Energy performance certification and time on the market

This paper analyzes whether energy performance certificates (EPCs) serve as means to reduce the information asymmetry among market participants during the sale of homes. Using a sample of 876,000 single-family homes in the Netherlands, we examine the impact of EPC adoption on the speed of sale. Our results indicate that energy-rated homes sell faster than non-energy-rated homes, an effect that varies by 7–12 percent depending on model specifications and increases when positive (green) ratings are granted. The information conveyed by these certificates reduces the information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, which helps to reduce the uncertainty of quality.     

中国光伏电池组件的生命周期评价

在收集2009年我国光伏组件生产的主流及最优技术水平数据的基础上,采用Ecoinvent数据库中辅助材料的生命周期数据,开展了我国光伏组件生命周期评价研究,计算了能量回收期和全球变暖潜值,并探讨了不同生产步骤和生产参数的影响.结果表明:太阳能级多晶硅生产和铸锭、切片工艺的技术水平对光伏产品的能量消耗和环境影响最大,我国主流技术水平情景下的产品能耗和环境影响远大于最优技术水平.对于我国光伏产业来说,要降低光伏产品的环境影响,应着重从改进多晶硅生产技术和提高硅片切割效率入手.      

Imposed and inherent scales in cellular automata models of habitat

Both observational and modelling studies of the natural environment are characterised by their ‘grain’ and ‘extent’, the smallest and largest scales represented in time and space. These are imposed scales that should be chosen to ensure that the natural scales of the system are captured in the study. A simple cellular automata model of habitat represents only the presence or absence of vegetation, with global and local interactions described by four empirical parameters. Such a model can be formulated as a nonlinear Markov equation for the habitat probability. The equation produces inherent space and time scales that may be considered as transition scales or the scales for recovery from disturbance. However, if the resolution of the model is changed, the empirical parameters must be changed to preserve the properties of the system. Further, changes in the spatial resolution lead to different interpretations of the spatial structure. In particular, as the resolution is reduced, the apparent dominance of one habitat type over the other increases. The model provides an ability to compare both field and model investigations conducted at different resolutions in time and space.     

物种敏感度分布的非参数核密度估计模型

针对目前物种敏感度分布参数方法建模所存在的缺点,首次提出基于非参数核密度估计方法的物种敏感度分布模型,并提出相应的最优窗宽和检验方法。选用无机汞作为案例研究对象,利用非参数核密度估计方法和3种传统参数模型分别推导了保护我国水生生物的无机汞的急性水质基准值。结果表明,非参数核密度估计方法在推导无机汞水质基准中的稳健性和精确度都大大优于传统参数模型,能够更好地构建物种敏感度分布曲线。该方法的提出丰富了水质基准的理论方法学,为更好地保护水生生物提供了有力的支撑。     

Female foraging and male vigilance in white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucurus): opportunism or behavioural coordination?

For several species of birds, high rates of male vigilance are correlated with high rates of female foraging. This relationship is thought to ultimately result in higher reproductive success for females paired with highly vigilant males. However, previous research has not examined the behavioural mechanism that produces the correlation between male vigilance and rates of female foraging. Foraging females may take advantage of vigilance that males are using for other purposes. Alternatively, the purpose of male vigilance may be to increase females' ability to forage. We examined these alternatives by testing whether vigilance preceded or followed bouts of female foraging more often than would occur by chance alone, using simultaneous behaviour observations of pre-incubation pairs of white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucurus). Our results indicate that each member of a pair may influence the behaviour of the other. Females were more likely to initiate foraging bouts after males became vigilant than if their mate remained non-vigilant. Moreover, non-vigilant males were more likely to become vigilant if their mate was foraging than if she was engaged in some other activity. Despite the possibility that a sexual conflict exists as each member of a pair attempts to maximize its fitness, both sexes behave as though a major role of male vigilance is to enhance female foraging opportunities. Received: 3 May 1999 / Received in revised form: 14 June 1999 / Accepted: 16 June 1999     

长江旅游带旅游资源空间格局研究

旅游资源的空间格局是旅游产业规划、布局的重要基础。本文选择长江旅游带9省2市世界遗产地、国家级自然保护区、5A旅游景区、全国重点文物保护单位等12类共计4 729处旅游资源单体的空间分布数据,借助Arc GIS软件,运用空间自相关分析和核密度估计法对旅游资源空间格局进行了分析。结果表明,长江旅游带总体旅游资源、自然旅游资源和人文旅游资源在空间上均具有明显的聚类特征。总体旅游资源沿北纬30°线、G318国道以及沪昆、沪汉蓉高铁等交通主干线分布趋势明显;高级别旅游资源主要集中在长江三角洲地区;自然旅游资源主要集中在沪汉蓉及沪昆高铁沿线及其中间地带;人文旅游资源主要集聚在长江以南的长江三角洲、古徽州地区、滇西北地区以及黔东南少数民族地区。依据得出的旅游资源空间格局特征和分布规律,建议依托长江水道、G318国道和沿线高铁,打造东西向快速旅游通道和精品旅游线路;依托政策优势,联合多方组织机构形成跨区域旅游合作共同体。     

Mapping and evaluating sugarcane expansion in Brazil’s savanna using MODIS and intensity analysis: a case-study from the state of Tocantins

In Brazil, the main biofuel crop is sugarcane, and with its rapid expansion, there is much debate about what land uses and land covers it is replacing, and what are the associated environmental and social impacts. Some argue sugarcane is mainly replacing cattle pasture, thus having minimal impacts on native vegetation and small-scale family farming. In contrast, others claim sugarcane is replacing cropland traditionally under soybeans, rice, beans, and corn. Thus, food security is negatively affected and small-scale family farming livelihoods and culture are threatened. This is a proof-of-concept paper illustrating methods contributing toward the resolution of such debates. First we map land use and cover change in areas undergoing sugarcane expansion using satellite data from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer); second, we test the hypothesis that sugarcane is replacing traditional annual crops using intensity analysis, via a case study of land change in the municipality of Pedro Afonso, Tocantins in northern Brazil between the 2008–2013 crop years. Maps matched reference data with overall agreements between 87–91%. Intensity analysis confirmed sugarcane is replacing annual crops much more than cattle pasture and other land uses and covers, pointing to particular economic and social processes driving land change.     

连云港市大气污染物时间序列的长程相关性分析

运用R/S分析(Rescaled Range Analysis)方法对连云港市3个大气环境定位监测点近10年来的SO2、NOx和TSP序列数据进行了时间序列的长程相关性分析.结果表明,连云港市SO2、NOx和TSP月均值序列的Hurst指数在0.500～1.000,表现出明显的长程相关性,并且这种相关性程度的强弱随着城市功能区的不同而表现出一定的差异.研究结果对于认识连云港市城市大气环境质量变化过程和科学制定环保决策具有重要意义.     

时间序列模型在火警短期预测中的应用

基于某市的119火警数据,采用时间序列模型中的ARIMA算法进行了分析.计算结果表明,该市119火警数据的天序列服从ARIMA(0,1,2)模型,周序列服从ARIMA(1,0,0)模型.从模型对数据的拟合效果来看,ARIMA模型较为准确的反映了数据序列的发展趋势.采用这两种模型对数据序列分别进行了短期的预测,其预测值与实际结果在趋势上基本一致,研究表明采用周序列预测的效果要好于天序列.基于时序模型的火警预测方法是实现时火灾应急处置中关口前移的重要措施.     

天津市空气质量时间变化规律及相关性分析

按时间段对天津市环境空气监测国控点2005年的SO2、NO2和PM10监测数据进行统计分析,SO2、NO2和PM10时间变化规律呈现典型的双峰双谷型,SO2、NO2污染呈现明显的季节性,而PM10污染相对稳定。对SO2、NO2和PM10在全年、采暖期和非采暖期的时间变化进行相关性分析,结果表明,除了非采暖期NO2和SO2相关性不显著外,其它均存在较强的相关性。