Results from Three Field Tracer Experiments on the Neighbourhood Scale in the City of Birmingham UK

The physical processes governing flow and pollutantdispersion at the neighbourhood scale, a spatial scaleintermediate between the street scale and the city scale, is notwell understood. Furthermore, it is not clear whether a traditional approach using averaged characteristics such as theaerodynamic roughness length is sufficient to predict the concentration field at this scale. To investigate pollutant dispersion in a real urban area, three field experiments were designed within the UK-URGENT programme sponsored by NERC. Theexperiments were performed in the City of Birmingham using a finite duration release of inert, non-toxic and non-depositingtracers, vis. perfluoromethylcyclohexane (PMCH) and perfluoromethylcyclopentane (PMCP). Measurements were taken using air bag samplers placedin an arc at 3.5 km (first experiment) and 1 km (second andthird experiments) from the source; some trap samplers wereplaced outside the main arc in the outskirts of the city. Measurements were analysed in the laboratory using anovel gas-chromatography technique. Data so obtained werecompared with predictions from a simple steady-state modeland a time-dependent model. The concentration-time serieswere very asymmetrical with a sharp rise, a plateau followedby a relatively slow decrease and finally a long-livedplateau above (or possibly very slow decrease to) thebackground level.     

Modelling semi-aquatic vertebrates’ distribution at the drainage basin scale: The case of the otter Lutra lutra in Italy

Modelling habitat suitability of semi-aquatic vertebrates for large scale conservation purposes is a particularly challenging task, due to the fine-scale linearity of riverine habitats, and to the ecological continuum represented by the riparian and the aquatic ecosystems, on one side, and by a river and its tributaries, on the other.     

Development of a new scale to measure subjective career success: A mixed‐methods study

Career success is a main focus of career scholars as well as organizational stakeholders. Historically, career success has been conceptualized and measured in an objective manner, mainly as salary, rank, or number of promotions. However, the changing nature of work has also necessitated a change in the way many employees view success, adding a more subjective component. Although there has been theoretical discussion and calls to develop a comprehensive measure of subjective career success, no contemporary comprehensive quantitative measure exists. The goal of this study was to create and validate a measure of subjective career success, titled the Subjective Career Success Inventory (SCSI). The SCSI includes 24 items that address subjective career success via eight dimensions. The scale was developed and validated through four phases of data collection, beginning with interviews and focus groups, followed by item sorting tasks, then item refinement through confirmatory factor analysis, and finally convergent and discriminant validity quantitative analysis. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

财政分权对环保投资效率的影响研究——基于DEA-Tobit模型的分析

延续财政分权对环境质量影响的研究,讨论财政分权对环保投资效率的影响.基于中国2004~2014年30个省份的面板数据,在DEA-Tobit模型的研究框架下,测度了各个省份多种类型的环保投资效率,并进一步讨论了财政分权对环保投资效率的影响.实证结果发现,财政分权不利于环保投资效率的改进,特别是不利于建设项目"三同时"环保投资效率、工业污染源治理环保投资效率,以及企业来源环保投资效率的改进.进一步考虑到地区异质性因素,以各地区环保投资额作为门槛变量的分析同样支持上述结论.     

Exploring system interactions for building resilience within coastal environments and communities

This paper focuses on identifying examples of first-order system interactions, which make important contributions to building coastal resilience for coastal zone management. This discussion is based on an application of the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework to a case-study analysis of coastal management in South Australia. The study suggests that cross-scale interactions and informal relationships within and between users and managers are key interactions defining resilience outcomes within the current system. A significant constraint on improving resilience was the lack of evaluative criteria for identifying sustainable forms of system behaviour. The paper argues that resilience is a function of a normative statement on the characteristics desirable in the functioning system. Analyses of coastal resilience, which facilitate greater understanding of the range of complexities in coastal behaviour, are therefore central to gaining the most useful insights into the options and pathways for building more sustainable coastal futures.     

城市小区气象条件与污染扩散精细预报研究

从城市小区气象条件与污染扩散精细预报的科研需求和城市大气环境应急响应的应用需求出发,利用新一代全球/区域同化预报系统、城市小区尺度气象和污染扩散模式以及城市尺度污染扩散模式,对城市小区气象条件与污染扩散进行了精细预报试验,并进一步研究了城市小区尺度气象和污染扩散的精细模拟对城市尺度污染扩散模拟的影响.初步建立了城市小区气象条件与污染扩散精细预报方法,即:气象部分由全球到小区逐级单向嵌套、污染部分由小区到城市逐级单向嵌套的方法.预报试验结果表明,这种方法是合理可行的.小区尺度精细模拟对城市尺度污染扩散模拟的影响较大,但其模拟效果还有待利用观测资料进一步验证.     

基于细胞尺度的光照对四尾栅藻生长的影响

以四尾栅藻（Scenedesmus quadricauda）为研究对象,采用平行平板流动腔装置,基于计算机视觉的藻细胞动态生长观察方法,从单细胞尺度研究不同光照强度对四尾栅藻藻细胞生长的影响.成功建立了四尾栅藻个体生长曲线模型,模型拟合效果良好.结果表明：在8000lux光照强度下,藻细胞的体积最大比生长速率最大,即四尾栅藻生长的最适光照强度为8000lux;适宜的光照条件可以增加藻细胞分裂时的大小,小于8000lux时,藻细胞分裂体积随着光照强度的增加而增加,大于8000lux时,藻细胞分裂时体积反而越来越小;较高的光照强度还有利于藻细胞适应新的环境,减少藻细胞复苏时间.     

The Role of Disaggregation of Asset Values in Flood Loss Estimation: A Comparison of Different Modeling Approaches at the Mulde River,Germany

In loss estimation there is a spatial mismatch of hazard data that are commonly modeled on an explicit raster level and exposure data that are often available only for aggregated administrative units. Usually disaggregation methods that use ancillary information to distribute lumped exposure data in a finer spatial resolution help to bridge this gap. However, the actual influence of different mapping techniques and ancillary data on the final loss estimation has not been analyzed yet. In this paper three methods are applied to disaggregate residential building assets using two kinds of land use/land cover (LULC) data. The resulting disaggregated assets are validated and compared using census data of the residential building number on the community and constituency level. In addition, the disaggregated assets are taken to estimate residential building losses due to the flood in August 2002 in 21 municipalities on the River Mulde in Saxony, Germany. Losses are calculated with the help of four loss models. In general, disaggregation helps to decrease the error variance within the loss estimation. It must, however, be stated that the application of sophisticated disaggregation methods does not lead to significant improvements compared to the straightforward binary method. Therefore more effort should instead be put into the provision of high-resolution LULC data. Finally, the remaining uncertainties in loss estimation are high and demand further improvements in all modeling aspects.     

Development of a Quantitative Pasture Phosphorus Management Tool Using the SWAT Model1

Abstract: Assessment tools to evaluate phosphorus loss from agricultural lands allow conservation planners to evaluate the impact of management decisions on water quality. Available tools to predict phosphorus loss from agricultural fields are either: (1) qualitative indices with limited applicability to address offsite water quality standards, or (2) models which are prohibitively complex for application by most conservation planners. The purpose of this research was to develop a simple interface for a comprehensive hydrologic/water quality model to allow its usage by farmers and conservation planners. The Pasture Phosphorus Management (PPM) Calculator was developed to predict average annual phosphorus (P) losses from pastures under a variety of field conditions and management options. PPM Calculator is a vastly simplified interface for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model that requires no knowledge of SWAT by the user. PPM Calculator was validated using 33 months of data on four pasture fields in northwestern Arkansas. This tool has been extensively applied in the Lake Eucha/Spavinaw Basin in northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas. PPM Calculator allows conservation planners to take advantage of the predictive capacity of a comprehensive hydrologic water quality model typically reserved for use by hydrologists and engineers. This research demonstrates the applicability of existing water quality models in the development of user friendly P management tools.     

中国城市用地增长极限规模测算

快速城市化出现的城市建设用地扩张问题,受到人们广泛关注,借鉴发达国家经验,我国需要测算一个极限区间值进行自上而下的总量控制,以促进最严格耕地保护制度和节约用地制度的落实.但是如何测算这个极限规模一直没有得到很好解决.本文提出了一个常规方法组合和关键指标相结合的技术思路来尝试解决这个问题.研究首先对城市用地扩展规模的影响因子进行了分析,讨论了城市人口数量和GDP分别与建成区面积相关性,确定了城市人口数量对建成区面积影响更大;在此基础上,采用逻辑斯蒂模型,依据我国1950-2010年经济数据,对城市化水平进行预测;用自回归分布滞后模型,依据1951-2010年全国人口数据对未来人口规模进行预测,并分为三个方案对结果进行了讨论;最后按照城市用地分类与规划建设用地标准,以节约集约用地为原则,将人均城市用地规模取值控制在65.0-115.0 m2,计算城市用地扩展极限规模.结果表明,到2045年,中国的城市化预测水平为79.99％,在中国人口增长控制较好的情况下,人口规模将达到14.97亿人,城市用地扩展规模为77 857.38-137 747.70 km1;若中国人口达到有关研究的预测峰值16亿人,中国城市化水平稳定在80％,城市用地扩展极限规模将会是83 200.00-147 200.00 km2.综合以上分析,未来我国的城市建设用地总量应在7.8万km2到14.7万km2之间.