“Measuring Sustainability”: A Multi-Criterion Framework

So far, the elementary question of whether one country’s or region’s economy is moving towards sustainability or away from it cannot be answered with unanimous consensus on the ‘measuring rod(s)’ to be employed. The main assumption of this article is that sustainability assessment needs a set of multi-dimensional indicators. From this assumption a question arises: how could such indicators be aggregated? Often, some indicators improve while others deteriorate. For instance, when incomes grow, SO₂ might go down while CO₂ increases. It has to be noted that this is the classical conflictual situation studied in multi-criteria decision theory. The use of a multi-criterion framework for making operational the ‘measuring of sustainability’ is discussed here by means of illustrative examples and more formal arguments.     

Application of the Red List Index for conservation assessment of Spanish vascular plants

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Index (RLI) is used to measure trends in extinction risk of species over time. The development of 2 red lists for Spanish vascular flora during the past decade allowed us to apply the IUCN RLI to vascular plants in an area belonging to a global biodiversity hotspot. We used the Spanish Red Lists from 2000 and 2010 to assess changes in level of threat at a national scale and at the subnational scales of Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and peninsular Spain. We assigned retrospective IUCN categories of threat to 98 species included in the Spanish Red List of 2010 but absent in the Spanish Red List of 2000. In addition, we tested the effect of different random and taxonomic and spatial Spanish samples on the overall RLI value. From 2000 to 2010, the IUCN categories of 768 species changed (10% of Spanish flora), mainly due to improved knowledge (63%), modifications in IUCN criteria (14%), and changes in threat status (12%). All measured national and subnational RLI values decreased during this period, indicating a general decline in the conservation status of the Spanish vascular flora. The Canarian RLI value (0.84) was the lowest, although the fastest deterioration in conservation status occurred on peninsular Spain (from 0.93 in 2000 to 0.92 in 2010). The RLI values based on subsamples of the Spanish Red List were not representative of RLI values for the entire country, which would discourage the use of small areas or small taxonomic samples to assess general trends in the endangerment of national biotas. The role of the RLI in monitoring of changes in biodiversity at the global and regional scales needs further reassessment because additional areas and taxa are necessary to determine whether the index is sufficiently sensitive for use in assessing temporal changes in species’ risk of extinction.     

A Global Indicator for Biological Invasion

Abstract:  "Trends in invasive alien species" is one of only two indicators of threat to biodiversity that form part of the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) framework for monitoring progress toward its "2010 target" (i.e., the commitment to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss). To date, however, there is no fully developed indicator for invasive alien species (IAS) that combines trends, derived from a standard set of methods, across species groups, ecosystems, and regions. Here we provide a rationale for the form and characteristics of an indicator of trends in IAS that will meet the 2010 framework goal and targets for this indicator. We suggest single and composite indicators that include problem-status and management-status measures that are designed to be flexible, readily disaggregated, and as far as possible draw on existing data. The single indicators at national and global scales are number of IAS and numbers of operational management plans for IAS. Global trends in IAS are measured as the progress of nations toward the targets of stabilizing IAS numbers and the implementation of IAS management plans. The proposed global indicator thus represents a minimum information set that most directly addresses the indicator objective and simultaneously aims to maximize national participation. This global indicator now requires testing to assess its accuracy, sensitivity, and tractability. Although it may not be possible to achieve the desired objective for a global indicator of biological invasion by 2010 as comprehensively as desired, it seems possible to obtain trend estimates for a component of the taxa, ecosystems, and regions involved. Importantly, current indicator development initiatives will also contribute to developing the mechanisms necessary for monitoring global trends in IAS beyond 2010.     

Long-term temporal-spatial dynamics of marine coastal water quality in the Tolo Harbor, Hong Kong, China

IntroductionToloHarborislocatedinthenortheasternpartofHongKong .Itisanearlyland lockedwaterbodywithonlyonenarrowexittotheopenseaatMirsBay(Fig .1) .Itslengthandsurfaceareaareapproximately 15kmand 5 2km2 ,respectively .Theaveragedepthvariesfromlessthan10min…     

长江干流关键点流量变化及其生态影响分析

文章详细介绍了水文变动指标IHA法32个水文参数及其生态影响,计算分析了长江干流4个关键点寸滩、宜昌、汉口和大通在"自然变化阶段"、"受人类活动干扰阶段"和多年长系列3个不同时期的多年平均月流量状况,并采用IHA法计算了各控制点的32个水文参数,确定了各参数相应的水文变化等级,分析了长江干流流量格局的变化情况及潜在的生态影响。结果表明,长江干流关键点流量格局的变化主要是:年内月平均流量1～4月枯季流量增加,6～7月汛期流量增加;寸滩和宜昌流量减少主要集中在下半年8～11月,汉口和大通流量减少的时间推迟,主要集中在10～11月;最小流量参数组的平均值增加,年最小1日流量日期均提前;干扰后呈现连续日上涨率减小,下降率增加的趋势;潜在的生态影响主要是生物多样性降低,大型水生植物丰度增加,大型无脊椎动物现存量减少和丰度减少,对产漂流性卵的鱼类影响较大,动植物生活史模式发生变化,易造成本地物种消失,外来物种入侵的后果等几个方面。     

Development of collision risk indicators for autonomous subsea inspection maintenance and repair

The objective of this article is to present a method for developing collision risk indicators applicable for autonomous remotely operated vehicles (AROVs), which are essential for promoting situation awareness in decisions support systems. Three suitable risk based collision indicators are suggested for AROVs namely, time to collision, mean time to collision and mean impact energy. The proposed indicators are classified into different thresholds; low, intermediate and high. An AROV flight path is simulated to gather input data to calculate the proposed indicators and three collision targets are established, i.e., subsea structure, seabed and a cooperating AROV. The proposed indicator development method together with the case study show a proof-of-concept that the combination of mean time to collision and mean impact energy indicators can identify risk prone waypoints in the AROV path. The method results in an overall risk picture for a given AROV path. The results may provide useful input in replanning of mission paths and for implementation of risk reducing measures. Even though the method focuses on collision risk, it can be used for other accident scenarios for AROVs.     

基于离散仿真分析的废弃电器电子产品回收网络优化

优化电子废弃物回收网络对控制回收成本、降低环境污染具有重要意义.因此,本文建立了一种综合考虑运输、存储及淡旺季的回收过程离散仿真模型,提出了一种以经济、能源及环境为指标的回收网络评价方法.同时,以安徽省为例,结合现有回收模式,分别设计了4种回收网络布局及运输方案,在不同的回收覆盖率及库存能力条件下以回收成本、燃油消耗及CO2排放为优化目标对比分析各备选方案,提出了在报废量大于0.15万t·a-1的地区建立回收点并采取全局运输模式的最优方案.研究表明,本文提出的方法同样适用于我国其他省市回收网络的优化.     

Water Transactions for Streamflow Restoration,Water Supply Reliability,and Rural Economic Vitality in the Western United States

Across the western United States, environmental water transaction programs (EWTPs) restore environmental flows by acquiring water rights and incentivizing changes in water management. These programs have evolved over several decades, expanding from relatively simple two‐party transactions to multiobjective deals that simultaneously benefit the environment and multiple water‐using sectors. Such programs now represent an important water management tool and provide an impetus for collaboration among stakeholders; yet, most evaluations of their effectiveness focus exclusively on environmental outcomes, without adequate attention to impacts on other water users or local economies. To understand how these programs affect stakeholders, a systematic, multiobjective evaluation framework is needed. To meet this need, we developed a suite of environmental and socioeconomic indicators that can guide the design and track the implementation of water transaction portfolios, and we applied them to existing EWTPs in Oregon and Nevada. Application of the indicators quantifies impacts and helps practitioners design water transaction portfolios that avoid unintended consequences and generate mutually beneficial outcomes among environmental, agricultural, and municipal interests.     

国内流域生态系统土壤动物群落结构研究

土壤动物与其生存环境息息相关.土壤质地优良,食物种类丰富多样,则土壤动物个体数、类群数、多样性显著增多.目前,国内学者多侧重研究农田、森林、草原等生态系统土壤动物群落结构,而流域生态系统土壤动物研究较少涉及.对此,从土壤动物的水平分布、垂直分布和群落多样性三个方面来综述流域生态系统相关因素对土壤动物的影响具有代表性.在此基础上借鉴其他生态系统土壤动物相关研究并且结合流域生态系统自身特点拓展土壤动物研究方向,为研究区土地利用方向提供依据.研究流域中不同环境因素对土壤动物区系的影响,了解国内外土壤动物的研究和流域生态系统对土壤动物影响的进展.对于生态环境的恢复与重建具有重大意义.