Forest Health Assessment and Monitoring – Issues for Consideration

Part of this paper has been prepared for the lecture Forest Health Assessment-Criteria,Methods and Problems given by the author at the UIMPuniversity course Sanidad Forestal en el Bosques Mediterraneos yTemplados. Implicacion de la Contaminacion Atmosferica y del Cambio Global, held in Valencia, Spain, October, 1995. Assessment and monitoring of forest health representsa key point for environmental policy and for the management ofenvironmental resources. With the renewed interest in assessment andmonitoring of forest health generated by the suspected occurrence ofa widespread forest decline in Europe and North America, manyactivities have been undertaken: however, some questions should beconsidered and clarified when attempting to estimate forest health.Particularly, the objective(s) of the assessment and monitoringprogram should be carefully identified. Identification of a program‘stask has a number of implications and consequences: it implies adefinition of what concept of forest health (forest ecosystem health,forest health or forest trees health?) is assumed, what will be thetarget entity to be monitored, and therefore the identification of therelevant assessment questions and assessment endpoints.Consequences concern the definition of the spatial scale (frominternational to landscape and plot scale monitoring) and ecologicalcoverage (from single species population to population ofecosystems) of the program, which can have a considerable influenceon the choice of the proper sampling strategy and tactic, as well ason the most suitable methods, indicators and indices to be used.Although much of the work in the field of forest health and airpollution has concentrated on surveys on crown transparency anddiscoloration, there is an entire range of methods, indicators andindices developed to assess the health status of forests. The decisionas to which ones should be used will depend on the aim of theprogram and on economic and practical considerations. A furtherconsideration concerns the time span of the program, but anydecision in this field is subject to many limitations due to difficultiesin predicting future monitoring needs. All these points should becarefully considered and implemented according to a rigorousQuality Assurance procedure since any decision will influence futurework for many years.     

基于生态功能考虑的西北干旱地区生态需水研究

在当前生态需水研究的基础上,选取植被盖度作为衡量绿洲生态功能的主要指标,根据植被盖度和侵蚀率之间的关系,从生态系统的需水机理出发,提出了基于生态功能考虑的西北干旱地区生态需水量计算方法.以额济纳绿洲为例,计算了2000年额济纳绿洲生态需水,并与额济纳绿洲不同时期的生态需水进行了对比分析.     

多目标灰色关联度决策模型分析

本文针对多目标决策的复杂性,运用灰色系统分析方法和物元分析理论,建立了决策方案的评价体系并对评价指标进行规范化处理。以决策方案的灰色关联度作为评判准则,建立了一种目标灰色关联度决策模型。     

基于多目标决策的水污染负荷分配方法

为科学、合理地配置汇流区域的水污染负荷,从经济最优性、公平性综合决策角度,构建了一个以区域环境经济收益最大化、水污染负荷削减费用和加权综合基尼系数等最小化为目标的水污染负荷分配多目标决策优化模型,并将该模型应用于巢湖流域COD削减负荷分摊中.计算得到合肥市、肥东县、肥西县、巢湖市、庐江县、无为县、含山县、和县和舒城县等...     

基于多目标优化的危险化学品运输模式探讨

近年来,危险化学品在运输过程中的事故越来越多,危害也越来越大,人们关于运输的安全意识也越来越强烈。本文介绍了多目标遗传算法、多目标优化、多目标进化以及他们之间的关系,并将多目标优化问题与危险化学品运输紧密联系起来,建立基于多目标优化的危险化学品运输模式。通过对危化品公路运输的问题描述以及约束条件（包括运输人员、押送人员、运输车辆、监督部门等等）的确定,把该问题转化成为拥有多目标的数学模型,最后利用网格法对危险化学品运输多目标优化进行求解,把多目标问题转化成为多个相互联系的2目标问题,通过减少目标函数边界的方法进行优化。通过这样求解的多目标问题,能够保证运输路径最短、费用最低、安全性最佳,为危险化学品运输安全提供技术支撑。     

IDENTIFICATION OF AQUIFER DISPERSIVITIES: METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND PARAMETER UNCERTAINTY1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a method for estimating aquifer dispersivities in solute transport models. Sensitivity equations are derived for the calculation of sensitivity coefficients. A modified Gauss-Newton algorithm is used to perform the least-squares minimization. A statistical procedure is outlined to assess reliability of the estimated parameters. The solute transport model is solved by the upstream weighted, multiple cell balance method which combines the concepts of local mass balance and finite element approximations. A one-dimensional solute transport problem in a vertical column system is first used to illustrate the inverse technique. A second example considers the parameter identification problem for three-dimensional solute transport with a unidirectional steady and uniform flow field. The third example solves the parameter identification problem in a three-dimensional, stream-aquifer, solute transport system with steady state flow. Numerical experiments are conducted to study data requirements for parameter identification.     

A PRELIMINARY QUANTIFICATION OF THE IMPACTS OF ASPEN TO CONIFER SUCCESSION ON WATER YIELD- II. MODELING RESULTS1

ABSTRACT: Heat pulse velocity techniques were developed for effective monitoring of water movement in aspen (Populus tremuloides), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), and Englemann spruce (Picea engelmannif). Water loss was monitored in replicated trees of each species for one year. These data were used to modify the plant activity index (a reflection of the ability of plants to transpire water at various times during a year) and the crop coefficient (a reflection of differences in consumptive use rates of water by different vegetation types when all other factors are held constant) for each species within the model ASPCON, a deterministic, lumped-parameter model describing the hydrology of aspen to conifer succession. Results of the modeling in dicate 18.6 cm net loss of moisture available for streamflow when spruce replaced aspen, and a loss of 7.2 cm when fir forests replaced aspen. The aspen to conifer successional trend appears, therefore, to be significantly reducing water yields in the western United States.     

Grass carp status in the United States: A review

Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella Val.) were introduced into the United States in 1963 as potential biological control agents for nuisance aquatic weeds. Since that time an oftentimes bitter controversy has raged over its effects on sportfishing, and its possible natural reproduction and naturalization in North America. This review considers the history, ecology, and present status of grass carp in the United States in light of the voluminous scientific research conducted since its importation. Particular attention is given to the role of grass carp in the fisheries management plans of Arkansas. Recent development of a sterile, triploid grass carp hybrid may lead to widespread use of grass carp to control nuisance aquatic weeds in culturally eutrophicated waters of the United States.     

Multi-objective-based optimal transmission switching and demand response for managing congestion in hybrid power systems

ABSTRACT

This paper proposes a novel congestion management (CM) approach by using the optimal transmission switching (OTS) and demand response (DR) for a system with conventional thermal generators and renewable energy sources (RESs). In this paper, wind and solar PV units are considered as the RESs. The stochastic behavior of wind and solar PV powers are modeled by using the appropriate probability density functions (PDFs). The proposed CM methodology simultaneously optimizes the generation dispatch, demand response, and also the network topology of the power system. The OTS identifies the branches that should be taken out of service by significantly reducing the operating cost of the system while respecting the system security. Here, the total operating cost minimization/social welfare maximization and system losses minimization are considered as the objectives to be optimized. The proposed CM problem is solved using the multi-objective Jaya algorithm and it is used to determine a set of Pareto-optimal solutions. The Jaya algorithm is simple and it does not have any algorithmic-specific parameters to be tuned. This aspect reduces the designer’s effort in tuning the parameters to arrive at the optimum objective function value. A fuzzy logic-based approach is used to identify the best compromise solution. The effectiveness of the proposed CM approach is examined on modified IEEE 30 and practical Indian 75 bus test systems. The obtained simulation results are analyzed and they show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

多目标规划在产业结构优化中的应用——以秦皇岛市为例

秦皇岛是缺水城市，水资源短缺已成为制约经济发展的瓶颈。合理利用水资源对经济发展意义重大。本文采用多目标规划方法，构建了秦皇岛市水资源约束条件下的产业结构优化模型，提出了秦皇岛市产业结构优化方案。