Effects of Groundwater-Flow Paths On Nitrate Concentrations Across Two Riparian Forest Corridors1

Speiran, Gary K., 2010. Effects of Groundwater-Flow Paths on Nitrate Concentrations Across Two Riparian Forest Corridors. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(2):246-260. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00427.x Abstract: Groundwater levels, apparent age, and chemistry from field sites and groundwater-flow modeling of hypothetical aquifers collectively indicate that groundwater-flow paths contribute to differences in nitrate concentrations across riparian corridors. At sites in Virginia (one coastal and one Piedmont), lowland forested wetlands separate upland fields from nearby surface waters (an estuary and a stream). At the coastal site, nitrate concentrations near the water table decreased from more than 10 mg/l beneath fields to 2 mg/l beneath a riparian forest buffer because recharge through the buffer forced water with concentrations greater than 5 mg/l to flow deeper beneath the buffer. Diurnal changes in groundwater levels up to 0.25 meters at the coastal site reflect flow from the water table into unsaturated soil where roots remove water and nitrate dissolved in it. Decreases in aquifer thickness caused by declines in the water table and decreases in horizontal hydraulic gradients from the uplands to the wetlands indicate that more than 95% of the groundwater discharged to the wetlands. Such discharge through organic soil can reduce nitrate concentrations by denitrification. Model simulations are consistent with field results, showing downward flow approaching toe slopes and surface waters to which groundwater discharges. These effects show the importance of buffer placement over use of fixed-width, streamside buffers to control nitrate concentrations.     

New Development in Study of the Faustmann Optimal Forest Harvesting

Chinese forest resources have become very scarce in the face of rapid economic growth demand, while the reform of collective forest right system is in full swing across the country. It will directly affect the regeneration level of forest resources and the diverse ecological value functions. In this article, the mainstream model paradigm of forest economics, that is, the basic framework of the Faustmann model and its evolution process are made in a more detailed explanation, especially the extended model in...     

Better than their reputation: enhancing the validity of contingent valuation mail survey results through citizen expert groups

Although contingent valuation is the dominant technique for the valuation of public projects, especially in the environmental sector, the high costs of contingent valuation surveys prevent the use of this method for the assessment of relatively small projects. The reason for this cost problem is that typically only contingent valuation studies which are based on face-to-face interviews are accepted as leading to valid results. Particularly in countries with high wages, face-to-face surveys are extremely costly considering that for a valid contingent valuation study a minimum of 1000 completed face-to-face interviews is required. This paper tries a rehabilitation of mail surveys as low-budget substitutes for costly face-to-face surveys. Based on an empirical contingent valuation study in Northern Thailand, it is shown that the validity of mail surveys can be improved significantly if so-called Citizen Expert Groups are employed for a thorough survey design.     

“电改袋”技术在130t／h煤粉炉烟气除尘系统改造中的应用

介绍了“电改袋”除尘系统的工艺特征,分析了130t／h煤粉炉烟气除尘器系统改造为长袋低压脉冲袋式除尘器的技术方案。改造后,除尘器已经稳定运行1年多,各项技术指标均达到设计要求,环境效益与经济效益显著。     

Building the role of local government authorities towards the achievement of the human right to water in rural Tanzania

In recent decades, many changes have occurred in the approach to financing and operating water services in developing countries. The demand‐responsive approach is now adopted in many countries in a context of donor‐supported decentralization processes, which gives more responsibility to end users. However, the government's responsibility at different levels is enforced by the international recognition of the human right to water. This paper examines specific actions that build the role of local government authorities in this scenario. A collaboration between an international NGO and a rural district in Tanzania from 2006 to 2009 is used as an action research case study that is representative of local capacity‐building needs in decentralized contexts and rural areas. Three main challenges were detected: i) lack of reliable information; ii) poor allocation of resources in terms of equity; and iii) lack of long‐term community management support from the district. Two mechanisms were established: i) water point mapping as a tool for information and planning; and ii) a District Water and Sanitation Unit Support (DWUS) for community management. The results show how the framework provided by the goal of human right to water helps to define useful strategies for equity‐oriented planning and post‐project support at the local level.     

环境健康价值评估中的年龄效应研究

在环境健康价值评估研究中,统计寿命价值和年龄之间的关系是理论和实证研究焦点之一,也是重要的学术问题。长久以来,环境政策效益评估中是否应该赋予老年人较低的统计寿命价值一直存在广泛争议,且尚未得到一致性结论。通过设计选择实验,对北京市空气质量改善的健康效益进行了抽样调查,并采用MNL模型对北京市约500个居民的调查数据进行回归分析,估算了不同年龄人群对健康风险减少的支付意愿,针对中国人群中统计寿命价值和年龄之间的关系进行实证探讨。结果表明:一方面,在总体样本中设置年龄虚拟变量,回归结果表明年龄变量系数的符号均显著为负,即年龄因素对减少空气污染带来的死亡风险降低的支付意愿具有显著的影响,年龄越大支付意愿相对越小;另一方面,不同年龄人群分组样本结果显示,统计寿命价值与年龄之间呈现"倒U型"关系,统计寿命价值在中国存在"老年折扣"现象。研究结果可为我国环境政策的健康效益分析中如何考虑年龄的影响提供重要依据。     

CVM研究中支付意愿问卷“内容依赖性”的实证研究——以上海城市内河生态恢复CVM评估为例

为检验意愿价值评估法(Contingent Valuation Method,CVM)中争论的焦点问题——支付意愿的问卷"内容依赖性",本文以上海城市内河生态修复为评估对象,构建CVM的假想市场,设计评估顺序、评估对象尺度、嵌套物品等四重方案,通过720份问卷平行调查对同一评估对象在不同问卷中获得的支付意愿,并进行估计值比较和t检验。研究结果显示:支付意愿的数值随评估尺度的增加并不显著增加;单独评估比作为嵌套物品评估具有更高的支付意愿值;在问卷中先被评估的物品居民给出的支付意愿较高;整体物品的支付意愿小于各部分的加总。研究结果验证了国外实证研究文献报道的"范围不敏感"、"嵌入效应"、"顺序效应"、"部分—整体效应"等现象的存在。对此现象的解释主要是收入效应和替代效应。因此,在将CVM研究结果应用于公共政策中应充分考虑上述因素引起的偏差。     

农田生态补偿方式的选择及市场运作——基于武汉市383户农户问卷的实证研究

选择交易成本低、具有操作性的补偿方式,实现农田生态产品的市场运作,是农田生态补偿制度实施的关键。利用问卷调查资料,分析了武汉市农户对不同农田生态补偿方式的认知、选择以及其影响因素,在此基础上指出了政府补偿方式在农田生态补偿领域的缺陷及引进市场方式的建议。研究表明:(1)武汉市农户对农田生态补偿的认知程度较低,仅有10.71%的受访农户听说过生态补偿、生态危机等概念;(2)49.02%农户对现行的现金补偿方式不太满意,认为补偿金额太低,94.65%的受访者更倾向于接受更高额度的现金补偿方式;(3)农户对现金、实物、技术(智力)、政策等农田生态补偿方式的选择偏好受其性别、年龄、家庭人口、家庭年收入、家庭中需抚养人口数和文化程度的显著影响。研究提出构建农田生态补偿的交易平台、完善生态环境物品数量化的体系设计和管理模式的多样化是推进农田生态补偿的市场化运作的关键。     

Changes in Tree Growth,Biomass and Vegetation Over a 13-Year Period in the Swedish Sub-Arctic

This study was conducted in the Swedish sub-Arctic, near Abisko, in order to assess the direction and scale of possible vegetation changes in the alpine–birch forest ecotone. We have re-surveyed shrub, tree and vegetation data at 549 plots grouped into 61 clusters. The plots were originally surveyed in 1997 and re-surveyed in 2010. Our study is unique for the area as we have quantitatively estimated a 19% increase in tree biomass mainly within the existing birch forest. We also found significant increases in the cover of two vegetation types—“birch forest-heath with mosses” and “meadow with low herbs”, while the cover of snowbed vegetation decreased significantly. The vegetation changes might be caused by climate, herbivory and past human impact but irrespective of the causes, the observed transition of the vegetation will have substantial effects on the mountain ecosystems.     

不同类型农户农地投入的影响因素

农户作为农业生产投入的微观主体,其农地投入行为对农业和农村经济发展影响重大.本文以湖北省江汉平原和鄂北岗地6个县(市、区)的473个农户抽样调查数据,构建逐步回归模型,分析不同类型的农户农地投入行为的影响因素.结果表明:①近年来,农户耕地的投入水平处于上升趋势,国家实施的惠农政策取得了积极成效;②相对于消费型农户而言,利润型农户的总投入水平较离;③目前农户农地投入主要是流动资本投入,固定资本投入较少,农业污染较为严重,农业机械化水平有较大的提升空间;④农户农业生产目标决定其农地投入行为:消费型农户与市场联系不太紧密,依据家庭消费需求进行生产投入决策;利润型农户与市场联系非常紧密,追求利润最大化,按照市场行情进行生产投入决策.⑤不同类型农户农地投入的影响因素存在差异:家庭特征和家庭资源禀赋是影响消费型农户农地投入的主要因素;农业生产要素市场、农产品市场和农业政策是影响利润型农户农地投入的主要因素.