People and community as constituent parts of hazards: the significance of societal dimensions in hazards analysis     

C. Emdad Haque  David Etkin 《Natural Hazards》2007,41(2):271-282

Nature-triggered hazards and disasters have traditionally been treated only from the lens of geophysical and biophysical processes, implying that the root cause of large-scale death and destruction lies in the natural domain rather than in a coupled human–environment system. Conceptually, the physical domain has been seen as discrete and separate from human entities, and solutions were sought in the technological intervention and control of the physical environment—solutions that often ended up being less effective than hoped for and sometimes even counter productive. At all levels, institutions have directed and redirected most of their financial and logistical resources into the search for scientific and engineering solutions without allocating due attention and resources towards the assessment of effects and effectiveness of the applications of such technological outcomes. However, over the last two decades, forceful criticisms of the ‘dominant’ technocratic approach to hazards analysis have appeared in the literature and consequently there has not only been a shift in thinking of causation of disaster loss in terms of human vulnerability, but also newer questions have arisen regarding distinguishing between the ‘physical exposure’ of people to threats and societal vulnerability, and linking them with propensity to hazards loss. Though the vulnerability/resilience paradigm has largely replaced the hazards paradigm within the social sciences and much of the professional emergency and disaster management communities, this shift of thinking has not progressed to much of the physical science community, decision-makers and the public, who have not yet accepted the idea that understanding and using human and societal dimensions is equally or more important than trying to deal and control nature through the use of technology. This special issue is intended to further the idea that the aspects of community and peoples’ power to mitigate, to improve coping mechanisms, to respond effectively, and recover with vigor against the environmental extremes are of paramount conceptual and policy importance.  相似文献   

森林地下碳分配(TBCA)研究进展     

陈光水  杨玉盛  刘乐中  李熙波  赵月彩  袁一丁 《福建地理》2007,(1)

森林地下碳分配(TBCA)是森林碳循环的重要通量,对森林碳吸存有十分重要作用.TBCA是森林生态系统GPP中一个最大的汇,可占GPP的21%～61%,土壤呼吸的2/3来自TBCA.目前国际上常用的TBCA测定方法为碳平衡法,在假定地下碳库处于稳定状态时,TB-CA可由土壤呼吸减去凋落物量获得,但该方法存在一系列问题.影响森林TBCA的因素有生产力、森林类型、树龄和森林演替阶段、土壤养分和水分有效性、林分密度和树种组成、气候变化因素等.TBCA中各个组成部分均较难以测定和量化,通常假定TBCA中根系呼吸与根系生产力各约占50%,而TBCA中菌根菌和根系分泌物的贡献则仍不清楚.有关TBCA各组分去向及影响机理的研究亦很少.TBCA未来的研究应致力于揭示TBCA的根本驱动因子和其对全球变化的响应机理,以及TBCA转化为土壤新碳的效率及控制因素;同时应提高TBCA测定方法的确定性,特别是应将碳同位素法、微根管法及碳平衡法三者相结合.  相似文献   

A comparative allometric study of the morphometry of the gills of an alkalinity adapted cichlid fish,Oreochromis alcalicus grahami,of Lake Magadi,Kenya     

J. N. Maina  S. M. Kisia  C. M. Wood  A. B. Narahara  H. L. Bergman  P. Laurent  P. J. Walsh 《International Journal of Salt Lake Research》1996,5(2):131-156

A morphometric analysis of the gills ofOreochromis alcalicus grahami has been carried out on specimens from ecologically distinct lagoons and a water-holding tank of Lake Magadi, a highly alkaline salt lake situated in a volcanically active region of the southern part of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. The data were compared with those fromOreochromis niloticus, a close relative that lives in fresh water and with data from other fresh water and marine fish. Our primary goal was to identify the possible adaptive features which enable the fish to survive in an environment characterized by severely fluctuating levels of oxygen, a condition exacerbated by factors such as high temperature, alkalinity and osmolarity. The specimens ofO. a. grahami from the south-western lagoons of the lake had gills better adapted for gas exchange with a body mass specific diffusing capacity for oxygen which was about 2 times greater than that of the gills of the specimens from the fish spring lagoons and 2.5 times that of those from the water-holding tanks. Some parameters of the gills ofO. a. grahami, e.g. the gill filament length and number of gill filaments are significantly greater than those ofO. niloticus but the number of secondary lamellae, area of secondary lamellae and the diffusing capacity of the gills are similar in the two species. Compared with most other fish, the gills ofO. a. grahami appear to be particularly well adapted for gas exchange especially by having a thin water-blood barrier. Perhaps in no other extant fish have the gills had to be so exquisitely designed to meet environmental extremes and regulate complex and at times conflicting functions such as gas exchange, iono-regulation, acid-base balance and nitrogenous waste excretion as inO. a. grahami  相似文献   

三江平原沼泽地碳循环初探   总被引：35，自引：1，他引：35  

马学慧  吕宪国 《地理科学》1996,16(4):323-330

在三江平原多年考察与研究的基础上，通过典型沼泽的定位观测，估算了三江平原沼泽土壤中的碳储量，探讨了沼泽植物对大气ＣＯ２的固定，碳素自沼泽土壤向大气的转移，沼泽近地气层ＣＯ２流，以及沼泽植物－土壤－大气之间的碳素流动。  相似文献   

多尺度非静力通用模式框架的设计策略   总被引：20，自引：8，他引：12       下载免费PDF全文

陈德辉杨学胜  张红亮胡江林 《应用气象学报》2003,14(4):452-461

针对目前国际上数值预报模式的最新发展趋势,综述了新形势下多尺度非静力通用数值预报模式框架的设计策略。目前世界上开发通用模式主要有两个途经,一是建立一个离散化方案和源程序代码共享的、全球和有限区通用的模式,二是建立一个单一的全球可变分辨率的模式。还从通用模式方程组的选取策略、模式网格属性的构造,时间积分方案、空间离散方案,垂直坐标的选取等方面进行了分析。  相似文献   

Effect of water stress on ecosystem photosynthesis and respiration of a Leymus chinensis steppe in Inner Mongolia     

《中国科学D辑(英文版)》2006,(Z2)

Many studies on global climate have forecast major changes in the amounts and spatial patterns of precipitation that may significantly affect temperate grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions. As a part of ChinaFLUX, eddy covariance flux measurements were made at a semi-arid Leymus chinensis steppe in Inner Mongolia, China during 2003-2004 to quantify the response of carbon exchange to environmental changes. Results showed that gross ecosystem production (FGEP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) of the steppe were significantly depressed by water stress due to lack of precipitation during the growing season. Temperature was the dominant factor affecting FGEP and Reco in 2003, whereas soil moisture imposed a significant influence on both Reco and FGEP in 2004. Under wet conditions, Reco showed an exponentially increasing trend with temperature (Q10 = 2.0), but an apparent reduction in the value of Reco and its temperature sensitivity were observed during the periods of water stress (Q10=1.6). Both heat and water stress can cause decrease in FGEP. The sea-sonality of ecosystem carbon exchange was strongly correlated with the variation of precipitation. With less precipitation in 2003, the steppe sequestrated carbon in June and July, and went into a senescence in early August due to water stress. As compared to 2003, the severe drought during the spring of 2004 delayed the growth of the steppe until late June, and the steppe became a CO2 sink from early July until mid-September, with ample precipitation in August. The semi-arid steppe released a total of 9.7 g C·m-2 from May 16 to the end of September 2003, whereas the net carbon budget during the same period in 2004 was close to zero. Long-term measurements over various grasslands are needed to quantify carbon balance in temperate grasslands.  相似文献   

Net ecosystem CO_2 exchange and controlling factors in a steppe——Kobresia meadow on the Tibetan Plateau     

《中国科学D辑(英文版)》2006,(Z2)

Knowledge of seasonal variation of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and its biotic and abiotic controllers will further our understanding of carbon cycling process, mechanism and large-scale modelling. Eddy covariance technique was used to measure NEE, biotic and abiotic factors for nearly 3 years in the hinterland alpine steppe--Korbresia meadow grassland on the Tibetan Plateau, the present highest fluxnet station in the world. The main objectives are to investigate dynamics of NEE and its components and to determine the major controlling factors. Maximum carbon assimilation took place in August and maximum carbon loss occurred in November. In June, rainfall amount due to monsoon climate played a great role in grass greening and consequently influenced interannual variation of ecosystem carbon gain. From July through September, monthly NEE presented net carbon assimilation. In other months, ecosystem exhibited carbon loss. In growing season, daytime NEE was mainly controlled by photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). In addition, leaf area index (LAI) interacted with PAR and together modulated NEE rates. Ecosystem respiration was controlled mainly by soil temperature and simultaneously by soil moisture. Q10 was negatively correlated with soil temperature but positively correlated with soil moisture. Large daily range of air temperature is not necessary to enhance carbon gain. Standard respiration rate at referenced 10℃(R10) was positively correlated with soil moisture, soil temperature, LAI and aboveground biomass. Rainfall patterns in growing season markedly influenced soil moisture and therefore soil moisture controlled seasonal change of ecosystem respiration. Pulse rainfall in the beginning and at the end of growing season induced great ecosystem respiration and consequently a great amount of carbon was lost. Short growing season and relative low temperature restrained alpine grass vegetation development. The results suggested that LAI be usually in a low level and carbon uptake be relatively low. Rainfall patterns in the growing season and pulse rainfall in the beginning and at end of growing season control ecosystem respiration and consequently influence carbon balance of ecosystem.  相似文献   

Defending community? Indigeneity, self-determination and institutional ambivalence in the restoration of Lake Whakaki     

Brad Coombes 《Geoforum》2007,38(1):60-72

Conservation practitioners have scrutinized the credibility and effectiveness of community-based natural resource management, noting its romantic misconceptions about communities and their capacities. Early approaches failed to acknowledge the heterogeneity of collective agents, the synergy between decentralization and neoliberalism, or the need to affirm rural peoples’ entitlements to resources. A Maori community’s attempt to restore Lake Whakaki on New Zealand’s east coast confirms many of these critiques. The restoration confronts institutional ambivalence, obstructive forces from beyond the zone of Maori influence and non-correspondence between community and catchment dynamics. Fulfilment of the project requires exogenous resources and authority, but state conservation agencies are ambivalent towards local demands for self-determined development. Nonetheless, an uncommon degree of agency which is grounded within community aspirations for sovereignty suggests that the motivational characteristics of community retain their importance in debates about integrated conservation and development.  相似文献   

Conservation and community in the new South Africa: A case study of the Mahushe Shongwe Game Reserve   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Brian H. King 《Geoforum》2007,38(1):207-219

The idealization of natural landscapes and peoples during colonialism, coupled with the popularity of sustainable development in the postcolonial era, has contributed to the expansion of conservation planning throughout the African continent. Concerns surrounding the promotion of national and international conservation agendas at the expense of local livelihood needs have generated interest in community conservation projects that attempt to include local participation and knowledge in natural resource management. The early excitement associated with community conservation has waned in light of recent assessments that it has been unsuccessful in meeting its ecological and social goals. This parallels other research that suggests communities are understood in generic or homogenous ways that influence how these initiatives are understood. Using a case study of the Mahushe Shongwe Game Reserve, this paper evaluates how rural households access environmental and economic resources to produce livelihoods, and how these access patterns impact their views of the project. It is argued that there are significant livelihood variations within the community that shape the ways households engage with, and benefit from, conservation planning. Rather than strictly viewing Mahushe Shongwe as a constraint to environmental resource access or site for limited employment, community members identify a number of benefits from its existence including education and development opportunities. Additionally, transformations in governance systems in the region impact community views of the project since younger residents are less likely to engage with the Matsamo Tribal Authority, which participates in managing the reserve. The consequence is that conservation has various impacts and meanings within a specific community that remain tied to the livelihood and governance systems being renegotiated in the post-apartheid era.  相似文献   

The community morphology of skilled migration: the changing role of voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) in the grounding of British migrant identities in Paris (France)     

Sam Scott 《Geoforum》2007,38(4):655-676

Research into skilled migrant communities tends to emphasize the grounding of identities through transnationalism and mobility. Less research has been conducted into how skilled migrants actually ground their identities within the city through everyday social networks. The paper addresses this imbalance by examining the changing significance of British voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) in Paris, France. Combining qualitative and quantitative data, findings show local migrant networks to be important focal points for the British even though migrants’ lives may increasingly be transnational in orientation. The research also shows that in situ social networks are evolving. Specifically, traditional forms of elite expatriate communality are not as omnipotent as they once were, with the popularity of some high-profile British VCOs in Paris declining over recent decades. The paper argues that the link between social dynamism and communal morphology helps explain this shift: as British middle-class lifestyles have fragmented, and as the British migrant population in Paris has grown in scale and scope, so the range of VCOs and associated informal networks has grown. Whilst some skilled migrants still embed within traditional expatriate organisations, Britishness is increasingly grounded elsewhere; both within the city through alternative social networks, and located beyond the city through transnational ties.  相似文献