Failure by design: lessons from the recently rescinded light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) eradication program in California

This article was motivated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announcement that on 17 December 2021 it rescinded Federal Orders of 2 May 2007 that regulated (what was believed to be) a new outbreak of the light brown apple moth (LBAM, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker)) in the mainland United States. Our article follows from, and builds on, a 2013 article published by Carey and Harder that outlined major concerns about the LBAM eradication program including the need, cost, safety, practicality, and feasibility of the program and the public opposition to it. The program began with an emergency order based on USDA claims of billions of dollars in potential crop losses and the need to circumvent safety review processes to urgently prevent the pest's establishment. The program ended with the realization by government decision-makers, 14 years after initiating the program, that LBAM posed no quarantine-level threat in the first place and with no evidence of any economic damage done by the insect. This article summarizes the mistakes made in devising and carrying out what has ultimately proven to be one of the most oversold, overhyped, misguided, ill-advised, unnecessary, and costly programs in the recent history of insect eradication programs in California. Termination of the LBAM program by USDA-APHIS presents an opportunity to review the program to identify lessons learned and provide recommendations to help avoid similar mistakes in future invasive species response programs. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

河津市水资源供需平衡的趋势预测及其对策研究

本文分析了山西省河津市水资源条件和利用现状 ,以黄土高原地区发展趋势为背景 ,预测了该市 2 0 0 5年～ 2 0 5 0年的需水量、供水量 ,并对不同方案下水资源的供需平衡进行了分析 ,提出了河津市社会经济可持续发展的水资源利用对策     

沙漠化地区基于农户的退耕还林政策绩效评价研究

自20世纪末以来,我国在沙漠化地区实行了大规模的退耕还林政策,其实施后的绩效评价是值得深入探讨的重大问题。由于生态治理的行为主体是政府和农户,主体的不同决定了它们目标和行为的显著区别。文中通过对农户的经济行为分析,构建了基于农户的退耕还林还草政策绩效评价的指标体系,并采用AHP方法,计算出各个指标因子的权重,利用典型区域的农户调查数据,验证了该评价方法的可行性。基于农户的退耕还林还草政策绩效评价,将为生态治理政策绩效评价,提供新的视角和有益补充。     

Risk of establishment of non-indigenous diseases of citrus fruit and foliage in Spain: An approach using meteorological databases and tree canopy climate data

Based on macroclimate comparisons of monthly means of temperature and rainfall, the Mediterranean-type climate might be considered unfavorable for the establishment of the quarantine pathogens of fruit and foliage of citrus regulated by the EC Council Directive 2000/29. The presence of free water on the canopy during periods with temperatures favorable for disease development seems to be limited by the characteristic rainless summer. However, our field study showed that due to the formation of dew, rainfall and rain days were not positively correlated with canopy wetness. Dew periods were quite frequent during summer nights with temperatures over 15°C and even 20°C. Nevertheless, wetness periods were seldom continuous and they were usually interrupted by dry periods approximately 10–14 h long. In contrast to some endemic foliar pathogens such asAlternaria alternata, no data are currently available on the performance of these non-indigenous pathogens under interrupted wetness conditions. Due to the lack of rain during the summer in semi-arid areas, the natural spread of rain-disseminated citrus pathogens, such asElsinoë spp. andXanthomonas axonopodis pv.citri, might be rather limited. However, windborne pathogens, such asGuignardia citricarpa andPseudocercospora angolensis, would have considerable potential for dissemination under the Mediterranean climate. We consider that more information about the effect of microclimate on the epidemiology of these diseases is needed to estimate accurately their risk of establishment in Spain and in other citrus-growing countries of the Mediterranean Basin.     

西安市旅游资源的开发研究

以2004年陕西省旅游资源普查工作中获得的西安市旅游资源第一手普查资料为依据,在分析西安市旅游资源的特点及其在开发利用中存在的主要问题的基础上,提出了西安市旅游资源开发应突出文化古都旅游主题形象,加强宗教旅游开发,强化特色旅游产品建设,完善旅游地域结构等对策和建议。     

气候灾害对干旱区农业的影响及对策研究——以甘肃省为例

通过对甘肃省1950～2009年各种气候灾害分布及发生规律进行分析研究,评估不同气候灾害对甘肃省农业造成的影响。结果表明:随着气候变暖,甘肃地区与气温和降水有关的极端气候事件除霜冻外出现频次均呈增加趋势,并且对农业的影响程度也逐年增加,1950～2009年各种气候灾害直接农业经济损失共为19280.06亿元,为甘肃省2009年财政收入的32倍,最后针对构建农村自然灾害防御体系,增强农民抗灾能力进行了对策研究。     

退化绿洲生态恢复的政策保障研究——以甘肃省民勤县为例

民勤绿洲位于河西走廊三大内陆河流域之一的石羊河流域的下游,北、东、西三面受腾格里沙漠和巴丹吉林沙漠围绕。由于地下水位下降,气候干燥,水质变坏,使得本来就很脆弱的生态环境持续不断恶化,天然植被大面积枯萎死亡,地表水补给严重不足,荒漠化程度加剧。民勤绿洲无灌不植的现实使得＂人退沙退＂的生态恢复思路显然不适合这个地区,而这也...     

黄土高原地区的生态建设与政策创新

生态环境建设是西部大开发的根本切入点。黄土高原地区是我国生态环境最为严峻的地区 ,目前仍有 2 9万 km2 的土地有待治理 ,任务十分艰巨。本区生态环境建设的主要阻力是生态系统脆弱、经济系统贫困、科技文化水平落后、生态建设效益滞后、投资巨大等。提出的对策是稳定落实“退田还林”补贴政策 ,完善多元化的生态建设投资体系 ,建立公平合理的资源开发政策体系 ,加强生态环境建设的科技支撑作用 ,严格控制人口的快速增长等。强调排除阻力、促进生态环境建设的关键是调整思路 ,在各项政策和措施上都有所创新 ,有所突破