Watering the garden: preferences for alternative sources in suburban areas of the Mediterranean coast

Gardening has become a relevant contributor to the quality of life of suburbanites, as a source of leisure, to build a relationship with nature or to express a particular social identity. Nevertheless, water scarcity in the Mediterranean region has increased concerns about how demand should be managed to face future uncertainties, and watering the gardens has become an element for discussion in urban planning. This contribution presents the findings of a survey of permanent residents and secondary homeowners (n?=?230) in the suburban areas surrounding the city of Girona in the northeast of Catalonia (Spain). The area is a popular national and international tourist destination and a preferred place for second-home owners. We explore the main socio-demographic drivers for choosing an alternative watering source and we analyse if water-harvesting tank sizes properly meet net irrigation requirements. Results show that many water-harvesting tanks are oversized. The percentage of unemployed or retired household members, the estimated irrigation water needs of the garden and the education level directly influence the search for alternative sources of water. Moreover, social variables like interest in gardening, water conservation attitudes and household income indirectly influence the search for alternative sources of water.     

A model to determine the lake nutrient standards for drinking water sources in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau Ecoregion, China

Lake eutrophication (LE) has become an increasingly severe environmental problem recently. However, there has been no nutrient standard established for LE control in many developing countries such as China. This study proposes a structural equation model to assist in the establishment of a lake nutrient standard for drinking water sources in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau Ecoregion (Yungui Ecoregion), China. The modeling results indicate that the most predictive indicator for designated use-attainment is total phosphorus (TP) (total effect =-0.43), and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) is recommended as the second important indicator (total effect =-0.41). The model is further used for estimating the probability of use-attainment associated with lake water as a drinking water source and various levels of candidate criteria (based on the reference conditions and the current environmental quality standards for surface water). It is found that these candidate criteria cannot satisfy the designated 100% use-attainment. To achieve the short-term target (85% attainment of the designated use), TP and Chl-a values ought to be less than 0.02 mg/L and 1.4 μg/L, respectively. When used as a long-term target (90% or greater attainment of the designated use), the TP and Chl-a values are suggested to be less than 0.018 mg/L and 1 μg/L, respectively.     

Exploring the influence of outdoor recreation participation on pro-environmental behaviour in a demographically diverse population

This study used structural equation modelling to examine the effects of socio-demographic variables and outdoor recreation participation on pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) among an ethnically diverse population of adult state-park visitors near Atlanta, Georgia, USA (N?=?319). Data collected through intercept surveys at three state parks were used to examine interactions among potential predictors of PEB, including socio-demographics (ethnicity, gender, education, and income), outdoor recreation participation (during childhood and adulthood), and environmental value orientations (biocentric and anthropocentric). The best fitting model accounted for 40% of the variance in self-reported PEB and indicated the strongest positive relationship between adult outdoor recreation participation and PEB (β?=?0.54, t?=?5.70). Biocentric and anthropocentric value orientation scores were also significant antecedents of PEB (β?=?0.17, t?=?1.99, and β?=?0.19, t?=?2.56, respectively), and both were influenced by socio-demographic variables. Overall, results suggest that a diverse public's environmental ethos and propensity to engage in PEBs could be influenced by outdoor recreation opportunities.     

Structural Adjustment of Oasis Agriculture in Xinjiang

Abstract

Xinjiang's oasis agriculture has made enormous strides over past decades. Structural adjustment of oasis agriculture sector has promoted production diversification. Xinjiang's oasis agriculture sector is entering a new era. The era means more adjustments in oasis agricultural and rural economic structure so as to realize the sustainable development of agriculture. By summing and analyzing the main problems in Xinjinag's oasis agricultural structure, such as raising farmer's income, industry structure within agriculture, rural urbanization, pressure coming from market, agricultural environment degradation, puts forward the thinking, director and countermeasures to adjust oasis agricultural structure.     

A hybrid approach using AHP–TOPSIS–entropy methods for sustainable ranking of structural materials

Nowadays, many countries are looking towards sustainability as a goal because our world has limited resources and serious environmental impacts. In the construction industry, the process of sustainable selection of structural material is considered one of the keys to achieve more sustainable construction. In this paper, the theories of decision making are utilised to develop an approach for evaluation and ranking the structural materials over their total life based on sustainability criteria using multi-attribute decision-making methods. One of them is Analytical Hierarchy Process which is utilised to build the problem hierarchical structure and assign weights of the predetermined sustainable factors. The other is Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution which is utilised to rank the structural materials within both each material life cycle phase and the complete material life cycle phases. The third is the concept of entropy by Shannon to evaluate the weight factor for each phase of material life cycle. The proposed approach presents an objective, systematic and comprehensive method for the sustainable ranking of materials that links between the structural element design and the sustainable selection of materials.     

基于遥感技术的近30 a海南岛海岸线时空变化

了解海岸线变化对海岸资源的开发与保护有着重要的意义。论文基于遥感技术与GIS技术,提取了海南岛1980、1990、2000、2010年4个时期的海岸线,并对其30 a来的时空变化特征进行了系统分析。结果表明:海南岛海岸线变化主要受人为因素的影响,近30 a来其长度增加了55.4 km;海岸线时空变化显著,变化比较剧烈的岸段多分布在地势较为平缓的南部地区,以养殖开发、工业用地、城镇与港口建设用地为主。研究认为,海南岛海岸线的变化,将有可能导致诸如岸线侵蚀等环境问题,应注意合理开发,利用海岸线资源。     

旅游城镇化背景下沿海小镇的土地利用空间格局演变与驱动机制研究——以大连市金石滩国家旅游度假区为例

研究以多时序土地利用、遥感数据为基础,通过GIS技术结合土地利用动态度、空间叠置与转置模型分析1992-2009 年大连金石滩国家旅游度假区土地利用空间格局演变及驱动机制。研究表明:①土地利用数量变化模式呈现耕地面积大量减少,建设用地迅速增加:1992-2009 年各土地利用类型单一动态度中耕地减少速度最快,为4.66%;建设用地增加最快,为21.32%;耕地大部分转移为建设用地,1992-2009 年耕地转向建设用地的面积为891.35 hm²,占总耕地转移面积的54.76%;旅游用地面积增加了425.35 hm²,占建设用地增长面积的27.69%;②建设用地空间扩展呈现出沿交通干线和海岸线分布,且主要集中在龙山村、满家滩和陈家村的南部交通干线区域,并从该区域不断向周围地区扩张;③与非旅游城镇相比,金石滩逐步从原有单一土地利用类型向旅游主导的复合型用地转变,在“政府”、“企业”和“居民”三个主体影响下,经历了以“自然保护为主-旅游开发为主-保护为前提适度开发”的演化历程。     

太湖典型湖区中胶体有机碳浓度的时空变化

利用切向流超滤技术研究了太湖梅梁湾与贡湖湾2个不同生态类型的典型湖区在不同季节胶体有机碳(COC)的浓度变化,并同步观测了浮游植物、叶绿素(Chla)、悬浮物(SS)等背景指标.结果表明,作为藻型湖区的梅梁湾,其COC浓度夏季最高,秋季最低;作为草型湖区的贡湖湾.其COC浓度在秋季最高,冬季最低;太湖梅梁湾和贡湖湾COC浓度的差异和季节变化有关,夏季梅梁湾COC浓度高于贡湖湾,差异为一年中最大;太湖水体COC浓度和Chla浓度显著正相关(r=0.81,P=0.015),表明浮游植物的生命活动址太湖水体COC的一个重要来源.     

基于ISM二维云模型的应急管理协同度研究

为研究应急管理系统的内部结构和协同效果，基于ISM二维云模型展开应急管理协同度研究。运用结构解释模型(ISM)剖析应急管理复杂系统内部的层次关系，依据影响因素递阶层次图构建应急管理协同度评价指标体系；提出1种递阶中心度权重法用于求解各指标的权重系数，用中心度与层级系数反映各指标的重要性与结构性；将二维云模型引入到应急管理协同度研究，处理各指标预防阶段和响应阶段的模糊性与随机性问题；应用上述方法对京津冀应急管理协同度进行探索性研究，结果表明:京津冀应急管理综合协同度等级为良，3地各部门之间的横向信息沟通有待加强，需提高应急预案在响应阶段的可行性，同时加大预防阶段的科技支撑能力，研究方法和结论可为以京津冀为代表的城市群的应急管理协同水平的持续提高提供参考和借鉴。     

农业生产与土壤变化

本文在提出土壤变化概念及其驱动力的基础上,论述了农业生产活动对土壤侵蚀、上镶有机质和营养元素、土壤酸化、土壤生物学特性、土壤物理性质诸方面的正、逆向效应,最后指出研究农业生产对土壤变化的影响是发展持续农业所必需的.