Higher education level teaching of (master’s) programmes in sustainable development: analysis of views on prerequisites and practices based on a worldwide survey

The concept of sustainable development (SD) has highly been debated since it was presented 25 years ago, with ‘hard science’ approaches on one side and more process-oriented approaches on the other side. Academic teaching in SD has emerged in response to this in very different contexts, partly mirroring this academic debate. Some master’s programmes in SD take a strong science approach, while other programmes focus on the process of implementing sustainability projects, sometimes connected with forms of action research and teaching. In this article, we identify diverse views on the concept of SD as well as views on most relevant modes of teaching. We discuss core competencies required for sustainability professionals in their working practices and we organise them in three main clusters: Know, Interact and Be (KIB). The article presents the results of a worldwide survey, which addresses these visions on the concept of SD, the capabilities needed for ‘sustainable development professionals’ and the teaching approach needed. The analysis is based on the responses of 54 lecturers and 287 students active in 34 SD master’s programmes on all continents. The results of this worldwide survey are discussed. We observe in practice some gaps between preferences and practice. Looking at what both lecturers and students see as essential topics to address, some topics get relatively less attention (like the population issue). The identified core competencies (KIB) are supported and all addressed in practice, while the ‘Be’ competencies receive relatively less attention. Suggested consequences for academic teaching include a further matching of programmes with perceived needs and bridging the gap between the experienced teaching approaches in practice with such identified needs.     

江西省上饶县农户水土保持投资行为机理与实证模型

以农户调查数据为基础,通过对农户水土保持行为机理分析,结合研究区域实际,确定区域经济发展水平、农户兼业经济行为、农业经营规模、劳动力状况等4大类因素为影响农户进行水土保持投入的主要因素,并进一步细化成9项具体指标。通过SPSS软件对各项指标与水土保持投入行为进行相关性分析,建立多元线性回归模型,发现农户兼业经济行为、农业经营规模是影响农户进行水土保持投入的主要限制因子。由于兼业和规模经营对农业收入的依赖程度较低,且防范农业风险的能力较强,农户往往不愿意进行水土保持投资。家庭收入主要来源于农业,以及农业人口比重较高的农户,往往会在水土保持上投入较多的时间和资金。针对农业劳动力不足、农业经营规模小等现状提出如何激励农户水土保持投资行为,以进一步促进水土流失治理的相关建议。     

社会化危化品应急救援队伍建设和服务模式探索

当前我国危化品行业事故频发,特别是危险源高度聚集的化工园区,风险因素的复杂性和事故后果的不确定性要求更高标准的应急救援力量为园区提供保障。提出了“企办政助”的社会化应急救援队伍建设模式,以大亚湾石化应急管理公司为实践主体,对危化品应急救援队伍建设机制和装备配备分析阐述,并对有偿性应急救援服务的开展进行了探索,初步形成了危化品“队伍培训-应急救援-有偿服务”的业务模式,为各级安全监管部门制定应急相关政策和标准提供了实践支持,亦对其他危化品应急救援队伍建设和培训有一定的借鉴参考价值。     

中国居民生活碳排放的区域差异及影响因素分析

论文在总结划分居民生活碳排放（HCEs）类别的基础上,以中国HCEs量为测度指标,从时间和空间两个角度对1997-2012年人均HCEs进行分析,同时对2012年人均HCEs的空间格局分布及影响因素进行分析。基本结论如下：根据划分方法,HCEs按照碳排放源可分为直接和间接碳排放;按照基本生活需求可分为基本和发展碳排放;按照人类消费行为可分为交通、居住、食品、商品及服务碳排放五大类。从时间尺度来看,中国各类别人均HCEs均呈现逐年上升趋势。从空间差异来看,1997-2012年,我国各省人均HCEs表现出共同的空间分布特征。从空间格局分布来看,2012年中国人均居民生活碳排放呈现从东到西递减的趋势。从空间计量模型角度看,2012年,人均居民生活基本碳排放比重是影响人均HCEs空间差异的主要驱动因子。此外,各地区人均收入和人均GDP的差异也对人均HCEs的空间差异起到正相关作用。基于对中国人均HCEs的时空格局及影响因素分析,为我国制定碳减排举措提供科学依据并提出有效建议。     

Using a model selection criterion to identify appropriate complexity in aquatic biogeochemical models

Aquatic biogeochemical models are widely used as tools for understanding aquatic ecosystems and predicting their response to various stimuli (e.g., nutrient loading, toxic substances, climate change). Due to the complexity of these systems, such models are often elaborate and include a large number of estimated parameters. However, correspondingly large data sets are rarely available for calibration purposes, leading to models that may be overfit and possess reduced predictive capabilities. We apply, for the first time, information-theoretic model-selection techniques to a set of spatially explicit (1D) algal dynamics models of varying parameter dimension. We demonstrate that increases in complexity tend to produce a better model fit to calibration data, but beyond a certain degree of complexity the benefits of adding parameters are diminished (the risk of overfitting becomes greater). The particular approach taken here is computationally expensive, but several suggestions are made as to how multimodel methods may practically be extended to more sophisticated models.     

Accessibility of starch to enzymatic degradation in injection-molded starch-plastic composites

Most of the starch in starch-polyethylene-co-acrylic acid (EAA)-polyethylene (PE) composites prepared by injection molding was not accessible to starch-hydrolyzing enzymes. Even when these composites were treated with enzyme in the presence of Triton X-100 for 96 h, little starch hydrolysis was observed. However, when the starch-plastic material was pulverized, both the extent and the rate of starch hydrolysis increased dramatically, with about 70% hydrolysis of the starch within 18 h. Reactions carried out for up to 96 h showed that, while the enzyme was active, the reaction reached a plateau, achieving a total of 80% starch hydrolysis. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that only starch, and not EAA or PE, was affected by enzyme in pulverized samples. Results indicated that while 80% of the starch in these composites was transiently inaccessible, perhaps due to EAA and PE forming an impermeable barrier to the enzyme, the other 20% remained inaccessible to enzymes. Also, the rate of starch digestion as determined by solubilized reducing sugar correlated with the particle size of the pulverized material, suggesting that a large available surface area is critical for rapid starch degradation in such composites.The mention of firms names or trade products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the firms or similar products not mentioned. All programs and services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, or handicap.     

First trimester serum screening for down's syndrome

Screening for Down's Syndrome has been shown to be effective at 10 weeks of pregnancy. A multicentre study (the First trimester serum screening study) has shown that there are two biochemical markers of choice at this time in pregnancy, namely pregnancy associated placental protein A (PAPP-A) and the free β-sub-unit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (free β-hCG). When used together with maternal age these two biochemical markers have an estimated detection rate of 62% and a 5% false-positive rate. The results are consistent with those obtained from a systematic review of the world literature. Other markers are less predictive of Down's syndrome though there is still some uncertainty over the value of dimeric inhibin-A at 10 weeks of pregnancy. Nuchal translucency measurement, from an ultrasound examination performed at about 10 weeks of pregnancy, is associated with Down's syndrome and is emerging as an important potential screening marker. At present there is uncertainty over its quantitative performance and performance when combined with biochemical markers. The resolution of these issues is currently the subject of active research. Ten week screening for Down's syndrome is an advance that is now technically possible though there is still insufficient information to justify its use in routine screening practice.     

ECCO模型:持续发展的全新定量分析方法

本文论述了持续发展的一种新的定量分析方法,即ECCO模型。该方法立足于能源,以能量强度来测试经济活动,主要计量单位是焦耳,而不是传统的货币单位。这一方法对持续发展的定量化研究有重大的意义。     

Kin composition effects on reproductive competition among queenless honeybee workers

Kin selection and inclusive fitness theories predict that, in hopeless queenless (QL) groups, competition or cooperation will occur over male production among workers of different patrilines. Competition is expected to involve mutual inhibition of reproduction and to affect fertility advertisement. To examine kin effect on these phenomena, we studied QL groups of honeybee workers comprising three types of kin structure: groups composed of pure single patrilines, groups composed of three mixed patrilines (all originating from colonies headed by single-drone-inseminated queens), and control groups composed of bees originating from naturally mated queens. Global assessment of ovarian development, irrespective of patriline composition, revealed no differences among group types. In contrast, the performance of specific patrilines revealed that, in the three-mixed-patriline groups, some patrilines were reproductively suppressed compared to their performance when reared as a pure single patriline, resulting in an uneven share of reproduction. Analysis of the fertility signal produced by Dufour's gland revealed kin composition effects, which may reflect the bees' competitive efforts. Although patriline effects on worker reproductive superiority have been shown in QL colonies, we were able to investigate specific patriline performance both in competitive and noncompetitive situations here for the first time. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that reproductive and pheromonal competitions in QL groups are affected by the number of subfamilies populating a colony and that these act as coalitions. The results also emphasize that within-colony heterogeneity, in the form of multiple patrilines, has far-reaching consequences on social evolution.     

Pollen foraging: learning a complex motor skill by bumblebees (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus terrestris</Emphasis>)

To investigate how bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) learn the complex motor skills involved in pollen foraging, we observed naïve workers foraging on arrays of nectarless poppy flowers (Papaver rhoeas) in a greenhouse. Foraging skills were quantified by measuring the pollen load collected during each foraging bout and relating this to the number of flowers visited and bout duration on two consecutive days. The pollen standing crop (PSC) in each flower decreased drastically from 0530 to 0900 hours. Therefore, we related foraging performance to the changing levels of pollen available (per flower) and found that collection rate increased over the course of four consecutive foraging bouts (comprising between 277 and 354 individual flower visits), suggesting that learning to forage for pollen represents a substantial time investment for individual foragers. The pollen collection rate and size of pollen loads collected at the start of day 2 were markedly lower than at the end of day 1, suggesting that components of pollen foraging behaviour could be subject to imperfect overnight retention. Our results suggest that learning the necessary motor skills to collect pollen effectively from morphologically simple flowers takes three times as many visits as learning how to handle the most morphologically complex flowers to extract nectar, potentially explaining why bees are more specialised in their choice of pollen flowers.