Sacred sites as habitats of culturally important plant species in an Indian megacity

Cultural ecosystem services related to urban green spaces contribute significantly to liveable cities. While previous studies highlight the intersection of cultural ecosystem services with societal values, spiritual or religious values associated with urban nature have received less attention. In India, as in other parts of the world, sacred sites are known for their biological richness, but analyses from urban sacred sites are largely missing. Based on a stratified random sampling approach, we analysed the cultivated and wild plant species assemblages of 69 sacred sites in the megacity of Bengaluru, India, in relation to biological and cultural features, and parameters related to the urban matrix and type of sacred sites (temple vs. katte). Unlike other urban studies, we found a dominance of native species in the cultivated and spontaneous species pools (121 species in total), with Ficus religiosa and Azadirachta indica as most frequently planted species. Culturally relevant species prevailed in the species pool (89%), with overlaps between religious (36%), medicinal (50%) and ornamental (62%) plants; only 11% of species were weeds. Urban matrix parameters (age of development, housing density) and size and type of sacred sites were related to differences in species assemblages. We identified key species for different classes of age and housing density, and for types of sacred sites. Our study demonstrates that urban sacred sites have an important potential in harbouring both native and culturally significant species that can support urban livelihoods in developing countries by a range of cultural and provisioning ecosystem services, including medicinal uses. As such sites are conserved by communities for spiritual or cultural beliefs, local biodiversity can be enhanced, e.g. by adapting management practices through community participation. This would strengthen the important contribution of sacred sites within the green infrastructure of rapidly growing megacities.     

Memory and resilience: A two-pronged approach to natural spaces in Colombia’s transition to a peaceful society

The analysis of spontaneous environmental initiatives undertaken by individuals and communities in cases of conflicts has led to a growing research field in social science, according to which the community-based stewardship of nature seems to conduce to the resilience of co-evolved social-ecological systems. In Colombia, where no such research exists so far, the conflict which officially ended in November 2016 has led to massive internal migration due to forced displacement, as well as to widespread degradation of the environment. Based on evidence provided by case studies of top-down and bottom-up living memorials and urban agriculture initiatives, the article explores the potential of urban greening in the process of memorialisation and in generating new social cohesion, as well as better living conditions in urban areas. It analyses cases both where the conflict has taken place and in the cities where refugees have settled, in order to explore avenues for public policies in post conflict Colombia. The author concludes that greening initiatives offer manifold, so far overlooked, opportunities to restoring social and ecological resilience in urban areas and thus contribute to a lasting peace in Colombia.     

Soil quality assessments in integrated crop–livestock–forest systems: A review

Integrated crop–livestock–forest is a promising strategy to improve soil quality. It comprises four different integrated farming systems: crop–livestock, crop–forest, forest–livestock and crop–livestock–forest. This work systematically reviewed studies about integrated crop–livestock–forest systems and soil quality. A total of 92 papers were retrieved from the Web of Science—Clarivate Analytics platform, and the following information was analysed: publication year, institution, region of the studied site, type of integrated system, soil type, tillage system, maximum soil depth and the soil quality indicators assessed. Most studies were published in the second half of the 2010s. Brazil is a prominent focus of research about soil quality and integrated crop–livestock–forest systems, with significant contribution from its central and southern regions. The Embrapa was the main publishing institution, present in over one‐third of the studies. Crop–livestock was the most common integrated system, Ferralsols was the most common soil group, and most of the studied soils were clayey. No tillage was the main tillage system. Most studies focused on the topsoil, assessing physical and/or chemical soil quality indicators. More emphasis on biological indicators of soil quality is required, as well as assessments integrating biological, physical and chemical indicators of soil quality. Future works should compare different integrated systems, including assessments deeper in the soil profile, especially in systems with the forest component, and also in sandy and silty soils. Soil quality indicators that have been rarely used should be further tested. Novel indicators should be added to better understand the promotion of soil quality by integrated crop–livestock–forest systems.     

古籍咨询工作中的新视角

本文讨论古籍咨询的服务创新问题,提出了内容咨询这一新概念。认为根据个人自身条件,有些咨询人员不妨可以对古籍的内容进行研究,这有利于与读者进行深入的交流,可以提高咨询水平的深度。     

复合图书馆的信息服务探讨

复合图书馆作为图书馆的一种发展形态，有其自身的特点和要求，有许多值得研究的内容。复合图书馆的读者服务工作是图书馆工作的出发点和各项业务工作的最终价值体现。文章分析了目前图书馆读者服务工作面临的形势，探讨了我们应采取的措施。     

以塘坝为中心建设立体型综合开发小区

以塘坝为中心建设立体型综合开发小区于明（黑龙江省青冈县水土保持办公室，１５１６０６）塘坝是我国水利水保建设的重要工程措施之一。它不仅可防洪蓄水，防治水土流失，同时对解决农田抗旱灌溉、养鱼等综合开发利用具有重要作用。搞好以塘坝建设为中心的小流域综合开发...     

深化馆系资料室共建-扬馆系所长

本文分析了系部资料室在服务教学科研工作中的特殊地位与优势，同时分析了系部资料室建设存在的一些问题，提出系部资料室信息深化服务的建议。     

新疆水土保持情况调查

新疆水土保持情况调查郭廷辅，佟伟力（水利部水土保持司，北京１００７６１）我们于１９９４年８月１１日至２６日对新疆伊犁、和田、喀什、吐鲁番、昌吉、乌鲁木齐等６个地区（州、市）的１１个县（市）、两个流域的水土流失情况和开展治理工作做了典型调查。同时，也对...     

小流域治理成果的开发利用途径

根据市场经济的要求和目前小流域治理中普遍存在的高投入、低效益问题，提出以市场经济为导向，通过合理开发利用治理成果，优化组合资源、资金、劳力、技术等生产要素，努力发展商品生产，提高小流域治理的经济效益。结合各地实践，总结出基本农田的集约经营、水保林的经营增值、水保草的养畜转化、非生产地的开发利用、转化产品的加工增值和疏通流通渠道六条开发利用途径。     

额尔齐斯河流域生态系统格局及变化

本文首先对额尔齐斯河流域气候，地貌，水文等环境因子特征进行了评述，进而阐述了流域生态系统的特征和格局以及在自然和人为干扰作用下的变化。分析结果表明在自然干扰作用下流域生态系统的格局与流域水文情势变化相适应，处于准稳定变化状态，而在人为对流域水文情势扰动下，流域生态系统的格局间接地受到影响。从而产生新的格局，其作用的强度，持久性和生态系统的格局变化程度过错大于大于自然干扰作用下的变化。引额调水工程对额尔齐斯河流域河谷生态系统内部单元格局变化具有重要影响。