Evaluating the influence of nature connection and values on conservation attitudes at a tropical deforestation frontier

Inner phenomena, such as personal motivations for pursuing sustainability, may be critical levers for improving conservation outcomes. Most conservation research and policies, however, focus on external phenomena (e.g., ecological change or economic processes). We explored the factors shaping 9 conservation attitudes toward forest and wildlife protection among colonist farmers around an Amazonian deforestation frontier. Our data comprised 241 face-to-face quantitative surveys, complemented with qualitative insights from open-ended questionnaire responses and opportunistic semistructured interviews. To account for the full spectrum of possible inner motivations, we employed measures of nature connection (indicating biospheric motivation) and personal values organized around the traditionalism (traditionalist through to high openness to change) and universalism dimensions (egoistic through to altruistic motivations). We used averaged beta-binomial generalized linear models to assess the role of external factors (socioeconomic, sociodemographic, and environmental) and personal (inner) motivations on the variation in attitudes. Each attitude was modeled separately. The relative importance of each predictor was judged by the proportion of models where it appeared as significant. Proconservation views were expressed by the majority (at least 65%) of the respondents in 7 out of the 9 attitude models. The most consistent predictors were emotional nature connection and personal values (significant in 4–6 out of 9 models), rather than external phenomena (significant in 0–5 models). However, the poorest farmers had lower scores on the agreement with prioritizing nature over development (𝛽 = –0.52, 95% CI: –0.96 to –0.07). Qualitative data also indicated that economic barriers hinder forest conservation on farms. These results suggest that biospheric, traditionalistic, and altruistic motivations promote people's proconservation attitudes, but nurturing these latent motivations is unlikely to improve conservation outcomes if material poverty remains unaddressed. Integrating the inner–outer perspective into conservation thinking and practical interventions could foster environmental stewardship and increase human well-being.     

Cyclone disaster vulnerability and response experiences in coastal Bangladesh

For generations, cyclones and tidal surges have frequently devastated lives and property in coastal and island Bangladesh. This study explores vulnerability to cyclone hazards using first‐hand coping recollections from prior to, during and after these events. Qualitative field data suggest that, beyond extreme cyclone forces, localised vulnerability is defined in terms of response processes, infrastructure, socially uneven exposure, settlement development patterns, and livelihoods. Prior to cyclones, religious activities increase and people try to save food and valuable possessions. Those in dispersed settlements who fail to reach cyclone shelters take refuge in thatched‐roof houses and big‐branch trees. However, women and children are affected more despite the modification of traditional hierarchies during cyclone periods. Instinctive survival strategies and intra‐community cooperation improve coping post cyclone. This study recommends that disaster reduction programmes encourage cyclone mitigation while being aware of localised realities, endogenous risk analyses, and coping and adaptation of affected communities (as active survivors rather than helpless victims).     

The impact of Hurricane Rita on an academic institution: lessons learned

This paper examines the impact of Hurricane Rita on one of the many universities along the Gulf Coast of the United States: Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Hurricane Rita, which made landfall between Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnson's Bayou, Louisiana, on 24 September 2005, is the fourth strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricane on record and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. This paper assesses the tasks that confronted the administration, faculty, and students of Lamar University in the days and weeks after the event. It concludes that the one factor that will influence more than any other the degree of success after any disaster is whether all levels of the administrative command institutionalise, endorse, promote, and encourage the adopted recovery plan. The research seeks to share valuable insights on the vulnerabilities that academic institutions face during natural disasters and to highlight some of the many lessons learned.     

电镀锌镍合金与热渗锌涂层热带海洋大气环境腐蚀规律对比分析

目的 解决钢铁表面金属涂层在热带海洋大气环境中易腐蚀损伤或失效的问题,选择对热带海洋大气环境耐腐蚀性能优良的金属涂层,提高钢铁工件的使用寿命。方法 在某热带海域进行户外暴露试验,对钢铁试片电镀锌镍合金和热渗锌2种金属涂层的腐蚀规律进行研究。通过扫描电镜、X射线能谱仪、光学显微镜、划格试验等,对锌镍合金镀层和热渗锌涂层的表面形貌、化学成分、截面形貌、涂层厚度及附着力等分别进行观察与测试。结果 电镀锌镍合金镀层主要发生选择性腐蚀和点蚀,在720d内具有较好的腐蚀防护性能。热渗锌层以均匀腐蚀为主,涂层微裂纹促进了腐蚀,在90 d内基体无腐蚀,360～720 d涂层的腐蚀速率较快。结论 在采用的2种金属涂层工艺中,电镀锌镍合金镀层的耐腐蚀性能远优于热渗锌涂层。相对于该热渗锌涂层,电镀锌镍合金镀层更加适合作为钢铁工件金属涂层在该海域大气环境中长期使用。     

Tropical surface water quality studies: Implications for the aquatic fate of N-methyl carbamate pesticides

Water quality assessment was conducted on the Ruiru River, a tributary of an important tropical river system in Kenya, to determine baseline river conditions for studies on the aquatic fate of N-methyl carbamate (NMC) pesticides. Measurements were taken at the end of the long rainy season in early June 2013. Concentrations of copper (0.21–1.51 ppm), nitrates (2.28–4.89 ppm) and phosphates (0.01–0.50 ppm) were detected at higher values than in uncontaminated waters, and attributed to surface runoff from agricultural activity in the surrounding area. Concentrations of dissolved oxygen (8–10 ppm), ammonia (0.02–0.22 ppm) and phenols (0.19–0.83 ppm) were found to lie within normal ranges. The Ruiru River was found to be slightly basic (pH 7.08–7.70) with a temperature of 17.8–21.2°C. The half-life values for hydrolysis of three NMC pesticides (carbofuran, carbaryl and propoxur) used in the area were measured under laboratory conditions, revealing that rates of decay were influenced by the electronic nature of the NMCs. The hydrolysis half-lives at pH 9 and 18°C decreased in the order carbofuran (57.8 h) > propoxur (38.5 h) > carbaryl (19.3 h). In general, a decrease in the electron density of the NMC aromatic ring increases the acidity of the N-bound proton removed in the rate-limiting step of the hydrolysis mechanism. Our results are consistent with this prediction, and the most electron-poor NMC (carbaryl) hydrolyzed fastest, while the most electron-rich NMC (carbofuran) hydrolyzed slowest. Results from this study should provide baseline data for future studies on NMC pesticide chemical fate in the Ruiru River and similar tropical water systems.     

Isoprene Emission from the Forest of Haryana State

Tropical and sub tropical regions are regarded as dominant source of biogenic volatile organic compounds emission (BVOC). However, measurement studies from these regions are limited and largely confined to South Africa and Amazonia. Consequently, global BVOC estimates are mainly based on modeling studies. Moreover, BVOC emission estimate is altogether lacking for any region of the Indian sub continent. This study attempts to estimate isoprene emission capacity of forest of Haryana state. Individual plant species isoprene emission capacity is found to vary from below detection limit (BDL) to 12.01 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1}. Maximum emission capacity (12.01 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1}) is noticed in case of Dalbergia sissoo. The area average isoprene emission capacity for the Haryana forest is found to be 19.98 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1}, which is significantly (2.4 times) higher than the reported isoprene emission value of 8.2 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1} for the Kalahari woodland of Africa.     

垃圾焚烧烟气高温净化反应产物的收尘技术

利用石灰作吸收剂在较高温度段净化垃圾焚烧烟气中所含的酸性气体,并及时进行收尘有利于焚烧炉的安全、经济运行。本实验在实验室规模的旋风分离器实验台上,对中、高温烟气工况下石灰净化HCl气体后的反应产物的分离效率以及反应产物的粒径变化规律进行了研究。试验结果表明:高温下石灰颗粒尤其是反应后的产物存在着团聚现象,并且产物团聚现象随烟气温度升高而加剧,进而显著地影响了分离效率,使450～760℃范围内的分离效率提高到94%以上。     

旋风除尘器环形空间气流运动的数值研究

运用计算流体力学软件FLUENT,对旋风除尘器内部流场进行了数值模拟,利用模拟结果对旋风除尘器入口不同位置气流在除尘器顶部的环形空间的轨迹进行了分析研究,探明了气流在环形空间的运动规律和基本特征,阐明了旋风除尘器顶部"尘环"形成的根本原因,指出了粉尘发生短路的原因和多发区域并在此基础上就除尘器的增效问题给出了改进方案.     

Effects of Weed-Management Burning on Reptile Assemblages in Australian Tropical Savannas

Abstract: Fire is frequently used for land management purposes and may be crucial for effective control of invasive non‐native plants. Nevertheless, fire modifies environments and may affect nontarget native biodiversity, which can cause conflicts for conservation managers. Native Australian reptiles avoid habitat invaded by the alien plant rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora) and may be susceptible to the impacts of burning, a situation that provides a model system in which to examine possible conservation trade‐offs between managing invasive plants and maintaining native biodiversity. We used replicated, experimental fire treatments (unburned, dry‐season burned, and wet‐season burned) in 2 habitats (riparian and adjacent open woodland) to examine the short‐ (within 12 months of fire) and longer‐term (within 3 years of fire) changes of reptile assemblages in response to wet‐ and dry‐season burning for weed management in tropical savannas of northern Australia. Within 12 months of fire, abundances of the skink Carlia munda (Scincidae) were higher in the burned sites, but overall reptile composition was structured by habitat type rather than by effects of burning. Within 3 years of a fire, the effects of fire were evident. Reptiles, especially the gecko Heteronotia binoei (Gekkonidae), were least abundant in dry‐season burned sites; litter‐associated species, including Carlia pectoralis (Scincidae), were rarely observed in burned habitat; and there were fewer species in the wet‐season burned sites. Reptile abundance was associated with vegetation structure, which suggests that fire‐induced changes detrimentally altered the availability of resources for some reptiles, particularly leaf‐litter species. Invasive alien plants, such as rubber vine, have severe effects on native biodiversity, and control of such species is a fundamental land management objective. Nevertheless, fire management of invasive alien plants may adversely affect native biodiversity, creating a conservation conundrum. In such scenarios, land managers will need to identify the most desired conservation goal and consider the consequences for native biota.     

袋式除尘器在秸秆锅炉上的应用

介绍了适用于秸秆锅炉烟气除尘的袋式除尘器的特点,以及秸秆锅炉除尘工艺的选择和秸秆锅炉除尘设计应注意的事项。