Fishers' perception of a multiple-use marine protected area: Why communities and gear users differ at Mafia Island,Tanzania

This study examined the perceptions of fishers from two fishing communities with differing use histories and involvement in the long-standing (16 yr) multiple use Mafia Island marine protected area (MIMP), Tanzania. A randomly distributed questionnaire indicated that 94% of fishers believed that without the MIMP, there would be overfishing, dynamite use, destroyed habitats, and few fish. Fishers were more positive about core zones (no-take fishery closures) than general use zones (areas allowing selective fishing) as a consequence of increases in fishing pressure. Those that reported increased catches and sizes of fish since the creation of the MIMP were more likely to agree with present zone locations and more positive in general about fisheries and conservation planning. Most thought that fish size and gear restrictions were preferable to permanent closures. Perceptions differed among communities and gear users. Community and gear type explained 46% of the variance in responses about the perception that fisheries and conservation are compatible goals. Somewhat surprisingly, these effects were more important than catch increases or involvement in MIMP-related activities. The differences in perception between communities may be partly attributed to different fishing histories. Multiple-use zoning provides a means to identify and resolve conflicts and achieve what are likely universal objectives for fisheries sustainability and conservation.     

Setting conservation priorities in Fiji: Decision science versus additive scoring systems

There is a well-established scientific field – decision science – that can be used to rigorously set conservation priorities. Despite well-documented shortcomings, additive scoring approaches to conservation prioritization are still prevalent. This paper discusses the shortcomings and advantages of both approaches applied in Fiji to identify priorities for terrestrial protected areas. The two main shortcomings of using a scoring approach (discussed in Keppel (2014) [1]) that are resolved with decision science approaches (presented in Klein et al. (2014) [2]) in Fiji were (1) priorities did not achieve one of the most important stated conservation goals of representing ~40% of Fiji׳s major vegetation types and (2) the weighting of different selection criteria used was arbitrary. Both approaches considered expert knowledge and land–sea connections important to decision makers in Fiji, but only decision science can logically integrate both, in addition to other important considerations. Thus, decision makers are urged to use decision science and avoid additive scoring systems when prioritizing places for conservation. Fiji has the opportunity to be a global leader in using decision science to support integrated land–sea planning decisions.     

Fishers’ knowledge as an indicator of spatial and temporal trends in abundance of commercial fish species: Megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) in the northern North Sea

The need for alternative strategies to assist in the monitoring and sustainable management of many commercially important fish stocks is widely recognized. In recent years, greater utilization of fishers’ knowledge has been advocated as a potentially valuable source of ecological data in the assessment and management process. In this study changes in the distribution and relative abundance of common megrim Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis in the North Sea were investigated by comparing three data sources: fishers’ knowledge collected through a structured questionnaire; a vessel’s haul-by-haul catch data from the personal diaries of a single skipper over a 10-year time-series, and catch rates from fishery-independent surveys (IBTS Q1 and Q3). Trends in the distribution and relative abundance of megrim were broadly comparable between the three data sources. The results of the study indicate that, in the northern North Sea, fishers’ knowledge and catch data can provide valid data sources which can contribute to the assessment and management process. A structured approach consisting of a formal agreement, full transparency and commitment between all stakeholders is needed to provide and utilize the necessary data required to provide the most effective and inclusive approach to resource management.     

The Retention,Revival, and Subjugation of Indigenous Fire Knowledge through Agency Fire Fighting in Eastern Australia and California

This article explores the potential impact of training and employment with wildfire management agencies on the retention of Indigenous fire knowledge. It focuses on the comparative knowledge and experiences of Indigenous Elders, cultural practitioners, and land stewards in connection with “modern” political constructs of fire in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia, and California in the United States of America. This article emphasises the close link between cross-cultural acceptance, integration of Indigenous and agency fire cultures, and the ways in which knowledge types are shared or withheld. While agency fire fighting provides an opportunity for Indigenous people to connect and care for country, it simultaneously allows for the breaking of traditional rules surrounding what knowledge is shared with whom in the context of Indigenous cultural burning. By highlighting how privilege intersects with ethnicity, class, gender and age, this article demonstrates how greater cross-cultural acceptance could aid ongoing debates on how to coexist with wildfire today.     

The Social Nature of Participatory Ecological Monitoring

Participatory ecological monitoring brings together conservationists and members of the public to collect data about changes in nature. This article scrutinizes the “social nature” of such monitoring, considering not only its impacts for nature, but also society, and importantly the ways in which these interact. Drawing on the field of nature–society studies we present a framework with which to explore case studies from the community forests of Nepal. We document the importance of multiple knowledges of nature, including what is referred to as “local monitoring” and its relation to the scientific procedures promoted in participatory monitoring; the consequences of participatory monitoring as a situated and embodied practice, such that it may (re)produce social inequalities; and the place of monitoring within the wider socioecological regime, with regard to possible unintended consequences for both nature and society. This article thus expands our understanding of the complexities of this increasingly popular approach to conservation.     

Knowledge to Action: Investigating Implicit Knowledge Production Models Held Among Forest Science Researchers

Criticisms of conventional knowledge production systems target their inability to address complex issues involving natural resources. In response, several researchers have adopted participatory research methodologies, incorporating more holistic problem-solving approaches that greatly value the knowledge and abilities of stakeholders. This case study explores forest science researchers' engagement strategies with stakeholders and how researchers can incorporate alternative approaches to knowledge production. We conducted semistructured interviews with forest science researchers, asking direct questions about how they define and work with stakeholders. Analysis revealed a great awareness among researchers for the need to cooperate with stakeholders and to incorporate their knowledge and abilities into the research process, as well as lamentations over structural, institutional, and resource limitations inhibiting the adoption of these practices. Our results reveal both how forest science researchers and institutes work with stakeholders and how they can better incorporate these stakeholder engagement methodologies into their research practices.     

中国地级区域创新产出的时空模式研究——基于ESDA的实证

以341个地级层面区域作为空间观测单元,以专利申请受理数作为衡量指标,对中国1997~2009年期间地级区域创新产出的时空特征进行了ESDA分析。结果表明:中国地级区域创新产出的地域性特征显著,首先表现为全局上的地理集聚和地带间的巨大差异;但不同于省级空间尺度下地带内部区域创新显著的极化特征,地级空间尺度区域创新却呈现多样化的局部空间依赖模式。整体上,创新产出在地级空间尺度上自然形成2个显著的空间集群,即东部沿海的H-H集群和西部内陆的L-L集群。东部H-H集群在考察期内由东北和华北地区逐渐向山东半岛、长三角和珠三角地区转移,西部L-L集群的空间发展则相对稳定;H-L型集群和L-H型集群主要分布在中部地区和东中西邻接地区,创新的空间过渡特征明显。最后在实证分析的基础上,提出了政策建议和未来研究的方向。     

Automated high resolution mapping of coffee in Rwanda using an expert Bayesian network

African highland agro-ecosystems are dominated by small-scale agricultural fields that often contain a mix of annual and perennial crops. This makes such systems difficult to map by remote sensing. We developed an expert Bayesian network model to extract the small-scale coffee fields of Rwanda from very high resolution data. The model was subsequently applied to aerial orthophotos covering more than 99% of Rwanda and on one QuickBird image for the remaining part. The method consists of a stepwise adjustment of pixel probabilities, which incorporates expert knowledge on size of coffee trees and fields, and on their location. The initial naive Bayesian network, which is a spectral-based classification, yielded a coffee map with an overall accuracy of around 50%. This confirms that standard spectral variables alone cannot accurately identify coffee fields from high resolution images. The combination of spectral and ancillary data (DEM and a forest map) allowed mapping of coffee fields and associated uncertainties with an overall accuracy of 87%. Aggregated to district units, the mapped coffee areas demonstrated a high correlation with the coffee areas reported in the detailed national coffee census of 2009 (R² = 0.92). Unlike the census data our map provides high spatial resolution of coffee area patterns of Rwanda. The proposed method has potential for mapping other perennial small scale cropping systems in the East African Highlands and elsewhere.     

基于分数阶滤波器的遥感图像处理

在研究分数阶微积分的基础上,提出了一种基于WLS误差准则的滤波方法,该滤波器的系数可通过调节其阶次来改变; 给出了该滤波器的原理,分析了其幅频特性.通过用Riemann-Liouville定义验证,并将此滤波器运用于遥感图像处理,结果表明,该方法在抗干扰和提取更多细节方面取得了很好的平衡,具有较好的滤波效果.     

GOCE卫星径向重力梯度一阶、二阶径向偏导数标准差的近似解析公式

基于Kaula准则,推导卫星重力梯度径向分量Tzz一阶、二阶径向偏导数T.zz、Tzz标准差的近似解析表达式,给出GOCE卫星.Tzz、Tzz标准差的近似估计值,由此分析Tzz延拓处理中可忽略的延拓误差最大高度。解析公式表明：T.zz、Tzz标准差的计算公式可近似表示成若干伽玛函数线性组合的开方,GOCE卫星.Tzz、Tzz标准差近似解析估值分别为1.269×10^-15s^-2m^-1和1.109×10^-20s^-2m^-2,由此若得到满足1 mE的精度要求,可忽略的延拓误差最大高度对于T.zz应小于0.8km,而对于Tzz应小于13.4km,延拓中重力场模型阶次应不低于200。最后基于模拟的GOCE卫星轨道,利用严格公式计算出的T.zz、Tzz标准差,验证近似解析表达式估算结果的正确性,解析结果与严格公式计算结果的相对误差小于2%。