Viable contribution of Tibetan sacred mountains in southwestern China to forest conservation

The Tibetan sacred mountains (TSMs) cover a large area and may represent a landscape‐scale conservation opportunity. We compared the conservation value of forests in these mountains with the conservation value of government‐established nature reserves and unmanaged open‐access areas in Danba County, southwestern China. We used Landsat satellite images to map forest cover and to estimate forest loss in 1974–1989, 1989–1999, and 1999–2013. The TSMs (n = 41) and nature reserves (n = 4) accounted for 21.6% and 29.7% of the county's land area, respectively. Remaining land was open‐access areas (i.e., areas without any restrictions on resource use) (56.2%) and farmlands (2.2%). Within the elevation range suitable for forests, forest cover did not differ significantly between nature reserves (58.8%) and open‐access areas (58.4%), but was significantly higher in TSMs (65.5%) after controlling for environmental factors such as aspect, slope, and elevation. The TSMs of great cultural importance had higher forest cover, but patrols by monastery staff were not necessarily associated with increased forest cover. The annual deforestation rate in nonsacred areas almost tripled in 1989–1999 (111.4 ha/year) relative to 1974–1989 (40.4 ha/year), whereas the rate in TSMs decreased in the later period (19.7 ha/year vs. 17.2 ha/year). The reduced forest loss in TSMs in 1989–1999 was possibly due to the renaissance of TSM worship and strengthened management by the local Buddhist community since late 1980s. The annual deforestation rate in Danba decreased dramatically to 4.4 ha/year in 1999–2013, which coincided with the implementation of a national ban on logging in 1998. As the only form of protected area across the Tibetan region during much of its history, TSMs have positively contributed to conserving forest at a landscape scale. Conservation of TSM forests largely relied on the strength of local religious institutions. Integrating community‐based conservation of TSMs within the government conservation network would benefit the conservation of the Tibetan region.     

2018年11-12月国内环境事件

LI Sheng-cai;AN Ying(State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology,Beijing Institute of Technology,Beijing 100081,China)     

中国生物多样性保护立法现状与需求

生物多样性保护依赖于健全的国际立法和国家立法。中国已颁布一系列有关生物多样性保护的法律和条例。这些法规的实施，使生物多样性保护工作取得重大进展，但还存在许多不足和空白。本文概述了中国在生物多样性保护方面的立法现状，在此基础上，针对存在问题，并根据《生物多样性公约》要求，从生态系统、物种和遗传多样性保护３个层次上阐明需要完善和加强法规建设的若干方面和需求。     

中国土地盐碱化及其防治对策研究

中国盐碱地面积为３６３０万ｈｍ２，土地盐碱化是农业生态环境退化的重大问题之一。土地盐碱化治理和预防对中国干旱、半干旱和半湿润地区农业生态系统退化防治、农业生态环境保护和未来食物安全性具有非常重要的实践意义。本文简要评述了我国土地盐碱化的历史及发展趋势以及土地盐碱化可能造成的土地面积、生产力和经济损失；在对土地盐碱化发生和发展的技术和社会经济原因，以及现有技术、管理、政策和法律法规进行系统评述的基础上，提出了我国土地盐碱化防治的区域战略、技术政策、管理政策、法律法规及经济激励手段。     

中国反刍动物甲烷排放量的初步估算及减缓技术

根据ＯＥＣＤ提供的反刍动物甲烷排放量计算方法，结合中国反刍动物能量供应的特点，初步估算了中国反刍动物甲烷排放量。反刍动物摄入总能量的６．９％～７．５％通过甲烷排放而损失掉，１９９０年甲烷排放量为５．８０Ｔｇ，约为全球动物排放量的７．２％。文中提出采取秸秆处理，舔砖和过瘤蛋白使用，改善管理等改进措施，不仅可以提高生产水平，也可减少甲烷排放量。     

东北地区城市水资源环境问题及其对策

对东北三省区城市水资源环境问题及其控制对策与措施进行了分析和探讨。面临的主要问题有：水资源相对短缺和供需矛盾突出、地表水环境污染严重、地下水环境受破坏和污染、尚未形成节水型的社会生产生活与管理体系等。针对区域城市水资源环境问题提出了相应的控制对策与措施。     

The Relationship Between Exposure to Arsenic Concentrations in Drinking Water and the Development of Skin Lesions in Farmers from Inner Mongolia, China

Associations between the concentration of arsenic naturally occurring in drinking water and the development of skin lesions in people have been documented for some years at various locations around the world. Data on the exposure-response relationship between concentrations of arsenic in drinking water and prevalence of skin lesions in farmers from five locations in Inner Mongolia, China have been collected from the original publications and re-analysed together as a meta-study. The calculated data show a positive linear exposure-response relationship without a threshold. The reasons for this linear correlation are discussed and compared with the data from Xinjiang, another arsenism area located in a different geographical area of China. Here a different relationship was recorded that involved a threshold concentration before skin lesions developed. The significance of these two different exposure-response scenarios is discussed.     

黑河流域土地退化分类研究

黑河流域位于我国的西北内陆干旱区。人类不合理利用水资源造成的土地退化，已成为黑河流域一个非常严重的生态问题。土地荒漠化是该流域最典型和最严重的土地退化形式。对该流域土地退化的空间分布、特点、退化面积等方面还没有较为详细的研究，因此探讨这个问题就显得非常重要。文章通过最新的遥感影像资料(2000年)，在分析已有的研究成果的基础上，结合野外调查，利用遥感和地理信息系统(GIS)技术，初步分析了黑河流域土地退化的情况。研究结果表明，黑河流域土地退化主要有5种类型，即：水土流失、干旱化、植被退化、盐渍化和沙漠化。土地退化面积达29971．91km^2，占整个流域面积的23．06％；其中，水土流失主要分布在祁连山的南部山区，面积为5747．68km^2，占整个流域土地退化面积的19．18％，主要是由于过度开垦和放牧造成的；由于人类活动的影响，造成水资源在时空上的重新分配而导致的干旱化土地主要分布在山前部分冲、洪积平原的河流沿岸附近，其面积为1369.96km^2，占整个流域土地退化面积的4．57％；盐渍化土地是该流域土地退化的主要类型之一，面积为10591．82km^2，占整个流域土地退化面积的35．34％，分布在流域的低地、冲积扇的边缘等位置，主要是由于干旱的气候条件造成的；沙化土地，包括流动沙丘(地)，是研究区土地退化面积最大的类型，为10771．97km^2，占整个流域土地退化面积的35.94％，这其中也包括历史时期形成的沙漠和现代形成的大部分沙地；植被退化土地面积为1490．48km^2，只占整个流域土地退化面积的4．97％。通过分析可知，黑河流域土地退化严重，特别是在下游地区。人类不合理的经济活动，尤其是对该流域内有限水资源的不合理利用，是导致该地区土地生态系统脆弱的主要因素。     

论南方稻田耕作制度的调整与改革

本文在比较全面、系统地总结改革开放１５年来，南方稻田耕作制度调整与改革所取得的成效的基础上，指出了目前南方稻田耕作制度存在的问题，提出了在新形势下南方稻田耕作制度调整与改革的对策和思路，对指导目前南方稻田耕作制度的改革具有重要参考价值．     

The nature and significance of public exposure to arsenic: a review of its relevance to South West England

In South West England, more than two hundred years of intensive exploitation of metalliferous ore deposits, combined with the natural processes of pedogenesis from mineral-rich parent rocks, has resulted in the creation of a aignificant area of arsenic-contaminated wastes and soils. The scale of arsenic dispersion by natural and anthropogenic processes is such that 722 km² of land contains concentrations of arsenic in excess of 110 g g^–1, more than twice the maximum that might be expected in a normal soil.The general rationale for the clean-up of derelict and contaminated mining sites often includes aesthetic factors and the desirability of preventing the dispersion of contaminants beyond the site boundaries. Only in extreme cases is public health directly invoked as justification for remediation. In South West England, if arsenic constitutes a genuine threat to the public, an increased rate of site remediation would be justified. The primary purpose of this review is to establish whether or not widespread arsenic contamination (principally of soils) has any measurable effects on public health in South West England, and how this might affect current contaminated site remediation policy. The review is based on data from previous research in the region, and other relevant international studies of mining and smelting communities, and other populations exposed to elevated arsenic concentrations. The literature reviewed also includes the determination of the extent and sources of contamination, and pathways between source and man.While the contamination of potable waters in some countries has led to measurable health effects, this scenario has not yet been identified in South West England, and there is little reason to believe that significantly contaminated potable water supplies would escape detection for extended periods of time under the current monitoring regime.In relative terms (based on both globaland local data), one of the most significant links between contaminated soils and humans appears to be contaminated food stuffs. In absolute terms, such exposure is low due to the natural constraints on arsenic uptake by herbage, cereal crops and vegetables, and the food chain does not appear to have been significantly compromised in South West England. Chronic health effects are unlikely as excessive arsenic concentrations in locally grown food crops remain rare.With the problems of confounding medical and social factors, it is not surprising that studies in South West England have failed to identify chronic exposure to arsenic at very low concentrations as a significant health risk. Those studies that indicate otherwise do not stand up to close scrutiny. It appears that the number of additional deaths arising from the widespread arsenic contamination in South West England is small. The relative benefits of a costly statistical study to actually determine the number of additional deaths might be considered minimal, but one major area could benefit from further studies: the sensitivity of certain population sub-groups to environmental arsenic exposure. Of particular interest are children, for whom significant exposure to arsenic via soil ingestion may be occurring.Based on available information, there appears to be no justification for a large programme of site remediation. Resources should, however, be expended on enlightening the general public, and private and governmental organisations as regards the gap between the perceived and actual significance of arsenic contamination in South West England.To whom correspondence should be addressed.