Sea-water seasonal changes at a heavy tourism investment site on the Jordanian northern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea

The Gulf of Aqaba exhibits a strong seasonality due to convective mixing during winter and stratification during summer. The present study provides a detailed appraisal of summer and winter sea-water characteristics at the northern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, that is witnessing rapid development and increasing changes in its geomorphological characteristics. Sea-water temperature, salinity, nutrients, and chlorophyll a concentrations were measured biweekly at five coastal and four cross-sectional stations during the periods February to April and July to September 2004. Meteorological conditions were continuously recorded at the Marine Science Station. The coastal study sites included four open coastal stations and a marina with one-way exchange with the open water. The effect of convective mixing was clearly apparent on the sea-water characteristics. Natural seasonal characteristics of higher nutrients and chlorophyll a concentrations were recorded during winter at most of the open coastal stations. In the cross-sectional stations, the concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a were not different between the surface and the bottom during winter, but the bottom waters had generally higher concentrations during summer. Some deviations from the natural seasonal cycle were recorded at the marina and other coastal stations. Here, higher nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations were recorded in summer than in winter. These deviations that are most likely due to anthropogenic effects are discussed.     

Water quality in the Red Sea coastal waters (Egypt): Analysis of spatial and temporal variability

In order to provide a background picture of the water quality of the Egyptian Red Sea a number of hydrological and chemical parameters have been measured bimonthly in 2000. Few data are available on this area, which is apparently subjected to an increasing human impact due to recreational (swimming and diving), industrial (mainly phosphate shipping and industry) and fishing/harbor activities. The results of the present study indicate that changes in the salinity and pH were not significant with highly oxygenated seawaters. The levels of suspended solids (as total suspended matter, TSM) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) were generally low and showed an homogeneous distribution in the study region. The ratio of chlorophyll-a to total suspended matter concentrations increased between November and March and decreased from May to September. Chlorophyll-a was significantly correlated with transparency and total suspended matter concentrations in July, September and November. Nitrogen, phosphorus and reactive silicate concentrations were generally low, and allowed classifying the Egyptian Red Sea coastal water as oligotrophic to mesotrophic. The middle region of the study area, which was located between Safaga and Qusair displayed relatively high phosphate contents when compared with other coastal areas. The high values of N:P ratios indicate that PO 4 -P is the limiting factor for phytoplankton growth in the Red Sea coastal waters, with the possible exception of the middle region. Significant relationships were found between chlorophyll-a concentrations and nutrient levels in different sampling periods. Spatial distribution patterns of the studied variables revealed that productivity of the Red Sea coastal waters is mostly controlled by phosphate concentrations, salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen.     

Relationships between nutrients and macroalgal biomass in a brazilian coastal lagoon: the impact of a lock construction

The Piratininga Lagoon is a coastal, choked, and brackish ecosystem in SE Brazil, where uncontrolled discharge of domestic sewage led to eutrophication, increasing massive proliferation of benthic macroalgae, and decrease of the lagoon mean depth. In 1992, a dam was constructed by the local Municipality at its tidal channel aiming at stabilising its water level. Main physico-chemical parameters, together with macroalgae biomass, nutrient concentrations in the water column, particulate organic carbon, and chlorophyll a were recorded monthly at 4 sampling stations within the Piratininga lagoon from April 1994 to April 1995. The data, compared with “before-lock” existing studies, show that nutrients and chlorophyll a concentrations significantly increased after the lock construction. Based on the functioning of the ecosystem, we propose to harvest the algal mats before their decomposition period in order to partly remove the nutrient stocks from the lagoon and the future ecosystem modelling to predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic eutrophication.     

A new generation of coastal monitoring platforms

The need for new instruments and systems for environment monitoring encouraged the development of a network of coastal platforms combining a high versatility with ease of use and affordability. Almost every instrument can be fitted on the platforms, thanks to the large amount of available power provided by both solar panels and wind generators. All the platforms host a pumping system that pumps water from five depths into a measurement chamber where a multiparametric probe is fitted and from where other devices (e.g. samplers or analysers) can draw samples. In situ temperature measurements are provided at the same pumping depths. A colorimetric nutrient analyser and a meteorological station complete the basic equipment. On one of the platforms, a remotely controlled water sampler and an ADCP are also fitted. The data-acquisition and transmission system enables the platform to be controlled remotely using a special macro-commands set. Several examples of use are presented.     

Providing health services during a civil war: the experience of a garrison town in South Sudan

The impact of conflict, particularly conflict arising during civil wars, on the provision of healthcare is a subject that has not been widely considered in conflict‐related research. Combatants often target health services to weaken or to defeat the enemy, while attempts to maintain or improve health systems also can comprise part of counter‐insurgency ‘hearts‐and‐minds’ strategies. This paper describes the dynamics associated with the provision of health services in Malakal, an important garrison town in South Sudan, during the second Sudanese civil war (1983–2005). Drawing on the concepts of opportunity hoarding and exploitation, it explores the social and political dynamics of service provision in and around the town during the war. These concepts provide a useful lens with which to understand better how health services are affected by conflict, while the empirical case study presented in the paper illustrates dynamics that may be repeated in other contexts. The concepts and case study set out in this paper should prove useful to healthcare providers working in conflict zones, including humanitarian aid agencies and their employees, increasing their understanding of the social and political dynamics that they are likely to face during future conflict‐related complex emergencies.     

基于自然保护区属性的管理成本分析

从自然保护区的管理成本构成入手,分析了自然保护区属性对不同尺度上管理成本的影响方式,在分类总结自然保护区管理成本的分析方法基础上,提出基于自然保护区属性的管理成本分析流程。该研究结果可为准确掌握自然保护区管理成本规模与构成、科学评估与预测资金投入后的使用效率与保护效果提供支持,并可为揭示自然保护区复合生态系统格局与过程提供新思路。     

Should all disaster risks be reduced? A perspective from the systems concept of the edge of chaos

The field of disaster risk reduction (DRR) has risen to prominence since the declaration of the International Decade of Disaster Risk Reduction between 1990 and 2000. This decade provided the impetus for a change from the predominant paradigm of disaster response to that of disaster risk reduction as a means of addressing the underlying drivers that lead to disasters. In an effort to promote risk reduction, the UNISDR (the principal agency for disaster risk reduction within the UN structure) formulated policies and strategies to provide both conceptual and practical guidance as to how risk should be reduced. However noble the efforts, this paper contends that the current approach to and understanding of risk within the international community might not be cognisant of complex adaptive systems (CAS) concepts such as the edge of chaos. Specifically, this concept argues that risk (or chaos) within a system is actually a fundamental requirement to the functioning of all resilient socio-ecological systems. Therefore, the reduction of risk without an understanding of the role of that risk within the larger socio-ecological system might actually end up reducing the system’s overall level of disaster resilience. This paper aims to explore the concept of edge of chaos through a literature review of key theoretical works on the topic, followed by a discussion on its implications for the predominant paradigm of risk reduction within disaster risk management policy and practice.     

中国区域物流系统脆弱性评估研究

为了提升区域物流系统可靠性与可持续发展能力,基于复杂系统理论对区域物流系统脆弱性进行概念界定,构建了区域物流系统脆弱性的概念模型;在分析区域物流系统脆弱性影响因素的基础上,提出了脆弱性评价指标体系及综合评价模型,并对中国大陆地区31个省（直辖市、自治区）区域物流系统脆弱性的空间分异特征进行了研究。研究表明:全国层面的区域物流系统脆弱性两极分化的空间分异特征显著,具有明显的“西高东低”特征;高生态环境脆弱性和高社会脆弱性是区域物流系统脆弱性居高的主要原因;全国的区域物流系统生态环境脆弱性普遍偏高,而东部地区物流系统资源脆弱性最高。     

山丘地形下近浅埋煤层综采面静动载叠加的矿压显现特征研究

针对近浅埋综采面过山丘地形发生强矿压显现的问题,采用现场监测、理论分析与数值模拟相结合的方法,建立山丘静载应力传递模型和不同岩层赋存特征的沙土型与土石型山丘工作面关键块体结构力学模型,分析山丘地形工作面矿压发生机理。研究表明:山丘静载向工作面传递的垂直应力呈钟形分布,山丘高静载应力易激发弱铰接结构失稳;山丘坡体中关键层的有无导致了土石型和沙土型山丘工作面矿压发生机理的差异性;坡体断裂块的倾斜回转运动是沙土型山丘工作面发生强矿压的主导因素,断裂块不同的倾斜回转方向导致工作面在上坡段矿压显现缓和而下坡段显现剧烈;土石型山丘工作面的矿压显现主要受坡体中关键块体结构稳定状态的控制,工作面在上坡初和坡顶段动载矿压强烈而下坡段后期较缓和。数值计算结果与现场监测和理论分析相符。     

基于RepastS平台的太湖水环境系统承载力研究

运用计算实验方法,以计算机为工具,构造太湖水环境系统承载力模型,通过研究水和人类的各主体行为得出太湖水环境系统的整体特征,并通过人口、TP、TN、CODMn承载度来反映。研究结果表明太湖目前点源污染得到了有效控制,但面源污染和城镇生活用水污染尚需要重点治理。实验显示:通过系统参数的调整,将大大改善太湖现有水环境系统。