Assessment of Desert Ecological Assets and Countermeasures for Ecological Compensation

Can deserts be transformed into resources, into assets, and further into cash? It is necessary to scientifically assess desert ecological assets and incorporate them into the national economic accounting system and the current evaluation system for socio-economic development. This study will provide a scientific basis and robust data for establishing a target system that is compatible with both ecological civilization and an associated reward and punishment mechanism, as well as for designing and implementing effective compensation policies for desert ecosystems. This paper first defines desert ecological assets, and then develops a framework for assessing them based on the evaluation of desert ecological resources and desert ecosystem services. This framework paves the foundation for quantitatively assessing desert ecological assets and preparing balance sheets of desert ecological assets. Finally, this paper analyzes current policies relating to desert ecological compensation, discusses how to design compensation policies based on assessment of desert ecological assets, and puts forward suggestions for improving current policies.     

Net Horizontal Payments for Ecosystem Services: An Application in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China

Payments for ecosystem services (PES) are one kind of important tool for environmental protection, and have been widely studied by international scholars and conservationists. Based various definitions of PES from recent articles, we have outlined four principles for PES: parity, measurability, additionality and conditionality, and then have used these principles to develop a formula to calculate a standard for PES. Finding a way to use PES to achieve a win-win relationship between economic growth and environmental protection in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region (BTHR) is a key task for Chinese government. Synergetic development of BTHR has become a national strategy, like The Belt and Road Initiative. This article employed the formula we developed to calculate the net horizontal PES amounts that each provincial government within BTHR should pay. Our findings show that Beijing should have paid 10.44×10⁹ Yuan (0.4% of Beijing’s GRP) and Tianjin 16.56×10⁹ Yuan (0.93% of Tianjin’s GRP) to Hebei in 2016.     

Assessing the effects of land cover and future climate conditions on the provision of hydrological services in a medium‐sized watershed of Portugal

The separated and combined effects of land‐cover scenarios and future climate on the provision of hydrological services were evaluated in Vez watershed, northern Portugal. Soil and Water Assessment Tool was calibrated against daily discharge, sediments and nitrates, with good agreements between model predictions and field observations. Four hypothetical land‐cover scenarios were applied under current climate conditions (eucalyptus/pine, oak, agriculture/vine and low vegetation). A statistical downscaling of four General Circulation Models, bias‐corrected with ground observations, was carried out for 2021–2040 and 2041–2060, using representative concentration pathway 4.5 scenario. Also, the combined effects of future climate conditions were evaluated under eucalyptus/pine and agriculture/vine scenario. Results for land cover revealed that eucalyptus/pine scenario reduced by 7% the annual water quantity and up to 17% in the summer period. Although climate change has only a modest effect on the reduction of the total annual discharge (?7%), the effect on the water levels during summer was more pronounced, between ?15% and ?38%. This study shows that climate change can affect the provision of hydrological services by reducing dry season flows and by increasing flood risks during the wet months. Regarding the combined effects, future climate may reduce the low flows, which can be aggravated with eucalyptus/pine scenario. In turn, peak flows and soil erosion can be offset. Future climate may increase soil erosion and nitrate concentration, which can be aggravated with agriculture scenario. Results moreover emphasize the need to consider both climate and land‐cover impacts in adaptation and land management options at the watershed scale. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An examination of snow redistribution over smooth land‐fast sea ice

An understanding of temporal evolution of snow on sea ice at different spatial scales is essential for improvement of snow parameterization in sea ice models. One of the problems we face, however, is that long‐term climate data are routinely available for land and not for sea ice. In this paper, we examine the temporal evolution of snow over smooth land‐fast first‐year sea ice using observational and modelled data. Changes in probability density functions indicate that depositional and drifting events control the evolution of snow distribution. Geostatistical analysis suggests that snowdrifts increased over the study period, and the orientation was related to the meteorological conditions. At the microscale, the temporal evolution of the snowdrifts was a product of infilling in the valleys between drifts. Results using two shore‐based climate reporting stations (Paulatuk and Tuktoyuktuk, NWT) suggest that on‐ice air temperature and relative humidity can be estimated using air temperature recorded at either station. Wind speed, direction and precipitation on ice cannot be accurately estimated using meteorological data from either station. The temporal evolution of snow distribution over smooth land‐fast sea ice was modelled using SnowModel and four different forcing regimes. The results from these model runs indicate a lack of agreement between observed distribution and model outputs. The reasons for these results are lack of meteorological measurements prior to the end of January, lack of spatially adequate surface topography and discrepancies between meteorological variables on land and ice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

“全息”地图研究初探

地图产品种类层出不穷,全息地图近年来成为焦点走进人们的视野。本文首先明确了与全息地图相近的三维地图和全景地图的概念;然后,简要阐述了传统的光学全息地图与新兴的全息位置地图的概念、原理以及几种地图产品的差别。在此基础上,分析了两种冠以"全息"二字地图的发展现状,并探讨了它们未来发展的主要方向。     

兰州市城市治安时空特征分析

治安问题防治是保障城市社会安全与稳定的重要环节。本文以兰州市主城区2014年警情数据为数据来源,选择发案率高且具有代表性的盗窃、两抢(抢劫类和抢夺类)、扒窃及诈骗4类案件为研究对象,运用空间面模式和空间点模式的GIS分析方法,分析了兰州市公共安全空间结构。结果表明:1)研究时段内,案发率呈季节性变化,夏秋季节案发率比较稳定,而冬春季节案发率变化幅度较大。2)4类案件总体在街道上表现为空间聚集分布。从区际尺度来看,城关区治安形势最为严峻;从街道尺度来看,张掖路、火车站等是案发"热点"区域;从案发点分布来看,西关十字、火车站等地属于犯罪"热点"。针对上述情况,宜加强热点附近的警力部署,加大巡逻力度,保障城市公共安全。     

地理信息产业技术公共服务平台评价方法研究

福建省地理信息产业技术公共服务平台是福建省科技厅产业技术公共服务平台建设项目。要充分发挥该平台在推动地理信息产业发展中的作用,集聚产、学、研各方优势资源,提升中小企业的技术水平和创新能力,就要在交易平台中设计一套完善的评价方法,促进交易平台上交易双方不断提升自己的服务能力。本文介绍了常规电子商务网站的评价体系和存在的普遍性问题,并根据实际对本平台评价方法进行了初步设计。     

Cascades of green: A review of ecosystem-based adaptation in urban areas

Climate change impacts increase pressure on challenges to sustainability and the developmental needs of cities. Conventional, “hard” adaptation measures are often associated with high costs, inflexibility and conflicting interests related to the dense urban fabric, and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) has emerged as a potentially cost-efficient, comprehensive, and multifunctional approach. This paper reviews and systematises research on urban EbA. We propose an analytical framework that draws on theory from ecosystem services, climate change adaptation and sustainability science. It conceptualises EbA in terms of five linked components: ecological structures, ecological functions, adaptation benefits, valuation, and ecosystem management practices.Our review identified 110 articles, reporting on 112 cities, and analysed them using both quantitative statistical and qualitative content analysis. We found that EbA research in an urban context is fragmented due to different disciplinary approaches and concepts. Most articles focus on heat or flooding, and the most studied ecological structures for reducing the risk of such hazards are green space, wetlands, trees and parks. EbA is usually evaluated in bio-geophysical terms and the use of economic or social valuations are rare. While most articles do not mention specific practices for managing ecological structures, those that do imply that urban EbA strategies are increasingly being integrated into institutional structures. Few articles considered issues of equity or stakeholder participation in EbA.We identified the following challenges for future EbA research. First, while the large amount of data generated by isolated case studies contributes to systems knowledge, there is a lack of systems perspectives that position EbA in relation to the wider socio-economic and bio-geophysical context. Second, normative and ethical aspects of EbA require more thought, such as who are the winners and losers, especially in relation to processes that put people at risk from climate-related hazards. Third, there is room for more forward-looking EbA research, including consideration of future scenarios, experimentation in the creation of new ecological structures and the role of EbA in transformative adaptation.     

气象观测设备运行状态综合判定技术应用

从气象观测设备运行保障角度出发,基于各观测设备自身运行状态检测信息,结合气象观测数据、气象观测元数据信息以及各级气象观测技术保障业务人员人工填报业务数据,研制了我国气象观测设备运行状态综合判定技术;同时制订了各气象观测设备运行状态分类标准和显示标准,将设备运行状态分为正常、报警、故障和非观测4类状态,分别用绿色、橙色、蓝色和灰色标识.气象观测设备运行状态综合判定技术在一定程度上促进了我国气象观测装备技术保障工作的规范化、标准化开展.该技术贴合气象装备技术保障业务实际需求,设备运行状态判定真实率达100％,结果经实践证明科学合理有效,基于该方法开展的设备运行监控保障工作提高了观测系统稳定可靠的运行能力.     

江苏盐城地区一次持续雾-霾天气过程的综合分析

2013年12月上旬江苏盐城地区出现了一次历史罕见的持续重度雾-霾天气,利用盐城市常规气象观测资料、NCEP再分析资料(1°×1°)及环境监测中心站的污染物浓度资料等,对此次过程的环流背景、气象要素、大气层结特征以及动力条件、污染情况等进行了综合性分析。结果发现:12月上旬中高层冷空气势力弱,以纬向环流为主;低层弱的水平风场为雾-霾的发生发展提供了有利的环流背景;稳定的层结特征,近地面高强度的贴地逆温和持续较低的混合层高度是此次雾-霾天气长时间维持的重要因素;边界层内弱正散度及负涡度是此次雾-霾天气得以维持发展的动力因子;通过后向轨迹分型和火点监测资料分析发现:污染物的长距离输送在此次重污染天气的形成过程中起到了一定作用。最后,文中建立了能见度和PM_(2.5)浓度、相对湿度的非线性回归方程,对能见度的预报效果较好,为实际业务应用中雾-霾的预报提供了有利的依据。