The emergent network structure of the multilateral environmental agreement system

The conventional piecemeal approach to environmental treaty-making has resulted in a ‘maze’ of international agreements. However, little is known empirically about its overall structure and evolutionary dynamics. This study reveals and characterizes the evolving structure of the web of international environmental treaty law. The structure was approximated using 1001 cross-references among 747 multilateral environmental agreements concluded from 1857 to 2012. Known network analysis measures were used to answer the following questions: has a complex system of international environmental treaty law emerged? If so when, and what does it look like? What are its topological properties? To what extent is the institutional complex fragmented? The network analysis suggested that multilateral environmental agreements have self-organized into an interlocking system with a complex network structure. Furthermore, the system has defragmented as it coevolved with the increasing complexity and interconnectivity of global environmental challenges. This study demonstrates the need to approach multilateral environmental agreements in the context of a complex networked system, and recommends against assuming the overall institutional structure is fragmented. Proposals for global environmental governance reform should pay attention to this network's emergent polycentric order and complexity and to the implications of these features for the functioning of the multilateral environmental agreement system.     

The droughts of 1996–1997 and 2004–2005 in Amazonia: hydrological response in the river main‐stem

Severe hydrological droughts in the Amazon have generally been associated with strong El Niño events. More than 100 years of stage record at Manaus harbour confirms that minimum water levels generally coincide with intense warming in the tropical Pacific sea waters. During 2005, however, the Amazon experienced a severe drought which was not associated with an El Niño event. Unless what usually occurs during strong El Niño events, when negative rainfall anomalies usually affect central and eastern Amazon drainage basin; rainfall deficiencies in the drought of 2005 were spatially constrained to the west and southwest of the basin. In spite of this, discharge stations at the main‐stem recorded minimum water levels as low as those observed during the basin‐wide 1996–1997 El Niño‐related drought. The analysis of river discharges along the main‐stem and major tributaries during the drought of 2004–2005 revealed that the recession on major tributaries began almost simultaneously. This was not the case in the 1996–1997 drought, when above‐normal contribution of some tributaries for a short period during high water was crucial to partially counterbalance high discharge deficits of the other tributaries. Since time‐lagged contributions of major tributaries are fundamental to damp the extremes in the main‐stem, an almost coincident recession in almost all tributaries caused a rapid decrease in water discharges during the 2005 event. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes in streamflow regime following vegetation changes from paired catchments

Vegetation changes can significantly affect catchment water balance. It is important to evaluate the effects of vegetation cover change on streamflow as changes in streamflow relate to water security. This study focuses on the use of statistical methods to determine responses in streamflow at seven paired catchments in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to vegetation change. The non‐parametric Mann–Kendall test and Pettitt's test were used to identify trends and change points in the annual streamflow records. Statistically significant trends in annual streamflow were detected for most of the treated catchments. It took between 3 and 10 years for a change in vegetation cover to result in significant change in annual streamflow. Presence of the change points in streamflow was associated with changes in the mean, variance, and distribution of annual streamflow. The streamflow in the deforestation catchments increased after the change points, whereas reduction in streamflow was observed in the afforestation catchments. The streamflow response is mainly affected by the climate and underlying vegetation change. Daily flow duration curves (FDCs) for the whole period and pre‐change and post‐change point periods also were analysed to investigate the changes in flow regime. Three types of vegetation change effects on the flow regime have been identified. The relative reductions in most percentile flows are constant in the afforestation catchments. The comparison of trend, change point, and FDC in the annual streamflow from the paired experiments reflects the important role of the vegetation change. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two formulations for dynamic response of a cylindrical cavity in cross‐anisotropic porous media

Two formulations for calculating dynamic response of a cylindrical cavity in cross‐anisotropic porous media based on complex functions theory are presented. The basis of the method is the solution of Biot's consolidation equations in the complex plane. Employing two groups of potential functions for solid skeleton and pore fluid (each group includes three functions), the u–w formulation of Biot's equations are solved. Difference of these two solutions refers to use of two various potential functions. Equations for calculating stress, displacement and pore pressure fields of the medium are mentioned based on each two formulations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trials of an acoustic method of measuring piezometric levels in standpipes

The role of the open standpipe Casagrande piezometer for determining soil pore pressures is still important because of its simplicity and reliability in comparison with transducer type instruments. Such factors are especially relevant when instrumentation is used on remote and inaccessible sites. The limitations of Casagrande type systems relate to poor response times, particularly in soils of low permeability, and the complexity of the normal gas bubbling equipment used to monitor and record data from this type of piezometer. The response can be improved, providing the design of the installation is taken into consideration in terms of the piezometer collection area and standpipe sizes. A simple acoustic technique has been developed by Geotechnical Monitoring Ltd, to monitor and record piezometric levels. This is based on measuring the period for the return echo of a high frequency signal; a technique widely used to focus cameras that has been found to be reliable and accurate. However, trials on landslide sites in Indonesia highlighted problems which related more to a lack of development rather than any fundamental problems in the method of monitoring standpipes. This paper describes such problems and how they might be overcome.     

STUDIES ON ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND VALUES IN CHINA

An investigation on environmental background values was made in an area of about 1,140,000 km2, which included temperate and subtropical zones of China. The environmental background values of 142 soil environment units, 18 main soil types, 87 surface water environment units, 8 aquatic organism environment units and 20 underground water environment units were obtained. The rules, causes and effecting factors of regional differentiation of the environmental background values were deduced from over 200,000 various data.     

Late Glacial fluvial response of the Niers‐Rhine (western Germany) to climate and vegetation change

The Niers valley was part of the Rhine system that came into existence during the maximum Saalian glaciation and was abandoned at the end of the Weichselian. The aim of the study was to explain the Late Pleniglacial and Late Glacial fluvial dynamics and to explore the external forcing factors: climate change, tectonics and sea level. The sedimentary units have been investigated by large‐scale coring transects and detailed cross‐sections over abandoned channels. The temporal fluvial development has been reconstructed by means of geomorphological relationships, pollen analysis and ¹⁴C dating. The Niers‐Rhine experienced a channel pattern change from braided, via a transformational phase, to meandering in the early Late Glacial. This change in fluvial style is explained by climate amelioration at the Late Pleniglacial to Late Glacial transition (at ca. 12.5 k ¹⁴C yr BP) and climate‐related hydrological, lithological and vegetation changes. A delayed fluvial response of ca. 400 ¹⁴C yr (transitional phase) was established. The channel transformations are not related to tectonic effects and sea‐level changes. Successive river systems have similar gradients of ca. 35–40 cm km^?1. A meandering river system dominated the Allerød and Younger Dryas periods. The threshold towards braiding was not crossed during the Younger Dryas, but increased aeolian activity has been observed on the Younger Dryas point bars. The final abandonment of the Niers‐Rhine was dated shortly after the Younger Dryas to Holocene transition. Traces of Laacher See pumice have been found in the Niers valley, indicating that the Niers‐Rhine was still in use during the Younger Dryas. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

海洋经济与海洋环境保护协调发展的初步探讨--大连海域案例研究

21世纪是开发和利用海洋的新世纪.在开发利用海洋的过程中出现了海洋经济发展与海洋环境保护之间的不协调性、不同步性.以大连为个案,运用耦合机制对海洋环境与海洋经济的协调发展进行初步探讨,并提出相应对策和建议.     

Use of environmental magnetic measurements to validate the vertical extent of ice masses at the Last Glacial Maximum

Analysis of soil samples from above and below trimlines representing the upper limit of glacial erosion at the Last Glacial Maximum demonstrates that soils with prolonged weathering histories above such trimlines yield significantly different mineral magnetic signatures from soils below trimlines. The nature of the contrast is conditioned by lithology. Basalt soils above the trimline yield significantly higher values of concentration‐dependent magnetic parameters (χ, χ_arm, IRM_3T, soft IRM and hard IRM) than those below the trimline, due probably to transformation of non‐magnetic iron‐bearing minerals into magnetic forms. Conversely, for sandstone soils most magnetic parameters yield significantly lower values for above‐trimline samples, probably reflecting loss of ferrimagnetic minerals by dissolution and oxidation to aniferrimagnetic forms. These significant contrasts represent a new approach to validating high‐level weathering limits as periglacial trimlines cut at the Last Glacial Maximum. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.