Can you be bothered? The role of participant motivation in the valuation of species conservation measures

Group-based approaches to the elicitation of stated preferences are considered particularly suitable for valuing unfamiliar or complex environmental goods. While such exercises provide participants with detailed information and time to think and deliberate, they require a considerable degree of motivation from the respondents. Effects of motivation on willingness to pay (WTP) tend to be ignored within the valuation research community, although similar effects have been reported in psychological literature. In this study, a novel approach using video recordings and behaviour coding of participants in group-based Market Stall meetings was employed to measure motivation as well as its impact on WTP and the theoretical and convergent validity of stated WTP. Indicators of motivation correlated significantly with both WTP statements and their validity, with more motivated individuals stating higher and more valid bids. These findings suggest that the recognition of motivation is an important novel element of research into stated preferences, particularly with respect to usefulness and quality of WTP measures.     

系统安全评价方法对比研究

安全评价是衡量风险,实现安全生产的重要途径。为了不同的评价目标开发出来的各种安全评价方法都有其针对性和局限性。认清这些方法的优点和缺点有助于系统地运用安全评价方法衡境目标的风险。安全评价软件有助于弥补安全评价方法的不足,并提高安全评价的效率和可靠性。     

Assessing Water Quality Improvement Schemes: The Multi-Attribute Technique of the UK's Environment Agency

The Environment Agency for England and Wales is required to take account of likely costs and benefits in carrying out its duties. Given the complex nature of environmental problems, this task requires sensitivity to issues such as uncertainty, multiple objectives and conflicting value systems. This paper describes a multi-attribute methodology used to carry out this duty in one area of the Agency's work, the regulation of the water industry. The method includes nine attributes measuring the benefits from water quality improvement schemes, and one attribute measuring scheme costs. It is a workable method that clearly satisfies the requirements for the Environment Agency to take account of the costs and benefits of its actions. Refinements are suggested to improve the individual attribute scores, the weights used in prioritisation and the incorporation of costs. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

四湖地区猕猴桃高效栽培模式与关键技术

针对地处四湖腹地的湖北省监利县果树资源利用率低及涝洼湿地的地理环境和生态条件 ,提出加快果树资源品种结构的调整 ,监北地势稍高 ,排灌方便的地方大力发展以猕猴桃为主的产业 ,同时利用架面下的行间土地套种蔬菜、瓜类作物、草莓、食用菌以及耐荫湿的中草药植物等立体生态农业的栽培模式 ,达到经济效益和生态效益的同步增长 ,与其相配套的栽培关键技术是采用地下通气排灌暗沟设施 ,重施有机质肥加磷肥 ;高畦壮苗定植 ;巧施追肥 ;适时排灌 ;树盘覆草保墒 ;人工辅助授粉和疏花疏果     

A comparison of mussels (Perna viridis) and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) for monitoring chlorinated trace organic contaminants in Hong Kong coastal waters

A comparison of mussels (Perna viridis) and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) was carried out at five sites, representing a gradient of contaminant concentrations, in Hong Kong coastal waters. Mussels, originally collected from a “clean” location, were deployed along with SPMDs at each site for 30 days. Analyses for chlorinated pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) indicated that SPMDs have potential as monitoring tools, and to some extent can overcome the problems associated with mussels, such as natural variability, differing age, sex, and physical condition. However, in most cases, SPMDs failed to rank the sites in the same order as mussels in terms of contaminant concentrations. Nonetheless, in localities where mussels cannot survive – as shown at Kwun Tong in the present experiment – SPMDs may be valuable in providing an indication of potentially bio-available lipophilic pollutants.     

城市生活垃圾卫生填埋场恶臭的防治技术进展

恶臭污染已成为垃圾处理和处置过程中的严重公害。在分析中,介绍了填埋场各区域恶臭的控制措施,综述了卫生填埋场恶臭的常规防治技术,重点讨论了生物技术在填埋场脱臭中的应用,这些防治技术对各类环境卫生设施,如垃圾收集站、中转站、焚烧场、堆肥厂及粪便处理厂的臭气治理均有借鉴意义。     

Measurement of atmospheric nanoparticles: Bridging the gap between gas-phase molecules and larger particles

Atmospheric nanoparticles are crucial components contributing to fine particulate matter(PM2.5), and therefore have significant effects on visibility, climate, and human health. Due to the unique role of atmospheric nanoparticles during the evolution process from gas-phase molecules to larger particles, a number of sophisticated experimental techniques have been developed and employed for online monitoring and characterization of the physical and chemical properties of atmospheric nanoparticles,...     

张家口市农业源污染现状及农业减排分析

随着农村经济的快速发展,农业污染问题日趋严重。张家口市农业的污染源主要是畜禽养殖业,根据其污染特点,提出适合张家口市规模化养殖和专业户养殖的以沼气为纽带的生态养殖场模式和户用沼气池生态庭院模式,这两种模式基本都能达到畜禽养殖业的"零排放"。此外,加强政府管理力度、积极发挥政府引导作用,也是农业减排的重要措施之一。     

Box Handling in the Loading and Unloading of Vans

The handling of 2,306 boxes being loaded or unloaded from vans onto or from 4-wheeled trolleys by 31 handlers in a warehouse were characterized. Handling was videotaped and characterized through an analysis grid completed by three trained observers. The following execution parameters were observed: nature of the exertion applied by the upper limbs, plane and direction of the exertion, resulting displacement of the box, grip, use of the lower limbs and the back. Results show that execution parameters used by handlers vary considerably from those usually recommended or studied. For example, symmetric grips were rarely used (4%). The grip was modified during the handling of half the boxes. Significant knee flexion was rarely observed (3% of exertions). Each box was moved by applying an average of . 3.5 different exertions. Exertions were mostly applied in a plane parallel to the shoulders; they were rarely executed in a strict sagittal plane (11%). The implication of these observations are discussed.     

水稻强化栽培体系的CH4排放特征

紫色土稻作区是川中丘陵区的主要生态系统类型,而水稻强化栽培技术因其巨大的增产潜力而日益受到关注和推广,为了解这一生态区域稻田强化栽培体系的碳过程,同时为中国紫色土地区稻田CH4排放总量提供数据依据,利用静态箱/气相色谱法原位观测水稻(Oryza Sativa Linnaeu)强化栽培体系CH4排放通量特征。结果表明:齐穗期和成熟期稻田CH4排放存在明显的日变化,曲线均为单峰单谷型;齐穗期的CH4排放速率明显高于成熟期;日变化峰值均出现在一天中温度较高的15:00,最低值均出现在在温度偏低的7:00—9:00。稻田CH4排放通量的季节变化存在2个排放高峰,分别出现在生长最为旺盛的拔节孕穗期和收获前期。地下5cm温度和气温是影响CH4排放的重要因素。常规栽培、强化覆膜及强化无膜在水稻整个生长期内CH4排放总量分别为292.332,283.533和208.422kg·hm-2,强化栽培比常规栽培CH4排放总量减少了3.0%～28.7%,但增产效果不显著。