Impacts of climate variability on reference evapotranspiration over 58 years in the Haihe river basin of north China

Physically, evaporative demand is driven by net radiation (R_n), vapour pressure (e_a), wind speed (u₂), and air temperature (T_a), each of which changes over time. By analyzing temporal variations in reference evapotranspiration (ET₀), improved understanding of the impacts of climate change on hydrological processes can be obtained. In this study, variations in ET₀ over 58 years (1950-2007) at 34 stations in the Haihe river basin of China were analyzed. ET₀ was calculated by the FAO Penman-Monteith formula. Calculation of Kendall rank coefficient was done by analyzing the annual and seasonal trends in ET₀ derived from its dependent climate variables. Inverse distance weighting (IDW) was used to analyze the spatial variation in annual and seasonal ET₀, and in each climate variable. An attribution analysis was performed to quantify the contribution of each input variable to ET₀ variation. The results showed that ET₀ gradually decreased in the whole basin over the 58 years at a rate of −1.0 mm yr⁻², at the same time, R_n, u₂ and precipitation also decreased. Changes in ET₀ were attributed to the variations in net radiation (−0.9 mm yr⁻²), vapour pressure (−0.5 mm yr⁻²), wind speed (−1.3 mm yr⁻²) and air temperature (1.7 mm yr⁻²). Looking at all data on a month by month basis, we found that T_a had a positive effect on dET₀/dt (the derivative of reference evapotranspiration to time) and R_n and u₂ had negative effects on dET₀/dt. While changes in air temperature were found to produce a large increase in dET₀/dt, changes in other key variables each reduced rates, resulting in an overall negative trend in dET₀/dt.     

Using shallow saline groundwater for irrigation and regulating for soil salt-water regime

Drought and fresh water shortage are the main limiting factorsfor sustainable development of agriculture in North China Plain.Using saline water for irrigation plays important role forovercoming the constraints and increasing crops yields. Theexploitation and utilization of shallow saline groundwaterenables to regulate the groundwater depth and to promote thetransform of precipitation into available water resources.Thispaper reviews the research and practice on the utilization ofshallow saline groundwater in the part east of South GreatCanal in Haihe River Plain. Findings are presented on the useof saline water, cycling and blending of saline and fresh waterfor irrigation, indexing of crops salt tolerances, regulating forsoil salt-water regime, saline-alkali land reclamation andgroundwater quality freshening. These approaches help therational regulation and utilization of the local water resourcesfor comprehensive control of drought, waterlogging and salinity.     

南水北调东线工程泵站技术管理模式研究

以南水北调东线工程准市场化运作为背景 ,以合理性、经济性和可靠性为目标 ,以江苏省江水北调工程泵站技术管理为基础 ,从管理体制、运行管理、日常管理、维护检修等方面研究南水北调东线工程大型梯级泵站的技术管理模式与方法。研究结果对提高工程调水可靠性、经济性和工程的可持续发展有一定意义。     

华北落叶松引种试验的探究

华北落叶松和同龄的长白落叶松相比照,无论是平均胸径、平均树高还是平均材积,前者都落后于后者,现已形成低质低效林分,没有实用价值。因此,应尽快伐除华北落叶松,按照适地适树的原则,采取人工更新恢复森林。     

不同配比施肥对华北花岗片麻岩山地土壤促成的作用

华北花岗片麻岩山区土壤严重退化,恶劣的土壤环境是该地区植被恢复的限制性因子.利用不同配比的化肥对试验区内土壤进行促成技术研究,结果表明:各种配比的肥料间,对土壤有机质和营养元素的影响(以全P释放量为例),以NPK1和NPK2处理效果最好,其分别提高风化速率29.68%和31.21%;对土壤粒径的影响(以<1 mm粒径土壤重量百分比为例),同样以NPK1和NPK2处理效果最好,其分别提高风化速率30.50%和24.81%.综上分析可以说明,各种配比的化肥对土壤促成起到了一定的作用,试验区内土壤正朝成熟土壤方向演化.     

北疆不同类型棉田节肢动物群落结构与多样性

运用群落生态学方法研究了北疆棉田不同邻作、灌溉方式对棉田节肢动物群落结构和多样性的影响及其在不同年份的变化趋势。结果表明,不同的邻作方式能改变棉田节肢动物群落结构,邻作小麦增加棉田天敌种类,邻作玉米增加棉田天敌个体数,对棉田害虫有较强的控制作用,而邻作西红柿作用相对较弱,生产上应充分利用邻作小麦和玉米的有利作用。2003年滴灌棉田节肢动物群落多样性指数(0.7250)和均匀度(0.2111)均大于沟灌棉田(0.1924、0.0605),群落更稳定;不同年份棉田节肢动物群落结构和多样性变化大,说明气候因素是影响节肢动物群落结构和多样性的主要原因。     

Pacific Islanders

This paper examines some of the socio‐demographic changes which have occurred in the Pacific‐descent population in New Zealand in the last decade. It examines significant shifts which have occurred in the social and economic characteristics of overseas and locally‐born sub‐populations and identifies some of the factors which have produced these. The chapter points to the growing internal socio‐demographic diversity within the Pacific population and argues that we may need to think about this population in different ways in the near future.     

Women

In New Zealand while women dominate leadership positions in constitutional, political and business areas, gender inequality remains entrenched. Despite significant gains in rights (employment, pay equity, property), as a group women earn less and perform more family care and unpaid work than men. In part these disparities result from the economic restructuring of the last 15 years which saw a loss in unskilled manufacturing jobs, less social support and greater rewards to business and public sector elites. Maori and Pacific Island women are the most disadvantaged groups. Labour/Alliance government initiatives to reduce poverty particularly among Maori and Pacific Island peoples by strengthening access to health and education services and supporting and replicating successful community initiatives are also likely to benefit other low income women.     

Occupational health and safety of merchant seafarers from Kiribati and Tuvalu

Intensifying international competition in the shipping industry in response to global pressures makes seafarers' jobs increasingly difficult. Challenging conditions in ship employment are problematic, particularly in a development context where home communities' dependence on seafarers' income is high and social protection is low. Qualitative fieldwork revealed that seafarers from Kiribati and Tuvalu endure exceptionally lengthy work periods at sea to remain competitive. Absence from home while working in constrained and mobile spaces with multinational crews, frequent security controls and speedy turnarounds impacting on sleep deprivation and decreased shore time have implications for physical and emotional health and can become safety matters. Hence, there is a growing need to address mechanisms to protect seafarers from the physical and emotional effects of global demands in the shipping industry.