环境决策与信息支持

科学的决策过程包括发现问题、确定目标、确定价值准则、拟定方案、分析评估、方案优选和实施等过程。环境决策是涉及经济、社会、资源、环境之间关系的综合性问题;是一个多变量、多层次、多目标的复杂大系统问题,需要大量的信息支持。良好的环境信息系统要将环境决策过程与信息过程有机地结合起来。当前我国环境信息系统网络的建设应该加强统一规划和管理。      

地理信息系统在监测综合技术中应用的评述

空间化监测信息的综合加工和快速而形象的反映是环境管理的迫切需求,亦是当前监测综合技术发展的主要特征。监测信息的综合分析是一个复合型的巨大系统,引入地理信息系统,不仅可满足上述需求,而且可作为支持该系统的有力工具。本文重点讨论了监测综合分析中应用地理信息系统的必要性、现状和特点。     

环境管理与环境信息系统

在分析环境信息系统结构与功能的基础上,提出当前如何充分地利用环境信息系统进行环境管理的具体设想。     

A spatially explicit framework for quantifying downstream hydrologic conditions

Continued improvements in spatial datasets and hydrological modeling algorithms within Geographic Information Systems (GISs) have enhanced opportunities for watershed analysis. With more detailed hydrology layers and watershed delineation techniques, we can now better represent and model landscape to water quality relationships. Two challenges in modeling these relationships are selecting the appropriate spatial scale of watersheds for the receiving stream segment, and handling the network or pass-through issues of connected watersheds. This paper addresses these two important issues for enhancing cumulative watershed capabilities in GIS. Our modeling framework focuses on the delineation of stream-segment-level watershed boundaries for 1:24 000 scale hydrology, in combination with a topological network model. The result is a spatially explicit, vector-based, spatially cumulative watershed modeling framework for quantifying watershed conditions to aid in restoration. We demonstrate the new insights available from this modeling framework in a cumulative mining index for the management of aquatic resources in a West Virginia watershed.     

Accuracy assessment of a small-area method for estimating the spatial distribution of the degree of tree damage

Tree damage, gauged by the amount of defoliation, is one of the basic criteria used to determine treatments for protected and economic forests. Monitoring should include an assessment of the degree of tree damage in different spatial scales. Therefore, in addition to the commonly applied large-area methods, small-area methods should be used. The aim of the paper is to present the results of the accuracy assessment of a small-area method, proposed by Podlaski (2005) [Podlaski, R. (2005). Inventory of the degree of tree defoliation in small areas. Forest Ecology and Management, 215, 361–377], for monitoring the degree of tree damage. The degree of tree damage was shown in sub-blocks P₃ of the system of information on natural environment (SINUS). To estimate the spatial distribution of the degree of tree defoliation, survey sampling, based on simple random sampling with replacement (SRSWR), was used. The degree of damage to fir (Abies alba Mill.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) was analysed in the Święty Krzyż forest section in the Świętokrzyski National Park. The maximum total estimation errors for the proportion of trees with a degree zero of damage, and with second and third degrees of damage together (for α = 0.05) were at most 30.8% for fir and 24.3% for beech trees. For standard, small-area evaluations, these are satisfactory values. In the Święty Krzyż forest section, the number of P₃ sub-blocks with 0.00–5.00% of undamaged trees and with 80.01–100.00% of moderately- or severely-damaged trees was significantly greater for fir than for beech. These results indicate that the fir population was unhealthier than the beech group in the study area. P₃ sub-blocks of the SINUS system, in which the proportion of the healthiest trees was highest, were situated at the forest margin, bordering on meadows and arable fields (in the case of fir) and forming dense patches consisting of several sub-blocks, or occurring singly in the whole study area (in the case of beech). The results show the significant differentiation of forest tree health in small areas.     

Anal gland secretion codes for family membership in the beaver

We investigated how information about family membership is coded by the individually specific anal gland secretion (AGS) in the beaver, Castor canadensis. Because beavers live in strict family units and relatives share more features in the AGS profile than non-relatives, family members share more AGS features than non-family members. Therefore, family recognition seems to be a natural consequence of the more specific kin recognition. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed two possibilities in coding for family membership using the multi-component AGS: either two (female) to three (male) AGS compounds or many compounds were used, but we were not able to determine which possibility is more likely. Compounds were not equally important in coding family membership information, and the interactions among compounds were complex. We attempted to reconstruct a lineage tree for the relationship among different families using two–three or many compounds. We found there was no significant difference for trees constructed by using few or many compounds in either males or females. However, the trees derived from male compounds and female compounds lacked good congruence. Received: 10 December 1998 / Accepted after revision: 13 July 1998     

Household food waste separation behavior and the importance of convenience

Two different strategies aiming at increasing household source-separation of food waste were assessed through a case-study in a Swedish residential area (a) use of written information, distributed as leaflets amongst households and (b) installation of equipment for source-segregation of waste with the aim of increasing convenience food waste sorting in kitchens. Weightings of separately collected food waste before and after distribution of written information suggest that this resulted in neither a significant increased amount of separately collected food waste, nor an increased source-separation ratio. After installation of sorting equipment in households, both the amount of separately collected food waste as well as the source-separation ratio increased vastly. Long-term monitoring shows that results where longstanding. Results emphasize the importance of convenience and existence of infrastructure necessary for source-segregation of waste as important factors for household waste recycling, but also highlight the need of addressing these aspects where waste is generated, i.e. already inside the household.     

Realizing an effectiveness revolution in environmental management

The environmental movement of the 20(th) century has evolved into a large, diverse and well-financed global community that is increasingly required to prove its worth. Though the environmental sector collects and uses data to determine the status of ecological and social systems, the effectiveness of the programs and policies it uses to affect this status remains largely untested. As governments and donor institutions insist on greater transparency, accountability and evidence of what works and what does not, much is being learned from other fields (e.g. health services, education, international development) and increasingly sophisticated approaches are emerging to manage effectiveness. For example, program evaluation, adaptive management, and systematic review provide frameworks and methods to collect and use information to measure and improve performance. However, the critical data and collaborations necessary for an effectiveness revolution are marginalized by technical, cultural and political obstacles. Learning from other fields, the environmental sector must exploit key leverage points, such as flows of information and self-organization, to overcome impediments and create incentives to initiate and realize an era of effectiveness in environmental management.     

Strategic environmental disclosure: Evidence from the DOE's voluntary greenhouse gas registry

Although mandatory disclosure programs have been studied extensively, strategic voluntary environmental disclosures by firms are not well understood. We study the motivations for and impacts of firms' strategic disclosure of greenhouse gas reductions to the US government. We first model firms' joint abatement and disclosure decisions, incorporating both economic and political incentives. We then use data from the Department of Energy's Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Registry to compare reported reductions to actual emissions. We find that participants in the program engage in highly selective reporting: in the aggregate, they increase emissions over time but report reductions. In contrast, non-participants decrease emissions over time. Participants tend to be large firms facing strong regulatory pressure; pressure from environmental groups reduces the likelihood of participation, suggesting such groups viewed the program as a form of greenwash. Participating in the 1605(b) program had no significant effect on a firm's changes in carbon intensity over time.     

基于气象预测数据的中国洪涝灾害危险性评估与预警研究

基于自然灾害风险理论,借助GIS强大的空间分析功能,采用归一化和层次分析法,对中国全国范围尺度进行了洪涝灾害危险性评估。通过对洪涝灾害危险性因子分析,分别提取当天降雨量、前3 d降雨量、地形高程、地形标准差、河湖网络等因素作为评估因子,提出了各因子危险性指数计算方法,以及全国洪涝灾害危险性指数计算模型公式。根据统计分析危险指数的最小值、最大值,结合历史灾情,利用阈值分割法确定了风险等级分割值分别为0.3、0.45及0.6,将洪涝灾害等级划分为高风险、中风险、低风险与无风险四个等级,从而建立了类似于天气预报模式的全国洪涝灾害危险性评估模型,并以2010年8月22日为例进行了洪涝灾害危险等级评估的实际应用。最后,基于洪涝灾害的危险性评估的结果,结合危险区内人口分布、交通设施等基础数据,生成相应的预警产品。对可能发生的洪涝灾害发出预警与预测,为危险区人们乃至相关政府管理部门采取有效的防灾、减灾措施提供参考依据。