Targeting vulnerability after the 2005 earthquake: Pakistan's Livelihood Support Cash Grants programme

The 7.6 magnitude (Richter scale) earthquake that struck northern Pakistan on 8 October 2005 was devastating. This paper gauges success in targeting vulnerable families during the transition from relief to reconstruction through cash assistance provided by the Livelihood Support Cash Grants (LSCG) programme. Families without a male member, with a disabled male member aged between 18 and 60 years or with more than five children, defined as vulnerable, were provided with USD 50 per month for six months via a bank transfer. The LSCG scheme enrolled around 750,000 families and selected 267,402 vulnerable families to whom it disbursed a total of USD 86.95 million. Using a community‐based survey, this paper assesses leakage and under‐coverage (exclusion). Approximately 30 per cent of families received the cash grant. However, only one in two was eligible for the benefit, and one in two deserving families was excluded. This is a matter of grave concern.     

1960~2013年华南地区霾污染的时空变化及其与关键气候因子的关系

利用线性回归、聚类分析及相关分析等统计方法对华南地区57个地面气象站的观测资料进行分析,探究近54年华南地区霾日数的时空变化特征及其气候成因.结果表明,年平均霾日数大值区主要分布在广东珠江三角洲(珠三角)地区和广西中东部.54年来霾日数呈现显著的上升趋势,而2008年后有所下降.霾日数的季节变化表现为冬季最多,其次是秋季和春季,夏季最少.2008年以后春、夏、秋3季霾日数有所下降,而冬季仍维持在较高水平.不同等级霾日数在近54年来均有不同程度的上升,霾污染不仅在日数上有明显的增加趋势,而且污染强度在加强.不同地区霾日数的快速增长时期不一样,污染严重和正常污染地区发生在20世纪90年代,而相对清洁地区发生在2000年以后.另外近10年污染严重和正常污染地区霾日数有所下降,但相对清洁地区仍维持快速的增长趋势.近54年华南地区年降水日数、年平均风速、大风日数和年小风日数等气候因子变化结果致使气溶胶粒子的湿沉降减弱,污染物扩散能力下降,霾天气生成概率增加.     

南海北部海岛周边海域生态环境质量综合评价

基于国内外海洋生态环境质量综合评价方法,结合我国海洋生态环境调查数据,从环境和生物学要素中选取12个指标建立评价指标体系,确定5个评价等级及标准,采用层次分析法确定指标权重,构建我国海岛周边海域生态环境质量综合评价方法.选取南海北部10个代表性海岛,对其周边海域生态环境质量进行综合评价,结果表明：研究海岛中特呈岛和内伶仃岛评价等级为中,其余8个海岛均为良;离岸距离、陆源污染物排放量和海水交换能力直接影响评价结果.该方法能较好地反映海岛周边海域生态环境状况,可操作性强,可作为今后我国海岛周边海域生态环境质量评价的参考.     

西沙永兴岛大气降水化学特征及来源分析

于2013年对南海西沙永兴岛雨水进行采集,分析了其主要阴阳离子,利用PMF模型对不同离子组成的来源进行解析并运用TrajStat软件模拟后向气团轨迹污染物来源区域的分析.结果表明,永兴岛降水离子浓度顺序为：Cl^-、SO₄^2-、NO₃^-和Na⁺、Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、NH₄⁺、K⁺.Na⁺和Cl^-是降水中主要的阴阳离子,表现出海洋性降水的特征.SO₄^2-、Mg²⁺、K⁺主要来源于海水,但SO₄^2-也受化石燃料燃烧等影响,而K⁺可能受生物质燃烧的影响.Ca²⁺主要来源于土壤,少数来源于其他影响.NO₃^-主要来源于化石燃料燃烧释放,而NH₄⁺有多种来源,包括内陆人为活动的排放和海洋本身有机物降解过程释放的影响.根据Redfield比,可以初步计算出降水中NO₃^-和NH₄⁺对南海新生产力的贡献约为4.8%~13.5%.后向气团轨迹表明,永兴岛降水的离子来源区域相对复杂,包括我国东北地区、南方区域,以及马来西亚等国家、地区的影响,或者来源于南海局地的影响.     

华南地区大气气溶胶中EC和水溶性离子粒径分布特征

利用1988~2010年在华南地区广州、深圳、海口等多地采得的126组样品,初步分析了华南地区不同时段不同地区和水溶性离子成分的浓度变化及其粒径分布特征.结果表明:各站的AEC(等效元素碳)浓度和水溶性无机离子浓度差异较大,Na+和Cl-基本表现为海岛站点>海岸站点>乡村站点>城市站点,其余主要离子成分和AEC则表现为城市站点>乡村站点>海岸站点>海岛.城市站点、乡村站点、海岸站点和海岛站点AEC质量浓度在不同年段随粒径分布的变化趋势比较一致的,基本呈双峰结构,主峰主要位于0.43~0.65mm,次峰主要位于4.7~5.8mm.根据各离子的粒径分布的相似性可以将各种离子的垂直分布形态分为3类:二次离子(SO42-、NO3-和NH4+)呈现明显的三峰分布形态;F-、Ca2+、Mg2+、Na+和Cl-呈双峰分布形态;K+和AEC呈单峰分布形态,主峰位于细粒子模态.各成分浓度随高度的变化则呈现不同的变化规律.降水对气溶胶粒子的清除作用是显著的,尤其是粒径大于1μm的颗粒,而1.1~2.1μm的粒子段是降水清除的关键区.局地污染中,AEC质量浓度随粒径的分布呈现出了很明显的“单峰”结构,且主要集中在次微米段粒径范围内.     

中国华南地区持续干期日数时空变化特征

利用华南地区46个地面气象站1960-2012年逐日降水数据,分析该地区各季节持续干期日数的时空分布特征。结果表明：1）近53年来,华南地区春季和夏季的持续干期日数呈波动下降趋势,下降速率分别为0.042和0.108 d·（10 a）-1;秋季和冬季的持续干期日数呈波动上升趋势,上升速率分别为1.911和0.118 d·（10 a）-1。广东省春季和夏季持续干期日数呈下降趋势,下降速率分别为0.171和0.243 d·（10 a）-1;秋季和冬季持续干期日数呈增加趋势,增加速率分别为1.737和0.32 d·（10 a）-1。广西省春、夏和秋季持续干期日数呈增加趋势,增加速率分别为0.109、0.046和2.117 d·（10 a）-1;冬季为减小趋势,减少速率为0.106 d·（10 a）-1。2）华南地区持续干期日数在春季呈从北向南逐渐增多的趋势,夏季呈自西南向东北逐渐增加的趋势,秋季呈自西向东逐渐增加的趋势,冬季呈从北向南逐渐增多的趋势。冬季的持续干期日数是4个季节中最长的,大致在20~44 d。3）华南地区春季持续干期日数变化倾向率在-1.20~1.00 d·（10 a）-1之间,增加趋势最明显的区域是广西省的南部地区,减少趋势最明显的区域是广东省的沿海地区;夏季在-1.00~0.60 d·（10 a）-1之间,呈增加趋势的区域主要位于广西省的中部和南部,呈减少趋势的区域位于广东省大部分地区和广西省的东部;秋季在0~3.50 d·（10 a）-1之间,整体呈现增加趋势,变化倾向率较大的区域主要位于广西省的中部和广东省的东北部沿海地区;冬季在-1.50~2.00 d·（10 a）-1之间,呈增加趋势的区域主要集中在广东省的中南部和东部地区,以及广西的东部边缘,呈减少趋势的区域主要集中在广东省的北部以及广西的中部和西北部地区。持续干期日数增加趋势最明显的季节是秋季。4）持续干期日数与降水量表现出负相关性,与气温和无降水日数表现为正相关性。降水量和无降水日数的变化对持续干期日数的变化起着重要的作用,而温度对持续干期日数的影响比较小。     

北京城市发展新区土地利用景观格局分析

以北京南部城市发展新区典型代表———房山、大兴、通州3处作为研究区,运用马尔科夫转移矩阵和景观格局指数的方法,进行土地利用变化和景观格局分析。通过对2001—2006年、2006—2011年两个时段的对比分析,发现2001—2006年研究区存在草地、林地、耕地等非建设用地类型面积下降,建设用地面积上升的趋势,且2006—2011年该趋势更加明显。结果表明研究区自然景观向人文景观变革迅速,并面临着后备土地资源不足等问题,亟需调整土地利用方式并优化景观系统空间格局。     

南黄海中部表层沉积物中多环芳烃分布特征及来源分析

通过对南黄海中部49个表层沉积物样品进行总有机碳,粒度,多环芳烃和甲基菲等GS-MS定量分析,探讨了研究区沉积物中多环芳烃分布特征,分子组成,评估南黄海中部多环芳烃污染水平并识别其来源.研究表明,南黄海中部14种多环芳烃总量(ΣPAHs)在81.63~6567.31 ng/g之间,其中优控多环芳烃(ΣEPA PAHs)11种,含量为29.2~1029.1 ng/g,平均含量255.1 ng/g,与国内外其他地区相比有机污染水平为中-低;苝为研究区内主要多环芳烃,分布较为广泛,其含量占所有PAHs的6.40%~88.85%,低含量苝与人为活动有关,而高含量苝代表了陆源有机质输入;多环芳烃组成,异构体分析和甲基菲特征表明,研究区优控多环芳烃主要为煤和高等植物燃烧或不完全燃烧产物以气溶胶形式输入,但部分样品表现出明显的石油源特性也证实了石油燃料,原油泄露产生的多环芳烃客观存在.     

δ13C and fatty acid composition of mesopelagic fishes in the South China Sea and their influence factors

Study of the ecology of mesopelagic fishes is central for assessing the active biological pump in the ocean, especially in the mesopelagic layers. The use of δ¹³C and fatty acid analysis can help to analysis the ecology of mesopelagic fishes. Here, we analysed the fatty acid composition of mesopelagic fishes from the continental northern slope of the South China Sea (NSSCS) and compared with nearshore SCS fishes and mesopelagic fishes collected from the Southern Ocean. The mesopelagic fishes had unusually high lipids, which resulted in Δδ¹³C values exceeding 1‰, more than the enrichment factor in the food web. The mesopelagic fishes had higher C18:1n-9/C18:1n-7 and C20:1n-9/ C18:1n-7 ratios compared with other fishes in the SCS, which confirmed that plankton were their main dietary source. The mesopelagic fishes from SCS and Southern Ocean had different ratios of C20:5n-3/C22:6n-3 (EPA/DHA), suggesting geographical locations and diet sources had obvious influence on their fatty acid composition. The SCS mesopelagic fishes had higher C20:4n-6/C22:6n-3 (ARA/DHA) and C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 (ARA/EPA) ratios than mesopelagic fishes in the Southern Ocean, indicating the influence of physical factors on fatty acid composition. Thus, future studies of the fatty acids in mesopelagic fishes should consider both dietary sources and physical environments.     

Providing health services during a civil war: the experience of a garrison town in South Sudan

The impact of conflict, particularly conflict arising during civil wars, on the provision of healthcare is a subject that has not been widely considered in conflict‐related research. Combatants often target health services to weaken or to defeat the enemy, while attempts to maintain or improve health systems also can comprise part of counter‐insurgency ‘hearts‐and‐minds’ strategies. This paper describes the dynamics associated with the provision of health services in Malakal, an important garrison town in South Sudan, during the second Sudanese civil war (1983–2005). Drawing on the concepts of opportunity hoarding and exploitation, it explores the social and political dynamics of service provision in and around the town during the war. These concepts provide a useful lens with which to understand better how health services are affected by conflict, while the empirical case study presented in the paper illustrates dynamics that may be repeated in other contexts. The concepts and case study set out in this paper should prove useful to healthcare providers working in conflict zones, including humanitarian aid agencies and their employees, increasing their understanding of the social and political dynamics that they are likely to face during future conflict‐related complex emergencies.