The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. D...The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. Deforestation and land degradation are among the pressing outcomes of these trends. Drivers of environmental change—including population growth, economic activity, consumption, urbanization, trade, conflict, and governance—clearly play a role in aggravating or mitigating these pressures on land. Despite advances in understanding causality in complex systems, navigating the interactions between these drivers remains a major challenge. This paper analyzes and visualizes the relationships between multiple, interacting drivers of environmental change and specific pressures on land-based ecosystems. Drawing on experience from the development of the Drivers and Land chapters of the UN Environment Programme’s Fifth Global Environment Outlook report (GEO-5), we use a series of Kiviat diagrams to illustrate the relative influence of key drivers on selected pressures on land. When individual diagrams are overlaid, patterns of influence emerge that can provide insight into where policy responses might best be targeted. We propose that, subject to some limitations, the Kiviat exercise can provide an accessible and potentially valuable “knowledge-intermediary” tool to help link science-based information to policy action.展开更多
Integrating disaster waste issue is a critical component of making humanitarian action fit for the future,anticipating global risks and challenges such as increased vulnerability due to climate change and environmenta...Integrating disaster waste issue is a critical component of making humanitarian action fit for the future,anticipating global risks and challenges such as increased vulnerability due to climate change and environmental degradation.This requires a fundamental shift towards a model that not only strengthens the response to crises but also learns and adapts in order to anticipate and act before such waste garnered.This article conducted analyses on the characteristics of disasters in the past two decades.Uncertainties confound disaster waste management,including the timing and magnitude of each disaster,and the amounts and types of waste that will be generated.For these reasons alone,disaster waste management must be an integral part of development planning and processes.Making 10 years since the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,this article highlights that disaster waste management is not only debris clearance or waste management following a disaster,but also includes prevention and pre-disaster preparedness aspects in terms of enhancing resilience of local communities.Such"mainstreaming,"ensures that disaster waste management(DWM)will be treated as a priority issue,on an ongoing basis.Based on UN Environment's experiences and approaches,this paper emphasises that preparedness is the key,and that priority should be accorded to integrating disaster contingency planning in national and city level waste management strategies as well as mainstreaming waste management issues within broader disaster preparedness and response plans and actions.It is envisaged that the issues presented and the gaps identified in this paper will provide a basis for future comprehensive and cohesive research on disaster waste management.In turn,this research can lead to better preparedness and response on disaster waste management.展开更多
In order to enhance and restore the ecosystems of natural capital in African arid regions,the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme(G-DEP)consultative meeting was hosted in Dakar,Senegal,from 23 to 25 September 2019.This...In order to enhance and restore the ecosystems of natural capital in African arid regions,the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme(G-DEP)consultative meeting was hosted in Dakar,Senegal,from 23 to 25 September 2019.This paper details the first African meeting of the G-DEP.Consultative meeting reviewed preceding dryland ecosystems case studies,identified vulnerable arid and semi-arid regions,and proposed sustainable solutions to problems.It also identified the successes and failures of previous attempts to improve vulnerable ecosystems and ultimately formed an action plan to improve these attempts.Climate,ecosystems,and livelihoods for Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),Great Green Wall Initiative(GGWI)for Sahara and Sahel,and China-Africa cooperation on science,technology,and innovation are three extra main sections concerned of the meeting.Separately,more specific topics as the complicated relationship between these natural processes and human activity,including pastoralism,soil restoration,and vegetation regenerate techniques,were fully discussed.Consultative meeting also identified the positive effects international collaboration can have on dryland regions,specifically in the capacity of sharing information,technology,and innovation on purpose to develop a joint proposal for long-term research programs in African arid and semi-arid areas.Moreover,meetings that review the progress made on ecosystem management for the sustainable livelihoods in Africa,identification of priority areas,and the development and implementation of ecosystem programs for proper research and collaboration in African arid and semi-arid zones,have been proposed as strategic recommendations to enhance the global partnership for sustainable development.Furthermore,as the outcomes of the workshop,there are three steps proposed to handle African dryland climate changes,several aspects suggested to solve current dilemmas of the GGWI,and a series of actions recommended for G-DEP related activities in Africa.展开更多
Eutrophic shallow lakes are generally considered as a contributor to the emission of nitrous oxide(N_(2)O),while regional and global estimates have remained imprecise.This due to a lack of data and insufficient unders...Eutrophic shallow lakes are generally considered as a contributor to the emission of nitrous oxide(N_(2)O),while regional and global estimates have remained imprecise.This due to a lack of data and insufficient understanding of the multiple contributing factors.This study characterized the spatiotemporal variability in N_(2)O concentrations and N_(2)O diffusive fluxes and the contributing factors in LakeWuliangsuhai,a typical shallow eutrophic and seasonally frozen lake in Inner Mongolia with cold and arid climate.Dissolved N_(2)O concentrations of the lake exhibited a range of 4.5 to 101.2 nmol/L,displaying significant spatiotemporal variations.The lowest and highest concentrations were measured in summer and winter,respectively.The spatial distribution of N_(2)Ofluxwas consistent with that of N_(2)O concentrations.Additionally,the hotspots of N_(2)O emissions were detected within close to the main inflow of lake.The wide spatial and temporal variation in N_(2)O emissions indicate the complexity and its relative importance of factors influencing emissions.N_(2)O emissions in different lake zones and seasons were regulated by diverse factors.Factors influencing the spatial and temporal distribution of N_(2)O concentrations and fluxes were identified as WT,WD,DO,Chl-a,SD and COD.Interestingly,the same factor demonstrated opposing effects on N_(2)O emission in various seasons or zones.This research improves our understanding of N_(2)O emissions in shallow eutrophic lakes in cold and arid areas.展开更多
The acclimation capacity of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens was studied over 4 years in common gardens in central Italy(43°N)and southern(61°N)and northern Finland(67°N),representing drastically dif...The acclimation capacity of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens was studied over 4 years in common gardens in central Italy(43°N)and southern(61°N)and northern Finland(67°N),representing drastically different photoperiod and climate in temperate,boreal and subarctic vegetation zones.Two study sites that differed in soil fertility were established at each location,giving a total of six common gardens.The birch material was micropropagated from naturally regenerated stands of B.pendula and B.pubescens from Susa Valley and Rochemolle Valley in northern Italy,Punkaharju in southern Finland and Kittilä in northern Finland.The plants were measured for height growth,stem diameter,leaf chlorophyll content,leaf herbivory and pathogen damage.The effects of soil fertility on the common garden results were also analyzed.The results showed high acclimation capacity of B.pendula and B.pubescens after a long-range transfer from southern to northern Europe,despite the major shift in climate and photoperiod.First-year growth on average was best in boreal southern Finland for all origins.Betula pendula grew more than B.pubescens in Italy and southern Finland,while B.pubescens grew more in northern Finland and better tolerated the northward transfer.The height growth of origins showed a clear latitude gradient from slowly growing northern to fast growing southern origins in the nursery and laboratory,but not in the field.Soil fertility explained a significant part of variation among locations not only for growth variables,but also for leaf chlorophyll content and leaf herbivory and pathogen damage.Leaf herbivore and pathogen damage was greatest in southern Finland.Our results demonstrate good survival of birch from northern Italy in Finnish conditions and support the possibility of long-range south-to-north transfer of Betula species to provide resistant planting material in boreal forests for the rapidly changing climate.展开更多
Sand and dust storms （SDS） are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. In recent years, SDS frequencies and intensities have increased significantly in Iran. A research on SDS sources is important for understa...Sand and dust storms （SDS） are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. In recent years, SDS frequencies and intensities have increased significantly in Iran. A research on SDS sources is important for understanding the mechanisms of dust generation and assessing its socio-economic and environmental impacts. In this paper, we developed a new approach to identify SDS source areas in Iran using a combination of nine related datasets, namely drought events, temperature, precipitation, location of sandy soils, SDS frequency, hu- man-induced soil degradation （HISD）, human influence index （HII）, rain use efficiency （RUE） and net primary pro- ductivity （NPP） loss. To identify SDS source areas, we firstly normalized these datasets under uniform criteria in- cluding layer reprojection using Lambert conformal conic projection, data conversion from shapefile to raster, Min-Max Normalization with data range from 0 to 1, and data interpolation by Kriging and images resampling （resolution of 1 km）. After that, a score map for the possibility of SDS sources was generated through overlaying multiple datasets under average weight allocation criterion, in which each item obtained weight equally. In the score map, the higher the score, the more possible a specific area could be regarded as SDS source area. Exceptions mostly came from large cities, like Tehran and Isfahan. As a result, final SDS source areas were mapped out, and Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes and Sistan Basin were identified as main SDS source areas in Iran. The SDS source area in Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes still keeps expanding. In addition, Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes are now suf- fering rapid land degradation due to natural and human-induced factors and might totally vanish in the near future. Sistan Basin also demonstrates the impacts of soil degradation and wind erosion. With appropriate intensity, dura- tion, wind speed and altitude of the dust storms, sand particles uplifting from this area might have developed into extreme dust storms, especially during the summer.展开更多
We have arrived at a critical juncture when it comes to understanding the numerous ways in which trade interacts with climate change and energy(trade-climate-energy nexus).Trade remains crucial for the sustainable dev...We have arrived at a critical juncture when it comes to understanding the numerous ways in which trade interacts with climate change and energy(trade-climate-energy nexus).Trade remains crucial for the sustainable development of the world's greatest trading nation:China.After clarifying the linkages within the trade,climate change and energy nexus,this article delves into China's specific needs and interests related to trade,climate change and energy.Then it explores the ways in which trade can contribute to China's needs,to sustainable energy development and to the goals of the global climate agreement that is under negotiation.One main findings are China is a key participant in negotiations on trade liberalization of environmental technologies and services.These negotiations are in China's interests in terms of innovative industries,technological upgrading,employment and public health.China could stand up for the interests of other emerging and developing countries and serve as an example in terms of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.Beyond trade barriers issues of domestic(energy)regulation such as fossil-fuel subsidies as well as investment,competition-policy,tradefacilitation and transit issues related to clean energy need to be addressed.Building trust between relevant actors across sectors and national borders will be of the essence in order to foster long-term cooperation on technological innovation.As a way forward,different approaches towards the governance of trade and climate change will be highlighted.Besides discussing the specific aspects of Chinese participation in global trade and climate change governance,this paper aims at offering broader insights into the nexus between trade,energy and climate governance in China.展开更多
Mercury（Hg） in the Arctic is a significant concern due to its bioaccumulative and neurotoxic properties, and the sensitivity of Arctic environments. Previous research has found high levels of Hg in snowpacks with hi...Mercury（Hg） in the Arctic is a significant concern due to its bioaccumulative and neurotoxic properties, and the sensitivity of Arctic environments. Previous research has found high levels of Hg in snowpacks with high chloride（Cl-） concentrations. We hypothesised that Cl- would increase Hg retention by decreasing Hg photoreduction to Hg（0） in melted Arctic snow. To test this, changes in Hg photoreduction kinetics in melted Alert, NU snow were quantified with changing Cl- concentration and UV intensity. Snow was collected and melted in Teflon bottles in May 2014, spiked with 0–10 μg/g Cl-, and irradiated with 3.52–5.78 W·m-2 UV（280–400 nm）radiation in a Luz Chem photoreactor. Photoreduction rate constants（k）（0.14–0.59 hr-1） had positive linear relationships with [Cl-], while photoreduced Hg amounts（Hg（Ⅱ）red） had negative linear relationships with [Cl-]（1287–64 pg in 200 g melted snow）. Varying UV and[Cl-] both altered Hg（Ⅱ）red amounts, with more efficient Hg stabilisation by Cl- at higher UV intensity, while k can be predicted by Cl- concentration and/or UV intensity, depending on experimental parameters. Overall, with future projections for greater snowpack Cl- loading,our experimental results suggest that more Hg could be delivered to Arctic aquatic ecosystems by melted snow（smaller Hg（Ⅱ）red expected）, but the Hg in the melted snow that is photoreduced may do so more quickly（larger k expected）.展开更多
The practice of raw material extraction has a high impact on the environment and represents a potential threat to the health and thriving of local communities.The concept of Extractive Essential Variables(EEVs)are exp...The practice of raw material extraction has a high impact on the environment and represents a potential threat to the health and thriving of local communities.The concept of Extractive Essential Variables(EEVs)are explored in order to propose variables that can be used to quantify the environmental footprint of mineral extraction.Considering the interdependence of mining activities with social,economic and environmental issues,the variables target the development of monitoring tools for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).The identification of EEVs is based on the use of Earth Observation products in the field of mineral resources exploitation.A list of variables is proposed based on three classes of Essential Variables(EVs):installation and exploration phase,mineral extraction,and ore processing.These variables take into account the impacts of mining on the hydrology,land,water resources and the atmosphere of the area subjected to mineral exploitation.One of the variables is implemented as an operational workflow addressing SDG15,“life on land”.The workflow is intended to assess the area of forest ecosystem lost due to the presence of a mining site.Geospatial data on the extent of mining concessions and forest cover are combined using ArcGIS^(TM).The workflow is successively translated into a Unix script to automatize the process of data treatment.The script is developed using the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library(GDAL).The use of a Virtual Laboratory Platform(VLab),a web-service-based access platform,increases the accessibility of data and resources and the re-use of the script.This work is a first attempt to propose a framework of EEVs,derived data workflows,while the underlying methodology,partially based on scientific publications and on personal reasoning,still needs to be tested and,improved based on expertise in the sector.展开更多
This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2...This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2021.We first described consumers’experiences in consuming and purchasing PBM food and their correlates,and then analyzed consumer preferences using hypothetical choice experiment.The experiment offered consumers various options to purchase burgers made from PBM or animal-based meat(ABM),combined with different countries of origin(COO),taste labels,and prices.Our data showed that respondents hold overall positive attitudes toward PBM food;85 and 82%of respondents reported experience in eating and purchasing PBM food,respectively.More than half of them ate PBM food because they wanted to try new food(58%),or were interested in healthy food(56%).Income,religion,and dietary restrictions were significantly correlated with consumers’experiences in PBM food consumption.Results from the Random Parameter Logit Model based on the hypothetical choice experiment data showed that 79%of respondents chose PBM burgers and were willing to pay an average of 88 CNY for a PBM burger.We also found that 99.8 and 83%of respondents are willing to buy burgers made in China and those with a taste label,with a willingness to pay(WTP)of 208 and 120 CNY,respectively.The heterogeneity test revealed that females and those with at least a bachelor’s degree,higher income,religious beliefs,and dietary restrictions are more likely to buy PBM burgers than their counterparts.展开更多
Temporary seismic network deployments often suffer from incorrect timing records and thus pose a challenge to fully utilize the valuable data.To inspect and fix such time problems,the ambient noise cross-correlation f...Temporary seismic network deployments often suffer from incorrect timing records and thus pose a challenge to fully utilize the valuable data.To inspect and fix such time problems,the ambient noise cross-correlation function(NCCF)has been widely adopted by using daily waveforms.However,it is still challenging to detect the shortterm clock drift and overcome the influence of local noise on NCCF.To address these challenges,we conduct a study on two temporary datasets,including an ocean-bottom-seismometer(OBS)dataset from the southern Mariana subduction zone and a dataset from a temporary dense network from the Weiyuan shale gas field,Sichuan,China.We first inspect the teleseismic and local event waveforms to evaluate the overall clock drift and data quality for both datasets.For the OBS dataset,NCCF using different time segments(3,6,and 12-h)beside daily waveforms data is computed to select the data length with optimal detection capability.Eventually,the 6-h segment is the preferred choice with high detection efficiency and low noise level.For the land dataset,higher drift detection is achieved by NCCF using the daily long waveforms.Meanwhile,we find that NCCF symmetry on the dense array is highly influenced by localized intense noise for large interstation distances(>1 km)but is well preserved for short interstation distances.The results have shown that the use of different segments of daily waveform data in the OBS dataset,and the careful selection of interstation distances in the land dataset substantially improved the NCCF results.All the clock drifts in both datasets are successfully corrected and verified with waveforms and NCCF.The newly developed strategies using short-segment NCCF help to overcome the existing issues to correct the clock drift of seismic data.展开更多
Microbial phosphorus(P)turnover is critical in C utilization efficiency in agroecosystems.It is therefore necessary to understand the P mobilization processes occurring during P fertilization in order to ensure both c...Microbial phosphorus(P)turnover is critical in C utilization efficiency in agroecosystems.It is therefore necessary to understand the P mobilization processes occurring during P fertilization in order to ensure both crop yield and environmental quality.Here,we established a controlled pot experiment containing soil amended with three different levels of starter P fertilizer and collected soil samples after 30,60,and 90 days of incubation.Quantitative microbial element cycling(QMEC)smart chip technology and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to investigate functional gene structures involved in carbon,nitrogen and P cycling and the bacterial community composition of the collected samples.Although P fertilization did not significantly affect the structure of the soil microbial community,some rare microbiota were changed in particular phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria were enriched at the high P fertilization level,suggesting that the rare taxa make an important contribution to P turnover.P fertilization also altered the functional gene structure,and high P concentrations enhanced the functional gene diversity and abundance.Partial redundancy analysis further revealed that changes in rare taxa and functional genes of soil microorganisms drive the alteration of soil P pools.These findings extend our understanding of the microbial mechanisms of P turnover.展开更多
Extraction of Limestone is an economically important and widespread activity in Ghana and has existed since historical times. However, in spite of its remarkable contribution towards economic development, some adverse...Extraction of Limestone is an economically important and widespread activity in Ghana and has existed since historical times. However, in spite of its remarkable contribution towards economic development, some adverse impacts have been noticed, especially where extraction is carried out without proper planning and use of modern technology and scientific methods. We have carried out an assessment on the environmental effects of limestone quarrying on some communities in the Lower Manya Krobo District in the Eastern region of Ghana. Dust emission is one of the major effects of the practice of limestone extraction and as such, dust (PM10) sampling was conducted at the affected communities. Mean dry season results recorded in these communities stand at 125.0 μg/m3 or Bueryonye, 116.0 μg/m3 at Odugblase and 109.3 μg/m3 at Klo-Begoro. Oterkpolu community which served as the control recorded an average of 50.5 μg/m3. Average rainy season values recorded for the communities were 83.3 μg/m3 for Bueryonye, 113.1 μg/m3 at Odugblase and 74.4 μg/m3 at Klo-Begoro. The control community, Oterkpolu, had 43.3 μg/m3. These values are above the EPA, Ghana daily guideline level of 70 μg/m3 over a time-weighted average per 24 hours. Questionnaires administration and health records obtained from the health facilities in the communities revealed notable deteriorations in the health of the people as a result of the quarrying activities in the area. Notable among these is the prevalence of malaria though not related to dust emissions, it results from mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant pools of water found in pits created as a result of the mining activity. Other common health cases recorded were acute respiratory tract infection, ear and eye infections, cough and pneumonia.展开更多
A new form of producing and sharing knowledge has emerged as an international(United States of America,Asia,and Europe) research collaboration,known as the Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Network.Although Africa b...A new form of producing and sharing knowledge has emerged as an international(United States of America,Asia,and Europe) research collaboration,known as the Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Network.Although Africa boasts rich biodiversity,including endemic species,it lacks the long-term initiatives to underpin sustainable biodiversity managements.At present,climate change may exacerbate hunger and poverty concerns in addition to resulting in ecosystem degradation,land use change,and other threats in Africa.Therefore,ecosystem monitoring was suggested to understanding the effects of climate change and setting strategies to mitigate these changes.This paper aimed to investigate ecosystem monitoring ground sites and address their coverage gaps in Africa to provide a foundation for optimizing the African Ecosystem Research Network(AERN) ground sites.The geographic coordinates and characteristics of ground sites-based ecosystem monitoring were collected from various networks aligned with the LTER implementation in Africa.Additionally,climatic data and biodiversity distribution maps were retrieved from various sources.These data were used to assess the size of existing ground sites and the gaps in description,ecosystems and biomes.The results reveal that there were 1089 sites established by various networks.Among these sites,30.5%,27.5%,and 28.8% had no information of area,year of establishment,current status,respectively.However,68.0% of them had an area equal to or greater than 1 km2.Sites were created progressively over the course of the years,with 68.9% being created from 2000 to 2005.To date,only 41.5% of the sites were operational.The sites were scattered across Africa,but they were concentrated in Eastern and Southern Africa.The unbalanced distribution pattern of the sites left Central and Northern Africa hardly covered,and many unique ecosystems in Central Africa were not included.To sustain these sites,the AERN should be based on operational sites,seeking secure funding by establishing multiple partnerships.展开更多
Groundwater is a crucial resource on the Manukan Island as it is the only source of freshwater available on the island. The aquifer has deteriorated to a high degree, during the last decade. Nine domestic wells were s...Groundwater is a crucial resource on the Manukan Island as it is the only source of freshwater available on the island. The aquifer has deteriorated to a high degree, during the last decade. Nine domestic wells were sampled from March 2006 to January 2007 to probe the hydrochemical components that influence the water quality. Geochemical data on dissolved major constituents in groundwater samples from the Manukan Island revealed the main processes responsible for their geochemical evolution. The results using statistical analyses, graphical method and numerical model output (PHREEQC) showed that the groundwater was chemically highly enriched in Na and Cl, indicative of seawater intrusion into the aquifer as also supported from the Na-Cl signature on the Piper diagram. From the PHREEQC simulation model, calcite, dolomite and aragonite solubility showed positive values of the saturation indices (SI), indicating supersaturation which led to mineral precipitation condition of water by these minerals.展开更多
We investigated the effects of selective logging disturbances on tree diversity and soil characteristics in the Bia Conservation Area in southwest Ghana. The study was conducted in unlogged, 29-35 years post-logged an...We investigated the effects of selective logging disturbances on tree diversity and soil characteristics in the Bia Conservation Area in southwest Ghana. The study was conducted in unlogged, 29-35 years post-logged and swamp forests using ten 25 m× 25 m plots. In total, we identified 310 individual trees belonging to 87 species. Mean Shannon-Weiner index was highest in the post-logged forest but there were no significant differences in tree density, dominance, or DBH size class distributions between these forests. Soil physical properties such as pH and bulk density up to 30 cm depth were similar in the two of forests In terms of soil nutrient status, available P, exchangeable K and total N contents were all similar in the unlogged and post-logged forests. Our findings suggest that the effects of logging on tree diversity are compara-tively long-term, in contrast to its short-term effects on some top soil physical and chemical characteristics.展开更多
Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions(CAMx)-Decoupled Direct Method(DDM)simulations of first-order ozone(O_(3))sensitivity to nitrogen oxides(NO_(x))and volatile organic compounds(VOCs)emissions were perform...Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions(CAMx)-Decoupled Direct Method(DDM)simulations of first-order ozone(O_(3))sensitivity to nitrogen oxides(NO_(x))and volatile organic compounds(VOCs)emissions were performed and combined with modelled P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratios to obtain a range of thresholds for determining O_(3)-sensitivity regimes for different areas of China.Utilising the new threshold ranges for photochemical indicators,the method for determining O_(3)formation in the Ozone Source Apportionment Technology(OSAT)module within CAMx was improved by a dynamically varied threshold of P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio.The O_(3)concentration contributions in the newly added transition regime were apportioned to NO_(x)and VOCs emissions in proportion to the relationship between the P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio and first-order O_(3)sensitivity.The source contributions of O_(3)concentrations from different emission sectors from June to September 2019 were compared using the original and improved CAMx-OSAT.The results showed that the O_(3)concentration contributions changed significantly in the NO_(x)-limited regime,with a maximum decrease of 21.89%,while the contributions increased by up to 7.57%in the VOC-limited regime,and were within 15μg/m^(3)in the transition regime.The modified OSAT module enabled a more sophisticated attribution of O_(3)to precursor emissions and may have far-reaching implications for informing O_(3)pollution control policy.展开更多
Unintentional food resources in urban areas(street litter,food leftovers,overflowing trash bins)are dietary components of some urban-exploiter bird species.In this study,we report on 13 bird species in six southern Fi...Unintentional food resources in urban areas(street litter,food leftovers,overflowing trash bins)are dietary components of some urban-exploiter bird species.In this study,we report on 13 bird species in six southern Finnish cities using urban trash bins and describe differences in their activity when provided with food resources(i.e.,bait)in different bin types.We used generalized linear models(GLM)and classification and regression trees(CART)to test for associations between environmental variables and bird activity at the binscapes.Bird activity at the binscapes significantly differed among all cities and among types of bins and was significantly higher after placing bait in all cases.Bins with the largest opening had more activity as opposed to those with smaller openings or lids.Corvids and gulls had the highest activity,with corvids usually being present before the bait was placed and gulls increasing their activity thereafter.These differences show that trash bin foraging is highly malleable and thus susceptible to management preventing its occurrence.Suitable waste management measures could aid in reducing the number of species close to bins and their surroundings,benefiting both bird and human health.展开更多
The use of freely-available multi-source imagery for mapping vegetation in montane terrain is important for many developing countries that do not have the funding for high-resolution data capture.Radar images are also...The use of freely-available multi-source imagery for mapping vegetation in montane terrain is important for many developing countries that do not have the funding for high-resolution data capture.Radar images are also now freely available and include Sentinel-1 in dual polarisation,and PALSAR-2.These images can penetrate cloud cover and provide the advantage of acquiring data in a cloudy tropical region.This research evaluated whether the addition of radar with optical and topographic data improves classification accuracy in a montane region in Sri Lanka.Six classification experiments were designed based on different combinations of image data to test whether radar data improved land cover classification accuracy compared with optical data alone.Random forest classifier in the Google Earth Engine has been utilised to classify the tropical montane vegetation.The results indicate that radar or optical data alone cannot obtain satisfactory results.However,when combining radar with optical data the overall accuracy increased by approximately 5%,and by an additional 2%when topography data were added.The highest accuracy(92%)was achieved with multiple imagery,and adding the vegetation indices improved the model slightly by 0.3%.In addition,feature importance analysis showed that radar data makes a significant contribution to the classification.These positive outcomes demonstrate that freely-accessible multi-source remotely-sensed data have impressive capability for vegetation mapping,and support the monitoring and managing of forest ecological resources in tropical montane regions.展开更多
文摘The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. Deforestation and land degradation are among the pressing outcomes of these trends. Drivers of environmental change—including population growth, economic activity, consumption, urbanization, trade, conflict, and governance—clearly play a role in aggravating or mitigating these pressures on land. Despite advances in understanding causality in complex systems, navigating the interactions between these drivers remains a major challenge. This paper analyzes and visualizes the relationships between multiple, interacting drivers of environmental change and specific pressures on land-based ecosystems. Drawing on experience from the development of the Drivers and Land chapters of the UN Environment Programme’s Fifth Global Environment Outlook report (GEO-5), we use a series of Kiviat diagrams to illustrate the relative influence of key drivers on selected pressures on land. When individual diagrams are overlaid, patterns of influence emerge that can provide insight into where policy responses might best be targeted. We propose that, subject to some limitations, the Kiviat exercise can provide an accessible and potentially valuable “knowledge-intermediary” tool to help link science-based information to policy action.
文摘Integrating disaster waste issue is a critical component of making humanitarian action fit for the future,anticipating global risks and challenges such as increased vulnerability due to climate change and environmental degradation.This requires a fundamental shift towards a model that not only strengthens the response to crises but also learns and adapts in order to anticipate and act before such waste garnered.This article conducted analyses on the characteristics of disasters in the past two decades.Uncertainties confound disaster waste management,including the timing and magnitude of each disaster,and the amounts and types of waste that will be generated.For these reasons alone,disaster waste management must be an integral part of development planning and processes.Making 10 years since the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,this article highlights that disaster waste management is not only debris clearance or waste management following a disaster,but also includes prevention and pre-disaster preparedness aspects in terms of enhancing resilience of local communities.Such"mainstreaming,"ensures that disaster waste management(DWM)will be treated as a priority issue,on an ongoing basis.Based on UN Environment's experiences and approaches,this paper emphasises that preparedness is the key,and that priority should be accorded to integrating disaster contingency planning in national and city level waste management strategies as well as mainstreaming waste management issues within broader disaster preparedness and response plans and actions.It is envisaged that the issues presented and the gaps identified in this paper will provide a basis for future comprehensive and cohesive research on disaster waste management.In turn,this research can lead to better preparedness and response on disaster waste management.
基金Funding to support this consultative meeting was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41761144053,41661144022)the International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(121311KYSB201700).
文摘In order to enhance and restore the ecosystems of natural capital in African arid regions,the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme(G-DEP)consultative meeting was hosted in Dakar,Senegal,from 23 to 25 September 2019.This paper details the first African meeting of the G-DEP.Consultative meeting reviewed preceding dryland ecosystems case studies,identified vulnerable arid and semi-arid regions,and proposed sustainable solutions to problems.It also identified the successes and failures of previous attempts to improve vulnerable ecosystems and ultimately formed an action plan to improve these attempts.Climate,ecosystems,and livelihoods for Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),Great Green Wall Initiative(GGWI)for Sahara and Sahel,and China-Africa cooperation on science,technology,and innovation are three extra main sections concerned of the meeting.Separately,more specific topics as the complicated relationship between these natural processes and human activity,including pastoralism,soil restoration,and vegetation regenerate techniques,were fully discussed.Consultative meeting also identified the positive effects international collaboration can have on dryland regions,specifically in the capacity of sharing information,technology,and innovation on purpose to develop a joint proposal for long-term research programs in African arid and semi-arid areas.Moreover,meetings that review the progress made on ecosystem management for the sustainable livelihoods in Africa,identification of priority areas,and the development and implementation of ecosystem programs for proper research and collaboration in African arid and semi-arid zones,have been proposed as strategic recommendations to enhance the global partnership for sustainable development.Furthermore,as the outcomes of the workshop,there are three steps proposed to handle African dryland climate changes,several aspects suggested to solve current dilemmas of the GGWI,and a series of actions recommended for G-DEP related activities in Africa.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52260028,52060022,52260029,and 52160021)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Nos.2017YFE0114800 and 2019YFC0409200)+1 种基金Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Plan(No.2021GG0089)personal grant to Guohua Li by China Scholarship Council(CSC).
文摘Eutrophic shallow lakes are generally considered as a contributor to the emission of nitrous oxide(N_(2)O),while regional and global estimates have remained imprecise.This due to a lack of data and insufficient understanding of the multiple contributing factors.This study characterized the spatiotemporal variability in N_(2)O concentrations and N_(2)O diffusive fluxes and the contributing factors in LakeWuliangsuhai,a typical shallow eutrophic and seasonally frozen lake in Inner Mongolia with cold and arid climate.Dissolved N_(2)O concentrations of the lake exhibited a range of 4.5 to 101.2 nmol/L,displaying significant spatiotemporal variations.The lowest and highest concentrations were measured in summer and winter,respectively.The spatial distribution of N_(2)Ofluxwas consistent with that of N_(2)O concentrations.Additionally,the hotspots of N_(2)O emissions were detected within close to the main inflow of lake.The wide spatial and temporal variation in N_(2)O emissions indicate the complexity and its relative importance of factors influencing emissions.N_(2)O emissions in different lake zones and seasons were regulated by diverse factors.Factors influencing the spatial and temporal distribution of N_(2)O concentrations and fluxes were identified as WT,WD,DO,Chl-a,SD and COD.Interestingly,the same factor demonstrated opposing effects on N_(2)O emission in various seasons or zones.This research improves our understanding of N_(2)O emissions in shallow eutrophic lakes in cold and arid areas.
基金supported by Academy of Finland(project 284931)the Finnish Cultural Foundation/Eva Barbara WilhelminaFoundation(Decision 27.2.2021).
文摘The acclimation capacity of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens was studied over 4 years in common gardens in central Italy(43°N)and southern(61°N)and northern Finland(67°N),representing drastically different photoperiod and climate in temperate,boreal and subarctic vegetation zones.Two study sites that differed in soil fertility were established at each location,giving a total of six common gardens.The birch material was micropropagated from naturally regenerated stands of B.pendula and B.pubescens from Susa Valley and Rochemolle Valley in northern Italy,Punkaharju in southern Finland and Kittilä in northern Finland.The plants were measured for height growth,stem diameter,leaf chlorophyll content,leaf herbivory and pathogen damage.The effects of soil fertility on the common garden results were also analyzed.The results showed high acclimation capacity of B.pendula and B.pubescens after a long-range transfer from southern to northern Europe,despite the major shift in climate and photoperiod.First-year growth on average was best in boreal southern Finland for all origins.Betula pendula grew more than B.pubescens in Italy and southern Finland,while B.pubescens grew more in northern Finland and better tolerated the northward transfer.The height growth of origins showed a clear latitude gradient from slowly growing northern to fast growing southern origins in the nursery and laboratory,but not in the field.Soil fertility explained a significant part of variation among locations not only for growth variables,but also for leaf chlorophyll content and leaf herbivory and pathogen damage.Leaf herbivore and pathogen damage was greatest in southern Finland.Our results demonstrate good survival of birch from northern Italy in Finnish conditions and support the possibility of long-range south-to-north transfer of Betula species to provide resistant planting material in boreal forests for the rapidly changing climate.
基金funded by the Small Scale Funding Agreement (UNEP/ROWA)
文摘Sand and dust storms （SDS） are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. In recent years, SDS frequencies and intensities have increased significantly in Iran. A research on SDS sources is important for understanding the mechanisms of dust generation and assessing its socio-economic and environmental impacts. In this paper, we developed a new approach to identify SDS source areas in Iran using a combination of nine related datasets, namely drought events, temperature, precipitation, location of sandy soils, SDS frequency, hu- man-induced soil degradation （HISD）, human influence index （HII）, rain use efficiency （RUE） and net primary pro- ductivity （NPP） loss. To identify SDS source areas, we firstly normalized these datasets under uniform criteria in- cluding layer reprojection using Lambert conformal conic projection, data conversion from shapefile to raster, Min-Max Normalization with data range from 0 to 1, and data interpolation by Kriging and images resampling （resolution of 1 km）. After that, a score map for the possibility of SDS sources was generated through overlaying multiple datasets under average weight allocation criterion, in which each item obtained weight equally. In the score map, the higher the score, the more possible a specific area could be regarded as SDS source area. Exceptions mostly came from large cities, like Tehran and Isfahan. As a result, final SDS source areas were mapped out, and Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes and Sistan Basin were identified as main SDS source areas in Iran. The SDS source area in Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes still keeps expanding. In addition, Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes are now suf- fering rapid land degradation due to natural and human-induced factors and might totally vanish in the near future. Sistan Basin also demonstrates the impacts of soil degradation and wind erosion. With appropriate intensity, dura- tion, wind speed and altitude of the dust storms, sand particles uplifting from this area might have developed into extreme dust storms, especially during the summer.
文摘We have arrived at a critical juncture when it comes to understanding the numerous ways in which trade interacts with climate change and energy(trade-climate-energy nexus).Trade remains crucial for the sustainable development of the world's greatest trading nation:China.After clarifying the linkages within the trade,climate change and energy nexus,this article delves into China's specific needs and interests related to trade,climate change and energy.Then it explores the ways in which trade can contribute to China's needs,to sustainable energy development and to the goals of the global climate agreement that is under negotiation.One main findings are China is a key participant in negotiations on trade liberalization of environmental technologies and services.These negotiations are in China's interests in terms of innovative industries,technological upgrading,employment and public health.China could stand up for the interests of other emerging and developing countries and serve as an example in terms of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.Beyond trade barriers issues of domestic(energy)regulation such as fossil-fuel subsidies as well as investment,competition-policy,tradefacilitation and transit issues related to clean energy need to be addressed.Building trust between relevant actors across sectors and national borders will be of the essence in order to foster long-term cooperation on technological innovation.As a way forward,different approaches towards the governance of trade and climate change will be highlighted.Besides discussing the specific aspects of Chinese participation in global trade and climate change governance,this paper aims at offering broader insights into the nexus between trade,energy and climate governance in China.
基金provided by the NSERC Discovery grant # 341960-2013Canada Research Chairs Program to N.O. Scholarships to Erin Mann from NSERC CREATE and Memorial University of Newfoundland
文摘Mercury（Hg） in the Arctic is a significant concern due to its bioaccumulative and neurotoxic properties, and the sensitivity of Arctic environments. Previous research has found high levels of Hg in snowpacks with high chloride（Cl-） concentrations. We hypothesised that Cl- would increase Hg retention by decreasing Hg photoreduction to Hg（0） in melted Arctic snow. To test this, changes in Hg photoreduction kinetics in melted Alert, NU snow were quantified with changing Cl- concentration and UV intensity. Snow was collected and melted in Teflon bottles in May 2014, spiked with 0–10 μg/g Cl-, and irradiated with 3.52–5.78 W·m-2 UV（280–400 nm）radiation in a Luz Chem photoreactor. Photoreduction rate constants（k）（0.14–0.59 hr-1） had positive linear relationships with [Cl-], while photoreduced Hg amounts（Hg（Ⅱ）red） had negative linear relationships with [Cl-]（1287–64 pg in 200 g melted snow）. Varying UV and[Cl-] both altered Hg（Ⅱ）red amounts, with more efficient Hg stabilisation by Cl- at higher UV intensity, while k can be predicted by Cl- concentration and/or UV intensity, depending on experimental parameters. Overall, with future projections for greater snowpack Cl- loading,our experimental results suggest that more Hg could be delivered to Arctic aquatic ecosystems by melted snow（smaller Hg（Ⅱ）red expected）, but the Hg in the melted snow that is photoreduced may do so more quickly（larger k expected）.
基金The authors would like to acknowledge the European Commission“Horizon 2020 Program”that funded ERAPLANET/GEOEssential project(Grant Agreement no.689443).
文摘The practice of raw material extraction has a high impact on the environment and represents a potential threat to the health and thriving of local communities.The concept of Extractive Essential Variables(EEVs)are explored in order to propose variables that can be used to quantify the environmental footprint of mineral extraction.Considering the interdependence of mining activities with social,economic and environmental issues,the variables target the development of monitoring tools for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).The identification of EEVs is based on the use of Earth Observation products in the field of mineral resources exploitation.A list of variables is proposed based on three classes of Essential Variables(EVs):installation and exploration phase,mineral extraction,and ore processing.These variables take into account the impacts of mining on the hydrology,land,water resources and the atmosphere of the area subjected to mineral exploitation.One of the variables is implemented as an operational workflow addressing SDG15,“life on land”.The workflow is intended to assess the area of forest ecosystem lost due to the presence of a mining site.Geospatial data on the extent of mining concessions and forest cover are combined using ArcGIS^(TM).The workflow is successively translated into a Unix script to automatize the process of data treatment.The script is developed using the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library(GDAL).The use of a Virtual Laboratory Platform(VLab),a web-service-based access platform,increases the accessibility of data and resources and the re-use of the script.This work is a first attempt to propose a framework of EEVs,derived data workflows,while the underlying methodology,partially based on scientific publications and on personal reasoning,still needs to be tested and,improved based on expertise in the sector.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71861147003,71925009,72141014).
文摘This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2021.We first described consumers’experiences in consuming and purchasing PBM food and their correlates,and then analyzed consumer preferences using hypothetical choice experiment.The experiment offered consumers various options to purchase burgers made from PBM or animal-based meat(ABM),combined with different countries of origin(COO),taste labels,and prices.Our data showed that respondents hold overall positive attitudes toward PBM food;85 and 82%of respondents reported experience in eating and purchasing PBM food,respectively.More than half of them ate PBM food because they wanted to try new food(58%),or were interested in healthy food(56%).Income,religion,and dietary restrictions were significantly correlated with consumers’experiences in PBM food consumption.Results from the Random Parameter Logit Model based on the hypothetical choice experiment data showed that 79%of respondents chose PBM burgers and were willing to pay an average of 88 CNY for a PBM burger.We also found that 99.8 and 83%of respondents are willing to buy burgers made in China and those with a taste label,with a willingness to pay(WTP)of 208 and 120 CNY,respectively.The heterogeneity test revealed that females and those with at least a bachelor’s degree,higher income,religious beliefs,and dietary restrictions are more likely to buy PBM burgers than their counterparts.
基金supported by National Science Foundation of China(U2139203)National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC1503400)+3 种基金China Earthquake Science Experiment Project,CEA (2019CSES0107)HKSAR Research Grant Council GRF Grant (14303721,14306122)State Key Lab of Earthquake Dynamics (LED2021B03)the Faculty of Science,CUHK。
文摘Temporary seismic network deployments often suffer from incorrect timing records and thus pose a challenge to fully utilize the valuable data.To inspect and fix such time problems,the ambient noise cross-correlation function(NCCF)has been widely adopted by using daily waveforms.However,it is still challenging to detect the shortterm clock drift and overcome the influence of local noise on NCCF.To address these challenges,we conduct a study on two temporary datasets,including an ocean-bottom-seismometer(OBS)dataset from the southern Mariana subduction zone and a dataset from a temporary dense network from the Weiyuan shale gas field,Sichuan,China.We first inspect the teleseismic and local event waveforms to evaluate the overall clock drift and data quality for both datasets.For the OBS dataset,NCCF using different time segments(3,6,and 12-h)beside daily waveforms data is computed to select the data length with optimal detection capability.Eventually,the 6-h segment is the preferred choice with high detection efficiency and low noise level.For the land dataset,higher drift detection is achieved by NCCF using the daily long waveforms.Meanwhile,we find that NCCF symmetry on the dense array is highly influenced by localized intense noise for large interstation distances(>1 km)but is well preserved for short interstation distances.The results have shown that the use of different segments of daily waveform data in the OBS dataset,and the careful selection of interstation distances in the land dataset substantially improved the NCCF results.All the clock drifts in both datasets are successfully corrected and verified with waveforms and NCCF.The newly developed strategies using short-segment NCCF help to overcome the existing issues to correct the clock drift of seismic data.
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2017YFD0200201)the Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21922608)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDB15020402).
文摘Microbial phosphorus(P)turnover is critical in C utilization efficiency in agroecosystems.It is therefore necessary to understand the P mobilization processes occurring during P fertilization in order to ensure both crop yield and environmental quality.Here,we established a controlled pot experiment containing soil amended with three different levels of starter P fertilizer and collected soil samples after 30,60,and 90 days of incubation.Quantitative microbial element cycling(QMEC)smart chip technology and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to investigate functional gene structures involved in carbon,nitrogen and P cycling and the bacterial community composition of the collected samples.Although P fertilization did not significantly affect the structure of the soil microbial community,some rare microbiota were changed in particular phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria were enriched at the high P fertilization level,suggesting that the rare taxa make an important contribution to P turnover.P fertilization also altered the functional gene structure,and high P concentrations enhanced the functional gene diversity and abundance.Partial redundancy analysis further revealed that changes in rare taxa and functional genes of soil microorganisms drive the alteration of soil P pools.These findings extend our understanding of the microbial mechanisms of P turnover.
文摘Extraction of Limestone is an economically important and widespread activity in Ghana and has existed since historical times. However, in spite of its remarkable contribution towards economic development, some adverse impacts have been noticed, especially where extraction is carried out without proper planning and use of modern technology and scientific methods. We have carried out an assessment on the environmental effects of limestone quarrying on some communities in the Lower Manya Krobo District in the Eastern region of Ghana. Dust emission is one of the major effects of the practice of limestone extraction and as such, dust (PM10) sampling was conducted at the affected communities. Mean dry season results recorded in these communities stand at 125.0 μg/m3 or Bueryonye, 116.0 μg/m3 at Odugblase and 109.3 μg/m3 at Klo-Begoro. Oterkpolu community which served as the control recorded an average of 50.5 μg/m3. Average rainy season values recorded for the communities were 83.3 μg/m3 for Bueryonye, 113.1 μg/m3 at Odugblase and 74.4 μg/m3 at Klo-Begoro. The control community, Oterkpolu, had 43.3 μg/m3. These values are above the EPA, Ghana daily guideline level of 70 μg/m3 over a time-weighted average per 24 hours. Questionnaires administration and health records obtained from the health facilities in the communities revealed notable deteriorations in the health of the people as a result of the quarrying activities in the area. Notable among these is the prevalence of malaria though not related to dust emissions, it results from mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant pools of water found in pits created as a result of the mining activity. Other common health cases recorded were acute respiratory tract infection, ear and eye infections, cough and pneumonia.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31161140355)
文摘A new form of producing and sharing knowledge has emerged as an international(United States of America,Asia,and Europe) research collaboration,known as the Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Network.Although Africa boasts rich biodiversity,including endemic species,it lacks the long-term initiatives to underpin sustainable biodiversity managements.At present,climate change may exacerbate hunger and poverty concerns in addition to resulting in ecosystem degradation,land use change,and other threats in Africa.Therefore,ecosystem monitoring was suggested to understanding the effects of climate change and setting strategies to mitigate these changes.This paper aimed to investigate ecosystem monitoring ground sites and address their coverage gaps in Africa to provide a foundation for optimizing the African Ecosystem Research Network(AERN) ground sites.The geographic coordinates and characteristics of ground sites-based ecosystem monitoring were collected from various networks aligned with the LTER implementation in Africa.Additionally,climatic data and biodiversity distribution maps were retrieved from various sources.These data were used to assess the size of existing ground sites and the gaps in description,ecosystems and biomes.The results reveal that there were 1089 sites established by various networks.Among these sites,30.5%,27.5%,and 28.8% had no information of area,year of establishment,current status,respectively.However,68.0% of them had an area equal to or greater than 1 km2.Sites were created progressively over the course of the years,with 68.9% being created from 2000 to 2005.To date,only 41.5% of the sites were operational.The sites were scattered across Africa,but they were concentrated in Eastern and Southern Africa.The unbalanced distribution pattern of the sites left Central and Northern Africa hardly covered,and many unique ecosystems in Central Africa were not included.To sustain these sites,the AERN should be based on operational sites,seeking secure funding by establishing multiple partnerships.
基金supported by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) through fundamental research project of FRG0050-ST-1/2006
文摘Groundwater is a crucial resource on the Manukan Island as it is the only source of freshwater available on the island. The aquifer has deteriorated to a high degree, during the last decade. Nine domestic wells were sampled from March 2006 to January 2007 to probe the hydrochemical components that influence the water quality. Geochemical data on dissolved major constituents in groundwater samples from the Manukan Island revealed the main processes responsible for their geochemical evolution. The results using statistical analyses, graphical method and numerical model output (PHREEQC) showed that the groundwater was chemically highly enriched in Na and Cl, indicative of seawater intrusion into the aquifer as also supported from the Na-Cl signature on the Piper diagram. From the PHREEQC simulation model, calcite, dolomite and aragonite solubility showed positive values of the saturation indices (SI), indicating supersaturation which led to mineral precipitation condition of water by these minerals.
基金partially funded from by UNESCO MAB Young Scientists Awards(Letter of Agreement 4500110156)
文摘We investigated the effects of selective logging disturbances on tree diversity and soil characteristics in the Bia Conservation Area in southwest Ghana. The study was conducted in unlogged, 29-35 years post-logged and swamp forests using ten 25 m× 25 m plots. In total, we identified 310 individual trees belonging to 87 species. Mean Shannon-Weiner index was highest in the post-logged forest but there were no significant differences in tree density, dominance, or DBH size class distributions between these forests. Soil physical properties such as pH and bulk density up to 30 cm depth were similar in the two of forests In terms of soil nutrient status, available P, exchangeable K and total N contents were all similar in the unlogged and post-logged forests. Our findings suggest that the effects of logging on tree diversity are compara-tively long-term, in contrast to its short-term effects on some top soil physical and chemical characteristics.
基金supported by the the National Key Research and Development Project(Nos.2022YFC3701105,2018YFC0213504,2017YFC0213003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42005112)。
文摘Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions(CAMx)-Decoupled Direct Method(DDM)simulations of first-order ozone(O_(3))sensitivity to nitrogen oxides(NO_(x))and volatile organic compounds(VOCs)emissions were performed and combined with modelled P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratios to obtain a range of thresholds for determining O_(3)-sensitivity regimes for different areas of China.Utilising the new threshold ranges for photochemical indicators,the method for determining O_(3)formation in the Ozone Source Apportionment Technology(OSAT)module within CAMx was improved by a dynamically varied threshold of P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio.The O_(3)concentration contributions in the newly added transition regime were apportioned to NO_(x)and VOCs emissions in proportion to the relationship between the P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio and first-order O_(3)sensitivity.The source contributions of O_(3)concentrations from different emission sectors from June to September 2019 were compared using the original and improved CAMx-OSAT.The results showed that the O_(3)concentration contributions changed significantly in the NO_(x)-limited regime,with a maximum decrease of 21.89%,while the contributions increased by up to 7.57%in the VOC-limited regime,and were within 15μg/m^(3)in the transition regime.The modified OSAT module enabled a more sophisticated attribution of O_(3)to precursor emissions and may have far-reaching implications for informing O_(3)pollution control policy.
基金supported by funds from the Otto A.Malm Foundation(to MG-A)the University of Helsinki Lahti fund(to MG-A)。
文摘Unintentional food resources in urban areas(street litter,food leftovers,overflowing trash bins)are dietary components of some urban-exploiter bird species.In this study,we report on 13 bird species in six southern Finnish cities using urban trash bins and describe differences in their activity when provided with food resources(i.e.,bait)in different bin types.We used generalized linear models(GLM)and classification and regression trees(CART)to test for associations between environmental variables and bird activity at the binscapes.Bird activity at the binscapes significantly differed among all cities and among types of bins and was significantly higher after placing bait in all cases.Bins with the largest opening had more activity as opposed to those with smaller openings or lids.Corvids and gulls had the highest activity,with corvids usually being present before the bait was placed and gulls increasing their activity thereafter.These differences show that trash bin foraging is highly malleable and thus susceptible to management preventing its occurrence.Suitable waste management measures could aid in reducing the number of species close to bins and their surroundings,benefiting both bird and human health.
文摘The use of freely-available multi-source imagery for mapping vegetation in montane terrain is important for many developing countries that do not have the funding for high-resolution data capture.Radar images are also now freely available and include Sentinel-1 in dual polarisation,and PALSAR-2.These images can penetrate cloud cover and provide the advantage of acquiring data in a cloudy tropical region.This research evaluated whether the addition of radar with optical and topographic data improves classification accuracy in a montane region in Sri Lanka.Six classification experiments were designed based on different combinations of image data to test whether radar data improved land cover classification accuracy compared with optical data alone.Random forest classifier in the Google Earth Engine has been utilised to classify the tropical montane vegetation.The results indicate that radar or optical data alone cannot obtain satisfactory results.However,when combining radar with optical data the overall accuracy increased by approximately 5%,and by an additional 2%when topography data were added.The highest accuracy(92%)was achieved with multiple imagery,and adding the vegetation indices improved the model slightly by 0.3%.In addition,feature importance analysis showed that radar data makes a significant contribution to the classification.These positive outcomes demonstrate that freely-accessible multi-source remotely-sensed data have impressive capability for vegetation mapping,and support the monitoring and managing of forest ecological resources in tropical montane regions.
