Higher education in urban environmental management: a new programme at the Asian Institute of Technology,Bangkok

Environmental management and planning is now considered as a new field of professional expertise. There are even professional associations for interested professionals. To date, urban environmental management has been regarded as a subdiscipline of environmental management, but since the Rio Conference in 1992, with the new focus of urban management on environmental problems, it can itself be considered as a professional field. This paper traces the emergence of the field and tries to identify the new skills required for it. The question of formal training, in higher education, for a new type of professional is raised and discussed. It refers at length to an initiative taken by the Asian Institute of Technology (Bangkok) to propose and offer a new graduate programme in this discipline, and draws on the author's experience of an Asian workshop (Bangkok, May 1993) aimed at defining the need for such a new profession in Asia.     

Land-use dynamics and landscape pattern change in a coastal gulf region,southeast China

This study quantitatively analyzed spatiotemporal changes in land use and landscape pattern in a coastal gulf region of southeast China by comparing classified satellite images from 1988, 2002, and 2007, using a geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing (RS), and landscape pattern metrics. The results show an increase in cropland, built-up area, and aquaculture area and a decrease in orchards, woodland, and beach area during 1988–2007. Over the study period, 64.3% of newly-expanded cropland was from woodland; newly-expanded built-up area of 34.8, 27.2, and 20.4% was converted from cropland, woodland, and beach areas, respectively; and newly-expanded aquaculture increased by 45.1 and 29.4% from beach and water body areas, respectively. Trend analysis of landscape pattern metrics demonstrates fragmentation of the landscape, with landscape pattern structure becoming more complex over the last two decades in the Louyuan Gulf region. Urbanization and policy developed to transfer beach/seawater areas into built-up area/aquaculture are the two main driving forces contributing to dynamic changes in land use and landscape pattern in the last two decades in Louyuan.     

Exploring long-term land cover changes in an urban region of southern Europe

This paper addresses two important issues for large Mediterranean city regions: the differential impact of compact urban ‘growth’ and low-density ‘sprawl’ on land cover changes (LCCs), and their final effect on changing land cover relationships (LCRs). The urban expansion of Rome (Italy) during the last 50 years and the related LCCs were investigated as a paradigmatic example of compact versus dispersed urban development. LCCs were assessed over 5 years (1960, 1974, 1990, 2000, 2006) by analysing diachronically the distribution of 12 land cover categories derived from digital land cover maps covering the entire Nuts-3 prefecture of Rome (5353 km²). LCRs were studied using multi-way data analysis. LCCs were found to have relative differences during ‘growth’ (1960–1990) and ‘sprawl’ (1990–2006) phases. Conversion to urban land uses concentrated in the 1960s and 1970s at the urban fringe, while expanding progressively far from the city in the 1990s and 2000s. During the ‘growth’ phase, the land cover classes with the highest probability of being converted to urban uses were arable lands, annual crops, vineyards and pastures. During the ‘sprawl’ phase, olive groves, orchards and forest surfaces also decreased due to the development of low-density built-up areas and infrastructure. Planning suggestions aimed at mitigating the alteration of the rural landscape through sprawl conditions are discussed.     

Facilitating resilient rural-to-urban sustainable agriculture and rural communities

ABSTRACT

This article contributes to efforts to validate a common set of parameters and principles of sustainable agriculture. Comparisons between alternative forms of sustainable agriculture and rural-to-urban community resilience are investigated. Conclusions are drawn between multiple sustainable/alternative agriculture systems and evaluated. A set of common baseline parameters and principles is proposed as a method of evolving a common structural framework for strengthening sustainability of agriculture and rural contexts. Concepts of rural-to-urban community sustainability are proposed, supporting sustainable agriculture contexts as rural and urban. In the twenty-first century, agriculture is becoming more diversified and less typified as a rural occupation. Urban agriculture is expanding as the need for fresh, affordable, accessible agriculture produce increases in urban areas. Evidence supports symbiotic relationships between sustainable agriculture and rural/urban communities, although some claim this relationship has not been clearly defined.

This article investigates sustainable agriculture from two perspectives. We ask ‘what are common parameters and principles of the various forms of sustainable agriculture,’ and ‘why urban-to-rural context.’ Organic agriculture parameters and principles are proposed as a conceptual framework toward establishing baseline parameters and principles for sustainable agriculture. Best management parameters of urban and rural sustainable agriculture in the United States and the United Kingdom are examined for their potential to develop a strengthening framework of parameters and principles of agriculture and rural-to-urban sustainability. These results are compared and evaluated for their effectiveness in redefining current sustainable agriculture practices, and their value in strengthening sustainable agriculture symbiosis with rural-to-urban community systems.     

Historical evidence of climatic variability and changes,and its effect on high-altitude regions: insights from Rara and Langtang,Nepal

ABSTRACT

Climatic variability and its effects have been experienced in the high-altitude regions of Nepal for some considerable time. Most of the studies on local people’s perception available so far in Nepal on climate include with respect to weather changes, and almost none have been verified with satellite imagery. This study thus attempts to combine meteorological and satellite imagery for comparing local people’s perception so that a more robust validation can be established. Both qualitative (transect walk, key informant interview, focus group discussion and institutional visit) and quantitative (meteorological and satellite image) data and techniques were employed. Local people from Rara and Langtang in Nepal shared their observations and perceptions on the changing climate for the last three decades and the effects on them and their local microclimate. Apart from temperature, rainfall and snowfall anomalies, locals observed changes in the water sources and increasing drought along with alteration in the phenology of tree and agricultural crops as well as vegetation range migration. Satellite image analysis also confirms a change in snow cover as notified by the local people. This study shows that local people’s knowledge could be considered as a complement to the observed scientific evidences of climate change science and their perceptions can be used reliably where scientific data are lacking. Finally, perceived climatic risks, current gaps and future opportunities are discussed and some recommendations are suggested.     

The specification of sustainable urban transport strategies

Transport strategies have been developed for nine European cities to achieve optimum performance in terms of a range of objective functions. The functions selected represent economic efficiency, sustainability and a combination of these. The strategies have been based on combinations of a standard set of policy instruments, including public transport infrastructure, frequency and fares, road capacity increases, low cost road pricing and parking charges. The optimisation method is described, and results presented. The reactions of city authorities to the proposed strategies are discussed and implications for transport policy outlined.     

中国沿海区域旅游化与生态环境耦合度分析及预测

中国沿海区域旅游产业发展主要以海洋资源和环境为依托,故处理好旅游产业发展与生态环境的关系是中国沿海旅游产业实现可持续发展的基础和前提。区域旅游化程度可以反映区域旅游产业发展水平,为探求中国沿海区域旅游产业发展与生态环境之间关系的态势和规律,首先,在构建中国沿海区域旅游化程度和生态环境质量水平的指标体系的基础上,以2000—2010年沿海11省(区)统计数据为基础,运用加权主成分TOPSIS法分别对两个系统进行综合评价;其次,基于物理学中的耦合模型,对中国沿海区域旅游化程度和生态环境质量的耦合度及其协调指数进行计算,并分析它们时空格局及其演变特征;最后,基于灰色系统理论,运用GM(1,1)预测模型对中国沿海区域未来15 a中国沿海区域旅游化水平与生态环境耦合度进行预测。研究结果发现:中国沿海区域旅游产业与生态环境两个系统在2000—2010年间一直处于拮抗期,但山东省、浙江省、江苏省和广西省将在2015年前先后由低水平的拮抗期跨入良性耦合阶段,而其他省(区)将处于并将长期处于拮抗期,且天津市、辽宁省和海南省两个系统的耦合度有下降趋势。     

复合型抑尘剂的制备研究

配制的复合型抑尘剂是甲基丙烯酸甲酯-丙烯酸丁酯共聚物乳液。采用正交法构造四因素三水平设计正交实验,用预乳化法合成抑尘剂。对数据直观分析,得出在乳化剂质量分数为2%,引发剂质量分数为1.1%,交联剂质量分数为2%,搅拌强度为100 r/min的实验条件下,抑尘剂性能较好。抑尘剂应用性能测试表明:抑尘剂具有较好的吸水保水性,配制的复合型抑尘剂具有较好的经济效益和社会效益,应用前景广阔。     

Assessing citizen contributions to butterfly monitoring in two large cities

Citizen science may be especially effective in urban landscapes due to the large pool of potential volunteers. However, there have been few evaluations of the contributions of citizen scientists to knowledge of biological communities in and around cities. To assess the effectiveness of citizen scientists' monitoring of species in urban areas, we compared butterfly data collected over 10 years in Chicago, Illinois (U.S.A.), and New York City, New York (U.S.A.). The dates, locations, and methods of data collection in Chicago were standardized, whereas data from New York were collected at any location at any time. For each city, we evaluated whether the number of observers, observation days (days on which observations were reported), and sampling locations were associated with the reported proportion of the estimated regional pool of butterfly species. We also compared the number of volunteers, duration of volunteer involvement, and consistency of sampling efforts at individual locations within each city over time. From 2001 to 2010, there were 73 volunteers in Chicago and 89 in New York. During this period, volunteers observed 86% and 89% of the estimated number of butterfly species present in Chicago and New York, respectively. Volunteers in New York reported a greater proportion of the estimated pool of butterfly species per year. In addition, more species were observed per volunteer and observation day in New York, largely due to the unrestricted sampling season in New York. Chicago volunteers were active for more years and monitored individual locations more consistently over time than volunteers in New York. Differences in monitoring protocol--especially length of sampling season and selection protocol for monitoring locations--influenced the relationship between species accrual and sampling effort, which suggests these factors are important in volunteer-based species-monitoring programs.     

陕北黄土区陡坡土壤水分变异规律研究

土壤水分是制约陕北黄土区陡坡林草植被建设主要限制因素,深入系统的研究陡坡土壤水分变异规律是科学开展林草植被建设的重要前提。目前,陡坡不同季节、不同坡向、不同坡度的土壤水分变异规律尚未见系统的研究。为此,本研究通过观测陕北黄土区坡面尺度的自然恢复流域陡坡土壤含水量,研究分析了陡坡土壤水分季节变化规律、陡坡土壤水分垂直变化规律,结果表明：（1）陕北黄土区陡坡的土壤水分消耗期、土壤水分积累期、土壤水分消退期和土壤水分稳定期分别对应3-6、7-9、10-11和12月-次年2月;（2）0~120 cm土层中0~60 cm土层土壤含水量变化活跃。土壤水分随着土层深度的增加而增加,且各层间的差异也越来越显著;（3）基于土壤水分的垂直变化规律,陡坡的土壤水分弱利用层、土壤水分利用层、土壤水分调节层分别为0~40、40~60和60~100 cm。（4）在垂直于陡坡坡面方向上,深度大于40~50 cm的土壤层能为植被生长提供良好的土壤水分环境,有利于人工植被建设在陡坡开展。