Analysis of a rural water supply project in three communities in Mali: Participation and sustainability

This paper presents a qualitative assessment of the participatory water management strategies implemented at the community level in rural Mali through a water supply project — The West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI) — coordinated by World Vision International, a non‐governmental and humanitarian organization. Data for the study were generated through a combination of primary and secondary sources in three villages. Results of the study indicate that while community‐based rural water supply is a positive step in responding to the needs of rural Malians, the installation of boreholes with hand pumps informed merely by consultative participatory approaches and limited extension involvement will not necessarily proffer sustainable rural water supply in the region. A “platform” approach to rural water supply management that can mobilize the assets and insights of different social actors to influence decision making at all stages, including the design and choice‐of‐technology stages, in water supply interventions is instead advocated.     

Pattern and Process in Northern Rocky Mountain Headwaters: Ecological Linkages in the Headwaters of the Crown of the Continent1

Abstract: The Crown of the Continent is one of the premiere ecosystems in North America containing Waterton‐Glacier International Peace Park, the Bob Marshall‐Great Bear‐Scapegoat Wilderness Complex in Montana, various Provincial Parks in British Columbia and Alberta, several national and state forest lands in the USA, and Crown Lands in Canada. The region is also the headwater source for three of the continent’s great rivers: Columbia, Missouri and Saskatchewan that flow to the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, respectively. Headwaters originate in high elevation alpine environs characterized by high snow accumulations in winter and rainstorms in summer. Most headwaters of the region contain high quality waters with few ions in solution and extremely low nutrient concentrations. Alpine streams have few species of aquatic organisms; however, they often possess rare species and have hydrogeomorphic features that make them vulnerable to climatic change. Subalpine and valley bottom streams of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (CCE) flow through well forested watersheds. Along the elevation gradient, the streams and rivers of the CCE flow through series of confining and nonconfining valleys resulting in distinct canyon and floodplain reaches. The alluvial floodplains are characterized by high species diversity and bioproduction maintained by the hydrologic linkages of habitats. The streams and rivers of the CCE have low nutrient concentrations, but may be significantly affected by wildfire, various resource extraction activities, such as logging or mining and exurban encroachment. Wildfire has been shown to increase nutrient loading in streams, both during a fire and then following the fire for as much as 5 years. Logging practices increase nutrient loading and the algal productivity of stream periphyton. Logging and associated roads are also known to increase sediment transport into Crown of the Continent streams directly affecting spawning success of native trout. The CCE is one of the fastest growing regions in the USA because of the many recreational amenities of the region. And, while the region has many remarkably pristine headwater streams and receiving rivers, there are many pending threats to water quality and quantity. One of the most urgent threats comes from the coal and gas fields in the northern part of the Crown of the Continent, where coal deposits are proposed for mountain‐top removal and open‐pit mining operations. This will have significant effects on the waters of the region, its native plants and animals and quality of life of the people.     

The future of food security in the Three Areas of Sudan

Currently, the pace of recovery in the 'Three Areas' is moving faster than the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). This gap is leading to greater imbalances in income, unsustainable urbanization, overexploitation of the environment and resource based conflict. Unless regulated, the likely result will be chronic poverty and an undermining of the success of the CPA. Agencies must be mindful of how they provide assistance so that they support the CPA. The analysis of food security should take place in the context of a larger political, social and economic analysis of the emerging situation. The least developed areas should be prioritised and interventions should provide benefits to the full range of socioeconomic groups. WFP must identify its role in the wider and integrated response. It should support the emerging peace process and the key reforms. If WFP chooses to consolidate its activities, it will require capable strategic partners. If it chooses to invest more in building the capacity of government and community structures, it must improve its skill base and field presence     

西部大开发中的四川猕猴桃资源优势

通过对四川省猕猴桃资源现状的分析,阐述了四川猕猴桃的资源优势及其人工栽培现状,提出了在西部大开发中发展四川猕猴桃产业化的道路。     

西部开发应坚持可持续发展战略

本文分析了西部地生态环境问题产生的原因,提出了西部生态环境建设的总体思路和战略设想,进一步指出西部不同地区要因地制宜,采取不同的生态环境经济策略,才能在大开发中,实现可持续发展。     

西部湿地资源现状、问题及可持续发展研究——以四川省若尔盖高原湿地为例

湿地是水陆相互作用形成的独特生态系统,合理的开发利用将对西部开发中的生态环境建设直到巨大的作用。本文主要介绍我国西部湿地资源的基本情况、利用现状及存在问题,并以四川省若尔盖地区为例提出了西部湿地资源保护和可持续利用的科学对策。     

西部开发与新疆生态环境保护

开发西部地区已经成为我国一项跨世纪的战略任务,搞好西部地区的生态环境保护是西部大开发的首要任务。新疆地处内陆地区,以典型的绿洲经济为主体,生态环境比较脆弱,人口承载能力比较低;多年来不合理的经济开发活动导致生态环境严重恶化。本文针对新疆生态环境的的现状和主要问题,提出生态环境保护中应遵循的三个主要原则,并提出新疆生态环境保护的八条具体对策。     

长白山不同生态系统地下部分生物量及地下C贮量的调查

论文在收集已有资料的基础上,补充调查了长白山自然保护区中沿不同海拔高度形成的不同森林生态系统的细根生物量和一些森林类型的根系总生物量,并且对自然环境因子对根系生物量的影响进行了相关分析。研究表明,由高海拔到低海拔(岳桦林、苔藓岳桦暗针叶林、暗针叶林过渡带、苔藓红松暗针叶林、红松针阔混交林)树木细根(<2mm)生物量分别是458.92gm^-2、537.42gm^-2、390.35gm^-2、397.25gm^-2和660.21gm^-2;根系总生物量分别是2578.00gm^-2、2794.00gm^-2、2680.00gm^-2、3459.25gm^-2和5155.00gm^-2。分别对细根生物量和根系总生物量与降水量和活动积温之间进行相关性分析时,发现细根生物量与不同海拔高度的活动积温和降水量没有明显的相关性;而根系生物量与这些因子存在着指数相关关系。该研究同时对不同海拔高度根系中的C、N含量和土壤中有机质的含量进行了分析和测定。结合已有的倒木和凋落物的资料,估算了长白山自然保护区中沿不同海拔高度形成的不同森林生态系统地下C的贮量。在长白山自然保护区内,由高海拔到低海拔,林地C贮量分别是15493.88gm^-2、21005.74gm^-2、19819.24gm^-2、14232.51gm^-2和7344.02gm^-2。     

Prospective spatial prediction of infectious disease: experience of New York State (USA) with West Nile Virus and proposed directions for improved surveillance

Infectious disease surveillance has become an international top priority due to the perceived risk of bioterrorism. This is driving the improvement of real-time geo-spatial surveillance systems for monitoring disease indicators, which is expected to have many benefits beyond detecting a bioterror event. West Nile Virus surveillance in New York State (USA) is highlighted as a working system that uses dead American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) to prospectively indicate viral activity prior to human onset. A cross-disciplinary review is then presented to argue that this system, and infectious disease surveillance in general, can be improved by complementing spatial cluster detection of an outcome variable with predictive “risk mapping” that incorporates spatiotemporal data on the environment, climate and human population through the flexible class of generalized linear mixed models.

杭州西湖水体富营养化的控制

本文综述了杭州西湖水体富营养化的状况,并为西湖水体富营养化的控制提出了建议和对策。