Evaluating Tourist Perception of Environmental Changes as a Contribution to Managing Natural Resources in Glacierized Areas: A Case Study of the Forni Glacier (Stelvio National Park, Italian Alps)

Climate change effects are noticeably evident above the timberline where glacier and permafrost processes and mass movements drive the surface evolution. In particular, the cryosphere shrinkage is deeply changing the features and characteristics of several glacierized mountain areas of the world, and these modifications can also affect the landscape perception of tourists and mountaineers. On the one hand glacier retreat is increasing the interest of tourists and visitors in areas witnessing clear climate change impacts; on the other hand cryosphere shrinkage can impact the touristic appeal of mountain territories which, diminishing their ice and snow coverage, are also losing part of their aesthetic value. Then, to promote glacierized areas in a changing climate and to prepare exhaustive and actual proposals for sustainable tourism, it is important to deepen our knowledge about landscape perception of tourists and mountaineers and their awareness of the ongoing environmental modifications. Here we present the results from a pilot study we performed in summer 2009 on a representative glacierized area of the Alps, the Forni Valley (Stelvio National Park, Lombardy, Italy), a valley shaped by Forni, the largest Italian valley glacier. During the 2009 summer season we asked tourists visiting the Forni Valley to complete a questionnaire. This study was aimed at both describing the features and characteristics of tourists and mountaineers visiting this Alpine zone in summer and evaluating their landscape perception and their ability to recognize climate change impacts and evidence. Our results suggest that the dissemination strategies in a natural protected area have to take into account not only the main landscape features but also the sites where the information will be given. In particular considering the peculiarities of the huts located in the area, such as their different accessibility and the fact that they are included or not in a mountaineering network like that of the Italian Alpine Club. Both these factors can influence the kind of visitors to the area, thus requiring different dissemination strategies. Moreover, differences in the viewpoints from where visitors could watch and understand landscape also have to be considered. Next, in a protected area where climate change effects are evident, the dissemination strategies should be developed in close cooperation with scientists who are analyzing the area and with the support of periodic interviews which could be very useful to evaluate the effectiveness of the applied dissemination methods. Last but not least, the questionnaire should be standardized and distributed in several protected areas, thus permitting useful comparisons and the identification of common solutions for sharing in a friendly way scientific knowledge about climate change and its effects on the environment and the landscape.     

应用地积累指数法和生态危害指数法对关中西部某铅锌冶炼区周边土壤重金属污染评价

采用近年常用于重金属污染的地积累指数法及生态危害指数评价法对关中西部某铅锌冶炼区表层土壤中重金属污染情况进行了评价.结果表明,两种方法均能对人为污染行为作出较为科学的评价,且两种方法可得到相似的评价结果:该冶炼区周边土壤Cd元素为中重度污染,Pb为中等污染,Zn和Cu为轻微污染.生态危害指数评价法和地积累指数评价法两种方法都是基于沉积学理论提出,两者各有侧重点,对于重金属污染的系统评价各具合理性;但在对土壤重金属污染进行评价时,有一定的局限性,建议在修正其参数后综合应用.     

Influence of Llamas, Horses, and Hikers on Soil Erosion from Established Recreation Trails in Western Montana, USA

/ Various types of recreational traffic impact hiking trails uniquely and cause different levels of trail degradation; however, trail head restrictions are applied similarly across all types of packstock. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative physical impact of hikers, llamas, and horses on recreational trails. Horse, llama, and hiker traffic were applied to 56 separate plots on an existing trail at Lubrecht Experimental Forest in western Montana. The traffic was applied to plots at intensities of 250 and 1000 passes along with a no-traffic control under both prewetted and dry trail conditions. Soil erosion potential was assessed by sediment yield and runoff (using a Meeuwig type rainfall simulator), changes in soil bulk density, and changes in soil surface roughness. Soil moisture, slope, and rainfall intensity were recorded as independent variables in order to evaluate the extent that they were held constant by the experimental design. Horse traffic consistently made more sediment available for erosion from trails than llama, hiker, or no traffic when analyzed across wet and dry trail plots and high and low intensity traffic plots. Although total runoff was not significantly affected by trail user, wet trail traffic caused significantly greater runoff than dry trail traffic. Llama traffic caused a significant increase in sediment yield compared to the control, but caused erosion yields not significantly different than hiker traffic. Trail traffic did not increase soil compaction on wet trails. Traffic applied to dry trail plots generally resulted in a significant decrease in soil bulk density compared to the control. Decreased soil bulk density was negatively correlated with increased sediment yield and appeared to result in increased trail roughness for horse traffic compared to hiker or llama traffic. Differences described here between llama and horse traffic indicate that trail managers may want to consider managing packstock llamas independent of horses.KEY WORDS: Recreational impacts; Sediment yield; Trail degradation     

Recent Evolution of Natural Hazard Management Policy in France,the Example of Serre-Chevalier (French Alps)

Since the 1960s, the development of the Serre-Chevalier winter and summer resort has led to a rapid extension of the urban fabric on the territory of the village of St-Chaffrey. On July 9, 1981, the new neighborhoods built on the alluvial fan of the Verdarel torrent were partly devastated by a channeled debris flow. This disaster prompted the civil authorities to set up an extensive fluvial regulation system, which rapidly contributed to recreating a climate of confidence and security favorable to continuing urban expansion. The combination of catastrophic floods in July 1995, and a new security-oriented national policy on natural hazards, nevertheless led to a return to precautionary measures. The St-Chaffrey town council has therefore been forced by the State to accept a building-free zone on the land-use plan. This measure is perceived as a real denial of the local efficacy of the flood and landslide risk management policy as carried out by the council of St-Chaffrey during the previous 20 years.     

Glacier Variability (1967‐2006) in the Teton Range,Wyoming, United States1

Edmunds, Jake, Glenn Tootle, Greg Kerr, Ramesh Sivanpillai, and Larry Pochop, 2011. Glacier Variability (1967‐2006) in the Teton Range, Wyoming, United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(1): 187‐196. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00607.x Abstract: Glacier area and volume changes were quantified through the use of historical aerial photographs in Wyoming’s Teton Range. Glacier area changes in the Teton Range were estimated for three glaciers using unrectified aerial photography from 1967 to 2006. The total surface area of the three glaciers was 0.53 km² in 1967 and 0.40 km² in 2006, a decrease of 25% during the 39‐year period. The smallest glacier, Teepe, experienced the greatest area loss (60 ± 3%), whereas the largest glacier, Teton Glacier, lost 17 ± 3% of the 1967 area. For the current research, aerial photography from 1967 to 2002 was used to estimate glacier volume loss using stereoscopy techniques. The aerial photographs provide a finer resolution when compared with other datasets including satellite imagery (e.g., Landsat). Volume loss for the three glaciers was estimated to be 3.20 ± 0.46 million cubic meters over the period of 1967 to 2002. In assessing the primary climatic driver of the glacier ice loss, observed summer (June, July, and August) temperature data showed a statistically significant increase in temperatures when comparing the period of study (1968 to 2006) with historical temperatures from 1911 to 1967. When comparing spring (April 1st Snow Water Equivalent) snowpack for the period of study with historical records beginning in 1931, a significant difference in snowpack was not observed.     

中国西部地区环境问题的根源及对策

严峻的环境问题是西部地区经济发展的障碍。指出了造成西部地区环境恶化的6个根源;并针对性地提出改善西部环境问题的6项对策。实施这些对策对确保西部地区的可持续发展具有现实意义。     

Analyzing the Impacts of Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Trails on Watershed Processes in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve,Alaska

Trails created by off-road vehicles (ORV) in boreal lowlands are known to cause local impacts, such as denuded vegetation, soil erosion, and permafrost thaw, but impacts on stream and watershed processes are less certain. In Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST), Alaska, ORV trails have caused local resource damage in intermountain lowlands with permafrost soils and abundant wetlands and there is a need to know whether these impacts are more extensive. Comparison of aerial photography from 1957, 1981, and 2004 coupled with ground surveys in 2009 reveal an increase in trail length and number and show an upslope expansion of a trail system around points of stream channel initiation. We hypothesized that these impacts could also cause premature initiation and headward expansion of channels because of lowered soil resistance and greater runoff accumulation as trails migrate upslope. Soil monitoring showed earlier and deeper thaw of the active layer in and adjacent to trails compared to reference sites. Several rainfall-runoff events during the summer of 2009 showed increased and sustained flow accumulation below trail crossings and channel shear forces sufficient to cause headward erosion of silt and peat soils. These observations of trail evolution relative to stream and wetland crossings together with process studies suggest that ORV trails are altering watershed processes. These changes in watershed processes appear to result in increasing drainage density and may also alter downstream flow regimes, water quality, and aquatic habitat. Addressing local land-use disturbances in boreal and arctic parklands with permafrost soils, such as WRST, where responses to climate change may be causing concurrent shifts in watershed processes, represents an important challenge facing resource managers.     

成都施用磷肥中镭（^226Ra）含量调查及对农田环境影响评价

本文报道了成都磷肥及其原料矿石中外照射剂量水平；用国家标准规定的方法测定了磷肥及其矿石中＾２２６Ｒａ含量；调查了同一生产厂家不同批号磷肥中＾２２６Ｒａ含量变化情况；估算出施用磷肥后可能带来的放射性环境污染，并对磷肥中＾２２６Ｒａ可能导致的农田环境影响作了简要评价? ?     

西部民族地区推进科学发展实现环境与经济共赢的路径选择

在新的发展形势下,欠发达地区全面贯彻落实科学发展观,谋求环境和经济共赢是其实现科学发展的首要问题。文章从正确认识环境与经济的辩证关系、坚持以保护环境优化经济增长、以科学发展主导环境变化三个方面分析阐述了欠发达的西部民族地区实现环境与经济共赢的基本路径。     

大安古河道区的渔业开发利用

吉林省西部大安古河道区是松辽平原农业综合开发的重点区域之一．在对古河道区域内的渔业资源进行全面调查的基础上,本文初步探讨了区域内各类渔业资源的开发利用途径．     

Resource Consumption and Environmental Impacts of the Agrofood Sector: Life Cycle Assessment of Italian Citrus-Based Products

Food production and consumption cause significant environmental burdens during the product life cycles. As a result of intensive development and the changing social attitudes and behaviors in the last century, the agrofood sector is the highest resource consumer after housing in the EU. This paper is part of an effort to estimate environmental impacts associated with life cycles of the agrofood chain, such as primary energy consumption, water exploitation, and global warming. Life cycle assessment is used to investigate the production of the following citrus-based products in Italy: essential oil, natural juice, and concentrated juice from oranges and lemons. The related process flowcharts, the relevant mass and energy flows, and the key environmental issues are identified for each product. This paper represents one of the first studies on the environmental impacts from cradle to gate for citrus products in order to suggest feasible strategies and actions to improve their environmental performance.

西部地区SO_2总量控制方案合理性评估

通过新增工业产值、农用地面积、降雨强度和环保投资4个指标,引入信息熵对各指标进行权重分配,科学界定基尼系数合理性范围,构建了以改良基尼系数为度量标准的二氧化硫总量控制方案分配合理性的评价体系,并将其应用于"十二五"西部地区二氧化硫排放总量控制规划方案合理性评价工作中。研究结果表明,西部地区"十二五"SO2总量控制方案存在不合理,可优先考虑针对环保投资进行调整。     

Preliminary Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: Safeguarding Ecological Security for a New Western China

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.     

Long Profile Evolution of a Mountain Stream in Relation to Gravel Load Management: Example of the Middle Giffre River (French Alps)

6 m³) following extensive gravel extraction from the channel, this evolution appears to be reversed today, showing that this river is capable of rehabilitating itself. The watershed supplies the river with 50,000 m³/yr of material and part of this load (30,000 m³/yr) is extracted. Although it is theoretically possible to reverse this phenomenon, it is unacceptable for the local economy as man-made installations unadapted to flooding were developed along the river during the period of incision. Today, the development policy is in conflict with the maintenance and the preservation of natural sediment transport and deposition.     

浅谈三江源区隆务河流域水资源现状

本文对三江源自然保护区的重要河流——隆务河流域的水环境污染源、污染物及其排放状况进行了现场全方位调查,选取pH、Cr6+、DO、COD等为监测项目,调查结果表明该地区水资源已经达不到国家地表水环境质量标准(GB 3838—2002)要求。本文还分析其污染源沿河流呈零星分布的特点,阐述了污染物对环境造成的危害,为三江源的水环境可持续发展提供保障。     

废液处理新工艺超临界水氧化(SCWO)评述

超临界水氧化是一项对有机废液焚烧处理最有潜力的替代技术,在过去的20多年里,这项技术引起了广泛的关注。然而,作为一项管端技术,超临界水氧化仍存在许多不足,这些不足阻碍了它的工业应用。除了反应器腐蚀和盐析导致的技术问题外,超临界水氧化经常被认为是一项处理所有废液的“通用”技术,然而也是无法实现的“通用”技术。本文介绍了作为管端处理技术的超临界水氧化技术存在的问题,讨论了可能的解决办法,介绍了不同反应器的概念,提出了在超临界水氧化领域里开展进一步研究和发展新工艺流程的建议。此外,评价了超临界水氧化技术涉及到的自身能源供应问题。     

低温供热堆选址阶段的环境影响评价与分析

根据低温供热堆选址阶段环境影响评价的要求,结合工程具体设计方案,对低温供热堆在正常运行和事故工况下可能造成的环境影响进行分析、预测与评价,以作为审管当局决策的重要依据.低温供热堆在正常运行状态时,放射性气载流出物在大气中迁移和扩散及对公众的辐射剂量估算采用的是IAEA安全系列19号报告中给出的筛选模式(稀释模式);事故...     

生态影响评价在旅游景区中的应用--以中山陵园风景区外缘景区为例

采用生态影响评价的工作方法,以中山陵园风景区外缘景区为例,在分析外缘景区生态现状的基础上,从土地利用与水土流失状况、森林群落状况、生物多样性、生态系统等方面对规划产生的生态影响进行了评价,得出外缘规划的实施总体上有利于景区生态可持续发展的结论,最后对评价中有待改进的方面做了几点探讨。