Floods in the Southern Alps of New Zealand: the importance of atmospheric rivers

Extremely high precipitation occurs in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, associated with both orographic enhancement and synoptic‐scale weather processes. In this study, we test the hypothesis that atmospheric rivers (ARs) are a key driver of floods in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Vertically integrated water vapour and horizontal water vapour transport, and atmospheric circulation, are investigated concurrently with major floods on the Waitaki River (a major South Island river). Analysis of the largest eight winter maximum floods between 1979 and 2012 indicates that all are associated with ARs. Geopotential height fields reveal that these ARs are located in slow eastward moving extratropical cyclones, with high pressure to the northeast of New Zealand. The confirmation of ARs as a contributor to Waitaki flooding indicates the need for their further exploration to better understand South Island hydrometeorological extremes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Climate finance: A transaction cost perspective on the structure of state-to-state transfers

Direct transfers of climate finance from governments of developed countries to governments of developing countries are often perceived as risky due to information asymmetries, the infeasibility of perfect contract enforcement at the international level, and uncertain recipient capacities and respective outcomes. Donor governments usually try to minimize such risks by delegating the provision of climate finance to bilateral and multilateral organizations that implement and monitor projects in recipient countries. Such direct interventions generate an alternative set of transaction costs through the fragmentation of finance flows and proliferation of funding organizations that can put an additional burden on recipient institutions. Moreover, long delegation chains between initial donors and targeted beneficiaries trigger a cascade of principal-agent problems. The benefits of channelling climate finance through the international development cooperation system hence need to be weighed against the opportunity cost of this approach. The potential for such scrutiny is however constrained by a broken feedback loop between donor and recipient constituencies. Only if the extent to which transaction costs accrue and the reasons they do so become better understood, policy makers might be able to address them and chose the most cost-effective channel in each particular case.     

基于遥感的天津滨海新区土地利用/覆盖变化分析

采用全国土地分类系统,基于Landsat卫星TM遥感影像与天津滨海新区1∶50 000地形图,进行相应数据处理,编制出2000年、2005年、2010年三期滨海新区土地利用/覆盖分类图,并运用土地利用转移矩阵对近10年来天津滨海新区土地利用/覆盖变化进行定量分析。在此基础上,进一步分析了经济、人口等驱动因子对土地利用/土地覆盖的影响。结果表明:10年间,滨海新区的建筑用地面积增加显著,而绿地、湿地、滩涂等高生态价值的土地向建筑用地、未利用地等开发建设用地大幅度转化,后5年变化尤为显著。     

天地技术合一的野外地质工作现代化模式

在无人、无通讯信号的艰险地区开展地质调查工作,其传统模式是小组独立作战,工作环境基本与世隔绝。由于卫星电话或电台在成本和使用上不便,使野外地质调查工作处在极其原始状态下,保障生命安全和地质工作调查精度困难极大。通过3S技术、IP通讯卫星技术与北斗系统、网格GIS和"云"计算技术的集成,构建北斗系统与网格组合的静动态4级组网模式和多种资源的协同技术,形成天地空技术合一的现代化野外地质工作+管理+安全保障的技术架构与智能地质调查服务模式。     

Broodstock conditioning of New Zealand geoduck (Panopea zelandica) within different temperature and feeding ration regimes

Two-year-old New Zealand geoducks (Panopea zelandica) were conditioned within combinations of three water temperatures (7–8, 11–12 and 16–17 °C) and three feeding rations (10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 cells mL^?1 of Chaetoceros mulleri and Isochrysis galbana) for 73 days. Similar percent matured and dry condition index values were observed among temperatures. However, significantly higher dry gonadosomatic indices (GSI_dw) were recorded at 8 and 12 °C. Although no difference was detected in percentage of spawned individuals and connective tissue occupation indices, a higher percent matured were recorded when fed 10,000 and 50,000 cells mL^?1. A reference group conditioned in pond water became matured 2 months later than the other nine experimental groups, but GSI_dw were similar. To maximise reproductive output, we suggest that 2-year-old P. zelandica may be conditioned in pond water for a month and then in 8 or 12 °C seawater with 50,000 cells mL^?1.     

An evaluation of self-governance in the New Zealand Bluff oyster fishery – The indicator system approach

The use of self-governance as a fisheries management tool is increasing in New Zealand and elsewhere. Researchers argue that in theory self-governance can lead to improved outcomes, but evaluating actual benefits is difficult because of the need to distinguish self-governance impacts from other influences on fisheries performance. An indicator system was developed in this paper to evaluate the contribution of selfgovernance to the performance of the Bluff Oyster fishery (OYU5), which is also managed under New Zealand's Quota Management System. There is evidence that self-governance makes a positive contribution to economic efficiency, institutional effectiveness and resource preservation in the Bluff Oyster fishery.     

Post‐Katrina Population Loss and Uneven Recovery in New Orleans, 2000–2010

New Orleans has suffered from a significant population decline during 2000–2010, mainly due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Regression models are used here to explain the spatial variability of population change in New Orleans by variables such as proximity (distance or travel time) to the central business district (CBD), a natural environment variable “elevation”, and two composite socio‐demographic indices derived from variables in the census. The research reveals a U‐shaped population‐change profile with distance or travel time from the CBD, population loss bottomed at 4–5 kilometers (10–15 minutes) from the CBD and recovered towards both the CBD and suburbs. This suggests possible converging forces of suburbanization (that is, a nationwide trend that began long before the hurricane) and the CBD's anchoring role in the post‐Katrina recovery. Greater population loss was also observed in the socioeconomically disadvantaged and lower‐elevated areas, but neighborhoods of Hispanic concentration experienced less population loss.     

Using earthquakes to assess lichen growth rates

Botanists make yearly measurements of lichen sizes that describe highly variable radial expansion of young, and old, Rhizocarpon subgenus Rhizocarpon that is a function of thallus size and age. Such non‐uniform growth would negate use of lichens to date geomorphic events, such as landslides and moraines, of the past 1000 years. Fortunately, many crustose lichens tend toward circular shapes, which can be achieved only when overall uniform radial growth prevails. Largest lichen measurements on rockfall blocks that accumulate incrementally as hillslope talus in earthquake‐prone California plot as distinct peaks in frequency distributions. Rockfall surface‐exposure times are known to the day for historical earthquakes and to the year where mass movements damage trees. Lichenometry consistently dates regionally synchronous rockfall events with an accuracy and precision of ±5 years. Only historical records and tree‐ring dating of earthquakes are better. The four crustose lichens used here have constant long‐term growth rates, ranging from 9.5 to 23.1 mm per century. Growth rates do not vary with altitude or climate in a 900 km long mountainous study region in California, USA. Linear growth regressions, when projected to the present, constrain estimates of colonization time and possible styles of initial lichen growth.     

GNSS-R技术在海冰反演中的应用

从海冰现状出发,全面评述海冰反演的研究进展,主要包括SAR观测技术、星载微波辐射计、高度计、雷达辐射计、多微波传感器及GNSS-R技术等,重点介绍当前GNSS-R反演海冰的关键技术,指出GNSS-R反演海冰存在的问题和发展方向。     

氟——我国矿产资源开发利用的新矿种

氟是一种非金属化学元素,中国氟化工行业绝大多数产品是以萤石作为传统原材料。当前我国矿产资源管理中与氟有关的矿种只有萤石一种。磷矿中伴生氟是最具利用价值的氟资源之一,我国磷矿资源中蕴藏着巨大的（伴生）氟资源,从资源远景看,磷矿石中伴生的氟资源远多于萤石。磷矿中的伴生氟以碳氟磷灰石的形式存在,目前伴生氟资源已经在贵州等地得到开发利用。管理好、利用好（伴生）氟资源既具有资源意义,又具有经济意义和环境意义,建议把（伴生）氟资源作为一种新的矿种进行管理,促进（伴生）氟资源的开发利用,为社会造福。