Detecting deterrence from patrol data

The threat posed to protected areas by the illegal killing of wildlife is countered principally by ranger patrols that aim to detect and deter potential offenders. Deterring poaching is a fundamental conservation objective, but its achievement is difficult to identify, especially when the prime source of information comes in the form of the patrols’ own records, which inevitably contain biases. The most common metric of deterrence is a plot of illegal activities detected per unit of patrol effort (CPUE) against patrol effort (CPUE-E). We devised a simple, mechanistic model of law breaking and law enforcement in which we simulated deterrence alongside exogenous changes in the frequency of offences under different temporal patterns of enforcement effort. The CPUE-E plots were not reliable indicators of deterrence. However, plots of change in CPUE over change in effort (ΔCPUE-ΔE) reliably identified deterrence, regardless of the temporal distribution of effort or any exogenous change in illegal activity levels as long as the time lag between patrol effort and subsequent behavioral change among offenders was approximately known. The ΔCPUE-ΔE plots offered a robust, simple metric for monitoring patrol effectiveness; were no more conceptually complicated than the basic CPUE-E plots; and required no specialist knowledge or software to produce. Our findings demonstrate the need to account for temporal autocorrelation in patrol data and to consider appropriate (and poaching-activity-specific) intervals for aggregation. They also reveal important gaps in understanding of deterrence in this context, especially the mechanisms by which it occurs. In practical applications, we recommend the use of ΔCPUE-ΔE plots in preference to other basic metrics and advise that deterrence should be suspected only if there is a clear negative slope. Distinct types of illegal activity should not be grouped together for analysis, especially if the signs of their occurrence have different persistence times in the environment.     

Building a global taxonomy of wildlife offenses

Most countries have many pieces of legislation that govern biodiversity, including a range of criminal, administrative, and civil law provisions that state how wildlife must be legally used, managed, and protected. However, related debates in conservation, such as about enforcement, often overlook the details within national legislation that define which specific acts are illegal, the conditions under which laws apply, and how they are sanctioned. Based on a review of 90 wildlife laws in 8 high-biodiversity countries with different legal systems, we developed a taxonomy that describes all types of wildlife offenses in those countries. The 511 offenses are organized into a hierarchical taxonomy that scholars and practitioners can use to help conduct legal analyses. This is significant amidst competing calls to strengthen, deregulate, and reform wildlife legislation, particularly in response to fears over zoonotic threats and large-scale biodiversity loss. It can be used to provide more nuance legal analyses and facilitate like-for-like comparisons across countries, informing processes to redraft conservation laws, review deregulation efforts, close loopholes, and harmonize legislation across jurisdictions. We applied the taxonomy in a comparison of sanctions in 8 countries for hunting a protected species. We found not only huge ranges in fines (US$0 to $200,000) and imprisonment terms (1.5 years to life imprisonment), but also fundamentally different approaches to designing sanctions for wildlife offenses. The taxonomy also illustrates how future legal taxonomies can be developed for other environmental issues (e.g., invasive species, protected areas).     

长江中游城市群城市化对PM2.5浓度的多尺度驱动机制

探究城市化对PM_2.5浓度的非线性影响及其驱动机制,对城市的大气污染治理具有重要意义.基于2002~2020年长江中游城市群的遥感数据和统计数据,采用空间自相关、系统动态面板回归模型和时空地理加权回归模型等方法,揭示长江中游城市群PM_2.5浓度的时空演变,并探究不同空间尺度下城市化对PM_2.5浓度的驱动机制.结果表明：①2002~2020年长江中游城市群PM_2.5浓度整体呈下降趋势,在空间上大致呈“北高南低”的分布格局.②热点城市有向长江中游城市群西部扩张的趋势,冷点城市空间相关程度有所增强.③PM_2.5浓度与经济城市化、土地城市化和人口城市化之间分别存在“N”型、倒“U”型和“U”型曲线关系.第二产业和能源消耗对PM_2.5浓度变化呈显著促进作用,降水和植被能够有效地削弱PM_2.5污染.④各城市化因子在局部的整体驱动效应均发生了转化,其主要影响区域集中在长江中游城市群的东南、西北和西南等边缘地带城市.结合长江中游城市群的城市发展现状和区域特征,推进产业绿色转型,合理规划城市空间布局和人口分布,增强基础设施建设将有助于实现城市发展和环境保护之间的协调发展.     

平煤股份六矿“U+L”通风综采面最佳横川间距确定

随着煤层开采深度的增加,煤层瓦斯含量不断增加,采空区瓦斯涌出量也随之上升,"U"型通风方式容易出现上隅角瓦斯超限等问题,影响煤矿安全生产,而"U+L"型通风方式中滞后横川和瓦斯抽放的运用对消除上隅角瓦斯超限和工作面瓦斯防治具有明显的作用。根据尾巷、横川及上隅角处瓦斯浓度符合规程且工作面横川间距最远时最经济合理的原则,针对平煤六矿戊8-22310工作面实际情况,利用Fluent软件模拟了尾巷有、无抽放时采空区瓦斯分布规律,得出了尾巷有抽放时和无抽放时最远横川间距。研究成果对"U+L"型工作面横川间距确定及工作面瓦斯防治提供了理论指导。     

Validation of the UN test method N.5

Many substances react with water in such a way that flammable gases are formed. For transport issues this reaction may possess a considerable hazard especially if the cargo is wetted by rain or by water from other sources. In the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods these kinds of problems are addressed. The UN test N.5 “Test method for substances which in contact with water emit flammable gases” corresponds to this hazard. Classification according to the test method is done by measurement of the gas evolution rate of the flammable gas by any suitable procedure. At BAM a gravimetric approach is used to measure the gas evolution rate. In this paper we present the evaluation of the apparatus by means of an absolute calibration routine utilizing a reaction where a known amount of gas is produced as well as the evaluation of important parameters influencing the gas evolution rate using different substances. It can be shown that the apparatus is capable of measuring absolute gas volumes as low as 6 mL with an acceptable error of about 17% as determined from the reaction of Mg with demineralized water.     

Indicating landfill stabilization state by using leachate property from Laogang Refuse Landfill

Variation and evolution process of leachate can be applied as a reference for landfill stabilization phase. In this work, leachates with different ages were collected from Laogang Refuse Landfill, and characterized with 14 key parameters. Simultaneously, principal component analysis （PCA） was applied to develop a synthetic parameter-F based on these 14 parameters, and a logarithm equation was simulated for the landfill stabilization process finally. It was predicted that leachates would meet Class I and Class II in standard for pollution control on the landfill site of municipal solid waste （GB 16889-1997） after 32 years and 22 years disposal under the natural attenuation in the humid and warm southern areas of China, respectively. The predication of landfill state would be more accurate and useful according to the synthetic parameter F of leachate from a working landfill.     

浅谈特种设备检验机构的独立性公正性和公益服务性

本文针对特种设备检验的社会化问题进行了探讨,着重对社会检验机构的独立性、公正性和公益服务性问题进行了分析。就如何更好的保证特种设备安全的情况下引进民间资本参与检验以及如何确保检验机构的公正性和公益服务性提出了自己的见解。     

北京市丰台区永定河以东浅层地下水水化学演变规律及成因分析

为更好支撑北京市丰台区地下水资源开发利用、污染管控与防治工作,以丰台区永定河以东区域枯水期浅层地下水长序列监测数据为基础,综合运用数理统计、Gibbs图和离子比例分析等方法探究了丰台区地下水水化学演变规律、形成机制及污染来源,结果表明：①研究区现状地下水质量整体较差,地下水中各指标平均浓度自1976年至今呈先升高后降低趋势,Cl^-、SO₄^2-和总硬度（TH）污染范围总体呈扩大趋势,溶解性总固体（TDS）和硝酸盐氮（NO₃^-）污染范围以2005年为拐点呈先扩大后缩小趋势;②各年份地下水中优势阴、阳离子均为HCO₃^-和Ca²⁺,1976年和2021年地下水水化学类型数依次为8和17种,其主要水型依次为HCO₃·SO₄-Ca·Mg·Na（40%）和HCO₃·Cl·SO₄-Ca·Na·Mg（23.88%）,各年份区域范围内与沿地下水流向上地下水水化学类型均呈现复杂化趋势,地下水水文地球化学演变过程中水化学组分受人为活动影响显著;③地下水受岩石风化和蒸发结晶双重作用,且以蒸发作用为主,地下水阳离子交替作用较弱,碳酸盐矿物的溶解为Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺的主要来源;④离子比例分析得出,外源输入的NO₃^-和Cl^-主要来源于农业活动、城市污水,且2005年前农业活动污染影响较大,与研究区历史上大量渗坑、渗井、工业和生活污水灌溉直排关系密切.     

京津冀地区城市三生空间碳代谢效率特征及演进模式

探究城市三生空间系统的碳代谢效率有助于实现区域要素整合和空间优化.基于城市代谢视角,采用物质流分析法构建了京津冀地区三生空间碳代谢效率评估框架,并运用超效率DEA模型和Malmquist指数分析了2000~2020年三生空间碳代谢效率的时空分布、动态变化及演进模式.结果表明：①2000~2020年,京津冀地区三生空间碳代谢效率呈波动增长趋势,各城市碳代谢效率空间分异明显,碳代谢效率水平整体偏低,呈中部高、南北低的分布格局.②京津冀地区碳代谢效率全要素生产率呈增加趋势,技术进步变化和纯技术效率贡献作用不显著.超过50%的城市全要素生产率呈改善趋势,仅有38.46%的城市在碳代谢效率改善过程中存在技术进步现象,超过1/2地区的纯技术效率呈下降趋势,大部分城市的技术效率和规模效率变化指数大于1.③各城市碳代谢效率呈现不同的类型特征,按照其发展路径划为稳定式、反复式、渐进式和突变式这4种演进模式.各城市应据此采取差异化措施,合理配置三生空间资源,提高技术水平和规模效率,以期提高城市碳代谢效率水平.     

现代流域管理体系研究

现代流域管理体系是由流域目标管理体系、流域治理技术体系、流域监测预警体系、流域法律与政策保障体系和流域行政管理体系五部分组成. 对流域目标管理体系的概念、组成和功能进行了深入剖析,分析了水体健康目标、污染控制目标、生态保护目标和资源利用目标的基本内涵,明确了流域目标管理体系在现代流域管理中的核心地位和科学意义;阐述了流域治理技术体系的基本内容,分析了工业污染控制、生活污水控制、农业面源控制和生态修复等要求,指出为确保流域生态环境得以改善,必需构建实用的、科学的流域治理技术体系;明确了流域监测预警体系在现代流域管理体系中的“感知”作用,指出完整的监测预警体系应具备提供及时、准确、完整的监测数据的能力,健全的网络监测能力,良好的评估功能,以及完善的预警和应急能力;强调了法律与政策保障体系是实现现代流域管理的必要措施,着重指出加强流域立法、完善管理制度和制订适合的经济政策,不仅可以保障流域管理目标、治理技术和监测预警体系的顺利运行,而且为流域污染治理提供政策和经济上的支持;最后分析了目前流域管理中流域行政管理的“多龙治水”问题,指出流域区划管理和地区间协调管理的必要性和紧迫性. 我国流域管理仍在起步阶段,流域治理技术水平不高,监测预警能力有待提高,流域管理相关立法不够完善,因此必须从流域管理目标、流域治理和监测预警入手加强经济投入,鼓励技术创新,构建完善流域法律与政策保障体系,最终实现跨区域、协调的现代化流域管理.