The forest resources input–output model: An application in China

Understanding the state of forest resource utilization in China and correctly evaluating the role and function of forest resources in national economic development are essential for realizing balanced development of forests, the environment, and the economy. This is especially true given the present situation of increasingly scarce forest resources. Using data from Chinese forest industry statistical yearbooks, forestry development reports, and other documents, this paper examines the current state of forest resource utilization in China from the angle of combining quantities and values based on input–output tables. We show that demand for and input use of forest resources varies greatly across industrial sectors; the paper products and furniture manufacturing industries have the greatest direct consumption coefficient for timber use. When considering direct and indirect demand, it is clear that forest resources restrict different industrial sectors in diverse ways. These results provide an important set of reference values regarding the utilization of forest resources and coordinated industrial development in China.     

华北地区针叶林下凋落物层化学性质的研究

森林凋落物中贮积了大量的有机、无机养分物质,它是森林土壤自然肥力的重要来源之一。在森林生态系统中,养分物质的内部循环主要是通过凋落物来实现的。在分解、转化过     

Taxonomic significance of short forms of middle Permian Pseudoalbaillella Holdsworth and Jones, 1980 (Follicucullidae,Radiolaria)

Middle Permian Pseudoalbaillella from the Xiaodong area in South China were studied using fossil morphology. Short forms of Pseudoalbaillella fusiformis (Holdsworth and Jones), Pseudoalbaillella internata Wang, and Pseudoalbaillella monacantha (Ishiga and Imoto), characterized by a short and skirt-like pseudoabdomen, were confirmed. We conclude that the short forms were derived from their respective species by breaking off during disruptive processes. If this is true, there may be structurally weakened parts in the pseudoabdomen.     

Assessment of sustainable development: A case study of Wuhan as a pilot city in China

Building resource-conserving and environmental-friendly society (referred to as “two-oriented society”, TOS) is an important way proposed by the Chinese government to achieve sustainable development. In this paper, a pilot city of constructing TOS in China-Wuhan is taken as a case to evaluate the performance of TOS from 2005 to 2012. Treating the indicators of TOS as multi-dimensional vectors, this paper proposes a methodological framework by integrating the methods of vector angle and Euclidean distance to measure the angle and distance between the vector of annual status of TOS and the vector of planning target of TOS. Based on this, the paper employs coordination (the angle between the two vectors) and effectiveness (the distance between the two vectors) to describe the performance of TOS and its subsystems, including economic development (ED), social and people's well-being (SW), resource consumption (RC), resource recycling (RR), environmental quality (EQ) and pollution control (PC). Moreover, grey relational analysis approach is used to analyse the core factors influencing TOS construction. Results reveal that the performance of TOS in Wuhan is continually improved in the study period while the performance of its subsystems shows several differences: (1) both coordination and effectiveness of TOS, ED and SW keep on improving, while those of EQ fluctuate; (2) the effectiveness of both RR and PC shows a downward trend while the coordination of them fluctuates; (3) the actual value of RC indicators reaches the planning targets. Based on the analysis of determinants, we suggest that strengthening technological ability and adding investment are extremely important to improve the performance of RC and PC. For the sake of improving RR, it is critical to provide more government public expenditure and encourage financial institutions to provide more loans to stimulate and support the businesses. Moreover, increasing the amount of R&D funding and maintaining steady external economic environment are proved to be effective to improve all subsystems of TOS.     

Potamotrygon marquesi,a new species of neotropical freshwater stingray (Potamotrygonidae) from the Brazilian Amazon Basin

Potamotrygon marquesi, sp. nov., is described and compared with other species of Potamotrygon occurring in the Amazon Basin. The identity of this new species is supported by an extensive external and internal morphological study including coloration pattern, squamation, skeleton and ventral lateral-line canals. Morphometrics and meristics were used to further distinguish P. marquesi from congeners. Potamotrygon marquesi was first considered to fall within the range of variation found in P. motoro. However, even with an extensive variation in coloration observed in P. motoro, this new species presents a series of autapomorphies that confidently distinguishes it from what is understood as the morphological variation found in P. motoro. Additional morphological characters that diagnose P. marquesi include three angular cartilages, asymmetrical star-shaped denticles, a single regular row of spines on tail dorsum, lateral row of caudal spines near the sting insertion, dorsal disc background in beige and grey mixed with shades of grey and bearing open and closed bicolored rings, among others. Although presenting a gap of distribution along the west–east extension of the Amazon Basin, its diagnostic charactistics are consistent in both recorded regions. Our study supports the need for many morphological characters to robustly distinguish members of Potamotrygoninae considering their extremely variable dorsal disc color pattern.