Analysis of deforestation pattern in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

This study examines deforestation in a part of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria between 1987 and 2013 using remote sensing data and geographic information systems. The results indicate an increasing rate of deforestation, an increasing rate of water body loss and a decreasing rate of exposed surface/settlement increase. The results also show that the rate at which cropland/secondary vegetation is increasing is above average while sandbar is increasing below average. The implications of these changes include environmental degradation resulting from loss of biodiversity and loss of forest goods and services. These losses can also affect the social and economic conditions of local people. The study recommends that policies and strategies targeted at slowing down the rate of forest loss and degradation should be pursued.     

Factors influencing the willingness to pay for sustainable tourism: a case of mass tourism destinations

A 17-month research programme focused on development of an Education for Sustainability (EFS) Global Media Network at Ball State University Indiana was recently concluded. The study results include some surprising conclusions related to the contradictions between the benefits of education for global sustainability and the use of technology to facilitate that educational process in achieving a more sustainable world. This article provides an overview of the EFS Network research programme and a discussion of some of the key results and conclusions related to advantages and disadvantages of technology-based learning. The article then addresses the environmental impact of computer technology manufacturing, use, and after-use. Research findings are utilized to illustrate the ecological footprint of computer-based education. The article concludes with a discussion about achieving a balance between the need for global-to-local sustainable education and the environmental impact of technology use for sustainable education.     

Developing indicators for assessing land-use sustainability in a tropical agro-ecosystem: The case of Sakaekrang watershed,Thailand

While the concept of sustainable land management is now widely accepted, there remains considerable scope for developing location-specific land-use indicators for sustainability evaluation. A study was conducted to investigate the indicators of land-use sustainability in the context of tropical agro-ecosystems using the case of Sakaekrang watershed, Thailand. The biophysical data were generated from Geographic Information Systems (GIs) and the socioeconomic data were collected through a field survey. In the light of sustainable land management objectives, a total of 32 criteria were considered in the analysis to determine land-use sustainability and identify indicators that best explain the sustainability level. About one quarter of the agricultural area in the watershed meets the sustainability threshold, indicating a substantial unstable area in the watershed. Among 11 indicators that showed a significant relationship with the computed land-use sustainability, land quality, source of farm income, and evapo transpiration were the most important.     

Interactions between scientific uncertainty and flood management decisions: Two case studies in Colorado

Flood management policies in the United States rely on scientific information about the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation and runoff. Yet, the available information is inherently uncertain because of the complexity of meteorological and hydrological processes. In mountainous areas, flood risk can vary greatly even within short distances depending on local climate, topography, soil characteristics, and land use. This paper describes two Colorado cases in which policy makers were presented with conflicting scientific estimates: revision of the Fort Collins floodplain map and modification of the Cherry Creek Dam. The case studies demonstrate that uncertainty can have substantial impacts on regulatory processes, public safety, and costs. The analysis considers the differing perspectives of various participants in the flood management processes, illustrating the interplay between uncertainties attributable to scientific issues and values issues. It suggests that attempts to provide a single “best” estimate do not necessarily meet the decision needs of all stakeholders. Conclusions indicate a need to improve communication about uncertainty when scientific estimates areprovided to decision makers. Furthermore, in highly controversial decisions, it may be necessary to reframe the discussion to consider the values issues raised by scientific uncertainty.     

Alkylation of metals and the activity of metal‐alkyls†

The biochemical basis for resistance to metal ion toxicity is emerging though it is complicated by the different resistance mechanisms. Several strategies for resistance to toxic metal ions have been identified:

1. The development of energy driven efflux pumps which keep toxic element levels low in the interior of the cell. Such mechanisms have been described for Cd(II) and As(V).

2. Oxidation (e.g. AsO^2‐ to AsO₄ ^3‐) or reduction (e.g. Hg²⁺ to Hg⁰) can enzymatically and intracellularly convert a more toxic form of an element to a less toxic form.

3. The biosynthesis of intracellular polymers which serve as traps for the removal of metal ions from solution such as traps have been described for cadmium, calcium, nickel and copper.

4. The binding of metal ions to cell surfaces.

5. The precipitation of insoluble metal complexes (e.g. metal sulfides and metal oxides) at cell surfaces.

6. Biomethylation and transport through cell‐membranes by diffusion controlled processes.

In this short review I shall discuss the implications of biomethylation as a detoxification mechanism for microorganisms as well as for certain higher organisms.     

环境治理工程对蠡湖水体中磷空间分布的影响

为评估水环境治理工程措施对蠡湖水体营养状态的影响,2012年4月对湖体与环湖河口调查分析,研究了蠡湖磷元素空间分布特征及其影响因素.结果表明:蠡湖水体总磷浓度介于0.03~0.31mg/L之间,平均为0.06mg/L,呈由西向东逐渐递增的趋势,且环湖河口磷含量明显高于湖体;沉积物中总磷空间分布趋势类似于水体,湖体总磷含量在321.77~1062.08mg/kg之间,平均为593.75mg/kg,而环湖河口总磷含量在523.38~1396.39mg/kg之间,平均为784.51mg/kg;结合历年监测数据可以看出,一系列水环境治理工程使得蠡湖水质有了大幅度的改善,水体中总磷的年均值由治理前0.18mg/L下降到0.06mg/L,但仍没有完全从根本上解决水体的富营养化问题.主要原因是沉积物中总磷对水体影响较大,相关性分析表明磷的扩散通量与沉积物总磷和可交换态磷成显著正相关.     

Chemical Behaviour of Calcium in Stabilized Oil Ash Reef Blocks After Five Years in the Ocean

Abstract

Reef blocks made from stabilized oil ash were taken from the sea after five years in the ocean to examine the chemical behaviour of calcium. Experiments included (1) determination of the calcium leaching rate and a comparison with the rate for unexposed blocks to test the validity of a diffusion model for predicting long term (5 years) leaching rates, (2) determination of the effect of biological cover (shell) on the leaching rate, (3) determination of the leaching rate of the core of exposed reef blocks, (4) determination of the calcium content in ‘ring areas’ - regions of discoloration observed in sectioned exposed reef blocks, and (5) determination of the leachable fraction of the total calcium in exposed reef blocks. Results showed the presence of a pronounced calcium discontinuity zone located 3–7 cm from the outside surface of the reef blocks. Cumulated calcium release rates ranged from 2.81–3.14 μmol cm^?2 day^?1 for original unexposed reef blocks and the core of exposed (in the ocean for five years) blocks, respectively, to 0.47–0.50 μmol cm^?2 day^?1 for outside (facing sea water) surfaces of exposed reef blocks. Tank leaching studies also showed that the presence or absence of hard biological cover (shells) had little or no effect on the calcium release rate. the diffusion model normally used in modelling the chemical behaviour of calcium cannot be used to predict the long term (five years) leaching of calcium. the core of the exposed blocks released calcium at a rate similar to new, unexposed reef block material. Overall, it appears that the calcium discontinuity zone is probably responsible for restricting the release of calcium and hence the failure of the diffusion model.     

遥感与GIS在蝗虫生境研究中的应用进展

蝗虫生境是蝗虫赖以生活、生存的环境。利用遥感技术获取与蝗虫密切相关的各种生境因子,并结合GIS技术研究和阐明蝗虫的生境因子对东亚飞蝗的产卵、孵化、成虫、迁飞等生育周期的影响机理,是实现对蝗虫监测、预测预警的基础。文章首先分析了各种蝗虫生境因子对蝗虫发生的影响机理,认为这些生境因子对蝗灾发生的影响不是孤立地起作用的,仅靠单个生境因子进行蝗灾的预测是不全面的,而遥感和GIS技术方便的获取、管理和分析多种生境因子数据,在大尺度蝗灾发生监测和预警中起到不可替代的作用。通过对遥感与GIS在蝗虫的不同发育阶段（蝗卵发育阶段、蝗蝻发育阶段和成虫阶段）的应用及其进展的分析,认为对蝗虫不同生育阶段的遥感监测需采用不同的参数和技术才能达到更好的效果,最后提出了遥感与GIS在蝗虫生境监测方面的未来发展方向。     

Research on flood risk analysis and evaluation method based on variable fuzzy sets and information diffusion

Floods have become increasingly alarming worldwide. Flood risk management in terms of assessing disaster risk properly is a great challenge that society faces today. Natural disaster risk analysis is typically beset with issues such as imprecision, uncertainty, and partial truth. There are two basic forms of uncertainty related to natural disaster risk assessment, namely, randomness caused by inherent stochastic variability and fuzziness due to macroscopic grad and incomplete knowledge sample. However, the traditional probability statistical method ignores the fuzziness of risk assessment with incomplete data sets and requires a large sample size of data. The fuzzy set methodology is introduced in the area of disaster risk assessment to improve probability estimation. The purpose of the current study is to establish a fuzzy model to evaluate flood risk with incomplete data sets. The present paper puts forward a composite method based on variable fuzzy sets and information diffusion method for disaster risk assessment. The results indicate that the methodology is effective and practical; thus, it has the potential to forecast the flood risk in flood risk management. We hope that by conducting such risk analysis, the impact of flood disasters can be mitigated in the future.     

三峡库区典型排污口河段污染物扩散降解特性研究

为减轻三峡库区长寿—涪陵段水环境污染,改善区域水质,建立了以水动力-水质模型为基础的区域关键排污口的筛选分析方法。采用三维数值模型EFDC对研究区域内污染物的超标面积进行模拟计算,并对污染物扩散降解特性进行分析,利用单位污染物负荷超标面积分析不同排污口污染物迁移扩散的差异,进行流域重点排污口的分析筛选。从改善整体河流水质出发,分析了各排污口位置的合理性。结果表明,支流回水区内排污口的混合区面积比干流河段处排污口要大,顺直江段处的排污口的混合区面积较弯段内侧处排污口要小。排污口应选在流速和水深较大的顺直河段,避免选择支流回水区。