Understanding implications of consumer behavior for wildlife farming and sustainable wildlife trade

Unsustainable wildlife trade affects biodiversity and the livelihoods of communities dependent upon those resources. Wildlife farming has been proposed to promote sustainable trade, but characterizing markets and understanding consumer behavior remain neglected but essential steps in the design and evaluation of such operations. We used sea turtle trade in the Cayman Islands, where turtles have been farm raised for human consumption for almost 50 years, as a case study to explore consumer preferences toward wild‐sourced (illegal) and farmed (legal) products and potential conservation implications. Combining methods innovatively (including indirect questioning and choice experiments), we conducted a nationwide trade assessment through in‐person interviews from September to December 2014. Households were randomly selected using disproportionate stratified sampling, and responses were weighted based on district population size. We approached 597 individuals, of which 37 (6.2%) refused to participate. Although 30% of households had consumed turtle in the previous 12 months, the purchase and consumption of wild products was rare (e.g., 64–742 resident households consumed wild turtle meat [i.e., 0.3–3.5% of households] but represented a large threat to wild turtles in the area due to their reduced populations). Differences among groups of consumers were marked, as identified through choice experiments, and price and source of product played important roles in their decisions. Despite the long‐term practice of farming turtles, 13.5% of consumers showed a strong preference for wild products, which demonstrates the limitations of wildlife farming as a single tool for sustainable wildlife trade. By using a combination of indirect questioning, choice experiments, and sales data to investigate demand for wildlife products, we obtained insights about consumer behavior that can be used to develop conservation‐demand‐focused initiatives. Lack of data from long‐term social–ecological assessments hinders the evaluation of and learning from wildlife farming. This information is key to understanding under which conditions different interventions (e.g., bans, wildlife farming, social marketing) are likely to succeed.     

Recent advances in catalytic decomposition of ozone

Ozone (O₃), as a harmful air pollutant, has been of wide concern. Safe, efficient, and economical O₃ removal methods urgently need to be developed. Catalytic decomposition is the most promising method for O₃ removal, especially at room temperature or even subzero temperatures. Great efforts have been made to develop high-efficiency catalysts for O₃ decomposition that can operate at low temperatures, high space velocity and high humidity. First, this review describes the general reaction mechanism of O₃ decomposition on noble metal and transition metal oxide catalysts. Then, progress on the O₃ decomposition performance of various catalysts in the past 30 years is summarized in detail. The main focus is the O₃ decomposition performance of manganese oxides, which are divided into supported manganese oxides and non-supported manganese oxides. Methods to improve the activity, stability, and humidity resistance of manganese oxide catalysts for O₃ decomposition are also summarized. The deactivation mechanisms of manganese oxides under dry and humid conditions are discussed. The O₃ decomposition performance of monolithic catalysts is also summarized from the perspective of industrial applications. Finally, the future development directions and prospects of O₃ catalytic decomposition technology are put forward.     

Bioindicator organisms: Heavy metal pollution evaluation in the Ionian Sea (Mediterranean Sea—Italy)

Trace metal concentrations of mercury, cadmium, lead and chromium in Patella caerulea, and Mullus barbatus were investigated to provide information on pollution of Ionian Sea, since these metals have the highest toxic potential. High chromium levels (0.47–0.97 g g^–1 ww) were registered in limpet samples collected from two station near the Gulf of Taranto, while elevated concentration of mercury (0.31–1.50 g g^–1 ww) were found in mullet specimens from Sicily. The metal concentrations recorded at the clean stations may be considered as useful background levels to which to refer for comparison within the Mediterranean area. On the contrary, the high levels of chromium and mercury found respectively in the areas near the Gulf of Taranto and at Capo Passero being of concern in terms of environmental health need frequent monitoring.     

辽宁省白石水库环境工程地质问题综述

白石水库位于辽宁省北票市上园乡附近的大凌河干流上,是大凌河流域第一期开发的控制性骨干工程，水库建成后，将产生许多环境工程地质问题。从库坝区的地质背景出发，对水库渗漏、库岸再造与泥沙淤积、淹没与浸没、水库诱发地震、坝下冲刷坑稳定性等主要环境工程地质问题进行了综合评述。     

地气溶胶测量──一种寻找隐伏矿床、研究深部构造地质的新方法、新技术

介绍了地气溶胶测量的概念及其测量方法，从地气溶胶组分及元素的赋存状态、来源及其可能的迁移特性，讨论了地气溶胶测量的原理。根据最近几年在矿区外围及未知地区所测量的一些实例，论述了利用该方法寻找隐伏矿床的效果，认为地气溶胶测量在寻找隐伏矿床、研究深部构造地质方面具有广阔的应用和发展前景。     

共振腔消声器在煤矿风井噪声治理中的应用

对煤矿风井噪声产生的机理与特性进行了分析，提出了用共振腔消声器治理风井噪声的新方法，详细阐述了该方法所依据的理论基础，并以应用实例加以说明。     

陆架浅海沉积物-海水界面溶质通量的计算方法及其应用

陆架浅海沉积物—海水界面上的溶解态生源物质通量的准确估算是海洋生态系统动力学研究中的关键性问题之一。由于底栖生物活动以及海流、海浪及潮波与海底地形地物相互作用的影响 ,使得该通量的准确估算十分困难。本文综合分析讨论了近年来提出的各种计算该类通量的物理模型及参数的确定方法 ,并结合在中国黄、东海等陆架浅海水层—底栖生态动力学耦合模型研究的需要 ,比较深入地讨论了应用过程中应该考虑的几个问题     

辽东湾海冰晶体结构及其内部叶绿素的初步研究

本文介绍了１９９６年冬季首次辽东湾生态环境调查中的海洋背景条件。扼要地阐述了辽东湾海冰一般概况，分析辽东湾冰样晶体结构、存储条件及其与冰内和冰下海水叶绿素之间的关系。辽东湾冰内叶绿素符合其它结冰海区的一般规律。根据辽东湾冰层底部实测盐度变化规律阐明海冰对冰下海水营养盐的贡献。最后对深入开展结冰海区生态环境调查工作的技术、侧重点和意义做了讨论。     

探讨影响赤潮的物理因子及其预报

通过多年对广东沿海港湾赤潮发生机理的探讨 ,归纳出引发赤潮的主要物理因子 ,并深入研究潮汐变化与赤潮形成的关系。作者认为在沿海一些半封闭的海湾 ,在月赤纬偏小期间发生大潮易引发赤潮。大亚湾澳头水域 4～ 5月份大潮后多呈现不正规全日潮 ,易出现赤潮生物高峰期 ,较明显的赤潮从发生至消退的全过程往往跨越一个潮水期。根据实践经验总结 ,作者提出利用潮汐变化规律对大亚湾澳头水域 2 0 0 1年 5月份可能出现的赤潮初始阶段作尝试性预测 ,并在赤潮初始阶段通过对水域的浮游生物优势种和当地天气的变化趋势加强观测、研究 ,希望能对赤潮暴发作出较准确的预报。     

广西近岸海域海水和沉积物及生物体中的重金属

以1998年广西近岸海域环境综合调查的资料，分析了广西近岸海域海水、表层沉积物及海洋生物体中重金属的含量分布，表层沉积物中重金属与有机质含量之间的相关关系，海洋生物对重金属的富集情况。结果表明，广西近岸海域海水中的Pb和表层沉积物中的Cu、Pb和As及生物体中的Cd含量部分超标。