The sustainability of Australian agricultural production systems: a realistic objective or simply a desirable aim?

Whilst the term sustainability has undergone considerable transformation from its original intended meaning, in the context of agriculture it is considered to have relevance to four aspects of the activity; the maintenance of production, financial returns, employment opportunities, and the stability of the ecosystem. This article's appraisal of market trends suggests that the key issue of substantially improved financial returns for Australian agriculturalists is at present unlikely for some enterprises. What is particularly discouraging is that downward trends have persisted, despite the many efficiency gains in agriculture. Further gains from technological developments and trade liberalisation will be limited for many agricultural sectors. Whilst initiatives to reduce land degradation have achieved a high public profile, greater effectiveness can be achieved in this area. There is some scope for significant improvements in the overall performance of agriculture, but the most achievable gains will probably be confined to those specific enterprises that can use geography to greatest advantage.     

A symposium: arctic and alpine karst

The Norwegian soluble carbonates are well karstified, both with respect to surface and subsurface landforms. Caves are formed by the corrosive action of groundwater on marbles and limestone and provide evidence of changing environmental conditions through time. They contain fossils, sediments and speleothems which are dateable backwards in time to 350,000 years and in some cases 1,500,000 years before the present. As the surface bedrock in Norway is glacially polished with few sites of preserved pre-glacial sediments (Roaldset et al. 1982), the study of caves provides a unique tool for establishing the geomorphic, climatic and faunistic history of Norway during the Pleistocene. The Uranium series dating of speleothems satisfies the need for dating methods that go back in time beyond the radiocarbon method (Mangerud 1981).     

Review symposium: our common future: the world commission on environment and development

In 1983 the General Assembly of the United Nations called for the setting up of a World Commission on Environment and Development. The Commission's ambitious tasks were described by its Chairman, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Prime Minister of Norway, as: (1) to propose long‐term environmental strategies for achieving sustainable developments by the year 2000 and beyond; (2) to recommend ways concern for the environment could be translated into greater cooperation among developing countries and between countries at different stages of economic and social development; (3) to consider ways and means by which the international community could deal more effectively with environmental concerns; and (4) to help define shared perceptions of long‐term environmental issues and the appropriate efforts needed to deal successfully with problems of protecting and enhancing the environment. The Commission's Report, Our common future,was published in 1987.     

Future directions for Australian manufacturing: a review symposium

The Australian Manufacturing Council (AMC) was established, along with 11 industry councils, by the Hawke administration to advise the Commonwealth government on manufacturing and to provide a forum for consultations between business, unions and government. The AMC adopted a work program in 1984 which would lead to the preparation of a long‐term strategy for industrial restructuring in Australia. Nine of the 11 industry councils subsequently completed strategy reports which included policy recommendations for their branches of manufacturing. In late 1986 the AMC published a report on Future Directions for Australian Manufacturing Industry: A Broad Strategy Framework (Australia. Australian Manufacturing Council 1986a). This document draws together common themes identified in the various strategy reports and addresses some broader economic issues relevant to manufacturing as a whole. Because of the importance of the matters explored and the prominence given to the tripartite nature of the AMC (involving business, unions and government), Australian Geographer commissioned reviews of Future Directions . . . from four industrial geographers.     

顾及企业注册地址的区位理论研究

区位理论研究长期忽视作为企业基本属性的注册地址并将其与企业实体位置混淆的做法给区位理论带来挑战和发展机遇。本文回顾地理学、经济学、管理学和法学的有限研究,阐述注册地址作为新区位主体、企业实体与注册地址分离现象以及该现象背景下区位分析的新逻辑等内容。研究表明：注册地址是企业法律关系缔结和实现的基点,具有虚拟性和唯一性的特征,其区位主要受税收政策等制度因素的影响,在不同地区注册的企业面临不同的发展前景,并影响地区的财政收入、形象等。企业实体与注册地址的分离现象已较为普遍,注册地址分布在自贸区、开发区等具有政策优势的各类经济区以及欠发达地区的比例高于企业实体。该现象尽管使企业可以兼顾区位优势和政策优势,促进市场活力,但对地区发展、政府部门监管以及企业自身也造成了广泛的负面影响。企业实体与注册地址存在分离现象促使传统“企业”的一元区位体系调整为“企业实体-注册地址”的二元区位体系,而企业实体与注册地址之间的“黏力”使得未来区位理论研究不仅要辨析区位主体是企业实体还是注册地址,而且在分析区位影响、区位因子、区位迁移等内容时要区分两者的位置关系（重合或分离）,意识到不同关系下彼此间的相互影响。     

Using market-based policies to address market collapse in the American Rust Belt: the case of land abandonment in Toledo,Ohio

Land abandonment is an acute problem for shrinking cities throughout the world. The prevailing legal paradigm in the United States relies on market logics to address abandonment—specifically by auctioning abandoned parcels to the highest bidder. This emphasis is reinforced by a variety of structural forces at multiple scales, despite its highly questionable efficacy as a way to return land to “productive use.” In this article, we explore the case of Toledo, Ohio, to illustrate the limitations of market logics in addressing market collapse inherent in land abandonment. We find that the market emphasis is effective neither for city building nor tax generation goals, but is deeply rooted and reinforced by layers of state law, structural forces, and pro-market institutions.     

On the accuracy of TIGER-type geocoded address data in relation to cadastral and census areal units

In many applications of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) a common task is the conversion of addresses into grid coordinates. In many countries this is usually accomplished using address range TIGER-type files in conjunction with geocoding packages within a GIS. Improvements in GIS functionality and the storage capacity of large databases mean that the spatial investigation of data at the individual address level is now commonly performed. This process relies on the accuracy of the geocoding mechanism and this paper examines this accuracy in relation to cadastral records and census tracts. Results from a study of over 20 000 addresses in Sydney, Australia, using a TIGER-type geocoding process suggest that 5-7.5% (depending on geocoding method) of addresses may be misallocated to census tracts, and more than 50% may be given coordinates within the land parcel of a different property.     

国际重大研究计划与中国生态系统研究展望——中国生态大讲堂百期学术演讲暨2014年春季研讨会评述

以“传播新知识、交流新思想、展示新成果”为宗旨的中国生态大讲堂百期学术演讲暨2014年春季研讨会于2014年4月25日在北京举行。本次研讨会以“国际重大研究计划与中国生态系统研究展望”为主题,邀请秦大河、姚檀栋、傅伯杰、崔鹏4位中国科学院院士和马克平、于贵瑞、张佳宝、秦伯强4位知名专家作了主题报告。8位报告人分别介绍了政府间气候变化专门委员会(IPCC)、未来地球(Future Earth)、第三极环境(Third Pole Environment)、国际长期生态监测研究网络(ILTER)、生物多样性和生态系统服务政府间科学—政策平台(IPBES)、生物多样性计划(DIVERSITAS)、通量观测研究计划(FluxNet)等国际重大研究计划的进展和趋势,并就山洪泥石流风险分析与管理、碳通量空间格局及生物地理生态学机制、农田地力提升和湖泊富营养化治理等领域的前沿科学问题和研究进展作了系统阐释。基于8位报告人的演讲,本文评述了8个报告的主要内容和亮点工作,分析了国际生态环境领域重大国际研究计划的发展趋势及其对中国生态系统研究的启示,讨论了中国相关领域的科学研究方向和主要问题。     

The destruction of the past: Nonrenewable cultural resources

Destruction of cultural resources has increased dramatically in the last quarter of the 20th century as a result of two forces: first, development and construction, and second, the astonishing explosion of demand for primitive and prehistoric art. On the cover: Rock art of the Mimbres Culture at the Pony Hills site in south-west New Mexico. Similar rock art nearby has been destroyed by pistol shots or chipped out and illegally sold. Photo by Andrew Gulliford, Public History Program, Middle Tennessee State University.For the purposes of Legacy, the term cultural resource refers to both archeological and architectural resources. For archaeology, it includes, but is not limited to, traditions, lifeways, cultural and religious practices, and other institutions to which a community, neighborhood, Native American tribe, or other group ascribes cultural significance, together with any artifacts and real property associated with such elements. For architecture, it includes, but is not limited to, buildings, sites, districts, structures, or objects, landscapes, and vistas. In addition, the term encompasses historic documents and relics.