INTEGRATING HUMANS IN ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT USING MULTI‐CRITERIA DECISION MAKING1

ABSTRACT: The Ecosystem Management (EM) process belongs to the category of Multi‐Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problems. It requires appropriate decision support systems (DSS) where “all interested people” would be involved in the decision making process. Environmental values critical to EM, such as the biological diversity, health, productivity and sustainability, have to be studied, and play an important role in modeling the ecosystem functions; human values and preferences also influence decision making. Public participation in decision and policy making is one of the elements that differentiate EM from the traditional methods of management. Here, a methodology is presented on how to quantify human preferences in EM decision making. The case study of the National Park of River Nestos Delta and Lakes Vistonida and Ismarida in Greece, presented as an application of this methodology, shows that the direct involvement of the public, the quantification of its preferences and the decision maker's attitude provide a strong tool to the EM decision making process. Public preferences have been given certain weights and three MCDM methods, namely, the Expected Utility Method, Compromise Programming and the Analytic Hierarchy Process, have been used to select alternative management solutions that lead to the best configuration of the ecosystem and are also socially acceptable.     

城市中水系统组成及效益分析

作者阐述了当前城市中水系统的组成及应用现状，并对济南市舜耕小区中水系统的处理流程、经济效益等方面进行分析探讨，提出目前制约城市中水系统发展的主要问题，并为中水回用的顺利实施提供参考。     

润湿时间统计方法研究

根据日记相对湿度曲线，本文采用了五种方法统计江津地区1998年逐月的润湿时间；五种方法的区别主要在于：(1)相邻两点时间间隔不同，方法2、方法3相邻两点间隔1h，方法4、方法5相邻两点间隔6h；(2)若相邻两点的相对湿度值一个高于80％，另一个低于80％时，则采用了三种不同的方法计算从低点到高点相对湿度低于80％的时间，方法1直接从曲线读取，方法2、方法4则从相邻两点的相对湿度值计算获得，方法3、方法4则取相邻两点间隔时间的一半。方差分析表明五种方法之间没有显著差异，可直接利用国家气象局发布的全年每天2、8、14、20点的相对湿度来统计润湿时间。     

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by combined chemical pre-oxidation and bioremediation in creosote contaminated soil

The ability of pre-oxidation to overcome polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) recalcitrance to biodegradation was investigated in creosote contaminated soil. Sand and peat artificially spiked with creosote (quality WEI C) were used as model systems. Ozonation and Fenton-like treatment were proved to be feasible technologies for PAH degradation in soil. The efficiency of ozonation was strongly dependent on the water content of treated soil samples. The removal of PAH by Fenton-like treatment depended on the applied H2O2/soil weight ratio and ferrous ions addition. It was determined that the application of chemical oxidation in sand resulted in a higher PAH removal and required lower oxidant (ozone, hydrogen peroxide) doses. The enhancement of PAH biodegradability by different pre-treatment technologies also depended on the soil matrix. It was ascertained that combined chemical and biological treatment was more efficient in PAH elimination in creosote contaminated soil than either one alone. Thus, the combination of Fenton-like and the subsequent biological treatment resulted in the highest removal of PAH in creosote contaminated sand, and biodegradation with pre-ozonation was found to be the most effective technology for PAH elimination in peat.     

Application of Multiattribute Decision-Making Methods for the Determination of Relative Significance Factor of Impact Categories

A relative significance factor (f _i ) of an impact category is the external weight of the impact category. The objective of this study is to propose a systematic and easy-to-use method for the determination of f _i . Multiattribute decision-making (MADM) methods including the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the rank-order centroid method, and the fuzzy method were evaluated for this purpose. The results and practical aspects of using the three methods are compared. Each method shows the same trend, with minor differences in the value of f _i . Thus, all three methods can be applied to the determination of f _i . The rank order centroid method reduces the number of pairwise comparisons by placing the alternatives in order, although it has inherent weakness over the fuzzy method in expressing the degree of vagueness associated with assigning weights to criteria and alternatives. The rank order centroid method is considered a practical method for the determination of f _i because it is easier and simpler to use compared to the AHP and the fuzzy method.     

Development and Adoption of a Simple Nonpoint Source Pollution Model for Port Phillip Bay,Australia

New computing tools and approaches allow tailored development of software to meet the needs of environmental managers. The processes required for such tailoring fit well with adaptive management concepts where, as knowledge and system understanding develop among managers, the software can be developed or replaced to match. This paper reports on development and adoption of a simple nonpoint source pollution modeling tool, including technical aspects of data support for modeling and social aspects of software design. The software, named FILTER, used a unit load model to generate expected pollutant loads from subcatchments of Port Phillip Bay, Australia. Monitoring data were used for calibration to modify the delivery of generated pollutants to receiving waters. Spatial, tabular, and charting software components were used to provide alternative forms of output visualization. FILTER was developed using a process that resulted in manager-stakeholders taking responsibility for setting of model parameter values and operation of the user interface, thereby encouraging uptake. The inclusive development process, tailoring of the software to manager needs and styles of usage, and matching of model complexity to data and knowledge, resulted in a successful application that has become the current agreed system representation among disparate stakeholder organizations.     

空中交通管制中人的可靠性模糊综合评价研究

人是空中交通管制系统中最灵活、最具适应性和最有价值的因素 ,而其行为也是最易受到不利影响的。由于空中交通管制中产生的人为失误 ,往往会导致航空器空中危险接近 ,严重的后果甚至会酿成空难。笔者从人 -机 -环境系统工程的观点出发 ,提出了空中交通管制中人的可靠性评价的指标体系结构模型。从人自身因素、软件、硬件、环境等方面指出了影响空中交通管制中人的可靠性的心理、空中环境等 17个子因素。运用模糊数学的方法 ,建立空中交通管制中人的可靠性定量评价模型 ,并用实例进行了验证。研究表明 ,该方法应用于空中交通管制中人的可靠性评价是一种新的尝试 ,其评价结果可为各级领导机构提供航空安全管理的决策依据。     

液化气运输过程中的危险分析

应用各种爆炸后果估计模型对液化气运输过程中的爆炸后果进行了评估，并用ETA分析方法对存在的危险进行了分析，指出了控制措施。     

Calculating overpressure from BLEVE explosions

Although a certain number of authors have analyzed the prediction of boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion (BLEVE) and fireball effects, only very few of them have proposed methodologies for predicting the overpressure from such explosions. In this paper, the methods previously published are discussed and shown to introduce a significant overestimation due to the erroneous thermodynamic assumptions—ideal gas behaviour and isentropic vapour expansion—on which they are based (in fact, they give the maximum value of overpressure which can be caused by a BLEVE). A new approach is proposed, based on the—more realistic—assumption of an adiabatic and irreversible expansion process; the real properties of the substance involved in the explosion are used. The two methods are compared through the application to a given case.