赞比亚的人类发展与环境挑战

由于赞比亚社会经济及人民生活水平较低,赞比亚人民为了生存,不得不依靠掠夺性地开发自然生态系统和破坏环境来获得资源。赞比亚有60%以上的人民是农村居民,直接靠自然环境资源维持生存,对当地的自然环境造成了很大的影响。这种人类对环境的压力包括森林的毁坏,农田覆土的不断流失,土壤侵蚀以及气候的多变性造成的周期性干旱等。而人口的快速增长,当地社会经济的长期疲软以及大气、水、土地资源的污染更是给原本脆弱的生态环境雪上加霜。本文受统计数据的可获得性限制,部分结论尚未定量化,但其反映的人类发展与环境保护之间的矛盾却是客观存在的。     

四川九顶山保护区周边社区经济及环境意识调查和建议

应用PRA方法对四川九顶山自然保护区周边社区5个乡镇的经济状况及居民的环境意识进行了调查,结果表明：1）居民的主要经济来源是经济林木产品和矿山务工收入,对森林资源的依赖性不强;2）当地大量的采矿业破坏了自然环境;3）在调查居民的发展愿望时,37％的人认为应大力发展种植业。由于社区经济发展不平衡,居民的发展愿望差异明显;4）各乡镇居民对保护区的认识和环境保护的看法有显著差异,经济发展地区的环境意识较强;5）保护区对居民的宣传教育偏少。保护区应加大对居民的宣教工作,积极开展社区共管;同时也应该注意到经济发展的滞后可能影响社区的环境保护工作的开展,所以在推动保护区的工作同时,实现当地经济的可持续发展。     

自然保护区开发生态旅游生态环境保护对策探讨

自然保护区生态旅游的开发是一柄"双刃剑",如果对当地的环境进行合理的开发,那么就会增加当地经济效益,获得很好的循环效果,可是一旦不能够很好的利用当地现有的环境资源,对生态环境胡乱开发,那么将会对当地环境带来无法挽回的损失,所以在对环境进行开发的时候应该在获得经济效益和保护环境之间形成平衡。     

四川九顶山自然保护区周边社区经济及环境意识调查和建议

应用参与式乡村评估方法(PRA)对四川九顶山自然保护区周边社区5个乡镇的经济状况及居民的环境意识进行了调查,结果表明:(1)居民的主要经济来源是经济林木产品和矿山务工收入,对森林资源的依赖性不强;(2)当地大量的采矿业破坏了自然环境;(3)在调查居民的发展愿望时,37%的人认为应大力发展种植业,由于社区经济发展不平衡,居民的发展愿望差异明显;(4)各乡镇居民对保护区的认识和环境保护的看法有显著差异,经济发展地区的环境意识较强;(5)保护区对居民的宣传教育偏少.保护区应加大对居民的宣教工作,积极开展社区共管;同时也应注意到经济发展的滞后可能影响社区的环境保护工作的开展,所以在推动保护区的工作同时,应实现当地经济的可持续发展.     

微生物对重金属的抗性及解毒机理

随着采矿业的发展和重金属在冶金、化工、造纸、农业和制药业等方面的应用,重金属对环境的污染和治理日益受到重视。业已发现,许多微生物能在较高浓度的金属离子环境中生存,解除重金属对自身的毒害。长期以来,人们从生理学、生态学,生物化学,遗传学和分子生物学等方面就微生物对重金属的抗性及解毒机理进行了大量深人的研究,提出了种种解释。微生物对重金属抗性机制是非常复杂的。环境中的污染源又多是几种金属伴生、微生物对重金属的解毒机理,还有待于继续深人研究和探讨。某些金属元素的离子（如锌、铜、锰、镁、钙、钾、钻等）在…     

真菌吸附铅锌的研究

正随着采矿业的迅速发展,越来越多的重金属通过多种途径进入土壤环境中,对生态环境造成了不可估量的破坏并严重威胁人类健康。铅锌在工业上具有非常重要的作用且其应用极为广泛,而他们具有的难去除、难迁移和生物累积等特性使得铅锌在环境中的污染尤为突出。通过微生物的生长代谢,有效降低土壤重金属毒性,是促进植物生长的重要步骤之一。同时也要求微生物自身具有抵抗重金属的功能,根际微生     

闽南几种植物对极端低温反应的表现

植物的生长发育与环境有着密切的关系。一定的环境生存着一定种类的植物,而一定的植物对某个环境因子的反应,也指示了当时当地的环境因子的特征。在农业生态学工作中,常以当地植物对某个因子的反应作指标来探索引种栽培植物的适宜条件。本文     

区域农业经济发展的能值分析

运用能值分析法,研究了辽宁省朝阳与抚顺2个农业经济系统在25年的发展过程中资源利用、产品生产、环境压力以及可持续性的变迁.结果表明:2个农业系统的生产过程对购入资源的依赖性都呈增强的态势,由于较多依赖于购入的不可更新资源,生产过程对当地环境产生较大压力;25年中,系统的生态可持续性急剧下降.在这一过程中,朝阳农业系统表现出可持续性的更快下降,能值可持续指数从1.25下降到0.11;同样的工业化过程给朝阳较脆弱的环境带来更大的压力;与投入更多不可更新资源相比,环境的保护与恢复应该是减少本地不可更新资源流失的更优策略.     

气候变化对鸡西地区水稻生产的影响

随着全球气候的变化,我国鸡西区域的气候也发生较为显著的变化。近年来由于气温的升高和降水量逐渐的增加,影响了当地农作物的生长以及对生态环境造成了很大影响,进而对当地农业生产产生很大的影响。水稻的种植在鸡西地区占据很重要的位置,因此通过调查和研究分析当地的气候变化规律,可以有效的提高当地短期气候预测水平以及合理有效的提出应对气候变化的措施,从而有效的解决气候变化对水稻种植带来的影响。通过调查研究,本文详细介绍了气候变化对水稻种植的影响。     

石油污染土壤的生物降解研究

石油工业迅速的发展带来了许多环境问题。在原油生产与输送过程中[1] ,井喷、泄露及沉降排放等引起的原油进入土壤造成的土壤污染 ,很难治理。原油在环境中残留时间长 ,对土壤微生物和土壤 植物生态系统 ,甚至地下水都产生危害 ,影响土壤肥力 ,破坏土壤生产力 ,严重影响当地的粮食产量及产品质量。当前 ,治理土壤石油污染的方法主要有物理法、化学法和生物治理技术[2 ] 。污染土壤生物清洁技术就是利用微生物将土壤中有害有机污染物降解为无害无机物 (ＣＯ2 和Ｈ2 Ｏ)的过程。降解过程可以由改变土壤理化条件 (包括土壤ｐＨ ,温度、湿度、…     

Change and Chisungu in Zambia's Time of AIDS

Through an examination of amafunde – a Bemba word meaning ‘instruction’, which refers to the training given to a young woman before her marriage – this article explores the social changes that have followed widespread HIV infection on the Zambian Copperbelt. Amafunde today are marked by openness between senior women and those they train for marriage, an openness that they encourage their charges to adopt in married life. This emphasis on direct or ‘straight’ speech stands in stark contrast to earlier accounts of female initiation in Zambia, which highlight ‘obscure’ modes of communication. An analysis of this change reveals the increased importance of both secrecy and disclosure in Zambia's time of AIDS, as well as the influence of Pentecostal Christianity. Most importantly, it indexes changes in the social forms that the interplay of secrecy and disclosure has traditionally produced.     

两淮采煤沉陷积水区水体营养盐时空分布及富营养化进程

在淮南“潘谢”矿区选取5个站点(PXS-1、PXS-2、PXS-3、PXS-4和PXS-5),在淮北“朱 杨庄”矿区内选取东湖、中湖和南湖3个站点(HBDH、HBZH和HBNH),分析了两淮地区两个采煤沉陷积水区水系内不同水体营养盐在空间(不同区域)、时间(年龄和季节)上的分布特征.结果表明： PXS-1、PXS-3和HBDH等3个站点营养状态较高,属于“中度富营养化”水体,另外5个站点均处于“中营养 轻度富营养化”状态,淮南矿区水体营养水平总体高于淮北矿区.两淮沉陷区内水体氮磷比(N∶P)较高,淮南水域在25～117,淮北在17～157,均具有明显的季节变化,生长季N∶P低于其他季节;总磷(TP)中溶解无机磷酸盐(DIP)所占比例较小(两淮水体平均分别为15.4%和18.4%),NO₃^--N是溶解无机氮(DIN)的主要组分,两淮水域NO₃^--N占DIN的比例分别为74%和89%．相比沉陷积水年龄,人为活动可能是导致水体营养水平升高和富营养化进程加快的重要因素之一.     

丛枝菌根在煤矿区生态重建中的应用

煤炭开采在促进国民经济快速发展的同时,引发诸多生态环境问题,分别就矿区生态治理中存在的主要障碍因子进行论述,结合丛枝菌根对宿主植物的营养吸收和抗逆性能,综述了丛枝菌根在矿区生态重建中应用的研究进展,揭示出菌根应用在矿区生态重建中的作用潜力和研究方向,极大地提高了矿区生态恢复的质量。     

Impact of epidermal leaf mining by the aspen leaf miner (Phyllocnistis populiella) on the growth, physiology, and leaf longevity of quaking aspen

The aspen leaf miner, Phyllocnistis populiella, feeds on the contents of epidermal cells on both top (adaxial) and bottom (abaxial) surfaces of quaking aspen leaves, leaving the photosynthetic tissue of the mesophyll intact. This type of feeding is taxonomically restricted to a small subset of leaf mining insects but can cause widespread plant damage during outbreaks. We studied the effect of epidermal mining on aspen growth and physiology during an outbreak of P. populiella in the boreal forest of interior Alaska. Experimental reduction of leaf miner density across two sites and 3 years significantly increased annual aspen growth rates relative to naturally mined controls. Leaf mining damage was negatively related to leaf longevity. Leaves with heavy mining damage abscised 4 weeks earlier, on average, than leaves with minimal mining damage. Mining damage to the top and bottom surfaces of leaves had different effects on physiology. Mining on the top surface of the leaf had no significant effect on photosynthesis or conductance and was unrelated to leaf stable C isotope ratio (delta(13)C). Mining damage to the bottom leaf surface, where stomata are located, had significant negative effects on net photosynthesis and water vapor conductance. Percent bottom mining was positively related to leaf delta(13)C. Taken together, the data suggest that the primary mechanism for the reduction of photosynthesis by epidermal leaf mining by P. populiella is the failure of stomata to open normally on bottom-mined leaves.     

Community health impacts of surface mining in the Upper West Region of Ghana: The roles of mining odors and dust

The emergence of the gold mining industry and the influx of artisanal and small-scale mining following recent discoveries of gold deposits in Northern Ghana have posed new socio-cultural, economic, environment and health challenges for residents in this dry savannah zone that is already facing negative consequences of environmental change. Yet, the extent to which residents in close proximity (impacted) and distant (affected) host communities perceive the impact of mining on their health has been nascent. Using cross sectional survey data (n=801) and applying the negative log-log regression technique, we examine residents’ self-rated health in mining communities in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The findings suggest that residents in impacted communities who believed that odors from mining activities could have health impact were twice more likely to report their health as poor, while those who were uncertain were 98% more likely to rate their health poor compared to those who disbelieved. However, sighting of dust was not significantly associated with subjective health in both impacted and affected communities. Based on these findings, it is recommended that Ghana's Minerals and Mining Act be reviewed to include the active involvement of host communities in mine leases while enforcing strict environmental best practices.     

Prevention and Management of Neonatal Hypothermia in Rural Zambia

Background

Neonatal hypothermia is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for newborn survival. The World Health Organization recommends maintaining a warm chain and skin-to-skin care for thermoprotection of newborn children. Since little is known about practices related to newborn hypothermia in rural Africa, this study''s goal was to characterize relevant practices, attitudes, and beliefs in rural Zambia.

Methods and Findings

We conducted 14 focus group discussions with mothers and grandmothers and 31 in-depth interviews with community leaders and health officers in Lufwanyama District, a rural area in the Copperbelt Province, Zambia, enrolling a total of 171 participants. We analyzed data using domain analysis. In rural Lufwanyama, community members were aware of the danger of neonatal hypothermia. Caregivers'' and health workers'' knowledge of thermoprotective practices included birthplace warming, drying and wrapping of the newborn, delayed bathing, and immediate and exclusive breastfeeding. However, this warm chain was not consistently maintained in the first hours postpartum, when newborns are at greatest risk. Skin-to-skin care was not practiced in the study area. Having to assume household and agricultural labor responsibilities in the immediate postnatal period was a challenge for mothers to provide continuous thermal care to their newborns.

Conclusions

Understanding and addressing community-based practices on hypothermia prevention and management might help improve newborn survival in resource-limited settings. Possible interventions include the implementation of skin-to-skin care in rural areas and the use of appropriate, low-cost newborn warmers to prevent hypothermia and support families in their provision of newborn thermal protection. Training family members to support mothers in the provision of thermoprotection for their newborns could facilitate these practices.     

矿区生态产业评价指标体系

论述了煤炭矿区生态产业评价指标体系设置的理论依据,针对煤炭矿区生态产业链的特点和发展模式,从自然资源、经济效益、环境效益和社会效益四个角度出发选择筛选指标,构建了煤炭矿区生态产业评价指标体系.建立了模糊综合评价模型,探讨了运用层次分析法并通过熵值法修正的确定评价指标权重的新方法,构建了各因素指标的模糊隶属度函数.应用龙口矿区2010年的指标数据对所建模型和方法进行检验,对龙口矿区生态产业发展及生态产业链延伸提出了具体建议.     

Sustainable Mining

The mining industry moves more earth than any other human endeavor. Yet mining companies regularly claim to practice sustainable mining. Progressive redefinition of the term sustainability has emptied out the concept of its original reference to the environment. Mining companies now use the term to refer to corporate profits and economic development that will outlast the life of a mining project. The deployment of corporate oxymorons like sustainable mining is one of the key strategies corporations use to conceal harm and neutralize critique.     

Multiple facets of biodiversity are threatened by mining-induced land-use change in the Brazilian Amazon

Aim

Mining is increasingly pressuring areas of critical importance for biodiversity conservation, such as the Brazilian Amazon. Biodiversity data are limited in the tropics, restricting the scope for risks to be appropriately estimated before mineral licensing decisions are made. As the distributions and range sizes of other taxa differ markedly from those of vertebrates—the common proxy for analysis of risk to biodiversity from mining—whether mining threatens lesser-studied taxonomic groups differentially at a regional scale is unclear.

Location

Brazilian Amazon.

Methods

We assess risks to several facets of biodiversity from industrial mining by comparing mining areas (within 70 km of an active mining lease) and areas unaffected by mining, employing species richness, species endemism, phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism metrics calculated for angiosperms, arthropods and vertebrates.

Results

Mining areas contained higher densities of species occurrence records than the unaffected landscape, and we accounted for this sampling bias in our analyses. None of the four biodiversity metrics differed between mining and nonmining areas for vertebrates. For arthropods, species endemism was greater in mined areas. Mined areas also had greater angiosperm species richness, phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism, although less species endemism than unmined areas.

Main Conclusions

Unlike for vertebrates, facets of angiosperm and arthropod diversity are relatively higher in areas of mining activity, underscoring the need to consider multiple taxonomic groups and biodiversity facets when assessing risk and evaluating management options for mining threats. Particularly concerning is the proximity of mining to areas supporting deep evolutionary history, which may be impossible to recover or replace. As pressures to expand mining in the Amazon grow, impact assessments with broader taxonomic reach and metric focus will be vital to conserving biodiversity in mining regions.     

The impact of mining on the woody vegetation of the southern Andes: a study of charcoal from the Andean Precordillera in central western Argentina in the 18th and 19th centuries

Mining has played an important role in the generation of economic wealth since colonial times in South America. However, the impact of historical mining on the environment has not been studied in detail. In view of this, and based on the analysis of archaeological and modern wood data, we discuss the impact of historical mining and human occupation on the woody vegetation of an arid region in the southern Andes. We present the results of the analysis of archaeobotanical charcoal remains recovered from the “Los Hornillos” mining site located in the Andean Precordillera, northwestern Mendoza Province, Argentina. The archaeobotanical materials date from the late 18th to the early 19th century. Based upon wood anatomy, 60% of charcoal fragments were associated with Adesmia cf. uspallatensis, a shrub widely distributed there. We assessed the impact and legacy of human occupation on local and regional plant communities based on charcoal evidence, archaeological data and the age of living A. uspallatensis shrubs growing around the mining site. This analysis allowed us to determine the rate of growth of this species (1.22 mm per year) and mean maximum ages of around 70 years. Therefore, the current development of woody communities in this area is thought to be representative of recovery after historical mining and occupation across the Andean Precordillera and suggests that obtaining firewood for mining activities constituted an important factor influencing past natural vegetation dynamics.