Neoliberalism and natural resource management: Agri-environmental standards and the governing of farming practices

Private standards and certification schemes are widely acknowledged as playing an increasingly important role in agri-environmental governance. While much of the existing research concludes that these mechanisms consolidate the global extension of neoliberalism – enhancing the power of corporate actors to the detriment of smaller producers – we argue that this overlooks the complex ways in which standards are used by governments and farmers in the governing of farming practices. Focusing specifically on a process standard – Environmental Management Systems (EMS) – promoted by the Australian government as a way of verifying the ‘clean and green’ status of agricultural exports, we examine how one regional group of producers has sought to use EMS standards in practice. Our analysis of a case study in the state of Victoria appears to confirm that EMS was a successful instrument for the extension of neoliberal governance, reinforcing the production of neoliberal subjectivities and practices amongst farmer participants and enabling the government to compensate for gaps in environmental provision. However, it would be a mistake to interpret the development of this EMS scheme as an example of naïve farmers manipulated by the state. In practice, farmers used the opportunities provided by government funding to undertake actions which expressed their own agri-environmental values and practices. Establishment of an EMS and associated eco-label enabled producers to demonstrate and extend their capacity to act as good environmental stewards. Our research highlights how the local application of environmental standards negotiates and shapes, rather than simply contributes to, neoliberal rule.     

Impact of lightning on organic matter-rich soils: influence of soil grain size and organic matter content on underground fires

A detailed study was carried out on a piece of land that had been struck by lightning during the violent rainstorm that raged over the Island of S?o Miguel (Azores Archipelago) in late October 2006. Temperature and gas measurements (CO₂, CO, H₂S and CH₄) were performed in four study trenches, dug in an area of ∼3 m², where an underground fire had been initiated by the impact with a lightning stroke, followed by the emission of a column of gases and smoke. The soil under study was originally a well-pedogenized about 80 cm thick bed, made of volcanic clayey to silty tephra fallouts and contained 5.5–9.7% of organic matter. The underground fire was monitored for one week and revealed a peak release of 404 ppm CO and 3.4% CO₂ originating from a horizon located about 45 cm under the soil surface. Measurements of temperature, performed one week after the impact, indicated a maximum value of 326°C inside the soil, while 516.5°C were measured on the surface of a lava block interred about 20 cm under the surface. Subsequently, a stratigraphic and sedimentologic study proved the role of the grain-size of the soil and of the organic matter content of the different horizons of the impact area, in determining the ratio between anoxic/oxidised combustion conditions and in the progress of the process itself. It was also noticed that combustion was not total all over in the soil bed and that the process had slightly migrated toward SW during the observation period. The combustion process went on for about ten days, in spite of several other violent rainstorms, until it was artificially extinguished through the excavations made to obtain study trenches. This particular circumstance evidenced the potential natural hazard represented by this kind of atmospheric event, especially in a land where the volcanic nature of the soil may easily mislead inexperienced observers and, consequently, delay proper action.     

Methodology for preliminary assessment of Natech risk in urban areas

Concern for natural hazard-triggered technological disasters (Natech disasters) in densely populated and industrialized areas is growing. Residents living in urban areas subject to high natural hazard risk are often unaware of the potential for secondary disasters such as hazardous materials releases from neighboring industrial facilities, chemical storage warehouses or other establishments housing hazardous materials. Lessons from previous disasters, such as the Natech disaster during the Kocaeli earthquake in Turkey in 1999 call for the need to manage low frequency/high consequence events, particularly in today’s densely populated areas. However, there is little guidance available on how local governments and communities can assess Natech risk. To add to the problem, local governments often do not have the human or economic resources or expertise to carry out detailed risk assessments. In this article, we propose a methodology for preliminary assessment of Natech risk in urban areas. The proposed methodology is intended for use by local government officials in consultation with the public. The methodology considers possible interactions between the various systems in the urban environment: the physical infrastructure (e.g., industrial plants, lifeline systems, critical facilities), the community (e.g., population exposed), the natural environment (e.g., delicate ecosystems, river basins), and the risk and emergency management systems (e.g., structural and nonstructural measures). Factors related to vulnerability and hazard are analyzed and qualitative measures are recommended. Data from hazardous materials releases during the Kocaeli, Turkey earthquake of August 17, 1999 are used as a case study to demonstrate the applicability of the methodology. Limitations of the proposed methodology are discussed as well as future research needs.

Reducing hazard vulnerability through local government engagement and action

The concept of a natural hazard is a human construct. It is the interaction with human communities and settlements that defines a natural phenomenon as a natural hazard. Thus the end point of hazard mitigation and hazard vulnerability assessment must involve an attempt to reduce, or mitigate, the impact of the natural hazard on human communities. The responsibility to mitigate hazard impact falls primarily upon governments and closely connected non-government and private institutional agencies. In particular, it is most often local government that takes the responsibility for safeguarding its own communities, infrastructure and people. Hazard vulnerability of specific local communities is best assessed by the local government or council, which then faces the responsibility to translate that assessment into community education and infrastructural safeguards for hazard mitigation. This paper illustrates the process of local government engagement in hazard mitigation in Australia, through the Natural Disaster Risk Management Studies, as a first step towards natural disaster reduction.     

Natural background levels and threshold values of monitored parameters in the Cambrian-Vendian groundwater body,Estonia

The Cambrian-Vendian groundwater body plays an important role in drinking water supply of capital Tallinn and other settlements in northern Estonia. Water quality in this deep-seated confined groundwater body is influenced by the intrusion of present-day seawater and pumping-induced upward migration of deeper saline groundwater. The aim of this study is to evaluate the threshold values applying the methodology worked out within the EU 6th FP project “Background criteria for the identification of groundwater thresholds (BRIDGE)” and to compare the results with the values proposed by local authorities. A database containing 250 monitoring points was completed and used for the calculation of natural background levels (as the 90 and 97.7 percentile) in groundwater. The calculation of threshold values is based on natural background levels and reference values. In case of Cambrian-Vendian groundwater body the receptor is drinking water, thus limit values set by Estonian drinking water standard were used as reference values. The threshold values proposed by local authorities are more or less the same as calculated by BRIDGE methodology. Exceptionally different values are derived in case of chloride and ammonium.     

南黄海表层沉积物天然湿容重和含水量的分布及其与粒度之间的关系

本文论述了南黄海表层沉积物天然湿容重和含水量的分布,并利用回归分析的方法讨论了容重和含水量与粒度之间的关系。结果表明,容重和含水量与粘土粒级相关性最好,容重与粘土粒级含量(相似文献   

南海天然气水合物的形成和分布

从物理海洋、古气候、沉积环境和构造环境分析入手，研究了南海天然气水合物的形成条件。研究结果表明，在整个南海海域，天然气水合物生成的条件是存在差别的。南海，东北部，在氧同位素2、4、6期，由于菲律宾海的高盐度海水的注入，使这里的生物生产率特别高，陆坡上沉积了丰富的有机物质，加上此期间该处的沉积速率高，为天然气水合物的生成提供了物质条件；另外，自中新世末以来，由于菲律宾海板块与欧亚板块在台湾地区发生碰撞，对南海北部产生北西向挤压，加快了流体在沉积物中的活动，为天然气水合物的生成提供了良好的构造环境。因此认为南海东北部陆坡应是南海天然气水合物最丰富的地区。     

鱼粉脂肪酸组成的分析研究

本文应用气相色谱对水产饲料的主要原料——— 4类进口鱼粉的脂肪酸组成进行分析 ,结果表明 :①鱼粉中主要脂肪酸含量SFA为C1 6∶0、C1 8∶0 ,MUFA为C1 8∶1、C1 6∶1 ,PUFA为EPA和DHA .② 4类鱼粉中 ,美国、新西兰、俄罗斯的鱼粉MUFA含量较为接近 ,都在 4 0 %左右 ,但新西兰鱼粉的C1 8∶1含量较美国鱼粉高 ,其平均值分别为 2 50 %和 1 9.53% ,而C 2 0∶1、C2 2∶1 ,则比美国低一些 ,俄罗斯鱼粉的含量居两者之间 .智利鱼粉的MUFA比前 3种鱼粉低 ,只有 30 %左右 .③ 4类鱼粉中新西兰鱼粉的PUFA最低 ,它们的EPA与DHA的比值为 :美国鱼粉接近 1∶1 ,新西兰鱼粉为1∶1 .5～ 1∶3.2 ,俄罗斯鱼粉为 1∶1 .2～ 1∶1 .4 ,智利鱼粉为 1∶2左右 ,④智利鱼粉的C2 2∶5n 3明显高于其它 3类鱼粉 ,而C2 0∶1、和C2 2∶1则明显低于其它 3类鱼粉     

山东近海牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)自然和养殖群体10个微卫星基因座位的遗传多态性分析

采用微卫星遗传标记技术对山东近海牙鲆自然群体和养殖群体的遗传多样性进行了研究。实验所用牙鲆于2003年5月分别采自山东近海和青岛胶南养鱼场，各20尾，取全血或肌肉组织，以酚-仿抽提方法提取基因组DNA，利用筛选获得的10对微卫星引物进行PCR扩增，反应产物经8％非变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分离、EB显色，用ImageMasterl D Elite(Version 3．01)软件分析电泳结果，并计算了相应的遗传学参数。结果表明，在自然和养殖群体中，10个基因座位的等位基因平均数(α)分别为6．7和6．1，每个基因座位有效等位基因数(αe)分别为1．8—6．8和2．5—6．7，群体平均杂合度(H)分别为0．8120和0．7310；两个群体间的遗传相似性系数、遗传距离和基因分化系数为0．8558、0．1557和0．0558；自然群体内每个座位上的多态信息含量(PIC)为0．59—0．84、个体识别率(DP)为0．54—0．86、非父排除率(PPE)为0．41—0．72，其累积个体识别率和非父排除率均达到0．9999，表明所选座位属中高识别力的遗传标记，可以将它们应用于今后牙鲆雌核发育群体的遗传变异分析以及进一步的遗传育种的研究中。     

钛型吸附剂的表面特性

用自装的BET容量法装置测定了几种粒状钛型吸附剂的比表面及其孔径分布。测定是在常温减压下进行的。结果表明:钛型吸附剂在加铀海水中的吸铀量与样品的比表面及孔径分布有一定的内在联系。这种表面性质的研究对吸附剂的筛选有重要的指导意义。