ON THE MEASUREMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF PUBLIC PROJECTS FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE1

ABSTRACT: The major objectives are (1) to identify the problems involved in measuring the environmental impacts of public projects from selected perspectives, and (2) to elaborate a sociological approach used in an empirical investigation in that respect. The construct of environmental impact of a planned action is generally operationalized from different perspectives and with different methodological emphases in the various disciplines. Even the term environment does not elicit agreement among users as to its exact meaning. Although there has been a steady increase in the number of studies from a sociological perspective concerning environmental problems, there is lack of sociological counsel in writing environmental impact statements. Overall, we lack sociological methodology and operational procedures for that purpose. In an attempt to bring some empirical focus to this field, attitudinal measures employed to discover how residents of a river basin perceived negative and positive environmental impacts of a proposed watershed development project are reviewed. These come from a study of creation of the Cooper Reservoir and Dam in Texas. Data on 343 heads of households m the selected areas were collected through structured questionnaires with items on personal information, a vested interest scale, a knowledge of the project scale, and an environmental impact scale. Data show that perception of impacts by residents is influenced significantly by degree of their vested interests involved. Variables for inclusion in a sociological model of environmental impact are suggested.     

Vietnamese Uplands: Environmental and Socio-Economic Perspective of Forest Land Allocation and Deforestation Process

Vietnam, in the ongoing transition to market economies, has to cope with high rural poverty and a dramatic process of forest loss and environment degradation, particularly in the mountainous regions. The government considers rural poverty as the main cause of environment degradation, associated with slash-and-burn cultivation and to an unclear definition of property rights on forest land. In 1993, the government launched a Forest Land Allocation programme aiming to lease forest lands to individual households and, on this basis, to solve food security problems, halt the increasing environment degradation and preserve the remaining forests.To evaluate the results of this land reform policy, two upland pilot communes have been intensively monitored. The environmental and economic impacts of the forest land reform allocation in the two study areas are presented, after providing a background on the Vietnamese situation of mountain zones. On the basis of these findings, it is discussed as to whether the current forest land allocation process may actually promote local development and natural resources conservation, and under what conditions. Deforestation problems must be tackled also with new macroeconomic policies (e.g. credit programmes to support sustainable agriculture practices) and social policy (e.g. reduction of demographic pressure), together with the reform of the State institutions (e.g. State Forest Enterprises) involved in management of the forest areas.     

隧道排污量估算与治污效果预测

通过隧道排污量和排污效果的简单分析，指出了其排污治理过程中应注意的有关事项，如进 行人口控制，改善居民的生活方式，提高环境保护意识和治理技术等，所述分析方法可供其它类似 工程参考。     

广西典型岩溶水系统环境中222Rn的分布及指示意义

放射性同位素氡222是来源于地层中铀衰变生成的惰性元素.由于其半衰期只有3.82d，且其活度在地下水和地表水中差异显著，近年来氡在水文学中的应用日渐兴起.但²²²Rn在岩溶环境中的分布和行为特征少有研究.以广西三个典型岩溶水系统为例，研究²²²Rn在包气带、非饱和带和饱水带中的浓度分布和指示意义.发现²²²Rn在上部包气带中的活度不足500Bq/m³，但在非饱和带中有局部异常高区，与局部小地质构造的分布有关.在饱水带中，地下水的滞留时间、不同地下水组分的混合和氡运移的距离等是导致²²²Rn活度差异的原因.管道介质的²²²Rn活度比裂隙介质的高；含水介质土壤覆盖层大的比土壤浅薄的普遍高.在大型岩溶水系统的排泄区，地下水补给河流，河流也可能短暂反补地下水，由于地下水和河流²²²Rn的差异显著，²²²Rn可能成为地下水-地表水相互作用研究的理想示踪剂.     

The role of stand history in assessing forest impacts

Air pollution, harvesting practices, and natural disturbances can affect the growth of trees and forest development. To make predictions about anthropogenic impacts on forests, we need to understand how these factors affect tree growth. In this study the effect of disturbance history on tree growth and stand structure was examined by using a computer model of forest development. The model was run under the climatic conditions of east Tennessee, USA, and the results compared to stand structure and tree growth data from a yellow poplar-white oak forest. Basal area growth and forest biomass were more accurately projected when rough approximations of the thinning and fire history typical of the measured plots were included in the simulation model. Stand history can influence tree growth rates and forest structure and should be included in any attempt to assess forest impacts.     

人与居室环境

本文通过对居室环境概念的阐述,剖析了人与居室环境功能的关系,并指出了居室环境对人行为的规范作用及营造良好居室环境的重要性。     

酒泉地区城镇体系可持续发展构想

酒泉地区城镇类型较多，城镇体系中的许多关系需要统筹协调，本文侧重从城镇的规模和空间关系分析，城乡一体化和区一发展，基础产业和环境建设等三个角度，探讨了区域城市可持续发展问题。     

缙云山银木荷(Schima argentea Pritz.ex Diels)林物种组成与多样性变化

定位研究了25a来缙云山银木荷林物种组成及多样性在自然演替过程中的动态变化。结果表明,银木荷林维管植物物种由57种(隶属于24科,46属)减少到38种(隶属于19科,26属)。林下草本和层间植物逐渐消失,胸径大于7.5cm的乔木层树总胸断面积有所减少。尽管群落物种组成以及多样性发生改变,但是银木荷依然是优势树种,处于林冠层,而林冠亚层的白毛新木姜子、四川山矾、长蕊杜鹃逐渐增多,短刺米槠逐渐减少。群落乔木层4个α多样性指数都呈下降趋势,丰富度指数由2.98下降为1.99,Shannon-Wiener指数25a间减小了0.34,Simpson指数和Pielou指数变化都很小;β多样性分析结果显示,银木荷群落的物种差异很大。研究表明,25a间群落物种差异显著。揭示缙云山银木荷林自然演替过程中的物种组成和多样性变化规律,可为缙云山保护区及长江流域中上游亚热带常绿阔叶林的银木荷群落的管理提供一定的参考价值。     

Trend in the Status of Breeding Bird Fauna in British Columbia, Canada, Based on the IUCN Red List Index Method

Abstract:  The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List Index (RLI) is used to measure global trends in the status of biodiversity. We examined how the index might be used to measure the trend in the status of indigenous breeding birds in British Columbia between 1992 and 2006. We followed the RLI method described by Butchart et al. (2004, 2007) as closely as possible . Because IUCN Red List assessments at the regional level are not available in British Columbia, we used NatureServe S (subnational) ranking data. We calculated three index trend lines. The first two of these allowed us to compare an index based on our original data to one based on data that had been retrospectively corrected; the latter produced a smooth, flat line. A third trend line, based on the corrected data but excluding species new to province since 1947, produced a gently sloping downward trend. Ongoing immigration of bird species in and out of British Columbia added to the complexity of interpreting our regional RLI-type index, especially because our S-rank data did not incorporate transboundary "rescue" effects. Because the RLI is scaled so that the maximum value is based on a state in which all species are simultaneously ranked as least concern, it may exaggerate the highest potential status of intrinsically vulnerable species. A simpler, more intuitive graphic allows reporting that is less dependent on context. We believe the RLI approach holds useful innovation for an indicator of change in biodiversity within jurisdictional boundaries.