Carbon values,reforestation, and `perverse' incentives under the Kyoto protocol: An empirical analysis

Economic incentives for sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) in forests may be an effective way to meet greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol (KP). But concerns have been raised that the KP may create unintended incentives to excessively harvest existing forests if regenerated forests qualify for carbon (C) credits under the reforestation provision of Article 3.3. This paper combines an analytical model of the optimal forest rotation with both timber and C as priced outputs with data on timber and C growth and yield to different forest settings in the U.S. C prices of $50 per megagram (Mg) – the highest price evaluated– can considerably lengthen forest rotations (40 years or more), raise forest land values (as much as $1,900 per hectare), and sequester more C in the long run (up to 60 percent per acre), relative to the base case of no C compensation. However, if C payments are made for the regenerated stand only, in some situations, it is optimal to immediately harvest an otherwise premature stand at C prices as low as $20/Mg. The strength of perverse incentives to accelerate harvesting of existing forest varies by forest type, region, C price level, and institutional factors relevant to the compensation system. If C compensation were extended to existing stands, as may be possible under Article 3.4 of the KP, the perverse incentives for prematurely harvesting existing stands would not exist.     

西藏花岗岩体含矿性的判别

西藏自治区花岗岩类十分发育．共有200多个岩体，可分成5个花岗岩带。由同熔型花岗岩与改造型花岗岩成带分布，组成对花岗岩带。本次利用玉龙等7个斑岩型铜矿岩体的18个样品及7个不含铜矿岩体的18个样品作为判别基础，建立了两个判别函数，然后对其它本知岩体样品进行判别．以确定它们含斑岩型铜矿的可能性。经对全区125个岩体310件样品多组逐步判别的结果，有42个岩体具含斑岩铜矿的可能性。     

抽气预处理法测定氰化物

作为水质全分析中的一项毒性含量指标，水中氰化物的测定是衡量水体中生物生存、人类饮用用水、工业生产用水安全的重要参数。但其含量监测方法水样预处理步骤繁琐、费时。论文提出用抽气预处理法测定氰化物．并通过对比试验证明，抽气法预处理法操作简便、省时、能耗小；通过在抽气过程中将整个装置处于常温负压条件下，基本解决了HCN外选、瓶爆裂等问题。论文除了对抽气法预处理一些探作条件进行了摸索并确定了最佳操作条件外还着重探讨了抽气法对复杂水体，如地表水、工厂处理后废水的适用性。     

高压排气放空噪声及消声设计

分析了石化企业中常见的排气放空噪声的原理及其影响因素,探讨了排气放空消声器的设计方法及技术要点.在一些厂中实施了本消声技术,均取得了优异的降噪效果.     

依法行政,促进环境执法的完善

环境执法是将环境法规中抽象的权利义务变成环境法中具体的权利义务的过程.环境执法是中国环境法制建设的一个重要组成部分.相关国家环保行政职能部门在行使行政权力时,享有很大的自由裁量权,他们能否合法有效地行使好行政权力,直接关系到国家的环保事业和发展.针对当前中国环境执法的现状及环境依法行政的重要意义,以期为政府制定相关环境执法政策、措施提供科学的决策依据和建议,提出了几点环境依法执法的构思:建立系统的、严谨的环境执法理论,树立崭新的执法理念,运用崭新的执法方式,严格依据法定程序办事,健全依法行政责任制和监督机制,推行政务公开,创建公正有效的执法环境.     

Experimental manipulation of colony genetic diversity had no effect on short-term task efficiency in the Argentine ant Linepithema humile

Genetic diversity might increase the performance of social groups by improving task efficiency or disease resistance, but direct experimental tests of these hypotheses are rare. We manipulated the level of genetic diversity in colonies of the Argentine ant Linepithema humile, and then recorded the short-term task efficiency of these experimental colonies. The efficiency of low and high genetic diversity colonies did not differ significantly for any of the following tasks: exploring a new territory, foraging, moving to a new nest site, or removing corpses. The tests were powerful enough to detect large effects, but may have failed to detect small differences. Indeed, observed effect sizes were generally small, except for the time to create a trail during nest emigration. In addition, genetic diversity had no statistically significant impact on the number of workers, males and females produced by the colony, but these tests had low power. Higher genetic diversity also did not result in lower variance in task efficiency and productivity. In contrast to genetic diversity, colony size was positively correlated with the efficiency at performing most tasks and with colony productivity. Altogether, these results suggest that genetic diversity does not strongly improve short-term task efficiency in L. humile, but that worker number is a key factor determining the success of this invasive species.Communicated by L. Sundström     

Spatially constrained clustering and upper level set scan hotspot detection in surveillance geoinformatics

We discuss upper level set (ULS) scan as a type of spatially constrained clustering in relation to two ways of imposing the spatial constraint, retrospectively versus progressively. We show that ULS scan produces the same results both ways; whereas two popular clustering techniques, single-linkage and K-means, can yield different results when spatial constraints are imposed retrospectively versus progressively. The ULS scan approach examines spatially connected components of a tessellation as a threshold is moved from the highest level (value) in the data to the lowest level. When the variable of interest on the tessellation is a rate of incidence, then a significance test is available based on binomial or Poisson null models and Monte Carlo techniques. This is a common context for detecting hotspots of diseases in epidemiological work. We also discuss an approach for extending the univariate methodology to accommodate multivariate contexts. Received: September 2005 / Revised: February 2006 This material is based upon work supported by (i) the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0307010, (ii) the United States Environmental Protection Agency under Grant No. CR-83059301 and (iii) the Pennsylvania Department of Health using Tobacco Settlement Funds under Grant No. ME 01324. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agencies.     

大气污染对植食昆虫的影响及作用机制

综述了植食昆虫对二氧化硫、氮氧化物、酸雨、臭氧和氟化物污染的不同反应 ,其基本规律是 :中低浓度的大气污染促进植食昆虫的生长、发育 ,较高浓度的大气污染抑制植食昆虫的生长 ,不同种类的昆虫反应不同 ,植食昆虫对臭氧污染的反应多变而没有较统一的规律。另外 ,还论述了植食昆虫对大气污染的反应机理 :一是大气污染→植物→昆虫途径 ,二是大气污染→生态系统→昆虫途径     

我国农村流动人口犯罪控制论

目前,我国流动人口犯罪率居高不下,严重危及着社会的安定,已成为社会各界关注的热点和解决的难点问题.流动人口犯罪的主要表现特征为主体的复杂性,犯罪的团伙性、流窜性、侵财性等.相对剥夺论是流动人口犯罪一种可行的理论阐释,有助于深化我们对流动人口犯罪的理解.加强和完善政府职能是控制流动人口犯罪行之有效的应对措施.     

一种新型微生物除臭剂的垃圾除臭实验

从广州市李坑垃圾填埋场附近的土壤样品中分离到具明显除臭效果的4株菌，根据垃圾恶臭的主要成分研制了微生物除臭菌剂。该微生物除臭剂对氨气、硫化氢、总烃、臭气浓度、细菌总数的去除率分别可达到83．3％、80．7％、62．5％、86．8％、87．0％，应用在广州的棠下、员村环卫站的垃圾转运、压缩的处理过程中，取得了满意的除臭效果。