'There is a tide': An examination of the evolution of New Zealand Coastal Policy Statements

Abstract:   In this paper the proposed New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement is set within the context of its Resource Management Act legislative framework and in terms of the evolution of the fundamental influence of policy statements on coastal management in New Zealand. This discussion is coupled with an examination of the development of strong policy directions in the proposed statement and the potential impact of giving effect to these policies on the regional and unitary authorities tasked with this responsibility.     

胶州湾北部滨海湿地分布特征及质量评价

以胶州湾北部滨海湿地为研究区域,运用RS和GIS技术提取湿地信息,研究时空变化特征,建立湿地定量评价系统,并对湿地质量进行分析。研究表明,自1997年到2007年,该地湿地类型变化较大,沿岸湿地退化现象严重,人为活动影响增大,非湿地面积大量增加,湿地质量不断下降。     

HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT: UNPREDICTABILITY AND THE PRIMACY OF PLACE

Landscapes, environments, and ecosystems (i.e., places) are historically and spatially contingent and therefore unique. Generalizations and laws are based on “all other things being equal.” Owing to historical and spatial contingency, all other things are never completely equal and often do not approach that ideal closely enough to allow for reliable prediction. The problem is illustrated by examining effects of grazing and fire suppression on transitions between grass and woody vegetation communities. In three different environments in the southern United States (central Texas, southwestern Virginia, and eastern North Carolina), three different relationships exist between grazing and fire regime, and vegetation. Other examples are common in the geographic and environmental literature. This suggests that the search for a single applicable generalization or predictive model of a given human-induced environmental change that can be applied without accounting for the particular characteristics of places may be futile. Several general ways to address this issue are suggested. First is the recognition that place matters. Conditions specific to a location or region will influence what, how, or even if generalizations apply. Second is the adoption of a “demographic” approach. This is based on the idea that for places, like people, it is possible to make aggregate or probabilistic generalizations or predictions, but these cannot be applied to deterministic prediction of individuals. Third is a synoptic approach based on forecasting not via simple cause-effect relationships, but based on a typology of situations that recognizes and incorporates the unique characteristics of site and situation. Several converging threads of inquiry in geography and geosciences explicitly or implicitly address the issue of historical and spatial contingency. [Key words: landscape, environment, place, prediction.]     

福州滨海湿地水鸟资源现状及保护对策研究

1997-2008年对福州滨海湿地水鸟进行了调查,记录到水鸟共132种,隶属9目21科,以鸻鹬类和雁鸭类为主,居留型以冬候鸟和旅鸟为主;拥有多种珍稀濒危水鸟,属于国家重点保护野生动物（1988）有15种、IUCN名录的有16种、中国濒危动物红皮书名录有16种。水鸟主要分布在闽江河口、福清兴化湾、福清湾、文武砂、罗源湾。同时针对福州滨海湿地水鸟情况提出了相应的保护对策。     

The Influence of Community Size and Location on Different Dimensions of Vulnerability: a case study of Australian coastal communities

ABSTRACT

Coastal communities are part of the Australian identity but little is known about their characteristics and their long-term prosperity prospects. Increased migration to coastal areas and increased exposure to extreme climatic events indicates a need for social and economic data to inform socio-ecological systems planning. Here, we undertake a geo-spatial analysis to develop a typology of Australian coastal communities and assess relative vulnerability to climate-driven environmental change for a range of social and economic indicators. The aim of this study is to understand how the vulnerability of Australian coastal communities varies with geographic location or community size, and in comparison to other community types. Results show that both the population size and location of a coastal community matter and that coastal communities overall are more vulnerable on some socio-economic dimensions to climate-driven environmental change than their rural equivalents. However, results also demonstrate that the smallest coastal communities are strong in some important aspects of the human, social and financial domains, putting them in a good position to deal with some changes. Scale-appropriate and context-specific social policies are needed to address identified socio-economic vulnerabilities, supported by a range of formal and informal institutional structures, such as strategies to improve education and female workforce participation, and encourage participation in volunteering to increase human and social capital.     

Middle-Late Pleistocene polycyclic evolution of a stable coastal area (southern Apulia, Italy)

The Otranto–Leuca coastal tract is marked by the presence of numerous sea caves placed close to present sea level. They are located generally at the back of a shore platform covered by a sequence of breccia deposits, marine sediments and speleothems. At Grotta di Masseria dell'Orte, marine cemented sands rest on a narrow shore platform at about 6.2 m above mean sea level and are covered by speleothems older than 185 ka. At Grotta del Diavolo, which is mostly filled by breccia deposits, three beach levels have been detected at about 3.0, 3.5 and 5.9 m above msl. They are either covered by or overlie speleothems that yield an U/Th age of 340, 78 ka and between 170.3 and 146.5, respectively. Geomorphological evidence and radiometric ages indicate that the area after a period of uplift has been tectonically stable since the last part of the Middle Pleistocene so that marine landforms close to the present shoreline underwent a polycyclic evolution. The sedimentary fills of sea caves formed during Middle-Late Pleistocene glacial stages, when arid or semiarid conditions promoted the removal of regolith and the development of thick breccia deposits. During Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 9.3, 5.5 and 5.1, cave sediments were partially eroded whereas beach layers and related speleothems developed. These are, in fact, the only marine isotope stages marked by a sea level position which in this Mediterranean region was either close to, or slightly higher than, the present one.     

海滨湿地生态系统的热点研究

海滨湿地具有强大的生态服务功能,然而由于人类活动的长期和强烈干扰,导致该系统严重受损和退化。海滨湿地生态系统的严重退化引起国内外学术界的高度关注。有关其退化及生态恢复的研究热点涉及该系统的演化与机制、对外来种入侵的响应与生态控制、退化海滨湿地生态系统的修复、生态系统健康的评估及其保护与利用平衡的研究。本文综述了上述热点研究的进展,有利于把握国际前沿研究动态,借鉴最新研究方法和经验,推动我国在这一领域的研究尽快赶上国际先进水平。     

Preserving coastal natural character: Court interpretations of a long‐standing New Zealand policy goal

New Zealand's policy goal to preserve coastal natural character was first incorporated into planning legislation in 1973 and protected area legislation in 1977. An evaluation of 100 relevant Resource Management Act Court decisions determined the Courts' interpretations of this policy goal. The Courts have repeatedly found that natural character is of nature (not culture), including natural elements, patterns, and processes. There is a continuum of naturalness from pristine indigenous ecosystems to the urban environment. A 2014 Supreme Court decision has upheld the use of environmental bottom lines for natural character and the importance of protection as part of sustainable management.     

单片卫星影像在航测测图中的利用

在边境测图过程中,经常遇到较大面积云层问题,使航测测图无法顺利进行。能充分利用的影像资源是第一次全国地理国情普查的影像,有国产高分2号、SPOT-6、资源3号等单片卫星影像,无立体像对影像。通过对国情普查的影像分析选取,选取一试验区域进行试验,用国产高分2号卫星影像与SPOT-6卫星影像组成立体像对测制地物地貌,用Worldview卫星立体像对影像测制同一区域的地物地貌,将两种影像源组成立体模型测制的地物地貌进行比较及精度统计,说明单片卫星影像在航测测图中达到的精度。