Multi-criteria forest road network planning in fire-prone environment: a case study in Serbia

This paper presents a multi-criteria selection of the best forest road network with the aim of achieving effective preventive and timely repressive protection against forest fires. The research was carried out in national park (NP) “Tara” at a site which is under constant threat of fire. Four variants of the forest road network were designed and analyzed against seven criteria, and the best variant was selected using entropy weight coefficients (EWC) method. The importance of these seven criteria was studied by the management of the NP “Tara.” The greatest importance was given to the criteria relating to the cost of construction and maintenance of permanent and temporary roads (47% of the total value of all criteria). The EWC method did not select the variant based on the lowest costs of construction and maintenance as the best option, but the variant whose location was the most suitable for effective defense against forest fires.     

Community livelihood and its dependence on nature resources under pressure of conservation

Conflict between conservation and community livelihood is a significant issue in China.Based on Sustainable Livelihood Framework(SLA),this study systematically analyzed livelihoods assets of a community in a Yunnan snub-nosed monkey conservation area and found that the livelihood pentagon of the community was shaped by multiple but frail and unstable income sources,abundant natural resources with restricted use right,underutilized labors,inadequate financial resources,inconvenient physical capital and weak social capital.Villagers'income heavily depended on forest,and grazing and nontimber forest products(NTFP)collection are common and major income sources for villagers.However,differentiation of income dependence on forest among villagers'groups showed that there is no close correlation between the level of income and the level of income dependence on forest.Households'daily life also heavily depended on the forest due to heating and pig-feed cooking;hence,fuelwood cannot be easily replaced by any other energy resource for a long period.     

江西大鄣山夏季鸟类群落多样性研究

2009年6月至2010年8月采用样线法对江西大鄣山夏季鸟类资源及其生境分布状况进行调查,并计算其物种多样性、均匀性、优势度及不同生境群落间的相似性。共记录江西大鄣山夏季鸟类13目31科78种,其中留鸟45种,夏候鸟21种,冬候鸟7种,旅鸟5种;其中国家二级保护鸟类6种,省级保护鸟类22种;结果表明：东洋种鸟类占有明显优势（500%）,古北种次之（282%）,广布种占218%。白头鹎（〖WTBX〗Pycnonotus sinensis）和白腰文鸟（Lonchura striata〖WTBZ〗）为当季优势种。6种群落类型中,Shannon Weiner指数与Simpson指数排序均为：阔叶林>农田居民区>针阔混交林>溪流水域>灌木草丛>针叶林。Pielou指数排序为:针阔混交林>溪流水域>阔叶林>农田居民区>灌木草丛>针叶林。Sorenson指数中阔叶林 针阔混交林（〖WTBX〗S〖WTBZ〗=048）为最高。研究结果可为当地森林管理和鸟类保护提供依据     

南岳自然保护区藤本植物多样性

为了弄清南岳自然保护区内藤本植物资源现状,对该区内藤本植物进行了多样性调查研究。结果表明：野生藤本植物共计59科129属282种（含变种）,其中蕨类植物有3科5属6种,双子叶植物有50科112属250种,单子叶植物有6科12属26种,裸子植物缺乏。该区地理成分复杂多样,科级地理成分有8个分布型,属级地理成分有12个分布型,种级地理成分有11个分布型,均以热带成分为主,温带成分占有较大比例,说明该区热带成分向温带渗透和过度的性质。藤本植物的生活型,以木质藤本占优势,为6064%,草质藤本占39.36%,一年生藤本占1441%。藤本植物的攀援类型分为4型9亚型,以缠绕类为主,占37〖JP2〗94%;其次为吸固类,占2305%,又可分为不定根类、吸盘类和寄生类3亚型;卷曲类占2093%,又可分为须卷类、柄卷类和枝卷类3亚型;刺蔓类最少占1809%,又可分为枝蔓类和钩刺类2亚型。该区藤本植物资源丰富,在垂直绿化与经济开发上具有十分广阔的前景     

Random forest models to estimate bankfull and low flow channel widths and depths across the conterminous United States

Channel dimensions (width and depth) at varying flows influence a host of instream ecological processes, as well as habitat and biotic features; they are a major consideration in stream habitat restoration and instream flow assessments. Models of widths and depths are often used to assess climate change vulnerability, develop endangered species recovery plans, and model water quality. However, development and application of such models require specific skillsets and resources. To facilitate acquisition of such estimates, we created a dataset of modeled channel dimensions for perennial stream segments across the conterminous United States. We used random forest models to predict wetted width, thalweg depth, bankfull width, and bankfull depth from several thousand field measurements of the National Rivers and Streams Assessment. Observed channel widths varied from <5 to >2000 m and depths varied from <2 to >125 m. Metrics of watershed area, runoff, slope, land use, and more were used as model predictors. The models had high pseudo R² values (0.70–0.91) and median absolute errors within ±6% to ±21% of the interquartile range of measured values across 10 stream orders. Predicted channel dimensions can be joined to 1.1 million stream segments of the 1:100 K resolution National Hydrography Dataset Plus (version 2.1). These predictions, combined with a rapidly growing body of nationally available data, will further enhance our ability to study and protect aquatic resources.     

城市生物多样性问题及保护对策探讨

结合秦皇岛市的实际,对城市生物多样性现状和特点、生物多样性保护存在的问题进行了讨论,并提出了城市生物多样性保护的对策。      

Out of the wilderness? Achieving sustainable development within Scottish national parks

The introduction of national parks to Scotland represents a significant shift in the evolution of protected area management within the UK. Although the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 adopts the established national park aims of conservation and recreation, provisions are also made for advancing notions of sustainable development. This paper provides an assessment of the degree to which the Scottish national park model is likely to enable the realisation of multiple national park objectives. Five key areas are considered for analysis. These relate to management aims, institutional arrangements, implementation, democratic accountability and funding. The evaluation reveals that whilst management provisions have been established in accordance with international sustainable development guidelines, a number of concerns relating to operational processes remain.     

International rivers and national security: The Euphrates,Ganges–Brahmaputra,Indus, Tigris,and Yarmouk rivers1

To understand a state's incentives to invest in conflict or cooperation over their international rivers, this paper argues that it is necessary to appreciate the relationships a river can create and the national security threat riparians may confront. Rivers impose interdependent and vulnerable relationships, which can compromise a state's ability to respond effectively to floods and droughts, meet its domestic food and energy needs, dredge the river, maintain its drainage systems, and allocate its domestic water budget. The inability to accomplish these tasks can contribute to social, economic, and political losses that may threaten a state's territorial integrity. Regardless of whether a state is upstream or downstream, from these relationships it acquires leverage to manipulate the interdependence and vulnerability to inflict losses on its riparian neighbour. This argument challenges several assumptions within the existing literature, including the belief that a shortage of freshwater is the initial force producing a national security threat and that an upstream–downstream river bequeaths all advantages on the upstream state and leaves the downstream state purely dependent. As the paper shows, riparians confront a more complex relationship than captured by the existing literature.     

Traffic speeds associated with implementation of 80 mph speed limits on West Texas rural interstates

Problem

In 2006 Texas raised the daytime speed limit for passenger vehicles on segments of I-10 and I-20 from 75 to 80 mph. Methods: Traffic speeds were measured before and 3, 12, and 16 months after the limit was changed. Results: During the 16-month period following the speed limit increase, mean speeds of passenger vehicles on I-20 increased by 9 mph relative to the comparison road, where no speed limit change occurred and traffic speeds declined. On I-10 mean speeds increased by 4 mph relative to the comparison road. Limiting the analysis to the month before the speed limit change and 1 year later, the proportion of drivers exceeding 80 mph was 18 times higher on I-20 and 2 times higher on I-10. Discussion: The smaller speed increases on I-10 may be related to its proximity to the U.S. border with Mexico. Highly visible border patrol activity coincided with posting of the higher speed limit. Long-term monitoring in other states suggests that traffic speeds in Texas are likely to continue to increase. Impact on Industry: The present study adds to the wealth of evidence that increased speed limits lead to increased travel speeds. The primary countermeasures to reduce the risk of speed-related crashes include highly visible police traffic enforcement and the use of speed cameras accompanied by publicity.     

A long-term survey on anthropogenic impacts to the water quality of coral reefs, southern Taiwan

Before 2001, the ecological protection area in the Kenting National Park (KTNP), southern Taiwan, was poorly described. In this study, a set of four-year data (2001-2004) of seawater qualities at 19 sampling sites around the Nanwan Bay in the KTNP was used to explore anthropogenic impacts to ecological environment, especially coral reefs. The parameters of water quality were analyzed immediately after collection. The results showed that higher values of nutrients and suspended solids were attributed to the higher run-off around Nanwan Bay. The fluxes of nutrients and suspended solids were consistently correlated to rainfall. Hence, equations were developed to calculate nutrient fluxes and suspended solids by using only rainfall data. Our results show that suspended solids and ammonia were the dominant factors leading to the drop in coral coverage. In summary, the water quality in the intertidal zone of Nanwan Bay has been degraded and required greater attention.