From global sustainability research matrix to typology: a tool to analyze coastal and marine social-ecological systems

An attempt is made to develop a coastal and marine social-ecological typology. An explicitly regional focus is taken to explore how a regionally grounded, multi-scale analysis may support multi-level local to global sustainability efforts. A case study from Indonesia exemplifies this approach. Social-ecological sustainability problems, caused by drivers at different earth system levels, lead the way into the proposed typology. A social-ecological system consists of a biogeophysical territory, an identified issue and the associated social agents. It can extend across disciplines as well as across spatial and institutional levels and scales. A global sustainability research matrix, which is based on ecozones and problem types, can thus be constructed and serves as a research-driven multi-level typology. The regional application links directly to stakeholder agendas at the problem level. It is argued that some of the central functions of coastal and marine social-ecological systems are resource provision, livelihood access, and storm and erosion protection, which need special attention in a coastal and marine social-ecological typology, as exemplified in the Indonesian case study used. This contribution is an exploratory research to propose steps toward such a typology. It is extended to the social-ecological subsystems—natural, social, governance—and applied to additional cases. A two-dimensional, hierarchical typology is proposed as a tool to analyze, compare and classify coastal and marine systems. A policy typology is added to assess changes. A governance baseline is assumed to foster normative sustainability goals. A subsystems appraisal typology is meant to evaluate action results. Finally, unresolved methodological questions are discussed.     

中国城乡贫困变动:2004—2012

本文基于2004—2012年中国综合社会调查数据,根据家庭人均年收入2 300元的国家贫困标准线和"1天1.5美元"的亚洲贫困标准线,使用FGT指数和脱贫时间两种贫困指数评估了我国城乡贫困整体变动趋势,并从城乡和地区、个体和家庭特征层面分解贫困人口构成;也考察了贫困变动的增长效应和收入分配效应;最后定量地分析收入增长的影响因素。结果表明,根据两种贫困标准线,两种贫困指数测度结果一致反映我国贫困人口规模显著减少;按国家贫困标准线,我国城乡贫困发生率下降了8.8%,但到2012年的依然高达8.6%,农村贫困人口平均脱贫时间为5.4年,而相对贫困发生率有所上升。不同地区的贫困变动差异较大,西部地区和中部地区贫困发生率依然高于全国平均水平3.41个百分点和0.22个百分点,贫困强度和贫困深度现象都还较为严重;东部地区的减贫效应十分明显,但贫困人口内部收入差距拉大问题较为突出。经济增长的脱贫效应较为显著,但增长的亲贫性有待提高;城乡、地区和贫困人口内部居民收入差距逐渐拉大,并成为反贫困的严重障碍。外出非农工作经历、性别差异和教育程度是影响收入增长的关键因素。基于此,本文建议反贫政策应瞄准西部地区的教育程度和健康水平较低、家庭规模较大的农村居民,尤其是女性户主家庭,也应加强养老保险、社会帮扶和人力资本投资,形成改善收入分配为重点的社会保障性扶贫政策体系;中部地区可以借助邻近东部地区的地理优势,通过承接产业转移持续实施"开发式扶贫"政策体系;同时,也可将扶贫标准线提高为每人"1天1.5美元"的亚洲贫困线。     

Application of the ERICA Integrated Approach to the Drigg coastal sand dunes

The EC-funded project 'Environmental Risks from Ionising Contaminants: Assessment and Management' (ERICA) developed an 'Integrated Approach' for assessing the impact of ionising radiation on ecosystems. This paper presents the application of the ERICA Integrated Approach, supported by a software programme (the ERICA Tool) and guidance documentation, to an assessment of the Drigg coastal sand dunes (Cumbria, UK). Targeted sampling provided site-specific data for sand dune biota, including amphibians and reptiles. Radionuclides reported included (90)Sr, (99)Tc, (137)Cs, (238)Pu, (239+240)Pu and (241)Am. Site-specific data were compared to predictions derived using the ERICA Tool. Some under- and over-predictions of biota activity concentrations were identified but can be explained by the specific ecological characteristics and contamination mechanism of the dunes. Overall, the results indicated no significant impact of ionising radiation on the sand dune biota and the Integrated Approach was found to be a flexible and effective means of conducting a radiation impact assessment.     

The study of Central Taiwan particles concentration variations during earthquake period

Ambient particle concentration was taken on the traffic sampling site over the Chung-Chi Road over the bridge (CCROB) in front of Hungkuang Institute of Technology (HKIT). The sampling time was from August 1999 to December 1999. During the sampling period, Taiwan's biggest earthquake in more than a century registered 7.3 on the Richter scale (Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake). Besides, there are more than 20,000 aftershocks following the Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake within 3 months. Thus, the mass concentration of particles with aerodynamic diameters smaller than 2.5 microm (PM2.5) and PM2.5-10 was also collected then compared with the total mass concentration of suspended particles (TSP) in this study. The average TSP, PM2.5-10, and PM2.5 concentrations are 106, 24.6, and 58.0 microg/m3, respectively, after the Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake. The average TSP concentrations before and after Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake were 69.6 and 127 microg/ m3, respectively. In addition, statistical analysis of the PM10 data from this study and EPA in 1999 yielded a Tstatistic of 0.147, which is smaller than t(0.975,18) = 2.101. It is indicated that there was no significant difference. So, the PM10 concentrations measured after Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake in this study were also greater than those data previously obtained from Taiwan EPA in the same region of this area. The relationships between TSP, PM10, PM2.5-10, and PM2.5 particle concentrations and wind speed (R2) are .77, .59, .58, .58, respectively. And the ratios of PM2.5/PM25-10, PM2.5/PM10, and PM10/TSP are 221%, 67.2%, 58.0%, respectively. The average ratios of PM2.5/PM2.5-10 and PM2.5/PM10 increase by about 120% and 17%. It indicated that the fine-particles concentration increases compared to the coarse-particles concentration after 921 Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake. And the proposed reasons are that local motor vehicle emissions combined the fine particles transported from the Chi-Chi epicenter. More importantly, the wind direction was mainly blown from southeastern part. These two main factors enhance the fine-particles concentration in this area.     

Application of radiometric analysis in the study of provenance and transport processes of Brazilian coastal sediments

Natural gamma radiation of beach sand deposits was measured along the south coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with the aim of studying the provenance and transport processes of sediments in this area. Concentrations of thorium, uranium and potassium were evaluated using γ-ray spectrometry and a behavioral study of eTh/eU and eTh/K cross plots was performed, reflecting the mineralogical properties of beach sands, as well as their history of transport and sorting processes. The results show that such technique can be efficiently used to map heavy mineral distributions and to distinguish the different origins of coastal sediments disclosing the influence of nearby rivers.     

Sustainability assessment of coastal ecosystems: DPSIR analysis for beaches at the Northeast Coast of Vietnam

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The Northeastern coastal zone of Vietnam possesses high biodiversity and rich ecosystems like coral reefs, seagrasses, beaches and mangroves. It also...     

An ecological economics approach to the management of a multi-purpose coastal wetland

Three interrelated management problems—eutrophication of multiple use shallow lakes, sea level rise and flood risk mitigation and tourism pressures—are analysed in the context of an internationally important wetland area, the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads in the UK. The ecological-economic research findings presented should provide essential information to underpin the regulatory and management process in this internationally important conservation area. The relevant authority somehow has to integrate the maintenance of public navigation rights, nature conservation, and tourism promotion in a highly dynamic ecosystems setting. Because of the stakeholder conflicts, potential and actual, a more inclusionary decision-making procedure is required, and is currently being implemented.     

Decentralization,spatial disequilibrium,and restructuring of coastal tourist destination-Empirical research from Sanya,China

The objective of this article is to speculate on resort restructuring in the market-oriented reform process in China.Previous studies show that spatial disequilibrium was aggravated by decentralization,which leads to the difference in tourism policy and investment,public goods,and service;a profound analytical framework is much needed for further empirical studies.This article has reviewed the relevant studies on links between decentralization and restructuring,spatial influences of decentralization on tourism,based on which we put forward the theoretical framework of resort spatial restructuring from the view of political economy analysis,then we elaborate on and discuss it based on the example of Sanya,China.In short,the article suggests that decentralization of fiscal responsibilities and institutional power contributes to the spatial disequilibrium of tourism industrial structure,land use,public infrastructure and service facilities,and to community inequality.Interests of government,investors,and community should be comprehensively coordinated in the resort spatial restructuring process from three aspects:restructuring government,optimizing space structure,and tourism industry.Furthermore,we argue that resort restructuring in the context of Sanya requires coordination of various interest groups through four ways:restructure the government power under administrative division adjustment,optimizing spatial structure,expanding industrial space to diversified tourism products,and building resort management services organization.Finally,we discussed some policy requirements for resort sustainable development.     

Changes in the species composition and abundance of young-of-the-year fishes in the upper Volga stretch of the Kuibyshev Reservoir during the period of 1991 to 2009

The species composition and abundance of young-of-the-year fishes have been analyzed in catches made in the upper Volga stretch of the Kuibyshev Reservoir between 1991 and 2009. It has been found that the juvenile abundance of roach and blue bream has decreased, while that of perch, silver bream, and spined loach has increased, with young-of-the-year juveniles of common rudd, tubenose goby, round goby, and black-striped pipefish appearing in catches. The results of the study show that, against the background of juvenile population decline in many spring-spawning fish species, the abundance and species diversity of young of the year in summer-spawning species has increased during the observation period.     

“十三五”中国城镇化六大转型与健康发展

新型城镇化是中国最大的潜在内需,是深化供给侧结构性改革的突破口,是引领"十三五"时期经济发展的引擎。本文在对中国城镇化深入分析的基础上,发现当前中国城镇化面临着以人为本不够、城镇化效率不高、绿色发展不够、城镇规模结构不平衡、市场化不足、协调发展不够六大问题。结合"十三五"规划纲要提出的"创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享"的新发展理念,文章认为"十三五"期间城镇化要实现健康发展,需要推动六大转型:(1)通过采取差别化落户政策和居住证制度并行的市民化二维路径,实现从以地为中心的城镇化转向以人为本的城镇化;(2)通过土地价格市场化、提升人力资本、避免重复投资和过度投资来提高土地、劳动、资本的使用效率,实现从低效利用要素的城镇化转向高效率和高质量的城镇化;(3)通过转变经济发展方式和提升城市管理水平,实现从"高耗能、高排放、高污染"的城镇化转向人口、资源、环境可持续发展的绿色城镇化;(4)通过依托城市群这一平台,实现从规模结构不合理、大中小城市不协调的城镇化转向城市群一体化高效发展、大中小城市协调发展、规模效应和集聚效应充分发挥的城镇化;(5)通过转变政府职能,发挥市场机制在资源配置中的决定性作用,实现从"政府主导"的城镇化转向"市场主导、政府引导"、民间资本作用充分发挥的城镇化;(6)通过推动信息化和工业化深度融合、工业化和城镇化良性互动、城镇化和农业现代化相互协调,实现从城镇化与工业化、信息化、农业现代化发展不协调、产城脱节转向"四化同步"、产城融合的发展方式。     

Quantifying the impact of septic tank systems on eutrophication risk in rural headwaters

Septic tank systems (STS) are a potential source of nutrient emissions to surface waters but few data exist in the UK to quantify their significance for eutrophication. We monitored the impact of STS on nutrient concentrations in a stream network around a typical English village over a 1-year period. Septic tank effluent discharging via a pipe directly into one stream was highly concentrated in soluble N (8-63mgL(-1)) and P (<1-14mgL(-1)) and other nutrients (Na, K, Cl, B and Mn) typical of detergent and household inputs. Ammonium-N (NH(4)N) and soluble reactive P (SRP) fractions were dominant (70-85% of total) and average concentrations of nitrite-N (NO(2)N) were above levels considered harmful to fish (0.1mgL(-1)). Lower nutrient concentrations were recorded at a ditch and a stream site, but range and average values downstream of rural habitation were still 4 to 10-fold greater than those in upstream sections. At the ditch site, where flow volumes were low, annual flow-weighted concentrations of NH(4)N and SRP increased from 0.04 and 0.07mgL(-1), respectively upstream to 0.55 and 0.21mgL(-1) downstream. At the stream site, flow volumes were twice as large and flow-weighted concentrations increased much less; from 0.04 to 0.21mgL(-1) for NH(4)N and from 0.06 to 0.08mgL(-1) for SRP. At all sites, largest nutrient concentrations were recorded under low flow and stream discharge was the most important factor determining the eutrophication impact of septic tank systems. The very high concentrations, intercorrelation and dilution patterns of SRP, NH(4)-N and the effluent markers Na and B suggested that soakaways in the heavy clay catchment soils were not retaining and treating the septic tank effluents efficiently, with profound implications for stream biodiversity. Water companies, water regulators and rural communities therefore need to be made more aware of the potential impacts of STS on water quality so that their management can be optimised to reduce the risk of potential eutrophication and toxicity to aquatic ecosystems during summer low flow periods.     

Factor analysis of water quality characteristics including trace metal speciation in the coastal environmental system of Chennai Ennore

Statistical analysis of water quality parameters including trace metal speciation was undertaken with a view to seeing the interrelationship between different variables and also to identify probable source components in order to explain the pollution status of Chennai Ennore coastal environmental system. Factor analysis has been used in the present work. This is essentially a data reduction technique and will suggest how many variates are important to explain the observed variances in the data. The possible variances in the water quality parameters may be due to either sources of anthropogenic origin or natural variances due to the season or due to different biogeochemical processes that are taking place in the system. When this analysis was carried out with our data on water quality parameters in the above coastal environmental system, we found that the prominent factor or the first factor called the eutrophication factor explained 24.51% of the total variance (comprised of variables like DO, pH, SS, ammonia-N, phosphate and silicate). The second factor called the copper contamination factor explained 10.61% (comprised of variables like labile Cu, total Cu and particulate Cu) and the third factor called metal removal factor explained 10.11% (comprised of variables like particulate Zn, particulate Pb and water temperature) of the variances, respectively. Although there are four more factors, they are all having variances less than 10%. From this study, it is seen that eutrophication is the main source component of pollution to the surface waters of this estuary and its adjacent coastal waters compared to dissolved trace metals.     

Morphological and biological features of plants related to their adaptation to coastal habitats

The results of studies on the biomorphological features of 22 plant species growing on the southern coast of the Russian Far East provide evidence for the diversity of pathways of their adaptation to stressful habitat conditions. An analysis of the anatomical and mesostructural characteristics of their leaves has revealed representatives of euhalophytes, crinohalophytes, and glycohalophytes among these plants. Adaptation is achieved by means of halomorphosis, haloxerophytism, and development of some heliophilic features accounted for by species-specific manifestations of succulence, the presence of salt excreting trichomes, and thick pubescence. The similarity of these adaptations to those of desert plants is discussed. Along with plants characterized by a high germination rate, species that counterbalance a low efficiency of seed reproduction by active vegetative propagation have also successfully established themselves on the coast. Adaptation to coastal habitats is also achieved due to the diversity of life forms characterized mainly by tap root systems with laterally extending branch roots, creeping shoots, and a high vegetative mobility.     

Simulation and multicriteria analysis in sustainable coastal planning: the case of aquaculture in Thermaikos Gulf, Greece

Mussel aquaculture in Thermaikos Gulf is facing a great challenge to tackle both institutional and production planning aspects. Local stakeholders are concerned about the future design of an efficient and equitable legal planning framework for the aquaculture, as well as about the improvement of production planning in order to optimize the total economic outcome of mussel activity in the area. The present paper focuses on the assessment of alternative production planning decisions, under the assumption that an efficient and socially acceptable institutional framework is already established. To this end, a case-specific decision-making tool is designed aiming to combine simulation modelling and multicriteria analysis. The main interactions between the environmental and cultivation conditions and the socio-economic parameters of the local aquaculture are specified according to a previous modelling effort concerning the long-line mussel farms of the study area. These interactions are then incorporated into a multicriteria model, which is formulated to handle the decision-making problem of selecting the best alternative planning decisions. This is actually a problem of evaluating and choosing the most promising policy options in terms of local society preferences. An integrated approach is followed, by means of an analytic hierarchy process, aiming at analysing the preferences of local community by determining the weights for a specific set of (sustainability) criteria. The relative importance of these criteria is determined through a questionnaire survey among the local stakeholders. The results from this application show that future planning policies should focus on production techniques, which are likely to enhance the quality of mussel production and, at the same time, to minimize the economic risk associated with the local occurrence of Harmful Algal Bloom events.     

Towards a framework for cross-scale and multi-level analysis of coastal and marine social-ecological systems dynamics

As the Anthropocene proceeds, regional and local sustainability problems are ever more likely to originate at multiple levels of the earth system. The rate of global environmental change is now vastly outpacing our policy response, and social-ecological systems analysis needs to support global environmental governance. To respond to this challenge, this paper initiates the development of a coastal social-ecological typology and applies it in an exemplary fashion to nine coastal and marine case studies. We use an explicit distinction between the definitions of scale and level and a problem or issue-specific approach to the delineation of social-ecological units. A current major challenge to social-ecological systems analysis is the identification of the cross-level and cross-scale interactions and links which play key roles in shaping coastal and marine social-ecological dynamics and outcomes. We show that the regional level is the best point of departure to generate sustainability-oriented cross-scale and multi-level analyses and offers the outline of a typology in which different disciplinary and other forms of knowledge can be integrated as both part of regionally grounded analysis and action which engages with global sustainability challenges.     

Sea to air transport of trace gases in the coastal zone: a literature review

Exchange of trace gases between the oceans and the atmosphere affects the atmospheric content and cycling of a range of chemical species which are related to climate change, ozone layer depletion, acid deposition, eutrophication, atmospheric particle formation, photo-oxidants, trace metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The effects and impacts of air–sea exchange of these gases can be local, regional and global. Until now, most of the research has concentrated on the sea–air exchange of trace gases in the open ocean. The flux rates of the trace gases from the coastal waters to the air are much higher than the rates for the open ocean and the contribution of the coastal areas to the total oceanic emissions of these trace gases can be significant on a global scale. This contribution can be as high as 50% and more for nitrous oxide and COS. Concerning the contribution of the trace gas production in the coastal areas to the total global production of these gases, it can be concluded that this contribution seems to be below 2% except for nitrous oxide. However, it should be pointed out that on the local and even regional scale the emissions in the coastal areas can be very important, contributing substantially to the total emission of these gases in a studied area. Thus, there is a need to carry out studies in the future with the aim to provide more accurate understanding of the production and sea–air exchange processes for these gases around the world. Electronic Publication     

137Cs budget during the period of 1960s in a small drainage basin on the Loess Plateau of China

A sediment profile with a thickness of 28.12 m in a failed reservoir in a small catchment of the Yuntaishan Gully in the Loess Plateau of China consisted of 44 flood couplets deposited during the period from 1960 to 1970 with total volume of 2.36 x 10(6)m(3). Specific sediment yields for a flood event varied from 300 t km(-2) to 14,400 t km(-2) and annual sediment yields varied from 2500 t km(-2) in 1966 to 40,000 t km(-2) in 1964 with a mean value of 12,700 t km(-2)a(-1) for the period. Average annual (137)Cs concentrations of the sediments increased from 0.92 Bq kg(-1) in 1960 to 4.82 Bq kg(-1) in 1963, then decreased to 1.53 Bq kg(-1) in 1970. The total (137)Cs activity in the reservoir sediments was 9.22 x 10(9) Bq, which accounted for 31.9% of the total (137)Cs fallout precipitation of 2.89 x 10(10) Bq within the catchment during the period. The proportion of the (137)Cs loss from the catchment to the (137)Cs fallout precipitation within the catchment in a year varied between 8.01% and 66.8%, and it was 20.9% for the peak (137)Cs deposition year of 1963 and 52.0% in 1964. By analysis of the (137)Cs budget in the catchment for the (137)Cs peak precipitation period from 1962 to 1964, the (137)Cs surface enrichment coefficient Gamma should be much less than 0.23. And for calculation of soil losses on the cultivated land in the inter-gully area by using the Mass Balance Model II, the value of Gamma should be 0.05-0.1.     

Nutrient export by rivers to the coastal waters of China: management strategies and future trends

We analyzed past and future trends in river export of dissolved nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to the coastal waters of China, for a selection of rivers, as calculated by the Global NEWS models (Nutrient Export from WaterSheds). Over the period 1970–2000, river export of dissolved nutrients increased considerably, especially of dissolved inorganic N and P. Anthropogenic sources of N and P in rivers have become increasingly important, in particular N and P losses from agriculture. We tested the sensitivity of calculated nutrient export by rivers to changes in selected controlling factors. The calculated export of dissolved N and P is sensitive to changes in hydrology, synthetic fertilizer use and manure excretion in river basins. Changes in sewage inputs have large effects on dissolved inorganic P export. We analyzed future trends up to 2050 for several scenarios to illustrate the combined effects of selected management options. In the Base Scenario, the N and P export by the selected rivers increases considerably between 2000 and 2030. The increase continues from 2030 to 2050 except for DIP. Strategies to reduce N and P export by rivers include changes in agriculture, sewage and energy use. Changes in agriculture have the largest impact on future dissolved N and P river export to the coastal waters of China. The effectiveness of reduction strategies differs between nutrient forms and basins.     

Convergence of new members of the EU: changes in household consumption expenditure structure regarding environmental impact during the prosperous period

The materially intensive consumption patterns and lifestyles present a major challenge to sustainability. The major part of consumption is determined in households; therefore, most of the environmental load is allocated to households as well. In order to examine how environmental impact by household consumption varies during the prosperous period, one needs to explore the alteration of household consumption structure, considering that discrete consumption expenditure categories influence environmental impact distinctly. Regarding that, alterations of household consumption expenditure structures are also partially influenced by European integration process. So convergence of new member states of the EU to the old ones by household consumption structure was analyzed. For estimation of occurrence and the extent of household consumption structure, X-convergence was applied. Therefore, the results showed that during the period of 1995–2007, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia were the most successful and Latvia with Poland achieved the least in converging toward the EU-15 consumption expenditure structure. According to evaluation of distinct consumption categories in relation to acidifying compounds and greenhouse gas emissions intensities, it was revealed that alterations of household consumption expenditure structure led to smaller levels of household environmental impact with the exception of Hungary.