The shadow of the past: environmental issues and institutional learning in EU enlargement processes

This paper compares the role of environmental issues in negotiating Spanish membership of the European Union (EU) with the ongoing enlargement talks with Central and Eastern European countries. The paper first argues that the EU has recognized a need to change the way in which it has traditionally managed environmental issues in enlargement processes. Second, the paper provides evidence of learning processes at the Community level that could have effected a change in Community approaches to enlargement in the environmental field. However, the paper shows that the fundamental principles and procedures applied in preparing for eastern enlargement match those used in previous enlargement rounds, resembling a largely technical exercise with exclusive focus on the applicants' ability to align with the acquis communautaire and the length of transition periods. The lack of sufficient adaptation or reform suggests that path dependence and institutional inertia have constrained the scope for innovations at the level of policy strategy and institutions, for which the shadow of the past has reinforced established patterns of institutional behaviour and practices. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of the effect of environmental pollution in a marina on caged mussels using chemical and genotoxic analysis

An integrated approach using the contamination levels and DNA damage in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) was applied in order to assess the chemical contamination in a marina (Eastern coastline of Aegean Sea). Mussels, which were harvested from a reference site (Foca), were transplanted into a marina situated along the coast of Izmir Bay. The transplanted mussels were collected at the 14th, 30th and 60th day of the experimental period. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels (27–51?ng?g^?1?wet?weight) detected in the mussels were similar to the levels detected in other coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. The marina’s sediment was found to be contaminated with PAHs (∑PAH?=?25?µg?g^?1) of pyrolytic origin and may become a source of pollution and a threat to the marine environment. In order to assess the DNA damage, the haemolymph and gill cells of the mussels were used for the comet analysis and considered as an indicator of exposure to genotoxic chemicals including 16 PAH compounds and metals. The highest levels of DNA damage expressed as %Tail-DNA (%T-DNA) were observed at the end of the experiment (21.5% T-DNA). The correlation analyses conducted between 2-, 3-, 4-ring PAHs in mussels and %T-DNA in haemolymph and gill cells showed a significant positive correlation. This investigation confirmed that transplanted mussel can be a useful tool to determine PAH contamination in marinas.     

太湖东部水域浮游硅藻群落特征及其与环境因子关系

对太湖东部水域9个点位浮游硅藻的群落结构进行了分析。结果表明,9个点位的生物多样性处于一般到较丰富状态,其水质为中污染到轻污染;硅藻群落的物种丰富度、生物量和密度因水域地形特点、换水周期等因素出现差异,在半封闭水体中的物种丰富度较差,生物量和藻密度较高,优势种所指示的水质处于中等偏下水平。硅藻相对多度和各项环境因子冗余分析显示,总磷(TP)对群落的组成和分布影响显著。东北部水域浮游硅藻群落主要受到TP和浊度(NTU)的影响,东南部水域浮游硅藻群落受到TP和NTU的影响则很小。     

粤东花岗岩流域覆盖型风化壳风化特征比较

为了对比在同种基岩与气候背景下,相邻花岗岩流域风化壳的风化程度,借助粒度组成、pH值和磁化率等实验方法,测定了粤东榕江和漯河流域阶地上发育的冲积物覆盖型风化壳.数据结果说明,螺河流域发育的该类型风化壳的风化程度强于榕江流域阶地上发育的该类型风化壳.粒度组成还表明,两流域该类型风化壳具有在<2μm粒级含量上冲积层大于基座风化壳的特征.两个流域风化壳粒度组成差别的原因是两个流域不同的剥蚀速率,榕江流域剥蚀速率较快.pH值在冲积物覆盖型风化壳剖面上呈现三低两高间隔出现的规律.螺河流域风化壳磁化率低于榕江流域是由局部的地貌条件决定,磁化率在粤东地区该类型风化壳的指示意义不准确.     

Effect of Ecological Factors on the Accumulation of Fluorine by Larches, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix gmelinii</Emphasis> (Rupr.) Rupr. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">L. sibirica</Emphasis> Ledeb., in Eastern Siberia

The accumulation of fluorine in the trunk wood and branches of Larix gmelinii growing on soils with a naturally increased fluoride content and of L. sibirica growing in a zone affected by atmospheric emissions from an aluminum plant has been studied. Based on results of in vivo and in vitro experiments, it is concluded that larch trees manifest individual differences in their response to fluorine.     

关中地区的“丁戊奇荒”及应对措施

光绪年间的"丁戊奇荒"遍及全国多个省份,关中地区也在受灾之列,赤地千里,饿殍盈野,人相食。正逢多事之秋的清政府无力应对,只是敷衍了事,把赈灾重任交给了地方政府。在地方政府的多方筹措、当地及江南士绅的慷慨帮助下,灾民才得以渡过难关。本文重点论述了地方政府及士绅在赈灾过程中发挥的作用,以期说明清末封建社会对灾害是如何应对的。     

基于PM2.5监测点空间聚类的关中五市空气污染区域识别

区域大气污染联防联控是空气质量管理的重要举措,准确识别空气污染区域对联防联控措施有重大意义.本研究采用陕西省关中五市（西安、咸阳、宝鸡、渭南、铜川）国控和省控全部90个监测点的小时级PM_2.5浓度监测数据,运用邻接约束层次聚类方法对监测点进行空间聚类,并利用泰森多边形和曲线平滑等技术识别空气污染区域.结果表明：1关中五市空气污染存在跨行政区划的区域性特征,本研究识别出2个特征显著不同的空气污染区域（区域1和区域2）;2区域2的PM_2.5浓度在统计上显著高于区域1,且重度和严重污染天数也显著高于区域1;3空气污染区域与地形特征关系密切,区域1均为高海拔区县,而区域2均为低海拔区县.依据空气污染区域的不同特征,在区域污染程度存在显著差异时,应当采取不同等级的污染防控措施,以减少对关中五市43%的国土面积、23个区县、639万人及3355亿元国内生产总值的影响,使区域空气污染防控措施更加科学、合理与精准.同时,空气污染区域的划分对缺失数据和不同空气污染等级表现稳健.     

基于GIS的关中地区人口分布时空演变特征研究

随着经济社会的快速发展,陕西省关中地区的人口分布发生了明显的变化。采用空间自相关、不均衡指数、人口重心以及偏移—分享分析等方法,结合GIS技术对20世纪90年代以来关中地区人口分布的时空演变特征进行了分析。结果表明:①关中地区各区县人口密度差异显著,整体分布呈中间高、南北低的态势,即位于渭河平原区的区县人口密度较高,其他地区人口相对稀疏;②各地区人口分布存在显著的正的空间自相关,表现为西安市市辖区周围地区呈现高高集聚,而北部、西部和东部的周边区县则存在低低集聚;③关中地区人口分布不均衡状态明显,且人口不均衡指数有不断增大的趋势;④各地区人口偏移增长量差异显著,地区之间的偏移增长量不断增大,人口重心逐步向关中东南方向移动。     

Quantifying the unreported and unaccounted domestic and foreign commercial catch of sharks and rays in Western Australia

Reliable catch information is scarce for most sharks and rays worldwide, with almost half of the stocks considered to be Data Deficient due to limited species-specific catch statistics. Western Australia (WA) hosts a diverse number of shark and ray species, some of which are considered to be threatened with extinction at a global level. Commercial catch statistics only account for shark and ray landings. The present study used the best available information to reconstruct unaccounted and unreported catches for 47 shark and ray taxa to better understand the impact of fishing. For some species, there was good agreement between reconstructed catches and reported landings, but overall reconstructed catches were 57% higher than those derived from official statistics alone, underestimating the actual extraction level for many species. The reconstructed catch time series provide the basis for the assessment of all species of sharks and rays captured in WA, including protected species that interact with commercial and recreational fisheries.Supplementary informationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01495-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.     

Spatial and temporal variability of marine-origin matter along a transect from Zhongshan Station to Dome A, Eastern Antarctica

The spatiotemporal distribution pattern of marine-origin matter on the Antarctica ice sheet was used to study variations in the source regions, transport mechanisms and postdepositional influences. We present data on sea salt ions, sulfur components and stable isotopes from surface and snow pit samples collected along the transect route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A during the austral summer in 2012–2013. A general decreasing trend in the accumulation, sea salt ions and sulfur components occurred with increasing distance from the coast and increasing elevation. However, different sources of the marine components, transport pathways and post-depositional influences were responsible for their different spatial distribution patterns. The marine ions in the coastal snow pit varied seasonally, with higher sea salt ion concentrations in the winter and lower concentrations in the summer; the opposite pattern was found for the sulfur compounds. The sea ice area surrounding Antarctica was the main source region for the deposited sea salt and the open sea water for the sulfur compounds. No significant trends in the marine-origin components were detected during the past 3 decades. Several periods of elevated deposition of sea salt ions were associated with lower temperatures(based on δD and δ18O) or intensified wind fields. In comparison to the sea salt ions, the sulfur concentrations exhibited the opposite distribution patterns and were associated with changes in the surrounding sea ice extent.