Trace Metals in Fish and Crustaceans - Identifying Heavier Polluted Areas in the Ghanaian Continental Shelf

Abstract

The concentrations of four trace metals, namely copper, lead, cadmium and manganese, were determined in six fish species and three crustaceans collected from five sites spanning over 70% of the Ghanaian coastline.

Copper and lead were determined in Barracuda (Spraena spraena), the Ribbon fish (Trichiurus lepturus), the Sardine (Sardinella spp), the Sole (Cynoflossus senegalensis), the Sea Bream (Pagrus coupei) and the Soldier fish (Cynapastas marmuratus). Cadmium and manganese were analyzed in the Blue Crab (Callinectes sepidus), the Spiny lobster (Panilirus regius) and the edible shrimp (Crago septempinosus). Sampling sites included Takoradi, Elmina, Cape Coast, Accra and Tema.

Lead and copper in the fishes ranged 0.25-0.94 μgg^?1 fresh weight and 0.40-2.54 μgg^?1 dry weight (FW) respectively whilst cadmium and manganese in the crustaceans ranged 0.05-0.083 μgg^?1 FW and 0.554-1.404 μgg^?1 FW respectively.

The Barracuda accumulated the greatest amount of metals whilst the sardine accumulated the least. with the crustaceans, there was a significant difference between the amounts of the metals accumulated. the blue crab accumulated the greatest and the edible shrimp the least.

The analysis showed that: (i) there was a positive correlation between the metals bioconcentrated and the extent of pollution of the marine waters and (ii) along the Ghanaian Continental Shelf, the extent of pollution was of the increasing order as: Elmina = Cape Coast < Takoradi < Accra < Tema. Pollution of the marine waters could be minimized by control of flow of pollutants from land based activities.     

Lead-210 and Beryllium-7 in the Aerosol Particles Around Taiwan Off-Shore Areas

Abstract

Distributions of ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be in the aerosol particles of different size fractions were measured around Taiwan offshore areas from October, 1994 to October, 1995. the size distribution and abundance of the aerosol particles showed both spatial and temporal variations. the particle concentrations off northwestern Taiwan were more than twice as those off northeastern Taiwan both in November and March, and the values were much higher in November than in March for both areas. the measured particle concentrations, except for one sample with an unusually high value, ranged from 10 to 83 μOgm ^?3 in the study areas. the ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in the aerosol particles filtered from the air mass varied between 20 × 10^?3 and 72 × 10^?3 dpm m^?3 (1dpm = 0.45 pCi). the ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in the area off southwestern Taiwan appeared somewhat higher than in other areas and were probably contributed by the land air from Taiwan which contains higher ²¹⁰Pb in winter. the ²¹⁰Pb concentrations off northern Taiwan were low in November when the aerosol concentrations were high, but they were high in March when the aerosol concentrations were low.

Based on the ⁷Be monitoring records of 20 years on the aerosol particles of the island by the Taiwan Radiation Monitoring Center, the mean settling rate averaged 0.91, 0.79 and 0.68 cm s^?1, respectively, in northern, central and southern Taiwan. with these values and the ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in the aerosols, the ²¹⁰Pb flux was determined to be between 0.58 and 2.30 dpm cm^?2y^?1, with an average of 1.19 dpm cm^?2y^?1. Excluding the highest value due to its extremely high ²¹⁰Pb and aerosol concentrations, the average is reduced to 1.05 dpm cm^?2y^?1. the activity median diameters (AMD) for ²¹⁰Pb in the study areas were between 0.69 and < 0.49 μM with a mean of 0.5 öm based on ²¹⁰Pb distributions in different particle size fractions. Thus, ²¹⁰Pb was preferentially adsorbed on to the submicron particles. ⁷Be in the study areas showed a good correlation with ²¹⁰Pb in total activity although the two nucides had different sources.     

Linking parks and people: Nepal's experience in resolving conflicts in parks and protected areas

SUMMARY

The search for innovative methods for improving relations between parks and people has led to various conservation and development projects around the world. Nepal's almost three decades of experience in park management in a variety of institutional settings offers valuable lessons in the challenges and opportunities for enlisting local support for conservation. Citing several macro and micro-level case studies from around the country, this paper provides a comparative perspective on the significance of tourism-focused conservation and community development activities in resolving conflicts between parks and local people.     

Analysis of household energy consumption and related CO2 emissions in the disregarded villages of Lijiang City,China

Energy is one of the most important elements required for poverty alleviation and socioeconomic development, and it has a particularly strong impact on households in rural areas. An extensive survey on household energy consumption patterns that interrelates socioeconomic and demographic factors was conducted in the disregarded villages of Lijiang City by using the stratified random sampling technique for 120 households. This study focuses on household energy consumption and the related carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the study area. Firewood, biogas, and electricity were identified as the main energy sources of the rural households. This study demonstrates that 100% of the households use firewood, 52% use biogas, and 95% use electricity as fuel types. On average, each household consumed 1752 kg of firewood, 280 m³ of biogas, and 392 kWh of electricity annually. All households generated an annual average amount of CO₂ emissions of 3851 kg, of which 85.08% come from firewood, 7.66% from biogas, and 7.26% from electricity. Family size, income, and educational level were found to be the major factors that influence CO₂ emissions. The results of this study may be useful in explaining the energy consumption characteristics in the rural areas of Lijiang City and are expected to be useful in policy formulation for energy consumption and environmental protection.     

Facilitating resilient rural-to-urban sustainable agriculture and rural communities

ABSTRACT

This article contributes to efforts to validate a common set of parameters and principles of sustainable agriculture. Comparisons between alternative forms of sustainable agriculture and rural-to-urban community resilience are investigated. Conclusions are drawn between multiple sustainable/alternative agriculture systems and evaluated. A set of common baseline parameters and principles is proposed as a method of evolving a common structural framework for strengthening sustainability of agriculture and rural contexts. Concepts of rural-to-urban community sustainability are proposed, supporting sustainable agriculture contexts as rural and urban. In the twenty-first century, agriculture is becoming more diversified and less typified as a rural occupation. Urban agriculture is expanding as the need for fresh, affordable, accessible agriculture produce increases in urban areas. Evidence supports symbiotic relationships between sustainable agriculture and rural/urban communities, although some claim this relationship has not been clearly defined.

This article investigates sustainable agriculture from two perspectives. We ask ‘what are common parameters and principles of the various forms of sustainable agriculture,’ and ‘why urban-to-rural context.’ Organic agriculture parameters and principles are proposed as a conceptual framework toward establishing baseline parameters and principles for sustainable agriculture. Best management parameters of urban and rural sustainable agriculture in the United States and the United Kingdom are examined for their potential to develop a strengthening framework of parameters and principles of agriculture and rural-to-urban sustainability. These results are compared and evaluated for their effectiveness in redefining current sustainable agriculture practices, and their value in strengthening sustainable agriculture symbiosis with rural-to-urban community systems.     

灰色关联分析在中国农村家庭碳排放影响因素分析中的应用

农村家庭碳排放影响因素分析的研究对于合理发展农村经济,有效制定农村减排政策具有重要的指导意义.根据IPCC参考方法、生活碳排放研究方法和投入产出基本方法,计算了1995—2010年中国大陆31省区农村人均家庭碳排放量.通过因子分析方法,剔除农村人均家庭碳排放量不显著相关的影响因素,利用灰色关联分析方法对影响农村人均家庭碳排放量的显著相关影响因素进行评价,得出不同驱动因子对碳排放的关联度.结果表明,(1)从时间上看,1995至2010年,农村家庭碳排放呈现出逐渐上升趋势,1995年农村的人均家庭排放量为C 0.170 t?人-1,增加到2010年的0.504 t?人-1,同比增长196.90%.(2)从空间看,东部地区的农村家庭碳排放远远高于中部、东北和西部地区的农村家庭碳排放.(3)从地区差异看,位于东部地区的上海市农村人均家庭碳排放远远高于位于西部地区的内蒙古,1995年上海市农村人均家庭碳排放为C 0.454 t?人-1,而内蒙古为0.145 t?人-1;2010年上海市农村人均家庭碳排放为C 1.351 t?人-1,而内蒙古为0.498 t?人-1.(4)利用灰色关联分析,经济水平指标中的农林牧渔总产值与农村人均家庭碳排放的关联度为最大,为0.9824,因此对农村家庭碳排放的影响最大,而人口指标中的农村人口比例与农村人均家庭碳排放的关联度最小,为0.5702,因此对农村家庭碳排放的影响最小.     

Correlates of bushmeat hunting among remote rural households in Gabon, Central Africa

Hunted wild animals (i.e., bushmeat) are a main source of protein for many rural populations in the tropics, and the unsustainable harvest of these animals puts both human food security and ecosystem functioning at risk. To understand the correlates of bushmeat consumption, we surveyed 1219 households in 121 rural villages near three newly established national parks in Gabon. Through the surveys we gathered information on bushmeat consumption, income, and material assests. In addition, we quantified land cover in a 5-km radius around the village center and distance of the village center to the nearest park boundary. Bushmeat was not a source of income for most households, but it was the primary animal protein consumed. Ninety-seven percent of households consumed bushmeat at least once during a survey period of 12 days. Income or wealth, land cover, distance of village to the nearest park boundary, and level of education of the head of the household were among the factors that significantly related to the likelihood of consuming any of the 10 most commonly consumed species of bushmeat. Household size was the predictor most strongly associated with quantities of bushmeat consumed and was negatively related to consumption. Total bushmeat consumption per adult male equivalent increased as household wealth increased and decreased as distance of villages to park boundaries increased. Bushmeat consumption at the household level was not related to unit values (i.e., price estimates for a good that typically does not have a market value; estimates derived from willingness to sell or trade the good for items of known price) of bushmeat or the price of chicken and fish as potential substitutes. The median consumption of bushmeat at the village level, however, was negatively related to village mean unit values of bushmeat across all species. Our results suggest that a lack of alternative protein sources motivated even the wealthiest among surveyed households to consume bushmeat. Providing affordable, alternative protein sources to all households would likely reduce unsustainable levels of bushmeat consumption in rural Gabon.     

乡村路网对三峡库区社区水平森林结构的影响

道路作为人为扰动介质被认为是短时空尺度森林景观演化或用途转换的主要驱动力之一,体现为明显的“通道-阻隔”效应。论文以重庆市石柱县西沱镇为例,以3期遥感影像和调研数据为基础,利用ArcGIS的缓冲叠加功能,基于路网动态变化角度,从类型、林龄、起源等主要森林结构方面分析路网变化对森林结构变化的影响。结果表明：1）研究区道路数量先增加后减少,道路质量以等外公路和村级公路的改善为主。2）道路对森林景观干扰性明显。森林从类型、起源、林龄三方面在道路缓冲区内的破碎度均高于非缓冲区内的破碎度。1992—2002年及2002—2014年两个时期相比,前一时期其他灌木林、幼龄林以及萌生林大幅减少,基本表现为道路缓冲区内减少量大于非缓冲区内减少量。后一时期乔木林、中龄林以及萌生林有所增加,其他灌木林和成熟林轻微减少,其中,乔木林在道路缓冲区内增加量大于非缓冲区内增加量,中龄林及萌生林则表现为道路缓冲区内增加量弱于非缓冲区内增加量。3）道路影响域范围内,在无政策性干预条件下,道路的增加和质量的提高很大程度上导致森林景观的退化,低级路段的消失则有助于森林景观的恢复。     

西南农村社区避难建筑的面积指标与配置策略研究

地震是西南地区面临的最严重和破坏性最强的灾害类型,在农村迫切需要安全可靠的社区避难建筑保障村民的生命安全.近年来国家高度重视避难建筑建设,要求提高室内避灾规模,而我国缺乏农村社区避难建筑设计的规范标准,既有研究也有所不足.因此,该文系统介绍了核定西南农村社区避难建筑面积指标的研究方法与技术依据.首先说明了避难建筑面积配...     

旱区经营人工植被对土壤干化过程的调控

人工植被在北方旱区具有重要的意义,但在干旱少雨的条件下开展建设,必须讲求水分平衡。基于此,作者通过考察长期的经营实践,从土壤水分角度讨论人工植被与环境之间的耦合匹配问题。阐述了普遍发生的人工植被作用下的土壤干化对植被自身的不利影响以及其可调控性,并进一步对调控途径和措施进行了分析。表明人为采取措施可以将土壤干化现象加以调节和控制,如局部带状或团块状种植、疏伐、轮作、休闲、灌溉等。在贯彻适地适种原则的基础上,还需选择耗水量少的抗旱节水植物和可维持土壤水库水平的密度或盖度,这是保证人工植被稳定持久值得重视的又一重要方面。预防土壤干化是首要的,需多途径相互结合进行调控。对土壤干化过程的调控实际上就是有效经营人工植被。需要结合经营目标评定人工植被的稳定性。