Some thoughts on using a landscape framework to address cumulative impacts on wetland food chain support

Problems of using food chain support as a functional attribute of a wetland are discussed. It is suggested that primary production may not be the metric that best evaluates food chain support. Environmental constructs of the wetland and resultant habitat variables appear to yield more information on life-support functions. A landscape-oriented approach is derived to separate hierarchically the wet-lands into ecological regions and landscape elements. This classification scheme allows for predetermination of environmental constraints and the possible natural limits of wetland food chain support. It is proposed that models derived from spatial location theory be used to determine the movement of animals from wetland patches experiencing impacts on food chain support. Patch size, distance between patches, habitat diversity, and environmental constraints are incorporated in these models.     

Associations between stream valley geomorphology and riparian vegetation as a basis for landscape analysis in the eastern Sierra Nevada,California, USA

Ten streams in the eastern Sierra Nevada, California, were classified into six geomorphic valley types and sampled to determine environmental and riparian vegetation conditions. The geomorphic valley types were relatively uniform geologically and hydrologically, collectively representing the range of stream environments in the region. There were significant associations between the geomorphic valley types and riparian community composition. These geomorphic-vegetation units are landscape elements which comprise the riparian ecosystems in the region. They differ in their ecological charactersitics and sensitivity to management. The system of landscape elements can be used to classify streams for the purposes of resource inventory, detailed ecological studies, and impact prediction.     

A human ecological assessment of air quality management: A convergence in economic and ecological thinking?

Traditional air pollution management practices are examined using the human ecological framework adopted by Boyden and others (1981) in their study of Hong Kong—the biohistorical or biosocial approach. The subsequent analysis of current air quality management practices assesses their effectiveness in protecting the overall health of both humans and the natural environment. The uncertainties inherent in air pollution management practices which emerge highlight the need to reduce emissions rather than rely on scientific knowledge to define clean air. The assessment also clearly defines roles for research in various areas such as atmospheric models, health effects, and environmental damage. The final recommendations emphasize the need for the introduction of such incentives to reduce emissions as economic instruments and warn against using health information to define clean air. Health and environmental damage information can, however, be used in risk assessment strategies together with atmospheric dispersion models.     

Hedgerows and hedgerow networks in landscape ecology

Hedgerows originated and coexist with agriculture. Their internal structure and species diversity vary widely with origin (planted, spontaneous, or remnant), farming practices in adjacent fields, and the refined art of hedgerow management. Most hedgerow species are forest-edge species, and apparently none is limited to hedgerows. Wide hedgerows composed of trees and shrubs appear to function as corridors for movement of many plants and animals across a landscape. The reduction of crop loss, by dampening pest population fluctuations with hedgerow predators, remains a hypothesis for study.Field microclimate downwind of a hedgerow is modified about 16 times the hedgerow height (h) for evaporation, and approximately 28 h for wind speed. A turbulent wind pattern with harsher microclimate is present at 6–8 h if a second hedgerow is nearby downwind. Zones of higher crop productivity at 3- to 6-h downwind, and 2- to 6-h upwind of a second hedgerow may be expected. Overall, we expect little short-term difference in farm-field production with or without hedgerows.Evidence suggests that hedgerow networks, and especially their mesh size (of fields), exert a major control on many major landscape fluxes. Such fluxes include animal populations, wind speed, evapotranspiration and soil desiccation, soil erosion and nutrient runoff, species movement along network lines, and movement of field species across the network. In a relatively short period, the hedgerow ecosystem, with no unique species, has attained a metastable equilibrium, which is regulated by enormous human inputs.More than 20 economic roles of hedgerows are pinpointed. The roles, providing resources and protection of resources, are poorly known quantitatively. We conclude that hedgerows perform diverse functions for society and the farmer that are both economically and ecologically significant.     

塔里木河下游土地利用格局的景观生态学评价

利用 1 988— 2 0 0 0年新疆塔里木河下游TM影像解译的土地覆盖 (土地利用图 )和景观多样性指数、斑块重要值、破碎度、分维数等景观生态学指标 ,进行了塔里木河下游土地利用格局的空间分布和时间动态分析。     

The contribution of the paper cycle to global warming

Worldwide, paper production is a major industry that contributes about 3 percent of Gross World Product. The paper cycle involves a broad range of natural resource and environmental impacts because fiber supply relies on trees, paper manufacturing requires fuel inputs, and paper waste disposal can contribute to emissions of the potent greenhouse gas (GHG), methane (CH₄). In some countries, the paper cycle may be seen as a net sink for GHG because of reliance on renewable wood by-products and the maintenance of forest plantations. On a worldwide basis, however, this study demonstrates that the paper cycle is a significant contributor to GHG emissions, adding emissions at least comparable in magnitude to that of Australia each year. The estimated global warming contribution of paper in landfills is estimated to be similar to that of paper manufacturing processes, on a heating-equivalent basis. In some temperate regions, original old-growth forests are still harvested to supply pulpwood, resulting in a significant loss of carbon (C) storage. In theory, the paper cycle holds the promise of achieving zero net emissions if pulpwood production, consumption and disposal are carefully managed. In practice, even stabilization of emissions at current levels would be challenging and entail changes comparable to a 20 percent reduction in CH₄ generation from landfilled paper, and a 2.5 percent annual increase in plantation establishment would be needed to offset the projected increase in emissions from paper manufacturing.     

秦皇岛市发展循环经济与对策研究

客观地介绍了循环经济产生的社会背景及发展趋势、国内外发展循环经济的成功经验,阐述了发展循环经济的理论基础及实践意义,详细地提出了秦皇岛市发展循环经济的奋斗目标、实施对策.     

RIPARIAN COMMUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH PACIFIC NORTHWEST HEADWATER STREAMS: ASSEMBLAGES,PROCESSES, AND UNIQUENESS1

Riparian areas of large streams provide important habitat to many species and control many instream processes — but is the same true for the margins of small streams? This review considers riparian areas alongside small streams in forested, mountainous areas of the Pacific Northwest and asks if there are fundamental ecological differences from larger streams and from other regions and if there are consequences for management from any differences. In the moist forests along many small streams of the Pacific Northwest, the contrast between the streamside and upslope forest is not as strong as that found in drier regions. Small streams typically lack floodplains, and the riparian area is often constrained by the hillslope. Nevertheless, riparian‐associated organisms, some unique to headwater areas, are found along small streams. Disturbance of hillslopes and stream channels and microclimatic effects of streams on the riparian area provide great heterogeneity in processes and diversity of habitats. The tight coupling of the terrestrial riparian area with the aquatic system results from the closed canopy and high edge‐to‐area ratio for small streams. Riparian areas of the temperate, conifer dominated forests of the Pacific Northwest provide a unique environment. Forest management guidelines for small streams vary widely, and there has been little evaluation of the local or downstream consequences of forest practices along small streams.     

Potentials for Combating Desertification in Hunshandak Sandland Through Nature Reserve

Desertification directly threatens more than 250 million people and one third of the earths land surface. Although it is well known that desertification could be reversed in most cases if the intensity of land use were reduced, there have been no studies on how to achieve this reversed desertification on a large scale. We conducted a case study in Hunshandak Sandland of North China, exploring how creation of a nature reserve might aid restoration of a degraded ecosystem. Experimental data indicated that desertified regions, if designated as a nature reserve, could be restored with conservation of biodiversity. The buffer zones in moderately desertified lands could serve as a base for forage production and/or ecotourism industry. The construction of ecologically designed towns (ecotowns) in transition zones could accommodate migrants moved from core zones so as to develop stock production, related industry, and ecotourism, enabling both economic and environmental development. Up to now, 5778 local inhabitants in the core zones of Zhenglan Banner (county) in the Hunshandak Sandland have been moved out of the severely degraded areas with the financial assistance of the central government. Those people have been moved into three eco-towns of the Banner with an objective of greatly enhancing the economic and social status while restoring the degraded sandlands.     

加强水资源保护刻不容缓

从目前水资源匮乏和水质污染的状况入手,分析了影响原因,并从加强污染源管理、小城镇环保设施建设、控制农业污染、提高利用率、加强环境宣传力度等几方面提出保护水资源的对策与建议.