Linking Nitrogen Export to Landscape Heterogeneity: The Role of Infrastructure and Storm Flows in a Mediterranean Urban System

Urban ecosystems are often sources of nonpoint source (NPS) nitrogen (N) pollution to aquatic ecosystems. However, N export from urban watersheds is highly variable. Examples of densely urbanized watersheds are not well studied, and these may have comparatively low export rates. Commonly used metrics of landscape heterogeneity may obscure our ability to discern relationships among landscape characteristics that can explain these lower export rates. We expected that differences not often captured by these metrics in the relative cover of vegetation, structures, and impervious surfaces would better explain observed variation in N export. We examined these relationships during storms in residential watersheds. Contrary to expectations, land cover did not directly predict variation in N or water export. Instead, N export was strongly linked to drainage infrastructure density. Our research highlights the role of fine‐scaled landscape attributes, mainly infrastructure, in explaining patterns of N export from densely urbanized watersheds. Changes to hydrologic flow paths by infrastructure explained more variation in N export than land cover. Our findings support further development of landscape ecological models of urban N export that focus on hydrologic modification by infrastructure rather than traditional landscape measures such as land use, as indicators for evaluating patterns of NPS nitrogen pollution in densely urbanized watersheds.     

Toward an Alignment of Stormwater Flow and Urban Space

Urban stormwater practices are individually diverse, but they are components of an overall urban watershed system. This study proposes a conceptual model of that system, including its component spatial areas, their arrangement along the flow route, and their associations with urban land uses and values. The model defines three spatial areas along the flow route which have evolved over time into their present forms: (1) the source area, which is arranged and furnished primarily or entirely for human use, accommodation, and comfort; (2) the perimeter area, where specialized stormwater facilities carry away source‐area runoff or buffer downstream areas from its impacts; and (3) the downstream area, which receives the discharges from the perimeter or directly from the source area. Each area presents a specific combination of stormwater features and human interactions, and excludes others. Considering stormwater flows and functions in the context of physical urban spaces brings into view the spaces’ urban structures and interacting agendas. This model allows practitioners to navigate conceptually through the system, and to focus appropriate objectives and structures on each project site.     

Coupling of the Water Cycle with Patterns of Urban Growth in the Baltimore Metropolitan Region,United States

Regional municipal water plans typically do not recognize complex coupling patterns or that increased withdrawals in one location can result in changes in water availability in others. We investigated the interaction between urban growth and water availability in the Baltimore metropolitan region where urban growth has occurred beyond the reaches of municipal water systems into areas that rely on wells in low‐productivity Piedmont aquifers. We used the urban growth model SLEUTH and the hydrologic model ParFlow.CLM to evaluate this interaction with urban growth scenarios in 2007 and 2030. We found decreasing groundwater availability outside of the municipal water service area. Within the municipal service area we found zones of increasing storage resulting from increased urban growth, where reduced vegetation cover dominated the effect of urbanization on the hydrologic cycle. We also found areas of decreasing storage, where expanding impervious surfaces played a larger role. Although the magnitude of urban growth and change in water availability for the simulation period were generally small, there was considerable spatial heterogeneity of changes in subsurface storage. This suggests that there are locally concentrated areas of groundwater sensitivity to urban growth where water shortages could occur or where drying up of headwater streams would be more likely. The simulation approach presented here could be used to identify early warning indicators of future risk.     

Evaluating Local Benefits from Conservation in Nepal’s Annapurna Conservation Area

Protected areas are integral to the global effort to conserve biodiversity, and, over the past two decades, protected area managers have begun to recognize that conservation objectives are next to impossible to achieve without considering the needs and concerns of local communities. Incentive-based programs (IBPs) have become a favored approach to protected area management, geared at fostering local stewardship by delivering benefits tied to conservation to local people. Effective IBPs require benefits to accrue to and be recognized by those experiencing the greatest consequences as a result of the protected area, and those likely to continue extractive activities if their livelihood needs are compromised. This research examines dispersal of IBP benefits, as perceived by local residents in Nepal's Annapurna Conservation Area. Results reported here are based on questionnaire interviews with 188 households conducted between September and December 2004. Results indicate that local residents primarily identify benefits from social development activities, provisions for resource extraction, and economic opportunities. Overall, benefits have been dispersed equally to households in villages on and off the main tourist route, and regardless of a household's participation in tourism. However, benefits are not effectively targeted to poorer residents, those highly dependent on natural resources, and those experiencing the most crop damage and livestock loss from protected wildlife. This article provides several suggestions for improving the delivery of conservation incentives.     

太湖上游城市宜兴城区主干道路径流污染特征解析

通过监测2015年8月—2016年9月7场典型降雨事件,系统分析太湖上游城市宜兴城区3个不同功能区(环科园、新城区和老城区)主干道路径流污染特征.研究表明:宜兴市城区主干道路径流浊度、COD、TN、NH_3-N、TP浓度分别为(77.2±66.9)NTU、(97.2±79.7)、(3.0±1.9)、(0.93±0.59)和(0.35±0.36)mg·L~(-1).COD和TN超出地表水环境Ⅴ类标准,是该地区径流特征污染物.降雨过程中污染物浓度整体呈下降趋势,伴随有不同程度的波动,主要受地表残留污染物及降雨强度的影响.3个区域TN浓度差异不大,且主要以溶解态存在(60%);环科园、新城区TP浓度差异不大,且主要以颗粒态存在(70%);然而,受居民生活活动的影响,老城区TP主要以溶解态存在(60%).此外,受交通及道路坡度影响,新城区道路径流浊度和COD污染最为严重.不同降雨事件径流污染物浓度变化较大,主要受干期长度和降雨强度的影响.干期长度越长、降雨强度越小,污染物累积量及可冲刷量越大.因此,加强控制宜兴市道路初期径流、路面颗粒物、径流颗粒物和TN以及老城区TP,对保护径流主要受纳水体南溪水系及太湖水体具有重要意义.     

乌海－鄂托克－乌斯太地区环境质量现状评价

本文对乌海－鄂托克－乌斯太地区社会经济、产业结构、污染物排放现状、变化趋势等情况进行了分析,找出了该区域环境污染成因,最终有针对性提出了几点建议。     

北运河下游典型河网区水体中氮磷分布与富营养化评价

选择北运河下游典型河网区(闸坝多、水流慢和湖库化)为研究对象,通过为期1 a的水质监控,阐述了河网区氮、磷的时空变化特征,并利用对数型幂函数普适指数公式对其水体营养状态进行了评价.结果表明,河网区水体中TN平均质量浓度为12.50 mg.L-1(NH4+-N占67.41%),TP为1.45 mg.L-1(SRP占80.81%).河网区水体中氮、磷的时空分布特征明显,TN和NO 3--N质量浓度随季节变化特征趋于一致,NH 4+-N稍有不同;TP和SRP质量浓度随季节变化特征基本一致.从河网区进水带至出水带,水体中氮、磷质量浓度均呈逐渐下降趋势,其中TN、NH4+-N和NO3--N平均质量浓度分别从19.30、13.22和2.19mg.L-1降至7.98、4.45和1.50 mg.L-1;TP和SRP分别从1.95和1.59 mg.L-1降至1.11和0.91 mg.L-1.富营养化评价综合指数表明,河网区水体在时空尺度上均处于"极富"营养状态.     

基于农业自然风险综合评价的高标准基本农田建设区划定方法研究

大规模建设高产稳产、旱涝保收的高标准基本农田是当前土地整治的重要任务,论文从分析区域防灾减灾能力入手,将农业生产自然风险综合评价引入高标准基本农田建设区划定,在识别区域主要风险类型的基础上,应用可变模糊集理论,借助GIS 方法,划分综合风险等级,根据风险强度和整治可行性划定高标准基本农田建设区。结合对关中地区的实例分析,研究表明：①使用可变模糊集理论,综合考虑各单因子风险差异,可减少风险定量化的模糊不确定性;②综合风险由致灾因子危险性和承灾体脆弱性共同决定,风险评价结果可为筛选高标准基本农田建设适宜区提供依据;③综合风险等级、集中连片程度和整治潜力共同确定土地整治时序,可为划定高标准基本农田建设区和确定整治规划提供参考。     

高海拔地区生态可持续发展策略刍论

通过生物多样性调查及参照国内外对该区域的研究资料基础上,充分认识了高海拔地区基本特点及其重要性,系统阐述了目前高海拔地区在生态可持续发展过程中所面临的问题及限制因素,提出全面开展生物多样性调查,确立生态保护优先区,建立保护区网络,加强区域物质、科技、人才等基础建设,建立健全生态保护投入机制,加强立法与监管,实行合理的生态移民政策等区域生态可持续发展策略,为当前和今后我国高海拔地区的区域开发及进一步开展生态领域研究提供参考。     

湖北省随县农村居民点整治现实潜力测算及整治策略——基于农户意愿的调查分析

农村居民点整治是土地整治规划的核心问题。研究采用实地调查法和多因素综合评价法,在统筹国家政策、农户意愿和建立自然-经济-社会-生态-规划综合修正指标体系的基础上,科学测算了随县各乡镇农村居民点整治现实潜力,并提出适宜整治策略。研究结果:①随县18个乡镇综合修正系数介于5.15%~9.84%之间,表明理论潜力转变为现实潜力的可能性具有较大地域差异;②2011-2020年随县农村居民点整治现实潜力为2 035.23 hm²,占理论潜力的17.80%,占现状农村居民点用地面积的10.01%;③可优先在潜力大的乡镇建立整治示范区,创新土地整治模式,有序推进农村居民点整治。该研究测算方法及整治策略具有一定的科学性和实用性,可为新一轮农村居民点整治提供更为有效的依据和参考。