Sometimes you cannot make it on your own; drivers and scenarios for regional cooperation in implementing the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Implementing the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive explicitly calls for regional cooperation between the EU Member States in the different regional seas. This regional cooperation, although set in a general framework of EU Member States and non-EU states utilising existing Regional Sea Conventions as focal point, develops along different tracks. Based on a series of interviews with different stakeholder groups in the different regional seas the drivers for this regional cooperation were determined. These drivers were used to develop a set of scenarios to depict possible ways and structures for cooperation at the different regional seas. In this paper the result of this analysis and the different scenarios developed are presented. The five scenarios developed were very helpful in elaborating alternative governance models for regional cooperation. From the validation by the stakeholders it became clear that both the drivers used, as the scenarios developed were found to be relevant. There is no single solution that is going to fit all regional seas, or that is going to appeal to all stakeholders within a regional sea. Especially in this setting the scenario approach does help people to explore the full range of possibilities that exists for the development of alternative governance models that address two issues raised but not detailed in the MSFD: cooperation and participation.     

Fishing for opinions: Stakeholder views on MSFD implementation in European Seas

Stakeholder participation is vital when introducing and implementing ecosystem-based management (EBM) at any scale. This paper presents the results of a survey covering four European Regional Seas (Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and North-East Atlantic Ocean) aimed to collect stakeholders׳ perspectives on their Regional Sea governance to implement the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). In this survey, drivers of good governance including stakeholder involvement, willingness and capacity to cooperate, efficiency, institutional ambiguity and decision-making were explored. The results indicate a clear gap in perception between the current, the ideal and the foreseen situation regarding the implementation of the MSFD. The preferences for the future governance structures vary between stakeholders and across seas although some similarities can be found. Based on the results of the survey, this paper concludes that tailor-made rather than off-the-shelf solutions will be needed to accommodate regional cooperation in the European marine environment for implementing ecosystem-based management under the MSFD.     

Marine governance of European Seas: Introduction

This introduction explains the context and structure of a block of articles developed as part of the governance work packages of the FP7 project: “Options for Delivering Ecosystem-based Marine management” (ODEMM).     

Safe and just operating spaces for regional social-ecological systems

Humanity faces a major global challenge in achieving wellbeing for all, while simultaneously ensuring that the biophysical processes and ecosystem services that underpin wellbeing are exploited within scientifically informed boundaries of sustainability. We propose a framework for defining the safe and just operating space for humanity that integrates social wellbeing into the original planetary boundaries concept (Rockström et al., 2009a,b) for application at regional scales. We argue that such a framework can: (1) increase the policy impact of the boundaries concept as most governance takes place at the regional rather than planetary scale; (2) contribute to the understanding and dissemination of complexity thinking throughout governance and policy-making; (3) act as a powerful metaphor and communication tool for regional equity and sustainability. We demonstrate the approach in two rural Chinese localities where we define the safe and just operating space that lies between an environmental ceiling and a social foundation from analysis of time series drawn from monitored and palaeoecological data, and from social survey statistics respectively. Agricultural intensification has led to poverty reduction, though not eradicated it, but at the expense of environmental degradation. Currently, the environmental ceiling is exceeded for degraded water quality at both localities even though the least well-met social standards are for available piped water and sanitation. The conjunction of these social needs and environmental constraints around the issue of water access and quality illustrates the broader value of the safe and just operating space approach for sustainable development.     

区域地球化学推断地质体模型与应用——以花岗岩类侵入体为例

区域化探全国扫面计划获得的海量地球化学数据在基础地质和矿产勘查研究中已发挥了重要作用。全国矿产资源潜力评价化探工作组将全国陆地国土划分为5个地球化学域(古亚洲地球化学域、秦祁昆地球化学域、特提斯地球化学域、扬子地球化学域和滨太平洋地球化学域)和25个地球化学省。在全国地球化学图中位于云南西部地区的花岗岩类侵入体具有显著富K2O、Th、U、La、Y、Zr而贫Co、Ni、V、Cr、Ti、Fe2O3的特征。基于云南西部地区区域化探数据利用因子分析确定了高场强元素组合(F2)和相容元素组合(F1)两个公因子:F2=0.87Th+0.86Y+0.77U+0.77Zr+0.67La+0.61K2O+0.58Al2O3+0.53Be,F1=0.95Fe2O3+0.93V+0.93Ti+0.92Co+0.81Cr+0.80Ni。利用二者因子得分比值(F2/F1)构建了推断花岗岩类侵入体的区域地球化学综合指标和推断模型。以F2/F1为例介绍了制作地球化学图和地球化学异常图的方法技术。在F2/F1地球化学图中的高值区或在其地球化学异常图中的异常区与云南西部地区花岗岩类侵入体的地表出露范围十分吻合,从而验证了地球化学推断花岗岩类侵入体模型的可行性。基于构建的推断模型在全国近7百万平方千米的范围内进行推演并绘制F2/F1的地球化学图和地球化学异常图。选择华南中部地区进行详细分析,结果发现模型指标异常区与实测花岗岩类侵入体在空间形态和规模上十分吻合,尤其在韶关至桂林、贺州一带花岗岩类侵入体边界与F2/F1异常区边界几乎一致。这一结果不仅证实了针对花岗岩类侵入体所建立的区域地球化学推断模型的可行性,而且该模型在基础地质研究方面具有潜在应用价值。     

Effects of Crustal Structure for Estimation of Vertical Load Deformation on the Solid Earth Using GRACE in China Mainland

When the inversion of vertical load deformation on Earth’s surface using GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) data, the load Love numbers based on PREM (Preliminary Reference Earth Model) are commonly used. But the crustal structure under China mainland especially under Tibet Plateau is quite different from that given by PREM Earth model. New load Love numbers were calculated based on a modified Earth model which accounted for regional crustal structure in China mainland. And the effect of regional crustal structure in China mainland for estimation of vertical load deformation on Earth’s surface using GRACE RL05 data was investigated in this paper. It is found that the effect of crustal difference is very prominent. The relative difference of load Love numbers for vertical deformation can reach about 11% at degree 90. The extreme value of difference in vertical load deformation below 90 degree of spherical harmonic coefficients located at the southeastern Tibet Plateau and the maximum relative difference reaches 10%. The relative difference of the root mean square is about 4%. It is suggesting that an Earth model with a more realistic crustal structue instead of PREM should be used for the estimation of vertical load deformation in China mainland espacially in Tibet Plateau.     

GPS在湖南1：20万区域重力调查中的应用

GPS是现代高科技，它采用微型接收机，可以实现快速定位并取得测量点的3维座标。这种新技术在数字化地质、提高找矿效果等方面，应用前景广阔，侧重介绍了ASHTECH GPS接收机在区域重力调查中，怎样建立基准站与流动观测站、数据的传输与预处理和测量点3维座标的换算，以及应用数据自动生成布格异常等值线图。这项新技术的使用完全可以满足1：20万区域重力调查的精度要求。     

Nonlinear regional economic dynamics: continuous-time specification,estimation and stability analysis

This paper presents an innovative approach to the study of regional economic dynamics within a nonlinear continuous-time econometric framework—a generalized specification of the Lotka–Volterra system of equations. This specification, which accounts for interdependent behavior of three industrial sectors and spillover effects of activities in neighboring regions, is employed in an analysis of five Italian regions between 1980 and 2003. For these regions, we report estimation results, characterize the varying systems dynamics, analyze the models’ local and global stability properties, and determine via sensitivity analyses which structural features appear to exert the greatest influence on these properties.

Characteristics and variation law of wind-blown sand delivered to the Ningxia-Inner Mongolia reach of the Yellow River under a changing environment

Wind-blown sand is one of the key factors affecting the evolution of sediment transport,erosion,and deposition in rivers crossing desert areas.However,the differences and complex variations in the spatial and temporal distribution of the underlying surface conditions are seldom considered in research on the river inflow of wind-blown sand over a long time period.The Yellow River contains a large amount of sediment.The Ningxia-Inner Mongolia reach of the Yellow River was selected as the research ...     

Modelling the Gross Primary Productivity of West Africa with the Regional Biomass Model RBM+, using optimized 250 m MODIS FPAR and fractional vegetation cover information

Global warming associated with climate change is one of the greatest challenges of today’s world. Increasing emissions of the greenhouse gas CO₂ are considered as a major contributing factor to global warming. One regulating factor of CO₂ exchange between atmosphere and land surface is vegetation. Measurements of land cover changes in combination with modelling the Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) can contribute to determine important sources and sinks of CO₂.The aim of this study is to accurately model the GPP for a region in West Africa with a spatial resolution of 250 m, and the differentiation of GPP based on woody and herbaceous vegetation. For this purpose, the Regional Biomass Model (RBM) was applied, which is based on a Light Use Efficiency (LUE) approach. The focus was on the spatial enhancement of the RBM from the original 1000–250 m spatial resolution (RBM+). The adaptation to the 250 m scale included the modification of two main input parameters: (1) the fraction of absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) based on the 1000 m MODIS MOD15A2 FPAR product which was downscaled to 250 m using MODIS NDVI time series; (2) the fractional cover of woody and herbaceous vegetation, which was improved by using a multi-scale approach. For validation and regional adjustments of GPP and the input parameters, in situ data from a climate station and eddy covariance measurements were integrated.The results of this approach show that the input parameters could be improved significantly: downscaling considerably reduces data gaps of the original FPAR product and the improved dataset differed less than 5.0% from the original data for cloud free regions. The RMSE of the fractional vegetation cover varied between 5.1 and 12.7%. Modelled GPP showed a slight overestimation in comparison to eddy covariance measurements. The in situ data was exceeded by 8.8% for 2005 and by 2.0% for 2006. The model results were converted to NPP and also agreed well with previous NPP measurements reported from different studies. Altogether a high accuracy and suitability of the regionally adjusted and downscaled model RBM+ can be concluded. The differentiation between vegetation growth forms allows a separation of long-term and short-term carbon storage based on woody and herbaceous vegetation, respectively.