Classification of Climate‐Change‐Induced Stresses on Biological Diversity

Abstract: Conservation actions need to account for and be adapted to address changes that will occur under global climate change. The identification of stresses on biological diversity (as defined in the Convention on Biological Diversity) is key in the process of adaptive conservation management. We considered any impact of climate change on biological diversity a stress because such an effect represents a change (negative or positive) in key ecological attributes of an ecosystem or parts of it. We applied a systemic approach and a hierarchical framework in a comprehensive classification of stresses to biological diversity that are caused directly by global climate change. Through analyses of 20 conservation sites in 7 countries and a review of the literature, we identified climate‐change‐induced stresses. We grouped the identified stresses according to 3 levels of biological diversity: stresses that affect individuals and populations, stresses that affect biological communities, and stresses that affect ecosystem structure and function. For each stress category, we differentiated 3 hierarchical levels of stress: stress class (thematic grouping with the coarsest resolution, 8); general stresses (thematic groups of specific stresses, 21); and specific stresses (most detailed definition of stresses, 90). We also compiled an overview of effects of climate change on ecosystem services using the categories of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and 2 additional categories. Our classification may be used to identify key climate‐change‐related stresses to biological diversity and may assist in the development of appropriate conservation strategies. The classification is in list format, but it accounts for relations among climate‐change‐induced stresses.     

Pyrophytic Properties of the Larch Larix gmelinii in Terms of Life Strategies

The pyrophytic properties of the larch Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. growing in the northern taiga of central Siberia have been studied. It has been found that, although the trees are highly combustible and fire resistance of tree stands is low, the species is highly pyrophytic, which allows it to retain its geographic range. At early stages of postfire successions, the larch exhibits characteristics of pyrogenic explerent and is subject to r-selection. When forest restoration is close to completion, the species passes into the patient state and acquires properties subject to K-selection.     

Pair territoriality of wintering stonechats : behaviour,function and hormones

Migratory stonechats (Saxicola torquata) spend the winter in the northern Negev desert in Israel. After arrival in October most birds defend territories throughout the winter either as heterosexual pairs or as single birds. In this population we examined: (1) aggressive behaviour of pairs; (2) the functional significance of pair territoriality; and (3) hormonal correlates of territorial behaviour. Pairs were aggressive towards both conspecific intruders and stonechat dummies, particularly in autumn when territories were established. Males were more aggressive than females and aggression was primarily intrasexual. More frequent than intraspecific interactions were interspecific encounters, with 94% involving the local mourning wheatear (Oenanthe lugens). With one exception these encounters consisted of attacks of mourning wheatears against stonechats, mainly males. Two functions of winter territoriality of migrant pairs are proposed: (a) a reduction of individual defense costs associated with the maintenance of a territory; (b) an increase of the net vigilance to reduce the risk of attacks by competitors or predators. The levels of testosterone (males and females) and estradiol (females only) were close to or below the lower detection limit of the assay throughout the winter. Therefore, high levels of gonadal steroids are not required for pair formation and aggression in the non-reproductive context. The results indicate that both the function and the proximate control mechanisms of territoriality during the non-breeding season in winter are different from those during the breeding season in spring.     

我国西北部地区森林生物灾害发生趋势分析及可持续控灾策略

针对陕西、甘肃、内蒙古、青海、宁夏和新疆西北6省(区)目前的森林现状,分析了两北部地区森林生物灾害的发生特点:主要是(1)森林病虫鼠害严重,尤其是害鼠种类多、分布范围广,危害严重。(2)钻蛀性害虫发生隐蔽,控制困难。(3)干旱和生物多样性贫乏使食叶害虫的暴发周期缩短。预测未来10年森林生物灾害的发展趋势为:(1)总体发生趋势平稳;(2)病虫种类将明显增加;(3)森林鼠害面积明显增加,危害程度在一定时期内会更加严重;(4)杨树蛀干害虫的危害仍然严重。进而提出了可持续控灾的5点策略。     

Are mere instructions enough? Evaluation of four types of messaging on community depot recycling

Curbside recycling efforts have made an important contribution to waste containment, but many communities have specific limitations on what products can be recycled within their community bins (e.g., no cartons, styrofoam, soft plastics) and must rely on depots for recycling these other items. These specialty depots typically take the form of local community or large central municipal sites. The purpose of this randomized trial was to examine messages targeting (1) awareness/instructions, (2) utility, (3) affect, and (4) planning upon community and central depot recycling across eight weeks. One hundred and seventy-six community-dwelling residents between the ages of 18–65 years who self-identified as having the potential to improve their depot recycling activities completed baseline recycling measures and then were randomly assigned to one of the four messaging conditions. One hundred and forty-four of these participants subsequently answered follow-up recycling behavior measures four and eight weeks later. Intention to treat analyses showed that depot recycling increased significantly from baseline to four weeks. The effect waned for community recycling while holding for municipal depot recycling at eight weeks. Distance to recycling depot (closer proximity resulted in greater community recycling), access to a car (low access resulted in greater community recycling), and baseline recycling behavior (no prior recycling resulted in greater behavior change) all acted as significant moderators of the effect. There was no time by group interaction among conditions. The findings support the use of basic instructions – as a minimum – for promoting depot recycling efforts and provide evidence that local community depots, in conjunction with municipal depots, are important to increasing recycling behavior.     

安徽省旅游业竞争力定量评价研究

旅游业竞争力是包括现实竞争力、潜在竞争力、支持竞争力在内的综合概念。在总结前人研究成果的基础上,结合安徽省旅游业发展实际,构建出由4层49个指标组成的省域旅游业竞争力评价指标体系,运用层次分析法测度了安徽省在华东6省1市中的旅游业竞争力水平,比较分析了安徽省旅游业的竞争优势与劣势,最后就如何提升安徽省旅游业竞争力进行了初步探讨。     

Integrated Assessment of Abatement Strategies to Improve Air Quality in Urban Environments, the USIAM Model

Planning effective strategies to combat air pollution in amajor city such as London requires integration ofinformation on atmospheric concentrations and where theyexceed prescribed air quality standards, detailed data onemissions and potential measures to reduce them includingcosts, and a good understanding of the relativecontributions of different emission sources to pollutantconcentrations plus the remaining background. The UrbanScale Integrated Assessment Model (USIAM) is designed as atool to integrate such information, and to explore andassess a variety of potential strategies for improving airquality. It is based on the same principles as theAbatement Strategies Assessment Model (ASAM) that has beenused in the UN Economic Commission for Europe. To startwith the USIAM model is being developed with respect to theparticulate PM₁₀ only, and in particular the primaryparticulate contribution. The secondary particulate istreated as part of the background superimposed on theprimary particulate concentrations; this may need to betreated more specifically at a later stage, particularlywith respect to nitrate formation over the city. The USIAMmodel therefore sets out to examine a selection of severeepisode conditions as well as long-term annual averageconcentrations, and aims to find strategies that aresuccessful in eliminating exceedance of the prescribedtarget concentrations. By ranking different options forabatement of emissions, for example in terms of cost orease of implementation, the USIAM model can also select andprioritise different potential strategies.     

Preventive environmental strategies for product systems

The paper describes a model for environmental quality and resource efficiency parameters to be used in evaluation of options for improvement of product systems in a life cycle and system perspective. Four main preventive strategies for product system improvements are described and discussed in the paper. (1) Reformulating user needs and requirements to the system; (2) improvement of product system performance; (3) substitution of the whole product systems or system components on different levels; (4) optimization within and between system units and components. These main strategies are discussed with respect to the structure of the product system (the domain theory), and with respect to efficiency in general. It is concluded that at present, it is not possible to make any definite rank of priorities between the different strategies, but that this should be evaluated when more systematic studies of cases are available.     

Differential Impacts of Flood Hazards Among the Street Children,the Urban Poor and Residents of Wealthy Neighborhoods in Metro Manila,Philippines

This paper presents thedifferential impacts of flood hazards amongstreet children, the urban poor andresidents of wealthy neighborhoods in MetroManila, Philippines. It argues that beingpoor is not the only reason why certainsectors are more vulnerable to floods orany environmental hazards – spatialisolation and lack of participation indecision making intensify their presentand future vulnerability, as well. Archival research, interviews, focusedgroup discussion, participant observationand surveys of populations at risk areemployed to delineate the flood experiencesand coping strategies of street childrenand residents of poor urban settlements andwealthy neighborhoods in Metro Manila atthe household and community levels. Theconcept of entitlement, the ContextualHazards Model, and the Access Model areused in the data analysis andinterpretation. Several policyrecommendations on hazard management anddisaster mitigation are identified toreduce flood losses in Metro Manila.     

湖北省主要城市环境空气质量特点及成因分析

在武汉、黄石、十堰、宜昌、襄樊、荆门、荆州七城市十八年空气环境例行监测的基础上 ,运用综合污染负荷系数法总结了七城市空气质量变化趋势和特点 ,对其形成的原因进行了分析 ,并就此提出了治理的方法和管理的对策