Mitigation translocation as a management tool

Mitigation translocation is a subgroup of conservation translocation, categorized by a crisis-responsive time frame and the immediate goal of relocating individuals threatened with death. However, the relative successes of conservation translocations with longer time frames and broader metapopulation- and ecosystem-level considerations have been used to justify the continued implementation of mitigation translocations without adequate post hoc monitoring to confirm their effectiveness as a conservation tool. Mitigation translocations now outnumber other conservation translocations, and understanding the effectiveness of mitigation translocations is critical given limited global conservation funding especially if the mitigation translocations undermine biodiversity conservation by failing to save individuals. We assessed the effectiveness of mitigation translocations by conducting a quantitative review of the global literature. A total of 59 mitigation translocations were reviewed for their adherence to the adaptive scientific approach expected of other conservation translocations and for the testing of management options to continue improving techniques for the future. We found that mitigation translocations have not achieved their potential as an effective applied science. Most translocations focused predominantly on population establishment- and persistence-level questions, as is often seen in translocations more broadly, and less on metapopulation and ecosystem outcomes. Questions regarding the long-term impacts to the recipient ecosystem (12% of articles) and the carrying capacity of translocation sites (24% of articles) were addressed least often, despite these factors being more likely to influence ultimate success. Less than half (47%) of studies included comparison of different management techniques to facilitate practitioners selecting the most effective management actions for the future. To align mitigation translocations with the relative success of other conservation translocations, it is critical that future mitigation translocations conform to an established experimental approach to improve their effectiveness. Effective mitigation translocations will require significantly greater investment of time, expertise, and resources in the future.     

Socioeconomic development and ecological traits as predictors of human–bird conflicts

Because of the significant impacts on both human interests and bird conservation, it is imperative to identify patterns and anticipate drivers of human–bird conflicts (HBCs) worldwide. Through a global systematic review, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we analyzed the socioeconomic factors and bird ecological traits driving the degree of knowledge and extent of HBCs. We included 166 articles published from 1971 to 2020 in our analyses through which we built a profile of the socioeconomic conditions of 52 countries with reported conflicts and the ecological traits of the 161 bird species involved in HBCs. Although HBC expanded worldwide, it had the greatest impact in less-developed countries (estimate 0. 66 [SE 0.13], p< 0.05), where agriculture is critical for rural livelihoods. Species with a relatively greater conflict extent had a relatively broader diet (estimate 0.80 [SE 0.22], p<0.05) and an increasing population trend (estimate 0.58 [SE 0.15], p<0.05) and affected human interests, such as agriculture and livestock raising. In countries with greater biodiversity, HBCs caused greater socioeconomic impacts than in more developed countries. Our results highlight the importance of understanding and addressing HBCs from multiple perspectives (ecological, sociocultural, and political) to effectively protect both biodiversity and local livelihoods.     

装配式人防外墙等效荷载作用下整体性能的分析

运用有限元模拟计算,分析了在等效荷载及墙外侧土压力的共同作用下,装配式人防外墙结构的整体性能及结构的开口情况、灌注桩的应力分布、装配式墙板的应力以及应变分布等。研究发现:装配式人防外墙结构会产生开口,但开口值较小;桩体的受力比较连续,桩体混凝土沿土压力方向逐渐由受压为主变为受拉为主,墙体的上下端面应力比较集中。结果表明,本文的研究成果对装配式人防外墙结构的设计和施工实践具有指导意义。     

基于FOA-MOD的飞机巡航阶段BC排放特性与影响因素研究

民航飞机在巡航阶段排放的黑碳(BC)可产生区域增温效应.为提高飞机巡航阶段黑碳排放的估算精度,采用一种基于国际民航组织一阶近似方法(FOA)的修正计算方法(FOA-MOD),使用B777-200机载飞行数据(QAR)进行实例分析,并结合当量比、燃烧室入口压力、主燃区火焰温度等热力学参数,计算了某次飞行巡航阶段的BC排放...     

Rainfall conditions and rainwater harvesting potential in the urban area of Khartoum

Runoff water management is among the inherent challenges which face the sustainability of the development of arid urban centers. These areas are particularly at risk from flooding due to rainfall concentration in few heavy showers. On the other hand, they are susceptible to drought. The capital of Sudan (Khartoum) stands as exemplary for these issues. Hence, this research study aims at investigating the potential of applying rainwater harvesting (RWH) in Khartoum City Center as a potential urban runoff management tool. Rapid urbanization coupled with the extension of impervious surfaces has intensified the heat island in Khartoum. Consequently, increased frequency of heat waves and dust storms during the dry summer and streets flooding during the rainy season have led to environmental, economical, and health problems. The study starts with exposing the rainfall behavior in Khartoum by investigating rainfall variability, number of raindays, distribution of rain over the season, probability of daily rainfall, maximum daily rainfall and deficit/surplus of rain through time. The daily rainfall data show that very strong falls of >30 mm occur almost once every wet season. Decreased intra- and inter-annual rainfall surpluses as well as increased rainfall concentration in the month of August have been taking place. The 30-year rainfall variability is calculated at decade interval since 1941. Increasing variability is revealed with 1981–2010 having coefficients of variation of 66.6% for the annual values and 108.8–118.0% for the wettest months (July–September). Under the aforementioned rainfall conditions, this paper then explores the potential of RWH in Khartoum City Center as an option for storm water management since the drainage system covers only 40% of the study area. The potential runoff from the 6.5 km² center area is computed using the United States Natural Resources Conservation Services method (US-NRCS), where a weighted Curve Number (CN) of 94% is found, confirming dominant imperviousness. Rainfall threshold for runoff generation is found to be 3.3 mm. A 24,000 m³ runoff generated from a 13.1 mm rainfall (with 80% probability and one year return period) equals the drainage system capacity. An extreme rainfall of 30 mm produces a runoff equivalent to fourfold the drainage capacity. It is suggested that the former and latter volumes mentioned above could be harvested by applying the rational method from 18% and 80% rooftops of the commercial and business district area, respectively. Based on the above results, six potential sites can be chosen for RWH with a total roof catchment area of 39,558 m² and potential rooftop RWH per unit area of 0.033 m³. These results reflect the RWH potential for effective urban runoff management and better water resources utilization. RWH would provide an alternative source of water to tackle the drought phenomenon.