Finding threatened forest areas in the central volcanic mountain range conservation area in Costa Rica

The degree at which tropical forests are exposed to human pressure is spatially dependent. Population density, proximity to roads, terrain slope, logging activities and land distribution projects are well known factors inducing deforestation and forest degradation in Latin America. Using expert knowledge to weight these threat factors and a Geographical Information System for spatial modeling, a multi-criteria analysis procedure is presented, that allows stratifying a study region in categories of deforestation threat. The procedure was implemented in the Central Volcanic Mountain Range Conservation Area (CVMRCA) in Costa Rica with the purpose of finding areas with a combination of physical and socioeconomic characteristics that is particularly predisposing to a high probability of deforestation. To validate the map, the CVMRCA was stratified in categories of deforestation risk, and the result was superposed to historical deforestation data of the period 1986–1996. The good correlation between risk category and historical deforestation (r = 0.91, p < 0.001) indicates that the map can be used as a decision support tool for defining priority areas for conservation action.     

水质自动监测在苏州市饮用水源地的应用与思考

以苏州市集中式饮用水源地自动监测系统为例,对该水质自动监测系统的特点、主要功能及在环境管理、蓝藻实时监控等方面的应用作了介绍,并就系统验收、运行管理及系统拓展方面提出了一些对策建议。     

基于3G网络平台的环保移动执法系统构建

从当前环保现场执法所面临的手段落后、执法尺度不一等实际问题出发,构建了一套依托于3G无线通信平台的移动执法系统。该系统采用先进的网络通讯技术,借助执法终端PDA手机,可实现在执法现场实时查询环保动、静态信息,录入、打印检查笔录及执法表单等功能,实现环保监察部门统一执法、规范执法流程、提高执法效率的最终目标。     

建设近岸海域水质自动监测系统应考虑的几个问题

在近岸海域自动监测系统建设前,需要明确建设自动监测系统的目的性;从人员、经费、技术性能等方面综合分析开展自动监测系统建设和运行的可行性分析;同时考虑监测子站建成后仪器设备的安全问题,以保证自动监测系统能够发挥应有的作用。     

乌鲁木齐市环境应急监测体系存在的问题及对策

乌鲁木齐市已发生多起突发性环境污染事故,虽然环境监测部门在为政府和上级主管部门提供公正、科学和规范的技术支持方面发挥了不可替代的作用,但受经验、资金和技术等方面的制约,当前应急监测体系还存在着监测预案不完善、设备配置偏低、信息化程度和技术含量不高等突出问题。为着力解决这些问题,应完善具体的环境风险源污染事故应急监测预案,建立基于GIS平台的环境应急信息系统,增加现场及实验室仪器配置,并通过完善培训考核程序和系统化演练程序来加强应急监测队伍建设。     

我国辐射环境监测法规体系研究

通过对我国辐射环境监测相关法规的调研,在深入分析当前辐射环境监测法规框架结构和突出问题的基础上,构建我国辐射环境监测法规体系,重点关注辐射环境质量监测、核与辐射监督性监测及应急监测等方面的工作需求,提出完善部门规章、健全核安全导则及规范性文件的建议。     

美国地表水环境监测管理体系及对我国的启示

简述了美国地表水监测管理体系,指出其健全的环境监测体系、完善的标准体系以及充分的信息公开和数据共享是保障水环境质量的基石、关键和枢纽。结合我国水环境监测管理的现状,提出,应加强水环境质量监测的立法工作,进一步完善水污染物排污许可证制度,建立以水环境质量为目标的水环境管理制度体系,进一步加大监测信息公开和数据共享力度,修订更适合我国的水环境质量监测指标。     

基于物联网的麦积山石窟环境监测系统应用分析

简述了麦积山彩色泥塑佛像及壁画文物保护与管理监测,以及物联网技术构建文物保护微环境监测系统。针对麦积山石窟环境监测现状和存在的问题,分析了基于物联网应用的监测和传感技术在石窟实施全覆盖、实时监控的方式,以及其优势和可行性。     

Development and Use of Integrated Air Quality Management Tools in Urban Areas with the Aid of Environmental Telematics

Contemporary urban air quality management requires the use of appropriate systems which include air quality models, a Geographical Information System (GIS) and a combination of expert systems and decision support tools, while at the same time possessing the capability to receive information from in situ measurements. Until recently, the relation between Information Technology capabilities and the system's design and architecture were poorly addressed, mainly due to technological limitations posed. Moreover, air quality management scenario design issues were partially considered, because of the difficulty in aggregating complex, air quality related issues, in a comprehensive and effective manner, from the end users point of view. In the present paper the use of Environmental Telematics is discussed as a framework for the development of urban air quality management systems, while a comprehensive approach for the application and evaluation of relevant scenarios is presented.     

Optimal Expansion Strategy for a Sewer System under Uncertainty

Because of fast urban sprawl, land use competition, and the gap in available funds and needed funds, municipal decision makers and planners are looking for more cost-effective and sustainable ways to improve their sewer infrastructure systems. The dominant approaches have turned to planning the sanitary sewer systems within a regional context, while the decentralized and on-site/cluster wastewater systems have not overcome the application barriers. But regionalization policy confers uncertainties and risks upon cities while planning for future events. Following the philosophy of smart growth, this paper presents several optimal expansion schemes for a fast-growing city in the US/Mexico borderlands—the city of Pharr in Texas under uncertainty. The waste stream generated in Pharr is divided into three distinct sewer sheds within the city limit, including south region, central region, and north region. The options available include routing the wastewater to a neighboring municipality (i.e., McAllen) for treatment and reuse, expanding the existing wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the south sewer shed, and constructing a new WWTP in the north sewer shed. Traditional deterministic least-cost optimization applied in the first stage can provide a cost-effective and technology-based decision without respect to associated uncertainties system wide. As the model is primarily driven by the fees charged for wastewater transfer, sensitivity analysis was emphasized by the inclusion of varying flat-rate fees for adjustable transfer schemes before contracting process that may support the assessment of fiscal benefits to all parties involved. Yet uncertainties might arise from wastewater generation, wastewater reuse, and cost increase in constructing and operating the new wastewater treatment plant simultaneously. When dealing with multiple sources of uncertainty, the grey mixed integer programming (GIP) model, formulated in the second stage, can further allow all sources of uncertainties to propagate throughout the optimization context, simultaneously leading to determine a wealth of optimal decisions within a reasonable range. Both models ran for three 5-year periods beginning in 2005 and ending in 2020. The dynamic outputs of this analysis reflect the systematic concerns about integrative uncertainties within this decision analysis, which enable decision makers and stakeholders to make all-inclusive decisions for sanitary sewer system expansion in an economically growing region.