Including public-health benefits of trees in urban-forestry decision making

Research demonstrating the biophysical benefits of urban trees are often used to justify investments in urban forestry. Far less emphasis, however, is placed on the non-bio-physical benefits such as improvements in public health. Indeed, the public-health benefits of trees may be significantly larger than the biophysical benefits, and, therefore, failure to account for the public-health benefits of trees may lead to underinvestment in urban forestry. In addition, the distribution of trees that maximizes bio-physical benefits may not maximize public-health benefits.     

2007年初山东半岛一次强降水及强风的初步分析和诊断

简要分析了2007年3月初发生在山东半岛的一次强降水和强风及其衍生的风暴潮灾害性天气过程。分析结果表明:该次过程中,前期强降水是由黄淮气旋背景下发展出来的中β尺度系统引起的,低层辐合、高层辐散以及强的上升速度是形成强降水的原因;后期强风则是由于北支强冷空气爆发并叠加在黄淮气旋上,使得气旋后部气压梯度力加大,前期高温高湿形成位势不稳定层结,中层辐合、低层辐散及中层强烈的下沉运动有利于不稳定能量的释放和动量下传,使得大风得以增强和持续。     

Residential runoff – The role of spatial density and surface cover,with a case study in the Höjeå river catchment,southern Sweden

Depending on the spatial density of built cover and location within a catchment, residential areas make varying contributions to surface runoff throughout different rainfall events. This study examined these contributions and the associated effect of different surface covers and sustainable drainage systems on runoff generation. The Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) method was applied to analyse urban development in the Höjeå river catchment in southern Sweden.The results indicated that identical amounts of surface runoff are generated by low-density residential areas on heavy clay soils and high-density residential areas on sandy soils. However, increasing the density of built-up areas on sandy soils is likely to be more disruptive to the hydrological balance and to generate a greatly increasing difference in runoff as building density and impermeable surface area increase. A similar pattern is likely to occur if rainfall intensity increases. It may therefore be appropriate to apply different planning considerations to residential developments depending on the existing soil group, e.g. conserving existing vegetated surfaces on sandy soil and incorporating permeable paving materials and sub-surface infiltration beds in development on clayey soils. Increased area of impermeable surface cover will increase surface runoff in all residential areas, irrespective of building density, soil group and rainfall intensity. However, adapting a systems approach in combining vegetative structures and permeable paving materials with subsurface infiltration beds can help mitigate the impact of surface runoff, particularly in urban developments on clay-rich soils.     

一次超级单体风暴三维结构及回波特征量分析

[目的]研究2005年5月30日甘肃中部一次超级单体风暴三维结构及回波特征量。[方法]利用兰州CINRAD/CC多普勒雷达监测资料,对2005年5月30日发生在甘肃中部一次罕见的超级单体风暴三维结构特征进行分析,试图揭示青藏高原东北侧出现超级单体风暴的三维结构及其回波特征指标,以寻找这次出现罕见大冰雹的原因。[结果]这次大范围强风暴是在蒙古冷涡、低空急流、地面冷锋共同作用下造成的。主体回波发展成熟时期,在反射率因子图上,低层风暴左前方呈现明显的倒＂V＂字型结构,右后侧呈现典型的钩状、＂人＂字型回波特征;低层有界弱回波区（穹隆）与高层强回波悬垂体相对应;强反射率因子区超过60 dBz;相应的径向速度图上呈现一个弱中气旋。VIL的跃增特性可作为判断冰雹增长开始的指标之一,几乎所有VIL密度≥4.00 g/m3的风暴对于判断降大冰雹（直径≥20 mm）的可能性比VIL具有更明显的指示意义。[结论]该研究为强对流天气的临近预报和人工防雹提供参考。     

“韦帕”台风暴雨过程分析

从天气形势、数值预报产品等方面,对"韦帕"台风暴雨过程进行分析总结,探讨了汛末由于台风影响而产生暴雨的形成机制。     

IMPROVED MEASURES OF WIND EROSION RATE USING METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS OF DUST STORMS

<正> Meteorological records of dust storm frequencies have recently been used to describebroadscale wind erosion in several regions of the world (West Africa-Middleton 1985, Mid-dle East-Middeton 1986, USA-Nicking & Brazel 1984) and in Australia significant recentprogress has been made (Middleton 1984, McTainsh and Pitblado 1987, Burgess etal, 1988, Mctainsh et al, 1989, 1990). These studies demonstrate the utility of thismethodology for measuring wind erosion on a broadscale. There remains significant room     

滨海新区一次气旋型风暴潮的成因分析

从天气系统、数值预报、风暴潮增水特征等方面,对2008年8月22日滨海新区发生的一次风暴潮的原因进行了分析。分析表明,由于黄海气旋在东移过程中引起渤海偏东风,对滨海新区产生风增水,同时黄海北部的风增水造成的风暴潮波经渤海海峡呈逆时针传向渤海西岸堆积,并与天文高潮位叠加,实况潮位高达5.18 m。     

海南岛冬种瓜菜暴雨洪涝灾害风险评估与区划

基于农业气象灾害系统构成体系和灾害风险理论,依据海南岛18个气象台站1961-2012年9-11月逐日降水数据、地理信息数据、耕地面积和冬种瓜菜种植面积资料,借助GIS技术,采用加权法和自然断点法对海南岛冬种瓜菜暴雨洪涝灾害致灾因子危险性、孕灾环境敏感性、承灾体易损性进行指标构建和风险分析,在此基础上构建冬种瓜菜暴雨洪涝灾害综合风险指数,并将该指数应用于海南岛冬种瓜菜暴雨洪涝灾害的风险区划。结果表明,海南岛东部和东北部地区为冬种瓜菜暴雨洪涝灾害高和次高危险区,其中万宁市大部、琼海市和屯昌县南部、陵水县中部风险最高;西部为次低和低风险区;其余地区为中等风险区。灾情验证结果表明,实际灾情的空间分布与风险区划结果基本吻合。研究结果可为海南冬种瓜菜生产布局、避减灾害风险提供依据。     

Phosphorus release from forest harvesting on an upland blanket peat catchment

The aim of this study was to investigate the release of phosphorus (P) to receiving waters resulting from harvesting 34-year-old lodgepole pine trees in an upland peat catchment. The study site was within a 25.3-hectare (ha) area, and was drained by a stream that received flows from ploughed furrows, mainly, via collector drains, and discharged directly to the salmonid Shrahrevagh River, Burrishoole, Co. Mayo, Ireland. The study site was divided into two parts: the upstream part was left intact and the downstream part was harvested in early Autumn 2005 following implementation of forest guidelines. Good management practices such as proper use of brash mats and harvesting only in dry weather were implemented. Two instrumented stations were established – one just upstream (US) and the other just downstream (DS) of the clearfelled area. The measurement of P concentrations at the two stations commenced in May 2005, two months before the harvesting started. The daily mean P concentration at the DS station increased from about 6 μg L⁻¹ of total reactive phosphorus (TRP) during pre-clearfelling to 429 μg L⁻¹ in August 2006. By October 2009, four years after clearfelling, the P concentrations at the DS station had returned to pre-clearfelling levels. In the first three years after harvesting, up to 5.15 kg ha⁻¹ of TRP was released from the harvested catchment to the receiving water; in the second year alone, 2.3 kg ha⁻¹ of TRP was released. Linear regression can be used to describe the relationship between TRP load and water discharge. About 80% of the total phosphorus (TP) in the study stream was soluble and more than 70% of the P release occurred in storm events, indicating that traditional buffer strips with widths of 15–20 m might not be efficient for P immobilization. The P concentrations were affected by antecedent weather conditions and highest concentrations occurred during storm events following prolonged drought periods. The water extractable phosphorus (WEP) contents in the soil were significantly higher below windrow/brash material than in brash-free areas, and whole-tree harvesting should be studied as one of the means to decrease P export from blanket peats.