Managing & protecting our water resources

A number of factors have an impact on the quantity and quality of freshwater, particularly global population growth and economic development. In the U.S., the electric utility industry is a large consumer of water resources. Understanding the factors which affect water resource management is important for sustainable development as well as ecosystem management. The effects of past and anticipated legislation in the U.S. addressing clean water issues important to the electric utility industry are discussed.     

Terrestrial carbon management and electric utilities

In the near future regulations could be imposed affecting emissions of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases. Carbon offsets should be a component of any such regime. This paper addresses: 1) international and domestic policy actions related to C offset forestry, including the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change and the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 1992; 2) forestry-related efforts sponsored by U.S. electric utilities to sequester and store C, protect and manage forests, and conserve energy in urban environments; 3) considerations for implementing such efforts; and 4) electric utility industry research and development on advanced methods to use biomass as fuel.     

Clean water: Factors that influence Its availability,quality and its use: Summary of the International Water Conference

The International Water Conference held in La Jolla, California during 28–30 November 1995, had an objective to provide an opportunity for international information exchange on new research applications and timely policy issues effecting the availability, use and quality of water for power generation. This Conference included the topical areas, the use of water and the management of chemical quality in process wastewaters; physical and biological transformation due to discharges in open surface waters, watersheds and wetlands; the role of risk and cost-benefit assessments; and discussion of the Clean Water Act containments. This Conference Summary contains an overview of the present state of the knowledge regarding the use of water by the electric utility industry and potential future issues as discussed in papers presented at the Conference and a summary of the most important findings and conclusions.     

Assisted migration of plants: Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

Rapid climate change has the potential to alter the location of bioclimatic envelopes for a significant portion of the world’s flora. Plant species will respond variously via phenotypic plasticity, evolutionary adaptation, migration, or extinction. When fragmentation limits migration potential of many species or when natural migration rates are outstripped by the pace of climate change, some propose purposeful, human-mediated migration (assisted migration) as a solution. Here, we join the debate on assisted migration, and while recognizing the potential negative impacts, present a strategy to collect and bank seeds of plant species at risk of extinction in the face of rapid climate change to ensure that emerging habitats are as species-diverse as possible. We outline the framework currently being used by the Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank to prioritize species for seed banking, both for restoration purposes and for potential assisted migration in the future. We propose a strategy for collecting across the entirety of a species range, while targeting populations likely to go extinct under climate change, determined by application of species distribution models. Finally, we discuss current international efforts to collect and bank the global flora, as well as the research needs necessary to fully undertake the strategy presented.     

Role of research and regulation in 50 years of pest management in agriculture. Prepared for the 50th anniversary of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Pest management techniques have evolved over the past 50 years. Inorganic chemical pesticides were replaced by synthetic organic chemicals, and now biopesticides constitute a significant part of pest management technology. Requirements for the regulatory approval of pesticides changed dramatically in 1996 with the passage of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). The FQPA directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make more rigorous and conservative evaluation of risks and hazards and mandates a special emphasis on the safety of infants and children. The EPA provides incentives for the industry to register materials that are designated "reduced risk". The future for the registrant industry will include continued reduction in numbers of registrants through mergers and acquisitions. Conventional chemicals will remain as important pest management components, and the processes of combinatorial chemistry and high-throughput bioassays will allow the rapid synthesis and testing of large numbers of candidate compounds. Biopesticides will become more important tools in pest management, with microbial pesticides and transgenic crops being likely to play important crop protection roles. There will be a continuing need for research-based approaches to pest control.     

机器视觉技术在玉米生产管理中的应用现状与展望

机器视觉技术具有实时性，高精度和对不利环境的适应性，可用于玉米生产各环节，提高生产管理效率。通过文献查阅与梳理分析，总结了机器视觉技术在玉米种子管理、品质管理、病虫害管理、田间管理等领域的研究现状，并指出玉米产业应用机器视觉技术的瓶颈在于机器视觉系统研发困难、种植业主应用积极性不高、技术推广人员严重不足等问题，提出了加强协作开发，降低成本；提高田间信息化管理水平，扩大生产规模；加大科普及技术服务力度等建议。     

Conservation in the face of climate change: The roles of alternative models, monitoring, and adaptation in confronting and reducing uncertainty

The broad physical and biological principles behind climate change and its potential large scale ecological impacts on biota are fairly well understood, although likely responses of biotic communities at fine spatio-temporal scales are not, limiting the ability of conservation programs to respond effectively to climate change outside the range of human experience. Much of the climate debate has focused on attempts to resolve key uncertainties in a hypothesis-testing framework. However, conservation decisions cannot await resolution of these scientific issues and instead must proceed in the face of uncertainty. We suggest that conservation should precede in an adaptive management framework, in which decisions are guided by predictions under multiple, plausible hypotheses about climate impacts. Under this plan, monitoring is used to evaluate the response of the system to climate drivers, and management actions (perhaps experimental) are used to confront testable predictions with data, in turn providing feedback for future decision making. We illustrate these principles with the problem of mitigating the effects of climate change on terrestrial bird communities in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA.     

Collaboration and Partnering for the Development, Transfer and Application of Environmental Technologies for Contaminated Site Remediation

International cooperation in the field of contaminated sitemanagement has resulted in the formation of collaborations,partnerships and networks. The key benefits of increasedcooperation are in the reduction of duplication in efforts,which is of particular importance to industry, in theco-ordination of contaminated site research, improved synergyand definition of needs, policy development, information dissemination and technology transfer. The paperintroduces and briefly discusses key collaborations, partnerships and networksthroughout the world relating to contaminated site managementand remediation. The key value of these partnerships lies inconnecting and sharing with them. In addition, the work thatthese organizations are involved with provides a usefulindication of important issues in contaminated site remediationat a global level. The experience shared within these groupsshould prove useful to the application of similar problemsin regions where cooperation has been less evident, such asChina and the Asia-Pacific region. This paper has been writtenfor the purpose of providing a resource for workers in the fieldof contaminated site remediation.     

澳大利亚农业系统中非点源污染的控制

The Australian farming sector is continuing to intensify, particularly within 300 km of the east and southern coastlines. In the future there will be fewer and larger farms, which will use more fertilizer, support more stock, grow more monoculture crops, and utilise more marginal soils. This is likely to increase the major environmental impacts of soil degradation, salt, nutrient and sediment contamination of waterways, and greenhouse gas emissions. Australian national water policy continues to focus on land, stream and groundwater salinity issues, although there is now a greater recognition of the importance of nitrogen and phosphorus losses from agriculture. The general philosophy of policy for dealing with nonpoint source pollution has been towards a voluntary rather than regulatory approach, with state and national governments supporting a range of programs to encourage sustainable agricultural practices. A catchment （watershed） based approach, through the use of integrated catchment management plans, is the primary way that non-point source pollution is addressed at the farm and local level. At an industry level, cotton, grains, meat, sugarcane and dairy amongst others, as well as the Australian fertilizer industry, have responded to non-point source issues by investing in research and development, and developing codes of practice aimed at abating these environmental impacts. Understanding the economic, social, political and cultural contexts of farming as well as the environmental impacts of agriculture are very important in determining the appropriateness of policy responses for Australian farming systems.     

Sustainable grassland systems: a modelling perspective based on the North Wyke Farm Platform

The North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) provides data from the field‐ to the farm‐scale, enabling the research community to address key issues in sustainable agriculture better and to test models that are capable of simulating soil, plant and animal processes involved in the systems. The tested models can then be used to simulate how agro‐ecosystems will respond to changes in the environment and management. In this study, we used baseline datasets generated from the NWFP to validate the Soil‐Plant‐Atmosphere Continuum System (SPACSYS) model in relation to the dynamics of soil water content, water loss from runoff and forage biomass removal. The validated model, together with future climate scenarios for the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s (from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES): medium (A1B) and large (A1F1) emission scenarios), were used to simulate the long‐term responses of the system with three contrasting treatments on the NWFP. Simulation results demonstrated that the SPACSYS model could estimate reliably the dynamics of soil water content, water loss from runoff and drainage, and cut biomass for a permanent sward. The treatments responded in different ways under the climate change scenarios. More carbon (C) is fixed and respired by the swards treated with an increased use of legumes, whereas less C was lost through soil respiration with the planned reseeding. The deep‐rooting grass in the reseeding treatment reduced N losses through leaching, runoff and gaseous emissions, and water loss from runoff compared with the other two treatments.     

Future directions in photochemical air quality modeling

Photochemical air quality models provide the most defensible method for relating future air quality to changes in emission, and hence are the foundation for determining the effectiveness of proposed control strategies. However, strategies, based primarily on controlling reactive organic gas emissions, have not provided the expected benefits. This raises the question of what have been the deficiencies in previous studies utilizing these tools? Furthermore, what changes are necessary, and desired, to improve upon past efforts? The current generation of models have matured within their original frameworks to represent, relatively accurately, the important physical and chemical processes affecting pollutant dynamics in urban atmospheres. The ability to follow regional dynamics is less well demonstrated. Current regional models have a single horizontal resolution scale. Multiscale models will enable detailed treatment of urban chemistry, and also effectively follow long range transport and chemistry. Improved computational capabilities will allow more detailed chemistry and heterogeneous processes to be followed within the models. The practice of photochemical modeling will benefit greatly from recent and future intensive field studies. The advancements in both the model framework and practice will allow much more accurate evaluation of proposed control strategies, and lead to a much improved understanding of pollutant dynamics.     

地方电力企业用电管理信息系统设计

近些年来电力行业发展迅速,地方电力企业纷纷建立了自己的用电管理信息系统,用来解决电力行业的发展需要。而如何通过新的信息技术使电力企业能够为用户提供更加优质高效的服务,提高企业经济效益,是当前电力企业用电管理信息系统建设的首要问题。本文介绍了采用面向对象的C.#和SQL Server 2000设计的用电管理信息系统,用以解决地方电力企业用电管理信息化的需要。     

Assessing the utility of stakeholder analysis to Protected Areas management: The case of Corbett National Park, India

This study tests the potential utility of Stakeholder Analysis to Protected Area management. Using Corbett National Park (CNP), India, as a case study, Stakeholder Analysis (SA) was used to identify important stakeholder groups and assess their relationships, relative power and importance. This exercise was undertaken to assist the managers of CNP with future strategy formulation and implementation. The results demonstrate SA to be a simple, yet effective, method that can help PA managers understand the social dimensions of their undertaking, without waiting for long-term policy changes. The results reveal possible stakeholder alliances, and those that may need strengthening to guarantee the welfare of CNP. Divergent opinions on the same issue were also discovered. This underlines that addressing low levels of knowledge and misplaced information may be of strategic importance in reducing conflict against a PA. This research also helps theorize previously unexplored relationships among stakeholders in India, using the framework of Stakeholder Theory. Repeating the exercise on a regular basis could help PA managers monitor stakeholder interactions and political positions over time.     

Irrigation,a productive tool for food security – a review

Water scarcity in agriculture is becoming a major problem due to increasing demand from nonagricultural uses and intensive crop management on existing croplands to meet the needs of an expanding global population. Efficient use of the available irrigation water is therefore of important concern. Even though intensive research in the areas of crop physiology, irrigation engineering, agronomy and agricultural economics has developed several ways to improve the efficiency of irrigation water, a multidisciplinary approach is often regarded as the best future path to achieve further enhancements in meeting the forthcoming challenge of producing more and safety foods. Failure of irrigation production has profound effects on the welfare of all those employed in it and also their customers. Indeed, the scale of the industry is such that world food prices will be influenced by the overall performance of the irrigation farmers, but low food prices are essential to the welfare of the poorest people. The contribution of irrigation and water management to increased food production must come through both expansion of irrigation and improved management of existing water supplies. This review presents the past, current and future panorama of irrigation as a viable tool in ensuring food security on the globe. Considering past trends, this review empathizes that future irrigation technologies should be focused on providing the leadership and capacity to capture, develop and promote new irrigation practices and management systems to optimize production.     

中国沼气产业面临的挑战和发展趋势

对中国目前沼气发展过程中存在的问题进行了分析,提出了中国沼气发展正处于战略转型期的观点,对中国沼气产业未来发展趋势进行了研究。提出中国沼气要做大做强和实现可持续发展,必须走产业化和市场化的道路,并就中国沼气未来发展模式、产业化发展方向、技术装备、政策支持等方面,提出了建议。     

The impact of biotechnology on agricultural worker safety and health

Biotechnology applications such as the use and production of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been widely promoted, adopted, and employed by agricultural producers throughout the world. Yet, little research exists that examines the implications of agricultural biotechnology on the health and safety of workers involved in agricultural production and processing. Regulatory frameworks do exist to examine key issues related to food safety and environmental protection in GMO applications. However, based on the lack of research and regulatory oversight, it would appear that the potential impact on the safety and health of workers is of limited interest. This article examines some of the known worker health and safety implications related to the use and production of GMOs using the host, agent, and environment framework. The characteristics of employers, workers, inputs, production practices, and socio-economic environments in which future agricultural workers perform various tasks is likely to change based on the research summarized here.     

A conceptual framework for river-basin-scale sediment management

A key problem in unifying sediment assessment and management approaches is in defining the hierarchy of decisions within a management framework. A basin-scale framework should be comprised of two principal levels of decision making; the first for basin-scale evaluation (site prioritisation) and the second for site-specific assessment (risk ranking). High priority, high risk sites and sites prioritised for management for socio-economic objectives should then be evaluated for management options. Although it is site-specific risks and objectives that will be managed, solutions may involve actions in other parts of the river basin (e.g., source control). A basin-scale assessment involves the balancing of a Conceptual Basin Model (CBM, which considers the mass flows of particles and contaminants, screening level assessment of sediment quality and archived data), and basin-scale objectives (BOs) to generate a Basin Use Plan (BUP). The Basin Objectives should define the ecological, regulatory and socio-economic goals for both the river basin (and its outlet to estuaries and the sea) and specific parcels of sediment. The development of a Basin Use Plan balances the CBM and the BOs, and should then result in a site prioritisation for further management that best meets the objectives of all stakeholders. On the other hand, site-specific assessment and management is characterised by tiered assessment and the determination of site-specific risk. Management options are driven by site-specific impact on BOs, site-specific risk, technical and economic feasibility and regulations. The proposed conceptual approach to basin-scale sediment management provides a possible frame-work for addressing the complexities inherent in managing sediments at both a basin-wide and site-specific scale.     

中国边坡绿化研究进展与展望——基于CiteSpace和VOSviewer的文献计量分析

[目的]探讨边坡绿化研究现状与热点趋势,为后续研究提供理论支撑和参考。[方法]运用专业文献计量工具CiteSpace与VOSviewer对中国知网收录的边坡绿化研究文献进行可视化分析,以发文量、高频关键词、聚类主题和突现词等为主要指标,讨论坡面根系固持土体机理、边坡植物筛选及配置、边坡绿化技术应用的研究热点及趋势变化。[结果]中国的边坡绿化领域的研究持续推进,积累了丰富的学术理论成果和实践经验。主要研究机构集中在农林类、理工类和综合类型的高等院校,作为一门多学科交叉的综合应用技术,还需发挥行业学会作用。[结论]坡面稳定性的变化规律是重要的研究方向,数值模拟技术在坡面稳定性研究有望发挥更大作用;植物的生态适应性研究是植物筛选的基础工作,可以加强区域性乡土护坡植物的调查和繁育推广,探讨植物多样性变化的影响因素有助于植物配置的可持续性;喷播是最为广泛应用的绿化技术,基质材料的抗侵蚀性和稳定性是研究热点,未来还需从术语、工法、设备、资材的标准化和规范化入手,逐步建立具有中国特色的喷播绿化技术标准体系。     

Future of land use in Australia: An economic perspective

It is proposed that the standard economist's model of optimum land use is extended to include the interaction with land cover and land condition. Such a model allows consideration of the influence of market factors and government policies and programmes on land use patterns and management practices, and the feedback effect on land cover and land condition. Recent developments in the approach to modelling land condition, which include the joint consideration of economic factors and physical processes, are discussed. Factors affecting the pattern of agricultural land use in Australia are then reviewed. The importance of considering economic and physical interactions when assessing land use patterns is increasingly being recognized in research and policy development. If research is to meet the needs of land managers in the future then economists and physical scientists will need to integrate their data modelling capabilities in order to address natural resource management issues.     

基于单片机的纯电动汽车电池管理系统设计

动力锂电池组的电源管理系统是延长电池循环寿命、维护电动汽车安全运行的关键。为延长电池的使用寿命,该文针对纯电动汽车,设计了一种以飞思卡尔单片机和电池管理芯片为核心的锂电池管理系统。实现对锂离子单体电池电压、电流等的检测及显示,对电池组充放电进行监控和保护,实现电池组的均衡及总电压、总电流、温度的检测,利用控制器局域网络CAN(controller area network)总线对其进行通讯设计。最后通过系统调试、精度试验和均衡试验等进行系统功能验证,证明了电池管理系统的有效性。该研究可为纯电动汽车电池管理系统设计与应用提供参考。