A comparison of a GCM response to historical anthropogenic land cover change and model sensitivity to uncertainty in present-day land cover representations

This study assesses the sensitivity of the fully coupled NCAR-DOE PCM to three different representations of present-day land cover, based on IPCC SRES land cover information. We conclude that there is significant model sensitivity to current land cover characterization, with an observed average global temperature range of 0.21 K between the simulations. Much larger contrasts (up to 5 K) are found on the regional scale; however, these changes are largely offsetting on the global scale. These results show that significant biases can be introduced when outside data sources are used to conduct anthropogenic land cover change experiments in GCMs that have been calibrated to their own representation of present-day land cover. We conclude that hybrid systems that combine the natural vegetation from the native GCM datasets combined with human land cover information from other sources are best for simulating such impacts. We also performed a prehuman simulation, which had a 0.39 K ~higher average global temperature and, perhaps of greater importance, temperature changes regionally of about 2 K. In this study, the larger regional changes coincide with large-scale agricultural areas. The initial cooling from energy balance changes appear to create feedbacks that intensify mid-latitude circulation features and weaken the summer monsoon circulation over Asia, leading to further cooling. From these results, we conclude that land cover change plays a significant role in anthropogenically forced climate change. Because these changes coincide with regions of the highest human population this climate impact could have a disproportionate impact on human systems. Therefore, it is important that land cover change be included in past and future climate change simulations.     

Seafarer's gaze: Queen Street business and Auckland's archipelago, 1908

Abstract:  In 1908 Auckland City was the commercial hub for a small and remote provincial economy and cannot have supported more than modest, locally orientated enterprises. This paper argues that such a view is conditioned by a 'landlubber's gaze'. By envisaging a seafarer alighting on the City's wharves from a 1908 steamship to encounter the city's commercial heart, it demonstrates that Queen Street opened to a maritime world where Auckland enterprises enjoyed extensive networks and markets. Indeed, Auckland's 'floating world' rivalled its 'residential world'. Such an approach may force us to recast Auckland Province in archipelago and network terms.     

Seasonal changes in pasture biomass, production and offtake under the transhumance system in northern Pakistan

An understanding of seasonal changes in pasture biomass, production and offtake of different range types is fundamentally important for the efficient management of livestock grazing. However, few studies have quantified these changes for transhumance systems, despite the fact that transhumance is still the main form of livestock management in several regions of the world and is often critical for the livelihoods of the people. One such area is the Northern Areas of Pakistan, where six villages and their pastures were selected for study. Pastures were categorized within foothill, dry temperate and alpine range types, and seasonal biomass, production and offtake of the vegetation was estimated by clipping paired caged and uncaged quadrats. The alpine range type had by far the highest biomass and offtake; the foothill and dry temperate range types were much more sparsely vegetated. Although alpine pastures were heavily used, particularly in spring, there was no evidence for consistent over-utilization of pasture resources. Within the dry temperate range type, production was highest during spring but significantly under-used. This indicates a potential for increased use of dry temperate pastures during spring, an important period both for early recovery of livestock body condition after winter and to reduce the heavy pressure on the alpine pastures at this time.     

Directions of Romanian tourism and of tourist research

The authors present synthetically the great variety of the forms of relief in Romania, which create a real natural attraction, satisfying any side of tourist demand. The most significant poles of Romanian tourism, represented by the Carpathians, the unique Danube Delta, the Black Sea offer great possibilities for winter sports, hiking, climbing, water sports, fishing and hunting, sun bathing and medical treatment, owing to the immense balneary potentialities of the country.In the development of Romanian tourism an important part has had and is still having the scientific research activity achieved in the Tourism Department of a specialized institute of researches. The studies worked out in this field are divided into several categories, dealing with subjects of conjuncture and prognosis, economic efficiency, revaluation of territory, improvement of activity in various resorts, launching of new produces, sociology investigations, new iteneraries etc.The authors also present a selective bibliography.     

X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies of silicate glasses and minerals

Selected results of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies of amorphous silicates and minerals are presented in order to show their utility in providing short-and, in certain cases, medium-range structural and bonding information for cations and anions. EXAFS and XANES studies of amorphous silicates are reviewed with the objective of illustrating variations in structural environments of the various types of glass-forming cations, including Si, Al, Na, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Yb, and U. Al is shown to occur in tetrahedral coordination in all aluminosilicate glasses examined, including peraluminous compositions. The weakly bonded Na and Ca cations are shown to occur in sites with observed coordination numbers (ranging from 6 to 7) and distances similar to those predicted by molecular dynamics simulations. Elements like Ti, which form bonds of intermediate strength, may show some order beyond the first coordination shell at low concentrations in silicate glasses. EXAFS studies of Yb and U in silicate glasses at trace to minor concentration levels provide unique structural information about the environments of these cations. K-edges and XANES of transition element sulfides, third-row tetrahedral oxyanions, and oxygen in minerals are interpreted in terms of band theory or molecular orbital theory.