Gender differences in relation to wayfinding strategies, navigational support design, and wayfinding task difficulty

This study investigated user wayfinding navigational performance in terms of two navigational support designs (guide sign and you-are-here map, i.e., YAH), wayfinding strategies (egocentric/route and allocentric/survey), task difficulty (terrestrial/2D or weightless/3D), and gender differences. Eighty participants (40 males and 40 females) were recruited for the wayfinding experiment. The experimental results and statistical analysis indicated that, in the weightless VR scene, navigation time for the terrestrial/2D task type was significantly shorter than for the weightless/3D task type. The guide sign support was significantly more effective than YAH map support. Moreover, the interactions between support style and gender difference indicated that males exhibit better wayfinding performance than females, but that appropriate support can improve navigational performance and eliminate gender differences. In addition, the Way-Finding Strategy Scale result showed that the females were more likely to adopt the egocentric strategy while males were more likely to adopt the allocentric strategy, and that their scores were negatively correlated with navigational performance. Our results can be used to evaluate the interface designs of navigational support systems taking into consideration gender differences with respect to 3D VR games, including VR diving or flying navigational systems.     

AHP-SWOT法在道路交通安全改善策略中的应用

针对交通事故的特点,探讨AHP-SWOT方法在道路交通事故评价中的具体应用。SWOT(优势—劣势,机会—威胁)分析法是一种综合考虑系统外部环境和内部条件的各种因素,对其进行系统评价并从中选择最佳策略的方法,但是它缺少定量分析的过程。AHP(层次分析法)具有定性分析和定量分析相结合的优势,采用SWOT和AHP相结合的方法进行评价更加合理和准确。将AHP-SWOT方法应用于道路交通安全评价系统,分析道路交通安全系统所面临的机会和威胁、所处的优势和劣势,可为正确评价道路安全水平、制定合理的道路交通安全改善策略提供理论指导。实例证明该方法可行有效。     

Soil contamination of heavy metals in the Katedan Industrial Development Area, Hyderabad, India

Studies on quantitative soil contamination due to heavy metals were carried out in Katedan Industrial Development Area (KIDA), south of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India under the Indo-Norwegian Institutional Cooperation Programme. The study area falls under a semi-arid type of climate and consists of granites and pegmatite of igneous origin belonging to the Archaean age. There are about 300 industries dealing with dyeing, edible oil production, battery manufacturing, metal plating, chemicals, etc. Most of the industries discharge their untreated effluents either on open land or into ditches. Solid waste from industries is randomly dumped along roads and open grounds. Soil samples were collected throughout the industrial area and from downstream residential areas and were analysed by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer for fourteen trace metals and ten major oxides. The analytical data shows very high concentrations of lead, chromium, nickel, zinc, arsenic and cadmium through out the industrial area. The random dumping of hazardous waste in the industrial area could be the main cause of the soil contamination spreading by rainwater and wind. In the residential areas the local dumping is expected to be the main source as it is difficult to foresee that rain and wind can transport the contaminants from the industrial area. If emission to air by the smokestacks is significant, this may contribute to considerable spreading of contaminants like As, Cd and Pb throughout the area. A comparison of the results with the Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (SQGL) show that most of the industrial area is heavily contaminated by As, Pb and Zn and local areas by Cr, Cu and Ni. The residential area is also contaminated by As and some small areas by Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. The Cd contamination is detected over large area but it is not exceeding the SQGL value. Natural background values of As and Cr exceed the SQGL values and contribute significantly to the contamination in the residential area. However, the availability is considerably less than anthropogenic contaminants and must therefore be assessed differently. The pre- and post-monsoon sampling over two hydrological cycles in 2002 and 2003 indicate that the As, Cd and Pb contaminants are more mobile and may expect to reach the groundwater. The other contaminants seem to be much more stable. The contamination is especially serious in the industrial area as it is housing a large permanent residing population. The study not only aims at determining the natural background levels of trace elements as a guide for future pollution monitoring but also focuses on the pollution vulnerability of the watershed. A plan of action for remediation is recommended.     

生物资源在减轻农业草害中的作用与技术对策

论述了生物资源在减轻农业草害和促进农业可持续发展中所具有的生态效益和经济效益,提出了开发生物资源防治农业草害的技术对策。     

新形势下环境质量综合分析思路探讨

随着中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会的顺利召开,环保"大部制"改革、环境监测垂直管理制度改革以及国家"大气十条""水十条""土十条"的全面实施均对生态环境保护、环境监测乃至环境质量综合分析工作提出了新要求。新形势下,环境质量综合分析应与时俱进、开拓创新,进一步优化工作机制,加强系统分析,增强综合分析报告的科学性、规范性、时效性、精准性、客观性等,强化技术与能力支撑,更好发挥环境监测对环境管理和决策的引领作用。     

基于智能优化算法的河流水质模型参数的优化简

为探索河流水质模型参数新的求解方法,根据有限的实测数据,分别应用免疫进化优化算法和免疫进化优选的捕食搜索算法,对河流水质模型计算公式中的多参数进行优化。将优化得到的计算公式用于国内外若干河流的河段中DO浓度值的拟合,并与实测结果进行了比较。结果表明,将免疫进化优化算法或免疫进化优选的捕食搜索算法优化得到的水质模型参数精度不仅较高,而且相对稳定,从而为河流水质模型参数的优化提供了一种新方法。     

The current state of knowledge of ecosystems and ecosystem services in Russia: A status report

This paper focusses on a conceptual overview of ways to address a comprehensive analysis of ecosystem services (ES) in a country as large and heterogeneous as Russia. As a first step, a methodology for assessing the services for the federal subjects of Russia was chosen, i.e., its constituent provinces and similar entities, in physical terms. Russia harbors a great diversity of natural conditions and ecosystems which are suppliers of ES, and likewise a variety of the socio-economic conditions that shape the demand for these services and their consumption. The methodological approach described permits several important tasks to be addressed: the evaluation of the degree of satisfaction of people’s needs for ES, the identification of ecological donor and acceptor regions, and zoning of the country’s territory for ES assessment. The next step is to prepare a prototype of a National Report on ES in Russia, for which we are presenting the planned structure.     

Striking the balance: Challenges and perspectives for the protected areas network in northeastern European Russia

Increasing anthropogenic pressure on the largest remaining tracts of old-growth boreal forest in Europe necessitates additional conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity in northeastern European Russia. In a regional network comprising 8 % of the Nenets Autonomous District and 13.5 % of the Komi Republic, 248 areas have varying protected statuses as state nature reserves (zapovedniks), national parks, reserves/sanctuaries (zakazniks), or natural monuments. Due to increased natural resource extraction in this relatively pristine area, designation of additional protected areas is critical for the protection of key ecological sites. The history of ecological preservation in these regions is herein described, and recent recommendations for incorporating additional ecologically representative areas into the regional network are presented. If the protected area network can be expanded, the overall environmental stability in these globally significant ecosystems may remain intact, and can help Russia meet the 2020 Aichi conservation targets, as set forth by the Convention of Biological Diversity.     

不同运行模式对同步脱氮除磷CAST工艺快速启动及其稳定维持的影响

以实际生活污水为处理对象,考察了传统进水/曝气和改良型分段进水的交替缺氧-好氧(A/O)2种运行模式对CAST工艺的快速启动及脱氮除磷性能稳定维持的影响。结果表明,传统进水/曝气运行模式下,系统达到最佳营养物去除性能所需启动时间30 d,稳定运行阶段TN平均去除80.66%,磷的去除率维持在66.30%左右;采用改良型交替运行模式,反应器达到稳定运行状态仅需18 d,系统稳定运行时TN平均去除81.36%,磷去除率稳定维持在90%以上,出水磷浓度在0.3 mg/L以下,出水水质达到国家污水综合排放标准一级A(GB8978-2002)。研究还发现,传统运行模式下,由低温引起的污泥沉降性能变差导致系统污泥严重流失,反应器几乎丧失污染物去除性能;而低温对交替运行模式下的反应器除磷性能几乎没有影响,总氮去除则因氨氮不完全硝化而大大降低。     

南美环保与社区事务策略——以厄瓜多尔项目为例

以南美厄瓜多尔项目为例,分析在新的转型石油服务合同模式下,海外项目在环保和社区事务上面临的风险,包括环保许可审批时间长、历史污染处理、保护区内新区块开发审批难、社区补偿和社区冲突等问题。厄瓜多尔项目采用项目管理方法加强环保许可审批,借助审计契机划清历史污染责任,利用合同承诺解决保护区内作业难题,通过与政府沟通、利用政府力量推动工作开展,用法律武器解决社区问题,为项目持续稳定发展奠定基础。