Dynamics of species and species complexes as a field of research in historical ecology

Specific features of research on the dynamics of species and species complexes are considered on the basis of data on Late Cenozoic subfossil and fossil bone remains. Special attention is given to the objects to be reconstructed, the principles of their classification, and the concept concerning three scales of these dynamics: the actual, historical, and evolutionary scales. Published in Russian in Ekologiya, 2006, No. 6, pp. 452–456. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

SWAT‐LUT: A Desktop Graphical User Interface for Updating Land Use in SWAT

Long‐term simulations of agricultural watersheds have often been done assuming constant land use over time, but this is not a realistic assumption for many agricultural regions. This paper presents the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT)‐Landuse Update Tool (LUT), a standalone, user‐friendly desktop‐based tool for updating land use in the SWAT model that allows users to process multi‐year land use data. SWAT‐LUT is compatible with several SWAT model interfaces, provides users with several options to easily prepare and incorporate land use changes (LUCs) over a simulation period, and allows users to incorporate past or emerging land use categories. Incorporation of LUCs is expected to provide realistic model parameterization and scenario simulations. SWAT‐LUT is a public domain interface written in Python programming language. Two applications at the Fort Cobb Reservoir Experimental Watershed located in Oklahoma and pertinent results are provided to demonstrate its use. Incorporating LUCs related to implementation of recommended conservation practices over the years reduced discharge, evapotranspiration, sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus loads by 59%, 9%, 68%, 53%, and 88%, respectively. The user’s manual is included in this article as Supporting Information. The SWAT‐LUT executable file and an example SWAT project with three land use rasters and the user’s manual are available at the United States Department of Agriculture‐Agricultural Research Service Grazinglands Research Laboratory website under Software. Editor’s note : This paper is part of the featured series on Optimizing Ogallala Aquifer Water Use to Sustain Food Systems. See the February 2019 issue for the introduction and background to the series.     

企业生态创新的维度构成与量表开发研究

生态创新是促进经济绿色增长、应对气候变化的重要手段与核心工具,但目前关于生态创新的测量量表相对缺乏。通过对国内外生态创新的文献的系统梳理,结合开放式问卷调查和内容分析,本研究初步构建了由16项条款构成的初始测量量表。运用探索性和验证性因子分析,确定了由11项条款构成的生态创新测量量表,包含生态管理创新、生态工艺创新和生态产品创新三维度。本研究识别了生态创新的内部构成与确定了其测量量表,为深入研究生态创新的前置因素、生态创新与企业绩效之间的关系奠定了良好的基础,同时也为评价与比较不同企业的生态创新水平提供了支撑。     

Scale and self-governance in agri-environment schemes: experiences with two alternative approaches in the Netherlands

Agri-environment schemes in the Netherlands have been criticized for their lack of effectiveness. Explanations were sought in the limited size of the individual farm and in the shallowness of the measures. We distinguish three scale problems: in the spatial dimension (from farm element to landscape), in the management dimension (from add-on measure to farming system) and in the governance dimension (from little to much space for self-governance by farmers). These scale concepts are used to translate insights from ecology and agro-economy to governance approaches. We analyse case studies of two new approaches: an area approach with group contracts and spatial coordination of agri-environmental measures, and a farming system with substantial adaptations of the farming concept. Both approaches have elements of increased self-governance and could offer inspiration for schemes elsewhere. We propose that appropriate space for self-governance is necessary when choosing another scale approach for making agri-environment schemes more effective.     

The influence of institutional design on local environmental interest representation in the national polity

This article investigates structural and informal institutional design variables to account for civil society actors’ views on the political representation of local environmental interests in the national polity. It does so by linking literature on institutional design and place-based environmental advocacy to a case of large scale infrastructure development in the national interest. The case study concerns the proposal for a national high speed rail network (“HS2”) in the United Kingdom, which is heavily opposed locally based on its expected adverse impacts. Through fieldwork research on protest against HS2 in an area of high landscape value, it has been found that local actors perceived specific institutions to structurally under-represent interests associated with environmental conservation, compounded further by an informal style of doing politics. The paper recommends that the environmental management and planning literature turns to institutional explanations to make insightful the dynamics of defending the local interest in the national sphere.     

Scanning electron microscopy study of the gills,scales and erythrocytes of Anabas testudineus upon exposure to chlorpyrifos

The present study was undertaken to assess the toxicity of sublethal concentrations (125, 250, and 375 µg L^?1) of chlorpyrifos on Anabas testudineus for 21 days. The morphological changes on the gills, scales, and erythrocytes of A. testudineus were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Gill alterations included highly active mucous cells, epithelial hyperplasia, and fusion of secondary lamellae. The scales showed damaged lepidonts. Oozed out cytoplasmic content and lobopodial projections were observed in the erythrocytes after exposure to chlorpyrifos.     

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of fish scale loaded TiO2 composites under solar light irradiation

Fish scale (FS) loaded TiO₂ composites were investigated as photocatalysts in degradation of Methyl Orange under solar light irradiation. Composites were prepared through sol-gel method by varying mass ratio of TiO₂/FS at 90:10, 70:30 and 50:50, respectively. The catalysts prepared in this study were characterized by using XRD, SEM, FT-IR and nitrogen sorption. The effects of solar irradiation, mass ratio of TiO₂/FS composites, irradiation time and catalyst loadings were studied. Synergistic effect was found in TiO₂/FS of 90:10 composite which performed higher photocatalytic degradation than synthesized TiO₂ under solar light irradiation. However, further increasing fish scale content in the composites reduced the photocatalytic activity drastically. Under solar light irradiation, all the catalysts in this study exhibited photocatalytic activity, except TiO₂/FS of 50:50 composite that only acted as a weak biosorbent without performing any photocatalytic property. Photocatalytic degradation increased with increasing catalyst loading and irradiation time but decreased with increased of initial dye concentration.     

1982～2010年湖北省人口分布格局变迁及其影响因素

以人口普查数据为基础,采用空间分析技术,对1982~2010年湖北省人口分布的变迁及原因进行研究。结果表明:(1)湖北省人口分布具有显著的空间差异:区域尺度上,人口分布由东向西梯度递减,且梯度差异不断扩大;地市尺度上,武汉市始终是人口密度最高的地区,神农架、恩施、十堰、宜昌始终是人口密度最低的地区;县级尺度上,人口两极分化明显;省域尺度上,人口密度高值区长期呈三足鼎立的态势,人口重心始终位于几何中心以东,并不断向东迁移;(2)湖北省人口格局形成的原因是多方面的:自然地理差异是奠定湖北人口分布格局的决定因子;社会经济发展对湖北人口分布在自然基础上进行再塑造;区域发展战略对湖北人口分布的变迁起着重要导向作用;开发历史也在一定程度上影响了人口分布的布局。     

通风强度对市政污泥生物干化中试效果的影响

将污泥与树皮按照一定比例混合,利用自主研制的滚筒式污泥生物干化中试系统进行实验,通过对温度、含水率、O2和CO2浓度、挥发性固体(VS)、p H等参数的检测,研究了通风强度对市政污泥生物干化效果的影响.结果表明,通风强度对污泥生物干化有较大影响,通风强度(以VS计)为120 L·(h·kg)-1时,最高温度达到66℃,55℃以上高温可以维持40 h以上,111 h后污泥最终含水率可以降低至56%;生物干化过程中p H始终保持在6.5~8.5之间,不会影响微生物生命活动;滚筒式污泥生物干化反应器能够使反应器内基质均一性良好,对利用滚筒式反应器实现污泥连续流处理提供参考.     

The role of spatial scale in sustainable development

The role of spatial scale in sustainable development is assessed by dividing the world into multiple spatial units at different levels on a socio-political spatial scale. The basic patterns of sustainable development do not appear to be evident at all spatial levels, owing to the absence of some capital stocks and the conversion processes linking them, but environmental economics theory can be generalized to explain phenomena at various levels. Capital conversion processes influencing the sustainability of development of spatial units are constrained by processes at different levels, e.g. those imposing environmental conditions on development or affecting availability of investment capital. The autonomy of individual spatial units is also compromised by capital transfers to and from other units at the same level, so it is proposed that the sustainability of development of a particular unit should be estimated using net, rather than gross capital trends. Because of uneven development the same degree of sustainability should not be expected at the same time for all spatial units at the same spatial level.