Geographical imbalances and divides in the scientific production of climate change knowledge

Studies on scientific production of climate change knowledge show a geographical bias against the developing and more vulnerable regions of the world. If there is limited knowledge exchange between regions, this may deepen global knowledge divides and, thus, potentially hamper adaptive capacities. Consequently, there is a need to further understand this bias, and, particularly, link it with the exchange of knowledge across borders. We use a world-wide geographical distribution of author affiliations in >15,000 scientific climate change publications to show that (1) research production mainly takes place in richer, institutionally well-developed countries with cooler climates and high climate footprints, and (2) the network of author affiliations is structured into distinct modules of countries with strong common research interests, but with little knowledge exchange between modules. These modules are determined mainly by geographical proximity, common climates, and similar political and economic characteristics. This indicates that political-economic, social and educational-scientific initiatives targeted to enhance local research production and collaborations across geographical-climate module borders may help diminish global knowledge divides. We argue that this could strengthen adaptive capacity in the most vulnerable regions of the world.     

旱情遥感监测研究进展与应用案例分析

在大范围、长时序的旱情监测中,遥感技术以其快速、经济和大空间范围获取的特点,弥补了基于台站气象数据旱情监测的不足,为防旱和抗旱决策提供了实时、动态、宏观的辅助决策数据。本文对已有旱情遥感监测方法进行分析和整理,将其总结为基于土壤热惯量、基于土壤波谱特征、基于蒸散模型和基于植被指数的旱情监测方法,并对各类方法从监测原理、适用范围和应用进展等方面进行了阐述。在此基础之上,详细介绍一种结合了全球植被水分指数和短波角度归一化指数的优势建立的旱情遥感监测模型和方法。以2010年春季西南地区旱情为应用案例,从监测模型方法、数据处理流程和应用分析等方面,介绍一种基于植被水分指数的旱情监测方法,并对其监测结果进行统计分析与评价。     

Delegating, not returning, to the biosphere: How to use the multi-scalar and ecological properties of cities

Our aim is to theorize the shifting relationship between cities and the biosphere in ways that can incorporate vanguard scientific, technical and social innovations. We specify that the city (a) generates third natures - specific new environments - such as heat islands, that today are destructive of the biosphere, and (b) that the city has systemic properties that correspond to those of the biosphere, but today are mostly flattened out of action through the ruptures that dominate today's articulation between cities and biosphere. That is to say, our specific project agrees with the problematizing of the category “nature,” which pertains to our presence in the biosphere. But we do not take Harvey's more absolute statement that the city itself is nature nor do we confine our analysis only to Latourian natures-cultures. Our analysis is less centered in the work of correcting a false binary, as is the case with both Latour and Harvey, notwithstanding their different objects of study. We focus on the complex in-between space that is the site of both the transactions between city and biosphere, as well as the site of the ruptures that characterize these transactions.     

A review of advances in flash flood forecasting

Flash flooding is one of the most hazardous natural events, and it is frequently responsible for loss of life and severe damage to infrastructure and the environment. Research into the use of new modelling techniques and data types in flash flood forecasting has increased over the past decade, and this paper presents a review of recent advances that have emerged from this research. In particular, we focus on the use of quantitative precipitation estimates and forecasts, the use of remotely sensed data in hydrological modelling, developments in forecasting models and techniques, and uncertainty estimates. Over the past decade flash flood forecast lead‐time has expanded up to six hours due to improved rainfall forecasts. However the largest source of uncertainty of flash flood forecasts remains unknown future precipitation. An increased number of physically based hydrological models have been developed and used for flash flood forecasting and they have been found to give more plausible results when compared with the results of conceptual, statistical, and neural network models. Among the three methods for deciding flash flood occurrence discussed in this review, the rainfall comparison method (flash flood guidance) is most commonly used for flash flood forecasting as it is easily understood by the general public. Unfortunately, no existing model is capable of making reliable flash flood forecasts in urban watersheds even though the incidence of urban flash flooding is increasing due to increasing urbanisation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Engaging stakeholders in fisheries and marine research

Despite knowledge-brokering being of high interest to public policy, there is a lack of research integrating the knowledge of stakeholders and scientists, principally because public policies remain viewed as top-down controlled. To help European research policies make a positive difference to society, there is a need to better engage stakeholders with the delivery of research and to demonstrate an impact and value that it brings. The pertinent question addressed by this communication is: how can a deeper and more systematic engagement of stakeholders be enabled through European research activities? Enabling stakeholder participation in European research activities requires there to be an incentive for researchers and stakeholders to engage, and the capacity of stakeholders to operate effectively in the research framework. Unsurprisingly, the establishment of communications and cultures conducive to shared problem solving is high priority, as is the need to work towards a governance structure that helps link research with policy outcomes, while at the same time resonating directly with stakeholders. The Regional Advisory Councils could be a strong force in bringing stakeholders knowledge to bear on the scientific issues relevant to management, but their strategy and capacity to mobilise the skills to do so are not yet ready.     

Addressing knowledge gaps for transboundary environmental governance

Knowledge is widely considered a key ingredient for the effective and sustainable governance of the environment. In transboundary settings – i.e., where political boundaries cross natural resource system boundaries – there are considerable barriers to knowledge production and use. Resulting knowledge gaps can be barriers to governance. This research examines three case studies in which international river basin organizations, tasked with facilitating cooperation in transboundary river basins, recognized and addressed knowledge gaps to support governance of shared waters. We synthesize across the three case studies to develop a typology of knowledge gaps and the strategies used to address those gaps. In identifying common types of knowledge gaps and the on-the-ground strategies used to fill them, this research provides an important framework for assessing and theorizing knowledge at the transboundary scale, as well as useful recommendations and examples for practitioners seeking to develop that knowledge.     

QUANTIFYING SIMILARITY FOR HANDLING INFORMATION IN KNOWLEDGE BASES

When constructing diagnostic systems or using knowledge-based systems,e.g.in analytical chemistry,features of different type and character,represented by numbers,trajectories or linguistic variables suchas intensities or colours,must be considered.To find neighbourhoods or to fill in missing values,thenotion of similarity is of essential importance.The paper presents a new fuzzy-set-theory-based approachto quantifying similarity and provides a system of rules to be implemented into the diagnostic part of theknowledge base to be used.     

知识创新工程中地图学学科规划若干问题

 在中国科学院地理科学与资源研究所的知识创新工程中,地图学是一门十分重要的学科。本文就知识创新工程的地图学的学科规划中的几个问题进行分析和讨论。文中首先阐述了地图学学科规划的指导思想,即继承深厚的学科积淀、追踪国际热点和前沿、超越和创新、理论-技术-产业化紧密结合。随后作者讨论了地图学的国家目标和科学目标,对地图学的主要创新方向及其领域前沿科学问题进行了深入的叙述,同时也涉及到了创新基地内外一体化的组织管理体系的设想。最后,本文从“多层次的创新成果展望”和“地球科学中永远年青的横断型学科”两方面对地图学的未来发展前景作了展望     

Modelling risk and risking models: The diffusive boundary between science and policy in volcanic risk management

This article examines the science–policy interface in volcanic risk assessment. It analyses empirical data from research on Montserrat, where new volcanic risk assessment methodologies were pioneered. We discuss the ways in which these methods contributed towards the ordering of scientific advice in its geographical context, and we provide examples of the complex and overlapping topologies that are assembled in a volcanic eruption. In this case, the science–policy interface can be conceptualised as diffusive: both science and policy contain multiple overlapping networks of actors, objects and ideas that interact with one another through flows of responsibilities, attribution, identity and interpretation. Volcanic risk management involves negotiation of conceptual, relational and physical boundaries, and as a result requires the use of qualitative and quantitative methods across human and physical geography.     

基于CiteSpace的海洋空间规划研究进展分析

文章基于CiteSpace对2000-2020年海洋空间规划研究进行了知识图谱和可视化分析,分析发文量、作者、机构、期刊影响力和合作网络变化,揭示研究热点的变化趋势。研究表明:欧美等经济发达国家和澳大利亚具有较高影响力,国家与机构间合作密切。海洋空间规划研究始终以生态系统和环境保护为中心,研究内容以政策研究和生态环境研究为主,研究热点由关注生态功能转变为以人类活动为主的整体功能规划研究,蓝色经济、蓝色发展是近些年的主要关键词。在海洋开发强度、范围不断增大,全球气候环境频繁变化的背景下,加强海洋观测和数据收集,探索海洋生态系统对环境影响和人类活动响应机制,加强生态模型在海洋应用,细化海洋空间规划管理措施,因海制宜地调整规划方案,实现生态保护和经济发展的齐头并进,是我国海洋空间规划研究的未来方向。