Effective communication about complex environmental issues: Perceived quality of information about carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) depends on stakeholder collaboration

This experimental research addresses the effectiveness of communication about complex environmental issues, depending on whether the same information is provided by multiple collaborating or by individual organizations (i.e., stakeholders). The information provided pertains to carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology, as an example of a complex environmental issue. In Studies 1 (N = 75) and 2 (N = 66) we found that participants perceived factual information from collaborating stakeholders to be of higher quality than when the same information was provided by individual stakeholders. As predicted, the expectation of diverse perspectives being represented in the collaborative information mediated this effect. In addition, in Study 3 (N = 79) the perceived dissimilarity of collaborating stakeholders was shown to be an important precondition for the collaboration effect observed in Studies 1 and 2. Finally, these studies indicate that occasional collaboration between different stakeholders does not necessarily harm the perceived credibility of each individual stakeholder.     

Spring leaf flush in aspen (Populus tremuloides) clones is altered by long-term growth at elevated carbon dioxide and elevated ozone concentration

Early spring leaf out is important to the success of deciduous trees competing for light and space in dense forest plantation canopies. In this study, we investigated spring leaf flush and how long-term growth at elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) and elevated ozone concentration ([O₃]) altered leaf area index development in a closed Populus tremuloides (aspen) canopy. This work was done at the Aspen FACE experiment where aspen clones have been grown since 1997 in conditions simulating the [CO₂] and [O₃] predicted for ∼2050. The responses of two clones were compared during the first month of spring leaf out when CO₂ fumigation had begun, but O₃ fumigation had not. Trees in elevated [CO₂] plots showed a stimulation of leaf area index (36%), while trees in elevated [O₃] plots had lower leaf area index (−20%). While individual leaf area was not significantly affected by elevated [CO₂], the photosynthetic operating efficiency of aspen leaves was significantly improved (51%). There were no significant differences in the way that the two aspen clones responded to elevated [CO₂]; however, the two clones responded differently to long-term growth at elevated [O₃]. The O₃-sensitive clone, 42E, had reduced individual leaf area when grown at elevated [O₃] (−32%), while the tolerant clone, 216, had larger mature leaf area at elevated [O₃] (46%). These results indicate a clear difference between the two clones in their long-term response to elevated [O₃], which could affect competition between the clones, and result in altered genotypic composition in future atmospheric conditions.     

Ammonium and nitrate tolerance in lichens

Since lichens lack roots and take up water, solutes and gases over the entire thallus surface, these organisms respond more sensitively to changes in atmospheric purity than vascular plants. After centuries where effects of sulphur dioxide and acidity were in the focus of research on atmospheric chemistry and lichens, recently the globally increased levels of ammonia and nitrate increasingly affect lichen vegetation and gave rise to intense research on the tolerance of lichens to nitrogen pollution. The present paper discusses the main findings on the uptake of ammonia and nitrate in the lichen symbiosis and to the tolerance of lichens to eutrophication. Ammonia and nitrate are both efficiently taken up under ambient conditions. The tolerance to high nitrogen levels depends, among others, on the capability of the photobiont to provide sufficient amounts of carbon skeletons for ammonia assimilation. Lowly productive lichens are apparently predisposed to be sensitive to excess nitrogen.     

吐曼河近5a水质变化浅析

通过单因子评价法对吐曼河水质现状及近期变化趋势进行了分析,揭示了近几年来吐曼河水质年内及年际变化的特点,以期对吐曼河水污染治理提供参考。     

建筑行业发展与低碳生活的推广探讨

低碳生活是一种自然地节约各种资源的习惯,是一种生活习惯。气候变化是本世纪最严重的全球问题之一,不断推进低碳生活是减少人类生活对气候影响的重要途径。低碳生活推广后,消费者对建筑的规划、环境影响以及节能等关注将增加,进而影响建筑行业的发展。在分析低碳生活对建筑影响的基础上,提出了包括人才培养、政策支持和扩大宣传的多级支持发展建议。     

1961—2008年新疆阿克苏地区降水、温度变化特征

利用阿克苏地区5个气象站1961—2008年的降水和温度资料,对近50 a来该地区气候变化及其趋势进行了分析。各气象站年降水量变化趋势基本一致,总体上都呈增加趋势。除库车县气象站年平均温度呈降低趋势外,其余呈上升趋势。总体上,阿克苏地区年降水量和年平均温度均呈上升趋势。     

Monitoring Regional Riparian Forest Cover Change Using Stratified Sampling and Multiresolution Imagery1

Claggett, Peter R., Judy A. Okay, and Stephen V. Stehman, 2010. Monitoring Regional Riparian Forest Cover Change Using Stratified Sampling and Multiresolution Imagery. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(2):334-343. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00424.x Abstract: The Chesapeake Bay watershed encompasses 165,760 km² of land area with 464,098 km of rivers and streams. As part of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort, state and federal partners have committed to restoring 26,000 miles (41,843 km) of riparian forest buffers. Monitoring trends in riparian forest buffers over large areas is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of these restoration efforts. A sampling approach for estimating change in riparian forest cover from 1993/1994 to 2005 was developed and implemented in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to exemplify a method that could be applied throughout the Bay watershed. All stream reaches in the county were stratified using forest cover change derived from Landsat imagery. A stratified random sample of 219 reaches was selected and forest cover change within the riparian buffer of each sampled reach was interpreted from high-resolution aerial photography. The estimated footprint of gross change in riparian forest cover (i.e., the sum of gross gain and gross loss) for the county was 1.83% (SE = 0.22%). Stratified sampling taking advantage of a priori knowledge of locations of change proved to be a practical and efficient protocol for estimating riparian forest buffer change at the county scale and the protocol would readily extend to much broader scale monitoring.     

自然资源、技术进步与环境库兹涅茨曲线

不可再生自然资源的约束和环境质量的不断恶化是经济可持续发展必须要面对的挑战。就环境问题而言,现实中一个特征事实是,在不同的收入水平下人们对环境质量的需求不同,只有当收入达到一定水平之后,人们才会注重生活质量的改善。基于现有研究,在考虑非再生自然资源的约束条件下,本研究将环境质量作为生产要素的一部分引入最优增长理论的分析框架,探讨了在环境污染和自然资源双重约束下的长期经济增长问题。在非再生自然资源和环境污染的双重约束下,本研究表明解决环境问题必须要采用的手段是促使技术进步的创新研发,因为技术进步是环境库兹涅茨曲线出现拐点的不可或缺的一个必要条件。在市场竞争的环境下,由于知识的非竞争性质使得研究部门的研究是次优的。因此,政府应当通过适当的财政政策和法制安排以激励私人投资者研究与开发新技术的积极性。     

中国农村经济制度变迁与农业周期性增长分析

农业增长除受到基本投入要素的影响,还受制度因素的影响。对于制度因素对农业增长的影响的研究,大多文献是从定性的角度分析。本文运用计量经济学和统计方法,通过对1978-2007年总体和不同阶段农业增长与农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度进行理论和实证分析,探讨制度变迁对农业生产总值增长的推动作用。文章通过分析发现,我国农业在要素投入并没有周期性变化的情况下,农业总产值增长率却呈现一定的周期性。为了探究农业周期性增长的原因,本文结合我国农村经济制度变迁的路径和农业总产值指数变化的特点,将改革开放以来我国农业增长分为三个阶段进行分析,同时根据Griliches生产函数构造计量分析模型。通过分析发现,正是由于不同阶段农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度的变迁,导致农业生产总值增长率周期性起伏。因此,制度变迁是改革开放后中国农业经济增长的内在决定性因素。     

内生创新、人文发展与中国的能源效率

基于内生经济增长理论,本文通过运用面板数据分析方法,重点讨论了内生创新和人文发展对中国能源效率的影响。研究结果表明,无论是全国层面的总体估计还是从东部、中部和西部的分区域估计,内生创新对中国的能源效率都产生着正面影响;人文发展状况总体上对能源效率的提高也具有正面的影响,但是人文发展中人均消费量的提高对能源效率的改善产生着负面的效应。内生创新和人文发展对能源效率的作用在中国东部、中部和西部地区不尽相同,这些作用一致呈现出由东部向中部再向西部地区逐渐递减的分布趋势。人文发展较内生创新而言对能源效率的贡献弹性更加显著。因此,从内生创新和人文发展的角度出发,通过有效措施把能源消费方式转变到依靠技术进步、人口与经济社会协调发展的内涵式消费方式上来,依然是提高中国能源效率的有效策略。