The utility of earth observation technologies in understanding impacts of land reform in the eastern region of Zimbabwe

Land tenure and land policies influence the spatial variations of land use/cover (LULC) at any given time or place. Thus, it is important to evaluate the role of land tenure policies on land cover changes. In this study, we evaluate the utility of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images in understanding the impacts of the 2000 fast track land reform (FTLR) policy on LULC in the eastern region, Zimbabwe. Landsat images for the year 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2011 were classified using traditional image classification techniques (i.e. the maximum likelihood (ML) classifier) in a geographic information system (GIS) environment. Results indicate that forested areas drastically decreased by approx. 30% between the year 2000 and 2005 (during and after the FTLR), while croplands marginally increased by (approx. 30%) the results further showed that slight increase in bare lands (degraded lands) and disturbed lands. The observed LULC changes after FTLR were mostly induced by human activities resulting from changes in land tenure. Overall, the findings of this study underscores the importance of remotely sensed data in assessing the impact of FTLR on forest resources for purposes of informed and sustainable forest management.     

人力资本对农业现代化的影响及动态转换实证

迈入经济新常态,农业现代化发展仍然是"新四化"中的薄弱环节与战略焦点。新时期如何推动农业现代化发展存在诸多争议,现有政策架构设计和任务聚焦虽然将农业现代化提到新的高度,但过多强调物质资本对农业现代化的推动作用,在"四化"同步新时期以及"谁来种粮"困境倒逼下政策效果并不显著,而且随着"四化"同步深化,这种不兼容性可能还会凸显。现实困境与制度背离催促政策调整和路径创新。为此,本研究从人力资本视角探求其对农业现代化的影响效应及其动态转换性,旨在对这种困境成因给予解答。基于相关量化数据,本文建立普通面板模型和门槛面板模型实证研究发现:我国省级样本跨期内,人力资本对农业现代化的影响效应显著为正,且相比其他变量其边际影响系数最大;人力资本对农业现代化的影响在不同人力资本积累水平和不同工业化阶段存在显著的动态转换特征:具体来说,随着人力资本积累深化或者说当人力资本跨越相应"门槛值"后其对农业现代化的影响强度亦会发生变化,但总体来说呈现"边际收益递减"规律。从工业化阶段层面来看,随着工业化阶段转变,人力资本作用与地位会愈发凸显,尤其是其跨越第三个门槛值后迈入第四阶段后,其对农业现代化的影响效应将达到最大。研究不但揭示了农业现代化发展的"人力资本之谜",也为"四化"同步新时期推动农业现代化发展和政策调整指引了方向。此外,从控制变量层面来,农业分工、农业结构对农业现代化影响显著为负,农业研发和工业化对农业现代化影响显著为正。最后,文章基于实证结论给出了相关政策建议。     

A meta‐analysis of studies on attitudes toward bears and wolves across Europe 1976–2012

The ranges of wolves (Canis lupus) and bears (Ursus arctos) across Europe have expanded recently, and it is important to assess public attitudes toward this expansion because responses toward these species vary widely. General attitudes toward an object are good predictors of broad behavioral patterns; thus, attitudes toward wolves and bears can be used as indicators to assess the social foundation for future conservation efforts. However, most attitude surveys toward bears and wolves are limited in scope, both temporally and spatially, and provide only a snapshot of attitudes. To extend the results of individual surveys over a much larger temporal and geographical range so as to identify transnational patterns and changes in attitudes toward bears and wolves over time, we conducted a meta‐analysis. Our analysis included 105 quantitative surveys conducted in 24 countries from 1976 to 2012. Across Europe, people's attitudes were more positive toward bears than wolves. Attitudes toward bears became more positive over time, but attitudes toward wolves seemed to become less favorable the longer people coexisted with them. Younger and more educated people had more positive attitudes toward wolves and bears than people who had experienced damage from these species, and farmers and hunters had less positive attitudes toward wolves than the general public. For bears attitudes among social groups did not differ. To inform conservation of large carnivores, we recommend that standardized longitudinal surveys be established to monitor changes in attitudes over time relative to carnivore population development. Our results emphasize the need for interdisciplinary research in this field and more advanced explanatory models capable of capturing individual and societal responses to changes in large carnivore policy and management.     

Runoff variation affected by precipitation change and human activity in Hailiutu River basin,China

For recent years,runoff generation and hydrological processes in Hailiutu River basin have been greatly changed by climate change and human activity,especially water and soil conservation construction.In this study,the trends in precipitation,evapotranspiration(ET)and river runoff as well as the effects of precipitation change and human activity on runoff variation have been studied.The results showed that during 1960-2000,annual precipitation and river runoff,monthly precipitation and ET in September and October as well as monthly runoff in all months showed a significant decrease.In addition,peak flow and base flow had a large decrease.Under the joint influence of precipitation change and human activity,the mean annual runoff decreased by 35 million m3 from the baseline period(1960-1985)to the change period(1986-2000),which accounted for 60.9%and 39.1%of the total runoff decrease,respectively.Precipitation change played a primary role in the decrease of annual runoff whereas human activity,particularly water and soil conservation construction,also had remarkable impacts on runoff variation.     

Producer-level benefits of sustainability certification

Initiatives certifying that producers of goods and services adhere to defined environmental and social-welfare production standards are increasingly popular. According to proponents, these initiatives create financial incentives for producers to improve their environmental, social, and economic performance. We reviewed the evidence on whether these initiatives have such benefits. We identified peer-reviewed, ex post, producer-level studies in economic sectors in which certification is particularly prevalent (bananas, coffee, fish products, forest products, and tourism operations), classified these studies on the basis of whether their design and methods likely generated credible results, summarized findings from the studies with credible results, and considered how these findings might guide future research. We found 46 relevant studies, most of which focused on coffee and forest products and examined fair-trade and Forest Stewardship Council certification. The methods used in 11 studies likely generated credible results. Of these 11 studies, nine examined the economic effects and two the environmental effects of certification. The results of four of the 11 studies, all of which examined economic effects, showed that certification has producer-level benefits. Hence, the evidence to support the hypothesis that certification benefits the environment or producers is limited. More evidence could be generated by incorporating rigorous, independent evaluation into the design and implementation of projects promoting certification.     

关于有序填海的思路与方法

填海造陆在扩展土地和发展经济的同时也对海岸带环境造成了不利影响。将有序人类活动贯穿于整个填海造陆过程,通过科学合理的规划、组织和实施而进行有序填海,从而增加填海造陆的积极效应,限制其破坏性影响,是实现海岸带可持续发展的必由之路。整体性、矛盾论、动态平衡和因地制宜是有序填海的基本观点。要实现有序填海,首先必须在对填海造陆的效益和损失进行科学评价的基础上进行可行性论证,然后制定不同尺度的填海规划并确定填海造陆的适宜规模,最后利用一系列有效方法加以实施,包括：维护海岸带自然系统功能、完善监督管理制度、实行生态补偿与生态系统重建、加速改良填海区环境等。     

河流中有机碳的环境效应及其研究方法概述

有机碳是地表各种环境介质中的重要化学组分,是生态系统中能量与物质循环的重要介质。有机碳作为河流榆移的主要物质,榆运过程中对周围环境产生的效应不容忽视。本文结合近年来国内外研究动态,探讨并总结了河流作为碳源／汇角色的作用,有机碳对重金属迁移过程和水体生产力产生的影响;指出随着人类活动影响的加剧,河流有机碳正发生着显著变化,并影响到我们自身的生活;总结了传统的研究有机碳的方法,并对正在发展的研究方法做一下探讨。     

一种航空装备系统中本质安全人的构建方法

据统计,各种事故因素中人为失误占80%,为提高航空装备系统的服役安全性,需要在其使用管理中构建本质安全人.在对本质安全人进行定义并分析构建必要性后,提出了航空装备系统本质安全人的构建方法,建立了人员安全行为控制模型,最后指出本质安全人可靠性增长与本质安全人的构建有着共同的努力方向.对于航空装备系统服役安全性的提高有一定...     

河北省人类活动环境压力的定量分析

借鉴物质流分析法和排污系数法构建了人类活动环境压力定量核算方法,特别是深化了行业层面物质流分析方法,对河北省经济社会系统在2000—2010年间的物质输入输出进行总体和分行业分析,探讨了河北省经济发展与环境压力的关系.研究结果表明,由物质流表征的人类活动对环境的压力强度明显增加,环境风险进一步加大;这一时期经济的快速增长主要依赖落后产能的数量扩张,与经济增长和环境压力相"脱钩"的循环经济的要求渐行渐远;钢铁、建材、电力三大行业的5个产业部门是工业物质总排放的绝对主体,并且是排放量增速最快、排放效率下降最快的主要部门;机动车尾气排放已经成为这一时期第三产业及生活领域物质排放量增速最快、影响愈来愈大的部门.     

某化工厂铬渣堆场及周边土壤重金属污染风险评估研究

针对某搬迁化工厂铬渣堆场及周边土壤,分层分区采集样品分析重金属含量,从生态和人体健康角度对土壤Cr,Ni,Cu,As进行风险评估。结果表明土壤Cr、Cr(Ⅵ)污染较为严重,集中在第一(0 m~1.5 m)和第二层(1.5 m~3 m);Cu、As、Ni污染较轻,集中在第一层。生态风险评估表明随深度增加,潜在生态危害指数降低。生态风险顺序为CrNiAsCu。健康风险评估表明各层土壤均存在Cr(Ⅵ)致癌风险,其余重金属在第一和第二层存在可接受非致癌风险。