Montane Meadows as Indicators of Environmental Change

We used a time series of satellite multispectral imagery for mapping and monitoring six classes of montane meadows arrayed along a moisture gradient (from hydric to mesic to xeric). We hypothesized that mesic meadows would support the highest species diversity of plants, birds, and butterflies because they are more moderate environments. We also hypothesized that mesic meadows would exhibit the greatest seasonal and interannual variability in spectral response across years. Field sampling in each of the meadow types was conducted for plants, birds, and butterflies in 1997 and 1998. Mesic meadows supported the highest plant species diversity, but there was no significant difference in bird or butterfly species diversity among meadow types. These data show that it may be easier to detect significant differences in more species rich taxa (e.g., plants) than taxa that are represented by fewer species (e.g., butterflies and birds). Mesic meadows also showed the greatest seasonal and interannual variability in spectral response. Given the rich biodiversity of mesic montane meadows and their sensitivity to variations in temperature and moisture, they may be important to monitor in the context of environmental change     

The Vegetation of Wet Meadows in Relation to Their Land-use

Wetland biomonitoring approaches are needed to determine when changes in response to stressors are occurring and to predict the consequences of proposed land-use changes. These approaches require an understanding of shifts in biota that occur in response to land-use, data that are lacking for most kinds of wetlands. Changes in floristic composition corresponding to land-use differences at multiple scales (site to 2500 m radius) were characterized for 40 wet meadows associated with prairie glacial marshes in Minnesota (U.S.A.). In general, guild was more useful than species composition for indicating land-use impacts. Site impacts (stormwater, cultivation) and landscape disturbance (agriculture and urbanization, combined), coincide with a reduction in native graminoid and herbaceous perennial abundance (e.g., Carex lasiocarpa, Calamagrostis canadensis, Spartina pectinata). This vegetation is replaced with annuals (e.g, Bidens cernua, Polygonum pensylvanicum) in recently cultivated sites or introduced perennials (e.g., Phalaris arundinacea, Typha angustifolia) and floating aquatics (lemnids) in stormwater impacted wetlands. Ditches also reduce native perennial importance and increase perennials, but only when they are in highly impacted landscapes.     

农林废弃物在去除废水重金属中的环境友好利用

评述了近年来国内外利用廉价农林废弃物去除废水重金属的研究进展.重点论述了化学改性处理的农林废弃物对重金属离子的吸附性能,并详细比较了改性前后及各种改性方法的吸附效率.改性处理明显提高了农林废弃物的吸附性能,一些改性的农林废弃物吸附剂对某些重金属离子具有良好的吸附性能,显示出广阔的应用前景.但在今后的研究中还应强化改性农林废弃物吸附剂表面结构表征、吸附作用机理和动力学的研究,开发新型高效的改性再生方法,并对废水处理成本进行详细评估.     

An environmental perspective of the post-tsunami scenario along the coast of Tamil Nadu, India: role of sand dunes and forests

An endeavor to feel the pulse of a coast devastated by a powerful oceanographic event is made. Results of field investigations along Tamil Nadu seaside revealed that the tsunami of December 2004 demolished dwellings within strips ranging from 6 to 132m (average width, 41m) from the dune, and flooded up to 862m (average, 247m) from the shore. The event damaged sand dunes, ripped dune vegetation, created new water bodies and shattered high value assets. Comparatively, casuarina forests performed remarkably. Uprooting of trees was exclusively restricted to a frontal strip ranging from 5 to 25m (average width, 14m) nearest to the shore where the maximum wave run-up was 6.5m above sea level. Sand dunes in general, and casuarina forests in particular, posses an innate capacity to dissipate powerful waves. This inference is supported by (a) negligible over wash along belts characterized by high dune complexes, (b) intact villages shielded by dense forests as well as sand dunes, and (c) maximum destruction of open beach front influenced by intense human activity. In this context, the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) Notification of 1991 offers sufficient scientific validity to be endorsed. However, post-tsunami ecosystem management initiatives lack a scientific basis. Therefore, a coastal hazards policy, that considers adaptation, dune restoration and forested buffer zones, is a sustainable long-term option for Indian coasts.     

Images of war: using satellite images for human rights monitoring in Turkish Kurdistan

In areas of war and armed conflict it is difficult to get trustworthy and coherent information. Civil society and human rights groups often face problems of dealing with fragmented witness reports, disinformation of war propaganda, and difficult direct access to these areas. Turkish Kurdistan was used as a case study of armed conflict to evaluate the potential use of satellite images for verification of witness reports collected by human rights groups. The Turkish army was reported to be burning forests, fields and villages as a strategy in the conflict against guerrilla uprising. This paper concludes that satellite images are useful to validate witness reports of forest fires. Even though the use of this technology for human rights groups will depend on some feasibility factors such as prices, access and expertise, the images proved to be key for analysis of spatial aspects of conflict and valuable for reconstructing a more trustworthy picture.     

杉木观光木混交林群落的能量生态

对杉木观光木混交林群落能量的研究结果表明：混交林中观光木地上部分灰分含量以皮最高,而杉则以叶最高,两者GCV（干重热值）和AFCV（去灰分热值）均以叶为最高;观光木、杉木地下各部分的灰分含量均随径级的减小而增加,GCV均以粗根最高,细根最低;观光木的平均灰分含量高于杉木,但GCV和AFCV均低于杉木;从乔木层、灌木层到草本层,灰分含量依次增加,GCV和AFCV则依次降低,混交林群落的能量现存量公占群落的很小一部分,而其能量年净增量、归还量和净固定量却占有一定比重,混交林群落的太阳能转化率为1.57%,而纯林为1.44%,表明杉观混交林是一种能量生产力较高和维持地力能力较强的杉阔混交类型。同时,混交林的能量累积比大于纯林,能量流动速率则低于纯林;乔木层的能量累积比高于林下植被,能量流动速率则低于林下植被,从能量的角度看,构建合理的群落结构必须选择高能量累积比的乔木层树种,同时须促进能量流动速率快的林下植被的发育以维持和提高地力。     

杨树刺槐混交林沙地土壤的水分—物理性质

研究了刺槐与杨树混交林后沙地土壤水分－物理性质变化的状况,结果表明,刺槐与杨树混交后,土壤水分－物理性质得到了改善,表现在土壤最大持水量增加,毛管持水量、田间持水量得以提高,土壤有效持水量也有了较大幅度的提高,刺槐与杨树混交后土壤总孔隙度、非毛管孔隙度、毛管孔隙度得到提高,并由此而改善了混交林土壤的渗透性能,表4参7     

对地观测技术在重大自然灾害监测与评估中的应用实例分析

对地观测技术可提供大范围、多时相、高分辨率的海量数据,用于自然灾害的监测与评估有其极大的优越性。本文叙述了对地观测技术在洪涝灾害、沙尘天气、森林火灾的监测与评估和地震形变场研究中的应用,并指出对地观测技术是建立数字减灾系统不可或缺的强大信息源。     

基于随机森林的突发事件分级模型研究

突发事件的分级是快速响应和有效应对的基础,为了解决目前突发事件分级宽泛、主观性强和动态适应性弱等问题,将多分类器集成引入突发事件的分级过程中,借助随机森林组合分类器,针对突发事件特征,构建突发事件分级的随机森林模型,形成突发事件分级过程,进而对事前的应急预案制定、事中的应急资源配置和应急决策提供有力支撑;最后,以2014-2016年洪涝灾害突发事件为例检验构建的模型和过程。研究结果表明:与支持向量机方法相比,通过检验随机森林组合分类器分类结果准确率达到97.56%,在突发事件分级的应用上是可行的,进而可为突发事件的快速响应和应急决策提供信息支撑和参考依据。     

我国林业碳汇市场供需研究——以广东长隆碳汇造林项目为例

广东长隆碳汇造林项目作为我国首个获得国家发展和改革委员会签发的林业温室气体自愿减排(CCER)项目,对于我国林业碳汇参与应对气候变化具有重要的示范意义。本文对广东长隆碳汇造林项目进行了成本收益分析,发现林业碳汇交易价格被远远低估,从而使该项目不具备经济上的可复制性。为探究交易价格被低估的原因,本文考察了林业碳汇市场的供需关系,发现目前碳交易市场对林业碳汇CCER需求不足仅是表象,供需错配才是实质。首先,从需求侧来看,广东省碳排放配额设置过于宽松,缺乏林业碳汇CCER的接纳能力;其次,就供给侧而言,CCER的交易成本很高,且项目申报要求业主为企业法人,这严重限制了林业碳汇CCER的有效供给。鉴于以上问题,本文提出应同时从林业碳汇CCER的需求侧和供给侧着手改革。就需求侧而言,收紧广东省碳排放配额总量,并将林业碳汇CCER交易由补充机制改为配额管理。就供给侧而言,可以结合广东省推进林业碳普惠制度,将项目申报主体和交易主体放宽到独立法人和个人,广泛吸收民间资本、培育大型林业企业开展碳汇造林项目;降低碳汇项目进入门槛,根据省情制定方法学,简化签批手续。