Personal experience with climate change predicts intentions to act

The public's willingness to engage in mitigation actions has not received as much attention as the level of belief in Global Warming (GW), especially on the international stage. Research in Western nations indicates that people systematically misunderstand GW and the actions required for mitigation. Important factors that influence judgments about mitigation actions include personal experiences, beliefs, knowledge, values, and worldviews. We present results of an international survey (25 samples from 24 countries) measuring general intentions to act and willingness to engage in specific actions. Our analysis reveals that endorsement of specific actions is (a) lower than general endorsement of mitigation, (b) accompanied by higher intra-individual variance, and (c) more strongly related to personal experiences with GW. This pattern can be attributed to the compatibility between the proximal construal of specific actions and the nature of the personal experience. Lastly we provide recommendations on how these findings can be used to encourage mitigation action.     

Potential martian mineral resources: Mechanisms and terrestrial analogues

The future exploration of Mars is likely to utilize resources that can be extracted in situ. An overview of the geology of Mars has been presented and several mechanisms that could result in the formation of ore deposits have been identified. These include deposits caused by hydrothermal fluids resulting from volcanic activity, large igneous province formation and impact craters. Surface enrichment of mineral sand deposits is also discussed. Where appropriate, terrestrial analogues of these mechanisms have been discussed and supporting evidence from observations of Mars undertaken to date presented. Types of deposits that are unlikely to be found on Mars are also listed.     

Letters to the editor

A preliminary scuba survey of oligotrophic Lake Rotoma in 1972 revealed a vegetation mainly composed of native hydrophytes in which exotics were at an early stage of colonisation. In 1973 the presence of species was recorded in 5708 quadrats (625 cm²) at 1 m intervals along a total of 50 line transects placed systematically around the lake. Water depth was measured, and quadrat cover and substrate type were subjectively estimated. Species frequency calculations showed that the dominant vegetation pattern was a characean meadow of Chara fibrosa f. acanthopitys (A.Br.) R.D.W., Nitella leptostachys var. leonhardii (R.D.W.) R.D.W., and N. pseudoflabellata var. mucosa (Nordst.) Bailey. The charophytes extended over a depth range of 1–17.5 m on a wide variety of substrates and gradients. Native vascular plants were absent from many transects, and had a depth range only from 0 to 4.5 m, with most occurring above 3.5 m. The Low Mixed Community, found in shallow water less than 1.25 m in depth at the northeast end of the lake, provided this area with a high species diversity. Exotic hydrophytes had established in many areas around the lake. The distribution of Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss and Elodea canadensis Michx. appeared to coincide with boating access and fallen submerged trees over a depth range of 0–6.0 m, although much of the available habitat had not yet been exploited. Emergent species were most abundant within the southwest inlet and also in the lagoons surrounding the lake where sheltered conditions and shallow gradients prevail.     

Risks of shifting baselines highlighted by anecdotal accounts of New Zealand's snapper (Pagrus auratus) fishery

Anecdotal data sources may constitute an important component of the information available about an exploited species, as record keeping may not have occurred until after exploitation began. Here, we aimed to fill any gaps in the exploitative history of the sparid snapper (Pagrus auratus), using social and historical research methods. Social research consisted of interviews with recreational fishers, focusing on the most and largest snapper they had caught. In addition, the diary‐logs of two recreational fishers were analysed. Historical research consisted of investigation of old books, photos, archives and unpublished sources unconventional to fishery science. Interviews with fishers demonstrated no or weak trends in snapper abundance or size, and were likely impeded by a lack of ability to detect change in a fish stock that may still be considered abundant. The fishers’ perception of change, however, largely reflected recent experiences (last c. 10 years), when biomass is understood to have increased, and mostly did not consider experiences before the 1980s. Alternatively, diary‐logs of fisher catch rates produced a pattern that matched formal stock assessments of snapper biomass, suggesting declines in abundance up until the 1990s and an increase in biomass after that time. Historical research, although more qualitative, had the ability to investigate periods where formal records were not kept and described a fishery vastly different from the current one. Snapper were easily caught, in great abundance and in unusual locations. Localised depletion of snapper was first noticed in the early 20th century, despite spectacular catches of snapper occurring after that time. Snapper behaviour was also likely different, with visual sightings of snapper by onlookers a common occurrence. Although predictions from stock assessment models are consistent with that of the anecdotes listed here (i.e., high biomass in the past), these anecdotes are valuable as they explain lost biomass in a perspective meaningful to all. This perspective may be valuable for managers trying to consider the non‐financial value of a shared fishery but, if unrecognised, represents a shifting baseline.     

Interviewing landed elites in post-war Guatemala

This essay explores the methodological challenges of conducting ethnographic research among economic and managerial elites in Guatemala’s landed sector during the country’s post-war transition. Guatemala’s 34-year civil war ended with peace accords in 1996. From the mid 1990s through 2001, I conducted interviews with leading representatives of the private sector in Guatemala, including the owners and top managers of the country’s sugar plantations. The Guatemalan sugar elite describes itself as the new face of the private sector in Central America, implementing “corporate social responsibility” programs linked to the World Bank and other international agencies. Questions of access and interview dynamics are often discussed in relation to qualitative research on “elites.” Yet, I found the interview process to be less complicated than I anticipated. Of greater concern were the problems of research dissemination and praxis. The experience discussed here raises questions about whether research on particular elite groups can be sustained over long periods of time.     

Performing environmental governance

This essay reflects on issues of researcher positionality within participant observation and action research, and the specific methodological issues surrounding research on neoliberal governance strategies, using my experience at the US Environmental Protection Agency as case material. Although I was initially concerned about participating with the anti-progressive Bush Administration, I attempted to adopt the interests and subjectivity of an environmental bureaucrat. Doing so proved to be an extremely effective way of exploring the multi-vocality and cross-cutting interests constituting the state, which often appears from the outside to be a policy monolith. Participant research among elites in the neoliberal state is an effective way to observe such complexity. It became apparent that, because mainstream economics tends to adopt a totalizing epistemology, both its casual and dogmatic adherents usually do not conceive of a coherent external critique. This often means that researchers of any theoretical background can be quite frank concerning their purposes, background, and interests, even as participants.     

天然气水合物开发安全检测技术应用研究

中国近年来先后在南海北部和祁连山南缘青海省天峻县永久冻土带中发现天然气水合物,这是一种新能源,它将对中国能源结构的调整和能源紧张的缓解起到非常重要的作用。但是,天然气水合物开采安全是个大问题,已经引起了国际上专家们的极大关注。俄罗斯南方国立技术大学地球物理、探矿工程和石油钻采教研室开发出来的天然气水合物开发安全检测技术和方法,可以准确确定出射孔部位的位置、检查射孔部位是否阻塞和如何解阻等关键技术,对天然气水合物开采安全提供了技术支撑,对此应该进行研究。     

地球深部包体与成矿关系——一个有意义的研究方向

结合在实际工作中的体会,提出和讨论了“地球深部包体与成矿关系”这一有意义的研究方向及其先导性科学问题。地球深部包体中镍、金、钼、钨等成矿元素的含量是不均一的,镍和金在地幔岩包体中含量最高,钼在玄武岩及镁铁质麻粒岩包体中最高,而钨在长英质麻粒岩和花岗岩类包体中含量最高。这些反映岩石圈和软流圈以及岩石圈的不同层次中镍、金、钼、钨等成矿元素的含量不均一,分别提供了地壳中镍、金、钼、钨矿床的初始物质来源。这一认识可能给镍、金、钼、钨等金属矿床和矿床集中区的战略预测提供一些新思路。     

贵州铝业开发形势及加强铝土矿地质勘查的建议

在分析省内外、国内外铝工业及其资源的供需形势的基础上,结合我国及贵州铝资源开发、勘查现状,指出企业资源储量不明、不足等问题,提出了加强地质科研、地质勘查及规划等建议。     

不同卸荷速率下岩石强度特性研究

卸荷条件下的岩石强度特性研究对于分析开挖作用下岩石工程的安全性具有极为重要的意义。卸荷试验中影响岩石强度的因素很多,包括岩性、卸荷点的位置、卸荷应力路径和卸荷速率等,以锦屏大理岩为对象,重点研究卸荷速率对强度的影响。提出用屈服接近速率来统一表征加荷和卸荷下的应力增加或减小的速率,通过比较加荷和卸荷条件下的屈服接近速率表明,当围压卸荷速率为常规试验轴向应力加荷速率的0.2～0.3倍时,两种应力路径下接近破坏时的屈服接近速率相当。通过2D弹塑性细胞自动机的数值试验和大理岩的室内卸围压试验来验证理论分析的结果,表明:围压卸荷速率越大,岩样的强度就越高;当卸荷速率为常规轴向加荷速率的0.2～0.3倍时,卸荷和加荷路径下的强度相当。从而得出结论:对于各种卸荷应力路径,如果卸荷点处于弹性范围内,当接近破坏时的屈服接近速率一定时,应力路径对强度的影响不明显。