Shifting cultivation, forest fallow, and externalities in ecosystem services: Evidence from the Eastern Amazon

This study examines the value of fallow ecosystem services in shifting cultivation, including hydrological externalities that may affect other farms. Using farm-level survey data from the Brazilian Amazon, I estimate a production function to assess the value of forest fallow and test whether it provides local externalities to agricultural production. Soil quality controls, instrumental variables, and spatial econometric approaches help address endogeneity issues. I use GIS data on external forest cover at the farm level and model the hydrological externality as an upstream-to-downstream process. The estimated parameters indicate that fallow contributes significantly to productivity both on farm and downstream. In addition, most farms allocate sufficient land to fallow, accounting for both the value of hydrological spillovers and the opportunity cost of land left out of cultivation. These results suggest that farming communities may have some self-interest in preserving forest cover locally—a finding that may bolster policy efforts aimed at conserving tropical forests for their global public goods.     

内蒙古中西部地区土壤紧实度初步研究

沙尘暴的发生与沙尘暴源地的下垫面状况密不可分,下垫面要素中土壤紧实度等地表状况指标是沙尘暴灾害下垫面因子的危险度研究的重要内容。选取沙尘暴源地的内蒙古中西部地区为研究区域,于2004年4月进行了土壤紧实度实地采样,对获取的36个采样点的数据进行了统计分析,发现在不同的植被覆盖类型下,地表的土壤紧实度值具有明显的分异特征和分布范围。以1∶10万的内蒙古土地利用类型图为依托进行重分类,对研究区域的土壤紧实度值进行空间上的了反演。并通过2009年第二次实地采样对该反演的精度进行了验证,排除干扰因素后,发现土壤紧实度的反演结果良好,因此可以获得空间范围上土壤紧实度的一个粗略范围值。研究结果可为日后进行土壤紧实度对沙尘暴的影响和贡献等级划分以及沙尘暴下垫面脆弱性风险评估和区划提供数据支持。     

流域土地利用变化对洪水径流过程的影响

大清河水系土地利用发生了较大变化,并对洪水径流过程产生了影响。选择大清河水系紫荆关流域为研究对象,在对土地利用类型分类的基础上,采用1988年和1996年两期土地利用图分析了土地利用变化情况,除林地和灌木林面积减少外,其他土地利用类型面积增加。利用1984-1996年实测降雨径流资料对SWAT模型进行了率定和验证,并对两期土地利用情况进行了径流模拟,结果表明,土地利用变化使紫荆关流域的年径流减少。     

Projecting landscape changes in southern Chile: Simulation of human and natural processes driving land transformation

We describe a simulation model representing the most important human and natural factors driving land use and cover changes (LUCC) in southern Chile. We evaluate the model by examining its ability to simulate LUCC observed over the past three decades, conduct a sensitivity analysis of simulated trends to changes in important model parameters, and use the model to project likely landscape transformations over the next decade under “as usual,” “pessimistic,” and four “optimistic” scenarios. The model consists of five submodels representing LUCC on two distinct soil formations (volcanic ash and gleysols) and four major land use categories: native forest, agricultural land, shrubland, and urban land. Land use and cover sub-categories include old growth forests, secondary forests, and low and flooded shrubland. The model simulated well general historic trends in forest cover, agricultural land, shrubland, and urban land: from a forest-dominated landscape in 1976 to a landscape dominated by shrubland and agricultural land by 2007. Forest loss, forest degradation by logging and clearing for agriculture were the most important direct drivers of LUCC: forest logging and clearing were most important from 1976 to 1985, whereas after 1985 logging for firewood, driven by population growth, was most important. Sensitivity analysis indicated that model projections of general trends in the main land use and cover categories were not overly sensitive to changes in important model parameters, although further study is necessary to improve our estimates of the proportion of pasture requirements supplied by clearing low shrubland. Projections of LUCC suggested that a reduced amount of secondary forest would be left by 2017 if no actions are taken to reduce forest loss (“as usual”). Increasing population (“pessimistic scenario”) resulted in similar trajectories than those predicted by the as usual scenario, whereas reducing logging for firewood and increasing forest recruitment from shrubland could reduce loss of native forest by nearly one-third (“optimistic scenarios”). Surprisingly, shrubland exhibited the most complex and influential dynamics in all scenarios, being the immediate outcome of forest loss and the main long-term source of land for agriculture, urban expansion, and forest recovery. Few studies in Chile, or elsewhere, have considered the importance of this intermediate successional stage. Of the scenarios simulated, financial incentives targeted toward channeling shrubland into regenerated forest seemed most promising, although obstacles to such a management strategy exist.     

土壤有机质对宁夏农业综合开发活动的响应

为深入分析宁夏农业综合开发活动对土壤有机质的影响,认识其对气候变化的适应意义,分别于北部平原灌区、中部干旱带和南部黄土丘陵区的3个农发项目典型示范点,选取典型用地、玉米地、未利用地3种土地利用类型,分析表层10～20 cm土壤有机质的变化规律。研究发现,生态区和土地利用类型是影响土壤有机质的重要因素,并存在极显著的交互作用。研究区土壤有机质在4.53～14.70 g·kg-1范围内变化,典型用地有显著改善,平均质量分数达10.40 g·kg-1。限定生态区条件下,北部平原灌区无论水稻还是玉米利用方式下,土壤有机质含量相对未利用地都出现显著提升,但是南部黄土丘陵区3种土地利用类型间并无显著差异,中部干旱带只有甘草地土壤有机质含量显著提升,幅度高达145%。限定土地利用类型条件下,3个生态区间典型用地土壤有机质出现显著差异,但是北部平原灌区和南部黄土丘陵区间未利用地以及玉米地表层土壤有机质差异并不显著。研究区农业综合开发活动对土壤有机质储存的作用以正效应为主,但是不同农业土地利用类型在不同生态区对土壤有机质的作用不尽相同。宁夏农业综合开发活动需要综合考虑生态区水土资源特征,选取适宜的农业土地利用类型,有效提升土壤有机质含量,积极应对气候变化。     

建筑安全防护用品安全网的检查和使用

本文主要介绍安全网的检查和使用。安全网是建筑工程施工中的安全防护措施,是使建筑工程实现安全、高效,防止安全亊故发生的重要环节。     

Maintaining land use agreements in Papua New Guinea Mining: ‘Business as usual’?

Most large scale resource extraction projects in Papua New Guinea (PNG) require companies to negotiate with customary landowners for access to development sites. In the discussion of process and challenges of development and operation of projects, particularly mines, the paper, basing as a case study of land use arrangements in PNG mining, has several objectives to address. First, it discusses land use arrangements in the mining industry and how they have evolved over the last few decades. Today, most of these arrangements involve pluralistic framework agreements which have been shaped by land tenure debates, civil uprisings, government initiatives and increasingly politically savvy customary landowners. This pluralistic process encourages key stakeholder involvement, particularly customary landowner participation which has been an innovative piece of sustainable mineral policy development in PNG. Second, the paper argues that ‘it is not business as usual’ for mining companies as it would generally be the case in developed and many developing countries because they are increasingly forced to be proactive in addressing landowner and community interests while managing mining projects. A brief overview of land use debates in PNG is summarised at the outset to provide background to mining and development in the country. Third, the significance of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) paradigm and its impact on business, particularly the mining industry is acknowledged intermittently in the discussion to shed light on how it is influencing development of local communities. Finally, the paper argues that the post-Bougainville period has led to a change of the old enclave model of mining development to a broad based community driven form of development around mining. However, it is difficult to predict as to how this model of mining led development in rural PNG will span out in the long run. In the meantime, genuine landowner partnerships with developers and government in the management and operation of mining projects in the country are proving to be a positive outcome for everyone despite some major challenges.     

Analysis and Predictive Models of Single‐Family Customer Response to Water Curtailments During Drought1

Polebitski, Austin S. and Richard N. Palmer, 2012. Analysis and Predictive Models of Single‐Family Customer Response to Water Curtailments During Drought. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐12. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2012.00691.x Abstract: This research investigates customer response to demand management strategies during two drought periods in the City of Seattle. An analysis of customer response to voluntary water curtailments is conducted using k‐means clustering to identify like groups of customers and behavior patterns. The clustering method identified important variables (household income, lot size, living space, and family size) useful in determining customer response to water curtailments. Ordinary least squares and spatial lag regression models are estimated using the first and second principal components of variables identified in the clustering analysis. Larger values of income, lot size, and living space enhanced water reductions whereas larger family size tended to reduce the effectiveness of curtailments. Projections of changes in Seattle’s built environment and demographics between 2000 and 2030 were obtained from an urban simulation model (UrbanSim) and were processed through the regression models to investigate changes in future curtailment effectiveness. This research found that increasing household size hardened demands (decreased curtailment effectiveness) whereas decreasing household size increased per‐capita curtailment effectiveness. These results suggest that changes in the number of residents within a home is likely to be the most important factor in determining future curtailment effectiveness.     

Operational Evapotranspiration Mapping Using Remote Sensing and Weather Datasets: A New Parameterization for the SSEB Approach

The increasing availability of multi‐scale remotely sensed data and global weather datasets is allowing the estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) at multiple scales. We present a simple but robust method that uses remotely sensed thermal data and model‐assimilated weather fields to produce ET for the contiguous United States (CONUS) at monthly and seasonal time scales. The method is based on the Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEB) model, which is now parameterized for operational applications, renamed as SSEBop. The innovative aspect of the SSEBop is that it uses predefined boundary conditions that are unique to each pixel for the “hot” and “cold” reference conditions. The SSEBop model was used for computing ET for 12 years (2000‐2011) using the MODIS and Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) data streams. SSEBop ET results compared reasonably well with monthly eddy covariance ET data explaining 64% of the observed variability across diverse ecosystems in the CONUS during 2005. Twelve annual ET anomalies (2000‐2011) depicted the spatial extent and severity of the commonly known drought years in the CONUS. More research is required to improve the representation of the predefined boundary conditions in complex terrain at small spatial scales. SSEBop model was found to be a promising approach to conduct water use studies in the CONUS, with a similar opportunity in other parts of the world. The approach can also be applied with other thermal sensors such as Landsat.     

Managing Forests for Increased Regional Water Yield in the Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain

With growing populations fueling increased groundwater abstraction and forecasts of greater water scarcity in the southeastern United States, identifying land management strategies that enhance water availability will be vital to maintaining hydrologic resources and protecting natural systems. Management of forested uplands for lower basal area, currently a priority for habitat improvement on public lands, may also increase water yield through decreased evapotranspiration (ET). To explore this hypothesis, we synthesized studies of precipitation and ET in coastal plain pine stands to develop a statistical model of water yield as a function of management strategy, stand structure, and ecosystem water use. This model allowed us to estimate changes in water yield in response to varying management strategies across spatial scales from the individual stand to a regional watershed. Results suggest that slash pine stands managed at lower basal areas can have up to 64% more cumulative water yield over a 25‐year rotation compared to systems managed for high‐density timber production, with the greatest increases in stands also managed for recurrent understory fire. Although there are important uncertainties in the magnitude of additional water yield and its final destination (i.e., surface water bodies vs. groundwater), this analysis highlights the potential for management activities on public and private timber lands to partially offset increasing demand on surface and groundwater resources.