Detecting deterrence from patrol data

The threat posed to protected areas by the illegal killing of wildlife is countered principally by ranger patrols that aim to detect and deter potential offenders. Deterring poaching is a fundamental conservation objective, but its achievement is difficult to identify, especially when the prime source of information comes in the form of the patrols’ own records, which inevitably contain biases. The most common metric of deterrence is a plot of illegal activities detected per unit of patrol effort (CPUE) against patrol effort (CPUE-E). We devised a simple, mechanistic model of law breaking and law enforcement in which we simulated deterrence alongside exogenous changes in the frequency of offences under different temporal patterns of enforcement effort. The CPUE-E plots were not reliable indicators of deterrence. However, plots of change in CPUE over change in effort (ΔCPUE-ΔE) reliably identified deterrence, regardless of the temporal distribution of effort or any exogenous change in illegal activity levels as long as the time lag between patrol effort and subsequent behavioral change among offenders was approximately known. The ΔCPUE-ΔE plots offered a robust, simple metric for monitoring patrol effectiveness; were no more conceptually complicated than the basic CPUE-E plots; and required no specialist knowledge or software to produce. Our findings demonstrate the need to account for temporal autocorrelation in patrol data and to consider appropriate (and poaching-activity-specific) intervals for aggregation. They also reveal important gaps in understanding of deterrence in this context, especially the mechanisms by which it occurs. In practical applications, we recommend the use of ΔCPUE-ΔE plots in preference to other basic metrics and advise that deterrence should be suspected only if there is a clear negative slope. Distinct types of illegal activity should not be grouped together for analysis, especially if the signs of their occurrence have different persistence times in the environment.     

不同含水率煤尘在瓦斯爆炸诱导下爆炸传播规律研究

为了探究不同含水率煤尘在瓦斯爆炸诱导下的爆炸传播规律,利用自行搭建的直管瓦斯爆炸诱导煤尘二次爆炸实验系统,从冲击波压力和火焰传播速度2个方面,研究了不同含水率沉积煤尘在瓦斯爆炸诱导下的爆炸传播规律和原因。研究结果表明:当煤尘含水率小于40%时,管道内沉积煤尘会在瓦斯爆炸诱导下产生二次爆炸,同时沉积煤尘总量一定时,沉积煤尘二次爆炸产生的冲击波超压峰值和火焰传播速度随着煤尘含水率的增加先增大后减小;当沉积煤尘含水率为20% 时,煤尘二次爆炸产生的冲击波超压峰值、火焰传播速度峰值达到最大值,分别为1.657 MPa和468.060 m/s;当沉积煤尘含水率大于40%时,沉积煤尘无法产生二次爆炸,此时爆炸产生的威力小于单一瓦斯爆炸,火焰传播速度衰减较无煤尘的瓦斯爆炸更快,沉积煤尘起到抑制瓦斯爆炸传播的作用。研究结果可以为防治煤尘二次爆炸提供理论依据。     

The development of first-possession rules in US mining, 1872–1920: theory, evidence, and policy implications

This paper applies a property rights framework to federal mineral lands in the western United States from the enactment of the Mining Law in 1872 until the enactment of the Mineral Leasing Act for fossil fuels in 1920. There are two principal findings. First, the Mining Law appears to have been an effective means for assigning rights to mineral stocks on public lands (at least through 1920). This conclusion is supported by evidence from claim disputes in the West. Second, the impetus for the Mineral Leasing Act did not derive from the different physical characteristics of hardrock minerals and petroleum. The relevance of these conclusions to contemporary mineral policy is also discussed.     

浅论对《中华人民共和国环境影响评价法》的认识

《中华人民共和国环境影响评价法》的颁布改变了我国从1979年以来实施的建设项目环境影响评价制度中的一些缺陷与不足，提高了环境影响评价工作的法律地位，有利于环境影响评价工作的公平、公正和公开进行。但同时由于各方面条件的限制，这部法律也留下了一些值得商榷的地方。本文结合赤峰地区环境影响评价工作出现的问题，浅论环境影响评价领域的进步与遗憾，并提出一些建议。     

海南三亚近岸海域水化学要素的分布特征和变化规律

本文调查研究了海南三亚近岸海域水化学要素的浓度和分布，结果表明：（１）表层ＤＯ、ＮＯ－２、ＮＯ－３、ＮＨ＋４、ＰＯ３－４和ＣＯＤ的平均浓度分别为４１１．９、０．０５、０．４７、１．７９、０．１６μｍｏｌ／ｄｍ３和１．３１ｍｇ／Ｌ。（２）河流输入对沿岸海域水化学要素的影响主要集中于ＮＨ＋４和ＣＯＤ，对ＰＯ３－４和ＮＯ－３的浓度影响不明显，海域总体为一贫营养盐区域。采用主成分分析表明控制水化学要素的主要因子是河流的输入和由此导致了的生物旺发。     

《立体构成》课程建设中教学方法的改革与实践

本文通过对《立体构成》课程教学对象的分析，探讨了该课程在理论与实践教学环节教学方法的改进。实践证明，这些改进对于充分发掘学生潜力，激发学生的求知欲望，提高教师业务水平，促进《立体构成》课程教学改革具有重要意义。     

SBR活性污泥中的主要微生物类群及其基本生态规律初探

本文重点探讨采用ＳＢＲ活性污泥法处理有机磷农药（乐果）生产废水的工艺中，ＳＢＲ内的活性污泥的主要微生物类群、特征、功能以及与环境因子、废水处理运行状况的关系。     

谈影响环境执法的若干因素与对策

环境执法是我国环境法制建设的一个重要组成部分。本文分析了当前我国环境执法的主要因素,并提出了应对策略。     

船舶油污损害民事责任若干问题研究

船舶油污侵权是民事侵权行为的一种,针对该种侵权的民事赔偿责任,国际上制订了专门的国际公约,一些国家也制定了自己的有关船舶油污损害的赔偿体系。在船舶油污损害责任制度下,一个核心问题就是责任主体问题,只有明确了责任主体,才能使油污损害赔偿得以顺利进行。但是调整国际油污损害赔偿的冲突规则比较匮乏,各国国内法的规定也不尽相同,如何适用法律,各国司法实践多有不同。立足于中国现行的法律体系,首先明确了各种船舶油污损害应当适用的法律,然后依据所适用的法律具体分析责任主体的确定问题。     

Understanding the synchronisms and anachronisms of the Columbia River Treaty in relation to the principles of international water law

Based on the theory of the politics of international law and the hermeneutic theory for international relations, this paper aims to demonstrate how the history and contextual changes within the Columbia River Basin have affected the underlying principles of the Columbia River Treaty with those of international water law.