Applying science to pressing conservation needs for penguins

More than half of the world's 18 penguin species are declining. We, the Steering Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Penguin Specialist Group, determined that the penguin species in most critical need of conservation action are African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), and Yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). Due to small or rapidly declining populations, these species require immediate scientific collaboration and policy intervention. We also used a pairwise-ranking approach to prioritize research and conservation needs for all penguins. Among the 12 cross-taxa research areas we identified, we ranked quantifying population trends, estimating demographic rates, forecasting environmental patterns of change, and improving the knowledge of fisheries interactions as the highest priorities. The highest ranked conservation needs were to enhance marine spatial planning, improve stakeholder engagement, and develop disaster-management and species-specific action plans. We concurred that, to improve the translation of science into effective conservation for penguins, the scientific community and funding bodies must recognize the importance of and support long-term research; research on and conservation of penguins must expand its focus to include the nonbreeding season and juvenile stage; marine reserves must be designed at ecologically appropriate spatial and temporal scales; and communication between scientists and decision makers must be improved with the help of individual scientists and interdisciplinary working groups.     

界遗产“突出的普遍价值”及其游客感知研究

成为世界遗产仅是遗产保护和价值阐释、传播的起点,但世界遗产“突出的普遍价值”(OUV)的评价问题一直存在着全球视野和本土意境下的阐释差异.文章以中国进入世界遗产名录和预备名录的三清山、九寨沟、江南水乡为例,阐释突出的普遍价值OtV(概念+十项评估标准+完整性和/或原真性+足够的保护和管理机制),提出了将国际语境与本土语境有机结合的OUV评价新标准.首先,OUV虽然是联合国教科文组织UNESCO在评选世界遗产时的主要依据,但在挣脱国家界限特别是要求当事国按照OUV的标准、惯例进行管理的过程中,存在价值丢失的问题.其次,虽然OUV是由UNESCO的专家委员会进行评价和比较分析得出(显然定性、无分值的),但通过强化量表设计过程的逻辑判断和理性对待信度和效度问题,OUV可以通过liket量表进行测量,结果显示OUV能够被公众理解和欣赏.再次,OUV的专家评价和公众评价既存在共性特征,亦存在差异特征(即价值丢失部分),并表现为不同的用途,遗产地的管理者如能将OUV的世界语境与本土化语境有机结合,能够避免价值丢失问题的出现.建议三清山在“奇峰怪石、峡谷幽云、植被生态、高空栈道”的OUV世界语境基础上,同样需要重视“道教名山”的本土化语境.建议江南水乡严格保护水乡古镇的外围水乡地域环境,它们对于理解江南水乡的OUV,特别是其完整性、原真性的必然要求都是不可或缺的.遗产地的管理者同样需要综合看待专家评价和公众评价.江南水乡案例生动的诠释,专家评价有其科学性和严肃性,“建构的原真性”、“后现代的原真性”,亦或是“存在的原真性”,它们永远不可能替代“客观的原真性”.考虑到OUV的阐释,公众评价同样有着重要的用途,特别是其社会教育意义、精神信仰和国家认同意义等.     

Stakeholder perceptions and practices regarding Prosopis (mesquite) invasions and management in South Africa

Invasive alien trees impact the environment and human livelihoods. The human dimensions of such invasions are less well understood than the ecological aspects, and this is hindering the development of effective management strategies. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to investigate the knowledge and perceptions of Prosopis between different stakeholder groups. Chi-squared tests, Welch ANOVAs, and Principle Component Analyses were run. Factors such as land tenure and proximity to invasions were especially important for explaining differences in perceptions and practices relating to Prosopis among different stakeholder groups. Most respondents were aware of Prosopis and considered it to be invasive (i.e., spreading). Costs associated with Prosopis were perceived to exceed benefits, and most stakeholders wanted to see a reduction in the abundance of Prosopis stands. The mean total cost for the management of Prosopis was US$ 1914 year⁻¹ per farm, where costs ranged from under US$ 10 to over UD$ 500 per ha based on invasion densities and objectives for control. The findings highlight the need for more effective management interventions.     

Lateral knowledge: shifting expertise for disaster management in Chile

Deemed as technocratic and exclusionary, disaster management has failed in its promise of knowing, let alone controlling, catastrophic events. Consequently, disaster managers are searching outside of science for sense‐making analytics. This paper analyses the emergent narratives articulated by disaster managers in Chile to cope with the uncertain nature of their object of intervention. It explores how knowledge of disasters is modified and enriched by disaster managers in what is termed here as ‘lateral knowledge’: the epistemic adjustment by which practitioners revalidate their expert status by expanding key assumptions about disaster risk reduction. The study, which draws on in‐depth interviews with disaster managers in Chile, suggests that lateral knowledge is established both through the increasing validation of community knowledge and the recognition of politics as a critical mediator in the practice of disaster management. The paper concludes by making the larger point that public understanding of science scholars should pay more attention to the adapting capacities of expertise.     

Selling displaced people? A multi‐method study of the public communication strategies of international refugee organisations

The world has seen a major increase in forced displacement since 2011. As a growing number of states implement restrictive refugee policies, public communication has become essential for refugee organisations. This study analysed, therefore, three international refugee organisations’ discursive strategies towards the recent Syrian crisis, as well as their production and the social context. A critical discourse analysis of international press releases (N=122) and six semi‐structured interviews with press and regional officers revealed that the observed actors largely dehumanise displaced people and subordinate them to the ‘Western self’ and state interests; displaced people hardly ever acquire their own voice. The study found that the medium characteristics of press releases and the importance of media attention result in a depersonalising humanitarian discourse. In addition, there were indications of a post‐humanitarian discourse that reproduced the humanitarian sector's ‘marketisation’. Finally, the examined organisations use the political realist cross‐issue persuasion strategy, displaying displaced people as resettlement objects.     

成套装置动态风险管理专家系统

传统的设备管理模式造成设备非计划停机次数较多、故障频繁、可靠性和可用性不高等问题。为了解决上述问题,开发了成套装置动态风险管理专家系统,该系统包括动态风险监控、数据存储、失效模式及损伤机理判别、动态风险评估、风险辅助分析5个流程。该系统通过GIS平台进行展示,使用户可以直观、方便地查找、定位管线和容器位置,实现了高风险设备的风险展示、管道剩余寿命不足报警功能和管道冲蚀图例展示。将该专家系统进行了工程应用,得到容器和管道的潜在损伤机及其风险等级,针对不同风险等级的设备,生成了不同的检维修策略,为工程应用带来了很大的方便。     

千年生态系统评估项目的后续计划——将知识转化为行动的全球战略

千年生态系统评估项目(MA)的后续计划是在MA的基础上,拟于近期启动的一项将知识转化为行动的全球战略计划。该后续计划提出了通过阻止和扭转生态系统服务的下降趋势来改善人类福祉状况的愿景,其总目标是争取把生态系统服务要素融入到各级公共部门和私营机构的决策当中,使其成为决策制定过程不可或缺的重要组成部分。这一总目标包括4个阶段目标：① 深入研究生物多样性、生态系统功能以及生态系统服务和人类福祉之间的内在联系,建立与完善生态系统服务方面的知识库,并开发将生态系统服务要素融入到经济社会发展决策当中所必需的有效工具;② 加强决策者的能力建设,并通过他们把生态系统服务要素融入到公共部门和私营机构的各级决策当中;③ 制定基于各种行动计划的传媒策略和教育手段,充分地将MA的成果提交给决策者及有关各方,最大程度地发挥MA的影响;④ 谋划未来的全球生态系统评估,探讨开展第2次全球生态系统评估的需求、对策及有关机制。     

基于智能算法的大气污染防控知识图谱：研究方法、演化路径与应用展望

大气污染防控是保障人民健康与生命安全重要的研究课题,智能算法是大气污染防控及预测预警的重要工具手段。通过Citespace对Web of Science核心数据库中1998—2021年智能算法在大气污染防控中应用的文献进行可视化分析。结果表明：(1)智能算法在大气污染防控应用历经“数理统计-遥感监测-数字模拟-神经网络算法”四个阶段;(2)研究主题集聚为“神经网络模型”“智慧健康检测系统”和“城市空间的大气污染”三个核心聚类演变路径;(3)应用方式包括“大气污染时空分布”“大气污染因素相关性”“大气污染事件预测”“空气质量优劣评估”与“健康韧性城市应用”五个方面。未来智能算法在大气污染防控中的应用趋势,将体现“高精度预测-全周期评估-健康化理念”的特点。     

基于关系数据库的环境监测知识库的建立

“环境监测专家系统”可有效监控环境污染状况 ,对环境污染作分析、评价、分级、预警等 ,促进环境的管理和改善。环境监测知识库是该专家系统的核心 ,通过知识库 ,专家系统可以自我学习 ,自我诊断 ,自我发展。本文通过对知识库和数据库的分析比较 ,指出在关系数据库平台上建立环境监测知识库的可行性 ,给出了在关系数据库系统中建立环境监测知识库的方法 ,即如何在关系数据库环境中实现环境监测知识获取、表示和管理     

A transformative mission for prioritising nature in Australian cities

Australia is experiencing mounting pressures related to processes of urbanisation, biodiversity loss and climate change felt at large in cities. At the same time, it is cities that can take the leading role in pioneering approaches and solutions to respond to those coupling emergencies. In this perspective piece we respond to the following question: What are the required transformations for prioritising, valuing, maintaining and embracing nature in cities in Australia? We adopt the mission framework as an organising framework to present proposed pathways to transform Australian cities as nature-positive places of the future. We propose three interconnected pathways as starting actions to steer urban planning, policy and governance in Australian cities: First, cities need to establish evidence-based planning for nature in cities and mainstream new planning tools that safeguard and foreground urban nature. Second, collaborative planning needs to become a standard practice in cities and inclusive governance for nature in cities needs to prioritise Aboriginal knowledge systems and practices as well as look beyond what local governments can do. Third, for progressing to nature-positive cities, it is paramount to empower communities to innovate with nature across Australian cities. Whilst we focus on Australian cities, the lessons and pathways are broadly applicably globally and can inspire science-policy debates for the post COP15 biodiversity and COP26 climate change implementation processes.