The choice of efficient pollution policies: Technology and economics in the control of sulphur dioxide

This article reexamines the choice between charges and regulations to control pollution, by concentrating on the example of sulphur dioxide. A summary of the technology of this pollutant is followed by a discussion of the informational requirements of alternative policies. Particular attention is paid to the distinction between continuous monitoring and spot checks, to the number of polluters, and to the relationship between inputs to the polluting process and emissions. The final section considers how the issues dealt with would apply to water pollution and concludes that charges are not a priori always preferable to regulations.     

Incentive compatibility tests of choice experiment value elicitation questions

This paper uses laboratory experiments with induced values to address fundamental issues related to the incentive compatibility of choice experiment value elicitation questions. In particular, we compare two- versus three-option choice sets and the effect of using alternative provision rules, including one where the outcome is influenced by both participant and “regulator” votes. We find the overall proportion of choices that are inconsistent with induced preferences is rather low. However, there are more deviations from induced preferences for two-option choice sets, and for alternatives to a simple plurality vote implementation rule. A multinomial probit analysis of choices in tandem with a mixed logit welfare analysis suggests there is a statistically significant but modest degree of bias towards selecting the status quo option.     

The economics of enforcing pollution taxation

The efficient structure of pollution tax policy is examined when it is recognized that enforcing compliance will be costly. There are two components of this cost: (1) the direct cost of enforcement and (2) the cost polluters incur avoiding enforcement. Considering only the first cost, the efficient pollution policy calls for a tax in excess of that conventionally recommended as efficient, T¹ but with little enforcement. Once avoidance cost is recognized the efficient policy can be substantially altered; requiring a tax lower than T¹, but with greater enforcement. Even when direct enforcement cost is zero, it is shown that there is no unique advantage to T¹ in the absence of avoidance cost.     

The economics of cooperation over collective bads

Pollution reciprocated among nations is analyzed graphically as a traded collective bad. The model is contrasted to analogous methods of studying trade in public goods. The model then is interpreted in terms of pollution taxes. Equilibrium and optimal outcomes are characterized by the tax policies needed to support them. Finally, obstacles to tax-trade solutions are noted and institutional solutions are suggested.     

The economics of enforcing air pollution controls

The goal of this paper is to determine the likely effect on a firm's control actions of alternative implementation and enforcement policies available to the control agency. Three alternatives are studied, legal enforcement through the new source performance standards set forth by EPA, and two effluent fee enforcement alternatives. First, a generalized model of the effects of implementation and enforcement policies on the firm's control action is developed. This model assumes that the firm is an expected cost minimizer. The model is then applied to the case of particulate matter discharges from coal-fired power plants in order to estimate empirically the effect of policy alternatives on the firm's control efforts. Finally, the results of the model and its empirical application are used to develop policy functions which relate control to the values of various policy parameters. These results lead us to several policy recommendations.     

The private and social economics of bulk electricity storage

The ability to store excess intermittent renewable electricity is increasingly being seen as a key option for integrating large quantities of renewable capacity. However, intermittent energy sources currently account for very small amounts of total generation. Despite this fact, policymakers have begun implementing requirements that will dramatically increase the amount of bulk storage capacity. This paper examines the social benefits provided by bulk storage in the Texas electricity market, which has a large amount of renewable capacity relative to other states, but still quite limited renewable penetration. We focus on the impact of arbitraging electricity across time—a major service of bulk storage. Using current storage technologies, we demonstrate that electricity arbitrage will increase daily CO₂ emissions by an average of 0.19 tons for each MWh stored. In addition, daily SO₂ emissions will increase by an average of 1.89 pounds/MWh while NO_X emissions will fall by an average of 0.15 pounds/MWh.     

The economics of forestry when the rate of harvest is constrained

Harvesting sequences which maximize the present value of an on-going forest are derived. Control theory is used to allow for various impingements on the rate of harvest. New harvesting rules are derived which generalize classical results. These emerge as special cases in an extended context.     

The tactics of mutual mate choice and competitive search

A model of mutual mate choice is described, formulated as a dynamic game, which yields predictions about mating behaviour under the influence of time constraints, choice costs and competition for mates. These variables were examined because they may result in a change in the distribution of qualities among unmated individuals of both sexes over the course of the breeding season. The model predicts that mutual choice gives rise to assortative mating, although high costs of choice and/or inaccurate assessment both lead to lower overall correlations between the qualities (or the attractiveness) of mates. When all individuals are present from the start of the breeding season, the correlation between the qualities of individuals pairing at a given time declines throughout the season, so that mates are more closely matched among individuals who pair early than among those who pair late (and extra-pair copulation may thus be more common among the latter). Delayed arrival of lower-quality individuals may, however, lead to an increase in this correlation with time during the early part of the season. The mean quality of unmated males and females declines over time, because more attractive individuals tend to mate sooner. As a result of this decline, and because of time constraints, superior individuals become less choosy as the season progresses. If choice is costly, however, then inferior individuals become more selective with time during the early part of the season, and the level of choosiness peaks later for such individuals. Received: 28 March 1996 / Accepted after revision: 21 September 1996     

The economics of fishing and modern capital theory: A simplified approach

While the link between fisheries economics and capital theory has long been recognized, fisheries economics has, until the last few years, developed largely along nondynamic lines. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that, with the aid of optimal control theory, fisheries economics can without difficulty be cast in a capital-theoretic framework yielding results that are both general and readily comprehensible.We commence by developing a dynamic linear autonomous model. The static version of the fisheries economics model is seen to be the equivalent of a special case of the dynamic autonomous model. The model is then extended, first by making it nonautonomous and second, nonlinear. Problems arising therefrom, such as multiple equilibria, are considered.     

The value of patches of intertidal seagrass to prawns depends on their proximity to mangroves

Penaeid prawns were sampled with a small seine net to test whether catches of postlarvae and juveniles in seagrass were affected by the distance of the seagrass (mainly Zostera capricorni) from mangroves and the density of the seagrass in a subtropical marine embayment. Sampling was replicated on the western and eastern sides of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Information on catches was combined with broad-scale spatial information on the distribution of habitats to estimate the contribution of four different categories of habitat (proximal dense seagrass, distal dense seagrass, proximal sparse seagrass, distal sparse seagrass) to the overall population of small prawns in these regions of Moreton Bay. The abundance of Penaeus plebejus and Metapenaeus bennettae was significantly and consistently greater in dense seagrass proximal to mangroves than in other types of habitat. Additionally, sparse seagrass close to mangroves supported more of these species than dense seagrass farther away, indicating that the role of spatial arrangement of habitats was more important than the effects of structural complexity alone. In contrast, the abundance of P. esculentus tended to be greatest in sparse seagrass distal from mangroves compared with the other habitats. The scaling up of the results from different seagrass types suggests that proximal seagrass beds on both sides of Moreton Bay provide by far the greatest contribution of juvenile M. bennettae and P. plebejus to the overall populations in the Bay.Communicated by M.S. Johnson, Crawley     

Stereological methods applied to reproductive cycle of Tapes rhomboides

A population of Tapes rhomboides (Pennant) in the Bay of St. Malo, France, was studied for one and a half years (July 1984–October 1985) to determine spawning frequency and fecundity under natural conditions, using the techniques of qualitative histological staging, condition index calculation and quantitative stereology. Spawning took place twice a year, in late May and in July/September. There was an extended winter resting period. Gonad development and oocyte production were positively correlated with female body size. The annual fecundity in a 40 mm clam was about 5x10⁵. Stereological techniques provided accurate information on oocyte dynamics within a gonad and the relationship with atretic processes. Each oocyte generation from the onset of the cycle to the winter resting stage was spawned eventually if conditions were suitable, or the oocytes were resorbed. Atresia of oocytes was seen throughout the reproductive period, but especially after the spring spawning and at the end of the summer.     

The economics of mutualisms: optimal utilization of mycorrhizal mutualistic partners by plants

Can choice of mutualistic partners and the degree of their utilization determine (1) mutualistic partner coexistence, (2) relative abundance of mutualistic partners, and (3) environment-dependent changes in relative abundance? We investigate these questions in the context of the plant-mycorrhizal fungal mutualism by building a biological market model potentially applicable to other mutualisms as well. We examine the situation where a single plant selectively utilizes member(s) of a group of ectomycorrhizal potential trading partners. Under biologically realistic circumstances, the plant may simultaneously utilize multiple partners, its degree of utilization determining the community structure of the fungi. If utilization of multiple partners is optimal, the marginal cost of acquiring additional nitrogen from every trading partner must be equal while the marginal cost of acquiring it from any unutilized partner must be larger. Because the plant's nitrogen demand is light dependent, the composition of the fungal species among its trading partners changes along light-availability gradients. We discuss the design of an experiment to test the key prediction of our model, the equalization of marginal cost.     

Multicriteria analysis applied to the sustainable agriculture problem

SUMMARY

The aim of this paper is to present an operational approach to compare the relative sustainability of existing farming systems. Sustainability rests on the assumption that an equilibrium must exist among three domains: social, economic and ecological. If we are to look for a solution to the problem, we must face a multi-dimensional approach. We propose that multicriteria analysis, a multi-dimensional method, is an appropriate methodology to study the issue. As sustainability cannot be measured directly, the way out is to use indicators. We have performed a thorough analysis of four farming systems existing in Guaíra, SP, Brazil to validate the methodology. Thirty indicators of sustainability (ten ecological, ten social, and ten economic) were defined and used to perform the analysis. The results of the multicriteria analysis proved useful because of its capability of reducing the dimensionality of the problem. From the three dimensions of sustainability, a final score was derived that can easily compare the relative sustainability of each farming system.     

Green fuel production: processes applied to microalgae

The continuous increase in world energy demand will lead to an energy crisis due to the limited availability of fossil fuels. Furthermore, the use of this energetic resource is responsible for the accumulation of greenhouse gases in atmosphere that is associated with several negative effects on environment. Therefore, it is worth to search for different energy supplies that are renewable and environmentally friendly—carbon neutral fuel. Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can achieve high oil contents. This oil is suitable for producing biodiesel; thus, microalgae are considered a promising sustainable energetic resource that can reduce the dependence on fossil fuel. Biodiesel production from microalgae includes several steps, such as cell cultivation and harvesting, oil extraction and biodiesel synthesis. Although several attempts have been made to improve biodiesel yields from microalgae, further studies are required to improve biodiesel production rates and to reduce the associated costs. This review shows the recent developments on biodiesel production from microalgae, emphasizing two process concepts: (1) indirect route, in which, after a facultative cell wall disruption method, microalgal oil is recovered in an appropriate solvent and then converted into biodiesel through transesterification and (2) direct route, in which biodiesel is produced directly from the harvested biomass. High biodiesel yields are obtained when both routes are preceded by a cell wall disruption method. In the indirect route, it is possible to apply three different types of solvents to recover microalgal oil. Although there are several concerns about the application of organic solvents, the most promising and cost-effective alternative for lipid recovery is n-hexane. Comparing direct and indirect routes, this study demonstrates that although further studies are required to optimize biodiesel production from microalgae, the available information proposes that the direct route is the most efficient.     

The value of information on the response function of crops to soil salinity

The expected profitability to farmers from acquiring additional information on the biological response function of crop yield to soil salinity is investigated. First, a switching regression approach to estimate piecewise linear response function with critical threshold level is presented. Then, an optimization irrigation model is developed, aimed at determining the optimal use of irrigation water for soil leaching. Finally, a loss function is defined, the expected value of sample information is calculated and the optimal number of additional needed observations is determined. At each stage, an empirical analysis, using data from potato field experiments in Israel, is presented.     

生物炭的土壤环境效应及其机制研究

近年来,随着土壤污染的逐渐加重以及食品安全问题的频出,生物炭作为重要的土壤改良剂以及对污染土壤修复表现出的巨大潜力引起人们的广泛关注.本文首先对国内外生物炭的土壤环境效应方面的研究以及成果进行分析总结.生物炭具有疏松多孔的性质以及巨大的表面积和阳离子交换量(CEC),可以改善土壤理化性质,能强烈吸附土壤中的污染物,降低其生物有效性和迁移转化能力;生物炭的碱性对于改良酸性土壤降低土壤中污染物的生物毒性具有很大的潜力;生物炭还可以为微生物提供生长繁殖的场所,有利于微生物对污染物的降解,但同时又可以保护被吸附的有机物免受微生物的降解,对不同的微生物影响不同;生物炭可以对蚯蚓等土壤动物的生存产生影响.在此基础上,依据生物炭的基本理化性质,对其土壤环境效应机制进行了分析.最后,从当前工作中存在的不足对今后的研究重点和方向进行了展望.