SOUND POLICY OR SMOKE AND MIRRORS: DOES ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT MAKE SENSE?1

ABSTRACT: Protection of ecosystems as entities on the landscape has attracted a wide range of support. Ecosystem-based public policies are claimed to be more effective, efficient, and scientifically sound than other approaches to environmental and natural resource policy. The ecosystem concept was never intended to serve as a public policy guide or to determine landscape units for land management purposes. This paper critically examines the use of the ecosystem concept in public policy and land use management and analyzes the proposed rule to manage the National Forest System according to ecosystem management principles. The concept is found to be unsuitable as a basis for guiding environmental and natural resource public policies in general while the proposed rule to manage the national forests according to ecosystem management principles is shown to be incoherent.     

Threshold values for domino effects caused by blast wave interaction with process equipment

The present study focuses on the definition and assessment of overpressure threshold values for the damage to equipment caused by blast waves originated by primary accidental scenarios. A revision of literature data and of the available damage probability models was carried out. Threshold values were proposed for different categories of process equipment, taking into account either damage levels or release intensities following the loss of containment. Specific threshold values for domino effect were also proposed.     

基于GPRS技术的地质灾害无线遥测系统

将通用分组无线业务(GPRS)技术应用于地质灾害监测系统,可实现监测数据的无线传输和Internet的无线接入,因而实现地质灾害监测数据互联网共享和预警、救灾指挥联网.详细介绍了在三峡工程万州库区运行的基于GPRS技术的地质灾害无线遥测台网的体系结构、功能实现以及运行效果.该系统的建成与可靠运行使三峡库区地质灾害的监测预警系统走向数字化、自动化、网络化.     

湿地生态系统累积影响评价研究

定量分析湿地生态系统的累积环境影响,确定所要评价的功能,然后定量分析影响该功能的各种累积方式,将湿地生态系统的累积方式分为四种方式进行描述,对各种干扰活动的相互关系予以定性并进行量化,探讨湿地生态系统累积影响评价的步骤,有助于湿地生态系统CEA方法体系的建立与完善.     

土地利用变化对浙江生态系统服务价值的影响

生态系统服务功能价值理论可定量估算各类生态系统为人类提供服务的经济价值.土地是一切陆地生态系统的载体,在人类改造和利用自然的过程中不可避免地要影响各类生态系统的状况,进而影响到它们为人类提供的服务与功能.以浙江省1990年、1995年、1999年和2002年的土地利用类型数据为依据,结合浙江省的具体情况对生态价值计算方法进行修正,估算了该省生态服务价值的动态变化环境效益.结果表明,浙江省的生态服务价值经历了一个先缓慢上升后迅速下降的过程,其中水分调节和水分供应项变化的幅度大,而且不同土地类型发挥了不同的效应.     

开发区生态系统健康研究─以苏州高新区为例

采用生态系统健康理论分析开发区生态环境问题具有较强的理论意义和现实意义。着重构建了开发区生态系统健康评价的指标体系和模糊评价模型,提出评价标准。并对苏州高新区生态系统健康进行评价。进而指出制约因子并提出相应的诊断方案,为其优化生态系统结构和完善系统功能提供科学依据。     

Non-native Species <Emphasis Type="Italic">DO</Emphasis> Threaten the Natural Environment!

Sagoff [Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 18 (2005), 215–236] argues, against growing empirical evidence, that major environmental impacts of non-native species are unproven. However, many such impacts, including extinctions of both island and continental species, have both been demonstrated and judged by the public to be harmful. Although more public attention has been focused on non-native animals than non-native plants, the latter more often cause ecosystem-wide impacts. Increased regulation of introduction of non-native species is, therefore, warranted, and, contra Sagoff’s assertions, invasion biologists have recently developed methods that greatly aid prediction of which introduced species will harm the environment and thus enable more efficient regulation. The fact that introduced species may increase local biodiversity in certain instances has not been shown to result in desired changes in ecosystem function. In other locales, they decrease biodiversity, as they do globally.     

Impact of Human Activities on Carbon Dioxide (CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) Emissions: A Statistical Analysis

Summary The balance of evidence suggests a perceptible human influence on global ecosystems. Human activities are affecting the global ecosystem, some directly and some indirectly. If researchers could clarify the extent to which specific human activities affect global ecosystems, they would be in a much better position to suggest strategies for mitigating against the worst disturbances. Sophisticated statistical analysis can help in interpreting the influence of specific human activities on global ecosystems more carefully. This study aims at identifying significant or influential human activities (i.e. factors) on CO₂ emissions using statistical analyses. The study was conducted for two cases: (i) developed countries and (ii) developing countries. In developed countries, this study identified three influential human activities for CO₂ emissions: (i) combustion of fossil fuels, (ii) population pressure on natural and terrestrial ecosystems, and (iii) land use change. In developing countries, the significant human activities causing an upsurge of CO₂ emissions are: (i) combustion of fossil fuels, (ii) terrestrial ecosystem strength and (iii) land use change. Among these factors, combustion of fossil fuels is the most influential human activity for CO₂ emissions both in developed and developing countries. Regression analysis based on the factor scores indicated that combustion of fossil fuels has significant positive influence on CO₂ emissions in both developed and developing countries. Terrestrial ecosystem strength has a significant negative influence on CO₂ emissions. Land use change and CO₂ emissions are positively related, although regression analysis showed that the influence of land use change on CO₂ emissions was still insignificant. It is anticipated, from the findings of this study, that CO₂ emissions can be reduced by reducing fossil-fuel consumption and switching to alternative energy sources, preserving exiting forests, planting trees on abandoned and degraded forest lands, or by planting trees by social/agroforestry on agricultural lands.     

土地利用生态服务价值指标体系评估结果比较研究

生态系统服务价值评估越来越受到学术界关注。针对当前生态服务价值评估方法、指标体系和评估效果较多的实践,通过文献归纳,对国内外土地利用生态服务价值评价方法、指标体系及其系数进行了梳理、分类和评价,将指标体系分为Costanza和谢高地两大类,并将谢高地指标体系分为价值当量、价值系数和区域修正。以辽宁省2005、2010年土地利用数据为案例,运用Costanza价值系数、谢高地两个版本价值当量、两个版本价值系数的区域修正,分别核算了案例区生态系统服务价值及变化,并比较评价结果。研究得出Costanza价值系数应用于中国实践时评估结果显得偏低,谢高地2002版的价值当量和2002版的价值系数区域修正结果最接近平均值,相对较为可取,2007版的价值系数区域修正评估结果也较为接近均值但略低,2007版的价值当量评估结果总体偏高。研究结果有利于指导土地利用生态服务价值评估指标体系选取。     

绿色“一带一路”建设研究及建议

生态环保是"一带一路"建设的重要内容。在2017年5月14日召开的"一带一路"国际合作高峰论坛系列成果清单包括《关于推动绿色"一带一路"建设的指导意见》、《"一带一路"生态环境保护合作规划》、"一带一路"生态环保大数据服务平台建设、"一带一路"绿色发展国际联盟建立等四项。为更好地理解和推动执行,本文全面进行了分析,并提出下一步推动绿色"一带一路"工作需要解决的关键问题和建议。