees have significant importance. In most of the developed cities, this type of plantation is an integral part of landscape planning. Nevertheless, this issue is poorly considered in the cities of developing countries. Consequently, we observe a scarcity of urban street trees. Considering...
Tree biomass plays an important role in sustainable management and in estimating forest carbon stocks. The objective of this study was to select the best model for measuring stem biomass of Acacia auriculiformis in the study area. Data from five hillocks and 120 individual trees from each hillock were used in this study. Twelve different forms of l...
Imposing logging ban has become widespread in the tropics. Bangladesh government enforced logging bans in 1970s and 1980s to halt deforestation. Such bans have been considered as a strategy to protect and conserve forests although success requires rigorous analysis. In this paper, the performances of the existing logging bans in Bangladesh are exam...
Inventory of forest carbon depends directly or indirectly on the estimation of biomass.
Tree biomass equations are the basic tool for converting inventory data into biomass as well as
carbon stock. A number of models were tried to find out a best-fit-model for estimating above
ground stem biomass (SB) of Karach (Pongamia pinnata) in the Ratargul fr...
This is an electronic version of an article published in International Journal of Biodiversity Science & Management, Volume 5, Issue 1 March 2009 , pages 41 - 51 . International Journal of Biodiversity Science & Management is available online at http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=journal&issn=1745-1590 This study considered traditional ethno...
Throughout the world ornamentation of body with mehedi (Lawsonia inermis L.) leaf paste, with the trade name ‘henna body art’ is becoming increasingly popular. The worldwide increasing demand of
mehedi leaf encourages many countries to adopt commercial farming of the plant. Farmers living in central Bangladesh recently
commenced small-scale mehedi...
The state of urban seedling nurseries in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh is examined with a focus on production and
profitability of the enterprises. Twenty-eight sample nurseries out of the 97 nursery enterprises in Sylhet town were selected
at random, and operators personally interviewed. It was found that the entrepreneurs are not highly...
A study was conducted to explore the traditional utilization pattern and indigenous management practices of wild date palm
(Phoenix sylvestris Roxb) in the rural agrarian regions of Bangladesh. A multistage sampling method with 10% intensity and a semi-structured
questionnaire were used for the study. The farmers manage the palm mainly for sap prod...
A study was conducted to investigate the land-use pattern change over a period of 18 years (1988–2006) by using remote sensing
and Geographical Information System (GIS) technologies, in the West Bhanugach Reserved Forest, a hill forest, in Sylhet Forest
Division of Bangladesh. The images were processed using ERDAS Imagine software. Both supervised...
This review describes the non-timber forest products (NTFPs) used for different aspects of beauty-care in Bangladesh on the
basis of extensive literature survey. The diverse plant species, including used parts and using patterns for hair care, facial
treatments and body care, were summarized in 13 tables. This paper accumulate the scattered knowled...
An exploratory study was conducted in Chuadanga, a southwestern district of Bangladesh to explore the status and potential of Khejur palm (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb.) husbandry in the rural economy. A total of 36 households in three villages of the district were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The farmers were categorized into five...
Schumannianthus dichotoma (Murta) is widely grown in wetland areas of Bangladesh, providing the raw material for prayer and bed mats and also minimizing flood risk and soil erosion. The study was carried out in two villages in Gowainghat Thana (subdistrict) in Sylhet district, to determine techniques for traditional management of Murta plantations...
The physical properties of soil on two hill slopes of 35% and 55% in orange orchard cultivated by the Mro tribe of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) were evaluated and compared with those of bushy hill forests. Soil samples were collected
from three different depths (0–5 cm, 5–15 cm and 15–30 cm), digging three profiles in each land use for determining...
The Shaiji, a religio-cultural community of southwestern Bangladesh, have an indigenous medication system using locally grown plants. A total of 36 individuals were interviewed using questionnaire. The Shaiji, living in the interior or near bushy habitats for the sake of meditation and other spiritual activities, were found to be totally dependent...
An exploratory study was conducted on the hunting and gathering of wildlife by the Mro tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) of Bangladesh, highlighting the target animals, preference, frequency and various indigenous techniques of hunting. The farmers are primarily dependent on shifting cultivation and hunting is a secondary occupation , part...
An exploratory study was conducted on the hunting and gathering of wildlife by the Mro tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) of Bangladesh, highlighting the target animals, preference, frequency and various indigenous techniques of hunting. The farmers are primarily dependent on shifting cultivation and hunting is a secondary occu-pation, part...
Status of organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), available potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) in three different depths (0−5 cm, 5−15 cm and 15−30 cm) on two hill slopes of 35% and 55% in orange orchard cultivated by the Mro tribe of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) were evaluated and compared with those in degraded bush forests, through...
The Chittagong hill Tracts (ChTs) region of bangladesh, covering a considerable portion of 'hill forest type' of the country, is rich in biological diversity; in terms of flora, fauna and ethnicity. a number of aboriginal and tribal communities enrich the cultural heritage of the region. Thanchi upazilla (sub-district) of bandarban district in the...
Questions
Question (1)
In a regular ggplot2 implementation, alpha level, say in geom_point(), is applied on all data points irrespective of their degrees of overlapping. If I want to apply alpha only on overlapped data points, what options do I have? The only way I can think of: rather than supplying a single alpha value to the function, I can supply a vector of alpha values corresponding to each point. This way I can control the degree of transparency for each data point. This is, however, not practical for a large dataset. Any better ideas?
Thank you.
