The development of an ecological classification data management and analysis system for British Columbia

Since 1975, the British Columbia Ministry of Forests has been systematically developing an ecosystem classification of the province, an area covering 94 million hectares. This Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) system provides a framework for resource conservation and management. To date, approximately 250 person-years have been invested in the collection, analysis and synthesis of over 8000 ecological (vegetation and environmental data) plots, and in the production of ecological field guides.The development of a database and analysis system on the micro-computer platform to support a classification system of this magnitude was a complex procedure that required judicious planning and coordination. We have developed data-processing software that permits a user to select raw data from broad provincial or regional coverage to plot- and species-level summaries, and to export the data to a variety of output formats.This paper addresses key issues for handling ecological field data on the desktop computer with emphasis on standards, operator ease-of-use, and data access.     

Linked Hydrologic and Climate Variations in British Columbia and Yukon

Climatic and hydrologic variations between the decades 1976–1985 and 1986–1995 are examined at 34 climate stations and 275 hydrology stations. The variations in climate are distributedacross a broad spatial area. Temperatures were generally warmerin the most recent decade, with many stations showing significantincreases during the spring and fall. No significant decreases intemperature were found. Significant increases in temperature weremore frequent in the south than in the northern portions of theregion. Significant changes in precipitation were also more prevalent in the south. In coastal areas, there were significantdecreases in precipitation during the dry season, and significantincreases during the wet season. In the BC interior, significantprecipitation decreases occurred during the fall, with significant increases during the winter and spring. In the norththere were few changes in precipitation. The hydrologic responsesto these variations in climate follow six distinctive patterns.The spatial distribution of these patterns suggests that indifferent ecozones, small variations in climate, particularlytemperature, elicit different hydrologic responses.     

Diameter distribution of some subalpine fir stands in central British Columbia

Diameter distributions of subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) in central British Columbia were investigated. Nine fire-originated, old-growth stands were selected with maximum tree age at breast height of about 300 years. The stage of stand development was determined by testing how well a negative exponential function matched the cumulative diameter distribution. As a comparison, the negative exponential function was also fitted on the frequency distributions. Eight out of the nine distributions showed fewer medium-sized trees and more large-sized trees than predicted by the negative exponential function. One stand showed relatively good fit, but failed the lack-of-fit test. Although the diameter distributions are close to a balanced stage, stand establishment patterns are still evident 300 years after disturbance.     

Evolutionary consequences for ecological risk assessment and management

The human health risk assessment (HRA) paradigm is being used as a basis for developing ecological risk assessment (ERA). The modification of the HRA paradigm to ERA will be most useful in an ecotoxicological sense, to assess the effect of hazards to single indicator species and populations, rather than to ecosystems. However, even for single species and population assessments, there are major differences in HRA and ERA. One such difference derives from the HRA tenet that human impairment at any age is important, and that each individual is important. For ERA, individuals are less important, and it is the population and its survival and interactions that are of concern. One exception is in the case of endangered species where every individual is critical because of its potential impact on survival and genetic diversity of the species. We suggest that ERA must take into account the relative reproductive value of the potentially impacted individuals in assessing hazards. This will involve adding additional steps to evaluate the value of the individual to current population levels, assessing reproductive value, and assessing recovery potential. Although ecologists recognize the importance of these factors, we suggest that they should be integral parts of ecological risk assessment.     

Holistic cognitive conflict chain management framework in supply chain management

Supply chain management is an integral part of most businesses and crucial to company performance and customer satisfaction. The demanding characteristics in supply chain management include lack of customer service quality, increased cost, risk management, and lack of inefficiency, which are considered indispensable factors in this research. This paper proposes a holistic cognitive conflict chain management framework (HCCCMF) to enhance quality customer service and supply chain management efficiency. This proposed HCCCMF method reduces interruption during the process and the cost of raw materials, labour, and energy in supply chain management. Behavioural monitoring analysis is carried out to improve quality service to consumers, creating an excellent customer-supplier relationship to function effectively in supply chain management. Policy matrix analysis is introduced to overcome disruptions during operation, which effectively manages affordable rates. The experimental results show that the proposed HCCCMF method enhances the productivity ratio of 94.3%, performance ratio of 98.4%, efficiency ratio of 96.5%, reliability ratio of 95.5%, accuracy ratio of 97.8%, and low trade cost ratio of 15.3% when compared to other existing methods.     

区域生态质量评价指标选择基础框架及其实现

论述了区域生态质量评价的理论基础、基本单元、指标选择原则及方法、基本评价指标及其实现 ,旨在为区域生态质量评价指标框架的建立打下基础     

Ambient concentrations of airborne endotoxin in two cities in the interior of British Columbia, Canada

This study measured and analyzed the outdoor airborne endotoxin concentration, on particulate matter (PM2·? and PM1?), for two cities in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Samples were collected throughout one seasonal cycle, from October 2005 to September 2006. It was found that concentrations were generally highest in the summer and fall, and lowest in the winter and spring. Temperature and relative humidity were found to be most influential, with highest endotoxin concentrations recorded during warm periods and moderate relative humidity (35 to 75 percent). No clear association of concentration with wind direction was observed. Results were comparable between the two cities considered in this study, and concentrations were similar to or slightly higher than those reported by other studies considering urban locations. Endotoxin concentration was also found to be positively associated with agricultural dust sources identified by a source apportionment study conducted at one of the sampling locations.     

Ecological mapping: A framework for delimiting forest management units

Ecological mapping attempts to objectively and spatially delimit and represent the natural organization and structure of the landscape. It offers nested levels of resolution, based upon a regionalization process, and provides an ecological basis for planning activities that may impact upon the environment.The essential principles of ecological mapping, as applied by the Quebec Ministry of Environment and Wildlife, are summarized. A methodological mapping approach is proposed for the determination of significant land portions for forest management using an ecological map at a scale of 1:50 000. At this scale, two nested levels of perception are expressed: 1) the topographic complex, and 2) the topographic entity. The topographic entity can be further subdivided into working units based upon operational criteria oriented to forest management. Within each nested level from topographic complex to working unit, there is a corresponding increase in the amount of detailed information available. Ecological mapping undertaken at 1:50 000 scale can provide a reliable and robust tool for planning forest management activities. In most cases, major ecological variations can be expressed and mapped at this scale; however, a greater degree of generalization must be accepted in the planning process when working at this scale rather than at larger scales.     

An integrated modelling framework to assess long-term impacts of water management strategies steering soil subsidence in peatlands

Around the world many peatlands are managed unsustainably. Drainage of the peat causes soil subsidence and a range of negative societal impacts. Integrated strategies are required to ensure more sustainable long-term settings, based on impact assessment models that simulate the interrelated dynamics of water management and soil subsidence, and determine the spatial and temporal range of societal impacts. This paper presents an integrated modelling framework that meets these requirements. We used the framework to assess the impacts of a range of water management strategies in Dutch peatlands. Average soil subsidence rates were shown to range from 0.6 to 4.5 mm·y^− 1, resulting in marked differences in societal impacts that affect stakeholders unequally. Moreover, the impacts on real estate damage and water system maintenance revealed inverse trends that result in increasingly unbalanced cost-benefit ratios. The generated insights led the regional water authority to change their current water management strategy, preventing unsustainable future developments. We find the results relevant for improving stakeholders' awareness of long-term impacts of management strategies, and making negotiation processes on goals, means, and possible future pathways more transparent.     

An EPA program for monitoring ecological status and trends

Despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent annually in the United States on environmental monitoring, policy and decision makers seldom have ready access to monitoring data to aid in prioritizing reasearch and assessment efforts or to assess the extent to which current policies are meeting the desired objectives. EPA is currently conducting research to evaluate options for establishing an integrated, cooperative monitoring program, with participation by federal, state, and private entities, that could result in annual statistical reports and interpretive summaries on the status and trends in indicators of adverse disturbance and corresponding health of the nation's ecosystem on the regional and national scale.The research described in this article has not been subjected to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency review and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency, and no official endorsement should be inferred.     

Forest ecological classification and mapping: Their application for ecosystem management in Newfoundland

A prerequisite to sustaining ecosystems is the inventory and classification of landscape structure and composition. Ecological classification and mapping involves the delineation of landscapes into easily recognizable units. Topography, soils, vegetation, physical landscape form, and successional pathways are delineation criteria commonly used.Damman (1967) developed a forest type classification system for Newfoundland using vegetation, soil and landforms as the defining criteria. Damman's forest types were used in combination with mensurational data to assign forest types to timber volume productivity classes. Since each of the Damman forest types is associated with characteristic soils, parent materials, moisture regime and topographic position, the mapping units are similar to Canada Land Inventory (CLI) mapping units. Field work to confirm the correlation between Damman forest types and CLI capability classes was initiated in 1993. CLI maps were recoded in 1994 and Damman forest types were determined; resulting ecosystem-based maps provide a common framework to assess forestry/wildlife interactions in an ecosystem planning process.     

An Integrated Ecosystem Assessment of the Interior Columbia Basin

Driven by the need to replace interim direction, address recent species listings as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and break the gridlock of implementing actions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (FS) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), initiated an effort to develop a scientifically-sound, ecosystem-based strategy for lands they administer in the Interior Columbia Basin. The effort included an integrated assessment of 58.3 million ha in seven states describing the Basin's current conditions and risks associated with different management strategies. The assessment provides the foundation for environmental impact statements outlining management direction for 31 million hectares of FS and BLM administered lands. The process produced a framework for ecosystem management, ecosystem component (social, economic, landscape, terrestrial, and aquatic) assessments, and estimates of ecological integrity and socioeconomic resiliency.     

Urban water resource management for sustainable environment planning using artificial intelligence techniques

In the current era, water is a significant resource for socio-economic growth and the protection of healthy environments. Properly controlled water resources are considered a vital part of development, which reduces poverty and equity. Conventional Water system Management maximizes the existing water flows available to satisfy all competing demands, including on-site water and groundwater. Therefore, Climatic change would intensify the specific challenges in water resource management by contributing to uncertainty. Sustainable water resources management is an essential process for ensuring the earth's life and the future. Nonlinear effects, stochastic dynamics, and hydraulic constraints are challenging in ecological planning for sustainable water development. In this paper, Adaptive Intelligent Dynamic Water Resource Planning (AIDWRP) has been proposed to sustain the urban areas' water environment. Here, an adaptive intelligent approach is a subset of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) technique in which environmental planning for sustainable water development has been modeled effectively. Artificial intelligence modeling improves water efficiency by transforming information into a leaner process, improving decision-making based on data-driven by combining numeric AI tools and human intellectual skills. In AIDWRP, Markov Decision Process (MDP) discusses the dynamic water resource management issue with annual use and released locational constraints that develop sensitivity-driven methods to optimize several efficient environmental planning and management policies. Consequently, there is a specific relief from the engagement of supply and demand for water resources, and substantial improvements in local economic efficiency have been simulated with numerical outcomes.     

The role of monitoring in economic management,ecological standardization

It is quite clear that economy management requires diverse information. Monitoring systems provide valuable information on the state of the biosphere, including observational data, analysis, and prediction of this state. These data are used (with due account of scientific technological, and material rescources) for implementing decisions aimed at economy development and nature protection, both at the levels of man-made impact restriction or suspension and biogeocoenosis recovery and restoration.Monitoring implementation has been proven economically effective. The role of the Global Monitoring System is most specific in revealing new ecological problems in the analysis of the measures to be accepted requiring international cooperation.Recently, a need has arisen to expand ecological monitoring, transforming it to an ecological service which would involve the system of observations, analysis, and prediction not only of the state of the biosphere, but also of the state and utilization of renewable natural resources as well.Ecological standardization (restriction of man-made impacts with regard for ecological reserves) should play an ever growing role in economy management to optimize human society/nature interactions and utilization of renewable natural resources. Ecological standardization is aimed at nature and human health protection and, thus, supplements sanitary-hygienic standardization.     

Sources of lead and zinc associated with metal smelting activities in the Trail area,British Columbia,Canada

The spatial distribution and deposition of lead and zinc emitted from the Trail smelter, British Columbia, Canada, was studied by strategically locating moss bags in the area surrounding the smelter and monitoring the deposition of elements every three months. A combined diffusion/distribution model was applied to estimate the relative contribution of stack-emitted material and material emitted from the secondary sources (e.g., wind-blown dust from ore/slag storage piles, uncovered transportation/trucking of ore, and historical dust). The results indicate that secondary sources are the major contributor of lead and zinc deposited within a short distance from the smelter. Gradually, the stack emissions become the main source of Pb and Zn at greater distances from the smelter. Typical material originating from each source was characterized by SEM/EDX, which indicated a marked difference in their morphology and chemical composition.     

Environmental management zoning for coal mining in mainland China based on ecological and resources conditions

The purpose of this research is to establish an environmental management zoning for coal mining industry which is served as a basis for making environmental management policies. Based on the specific impacts of coal mining and regional characteristics of environment and resources, the ecological impact, water resources impact, and arable land impact are chose as the zoning indexes to construct the index system. The ecological sensitivity is graded into three levels of low, medium, and high according to analytical hierarchy processes and gray fixed weight clustering analysis, and the water resources sensitivity is divided into five levels of lower, low, medium, high, and higher according to the weighted sum of sub-indexes, while only the arable land sensitive zone was extracted on the basis of the ratio of arable land to the county or city. By combining the ecological sensitivity zoning and the water resources sensitive zoning and then overlapping the arable-sensitive areas, the mainland China is classified into six types of environmental management zones for coal mining except to the forbidden exploitation areas.     

Application of the UAM-V and Use of Indicator Species to Assess Control Strategies for Ozone Reduction in the Lower Fraser Valley of British Columbia

Modelled and measured indicator species ratios of O₃/NOz, O₃/NOy, H₂O₂/HNO₃, HCNO/NOy for the Lower Fraser Valley were compared with VOC-NO_x-O₃ sensitivity threshold values reported in previous studies. Modelled region - specific indicator ratio thresholds derived from 50% NOx and 50% VOC reduction scenarios are provided. They show strongest agreement with the H₂O₂/HNO₃ ratio values found elsewhere. A clear transition region for the LFV from VOC to NOx sensitivity could not be identified, but there is evidence that O₃ concentrations in the western valley, dominated by metropolitan Vancouver, are VOC sensitive, and the more rural eastern valley O₃ concentrations exhibit greater NO_x sensitivity. The UAM-V Process Analysis utility was used to identify physical and chemical mechanisms which contributed to O₃ formation and destruction and indicate the key importance of entrainment from elevated layers generated by the highly complex meteorological conditions in determining near surface O₃ concentrations.