The invisibility of fisheries in the process of hydropower development across the Amazon

We analyze the invisibility of fisheries and inadequacy of fishers’ participation in the process of hydropower development in the Amazon, focusing on gaps between legally mandated and actual outcomes. Using Ostrom’s institutional design principles for assessing common-pool resource management, we selected five case studies from Brazilian Amazonian watersheds to conduct an exploratory comparative case-study analysis. We identify similar problems across basins, including deficiencies in the dam licensing process; critical data gaps; inadequate stakeholder participation; violation of human rights; neglect of fishers’ knowledge; lack of organization and representation by fishers’ groups; and lack of governmental structure and capacity to manage dam construction activities or support fishers after dam construction. Fishers have generally been marginalized or excluded from decision-making regarding planning, construction, mitigation, compensation, and monitoring of the social–ecological impacts of hydroelectric dams. Addressing these deficiencies will require concerted investments and efforts by dam developers, government agencies and civil society, and the promotion of inter-sectorial dialogue and cross-scale participatory planning and decision-making that includes fishers and their associations.     

Lagrangian sampling of 3-D air quality model results for regional transport contributions to sulfate aerosol concentrations at Baltimore,MD, in summer 2004

We use ensemble-mean Lagrangian sampling of a 3-D Eulerian air quality model, CMAQ, together with ground-based ambient monitors data from several air monitoring networks and satellite (MODIS) observations to provide source apportionment and regional transport vs. local contributions to sulfate aerosol and PM_2.5 concentrations at Baltimore, MD, for summer 2004. The Lagrangian method provides estimates of the chemical and physical evolution of air arriving in the daytime boundary layer at Baltimore. Study results indicate a dominant role for regional transport contributions on those days when sulfate air pollution is highest in Baltimore, with a principal transport pathway from the Ohio River Valley (ORV) through southern Pennsylvania and Maryland, consistent with earlier studies. Thus, reductions in sulfur emissions from the ORV under the EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule may be expected to improve particulate air quality in Baltimore during summer. The Lagrangian sampling of CMAQ offers an inexpensive and complimentary approach to traditional methods of source apportionment based on multivariate observational data analysis, and air quality model emissions separation. This study serves as a prototype for the method applied to Baltimore. EPA is establishing a system to allow air quality planners to readily produce and access equivalent results for locations of their choice.     

Oxygen depletion in relation to water residence times

The relationship between residence time and oxygen saturation was investigated in a mesotidal lagoon in southern Portugal. The system receives no significant freshwater input during the summer months and has a high evaporation rate. These features enable an estimate of residence time from the salinity differences between ocean water entering the system and lagoon water. More than 10,000 GPS referenced measurements of oxygen saturation, temperature and salinity were made during large spring tides in September, 2006. The lowest oxygen saturation ( approximately 44%) was measured in the waters with the highest calculated residence times (7 days). There was a significant linear decrease in the oxygen saturation with increasing residence time of approximately 16% per day. This was similar to the rate measured on a neap tide in August, 2005. The high salinity, low oxygen saturated water was spatially confined to one inner channel, except at high water when this water was pushed into other channels. Although the tides investigated were the largest for several years, the oxygen saturation did not exceed 70% in this inner region. It is proposed that the direct discharge of oxygen consuming effluent, including domestic sewage, into this inner channel is responsible for this persistent oxygen deficit.     

从碎片化到系统化：农村精准扶贫中的社会工作资源整合

在脱贫攻坚的大背景下,社会工作专业力量积极参与农村精准扶贫,资源整合是其中的一个重要议题。当前农村贫困对象的资源呈现总体匮乏、资源无联动、资源流失的状态。在农村精准扶贫中,社会工作资源整合需要使贫困对象碎片化的资源状态能够系统化。开展社会工作资源整合,首先需要评估贫困对象的资源需求,然后盘点贫困对象现有资源,并优化资源输送机制,再次需要对整合的资源进行管理与评估。在农村精准扶贫中,也需要反思社会工作资源整合的本土化问题,以及思考后扶贫时代如何针对农村相对贫困群体开展社会工作资源整合服务。     

Effects of water viscosity upon ventilation and metabolism of a flatfish,the common sole <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solea solea</Emphasis> (L.)

The French Atlantic coast contains large highly productive intertidal mudflats that are colonised by juveniles of numerous flatfish species, including the common sole (Solea solea, L.). These ecosystems are also heavily exploited by the shellfish farming industry. Intensive bivalve culture is associated with substantial biodeposition (1–6 t-dw ha⁻¹ day⁻¹), which directly or indirectly contributes to increase exopolysaccharide (EPS) concentrations at the interface between water column and seabed. EPS are long-chain molecules organised into colloids, which influence rheological properties of water, particularly viscosity. Increased water viscosity had consequences for ventilatory activity of juvenile flatfish, whereby the minimal pressure required to ventilate the medium increases directly with EPS concentration. Moreover, the critical EPS concentration ([EPS]_crit) at which water was no longer able to flow through the branchial basket ranged from almost nil to over 30 mg l⁻¹, depending on species and size. [EPS]_crit was lower in small individuals and individuals from species with high metabolic rates (turbot and plaice). These differences may depend upon gill and bucco-branchial cavity morphometrics. The ventilatory workload of sole increased with viscosity to a maximum at 2 mg EPS l⁻¹. Viscosity might, therefore, be a limiting factor for flatfish post larvae, which colonise the intertidal mudflats, depending upon their size and species. EPS concentrations in the field can reach 15 mg l⁻¹. A selective effect is conceivable but remains to be estimated in the field.