Changes in fuelwood use and selection following electrification in the Bushbuckridge lowveld, South Africa

Fuelwood is the primary energy source for domestic purposes throughout the developing world, in both urban and rural environments. Due to the detrimental impacts of biomass use on human and environmental health, many governments have sought to reduce its use through provision of potentially cleaner energies, of which electricity is the dominant form. Yet there are surprisingly few studies of changes in fuelwood use following the introduction of electricity, especially in rural areas of Africa. This paper reports on a longitudinal study of fuelwood use, using identical approaches, in five rural villages in the Bushbuckridge region of South Africa, spanning the period over which electricity became widely available. Almost a decade after the introduction of electricity, over 90% of households still used fuelwood for thermal purposes, especially cooking, and the mean household consumption rates over the 11-year period had not changed, even with a policy of 6 kWh per month of free electricity. The proportion of households purchasing fuelwood had increased, probably in response to a number of factors, including (i) increased fuelwood scarcity in the local environment as reflected by increased fuelwood collection times, changes in fuelwood species preferences, and ranking of scarcity by local collectors, and (ii) increases in the price of fuelwood well below that of other fuels and the prevailing inflation rate. Overall, there was an increase in the number of species harvested over the 11-year period. The implications of these findings for rural energy provision are discussed.     

Trees as brokers in social networks: Cascades of rights and benefits from a Cultural Keystone Species

Indigenous trees play key roles in West African landscapes, such as the néré tree (Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) R.Br. ex G.Don). We applied social–ecological network analysis to understand the social–ecological interactions around néré. We documented the benefits néré provides and the multiple social interactions it creates amongst a large range of actors. The flows of rights over the trees and benefits from them formed two hierarchical networks, or cascades, with different actors at the top. The two forms of power revealed by the two cascades of rights and benefits suggest possible powers and counter-powers across gender, ethnicity, and age. We documented how the tree catalyses social interactions across diverse groups to sustain vital social connections, and co-constitute places, culture, and relationships. We argue that a paradigm shift is urgently needed to leverage the remarkable untapped potential of indigenous trees and Cultural Keystone Species in current global restoration and climate change agendas.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01733-z.     

间伐对马尾松人工林林下植物多样性的短期和长期影响

探讨不同间伐强度林下马尾松人工林植物多样性的动态变化,为确定合理的间伐强度提供理论依据。以南京溧水林场马尾松俨砌USmassonianaLamb．）中龄人工林为研究对象,于2007年和2011年对间伐1a和5a后各间伐林下植物多样性进行了调查和分析。结果表明：间伐la和5a后,与对照相比,中强度间伐林下植物种类、数量、丰富度Margalef指数、多样性Simpson、Sharmon-Weiner指数和均匀度JSW指数均显著提高（P〈O．05）,林下植物的生态优势度指数显著降低（P〈O．05）;弱度间伐林下各指数在间伐1a后显著降低（P〈O．05）,而在间伐5a后显著提高（P〈O．05o中强度间伐后林分各指数增幅最大,其中Shannon．Wiener指数对间伐措施更为敏感。间伐5a后,中强度间伐林下植物种类、数量和多样性指数比间伐1a后有所提高,弱度、中度、强度间伐后的林下植物种类比对照分别增加15、17和15种,总密度分别增加1．40、3．44和2．14倍。从短期和长期影响效果来看,中、强度间伐有利于植物多样性的提高。     

The ecological basis for simulating phytoplankton responses to environmental change (PROTECH)

The theory and mathematical development of a model, called PROTECH, are presented. The model simulates the dynamic responses of up to eight species of phytoplankton to environmental variability in lakes and reservoirs. PROTECH models were developed originally to fulfil a commercial, decision-support role in the management of industrial water quality, where plankton growth is an issue. The progressive refinements to the model nevertheless have a robust ecological basis. This makes PROTECH a promising tool for researching plankton community ecology. The model calculates exponents describing growth and attrition, from a base of the maximum growth rates of algal species in culture. Subject to defined thresholds, growth integrates variability in the fluxes of light and nutrients. The paper develops this philosophy and its embodiment into the structure of the model. Examples of its authenticated, validated and sensitivity-tested outputs are presented.     

黄浦江上游底栖动物的指示生物生态研究

就黄浦江上游水质现状，底栖动物指示种的适用范围及其对污染的指示意义，加以探讨，研究，结果筛选出适应于当前水质状况的底栖动物有颤蚓，水丝蚓，珍珠蚌，钩虾和摇蚊幼虫等指示种，从底栖动物指示种的变化，可预测水质变化的趋势以及季节性的差异。     

大气中不同形态汞的采集和分析方法

作为一种环境优先污染物,汞对人体和其它生物毒性很大。大气是全球汞生物地球化学循环的重要场所。不同形态的汞由于理化性质不同,迁移转化过程及其对生态环境的影响也不同,准确测定大气环境中各种形态的汞对于了解其在大气中的行为具有重要意义。1990年以来,大气汞的采集和分析方法技术已经取得了长足进步,一些自动测汞仪、低汞空白和高时间分辨率的采样及分析技术相继出现,使得准确测定大气中不同形态的痕量汞成为可能。文章就国内外近10多年来在这些方面所取得的研究进展进行了回顾和总结,主要介绍了气态总汞、颗粒态汞、活性气态汞、甲基汞等的采集和分析方法。