Between social and spatial convergence and divergence: an exploration into the political geography of European contact areas

The European continent, the motherland of nationalism, and the part of the world where political borders and different territorial and cultural identities are mostly interrelated, is now facing new challenges regarding how best to represent its numerous interests within one system. With the increase of international integration European countries began to devote greater attention to the development problems of their border areas that had to be helped to undertake certain functions in the international integration process. The fostering of a more balanced regional development also resulted in a strengthening of regional characteristics, which the new model could no longer ignore. Regional characteristics in turn have always been preserved in Europe by persistent historical and cultural elements of ethnic and linguistic variety. Therefore, it is not surprising that the process of European integration based on the new regional development model was accompanied by a parallel process of ethnic or regional awakening of minorities and other local communities. The key question for contemporary European (though of course this is not limited to Europe) political geography is, then, how the process summarised under the twin labels of social convergence and deterritorialisation will effect the persistent maintenance of regional identities and the corresponding divergence of regional spaces. Or, in other words: is the ‘unity in diversity’ European programme ever practicable and exportable on a world-wide scale or are we to be absorbed by a new global ‘melting pot’?     

Age of the Vallesian lower boundary (Continental Miocene of Europe)

The Vallesian lower boundary and “Hipparion-datum” are estimated as ranging in age from 11.2 to 10.7 Ma in Central to Western Europe and Western Asia. Judging from complete sections of Sarmatian marine sediments in the Tamanskii Peninsula and Transcaucasia with known paleomagnetic characteristics, the above dates correspond to the lower upper Sarmatian (Khersonian) of the Eastern Paratethys, although in Moldova and Ukraine the earliest hipparion remains are associated with the middle Sarmatian (Bessarabian) sediments. The normally magnetized middle Sarmatian deposits in hipparion localities of Moldova are correlative with an upper part of Chron C5An (upper boundary 11.9 Ma old) or, less likely, with Subchron C5r2n (base 11.5 Ma old). Consequently, the first occurrence of hipparions in southeastern Europe is recorded in the Middle Miocene, i.e., 0.7 m.y. (or 0.3 m.y.) earlier than the date of 11.2 Ma formerly accepted for the Vallesian lower boundary in Europe. Possible reasons for disagreements in age determination of the Vallesian base are discussed.     

Key to the west palaearctic genera of stoneflies (plecoptera) in the larval stage

An illustrated dichotomous key to larvae of all genera of Plecoptera in the West Palaearctic region (i.e., Europe, Asia Minor and the Palaearctic part of northern Africa) is presented. Brief comments on included species are added for each genus, plus diagnostic details of selected bioindicator species. Two appendices provide a key to larvae of the German species of genus Nemoura and taxonomic notes on selected species and operational taxonomic units in genus Leuctra, respectively.     

Assessment of past flood changes across Europe based on flood-generating processes

ABSTRACT

A rainfall–runoff model was employed to identify four major flood-generating processes corresponding to flood events identified from daily discharge data from 614 stations across Europe in the period 1961–2010: long-rain, short-rain, snowmelt, and rain-on-dry-soil flood events. Trend analyses were performed on the frequency of occurrence of each of the flood types continentally and in five geographical regions of Europe. Continentally, the annual frequency of flood events did not show a significant change over the investigation period. However, the frequency of both winter and summer long-rain events increased significantly, while that of summer snowmelt events decreased significantly. Regionally, the frequency of winter short and long-rain events increased significantly in Western Europe, while the frequency of summer snowmelt and short-rain events decreased in Northern Europe. The frequency of summer snowmelt events in Eastern Europe and winter short-rain events in Southern Europe showed a declining trend.     

“930505”沙尘暴的若干启示

“９３０５０５”沙尘暴及其灾害现已引起中央和有关方面广泛重视。事后，我们做了大量的文献调研，从中得到若干启示。     

骆驼蓬属（Peganum L.）种子氨基酸组成及其系统学意义

本文分析了我国西北地区骆驼蓬属植物种子中总氨基酸和游离氨基酸的组成。结果表明：均以天冬氨酸、苏氨酸、丝氨酸、谷氨酸、缬氨酸、精氨酸和脯氨酸为主要组成。其中，苏氨酸含量最高。分别达２８．６３％和２６．１５％。在一定意义上反映了该分类群的同源性和遗传稳定性。多裂骆驼蓬在精氨酸和亮氨酸的含量上与骆驼蓬有较显著差异，为该种的独立提供了又一佐证。不同生境下，多裂骆驼蓬种子中游离脯氨酸含量随干旱胁迫减弱而降低     

1993年全球地震活动综述

根据国家地震局地球物理研究所编制的《中国地震台临时报告》的初步资料和美国地质调查局编印的《ＰｒｅｌｉｍｉｎａｒｙＤｅｔｅｒｍｉｎａｔｉｏｎｏｆＥｐｉｃｅｎｔｅｒｓ》月报，整理出１９９３年全球６级以上地震目录，并画出１９９３年１－１２月全球及中国大陆地震活动性指数Ａ（ｂ）值曲线。１９９３年全球地震活动水平初步评定为中等偏高；全球地震活动中心在太平洋西北边缘地震带，共发生Ｍ＿ｓ７．６地震两次。全球地震活动最高月份为９月，中国大陆地震活动最高月份为１０月。三次最大地震分别是：７月１２日的日本北海道西南近海地震，８月８日的马里亚纳群岛以南（关岛）地震，９月１０日的墨西哥恰帕斯州近海地震。