Natech guide words: A new approach to assess and manage natech risk to ensure business continuity

The risk posed by natural hazards to the technological systems is known as Natech risk. It is different from the more widely known and studied risk posed by such sites to the environment and society. Though currently, available risk assessment techniques recognize Natech, the specific qualitative technique for Natech risk assessment and reduction has not yet been developed. After analyzing past data of Natech accidents, relevant guide words have been suggested in this study. These guide words will help anticipate Natech risk and visualize the Natech scenario. Once the Natech risk is identified, corresponding risk reduction measures can be taken to avoid possible Natech accidents and consequences.     

冻融对污染场地土壤重金属稳定化性能的影响

为了分析冻融对污染场地土壤重金属稳定化性能的影响,采用赤泥和硫化钠作为添加剂,对土壤中的Pb、Zn和Cd进行稳定化处理,并通过模拟冻融过程,分析冻融循环后重金属的浸出毒性、生物可给性、土壤pH和土壤结构的变化,探讨冻融循环对稳定化处理土壤中重金属长期稳定性能的影响. 结果表明:稳定化处理后土壤中Pb、Zn和Cd的浸出毒性比原始供试土壤分别降低了98.5%、99.8%和99.7%. 养护30 d后,稳定化处理土壤中Zn和Cd的生物可给性分别由28.8%、49.5%降至11.5%、21.8%,Pb的生物可给性由52.9%升至57.9%. 经过30 d冻融循环后,冻融土壤中Pb、Zn和Cd的浸出毒性比原始供试土壤中相应重金属质量分数分别增加了4.27、2.47、89.65 mg/L. 经过冻融循环后,土壤中重金属的生物可给性比未冻融土壤略有升高. 随着养护时间和冻融时间的延长,土壤pH呈升高趋势. 不同阶段土壤扫描电镜结果显示,冻融循环致使土壤空隙变大、结构松散,说明冻融循环对稳定化土壤结构有一定损伤. 分析结果表明,冻融过程增加了Pb、Zn和Cd释放的环境风险.      

除冰盐环境下混凝土冻融损伤深度的试验研究

文章对除冰盐环境下混凝土的冻融损伤进行了试验研究,通过对比混凝土外观变化规律、超声设备检测结果以及混凝土触水面渗透情况来获得不同冻融循环次数下混凝土的损伤深度情况。研究结果表明,当经历20次冻融循环后,混凝土冻融损伤开始向混凝土内部扩展。当经历30次冻融循环后,混凝土冻融损伤深度向下快速发展。当经历70次冻融循环后,混凝土冻融损伤向下发展变慢。这是由于前期冻融循环造成混凝土试件顶部产生大量微裂缝足以排出由于结冰产生的开裂应力,从而减弱冻融损伤向下发展的趋势。而在实际混凝土桥梁表面由于磨损存在,冻融损伤会不断向内扩展,值得桥梁管理人员注意。另外,在90次冻融循环后,最大渗透深度达到25mm,即细观裂缝已经接近普通钢筋混凝土结构中钢筋的位置,容易引发钢筋锈蚀问题。本试验研究结果可以为北方寒冷地区混凝土桥梁的抗锈蚀设计提供依据。     

Blue carbon in human-dominated estuarine and shallow coastal systems

Estuarine and shallow coastal systems (ESCS) are recognized as not only significant organic carbon reservoirs but also emitters of CO₂ to the atmosphere through air–sea CO₂ gas exchange, thus posing a dilemma on ESCS’s role in climate change mitigation measures. However, some studies have shown that coastal waters take up atmospheric CO₂ (C_atm), although the magnitude and determinants remain unclear. We argue that the phenomenon of net uptake of C_atm by ESCS is not unusual under a given set of terrestrial inputs and geophysical conditions. We assessed the key properties of systems that show the net C_atm uptake and found that they are often characteristic of human-dominated systems: (1) input of high terrestrial nutrients, (2) input of treated wastewater in which labile carbon is highly removed, and (3) presence of hypoxia. We propose that human-dominated ESCS are worthy of investigation as a contributor to climate change mitigation.     

The International Boreal Forest Research Association: Understanding Boreal Forests and Forestry in a Changing World

Boreal forests represent a biome of the planet whose unique characteristics are changing rapidly under the influence of both human and natural pressures. These forests hold the key to current and future supply of coniferous industrial wood and at the same time play a significant role in regulating Earth's climatic system. Expected to be one of the most rapidly impacted regions of the world by future climate change, the boreal biome has already been substantially affected by global change. It is likely that if unabated, continued change will lead to impoverishment and degradation of boreal ecosystems, with consequent loss of vital services upon which human society depends. An improved systems understanding of the functioning of circumpolar boreal forests is a pressing challenge for boreal forest science and is needed in order to estimate their resilience to perturbations, to predict likely responses to the changing environment, and to design mitigation strategies. With such understanding, coordinated international efforts can be focused on developing anticipatory strategies for adaptation to, and mitigation of dangerous consequences of global change for boreal resources. The International Boreal Forest Research Association (IBFRA) provides a focus for international research on these issues and serves as a global window for boreal forest science and sustainable forest management in the boreal region.     

Biological traits of three closely related species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pycnoclavella</Emphasis> (Ascidiacea) in the Western Mediterranean

The reproductive cycles and abundance of the sympatric colonial ascidians Pycnoclavella brava, Pycnoclavella aurilucens and Pycnoclavella communis from two Northwestern Mediterranean sites over a period of 2.5 years are reported. The species showed some differences in their biological patterns. Gonad maturation and larval brooding took place during autumn and early winter for P. communis, during spring for P. aurilucens and during late winter and spring for P. brava. Summer was found to be the unfavorable season for all species, and an aestivation period occurred in P. communis and P. brava. Maximum abundance for the three species was observed during winter. Growth rates of the most abundant species, P. communis, were also monitored and found to peak during the initial phases of reactivation after aestivation. Growth rates decreased afterwards, becoming negative as water temperature started to increase after the winter minima. Reproductive activity and growth rates for P. communis displayed a temporal lag that suggested partitioning of resources to either reproduction or growth in this species.     

构建环境监测业务网络化管理系统的思考

通过环境监测业务网络化管理系统的基本流程、主要功能和保障措施三个方面,详细论述了系统的构建思路、主要内容和运行途径。对环境监测任务的下达、质量保证、原始数据传输、三级审核,以及监测数据、报告的查询等一系列环节进行了设计上的介绍,同时对维持系统正常运行的组织机构、工作文件、工作制度、监测人员也进行了概括的论述。经过实际运行检验,本系统具有强化管理水平、规范工作程序、明确工作责任、提高服务质量等效果。     

A two step fuzzy model for the assessment and ranking of organizational resilience factors in the process industry

The evaluation and ranking of resilience factors (RFs) in an uncertain environment has important implications for the management of any enterprise. Determining an improvement strategy of business process resilience is based on the obtained rank of RFs, and it presents a key success factor for an enterprise in dealing with crisis. The complexity and importance of the treated problem calls for analytic methods rather than intuitive decisions. The relative importance of business processes and the relative importance of RFs under each business process are stated by fuzzy pair-wise comparison matrices. The elements of these matrices are triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs). The fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is used for determination of relative weights of existing variables. The rank of RFs is obtained by using the extent fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS). The real life application on the selection of the management team shows the practical implications in the process industry.     

Agent-based simulation of effects of stress on forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hübner) population dynamics

The forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hübner) (FTC) has an outbreak cycle of approximately 10 years; however, smaller spatial scale analyses show some regions have longer or more frequent periods of high defoliation. This may be a result of local forest fragmentation, pollution or other sources of stress that may affect FTC directly or indirectly through stress on their hosts or parasitoids. Population dynamics of FTC were examined to investigate how stress may alter the severity and frequency of defoliation. We developed a spatially explicit agent-based model to simulate the host-parasitoid dynamics of FTC. Theoretical and empirically derived parameters were established using past literature and over 50 years of population data of FTC from Ontario, Canada. We find that increasing FTC fecundity, FTC dispersal or parasitoid mortality resulted in more severe outbreaks while a decrease in parasitoid fecundity or searching efficiency resulted in an overall elevation of defoliation. Parasitoid efficiency was the most effective parameter for altering the FTC defoliation. Since plant stress has been shown to alter several of these parameters in nature due to changes in food quality, habitat suitability, and chemical cue interference, our results suggest that forests affected by stressors such as climate change and pollution will have more severe and frequent defoliation from these insects than surrounding unaffected forests. As stressors such as drought and pollution emissions are predicted to increase in frequency or intensity over the next few decades, understanding how they may affect the outbreak cycle of a forest defoliator can aid in planning strategies to reduce the detrimental effects of this insect.     

Customer‐related social stressors and service providers' affective reactions

Previous research has shown that customer‐related social stressors (CSS) have negative effects on service providers' long‐term well‐being. Little is known, however, about short‐term and mid‐term affective stress reactions and reciprocal effects between service providers' affect and CSS. The aim of this study was to expand extant research (i) by analyzing service providers' short‐term (across a day) and mid‐term (across 2 weeks) affective reactions to perceived CSS; (ii) by analyzing intraindividual as well as interindividual effects; and (iii) by investigating reciprocal effects of affective reactions and CSS that may eventually lead to psychosocial cycles. Our study employed a diary design with three measurement occasions per day over five consecutive days and a two‐week panel design using a sample of employees from public service organizations (N = 106). Results showed that CSS elicit changes in service providers' short‐term and mid‐term negative affects. We also found support for reversed effects of service providers' affective reactions on experienced CSS indicating psychosocial cycles between customers and service providers. To prevent escalation, we discuss potential resources. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.