Survivor needs or logistical convenience? Factors shaping decisions to deliver relief to earthquake‐affected communities,Pakistan 2005–06

In Bureaucratizing the Good Samaritan , Waters (2001) argues that bureaucratic rationality distracts humanitarian agencies from the needs of the people they are supposed to assist, in favour of other values that their institutional frameworks dictate. We test his claim by investigating the response to the Pakistan 2005 earthquake. One of us (Dittemore) worked with the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre in the theatre, managing a relief cargo shipment database. The response, known as 'Operation Winter Race', was hampered by extreme logistical challenges, but ultimately succeeded in averting a second disaster resulting from cold and starvation. We use statistical models to probe whether survivor needs significantly guided decisions to deliver relief to affected communities. Needs assessments remained incomplete and incoherent. We measure needs through proxy indicators and integrate them, on a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform, with logistics and relief delivery data. We find that, despite strong logistics effects, needs orientations were significant. However, the strength of decision factors varies between commodity types (food versus clothing and shelter versus reconstruction materials) as well as over the different phases of the response. This study confirms Thomas's observation that logistics databases are rich 'repositories of data that can be analyzed to provide post-event learning' (Thomas, 2003, p. 4). This article is an invitation for others to engage in creative humanitarian data management.     

Modeling of air quality with a modified two-dimensional Eulerian model： A case study in the Pearl River Delta （PRD） region of China

A modified two-dimensional Eulerian air quality model was used to simulate both the gaseous and particulate pollutant concentrations during October 21-24, 2004 in the Pearl River Delta （PRD） region, China. The most significant improvement to the model is the added capability to predict the secondary organic aerosols （SOA） concentrations because of the inclusion of the SOA formation chemistry. The meteorological input data were prepared using the CALMET meteorological model. The concentrations of aerosol-bound species such as NO3^-, NH4^＋, SO4^2-, and SOA were calculated in the fine particle size range （〈2.5 μm）. The results of the two-dimensional model were compared to the measurements at the ground level during the PRD Intensive Monitoring Campaign （IMC）. Overall, there were good agreements between the measured and modeled concentrations of inorganic aerosol components and O3. Both the measured and the modeled results indicated that the maximum hourly O3 concentrations exceeded the China National Air Quality Standard. The predicted 24-h average SOA concentrations were in reasonable agreement with those predicted by the method of minimum OC/EC ratio.     

Characterizing ionic species in PM2:5 and PM10 in four Pearl River Delta cities, South China

PM_(2.5)and PM_(10)samples were collected at four major cities in the Pearl River Delta(PRD),South China,during winter and summer in 2002.Six water-soluble ions,Na~ ,NH_4~ ,K~ ,Cl~-,NO_3~- and SO_4~(2-)were measured using ion chromatography.On average,ionic species accounted for 53.3% and 40.5% for PM_(2.5)and PM_(10),respectively in winter and 39.4% and 35.2%,respectively in summer. Secondary ions such as sulfate,nitrate and ammonium accounted for the major part of the total ionic species.Sulfate was the most abundant species followed by nitrate.Overall,a regional pollution tendency was shown that there were higher concentrations of sulfate, nitrate and ammonium in Guangzhou City than those in the other PRD cities.Significant seasonal variations were also observed with higher levels of species in winter but lower in summer.The Asian monsoon system was favorable for removal and diffusion of air pollutants in PRD in summer while highly loading of local industrial emissions tended to deteriorate the air quality as well.NO_3~-/SO_4~(2-) ratio indicated that mobile sources have considerably contribution to the urban aerosol,and stationary sources should not be neglected. Besides the primary emissions,complex atmospheric reactions under favorable weather conditions should be paid more attention for the control of primary emission in the PRD region.     

Water quality characteristics along the course of the Huangpu River （China）

Huangpu River is about 114.5 km from upriver Dianfeng to downriver Wusong,near the estuary of the Yangtze River.It plays a key role in supplying water for production,life,shipment and irrigation.With the industrial development,the pollution of the Huangpu River has become serious recently.The biological oxygen demand (BOD),total nitrogen (TN),total phosphorus (TP),oil,phenol and suspended solids (SS) were lower in the upstream sites than in the downstream sites,indicating pollutants being input along its course. Water quality was the worst in the Yangpu site,near the center of Shanghai City.Dissolved oxygen (DO) content was less than 2 mg/L in the site of Yangpu in July.Among relations between thirteen characteristics,relations between BOD,DO,TN,TP,NH_4~ -N, NO_3~--N and the count of total bacteria or Escherichia coli were significant and interdependent.Inner relationships between these main characteristics in the Huangpu River were studied.High nutrient concentration led to growth of microorganisms,including E.coli. Degradation of organic matters and respiration of bacteria made oxygen concentration decreased in the water body,and DO was a key factor for nitrification-denitrification process of nitrogen.In the Yangpu site,DO was decreased to less than 3.0 mg/L with BOD higher than 7.5 mg/L in May and July.Low DO concentration will decrease nitrification rate.Nitrification need at higher DO value than other organic substrate oxidation.Consequently,river water contains low NO_3~--N values with high amounts of TN and NH_4~ -N there.This will block the self-purification of surface water,by decreasing the rate of nitrification-denitrification transformation process in the water body.     

长江中下游湖泊保护和管理的若干建议

长江中下游地区是我国面向21世纪的经济重地,长江是我国唯一具有全国意义的战略水源地,是我国水资源供需平衡的最后防线。然而在自然演化宏观背景下,流域经济的高速发展,大规模开发利用等人类活动的强烈影响,引发了一系列负面环境效应。湖泊湿地生态环境被破坏问题严重,突出表现在生态调节和自我恢复功能大幅度降低,并已造成了严重的生态后果,危及长江水系的生态平衡,影响了区域经济的可持续发展。在大量野外考察和调查基础上,针对长江中下游湖泊湿地当前的生态环境状况及存在的问题,提出了若干对策和建议。     

三峡库区小江回水区二氧化碳分压的时空变化特征分析

2009年9月～2010年4月在三峡库区与小江交汇的回水区的典型段面测量了该区域水体表层水和水体内部两部分水体中的有关物理化学参数,并利用这些水化学特征值通过水化学平衡模型计算出该区域水体CO2的分压。得出该区域水体中的CO2分压在一定时空范围内的变化特征。并对该区域有关水质参数与CO2的分压进行了相关性分析,得出其相关系数。指出了水体CO2分压与水体碳循环的关系。通过对三峡库区小江流域这一典型回水区域水体的CO2分压的分析研究,可望为三峡库区及其它同类型区域水体的二氧化碳分压研究提供一个分析案例,也为今后进一步从事水库温室效应的研究提供参考     

大型水利水电工程实施占用耕地补偿制度的思考

本文在分析长江三峡工程用地特点的基础上。对大型水利水电工程实施耕地补偿制度中的问题和困难进行调查研究，认为应从新的视角来认识大型水利水电工程的耕地占补平衡问题。进而探索耕地补偿制度实施的新途径和新方式。应在耕地总量动态平衡政策适当调整的基础上．将“以地补地”和“缴费补地”的方式相结合。既通过土地整理．在提商土地质量的前提下增加耕地的有效面积：又要落实耕地开垦费．扶持库区的土地整理。从而使库区的耕地占补制度顺利实施。     

岷江上游山地生态系统的退化及其恢复与重建对策

阐述了岷江上游山地生态系统的主要特征及主要由人类活动引起的森林、草地、农用地和整个山地生态系统环境退化现状。在此基础上，提出了岷江上游退化山地生态系统恢复与重建的对策，即加强资源和环境的合理利用和保护，提高全民环境保护意识；分区分类治理；不同区城不同退化亚系统采取不同的技术方法。同时，就恢复与重建过程中应注意的几个问题出提出了解决的思路和方法。     

土地利用和生态系统服务功能变化研究——以三峡库区大宁河流域为例

将土地利用类型分类为耕地、有林地(森林地)、灌木林地、草地、迹地、水体、建设用地和未利用地8类.以遥感数据为数据源,通过自动分类和人工解译相结合的方法获取了以上土地利用类型,并对三峡库区大宁河流域的土地利用变化过程和驱动力做了分析.以Costanza等人的全球生态系统服务价值的估测结果为基础,对各种地类生态服务功能价值重新赋值,进而估算近30年大宁河流域的生态服务价值,分析了其变化过程.结果表明:近30年,大宁河流域土地利用总的变化趋势是林、灌、草地经历了不断破坏和缓慢恢复的过程,耕地面积经历了先增后减,建设用地不断扩展.经济发展、人口增长和国家政策是土地利用变化的主要原因.生态系统服务功能经历了一个先损害后恢复的过程,表现为生态服务价值从1973年到1995年不断减少,而1995年到2002年连续增加.     

长江经济带人口城镇化与土地城镇化协调发展时空差异研究

长江经济带是我国经济发展的战略区域,人口城镇化和土地城镇化的协调发展是推进新型城镇化发展的战略重点之一。本文以2006-2013年长江经济带126个地级市的人口、土地数据为基础,从长江经济带、区域和市域视角,采用熵值法、发展水平评价模型和均衡发展模型测度人口城镇化和土地城镇化协调发展度,结合空间分析方法对协调发展度进行分析,并使用ArcGIS10.2得出二者协调发展度的空间分布图。研究发现,从整体来看长江经济带2006-2013年人口城镇化与土地城镇化协调发展水平不断提高,并呈现相对平稳增长,2013年总体上达到较高协调发展水平。从区域视角来看,协调发展度呈现阶梯特征即下游地区中游地区上游地区的状态,且自2009年起3大区域协调发展度差距呈扩大趋势。从市域视角分析,长江经济带126个地级市2006-2008年协调发展度的发展速度慢,2009年后发展速度显著提升;在空间上呈现"东北-西南"的空间非均衡性和空间异质性,东北高、西南低,并表现明显的"城市群集聚"发展特征。长江经济带在人口城镇化和土地城镇化进程中应不断推进区域经济发展,加快中上游城市的城镇化进程,充分发挥"城市群"的经济辐射带动作用,同时转变土地财政思想,真正实现地区发展水平的提高,最终实现人口城镇化和土地城镇化协调发展。