Factors influencing voting by the united states congress on the national energy act

A myriad of factors, both economic and political, influenced the voting by members of the United States Congress on the 1978 National Energy Act. Determinant factors considered in our analysis included the percentage of residents in the Congressman's district residing in the central city or on farms; the percentage of residents who belong to labor unions; the average level of education of the residents; oil, coal, and natural gas production in the state relative to total domestic production. The results, determined by means of logit analysis, indicate that the impact on low-income energy consumers, the effect on overall employment, the impact on farmers, and the benefits to energy interests, as well as ideology and the subjective perception that the need exists to do something about the energy situation in the United States, were all important explanatory factors.The author is an economist with the United States Department of Energy. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Energy or the views of other Department of Energy staff members.     

A quantitative succession model for nine montana forest communities

A quantitative succession model was developed both to meet resource management needs in Montana's Lewis and Clark National Forest and to develop a modeling methodology. It builds upon previous concepts and incudes three new features: quantitative prediction of all tree species and seedlings; quantitative predictions of important understory species; and successional pathways determined by fire intensity and scorch height. The method is described and demonstrated for selected Montana habitat (community) types. It is also available in managerial guidelines and has been programmed as a new module in theforplan simulator. Weaknesses of this and other models are discussed. Conclusions relate succession modeling to resource management needs.     

Cumulative silvicultural impacts on watersheds: A hydrologic and regulatory dilemma

Because of the nature of watersheds, the hydrologic and erosional impacts of logging and related road-building activities may move offsite, affecting areas downslope and downstream from the operation. The degree to which this occurs depends on the interaction of many variables, including soils, bedrock geology, vegetation, the timing and size of storm events, logging technology, and operator performance. In parts of northwestern California, these variables combine to produce significant water quality degradation, with resulting damage to anadromous fish habitat.Examination of recent aerial photographs, combined with a review of public records, shows that many timber harvest operations were concentrated in a single 83 km² watershed in the lower Klamath River Basin within the past decade. The resulting soil disturbance in this case seems likely to result in cumulative off-site water quality degradation in the lower portion of the Basin.In California, both state and federal laws require consideration of possible cumulative effects of multiple timber harvest operations. In spite of recent reforms that have given the state a larger role in regulating forest practices on private land, each timber harvest plan is still evaluated in isolation from other plans in the same watershed. A process of collaborative state-private watershed planning with increased input of geologic information offers the best long-term approach to the problem of assessing cumulative effects of multiple timber harvest operations. Such a reform could ultimately emerge from the ongoing water quality planning process under Section 208 of the amended Federal Water Pollution Control Act.     

Conservation Easements: Biodiversity Protection and Private Use

Abstract:  Conservation easements are one of the primary tools for conserving biodiversity on private land. Despite their increasing use, little quantitative data are available on what species and habitats conservation easements aim to protect, how much structural development they allow, or what types of land use they commonly permit. To address these knowledge gaps, we surveyed staff responsible for 119 conservation easements established by the largest nonprofit easement holder, The Nature Conservancy, between 1985 and 2004. Most easements (80%) aimed to provide core habitat to protect species or communities on-site, and nearly all were designed to reduce development. Conservation easements also allowed for a wide range of private uses, which may result in additional fragmentation and habitat disturbance. Some residential or commercial use, new structures, or subdivision of the property were permitted on 85% of sampled conservation easements. Over half (56%) allowed some additional buildings, of which 60% restricted structure size or building area. Working landscape easements with ranching, forestry, or farming made up nearly half (46%) of the easement properties sampled and were more likely than easements without these uses to be designated as buffers to enhance biodiversity in the surrounding area. Our results demonstrate the need for clear restrictions on building and subdivision in easements, research on the compatibility of private uses on easement land, and greater public understanding of the trade-offs implicit in the use of conservation easements for biodiversity conservation.     

Decision‐Making Triggers in Adaptive Management

We analyzed whether decision‐making triggers increase accountability of adaptive‐management plans. Triggers are prenegotiated commitments in an adaptive‐management plan that specify what actions are to be taken and when on the basis of information obtained from monitoring. Triggers improve certainty that particular actions will be taken by agencies in the future. We conducted an in‐depth, qualitative review of the political and legal contexts of adaptive management and its application by U.S. federal agencies. Agencies must satisfy the judiciary that adaptive‐management plans meet substantive legal standards and comply with the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act. We examined 3 cases in which triggers were used in adaptive‐management plans: salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the Columbia River, oil and gas development by the Bureau of Land Management, and a habitat conservation plan under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. In all the cases, key aspects of adaptive management, including controls and preidentified feedback loops, were not incorporated in the plans. Monitoring and triggered mitigation actions were limited in their enforceability, which was contingent on several factors, including which laws applied in each case and the degree of specificity in how triggers were written into plans. Other controversial aspects of these plans revolved around who designed, conducted, interpreted, and funded monitoring programs. Additional contentious issues were the level of precaution associated with trigger mechanisms and the definition of ecological baselines used as points of comparison. Despite these challenges, triggers can be used to increase accountability, by predefining points at which an adaptive management plan will be revisited and reevaluated, and thus improve the application of adaptive management in its complicated political and legal context. Detonadores de la Toma de Decisiones en el Manejo Adaptativo     

缙云山银木荷(Schima argentea Pritz.ex Diels)林物种组成与多样性变化

定位研究了25a来缙云山银木荷林物种组成及多样性在自然演替过程中的动态变化。结果表明,银木荷林维管植物物种由57种(隶属于24科,46属)减少到38种(隶属于19科,26属)。林下草本和层间植物逐渐消失,胸径大于7.5cm的乔木层树总胸断面积有所减少。尽管群落物种组成以及多样性发生改变,但是银木荷依然是优势树种,处于林冠层,而林冠亚层的白毛新木姜子、四川山矾、长蕊杜鹃逐渐增多,短刺米槠逐渐减少。群落乔木层4个α多样性指数都呈下降趋势,丰富度指数由2.98下降为1.99,Shannon-Wiener指数25a间减小了0.34,Simpson指数和Pielou指数变化都很小;β多样性分析结果显示,银木荷群落的物种差异很大。研究表明,25a间群落物种差异显著。揭示缙云山银木荷林自然演替过程中的物种组成和多样性变化规律,可为缙云山保护区及长江流域中上游亚热带常绿阔叶林的银木荷群落的管理提供一定的参考价值。     

基于RS&GIS的长白山地区生态安全评价研究

以遥感影像数据、专题数据、DEM数据、气象站实测数据和统计数据为数据源,采用极差法、层次分析法、综合指数法、RS&GIS等方法对长白山地区的生态安全进行了评价.结果表明:长白山地区生态安全水平呈现出明显的空间差异性,整体由中部向东西两端逐渐降低.各生态安全等级面积从大到小为临界安全等级、较安全等级、不安全等级、较不安全等级、安全等级.统计了各行政单元的平均生态安全指数和等级构成,各县市生态安全水平从高到低为长白县、抚松县、安图县、和龙市、临江市,各县市的生态安全等级构成也有所差异.长白山地区生态安全水平以临界安全等级为主,整体上生态环境质量一般,系统服务功能受到了一定程度的破坏.     

生态旅游环境教育解说系统优化研究——以莫尔道嘎国家森林公园为例

环境教育功能是生态旅游区别于非生态旅游的根本特点,伴随生态旅游的迅速发展,生态环境的保护问题越发受到关注,而完善的环境教育解说系统对于生态旅游区的影响日渐凸显.以莫尔道嘎国家森林公园为例,通过调查分析指出环境教育解说系统存在着解说媒介、解说形式、解说功能与解说管理的缺失等问题,并提出环境解说媒介多元化、环境解说形式活态化、环境解说功能化及环境解说管理规范化等优化路径,以期生态旅游的环境教育功能得到有效发挥.     

黄河三角洲自然保护区秋冬季水鸟群落组成与生境关系分析

于2014年10月至2015年1月采用样线调查法对黄河三角洲自然保护区秋季迁徙期和越冬期水鸟群落结构进行调查研究,调查共包括8条样线40个观测点.结果表明:(1)秋季迁徙期共记录水鸟6目14科54种,国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类5种,国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类8种;越冬期共记录水鸟5目7科31种,国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类1种,国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类4种.(2)2个时期雁形目水鸟种类和数量均占优势,豆雁(Anser fabalis)、斑嘴鸭(Anas poecilorhycha)、赤膀鸭(Anas strepera)和绿头鸭(Anas platyrhynchos)为优势物种,丹顶鹤(Grus japonensis)、东方白鹳(Ciconia boyciana)和大大鹅(Cygnus cygnus)等珍稀水鸟也有一定的种群数量.(3)秋季迁徙期水鸟种数、数量和ShannonWiener多样性指数多于或高于越冬期.(4)5种典型生境之间水鸟种类和数量存在差异,天然水域是水鸟群落的主要分布区.(5)自然生境内的水鸟种数、数量和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数一般多于或高于人工生境.相似性分析结果表明,自然生境之间水鸟群落结构相似程度高于人工生境.     

Factors influencing the acceptance of nature conservation measures--a qualitative study in Switzerland

Landscapes fulfil a multitude of ecological and social functions. Due to the fact that both traditional and everyday landscapes today face many different threats, regulatory measures have been undertaken in many countries to protect and further sustainable landscape development. They include legislation as well as economic incentives. In recent years, however, it has become clear that just to have a few laws and to spend money on subsidies is not enough. Factors other than legislation are also essential to further the sustainable development of landscapes. One of the basic factors affecting the success or failure of landscape conservation measures is public acceptance of these measures. Our project took this as its starting point. The objective was to determine which conditions and factors influence acceptance positively or negatively. To this end 22 Swiss who are directly affected by nature conservation measures, in particular by mire landscape and dry meadow conservation measures, were interviewed using qualitative interview techniques. It is shown that perception, communication, and possibilities to participate are the most decisive driving factors influencing the formation of a long-lasting acceptance. Furthermore, acceptance may be based mainly on economic criteria, on usefulness, on ecological or even aesthetic aspects. It can be shown that not all of these motivations lead to a long-lasting acceptance. Ecologically based acceptance seems the most promising because it is founded on general convictions. Economic incentives--though important--seem to generate only superficial acceptance and do not seem to be as important as is usually assumed.