U.S. non-governmental organizations’ cross-sectoral entrepreneurial strategies in energy efficiency

Regional Environmental Change - When established institutional pathways for energy efficiency policies necessary to mitigate climate change are blocked at the federal level, how do entrepreneurs in...     

Mercury and thyroid autoantibodies in U.S. women,NHANES 2007–2008

Associations between positive thyroid autoantibodies and total blood mercury in women were evaluated using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007–2008. Women are at increased risk for autoimmune disorders, mercury exposure has been associated with cellular autoimmunity and mercury accumulates in the thyroid gland. We used multiple logistic regression to evaluate the associations between total bloodmercury and thyroglobulin autoantibody antibody positivity and thyroid peroxidase autoantibody positivity in non-pregnant, non-lactating women aged 20 and older not currently using birth control pills or other hormone therapies, adjusted for demographic factors, menopausal status, nutrient intake and urine iodine (n = 2047). Relative to women with the lowest mercury levels (≤ 0.40 μg/L), women with mercury > 1.81 μg/L (upper quintile) showed 2.24 (95% CI = 1.22, 4.12) greater odds for thyroglobulin autoantibody positivity (p_trend = 0.032); this relationship was not evident for thyroid peroxidase autoantibody positivity. Results suggest an association between mercury and thyroglobulin autoantibody positivity.     

《中国人口.资源与环境》选题指南

~~《中国人口.资源与环境》选题指南     

关于《新疆21世纪议程〉.和可持续发展问题的思考

一、新疆自然资源及社会经济发展现状 (一)丰富的自然资源 1.水资源 新疆全年水汽总量为13797亿t,降水总量约为2429亿t,占17.6%,使占全国土地面积1/6的新疆所得到的降水仅占全国降水总量的4%,降水的84%分布于山区,形成干旱区中“湿岛”,为绿洲发展提供生命之源。新疆地表水径流量884亿m~3,地下水可开采量252亿m~3,高山区分布了24479km~2冰川,蓄水量25836亿m~3,是巨大的“固体水库”。     

Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency: Constructing “Certainty” as Rebuttal

Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency was the first Supreme Court opinion generated specifically as a response to the issue of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, alleging that Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) failure to regulate is leading to environmental harms for plaintiffs. This essay examines the majority opinion of Justice Stevens and his use of presumption and burden of proof, within a logic of problematic integration, to construct “certainty” as a rebuttal to and rejection of the “uncertainty” offered by EPA. I examine how this strategically constructed rebuttal to “uncertainty” functions as a declarative act of “certainty,” advancing a proposition whose scientific, legal, or political acceptance could function as a tipping point away from the claims of “uncertainty” used by opponents on this contentious issue. Because of the court's influence, the implications of their “certainty” extend beyond the case and into the broader discussion of climate change science and environmental communication.     

Factor influencing fishery-based farmers’ perception and their response to climate-induced crisis management.

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Time and again, climate change is a global phenomenon; intrinsically affects people and the environment more at the local and the global level when...     

气候变化对西苕溪流域未来洪水影响研究——Ⅱ.情景分析

研究表明VIC模型在西苕溪流域具有良好的适用性,特别是对汛期洪水的模拟。应用陆面水文模型VIC与区域气候模式PRECIS耦合,探讨了西苕溪流域未来洪水对气候变化的响应。结果表明：横塘村水文站月平均流量与月最大洪峰流量的关系较为密切,相关系数均在0.85以上,在一定程度上可以表征洪水的变化特征;基于PRECIS生成的气候情景,未来时期西苕溪流域洪水对气候变化的响应比较明显,尤其是汛期流量增加趋势较显著;结合P-Ⅲ型分布频率分析,西苕溪流域2021~2050年发生洪水极值事件的频率及量级都较基准期增大,且A2情景比B2情景相对更容易触发较大洪水,基准期50 a一遇洪水在未来两种情景下分别缩短为27 a一遇和32 a一遇,说明流域洪水对于气候变化的响应程度增大。     

气候变化对西苕溪流域未来洪水影响研究——Ⅰ.VIC模型评估

可变下渗能力模型VIC是基于单元网格的分布式水文模型,易于与气候模式进行耦合,从而揭示气候变化对水循环的复杂影响,为分析气候变化情景下流域洪水的响应特征提供技术支撑。作为研究工作的第一步,构建了基于5 km×5 km网格分辨率的西苕溪流域VIC径流模拟模型。利用流域出口横塘村水文观测站1990~2000年日流量观测数据并结合西苕溪流域的汇流特点,采用Dag Lohmann汇流模型进行参数率定和验证。模拟结果表明：VIC模型对西苕溪流域日、年径流量的模拟值与观测值吻合良好,率定期和验证期的多年平均年径流相对误差Er分别为077%和343%,模拟日或月流量的确定性系数和Nash Suttcliffe系数都大于075,特别是对洪水年汛期流量过程的模拟,确定性系数均大于080,模型对洪水的模拟可信性较高     

“Degrowth” vs. Other Types of Growth: Labeling Affects Emotions but Not Attitudes

Questioning the compatibility of economic growth and environmental sustainability, some scholars and activists call for a degrowth strategy. This idea presents an attack on the economic growth paradigm, and it has thus raised considerable attention. Yet, although many agree with questioning economic growth, a debate continues as to whether the term “degrowth” is (dis)advantageous in wider public communications. This debate, however, lacks empirical evidence. Here, we present two studies on how “degrowth” is perceived compared to other relevant terms. In Study 1, we show that “degrowth” elicits more negative affective and emotional reactions compared to “post-growth” and “prosperity without growth.” In Study 2, we find that the effects of labeling on attitudes and voting intentions toward a sustainable economy are relatively small. These initial results suggest that “degrowth” may evoke somewhat more negative emotional reactions than similar terms, but this may not have significant consequences. We discuss the results and draw implications for communication and further research.     

缙云山银木荷(Schima argentea Pritz.ex Diels)林物种组成与多样性变化

定位研究了25a来缙云山银木荷林物种组成及多样性在自然演替过程中的动态变化。结果表明,银木荷林维管植物物种由57种(隶属于24科,46属)减少到38种(隶属于19科,26属)。林下草本和层间植物逐渐消失,胸径大于7.5cm的乔木层树总胸断面积有所减少。尽管群落物种组成以及多样性发生改变,但是银木荷依然是优势树种,处于林冠层,而林冠亚层的白毛新木姜子、四川山矾、长蕊杜鹃逐渐增多,短刺米槠逐渐减少。群落乔木层4个α多样性指数都呈下降趋势,丰富度指数由2.98下降为1.99,Shannon-Wiener指数25a间减小了0.34,Simpson指数和Pielou指数变化都很小;β多样性分析结果显示,银木荷群落的物种差异很大。研究表明,25a间群落物种差异显著。揭示缙云山银木荷林自然演替过程中的物种组成和多样性变化规律,可为缙云山保护区及长江流域中上游亚热带常绿阔叶林的银木荷群落的管理提供一定的参考价值。     

缙云山银木荷（ Schima argentea Pritz.ex Diels）林物种组成与多样性变化

定位研究了25 a来缙云山银木荷林物种组成及多样性在自然演替过程中的动态变化。结果表明,银木荷林维管植物物种由57种（隶属于24科,46属）减少到38种（隶属于19科,26属）。林下草本和层间植物逐渐消失,胸径大于75 cm的乔木层树总胸断面积有所减少。尽管群落物种组成以及多样性发生改变,但是银木荷依然是优势树种,处于林冠层,而林冠亚层的白毛新木姜子、四川山矾、长蕊杜鹃逐渐增多,短刺米槠逐渐减少。群落乔木层4个α多样性指数都呈下降趋势,丰富度指数由298下降为199,Shannon Wiener指数25 a间减小了034,Simpson指数和Pielou指数变化都很小;β多样性分析结果显示,银木荷群落的物种差异很大。研究表明,25 a间群落物种差异显著。揭示缙云山银木荷林自然演替过程中的物种组成和多样性变化规律,可为缙云山保护区及长江流域中上游亚热带常绿阔叶林的银木荷群落的管理提供一定的参考价值。     

Consequences of changed wetness on riverine nitrogen – human impact on retention vs. natural climatic variability

The HBV-N model was used for a scenario analysis of changes in nitrogen retention and transport caused by alterations of wetness due to land drainage, lowering of lakes, building of dams and climatic variability in a river basin in south-central Sweden (1885–1994). In general, dams were situated in locations more favourable for retention, compared to the lowered lakes. Rather modest conversions of water bodies only changed nitrogen transport by about 3%. The 180-times-larger increase of (mainly) tile-drained agricultural land had, according to simulations, increased the nitrogen transport by 17%, due to reduced retention. However, compared to human-induced alteration of the landscape N retention, the choice of 10-year periods of climatological data had the overriding effect on the calculated nitrogen transport. Weather-induced variations resulted in a 13% difference in nitrogen retention between various 10-year periods. When the model was driven by climatological data from the driest 10-year period (1905–1914), the estimated average annual load was only half of that obtained with climatological data from the wettest 10-year period (1975–1984). Electronic Publication     

Cleaner production solution selection for paper making – a case study of Latif paper products Co. Iran

Abstract

The objective of this research is to design an approach for selecting appropriate solutions to efficiently and productively reduce environmental pollution and water, energy and raw material consumption in a recycled paper manufacturing facility, the paper mill in Latif, Iran. To reach this goal, we develop a decision-making model using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The proposed model provides a framework for cleaner production implementation specific to the paper industry. Pairwise comparisons of the results of designed questionnaires resulted in the hierarchy model being divided into five major groups: production modification; process change; preventive maintenance; renewal; and manpower resources.These five groups include 31 sub-criteria and seven alternatives. The results showed that process change yields the highest priority among the main criteria and that industrial automation and its technology level gives the highest priority among sub-criteria. Regarding the alternatives, reduction of environmental pollution is the most important solution for cleaner production in the industry. Also, product modification is the most sensitive criterion affecting the alternatives priority.     

“You Can't Run Your SUV on Cute. Let's Go!”: Internet Memes as Delegitimizing Discourse

In an effort to explore the role of new media technologies in environmental protest rhetoric, this paper examines Greenpeace's Let's Go! Arctic campaign, which opposed Shell's Arctic oil-drilling plans. The campaign produced a body of Internet memes designed to look like Shell's own corporate advertising. Moreover, the viral campaign used various rhetorical techniques that challenged Shell's goals and identity. Greenpeace-generated and user-generated memes cleverly use irony, corporate voice and humor to delegitimize Shell's Arctic efforts. The memes offered messages that mocked corporate practices and corporate messaging while also providing direct protest messages and accessible humor that invited identification against Shell. Thus, the memes collectively encouraged identification with Greenpeace's antidrilling, pro-environment discourse.     

Effect of Earthworm（Pheretima sp.） Density on Revegetation of Lead/zinc Metal Mine Tailings Amended with Soil

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of earthworm density on the availability of nutrients and heavy metals in metal contaminated soils. Pb/Zn mine tailings were mixed throughly with a red yellow podzolic soil at the ratio （w/w） of 75：25. Earthworms （Pheretima sp.） were introduced to the mixture at four different densities, zero, three, six and nine individuals per pot planted with ryegrass （Loliun multiflorum）. The results indicated that earthworm activity significantly enhanced ryegrass shoot biomass. However, as denser earthworm population was introduced, shoot biomass tended to decrease. Earthworm activity significantly increased soil pH and availability of N, P and K in the tailings and soil mixture. There was a general tendency that uptake of Zn by ryegrass increased after earthworm inoculation, although the increase in extractable Zn in tailings and soil mixture was not significant. On the contrary, there seemed to be a lower uptake of Pb by ryegrass under earthworm inoclation, despite the fact that higher extractable Pb concentrations were observed. The present project indicated that the improved growth of ryegrass was due to improved nutrient availability and other soil conditions, by inoculation of earthworms at an appropriate rate. Further studies are needed to illustrate the relationship between metal availability and earthworm activity in the field.     

The Ecological–Genetic Pattern of Variation in the Populations of Narrow-Leaved Hawk's Beard Crepis tectorum L. (Asteraceae)

The effect of long-term exposure to a stress factor on the pattern of variation and intrapopulation differentiation with respect to phenotypic plasticity was studied in Crepis tectorum L. by means of family analysis of various traits in seedlings. Trends in the changes of variation patterns in populations and the possible consequences of the decrease in the proportions of genotypes determining a low sensitivity to environmental changes and in genotypic diversity with respect to phenotypic plasticity are discussed.