The implications of new information and communication technologies for sustainability

This paper discusses the relationship of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) and sustainable development. It deconstructs popular myths about a sustainable information society. One myth is that telework has reduced the need to travel and hence environmental pollution. The reality is that teleworkers make up only a small share of the total workforce, telework can generate new social relationships and hence the need for more travelling, work-related travel produces only a small amount of the total carbon dioxide emissions, and that the total distance travelled per employee is constantly rising. Another myth is that information economy is weightless and dematerialized which reduces environmental impacts. The energy and resource intensities of the ICT sector are indeed lower than the one of the total economy. The ICT sector also emits less CO₂ than the total economy. But the ICT sector constitutes only a small portion of the total value added and fossil fuel combustion is still the dominant activity of modern industrial economies. Some stakeholders argue that virtual products allow resource, energy, and transport savings. But burning digital music on compact discs and DVDs, printing digital articles and books, etc. results in rebound effects that cause new material and energy impacts, computers have a low life span of 2–3 years, reusable and upgradeable computers and computer equipment are hardly used and might not be as profitable as non-reusable ones, computers are consuming much energy. Alternatives such as energy consumption labels on ICTs and green ICTs that consume less energy contradict dominant economic interests. A sustainable information society is a society that makes use of ICTs and knowledge for fostering a good life for all human beings of current and future generations by strengthening biological diversity, technological usability, economic wealth for all, political participation of all, and cultural wisdom. Achieving a sustainable information society costs, it demands a conscious reduction of profits by not investing in the future of capital, but the future of humans, society, and nature.     

齐齐哈尔草原生态状况及防治对策的研究

研究了齐齐哈尔市草原生态状况、发展趋势 ,并提出防治对策。     

生态学与经济学的合流

生态学家和经济学家在环境问题上各持己见，误解很深。近年来，生态学家和经济学家逐渐认识到了合作的重要性。但是，他们的合作一直磕磕碰碰。其中，最大的分歧在于如何合作才是最有效的。促进双方的沟通和理解可使经济学家更多地将环境问题纳入经济范畴，使生态学家探索运用经济手段解决环境问题的新思路。     

景观及视觉影响评价初探

介绍了国内外开展景观与视觉影响评价的情况和意义 ,提出了景观与视觉影响评价的基本概念、步骤、内容和方法 ,介绍了一种较为简便、实用的用于景观与视觉影响评价的定量方法。提出了进行这项工作的难点问题及设想建议。     

浦东新区城市生态问题探析

以浦东新区为个案，提出了城市开发建设较为突出的城市平衡发展、河流治理、景观规划等方面的城市生态问题，并阐述了解决方法和对策。掌握并运用生态学原理，对于城市建设和管理具有重要意义。     

小凌河污水灌溉对水稻作物影响的分析

通过小凌河水灌溉水稻的清水不地比清沙漠为分析污灌给水稻作物带来的生长发育，产量及稻米品质等方面的生态效应，初步了解米质品质下降的不利因素，并提出审慎考虑污灌问题。     

光强度对景观水体水质影响探讨

对景观水体来说,阳光会对水质产生一定的影响,而了解此影响的规律可以为更好的保持景观水质提供依据.在遮光和见光两种环境下对水体进行监测,发现光照首先体现在对藻类的影响上,而藻类的繁殖会对其他指标产生连锁反应,进而影响到整个水质情况.水体表面覆盖一定量的水生植物可以从遮光角度对水质的保持有所帮助.     

城市草坪的生态热效益

分析了草坪的能量平衡机理以及与环境之间的热湿交换关系，说明了草坪对空气具有降温增湿作用。通过重庆市区一些草坪实测数据分析发现草坪日平衡温度与空气日平均温度相等，说明草坪与空气之间保持热量的生态平衡。     

基于QuickBird卫星影像的徐径镇城市景观格局分析

以2000年和2004年的QuickBird卫星影像解译的徐径镇土地利用类型图为基础，对土地利用类型变化的幅度和土地利用类型之间转换的空间关系进行了研究，同时选取合适的景观格局指数对该区域的景观格局进行了分析。最后，给出结论和建议。     

Landscape Structure and Historical Processes Along Diked European Valleys: A Case Study of the Arc/Isère Confluence (Savoie, France)

/ The valleys of European piedmonts constitute changing narrow corridors within which water, matter, nutrients, energy, and species flow. The dispersion patterns of these flows have been significantly disturbed since the end of the 18th century. Thus, western European valleys have been changed into complex mosaics by implementation of socioeconomical programs. In order to define future actions allowing the preservation of this "ecocomplex" (Blandin and Lamotte 1988), it is necessary to gather precise information of the landscape dynamics. Hence, the study of the European river valleys must be based upon two major steps: (1)the analysis of the present landscape with suitable remote sensing techniques, allowing us to map the complex mosaic of narrow corridors; and (2) the analysis of temporal landscape development patterns since the first engineering works that have transformed the braided channel system. In this paper, the efficiency of the addition of two techniques is highlighted: (1) the "wavelet merging method" from multispectral and panchromatic SPOT images for the floodplain land-cover mapping, and (2) the historical reconstruction techniques from old maps and archive documents in order to analyze the cumulative impacts of engineering works on landscape diversity. To illustrate the method, a particularly complex case study is chosen: the Arc/Isere confluence (downstream from Albertville, Savoie, France). Remote sensing, field survey, and historical reconstruction allowed us to distinguish two types of spatial units: (1) the "functional sets" characterized by independent state factors (edaphic, hydrological, and topographic) and supporting a limited number of vegetation types (spontaneous or cultivated), and (2) the functional unit (= ecotope), which corresponds to a unique combination of vegetation type/functional set.KEY WORDS: Landscape ecology; Floodplains; Vegetation; Land use; Remote sensing; Historical reconstruction; Mapping; Merging methods; Human impacts; Alps; Isere river; France