The periodic review of biosphere reserves: a mechanism to foster sites of excellence for conservation and sustainable development

The past three decades have seen major changes in concepts of conservation, particularly the realisation that people living around ‘protected areas’ should play participatory roles in their management. Since 1974, the evolving biosphere reserve concept has foreshadowed these broader changes, most recently through the introduction of a periodic review process included in the 1995 Statutory Framework for the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). This paper briefly outlines the development of the concept and its implementation, presents the periodic review process, describes its application in the United Kingdom (UK), and concludes with some implications for the future.     

The re-territorialisation of Biosphere Reserves: The case of Wester Ross,Northwest Scotland

Biosphere reserves, designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, are now regarded as key mechanisms to achieve global imperatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals. The concept of biosphere reserves has evolved significantly from the 1970s to include a larger number of functions and zones, as well as the inclusion of stakeholders in governance, as codified in the 1996 Statutory Framework for the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Its implementation has led to the re-territorialisation of 66 biosphere reserves, as they have been extended beyond the protected areas that form their ‘core areas’. One example is Wester Ross in northwest Scotland. This region has been nationally recognised for its high biodiversity and landscape values since the late 1940s, and a small biosphere reserve was established in 1976. In the current decade, as required by the MAB Programme, this biosphere reserve was extended to over 100 times its original area through a participatory process which is described in detail. Following re-territorialisation, this biosphere reserve, like others, both represents opportunities and faces challenges. These are discussed with regard to four requirements: effective communication, stakeholder engagement, participatory governance, and funding.     

Woodland conservation in privately-owned cultural landscapes: the English experience

This paper reviews the development of approaches to the conservation of woodland on private lands in England since 1949. In England, the majority of woodland sites important for nature conservation are small, isolated amongst open habitats, with a long history of management. Conservation of wildlife has since 1949 had a strong focus on private lands. Two approaches to protection have been adopted. Firstly about 80,000 ha of English woods are within statutorily protected sites; the degree of protection for these has increased through successive legislation in 1949, 1981 and 2001. Secondly, since 1985 wildlife protection has been achieved on private lands outside the protected sites through general statutory forestry policies. There has also been an increasing trend for active promotion of voluntary nature conservation through forestry incentives and grants, and the setting of targets as part of the government’s biodiversity action plan. The variety of ways in which woodland may be protected (to differing degrees) in England has enabled effective protection to be achieved over a greater area of woodland than would have been possible through nature reserves alone. These approaches may be relevant in other countries where woodland occurs as part of a cultural landscape.     

Natural resources management for human security in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve

The Tonle Sap Great Lake in Cambodia is significant for its biological and societal diversity, as well as for the fundamental role it plays in the local and national economy. Conflicting natural resources are aggravating population pressures and governance deficits, thereby threatening the ecological and economic viability of the lake and its systems. In response to this, and as part of a broader program of governance reforms, the Cambodian government is beginning to promote integrated, systems-wide natural resources management for the Tonle Sap. A key feature of this strategy is the designation of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve as part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.     

Design of Mass Exchange Network and Effluent Distribution System for effective water management

The environmental impact of industrial wastewater and higher cost of fresh water are the serious challenges faced by the process industries. It has led to the development of many new techniques to minimize fresh water consumption. Of the many approaches, which have been developed, the Water Source Diagram (WSD) is a flexible and dynamic alternative for the generation of different scenarios for the management of water networks with reduction in total consumption. In the present study WSD concept was coupled with water mains concept to mains simplify the piping network and reduce the cost. A new procedure was developed for integrating the effluent treatment processes to evolve Effluent Treatment Network. Example from literature having multi contaminants was considered. This simple procedure involving hand calculations will be a useful tool for process engineers to design water and effluent treatment networks. Also the WSD and ETN were combined to form an evolutionary WAMEN (Water Allocation and Mass Exchange Network) and the proposed WAMEN aims for minimum fresh water consumption.     

Global knowledge networking for site specific strategies: The International Conference on Biodiversity and Society

The UNESCO/Columbia University International Conference on Biodiversity and Society was held at Columbia University in the city of New York in May 2001. The conference was jointly organized by the UNESCO Ecological Sciences Division and the Columbia Earth Institute of Columbia University, with the goal of identifying a research agenda and methodology providing solid science as a foundation for field engagement that would influence social and political strategies for the long-term stewardship and conservation of culturally and biologically significant sites. The conference brought together leading environmental and social scientists, managers of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, high-level policy-makers from over 20 developed and developing countries, journalists, and leading institutions, including private corporations, environmental NGOs, United Nations agencies, and international lending institutions. The focus was on local level phenomena and responses, as well as on the potential and limitations of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve concept for coordinating biodiversity conservation with human security. The conference was built around a set of nine case studies prepared by teams of policy makers and researchers.     

战略环境评价方法在多瑙河流域规划中的应用

战略环评是对政府政策、规划及计划的环境影响评价,是在政策、规划及计划出台和编制前期介入的一项有效的分析工具。但是,受技术方法、法律和政策等因素影响,战略环评方法在我国的应用仍处于起步阶段。本文归纳总结了战略环评方法的基本特征和步骤,并结合多瑙河流域规划的编制过程,系统说明战略环评方法的应用,最后针对战略环评方法在环境规划领域的应用提出了具体建议。     

我国地质公园的空间分布与保护网络的构建

我国地质公园空间体系目前存在着空间结构不均衡、类型结构不合理、宏观评价和指导相对薄弱等问题。在简要回顾国际上国家公园和保护区体系网络发展趋势的基础上,分析了影响我国地质公园空间分布的相关因素,包括资源与空间因素,如自然地理格局、地质遗迹分区、地域分区及行政区划等;管理与人为因素,如资源普查、保护区重叠、经济发展水平、资金投入及人为重视程度等。由此提出了完善我国地质公园网络的建议:强化"自上而下"的科学评价和指导;加强普查,寻找保护空缺;走向网络化的空间保护模式;建立多级管理合作平台。     

含预交联剂高吸油树脂的合成和性能

提出在合成高吸油树脂时 ,用预交联剂取代现有的化学交联剂的设想 ,树脂成形后再利用热交联的方法使其具有三维网状结构。研究和讨论了预交联剂的种类、含量对高吸油树脂吸油性能的影响 ,结果表明 ,丙烯酸羟乙酯可取得较理想的效果 ,树脂的吸油和保油性能均较好。     

生物洞穴影响的黄河口粉质土优势流及其效应研究

生物扰动对沉积物性质的改变已越来越受国际地圈生物圈计划的关心.通过高密度电阻率法和示踪剂相结合的方法,监测了室内模拟黄河口生物洞穴影响非饱和粉土的渗流.从入渗的电剖面特征分析,发现渗流主要发生在生物洞穴形成的大孔隙通道中,而周围基质中的渗流很弱,即黄河口粉土的生物洞穴中存在优势流.优势流在细粒土的垂直迁移中有重要作用,同时也改变了大孔隙周围土体的基本性质,如密度、含水量、强度、颗粒组成以及电导率等.优势通道在入渗过程中可增加周围土体的含水量,但在排水的过程中也可增加周围土体的排水能力,具有增水和排水的双重效应.     

炼油废水高效处理的工艺流程和操作方法

本文论述了采用组合式隔油与两级混凝气浮串联工艺处理某炼油厂的含油废水的运行情况。由于各个处理单元及整套工艺的设计合理、操作方法正确 ,该套废水处理系统出水中的油类浓度降至 5～ 8m g/ L,COD浓度降至 45～ 5 5 mg/ L ,SS降至 3 1～ 5 1mg/ L,去除率分别超过 98%、92 %与 83 %。工程实施两年多来 ,运行稳定 ,能回收油类 ,具有良好的经济效益。     

《欧盟水框架指令》下的地表水环境管理体系及其对我国的启示

《欧盟水框架指令》是欧盟制定的水环境管理政策,为其成员国的水环境管理提供了共同的目标、原则、定义和方法.自2000年颁布实施以来,该指令致力于让欧洲的水环境能够同时满足人类自身的需求和动植物群落的需要,其先进的水环境评价体系、严格的污染管理标准、科学的水生态保护理念和法律效力都在水生态环境保护领域发挥了重要作用.该研究综述了欧盟水框架指令从关注生活生产到生态保护、从单一到整体的发展历程和地表水环境管理体系的主要内容,系统总结了欧盟地表水水质评价体系、水质监测和流域综合管理政策及其管理理念先进、标准制定严格和生态保护科学和法律效力优先的特点,并对比分析我国的地表水环境质量标准和水生态环境管理现状,以期学习、借鉴和吸收国际水生态环境管理的有益经验,为我国的水生态环境管理提供新思路和新方法.      

A cleaner production method for the synthesis of bronopol – A bactericide that is useful in leather making

In leather industry environmental concern has been growing since 1980s. Increasing levels of pollutant emissions have reached saturation point in spite of the conventional technology that highly industrial countries have adopted to keep them under control. This has started a technology revolution in several industries. These critical levels of pollution may have been caused by high industrial density, by high population density or by the use of old polluting technology. This situation has boosted emerging green technology which has begun to take up a larger portion of research work in the supply and raw materials in industries. Together with consumers growing awareness of the environment, this new technology has ended up affecting the consumer good industry. In leather industry due to the sector's bad public image regarding pollution more emphasis has been given to clean technologies and waste reduction. At this time nearly every part of the tanning process has several cleaner or environmentally friendlier alternatives. In leather industry to prevent damage to the hide and skin, bactericide is added during soaking process to kill the growth of microorganism. Bronopol is used as a bactericide. The active ingredient of bronopol is 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol. Here we have reported simple and cleaner technology of the bronopol by using nontoxic and non-hazardous raw materials and belongs to the modern concept of environmentally friendly low waste or nonwaste technology. Bronopol was characterized by IR and Mass spectral data.     

Parametric study along with selection of optimal solutions in dry wire cut machining of cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co)

This work deals with parametric study of dry wire EDM (WEDM) process of cemented tungsten carbide. Experiments have been conducted using air as dielectric medium to investigate effects of pulse on time, pulse off time, gap set voltage, discharge current and wire tension on cutting velocity (CV) surface roughness (SR) and oversize (OS). Firstly, a series of exploratory experiments were carried out to identify appropriate gas and its pressure. Afterward, preliminary experiments were conducted to investigate effects of process parameters on dry WEDM characteristics and find appropriate ranges for each factor. Then a central composite rotatable method was employed to design experiments based on response surface methodology (RSM). Empirical models were developed to create relationships between process factors and responses by considering to analysis of variances (ANOVA). To increase the predictability of the process, intelligent models have been developed based on back-propagation neural network (BPNN) and accuracy of these models was compared with mathematical models based on root mean square error (RMSE) and prediction error percent (PEP). In order to select optimal solutions in the cases of single-objective and multi-objectives optimization problems, optimization includes two main approaches. First approach was based on mathematical model and desirability function. Also second approach was designed based on neural network and particle swarm optimization. These approaches were applied in both cases of single-objective and multi-objectives optimization problems and their results were compared with together. Results indicated that selection of air at inlet pressure of 1.5 bar is really appropriate for conducting experiments of next stages. Also, the BPNN creates more accurate prediction rather than mathematical model. Moreover, the BPNN-PSO approach was more efficient in optimization of process rather than mathematical model-desirability function in respect with validation tests.     

Climate change induced eutrophication of cold-water lake in an ecologically fragile nature reserve

Aquatic ecosystem sustainability around the globe is facing crucial challenges because of increasing anthropogenic and natural disturbances. In this study, the Tianchi Lake, a typical cold-water lake and a UNESCO/MAB(Man and Biosphere) nature reserve located in high latitude and elevation with the relatively low intensity of human activity was chosen as a system to examine the linkages between climate change and eutrophication. As a part of the UNESCO Bogda Man and Biosphere Reserve, Tianchi Lake has been well preserved for prevention from human intervention, but why has it been infected with eutrophication recent years? Our results show that climate change played a significant role in the eutrophication in the Tianchi Lake. Increased temperature, changed precipitation pattern and wind-induced hydrodynamic fluctuations in the summer season were suggested to make a major contribution to the accelerated eutrophication. The results also showed that the local temperature and precipitation changes were closely linked to the large-scale atmospheric circulation, which opens the door for the method to be applied in other regions without local climatic information. This study suggests that there is an urgent need to take into consideration of climate change adaptation into the conservation and management of cold-water lakes globally.     

Air Quality Action Plans: early indicators of urban local authority practice in England

The delivery of improved local ambient air quality in the UK has emerged through the implementation of the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland [DETR, Welsh Office, Scottish Office, Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, CM 4548, London, The Stationery Office, 2000] by the air quality management (AQM) regime. Local authorities now have the responsibility to undertake a review and assessment of air quality in their area and to identify locations where health-based objectives are likely to be exceeded. If relevant public exposure exists, an air quality management area must be designated. Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) provide the mechanism by which local authorities, in collaboration with national agencies and others, will state their intentions for working towards the air quality objectives through the powers they have available and by collaboration with other bodies who are in the position of implementing solutions to their air quality hot spots. This management regime will require a new way of local authority working, involving not only local authority joint working but also regional collaboration and co-operation with outside agencies and authorities such as health authorities, regulators of industry and highways managers. Management aspects of the AQM process have been investigated through the data collection from a series of questionnaire surveys. It is argued that the extent to which a local authority is able to show integration of its air quality management responsibilities is an indicator of their capability for delivering AQAPs. Although local authorities appear to be making moves towards a more integrated approach to managing environmental issues, there are still significant gaps in joint working identified through questionnaire surveys and case studies undertaken by the authors. Some recommendations for the successful implementation of AQAPs are also included.     

Significance of adverse outcome pathways in biomarker-based environmental risk assessment in aquatic organisms

In environmental risk assessments (ERA), biomarkers have been widely used as an early warning signal of environmental contamination. However, biomarker responses have limitation due to its low relevance to adverse outcomes (e.g., fluctuations in community structure, decreases in population size, and other similar ecobiologically relevant indicators of community structure and function). To mitigate these limitations, the concept of adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) was developed. An AOP is an analytical, sequentially progressive pathway that links a molecular initiating event (MIE) to an adverse outcome. Recently, AOPs have been recognized as a potential informational tool by which the implications of molecular biomarkers in ERA can be better understood. To demonstrate the utility of AOPs in biomarker-based ERA, here we discuss a series of three different biological repercussions caused by exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and selenium (Se). Using mainly aquatic invertebrates and selected vertebrates as model species, we focus on the development of the AOP concept. Aquatic organisms are suitable bioindicator species whose entire lifespans can be observed over a short period; moreover, these species can be studied on the molecular and population levels. Also, interspecific differences between aquatic organisms are important to consider in an AOP framework, since these differences are an integral part of the natural environment. The development of an environmental pollutant-mediated AOP may enable a better understanding of the effects of environmental pollutants in different scenarios in the diverse community of an ecosystem.     

The evolution of Müllerian mimicry

It is now 130 years since Fritz Müller proposed an evolutionary explanation for the close similarity of co-existing unpalatable prey species, a phenomenon now known as Müllerian mimicry. Müller's hypothesis was that unpalatable species evolve a similar appearance to reduce the mortality involved in training predators to avoid them, and he backed up his arguments with a mathematical model in which predators attack a fixed number (n) of each distinct unpalatable type in a given season before avoiding them. Here, I review what has since been discovered about Müllerian mimicry and consider in particular its relationship to other forms of mimicry. Müller's specific model of associative learning involving a "fixed n" in a given season has not been supported, and several experiments now suggest that two distinct unpalatable prey types may be just as easy to learn to avoid as one. Nevertheless, Müller's general insight that novel unpalatable forms have higher mortality than common unpalatable forms as a result of predation has been well supported by field experiments. From its inception, there has been a heated debate over the nature of the relationship between Müllerian co-mimics that differ in their level of defence. There is now a growing awareness that this relationship can be mediated by many factors, including synergistic effects between co-mimics that differ in their mode of defence, rates of generalisation among warning signals and concomitant changes in prey density as mimicry evolves. I highlight areas for future enquiry, including the possibility of Müllerian mimicry systems based on profitability rather than unprofitability and the co-evolution of defence.     

基于神经网络的压铸合金选择

在归纳总结压铸合金选择经验和知识的基础上 ,对压铸合金性能进行评价。采用BP神经网络方法建立了快捷的压铸合金材料选择系统 ,提出了一种将模糊化性能要求量化 ,增加训练样本集的方法。