Book Reviews

Books reviewed:
Thomas Drabek, Disaster-induced Employee Evacuation
Hugh Brammer, Agricultural Disaster Management in Bangladesh
Boris Porfiriev, Disaster Planning and Emergency Management in Russia
Patrick Bracken and Celia Petty, eds, Rethinking the Trauma of War
R. Cohen and F. M. Deng, eds, The Forsaken People: Case Studies of the Internally Displaced
Tom Trier and Lars Funch Hansen, eds, Conflict and Forced Displacement in the Caucasus: Perspectives, Challenges and Responses     

Where Sustainable Transport and Social Exclusion Meet: Households Without Cars and Car Dependence in Great Britain

Abstract

A secondary analysis of the British National Travel Survey for the years 2002–2010 shows that the composition of the group of carless households is a good indicator of the level of car dependence in a local area: indeed, while non-car ownership in peripheral and rural areas very often correspond to a marginal socio-demographic situation, this is less and less true as one moves towards larger urban areas. Similarly, while in sparse areas most households without cars are either virtually immobile or reliant on car lifts, in large urban areas the ‘mobility gap’ between car-owning and carless households is considerably smaller, as the latter are able to use modal alternatives to the car. These findings are interpreted with reference to an integrated theoretical framework, showing how changes in land use and the environmental and social impacts of increasing motorization are intimately linked. Notably, the consequences of the self-reinforcing cycle of car dependence on two forms of car-related transport disadvantage (car deprivation and forced car ownership) are highlighted. Overall, the article highlights how the socio-demographic composition and the travel behaviour of carless households vary systematically across different types of area: this has interesting implications for sustainable transport policy and research.     

Arrival timing and seasonal reproductive performance in a long-distance migratory landbird

The date when a landbird migrant arrives on its breeding grounds may have reproductive consequences. Generally, early arriving individuals begin breeding earlier and consequently experience greater seasonal reproductive performance. Here, we describe relationships between arrival timing and seasonal reproductive performance in the American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), a long-distance passerine migrant, arriving at northerly breeding grounds in Michigans eastern Upper Peninsula. Evidence suggests that both males and females benefited from early arrival at the breeding grounds. Early males appeared to settle on higher quality territories and hatched nestlings sooner than later arrivals. Early females began their clutches early, produced heavier nestlings and possibly laid more eggs than later arrivals. Larger clutches and heavier offspring increase the likelihood of offspring recruiting into the breeding population. The findings of this study point to fitness consequences arising from when a bird arrives at its breeding grounds. These results also have implications for understanding how events occurring during spring migration influence reproductive performance as migratory delays likely influence arrival timing.Communicated by: W. Wiltschko     

Orientation of juvenile barn swallows (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hirundo rustica</Emphasis>) tested in Emlen funnels during autumn migration

Although hirundines have been used extensively in homing experiments, to date no investigation of their migratory orientation has been carried out, despite the well-known migratory habits of many species of this family. This paper reports on a study of the orientation of the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), a typical diurnal trans-Saharan migrant. Modified Emlen funnels were used to verify the suitability of this species for cage experiments and investigate the role of visual and magnetic cues during the birds first migratory journey. Juvenile swallows were mist-netted at a roost site in central Italy and then tested in a site 19 km apart. Orientation experiments were performed under four experimental conditions: natural clear sky and simulated overcast, in both local and shifted magnetic fields (magnetic North=geographical West). Under clear sky, the swallows tended to orient phototactically toward the best-lit part of the funnel and failed to respond to the magnetic field shift. Under overcast conditions, they oriented northward and modified their directional choices as expected in response to the shifted magnetic North. On the whole, our data indicate that swallows can use magnetic information for compass orientation. Possible explanations for the northward orientation of birds tested under overcast conditions are discussed.Communicated by W. Wiltschko     

城镇居民食物消费的生态足迹及生态文明程度评价

城镇居民食品账户生态足迹核算一直面临着消费项目不完善与消费-土地利用矩阵信息匮乏的问题。研究通过改进自下而上生态足迹模型,较好地解决了上述问题;并构建了食物消费的生态文明度概念与分类层次体系,在生态影响“数量”评估的基础上开展了“质量”评估。论文对2005—2012年中国及各省城镇居民食物消费的生态影响及生态文明度进行了实证研究,结果表明：1）城镇居民部门食物账户的生态影响变动主要驱动力为在外就餐;2）全国及大陆省份中除山西、江西和青海外的28个省份城镇居民食物消费的生态文明度发生了不同程度的下降。中国如果忽略城镇市场倒逼机制对生态文明的巨大作用,规模扩大与食谱增富的城镇化可能将整个中国带入生态环境脆弱性增强的境地。     

基于过程的农户土地利用行为模型的设计与模拟研究

通过基于过程的方式来研究农户决策行为已经成为学者们关注的焦点问题之一。论文依据Belief、Desire、Intention（BDI）决策框架,设计基于过程的农户土地利用行为决策模型。模型以农户实际决策而非效益最大化作为行为模拟的假设,对陕西省米脂县高渠乡的典型村落马蹄洼和姜兴庄土地利用变化进行模拟。模拟可以再现农户决策的动态性和反馈性,展示农户学习行为的过程及其影响,揭示农户决策变化的内在机理。利用该模型,对3 种情景下农户土地利用行为进行模拟,对比分析3 种情景的优劣,指出政府未来应当在降低市场风险、规范合作社经营、提高市场预测方面多做工作。文章最后对该种方法的优点和不足进行总结,并指出今后需要加强的方向。     

The influence of caste,class and gender in surviving multiple disasters: A case study from Orissa,India

Sociological and anthropological studies in India reveal that caste, class and gender in everyday life are both rigid and dynamic, but little is known about how they influence the survival mechanisms of women during ‘multiple disasters’, nor about how women negotiate with these structural mores to meet their cultural and biological needs. This is explored through the experiences of 12 women-headed households from different social castes in Orissa, India. Multiple disasters or disasters that occur in ‘one specific place’ (such as floods, cyclone and drought) are regular events in coastal parts of the state of Orissa. The super-cyclone of 1999, two floods of 2001 and 2003 and drought of 2000 and 2002 form the case study. Participant observation, in-depth interviews and documentary evidence complement the fieldwork. The findings suggest a complex interplay of caste, class and gender in surviving the multiple disasters including structural mutability under the purview of social organization. In doing so, women demonstrated their individual and collective agencies in order to meet their cultural and biological needs under severe crisis. This research stresses that gender and disaster studies must include a consideration of caste and class for effective disaster management and social vulnerability reduction.     

农民工大规模外出的经济增长效应研究

农民工大规模外出的影响和作用十分复杂.利用反设事实法,并运用Cobb-Douglas生产函数,分析了湖南省2001-2011年经济增长过程中资本投入、劳动投入和技术进步的贡献,并对于湖南省2001-2011年潜在经济增长进行了进一步推断.研究结果:如果不存在出省打工的数百万农民工,同期湖南将实现净增长428％,年均经济增长率18.10％,比现实经济增长率高出0.5个百分点.这表明农民工大规模外出尽管带来了可观的劳务收入,但也使得流出地区实际经济总量低于其可能的潜在总量,导致其实际经济增长率低于其潜在经济增长率,从而也间接证明了农民工大规模出省打工对于农民工流出地区的经济增长具有一定抑制作用.地方政府在将发展“劳务经济”作为发展战略的同时,还应认识到,“劳务经济”发展战略在带来较多劳务收入的同时,也会在一定程度上削弱地方社会经济的发展潜力.当前不宜将农村剩余劳动力转移作为对各级地方政府目标责任考核内容.     

Can Labor Out-Migration Reduce Firewood Consumption by Rural Households in Western Mountainous China

Abstract

The relationship between out-migration of labor in the Qinling mountain area and households’ firewood consumption is explored. Migration and remittances reduce households’ firewood consumption due to increases in both income and opportunity cost of firewood collection. Previous studies have been equivocal because they ignored uncertainty in household economy, which is widespread in forest areas of less developed countries. This study provides additional insight by considering vulnerability and subjective assessment of poverty generated by unstable income and an uncertain future. We provide evidence that the amount of firewood consumed depends on income and opportunity cost of firewood collection, but also on a prudent consumption strategy, due to farmers’ subjective assessment of their future possible poverty. We also find out-migration of labor can reduce per capita firewood consumption but subjective poverty also acts against reduction of firewood consumption.     

农民工职业危害防护需求意愿调查分析

为了调查农民工职业危害防护的具体需求意愿及他们对企业职业危害管理现状的认知,分析农民工职业危害防护需求意愿与农民工职业危害防护行为之间的关系。采用问卷调查的定量调查方法进行调查。调查对象中男性农民工409人,女性农民工157人。参与问卷调查的农民工,均接触一种及以上的职业性有害因素。调查内容包括了解公司预防和控制职业病的政策,参与公司的职业危害管理决策,实施的职业性健康安全培训、健康监护、个人防护用品的使用等预防和控制职业病的管理措施等方面,本次调查显示,农民工对于预防职业危害表现出强烈的需求愿望,且对企业的职业危害防护现况表示了不满,倾向于采取极端的行为维护自身的健康权益。但另一方面,农民工实际参与企业职业危害防护的行为率较低,与他们的需求意愿相比有明显的差距。