A Plan to Push Limits? Investigating the ecologically sustainable development dimensions of Melbourne's Central Region sustainable water strategy

Drawing upon theory from the field of urban political ecology, we analyse a major strategic water plan for Melbourne, Australia—the Sustainable water strategy for the Central Region, published in 2006. We assess the extent to which the strategy identified and addressed ecological sustainability in terms of: cultural frames; ecological context; social equity; and engagement processes. We identify that the strategy's framing of water was largely separate from its social and ecological context. This framing resulted in the importance of issues such as environmental flows, social equity and cultural values being diminished, thus avoiding the inevitable confrontation with environmental limits needed to ensure long-term ecological sustainability. Our analysis shows that the discursive dominance of economics limited the response to persuasive scientific arguments for greater ecological consideration in the strategy. Our findings suggest that broadening engagement with the diverse ways in which water is valued is likely to contribute to more equitable and ecologically sustainable water futures.     

Article 2 of the UNFCCC: Historical Origins,Recent Interpretations

Article 2 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which states the treaty's long-term objective, is the subject of a growing literature that examines means to interpret and implement this provision. Here we provide context for these studies by exploring the intertwined scientific, legal, economic, and political history of Article 2. We review proposed definitions for “dangerous anthropogenic interference” and frameworks that have been proposed for implementing these definitions. Specific examples of dangerous climate changes suggest limits on global warming ranging from 1 to 4 ^∘C and on concentrations ranging from 450 to 700 ppm CO₂ equivalents. The implications of Article 2 for near term restrictions on greenhouse-gas emissions, e.g., the Kyoto Protocol, are also discussed.     

MORPHOLOGICAL VAMABILITY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER

1INTRODUCTIONTheUpperMississippiRiver(U-MR)extendsfromCairo,Illinois,totheheadwaiersoftheMississippiRiver(MR)nearLakeltascainMinnesota.Theentirerivercanbedividedintotwomajorreachesf1)theUpperMississippiRiverfromheadwaierstoCairo,Illinois,totheconfluenceoftheOhioRiverwiththeMississippiRiver,and2)theLowerMississippiRiver(LMR)fromCairo,Illinois,totheGulfofMexico.FigureIshowsthisdivision,includingabreakdownoftheentireriverintofive(5)segmentswhichwillbedescribedinasubsequentsectio…     

光照和黑暗条件下苦草(Vallisneria natans)和穗花狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)对铵态氮的吸收

在室内模拟实验中,研究了光照(50μmol/(m²·s))和黑暗条件下苦草(Vallisneria natans)和穗花狐尾藻(Myrio-phyllum spicatum)对铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)的吸收速率与去除效果.结果表明,随着外源铵态氮浓度(0,0.01,0.1,1和10 mg/LNH₄⁺-N)的增加,苦草和穗花狐尾藻对铵态氮的吸收速率都是先增加后又逐渐降低,在外源铵态氮浓度为1 mg/L时吸收速率达到最大.同种植物在光照条件下对铵态氮的吸收率不低于黑暗条件下的吸收率;相同光强条件下穗花狐尾藻对铵态氮的吸收率不低于苦草的吸收率.在黑暗条件下,在外源铵态氮浓度为1 mg/L时,穗花狐尾藻对铵的吸收速率是苦草的2.42倍;在光照条件下,在外源铵态氮浓度为1和10 mg/L时,穗花狐尾藻对铵态氮的吸收速率分别是苦草的2.47和1.79倍.因此,在富营养湖泊治理过程中,在沉水植物可耐受铵态氮浓度范围内,可以优先考虑把穗花狐尾藻作为植物修复的先锋物种.     

改性粘土辅助沉水植物修复技术维持清水稳态的原位研究

在富营养湖泊治理实践中,修复沉水植被被认为是改善水质的长效措施,而壳聚糖改性粘土是短期快速改善水质的有效手段.本研究利用改性粘土辅助沉水植被修复,旨在探索改善水质的长效方案.2011年5-11月在太湖梅梁湾开展了四组不同处理(对照、水草、水草+粘土、粘土)围隔实验,在水草(盖度13.0%)和水草+粘土(盖度52.3%)围隔中不同程度重建了苦草群落.实验期内每3 d一次的水质监测表明,粘土处理可显著改善水质,水体总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、正磷酸盐(PO34--P)和叶绿素a(Chl.a)含量分别比对照下降了20.7%、74.6%、31.0%和80.4%,透明度(SD)升高了90.4%;粘土辅助植被修复改善水质效果最长稳,水体TN、TP、PO34--P和Chl.a含量分别比对照下降了36.2%、64.0%、28.6%和71.1%,SD升高了76.4%;低盖度苦草群落单独处理对水质改善效果不显著.在三种处理中,粘土辅助植被修复改善底质效果最好,使间隙水的TN、TP、PO34--P、NH4+-N分别比实验前下降了15.6%、61.7%、55.8%和82.8%.本研究表明改性粘土辅助沉水植被修复可作为重富营养水体中水质改善的整合技术,但其长期生态效应仍需谨慎评估.     

Full probabilistic design of slopes in spatially variable soils using simplified reliability analysis method

ABSTRACT

A simplified reliability analysis method is proposed for efficient full probabilistic design of soil slopes in spatially variable soils. The soil slope is viewed as a series system comprised of numerous potential slip surfaces and the spatial variability of soil properties is modelled by the spatial averaging technique along potential slip surfaces. The proposed approach not only provides sufficiently accurate reliability estimates of slope stability, but also significantly improves the computational efficiency of soil slope design in comparison with simulation-based full probabilistic design. It is found that the spatial variability has considerable effects on the optimal slope design.     

北京平原区现阶段主要沉降层位与土层变形特征

超量开采地下水引发的地面沉降已成为北京平原区最主要的地质灾害之一.精准识别现阶段地面沉降主要贡献层位,查明不同水位变化模式下土层变形特征,对实现地面沉降精准防控,建立合适的地下水-地面沉降模型具有重要意义.本文根据北京市7个地面沉降监测站内分层标和水位近十几年观测资料,对不同深度土层沉降变化特征和主要沉降层位进行了精准...     

Temporal relationship between Holocene human occupation and vegetation change along the northwestern margin of the Central African rainforest

This paper discusses the relationship between patterns of human settlements and environmental change during the Holocene along the northwestern margins of the equatorial rain forest of central Africa. Palaeoenvironmental data from high-resolution sediment cores from lacustrine deposits, plant macro-remains from forest soils, and archaeological data are harnessed to discuss the differential impact of climate and/or humans on the central African rain forest. It is shown that climate change impacted the rain forest well before the widespread expansion of human settlements all over the study area.     

北京市地面沉降分布及典型灾害类型初探

地面沉降为北京主要次生地质灾害之一,近年来呈现快速发展趋势,对城市规划发展和经济建设的影响日趋明显。目前对于北京地面沉降灾害类型及特征认识较为局限,缺乏全面、系统认识。本文通过区域水准测量监测数据及以往调查资料的搜集整理,结合现场调查,阐明了北京地面沉降分布特征,总结归纳了地面沉降灾害类型及特征,发现区域性地面沉降形成的以井管抬升为代表的点状破坏现象,该类灾害以点为中心呈辐射状分布,影响范围较小。局部差异沉降形成包括墙体开裂、地表开裂及桥梁开裂等具有线状破坏形式的灾害,该类灾害多呈线性沿固定方向延伸,影响范围较大。