Participatory selection process for indicators of rangeland condition in the Kalahari

To develop indicator–based management tools that can facilitate sustainable natural resource management by non–specialists, meaningful participation of stakeholders is essential. A participatory framework is proposed for the identification, evaluation and selection of rangeland condition indicators. This framework is applied to the assessment of rangeland degradation processes and sustainable natural resource management with pastoralists in the southern Kalahari, Botswana. Farmer knowledge focused on vegetation and livestock, with soil, wild animal and socio–economic indicators playing a lesser role. Most were indicators of current rangeland condition; however 'early warning' indicators were also identified by some key informants. This demonstrates that some local knowledge is process–based. Such knowledge could be used to improve indicator–based management tools and extension advice on the livelihood adaptations necessary to prevent or reduce ecological change, capable of threatening livelihood sustainability. There is evidence that social background influences indicator use. Communal farmers rely most heavily on vegetation and livestock indicators, whilst syndicate and land–owning pastoralists cite wild animal and soil–based indicators most frequently. These factors must be considered if indicator–based management tools are to meet the requirements of a diverse community.     

天然金红石光催化降解藏红T实验研究

以低压汞灯为光源研究了天然金红石悬浆体系中藏红T的脱色条件及其光催化反应动力学，讨论了溶液初始pH值、催化剂投入量、光强、气流量、催化剂粒径、反应气氛等实验条件对藏红T脱色速率的影响，阐述了实验过程中无机离子的生成情况。结果表明，该反应基本上符合一级反应动力学；在酸性条件下尤其是当溶液初始pH值为2．5时，藏红T的脱色速率要比在碱性和中性条件下快得多；增加光强度能较大地提高反应的降解速率；催化剂最佳投入量为1．3g／L；在氧化气氛下该反应比在非氧化气氛快得多；通入气体的流量在40L／h最合适；反应溶液中有氯离子溶出说明有机物中的含氯部分被降解。本研究为光催化作用降解有机污染物提供了新的途径。     

污染土壤中多环芳烃的微生物降解及其机理研究进展

多环芳烃(PAHs)是一类普遍存在于环境中的难降解危险性“三致”有机污染物。微生物对多环芳烃的降解是去除土壤中多环芳烃的主要途径。研究表明，对于土壤中低分子量多环芳烃类化合物，微生物一般以唯一碳源方式代谢；而大多数细菌和真菌对四环或四环以上的多环芳烃的降解作用一般以共代谢方式开始。本文重点论述了高分子量多环芳烃：芘和苯并(a)芘的微生物降解及其机理。并介绍了多环芳烃污染的微生物—植物联合修复机制，最后展望了污染土壤中多环芳烃的研究趋势。     

Identification of soil degradation during earthquake excitations by Bayesian inference

A Bayesian inference approach is introduced to identify soil degradation behaviours at four downhole array sites. The approach of inference is based on a parametric time‐varying infinite impulse response filter model. The approach is shown to be adaptive to the changes of filter parameters and noise amplitudes. Four sites, including the Lotung (Taiwan), Chiba (Japan), Garner Valley (California), and Treasure Island (California) sites with downhole seismic arrays are analysed. Our results show two major types of soil degradation behaviour: the well‐known strain‐dependent softening, and reduction in stiffness that is not instantaneously recoverable. It is also found that both types of soil degradation are more pronounced in sandy soils than in clayey soils. The mechanism for the second type of soil degradation is not yet clear to the authors and suggested to be further studied. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

LAND DEGRADATION AND ITS MANAGEMENT IN THE ARID AND SEMI ARID AREAS OF CHINA

Ｉ.ＬａｎｄＤｅｇｒａｄａｔｉｏｎＤｉｓｔｒｉｂｕｔｉｏｎａｎｄＩｔｓＣｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｓｔｉｃｓＴｈｅｆａｒｍｉｎｇｐａｓｔｏｒａｌｔｒａｎｓｉｔｉｏｎａｌｒｅｇｉｏｎｉｎｓｅｍｉａｒｉｄｌａｎｄｏｆｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎＣｈｉｎａｉｓｔｈｅｍｏｓｔｔｙｐｉｃａｌｒｅｇｉｏｎｏｆｌａｎｄｄｅｇｒａｄａｔｉｏｎ,ａｎｄａｌｓｏｔｈｅｒｅｇｉｏｎｗｉｔｈｅｘｔｅｎｓｉｖｅｌｙｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｉｎｇｓａｎｄｙｄｅｓｅｒｔｉｆｉｃａｔｉｏｎ.ＴｈｅｅｘｔｅｎｔｉｓｆｒｏｍＨｏｒｑｉｎＳａｎｄｙＬａｎｄｉｎｔｈ…     

元谋干热河谷坡耕地土壤侵蚀造成的土地退化

在元谋干热河谷土壤侵蚀特征分析的基础上，对坡耕地土壤侵蚀造成的土地退化进行了模拟研究。结果表明，土壤侵蚀造成表层耕作土壤的物理性能下降、养分流失和水分入渗能力降低。表层耕作土壤的容重比下层土壤低12．7％，总孔隙度高10．9％，有机质高37．3％，120min累计入渗总量是下层土壤的1．6-2．2倍。模拟土壤侵蚀与土地生产力关系的小区试验结果显示，坡耕地每流失1cm表土，土地生产力水平平均下降4．54％。     

祁连山区天然草原退化原因分析与可持续利用对策

天然草原是畜牧业发展的重要物质基础，由于缺乏有效的制度安排和技术创新，人类无节制的赢利活动加剧了草原退化，导致了西部生态环境的恶化。论文以祁连山区的肃南县为例，通过对天然草原退化现状的调查研究，剖析了祁连山区草原生态环境保护与经济发展之间的突出问题和草原退化的深层原因，提出了天然草原永续利用的对策。     

Changes in soil organic carbon and other physical soil properties along adjacent Mediterranean forest, grassland, and cropland ecosystems in Turkey

Cultivation, overgrazing, and overharvesting are seriously degrading forest and grassland ecosystems in the Taurus Mountains of the southern Mediterranean region of Turkey. This study investigated the effects of changes on soil organic carbon (SOC) content and other physical soil properties over a 12-year period in three adjacent ecosystems in a Mediterranean plateau. The ecosystems were cropland (converted from grasslands in 1990), open forest, and grassland. Soil samples from two depths, 0–10 and 10–20 cm, were collected for chemical and physical analyses at each of cropland, open forest, and grassland ecosystems. SOC pools at the 0–20 cm depth of cropland, forest, and grassland ecosystems were estimated at 32,636, 56,480, and 57,317 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Conversion of grassland into cropland during the 12-year period increased the bulk density by 10.5% and soil erodibility by 46.2%; it decreased SOM by 48.8%, SOC content by 43%, available water capacity (AWC) by 30.5%, and total porosity by 9.1% for the 0–20 cm soil depth (p<0.001). The correlation matrix revealed that SOC content was positively correlated with AWC, total porosity, mean weight diameter (MWD), forest, and grassland, and negatively with bulk density, pH, soil erodibility factor, and cropland. The multiple regression (MLR) models indicated that any two of the three ecosystems and one of the two soil depths accounted for 86.5% of variation in mean SOC values ((p<0.001).     

Global cotton and local environmental management: the political ecology of rich and poor small-hold farmers in southern Mali

This study examines the hypothesis that poor households engage in less sustainable soil management practices than rich households in a similar socioeconomic environment. This broad objective is explored in Mali's southern cotton belt through three specific research questions. First, is there empirical evidence to support the claim that poor households engage in less sustainable soil management practices than rich households? Second, what local and extra-local factors influence household agricultural management approaches in southern Mali? Third, what broader scale political and economic processes are linked to the factors that influence local-level agricultural management approaches? The author reports that soil quality measures on the farms of rich and poor households are not significantly different, refuting the conventional wisdom that the wealthy are better managers of the environment. A variety of environmentally deleterious practices are associated with export-oriented cotton production, an activity more vigorously pursued by wealthy than poor farmers. Finally, the focus on poverty in international environment and development discourse has allowed the government of Mali to avoid a serious debate on the sustainability of cotton production. The study's findings are based on household interviews describing agricultural management practices, an analysis of farm field soil measures, and discussions with donors and national policymakers.