Towards phosphorus sustainability in North America: A model for transformational change

Global food production and security rely heavily on finite reserves of newly mined phosphate for fertilizers. However, systemic inefficiencies result in the deposition in aquatic ecosystems of much of the phosphorus mined for food production causing costly eutrophication problems that damage aquatic ecosystems and human health. The Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (SPA, formerly named North American Partnership for Phosphorus Sustainability) was created to implement sustainable phosphorus solutions through active engagement of stakeholders in both the private and public sectors. This paper describes a conceptual model of transformative change to a sustainable phosphorus system for the North American region. The model emerged from discussions at a series of formal and informal meetings held in conjunction with a ‘Future of Phosphorus’ event (National Science Foundation’s Phosphorus Sustainability Research Coordination Network) and an inaugural SPA Board meeting. Model development drew on the multi-level perspective of socio-technical transitions to develop a series of pathways to a transformed phosphorus system. The uses of the model and transition pathways are discussed in terms of their potential to form an important first step towards the development of a regional vision for improved phosphorus sustainability. The process provides an example of how research in sustainability science can contribute to action on environmental improvement.     

Midnight at the oasis: does restoration change the rigs-to-reefs debate in the North Sea?

ABSTRACT

In the North Sea, many oil and gas fields will reach the end of their productivity and their associated structures will be decommissioned. OSPAR decision 98/3 prescribes removal of all disused offshore structures as the only acceptable decommissioning option. This policy is the legacy of the 1995 Brent Spar incident, which resulted in the current dominant discourse of ‘Hands off the Oceans,’ ruling out the conversion of oil and gas rigs into artificial reefs (Rigs-to-Reefs (RtR)). The shift from a conservation to a restoration paradigm could open up the RtR debate. In this paper, a discourse analysis is carried out to discern whether and how ideas about RtR and ecosystem restoration are articulated to challenge the dominant ‘Hands off the Oceans’ discourse and thereby bring about change in North Sea decommissioning policy. A discourse analytic framework is applied to elucidate whether an ‘RtR as Restoration’ discourse can be distinguished and how competing claims are presented in the various storylines. Our analysis shows an ‘RtR as Restoration’ discourse, consisting of four different storylines. Given the fragmented nature of this discourse, the ‘RtR as Restoration’ discourse will not overcome the dominant ‘Hands off the Oceans’ discourse.     

华北地区主要农业灾害及灾情分析

本文分析了华北地区农业灾害发生的气象背景,并利用1981～1990年的农业统计资料分析了华北地区的农业灾情状况及因灾而造成的粮、棉损失量。华北地区单位耕地面积的受灾率及成灾率分别为47.3%和23.0%,大致相当于二年一遇灾和四年一成灾。华北地区因农业灾害而造成的粮、棉损失量平均每年为397.0和34.5万吨,粮、棉损失率分别为4.9%及15.3%。     

Pulpwood,pesticides, and people. Controlling spruce budworm in northeastern North America

The eastern spruce budworm is a major forest pest over the continental range of the spruce-fir forest ecosystem and its southern ecotonal fringes in Canada and the northeastern United States. The current budworm outbreak illustrates the difficulty of arriving at economically sound and publicly acceptable forest pest control policies. Policies ranging from no use of chemical control to annual widespread crop protection have been adopted. There is no single all-around best policy for spruce budworm control. Chemical spray programs have demonstrably slowed the normal progress of mortality due to budworm, but have not eradicated the pest. Where industry remains heavily dependent on a fully utilized spruce-fir forest, no easy, low-cost solutions to the budworm problem exist. Reliance on spraying will have to be reduced and plans made to utilize higher levels of tree mortality and to manage the forest for lower future vulnerability.     

Economics of an ecotourism operation in Belize

The economic inputs and outputs for the Possum Point Biological Station in Belize during 1990–1992 are described to illustrate some aspects of an ecotourism operation. Eight hundred fifty-four people in 59 groups visited Possum Point during the study period to tour rain forests, estuaries, and coral reefs. The economic input to Possum Point from these groups increased from $74,552 in 1990 to $166,268 in 1992. Outputs were for license fees, capital improvements, goods and services, labor, fossil fuels, and development of a historic sugar mill site. An annual donation was also made to a scholarship fund for local Belizean students. The net cash balance of income and outputs changed from negative (−$6678) in 1990 to positive (+$4811) in 1992, suggesting development of the economic operation. Possum Point meets the economic criteria for ecotourism by feeding back some tourist monies for community and environmental support, particularly donations for the sugar mill site and the scholarship fund. Most of the outputs from Possum Point (about 80%) were retained in the local economy through employment and purchases, which have a positive influence on the local community. We conclude that ecotourism operations, such as Possum Point, offer important sustainable development opportunities for Belize.     

中国和美国冷原子吸收分光光度法测汞的比较

我国已加入WTO，国际间的合作日益加强。环境监测部门不仅要了解本国本行业的规范，还应了解世界，了解国外的标准分析方法。对中国和美国的4种冷原子吸收分光光度法测定汞作了比较；提出用冷原子吸收分光光度法测定汞时，应按照不同的样品及不同的要求，选择合适的方法以实现质量控制的要求。     

"南水北调(东线)"宿迁沿线水质现状及水污染防治

对“南水北调（东线）”宿迁沿线的水质进行了调查，发现“南水北调”工程实施后，调水（宿迁段出水）水质有可能达不到国家要求的地表水Ⅲ类标准。为此，提出了一些污染防治措施。     

藏北中西部大地构造单元划分及地质意义

调研区位于冈瓦纳大陆北缘。中生代以来班公湖—怒江洋及雅鲁藏布江洋相向俯冲、消亡，形成多岛弧—盆系洋陆的转化和陆内汇聚—高原隆升，构成了极复杂的构造格局。根据藏北1：25万邦多幅、措麦幅地质调查成果及区域前人资料综合分析，以多岛弧盆造山模式为理论，认为在Ⅰ级大地构造单元班公湖—怒江结合带及拉达克—冈底斯—拉萨—腾冲陆块上，由北至南可进一步划分晚侏罗世前陆盆地、白垩纪残余海盆、阿索构造混杂岩、燕山期岩浆弧、中生代复合弧后盆地、断隆带、晚燕山—喜马拉雅期岩浆弧带及新近纪—第四纪南北向地堑等Ⅱ级大地构造单元，将复杂的造山活动遗迹进行了有序的时空配置。     

N2O emissions from agricultural soils in the North China Plain:the effect of chemical nitrogen fertilizer and organic manure

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粤北地区尾矿库遥感调查与生态环境评价

运用遥感技术,对粤北地区尾矿库进行调查发现,粤北地区尾矿库主要包括金属矿山、非金属矿山、选冶场所尾矿库,安全隐患较多,环境污染较为突出,地质灾害风险明显,二次矿山资源浪费较为严重。近年来,广东省及各市县等地方政府部门加强了对粤北地区尾矿库的管理,取得了一定的成效,未来应进一步加强监管和治理力度,提高尾矿资源利用水平。