Conservation Focus on Europe: Major Conservation Policy Issues That Need to Be Informed by Conservation Science

Abstract:  Europe is one of the world's most densely populated continents and has a long history of human-dominated land- and seascapes. Europe is also at the forefront of developing and implementing multinational conservation efforts. In this contribution, we describe some top policy issues in Europe that need to be informed by high-quality conservation science. These include evaluation of the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network of protected sites, implications of rapid economic and subsequent land-use change in Central and Eastern Europe, conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainability of fisheries, the effect of climate change on movement of species in highly fragmented landscapes, and attempts to assess the economic value of ecosystem services and biodiversity. Broad policy issues such as those identified are not easily amenable to scientific experiment. A key challenge at the science–policy interface is to identify the research questions underlying these problem areas so that conservation science can provide evidence to underpin future policy development .     

On the dissolution kinetics of humic acid particles. Effect of monocarboxylic acids

The dissolution kinetics of humic acid particles has been studied in batch experiments, and the effects of monocarboxylic (formic, acetic, and propionic) acids are reported. The dissolution rate of the particles is significantly affected by the presence of monocarboxylic acids in the pH range 4–10. At pH 7, for example, propionic acid increases 30 times this dissolution rate. The capacity of increasing the dissolution rate is in the order formic acid < acetic acid < propionic acid, and this dissolving capacity of carboxylics seems to be directly related to their affinity for HA molecules located at the surface of the solid particles. The results indicate that carboxylics and related compounds may affect markedly the mobility and transport of humic substances in the environment.     

Global environmental assessments: Impact mechanisms

Many impacts of Global Environmental Assessment (GEA) processes on policy processes, and the mechanisms underlying these impacts, remain underappreciated. In this research, we focus on the 5th Global Environment Outlook and the Working Group III contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Based on the perception of GEA process participants, we describe the mechanisms through which assessments create or alter interpersonal interactions which can affect the dissemination of ideas. In particular, we find that GEAs can contribute to framing international coordinative discourses in intergovernmental negotiations. This can be achieved by widening, improving and/or maintaining the active participation of policy actors in the discussions of global environmental risks and by creating the scientific foundations for intergovernmental negotiations. GEAs can also contribute to national coordinative discourses by facilitating reflexive learning amongst participants, empowering them to diffuse and translate global information, and by providing methodological guidance. They can contribute to national communicative discourses by reviving interest and awareness of the urgency to address environmental problems. In this way they provide powerful arguments for governmental societal actors to challenge or strengthen existing national coordinative discourses. Finally, GEAs can improve scientific discourses worldwide by enhancing the capacity of individual researchers to produce and communicate relevant research insights. This is achieved by participating in a learning exercise with an extended community of peers and policy actors. This article is part of a special issue on solution-oriented global environmental assessments.     

黄河水中沉积物与锌、镉液-固界面的作用

研究了黄河水中沉积物与重金属污染物Zn^2 、Cd^ 的离子交换吸附作用。结果表明,Zn^2 、Cd^2 在黄河水中主要以M（OH）^ 的形式与沉积物进行－价阳离子交换反应;在天然黄河水pH范围内,Zn^2 、Cd^2 的离子交换率都大于70％;随温度升高,Zn^2 、Cd^2 与沉积物的交换率增加,E-pH曲线向pH值减小的方向位移。     

阿哈水库沉积物-水界面磷、铁、硫高分辨率空间分布特征

选取贵州典型高原亚深水型湖库阿哈水库为研究对象,利用薄膜扩散梯度技术获取夏季分层期不同湖区沉积物-水界面磷、铁、硫的原位、二维高分辨分布信息,并结合水化学及沉积物磷形态分析,探讨了沉积物P-Fe-S分布规律及控制因素.结果表明:沉积物-水界面DGT-P的浓度变化范围0.00~0.43 mg·L~(-1),DGT-Fe的浓度变化范围0.00~2.83 mg·L~(-1),DGT-S的浓度变化范围0.00~0.10 mg·L~(-1).阿哈水库沉积物孔隙水磷、铁、硫浓度在垂向分布上没有显著的相关性,DGT-P、DGT-Fe甚至还呈反向变化,这与很多湖泊的研究结果存在明显差异,其原因可能是阿哈水库沉积物具有很高的Fe/P和Fe/S比值,过剩的Fe导致还原态S以FeS/FeS_2形式沉淀后,P仍然被Fe(Ⅲ)固定在沉积物中.阿哈水库沉积物磷形态以Na OH-SRP和BD-P为主,Na OH-SRP含量变化范围为192~604 mg·kg~(-1),平均值约为392 mg·kg~(-1),BD-P含量变化范围为143~524mg·kg~(-1),平均值约为225 mg·kg~(-1).阿哈水库底层水体长期处于厌氧环境,Fe、S地球化学循环对沉积物内源磷释放起着重要控制作用.     

Uncertainty communication in environmental assessments: views from the Dutch science-policy interface

Scientific assessments of environmental problems, and policy responses to those problems, involve uncertainties of many sorts. Meanwhile, potential impacts of wrong decisions can be far-reaching. This article explores views on uncertainty and uncertainty communication in the Dutch science-policy interface and studies several issues concerning presentation of uncertainty information. Respondents considered uncertainty communication to be important, but it should be concise and policy relevant. Several factors influence policy relevance, including the place of an issue in the policy cycle, and its novelty, topicality and controversiality. Respondents held particular interest in explicit communication on the implications of uncertainty. Related to this, they appreciated information on different sources and types of uncertainty and qualitative aspects of uncertainty (e.g. pedigree charts). The article also studies probability terms, particularly for IPCC's 33–66% probability interval (‘about as likely as not’). Several terms worked reasonably well, with a median interpretation of 40–60%. Finally, as various target groups have different information needs and different amounts of attention for various parts of a report or communication process, it is important to progressively disclose uncertainty information throughout the communication. Improved communication of uncertainty information leads to a deeper understanding and increased awareness of the phenomenon of uncertainty and its policy implications.     

HTPB推进剂老化性能湿热影响分析

目的 掌握HTPB推进剂老化过程中,温度和湿度对其力学性能的影响及贡献程度.方法 对HTPB推进剂进行不同湿热条件下的加速老化试验,并测量不同老化时间推进剂的质量损失分数和力学性能,结合推进剂在温度和湿度下的作用机理,对质量损失分数随老化时间的变化规律进行分析,以最大拉伸强度作为性能指标,对HTPB推进剂湿热老化过程进行湿热双因素方差分析.结果 湿度对HTPB推进剂质量损失分数的影响起主导作用,在75％～85％有一个湿度拐点值,大于或小于这个拐点值,推进剂遵循不同的质量损失分数变化规律.温度和湿度对推进剂最大抗拉强度方差分析的F值均大于其临界值,影响显著.相比而言,湿度的影响更加显著,整个老化过程中,温度和湿度的影响作用表现出先增加、后下降的趋势.温湿交互作用在试验前期和后期对推进剂的影响不显著,而在试验中期较为显著,同样呈现出先增大、后减小的规律.结论 湿度对推进剂最大拉伸强度影响的贡献率最大,温度次之,交互作用最小.从时间轴上看,湿度的贡献率表现为单调递增趋势,温度为单调递减趋势,交互作用呈现抛物线趋势.     

Assessment practices in the policy and politics cycles: a contribution to reflexive governance for sustainable development?

ABSTRACT

This article examines systematic assessment practices linked to sustainable development policies. We consider five types of assessment—monitoring, policy evaluation, formal audit, peer review, and specialist reporting—and explore their fate in the policy and electoral politics cycles. In contrast to traditional views of the policy cycle, we note that systematic assessments provide complementary feedback around the entire policy cycle. However, despite this omnipresence, their policy relevance is usually severely limited, inter alia because the policy cycle captures only parts of the political reality. A major concern for politicians (but not necessarily for policy or governance scholars) that goes far beyond the formulation and implementation of policies is the broader cycle of electoral politics that determines the state's political personnel as well as government priorities. Here, we highlight that the findings of systematic assessments are often lost in a cacophony of voices to which politicians are more carefully attuned, such as media responses and opinion polls, implying that scientific evidence is simply ‘overwritten’ with other kinds of evidence representing alternative rationalities and priorities. Despite numerous shortcomings, the true value of systematic assessment practices lies in their potential to furnish ammunition to state and non-state actors interested in securing change.     

春季敏感时期三峡水库典型支流沉积物-水界面氮释放特性

为研究春季敏感时期三峡水库典型支流沉积物-水界面氮释放特性,于2016年4月采集香溪河库湾上覆水和沉积物样品,分析香溪河库湾沉积物-水系统不同氮形态营养盐浓度的分布特征,计算沉积物-水界面不同氮形态的扩散通量并与环境因子进行相关性分析.结果表明,香溪河库湾上覆水和沉积物间隙水中ρ(TN)的变化范围分别为1.10~6.90 mg·L-1和6.19~32.57 mg·L-1;上覆水和沉积物间隙水中氮质量浓度在沿程和垂向上有一定的变化规律:各采样点上覆水中氮质量浓度在沿程和垂向上没有明显的变化趋势,上游区域的沉积物间隙水中氮质量浓度明显大于下游区域,沉积物间隙水ρ(NH_4~+-N)明显大于上覆水,沉积物间隙水ρ(NO-3-N)略小于上覆水;香溪河沉积物总体上表现为NH_4~+-N的"源",NO-3-N的"汇";NH_4~+-N的扩散通量范围为2.70~4.72 mg·(m2·d)-1;NO-3-N的释放通量范围为-1.61~-0.62 mg·(m2·d)-1;香溪河库湾沉积物氮主要以铵态氮的形态存在:沉积物中ρ(NH_4~+-N)范围为69.97~1 185.97 mg·kg-1,ρ(NO-3-N)范围为2.78~38.17mg·kg-1,沉积物ρ(NH_4~+-N)与沉积物间隙水ρ(NH_4~+-N)在表层0~8 cm的变化趋势一致.     

淀山湖沉积物-水界面氮磷通量及其生态环境效应研究

底泥营养盐释放对淀山湖湖区造成的内源污染不容忽视.采用室外采样和室内模拟实验方法,对春夏两季淀山湖沉积物-水界面氮磷释放速率进行了研究.结果表明春季氨氮、硝态氮、可溶磷的的通量变化范围分别为-692.79~315.82 mg/(m2?h)、-19.04~5.29 mg/(m2?h)和-1.35~2.31 mg/(m2?h),平均值分别为76.65 mg/(m2?h)、-3.29 mg/(m2?h)和0.64 mg/(m2?h).夏季三者变化范围分别为-74.15~91.91 mg/(m2?h)、-70.71 mg/(m2?h)~8.65 mg/(m2?h)和-10.02~18.86 mg/(m2?h),平均值为4.85 mg/(m2?h)、-42.16 mg/(m2?h)和9.47 mg/(m2?h).淀山湖区春夏两季总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)的交换总量分别为-1769.22 t,1539.40 t,淀山湖底泥可以有效去除上覆水体氮负荷,但却是水体磷的释放源.