Sustainability schizophrenia or “actually existing sustainabilities?” toward a broader understanding of the politics and promise of local sustainability in the US

As an approach to development, many see capitalism as reaching across an enormous range of scholarly domains and political interests. For some time geographers and others have begun to conceptualize capitalism as less of a system of intrinsic economic logic and more a collection of social and discursive relationships. By bringing capitalism into the “discursive world” these commentators and others have provided the theoretical ground for an exploration of alternative economic forms, especially those that are more socially and ecologically just. This paper makes an argument for putting sustainable development through the same theoretical scrutiny. Drawing on examples from the US we recruit the concept of “actually existing sustainabilities” from Altvater’s concept “actually existing socialisms” as an entry point to this conversation. Our purpose is to show that the potential for sustainability in the US exists in current local policies and practices if we rethink how we frame it.     

The dynamics of the snow avalanche affected areas in Piatra Mica mountains (Romania)

This article is intended to explain the snow avalanche occurrence, as a natural phenomenon directly influenced by the local natural conditions, for the well-delimited area represented by the Piatra Mica massif, belonging to the Piatra Craiului mountain range (southern Carpathians). In this respect, depending on the factors that may trigger or encourage the avalanches, some vulnerable areas with avalanche occurring conditions have been identified, based on the analysis of the relationships among the factors controlling the avalanche vulnerability in the study area. These factors are mainly represented by the slope aspect, which induces from the very beginning some specific features for each type of slope (north-, east-, south and west-facing slopes), the geological structure, slope gradient and topography. At the same time, the general climatic and biological features have been taken into account, from the point of view of their importance for avalanche occurrence and distribution. Depending on the microrelief exhibited by the avalanche chutes, one can establish distinct dynamical features for each of the four major slopes of the massif. It is worth mentioning that for this study area, this is the first paper dealing with avalanche phenomenon, vulnerable space, control factors and landscape dynamics. In accomplishing this demarche, we used detailed mappings in the field in several stages, the processing of satellite images, analytical (declivities, the exposure of slopes, etc.) and synthetic maps from which the dynamic of sectors with avalanches resulted. The findings of this investigation may further be employed for solving the problems raised by avalanche-prone areas, as well as for devising a better strategy for the effective management of the mountain realm.     

Heavy metals in freshly deposited sediments of the river Subernarekha, India: an example of lithogenic and anthropogenic effects

Heavy metal distribution patterns in river sediments aid in understanding the exogenic cycling of elements as well as in assessing the effect of anthropogenic influences. In India, the Subernarekha river flows over the Precambrian terrain of the Singhbhum craton in eastern India. The rocks are of an iron ore series and the primary rock types are schist and quartzite. One main tributary, the Kharkhai, flows through granite rocks and subsequently flows through the schist and quartzite layers. The Subernarekha flows through the East Singhbhum district, which is one of India’s industrialised areas known for ore mining, steel production, power generation, cement production and other related activities. Freshly deposited river sediments were collected upstream and downstream the industrial zone. Samples were collected from four locations and analysed in <63-μm sediment fraction for heavy metals including Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu by anodic stripping voltammetry. Enrichment of these elements over and above the local natural concentration level has been calculated and reported. Sediments of the present study are classified by Muller’s geo-accumulation index (I _geo) and vary from element to element and with climatic seasons. During pre-monsoon period the maximum I _geo value for Zn is moderately to highly polluted and for Cu and Pb is moderately polluted, respectively, based on the Muller’s standard. Anthropogenic, lithogenic or cumulative effects of both components are the main reasons for such variations in I _geo values. The basic igneous rock layer through which the river flows or a seasonal rivulet that joins with the main river may be the primary source for lithogenic components.     

Bed morphology and grain size characteristics around a spur dyke

This paper presents an experimental study on the local bed morphology and grain size characteristics around an impermeable spur dyke.A series of experiments are conducted with different types of sedime...     

Geographies of folded life: How immunity reframes biosecurity

Biosecurity, in broad terms, aims to reduce the impact and incidence of threats to life through regulatory means. For reasons we raise in this paper, such regulation can often lead to the specification of disease free processes within the food and farming industry, with biosecurity success measured in terms of the degree of compliance with and allegiance to modern farming practice. We counter this progressive narrative in three ways. First we draw on UK-based qualitative fieldwork with vets, farmers and pigs to demonstrate how biosecure farming and disease freedom are translated and qualified, in practice, to pathogen free, pathogen management and ultimately to configuring health through immunity management. Second, these translations demonstrate how building health is dependent on spatial and microbiological diversity rather than uniformity. Crucially, health involves patch-work and situated knowledge practices that are under threat within an industry increasingly marked by control and homogeneity. Third, in conceptual terms, we argue that while pig farming is organised through both biosecurity and a biopolitical regulation of life, immunity opens up political space for exploring an alternative politics of life, one where farmers and others are not so much made responsible for disease prevention, but make valued contributions to understandings of animal health and food security.     

Advance in Pollen Source Area

The conception of pollen source area has attracted broadly attention since it was proposed in the 1960s. In this paper,it can be subdivided into Normal Source Area of Pollen (NSAP) and Relevant Source Area of Pollen (RSAP) based on reviewing former studies and our recent work of vegetation survey and pollen analysis in the Northern China. The NSAP means a source area of pollen input a sedimentary basin,indicating a distance area beyond where the pollen contents of major pollen types do not show evident increase with increased distance. The RSAP means a source area of pollen assemblages in a basin has the closest relationship with surrounding plants,indicating a distance area beyond where the relationship between pollen assemblage and surrounding vegetation do not show obvious increase with increased distance. The changes of sedimentary basins radii and pollen grain size influence the NSAP and RSAP evidently. Wind speed also changes the NSAP, but does not significantly affect RSAP. The pollen of a sedimentary basin is composed of local pollen,regional pollen and extra regional pollen,which usually account for 30%~45%,25%~60% and 10%~30%,respectively. Local pollen which refers to the pollen coming within the RSAP range,is a reflection of the surrounding vegetation,and has important implications to the reconstruction and succession of local vegetation. Regional pollen which refers to the pollen coming from within the range of NSAP and excluding the range of local pollen,is the important carrier of studies for vegetation restoration and climate change. The pollen that comes outside the range of NSAP is called Extra regional pollen,which is mainly from greater distance by upper air flow,and has no indicator significance to the regional vegetation.     

雷州半岛局部地热异常及其形成机制

雷州半岛地热场主要受基底构造格局的控制和地下水活动的影响,隐伏花岗岩体放射性元素生热对盖层地温的贡献不可忽视,第四纪更新世火山喷发活动的岩浆余热已几乎完全散失,岩浆体和围岩温度已趋于平衡。由火山喷发而形成的雷北螺岗岭和雷南石峁岭两个玄武岩台地,为半岛地下水的主要补给区,由于冷水流下渗的地温效应,新生界盖层浅部地温梯度<3℃/100m,呈现地热负异常。在以传导传热为主的区域,地热场特点与华北盆地相似,新生界盖层地温梯度与基底岩面的埋深密切相关。由于地壳深部较均一的热流在地壳表部再分配的结果,若干凸起区盖层地温梯度为4—5℃/100m,呈现地热正异常。某些控制凸起区的边界断裂,当深层热水沿其上涌,造成附加热源,和传导传热相叠加,盖层地温梯度可高达5—8℃/100m,形成更鲜明的地热正异常。     

Local gravity field modeling using spherical radial basis functions and a genetic algorithm

Spherical Radial Basis Functions (SRBFs) can express the local gravity field model of the Earth if they are parameterized optimally on or below the Bjerhammar sphere. This parameterization is generally defined as the shape of the base functions, their number, center locations, bandwidths, and scale coefficients. The number/location and bandwidths of the base functions are the most important parameters for accurately representing the gravity field; once they are determined, the scale coefficients can then be computed accordingly. In this study, the point-mass kernel, as the simplest shape of SRBFs, is chosen to evaluate the synthesized free-air gravity anomalies over the rough area in Auvergne and GNSS/Leveling points (synthetic height anomalies) are used to validate the results. A two-step automatic approach is proposed to determine the optimum distribution of the base functions. First, the location of the base functions and their bandwidths are found using the genetic algorithm; second, the conjugate gradient least squares method is employed to estimate the scale coefficients. The proposed methodology shows promising results. On the one hand, when using the genetic algorithm, the base functions do not need to be set to a regular grid and they can move according to the roughness of topography. In this way, the models meet the desired accuracy with a low number of base functions. On the other hand, the conjugate gradient method removes the bias between derived quasigeoid heights from the model and from the GNSS/leveling points; this means there is no need for a corrector surface. The numerical test on the area of interest revealed an RMS of 0.48 mGal for the differences between predicted and observed gravity anomalies, and a corresponding 9 cm for the differences in GNSS/leveling points.     

‘Bringing government to the people’: women, local governance and community participation in South Africa

This paper considers the ongoing political transformations in South Africa in the context of debates about good governance and participatory democracy. It first appraises the current transformations of local government in South Africa, focusing specifically on relationships between gender equality and citizenship on the one hand, and local government policy, legislation, and community participation on the other, and then explores meanings of participation and how they inform approaches towards local socio-economic development. The findings of primary research conducted with civil society organisations and black women in communities in the Cape Town metropolitan area are explored through three interrelated themes. First, the model of structured participation that is central to South Africa’s democratic transformation is assessed from the perspective of black women. Second, cultures of alienation, both within local governance structures and amongst black women and the extent to which recent restructuring is combating or contributing to these are explored. Third, how participation policies are dealing with conflict within and between target groups are analysed, whether stakeholder group politics obliterate important differences in interests and whether alternative structures might be more effective in terms of women’s participation and empowerment. Finally, the findings are interpreted in relation to theoretical concepts of good governance and participatory democracy, and the potential and problems of realising South Africa’s transformation process toward developmental local government are assessed.     

A Janus-faced biodiversity change and the partiality of ecological knowledge in a world biodiversity hotspot in Ghana: Implications for biodiversity rehabilitation

The Gyamfiase-Adenya-Obom cluster of villages in the forest-savanna region of Ghana is located within one of Conservation International’s 34 “World Biodiversity Hotspots” of the most biodiversity-threatened regions of the world. In collaboration with local farmers in this area since 1993, the People, Land Management and Ecological Change Project in Ghana (PLEC-Ghana) has been working on promoting biodiversity rehabilitation to address problems of biodiversity change. This goal is expected to be achieved through agrobiodiversity or biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices. However, farmers’ employment of these practices has been lackluster, even while they acknowledge biodiversity changes, dominated by Chromolaena odorata and other herbaceous species, that are driving the decline in forests and their biodiversity. In interpreting the difficulties of biodiversity rehabilitation in Gyamfiase-Adenya-Obom, this study outlines the diverging ecological knowledge of non-residents/outsiders and local farmers about biodiversity change, which it describes as Janus-like with two diverging faces. One face of biodiversity change shows the detrimental impacts on biodiversity and its observers—non-residents/outsiders—insist on biodiversity rehabilitation that nurtures forests, and the growth and domination of tree species. The other face of biodiversity change shows its agronomic advantages and its observers—the local farmers—are skeptical of current biodiversity rehabilitation practices. Farmers see agronomic benefits in biodiversity change, in particular the benefit of faster soil regeneration within the predominant bush fallow system of farming. And as a result of this observation, farmers continue with practices that sustain a decline in forests and biodiversity. Based on social and ecological research that explores three biodiversity-friendly practices promoted by PLEC-Ghana (fallow management, mulching, and intensive weeding to protect tree seedlings), this article discusses the partiality of ecological perspectives that emphasize either face of biodiversity change but not both, and the implications for biodiversity rehabilitation.