Many studies have determined the physical dynamics of salt-water movement into riverine systems, but few studies have elucidated the role of periodic salinity incursions in affecting primary succession in active deltaic wetlands. The emergence of the neighboring Atchafalaya and Wax Lake Deltas, since a record Mississippi River flood in 1973, has created a unique area of land building and primary succession within the deteriorating wetland landscape of Louisiana. The vegetation in these deltas experiences the extremes of allogenic (riverine and tidal flooding, sedimentation, storm disturbance) and autogenic (herbivory, plant competition) forces. The rapid decline of the dominant vegetation,Sagittaria latifolia Willd. (Broadleaf Arrowhead), in the Atchafalaya Delta, and the continued dominance of this species in the Wax Lake Delta prompted us to investigate whether periodic salinity incursions were an additional stress on this species. The objectives of our study were to determine if salinity differences occurred between these deltas, describe the forces that controlled salinity incursions, and the level of salt exposure that adversely affected the growth ofS. latifolia. Continuous measurements of salinity and water level at six sites, revealed that salinity pulses (up to 7.0‰) were common in the Atchafalaya Delta; the Wax Lake Delta was not prone to elevated salinities. Salinity incursions in the Atchafalaya Delta were related to water level set-up, which was forced by strong (>10 m s−1) easterly and southerly winds prior to cold front passages. The movement of distant tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico produced salinity incursions of longer duration than cold fronts. In a greenhouse experiment, the growth ofS. latifolia was impaired by salinity concentrations of 6.0‰ within 13 d; flooding treatments (20 cm) compounded the loss of aboveground tissue by the end of the experiment. Results from the field and greenhouse studies, compared with historic evidence of elevated salinities in the Atchafalaya delta, indicate that periodic salinity incursions, combined with additional stresses such as flooding and vertebrate herbivory, influence the distribution or presence ofS. latifolia in the Atchafalaya Delta. 相似文献
The Flores diving cruise was part of the MAST III-AMORES (1995-1998) program funded by the European Union. One of the major achievements of the Flores cruise was the discovery of the Rainbow hydrothermal field hosted in ultramafic rocks south of the Amar segment on the Mid-Atlantic ridge (MAR). The Rainbow hydrothermal fluids exhibit temperatures of 365 °C, pH of 2.8, high chlorinity (750 mmol/kg), and low silica (6.9 mmol/kg). The uniformity in endmember major, minor, trace element concentrations and gas contents suggests that all Rainbow fluids originate from the same deep source. Although H2S content is relatively low (1.20 mmol/kg), all vent fluids show extraordinary high H2 (16 mmol/kg), CH4 (2.5 mmol/kg) and CO (5 μmol/kg) endmember concentrations compared to fluids collected from other vent sites along the MAR. Hydrogen represents more than 40% of the total gas volume extracted from the fluids. At Rainbow, H2 production is likely associated with alteration of olivine and orthopyroxene minerals during serpentinization. Given that exposures of ultramafic rock may be common, particularly along slow-spreading ridges, the production of H2 may have important implications for microbial activity at and beneath the seafloor. 相似文献
We examine the participation of stakeholders in the rule-making process leading to the design of the US Clean Power Plan (CPP), which was the cornerstone regulation developed during the Obama administration to lower GHG emissions from power plants in the US. Using publicly available information, we identify the core stakeholders that participated in the different stages of the rulemaking process, from the early draft of the rule to its publication in final form, and examine variables that could help explain their decisions to litigate, either against or in favour of the final version of the rule. We show that the ‘pro-CPP’ stakeholders were (a) more likely to participate during the early stages of the rule-making process, attending meetings with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff to discuss rule content, and (b) less likely to get involved during the litigation process. ‘Anti-CPP’ stakeholders, on the other hand, did the opposite, being in general less active during the rulemaking stages, and more active during the litigation stage. However, we also find that the ‘anti-CPP’ stakeholders were more tightly organized as a coalition when compared to the ‘pro-CPP’ stakeholders throughout the process (even in the early stages when they participated less). Our results shed new light on the way advocacy coalitions operate in the climate policy subsystem in the US, and help inform debates about the likelihood of conflict and cooperation across a variety of environmental policy topics.
Key policy insights
The design of the Clean Power Plan was a long and contentious process in which ‘Pro’ and ‘Anti-CPP’ coalitions operated to support and undermine the rule, respectively.
‘Pro-CPP’ stakeholders were more active in meetings organized to discuss the CPP with EPA staff, and in submitting written comments.
‘Anti-CPP’ stakeholders were more active during litigation, in response to perceived EPA overreach in designing the rule and negative financial impacts on states’ economies.
Joint participation by ‘Anti-CPP’ stakeholders in meetings conveyed by the EPA to discuss the potential content of the rule helps explain their joint litigation efforts, which hints at their considerable capacity to self-organize as a coalition throughout the process.
To effectively address the root causes of carbon lock-in across developing countries, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) with transformational change characteristics are being supported by donors and finance mechanisms as a means to achieve ambitious nationally determined contributions (NDCs). However, there is still a scarcity of empirical studies on how transformational change policies and actions are designed and supported in practice. This article addresses such a gap in knowledge by combining theoretical insights from the multi-level perspective and transitions management literature to examine a donor-supported cement sector NAMA in Tunisia developed during 2012–2013. A narrative is constructed to analyse the adequacy of the NAMA design to promote structural shifts towards low carbon development in the cement sector. Data collection is based on semi-structured interviews and documentation gathered during field work in Tunisia 2014–2015. The study finds that the NAMA design is not likely to lead to transformational change of the cement sector, since underlying factors accounting for lock-in are not properly tackled. Although the NAMA has enabled new and promising sectoral partnerships across the cement sector, the analysis suggests that the NAMA’s transformational potential is currently limited by a number of factors not being adequately addressed. Measures are proposed to reorient the NAMA towards promoting system innovation, building on further research and experimentation with the policy entrepreneurial role of donors.
Key policy insights
Underlying factors such as the absence of local finance institutions and the lack of reflexivity features in project design restrict the potential of the Tunisian cement NAMA to spur transformation to low carbon development.
To tackle underlying causes of carbon lock-in and reorient policies and actions for transformational design, the promotion of feedback loops and self-contemplation needs to be based on a long-term vision, experimentation, social learning and information gathered during implementation.
Donors need to re-think their existing modalities to better support unpredictable and highly political changes for sustainability transitions in developing countries.
Breaking waves are a powerful agent for generating turbulence that plays an important role in many fluid dynamical processes, particularly in the mixing of materials. Breaking waves can dislodge sediment and throw it into suspension, which will then be carried by wave-induced steady current and tidal flow. In order to investigate sediment suspension by breaking waves, a numerical model based on large-eddy-simulation (LES) is developed. This numerical model can be used to simulate wave breaking and sediment suspension. The model consists of a free-surface model using the surface marker method combined with a two-dimensional model that solves the flow equations. The turbulence and the turbulent diffusion are described by a large-eddy-simulation (LES) method where the large turbulence features are simulated by solving the flow equations, and a subgrid model represents the small-scale turbulence that is not resolved by the flow model. A dynamic eddy viscosity subgrid scale stress model has been used for the 相似文献
1 .IntroductionThe interaction between waves propagating onthe surface of a body of water andthe bed materialis a long standing coastal problem.The problemis practicallyimportant because the waves can be at-tenuated at a muchfaster rate whenthe bed materi… 相似文献