Participatory selection process for indicators of rangeland condition in the Kalahari

To develop indicator–based management tools that can facilitate sustainable natural resource management by non–specialists, meaningful participation of stakeholders is essential. A participatory framework is proposed for the identification, evaluation and selection of rangeland condition indicators. This framework is applied to the assessment of rangeland degradation processes and sustainable natural resource management with pastoralists in the southern Kalahari, Botswana. Farmer knowledge focused on vegetation and livestock, with soil, wild animal and socio–economic indicators playing a lesser role. Most were indicators of current rangeland condition; however 'early warning' indicators were also identified by some key informants. This demonstrates that some local knowledge is process–based. Such knowledge could be used to improve indicator–based management tools and extension advice on the livelihood adaptations necessary to prevent or reduce ecological change, capable of threatening livelihood sustainability. There is evidence that social background influences indicator use. Communal farmers rely most heavily on vegetation and livestock indicators, whilst syndicate and land–owning pastoralists cite wild animal and soil–based indicators most frequently. These factors must be considered if indicator–based management tools are to meet the requirements of a diverse community.     

Compositions and source apportionments of atmospheric aerosol during Asian dust storm and local pollution in central Taiwan

A study has been carried out on water soluble ions, trace elements, as well as PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10 elemental and organic carbon samples collected daily from Central Taiwan over a one year period in 2005. A source apportionment study was performed, employing a Gaussian trajectory transfer coefficient model (GTx) to the results from 141 sets of PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10 samples. Two different types of PM₁₀ episodes, local pollution (LOP) and Asian dust storm (ADS) were observed in this study. The results revealed that relative high concentrations of secondary aerosols (NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻ and NH₄⁺) and the elements Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and As were observed in PM_2.5 during LOP periods. However, sea salt species (Na⁺ and Cl⁻) and crustal elements (e.g., Al, Fe, Mg, K, Ca and Ti) of PM_2.5–10 showed a sharp increase during ADS periods. Anthropogenic source metals, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and As, as well as coarse nitrate also increased with ADS episodes. Moreover, reconstruction of aerosol compositions revealed that soil of PM_2.5–10 elevated approximately 12–14% in ADS periods than LOP and Clear periods. A significantly high ratio of non-sea salt sulfate to elemental carbon (NSS-SO₄²⁻/EC) of PM_2.5–10 during ADS periods was associated with higher concentrations of non-sea-salt sulfates from the industrial regions of China. Source apportionment analysis showed that 39% of PM₁₀, 25% of PM_2.5, 50% of PM_2.5–10, 42% of sulfate and 30% of nitrate were attributable to the long range transport during ADS periods, respectively.     

两种震级标度讨论

分析论述了我国在测报近震震级和面波震级业务中存在的种种问题，用现行起算函数测算的ML随震中距存在系统偏差，近场偏低，远场偏高；此函数系统建立的方法有不合理之处，它不适于DD-1仪。用现行公式测算的MS与国际上震级水平不一致，总体趋势偏高；在90(距离上震级零点严重失控；用单一水平向记录计算MS是个原则性差误。需要用新的起算函数系统代替R1(()计算ML; 需要用新的公式取代现行公式计算MS。     

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...     

华南地区城市化对区域气候变化的影响

按照人口数将华南地区站点分为大城市站、一般城市站、郊区站,并利用华南地区1960~2011年的站点观测资料分别计算了3类站点年平均、季节平均的气温、高温日数、降水、相对湿度、风速、日照时数距平序列的变化,分析了城市化对华南地区区域气候的影响。结果表明:相较于背景场,大城市的平均气温有更明显的上升趋势;高温日数在3类站点中均有增加的趋势,在城市化的影响下,大城市的高温日数有明显的增加;平均气温日较差在整个华南地区均有下降趋势,特别是在大城市中。在3类站点中,降雨总量均有减少的趋势,且降雨更多的以中雨及以上的形式表现。该地区的相对湿度、风速、日照时数均呈现减少趋势,在城市化影响下,大城市的相对湿度、风速、日照时数均有明显的减少。华南地区处于我国最大的城市群之一——珠江三角洲地区,同时处于气候系统复杂的热带季风区,因此有必要研究城市化对该地区多个气象变量的可能影响。     

Seeing the ocean through the eyes of seabirds: A new path for marine conservation?

Seeing the ocean through the eyes of seabirds could help meet the challenges of managing common-pool marine resources both in protected and unprotected areas. First, seabirds are top-predators, exposed to all threats affecting the oceans, and this makes them ideal sentinel organisms for monitoring changes within marine ecosystems. Second, seabirds cross both ecological and political boundaries, and following their movements should help making interdependencies within and between marine ecosystems more visible. Third, seabirds are conspicuous and often charismatic animals, which interact differently with different groups of stakeholders and provide the opportunity to acknowledge and discuss each other's values and interests. In this paper, we present these research avenues using a seabirds’ view, for tackling marine conservation and management issues, and we give operational examples of implementation based on our work in the English Channel.     

Climate change scenario planning in Alaska's National Parks: Stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process

This article studies the participation of stakeholders in climate change decision-making in Alaska's National Parks. We place stakeholder participation within literatures on environmental and climate change decision-making. We conducted participant observation and interviews in two planning workshops to investigate the decision-making process, and our findings are three-fold. First, the inclusion of diverse stakeholders expanded climate change decision-making beyond National Park Service (NPS) institutional constraints. Second, workshops of the Climate Change Scenario Planning Project (CCSPP) enhanced institutional understandings of participants' attitudes towards climate change and climate change decision-making. Third, the geographical context of climate change influences the decision-making process. As the first regional approach to climate change decision-making within the NPS, the CCSPP serves as a model for future climate change planning in public land agencies. This study shows how the participation of stakeholders can contribute to robust decisions, may move climate change decision-making beyond institutional barriers, and can provide information about attitudes towards climate change decision-making.     

Community-based production of geographic information using open source software and Web 2.0

This article presents an innovative approach to citizen-led production of Web-based geographic information where new and/or existing digital map features are linked to annotations or commentary and citizens engage in synchronous and/or asynchronous discussion. The article discusses the relationship of the approach to public participation geographic information systems (PPGISs) and the emerging challenges associated with volunteered geographic information. A custom-developed, open source software tool named MapChat is used to facilitate the citizen inputs and discussions. The information generated from applying the approach through a series of community workshops is presented and discussed in light of current issues in PPGIS and volunteered geographic information research.     

Developing Contradictions: Women's Participation as a Site of Struggle Within an Indian NGO*

Women are being hired in increasing numbers by development projects to facilitate women's participation components. Once employed, however, women often find themselves marginalized within their organizations. In this paper, I find that the women's participation component of an Indian drinking water project has enabled the exclusion of women fieldworkers employed by the project. Drawing on the work of Bakhtin, I show participatory approaches as multiple, partial, and contentious. Moves to thwart women fieldworkers and women's participation give rise to struggles over development geography. Analysis of project records, interviews with staff, and observation of staff activities provide evidence for results.     

浅谈涉密测绘成果管理

随着全国二次土地调查工作的全面开展,基础测绘工作出现了飞跃式的发展,这就对基础测绘成果的管理和应用提出了更高、更新的要求。结合多年基层基础测绘成果管理经验,对涉密测绘成果的管理及使用上提出了一些建议。