The Role of Prices in Conserving Critical Natural Capital

Abstract: Until recent decades, economic decision makers have largely ignored the nonmarket benefits provided by nature, resulting in unprecedented threats to ecological life‐support functions. The economic challenge today is to decide how much ecosystem structure can be converted to economic production and how much must be conserved to provide essential ecosystem services. Many economists and a growing number of life scientists hope to address this challenge by estimating the marginal value of environmental benefits and then using this information to make economic decisions. I assessed this approach first by examining the role and effectiveness of the price mechanism in a well‐functioning market economy, second by identifying the issues that prevent markets from pricing many ecological benefits, and third by focusing on problems inherent to valuing services generated by complex and poorly understood ecosystems subject to irreversible change. I then focus on critical natural capital (CNC), which generates benefits that are essential to human welfare and have few if any substitutes. When imminent ecological thresholds threaten CNC, conservation is essential and marginal valuation becomes inappropriate. Once conservation needs have been met, remaining ecosystem structure is potentially available for economic production. Demand for this available supply will determine prices. In other words, conservation needs should be price determining, not price determined. Conservation science must help identify CNC and the quantity and quality of ecosystem structure required to ensure its sustained provision.     

Prospects for Reconciling the Conflict between Economic Growth and Biodiversity Conservation with Technological Progress

Abstract: The conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation is understood in portions of academia and sometimes acknowledged in political circles. Nevertheless, there is not a unified response. In political and policy circles, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) is posited to solve the conflict between economic growth and environmental protection. In academia, however, the EKC has been deemed fallacious in macroeconomic scenarios and largely irrelevant to biodiversity. A more compelling response to the conflict is that it may be resolved with technological progress. Herein I review the conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation in the absence of technological progress, explore the prospects for technological progress to reconcile that conflict, and provide linguistic suggestions for describing the relationships among economic growth, technological progress, and biodiversity conservation. The conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation is based on the first two laws of thermodynamics and principles of ecology such as trophic levels and competitive exclusion. In this biophysical context, the human economy grows at the competitive exclusion of nonhuman species in the aggregate. Reconciling the conflict via technological progress has not occurred and is infeasible because of the tight linkage between technological progress and economic growth at current levels of technology. Surplus production in existing economic sectors is required for conducting the research and development necessary for bringing new technologies to market. Technological regimes also reflect macroeconomic goals, and if the goal is economic growth, reconciliatory technologies are less likely to be developed. As the economy grows, the loss of biodiversity may be partly mitigated with end‐use innovation that increases technical efficiency, but this type of technological progress requires policies that are unlikely if the conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation (and other aspects of environmental protection) is not acknowledged.     

有效磷含量对硝酸铵溶液热安全性的影响

为了了解硝酸磷肥生产过程中,硝酸铵溶液中加入磷酸一铵的安全性,通过自制实验装置,研究了有效磷含量对质量分数为85%的硝酸铵溶液热分解的影响。结果表明,质量分数为85%的硝酸铵和磷酸一铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度高于纯质量分数为85%的硝酸铵溶液,稳定性更好;磷酸一铵抑制硝酸铵的热分解,随着有效磷含量的增加,硝酸铵混合溶液临界爆炸温度升高;升温速率对硝酸铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度影响很大,随着升温速率由2℃/min升高到3℃/min,质量分数为85%的硝酸铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度升高,不易发生爆炸,安全性更好。研究结果对硝酸磷肥的生产安全有一定的指导意义。     

配套养殖体系中部分抗生素的污染特征

采用超声提取-固相萃取-高效液相色谱串联质谱技术分析配套养殖体系粪便、水体和沉积物中4种磺胺类(SAs)、2种四环素类(TCs)、2种大环内酯(MLs)和2种喹诺酮类(QLs)抗生素的含量和分布特征.研究结果显示,在水体中共检出8种抗生素,浓度在ND—382 ng·L-1,2种四环素类抗生素未被检出,且水体中抗生素的浓度呈现旱季高于雨季;沉积物中共检出7种抗生素,其浓度分别在ND—3400μg·kg-1范围内,磺胺嘧啶(SDZ)、磺胺甲噁唑(SMX)和罗红霉素(RTM)未被检出;在猪粪和鸭粪中均检出甲氧苄啶(TMP)、诺氟沙星(NFX)、脱水红霉素(ETM-H2O)和罗红霉素(RTM),同时猪粪中还检出2种四环素类,鸭粪中检出磺胺二甲嘧啶(SMZ)和环丙沙星(CFX),其中鸭粪中甲氧苄啶的最高浓度达到6.11 mg·kg-1.研究结果表明,不同介质中抗生素的含量存在一定差异,其中磺胺类抗生素在水体中浓度最高,喹诺酮类和四环素类在沉积物中的浓度最高;粪便中抗生素的种类与施药的种类密切相关,并且可能会加剧抗生素对水体环境的污染.     

广州地区孕妇羊水中PCBs暴露水平初步研究

随机采集广州地区非职业PCBs(polychlorinated biphenyls,多氯联苯)暴露单胎孕妇分娩时羊水,分析羊水中PCBs浓度水平;结合孕妇临床资料(年龄、孕周、身体质量指数(body mass index,BMI))以及孕妇居住环境信息等,阐明了广州地区非职业暴露孕妇羊水PCBs蓄积的影响因素。结果表明,∑33PCBs浓度为15.91-324.38 ng·g-1,平均值为114.34±83.52 ng·g-1,中值为84.8 5ng·g-1;其中十氯含量最低,平均浓度为2.66±3.46 ng·g-1,中值为1.47 ng·g-1;六氯PCBs含量最高,平均浓度为28.79±33.84 ng·g-1,中值为17.48 ng·g-1。样本中有31种PCBs同分异构体在孕妇羊水中检出,分别为PCB 8、28、30、49、52、70、74、77、82、87、99、101、105、114、118、126、128、138、153、156、158、166、169、170、179、180、183、187、189、198和209;羊水主要的PCBs暴露以五氯PCBs、六氯PCBs和七氯PCBs为主,主要的同分异构体为PCB 138(4.73%)、179(4.15%)、153(3.92%)、183(3.89%)、166(3.77%)、187(3.74%)以及180(3.67%);暴露水平与美国、西班牙、加拿大等地区相比属于严重水平。统计结果显示,年龄、身体质量指数和孕周与PCBs蓄积有显著性正相关关系;工业区居住的孕妇相与非工业区居住孕妇相比,上述统计结果更为显著。     

Critical engagement,activist/academic subjectivities and organic agri-food research in Uganda

This paper provides a reflexive account of engagement in activist/academic organic agri-food research in Uganda. I argue that critical engagement across the third space – between and across activist and academic subjectivities – enables a re-thinking of the subjectivities of activist/academics and research participants and the place of research in social change and theory building. I demonstrate some of the multiple ways of enacting activism within the academy by reflecting on my critical engagement with the Katuulo Organic Pineapple Cooperative in Uganda, whose members grow certified organic pineapples for sale on the international market. While there is a growing interest in critical activist research, its agenda is also constrained by the corporatist turn in universities. As such, the subjectivities, methods and theory building of activist/academics in agri-food (and other) research represents part of the resistance to normalised ways of doing and being in contemporary neo-liberal universities.     

香溪河库湾水质特征与非回水区水华响应关系

为探究香溪河在受倒灌影响较弱的河段水华暴发征兆及机理,于水华高发期5~8月对香溪河进行监测,分析电导率、水温、叶绿素a（Chl-a）以及流速.结果表明,在6~8月,香溪河倒灌现象于XX05点（峡口镇）处基本结束,XX06~XX09受倒灌来水影响较弱;香溪河于7月暴发水华,各个监测点位上Chl-a含量均值达到100μg/L以上,XX05~XX06与XX07-XX09点位上暴发不同种水华;在水华暴发前后,水体温度无显著变化,且并无明显分层现象,说明水温分层是水华暴发的主要原因这一理论并不能很好的适用于非回水区;通过对电导率数值的研究发现,数值在垂向上出现显著拐点,而拐点出现在临界层与光补偿层之间,同时与叶绿素a含量分布呈现显著负相关性.香溪河总氮（TN）、总磷（TP）平均值为1.849mg/L和0.157mg/L,均超过富营养化的阈值,水体氮磷含量与Chl-a浓度无显著相关性,水体中除N、P营养盐外的其它离子对香溪河水华的暴发起着重要作用.在水华消退后,电导率数值又逐渐恢复表层高底层低的垂向线性分布特性,与水华的暴发、消退有着明显的响应.     

宁东基地大气PAHs污染特征及呼吸暴露风险

利用主动观测技术对宁东能源化工基地大气PM_2.5、PM_1.0和气相中的PAHs浓度水平、族谱特征、时空分布及来源进行研究,并基于该观测数据对居民呼吸暴露健康风险进行评估.结果表明,宁东基地大气PM_2.5、PM_1.0及气相中∑₁₆PAHs浓度范围分别为：17.95~325.12ng/m³、12.66~311.96ng/m³和26.33~97.88ng/m³,年均浓度分别为（99.42±117.48）ng/m³、（78.88±100.58）ng/m³和（57.89±47.39）ng/m³.宝丰基地冬夏季大气PM_2.5、PM_1.0和气相中∑₁₆PAHs浓度水平均明显高于英力特;宝丰和英力特基地冬季大气PM_2.5、PM_1.0中∑₁₆PAHs浓度水平均明显高于夏季浓度.宁东基地大气中∑₁₆PAHs的浓度水平要高于国内外其他城市,大气PAHs污染较为严重.源解析表明夏季宁东基地PAHs的主要排放源是工业煤燃烧和机动车尾气,冬季则主要来自工业煤燃烧和木材、薪柴等生物质燃烧排放.宁东基地人群暴露于大气PAHs可能会造成平均冬季每百万人中约有33~2628人罹患癌症,夏季每百万人中约有11~834人罹患癌症的风险.     

内蒙古河套灌区盐碱土壤N2O排放特征

选择内蒙古河套灌区强度盐碱土壤S₁[电导率（EC）2.60dS/m]和轻度盐碱土壤S₂[电导率（EC） 0.74dS/m]为研究对象,2014~2016年,利用静态箱法3年野外原位观测试验,研究盐碱土壤氧化亚氮（N₂O）排放通量.结果表明：2种不同盐碱程度土壤N₂O排放每年均存在显著差异,轻度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量低;随EC升高,土壤盐碱程度加重,土壤N₂O累积排放量升高.2014~2016年作物生长季（4~11月）轻度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量分别为180.6,167.6,118.2mg/m²;强度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量比轻度盐碱土壤分别增加19%、26%和45%,修复盐碱土壤成为减缓盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放的重要农艺措施.     

青海省西宁市和天峻县大气颗粒物中有机氯农药和类二噁英多氯联苯的水平与分布

本研究测定了青海省西宁市与海西蒙古族藏族自治州天峻县夏、冬两季大气颗粒物中有机氯农药(OCPs)和类二噁英多氯联苯(DL-PCBs)的浓度水平.结果表明,青海省大气颗粒物中OCPs主要为DDTs、HCHs.西宁市DDTs和HCHs的平均水平分别为:35 pg·m-3、5.9 pg·m-3(夏季)和93 pg·m-3、11 pg·m-3(冬季),天峻县DDTs和HCHs的平均水平分别为:83pg·m-3、6.4 pg·m-3(夏季)和28 pg·m-3、6.7 pg·m-3(冬季).与亚洲其它地区相比,青海省大气颗粒物中OCPs处于较低水平.西宁市大气颗粒物中DL-PCBs的平均水平分别为:0.52 pg·m-3(夏季),0.99 pg·m-3(冬季),天峻县为:0.58 pg·m-3(夏季)、0.52 pg·m-3(冬季).西宁市夏、冬两季OCPs的平均水平均大于天峻县,而两地DL-PCBs的平均水平相当.本研究中高原地区DL-PCBs的分布特点及变化规律与极地地区的研究相比存在一定的相似性,而DDTs和HCHs则存在差异性.