Selecting Species for Marine Assessment of Radionuclides Around Amchitka: Planning for Diverse Goals and Interests

Considerable attention has been devoted to selecting bioindicator species as part of monitoring programs for exposure and effects from contaminants in the environment. Yet the rationale for selection of bioindicators is often literature-based, rather than developed with a firm site-specific base of data on contaminant levels in a diverse range of organisms at different trophic levels in the same ecosystem. We suggest that this latter step is an important phase in the environmental assessment process that is often missing. In this paper we address the problem of how to select a wide range of species representing different trophic levels that serve as a basis for selecting a few species suitable as bioindicators. We illustrate this with our assessment of radionuclides on Amchitka Island, Alaska. We propose a multi-stage process for arriving at the list of available species that includes review of literature, review by experts experienced in the area, review by interested and affected parties, selection of trophic levels or groups for analysis, arraying of possible species, and selection of species within each trophic level group for sample collection. We first had to identify all likely species, then narrow our focus to those we could collect and analyze. In all cases, review includes suggestions for possible target species with justifications. While this method increases the up-front costs of developing bioindicators for an ecosystem, it has the advantage of providing information for selection of species that will be most informative in the long run, including those that are the best bioaccumulators, thus providing the earliest warning of any potential environmental consequences. Further, the recognition that a range of stakeholder's needs and interests should be included increases the utility for public-policy makers, and the potential for continued usage to establish long-term trends.     

Media Storms and Policy Expertise: How Environmental Beat Journalists Gained Influence During a Shale Gas Controversy

This article examines the conditions under which environmental beat journalists can gain credibility as expert informants. It shows that media storms foster a particular dynamic that can add to this credibility. Comparing a media storm over shale gas development in Quebec with regular coverage of the same issue in British Columbia, this article shows that the coverage space given to environmental beat journalists during a media storm can render their alliance with protest groups mutually beneficial. Beat journalists can benefit from the willingness of these groups to participate in their stories, while the groups benefit from increased visibility. Beat journalists also benefit by being perceived as expert informants in policy networks, a role that they use to encourage policy-makers to take the concerns of protest groups seriously. This dynamic also increases the negativity of the news coverage. The article makes a contribution to knowledge on the role of environmental journalists in policy-making processes.     

Better than their reputation: enhancing the validity of contingent valuation mail survey results through citizen expert groups

Although contingent valuation is the dominant technique for the valuation of public projects, especially in the environmental sector, the high costs of contingent valuation surveys prevent the use of this method for the assessment of relatively small projects. The reason for this cost problem is that typically only contingent valuation studies which are based on face-to-face interviews are accepted as leading to valid results. Particularly in countries with high wages, face-to-face surveys are extremely costly considering that for a valid contingent valuation study a minimum of 1000 completed face-to-face interviews is required. This paper tries a rehabilitation of mail surveys as low-budget substitutes for costly face-to-face surveys. Based on an empirical contingent valuation study in Northern Thailand, it is shown that the validity of mail surveys can be improved significantly if so-called Citizen Expert Groups are employed for a thorough survey design.     

Moral reasoning in adaptation to climate change

Moral foundations theory argues that moral reasoning is widely observed and fundamental to the legitimacy of relevant governance and policy interventions. A new analytical framework to examine and test how moral reasoning underpins and legitimizes governance and practice on adaptation to climate change risks is proposed. It develops a typology of eight categories of vulnerability-based and system-based moral reasoning that pertain to the dilemmas around adaptation and examines the prevalence of these moral categories in public discourse about specific adaptation issues. The framework is tested using data on climate change impact, adaptation, and societal responsibility, drawn from 14 focus groups comprising 148 participants across the UK. Participants consistently use moral reasoning to explain their views on climate adaptation; these include both vulnerability-based and system-based framings. These findings explain public responses to adaptation options and governance, and have implications for the direction of adaptation policy, including understanding which types of reasoning support politically legitimate interventions.     

几种不同处理方法对活性炭表面化学性质的影响

活性炭表面官能团的种类和数量决定了活性炭的表面化学性质,而化学性质决定了活性炭的表面吸附特性。使用5种常见的处理方法处理活性炭,采用Boehm滴定法,XPS对活性炭进行表征,通过单因素实验系统地考察了活性炭表面含氧官能团及碱度随处理条件的变化,同时通过碱度变化讨论了部分处理方法对于原活性炭表面灰分的去除。结果表明:在处理液150 mL、20℃、200 r/min条件下:50 g活性炭经0.01～5 mol/L HCl处理4 h,活性炭表面碱度降低范围63.2%～76.5%,灰分去除效果好,低浓度的盐酸就能达到较好的灰分去除效果,活性炭表面没有形成大量的含氧官能团;在HNO3浓度1～12 mol/L、处理时间1～8 h、活性炭量25～75 g条件下处理后总碱度降低显著,灰分去除效果优于HCl处理,HNO3氧化作用使活性炭表面形成了大量含氧官能团,总酸度、羧基、内酯基、酚羟基含量均相对于原活性炭增加明显;在H2O2质量浓度5%～20%、处理时间0.5～4 h、活性炭量25～75 g条件下处理后碱性灰分去除不好,活性炭表面没有形成大量含氧官能团,H2O2处理引起活性炭表面化学性质变化较小;在NaOH浓度0.1～2 mol/L、处理时间1～8 h、活性炭量25～75 g条件下处理后碱度增加明显,酸度减小明显,羧基、酚羟基含量降低。50 g活性炭在微波功率100～500 W、处理时间2～10 min、载气流量600～1 400 mL/min条件下经微波处理后,微波热效应导致含氧官能团分解,总碱度增加,总酸度下降,羧基含量、内酯基含量降低,酚羟基含量因条件的不同而变现出不同的变化。     

Determinants of Farmers’ Adoption of Improved Soil Conservation Technology in a Middle Mountain Watershed of Central Nepal

This study explores different socio-economic and institutional factors influencing the adoption of improved soil conservation technology (ISCT) on Bari land (Rainfed outward sloping terraces) in the Middle Mountain region of Central Nepal. Structured questionnaire survey and focus group discussion methods were applied to collect the necessary information from farm households. The logistic regression model predicted seven factors influencing the adoption of improved soil conservation technology in the study area including years of schooling of the household head, caste of the respondent, land holding size of the Bari land, cash crop vegetable farming, family member occupation in off farm sector, membership of the Conservation and Development Groups, and use of credit. The study showed that technology dissemination through multi-sectoral type community based local groups is a good option to enhance the adoption of improved soil conservation technology in the Middle Mountain farming systems in Nepal. Planners and policy makers should formulate appropriate policies and programs considering the farmers' interest, capacity, and limitation in promoting improved soil conservation technology for greater acceptance and adoption by the farmers.     

全工班呼吸性粉尘测定及防尘措施研究

针对呼吸性粉尘对矿井工人身体健康的危害,对煤矿综采工作面、综掘工作面、炮掘工作面等进行分工种个体性的全尘和呼尘监测,测定了各工作面粉尘(全尘和呼尘)的浓度、粉尘分散度和SiO2浓度。其结果表明:全工班呼吸性粉尘测定的方法更加真实可靠,更真实地反映了呼吸性粉尘对井下各操作工种的致病危害,测得的各工作面各工种的呼尘浓度均高于国家标准。通过数据的分析以及工人的建议,提出了一些新式的、有效的防尘措施来降低呼吸性粉尘对人体健康的危害。     

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST1

ABSTRACT. The water resources manager, concerned with providing for citizen needs for water in all its varied aspects, is obliged to consider the public interest in his decision making. But the public interest, although inferring the superiority of public over purely private interests, is more of a concept of political ethics than an operational objective. Recent attacks on water resources developments place in question just how responsive the water resources manager has been to the public at large during the planning process. The recent broadening of planning objectives beyond economic efficiency to include greater attention to social goals is an encouraging development. Efforts should be expanded toward greater citizen participation and more attention should be given to sampling surveys to determine citizen attitudes on water resources proposals. In the last analysis, the decision-making process must combine the expertise of the water resources manager and the participation of the people through the political process.     

Forest Perception and Knowledge of Hikers and Mountain Bikers in Two Different Areas in Northwestern Switzerland

Recreational activities can have major impacts on vegetation and wildlife in frequently visited forests. We assessed forest perception and knowledge (state, functions, and species diversity) among hikers and mountain bikers in a frequently visited, seminatural suburban recreation forest (Muttenz) and in a more distantly situated, naturally grown excursion forest (Wasserfallen) in northwestern Switzerland. In all, 239 hikers and 126 mountain bikers were interviewed. Mountain bikers in both forests and hikers in the more intensely used recreation forest at Muttenz assessed the state of the forest less optimistically and showed a higher awareness of the negative impact of recreational activities on the flora and fauna than hikers at Wasserfallen. Furthermore, mountain bikers seemed aware of the social conflicts caused by their activity, since they appreciated neutral or positive encounters with other forest visitors. In contrast, 57% of hikers at Muttenz reported on negative experiences with other forest visitors, particularly with mountain bikers. In general, the interviewees ecological and biological forest knowledge (forest type and function, species diversity) was rather high. A large proportion was aware of the pros and cons of different forest conditions for plants and animals, and could name or recognize at least some plant and/or animal species typical for the visited forest. The forest knowledge was neither influenced by the type of recreational activity carried out nor by any aspect of forest visit behavior (frequency and duration of forest visits, means of transportation and travel distance to forest). However, the interviewees forest knowledge was influenced by their age and educational level.     

A BASIS FOR ASSESSING DIFFERENTIAL PARTICIPATION IN WATER-BASED RECREATION1

ABSTRACT: Participation in water-based recreation activities does not arise in random fashion nor simply as a result of having a water resource immediately available. Neither do individuals and groups engage in the same activities or a specific activity in the same way. The purpose of the present paper is to describe an alternative framework whereby differences among recreation users can be identified. Prior to this time, research directed toward understanding participation patterns at a recreational site have emphasized the activities while ignoring the human behavior factors which determine how participation arises. People consider recreation sites to be leisure settings in which the definition of such places has a broader socio-cultural meaning than that the site was designed. These definitions are reflected within the context of the social group and can be observed in the subsequent orientation to leisure and play. When activities are considered in the context of a human group, differences in participation patterns can be discovered.