Landscape Structure and Historical Processes Along Diked European Valleys: A Case Study of the Arc/Isère Confluence (Savoie, France)

/ The valleys of European piedmonts constitute changing narrow corridors within which water, matter, nutrients, energy, and species flow. The dispersion patterns of these flows have been significantly disturbed since the end of the 18th century. Thus, western European valleys have been changed into complex mosaics by implementation of socioeconomical programs. In order to define future actions allowing the preservation of this "ecocomplex" (Blandin and Lamotte 1988), it is necessary to gather precise information of the landscape dynamics. Hence, the study of the European river valleys must be based upon two major steps: (1)the analysis of the present landscape with suitable remote sensing techniques, allowing us to map the complex mosaic of narrow corridors; and (2) the analysis of temporal landscape development patterns since the first engineering works that have transformed the braided channel system. In this paper, the efficiency of the addition of two techniques is highlighted: (1) the "wavelet merging method" from multispectral and panchromatic SPOT images for the floodplain land-cover mapping, and (2) the historical reconstruction techniques from old maps and archive documents in order to analyze the cumulative impacts of engineering works on landscape diversity. To illustrate the method, a particularly complex case study is chosen: the Arc/Isere confluence (downstream from Albertville, Savoie, France). Remote sensing, field survey, and historical reconstruction allowed us to distinguish two types of spatial units: (1) the "functional sets" characterized by independent state factors (edaphic, hydrological, and topographic) and supporting a limited number of vegetation types (spontaneous or cultivated), and (2) the functional unit (= ecotope), which corresponds to a unique combination of vegetation type/functional set.KEY WORDS: Landscape ecology; Floodplains; Vegetation; Land use; Remote sensing; Historical reconstruction; Mapping; Merging methods; Human impacts; Alps; Isere river; France     

Community response to hazard information

The impact of flood hazard information on public acceptance of a selected flood mitigation strategy was assessed by an analysis of the content of newspaper reports of community reaction and letters to the editor. The impact of personal delivery of a flood hazard map on individual perception of risk and attitude to such information was assessed using personal interviews. The results indicated that media coverage of the flood hazard information reduced public criticism of the works. This result must be partially attributable to the dramatic style of media coverage and the fact that the media only emphasized the positive value of the works. The interview demonstrated that personal delivery of the information raised perception of risk, improved comprehension of flood risk, had no impact on acceptability of risk but discouraged some respondents from seeking such information in the future. Factors to explain the last negative change were identified to be the format of the map sheet and low salience of flood hazard. On the basis of all results, methods to improve community response to hazard information are provided.     

对高校扩招有关问题的思考

高等院校扩大招生,满足了广大群众迫切希望接受高等教育的愿望,满足了社会对各种高级专门人才日益增长的需求。伴随着连续的扩招,在高教界普遍出现了基础设施不足,教育质量受到影响的现象,本文针对这一问题进行分析与探讨,并提出了改进的建议。     

Implications of Land Use Changes on Carbon Dynamics and Sequestration—Evaluation from Forestry Datasets, India

Forests and soils are a major sink of carbon, and land use changes can affect the magnitude of above ground and below ground carbon stores and the net flux of carbon between the land and the atmosphere. Studies on methods for examining the future consequences of changes in patterns of land use change and carbon flux gains importance, as they provide different options for CO₂ mitigation strategies. In this study, a simulation approach combining Markov chain processes and carbon pools for forests and soils has been implemented to study the carbon flows over a period of time. Markov chains have been computed by converting the land use change and forestry data of India from 1997 to 1999 into a matrix of conditional probabilities reflecting the changes from one class at time t to another class time t+1. Results from Markov modeling suggested Indian forests as a potential sink for 0.94 Gt carbon, with an increase in dense forest area of about 75.93 Mha and decrease of about 3.4 Mha and 5.0 Mha in open and scrub forests, if similar land use changes that occurred during 1997–1999 would continue. The limiting probabilities suggested 34.27 percent as dense forest, 6.90 as open forest, 0.4 percent mangrove forest, 0.1 percent scrub and 58 percent as non-forest area. Although Indian forests are found to be a potential carbon sink, analysis of results from transition probabilities for different years till 2050 suggests that, the forests will continue to be a source of about 20.59 MtC to the atmosphere. The implications of these results in the context of increasing anthropogenic pressure on open and scrub forests and their contribution to carbon source from land use change and forestry sector are discussed. Some of the mitigation aspects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land use change and forestry sector in India are also reviewed in the study.     

Developmental Processes, Changing Lifestyle and Traditional Wisdom: Analyses from Western Himalaya

Traditional knowledge and practices are important in prudent resource use and biodiversity conservation. The implications of modernization and changing lifestyle are discussed in the context of agriculture and resource use, the two sectors in which maximum modernization has occurred. The information was gathered through observations and structured interviews over three years (July 1996 to July 1999) of field work in the western Himalaya. It was observed that forest based subsistence agriculture has given way to the market dependant cash crop cultivation. That apart from loss of genetic diversity, has also resulted in the degradation of forests. The use of wild plants in the day-to-day activities has also declined and dependence on high value market products has increased. Currently, wild plants are used only if no other cheap substitute is available in the market or if the use is economically beneficial to the people. Thus, the knowledge gathered through ages of experience is eroding because of the activities geared for short-term economic benefits which, in long run, may not be sustainable.     

INCREASED BASEFLOW IN IOWA OVER THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY1

ABSTRACT: Historical trends in annual discharge characteristics were evaluated for 11 gauging stations located throughout Iowa. Discharge records from nine eight‐digit hydrologic unit code (HUC‐8) watersheds were examined for the period 1940 to 2000, whereas data for two larger river systems (Cedar and Des Moines Rivers) were examined for a longer period of record (1903 to 2000). In nearly all watersheds evaluated, annual base flow, annual minimum flow, and the annual base flow percentage significantly increased over time. Some rivers also exhibited increasing trends in total annual discharge, whereas only the Maquoketa River had significantly decreased annual maximum flows. Regression of stream discharge versus precipitation indicated that more precipitation is being routed into streams as base flow than as storm flow in the second half of the 20th Century. Reasons for the observed stream flow trends are hypothesized to include improved conservation practices, greater artificial drainage, increasing row crop production, and channel incision. Each of these reasons is consistent with the observed trends, and all are likely responsible to some degree in most watersheds.     

无线数据传输技术在列车安全监控系统中的应用

笔者将GSM网的无线数据传输技术成功应用到列车安全监控系统中 ,系统监测数据经转储发送系统中转 ,由移动台系统实时、无线传输到基站微机系统 ,通过VC ++语言编制的软件系统实时统计分析数据 ,来监控列车运行状况 ,达到列车安全运行的目标。在列车安全监控系统中 ,不仅实现了数据无线实时传输 ,而且提高了工作效率和减轻了工作强度。在济南铁路局装车试验并广泛使用 ,表明了无线数据传输技术应用到列车安全监控系统中具有较高的可靠性和实用性     

山区高速公路挖方边坡的稳定性评价与安全防护技术

山区高速公路挖方边坡的稳定性对道路交通安全具有重要影响 ,阐述了进行挖方边坡的稳定性评价和安全防护的必要性 ,提出了评价原则、工作程序、评价方法及系列安全防护技术。得出了关于山区高速公路挖方边坡的稳定性评价和安全防护的几点认识。     

我国非煤矿山安全生产的差距

从我国非煤矿山安全生产立法、安全生产管理体制、监察执法、群众监督、宣传教育、科研、矿山企业等方面与国外矿业进行了对比分析，分析了我国非煤矿山存在的问题以及与国外的差距，最后分析了产生问题与差距的原因。     

工作岗位设计与安全管理

员工工作情绪对安全生产有着相当的影响，表现在工作投入和注意心理等方面，直接或间接地影响企业的安全生产状况。采用科学的工作岗位设计方法和管理方法，藉以改善员工工作投入和工作中的注意心理，必将有利于改善员工对工作本身的态度，以及改善员工对安全生产的直接和间接参与程度，最终促进安全生产。