Developing ecotourism in First World, resource-dependent areas

Ecotourism, an economic diversification tool most commonly applied in the Third World as a means to protect ecosystems, preserve local cultures, and spur economic development, has recently been applied in First World resource-dependent areas. While ecotourism has traditionally focused on Third World ‘undisturbed’ protected lands, it has also been developed in their First World equivalents (i.e., old-growth forests) as well as in First World sites of past resource extraction and in places where current agricultural practices maintain cherished cultural landscapes. Forest County, Pennsylvania, a timber-dependent area, sought to diversify its economy by developing ecotourism based on its unique Allegheny hardwood forests, which are produced by timber harvesting. This ecotourism would encourage amenity-based, locally-driven economic development and maintain timber harvesting. While government and foundation supported ecotourism development efforts in areas dependent on resource extraction have incorporated some of ecotourism’s ideals, these operations have had mixed success. Such isolated areas, which have traditionally drawn visitors independently engaging in traditional outdoor recreation activities, have not been able to draw enough customers willing to pay for natural and cultural history tours. If ecotourism is to be successful, such areas may need further government support and destination branding to increase name recognition in order to counter the global orientation of the nature tour industry. For true community development, local collaborative efforts including resource and environmental interests are also required in which primary production is connected to processing and consumers through value-added and service sector activities such as tourism.     

Some Aspects of Resource Uncertainty and Their Economic Consequences in Assessment of the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Natural Resources Research - Exploration ventures in frontier areas have high risks. Before committing to them, firms prepare regional resource assessments to evaluate the potential payoffs. With...     

Effective resource estimates for primary diamond deposits from the EKATI Diamond Mine™, Canada

Primary economic diamond deposit modelling has rarely been documented in the public domain. This paper presents information collected from significantly diamondiferous kimberlite pipes located near Lac de Gras in the Arctic region of Canada's Northwest Territories. The resource estimation process is widely accepted as a cyclical iteration of data collection and evaluation processes. A resource database is typically assembled from a large inventory of exploration data. These data must be methodically quality checked before accepting the information for interpretive analysis. The foundation of a mineral resource model is based on clear understanding of the geology model along with subsidiary grade, volume, and density models. Defining these models is an iterative process of statistical analyses and interpretation. As a deposit progresses along a path towards development, reducing risk to acceptable levels is critical for identifying and realizing its maximum value.     

Missing the boat: Critical threats to coral reefs are neglected at global scale

Coral reefs have experienced a global decline due to overfishing, pollution, and warming oceans that are becoming increasingly acidic. To help halt and reverse this decline, interventions should be aimed at those threats reef experts and managers identify as most severe. The survey included responses from 170 managers, representing organizations from 50 countries and territories, and found that respondents generally agreed on the two major threats: overfishing and coastal development. However, resource allocation did not match this consensus on major threats. In particular, while overfishing receives much attention, coastal development and its attendant pollution are largely neglected and underfunded. These results call for a re-examination of how resources are allocated in coral reef conservation, with more attention given to aligning how money is spent with what are perceived to be the primary threats.     

科学与主权：晚清民国时期西方学者在中国的地质学考察

晚清随着中国国门洞开,西方学者、传教士、商人、探险家以“科学无国界”的旗号,将中国视为一个巨大的“露天博物馆”,纷纷来华进行各种科学考察。其中比较著名的如庞佩利、李希霍芬、塞切尼、奥勃鲁切夫、维理士、安得思以及斯文·赫定等,在中国先后组织了多次系统的考察,在地质学等领域取得了许多影响深远的成果。这些考察不仅丰富了西方地质学家对中国地质的认识,对之后的中国学者也颇多裨益。民国以后,西人的考察活动激起了中国学者的民族主义反弹,不断遭遇中国学者的主权诉求,尤其是斯文·赫定组织的西北考察成为其中的一个标志性事件。在民间团体的努力下,政府对外国人在中国的考察活动逐渐作出了明确的法律限制,中国学者亦自发开展独立的地质学考察和研究。     

不同发展模式下资源环境承载力评价——以海南省为例

文章关注于产业、人口与资源环境要素的作用关系,建构了资源环境承载力综合评价框架,并以海南省为案例区开展应用研究。该框架首先对区域产业重要性进行评价并分级,为产业结构调整提供依据;其次解析了区域产业、人口资源消耗与污染排放强度,最后,基于产业评价结果设定不同的产业结构调整情景,结合产业和人口的资源消耗与污染排放强度评价不同产业结构下的资源环境承载力,即产业和人口的规模上限。结果表明：2016年海南省的经济规模并未超载,产业有进一步发展空间。其中土地资源成为海南省发展的首要限制因素,其次是水环境;海南经济效益较高的支柱产业和基础性产业多为高耗水、高污染的产业,亟需加强水资源的集约利用,并降低污染排放强度。为提升经济发展规模上限,需要培育低能耗、低排放的产业。文章建构的资源环境承载力评价方法将产业、人口与资源环境相联系,其评价结果政策意义更为明确,可为优化产业结构调整、控制产业及人口发展规模提供决策参考。     

Made in Japan: The Japanese market and herring roe production and management in Canada's southern Gulf of St. Lawrence

The herring roe fishery in Canada's southern Gulf of St. Lawrence is a productive fishery that lies outside the confines of privatized arrangements. Yet, this fishery is compromised by its dependence on the Japanese seafood market. Consideration of the efficiency of this fishery needs to account for the role assumed by this market in setting fishing practices. A more ecologically and economically efficient use of the herring resource requires greater attention to supply chain integration by local harvesters, processors and buyers prior to engaging with distant markets. This is necessary regardless of the property rights regime that is in place.     

Submarine hydrothermal mineralization in the Okinawa Trough, SW of Japan: an overview

The Okinawa Trough is a heavily sedimented, rifted back-arc basin formed in an intracontinental rift zone. Submarine hydrothermal activity is located within the six back-arc rifts located in the middle and southern Okinawa Trough and its distribution is controlled principally by tectonic factors. Subduction of the Daito and Gagua Ridges beneath the Ryukyu Arc has resulted in fracturing of the brittle lithosphere beneath the Okinawa Trough. Hydrothermal activity is strongest in the volcanic arc-rift migration phenomenon (VAMP) area plus the JADE site and Southernmost Part of the Okinawa Trough (SPOT) area which form the prolongation of these two ridges. These areas are characterized by extremely high heat flow locally. Submarine hydrothermal fluids from the Okinawa Trough tend to be strongly influenced by interaction of the hydrothermal fluids with organic matter in the sediment resulting in high alkalinity and NH₄⁺ concentrations of the fluids. The fluids also contain high concentrations of CO₂ of magmatic origin. Submarine hydrothermal mineralization in the trough is diverse. The CLAM site consists principally of carbonate chimneys. Interaction of the hydrothermal fluid with organic matter in the sediment is particularly strong at this site. This is most probably a sediment-hosted deposit in which sulphide minerals have deposited within the sediment column leaving ‘spent ore-fluids’ to emerge at the seafloor. The JADE site consists of active and inactive sulphide–sulphate chimneys and mounds. The Zn–Pb-rich sulphides at this site contain the highest concentrations of Pb, Ag and Au so far recorded in submarine hydrothermal sulphide deposits. At Minami-Ensei Knoll and Hatoma Knoll, active and inactive chimneys consist principally of anhydrite and barite as a result of phase separation of the hydrothermal fluids beneath the seafloor. An intense black smoker has recently been discovered at Yonaguni Knoll in the SPOT area. If it is confirmed that sulphide mineralization is dominant at this site, this could be a highly prospective area. The most prospective areas for economic-grade minerals in the Okinawa Trough appear to be the JADE site and the SPOT area.     

青岛崂山海岸带野生木本药用植物资源

介绍了青岛崂山沿海地区野生木本药用植物的种类、分布状况、用途及开花结果日期,为中药科研和应用提供科学依据.