Inspiring Change in Vermont and Beyond

In this speech, Travis Marcotte, Executive Director of the Intervale Center, shares the Center's innovation and leadership over the past 25+ years, from agricultural land reclamation, community-supported agriculture, riparian restoration, and large-scale composting to farm incubation, food hubs, community celebrations of local food, and more. Travis also shares how the Center is responding to climate change, healing the environment, and connecting people to good food and the profound benefits of a healthier food system.     

MAGPIE: A modelling framework for evaluating nitrate losses at national and catchment scales

Abstract. A national agri-environmental database and nitrate modelling system has been developed to support the UK government's nitrate policy development. The framework, 'MAGPIE', consists of a database and models linked within a Geographical Information System and provides a user interface which allows detailed spatial and statistical investigation of the current state (data and model output) and the impact of changes in conditions or agricultural practice. Data on crops and livestock numbers taken from the annual agricultural census were modified in relation to land cover data derived from remote sensing, and other sources. These data and data on climate, soils and altitude were interpolated to a 1 km grid. The models of nitrate loss were adapted to work with this data set while retaining as far as possible the salient features of the more detailed models and data from which they were derived. The resulting Policy Decision Support System was found to give estimates of mean annual flow and nitrate load for agricultural catchments which matched measured data closely. The system has contributed to work on a number of policy issues both within the UK and in the UK's contribution to international policy development on pollution derived from agriculture.     

Soil organic‐C accumulation and N availability under improved pastures established in Mediterranean oak woodlands

Long‐term effects of improved pasture establishment (with high proportion of legumes) on soil organic‐C status and N availability in Mediterranean cork oak (Quercus suber L.) woodlands were assessed. Soils were sampled beneath scattered crowns and in open areas, considering two systems: unmanaged and managed woodlands where improved pastures were installed 26 and 32 years ago. Total and labile C and N pools were measured and C and N mineralization were determined over 24 weeks laboratory incubation. Soils under improved pastures showed higher organic‐C, total‐N and net N mineralization than those under unmanaged pasture, mainly when established beneath trees. Potentially mineralizable C, C mineralization rate and microbial C were not statistically different between the unmanaged and improved pasture sites, but were higher closer to the tree than in the open area (1.8, 1.2 and 1.2 times, respectively). The qCO₂ was higher in improved pastures (1.7 times). Labile pool of C and N extracted with hot water increased under improved pasture (3.4 and 1.7 times, respectively). Results indicate that soil quality amelioration by improved pastures is stronger in the presence of oak trees. Management systems that favour oak tree maintenance and regeneration should be taken into account to reverse soil degradation.     

基于灰色预测模型的温室温湿度系统建模与控制

温室温湿度系统是一个典型的混杂系统(hybrid system,HS),系统的输入包括环境调控设备的开关状态以及可测不可控的外界环境因子扰动输入,包括太阳辐射、室外温度、室外湿度、风速、风向等。针对温室温湿度系统的这种混杂特性,该文提出一种基于切换系统的温室温湿度系统建模与预测控制方法。首先,分别在天窗开启与关闭状态下采用遗忘因子递推最小二乘法(forgetting factor recursive least squares,FFRLS)辨识模型参数,得到系统的2个子系统模型。采用灰色预测GM(1,1)模型预测温室温室度系统中可测不可控的扰动输入。然后,将系统预测控制问题描述为混合整数二次规划问题(mixed integer quadratic problem,MIQP),并通过分支定界法求解。分析了系统在有限时间内的稳定性(finite time stable,FTS)。最后进行了仿真研究,仿真结果表明该文中提出的建模和控制方法是有效的。     

灌溉输配水系统明满流的全隐式耦合模拟及验证

准确合理地模拟具有自由表面的渠/管道明流和具有压力的管道满流运动过程,是设计、评价和管理灌区输配水系统的基础.为此,该文基于Preissmann窄缝法的概念,采用Saint-Venant方程组描述灌溉输配水系统的明满流过程,在交错空间离散单元格上,建立了基于全隐式标量耗散有限体积法的明满流耦合模拟模型.借助标准的室内物理模型观测数据和石家庄冶河灌区山尹村试验站野外原型观测数据,对模型的模拟效果进行了验证.结果表明,与基于显式向量耗散有限体积法建立的模型相比,该文建立的明满流耦合模拟模型具有类似的模拟精度,但水量平衡误差在室内和野外试验条件下仅为前者的13%和1.2%,且计算效率提高了约5.2倍;与基于四点偏心有限差分法建立的模型相比,模拟精度显著提高,水量平衡误差在室内和野外试验条件下仅为前者的7.6%和0.6%,且效率提高了1.3倍,故该文建立的模型有效克服了已有模型无法统一模拟精度和效率的缺陷,更适于实际工程问题,为灌区输配水系统的设计优化和管理评价提供了数值模拟方法.     

GIS支持下安徽省近35 a参考作物蒸散量的时空变化

参考作物蒸散量是重要的水分资源分量。为了研究气候变化条件下安徽省参考作物蒸散量的变化,采用联合国粮农组织（FAO）1998年推荐的Penman-Monteith法,利用安徽省79个台站1971－2005年的气象观测资料,计算站点参考作物蒸散量。在此基础上采用克里格插值方法,生成基于GIS的安徽省参考作物蒸散量分布图。分析结果表明：安徽省近35a平均参考作物蒸散量空间分布特征为,平原大、山区小;由北向南逐渐递减,受气候、地形等因素的影响,具有较明显的地域性差异;从时间尺度上看,自1971年以来,参考作物蒸散量总体上呈随年代波动下降趋势,但存在地区差异;年内季节变化为夏季＞春季＞秋季＞冬季;逐月变化呈单峰变化趋势,峰值出现在7月,5－8月份较多,11月至翌年2月最低,且不同区域之间存在着明显的差别。     

Prediction of the Economic Development for the Circumjacent Reservoir Region of the Longtan Hydropower Project Using Grey Quantitative Analog

In order to overcome some technical difficulties,we adopt ingenously the grey models combined with the quantitative analog method,and select the Dan Jiangkou Project which has accumulated practical operation data for a long time as the analog project to predict the economic influence for the circumjacent reservoir region of the Longtan hydropower project.On the basis of analog we have built various industrial economic grey models,and compare them with the corresponding predictions for the unconstructed reservoir case.The predictions of the former are greatly larger than the later ones.and hence provides a certain scientific basis for the central leaders to make a decision for constructing the huge hydropower project ultimateiy.     

Minimal Periodic Solutions of SuperquadraticFirst Order Convex Hamiltonian Systems

This paper generalizes all known results on Rabinowitz's minimal periodic solution conjecture under the assumption that Hamiltonian function is C2 strictly convex.     

复杂管系水轮机调节系统非线性建模与分析

为了深入揭示水轮机调节系统的非线性本质,研究了非线性水轮机调节系统的建模及动力学问题.在引水系统为复杂管道情况下,考虑水轮机调节系统中传递系数随运行工况变化而呈现的非线性,引入水轮机非线性传递系数,建立了复杂引水管系时的水轮机调节系统非线性数学模型.使用直接代数判据进行理论分析,得到了系统Hopf分支临界点组成的曲线.理论分析表明：水轮机调节系统响应在曲线的一侧区域内是稳定的,在另一侧是不稳定的.通过数值模拟,分析了Hopf分叉点两侧水轮机调节系统稳定性的变化情况,验证了理论分析结果的正确性,得到了使水轮机调节系统处在稳定区域内的调速器PID参数的范围.通过分岔图、Poincare映射图、功率谱图、时域图、相轨迹图、频谱图等,综合分析了随水轮机调节系统参数变化时,系统非线性动力学行为特性.该分析方法与结果,可为水电站系统的安全稳定运行提供理论依据.     

基于ARM的过滤器控制器的研究

在简介自动清洗过滤器工作原理、控制发展设计需求的基础上,比较分析了国内外成熟应用自动反冲洗控制系统,并找出目前控制系统存在问题,针对存在的问题提出基于ARM7的自动反冲洗控制系统,利用模块化结构、触摸式人机界面和丰富通讯接口,满足不同灌溉规模水处理需求。其相关技术产品研发与应用,能够摆脱过国外滤器厂商对控制器的垄断,将进一步促进我国自动反冲洗过滤器控制和产业化水平。