Cascades of green: A review of ecosystem-based adaptation in urban areas

Climate change impacts increase pressure on challenges to sustainability and the developmental needs of cities. Conventional, “hard” adaptation measures are often associated with high costs, inflexibility and conflicting interests related to the dense urban fabric, and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) has emerged as a potentially cost-efficient, comprehensive, and multifunctional approach. This paper reviews and systematises research on urban EbA. We propose an analytical framework that draws on theory from ecosystem services, climate change adaptation and sustainability science. It conceptualises EbA in terms of five linked components: ecological structures, ecological functions, adaptation benefits, valuation, and ecosystem management practices.Our review identified 110 articles, reporting on 112 cities, and analysed them using both quantitative statistical and qualitative content analysis. We found that EbA research in an urban context is fragmented due to different disciplinary approaches and concepts. Most articles focus on heat or flooding, and the most studied ecological structures for reducing the risk of such hazards are green space, wetlands, trees and parks. EbA is usually evaluated in bio-geophysical terms and the use of economic or social valuations are rare. While most articles do not mention specific practices for managing ecological structures, those that do imply that urban EbA strategies are increasingly being integrated into institutional structures. Few articles considered issues of equity or stakeholder participation in EbA.We identified the following challenges for future EbA research. First, while the large amount of data generated by isolated case studies contributes to systems knowledge, there is a lack of systems perspectives that position EbA in relation to the wider socio-economic and bio-geophysical context. Second, normative and ethical aspects of EbA require more thought, such as who are the winners and losers, especially in relation to processes that put people at risk from climate-related hazards. Third, there is room for more forward-looking EbA research, including consideration of future scenarios, experimentation in the creation of new ecological structures and the role of EbA in transformative adaptation.     

三江源地区水资源的涵养和保护

分析了三江源区水资源现状,论述了建立水资源三级保护区的意义、作用和划分方案,实施林草植被的保护和恢复的水文生态效益及健全水资源补偿机制的必要性。     

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.     

基于海洋资源环境承载力的海上油田环境保护管理研究

文章结合《资源环境承载能力监测预警技术方法(试行)》,通过分析海洋资源环境承载能力与海上油田环境保护管理的相关性,提出了海上油田全生命周期环境保护管理的新思路。同时结合海上油田的项目特点,探讨了现阶段海洋资源环境承载力监测预警技术在功能区划、管控要求和监测预警中可能存在的不协调、不一致和不断变化的问题,并提出了统一用海类型及其管控要求、差异化政策措施和动态分析的建议。     

桥墩附近四面体透水框架抛投防冲效果试验研究

分析了目前国内所采用的抛石防护方法和土工织布上加压载防护方法的优缺点,对桥墩冲刷的机理进行了阐述,并且通过模型试验,研究了在桥墩周围抛投四面体透水框架进行防护的防护效果。从而证明了“四面体透水框架抛投防护方法”对桥墩局部冲刷的防护有一定的工程使用价值。     

西北地区土壤资源特征及其开发利用与保护

在分析西北地区土壤分布规律的基础上,研究了不同类型区土壤的资源特征及其在开发利用中存在的问题,认为黄土地区土壤土质疏松、粉砂含量高、富含碳酸钙是水土流失的物质基础;干旱区广为分布的荒漠土壤资源的性能低劣、绿洲区水土资源的利用比例失调是造成土地荒漠化、土壤盐渍化的根本原因;而高原土壤的粗骨性、土层浅薄、有效肥力低则加速了草场的退化和沙漠化.提出了西北地区土壤资源的合理利用与生态环境保护相协调的途经,即搞好农田基本建设,采用旱作技术节水和合理用水,扩大林草植被,保护天然草场和林木.并认为西北土壤资源的开发利用要在充分发挥其生产潜力的同时,首先应遵循生态规律,开发与保护并重,防止土壤资源衰竭和破坏.     

美国长期生态研究计划：背景、进展和前景

由美国国家科学基金会支持的长期生态研究计划于1980年启动，至今在理论研究、开发技术和服务社会方面都取得了举世瞩目的成就。该计划的发展分为 3个阶段，每一阶段大约为10年。在其发展的第一个阶段，是以研究站所代表的生态系统为研究对象，主要开展了生态系统的过程与格局方面的研究并系统采集和存贮了有关数据；在1990 -2000年的第二个发展阶段中，其研究工作的重点是开展跨站的网络研究和人类活动对生态系统的影响，以揭示生态系统的过程与格局在较大空间尺度上的特征；按照规划，美国长期生态研究计划的发展进入到第三个阶段后，其工作的重点是开展综合研究、进行生态预测和更好地为社会发展服务，同时加强生物多样性的研究和信息学的发展。     

中国地质遗迹资源保护

在地球形成与演化过程中,由于内外动力共同作用形成了众多具有科学价值和观赏价值的地质遗迹。地质遗迹是地质环境的重要组成部分,因此对于地质遗迹的保护也是自然环境保护的重要部分。中国地质遗迹资源丰富,主要有地层剖面、构造剖面以及古生物化石等。本文系统总结我国地质遗迹分布现状、地质遗迹调查工作进展情况和遗迹保护现状,分析了我国地质遗迹保护工作中存在的主要问题,提出了地质遗迹资源保护与开发利用建议。     

Mountain Protection Forests against Natural Hazards and Risks: New French Developments by Integrating Forests in Risk Zoning

Forests can play a very significant role in protection against natural hazards and risks in mountain lands, especially against erosion and rockfalls. This paper first assesses knowledge concerning the capacity of forests to control natural hazards, with emphasis placed on forest location in catchments or slopes. Zoning aspects are then presented; based on the use of GIS, they allow determining priorities for forestry operations (cuts and biological engineering), in view to setting up an 'optimal management' of mountain forest ecosystems. Finally, an explanation is given of how the results of research are used for the management and planning of mountain ecosystems, illustrated by an example of researcher-practitioner transfer in France. Zoning, prevention, display and regular aspects are developed. On the basis of the experience and knowledge presented here, recommendations are proposed to better take into account the role of mountain forests in the control of natural hazards and risks. It is necessary to have an adapted legislative and economic framework, define priority forest intervention zones and determine an adapted sylviculture.     

Long time-series spatiotemporal variations of NPP and water use efficiency in the lower Heihe River Basin with serious water scarcity

It is of great significance to analyze the long time-series spatiotemporal dynamics of water use efficiency (WUE) to formulating appropriate management measures in response to the growing water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions. This study analyzed the long time-series variations of WUE in the Lower Heihe River Basin, a typical arid and semi-arid region in China. The net primary productivity (NPP) was first estimated with the C-fix model, then WUE during 2001–2010 was calculated with the NPP and evapotranspiration (ET) data, and the accumulative WUE was further calculated. The results showed that the annual NPP and WUE in the study area ranged from zero to 448.70 gC/(m² a) and from zero to 2.20 gC kg⁻¹ H₂O, respectively, both of which showed an overall increasing trend during 2001–2010. Besides, the spatial pattern of WUE kept overall unchanged during 2001–2010, but with remarkable change in some part of the study area. In addition, the accumulative WUE of the whole study area showed a first sharply decreasing and then gradually increasing trend, but there was still some scope to improve the WUE, and it is necessary to carry out some more specific policies to further improve the water allocation and WUE within the Lower Heihe River Basin. Although with some uncertainties, these results still can provide valuable reference information for improving the water resource management and ecological conservation to guarantee provision of essential ecosystem services in arid and semi-arid regions.