Optimal Policy Mechanism Design for Cross-Sector and Multi-Stage Pollution Control with a Bilevel Model: Application to SO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Emission in China

In this paper, we construct a multi-stage coordinated programming model under tax system to control SO₂ emission. The model is based on an explicitly formulated SO₂ abatement cost function created under Chinese condition. Analysis of the effectiveness and impact on the economy of the model is carried out with consideration of game theory. By solving the model, theoretical results show that the volume-based multi-stage SO₂ tax system has two properties: effectiveness and equal-rate. Based on these theoretical results, empirical study is also performed using Chinese historical data. Compared with yearly single-stage programming model, the tax rate generated by the coordinated multi-stage programming model is time-invariant and rather moderate in scale. The total abatement cost among planning years in our model is 21.03 % less than the actual number and 6.68 % less than that in the single-stage situation. The tax payment suggested by our model is 10.62 % less than by the single-stage model. In general, a coordinated multi-stage programming model helps reduce the overall costs of environmental protection while achieving the same emission control target with less burden added to the economy.     

Effects of law enforcement and community outreach on mammal diversity in a biodiversity hotspot

Management activities such as law enforcement and community outreach are thought to affect conservation outcomes in protected areas, but their importance relative to intrinsic environmental characteristics of the parks and extrinsic human pressures surrounding the parks have not been explored. Furthermore, it is not clear which is more related to conservation outcomes—the management itself or local people's perceptions of the management. We measured objective (reports by park staff) and subjective (reports by local people) levels of community outreach and law enforcement based on responses to 374 questionnaires. We estimated mammal abundance and diversity of 6 protected areas based on data from 115 camera traps in Xishuangbanna, southwest China, a biodiversity hotspot with high hunting and land-conversion pressures. We then examined correlations among them and found that local people's perception of law enforcement was positively related to the local abundance of 2 large, hunted species, wild boar (Sus scrofa) (β = 15.22) and muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis) (β = 14.82), but not related to the abundance of smaller mammals or to objective levels of enforcement. The subjective frequency of outreach by park staff to local communities (β = 3.42) and park size (β = 3.28) were significantly and positively related to mammal species richness, whereas elevation, human population density, and subjective frequency of law enforcement were not. We could not conclude that community outreach and law enforcement were directly causing increased mammal abundance and diversity. Nevertheless, the patterns we detected are some of the first empirical evidence consistent with the idea that biodiversity in protected areas may be more positively and strongly related to local perceptions of the intensity of park management than to either intrinsic (e.g., elevation, park size) or extrinsic (e.g., human population density) environmental factors.     

直流老炼状态监控和故障处理系统设计

本文针对国内多数单位在器件筛选过程中老炼试验样品种类杂,批次多,试验过程记录的数据量大的现状,利用虚拟仪器软件编程,通过IBM服务器终端作为上位机与多台老炼电源通信,从而对多批老炼试验进行网络控制和实时监测,并分析老炼过程中采集到的电学参数判断老炼试验的状态,自动采取相应的故障处理措施,实现了紧急中断试验、快速保护试验样品,提供试验异常时的电参数波动数据的功能,具有很强的实用性。     

Short-duration hydrothermal fermentation of food waste: preparation of soil conditioner for amending organic-matter-impoverished arable soils

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Soil conditioners can be used to compensate for the insufficient soil nutrition and organic matter (OM) of arable soils. However, the traditional...     

Effect of multiple washing operations on the removal of potentially toxic metals from an alkaline farmland soil and the strategy for agricultural reuse

Few studies have carried out soil washing experiments using pot experiments to simulate in situ soil washing operations, particularly for alkaline soils. This study explored the effects of multiple washing operations using pot experiments on the removal efficiencies of potentially toxic metals (PTM) from alkaline farmland soil and the reuse strategy of washed soil for safe agricultural production. The results showed that the removal efficiencies of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn after seven washings with a mixed chelator (EDTA, GLDA, and citric acid) were 41.1%, 47.1%, 14.7%, and 26.5%, respectively, which was close to the results of the EDTA treatment. For the alkaline soil studied, the second washing with the mixed chelators most effectively removed PTM owing to the activation of them after the first washing operation. The mixed chelator more effectively increased the proportion of stable fraction of PTM and maintained soil nutrients (e.g., nitrogen content) than EDTA, indicating little disturbance of alkaline soil quality after washing with the mixed chelator. After the amendment of the washed soil, there was no visible difference in the biomass weight of crops from the soils washed with different agents, indicating that the inhibitory effect of both washing agents on plant growth was effectively alleviated. The Cd and Pb contents in Z. mays were below the threshold of Hygienical Standard for Feeds of China (GB 13078–2017) (1 and 30 mg·kg^?1). Moreover, after three cropping operations, the available concentrations of PTM in the soil washed with the mixed chelator were lower than those in the soil washed with EDTA, indicating the value and potential of agricultural reuse of alkaline farmland soil washed with the mixed chelator.

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Effect of composite amendments on physicochemical properties of copper tailings repaired by herbaceous plants

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Phytoremediation is considered to be the most environmentally friendly green restoration technology for dealing with mine waste. Adding amendments can...     

Fuzzy programming method for multi-objective optimal allocation of sediment resources and the cooperative bargaining: a case study in Weishan irrigation area,China

The optimal allocation of sediment resources needs to balance three objectives including ecological, economic, and social benefits so as to realize sustainable development of sediment resources. This study aims to apply fuzzy programming and bargaining approaches to solve the problem of optimal allocation of sediment resources. Firstly, Pareto-optimal solutions of multi-objective optimization were introduced, and the multi-objective optimal allocation model of sediment resources and fuzzy programming model was constructed. Then, from the perspective of multiplayer cooperation, the optimal allocation model of sediment resources was transformed into a game model by using Nash bargaining, and Nash bargaining solution was obtained as the optimal equilibrium strategy. Finally, the influence of different disagreement utility points and bargaining weights on the results was discussed, and the results of Nash bargaining and fuzzy programming methods were compared and analyzed. Results corroborate that Nash bargaining can achieve the cooperative optimization of multiple objectives with competitive relationship and obtain satisfactory scheme. Disagreement utility points and bargaining weights have a certain impact on the optimization results. The solution of fuzzy programming is close to that of Nash bargaining, which provides different ideas for multi-objective optimization problem.

     

Evaluation of combined developmental neurological toxicity of di (n-butyl) phthalates and lead using immature mice

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, the immature mice were taken to assess the potential neurological toxicity of lead (Pb) and di (n-butyl) phthalates (DBP) combination...