Simulation of Formation and Spreading of Salinity Minimum Associated with NPIW Using a High-Resolution Model

A series of numerical experiments were conducted with a high-resolution (eddy-permitting) North Pacific model to simulate the formation and spreading of the salinity minimum associated with the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW). It was found that two factors are required to simulate a realistic configuration of the salinity minimum: a realistic wind stress field and small-scale disturbances. The NCEP reanalyzed wind stress data lead to better results than the Hellerman and Rosenstein wind stress data, due to the closer location of the simulated Oyashio and Kuroshio at the western boundary. Small-scale disturbances formed by relaxing computational diffusivity included in the advection scheme promote the large-scale isopycnal mixing between the Oyashio and Kuroshio waters, simulating a realistic configuration of the salinity minimum. A detailed analysis of the Oyashio water transport was carried out on the final three-year data of the experiment with reduced computational diffusivity. Simulated transport of the Kuroshio Extension in the intermediate layer is generally smaller than the observed value, while those of the Oyashio and the flow at the subarctic front are comparable to the observed levels. In the Oyashio-Kuroshio interfrontal zone the zonally integrated southward transport of the Oyashio water (140–155°E) is borne by the eddy activity, though the time-mean flow reveals the existence of a coastal Oyashio intrusion. In the eastern part (155°E–180°) the zonally integrated transport of the Oyashio water indicates a southward peak at the southern edge of the Kuroshio Extension, which corresponds to the branching of the recirculating flow from the Kuroshio Extension. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

小型水电站建设用地地质灾害评估技术研究——以湄尼多河小型水电站为例

现阶段,地质灾害评估技术人员在评估实践中,往往不注重各评估对象的差异性,采取同一评估模式,结果达不到评估的目的。在对小型水电站进行评估时,野外调查的重点,评估过程中所使用的方法以及危险性现状、预测及综合分区评估等与大型水电站、路线工程、矿山开采、民用建筑等工程有所不同。湄尼多河小型水电站工程位于云南省怒江州福贡县马吉乡境内,地质环境条件复杂,评估级别综合为二级。文章以该电站建设用地地质灾害危险性评估为例,对小型水电站建设用地地质灾害危险性评估的方法与理论进行探讨。     

The environmental impact of small-scale gold mining in Ghana: identifying problems and possible solutions

This paper examines the environmental impacts of small-scale gold mining in Ghana, and prescribes a series of recommendations for improving environmental performance in the industry. Since the enactment of the Small Scale Gold Mining Law in 1989, which effectively legalized small-scale gold mining in the country, industrial operations, collectively, have made important contributions to national gold output, foreign exchange earnings and employment. Accompanying this pattern of socio-economic growth, however, have been increased environmental complications – namely, mercury pollution and land degradation. The Ghanaian Minerals Commission has been burdened with most of the jurisdictional responsibilities related to small-scale mining, but with a staff of only 35–40 people working with a pool of highly obsolete research resources, it is clearly incapable of facilitating sufficient environmental improvement on its own. It is concluded that marked environmental improvements can only be achieved if: (1) assistance is provided to the Minerals Commission from local governmental bodies and academic units; (2) industry-specific environmental management tools and strategies are designed and implemented; (3) concerted effort is made to prospect for deposits suitable for small-scale gold mining, a key to preventing unnecessary exploration; and (4) a nation-wide industrial mercury study is commissioned, and a mercury retorting programme is implemented.     

Pressures on an intensive irrigated cash-crop system in coastal Ghana

This paper outlines the results of recent interdisciplinary fieldwork in Anloga on Keta Lagoon, Ghana. Vegetable production has been undertaken at Anloga since the nineteenth century and is now highly intensive and carefully regulated. Farmers produce shallots and other crops utilising irrigation water, mostly from wells which tap a shallow fresh-water perched aquifer. However, farmers have been expanding their cultivation activities from the lagoon-side, encouraged by a World Bank supported programme which provides for well-sinking and some electric pumps. The project has environmental and socio-economic implications which give cause for concern. The research employs field investigation to explore both the physical and political economy context and implications of recent change and considers the opportunities for community-based water and crop regulation.     

Problems of the solution: intervention into small-scale irrigation for drought proofing in the Mekele Plateau of northern Ethiopia

The Mekele Plateau, located in the semi-arid northern highland region of Ethiopia, is a drought-prone, highly degraded area. It has long been neglected by policymakers and thus recurring famine, widespread poverty, armed conflicts and mass outmigration have contributed to the near collapse of the farming systems and the livelihoods of the population. Traditional stream diversion irrigation has been practised in this area for several centuries. The systems of water management in particular may be considered inappropriate owing to the need for thriftiness in water use imposed by the local environment. The systems of headworks and canals are crude and wasteful on water. Recent interventions to improve the small-scale irrigation systems of the area have not been successful. Most interventions have preferred to introduce rainwater harvesting systems using micro-dams rather than trying to upgrade the traditional diversion schemes. Evaluation of irrigation structures in the field, interviews with key informants in government, analysis of documents and discussions with irrigators indicate that both the Ministry of Agriculture and SAERT-Commission's rainwater harvesting programmes have generally failed. The case of the most recent intervention by SAERT has failed because of myopic project planning, inadequate engineering studies, unsound designs, too short a time for implementation, and lack of full farmer involvement at different levels of project planning and implementation.     

Relational Agriculture: Gender,Sexuality, and Sustainability in U.S. Farming

Although 97% of U.S. farms are “family-owned,” little research examines how gender and sexual relationships – inherent in familial dynamics – influence farmers’ practices and livelihoods. Gender and sexual dynamics – shaped by race and class – affect who is considered a farmer, land management decisions, and access to resources like land, subsidies, and knowledge. We use feminist and queer lenses to illuminate how today’s agricultural gender and sexual relations are not “natural,” but when left uninterrogated are constructed in ways that harm women and queer farmers while limiting potential to develop sustainable practices. Women and queer farmers also resist, “re-orienting” gender and sexual relations in ways that expand possibilities for achieving food justice and ecological sustainability. We offer “relational agriculture” as a tool for making visible and re-orienting gender and sexual relations on farms. Relational agriculture brings sexuality into food justice and demonstrates the centrality of gender and sexuality to agricultural sustainability.     

山区农村土地利用转型与小农经济变迁耦合机理

通过山区土地利用转型与小农经济变迁的耦合关系分析,可以揭示山区人地关系的变化过程和机理。随着工业化、城镇化的快速推进,山区农村人地关系发生深刻变化,小农经济变迁驱动土地利用转型,土地利用转型进一步促进小农经济变迁。在阐述土地利用转型及小农经济变迁内涵和特征基础上,结合实证探讨二者间的耦合机理,以期为乡村振兴战略的实施提供理论支撑和现实参考。研究表明：① 山区农村土地利用转型与小农经济变迁相互影响,耦合演进。② 山区农村土地利用转型重点体现在农村宅基地、耕地及林地三类用地上。③ 中国小农经济已发生四次变迁,而山区小农经济变迁在第四次中表现较为明显,其阶段特征主要为农村人口向城镇迁移,土地流转频繁,土地规模经营趋势增强。④ 山区小农经济变迁引发耕地空间形态及功能转型,山区耕地转型进一步促进小农经济变迁。⑤ 山区小农经济变迁及农户生计策略非农化转变促使农户对宅基地结构及功能的需求发生变化;闲置废弃宅基地综合整治可显化农村土地资产价值,增加农民土地财产性收入,促进小农经济变迁。⑥ 通过云南省砚山县耕地利用转型案例剖析,验证了本文提出的山区农村土地利用转型与小农经济变迁的耦合机理。     

3S技术支持下的小型遗址提取方法

针对仅利用地物光谱分析方法不能识别某些小型遗址的现状,提出基于地物空间关系知识,多源信息复合提取遗址的思路获取目标信息。以安徽省巢湖柘皋地区为例,利用SPOT-5卫星影像和地形图数据,综合运用3S技术进行小型遗址信息提取研究。经过和巢湖文管部门普查记录对比,证明了该方法有效性。该方法可缩小遗址探查范围,为考古普查工作节约大量时间、人力和物力。     

VENTILATION FLOW IN A BAROCLINIC VORTEX RELATED TO TROPICAL CYCLONE MOTION*

The tropical cyclone motion is numerically simulated with a quasi-geostrophic baroclinic model.The flow field of a tropical cyclone is decomposed into its axisymmetric and asymmetric components.The relation between the ventilation flow vector and the motion vector of the tropical cyclone is investigated.The results of numerical experiments indicate:(1) There are both large-scale beta gyres and small-scale gyres in the asyrnmetric flow field.(2) The interaction between small-scale gyres and large-scale beta gyres leads to the oscillation of translation speed and translation direction for the tropical cyclone.(3) There are the large deviations between the ventilation flow vector calculated by means of Fiorino and Elsberry's method and the motion vector of tropical cyclone.(4) The ventilation flow vector computed using the improved method closely correlates with the motion vector of the tropical cyclone.     

The role and value of local knowledge in Jamaican agriculture: adaptation and change in small-scale farming

Local knowledge has played an active role in the lives of rural communities in virtually every part of the world. In Jamaica, traditional cropping systems based on local informal knowledge have been practiced since the days of slavery and play a vital role in meeting food security. Yet, some negative attitudes remain about the legitimacy and relevance of small-scale farmers' local and traditional knowledge. This paper discusses some conceptual and empirical issues related to the application of local knowledge among small-scale food farmers in central Jamaica. The paper argues that contextually speaking, local and traditional knowledge is valuable, adaptable and necessary in coping with risk and uncertainty in a changing world, while cautioning against a misguided notion of traditional knowledge as a panacea to all the ills of local agriculture.