Perceptions of climate change,multiple stressors and livelihoods on marginal African coasts

Studies of multiple stressors in Africa often focus on vulnerable inland communities. Rising concentrations of the world’s poor live in coastal rural–urban areas with direct dependencies on marine as well as terrestrial ecosystem goods and services. Using participatory methods we elicited perceptions of stressors and their sources, impacts and consequences held by coastal communities in eastern Africa (Mtwara in Tanzania and Maputo in Mozambique). Respondent-informed timelines suggest wars, economic policies and natural increase have led to natural resource-dependent populations in marginal, previously little-inhabited lowland coastal areas. Respondents (n = 91) in interviews and focus groups rank climate stressors (temperature rise/erratic rain) highest amongst human/natural stressors having negative impacts on livelihoods and wellbeing (e.g., cross-scale cost of living increases including food and fuel prices). Sources of stress and impacts were mixed in time and space, complicating objective identification of causal chains. Some appeared to be specific to coastal areas. Respondents reported farms failing and rising dependence on stressed marine resources, food and fuel prices and related dependence on traders and credit shrunk by negative global market trends. Development in the guise of tourism and conservation projects limited access to land–sea livelihoods and resources in rural–urban areas (coastal squeeze). Mental modelling clarified resource user perceptions of complex linkages from local to international levels. We underline risks of the poor in marginal coastal areas facing double or multiple exposures to multiple stressors, with climate variability suggesting the risks of climate change.     

China's coastal wetlands: Conservation history,implementation efforts,existing issues and strategies for future improvement

China has approximately 5.80 × 10⁶ ha coastal wetlands by 2014, accounting for 10.82% of the total area of natural wetlands. Healthy coastal wetland ecosystems play an important role in guaranteeing the territory ecological security and the sustainable development of coastal zone in China. In this paper, the natural geography and the past and present status of China's coastal wetlands were introduced and the five stages (1950s–1970s, 1980s–1991, 1992–2002, 2003–2010 and 2011–present) of China's coastal wetlands conservation from the foundation of the People's Republic in 1949 to present were distinguished and reviewed. Over the past decades, China has made great efforts in coastal wetland conservation, as signified by the implementation of coastal wetland restoration projects, the construction of coastal wetland nature reserves, the practice of routine ecological monitoring and two national wetland surveys, the promulgation of local wetland conservation statutes and specific regulations, the coordination mechanism to enhance management capacity, the wide development of coastal wetland research and public participation, and the extensive communication to strengthen international cooperation. Nonetheless, six major issues recently emerged in China's coastal wetland conservation are evidently existed, including the increasing threats of pollution and human activities, the increasing adverse effects of threaten factors on ecosystem function, the increasing threats of coastal erosion and sea-level rising, the insufficient funding for coastal wetlands conservation, the imperfect legal and management system for coastal wetlands, and the insufficient education, research and international cooperation. Although the threats and pressures on coastal wetlands conservation are still apparent, the future of China's coastal wetlands looks promising since the Chinese government understands that the sustainable development in coastal zone requires new attitudes, sound policies and concerted efforts at all levels. The major strategies for future improvement of China's coastal wetland conservation include: exploring effective measures in response to major threaten factors; improving the conservation and compensation system for coastal wetlands; strengthening coastal wetland legislation and management; increasing funds for coastal wetland conservation and research; and strengthening coastal wetland education and international cooperation.     

Questioning Community Based Coral Reef Management Systems: Case Study of Awig-Awig in Gili Indah, Indonesia

Issues and complexities arising when the fisheries and marine tourism sectors have stakes in an institution governing the coral reefs ecosystem called awig-awig are discussed, awig-awig is a colloquialism meaning ‘a local rule’. The community-based management system is commonly recognized as a better approach to governing resources, however, the success of awig-awig in the study area is questionable. Awig-awig fails to deal with the conflict of interest among stakeholders in coastal resource appropriation, despite the community being relatively culturally homogenous. The benefits of awig-awig are biased in favor of the tourism as opposed to fisheries, leading to the fishers’ resistance of awig-awig. There are critical factors to this weakness: a crisis of legitimacy within community, socio-economic inequality among actors involved in such system, high intervention from external agencies, and the institutional conflict over conservation policy. In addition, awig-awig reduces community spirit as it is perceived as not being attached to any customary law or traditional norms. Group cohesion is challenged and there is no common understanding of the problem or alternatives strategies.     

Agricultural productivity and environmental insecurity in the Usangu plain, Tanzania: policy implications for sustainability of agriculture

Sustainable agricultural development is a necessity for sustainable economic growth and social development in Africa. Sustainable agriculture largely depends on how effective natural and environmental resources are managed and utilized; it also depends on the security of continuous access to such resources. This research was aimed to look into trends in agricultural productivity, examine the persistence of the environmental insecurity, analyze the relationship between the two, and explore their links to the national development policies. The results are discussed in the context of relevance to national development policies and their implications on the sustainability of agriculture and rural livelihoods security. Literature survey, records collection from the stakeholders, village level participatory assessments (PAs), observations and questionnaire survey were tools used for data collection. The study shows significant (P < 0.01) declines in cereal crop yields, cattle milk yield and cattle calving rate, and increasing cattle mortality rate. Elements of environmental insecurity were found to account for decline in agricultural productivity; significant (P < 0.01) proportion (68%), of 266 households interviewed, reported land resources deterioration, declining soil fertility, and increasing drought frequencies as the causes of their low productivity. Declined fertilizer consumption and increasing variability in rainfall amount significantly (P < 0.01) accounted for 59% and 39%, respectively, of the variations observed in total annual production of rice and maize, which are major cereals in the study area. This study recommends measures to improve soil productivity such as improved fertilizer application and use of organic manures along with mineral fertilizers for maintaining soil productivity; education of farmers on sustainable use and management of land resources; and pro-poor rural policies in agricultural development and environmental governance. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

洞庭湖湿地生态系统管理面临的威胁及应对策略初探

生态系统管理可以实现自然资源的多目标管理。洞庭湖湿地生态系统优越,区域内社会经济发达,但面临保护与发展的双重压力。其中,开展洞庭湖区湿地生态系统管理面临众多威胁,包括自然灾害频发、资源利用不当、工农业污染突出、自然保护能力不足以及季节性缺水等新老问题交织在一起,共同导致了洞庭湖湿地生态系统功能降低,包括生物多样性降低、调蓄能力减弱、洪渍涝灾害加剧、地下水位升高、垸老田低等现象日益突出,而且这种人类不合理活动的后效放大驱动将长期存在,危及到了湖区水产养殖的自然增殖以及自然资源基础的安全性,成为湖区社会经济发展的严重制约因素。为此,建议在遵循生态系统方法的前提下,洞庭湖地区应该加强管理体制机制创新实践,加快湿地保护的立法与执法进程,通过编制洞庭湖区中长期发展总体规划,促进各种利益相关方参与和共管洞庭湖湿地退田还湖等生态恢复工程的巩固、湿地资源合理利用、湿地产业的开发以及湖区湿地生态与环境建设,最终实现湖区生态美好、民生改善的“人地和谐     

基于产权约束的中国矿产资源管理体制分析

在以消耗资源为代价的粗放型经济增长模式下,加强以产权为核心的矿产资源管理体制改革,是关系到矿产资源利用效率高低和我国经济社会可持续发展的重要命题.从制度变迁来看,产权安排的不完善是我国矿产资源管理低效的主要制度根源.因此,我国矿产资源管理体制开始了适应性的制度变迁.本文针对我国矿产资源管理的现状,以产权约束为基础,认为一种有效率的矿产资源管理模式应当是在市场机制的基础上寻求资产化管理与资源性管理、行政和市场配置方式的最优组合,而模式构建的核心是市场化的矿产资源配置制度安排,其主要表现为把矿业权作为一种产权按市场经济规律进行评估、拍卖和交易等商业活动.所以,矿产资源产权改革市场化的实质是在坚持矿产资源国家所有制的基础上,对矿产资源使用制度和价值流转体系进行的改革与创新.     

大江大河流域水资源管理问题讨论

世界范围内水危机的日益严重,越来越显现出流域水资源管理的重要性。从分析国内外大江大河水资源研究的热点入手,介绍了国内江河流域水资源管理思路的转变和实践;系统分析了大流域水资源存在问题的根本原因,认为是由于对人水关系和流域生态演化规律,河流、湿地的生态功能、流域的整体性管理重视不够造成的。从河流的生态整体性出发,以生态学为理论基础,提出了考虑社会—经济—环境复合生态系统,以生态和谐行为、协调发展、因地制宜、流域整体性调控体制和生态文化建设等维持大流域水资源可持续利用和保护的生态可持续性的保障措施。     

江苏沿海滩涂地区农户经济行为研究

江苏海岸带是中国最重要的海岸带湿地之一。滩涂资源的可持续利用成为当前研究的焦点。农户是滩涂开发的微观经济活动的主体和相对独立的生产单位。农户的经济行为对滩涂开发和利用产生直接和重要的影响。以江苏省盐城市的射阳县、大丰市为例，选择3个典型村庄进行入户访谈式调查．在对220个农户进行了入户随机抽样调查的基础上，利用区域经济动力学原理Logisti模型和Cobb-Douglas生产函数。建立了农户经济行为对环境影响的数量经济模型。研究表明，滩涂区农户经济行为对滩涂环境压力的大小及类型具有直接影响。土地经营规模、土地利用类型、生产投入、投资意向、农户受教育水平等是产生影响的主要因素。找出滩涂资源利用中存在的问题和主要的环境压力在于：农户经济生产方式单一，产业结构不合理；农户教育水平较低，环境意识差；滩涂利用经济效率低．环境压力大；农户抗市场风险能力差。并提出了相应的对策和建议。     

中国海岸湿地环境特点与开发利用

海岸湿地是由低地、滩涂与生物群落组合的海岸环境。中国海岸湿地环境受季风波浪、潮汐与大河影响的河海交互作用为特征,地跨39个纬度带,其面积约占中国湿地总面积的1/5。按成因与表相可分为：河口芦苇、草滩湿地,平原海岸草滩盐沼湿地及在华南隐蔽港湾顶部红树林沼泽湿地3种类型。均具有潮上带、潮间带与潮下带分带特性。海岸湿地是珍贵的新生空间资源,但由于滥伐垦殖、外来生物种属入侵危害、陆源水沙减少及海平面上升招致海岸侵蚀、盐潮入侵与内涝频繁等灾害影响,海岸湿地环境质量下降,面临着解决海岸湿地生态保护与沿海人民生计这一新生矛盾问题。需沿流域进行陆海结合的系统研究与对比总结,找出湿地保护与开发的临界度,全面规划实施。     

Anthropogenic-driven changes with focus on the coastal zone of Mauritius, south-western Indian Ocean

Some 44% of the world's population lives within 150 km of the coast and mass migration towards the coast will continue in the decades ahead. Degrading and exhaustive uses of land, water and other coastal resources and disruption of environmental processes through degradation of environmental quality and loss of critical terrestrial and aquatic habitats can lead to serious deleterious impacts on the health and productivity of coastal ecosystems. Following the Arusha Resolution (1993), the Seychelles Statement (1996) and the Colombo CZM Workshop (1999), the need for integrated coastal zone management has become critical because of the limited land resources and unproportional domination of coastal areas in the wider Caribbean and Indian Ocean/ Pacific island states. The coastal zone of Mauritius (1,850 km², 20°S, 58°E, south-western Indian Ocean, 1.12 million inhabitants) was redefined in 1997 in the Environmental Protection Act of 1991 [Part VII (Act 34)] to include all islets within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ; 1.7 million km²). During the 1980s, the Mauritian economy underwent major structural changes successfully, with a rapid phase of industrialization diversifying into two major activities, textiles and tourism. Existing reports and data in a common framework have to be synthesized and organized to fill existing gaps in knowledge with data collection and scientific inquiries, to identify social and economic drivers and to relate socioeconomic change to demands for environmental resources (land use, water resources, marine systems) and environmental impacts as proposed under the MERMAID (Mauritius Environmental Resource Management and Industrial Development) project. Nutrient flux and sediment trace metal contamination studies are currently underway to investigate different watersheds impacted by agricultural, urban and industrial activities in the north-west of the island. There is a pressing need to integrate the natural sciences with socioeconomic disciplines as proposed by the International Human Dimensions Program (IHDP) for an integrated management of coastal zones. Three integrated pilot projects in the Pacific-Indian Ocean and wider Caribbean as identified by Land Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) in the future, including current status and changes in material fluxes from drainage basins, transboundary impacts from the ocean and atmospheric inputs, could elucidate the land–sea interactions and human dimensions of change on small islands. The sustainability of marine resources and the conservation of biological diversity will depend on a critical understanding of linkages between human activities and ecological responses and upon a citizenry that assumes ownership of these regions. Case studies would also help in investigating how humans affect transport pathways and biogeochemical cycles in small island states. Electronic Publication     

我国东部沿海地区经济发展与资源——环境演变轨迹

区域经济在开发、利用资源过程中,不可避免地改变着区域资源-环境系统的存量和质量。东部沿海地区具有突出的经济优势,对自然资源开发和利用的规模及强度达到了空前水平,但在经济增长的同时,资源环境问题却日益突出。本文从实证的角度分析了东部沿海地区经济发展与资源、环境的矛盾关系,指出,该地区资源供给及资源再生能力不足,开发过程中存在着粗放和浪费,而且,伴随着经济增长也日益出现环境恶化的迹象。     

Coastal management, climate change adaptation and sustainability in small coastal communities: leatherback turtles and beach loss

Beaches are frequently subjected to erosion and accretion that are influenced by coastal development interventions and natural variations due to storms and changes in river flow. Climate change may also exacerbate beach erosion and accretion. Natural scientists are concerned with the sustainability of species dependent on the beach ecosystem. Policymakers are pre-occupied with the economic sustainability of coastal communities should species decline and prolonged beach loss occur. The aim of this paper is to explore the linkage between science and policy by reporting the findings of a study of coastal change impacts on leatherback turtle nesting and analysing the socio-economic and adaptation implications of these changes for coastal communities. Grande Riviere, Trinidad, was used as a case study. Primary fieldwork investigated unsustainable coastal management practices. A questionnaire was administered to examine livelihoods, including ecotourism based on leatherback turtle nesting, and knowledge and awareness of climate change. One key finding of the study was that the community’s livelihoods were natural resources dependent, and that natural beach dynamics and unsustainable coastal management practices posed major threats to natural resource and economic sustainability. Another key finding was that, despite these impacts, community knowledge and awareness of climate change in general was low, and there was a perception of state responsibility for climate change adaptation. The research findings have global applicability for coastal communities at risk of exposure and that are highly vulnerable to natural resources damage arising from anthropogenic stress and potential climate change. These communities require policy reforms to strengthen current coastal management practices and adaptation responses aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability.     

长江中游湿地系统驱动关系的演变及保护展望

简要介绍了长江中游湿地的概况,分析了湿地演变的现状。在自然和人为因素长期、综合作用下,长江中游湿地发生了显著的不合理演变,主要表现在：湖泊面积减少,湿地功能下降;湿地资源的过度和不合理利用,生物多样性下降;湿地环境污染日益严重;湿地整体价值受损。重点对湿地系统演变过程中的几个关键驱动关系进行了探讨,包括江湖关系、蓄泄关系、湖垸关系和山湖（河）关系等。在此基础上,针对长江中游湿地演变的现状和利用保护过程中存在的问题,从流域综合管理角度出发,对长江中游湿地的保护进行了展望,提出了基于流域管理思想的长江中游湿地保护对策和措施,主要包括：加强流域统一协调管理;遵循流域管理原则,理顺湿地系统的各种关系,做好湿地生态规划;加强流域生态管理模式研究;加强长江中上游流域水土流失的综合治理;加强自然保护区建设和管理,保护湿地生物多样性。     

Seasonal variation in photosynthesis in relation to differing environmental factors of dominant plant species in three successional communities in Hangzhou Bay Wetlands,East China

We investigated the ecophysiology (physiological ecology) of plant succession within a coastal wetland community. The photosynthetic characteristics of six plants were studied; Scirpus mariqueter and Carex scabrifolia in early successional communities, Phragmites communis and Tamarix chinensis in mid successional communities, and Salix matsudana and Imperata cylindrica in later successional communities. Environmental factors were concurrently determined for each community. Relationships between photosynthetic and environmental factors were analyzed by path analysis, and the dependence of photosynthesis on particular environmental factors was shown to vary between plants in the differing successional communities. Ability to cope with irradiation appears to be one of the most important factors influencing plant succession. The increasing stratification of plant communities following colonization of new coastal land necessitates differing physiological strategies and photosynthetic dynamics in the later colonizing plants.     

Ecologically optimal nitrogen application rates for rice cropping in the Taihu Lake region of China

Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization in intensive agricultural areas in the Taihu Lake region of East China has resulted in low N utilization efficiency and serious environmental problems, giving rise to the need for an urgent reduction in the N fertilization rate. However, no holistic evaluations of rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield effect and environmental effects of N fertilization have been conducted when recommending an optimal N rate. The current study provides an economic indicator and an evaluation model to account for the environmental effects of different N losses after N fertilizer application in the ecological and economic N rate for one rice season in the Taihu Lake region. Based on the assembled data and economic index, a general economic evaluation model to measure efficiently the cascading costs of the chemical N cycle at the regional scale was developed. Thereafter, fertilizer-stimulated benefit curves and fertilizer-induced cost curves were generated to determine an economically and ecologically optimal N application rate. The results revealed that the maximum net benefits were 3,123 yuan ha⁻¹ at 202 kg N ha⁻¹ for one rice season in the Taihu Lake region. Additional N application up to a rate of 263 kg N ha⁻¹ would increase rice production, but the increase in the total marginal costs would be slightly greater than the increase in marginal benefits. Among the marginal costs, the fertilizer and acidification costs were the greatest expenses, amounting to 1,716 yuan at 263 kg N ha⁻¹, followed by eutrophication and global warming costs. When compared with the conventional N fertilization rate, this recommended rate could decrease the amount of N applied to rice from 10 to 40%, thereby, enabling optimum economic and ecological results.     

Objectives for management of socio-ecological systems in the Great Barrier Reef region,Australia

A wide range of goals and objectives have to be taken into account in natural resources management. Defining these objectives in operational terms, including dimensions such as sustainability, productivity, and equity, is by no means easy, especially if they must capture the diversity of community and stakeholder values. This is especially true in the coastal zone where land activities affect regional marine ecosystems. In this study, the aim was firstly to identify and hierarchically organise the goals and objectives for coastal systems, as defined by local stakeholders. Two case study areas are used within the Great Barrier Reef region being Mackay and Bowen–Burdekin. Secondly, the aim was to identify similarities between the case study results and thus develop a generic set of goals to be used as a starting point in other coastal communities. Results show that overarching high-level goals have nested sub-goals that contain a set of more detailed regional objectives. The similarities in high-level environmental, governance, and socio-economic goals suggest that regionally specific objectives can be developed based on a generic set of goals. The prominence of governance objectives reflects local stakeholder perceptions that current coastal zone management is not achieving the outcomes they feel important and that there is a need for increased community engagement and co-management. More importantly, it raises the question of how to make issues relevant for the local community and entice participation in the local management of public resources to achieve sustainable environmental, social, and economic management outcomes.     

湿地生态系统服务功能评价模式的不足与改进

本文基于对湿地生态系统服务功能评价研究发展历程的回顾,结合湿地资源保护面临的严峻形势以及社会经济发展对评价研究的现实要求,重点剖析了湿地生态系统服务功能的现状评价模式在研究定位、评价内容、评价方式和评价体系建设几个方面存在的主要不足,在此基础上提出相应的改进思路和方案.认为评价模式的改进应当以维持湿地生态系统健康和支撑区域社会经济可持续发展为研究目标,面向湿地生态系统管理方向补充评价内容,完善评价体系,强调人为活动干扰对湿地生态系统服务的影响及反馈分析,重视人类社会对服务功能需求的评价,并详细阐述干扰评价、需求评价和服务功能供需平衡分析的主要内容、方法和难点,总结湿地管理的意识和手段在服务功能评价各环节的体现.     

Conflicts between stakeholder groups affecting the ecology and economy of the Segara Anakan region

This study analyses how the conflict potential between different stakeholder groups is affecting the ecology and economy of the Segara Anakan region, a mangrove-fringed lagoon in central Java, Indonesia. The lagoon’s increasing sedimentation/silting up and the area’s expanding population has led to various interest groups conflicting with one another over how the resources of the lagoon and its surrounding area are to be utilized. Conflicts arise between occupational and ethnic groups in the lagoon’s bordering villages in the context of a transformation from fisheries to wetland agriculture. Land and mangrove use is therefore a cause for conflict between multiple groups, including Javanese fishermen, Sundanese farmers from Central and West Java and external shrimp farm owners. A result of the “Segara Anakan Development Project”—an 8-year undertaking that began in 1996—is that the lagoon was frequently dredged. Due to the dredging and resulting contamination of the land, a regional clash was triggered between Sundanese farmers and Javanese fishers. Our study reveals that the conflict potential between the various interest groups in the Segara Anakan Lagoon area could be reduced if the scarcity of natural resources were alleviated. Religious aspects also play a large role in marine resource utilization. Recognizing that the human utilization of natural resources is strongly symbolic and thereby culturally defined, we unravel the resource conflicts in our study area and offer some strategic approaches towards more sustainable outcomes.     

中国水资源状况与水资源安全问题分析

根据最新的水资源调查评价结果，分析了中国水资源的现状和特点：总量丰富，但人均占有量低；年内年际分配不匀，旱涝灾害频繁，水资源供需矛盾突出；地区分布不均，水土资源不相匹配；水资源利用率低，污染严重。在此基础上，分析了我国水资源安全目前存在的主要问题：水资源时空分布不均严重阻碍社会经济发展；水资源供需矛盾严重，水资源利用效率低下；水质危机导致水资源危机，生态环境恶化严重；水资源管理缺乏科学体制。认为21世纪中国的水资源矛盾将进一步加剧，我国必须进行大规模的改革和强有力的措施，包括节约用水，建立节水型工业，提高用水效率，加强水污染防治，引入市场机制，加强科技创新，树立可持续发展的思想，实行水资源的统一科学管理，维护我国的水资源安全，以缓解我国水资源的供需矛盾，实现经济和社会的可持续发展。     

Analyzing coastal wetland change in the Yancheng National Nature Reserve,China

Coastal zones provide habitat cores and corridors that maintain the diversity of entire landscapes, and they can form the cornerstone elements of regional conservation strategies. Natural environmental driving factors and excessive anthropogenic activities play important roles in coastal wetland change. Many studies have used remote sensing images to map and assess coastal wetland change on local or regional scales. This paper aims to provide insight into coastal wetland change in the Yancheng National Nature Reserve (YNNR) using remote sensing technology and landscape metrics analysis. The results reveal that grass flat and reed areas have significantly decreased, whereas agriculture fields, aquaculture ponds and built-up areas have continuously increased from 1988 to 2006. The spatial pattern of the coastal landscape has become fragmented and heterogeneous under great pressure from rapid economic development and population growth. The wetland changes have important impacts on natural habitat of the red-crowned cranes. The results of this study provide basic information that is required for developing measures toward a sustainable management and conservation of the YNNR.