Earth Science Education in Kenya

The University of Nairobi is currently the only University in Kenya which offers degree level courses in the earth sciences. The Department was founded in 1961, became part of an autonomous University in 1970, awarded its first degrees in 1972 and awarded its first Geology degrees in 1978. The Department currently offers a four-year B.Sc. course - delivered as part of a course unit system - and an M.Sc. programme in Geology. Students are admitted to the University after eight years of primary and four years of secondary schooling. Graduates find employment either in government departments or in the private sector. The Department currently has 15 academic staff who are involved in a variety of research projects. Currently, there are collaborative links with Universities in Germany, Sweden and South Africa.     

Can a decline in Earth Science Education and research be averted by networking, specialist centres and hybrid departments?

University earth science departments are under threat in southern Africa, as in the rest of the world. It is argued here that a good quality and broad based Earth Science Education can be maintained in southern African universities either by networking, or by maintaining departments staffed by a local core of academics, whose teaching is supplemented by block courses conducted by staff from specialised centres also serving industry. These centres should play a vital part in graduate research and maintain research links with the core staff. Positioned between industry and universities, they could promote links between both.     

Sediment yield in South Africa — A preliminary geographical analysis

The study examines the spatial relationships between sediment yield and 15 independent environmental variables in 54 catchments in South Africa. Rooseboom's (1978) data on the sediment yield from the catchments were standardized for a single time period. Bivariate regression analyses reveal no simple relationships. Multivariate regression analyses conducted for the whole and various sub-areas of South Africa indicate that latitude and longitude are the primary variables affecting spatial variations in sediment yield. This may be as a result of latitude and longitude being surrogate variables reflecting variation in other environmental variables (e. g. geology, vegetation). Within the sub-areas, 43.4% to 97.8% of the variation in sediment yield is explained by the combined variation in a number of different environmental variables. This study highlights a need for the collection and analysis of more sediment yield data, which would allow the analyses to be refined, to predict sediment yields from ungauged catchments in South Africa.     

Earth Science Education in Morocco

The earth sciences are taught in twelve universities in Morocco and in three other institutions. In addition there are three more earth science research institutions. Earth science teaching has been taking place since 1957. The degree system is a four-year degree, split into two two-year blocks and geology is taught within the geology-biology programme for the first part of the degree. ‘Classical’ geology is taught in most universities, although applied geology degrees are also on offer in some universities. Recently-formed technical universities offer a more innovative approach to Earth Science Education. Teaching is in French, although school education is in Arabic. There is a need for a reform of the curriculum, although a lead is being taken by the technical universities. A new geological mapping programme promises new geological and mining discoveries in the country and prospects of employment for geology graduates.     

Towards sustainable agriculture in post-apartheid South Africa

This paper assesses the possibility of sustainable agriculture in South Africa in the context of recent policy initiatives. The new environmental strategy for agriculture represents a significant break with policy initiatives developed during apartheid. The likelihood of sustainable farming practices being adopted in South Africa will, however, face at least three obstacles. These are the integrated structure of industrial farming, the concern over yields, and current political and economic changes in South African agriculture. It is argued that sustainable techniques are unlikely to develop in the large scale farming sector in the near future. If the considerable research and extension resources of the state are reoriented quickly enough, sustainable farming methods can be embraced by an emerging class of black commercial farmers.     

地球表层系统与中国区域大地构造的研究发展

地球表层系统科学与地质学史都具有自然科学和社会科学相结合的特征,两者研究内容和研究目标互有关联,都是从不同角度揭示地球各种地质作用和地质过程的客观规律,促使人与自然和谐发展。在地球表层系统各地质学科中,大地构造占有重要地位,因而探讨中国区域大地构造研究史,对地质学史也有重要意义。文中将中国区域大地构造的研究分为6个阶段,总结其发展的经验和过程,说明社会环境、科学路线、科技水平、思维方法等是决定科学发展的关键因素。21世纪地球表层系统科学将成为地球科学的主流之一,中国区域大地构造的研究应迅速融入地球表层系统的研究,同时也要积极创建新的大地构造理论体系。     

华南沿海第四纪类网纹红土的赋存层位及其年代问题

根据地质学、地貌学、沉积学、地球化学和年代学的研究,将华南沿海(南岭以南)不同时代的杂色粘土(暂称"类网纹红土")划分为基岩风化壳型和松散沉积风化壳型两种类型;将第四纪松散沉积系列中的杂色粘土划分为第四纪早期(年代为1.8～1.6 Ma BP)、中期(年代为1.0～0.8Ma BP)和晚期(年代为0.07～0.01 Ma BP)3个发育期;主要讨论了发育好、厚度大、分布广的第四纪中期杂色粘土与长江流域和西南丘陵区典型网纹红土之间在赋存层位、剖面结构和发育年代等方面的差别和存在问题,提出了需进一步研究杂色粘土-网纹红土的年代和发育规律及其反映的中国南方地质-气候环境演化规律等重要科学问题.     

论基础地质与城市地质之关系及存在问题

城市地质是基础地质理论在城市建设中的应用领域。基础地质调查成果是城市地质研究的基础。目前，我国城市地质研究中普遍存在基础地质薄弱、灾害地质调查忽视基本的成因分析、第四系覆盖区地质调查带有明显的盲目性、基岩出露区地质调查忽视基本结构构造分析等问题。基础地质调查在国民经济建设中的地位不应该被忽视。如果城市地质在城市建设和可持续发展中处于基础地位，基础地质则是基础中的基础。它成为薄弱环节，是严重的策略性失误。     

Role of environmental changes in the spread of malaria in Europe during the Holocene

This article proposes the hypothesis that environmental changes altering mosquito breeding sites in coastal wetlands had a substantial influence on the history of malaria in many parts of Europe during the Holocene. The effects of both climatic and landscape changes on malaria itself and its vector mosquitoes are considered. It is argued that the forms of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum that occurred in southern Europe in the past actually evolved in North Africa and the Near East and that its most important vectors in southern Europe in the past (Anopheles labranchiae and A. sacharovi) also came from North Africa and the Near East. It is suggested that the establishment of these mosquitoes in many parts of southern Europe was facilitated by substantial landscape changes which coincided with the spread of the disease as documented by written sources. The relationship of malaria to environmental change in northern Europe is also reviewed briefly.     

A Protocol for the Determination of the Rare Earth Elements at Picomole Level in Rocks by ICP-MS: Results on Geological Reference Materials USGS PCC-1 and DTS-1

Rare earth element analyses are widely used in geology, environmental science and archaeology. Over the past decade inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry has become an important source of rare earth data on geological material. However, ICP-MS analysis of rock samples without pre-concentration can be problematic because of complex sample matrices that can generate significant molecular isobaric interferences on rare earth peaks and which need to be corrected. Such problems are exacerbated for ultramafic rocks because the low levels of rare earth elements demand more concentrated solutions in order to maintain signals above background levels. These high solid loads result in intra-run changes in instrument sensitivity which need to be monitored. Pre-concentration chemistries have been developed in order to avoid high solid loads but these are time-consuming and must offer quantitative recoveries or use a yield tracer. Here, we describe an alternative method for rare earth element analysis by ICP-MS, which involves no pre-concentration and is, therefore, able to deliver data rapidly. Our approach is to apply an external correction procedure, based on the analysis of a reference material closely matched in composition to the unknown samples, which allows correction for both interferences and variations in instrument sensitivity. Testing this method, we obtained accurate rare earth element results for basaltic rocks with a precision of about 2% (1s). We demonstrate that the method is also applicable to ultramafic rocks with abundances at ultra-trace (ng g⁻¹) level and present data for twelve separate dissolutions of the peridotite USGS PCC-1 and four separate dissolutions of the dunite DTS-1 reference materials. The repeatability of the data is between 3% and 9% (1s).     

Earth Science Education in South Africa

Most of the statistics given in this overview of the history and current status of Geoscience Education in South Africa pertain to the more geologically inclined disciplines; while the report does mention the extent to which earth sciences are taught in mining and geography departments, no detailed information about these activities are given. There are 13 active geoscience departments countrywide (eleven at universities and two at technical institutions) teaching a wide range of geological topics, some at a highly specialised level. There are just over 100 academic staff members engaged in teaching, supported by 65 technical and administrative staff. Of the teaching staff, 89% have Ph.D. degrees, and most are engaged in active research. About 150 three-year B.Sc., slightly fewer B.Sc. (Hons.), graduates, plus 10 geological technicians pass through the system every year, with most finding employment in the mining industry. Approximately 120 M.Sc. and 60 Ph.D. candidates are currently registered at the universities, about 40% of whom graduate in any particular year.     

前寒武纪地质学在当代地球科学中的地位与作用

前寒武纪地质学是地球科学的主要研究领域之一。在前寒武纪岩层中蕴藏着丰富的矿藏,为人类的生存和发展提供了大量的有用资源。前寒武纪还是大陆地壳生长的主要时期,大陆地壳的形成、成因、演化过程及其模式是地球科学家最关心的问题之一。现在出露地表的前寒武纪中、深变质岩已成为研究深部地壳的窗口,为岩石圈研究开辟了新途径,提供了新信息。而生命起源及其早期演化则必须依赖前寒武纪地层中的生命化石记录进行研究。纵观地球科学的发展历史,前寒武纪地质学是地球科学中其它分支学科无法替代的研究领域。     

Student Response to Quantitative Aspects of Instruction in an Introductory Geology Course

Because most universities and colleges require all students to take a laboratory science course, many geology classes are composed of large sections of nonscience majors. Pedagogic strategies based on small classes of highly motivated students are not effective in this application. It is particularly difficult to convey to these students the quantitative and discovery aspects of science and to demonstrate the importance of a basic knowledge of science and its methods to them as nonscientists. Student responses to quantitative initiatives taken in a large, introductory class of nonscience majors at Baylor University indicate that an overwhelming number of such students can be convinced of the importance of geological processes to their lives and that a majority of them can be interested in the application of elementary mathematics to the earth sciences if the application has a profound result with which they can identify. Hands-on, discovery-type, field exercises in which small laboratory sections acquire, process, and interpret geophysical data are effective in generating interest in the scientific process. Introductory courses that explore a relatively narrow breadth of material in some depth offer opportunities for discovery-based learning not available to the typical introductory survey course, which usually covers a wide breadth of material in very little depth.     

The private sector and local economic development in South Africa

The objective in this paper is to analyse private sector involvement in LED in South Africa. Four key spheres of private sector involvement in LED are identified and discussed: (1) as participator and occasional initiator of local development processes, (2) as major partner in the development activities of public-private sector partnerships, (3) as lead role player in certain direct initiatives for reviving South Africa's inner cities, and (4) as promoter and facilitator of local small business development. It is argued that the concept of local dependence could be usefully applied to interpret private sector involvement in LED in South Africa.     

环境地质研究进展与展望

环境地质学与其他地质学科的最大区别是,把人类活动作为一种地质作用营力加以研究,这是前所未有的.面向国民经济、国家重大工程建设和城市化的快速兴起与发展,环境地质学科得到了迅速发展.关注气候变化、海岸带发展、城市化、地下水资源与地质环境的相互关系至关重要.要重视地质灾害形成发育的规律,特别是人类工程活动与自然地质作用相互关系的研究.地质灾害防治和群测群防,在今后一个相当长的时期内仍然是研究重点.持久地为社会、为公众、为政府服务,提高地质科学在环境保护中的作用与地位,提高公众对环境地质学的认知与认同,才能采取共同行动,为可持续发展做出贡献.     

Ecological geology,environmental geology,geoecology: Contents and relations

The contents and relationships of environmental geology, ecological geology, and geoecology are discussed. It is shown that they differ in their subjects, directions and objects of investigation, as well as their scientific and practical tasks. Hence, these concepts and the spheres of knowledge they determine can be neither identified with nor substituted for each other because this inevitably causes terminological confusion and hampers the development of ecological problems, and not only in geology. Environmental geology, by its content, is a collection of data obtained by traditional geological sciences and has no specially developed conceptual base. It is an anthropocentrically oriented field of geological knowledge, unlike ecological geology, which is oriented biocentrically and has a wider volume. Geoecology is an interdisciplinary science studying the effect of all abiotic spheres of living matter. Ecologically oriented geological sciences are intended to provide information on only one of these spheres—the lithosphere.     

Appropriate teaching materials for Africa: local is ‘lekker’!

Most of the statistics given in this overview of the history and current status of Geoscience Education in South Africa pertain to the more geologically inclined disciplines; while the report does mention the extent to which earth sciences are taught in mining and geography departments, no detailed information about these activities are given. There are 13 active geoscience departments countrywide (eleven at universities and two at technical institutions) teaching a wide range of geological topics, some at a highly specialised level. There are just over 100 academic staff members engaged in teaching, supported by 65 technical and administrative staff. Of the teaching staff, 89% have Ph.D. degrees, and most are engaged in active research. About 150 three-year B.Sc., slightly fewer B.Sc. (Hons.), graduates, plus 10 geological technicians pass through the system every year, with most finding employment in the mining industry. Approximately 120 M.Sc. and 60 Ph.D. candidates are currently registered at the universities, about 40% of whom graduate in any particular year.     

Forecasting and Decision-Making of Systematic Theories for Engineering Geology in Environmental Geoscience

INTRoDUCTION'Therearemanyproblemsofenvironmentalgeoscience.Theirfactorsofaffectionareverycomp1icated.Theyareal-mostfromtheearth,othercelestialbodiesandthebiosphere,especiallythefactorsofhumanaction.Becausethedevelop-mentofgeologicalenvironmentwillnotstop,theactionsofslopeandcatastrophesappearuninterruptedly,andenviron-mentdeterioratesfast.BAS1CTHEoRIESANDDEDUCTIONSoFPR1NC1PLESBiomathematicianVerhulstrevisedMalthusmode1andproposedthatarestrictingtermwasadded.ItisorY'=ap(t)[1…     

Sustainable urban environments: The case of Alexandra

The long-term benefits of reconstruction and development in South Africa can succeed only if the environmental considerations are integrated into policy decisions. The proper management of the country's valuable renewable and non-renewable resources is essential for future prosperity. The environments of urban renewal projects need to be effectively managed. A case study of urban upgrading in Alexandra, Johannesburg illustrates the vital importance of integrating environmental components into reconstruction and development programmes in South Africa.