Reconstructing historical trends of Berre lagoon contamination from surface sediment datasets: influences of industrial regulations and anthropogenic silt inputs

These last decades, the Berre lagoon (in southeastern France) has been deeply affected since the 1930s by strong inputs of contaminants associated with industrial development and since 1966 by huge inputs of freshwater and silts due to the installation of a hydroelectric power plant. Surveys of the surface sediment contamination have been sparsely performed since 1964 for management and research purposes. These surveys were performed by various laboratories that investigated different chemicals and sampling areas using different analysis protocols. Therefore, the available data are disconnected in time and space and differ in quality. In order to reconstruct coherent time series of sediment contamination from this heterogeneous datasets and to discuss the influences of industrial and hydroelectric discharges we used a statistical approach. This approach is based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Fuzzy clustering analysis on data from one extensive survey realized on surface sediments in 1976. The PCA allowed identifying two geochemical indexes describing the main surface sediment geochemical characteristics. The fuzzy clustering analysis on these indexes allowed identifying sub-areas under the specific influence of industrial or hydroelectric discharges. This allowed us to reconstruct, for each sub-area, a coherent and interpretable long-term time series of sediment contamination from the available database. Reconstructed temporal trends allowed us to estimate: (i) the overall decrease of sediment contamination since the mid-1970 attributed to industrial discharge regulations enacted at this period and (ii) the dilution of the concentrations of sediment bound contaminants induced by the hydroelectric power plant and its associated particulate matter inputs.     

Modelling Wetland Bird Response to Water Level Changes in the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Hydrosystem

Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River (LOSL) wetland bird abundance and diversity are greatly influenced by lake and river hydrology. Our study used an interdisciplinary ecosystem approach, blending avian and plant ecology, ecohydraulic, statistical ecology and modelling to evaluate potential impacts of water level fluctuations on indicator species representative of the wetland breeding bird assemblages in the entire LOSL freshwater system. Multi-year (2000–2003) bird surveys captured bird distribution and density in wetland habitats under varying degrees of water inandation, depth and fluctuation. Analyses revealed strong associations between estimated breeding pair densities and plant communities, water depth, and degree of water level fluctuation during the breeding season for a suite of wetland bird species using marsh, wet meadow, shrub swamp and treed swamp habitats. These quantitative associations were used to develop wetland bird performance indicators for use in a LOSL water regulation review study. Several bird species also nest at or near the water surface and are thus vulnerable to nest flooding or stranding. Changes to the seasonal hydrology of Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River that result in an increased frequency or magnitude of these nest failure events may have a significant impact on regional population sustainability. Long term nest record databases were analyzed to create nesting flooding and stranding probability equations based on water level increases and decreases during the breeding season. These species-specific nesting relationships were incorporated into a reproduction index.Many breeding bird species were strongly associated with specific wetland plant communities. Predicted habitat suitability, as measured by estimated breeding pair density, can also change significantly within a specific wetland plant community based solely on changes in water depth during the breeding season. Three indicator species, Black Tern, Least Bittern and Virginia Rail were selected as key environmental performance indicators for alternate regulation plan comparisons.Water regulation criteria should be such that the long term diversity and abundance of wetland plant communities and frequency of spring flooding in marsh habitats during breeding are not reduced. Magnitude and frequency of water level change during the nesting season (May–July) can also adversely impact reproductive success of many wetland bird species. As such, regulation criteria that increase the seasonal magnitude and frequency of water level change may be detrimental to the long term viability of certain regional breeding bird populations.     

Modeling Wetland Plant Community Response to Assess Water-Level Regulation Scenarios in the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Basin

The International Joint Commission has recently completed a five-year study (2000–2005) to review the operation of structures controlling the flows and levels of the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River system. In addition to addressing the multitude of stakeholder interests, the regulation plan review also considers environmental sustainability and integrity of wetlands and various ecosystem components. The present paper outlines the general approach, scientific methodology and applied management considerations of studies quantifying the relationships between hydrology and wetland plant assemblages (% occurrence, surface area) in Lake Ontario and the Upper and Lower St. Lawrence River. Although similar study designs were used across the study region, different methodologies were required that were specifically adapted to suit the important regional differences between the lake and river systems, range in water-level variations, and confounding factors (geomorphic types, exposure, sediment characteristics, downstream gradient of water quality, origin of water masses in the Lower River). Performance indicators (metrics), such as total area of wetland in meadow marsh vegetation type, that link wetland response to water levels will be used to assess the effects of different regulation plans under current and future (climate change) water-supply scenarios.The Canadian Crown reserves the right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright.     

植物NAC转录因子的种类、特征及功能

综述了NAC转录因子的发现及其家族成员、结构特点和生物学功能.NAC类蛋白是近年来发现的一类植物特有、数量众多的转录因子家族,其成员广泛分布于陆生植物中.NAC家族成员的N端具有一个保守的约150个氨基酸组成的NAC结构域,含有A、B、C、D、E 5个亚结构域,C端具有一个高度变异的转录激活区.分析表明,NAC蛋白结构与其功能密切相关.NAC转录因子具有诸多方面的功能,如参与植物次生生长,在细胞分裂和植株衰老中发挥作用,参与激素调控和信号转导,参与矿质元素营养和农作物品质改良等.同时,NACs还参与生物胁迫中植物的防御反应以及在非生物逆境中发挥作用.目前对NAC基因的研究主要集中于模式植物拟南芥和水稻,对于NAC蛋白涉及的调控途径及其组成因子知之甚少,因此NAC基因的功能还有待深入研究;同时,利用基因工程手段导入或改良关键的NAC转录因子,使作物综合品质的提高已成为可能.图2表2参87     

排污收费制度与污染物减排关系研究以——广东省为例

排污收费制度是一项广泛应用的以减少污染物排放为主要目的的环境经济政策。国家新排污收费条例颁布4年后,需要对其实施效果进行评估。文章运用政策评估中的倾向线投射点与实际点比较法,对比分析了1996—2005年条例实施前后广东省的排污费和主要污染物排放量关系,探讨了排污收费制度对污染物减排的影响。结果表明,该条例的筹集资金功能强于旧收费制度,但对于污染物减排是乏力的,广东省主要污染物排放量不降反升,这与国家的减排要求不相适应。因此,应该对现行排污收费制度作进一步的改革。     

安全生产的《刑法》规制探析

以行政责任为主的安全生产法律责任模式在我国的安全生产中发挥了重要的作用。但是,随着我国生产力的发展和生产规模的扩大,仅仅依靠行政处罚不能促使生产经营单位真正承担起安全生产主体责任,安全生产实践活动表现出了强烈的刑罚诉求,没有刑罚的威慑作用作为支撑,安全生产工作的成效就难以保障。虽然安全生产法律体系中规定了不少刑事责任的内容,但现行安全生产法律制度与刑法相关制度之间的衔接存在众多问题。通过探析两者之间存在的问题和联系,实现《安全生产法》与《刑法》的无缝对接,充分发挥《刑法》的安全生产规制功能,促进安全发展理念的落实。     

Econometric modeling of fisheries with complex life histories: Avoiding biological management failures

Economics of the fishery has focused on the wastefulness of common pool resource exploitation. Pure open access fisheries dissipate economic rents and degrade biological stocks. Biologically managed fisheries also dissipate rents but are thought to hold biological stocks at desired levels. We develop and estimate an empirical bioeconomic model of the Gulf of Mexico gag fishery that questions the presumptive success of biological management. Unlike previous bioeconomic life history studies, we provide a way to circumvent calibration problems by embedding our estimation routine directly in the dynamic bioeconomic model. We nest a standard biological management model that accounts for complex life history characteristics of the gag. Biological intuition suggests that a spawning season closure will reduce fishing pressure and increase stocks, and simulations of the biological management model confirm this finding. However, simulations of the empirical bioeconomic model suggest that these intended outcomes of the spawning closure do not materialize. The behavioral response to the closure appears to be so pronounced that it offsets the restriction in allowable fishing days. Our results indicate that failure to account for fishing behavior may play an important role in fishery management failures.     

Disaster risk reduction and the evolution of physical development regulation

In 1984 the Mitigation Implementation Conference recognized the need for effective management of urban development in terms of building standards and land-use zonation. In the intervening 25 years, significant progress has been made in the development of building codes and hazard mapping for disaster risk reduction; however, the failure to promulgate, implement and enforce regulation of development has resulted in the dramatic expansion of exposure and risk. It is now necessary to re-assess regulatory policy and practice. New approaches to regulatory compliance must be explored, including participatory regulation and reliance on cultural and religious bases for individual commitment to community safety.     

高校垃圾分类回收监管机制演化博弈分析

本文以高校和大学生为研究对象,运用博弈论方法,通过建立双方的演化博弈模型,分析了影响主体进行垃圾分类策略选择的不同因素。将对垃圾分类行为具有较强约束的"声誉资本"引入模型中,研究不同情况下的演化均衡策略。结果显示:①大学生是否采取垃圾分类行为主要与学生进行垃圾分类支付的成本C_1、大学生因不参与垃圾分类造成的声誉损失h、学校的惩罚P以及参与垃圾分类得到的奖励R等因素有关。②大学生因不参与垃圾分类造成的声誉损失h对学生分类行为的影响显著。③学校是否采取监管策略主要与监管成本C有关。研究结果对于高校和政府制定环境监管政策具有重要的现实意义。     

环境规制对技术创新效率的影响分析——基于创新链视角的两阶段实证检验

新古典经济学理论认为,严格的环境规制会提高污染治理成本,挤占技术创新活动的资金,对技术创新产生"挤出效应"。而"波特假说"认为,长期内适当的环境规制政策将对企业的科技创新活动起到刺激性推动作用,可弥补因规制而增加的额外成本,从而形成"创新补偿效应"。这个观点表明环境规制对于企业的技术创新可能存在非线性影响效应。另外,技术创新要经历研究开发阶段与成果转化阶段,即从资源投入到产生经济效益的过程。本文基于系统观和创新链视角,创新性地构建两阶段关联DEA模型测算技术创新活动的投入产出效率,并运用中国2011——2017年间的省级面板数据进行回归检验,探讨环境规制强度对研究开发阶段和成果转化阶段技术创新效率的非线性影响效应,同时将中国划分为东部、中西部两大区域分别考察,进一步揭示环境规制对技术创新效率影响的空间异质性和阶段性特点,最后提出相应政策建议。