Associations between stream valley geomorphology and riparian vegetation as a basis for landscape analysis in the eastern Sierra Nevada,California, USA

Ten streams in the eastern Sierra Nevada, California, were classified into six geomorphic valley types and sampled to determine environmental and riparian vegetation conditions. The geomorphic valley types were relatively uniform geologically and hydrologically, collectively representing the range of stream environments in the region. There were significant associations between the geomorphic valley types and riparian community composition. These geomorphic-vegetation units are landscape elements which comprise the riparian ecosystems in the region. They differ in their ecological charactersitics and sensitivity to management. The system of landscape elements can be used to classify streams for the purposes of resource inventory, detailed ecological studies, and impact prediction.     

Interrupting the balance: reconsidering the complexities of conflict in South Sudan

By the start of 2014, violent conflict had erupted across much of South Sudan following initial violence in Juba on 15 December 2013. The speed with which the fighting has spread raises questions regarding the impact of national‐level politics on violence at the local level. This article develops a framework in which violent conflict can be comprehended as a response to the interruption of the negotiation of the balance of power between groups; the negotiation is interrupted when that balance tips in favour of one group, such as through changes in the national political market or government reforms. The article provides two cases studies of attempts to strengthen the state that inadvertently interrupted local power relations between groups. In response, the groups engaged in violent conflict to reinstate a balance of power. Both examples involve conflict among Dinka groups from 2005 to 2008.     

Fertility Intentions and Risk Management: Exploring the Fertility Decline in Eastern Europe During Transition

Between 1985 and 1995, fertility in Eastern Europe declined from 2.2 children per woman to merely 1.5 on region-average. Previous research has emphasized mainly the economic turmoil during transition or the influx of new ideas regarding fertility and family relations. This article suggests that applying a risk management perspective on fertility patterns may put additional light on the reasons behind the fertility decline in post-communist Europe. The complexity of modern social systems has made people increasingly dependent on the state for risk evaluation and risk management. The article formulates the hypothesis that transition itself disrupted the mental models that helped people to navigate among the risks associated to having and raising children. Left to their own devices, women in Eastern Europe became more inclined to postpone childbirth or discard this option altogether.     

Global localism: Recentering the research agenda for biodiversity conservation

Global environmental crisis narratives about biodiversity loss promote conservation research on how human activities impact natural resources and link scientific findings to protectionist policies. This paper critiques how local knowledge, over space and through time, is constructed for these studies and integrated with ecological measures and qualitative interpretations of biodiversity conditions. As a case example, we describe how ethnoecological research at Mt. Kasigau, a biodiversity hot spot in Southeastern Kenya, changes ‘scientific’ views on human–resource relations. Species richness in woody plants and local knowledge about trees show resource continua on the mountain that question the designation of diverse undisturbed forests and degraded human‐utilized lands. Local narratives document spatially dynamic and adaptive relationships between the Kasigau Taita and their plant resources as they moved up and down the mountain in response to environmental conditions and extra local forces. We argue that greater ‘local learning’ about local places is important to hypothesizing and potentially guiding ‘global action’ for biodiversity conservation.     

From food aid to livelihoods support: rethinking the role of WFP in eastern Sudan

Despite more than 20 years of distribution of free emergency food in eastern Sudan (38 years in the case of refugees) Global Acute Malnutrition rates are currently the highest in the country. There has been no real improvement in the chronic livelihoods vulnerability that affects people in the region—particularly pastoralists. Food security must be seen from an informed livelihoods perspective. While food aid may still be required as part of transition, WFP must rethink its assistance strategy and advocate for complementarity in the efforts by development actors working across a range of sectors. Alternative models and interventions focused on the rehabilitation of markets and the development of' cargo nets' for the destitute, including cash transfers, must be developed and tested. Land tenure issues should be given particular attention. Food aid will probably remain an important element in the overall response, but its significance relative to other less developed forms of interventions should be reassessed.     

Cultural ecology of Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) habitat management by farmers: winter in farmland trees and shrubs in Senegambia

The presence of Whitethroats and their potential invertebrate prey in farmland trees and shrubs was investigated. The management of this vegetation by farmers, and their motivation for that management, was explored using participatory techniques. Whitethroats were associated with Guiera senegalensis, the shrub species which supports most caterpillars and spiders. Farmers reported declines in trees and shrubs since the 1950s, loss of fallow areas, declines in soil fertility and crop yields, and increases in the use of fire for clearing fields. Trees are valued by people for their cultural and medicinal uses and some species used by Whitethroats and other birds have potential for restoring soil fertility, although this was not recognised by farmers. More sustainable use of savanna farmland could have both agronomic and wider conservation benefits, and the provision of information that accommodates farmers' cultural and economic incentives could benefit both farmers and wildlife.     

城乡融合区乡村地域多功能空间分异及影响因素——以福州东部片区为例

乡村地域多功能是有效破解城乡二元结构、促进城乡融合发展的重要途径。本文以国家城乡融合发展试验区——福州东部片区为研究区,基于乡镇域尺度分析研究区乡村地域多功能空间分异规律与特征,使用地理探测器分析空间分异的影响因素。结果表明：（1）研究区各乡镇的乡村单一功能空间格局特征表现为农业生产功能在沿海小范围聚集,工业发展和生活保障功能主要集中分布在福州城区边缘郊区和南部乡镇,生态保育功能西部山区大于东部乡镇,而旅游休闲功能主要分布在中北部乡镇和平潭岛;（2）依据LSE模型,将研究区乡镇划分为五功能、四功能、三功能、双功能复合区和单功能主导区,其中拥有五、四功能复合区的乡镇共计58个,占比45.68%,说明研究区乡村地域多功能整体上处于较高水平,城乡融合发展基础良好;（3）乡村地域多功能的空间分异受自然环境、社会经济等内外因素的共同影响,自然环境因素塑造了乡村地域初始与特色功能,地理区位因素促进乡村功能的形成与分化,社会经济是优化乡村功能的基础因素,政策资金是推动乡村多功能转型的主导因素。研究结果为进一步推进区域城乡融合发展与乡村振兴提供科学依据。     

气象因素和前体物对中国东部O3浓度分布的影响

采用重心模型、空间自相关分析和地理探测器,研究了2016年中国东部O₃浓度的时空变化规律,揭示了气象因素和前体物对中国东部O₃浓度空间分布格局及其演变的影响.结果表明：（1）O₃浓度变化可分为3个阶段：1~3月为低值上升阶段、4~9月为高值波动阶段、10~12月为低值下降阶段,O₃污染主要发生在高值波动阶段,超标天数占全年的96.0%.（2）气象因素是影响O₃年均浓度空间分布格局的主导因素,受降水、相对湿度南高北低和日照时数北高南低的影响,O₃年均浓度总体呈北高南低的态势;前体物对O₃年均浓度分布也有显著影响,是城市群核心城市形成局部O₃污染中心的原因.（3）O₃月均浓度分布格局经历了由北高南低到南高北低的演变过程,1~6月O₃浓度总体重心和高值重心向北迁移,6月达到最北,北高南低的特征最强,环渤海地区成为O₃污染最严重的区域;7~12月,O₃浓度总体重心和高值重心向南迁移,12月达到最南,O₃浓度分布格局演变为南高北低.3~9月雨季期间,O₃浓度分布主要受降水和相对湿度的影响,其余时间主要受气温的影响.（4）前体物对O₃浓度分布的影响主要通过气象条件实现,气温越高,光化学反应越强,前体物的正向影响力越大;气温越低,光化学反应越弱,NO_x、CO、SO₂等化学性质活跃的前体物对O₃可能起消耗作用.     

Pathways of adaptation of common dandelion cenopopulations to long-term chemical and radiation influences

A comparative study of the seed progeny of dandelions was performed with samples from cenopopulations growing for a long time under conditions of radioactive contamination (the zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace, EURT) or chemical pollution (the impact zone of the Nizhnii Tagil Metallurgical Plant, NTMP). The viability of seeds proved to decrease in a similar way along with an increase in technogenic pressure, irrespective of its nature. Experiments on acute exposure to heavy metals and γ-irradiation made it possible to reveal the adaptive capacities of the seed progeny from each cenopopulation. The background sample (formed beyond the zone of any impact) was relatively resistant to irradiation and very sensitive to heavy metals. The cenopopulations from the EURT and NTMP zones manifested nonspecific responses to the effects of both habitual and new factors.     

南京东郊风景区旅游环境容量初步研究

通过对南京东郊风景区的实地考察和问卷调查的统计分析，从旅游者的旅游动机、旅游行为方式等方面论述了旅游环境容量的确定和意义，并提出了调控对策和管理意见。