Seasonal trend of fog water chemical composition in the Po Valley

Fog frequency in the Po Valley, Northern Italy, can be as high as 30% of the time in the fall-winter season. High pollutant concentrations have been measured in fog water samples collected in this area over the past few years. The combined effects of high fog occurrence and high pollutant loading of the fog droplets can determine, in this area, appreciable chemical deposition rates. An automated station for fog water collection was developed, and deployed at the field station of S. Pietro Capofiume, in the eastern part of the Po Valley for an extended period: from the beginning of November 1989 to the end of April 1990. Time-resolved sampling of fog droplets was carried out during all fog events occurring in this period, and chemical analyses were performed on the collected samples. Statistical information on fog occurrence and fog water chemical composition is reported in this paper, and a tentative seasonal deposition budget is calculated for H+, NH4+, NO3- and SO4(2-) ions. The problems connected with fog droplet sampling in sub-freezing conditions are also addressed in the paper.     

Food aid and food crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Statistical trends and implications*

This paper documents the rapid expansion and changes in food aid flows to Sub-Saharan Africa up to mid-1985. Trends for Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole and for the more seriously affected countries are examined, as are the comparative experiences of food aid of individual countries in the region. Table 11 lists the Sub-Saharan African countries and indicates the most seriously affected food-short countries, as defined by the WFP/FAO task force. It should be borne in mind that some practical problems exist in compiling data on food aid. These include lack of availability of reliable data, especially of most recent data; lack of common terminology and definitions; and different accounting systems. These data problems are sometimes a source of confusion. However, the basic facts are clear: food aid gradually emerged during the early 1980s as a resource too often of considerable significance to many countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. These trends were only accelerated with the crisis of 1984-1985. These facts provide a point of reference for further analysis of the sources of the crisis, its actual dimensions and consequences.     

Rate-temperature responses in scyphozoan medusae and polyps

The effects of temperature on oxygen consumption and spontaneous rhythmic activity have been investigated in various stages of the life histories of 3 species of jellyfish from the Chesapeake Bay, USA. All 3 species clearly show the ability to acclimate positively to temperature change. Thermal sensitivity of metabolism in the winter medusa Cyanea capillata fulva is fairly low at temperature intervals which are experienced in nature. Polyps of the two summer medusae, Chrysaora quinquecirrha and Aurelia aurita, show reduced metabolic sensitivity at temperatures normally accompanying high developmental activity and the onset of strobilation.     

环境绩效评估中多种赋权方法的对比分析

文章以成都市2011～2016年统计数据为基础,构建成都市环境绩效评估指标体系,采用4种客观赋权法(均权法、熵值法、标准离差法和CRITIC法)和一种主观赋权法(专家评分法)进行权重分配实验,得到了不同方法下指标体系的权重分配结果、环境绩效指数(EPI)和排名结果。结果表明,4种客观赋权方法在权重分配结果和EPI指数方面与专家评分法具有较大差异。但不同方法间的排名差异则较小;对排名结果进行进一步分级评价后,一致性随着差异减小而提高。笔者认为,客观赋权法不适合单独使用,其结果也不适合以绝对值的形式出现;以排名等较宏观的形式来应用客观赋权法的成果可以有效提高结果的可用性并减小争议。多种赋权法相结合方式是未来环境绩效评估工作中权重分配工作更好的选择。