Indigenous Systems of Forest Classification: Understanding Land Use Patterns and the Role of NTFPs in Shifting Cultivators’ Subsistence Economies

This article discusses the system of classification of forest types used by the Pwo Karen in Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in western Thailand and the role of nontimber forest products (NTFPs), focusing on wild food plants, in Karen livelihoods. The article argues that the Pwo Karen have two methods of forest classification, closely related to their swidden farming practices. The first is used for forest land that has been, or can be, swiddened, and classifies forest types according to growth conditions. The second system is used for land that is not suitable for cultivation and looks at soil properties and slope. The article estimates the relative importance of each forest type in what concerns the collection of wild food plants. A total of 134 wild food plant species were recorded in December 2004. They account for some 80–90% of the amount of edible plants consumed by the Pwo Karen, and have a base value of Baht 11,505 per year, comparable to the cash incomes of many households. The article argues that the Pwo Karen reliance on NTFPs has influenced their land-use and forest management practices. However, by restricting the length of the fallow period, the Thai government has caused ecological changes that are challenging the ability of the Karen to remain subsistence oriented. By ignoring shifting cultivators’ dependence on such products, the involvement of governments in forest management, especially through restrictions imposed on swidden farming practices, is likely to have a considerable impact on the livelihood strategies of these communities.     

Measurement and Management of Human-Induced Patterns of Forest Fragmentation: A Case Study

In many tropical developing countries, the twin pressures of population and poverty are resulting in substantial fragmentation of forests, increasing the probability of extinction for many species, Forest fragmentation occurs when large contiguous forests are perforated by small holes or broken up into edges and smaller patches to form a nonforested matrix of open spaces. Thus, forest fragmentation refers not only to the area of forest cleared, but also to the pattern of this clearance, the resulting forest’s spatial properties. Both characteristics are important for species survivability. Apart from opening up forests to many abiotic and biotic influences, fragmentation can affect species dispersal and migration through its effects on forest connectivity. Landscape ecology conceptualizes connectivity as a gradient of critical thresholds, ranging from the large intact forest to the small unconnected forest patch. This article reports results from a multiple-scale analysis of forest fragmentation in Jamaica’s Cockpit Country, an area of once contiguous forest now under threat from human encroachment. Spatial forest data derived from classification of ETM+ satellite imagery are used to measure fragmentation patterns representing various degrees of forest connectivity and density. The results suggest that, overall, 81% of the region is in forest. However, fragmentation patterns also suggest that this forest is riven with extensive perforations indicative of an early stage in the decline of contiguity. The results provided by the spatial fragmentation model are a first step in the design of effective conservation and rehabilitation plans for the area. The article concludes with a discussion of possible multiscale management options for the region.     

贵州汞矿矿区不同位置土壤中总汞和甲基汞污染特征的研究

为了深入理解汞矿矿区土壤中总汞和甲基汞的污染特征,应用AAS、GC-CVAFS方法,分别对贵州万山、务川和滥木厂汞矿矿区不同位置土壤以及对照区土壤中的总汞(THg)和甲基汞(MeHg)进行了测定.结果表明,万山汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为1.1～790 mg·kg^-1和0.19～15μg·kg^-1,务川汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.33～317mg·kg^-1和0.41～20μg·kg^-1,滥木厂汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.41～610 mg·kg^-1和0.70～8.8μg·kg^-1.对照区土壤汞含量明显低于矿区土壤,其THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.14～1.2 mg·kg^-1和0.09～0.23μg·kg^-1;对照区土壤THg含量接近或稍高于全球背景土壤THg含量0.01～0.5 mg·kg^-1.研究表明,汞矿区稻田土壤具有较强的汞甲基化能力,其MeHg含量明显高于菜地和旱田土壤;万山汞矿区土壤汞污染程度明显高于滥木厂和务川汞矿区土壤汞污染.     

我国典型土壤对病毒等温静态吸附的数值模拟

通过室内等温静态批量平衡吸附实验,采用3种常见的等温线（Freundlich方程、Langmuir方程和Temkin方程）对2种病毒（MS2和X174）在2种处理（非灭菌和灭菌）条件下的6种土壤（红壤土、红粘土、乌栅土、黄泥土、沙质潮土和壤质潮土）中的吸附行为进行了回归拟合.实验结果和模拟结果均表明,土壤性质、病毒性质、土壤中的土著微生物对病毒在土壤中吸附行为均具有重要的影响.红粘土对MS2和X174的平均吸附比例几乎能达到100％,而2种潮土（沙质潮土和壤质潮土）相对较弱;总体来看土壤对X174的吸附能力高于MS2,但灭菌后的土壤对MS2的吸附能力却高于X174.在数值模拟中,Freundlich方程和Langmuir方程均具有理想的相关性.Freundlich方程能够表现出病毒浓度对其在土壤中吸附行为的影响;尽管Langmuir方程能够应用于土壤对病毒吸附能力的比较,但本研究中不能应用Langmuir方程来计算土壤对病毒的最大吸附量.     

北京地区土壤对柴油的吸附及影响因素研究

通过静态吸附实验,研究了北京地区土壤对柴油的吸附行为,考察了溶液pH和添加乙醇对柴油吸附的影响. 结果表明,6种不同土样对柴油的吸附等温线均较好地符合Langmuir吸附方程,其吸附系数(K)分别为0.193, 0.218, 0.203, 0.199, 0.211和0.182 L/mg,6种土样吸附能力依次为轻壤土>轻粘土>中壤土>砂壤土>重壤土>紧砂土,这主要是由于6种土样的pH,有机质含量和机械组成不同所致;溶液pH的升高,不利于柴油在土壤中的吸附,pH从4升高到10,柴油在1～6号土样中的吸附量分别从1　012, 1　800, 1　377, 1　272, 1　601和862 μg/g降低到114, 236, 163, 150, 201和85 μg/g;向柴油中添加乙醇会减小柴油的吸附量,并且吸附量随添加乙醇量的增大而降低,这有利于柴油的向下运移.      

降雨过程中红壤团聚体粒径变化对溅蚀的影响

为揭示团聚体粒径动态变化对溅蚀的影响,通过室内人工模拟降雨试验,以第四纪粘土、泥质页岩发育红壤为研究对象,研究了酒精预湿润后的2~5 mm团聚体在降雨过程中粒径动态变化及溅蚀率的变化。试验结果表明：在60 mm/h雨强下,团聚体受雨滴机械打击破碎主要发生在降雨的最初阶段,团聚体＞0.25 mm百分含量（P＞0.25）及平均重量直径（M）均随降雨时间（T）增加呈幂函数减小,溅蚀率（Dr）随降雨时间（T）增加呈幂函数增加,而溅蚀率（Dr）随团聚体平均重量直径（M）减小呈幂函数增大。为揭示不同土样在降雨溅蚀过程中溅蚀率的变化规律,利用团聚体稳定性特征参数-机械破碎指数（R）及降雨时间（T）,建立了不同团聚体稳定性土样溅蚀率随降雨时间变化的经验方程,且方程可决系数较高（R2=0.82）,揭示出团聚体稳定性越好,其破碎过程越缓慢,溅蚀率越小。研究结果为红壤区土壤侵蚀的防治及侵蚀机理研究提供了新思路     

Modelling the long-term soil response to atmospheric deposition at intensively monitored forest plots in Europe

The dynamic soil chemistry model SMART was applied to 121 intensive forest monitoring plots (mainly located in western and northern Europe) for which both element input (deposition) and element concentrations in the soil solution were available. After calibration of poorly known parameters, the model accurately simulated soil solution concentrations for most plots as indicated by goodness-of-fit measures, although some of the intra-annual variation especially in nitrate and aluminium concentrations could not be reproduced. Model evaluations of two emission-deposition scenarios (current legislation and maximum feasible reductions) for the period 1970-2030 show a strong reduction in sulphate concentrations between 1980 and 2000 in the soil due to the high reductions in sulphur emissions. However, current legislation hardly reduces future nitrogen concentrations, whereas maximum feasible reductions reduces them by more than half. Maximum feasible reductions are also more effective in increasing pH and reducing aluminium concentrations, mostly below ‘critical’ values.     

A review of post-modern management techniques as currently applied to Turkish forestry

This paper reviews the effects of six post-modern management concepts as applied to Turkish forestry. Up to now, Turkish forestry has been constrained, both in terms of its operations and internal organization, by a highly bureaucratic system. The application of new thinking in forestry management, however, has recently resulted in new organizational and production concepts that promise to address problems specific to this Turkish industry and bring about positive changes. This paper will elucidate these specific issues and demonstrate how post-modern management thinking is influencing the administration and operational capacity of Turkish forestry within its current structure.     

Multi-stand Forest Management under a Climatic Risk: Do Time and Risk Preferences Matter?

We propose a stochastic dynamic programming framework to model the management of a multi-stand forest under climate risk (strong wind occurrence). The preferences of the forest-owner are specified by a non-expected utility in order to separately analyze intertemporal substitution and risk aversion effects. A numerical method is developed to characterize the optimal forest management policies and the optimal consumption-saving strategy. The stochastic dynamic programming framework is applied to a non-industrial private forest-owner located in North-East of France. We show that the optimal decisions both depend upon risk and time preferences. The authors would like to thank participants at the international conference on Economics of Sustainable Forest Management in Toronto, at the PARIS 1 seminar on Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, at the 2004 Applied Microeconomics Conference in Lille and at the 13th annual conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists at Budapest.     

生态修复工程实施后对土壤理化性质改善效益初探

通过监测和田地区生态修复项目实施后所取得生态效益的结果表明,生态修复项目实施后,由于项目区风速降低,温度和相对湿度的变化减少,提高了植被盖度,降低了风蚀量,促进了成土作用的进行,从而逐渐改善了土壤的理化性质。