Tree Population Dynamics of Three Altitudinal Vegetation Communities on Mount Cameroon(1989-2004)

Changes in permanent sample plots in the lowland,submontane and montane forests on Mount Cameroon(4,095 m above sea level),an active volcano,are described for 15 years from 1989 to 2004.Throughout the study period,the stocking level of trees with a diameter at breast height(DBH) ≥ 10 cm in the three forests were lower than in pan-tropical stands suggesting a significant impact of volcanic and human-related activities on the vegetation communities on the mountain.Annual mortality rates in the submontane and ...     

Evidences of Holocene transgression on Domingos Petrolini Swamp, southern coastal plain, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The Domingos Petrolini Swamp, located on the Southern Coastal Plain of Rio Grande do Sul, near the town of Rio Grande, constitutes an ample holocene lagoonal deposit. Events related to the holocene transgression and their diverse phases of glacial-eustatic ocillations were found through palynological analysis. Bases on these palynological data, four distinct phases to the paleoenvironmental evolution of the ecosystem were identified. It has also shown a transgressive restricted marine sequence on the base, which suggests the existence of a coastal brackish lagoon or a marisme type of environment. Later, there was a gradation for continentality conditions along with a scarce pollinical record. The third phase is characterized by the presence of marine components and halophyte vegetation, showing another transgressive event in that place. Lastly, the end of direct marine influence over the swamp was recorded and also the vegetation development as it appears these days.     

From the editors

As the Journal of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration enters its fourth year of publication, we believe the first six issues are on the right track toward promoting scientific exchange between China, the United States and the international community. Our contributors have hailed from many countries throughout the world including Canada, China, Greece, Italy, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Turkey and the United States.     

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Community-based Natural Resource Management in Northeast India

Community-based natural resource management in northeast India has a long history. Indigenous knowledge and adaptation are the collective information, with improvement from generation to generation. The expectation is that under community control, local expertise on biodiversity will play a significant role in natural resource management through traditional practices. This paper discusses the characteristics and application of the traditional ecological knowledge of aboriginal peoples in northeast India and its role in natural resource management. Examples are provided in two different eco-cultural landscapes, i.e., Demazong (the Buddhist eco-cultural landscape in Sikkim Himalaya) and the Apatani eco-cultural landscape in Arunachal Pradesh, which illustrate the utility value of traditional ecological knowledge in sustainable natural resource management. Both eco-cultural landscapes are indeed very complex and highly evolved systems with high levels of economic and ecological efficiencies. The paper concludes that traditional ecological knowledge systems and institutions could serve as entry points into the sustainable utilization and management of natural resources. This could be achieved through the exploration of the cultural practices of the local people and integrating useful aspects into the modern natural resource management expertise. With rapidly depleting biodiversity in the developing tropic regions, there is a greater utilization today than ever before of the value of respecting the "Sacred" as a tool towards better conservation of natural resources.     

From the editors

Dear Members of the Editorial Board,Contributors and Friends of the journal,This issue of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration(Vol.20,No.1)includes two papers in a special section“Recent progress in evaluation and improvement on seismic resilience of engineering structures”.The special section aims to collect state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice research findings on the latest developments and challenges in seismic resilience evaluation.We thank guest editors Professor Wang Tao of the Institute of Engineering Mechanics,China Earthquake Administration and Professor Gian Paolo Cimellaro of the Politecnico di Torino,Italy,for their invaluable guidance.     

泰国西北部掸泰地块内部古特提斯远洋残迹: 放射虫生物地层学证据

在泰国西北部Mae Hong Son-Mae Sariang地区层状燧石中发现早石炭世、晚二叠世和中-晚三叠世放射虫化石, 据此并结合已发表的该地区放射虫生物地层学资料可以认为, 研究区在晚古生代和三叠纪存在远洋盆地. 该盆地与泰国北部Chiang Dao地区洋盆及昌宁-孟连构造带洋盆相连, 代表了古特提斯多岛洋的主支洋盆. 该主支洋盆位于“掸泰地块”内部. 所以, “掸泰地块”在古特提斯构造阶段不是单一的地块, 而是由古特提斯主洋盆分割的、亲冈瓦纳和华夏构造域的陆壳地体组成.