新疆生态足迹与环境压力的时空分异

提高生态现代化总体水平是改善区域生态环境承载力的核心和关键。利用生态环境质量指数和生态现代化指数(EM I)对我国西部生态环境脆弱区的新疆维吾尔自治区生态足迹和环境压力的变动态势进行了系统分析。结果表明:2004年新疆生态现代化指数在全国排名为27位,仍然为我国生态现代化水平落后的地区之一。1980—2005年,新疆综合现代化水平远低于高收入国家、世界平均水平和中等发达国家。1998年新疆人均生态足迹由25957hm2增加到2007年的40551hm2,人均生态承载力由3.1270hm2减少到2.8266 hm2。区域环境水平呈下降趋势。资源转化率、生态保护指数呈明显上升态势。环境治理指数呈剧烈变动,1996-2003年呈"N"型变动态势,区域生态脆弱性没有明显逆转。     

Quantification of the water,energy and carbon footprints of wastewater treatment plants in China considering a water–energy nexus perspective

Water and energy are closely connected and both are very important for human development. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are central to water–energy interactions as they consume energy to remove pollutants and thus reduce the human gray water footprint on the natural water environment. In this work, we quantified energy consumption in 9 different WWTPs in south China, with different treatment processes, objects, and capacities. The energy intensity in most of these WWTPs is in the range of 0.4–0.5 kWh/m³ in 2014. Footprint methodologies were used in this paper to provide insight into the environmental changes that result from WWTPs. A new indicator “gray water footprint reduction” is proposed based on the notion of gray water footprint to better assess the role of WWTPs in reducing human impacts on water resources. We find that higher capacity and appropriate technology of the WWTPs will result in higher gray water footprint reduction. On average, 6.78 m³ gray water footprint is reduced when 1 m³ domestic sewage is treated in WWTPs in China. 13.38 L freshwater are required to produce the 0.4 kWh electrical input needed for treating 1 m³ domestic wastewater, and 0.23 kg CO₂ is emitted during this process. The wastewater characteristics, treatment technologies as well as management systems have a major impact on the efficiency of energy utilization in reducing gray water footprint via these WWTPs. The additional climate impact associated with wastewater treatment should be considered in China due to the enormous annual wastewater discharge. Policy suggestions are provided based on results in this work and the features of China's energy and water distribution.     

Tracking resource use relative to planetary boundaries in a steady-state framework: A case study of Canada and Spain

There is a growing understanding of the biophysical processes that regulate the stability of the Earth-system, yet human pressures on the planet continue to increase rapidly. Here, recent advances in defining Earth-system thresholds using the planetary boundaries framework are translated down to national and sub-national levels. A set of 10 indicators is developed in a biophysical accounting framework that links the sustainability of resource flows from the biosphere to final consumption. The indicator set includes three measures of physical stocks, three measures of aggregate resource consumption, and four indicators of sustainable scale. The four scale indicators are ratios of (i) cumulative carbon footprint relative to carbon budget, (ii) nutrient use relative to biogeochemical boundaries, (iii) blue water consumption relative to monthly basin-level availability, and (iv) land footprint relative to biocapacity. Taken together, the indicators measure how close high-consuming societies are to meeting the conditions of a “steady-state economy”, defined here as an economy with non-growing physical stocks and flows maintained within shares of planetary boundaries. The framework is applied over a 15-year period to the economies of Canada and Spain, along with two sub-national regions (Nova Scotia and Andalusia). Nova Scotia is the only study site experiencing stable or decreasing biophysical stocks and flows. None of the study sites are consuming resources within their shares of all four planetary boundaries. Overall, the set of indicators provides guidance for prioritizing which environmental pressures need to decline (and by how much) for societies to be more effective stewards of Earth-system stability.     

The influence of consumer behavior on energy,greenhouse gas,and water footprints of showering

Understanding variability in consumer behavior can provide further insights into how to effectively reduce environmental footprints related to household activities. Here, we developed a stochastic model to quantify the energy, greenhouse gas (GHG), and water consumption footprints of showering in four different countries (Australia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America). We assessed the influence of two broadly distinct categories of behavior on the footprints of showering: habitual behaviors and one‐off reasoned actions. We also investigated whether changing showering behavior has a substantial impact on the associated energy, GHG, and water footprints. Our results show that the variation in environmental footprints within the countries due to differences in consumer behavior is a factor of 6–17 (95th percentile/5th percentile) depending on the country and the indicator selected. Both consumers’ reasoned actions (especially the choice of a specific heater and shower type) and habitual behaviors (length of showering in particular, are the dominant sources of footprint variability. Significant savings are achievable by making better one‐off decisions such as buying an efficient water heater and by taking shorter showers.     

生态需水在输水工程生态影响评价中的应用

以南水北调工程为例的输水管道工程在解决我国水资源供需矛盾和地域分配不均的问题中发挥着重要作用,输水管道工程的建设在产生巨大社会、经济、生态效益的同时,也给工程建设区域、调水相关区域脆弱的生态环境带来新的问题。工程建设的环境影响评价往往关心工程建设、运行时期对相关区域内主要环境要素的影响、响应及评价,而对工程建设相关的关键生态系统的影响关注较小。而南水北调等输水管道工程是与水密切相关的国家级大型工程,对工程建设区域、影响区域的水生生态系统产生较大的影响,如何科学、定量地评价输水工程对关键生态系统的影响是输水工程建设管理人员关注的热点之一。基于对生态需水评价理论与方法的总结及输水工程生态影响定量评价难点的分析,对生态需水与水生生态系统健康之间相辅相成的关系进行研究,提出了将生态需水引入输水工程生态影响评价的技术路径与评价模型。以南水北调中线工程为例,对其影响范围内的生态需水量进行评价,进而判断工程建设运行对相关区域关键生态系统的影响。     

Understanding the LCA and ISO water footprint: A response to Hoekstra (2016) “A critique on the water-scarcity weighted water footprint in LCA”

Water footprinting has emerged as an important approach to assess water use related effects from consumption of goods and services. Assessment methods are proposed by two different communities, the Water Footprint Network (WFN) and the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) community. The proposed methods are broadly similar and encompass both the computation of water use and its impacts, but differ in communication of a water footprint result. In this paper, we explain the role and goal of LCA and ISO-compatible water footprinting and resolve the six issues raised by Hoekstra (2016) in “A critique on the water-scarcity weighted water footprint in LCA”. By clarifying the concerns, we identify both the overlapping goals in the WFN and LCA water footprint assessments and discrepancies between them. The main differing perspective between the WFN and LCA-based approach seems to relate to the fact that LCA aims to account for environmental impacts, while the WFN aims to account for water productivity of global fresh water as a limited resource. We conclude that there is potential to use synergies in research for the two approaches and highlight the need for proper declaration of the methods applied.     

基于碳足迹的传统农业系统环境影响评价——以青田稻鱼共生系统为例

现代农业在带来粮食高产的同时也产生许多生态环境问题,这促使人们再次把目光转向传统农业系统。一些传统农业系统不仅具有突出的经济、社会和文化价值,还具有多种重要的生态功能,如温室气体减排。然而,已有研究缺乏对传统农业系统整个生命周期的固碳减排能力的测算及其环境影响的评价。为此,基于农户调研数据,运用生命周期评价法对青田稻鱼共生系统的碳足迹进行了测算,并与当地水稻单作系统进行比较。研究发现:(1)青田稻鱼共生系统和水稻单作系统碳足迹分别为6266.7 kgCO₂-eq/hm²和7520.0 kgCO₂-eq/hm²,单位产值碳足迹分别为0.12 kgCO₂-eq/元和0.21 kgCO₂-eq/元。与水稻单作系统相比,稻鱼共生系统排放的温室气体更少,环境影响更小,生态和经济效益更高。(2)农业生产过程中积累的CH₄是碳足迹的最主要来源,农业生产资料投入中的化肥是碳足迹的的第二大来源。农业生产资料投入中的饲料则是稻鱼共生系统碳足迹的另一重要来...     

生态设计家具的碳足迹核算与减排效果分析——以木质家具为例

我国的木质家具不仅产量大,而且碳排放强度也相对较高,利用生态设计理念可以降低木质家具的碳足迹。为了定量化生态设计所带来的减排效果,按照减少资源消耗和环境污染、节省住宅空间等木质家具生态设计原则,通过在一款多功能家具的框架内安装不同面板,形成了4种不同材质和结构的设计方案,利用生命周期分析方法核算了4种方案的碳足迹,并进一步量化了改进方案的减排效果。结果表明:4种家具设计的碳足迹从小到大为三聚氰胺板家具、木皮板家具、拼板家具、嵌条板家具,其中,实木类家具原材料碳排放较低,人造板类家具加工过程电力碳排放较低(主要来源于喷涂工段,占电力排放的83%—92%);通过各种减排方案的减排效果分析,发现采用"可拆卸无胶连接方式"改进方案减排效果显为明显;同时发现,合理的"低碳设计"(采用以实木板为基板,以三聚氰胺纸为贴面制作面板),可以避免中纤板喷涂过程的碳排放,从而减少产品整体碳足迹。     

生态建设补偿的定量标准——以南水北调东线水源地保护区一期生态建设工程为例

生态补偿标准的确定是生态补偿机制建立的重点和难点.以南水北调东线水源地保护一期生态建设工程的补偿为例,探讨生态建设的补偿标准.从工程投资和机会成本的角度分析生态建设的总成本为1.46亿元/年,通过生态系统服务价值评价并结合专家咨询赋权,计算出生态建设工程成功实施后,建设区域所增加的生态服务效益为0.83亿元/年,外部区域所增加的生态服务效益为2.13亿元/年;综合生态建设成本和生态效益,提出了根据生态服务效益分担生态建设成本的补偿标准分析思路,并由此计算得到外部区域对建设区域的补偿标准为1.11亿元/年.     

Bird based Index of Biotic Integrity: Assessing the ecological condition of Atlantic Forest patches in human-modified landscape

Wooded biomes converted to human-modified landscapes (HML) are common throughout the tropics, yielding small and isolated forest patches surrounded by an agricultural matrix. Diverse anthropogenic interventions in HMLs influence patches in complex ways, altering natural dynamics. Assessing current condition or ecological integrity in these patches is a challenging task for ecologists. Taking the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as a case study, we used the conceptual framework of the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), a multimetric approach, to assess the ecological integrity of eight small forest patches in a highly disturbed HML with different configurations and histories. The IBI was developed using bird assemblages found in these patches, and its performance was compared with analytical approaches commonly used in environmental assessment, such as general richness and Shannon’s diversity index. As a first step, the IBI procedure identifies an existing gradient of human disturbance in the study region and checks which biotic characteristics (candidate metrics) vary systematically across the gradient. A metric is considered valid when its’ relationship with the gradient provides an ecological interpretation of the environment. Then, the final IBI is elaborated using each valid metric, obtaining a score for each site. Over one year of sampling, 168 bird species were observed, providing 74 different bird candidate metrics to be tested against the disturbance gradient. Seven of them were considered valid:richness of threatened species; richness of species that use both “forest and non-forest” habitats; abundance of endemics, abundance of small understory-midstory insectivores, abundance of exclusively forest species; abundance of non-forest species, and abundance of species that forage exclusively in the midstory stratum. Each metric provided complementary information about the patch’s ecological integrity. The resulting IBI showed a significant linear relationship with the gradient of human disturbance, while total species richness and Shannońs diversity index did not. Application of numerical approaches, such as total species richness and Shannon’s diversity, did not distinguish ecological traits among species. The IBI proved better for assessing and interpreting ecological and environmental condition of small patches in highly disturbed HML. The IBI framework, its multimetric character, and the ease with which it can be adapted to diverse situations, make it an effective approach for assessing environmental conditions in the Atlantic Forest region, and also for many other small forest patches in the tropics.     

基于生态足迹的大型水电工程建设生态补偿标准评价模型——以三峡工程为例

生态足迹作为重要的生态环境指标,已被广泛应用于可持续性分析中,但在生态补偿领域应用的较少。运用生态足迹思想,构建了6类大型水电工程建设的生态供给足迹与生态需求足迹模型,以此为基础,确立了大型水电工程建设的生态补偿标准评价模型;并进行了三峡工程案例研究。结果表明:(1)三峡工程建设6项正面影响的生态供给足迹为949.96×104hm2/a,换算成总经济价值为619.18×108元/a;三峡工程建设9项负面影响的生态需求足迹为188.98×104hm2/a,换算成总经济损失为123.18×108元/a。(2)发电产品、调蓄洪水和发电环境效益是三峡工程的主要正面影响,三者经济价值占总经济价值的95.06%;水库泥沙淤积和水库淹没是三峡工程的主要负面影响,两者经济损失占总经济损失的85.56%。(3)三峡工程建设的生态补偿标准为123.18×108元/a,水电开发业主、中央政府和地方政府是主要的生态补偿主体,两者承担了95.06%的生态补偿标准额度;河流生态系统和移民是主要的生态补偿对象,两者获得了91.39%的生态补偿额度。通过对比分析发现,构建的模型在三峡工程案例中得到了很好的验证。     

Footprints of carbon and nitrogen: Revisiting the paradigm and exploring their nexus for decision making

Paradigms used for developing footprint metrics define the efficacy of these metrics for guiding decisions in the correct direction. Several metrics in use are developed from a narrow viewpoint of only looking at the output side impact of human activities on natural systems. This underestimates or overlooks other impacts on natural systems that occur due to input side interaction of human systems with natural systems. We revisit the paradigms used for development of footprint metrics and analyze the carbon and nitrogen footprints from these perspectives. Based on our analysis, utilizing both input and output side footprint measures is suggested such that heterogeneity of the nature of impact on both sides is not ignored. Utilizing these viewpoints, updated carbon and nitrogen footprints are proposed. Eco-LCA data for 2002 US economy is used to study the effect on decisions if these updated metrics are used. We also highlight the importance of understanding the multidimensional nature of environmental impacts that does not get captured by a single footprint, thus necessitating attention to the nexus of various footprints in decision making. Thus, the nexus between the updated carbon and nitrogen metrics is studied to show the shift in decisions resulting from looking at multidimensional impacts. Results for the US economy show that revisiting the paradigm for development of footprint metrics is a crucial step to avoid pushing decisions in incorrect directions due to use of narrowly focused footprint measures.     

Environmental risk assessment of dams at constructional phase using VIKOR and EFMEA methods (Case study: Balarood Dam,Iran)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the environmental risk of Balarood Dam in Iran at constructional phase. The scientific methods used in this research were the Environmental Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (EFMEA) and VIKOR. In the process of environmental risk assessment, the EFMEA method was used first to calculate the risk priority number (RPN) for each environmental aspect. The identified risks were ranked based on RPN values in the next stage. Comparison of the RPN values showed that the risk of pollution of Balarood River, with a RPN of 125, is in the first priority. In addition, the environmental risks, identified during the follow-up phase, were weighted by entropy method based on severity, occurrence probability, and extent of pollution.Then, the VIKOR method, as one of the multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, was run to evaluate and prioritize the potential environmental risks. The risk of water pollution under high, medium and low conditions, with a weight of 1,300, 1,000 and 700, was identified as the most important risk of dam construction. Accordingly, the most important corrective action, proposed to mitigate the high priority environmental risks, is to prevent the discharge of sanitary and industrial wastewater into the river.     

Estimating counterfactuals for evaluation of ecological and conservation impact: an introduction to matching methods

Matching methods encompass non-parametric approaches to estimating counterfactual states through a rigorous selection of control units with similar characteristics to units submitted to an intervention. These methods enable comparisons between treated and control units in a way that facilitates understanding of causal relationships between interventions and outcomes. Matching methods have been used only recently in ecology and conservation biology, where such applications changed the way the field investigates causal questions, for example, in impact-evaluation studies. However, the strengths and limitations of matching methods are not well understood by most ecologists and environmental scientists. Herein, we review state-of-the-art matching methods aiming to help fill this gap in understanding. First, we present relevant theoretical concepts related to matching methods and related subjects such as counterfactual states and causation. Next, we propose guidelines and strategies for the application of matching methods in ecology and conservation biology. Finally, we discuss the possibilities for future applications of matching methods in the environmental sciences.     

Mechanisms for the inclusion of cumulative impacts in conservation decision-making are sensitive to vulnerability and irreplaceability in a stochastically simulated landscape

It is commonly understood that the cumulative impact of increased habitat destruction on biological systems does not scale linearly. Despite this, current environmental decision-making strategies often fail to incorporate these non-linearities because impact assessments are regularly performed independently without considering contributions to future cumulative impacts, which are, instead, externalised to the environment. Here we used a stochastic modelling framework to examine the effect of three decision-making strategies – externalised, individually-borne and shared cumulative costs – on the number of species driven to extinction by the development of a region. We also tested how different levels of vulnerability (quantified as the correlation between development benefits and species richness) and irreplaceability (expressed as the average area of occupancy of an assemblage) influence the outcomes of development. Overall, the inclusion of cumulative impacts in our simulations resulted in the destruction of fewer patches and, as a consequence, more modest benefits obtained from developments. Moreover, these patterns were strongest when cumulative costs were shared by all developers. The most striking finding was that the distinction between decision-making strategies was highest in landscapes of high vulnerability and irreplaceability. Environmental decision-makers are recommended to commit to a strategy for incorporating the cumulative costs of development because, as this study suggests, this affects the endpoints of conservation and development considerably; especially in the most vulnerable and irreplaceable landscapes.     

Use of the BEAST model for biomonitoring water quality in a neotropical basin

The use of predictive models in Neotropical basins is relatively new, and applying these models in large basins is hindered by the lack of ecological, geographical, and social-environmental knowledge. Despite these difficulties, we used data from the das Velhas River basin to apply the BEAST (Benthic Assessment of SedimenT) methodology to evaluate and classify the level of environmental degradation. Our two main objectives were to modify and implement the BEAST methodology for use in biomonitoring programs of Brazilian basins, and to test the hypothesis that a gradient of environmental degradation determines a gradient in the structure and composition of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. We evaluated 37 sites: 8 in the main river, 15 in the main tributaries with different impact levels, and 14 in tributaries with minimally disturbed conditions (MDC). The BEAST model allowed us to classify 16 test sites: two as natural, four as altered, three as highly altered, and seven as degraded. Our results indicated degradation of the das Velhas River basin near its urban areas. The BEAST model indicated that the pollution gradient found among the sites generated a gradient of the macroinvertebrate assemblages, corroborating the hypothesis. Handling editor: S. M. Thomaz     

Identification of Key Sustainability Performance Indicators and related assessment methods for the carbon fiber recycling sector

The need for the extensive use of sustainability assessment as a standalone tool to evaluate the environmental, economic and social aspects of an activity be it at project, product, company or region level has resulted in the development of various methods and standards. There are several indicator issues to address each aspect of sustainability and it is not easy for decision makers to understand the result due to the use of multiple indicators. In this regard, the paper aims at the identification and combination of indicators allowing to assess the sustainability which is applicable to a carbon fiber recycling sector. Indicators selection were carried out by performing an extensive literature review on existing publications dealing with the different pillars of sustainability and setting a number of selection criteria to prioritize indicators that are relevant to the sector. For the environmental aspect global warming, acidification and human toxicity seem to be the most relevant. The social-economic aspect can be addressed through considering the resource impact assessment by considering the supply risk due to the geological scarcity of a resource and the potential supply disruption due to geopolitical and other social factors. The finding shows that three indicators have been identified enabling the assessment of the environmental pillar. Then the necessity to use extra resources indicators was shown and justified by the need of providing a shorter timeframe perspective as well as to consider the amount of fiber to be recycled in the future and also to determine the potential benefit provided by the creation of this sector to the resource strategy point of view. This will be made possible by using such method as the criticality assessment that enable the consideration of geological and geopolitical supply risk as well as the characterization of the system dependence to a specific resource.Finally, these results lead to the expression of the need to the development of a novel indicator assessing the criticality of carbon fibers as well as the expression of the necessity for further research on the socio-economic perspectives.     

基于碳足迹的江西生态补偿标准时空格局

碳足迹是一种测度碳排放影响的新方法,可利用区域碳足迹和碳承载力的差值来确定区域生态补偿标准.通过构建碳足迹、碳承载力与生态补偿标准模型,研究江西省及11地市生态补偿标准的时空变化.结果表明: 2000—2013年,江西省碳足迹呈现快速增长趋势,年均增长率为8.7%,碳承载力呈波动变化趋势,各年份均有碳盈余,但净碳盈余呈波动下降趋势.南昌和九江对江西省总碳排放贡献率较大,赣州、吉安和上饶对碳吸收贡献较大.2013年,江西碳盈余生态补偿额为22.73亿元,赣州、吉安、抚州和上饶可优先获得较高的生态补偿额度.研究结果可为江西省生态补偿机制建立以及CO₂排放权的有偿转让等提供一定的科学依据.     

The use of automated identification of bat echolocation calls in acoustic monitoring: A cautionary note for a sound analysis

Bats are a species-rich order of mammals providing key ecosystem services. Because bats are threatened by human action and also serve as important bioindicators, monitoring their populations is of utmost importance. However, surveying bats is difficult because of their nocturnal habits, elusiveness and sensitivity to disturbance. Bat detectors allow echolocating bats to be surveyed non-invasively and record species that would otherwise be difficult to observe by capture or roost inspection. Unfortunately, several bat species cannot be identified confidently from their calls so acoustic classification remains ambiguous or impossible in some cases.The popularity of automated classifiers of bat echolocation calls has escalated rapidly, including that of several packages available on purchase. Such products have filled a vacant niche on the market mostly in relation to the expanding monitoring efforts related to the development of wind energy production worldwide.We highlight that no classifier has yet proven capable of providing correct classifications in 100% of cases or getting close enough to this ideal performance. Besides, from the literature available and our own experience we argue that such tools have not yet been tested sufficiently in the field. Visual inspection of calls whose automated classification is judged suspicious is often recommended, but human intervention a posteriori represents a circular argument and requires noticeable experience.We are concerned that neophytes – including consultants with little experience with bats but specialized into other taxonomical groups – will accept passively automated responses of tools still awaiting sufficient validation. We remark that bat call identification is a serious practical issue because biases in the assessment of bat distribution or habitat preferences may lead to wrong management decisions with serious conservation consequences. Automated classifiers may crucially aid bat research and certainly merit further investigations but the boost in commercially available software may have come too early. Thorough field tests need to be carried out to assess limitations and strengths of these tools.     

Economic assessment and carbon footprint of recycling rare earths from magnets: Evaluation at lab scale paving the way toward industrialization

Project EXTRADE developed an innovative process for recycling rare earths (RE) from permanent magnets used in small applications. To assess the potential of further research from lab scale toward industrialization, this study performs economic and environmental evaluations. Because data are incomplete at current levels of process development, this study propagates uncertainty into the results. Results show that the EXTRADE process, as a complement to the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) waste management system currently in operation in France, could be both economically profitable and beneficial in terms of climate change. However, at this stage of development the price of output products is a key determinant of the economic profitability while still particularly uncertain. Also, the EXTRADE process may offer a climate change benefit due to the substitution of recycled RE oxides for those produced from primary resources (80% chance to be superior to 990 tonnes CO₂‐eq over 5 years). The amount of the waste recycled is another key, uncertain parameter regarding both the environmental and economic benefits provided by the process.