The potential of current legal structures to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests in the Australian bush food industry

There are complex connections between Australia’s native plants and first peoples, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The maintenance of these connections is central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and well-being and the tangible realisation of Australian policy commitments. Diverse cultural connections combine with other motivations to underpin an array of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests in the commercial development of traditional plant foods (‘bush foods’). Despite nation-wide policy support for these interests, there is no national legal framework to support them. This fortifies the popular call for a new (sui generis) law that transforms the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into enforceable legal rights. It is unclear the extent to which a single sui generis law might help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples realise their diverse interests in the development of gourmet bush food products and new bush food varieties. It is also unlikely that Australia will implement such a law in the near future. This paper offers a preliminary study of the capacity of current legal structures to support some key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests that might arise in these two development contexts. The study can inform the future development of practical legal strategies to support the diverse interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the bush food industry.     

长三角农田土壤中滴滴涕的污染特征与生态风险

以长江三角洲地区农田土壤为研究对象,分析了土壤和蔬菜中滴滴涕(DDTs)的残留水平和空间分布特征,评估了DDTs对土壤生态和人体健康的潜在风险。结果显示,长三角地区农田土壤中DDTs含量范围为0.2~3 520 ng·g-1,平均63.8 ng·g-1,主要残留在土壤耕作层(0~30 cm)。土壤中DDTs及其代谢产物残留量较低,98.5%的点位土壤符合《中国土壤环境质量标准》的二级标准。15%的蔬菜样品中检出DDTs,其浓度为相应土壤DDTs浓度的9%~18%,土壤残留的DDTs通过食物链进入人体导致的健康风险很小。低残留DDTs对土壤微生物的群落结构和多样性无显著影响(-0.25R0.25,0.307P0.979)。应用美国环保署(USEPA)方法评估了土壤中DDTs对人体的健康风险,其中致癌风险级别为非常低,对儿童和成人具有非致癌风险的样品比例分别为1.1%和0.7%。因此,长三角地区大多数点位农田土壤DDTs残留量较低,不会对生态环境和人体健康产生危害。     

Environmental deterioration of farmlands caused by the irrational use of agricultural technologies

Without considering the ecosystem-dependence of agricultural production, irrational use of agricultural technologies could bring only short-term economic benefits but leave long-term environmental deterioration. If some agricultural lands have to be abandoned because of these technologies such as chemical films or groundwater depletion, it will aggravate the burden of remaining lands for maintaining or enhancing production. Thus, agricultural production should be a part of public services, requiring the consideration of interests of different stakeholders and sustainability.     

农业活动干扰下地下水无机碳循环过程研究

为准确识别浅层地下水污染来源及污染过程,选择我国北方某集约化蔬菜种植基地浅层地下水作为研究对象,借助水化学组成、氢氧同位素以及溶解性无机碳(DIC)碳同位素组成,探讨浅层地下水来源以及DIC来源和迁移转化特征.结果表明:浅层地下水阳离子以Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺为主,阴离子以HCO₃^-和SO₄^2-为主,沿地下水流向,水化学类型由HCO₃^?-Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺型转变为HCO₃^--SO₄^2--Mg²⁺-Ca²⁺型;浅层地下水δD组成范围为-69.6‰~-52.7‰,均值为-63.5‰,δ¹⁸O组成范围为-9.29‰~-6.80‰,均值为-8.45‰.大气降水是浅层地下水重要补给来源,靠近河水的浅层地下水还接受地表水的补给;浅层地下水δ¹³C_DIC组成范围为-11.76‰~-5.85‰,均值为-10.43‰.浅层地下水DIC来源包括土壤CO₂、碳酸盐矿物以及有机质分解.河水DIC侧渗对局部浅层地下水DIC碳同位素造成影响,化学肥料引起的酸性物质参与碳酸盐矿物风化作用以及浅层地下水CO₂去气作用对地下水δ¹³C_DIC组成产生影响,在利用DIC碳同位素识别地下水污染来源时需要引起重视.     

基于油耗调查的2010年天津市农业机械排放研究

通过问卷调查,采用基于燃油消耗量的方法估算出天津市2010年农业机械氮氧化物(NOx)和颗粒物(PM)的总排放量.2010年天津市农业机械总保有量为57.5万台,其中种植业机械最大约占52.5%;总动力为588万kW,运输机械占比最大为47.3%.估算出2010年天津市农业机械总油耗(主要为柴油)为6.7万t,其中运输机械耗油量为4.5万t.再根据燃油消耗量估算了天津2010年农业机械污染物排放量,NOx和PM年排放量分别为3470t和303t.     

不同类型区农用地整治对农田生产能力的影响

以产能提高为核心的农用地整治已上升为国家层面的重要战略之一。通过建立农用地整治影响下的农田生产能力估算模型,定量评价湖北省内平原、丘陵及山地3种不同类型区农用地整治对农田生产能力的影响,结果表明:①农用地整治后,山地型整治区农田生产能力提高168.91%,丘陵型整治区提高57.78%,平原型整治区提高38.32%;②平原型整治区基础设施要素提高最大,为78.62%;丘陵型整治区水资源要素提高最大,为75%;山地型整治区基础设施要素提高最大,为199.12%;③总体上,基础设施要素对农田生产能力的贡献率都最大。建议国家农用地整治在政策上适当增加对山地型和丘陵型整治区的重视,项目区应合理配套农村居民点整治工程,并尽量避免生态损失。     

Oxidative stress in the freshwater cyprinid crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.) upon chronic exposure to endosulfan

Oxidative stress and antioxidant responses of crucian carp, upon chronic exposure to endosulfan, were evaluated in vivo. The lethal concentration (LC_50–96?h) was 70 μg L^?1; on its basis, the fish were exposed to endosulfan at 20, 35, and 50 μg L^?1 and autopsy was done on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. Lipid peroxidation was induced in a concentration-dependent manner, being highest at 50 μg L^?1 (3/4 LC_{50–96 h}, sub-lethal concentration-I, SL-I) on day 4 (720% versus control), followed in its extent (490%) at 30 μg L^?1 (1/2 LC_{50–96 h}, sub-lethal concentration-II, SL-II) on day 7 and lowest (260%) at 10 μg L^?1 (1/4 LC_{50–96 h}, sub-lethal concentration-III, SL-III) on day 14. Glutathione showed a concentration- and time-dependent elevation in the initial phase, with highest level on day 4 (180%) at SL-I, but showed significant reduction in all test concentrations from day 21 of post-exposure. Superoxide dismutase was decreased significantly throughout the study, with highest reduction (63%) on day 4 at SL-I; catalase increased in all test concentrations up to day 14 but showed a significant decrease from the day 28 of post-exposure. The potential role of these parameters as indicators of pesticide pollution in aquatic systems is discussed.     

Are indigenous forest reserves sustainable? An analysis of present and future land-use trends in Bosawas,Nicaragua

SUMMARY

In recent years, indigenous tenure over forest lands has emerged as a means to conserve forests while recognizing indigenous rights. There is concern, however, that indigenous reserves may not be an appropriate policy tool for sustained forest conservation. Our research examined how recognition of indigenous common-property rights has controlled agricultural expansion and conserved forests in Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, Nicaragua. We used satellite imagery with empirical data gathered in the field on land-use institutions, population pressures, and land-use practices to compare whether indigenous communities under territorial management or public management are better able to (1) control the ‘fast threat’ of frontier expansion and (2) address the long-term ecological threats posed by indigenous land-use practices and institutional changes in the region. Our findings are that indigenous residents who share common-property rights over their territories are better able to control agricultural expansion than are indigenous residents living on public lands. With respect to the long-term threats to the region, a series of simulations of possible land-use pressures demonstrate that the enforcement of territorial boundaries and further development of indigenous forest management rules will prove crucial in determining land-use capacity and deforestation over the next 50 years.     

Empirical analysis on the influence of the Shaanxi fruit industry on regional food security

As part of its development policy to relieve rural poverty in west China, the Chinese government has introduced measures such as agricultural tax exemptions, agricultural subsidies, and scientific, technological and restructuring improvements to agriculture. Following these actions, farmers’ incomes have increased greatly and the economy in poor areas of west China has seen rapid improvements. However, agricultural restructuring, infrastructure construction and ecological restoration projects have reduced the area of land under arable farming, restricting opportunities for increasing total grain yield. Regional food security is therefore threatened and an imbalance between economic development and food security is created. Shaanxi is a representative province in west China where agricultural restructuring has resulted in large areas of arable land being converted into orchards that produce higher economic returns. This study randomly surveyed 1430 farm households in three counties in the apple-producing region of Shaanxi Province (Luochuan, Changwu and Baishui). The standard of living and household income of farmers in the fruit production areas were higher than in grain-producing areas, thus discouraging grain production. Land under agriculture in the counties studied comprised 59% orchards and 39% arable, with 2% under other uses. Per capita, 204.3 kg of grain was produced, 51% of that required for self-sufficiency. Other staple foods produced amounted to only 13.9% of that needed for self-sufficiency. As a result, nearly half of the grain needed by the community was purchased from outside, resulting in very poor regional food security. Clearly, fruit production in this region seriously affects regional food security. Coordination of relationships between rural economic development and regional food security is key for sustainable development of the regional agriculture and economy of west China.     

加拿大最佳管理措施流域评价项目评述

可持续农业的目的是在保持良好环境质量的同时获得较高的农业生产率。最佳管理措施(BMPs)在世界范围内已得到广泛应用,以减少农业污染物对水环境的影响。自2004年以来,加拿大农业部实施了最佳管理措施流域评价(WEBs)项目,在全国各地选择了有代表性的9个小流域,对BMPs的环境和经济效益进行评价。笔者对过去几年来WEBs项目的进展、研究方法及主要成果进行简要的回顾,并对在中国开展类似项目的必要性和启示进行了探讨。