IMPACTS OF VISITORS ON SOIL AND VEGETATION OF THE RECREATIONAL AREA “NACIMIENTO DEL RÍO MUNDO” (CASTILLA-LA MANCHA, SPAIN)

This study examines the effects of recreational use on the soil and vegetation at a site of ecological importance (Nacimiento del Río Mundo, Albacete, Spain). The most visited sites showed increased soil compaction of approximately 50%, bare ground increase to 61 ± 10% and a decrease in richness (from 25 ± 2 to 15 ± 2 species), diversity (from 4.0 ± 0.1 to 2.7 ± 0.4) and stratification of plant species (from 80 ± 11 to 21 ± 4%). The most visited sites had 90% less plant species as compared to the least visited. Intense use was associated with the presence of nitrophilous plant and vegetal species with a morphology adapted to heavy trampling. The recreational areas showed a distribution pattern of impact radiating outwards from the most used and degraded point. At the most visited point, Los Chorros (the spring of the river), the impact radiated outwards for about 20 m. A pilot experiment examining the effects of one-year restriction to visitors for access to a formerly impacted area showed a plant cover increase by anthropic and not by native species of 57 percent units.     

Land User Participation in Developing a Computerised Decision Support System for Combating Desertification

Combating desertification in natural rangelands has recently become a priority in large parts of southern Africa. Rangeland managers, farmers, scientists, conservationists and land users have been applying a variety of restoration technologies to address this problem. Bush encroachment, as part of the desertification process, involves the natural replacement of the herbaceous plant cover by undesirable problem woody species. The active and passive restoration technologies that are applied, are mainly based on indigenous knowledge and include the chemical, mechanical or manual reclamation of unproductive rangelands, as well as the combating of woody and alien species encroachment. Indigenous practices and knowledge play a major role in the effectiveness and success rate of these technologies. This project faces the challenge of bringing together both local and scientific knowledge in a single user-friendly, computerised Decision Support System (DSS) which is directly accessible by land users to support them in the process of decision making, concerning the combating of desertification. Case studies from central and northern Namibia were used to combine qualitative and quantitative data to develop this Decision Support System. The DSS currently consists of two databases and an expert system, which evaluates the results of land users’ management practices, and provides easily accessible information and advice for participants in the system, based on the incorporated data. The DSS is also linked to national and international web sites and databases to offer a wider range of information on technologies concerning agricultural and conservation practices.     

A Metamodeling Approach for Integrated Assessment of Air Quality Policies

A method is proposed to build integrated models (also called Metamodels) aimed at quantifying the economic efficiency of air quality policies. This Metamodeling approach is based on the coupling of two complementary models, that operate at different scales in space and time, and which represent the economic and the physical and chemical processes, respectively. The joint consideration of the physico-chemical and techno-economic structure of the pollution control problems permits a comprehensive evaluation of air pollution abatement strategies. The motivating pollution control problems include urban-regional air quality management through efficient energy and traffic control policies. A pilot study, exploiting data collected in the Geneva canton (Switzerland), is used to demonstrate the potential of the approach.     

Planning Tools for Developing Comprehensive Regional Monitoring Programs

We present a planning framework that structures thelarge amount of interrelated information involved indeveloping regional monitoring programs. By regionalwe mean programs that recognize the importance ofprocesses that occur on larger geographic scales andthat cut across more than one ecosystem component. Theframework helps visualize functional relationshipsamong qualitative ingredients such as public concernsand more concrete details such as individual dataelements. It portrays the flow of information amongthe components of a regional program and ties eachaspect of the program to management decision-makingneeds. This makes it easier, during the planningprocess, to ensure that monitoring will actuallyproduce useful information. Further, the frameworksnovel, graphically oriented, and readily accessibleformat makes key information equally available to thewide range of participants (regulators, scientists,managers, public) whose input and support arenecessary for program success.     

高等院校教育技术的发展思路探讨

本文阐述了高等院校教育技术的发展现状,分析了高等院校教育技术发展的特点,对高等院校教育技术的发展进行理性思考。认为高等院校应该在重视教育技术实践性和支持性研究的基础上,立足现实,更全面审视机构整合、教育信息化、信息资源库建设和教师培训这些热点问题。     

中小企业面对ISO14001标准的发展对策

简要论述中小企业实施ＩＳＯ １４４００１标准、建立 环境管理体系面临机遇和挑战，以及中小企业实施ＩＳＯ １４００１标准的对策。     

植物遗传资源保护与利用的市场化机制和国际制度

随着植物物种资源的不断减少和因生物技术迅猛发展对植物遗传资源需求的不断增加 ,植物遗传资源正逐步由公共物品转变为稀缺物品。坚持《生物多样性公约》所确立的遗传资源效益公平分享原则 ,完善现有国际多边体系 ,促进以“遗传编码功能”价值概念和遗传资源保护效应“内部化”与“补偿”方案为基础的植物遗传资源市场化保护与利用机制的形成 ,建立“植物遗传资源交易所”和“生物多样性合作社” ,将有助于提高世界各国尤其是发展中国家保护植物遗传资源的积极性 ,实现全球植物遗传资源的可持续利用     

云南地热资源──以腾冲地区为重点进行解剖

位于中国西南部的云南省,具有丰富的地热资源。这些地热资源大致可分为三类：①高温水热系统;②中-低温水热系统;③“隐伏型”地热资源。根据地热背景（大地构造和热流）和热显示,本研究首先对各构造单元中的地热资源进行了评价,然后重点分析了腾冲地热区的地热资源及其热源和水源的成因。研究结果表明．腾冲地热田形成于板块的碰撞带,其丰富的高温水热系统地热资源的主要形成机制是：①高温热能来自地幔以及地壳中的熔融岩浆囊;②丰富的大气降水补给──大气降水通过断层（特别是活断层）的循环并与少量来自地球内部的水混合。本文提供的资料表明,腾冲地热资源具有开发利用价值──发电和发展旅游业,在东川一个旧一线（东经103°20′）以西地区,中─低温地热资源一般钻进深度不到1000m就能开发出来。     

Integrated nutrient management and waste recycling for restoring soil fertility and productivity in Japanese mint and mustard sequence in Uttar Pradesh, India

Supplementing the nutrient requirement of crops through organic manures plays a key role in sustaining soil fertility, and crop productivity and reducing use of fossil fuels. Field experiments were conducted for 2 years at two different locations (i.e. Lucknow and Pantnagar) in Uttar Pradesh, India. The objectives of the study were to assess the herb and essential oil yields of Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis cv. Hy 77), and its nutrient accumulation under single and combined applications of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers (NPK). Changes in physical and chemical characteristics of the soils (Fluvisols, Mollisols) were also determined. Eight treatments comprising different combinations of NPK through inorganic fertilizers and farm yard manure (FYM) were compared. The distilled waste of mint after extraction of essential oil was recycled to soils in the plots to supplement the nutritional requirement of the succeeding mustard crop (Brassica juncea cv. Pusa Bold). Herb and essential oil yield of mint were significantly higher with combined application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients as compared to single applications. Accumulation of N and P was at par under full inorganic and combined supply whereas, K accumulation was higher with the former. Soil organic C and pH after harvest of mint did not significantly differ among the treatments, but the level of mineralizable N, Olsen-P and NH₄OAc extractable K were higher in soil with integrated supply of nutrients. Significant increase in soil water stable aggregates, organic C, available NPK and microbial biomass, and decrease in soil bulk density were observed with waste recycling over fertilizer application. These benefits were reflected in the seed and stubble yield of mustard which succeeded mint. This study indicates that combined application of inorganic fertilizers with organics helps in increasing the availability of nutrients and crop yield and provides a significant effect to the succeeding crop. Similarly, recycling crop residues reduces the need for fossil fuel based fertilizer, and helps in sustaining and restoring soil fertility in terms of available nutrients and major physical and chemical characteristics of the soil.     

An overview on industrial waste management in China

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