Phenology and control of the onion maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) in Michigan onion production

The phenology and control of the onion maggot, Delia antiqua (Meigen) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), were investigated in commercial onion fields in Michigan from 1978 to 1980. First-generation emergence of adults occurred at 399 Dδ (degree-days) (4.4°C base). Second- and third-generation emergence occurred at 1142 and 1840 D°. Adult flight activity was correlated with time of damage to onion plants by 1st and 2nd generation larvae. Third-generation larvae were only observed on unharvested mature onions. Phenologies of the various life-stages are compared to development rates determined in the laboratory. Application of foliar insecticide sprays for adult control did not provide additional protection from root maggot damage where granular insecticides had been applied at planting. Recommendations for onion maggot control are discussed.     

Relations between Urban Bird and Plant Communities and Human Well‐Being and Connection to Nature

Abstract: By 2050, 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas. In many cases urbanization reduces the richness and abundance of native species. Living in highly modified environments with fewer opportunities to interact directly with a diversity of native species may adversely affect residents’ personal well‐being and emotional connection to nature. We assessed the personal well‐being, neighborhood well‐being (a measure of a person's satisfaction with their neighborhood), and level of connection to nature of over 1000 residents in 36 residential neighborhoods in southeastern Australia. We modeled these response variables as a function of natural features of each neighborhood (e.g., species richness and abundance of birds, density of plants, and amount of vegetation cover) and demographic characteristics of surveyed residents. Vegetation cover had the strongest positive relations with personal well‐being, whereas residents’ level of connection to nature was weakly related to variation in species richness and abundance of birds and density of plants. Demographic characteristics such as age and level of activity explained the greatest proportion of variance in well‐being and connection to nature. Nevertheless, when controlling for variation in demographic characteristics (examples were provided above), neighborhood well‐being was positively related to a range of natural features, including species richness and abundance of birds, and vegetation cover. Demographic characteristics and how well‐being was quantified strongly influenced our results, and we suggest demography and metrics of well‐being must be considered when attempting to determine relations between the urban environment and human well‐being.     

Classification of Climate‐Change‐Induced Stresses on Biological Diversity

Abstract: Conservation actions need to account for and be adapted to address changes that will occur under global climate change. The identification of stresses on biological diversity (as defined in the Convention on Biological Diversity) is key in the process of adaptive conservation management. We considered any impact of climate change on biological diversity a stress because such an effect represents a change (negative or positive) in key ecological attributes of an ecosystem or parts of it. We applied a systemic approach and a hierarchical framework in a comprehensive classification of stresses to biological diversity that are caused directly by global climate change. Through analyses of 20 conservation sites in 7 countries and a review of the literature, we identified climate‐change‐induced stresses. We grouped the identified stresses according to 3 levels of biological diversity: stresses that affect individuals and populations, stresses that affect biological communities, and stresses that affect ecosystem structure and function. For each stress category, we differentiated 3 hierarchical levels of stress: stress class (thematic grouping with the coarsest resolution, 8); general stresses (thematic groups of specific stresses, 21); and specific stresses (most detailed definition of stresses, 90). We also compiled an overview of effects of climate change on ecosystem services using the categories of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and 2 additional categories. Our classification may be used to identify key climate‐change‐related stresses to biological diversity and may assist in the development of appropriate conservation strategies. The classification is in list format, but it accounts for relations among climate‐change‐induced stresses.     

碳市场政策下企业对碳信用的支付意愿及影响因素研究

中国已经在7个省市进行了碳排放权交易市场的试点,并拟于2017年建立全国碳排放权交易市场。随着碳市场政策的逐步完善,碳排放将成为企业的总量控制目标之一。在全国碳市场即将建立的背景下,研究企业对于全国碳市场政策的预期,分析企业的响应规律,估算企业对于碳信用的支付意愿,对于保障全国碳市场的顺利建立和有效运行具有重要的意义。基于此,本研究利用多边界离散选择的方式,调查了全国范围内29个省市的555家企业,对于由于全国碳市场建立而导致的能源价格提高的接受程度,并利用多元线性回归模型分析影响企业接受程度的因素,最后估算企业对于碳市场中碳信用的支付意愿。结果显示:(1)企业可接受的能源价格提高比例的平均值为8.3%,其中碳试点企业可接受的提高比例最高,达到10.2%,非碳试点企业可接受的提高比例最低,为7.5%;(2)对企业接受程度的影响因素分析显示,企业的能源价格压力,以及企业对于全国碳市场到来的时间预期与接受程度显著负相关;企业对于碳减排技术的了解程度,以及企业对于全国碳市场控制程度的预期与接受程度显著正相关;(3)对于全国碳市场中的碳信用,企业平均愿意支付的价格为79.6元/t CO_2,其中碳试点企业的支付意愿最高,为95.9元/t CO_2,非碳试点企业的支付意愿最低,为72.6元/t CO_2。据此,为保障全国碳排放权交易市场的顺利建立,实现对企业碳排放的有效控制,政府应该注重降低企业的用能成本,引导与支持企业进行技术创新与升级,提高企业对于碳市场政策的认识和了解,并充分考虑不同地区的差异和不同企业的支付能力差别,合理设定碳价。     

Optimal methods to determine the physical parameters for activated carbon adsorption

The objectives of this research were to examine the physical characteristics of activated carbons made of different materials, thereby suggest a preferable approach to obtaining the optimal estimation of the parameters for the activated carbons by the statistical techniques. After the appropriate pretreatments, the apparent and true densities of activated carbon, adsorption isotherms of argon, nitrogen and mercury, and the adsorptive capacity of benzene were determined by using the recommended approaches. The results showed that the shapes of hysteresis loop indicated that the pores were probably slit‐shaped or formed by plate‐like particles, which could be confirmed by the SEM examination. It was noted that the apparent density used for pore volume calculation presented a higher possibility of underestimation. Through the use of the statistical techniques, such as factor analysis (FA) and correspondence analysis (CA), the principal physical parameters on adsorption phenomena could be characterized. Finally, the optimal methods for obtaining the surface area and pore volume of activated carbons were suggested.     

环境资源配置低效率及自然资本"富聚"现象剖析

根据技术效率、经济效率、自然效率、社会效率之间的关系，探讨了四个效率背离所导致的资源配置效率丧失以及由此引发的社会福利损失问题。在分析价格信号在资源配置过程中的作用的基础上，探讨了市场失效和价格背离现象。进一步指出了中国经济转型时期存在着自然资本富聚现象，并进一步分析其根源。包括：政府有效干预不足、现行经济增长方式和经济效率实现以对自然资本的低成本占用、机会导向型的资源配置方式、资本的价值取向、对经济财富以及单一行为人的效率追逐、产权缺位等。强调需要强化环境管理的公共管理属性，并对环境资源的权益主体的权利、责任和利益进行有效的界定和实施，通过制度和政策变革，干预和规范市场运作，促进资源的高效和公平配置。     

三峡水域氮磷污染对水华暴发/消涨行为的协同影响

藻类生长/消退与藻类对氮、磷的吸收比率ω₁和ω₂相关,ω_i正/负增长分别对应藻类生长时从水体中吸收氮磷的加速阶段和藻类分解时向水体释放氮磷的消退阶段,在特定磷氮比(P/N)范围出现ω₁和ω₂同时突变有可能从理论上解释水华的暴发/消退.根据三峡流域实测数据和藻类吸收氮磷的关联函数,在三维空间表征了随氮磷浓度协同作用导致的ω₁和ω₂在特定P/N区域同时突变所揭示出的水华暴发/消退现象,从而直观、合理地解释了:①适当的P/N范围才可能暴发水华;②如果P/N区间同时满足ω₁和ω₂正向急剧增长的要求,藻类疯长,而ω₁和ω₂同时朝负值方向急剧降低,水华消退;③水华暴发/消退的速率为同一数量级,且水华暴发/消退在氮、磷浓度达到某一敏感范围时将表现出明显的周期性振荡.这些性态可能更真实地反映出水华暴发/消退时藻类对营养盐的吸收/释放机理.     

综采工作面安全性评价的逼近理想解(TOPSIS)方法

基于熵权的TOPSIS(逼近理想解的排序方法)方法是一种新的安全性评价方法,该方法以灰熵理论确定评价指标的权重———熵权,从而避免低层次多因素权重确定的主观性。以评价对象与理想解和负理想解的距离确定的相对接近度作为评价准则,避免了评价方法的主观性。通过对平顶山煤业集团有限责任公司六矿综采工作面安全性进行的评价,指出综采工作面安全管理中存在的问题,并提出相应的改进措施。理论与实例表明,该方法较其他方法更加客观,更易于操作,结果也更符合生产实际。     

Multi-scales Analysis of Driving Forces on Land Use/Cover Change in China: Taking Farmland Returning to Forest or Grassland as a Case

Abstract

Increasing populations are causing an increase in food demands, and the area of cultivated land expands every year. Inappropriate land transition from ecology to production results in the constant decline of the ecological security level and influences the regional sustainable development. Adjusting unreasonable land use mode and reconstructing natural land cover are important ways to maintain and improve the ecological environment. Also reclaiming farmland as areas for forests and grasslands (FRFG) is another way. Successful implementation of FRFG in China is the result of comprehensive effect of the multi-scales driving forces. This paper analyses the driving forces of FRFG in China on a national (country)—regional (province)—local (county)—household (farmer) level scale, and the results are: driving forces at the national scale include ecological and food security and the western development of China; at the regional scale, ecological and economic benefits become the main factors to influence the dimension of FRFG under the same policy. The driving forces can be divided into 6 types: industrial structure adjustment, water source protection, flood prevention, the Three-Gorge Project protection, reduction of the amount of sediment flowing into the Yellow River and wind erosion desertification prevention. The driving forces at the local scale can be divided into 12 types with developing leading industries, increasing farmers' income and improving agricultural production conditions as the main types; at the household scale, the national policy meeting farmers' demands and the optimization of individual interests are all driving forces.     

Assessing sustainability in nature-inspired design

In the field of sustainable product development, a new perspective for approaching sustainability has been advocated, challenging designers and engineers to aim beyond ‘reducing unsustainability’. Several design strategies – including Biomimicry and Cradle to Cradle – have been suggested for developing truly sustainable, or ‘beneficial’, products. But do these strategies help in developing such products, and how to assess their ‘sustainability’? Based on a review of the objectives in nature-inspired design, we argue that assessing environmental sustainability is not straightforward. Whereas both Biomimicry and Cradle to Cradle build on the perspective of ‘achieving sustainability’, current life-cycle assessment-based tools are geared towards reducing current impacts. As a consequence, existing tools are insufficiently equipped for the purpose of the assessment: they do not cover some of the main results that nature-inspired design is set out to accomplish. To be able to include these results, we propose two new constituents to current life-cycle-based product assessment: assessing against conditions of sustainability and assessing ‘achievement’, the extent to which these conditions of sustainability have been achieved. Furthermore, the product context needs to be included for assessing beneficial impacts. This article discusses how these constituents can contribute to an assessment tool that enables designers and engineers to assess the development of environmentally sustainable solutions.