Environmental assessment in countries in transition: evolution in a changing context

Over the last fifteen years, Environmental Assessment systems of transitional societies of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia have undergone dramatic change from appraisals integrated into centrally planned economies to formal procedures aimed to ensure interdisciplinary analysis of environmental impacts and linked to publicly accountable decision-making. In most Central European nations, EA systems have been radically reformed to approximate the procedures used in developed countries, particularly in the European Union. In contrast, EA in most of the former Soviet republics has been reformed more gradually and is still based on the so-called State Environmental Review procedure inherited from the USSR and substantially different from 'Western' EA. About one-third of the transitional countries (in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia) have, so far, failed to establish functioning EA systems. Throughout the region, there has been a gap between EA legislation and practice, especially concerning interdisciplinary analysis of environmental impacts, public participation, and utilisation of EA findings in decision-making. A key driving force in the reform of EA systems has been the change in their societal context, the so-called 'process of transition'. Three main policy agendas--environmental protection, reforms of decision-making, and conforming to international requirements--along with the institutional context of EA regulations and practice have influenced both the change of EA systems over time and the regional variations in the patterns of their evolution. This study suggests that an effective reform of an EA system should be context-sensitive, or be 'in gear' with the political and economic transition. Future EA research should consider their changing societal contexts and focused on practical effects of applying EA procedures.     

CHANGING A GREAT CITY IN EASTERN EUROPE — CRACOW: ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES1

ABSTRACT: The main factor in the location of medieval Cracow was drainage. In the 700-year history of the City, there were numerous changes in water conditions, particularly in channel network, runoff, ground water level, and ice phenomena. The most dangerous threat to surface water and ground water in Cracow in the last decades has been from industrial and municipal sewage. Currently there are no rivers that meet Drinking Water Quality standards in Cracow. The quality of the ground water has declined because of infiltration of contaminated river water, water from sewage disposal ponds, and pollution from the atmosphere and soil. Cracow does not have enough waste water plants to meet its needs. Most municipal and industrial sewage has not been treated or has been treated only partially. Because of considerable contamination of surface and ground waters in Cracow, more than half of the city's fresh water is pumped about 50 kilometers from a reservoir on the Raba River. A Polish government declaration of April 4, 1989, recognized Cracow as an area of particular protection, and directed that a number of actions be undertaken for the protection of environmental quality.     

皖东地区野韭菜的开发与利用

文章介绍了野韭菜的基本生物特性，综合分析了其食用价值和潜在的药用价值，提出了野韭菜开发利用的基本对策。     

海南东部河口和近岸海域总溶解态无机砷的分布及季节变化

利用氢化物发生原子荧光法对2006年12月和2007年8月航次海南东部河流、河口、近岸及地下水中的总溶解态无机砷(total dissolved inorganic arsenic,TDIAs,As5++As3+)进行了测定.2006年12月万泉河及河口、文昌/文教河及河口、近岸TDIAs的浓度分别为4.0～9.4、1.3～13.3、13.3～17.3 nmol.L-1,2007年8月万泉河及河口、文昌/文教河及河口、近岸、地下水TDIAs的浓度分别为1.6～15.5、2.4～15.9、10.8～17.6、未检出～41.7 nmol.L-1.结果表明,万泉河及文昌/文教河河流、河口TDIAs的浓度不存在显著性季节变化,较我国及世界其它河流、河口偏低,处于自然状态.砷在万泉河口和文昌/文教河口混合过程中均表现为保守混合.以文昌/文教河为例,初步估算出2007年文昌/文教河口地下水向沿岸砷的输送通量为1 153 mol.a-1,约为文昌/文教河砷入海通量的二分之一,表明海南东部沿岸地下水也是沿岸海区砷的主要来源之一.     

Predicting tree distributions in an East African biodiversity hotspot: model selection, data bias and envelope uncertainty

The Eastern Arc Mountains (EAMs) of Tanzania and Kenya support some of the most ancient tropical rainforest on Earth. The forests are a global priority for biodiversity conservation and provide vital resources to the Tanzanian population. Here, we make a first attempt to predict the spatial distribution of 40 EAM tree species, using generalised additive models, plot data and environmental predictor maps at sub 1 km resolution. The results of three modelling experiments are presented, investigating predictions obtained by (1) two different procedures for the stepwise selection of predictors, (2) down-weighting absence data, and (3) incorporating an autocovariate term to describe fine-scale spatial aggregation. In response to recent concerns regarding the extrapolation of model predictions beyond the restricted environmental range of training data, we also demonstrate a novel graphical tool for quantifying envelope uncertainty in restricted range niche-based models (envelope uncertainty maps). We find that even for species with very few documented occurrences useful estimates of distribution can be achieved. Initiating selection with a null model is found to be useful for explanatory purposes, while beginning with a full predictor set can over-fit the data. We show that a simple multimodel average of these two best-model predictions yields a superior compromise between generality and precision (parsimony). Down-weighting absences shifts the balance of errors in favour of higher sensitivity, reducing the number of serious mistakes (i.e., falsely predicted absences); however, response functions are more complex, exacerbating uncertainty in larger models. Spatial autocovariates help describe fine-scale patterns of occurrence and significantly improve explained deviance, though if important environmental constraints are omitted then model stability and explanatory power can be compromised. We conclude that the best modelling practice is contingent both on the intentions of the analyst (explanation or prediction) and on the quality of distribution data; generalised additive models have potential to provide valuable information for conservation in the EAMs, but methods must be carefully considered, particularly if occurrence data are scarce. Full results and details of all species models are supplied in an online Appendix.     

Total mercury in marine species from the French coast of the Eastern English Channel

Mercury (Hg) in fish can present a potential risk to wildlife and human consumers. Mercury levels were determined in 12 fish species and 2 invertebrate species from the French coast of the Eastern English Channel collected in June and November 2012. Total mercury concentrations in the muscle tissues ranged between 0.04 and 1.63 µg g^-1 (d.w.). Dab and sandeel displayed a significant positive correlation between Hg concentrations and fish length. Seasonal differences in Hg concentrations were observed for dab and shrimp. The lesser weever showed significantly higher concentrations of Hg (0.97 ± 0.34 µg g^-1 d. w.) than all other species. Gobies and sprat, which had the smallest size, showed significantly lower concentrations than herring, whiting, pout and sardine. Among the considered species, flatfish such as dab, flounder, plaice and sole displayed intermediate levels of Hg. In the present study, the fish age expressed as specimen length seems to be one of the major factors governing Hg contents in muscle tissues. Finally, mercury concentrations in commercial fish from the Eastern English Channel were below the levels fixed by the European Union for total mercury in edible parts of fish products.     

Impact of trampling on sandy beach macrofauna

The effects of varying intensities of human trampling on sandy beach macrofauna were investigated at an exposed beach on the Eastern Cape coast. An experimental approach investigated the survival rates of four macrofaunal species which were subjected to human trampling at different intensities in a holiday-activity simulation. It was found that the clamDonax serra was slightly impacted at all trampling intensities whileDonax sordidus and the isopodEurydice longicomis were affected only at high trampling intensities. Vigorous beach games, such as volleyball, may have a damaging effect onD. serra. In a second experiment, the severe effects of human trampling onD. serra and the benthic mysidGastrosaccus psammodytes were investigated using numbered animals in enclosures. The results indicated that few members of the macrofauna were damaged at low trampling intensities but substantial damage occurred under intense trampling.     

Social trends of the people of the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace-Greece: about the potential of using biofuels from forest products residues

In the framework of enquiry of biomass usage possibilities in our country, a research was made through the whole Eastern Macedonia region, related to disposal possibilities from the production conveyors and usage possibilities from the region’s residents and businessmen, of biofuels that come from mechanical wood treatment residues and from the residues of agricultural production, in wooden form, known with the term wood pellets or wood briquettes. From the present study, it came to light that there is an intense interest for direct personal usage and application of biomass for the residents or occupational spaces heating. The necessary biomass quantity for the entire region’s households is estimated up to 205,520 t. From the biomass usage as a combustible material, a 680 €/year and household about, is made. The potential investments that will be made to the region seem to have a very short depreciation, but a business plan and a marketing plan syntax are considered as necessary for the result’s maximisation.     

区域分异视角下乡村企业入城意愿分析——基于浙、豫、川三省193家企业的实证研究

乡村企业入城是实现我国城镇化发展的基本路径。利用浙江、河南、四川三省193家乡村企业的实地调查数据,运用多元有序Logistic回归模型进行相关验证,实证分析我国东中西部三个省份的乡村企业入城意愿及其影响因素。通过对调研数据的描述统计发现:有58.55%的乡村企业主有入城意愿,仅有21.24%的乡村企业主不愿意或非常不愿意搬迁,集群环境、土地价格、运输成本等是企业愿意搬迁的主要原因,土地价格政策、当地经济发展水平、产品产销信息、集群环境是影响企业搬迁方向的重要因素,当地的土地、税收和融资等政府政策对于企业是否入城产生重要影响。通过多元有序Logistic回归模型估计结果表明:企业总资产、土地价格、运输成本、集群环境、与政府关系对入城意愿有显著负向影响,税收政策有显著正向影响,这些影响因素主要是通过影响企业的显性成本(土地价格、运输成本),以及企业的交易成本、寻租成本等隐性成本(集群环境、与政府关系和税收政策),进而影响企业的迁移意愿,且浙江、河南与四川三地计量结果差异显著。在上述研究的基础上,本文提出相应的政策建议。     

Specific features of the oribatid fauna in high-mountain pine forests of the Eastern Caucasus in relation to altitudinal zonality

The abundance, structure, and distribution of oribatid communities in high-mountain pine forest biotopes of the Eastern Caucasus are described in dependence on elevation above sea level. The oribatid fauna of high-mountain pine forests proved to be characterized by high abundance, an assortment of dominants, and species richness. It was shown that, as the elevation increases, specific dominants typical of particular altitudinal zones appear in communities, and changes in the mass species occur. These species are stable in terms of their long-term dynamics, and zonal groups (communities) demonstrate a high species diversity.