A land suitability model for the evaluation of land-use change

A land suitability model was developed to provide the planner with a quantitative tool for assessing the environmental limitations on proposed land-use changes in the area surrounding Lake Monroe in southern Indiana. The model incorporates a weighting procedure that allows the environmental evaluation of a decision to convert the present land use to another category. The data base for the model was assembled by a multidisciplinary team. A case study is included, which illustrates the advantages and limitations of the land suitability model as it is applied to the evaluation of a site for the Alumni Family Camp.     

HYDROLOGIC EFFECTS FROM CHANGES IN GROUND WATER PUMPAGE1

ABSTRACT: Simulation of a large stream-aquifer system in Nebraska has been accomplished for the period from 1975 to 2020 to determine effects of controls on ground water pumpage. Three scenarios tested consisted of average annual withdrawals of 15.2 ac-in/ac (FUTURE 1), 14.8 ac-in/ac (FUTURE 2), and 9.8 ac-in/ac (FUTURE 3). The highest quantity represents the historical tendency; while the 14.8 in. figure represents a slight reduction and also represents an equalization of irrigation application efficiencies throughout the area. The lowest figure represents a substantial increase in application efficiency. Comparisons between simulated ground water elevations indicate maximum savings of FUTURE 2 over FUTURE 1 of less than 8 ft. FUTURE 3 ft. FUTURE 3 levels are projected to be a maximum of approximately 13 ft. higher than FUTURE 1's. The relatively small savings from reductions in pumpage result primarily from recirculation effects. Differences between ground water contributions to stream flow are small for all scenarios. These contributions decrease with time and increasing pumpage amounts. Base flow rates at the end of the simulation are approximately 25 percent of those at the beginning.     

Chromosome aberrations as indicator of technogenic impact on conifer stands

The level of chromosome aberrations at different stages of mitosis has been studied in the seed sprout meristem of four conifer species growing in the Southern Urals in areas differing in the kind and degree of industrial pollution. The results provide evidence for the adverse effect of pollution on the chromosomal machinery of these species. With respect to environmental quality assessment, the Scots pine is the most sensitive indicator species among conifers growing in the Southern Urals and analysis of chromosome aberrations in anaphase-telophase cells is most effective among the cytogenetic methods tested.     

“In common nature”: an ethnography of climate adaptation in the Lesotho Highlands

In Lesotho, climate change adaptation funding is being managed and distributed by the same mechanisms which have traditionally operationalised humanitarian aid and international development assistance in the country. Lessons from the HIV/AIDS disaster, along with insights into the value of participatory approaches foregrounding the expertise of indigenous communities, must be heeded in order to ensure that those most affected by climate change have a say in how adaptation is carried out. This paper proposes that indigenous people have developed and actively maintained resilience strategies, encoded in social practices and farming techniques, designed out of long experience with climatic variability. Through case studies, indigenous resilience strategies are explored, with emphasis on the anarchistic, improvisational nature of traditional ecological knowledge. Future directions for policy-makers and practitioners dealing with climate change adaptation are suggested, namely the need to foreground indigenous knowledge and the experiences of frontlines experts in key policy arenas.     

Rapid and simple spectrophotometric determination of persulfate in water by microwave assisted decolorization of Methylene Blue

A rapid and simple method for determination of persulfate in aqueous solution was developed. The method is based on the rapid reaction of persulfate with Methylene Blue(MB) via domestic microwave activation, which can promote the activation of persulfate and decolorize MB quickly. The depletion of MB at 644 nm(the maximum absorption wavelength of MB) is in proportion to the increasing concentration of persulfate in aqueous solution. Linear calibration curve was obtained in the range 0–1.5 mmol/L, with a limit of detection of 0.0028 mmol/L. The reaction time is rapid(within 60 sec), which is much shorter than that used for conventional methods. Compared with existing analytical methods, it need not any additives, especially colorful Fe2+, and need not any pretreatment for samples, such as p H adjustment.     

Recovery in Naturally Dynamic Environments: A Case Study from the Sperrgebiet,Southern African Arid Succulent Karoo

Little is known about the process of vegetation recovery and associated time frames in the Succulent Karoo Biome of southern Africa. This study investigated the recovery of vegetation on sites impacted by mining (different types of dumps and mined areas) in the arid succulent karoo. The main aim of this study was to determine the state of recovery, time frames, successional stages, and the influence of environmental factors on recovery of coastal dune and sand plain plant communities. For this purpose, vegetation was recorded on some 121 sites throughout a coastal strip of approximately 100 × 3 km in Namibia’s restricted diamond area (Sperrgebiet). Using the species pool concept to derive vegetation reference sites and dominance-diversity curves, recovery of vegetation (measured in terms of species richness and cover) in these altered landscapes reached about 46% on the oldest, 51-year-old mine dumps. However, based on species richness, richness levels similar to the undisturbed reference sites were recorded after 30 years, following a logarithmic trend. Successional stages of natural recovery were indicated in this dynamic coastal environment and Cladoraphis cyperoides and Galenia fruticosa appear to be early successional species. Scaling up of studies to landscape level and developing a target community using the species pool concept are discussed as means to measure recovery in dynamic biological communities. On these altered, man-made landforms, the availability of seed may be the bottleneck to achieve vegetation cover comparable to undisturbed vegetation in the surrounding. Hence, restoration efforts should focus on this aspect.     

甘肃南部典型城镇PM2.5浓度及水溶性离子特征分析

为研究甘肃南部城镇PM_2.5及水溶性离子（WSIIs）浓度水平,于2019年4月—2020年2月在甘肃成县按季度进行PM_2.5样品采集,分析了其变化特征,并运用相关和主成分分析法进行来源解析.结果表明：采样期间甘肃成县PM_2.5年平均质量浓度为（57.2±26.9） μg·m^-3,表现为冬季>春季>秋季>夏季的季节变化特征,冬季质量浓度约为夏季的1.9倍,全年空气质量优良率为81%,其中夏季达100%.WSIIs质量浓度呈现SO₄^2->NO₃^->Na⁺>NH₄⁺>Ca²⁺> K⁺>Cl^->Mg²⁺的特征.SNA是浓度水平最高的3种水溶性离子,占8种主要水溶性离子浓度的70.1%.ρ（NO₃^-）/ρ（SO₄^2-）平均值为0.6,表明工农业生产及化石燃料燃烧排放等固定源是颗粒物污染的主要来源.新型冠状病毒疫情期间人员管控对PM_2.5和水溶性离子中SNA质量浓度影响显著,PM_2.5平均质量浓度降幅达44.2%.源解析表明,PM_2.5中WSIIs主要来自化石燃料燃烧、生物质燃烧及二次源和道路建筑扬尘等.     

冀南野生药用资源植物研究

常用中药中以药用植物占多数，几乎凡具有特殊化学成分及生理作用的植物均可以作为药用植物利用。统计表明，冀南野生药用植物资源丰富，约170种。主要分布在西部山区。本文对其中部分重要药用资源植物的成分、功效作较详细介绍，其它只作一般性介绍：一、冀南重要野生药用植物     

移民搬迁是否加剧了山区耕地撂荒?——基于陕南三市1578户农户面板数据

山区移民搬迁是否加剧耕地撂荒关系到移民稳定性及国家粮食安全,具有重要的研究价值。基于陕西省南部地区商洛、安康、汉中3市8县（区）1578户农户调查数据,运用面板Logit和Tobit模型回归得出,移民年数对是否撂荒、撂荒面积及撂荒耕地占比在1%的水平上有正向影响;仅当移民距离超过0.5 km时,农户耕地撂荒面积及撂荒耕地占比显著增加;不同移民类型中,工程移民对耕地撂荒的影响程度最大,避灾移民影响程度最小;另外,户主特征、家庭特征、资源禀赋特征、农地流转特征显著影响了农户的耕地撂荒行为。可以得出,移民搬迁加剧了山区耕地撂荒,城镇生活的转变及务农时间机会成本的增加是耕地撂荒的主要原因。建议政府对工程移民农户进行有土安置,加大生态移民区退耕还林支持力度,扶持扶贫、避灾移民农户发展特色产业,加快农地流转信息平台建设。     

闽三角城市群自然资本损失评估

在快速城镇化进程中,城市群发展在促进区域经济竞争与合作的同时,也在一定程度上造成人地关系矛盾的加剧,生态系统服务水平下降。为了量化城镇化对自然资本产生的变动,揭示人类资源消耗过程对区域生态系统服务的影响机制,以快速城镇化的典型区域——闽三角城市群为例,运用能值分析方法与GIS技术,分析了2000-2015年闽三角城市群可更新资源时空演变特征,城镇化进程中生态环境价值演变规律以及土地转化过程中的自然资本损失。研究结果表明：（1）闽三角城市群可更新资源在时间上呈波动减小趋势,空间上自沿海区域向内陆区域逐渐升高;（2）高环境质量等级中城镇用地面积占比呈显著增加趋势,由0增加到10.63%,人类活动导致区域生态环境价值的损失逐渐上升;（3）城镇化过程中由于城市空间扩张,使部分自然用地与农业用地转化为城镇用地,转化过程造成的自然资本损失总量为1.27×10²² seJ,货币价值超过6.30×10⁹元。研究有助于完善城镇化影响下的生态环境效应研究,为城市群或区域生态环境管理与修复提供决策参考。