Theory put into practice: An R implementation of the infinite-dimensional model

The infinite dimensional model (IDM) is an approach that has been developed for the analyses of phenotypic variation in function valued traits such as growth trajectories and continuous reaction norms. This model is particularly suited for the analysis of the potential and the constraints for growth to evolve under selection on body size. Despite of its applicability to a broad range of study systems IDM has only been applied in a handful of studies, as it is mathematically demanding for scientists not familiar with quantitative genetics methods. Here, we present a user-friendly R implementation of IDM, demonstrate its performance with growth data on nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius). In addition to rearing experiments, individual based size-at-age trajectories are often measured in wild in mark-recapture studies or estimated retrospectively from scales or bones. Therefore, our R implementation of IDM should be applicable to many studies conducted in wild and in a lab, and be useful by making the methodologically challenging IDM approach more easily accessible also in the fields where quantitative genetics methods are less standardly used.     

The missing pieces for better future predictions in subarctic ecosystems: A Torneträsk case study

Arctic and subarctic ecosystems are experiencing substantial changes in hydrology, vegetation, permafrost conditions, and carbon cycling, in response to climatic change and other anthropogenic drivers, and these changes are likely to continue over this century. The total magnitude of these changes results from multiple interactions among these drivers. Field measurements can address the overall responses to different changing drivers, but are less capable of quantifying the interactions among them. Currently, a comprehensive assessment of the drivers of ecosystem changes, and the magnitude of their direct and indirect impacts on subarctic ecosystems, is missing. The Torneträsk area, in the Swedish subarctic, has an unrivalled history of environmental observation over 100 years, and is one of the most studied sites in the Arctic. In this study, we summarize and rank the drivers of ecosystem change in the Torneträsk area, and propose research priorities identified, by expert assessment, to improve predictions of ecosystem changes. The research priorities identified include understanding impacts on ecosystems brought on by altered frequency and intensity of winter warming events, evapotranspiration rates, rainfall, duration of snow cover and lake-ice, changed soil moisture, and droughts. This case study can help us understand the ongoing ecosystem changes occurring in the Torneträsk area, and contribute to improve predictions of future ecosystem changes at a larger scale. This understanding will provide the basis for the future mitigation and adaptation plans needed in a changing climate.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01381-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Operationalizing ecosystem service bundles for strategic sustainability planning: A participatory approach

The ecosystem service concept is recognized as a useful tool to support sustainability in decision-making. In this study, we collaborated with actors in the Helge å catchment, southern Sweden, in an iterative participatory ecosystem service assessment. Through workshops and interviews, we jointly decided which ecosystem services to assess and indicators to use in order to achieve a sense of ownership and a higher legitimacy of the assessment. Subsequently, we explored the landscape-level interactions between the 15 assessed services, and found that the area can be described using three distinct ecosystem service bundles. The iterative, participatory process strengthened our analysis and created a shared understanding and overview of the multifunctional landscape around Helge å among participants. Importantly, this allowed for the generated knowledge to impact local strategic sustainability planning. With this study, we illustrate how similar processes can support local decision-making for a more sustainable future.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01378-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Economic assessment of rewilding versus agri-environmental nature management

Policies aiming at improving biodiversity often consist of costly agri-environmental schemes, i.e. subsidized grazing or mowing of semi-natural areas. However, these practices have widely been found to be insufficient to mitigate biodiversity loss. Rewilding, i.e. restoring natural processes in self-sustaining biodiverse ecosystems, has been proposed as an alternative and is hypothesized to be a more cost-efficient approach to promote biodiversity conservation. Rewilding requires the availability of large natural areas which are not allocated for farming, forestry, and infrastructure to avoid potential conflicts over the use of the area. We perform an ex-ante private cost–benefit analysis of the establishment of four large nature reserves for rewilding in Denmark. We analyse the economic effects of changing from summer grazing in nature areas in combination with cultivated fields and forestry to the establishment of nature reserves in four case areas. We consider two scenarios involving conversion of agriculture and forestry areas into natural areas in combination with either extensive year-round cattle grazing or rewilding with wild large herbivores. In two case areas, it appears possible to establish large nature areas without incurring extra costs. Additionally, rewilding further reduces costs compared to year-round cattle grazing. Two opposing effects were dominant: increased economic rent occurred from the shift from summer grazing to year-round grazing or rewilding, while cessation of agriculture and forestry caused opportunity costs.     

How does a nature-based solution for flood control compare to a technical solution? Case study evidence from Belgium

The strategy of reconnecting rivers with their floodplains currently gains popularity because it not only harnesses natural capacities of floodplains but also increases social co-benefits and biodiversity. In this paper, we present an example of a successfully implemented nature-based solution (NBS) in the Dijle valley in the centre of Belgium. The research objective is to retrospectively assess cost and benefit differences between a technical solution (storm basins) and an alternative NBS, here the restoration of the alluvial floodplain. The method is a comparative social cost–benefit analysis. The case study analysis reveals similar flood security, lower costs, more ecosystem services benefits and higher biodiversity values associated with the NBS option in comparison to the technical alternative. However, the business case for working with NBS depends substantially on the spatial and socio-ecological context. Chances for successful NBS implementation increase in conditions of sufficient space to retain flood water, when flood water is of sufficient quality, and when economic activity and housing in the floodplain is limited.Supplementary InformationThe online version of this article contains supplementary material available at (10.1007/s13280-021-01548-4).     

省级清洁生产中心职能定位思考

在对省级清洁生产中心的职能渐变过程进行总结的基础上,将其当前主要职能定位为:开展评估验收工作、审核咨询机构及其从业人员的管理、相关政策法规的在研究与制定、清洁生产相关宣传培训4项工作内容。省级清洁生产中心职能定位的明确,不仅有益于的其自身建设,从而更好地为清洁生产管理服务;同时,也有助于进一步提升了省级清洁生产管理工作的全面性和规范性。     

能源之星实验室认可政策解读及关键技术问题研究

本文对中国合格评定国家认可委员会能源之星实验室认可计划进行政策解读和明晰,并对能源之星实验室认可中出现的实验室比对、产品分类及检测方法,检测能力表述这三个直接影响实验室获得注册的突出关键问题进行了详细的分析和研究。为有意申请能源之星实验室认可的实验室进行指导,并为获得能源之星实验室认可的实验室最终获得美国环保署的最终注册提供借鉴。     

An evaluation of risk assessment framework for industrial accidents in India

Due to rapid industrialization, with high population density and constraints of land, it is expected that level of risks arising from the hazardous industries will increase in India in the coming decades. However, 30 years after the Bhopal accident (1984), except a few discrete regulations, there is as yet no integrated system for assessing and managing risks arising out of these hazardous industries in India. The gravity of aspects related to the management of industrial risk still remains crucially important. In particular, there is no standard guideline on risk analysis methodology, acceptability or tolerability criteria, nor is there an accident database or a risk reduction strategy for the areas where risk levels are already high. On top of this, there are technical and legislative gaps in the institutional framework to implement any of the above mentioned issues. With the backdrop of the Bhopal gas tragedy, the objective of this paper is therefore to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive risk assessment framework for the emerging economy of India, in order to control and/or to reduce the risk level that exists. In this context, regulations and policies pertaining to industrial risk assessment were reviewed.     

梁子湖流域水环境功能区划及水质现状分析

“水是生命之源,生产之本。”近几十年来,由于人类活动对自然界的影响越来越大,水环境的污染问题也越来越突出,其造成的危害和影响越来越受到人们的关注。水资源总量是有限的,因此合理的规划开发利用水资源显得尤为重要。本文针对梁子湖流域存在的水环境水质恶化的问题,依据其水环境功能区划,通过对水质现状的监测,利用透明度、DO、BOD、COD、NH3-N、TP六个指标作为梁子湖水质研究的主要水质指标,并对监测结果进行分析,依据其检测结果进行流域控制单元的划分,同时加强水质管理,从而达到优化梁子湖流域水环境区划功能的目的,并对做好水资源保护工作有着重要的现实指导意义。     

Intelligent Databases Assist Transparent and Sound Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services

Assessment and economic valuation of services provided by ecosystems to humans has become a crucial phase in environmental management and policy-making. As primary valuation studies are out of the reach of many institutions, secondary valuation or benefit transfer, where the results of previous studies are transferred to the geographical, environmental, social, and economic context of interest, is becoming increasingly common. This has brought to light the importance of environmental valuation databases, which provide reliable valuation data to inform secondary valuation with enough detail to enable the transfer of values across contexts. This paper describes the role of next-generation, intelligent databases (IDBs) in assisting the activity of valuation. Such databases employ artificial intelligence to inform the transfer of values across contexts, enforcing comparability of values and allowing users to generate custom valuation portfolios that synthesize previous studies and provide aggregated value estimates to use as a base for secondary valuation. After a general introduction, we introduce the Ecosystem Services Database, the first IDB for environmental valuation to be made available to the public, describe its functionalities and the lessons learned from its usage, and outline the remaining needs and expected future developments in the field.