The role of digital data entry in participatory environmental monitoring

Many argue that monitoring conducted exclusively by scientists is insufficient to address ongoing environmental challenges. One solution entails the use of mobile digital devices in participatory monitoring (PM) programs. But how digital data entry affects programs with varying levels of stakeholder participation, from nonscientists collecting field data to nonscientists administering every step of a monitoring program, remains unclear. We reviewed the successes, in terms of management interventions and sustainability, of 107 monitoring programs described in the literature (hereafter programs) and compared these with case studies from our PM experiences in Australia, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greenland, and Vietnam (hereafter cases). Our literature review showed that participatory programs were less likely to use digital devices, and 2 of our 3 more participatory cases were also slow to adopt digital data entry. Programs that were participatory and used digital devices were more likely to report management actions, which was consistent with cases in Ethiopia, Greenland, and Australia. Programs engaging volunteers were more frequently reported as ongoing, but those involving digital data entry were less often sustained when data collectors were volunteers. For the Vietnamese and Canadian cases, sustainability was undermined by a mismatch in stakeholder objectives. In the Ghanaian case, complex field protocols diminished monitoring sustainability. Innovative technologies attract interest, but the foundation of effective participatory adaptive monitoring depends more on collaboratively defined questions, objectives, conceptual models, and monitoring approaches. When this foundation is built through effective partnerships, digital data entry can enable the collection of more data of higher quality. Without this foundation, or when implemented ineffectively or unnecessarily, digital data entry can be an additional expense that distracts from core monitoring objectives and undermines project sustainability. The appropriate role of digital data entry in PM likely depends more on the context in which it is used and less on the technology itself.     

Can we take the pulse of environmental governance the way we take the pulse of nature? Applying the Freshwater Health Index in Latin America

Quantitative assessments have long been used to evaluate the condition of the natural environment, providing information for standard setting, adaptive management, and monitoring. Similar approaches have been developed to measure environmental governance, however, the end result (e.g., numeric indicators) belies the subjective and normative judgments that are involved in evaluating governance. We demonstrate a framework that makes this information transparent, through an application of the Freshwater Health Index in three different river basins in Latin America. Water Governance is measured on a 0–100 scale, using data derived from perception-based surveys administered to stakeholders. Results suggest that water governance is a primary area of concern in all three places, with low overall scores (Guandu-26, Alto Mayo-38, Bogotá-43). We conclude that this approach to measuring governance at the river basin scale provides valuable information to support monitoring and decision making, and we offer suggestions on how it can be improved.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01407-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

协同治理理论视角下连云港湾长制试点存在的问题及对策

近岸海域环境综合治理是典型的公共产品和公共服务,需要多个主体协同治理。连云港湾长制已实施两年多,虽取得了一定成效,但从协同治理理论来看,仍存在治理主体相对单一、公众参与不足问题。因此,今后应以协同治理理论为指导,形成多元的治理主体,树立各个治理主体的权威性,加强各治理主体的协同性,充分发挥各治理主体的积极性,共同推进湾长制的实施。     

Structure and activity of thermophilic methanogenic microbial communities exposed to quaternary ammonium sanitizer

Food processing facilities often use antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) sanitizers to maintain cleanliness. These QACs can end up in wastewaters used as feedstock for anaerobic digestion. The aim of this study was to measure the effect of QAC contamination on biogas production and structure of microbial communities in thermophilic digester sludge. Methane production and biogas quality data were analyzed in batch anaerobic digesters containing QAC at 0, 15, 50, 100 and 150 mg/L. Increasing sanitizer concentration in the bioreactors negatively impacted methane production rate and biogas quality. Microbial community composition data was obtained through 16S rRNA gene sequencing from the QAC-contaminated sludges. Sequencing data showed no significant restructuring of the bacterial communities. However, significant restructuring was observed within the archaeal communities as QAC concentration increased. Further studies to confirm these effects on a larger scale and with a longer retention time are necessary.     

GJB 4239—2001在航空型号研制中的应用

结合GJB 4239—2001《装备环境工程通用要求》在航空重点型号研制中应用案例和工作经验,系统地阐述了环境工程技术体系在立项论证阶段、工程研制阶段和设计定型阶段的实现方式,并着重介绍了近几年以来GJB 4239—2001《装备环境工程通用要求》在重点航空型号项目研制中的应用情况。最后,分别在环境分析、环境设计、环境试验,以及环境工程管理等四个方面分析了实际型号研制工作中工作项目、开展时机、输出形式所存在的突出问题,并给出了今后改进完善的建议。     

水专项"十三五"时期辽河流域水环境管理研究思路初探

以水专项在辽河流域实施的阶段性成果及辽河流域水环境管理现状为基础,分析"十三五"时期辽河流域水环境管理的需求,提出构建成套流域水环境管理技术体系和管理大平台、全面建设并优化水生态环境监测网络、实行水环境管理的动态调节机制和建立健全流域水环境管理长效机制的水环境管理研究思路,并指出研究应密切结合地方管理,充分发挥地方环境管理的责任主体地位,为水专项第三阶段"综合调控"战略目标的实现提供有力支撑.     

SCREEN3模型在大气环境管理中的应用研究

基于高斯扩散的单源估算模式SCREEN3计算佛山市环境统计企业的SO2排放最大落地浓度距离,发现全市工业企业SO2排放最大落地浓度距离为0.4~13.5 km.其中水泥和火电等高架源的最大落地浓度的距离最远.佛山市及五区纳入环境统计的重点废气排放企业平均的SO2排放最大落地浓度距离为2.9~4.9 km,能直接影响国控监测点位的企业合计37家,其中40%为高明区的企业.该结果证明加强空气质量国控监测点位周边至少5 km内废气排放企业的督查有利于空气质量的改善.     

再生水灌溉利用的生态风险研究进展

污水再生回用因其具有显著的社会、经济及生态效益,已成为缓解水资源危机的一项重要举措.城市绿地和农业灌溉作为再生水的主要利用途径之一,在国内外已经得到广泛推广实践.为了解国内外在再生水灌溉利用风险方面的研究进展,本文围绕再生水典型污染物包括盐、氮、重金属和新型污染物、病原菌等,从对土壤质量、植物生长、地下水质量和公众健康等几方面,对再生水灌溉利用的生态风险进行了系统分析.结果表明,盐分及盐离子是再生水灌溉利用的主要风险,灌溉利用导致疾病传播的风险始终存在,而新型污染物的生态风险是科学研究热点.借鉴国外经验,分别就城市绿地和农业的灌溉提出了风险管理措施.最后,提出了加强长期定位研究和模型研究,建立再生水水质、灌溉管理与生态风险的有机关联,进行再生水灌溉土壤承载力评价和建立风险管理体系等5项建议,以促进再生水安全利用.     

我国VOCs的排放特征及控制对策研究

挥发性有机物(volatile organic compounds,VOCs)是一类具有刺激性、致畸、致癌、致突变作用、易燃易爆的有机物,对人体和生态系统健康有很大危害.本文从工业固定源、机动车尾气排放源和日常生活源等角度分析不同排放源的VOCs排放特征,绘制并分析了我国重点区域重点行业VOCs排放的空间分布格局,甄别出东部沿海地区VOCs 2010年总量和单位面积均高于中西部地区,且工业产生源有明显差异.进一步归类分析了欧美等发达国家针对VOCs排放控制的政策法规,对比分析我国目前治理VOCs的有关法规和标准,提出了现阶段我国VOCs管理存在的问题,并提出了相应的控制对策建议.     

武汉市秸秆燃烧VOCs排放估算及管理对策

秸秆燃烧是我国人为源挥发性有机物(volatile organic compounds,VOCs)排放的重要来源之一,其排放对气候变化和人体健康都有很大影响.对该来源VOCs排放量的可靠估算是在区域或城市范围内进行排放效应分析和污染控制的重要前提.根据2005~2011年武汉市农作物的总产量,采用排放因子分析法估算了武汉市及主要6个农作物产区的秸秆燃烧VOCs的排放量,并分别计算其耕地排放强度(I c)和区域排放强度(I r).结果表明,武汉市2005~2011年年均秸秆燃烧VOCs排放量约为(3 163±139)t,I c和I r分别为(1.52±0.06)t·km-2和(0.37±0.02)t·km-2.粮食类和油料类农作物秸秆燃烧是主要的排放源,需优先控制7大类21种VOCs物质.武汉市分区VOCs排放量从大到小排序依次为黄陂区、新洲区、江夏区、蔡甸区、汉南区、东西湖区,前4个区的排放总量占到武汉市的近九成.江夏区、汉南区、黄陂区和新洲区应作为秸秆燃烧VOCs排放的优先控制区,尤其是能作为全国代表性的江夏区,应引起高度重视.在进行区域或城市范围的秸秆燃烧产生污染物质的生态风险评价时,该污染物的I c和I r都是需要考虑的重要基础数据.最后,提出大力发展农村秸秆资源综合循环经济利用是解决区域或城市范围内秸秆燃烧产生环境问题的可行之径.