Volunteer Macroinvertebrate Monitoring: Tensions Among Group Goals,Data Quality,and Outcomes

Volunteer monitoring of natural resources is promoted for its ability to increase public awareness, to provide valuable knowledge, and to encourage policy change that promotes ecosystem health. We used the case of volunteer macroinvertebrate monitoring (VMM) in streams to investigate whether the quality of data collected is correlated with data use and organizers' perception of whether they have achieved these outcomes. We examined the relation between site and group characteristics, data quality, data use, and perceived outcomes (education, social capital, and policy change). We found that group size and the degree to which citizen groups perform tasks on their own (rather than aided by professionals) positively correlated with the quality of data collected. Group size and number of years monitoring positively influenced whether a group used their data. While one might expect that groups committed to collecting good-quality data would be more likely to use it, there was no relation between data quality and data use, and no relation between data quality and perceived outcomes. More data use was, however, correlated with a group's feeling of connection to a network of engaged citizens and professionals. While VMM may hold promise for bringing citizens and scientists together to work on joint conservation agendas, our data illustrate that data quality does not correlate with a volunteer group's desire to use their data to promote regulatory change. Therefore, we encourage scientists and citizens alike to recognize this potential disconnect and strive to be explicit about the role of data in conservation efforts.     

吴淞工业区大气降尘变化规律及趋势

吴淞工业区是重工业聚集区,烟(粉)尘的排放量非常大,造成该地区空气污染严重.为了解降尘的污染特征、变化规律及趋势,以近10 a监测数据为依据,运用方差分析等数理统计方法对工业区降尘量进行分析,检验不同季节降尘的差异并简要分析原因,使用秩相关系数法对其进行趋势分析.结果表明,工业区降尘量较混合区与清洁区明显不同; 工业区与混合区的降尘受本地源的影响较大,4季的降尘量没有明显差异,相反清洁区的4季降尘呈显著差异.10 a来工业区及其周边地区的降尘量下降了56%,说明环境综合整治取得了显著效果,使区域环境空气质量得到改善.     

飞行安全的针对性评估

根据飞行员执行新的或特殊任务的需要,在研制飞行安全评估系统时,设置了针对性评估模块.运用层析分析法(AHP)确定了针对性评估模块与一般性评估模块的权重关系.根据飞行安全理论确定了一般性评估简捷方法的因素、要素及量化数据;根据层析分析法、基元事件分析法确定了针对性评估模块的结构和因素的权重,采用基元事件分析法、飞行法规分析和调查研究相结合的方法,对针对性评估的要素进行了量化.最后针对具体事例做了评估计算.研究表明,当针对性评估的安全度小于90%时,应引起足够的警觉,采取必要的措施.     

Using data linkage to assess the impact of motorized recreational vehicle-related injuries in Ohio

Problem

Motorized recreational vehicle (MRV)-related injuries can result in severe medical and financial consequences. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology, and clinical and financial impact of MRV-related injuries in Ohio.

Method

Probabilistically linked statewide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and hospital (inpatient and emergency department) data for 2003 and 2004 were examined. Record pairs with a MRV-related E-code (E821-E823, E825) were included in this study.

Results

There were 2,893 patients with MRV-related injuries, who had linked EMS and hospital records, resulting in more than $15 million in hospital charges and 1,921 inpatient days of hospitalization. The male-to-female ratio was nearly 4:1, and 19% were younger than 16. Almost 82% of cases were not wearing a helmet; there was a trend of decreasing helmet use with increasing age. Mean (SE) inpatient hospital charges and length of stay (LOS) were $22,218 ($1,290) and 3.8 (0.2) days, respectively. The mean (SE) Injury Severity Score (ISS) for inpatients was 9.2 (0.4). Individuals injured on a street/highway were 3.20 times more likely to sustain an ISS ≥ 16 (95% CI: 1.03, 9.88; p = 0.044) and 3.05 times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) (95% CI: 1.17, 7.94; p = 0.024) than those who were injured at a place designated for sport or recreation. Children aged 12 to 15 and young adults aged 16 to 25 were 2.47 and 2.14 times more likely, respectively, to sustain a TBI than adults aged 36 or older (aged 12 to 15: 95% CI: 1.13, 5.38; p = 0.024; aged 16 to 25: 95% CI: 1.26, 3.64; p = 0.005). Higher ISS was associated with both higher total charges (p < 0.001) and longer LOS (p < 0.001).

Discussion

This study demonstrates that MRV-related injuries are an important public health problem in Ohio, with a substantial clinical and financial impact.

Impact on Industry

Enactment and enforcement of statewide MRV safety legislation and training of MRV users offer valuable opportunities to prevent these costly injuries.     

结构分析中模拟与仿真技术研究

由于像洪水、水灾、地震这样一类自然灾害的原型重复试验几乎是不可能的,因此计算机仿真技术在这一领域的应用具有重要的意义。本文探索了土木工程中模拟与仿真的概念、特征及实现途径,阐述了关于仿真智能化、可视化的技术细节及仿真的基本思路;结合面向对象程序设计（OOP）概念,提出了结构分析程序设计的原则及标准。在此基础上,编写了基于Windows的结构有限元分析软件SmartSEA.     

论园林树木栽培学(各论)的精讲教学法

园林树木栽培学是一门实践性很强的有关园林绿化领域的专业课、必修课.1995年以来,本人在园林树木栽培学各论教学中尝试重点讲解、课堂点评的教学方法,取得了较好的教学效果.     

区域空气自动监测数据审核方法与制度的探索

区域空气自动监测网络地理分布范围大、系统仪器设备众多、监测数据以海量计,如何对数据进行审核是一个值得关注的问题.以粤港珠江三角洲区域空气监测网络的实践为例,探讨了区域空气自动监测的数据审核方法与制度.     

污染源自动监测数据异常诊断系统研究

简述了污染源自动监测数据异常诊断系统的概念以及异常数据的来源,以及系统的工作原理和基本功能结构。提出了系统模拟专家分析过程的信息处理工作方式,以期实现污染源自动监测数据质量自动诊断与故障识别。     

人工神经网络在化学和环境科学中应用的若干问题

讨论了人工神经网络中最常用的多层前馈网络 ( BP网络 )及误差反向传播算法应用于化学和环境科学时要考虑的几个问题 :网络的输入与数据的归一化 ;隐含层数、隐含层节数和学习速率 ;训练集与监控集 ;网络误差 ;初始权重     

Spatial modelling of the probability of obtaining a detectable concentration of ammonia in Moreton Bay, Australia

Ammonia is an important water quality variable, which in excess, can be detrimental to waterways and their ecosystems. In the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program in South-east Queensland ammonia is monitored monthly, however, often more than 50% of the ammonia observations in Moreton Bay are below detection limit, making it difficult to draw useful inferences. In this paper a clipped Gaussian random field is used to spatially model and map the probability of detectable concentration of ammonia. The methodology is applied to the Moreton Bay samples collected in February 2005. The results suggest that for this month the oceanic impacted areas have higher probability of detectable ammonia concentration than the areas closer to the main sources of anthropogenic inputs.