Efficacy of a Voluntary Area to Be Avoided to Reduce Risk of Lethal Vessel Strikes to Endangered Whales

Abstract: Ocean‐going vessels pose a threat to large whales worldwide and are responsible for the majority of reported deaths diagnosed among endangered North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Various conservation policies have been implemented to reduce vessel‐strike mortality in this species. The International Maritime Organization adopted the Roseway Basin Area to be avoided on the Scotian Shelf as a voluntary conservation initiative to reduce the risk of lethal vessel strikes to right whales. We initiated the Vessel Avoidance & Conservation Area Transit Experiment to evaluate the efficacy of this initiative because the effectiveness of the avoidance scheme in reducing risk without the imposition of vessel‐speed restrictions depends entirely on vessel‐operator compliance. Using a network of automatic identification system receivers, we collected static, dynamic, and voyage‐related vessel data in near real time from the Roseway Basin region for 12 months before and 6 months after the implementation of the area to be avoided. Using pre‐ and post‐implementation vessel navigation and speed data, along with right whale sightings per unit effort data, all resolved at 3′N latitude by 3′W longitude, we estimated the post‐implementation change in risk of lethal vessel strikes. Estimates of vessel‐operator voluntary compliance ranged from 57% to 87% and stabilized at 71% within the first 5 months of implementation. Our estimates showed an 82% reduction in the risk of lethal vessel strikes to right whales due to vessel‐operator compliance. We conclude that the high level of compliance achieved with this voluntary conservation initiative occurred because the area to be avoided was adopted by the International Maritime Organization. Our results demonstrate that international shipping interests are able and willing to voluntarily alter course to protect endangered whales.     

赤水河流域产业状况与综合流域管理策略

赤水河流域位于川、滇、黔3省接壤地带，流域面积 18 932 km2，流经贵州、云南、四川的13个县市。目前，赤水河流域依然是长江上游生态环境、水质最好的一级支流。促进流域环境保护与经济的协调发展，是地区在进行流域管理的难题。通过研究发现，赤水河流域上、中、下游具有显著的产业特点。上游主要以煤电行业为主，污染大，过度垦殖导致水土流失严重；中游以优质白酒为主导的轻工产业为主，但政府发展规划上却突出了重工业发展的重要性；下游地区具有良好的生态环境并开展了初步规模的自然生态旅游，但在产业发展上受到上、中游地区的严重影响和限制。因此，流域的产业发展对整个流域的环境保护和经济可持续发展的影响很大，而现行的流域管理却忽视了产业布局的整体考虑。通过赤水河流域环境问题和产业发展以及相互之间关系的分析，通过综合流域管理的思想，提出建立全流域统一的环境保护机制的策略，把流域的环境特点转化为经济发展的要素，促进流域环境的保护和经济的协调发展。     

中国入世与长江流域可持续发展

中国入世不仅对中国的社会经济产生深远影响，对长江流域的可持续发展也将产生深刻影响。主要的负面影响是：（1）长江流域的钢铁、汽车、化工、农业等产业将受到国际竞争的巨大挑战；（2）新开放、开发、投资、建设热将对长江流域的生态环境带来新的巨大压力。主要的正面影响是：（1）入世加快了各级政府的职能转变，政府转变职能使长江的保护进入一个历史的新阶段；（2）入世强化了绿色壁垒，绿色壁垒作为一种外的在强制将大大有利于长江生态环境的根本改善；（3）入世使中国进入了新的大开放时代，新的大开放背景将使世界在开发、保护诸方面都关注长江；（4）入世和申奥成功使中国大跨度的调水战略提前实施，中国和世界将进入“以水为核心”配置资源、布局经济的时代，这必将更加凸现长江流域开放、开发的重要性。     

长江流域水环境演化规律研究平台及切入点初探

对长江流域水环境演化规律的研究 ,应该针对国家迫切需要解决的、尤其是水质酸化和污染、洪涝灾害威胁加剧等水环境问题 ,提出科学的解释 ,为流域水环境修复提供基础理论。回顾和总结了 5 0多年来前人在长江流域水环境研究方面所取得的成果 ,这些成果为今后进一步开展研究构筑了良好的基础平台。对长江流域水环境的研究应出系统性、整体性和综合性 ,围绕长江干流水质保护和中游地区防洪两个重中之重 ,强化对水环境演变动力学机制的研究 ,摸清流域水、泥沙与污染物相互作用规律及其对水环境恶化的机制 ,建立流域水文、泥沙与水质之间非线性、复杂巨系统的耦合关系及其系统模拟。还提出了长江流域水环境研究的 7个切入点     

长江下游地区过去300年的气候变化

采用重建的合肥年冬季温度序列和降水序列分析了长江下游地区过去300年的气候变化。在温度序列中，18世纪的大部分，19世纪中期和20世纪的温度较为温暖，最暖的十年出现于1990s，而最冷的年代为1870s，该温度序列与邻近其它地区重建的温度序列具有很好的一致性。降水序列显示年至多年尺度的气候波动，湿期发生于1730s-1760s，1844-1854年，1866-1910年，而干期出现于1806-1825年，1855-1867年，以及20世纪的大部分。温度和降水间的关系表明，在年至十年尺度上，该地区气候变化主要以暖干或冷湿为主。     

PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL ASSESSMENT: THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE WATER RESOURCES OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN1

ABSTRACT: The Pacific Northwest (PNW) regional assessment is an integrated examination of the consequences of natural climate variability and projected future climate change for the natural and human systems of the region. The assessment currently focuses on four sectors: hydrology/water resources, forests and forestry, aquatic ecosystems, and coastal activities. The assessment begins by identifying and elucidating the natural patterns of climate vanability in the PNW on interannual to decadal timescales. The pathways through which these climate variations are manifested and the resultant impacts on the natural and human systems of the region are investigated. Knowledge of these pathways allows an analysis of the potential impacts of future climate change, as defined by IPCC climate change scenarios. In this paper, we examine the sensitivity, adaptability and vulnerability of hydrology and water resources to climate variability and change. We focus on the Columbia River Basin, which covers approximately 75 percent of the PNW and is the basis for the dominant water resources system of the PNW. The water resources system of the Columbia River is sensitive to climate variability, especially with respect to drought. Management inertia and the lack of a centralized authority coordinating all uses of the resource impede adaptability to drought and optimization of water distribution. Climate change projections suggest exacerbated conditions of conflict between users as a result of low summertime streamfiow conditions. An understanding of the patterns and consequences of regional climate variability is crucial to developing an adequate response to future changes in climate.     

黑河流域水资源可持续利用对策

水资源私有制和生态环境恶化已成为黑河流域面临的严重问题。本文分析了黑河流域水资源开发利用中存在的问题，在结合大量翔实数据的基础上，以水资源可持续利用为原则，提出了黑河流域水资源可持续利用的途径与措施。     

构建湘江流域生态补偿机制存在的问题研究

文章首先阐述了湘江流域自然水资源状况及其目前水质污染现状,分析了流域水污染对生态环境的不利影响.根据湘江流域在湖南省经济发展及人居环境中的战略地位,为保持水生态环境,保证流域水资源的可持续利用,提出构建湘江流域水资源生态补偿机制的必要性及需遵循六个主要基本原则.根据湘江流域的实际情况,从补偿责任难以界定、标准难以测算、模式单一与补偿环境局限四方面分析了构建流域水资源生态补偿机制所存在的问题.     

茅岭江流域入河污染源问题诊断及其防治对策研究

通过收集与调查2012年茅岭江流域范围内各类污染源排污及其污染物处理处置情况的基础数据,依据排污系数法和入河系数法核算污染物排放量及入河量.结果表明,城镇生活污染源污染物入河量最大,占总入河污染物量的36.3%;其次为畜禽养殖,占27.6%;第三为农村生活污染源,占13.9%;其它污染源排入的污染物入河量较少,占22.1%.文章还分析了流域内污染物主要来源于上述三种污染源的主要原因,并提出了相应的保护对策.     

辽宁省辽河流域水质污染特征分析

对辽宁省辽河流域主要污染物的污染特征进行研究,结果表明:监测点位中,45.46％的COD浓度为Ⅴ类或劣Ⅴ类,Ⅳ类水浓度占13.64％,Ⅲ类水为18.18％,其余为Ⅲ类以下,水质超标监测点位多位于辽河一级支流.16.67％的氨氮浓度为Ⅴ类或劣Ⅴ类,Ⅳ类水浓度占8.33％,Ⅲ类水为16.67％,Ⅲ类以下占比为58.33％.总氮监测数据显示,辽河流域58.33％的监测点位超Ⅴ类标准,总磷监测超标率为16.67％.从COD和氨氮污染特征看,支流污染是辽河流域重要的污染来源;总氮、总磷污染的来源主要来自于农业源和城市生活源.基于辽宁省辽河流域水质污染特征,提出流域水环境治理建议.