MULTICRITERIA PROGRAMMING OF WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS FOR RURAL AREAS1

ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to present a multicriteria methodology for decision aid at the stage of programming a water supply system (WSS) for a rural area. The programming stage is an intermediate one between planning and designing water supply facilities, and can be decomposed into two problems: (a) setting up a priority order of water users, taking into account socio-economic criteria; and (b) choosing the best technical variant of the WSS. Among the criteria considered for the latter problem, there is a criterion of distance between the socio-economic priorities of users and the precedence orders of users according to the technical programming, which plays a coordinating role between problems (a) and (b). All steps of the presented methodology are illustrated by a real case study.     

WATER RESOURCES AND SOCIAL CHOICES1

ABSTRACT The problem of water resources management can be viewed as one requiring the existence and application of some type of “collective decision” mechanism. Currently, the general water resource decision problem is solved using an “individual decision” format without explicit consideration of the dominant social decision system. This paper demonstrates the need for blending technical planning activities with organized societal processes and then proposes a specific public decision framework to satisfy this requirement. The key element in this planning framework is a generalized “bargaining arena” which serves to link technical activities with the social system. Using this bargaining device we can (1) specify policy at a local level, (2) incorporate “social decision” rules into the planning process, and (3) provide local access to the decision process. A simple case of regional water quality management is used to describe the application of this planning procedure and to offer encouragement for successful use in more complex real-world cases.     

Courtship display by great frigatebirds, Fregata minor: an energetically costly handicap signal?

We used detailed time-budget observations, mark-resight data, and doubly labeled water estimates of energy expenditure to test whether energy spent on courtship display by male frigatebirds functions as a sexually selected handicap signal. During a 2-day period of time budget observations, males displayed on average 29.5% of the time (range 0–100% for 15 different males), and this value was correlated with an index of season-long display effort. Season-long display effort was strongly predictive of pairing success. Average field metabolic rate (FMR) during the 2-day time budget period was 676.5 kJ/day (range 464.8–1035.0), substantially lower than the mass-specific FMR predicted from studies of other seabirds during incubation or chick-rearing. Despite a low overall FMR, display effort could function as an energetic handicap, either if FMR correlates positively with the amount of courtship performed or if high-quality males display at a high rate because they pay a lower energy cost per unit of display than do low-quality males. We found no relationship between FMR and display rate, despite good power for doing so. We also did not find a significant difference in energy spent divided by courtship time for males that were or were not chosen by females (inferred to be high- and low-quality males, respectively), though the medians differed in the predicted direction (preferred males having lower relative costs than non-preferred males) and the confidence interval on the difference between groups was very wide. Thus, we found evidence that male courtship effort is predictive of pairing success, we rejected one mechanism by which energetic cost of display could function as a handicap, and our test of the alternate energetic handicap mechanism was equivocal.     

Signature whistle variations in a bottlenosed dolphin,Tursiops truncatus

To examine whether context-specific information is superimposed upon the individual cues present in the whistling of the bottlenosed dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, parameter variations within the two most frequently emitted whistle types of a captive individual were investigated in three different behavioural contexts. The study concentrated on comparing signal features of spontaneously occurring vocalizations in two possible phases following the performance of a trained discrimination task and those occurring during isolation. Phases of the discrimination task differed according to whether the animal showed correct (reward given) or incorrect performance (no reward). Signature whistles were most common in isolation, but also represented just over half of the whistles following a choice task. Of 14 signature whistle frequency and time parameters measured 9 differed significantly between isolation and at least one of the phases following a choice task (Table 1). Three parameters also varied according to whether performance was correct or incorrect. In contrast, only one out of four parameters (start frequency) measured from the second most frequent whistle type varied significantly between contexts (isolation vs. phase following correct choice). The results indicate that not only identity but also context-related information is available in the whistles of a bottlenosed dolphin.     

哈尼梯田地区农户粮食作物种植结构及驱动力分析

哈尼稻作梯田系统作为全球重要农业文化遗产（GIAHS）,具有极高的生态、经济、文化价值。近年来,以粮食产量增长为导向的农耕技术和作物品种单一化趋势,给哈尼梯田地区带来了严重的生态和食品安全问题。论文以农户生产行为作为切入点,从主要粮食作物的经济效益、耕地资源特征、村落发展类型、农户的家庭特征与资源禀赋进行实证研究,分析了哈尼梯田地区农户粮食作物种植结构现状及驱动因素。结果表明：1）调查涉及的41.23 hm²有效耕地中,按种植总面积排序,杂交稻、玉米、水果类作物位居前三。2）本地传统粮食作物--梯田红米,种植总面积和户均种植面积远小于经济效益较高的杂交稻和兼有饲料用途的玉米。同时,农户倾向于将其种植在质量较差、海拔较高的耕地上。3）作物的经济效益和耕地海拔及质量对替代性作物（如杂交稻和红米）的种植选择影响较大;个体农户层面上,农户特征与资源禀赋在不同程度上对不同作物的种植选择产生影响。     

选择试验模型法在澳门固体废弃物管理中的应用

环境物品或环境服务的经济价值评估是环境经济学研究的前沿领域.选择试验模型法是目前国际上用于评估环境物品经济价值的一种新方法.本文以澳门的固体废弃物管理为例,探讨选择试验模型法在澳门进行环境物品经济价值评估实践的可行性.在专家咨询和小组讨论的基础上,确定垃圾分选和回收、垃圾收集频率、减小垃圾收集过程中产生的噪音和垃圾处理费为澳门固体废弃物管理的4个属性.在对澳门6个堂260名居民进行随机抽样调查的基础上,分析了澳门固体废弃物管理不同属性的价值以及固体废弃物管理不同替代方案的相对价值.结果表明,实行垃圾分选和回收利用以及减小垃圾收集过程中产生的噪声是澳门今后固体废弃物管理的合理选择.     

基于选择实验法的城市生态系统服务价值评估——以四川温江为例

对城市生态系统服务价值的全面认知是实现城市生态系统可持续发展的基础。论文以四川温江为例,首先,基于选择实验法,构建城市生态系统服务功能属性指标和设置属性水平,了解温江居民对不同状态水平的选择偏好;然后,采用Mixed Logit模型对居民城市生态系统服务效用函数进行拟合,探讨生态系统服务各属性隐含价格和居民补偿剩余;最后,对温江城市生态系统服务价值进行评估。结果表明：1）温江居民对于城市生态系统服务功能偏好由高到低分别为城市小气候、水环境、空气质量、城市噪声污染和休闲娱乐文化。2）各生态系统服务功能属性指标隐含价格分别为：为了在5 a内实现温江城市生态系统服务功能各指标预设目标,空气质量达标天数比率每提高1%,当地居民支付意愿为399.45元/(人·a);河流综合污染指数每下降1%,当地居民支付意愿为564.03元/(人·a);一类地区环境噪声比每降低1%,当地居民支付意愿为295.25元/(人·a);夏季最高温度比每提高1%,当地居民支付意愿为630.81元/(人·a);人均公共绿地面积比重每提高1%,当地居民支付意愿为219.29元/(人·a)。3）为在5 a内实现目标,温江居民的整体人均意愿支付成本为113.59元/(人·a),据此可以计算得出目前温江城市生态系统服务全价值为3 733.08万元/a。     

化学工程固沙在塔里木沙漠公路沙害防治中的适宜性

由于天然材料日益紧缺 ,研制适宜于流动性沙漠地区公路沙害防治的人工替代材料势在必行 .结合塔里木沙漠公路沙害环境 ,实验室优选出 L VA、LVP、WBS和 STB 4种抗性较好的固沙剂 ,对其理化性能、粘结体力学性能和抗风蚀性能等测试结果表明 :颗粒粒径 0.2μm～ 0.5μm,粘度 12 Pa·s～ 15Pa·s;10℃～70℃温度下无沉淀 ,不燃烧 ;实验抗压强度 1.0 MPa～12.1 MPa;10℃～-20℃低温下重量损失率 0%～ 1.8%;紫外光照射 300h强度损失率 0%～ 42%;在 5m·s^-1～253m·s^-1实验风速下 ,风蚀量 0g·(106cm²·h)^-1～4.0 g·(106cm²·h)^-1 ;现场试验固结层厚度 0.2 mm～0.5mm,强度高 .化学工程固沙技术适宜于塔里木沙漠公路沙害防治 .     

An Interpretive Study of Yosemite National Park Visitors’ Perspectives Toward Alternative Transportation in Yosemite Valley

The National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly focusing on alternative transportation systems in national parks to address environmental and social problems arising from a historical reliance on personal automobiles as the primary means of visitor access. Despite the potential advantages, alternative transportation may require a reorientation in the way that Americans have experienced national parks since the advent of auto-tourism in the early twentieth century. Little research exists, however, on visitor perspectives towards alternative transportation or the rationale underlying their perspectives. It remains unclear how transportation systems affect visitors’ experiences of the park landscape or the factors influencing their travel behavior in the parks. This report presents an interpretive study of visitor perspectives toward transportation management in the Yosemite Valley area of Yosemite National Park, California. Qualitative analysis of 160 semi-structured interviews identified individual psychological factors as well as situational influences that affect visitors’ behavior and perspectives. Individual psychological factors include perceived freedom, environmental values and beliefs, prior experience with Yosemite National Park and other national parks, prior experience with alternative transportation in national parks, and sensitivity to subjective perceptions of crowding. Situational factors included convenience, access, and flexibility of travel modes, as well as type of visit, type of group, and park use level. Interpretive communication designed to encourage voluntary visitor use of alternative transportation should focus on these psychological and situational factors. Although challenges remain, the results of this study suggest approaches for shaping the way Americans visit and experience their national parks to encourage environmental sustainability.