Reflections on network governance in Africa's forestry sector

International forestry governance is an integral part of the global policy debates on how to prevent deforestation, illicit extraction, and unsustainable timber practices. Africa is an important producer of timber, yet the region is beset by a lack of capacity and other governance challenges in the management of its forestry sector. We employ a network governance analysis to examine the extent to which the evolution and operation of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and la Commission des Forêts d'Afrique Centrale (COMIFAC) have addressed governance challenges. We assess the strengths and weaknesses of these two leading examples of international forestry governance by introducing recent evidence and insights from Africa. We conclude with a policy‐relevant discussion of how the FSC and COMIFAC might enhance authority, legitimacy, and effectiveness and improve forestry governance in Africa and other parts of the world.     

Characterization of Storm Flow Dynamics of Headwater Streams in the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain1

Epps, Thomas H., Daniel R. Hitchcock, Anand D. Jayakaran, Drake R. Loflin, Thomas M. Williams, and Devendra M. Amatya, 2012. Characterization of Storm Flow Dynamics of Headwater Streams in the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐14. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12000 Abstract: Hydrologic monitoring was conducted in two first‐order lower coastal plain watersheds in South Carolina, United States, a region with increasing growth and land use change. Storm events over a three‐year period were analyzed for direct runoff coefficients (ROC) and the total storm response (TSR) as percent rainfall. ROC calculations utilized an empirical hydrograph separation method that partitioned total streamflow into sustained base flow and direct runoff components. ROC ratios ranged from 0 to 0.32 on the Upper Debidue Creek (UDC) watershed and 0 to 0.57 on Watershed 80 (WS80); TSR results ranged from 0 to 0.93 at UDC and 0.01 to 0.74 at WS80. Variability in event runoff generation was attributed to seasonal trends in water table elevation fluctuation as regulated by evapotranspiration. Groundwater elevation breakpoints for each watershed were identified based on antecedent water table elevation, streamflow, ROCs, and TSRs. These thresholds represent the groundwater elevation above which event runoff generation increased sharply in response to rainfall. For effective coastal land use decision making, baseline watershed hydrology must be understood to serve as a benchmark for management goals, based on both seasonal and event‐based surface and groundwater interactions.     

Effect of land management on soil microbial N supply to crop N uptake in a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania

In Sub-Saharan Africa, conservation of available soil N during early crop growth, when N loss by leaching generally occurs, is important to improve crop productivity. In a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania, we assessed the potential role of soil microbes as a temporal N sink-source to conserve the available soil N until later crop growth, which generally requires substantial crop N uptake. We evaluated the effect of land management [i.e., no input, plant residue application before planting (P plot) with or without fertilizer application, fertilizer application alone, and non-cultivated plots] on the relationship between soil N pool [microbial biomass N (MBN) and inorganic N] and crop N uptake throughout the ∼120-d crop growth period in two consecutive years. In the P plot, MBN clearly increased (∼14.6-29.6 kg N ha⁻¹) early in the crop growth period in both years because of immobilization of potentially leachable N, and it conserved a larger soil N pool (∼10.5-21.2 kg N ha⁻¹) than in the control plot. Especially in one year in which N leaching was critical, increased MBN maintained a larger soil N pool in the P plot throughout the experimental period, and a delay of increased MB C:N ratio and a substantial decrease in MBN was observed, indicating better soil microbial N supply for crop N uptake during later crop growth. Therefore, plant residue application before planting should enhance the role of soil microbes as a temporal N sink-source, leading to the conservation of potentially leachable N until later phase of crop growth, especially in years in which N leaching is relatively severe. Although further studies are necessary, our results suggest that plant residue application before planting is a promising option to achieve better N synchronization.     

南京市黑臭河流水体中细菌多样性的研究

以南京市城南河为研究对象,分别提取上中下游的水体样本,分析水质中的氮、磷、COD等水质指标,并利用变性梯度凝胶电泳技术(DGGE)分析了城南河不同位置的细菌多样性。结果表明:城南河水体中的平均总氮为30.06 mg/L,总磷为6.14 mg/L,COD为42.03 mg/L,均超过国家V类水质标准。结合外观,城南河属于严重污染的典型黑臭河流。DGGE分析的结果表明:城南河具有较高的细菌多样性,优势菌群主要是变形菌门和拟杆菌门2大类群,且不同取样点细菌种类差别不大。     

澳大利亚新南威尔士州《污染土地管理法》及其实施效果

澳大利亚新南威尔士州1997年出台的《污染土地管理法》核心内容包括污染土地责任人的界定、初步调查令、重大污染土地的认定、治理令、自愿治理方案、继续治理令,以及污染土地治理费用的偿还,即环保署支付费用的偿还、公共权力机构执行命令时支付费用的偿还、当事人之间费用的偿还和统一基金拨款的偿还。《污染土地管理法》实施以来,效果较好。     

Building the role of local government authorities towards the achievement of the human right to water in rural Tanzania

In recent decades, many changes have occurred in the approach to financing and operating water services in developing countries. The demand‐responsive approach is now adopted in many countries in a context of donor‐supported decentralization processes, which gives more responsibility to end users. However, the government's responsibility at different levels is enforced by the international recognition of the human right to water. This paper examines specific actions that build the role of local government authorities in this scenario. A collaboration between an international NGO and a rural district in Tanzania from 2006 to 2009 is used as an action research case study that is representative of local capacity‐building needs in decentralized contexts and rural areas. Three main challenges were detected: i) lack of reliable information; ii) poor allocation of resources in terms of equity; and iii) lack of long‐term community management support from the district. Two mechanisms were established: i) water point mapping as a tool for information and planning; and ii) a District Water and Sanitation Unit Support (DWUS) for community management. The results show how the framework provided by the goal of human right to water helps to define useful strategies for equity‐oriented planning and post‐project support at the local level.     

Nationwide monitoring of atmospheric PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in South Korea

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) were measured in ambient air samples collected from different parts of South Korea in 2008, and the measured levels were used for assessing the spatial and temporal distribution of atmospheric PCDDFs and DL-PCBs in South Korea. The average concentrations of atmospheric PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs among the 37 sites were 28 fg I-TEQ m⁻³ (ND ∼ 617) and 1 fg WHO-TEQ m⁻³ (ND ∼ 0.016). Elevated atmospheric levels of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs observed at residential/industrial sites and in the north-west of Korea, indicated a potential contribution and impacts of anthropogenic sources of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs. These levels were similar or lower than those previously reported in other ambient air surveys. Average concentrations of PCDD/Fs showed small seasonal variations (ANOVA analysis, p = 0.144). The highest concentrations of PCDD/Fs were observed during winter, followed by spring, autumn and summer. Atmospheric PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in South Korea rapidly decreased during the last 10 years (1998-2008), demonstrating the efficiency of stricter regulations and the application of best available technologies/best environmental practices at emission sources. Comparison of the congener profiles and principal component analysis showed that current atmospheric PCDD/Fs are mostly influenced by industrial sources and PCBs from old commercial PCB uses. Nationwide POPs monitoring will continue and allows an effective evaluation of the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs.     

Redistribution of free tropospheric chemical species over West Africa: radicals (OH and HO₂), peroxide (H₂O₂) and acids (HNO₃ and H₂SO₄)

The purpose of this paper is to study the redistribution of chemical species (OH, HO₂, H₂O₂, HNO₃ and H₂SO₄) over West Africa, where the cloud cover is ubiquitously present, and where deep convection often develops. In this area, because of these cloud systems, chemical species are redistributed by the ascending and descending flow, or leached if they are soluble. So, we carry out a mesoscale study using the Regional Atmospheric Modelling System (RAMS) coupled to a code of gas and aqueous chemistry (RAMS_Chemistry). It takes into account all processes under mesh. We examine several cases following the period (November and July), with inputs emissions (anthropogenic, biogenic and biomass burning). The radicals OH and HO₂ are an indicator of possibilities for chemical activity. They characterize the oxidizing power of the atmosphere and are very strong oxidants. The acids HNO₃ and H₂SO₄ are interesting in their transformation into nitrates and sulfates in precipitation. In November, when photochemistry is active during an event of biomass burning, concentrations of chemical species are higher than those of November in the absence of biomass burning. The concentrations of nitric acid double and sulfuric acid increases 70 times. In addition, the concentrations are even lower in July if there is a deep convection. Compared to measures of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA), the results and observations of radicals OH and HO₂ are the same order of magnitude. Emissions from biomass burning increase the concentrations of acid and peroxide, and a deep convection cloud allows the solubility and the washing out of species, reducing their concentration. Rainfalls play a major role in solubility and washing out acids, peroxides and radicals in this region.     

南海北部海域底泥微生物的腐殖质还原性能研究

微生物的腐殖质还原过程自1996年发现以来,日益成为环境领域的一个研究热点。以南海北部海域的8个底泥为实验材料,利用蒽醌-2,6,-双磺酸（AQDS）为腐殖质模式物,初步探讨了南海北部8个底泥培养物对腐殖质的还原能力,并探讨了驯化后的8个底泥微生物对腐殖质的还原过程。结果发现：从南海北部深海海域到海陆交接的香港米浦红树林的8个底泥样品培养液均能很好的还原AQDS;驯化后的8个站点底泥微生物对腐殖质还原的能力有所不同,在48 h,E425站点培养液中的OD450只有0.74,其余7个站点培养液中的OD450都在2.0~3.0之间,推测其原因是8个站点中腐殖质还原微生物的数量具有明显差异,使得各站点的OD450差异很大。研究结果为认知腐殖质还原微生物的分布和探究腐殖质还原微生物在环境中的生态学意义提供重要的理论依据。     

南海北部沿岸近江牡蛎有机氯杀虫剂含量与食用安全性分析

于2008—2010年每年春季,在南海北部沿岸23个观测站分别采集成体近江牡蛎(Crassostrea rivularis),测定了牡蛎有机氯杀虫剂含量,并探讨了有机氯杀虫剂残留对牡蛎食用安全性的影响。结果表明,牡蛎有机氯杀虫剂平均含量(μg.kg-1,以湿质量计)高低依次为:DDTs 4.68(含量范围1.53～9.77)>硫丹2.58(nd～17.6)>氯丹1.12(nd～11.2)>三氯杀螨醇0.514(nd～4.42)>甲氧氯0.300(nd～2.66)>异狄氏剂0.229(nd～4.82)>环氧七氯0.182(nd～1.65)>异狄氏剂醛0.159(nd～1.16)>艾氏剂0.138(nd～1.72)>BHCs 0.130(nd～0.727)>狄氏剂0.095(nd～0.237)>七氯0.056(nd～0.531)。除异狄氏剂醛和硫丹外,其他杀虫剂含量明显低于澳大利亚、俄罗斯、欧盟、加拿大、日本和中国的水产品、畜禽肉中有机氯杀虫剂残留限量;硫丹含量低于澳大利亚和加拿大的限量,但少数牡蛎样本中硫丹含量略高于欧盟的限量,接近或超过日本的限量。经食用牡蛎而进入人体的α-BHC、β-BHC、γ-BHCp、p...