SOUND POLICY OR SMOKE AND MIRRORS: DOES ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT MAKE SENSE?1

ABSTRACT: Protection of ecosystems as entities on the landscape has attracted a wide range of support. Ecosystem-based public policies are claimed to be more effective, efficient, and scientifically sound than other approaches to environmental and natural resource policy. The ecosystem concept was never intended to serve as a public policy guide or to determine landscape units for land management purposes. This paper critically examines the use of the ecosystem concept in public policy and land use management and analyzes the proposed rule to manage the National Forest System according to ecosystem management principles. The concept is found to be unsuitable as a basis for guiding environmental and natural resource public policies in general while the proposed rule to manage the national forests according to ecosystem management principles is shown to be incoherent.     

PESTICIDES IN GROUND WATER: DO ATRAZINE METABOLITES MATTER?1

ABSTRACT: Atrazine and atrazine-residue (atrazine + two metabolites - deethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazine) concentrations were examined to determine if consideration of these atrazine metabolites substantially adds to our understanding of the distribution of this pesticide in groundwater of the midcontinental United States. The mean of atrazine.residue concentrations was 53 percent greater than that of atrazine alone for those observations above the detection limit (> 0.05 μg/l). Furthermore, a censored regression analysis using atrazine-residue concentrations revealed significant factors not identified when only atrazine concentrations were used. Thus, knowledge of concentrations of these atrazine metabolites is required to obtain a true estimation of risk of using these aquifers as sources for drinking water, and such knowledge also provides information that ultimately may be important for future management policies designed to reduce atrazine concentrations in ground water.     

气候变化与自然灾害

气候变化与自然灾害是当今科学研究的两大热点，两者之间在一定程度上具有相关性，但目前要确切地定量计算气候变化对自然灾害的强度和出现频率的影响还很困难。本文在分析气候变化与自然灾害关系的基础上，研究了气候变化对我国自然灾害的影响。研究结果显示：１．在千年尺度上，长江流域的大旱和气候变冷成正相关，而长江流域的大涝以及黄河流域的大旱和大涝与气候冷暖过渡期成正相关；２．在百年尽度上，近１０４２年来，共出现２８１次全国性大旱和大涝，平均每百年出现２７次，在地域分布上以南涝北旱为主；３．就百年至千年尺度的气候变化对自然灾害的影响而言，气候冷冷组合期（１３０１～１９００）易发生全国性大涝，而冷暖组合期（９５０～１３００年，１９０１～１９９１年）易发生全国性大旱。总的来说，冷冷组合期的大旱大涝发生频率明显大于暖期，但不同地区有差异；４．在其它影响方面，台风、地震与海啸灾害在冷暖组合期（２０世纪）均有比冷冷组合期（１４和１９世纪）多的趋势。因此，气候变暖将使防灾任务更加艰巨。     

山岳型宗教旅游地的土地利用分析--九华山风景名胜区实证研究

九华山风景名胜区是山岳型宗教旅游地。通过对九华山风景区的实地调查，总结了该类旅游地的土地利用特点，即统一性和协调性、难以变更性、总量有限性，并进行了土地利用沿革、变更和影响方面的分析。利用层次分析法从生存指标、发展指标、社会指标、环境指标和智力指标5个方面对九华山风景区的土地利用进行了定量讨论，认为九华山风景区土地利用问题现阶段主要集中在九华街景区、花台景区和柯村景区。在此基础上，对九华山风景区土地的可持续利用提出了相应的对策。     

渭河径流特性研究

由于工农业的快速发展,渭河径流逐年减少,污染加重,河道淤积不断发展,洪涝灾害时有发生,对中下游人民生产生活造成严重影响.为了减少洪害,减轻污染,必须保证渭河常年径流稳定.     

生活事件分析法在煤矿企业中的应用

我国煤矿一再的发生事故,绝大部分原因是人为失误.根据人为失误的发生机理,本文提出了生活事件分析方法,并研制了其配套应用程序,对某煤矿企业的人因事故危险性进行了实际评价.该方法可方便地应用于煤矿企业人为事故的预防工作中.     

高分辨率遥感影像的土地利用分类

高分辨率遥感影像在我国土地利用动态监测中展现出良好的应用前景,但与此相关的关键技术问题亟待解决.结合Ikonos影像,分析高分辨率遥感影像的特点,并在我国土地利用现状类型划分的基础上,针对高分辨遥感影像土地利用分类这一关键技术问题,概述常规分类方法,提出一套适宜高分辨率遥感影像土地利用分类的技术路线.     

学习借鉴,走跨越式发展之路

论述了为实现全面建设小康社会的发展目标，必须走跨越式发展之路。     

The GaNE programme in a global perspective

This paper provides the background to this special issue, outlining the extent to which the global atmospheric nitrogen cycle has been modified by human activity and outlining the range of effects. The global total emissions of reduced and oxidized nitrogen, amount to 124 Tg N, and exceed those from natural sources (34 Tg N) by almost a factor of four showing the extent to which anthropogenic activity has taken over the global N cycle. Of the 124 Tg N, 70 Tg N is emitted in the oxidized form, largely as NO and 70% of which results directly from anthropogenic activity. The remaining 54 Tg N is emitted as NH₃, (66% anthropogenic). The enhanced nitrogen emissions are associated with a range of local, regional and global issues including, acidification, eutrophication, climate change, human health and tropospheric O₃. The paper also places the Global Nitrogen Enrichment (GaNE) research programme in the UK in a wider perspective.     

CO2-free paper?

Black liquor gasification–combined cycle (BLGCC) is a new technology that has the potential to increase electricity production of a chemical pulping mill. Increased electricity generation in combination with the potential to use biomass (e.g. bark, hog fuel) more efficiently can result in increased power output compared to the conventional Tomlinson-boiler. Because the BLGCC enables an integrated pulp and paper mill to produce excess power, it can offset electricity produced by power plants. This may lead to reduction of the net-CO₂ emissions. The impact of BLGCC to offset CO₂ emissions from the pulp and paper industry is studied. We focus on two different plant designs and compare the situation in Sweden and the US. The CO₂ emissions are studied as function of the share of recycled fibre used to make the paper. The study shows that under specific conditions the production of “CO₂-free paper” is possible. First, energy efficiency in pulp and paper mills needs to be improved to allow the export of sufficient power to offset emissions from fossil fuels used in boilers and other equipment. Secondly, the net-CO₂ emission per ton of paper depends strongly on the emission reduction credits for electricity export, and hence on the country or grid to which the paper mill is connected. Thirdly, supplemental use of biomass to replace fossil fuel inputs is important to reduce the overall emissions of the pulp and paper industry.