The farmer as a landscape steward: Comparing local understandings of landscape stewardship,landscape values,and land management actions

We develop a landscape stewardship classification which distinguishes between farmers’ understanding of landscape stewardship, their landscape values, and land management actions. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with small-holder (<5 acres), medium-holders (5–100 acres), and large-holders (>100 acres) in South-West Devon, UK. Thematic analysis revealed four types of stewardship understandings: (1) an environmental frame which emphasized the farmers’ role in conserving or restoring wildlife; (2) a primary production frame which emphasized the farmers’ role in taking care of primary production assets; (3) a holistic frame focusing on farmers’ role as a conservationist, primary producer, and manager of a range of landscape values, and; (4) an instrumental frame focusing on the financial benefits associated with compliance with agri-environmental schemes. We compare the landscape values and land management actions that emerged across stewardship types, and discuss the global implications of the landscape stewardship classification for the engagement of farmers in landscape management.     

Linking landscape development intensity within watersheds to methyl-mercury accumulation in river sediments

An indicator of the disturbance of natural systems, the landscape development intensity (LDI) index, was used to assess the potential for land-use within watersheds to influence the production/accumulation of methyl-mercury (MeHg) in river sediments. Sediment samples were collected from locations impacted by well-identified land-use types within the Mobile-Alabama River Basin in Southeastern USA. The samples were analyzed for total-Hg (THg) and MeHg concentrations and the obtained values correlated to the calculated LDI indexes of the sampled watersheds to assess the impact of prevalent land use/land cover on MeHg accumulation in sediments. The results show that unlike THg, levels of MeHg found in sediments are impacted by the LDI indexes. Overall, certain combinations of land-use types within a given watershed appear to be more conducive to MeHg accumulation than others, therefore, pointing to the possibility of targeting land-use practices as potential means for reducing MeHg accumulation in sediments, and ultimately, fish contamination.     

Religion and environmental politics in the US House of Representatives

Does religion affect legislators’ behavior on environmental policy in the US? Studies of environmental policy making have not examined this question, although the literature suggests that religion might affect legislative behavior on environmental policy. This study examines the relationship between US House members’ religion and roll-call voting on environmental legislation from 1973 to 2009. It finds significant differences across religious traditions. Legislators’ party and characteristics of constituencies relevant to environmental politics increasingly, but not entirely, mediate these differences.     

The current state of knowledge of ecosystems and ecosystem services in Russia: A status report

This paper focusses on a conceptual overview of ways to address a comprehensive analysis of ecosystem services (ES) in a country as large and heterogeneous as Russia. As a first step, a methodology for assessing the services for the federal subjects of Russia was chosen, i.e., its constituent provinces and similar entities, in physical terms. Russia harbors a great diversity of natural conditions and ecosystems which are suppliers of ES, and likewise a variety of the socio-economic conditions that shape the demand for these services and their consumption. The methodological approach described permits several important tasks to be addressed: the evaluation of the degree of satisfaction of people’s needs for ES, the identification of ecological donor and acceptor regions, and zoning of the country’s territory for ES assessment. The next step is to prepare a prototype of a National Report on ES in Russia, for which we are presenting the planned structure.     

大连城市环境评价与城市发展定量研究

通过对大连城市环境系统的考察,设立了完整的评价指标体系,运用模糊优选理论建立模糊评价模型,对大连城市环境进行了定量研究,并结合经济和城市化情况进行了分析。研究结果表明:城市环境质量总体上是在逐年提高的,但从2002年以来发展较为平缓。经济和城市化情况有较大发展,但仍有不足之处。     

抚顺市生态环境现状及存在问题的探讨

抚顺市生态环境现状:(森林覆盖率较高,但生态系统结构不合理,生态功能的发挥受到影响;矿产开发严重破坏生态平衡,矿区生态环境恶劣,历史欠帐大;自然保护区植被覆盖率较高,但生物多样性仍遭受严重威胁;农业生态问题严峻;水土流失严重;建成区布局紊乱,绿地系统缺乏连通性。)指出生态环境建设面临的制约因素为经济建设与生态建设不协调、经济发展模式粗放,生态恶化、缺乏有效的生态经济政策,资金短缺。     

云南省环境库兹涅茨特征研究

根据云南省1985~2003年历年环境污染指标的统计数据和历年人均GDP统计数据,对人均GDP与环境污染(工业"三废"排放量)作相关分析,建立两者之间的计量模型,并在此基础上分析工业"三废"排放量与人均GDP增长的关系。经研究发现,云南省经济增长与环境污染基本符合环境库兹涅茨曲线,人均GDP与工业废水排放量曲线和人均GDP与工业固体废弃物排放量曲线均已处于倒U型曲线的右半段,并随人均GDP的增长而呈下降趋势,曲线走势良好;人均GDP与工业废气排放量曲线则处于倒U型曲线的左半段,且尚未达到转折点,随着经济的增长,工业废气排放量将呈上升趋势。但从总体而言,云南省工业环境状况总体上呈逐步好转趋势。     

基于WebGIS的广东省危险废物登记交换平台的设计

选择广东省为研究区域,探讨危险废物信息化管理的建设目标,结合WebGIS技术开展广东省危险废物登记交换平台的设计,使广东省危险废物管理提升水平和效率.     

清洁生产与企业结构调整

清洁生产是工业生产追求的最高境界,而结构调整阶段给企业提供了一个很好的实施清洁生产的契机,使企业可以借助结构调整机会,将清洁生产渗透至企业的所有方面,最大限度地取得清洁生产的效果。     

水泥行业的清洁生产是保护环境的重要途径

根据我国水泥工业的现状及存在的主要问题,分析了水泥行业清洁生产的内容、指标,提出了推行水泥行业的清洁生产,不仅可以加快产业结构调整和新型干法水泥的发展,同时也是保护环境的重要途径。