Environmental changes associated with mass urban tourism and nature tourism development in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's tourism is overwhelmingly urban-focused. There is a heavy concentration of tourist and ancillary facilities in a small core urban area. A well-defined tourist business district has evolved with imprints on urban morphology. Hotels and the travel industry have limited direct environmental impacts; recent efforts have reduced energy and water consumption and waste generation. Changing preferences and market diversification call for countryside and resort types of tourism. The mainly young visitors are increasingly interested in the scenic countryside with a well-established country-park system, the tourist potential of which has been neglected. Hitherto rural excursions have been confined to 'honeypots' with little penetration away from main roads. The varied possibilities of nature tourism with ecotourism ingredients can be tapped as an adjunct to the city-based counterpart. New tourist nodes such as scattered resorts and a resort island can bring visitors close to nature. The changing patterns of consumption and the increase in rural visitorship demand measures to forestall environmental degradation.     

21世纪初我国粮食供需的新空间格局

利用2000-2003年县级统计数据,揭示21世纪初我国粮食供需的空间格局。我国粮食供需平衡以东西分异规律为主,其次是南北分异。地势第二级阶梯以东,主要余粮区分布最广,北方明显多于南方;胡焕庸线以西,常年缺粮区为主;两线之间,潜在缺粮区居多。东北地区、华北平原生产全国近70%的余粮。长江中下游以南地区既是我国温饱水平缺粮总数最多的地区,也是第三大余粮生产区。地势第二级阶梯上的农牧交错带,温饱水平缺粮总量列第二位,是我国粮食安全最脆弱的地区。上述地区主要位于环境变化敏感地带,粮食安全自然风险最大。因此,加强环境变化对粮食供需平衡的影响研究,对深入认识我国粮食供需平衡的稳定性具有重要的现实意义和理论价值。     

论可持续发展的区际关系内涵与我国西部大开发

本文在揭示可持续发展的宏观、中观、微观区际关系内涵的基础上,对我国西部大开发和如何协调区际关系,实现可持续发展提出了建议。     

The earth system: regional–global linkages

Understanding the earth system requires that the two-way linkages between regions and the global system be well understood and predictable. Most studies of global change are undertaken thematically across limited disciplinary boundaries; few are attempted holistically across many disciplines within regions. The regional approach offers many advantages. Here a variety of linkages associated with the regions of Southern Africa, South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia are presented to illustrate the power of a regional approach to earth system science. Major findings include the extent to which long-range transport of aerosols and nutrients affect terrestrial and marine ecosystem functioning in and around southern Africa. Aerosol transport, and the development of a regional haze layer, over South Asia are shown to alter significantly the radiative forcing of change in the atmosphere over the region. Changes in land cover and use over East Asia over along period of time are shown to have affected the strength of the monsoon circulation significantly. Finally, rampant economic development and globalization in Southeast Asia are demonstrated to have been a significant driver of regional change. Electronic Publication     

初论新疆环境域类型特征及对策

在进行环境保护时,首先必须对环境进行域类型划分,然后对划分的环境域特征以及它们之间的相互制约、影响的关系进行研究,并确定对不同的环境域采用不同的措施和对策,以达到环境保护的目的。本文初次对新疆的环境域进行了划分,在此基础上,对其特征及其相互关系进行了初步研究,最后提出了防治和保护不同环境域的措施及对策。     

三峡库区消落带土壤剖面中重金属分布特征

通过对三峡库区消落带土壤的研究,探讨了土壤剖面中重金属的分布特征.结果表明:紫色土淋溶层（A层）w（Cd）和w（Hg）平均值,母质层（C层）w（Cd）,w（Zn）和w（Hg）平均值均高于全国同类、同层次土壤的平均水平;石灰岩土A层及C层的重金属质量分数平均值均低于全国同类、同层次土壤的平均水平.从上游至下游,w（Cu）和w（Zn）平均值呈降低趋势,其他重金属质量分数的变化不明显.城区附近土壤重金属质量分数明显高于其他地区.土壤中w（Cd）,w（Cr）,w（As）,w（Hg）和w（Ni）服从正态分布（Sig.>0.05）,土壤pH与w（Cd）和w（Cu）之间具有正相关关系（显著性水平为0.01）.土壤中w（Cd）与w（Cu）,w（Cd）与w（Ni）,w（Cu）与w（Zn）,w（Cu）与w（Cr）,w（Pb）与w（Zn）,w（Pb）与w（As）,w（Pb）与w（Hg）,w（Pb）与w（Ni）,w（Zn）与w（Ni）和w（Hg）与w（Ni）之间具有一定的正相关关系;w（Cd）与w（Pb）,w（Cd）与w（Zn）,w（Cd）与w（As）,w（Cu）与w（Ni）和w（Hg）与w（Cr）之间具有一定的负相关关系.      

A simulation model for projecting changes in salinity concentrations and species dominance in the coastal margin habitats of the Everglades

Sharp boundaries typically separate the salinity tolerant mangroves from the salinity intolerant hardwood hammock species, which occupy the similar geographical areas of southern Florida. Evidence of strong feedback between tree community-type and the salinity of the unsaturated (vadose) zone of the soil suggests that a severe disturbance that significantly tilts the salinity in the vadose zone might cause a shift from one vegetation type to the other. In this study, a model based upon the feedback dynamics between vegetation and salinity of the vadose zone of the soil was used to take account of storm surge events to investigate the mechanisms that by which this large-scale disturbance could affect the spatial pattern of hardwood hammocks and mangroves. Model simulation results indicated that a heavy storm surge that completely saturated the vadose zone at 30 ppt for 1 day could lead to a regime shift in which there is domination by mangroves of areas previously dominated by hardwood hammocks. Lighter storm surges that saturated the vadose zone at less than 7 ppt did not cause vegetation shifts. Investigations of model sensitivity analysis indicated that the thickness of the vadose zone, coupled with precipitation, influenced the residence time of high salinity in the vadose zone and therefore determined the rate of mangrove domination. The model was developed for a southern Florida coastal ecosystem, but its applicability may be much broader.     

Engineering-geological hazards and management in the Mountain Crimea coastal zone

The main engineering-geological hazards and their factors of the Mountain Crimea coastal region are considered. A characteristic shore line site of Cape Kikineiz and its neighboring coastal area near the Katsiveli settlement has been studied in more detail. The important characteristic of the site is a high diversity of geological conditions with numerous manifestations of dangerous engineering-geological processes: shore and hydrological network abrasion, loss of slopes and rocks stability, etc. These processes have intensified during the last decades under the influence of natural and man-induced factors. The results of preliminary study of geo-environmental situation of the area are presented. The program for further research and possible recommendations for rational coastal hazard management and area ecological state improvement are outlined.     

Methodological approach of coastal areas concerning typology and spatial indicators, in the context of integrated management and environmental assessment

The general objective of this paper is to trigger off the development of a more comprehensive approach to Hellenic coastal areas (in the perspective of territorial cohesion), at local level and especially along the non-urban areas close to the sea. Methodological issues linked to the building of an appropriate coastal database constitute the key goal of this paper (the space and time scale, the relationship to the already proposed set of indicators, the impact of driving forces and policies, the possible sources of data and their feasibility etc.). Furthermore, specific emphasis should be given to the choice of new indicators, particularly for the coastal abiotic environment and the land cover/uses along coastal areas, especially near the seafront. Those indicators should be able to aid the formation (in the near future) of an algorithm linked to the total man-made activities in coastal areas. In conclusion, this paper will be considered successful if the just above illustrated objectives could enrich the argument about the typology of coastal areas and the development of a spatial (coastal) observatory. Actually, this paper is part of a broader research of the author regarding the monitoring of coastal spatial changes in different scales (AMICA, “Appraisal of man-made interventions along the Hellenic coastal areas”). This research aims to broaden the coastal knowledge (not only by means of coastal data) on behalf of all stakeholders been implicated into sustainable spatial planning, integrated coastal management and the strategic environmental assessment along coastal areas.

Assessing carrying capacities of coastal areas in France

This paper provides the methodological framework for carrying capacity assessment through a set of indicators, as implemented in a French case study. The approach aims to help the State and local governments of coastal areas facing population growth and important touristic flows to undergo a local development strategy that does not imperil their territorial strategic resources. This work shows how situations of dysfunction or saturation points have interlinked consequences on environmental, social and economic resources, justifying a crosswise assessment.