Parsing participation: models of engagement for outcomes monitoring in urban stewardship

Few urban environmental stewardship, or civic ecology, practices monitor their impacts on local communities and ecosystems. This lack of monitoring prevents lay stewards from adapting their practices based on outcomes. For those that do collect data on their practices, we see different forms of practitioner engagement in outcomes monitoring. We categorise these different forms of engagement according to five published models of public participation in scientific research, revealing different strategies for collecting and analysing data towards adaptive co-management in urban ecosystems. We propose two broad strategies for expanding outcomes monitoring in these contexts: creating openly accessible tools and protocols for do-it-yourself inquiry and supporting more resource-intensive partnerships between practitioners and scientists for more complex forms of outcomes monitoring.     

鄱阳湖流域基本特征、面临挑战和关键科学问题

鄱阳湖流域总面积占长江流域面积的9%,占江西省国土面积的939%,鄱阳湖流域的生态健康维系着流域内,特别是长江中下游的生态安全,是区域经济、社会、生态可持续发展的重要保障。在全面认识鄱阳湖流域基本特征和面临挑战的基础上,探讨了鄱阳湖流域面临的五大科学问题：“山 江 湖”的相互关系与流域的生态健康;全球变化背景下流域生态系统的响应;流域生物多样性地理格局与社会经济合理分区;长江流域环境演变对鄱阳湖流域的影响;流域科学管理的理论与实践。为鄱阳湖生态经济区的建设和全流域的综合管理提供科学的建议和对策     

气候变暖背景下火干扰对森林生态系统碳循环的影响

人类活动所引起的温室效应及由此造成的气候变化和对全球生态环境的影响已受到国际社会的普遍关注。火干扰作为森林生态系统重要的干扰因子,对森林生态系统碳循环产生重要影响以及对未来气候变化的响应更是人们关注的重点。正确理解气候变暖、火干扰与森林生态系统碳循环之间的因果循环关系,了解气候变暖背景下火干扰对森林生态系统碳循环的影响,对制定科学合理的林火管理策略、充分发挥林火管理在森林生态系统碳循环和碳平衡以及缓解碳排放中的作用均有重要的意义。系统论述了气候变暖、火干扰与森林生态系统碳循环之间的逻辑循环关系,并对相关的研究进展进行综述。重点剖析了气候变暖对火干扰的影响,气候变暖背景下火干扰对森林生态系统碳循环的影响,并提出了全球变暖背景下科学有效的林火管理策略与措施,以及今后需要加强的一些研究领域及方向。     

上海大雾气候特征及风险区划研究

大雾作为一种比较常见的灾害性天气,对交通运输和人体健康等都会造成严重的影响。基于上海市11个气象站1971-2000年的大雾数据和城市基础地理信息,利用地理信息系统和层次分析法,结合专家调查法,建立了上海市大雾风险的评价指标体系和权重,开展了上海市大雾的风险特征及地理区划研究,获得了1 km空间分辨率的上海大雾气候特征图、上海城市对大雾敏感性特征图和上海市大雾风险区划图。初步研究表明,这种方法对城市大雾评估和风险区划是可行的。     

钢铁产业生态化设计与政策选择

钢铁产业是国民经济重要的支柱产业,也是典型的高能耗、高排放、高污染产业。钢铁产业生态化设计与政策选择是落实科学发展观,推动生态文明建设,加快转变经济发展方式的必然要求。以烧结(球团)、焦化、炼铁、炼钢、轧钢工序中节能减排、污染防治和落后生产能力淘汰为重点,以环境影响评价为导向,基于钢铁全生产流程物质流分析,融入循环经济和清洁生产理念,以新型节能清洁工艺技术、装备技术和仿真、信息化技术的开发应用为切入点,融入生态文明、循环经济和清洁生产理念,完善钢铁生态产业链,加强资源综合利用,强化生态技术创新。本文从市场引导、政策促进、环境监管、技术创新、过程控制、内部循环、外部联合、责任延伸、行业自律、公众参与等10个层面,构建促进钢铁产业生态化的政策体系,充分发挥政府、企业、行业、中介组织、金融机构和社会公众的作用,在规划、机制和技术层次上全面落实钢铁产业生态化政策,全面推动我国钢铁产业的转型升级和绿色发展。     

Bioenergy project appraisal in sub‐Saharan Africa: Sustainability barriers and opportunities in Zambia

Although there is continuing debate surrounding biofuel cultivation (especially in developing nations) in relation to issues of exploitation, land grabbing, poverty alleviation and energy security, there is a lack of empirical evidence to assess how these debates are playing out in practice on the ground. Drawing on political ecology discourse, this paper examines case studies of biofuel production in Zambia and the effects they have on environmental and social sustainability. During April and May 2011, data were collected on two case study projects involving Jatrophacurcas feedstock cultivation in Zambia. Semi‐structured interviews were used to ascertain views from affected stakeholders (local farmers, local environmental, social, and agronomic experts, and investors) on the biofuel projects and their environmental and social impacts. The findings suggest that the uneven distribution of costs and benefits are brought about by imbalances in knowledge, access to resources and the allocation of social and political influence (often associated with broader discourses of development), and this provides a likely rationale for a lack of sustainability in biofuel projects. Drawing on these viewpoints, as well as on field observations, this paper outlines the barriers and opportunities linked to Jatrophacurcas project sustainability.     

基于景观生态法的彭州市湔江河谷乡村旅游规划研究

通过分析现阶段彭州市湔江河谷地区开展乡村旅游的综合条件和存在的问题,应用景观生态规划的理论和方法提出湔江河谷地区旅游发展的总体方向,进行生态景观要素布局,设计了三种景观斑块类型和二种景观廊道类型,构建了湔江河谷地区“一核、两轴、三叶、四区”结构,并在此基础上规划了旅游项目和景观,以期为湔江河谷地区乡村旅游开发提供依据。     

中国1997-2006年可持续发展动态测度分析

利用生态足迹分析法对中国1997-2006年的生态足迹与生态承载力进行核算,从而定量测度近10年来中国的可持续发展状况,根据结果对生态足迹的供给和需求进行分析并提出相应的建议和对策.结果表明:10年来,中国的生态足迹快速增长,由1997年的1.287 hm2增长到2006年的1.941 hm2,人均生态赤字从1997年的0.596 9hm2增长到2006年的1.267 0 hm2,自然生态系统处于不可持续的发展状态; 在生态足迹的构成中,能源和水域的生态赤字最为严重,远未满足供需平衡;此外,万元GDP占用生态足迹从1997年的2.014 8 hm2降低到2006年的1.209 8hm2,说明中国资源利用效率提高较快,经济增长方式在向良性发展.     

Ten Factors that Affect the Severity of Environmental Impacts of Visitors in Protected Areas

Protected areas represent the major method for conserving biodiversity. However, visitor use can threaten their conservation value. Based on a review of recent research, I have categorized factors that affect the severity of environmental impacts of visitor use. These factors need to be considered or evaluated when assessing visitor use of sites in protected areas. They are: (i) the conservation value of the site, (ii) its resistance to use, (iii) its recovery from use, (iv) its susceptibility to erosion, (v) the severity of direct impacts associated with specific activities, (vi) the severity of indirect impacts, (vii) the amount of use, (viii) the social and (ix) ecological dimensions to the timing of use, and (x) the total area affected. Although the factors may not be of equal importance or necessarily assessed on an equal scale, they allow people to make more informed assessments of potential impacts, assist in identifying where monitoring may be required, and indicate where additional site- or activity-specific research may be appropriate.     

Refining Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization Strategies for Controlling the Toxigenic Alga Prymnesium parvum1

Kurten, Gerald L., Aaron Barkoh, Drew C. Begley, and Loraine T. Fries, 2010. Refining Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization Strategies for Controlling the Toxigenic Alga Prymnesium parvum. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(1):170-186. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00401.x Abstract: Previous studies have shown that three times weekly applications of phosphorus (30 μg P/l) and nitrogen (300 μg N/l) were effective at reducing the density and toxicity of the alga Prymnesium parvum in limnocorrals simulating a 40-day moronid (e.g., striped bass, Morone saxatilis, and palmetto bass, M. saxatilis ×Morone chrysops) fingerling culture period. However, this fertilization regime produced high pH and unionized ammonia-N concentrations that are detrimental to the survival of moronid fry and fingerlings. In two follow-up experiments we changed the source of N from ammonia to nitrate, reduced fertilization rates, and examined the effect of N-only or P-only fertilization. In the first experiment P fertilization rates were reduced by one-half to 15 μg P/l and NO₃-N was substituted for NH₃-N at the previously used rate of 300 μg N/l. In the second experiment, N fertilization rates were reduced to 150 μg N/l and the frequency of fertilization was determined by pH and P. parvum responses. Nitrate appeared to be as effective as ammonia as a source of N and when used in combination with P reduced P. parvum cell density and ichthyotoxicity. However, reduced N and P application rates and lower pond water temperatures during the study appeared to have decreased the speed at which fertilization produced these effects. While lower fertilization rates reduced algal productivity, high pH remained a concern for fish culture although pH was reduced to levels that might be acceptable with careful management of fish culture activities. Neither N-only nor P-only fertilization had a measurable effect on algal productivity or eliminated P. parvum and its toxicity. Furthermore, P-only fertilization may have increased P. parvum density and toxicity. For controlling P. parvum density and ichthyotoxicity we recommend a fertilization rate of 212 μg NO₃-N/l plus 30 μg PO₄-P/l applied three times weekly for aquaculture ponds where high pH is not a concern. Where high pH is a concern we recommend a fertilization rate of 117 μg NO₃-N/l plus 16 μg PO₄-P/l applied three times weekly with careful attention to afternoon pond pH.