Using fuzzy set theory to address the uncertainty of susceptibility to drought

This paper presents the technical aspects of a new methodology for assessing the susceptibility of society to drought. The methodology consists of a combination of inference modelling and fuzzy logic applications. Four steps are followed: (1) model input variables are selected—these variables reflect the main factors influencing susceptibility in a social group, population or region, (2) fuzzification—the uncertainties of the input variables are made explicit by representing them as ‘fuzzy membership functions’, (3) inference modelling—the input variables are used to construct a model made up of linguistic rules, and (4) defuzzification—results from the model in linguistic form are translated into numerical form, also through the use of fuzzy membership functions. The disadvantages and advantages of this methodology became apparent when it was applied to the assessment of susceptibility from three disciplinary perspectives: Disadvantages include the difficulty in validating results and the subjectivity involved with specifying fuzzy membership functions and the rules of the inference model. Advantages of the methodology are its transparency, because all model assumptions have to be made explicit in the form of inference rules; its flexibility, in that informal and expert knowledge can be incorporated through ‘fuzzy membership functions’ and through the rules in the inference model; and its versatility, since numerical data can be converted to linguistic statements and vice versa through the procedures of ‘fuzzification’ and ‘defuzzification’.     

Dynamics of growth and seed production in the Siberian stone pine: The level and pattern of variation in characters

A statistical analysis of interannual variation in a set of vegetative and generative characters over 13 years has been performed to characterize the growth and seed production dynamics of the Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) in the southeast of the forest zone in western Siberia. The results have shown that the range of fluctuations in most of vegetative characters is ordinary and their distribution is close to normal. The range of fluctuations in many generative characters is enormous (from 0 to +∞), and the distribution of their values is usually skewed, with low values being recorded several times more frequently than high values. Most variable are the proportion of abortive cones and other characters that are determined mainly in the spring of the pollination year. These characters account for a very high level of variation in the total seed production.     

Coat color polymorphism in populations of the northern mole vole in the Ural Region

Collections made in the course of long-term field studies on ecology of the northern mole vole Ellobius talpinus Pall. in the Ural Region and neighboring areas (more than 2000 individuals from 24 points of the species range) were used to analyze geographic variation in its coat color (color morphs). On the basis of long-term observations (1985–1999) on marked animals from a polymorphic population (Kurtamyshskii raion, Kurgan oblast), the life spans of males and females and the dependence of life span on population density and structure were estimated in animals of different color morphs. Each color morph of E. talpinus was shown to have specific features of the seasonal dynamics of age structure and migrations.     

Vulnerability assessment of sea-level rise in Viti Levu, Fiji Islands

Fiji is expected to come under increasing pressure and risk from various threats resulting from climate change and sea-level rise (SLR). Fiji consists of 332 islands and thus has a predominant and large coastline. Viti Levu is the largest and most important of the islands, harboring Fiji’s capital city and most of the major towns concentrated around its coast. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the extent of possible sea-level rise using GIS, and to identify high-risk locations. Potential sea level rise was shown graphically as an output to determine where inundation or flooding would take place. This analysis allowed important areas facing risk to be highlighted for future action. Flooding/inundation can be classified into two kinds: ‘permanent inundation’, which is the result of sea-level rise with tide; and ‘temporary flooding’, also including occasional storm surge events. The inundated area was displayed under different projections and quantified. The results produced output maps showing the distribution of inundation/flooding around the island of Viti Levu as well as the extent of flooding. Six scenarios for sea-level rise were used (0.09, 0.18, 0.48, 0.50, 0.59, 0.88 m). Six scenarios for storm surge were used with return intervals of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 years. High risk and priority locations are identified as Fiji’s capital Suva, the major tourist center and arrival port of Nadi, and Fiji’s second city Lautoka. Future action, adaptation and response strategies in these identified locations must occur to reduce risk from climate change.     

Variation of leaf gland volatile oil within a population of sweet gale (Myrica gale) (Myricaceae)

Summary The leaf gland volatile oils of ten sweet gale plants from a Scottish population were extracted in early summer. The results differed notably from reports of other populations in respect of the sesquiterpenes, -elemenone and germacrone, which were major components of the volatile oil. Three dihydrochalcones were also detected in the volatile oil. Variation within the population existed, particularly with respect to the relative importance of germacrone. Five plants were resampled in late summer and exhibited a marked reduction in -elemenone, a lesser reduction in germacrone and changes in the proportions of some monoterpenes.     

Climate hazards: Lessons from recent events in the United States

Three recent cases of climate extremes are studied to identify human impacts and response strategies and to identify common characteristics that may help illuminate the nature of climate hazards. The 1980 heat wave in the central United States, 1981 cold wave in Boston, Massachusetts, and recent flooding and lake level rise in northern Utah, illustrate several important aspects of climate hazards that separate them from the more traditional set of catastrophic events (e.g. tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes) usually dealt with by hazards research and management. Among those characteristics are an emphasis on health impacts rather than physical damage, accumulative effects rather than short shocks, a tendency for impacts to accrue to certain socio-economic classes, and relatively slow onset. The management and research implications of these hazard characteristics are explored.     

北京南部城区PM2.5中碳质组分特征

为了解《大气污染防治行动计划》实施后北京市大气PM_2.5中碳质组分特征,于2017年12月至2018年12月在北京污染较重的南部城区进行了PM_2.5连续采样,对其中的有机碳（OC）和元素碳（EC）进行了全面研究.结果表明,北京大气PM_2.5、OC和EC浓度变化范围分别为4.2~366.3、0.9~74.5和0.0~5.5 μg ·m^-3,平均浓度分别为（77.1±52.1）、（11.2±7.8）和（1.2±0.8）μg ·m^-3,碳质组分（OC和EC）整体占PM_2.5的16.1%.OC质量浓度季节特征表现为：冬季[（13.8±8.7）μg ·m^-3] > 春季[（12.7±9.6）μg ·m^-3] > 秋季[（11.8±6.2）μg ·m^-3] > 夏季[（6.5±2.1）μg ·m^-3],EC四季质量浓度水平均较低,范围为0.8~1.5 μg ·m^-3.二次有机碳（SOC）年均质量浓度为（5.4±5.8）μg ·m^-3,四季贡献比例范围为45.7%~52.3%,年均贡献为48.2%,凸显了二次形成的重要贡献.随污染加重,尽管OC和EC贡献比例均降低,但浓度水平却成倍升高,OC和EC浓度在严重污染天分别是空气质量为优天的6.3和3.2倍.与非供暖时段相比,供暖时段PM_2.5、OC和SOC浓度分别增加了14.4%、47.9%和72.1%,体现了OC对供暖季PM_2.5污染的重要贡献.PSCF分析表明,位于北京西南的山西省和河南省部分区域是PM_2.5和OC的主要潜在源区,且PM_2.5潜在源区更为集中;EC的PSCF高值（>0.7）区域较少,主要位于北京南部,如山东省和河南省部分地区,且北京市及周边地区贡献明显.     

典型西南工业城市柳州市核心区大气污染物时空分布与气象因素研究

为研究柳州市核心区大气污染物浓度时空变化规律与气象因素之间的关系,统计分析了2018年全年研究区内6个自动监测站点PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)、SO_2、NO_2、O_3和CO的浓度监测数据和气象站气象数据,并对28次超标日污染物来源进行了解析.结果显示:①核心区颗粒污染物污染较为严重,且以PM_(2.5)为主的细颗粒污染物仍为柳州市主要的大气污染物;各污染物月均浓度季节差异显著,除NO_2外柳州大气污染物浓度下降明显,指示柳州市多项节能减排综合整治措施成效显著;PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)、CO受早晚高峰期影响,浓度日变化均呈双峰型;NO_2在不同季节峰型不同,作为O_3前体物其浓度日变化与O_3相反,呈现"早峰午谷"的变化趋势.②通过对污染物浓度插值发现,由于核心区主要工商业区位于西部且处于主导风向下风向,故PM_(2.5)和SO_2浓度西北高、东南低,PM_(10)、NO_2和CO浓度西南高、东北低;核心区东部的山区为O_3生成带来大量前体物,使O_3浓度东南高、西北低.③由于气候特征,核心区春、夏季主要气象因素均为降水量;秋季的主要气象因素是风速,风速与污染物的负相关关系表明了风的扩散效应;冬季大部分污染物与气象因素的相关性不显著,表明人为因素对污染物的影响大于气象因素;核心区大气污染物主要来源于局地排放和区域传输,且南北主导风向对大气污染影响最大.④HYSPLIT模型结果指示柳州超标日大气污染物主要来自于珠三角地区,且陆源颗粒物浓度普遍比海洋源高,来自南部的远距离输送气流颗粒物含量最低,表明远距离输送为影响颗粒物传播的主要原因.     

O3-BAC深度处理工艺中细菌群落时空分布及动态变化规律

为弄清饮用水O₃-BAC深度处理工艺过程中细菌群落的时空分布和动态变化规律,本研究以我国南方某O₃-BAC深度处理工艺水厂为研究对象,采用NovaSeq6000高通量测序技术对夏季和冬季各工艺单元出水及滤砂和活性炭生物膜等细菌群落进行解析.结果表明,出厂水pH、浊度、COD_Mn、菌落总数等指标均满足《生活饮用水卫生标准》（GB5749-2006）的要求.夏季细菌群落多样性明显高于冬季,活性炭生物膜的细菌群落多样性高于滤砂生物膜;混凝沉淀、臭氧化和消毒是影响细菌群落多样性的主要工艺单元.水样和生物膜样品绝对优势菌门均为变形菌门（Proteobacteria）,且主要菌门组成大体相同,但细菌群落门水平相对丰度存在一定的时空差异,属水平上差异则更为明显.此外,检测到的条件致病菌属主要包括芽孢杆菌属（Bacillus）、不动杆菌属（Acinetobacter）、假单胞菌属（Pseudomonas）和分支杆菌属（Mycobacterium）,且其所占核心微生物OTUs数目不受季节性影响.水温和生物可降解溶解性有机碳（BDOC）是显著影响细菌群落分布的主要水质参数.以上研究结果表明,O₃-BAC深度处理工艺过程中细菌群落具有时空变化特性,并可为饮用水微生物安全保障提供支撑.     

南京和北京气溶胶光学厚度与PM2.5质量浓度关系对比分析

利用南京与北京地区2014年5月1日—2019年10月31日的PM_2.5监测数据、气溶胶光学厚度观测资料以及同期MICAPS地面气象要素的观测资料,对两地PM_2.5浓度的变化规律及其与气溶胶光学厚度、气象要素的关系进行了分析和讨论,结果表明：南京与北京均呈现PM_2.5浓度冬季显著高于夏季,AOD冬季小于夏季的特征;对比而言,北京PM_2.5月均浓度高于南京地区;南京与北京的PM_2.5浓度与AOD均为正相关关系,PM_2.5浓度与AOD间相关性存在显著的季节差异,主要表现为夏季相关性大于冬季相关性;两地AOD与PM_2.5浓度均为正相关关系,在同一AOD水平下,相对湿度越大,PM_2.5浓度越大,气溶胶吸湿增长易造成污染物积累;南京PM_2.5浓度与能见度的r为0.57,而北京的r为0.83,两地的PM_2.5浓度与能见度的冬季相关性较夏季好,在高相对湿度下,同一PM_2.5浓度水平时,南京能见度较北京好.