Natural Behavior, Animal Rights, or Making Money – A Study of Swedish Organic Farmers' View of Animal Issues

A questionnaire study was performed among Swedish organic livestock farmers to determine their view of animal welfare and other ethical issues in animal production. The questionnaire was sent to 56.5% of the target group and the response rate was 75.6%. A principal components analysis (exploratory factor analysis) was performed to get a more manageable data set. A matrix of intercorrelations between all pairs of factors was computed. The factors were then entered into a series of multiple regression models to explain five dependent variables. Respondents were well educated and had long experience of farming. 81% were full-time farmers. They generally had a very positive attitude towards organic animal husbandry. They considered allowing animals their natural behavior a central aim, which is in accordance with organic philosophy. Farmers tended to be less approving of concepts like animal rights, dignity, and intrinsic value. When analyzing correlations between the factors, two groups of farmers emerged that were only partially correlated, representing different attitudes and behavioral dispositions. These may be interpreted as two subpopulations of organic livestock farmers in Sweden: those who saw organic farming as a lifestyle (``pioneer attitude') and entrepreneurs, who considered making money and new challenges more important. Their view of animal welfare differed. While the pioneers considered natural behavior a key issue, this was less important to the entrepreneurs, who also had a more approving attitude towards invasive operations such as castration and were more critical of the organic standards.     

Implementing Sustainability: the Use of Natural Channel Design and Artificial Wetlands for Stormwater Management

Sustainability is a concept that has been widely embraced both politically and intellectually but has not been addressed in terms of practical application. In most resource sectors, the features of a sustainable future remain unclear and there are few examples that give practical expression to sustainability. This is especially true in the case of water resources management which has been conspicuous in its absence from the majority of the literature. This paper attempts to address this deficiency on two counts. First, it provides a discussion of sustainability and the application of the concept to the management of water resources. Second, the paper illustrates how the concept can be utilized for the management and planning of urban stormwater. The paper concludes by offering research opportunities to investigate the feasibility of adopting natural channel design and artificial wetlands for sustainable stormwater management.     

福建省自然灾害特点及背景分析

本文根据福建省历史上自然灾害事例概括出洪涝、干旱、地震、水土流失、冰雹、寒害等自然灾害特点。并从地理位置、环流因素、地形、地质构造、人为因素等方面分析了福建自然灾害形成的背景原因。最后针对福建省自然灾害特点提出了减灾建议。     

江苏省特、稀、濒危保护植物资源的生态学评价

特、稀、濒危植物的数量与特征研究是自然资源保护的主要环节。本文根据它们的保护等级、分布局限性、稀有值、物种吸引力、保护指数以及理论研究值6个标准,对江苏15种国家级保护植物、24种省级保护植物的生态学意义作出初步评价。     

灾害综合研究讨论

本文着重讨论了灾害的成因综合分析问题。以地气耦合的观点在小区域中研究了甘肃天水１６５４年７级地震、甘肃武都１８７９年７级地震与当时大隆雨和大冰雹的相磁成因问题。从大区域中研究了１９５４年长江大水与同年６月１７日安徽合肥５级地震的震害特大的问题。又研究了河南驻马店、河北内邱、湖北五峰大水与构造的关系，并研究了该地区发生地裂缝地下气体逸出影响大气降水的成因问题。又以同样观点讨论了浙江登陆台风深入陕西延安地区与１９５７年１２月４日蒙古８．４级大地震发生的关系，并与日本的同类灾害作了对比，以论证地气耦合的综合灾害成因分析观点。     

ASSESSING POTENTIAL SOURCES OF ASBESTOS FIBERS IN WATER SUPPLIES OF S. E. QUEBEC1

ABSTRACT: A comparative study of the concentration of asbestos fibers in drinking water supplies of southeastern Quebec was undertaken to assess the relative contributions of fibers by asbestos-bearing railway ballast and naturally occurring asbestos deposits. Water samples were taken from areas where one or the other potential sources or neither potential source was present. In addition, rainwater samples were taken to assess the importance of atmospheric contributions. The sampling design accounted for potential variations in fiber counts due to the season, location and analytical procedures. Fiber concentrations were estimated from counts made on a JEOL 100CX scanning transmission electron microscope and statistically compared among areas. These levels were then compared with levels found in other areas of Canada and the United States. The results indicate that the rail ballast could be contributing statistically (albeit marginally) significant quantities of fibers to water supplies during the summer but not in the spring. Estimated concentrations in water supplies ranged between 1.7 × 10⁶fibers/liter and 147.8 × 10⁶fibers/liter. Fiber levels in samples taken during the spring were significantly higher and more variable than those taken during the summer. The presence of fibers in rainwater samples at concentrations of 1.9 × 10⁶fibers/liter, 18.3 × 10⁶fibers/liter and 23.7 × 10⁶fibers/liter suggests that atmospheric transport may play an important role in contributing fibers to regional systems. Fiber levels found in these systems are not unique when compared to levels observed elsewhere in North America.     

我国海岛的旅游资源

我国海疆辽阔、岛屿众多，在６５００多个大小海岛上，既有迷人的山海天象、洁净的海湾沙滩、奇特的山石形胜和丰富的海珍特产等自然风光旅游资源；又有历史古迹、宗教文件、建筑工程和渔乡风情等光辉灿烂的人文景观。海岛旅游资源以其强烈的海洋韵味和海陆兼备的景观特色，及其毗邻沿海开放城市的区位优势，在各类旅游资源中独具风采。     

层次分析法在自然保护区生态评价中的应用

对自然保护区的多样性、代表性、稀有性等诸项指标进行分析,以太白山自然保护区为例,运用层次分析法针对自然保护区综合评价之一的生态评价建立层次结构模型,构造各项评价指标的判断矩阵并计算权重,从而得出生态现状评价结果.     

自然灾害对湖北粮食产量的影响分析

影响粮食产量的因素很多,包括劳动力、粮食播种面积、化肥施用量、机械化水平、自然灾害等。通过描述性统计分析了主要自然灾害对湖北省粮食产量的影响,在此基础上,采用C-D生产函数深入分析了自然灾害对湖北省粮食产量的影响程度,并以此为依据,提出了未来稳定湖北省粮食生产的若干措施。     

江西省自然灾害状况及减灾对策初探

通过分析江西省常见自然灾害的成因和特征，及其造成的经济损失情况，阐述了综合减灾的重要性。针对防灾减灾工作中存在的问题，提出了科学的综合防灾减灾对策。