Extending timber rotations: carbon and cost implications

A number of studies have suggested that incentives for carbon sequestration could lead to longer rotation periods for even-aged managed forests. In this article we examine the potential costs and quantity of sequestered carbon from extending rotation ages in softwood forests of the southern and western USA. A model of optimal rotations when carbon is a valued asset was developed to show how optimal rotations adjust when carbon is priced. Data on 324 types and site classes of softwood forests in southern and western states of the USA were used to examine the costs of extending rotations. The results were then aggregated by applying the marginal cost curves to inventory data within each county in these states. The results indicate that in these 12 states, about 15 million tCO₂ could be sequestered for less than $7/tCO₂ (1 tCO₂ = 1,000 kg CO₂), although for substantially higher carbon prices of $55/tCO₂, up to 209 million tCO₂ could be sequestered. Timber prices were found to have an important influence on the marginal costs of carbon sequestration, with site quality being of secondary importance. The results also showed that at $55/tCO₂ potentially 1 million ha of softwood forests could be set aside, mostly in the western states.     

地缘位势视角下中美俄与伊朗的地缘关系解析

在厘清空间视角下权力作用机制的基础上,构建地缘位势模型,刻画“9·11”事件后中美俄在伊朗的地缘位势演化特征,结合国别研究尝试解读中美俄与伊朗的地缘关系,主要得出以下结论：1）美国在伊朗的地缘位势在负向高位区间频繁波动,俄罗斯的位势在正向中位区间小幅波动,美国和俄罗斯的波动呈现“强－强”机制,中国的位势变化则与其较为剥离,呈“S”型曲线大幅增长。2）中美俄在伊朗的地缘位势是地理位置、地缘外交、地缘经济和地缘文化各要素共同作用的结果,其中地理位置是基底要素,地缘外交是决定要素,地缘经济是驱动要素,地缘文化是协作要素。3）中伊的地缘战略空间互补性重叠,中国综合国力的增强和双边经贸依赖的加深提升着地缘关系的强度和密度;美伊的地缘关系偶有缓和但总体较差,呈现出的波动性是国内政治生态和国际政治环境下的双重应答;俄伊地缘关系紧密缘于传统地理空间邻近和地缘战略考量,两国间存在着由经济利益、政治选择、安全保障等各种因素构成的稳定却复杂的地缘关系网络。     

美国岸线现状调查30年进展综述——以美国弗吉尼亚州为例

以美国弗吉尼亚州20世纪70年代和21世纪初两个年代进行的岸线现状调查工作为例,介绍了30年来美国岸线现状调查的目标、指导原则、调查内容、数据来源、报告编写等内容,并与我国20世纪80年代开展的"全国海岸带和海涂资源综合调查"工作以及当前正在开展的"我国近海海洋综合调查与评价"专项的海岸带调查进行了对比,讨论了两国在海岸带调查方面的异同,以及可供借鉴之处。