Social network characteristics and resource access among formerly displaced households in Lira,Uganda

In rural African communities, the support of extended family, friends, and neighbours is essential in borrowing or leveraging land, labour, food, and money, especially at times of social and financial turmoil. Little is known, though, about the nature of the networks and the conditions under which they may generate greater support in post‐conflict communities. This study, conducted in the Lira district of northern Uganda, examined the composition, proximity, and size of the networks that households utilise to gain access to resources during and after resettlement. Network structures with more kin and co‐resident ties were found to offer greater resource access to households in post‐conflict settings. Furthermore, there was a lack of meaningful linkages outside of a person's own village, especially with regard to households whose head has no or a low level of education. These findings enhance understanding of the specific role of relationships in social support for resource access among households in post‐conflict communities.     

陕北高原最高最低气温时空变化特征分析

采用气候倾向率、趋势系数、普通克里格插值、Mann—Kendall检验、小波分析等方法对陕北高原1960-2009年最高气温、最低气温的时空变化特征与突变特点进行分析。结果表明,近50年来陕北高原最高、最低气温均有明显增温趋势,分别为0．3℃／10a和0．32℃／10a;最高、最低气温增温幅度存在季节差异,最高气温在春季增温幅度最大,最低气温在冬季增温幅度最大;最高、最低气温增温的地区差异也较显著,最高气温增温趋势从北向南呈间隔分布,最低气温增温趋势从西向东逐渐递减;最高、最低气温升温突变显著,分别为1994年和1993年;最低气温突变早于最高气温,说明最低气温比最高气温敏感。     

苏北乡土文化旅游产品开发研究

乡村文化是乡村旅游开发的灵魂。以江苏北部地域为靶区,在分析乡土文化概念的基础上,指出苏北乡土文化系统主要包括海洋文化、两汉文化和传统农耕文化等文化序列。以睢宁县为例,分析了小区域范围内乡土文化景观的展示形式,构建了苏北乡土文化系统的层次结构,提出了开发苏北乡土文化旅游产品的开发对策。     

天山北坡城市群碳储量时空变化及预测研究

为了有效评估城市群碳储量变化,以天山北坡城市群为研究对象,运用PLUS模型和InVEST模型,动态评估2000～2020年及2030年不同情景下土地利用变化及碳储量变化特征.结果表明,2000～2020年天山北坡城市群碳储量呈现持续增加趋势,且碳储量变化与土地利用变化密切相关,主要表现为2000～2010年林地面积的减少导致其碳储量减少约266×106t,2010～2020年草地面积的增加使其碳储量增加约69.14×10⁶t.2030年自然发展情景、生态保护情景和经济快速发展情景下碳储量预测值分别为8875.88×10⁶t、8895.58×10⁶t和8841.58×10⁶t;经济快速发展情景下碳储量最低,生态保护情景下碳储量最高.土地利用是影响碳储量空间变化分布的第一主导因素,贡献率接近于90%,土地利用强度与碳储量协调性分析与两者双变量空间自相关分析进一步验证了这一结论.土地利用变化在一定程度上能够对碳储量产生积极影响,对于本研究区而言,生态保护发展情景可能更符合未来城市发展模式,研究结果能够为土...     

Linking life history to landscape for threatened species conservation in a multiuse region

Landscape-scale conservation that considers metapopulation dynamics will be essential for preventing declines of species facing multiple threats to their survival. Toward this end, we developed a novel approach that combines occurrence records, spatial–environmental data, and genetic information to model habitat, connectivity, and patterns of genetic structure and link spatial attributes to underlying ecological mechanisms. Using the threatened northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) as a case study, we applied this approach to address the need for conservation decision-making tools that promote resilient metapopulations of this threatened species in the Pilbara, Western Australia, a multiuse landscape that is a hotspot for biodiversity and mining. Habitat and connectivity were predicted by different landscape characteristics. Whereas habitat suitability was overwhelmingly driven by terrain ruggedness, dispersal was facilitated by proximity to watercourses. Although there is limited evidence for major physical barriers in the Pilbara, areas with high silt and clay content (i.e., alluvial and hardpan plains) showed high resistance to dispersal. Climate subtlety shaped distributions and patterns of genetic turnover, suggesting the potential for local adaptation. By understanding these spatial–environmental associations and linking them to life-history and metapopulation dynamics, we highlight opportunities to provide targeted species management. To support this, we have created habitat, connectivity, and genetic uniqueness maps for conservation decision-making in the region. These tools have the potential to provide a more holistic approach to conservation in multiuse landscapes globally.     

Statistical source identification of metals in groundwater exposed to industrial contamination

Levels of selected metals Na, Ca, Mg, K, Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cd, Pb and Mn were estimated by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry in groundwater samples from Kasur, a significant industrial city of Pakistan. Salient mean concentration levels were recorded for: Na (211 mg/l), Ca (187 mg/l), Mg (122 mg/l), K (87.7 mg/l), Fe (2.57 mg/l) and Cr (2.12 mg/l). Overall, the decreasing metal concentration order was: Na > Ca > Mg > K > Fe > Cr > Zn > Co > Pb > Mn > Ni > Cd. Significantly positive correlations were found between Na–Cr (r = 0.553), Na–Mn (r = 0.543), Mg–Fe (r = 0.519), Mg–Cr (r = 0.535), Pb–K (r = 0.506) and Pb–Ni (r = 0.611). Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis identified tannery effluents as the main source of metal contamination of the groundwater. The present metal data showed that Cr, Pb and Fe levels were several times higher than those recommended for water quality by WHO, US-EPA, EU and Japan. The elevated levels of Cr, recorded as 21–42 fold higher compared with the recommended quality values, were believed to originate from the tanning industry of Kasur.     

In the aftermath of the Qa'yamat:1 the Kashmir earthquake disaster in northern Pakistan

This article explores the local impact of the catastrophic earthquake in northern Pakistan on 8 October 2005. Drawing on field research, including interviews with 40 earthquake survivors, the post-disaster analysis presented here focuses upon risk awareness and the reactions of respondents to the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that devastated areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir State, and North-West Frontier Province. The analysis provides insights into local perceptions of seismic hazard and exposure as well as survivors' priorities with regard to rebuilding and reconstruction. The article suggests that the tragedy of the devastating earthquake is entangled in a deeper knot of causal factors that are social, economic and political in nature. Rapid population growth, urbanisation, changing building styles, environmental degradation and lack of preparedness and mitigation are associated with the circumstances that place the population at risk. Remarks concerning present and future risk reduction efforts are included.     

Earthquake mortality in Pakistan

A strong earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, hit northern Pakistan on 8 October 2005, causing massive destruction, including an official death toll of 73,276. Four cross-sectional surveys were performed in late 2005 to assess mortality before the event, on the day, and subsequently. Two surveys were community-based and two were situated in camps for internally displaced persons. Crude mortality rates were low in the 3.5 months preceding the earthquake (less than 0.1 deaths per 10,000 per day) and slightly higher in the six-to-eight weeks after the earthquake (ranging from 0.10–0.43 per 10,000 per day). On 8 October 2005, approximately two per cent of the population in one community survey died and around five per cent in the other three surveys. Children less than five years and adults more than or equal to 50 years tended to have a higher risk of mortality on the day of the disaster. These results corroborate the high mortality caused by the earthquake.     

Equivocating on the polluter-pays principle: The consequences for Pakistan

The polluter-pays principle has been widely implemented in OECD countries and credited for bring about a significant reduction in pollutant discharge. However, it has had only limited implementation in developing countries. The consequences of not implementing it in developing countries, to the extent they are documented, are limited to estimating the economic damages of environmental degradation. Yet there are several other but seldom documented negative consequences of the failure to implement the polluter-pays principle. These consequences are documented in the case of Pakistan. They include limited construction of effluent treatment plants, heavy dependence on the government and international donors for funding the only two operational common effluent treatment plants, significant operational issues at the two common effluent treatment plants, missed opportunities to build cost-effective common effluent treatment plants and minimal environmental improvements from isolated investments in individual effluent treatment plants in addition to the already documented significant level of environmental degradation due to uncontrolled pollutant discharge.     

大连北三市土地利用景观格局及其生态环境效应

以大连市北部的县级市瓦房店市、普兰店市和庄河市为研究区,引用2005年土地利用矢量数据,选用生态意义较明确的景观特征指数,对大连北三市土地利用景观格局及其生态环境效应进行比较分析。揭示土地利用景观格局对生态环境的影响。