Environmental services and poverty reduction: Options for smallholders in the Sahel

Environmental service provision is increasingly discussed as a potential new venue for the simultaneous pursuit of development and natural resource conservation objectives, particularly among landowners in the low-income tropics. To date, most of the experience with such market-regulated mechanisms comes from water and forest projects in Latin America. Preliminary evidence suggests that participation of, and benefits to, small-scale land users are highly unequal and that the synergistic goals of poverty reduction and resource conservation through these emerging market mechanisms might be overly ambitious. This paper assesses the possibility of pro-poor environmental service provision through carbon sequestration among smallholders in the Sahel. It focuses on a case study in the small-scale, rain-fed agricultural systems of the Old Peanut Basin of Senegal. Based on a conceptual framework including economic, institutional, policy and livelihood factors, it assesses to the extent to which specific groups of farmers are able or willing to participate in and benefit from potential carbon offset programs. Finally, the paper stresses the need for adequate and equitable financial support and a careful rethinking of the institutional structures necessary to enhance rural livelihoods and natural resource management in drylands, with or without market-based environmental service programs.     

Evaluating a multi-level subsurface drainage system for improved drainage water quality

This paper describes a multi-level drainage system, designed to improve drainage water quality. Results are presented from a field scale land reclamation experiment implemented in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of New South Wales, Australia. A traditional single level drainage system and a multi-level drainage system were compared in the experiment in an irrigated field setting. The single level drainage system consisted of 1.8 m deep drains at 20 m spacing. This configuration is typical of subsurface drainage system design used in the area. The multi-level drainage system consisted of shallow closely spaced drains (3.3 m spacing at 0.75 m depth) underlain by deeper widely spaced drains (20 m spacing at 1.8 m depth). Data on drainage flows and salinity, water table regime and soil salinity were collected over a 2-year period.     

我国高校环境科学专业本科人才培养改革浅探

随着环境问题的日益复杂以及科技的快速发展,我国传统的环境科学专业人才培养模式已不能适应社会发展的需要。该文通过分析我国目前环境科学专业人才培养存在问题,提出环境科学专业人才培养应采取的思路和具体途径,旨在为我国环境科学专业建设与发展提供参考。     

环境条件对重阳木生长的影响

对重阳木以通径分析方法分析其生长状况与环境条件的关系。结果表明:多行的重阳木与其生长状况呈较强的正相关关系,除直接作用外,根系半深埋,根系损害以及地面硬化等均可通过其对生长状况产生影响;根系正常与冠幅生长相关性较强,除直接作用外,多行,根系伤害以及地面硬化程度均可通过其对冠幅生长产生影响;单行的重阳木与树干生长关系密切,除直接作用外,根系深埋、根系伤害程度以及地面硬化程度均可通过其对树干生长产生影响;根系深埋推迟发芽时间,除直接作用外,单行以及地面硬化均可通过其对发芽时间产生影响。     

论鄂尔多斯东北部的资源开发与环境整治

本文是从资源开发条件的评价入手，揭示所出现的环境问题，并提出建立人工高效开发－整治型的综合模式结构，以便持续稳定地协调好资源开发与环境整治的关系，促进这里的经济发展。     

水杨酸与蔬菜作物抗性关系的研究进展

水杨酸在植物的抗病性方面发挥着重要的作用,近年来的研究表明,水杨酸在植物抗冷、热、盐、干旱、臭氧、重金属等环境胁迫方面有明显的作用。对近年来有关水杨酸在蔬菜抗逆境胁迫方面的研究进展进行综述,并提出一些研究思路。     

城市生态环境与城市园林绿化

从城市化给城市带来的一系列环境问题以及城市园林绿化建设的重要性出发,分析建立“城市生态绿化新优良种示范基地”的意义及综合效益.     

Recreational tree-climbing programs in a rural Japanese community forest: Social impacts and “fun factors”

We examined whether recreational tree climbing (TC) activities would have positive social impacts and rejuvenate an outdoor activity center and surrounding community forest in central Japan. Our case study comprised 3800 adults and children participating in TC activities at the Jyokoji Outdoor Activity Center (JOAC) in Seto, Japan. We focused on 1393 adult participants whom we considered to be the decision makers regarding family recreation, and we explored both the social impacts of TC and various factors that contributed to and distracted from the overall experience. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated that elements such as age, gender, tree preferences, tree appreciation, tree education, and technical instruction influenced the enjoyment of recreational TC and the positive effects on tree climbers. Overall, the climbing program had positive social impacts for the community forest and contributed to local conservation initiatives. Our case study suggests that other areas can benefit from incorporating TC programs into community forest planning to complement aesthetic, ecological, and restoration benefits and provide a new venue for recreation and conservation awareness.     

Relations of environmental factors with the phenol content and oxidative enzyme activities of olive explants

Possible correlations among several environmental factors and the internal phenol content and oxidative enzyme activities of olive explants were examined. The statistic analysis revealed that the same environmental factor exhibited different relation with the various individual phenolic compounds found in explants and the oxidative enzyme activities. The major contribution of air temperature, total radiation, soil temperature at a depth of 25 cm and photoperiod on the explant phenol content and on the oxidative enzyme activities has been revealed. These environmental factors exhibited the highest number of significant relationships with the measured variables.