Research capacity for local innovation: the case of conservation agriculture in Ethiopia,Malawi and Mozambique

Purpose: The limited uptake of improved agricultural practices in Africa raise questions on the functionality of current agricultural research systems. Our purpose is to explore the capacity for local innovation within the research systems of Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique.

Design/methodology/approach: Using Conservation Agriculture (CA) as a case study, we qualitatively explore with 26 locally based agricultural researchers the context of CA research and promotion, including their perceptions on persistent research gaps and issues in closing them.

Findings: Respondents identified that CA was not yet a finished product, with concerns regarding the benefit, feasibility and relevance of CA implementation. They asserted that while further adaptation was required, they were unable to do this due to institutional constraints within their research, extension and policy contexts.

Practical implications: We find that CA continues to be considered a donor-driven intervention in its current form and requires substantial further adaptation to local contexts before researchers will deem it ready for farmer uptake. The five research gaps identified by respondents highlight practical areas where further adaptations must occur.

Theoretical implications: Our findings suggest a lack of participatory research and extension most likely reflects limited financial, human and social capital to implement more participatory approaches. Without addressing these capacities, widespread adoption of complex farming systems change appears unlikely.

Originality/Value: Whilst many studies have identified a need for local innovation to enable CA utilisation, few have qualitatively explored directly with local researchers the capacity of such systems to do so. We address this gap in the literature.     

自然保护与福建城市可持续发展

本阐述了城市自然保护的内涵及重要性，福建城市化面临的环境压力，并结合国外经验提出相应对策。     

节水型农业的初步研究

节水型农业是以节水高产为中心，以提高作物的水分利用效率为目的，并保证水资源系统的良性循环为条件的农业。它主要研究解决节水高产、水资源供需平衡、输水灌水、农田蒸发和作物蒸腾中的理论和应用技术问题。本文以南皮节水农业综合试点为例。系统阐述了上列问题。供在不同     

飞机场生物多样性保护的探究

飞机场是一个特殊的可以人为控制的半自然生态系统,其生物多样性特别是鸟类多样性较高,但这会影响到飞机起飞和降落的安全。因此,飞机场的生物多样性有别于一般自然生态系统生物多样性的保护。本文就飞机场生物多样性的保护进行了初步的探讨。     

Protecting the Great Barrier Reef: analysing the impact of a conservation documentary and post-viewing strategies on long-term conservation behaviour

Nature-based tourism experiences have the potential to change the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behavior of visitors; but such experiences may be beyond the physical and/or financial reach of many people. To influence the conservation behavior of populations world-wide, a more accessible yet equally effective strategy is required. Using an experimental design, this study explored whether a conservation documentary about Australian marine environments, together with post-viewing support materials, prompted the adoption of conservation behaviours. Questionnaires revealed environmental knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions rose immediately after viewing the documentary. Ten weeks later, these levels were maintained or decreased slightly for those who received post-viewing support (Facebook, help sheet or both), but decreased markedly in the control group. Results are similar to those reported in wildlife tourism studies. Implications for the use of documentaries in place of nature experiences are discussed.     

基于区域视角探讨广西非物质文化遗产的保护

在分析广西国家级和区级非物质文化遗产空间分布的基础上,总结了广西非物质文化遗产的特点.基于区域的视角,根据非物质文化遗产和各民族的空间分布特征,结合非物质文化遗产的民族类别,并考虑行政区划因素,建立6个民族非物质文化遗产保护区,包括壮族非物质文化遗产保护区、多民族非物质文化遗产保护区、瑶族非物质文化遗产保护区、三江龙胜侗族非物质文化遗产保护区、东兴京族非物质文化遗产保护区和汉族非物质文化遗产保护区,实现民族文化遗产的原地活态整体性保护和传承.最后阐述了非物质文化遗产保护区规划和建设需要注意的6个方面内容.     

贵州省野菜资源保护和利用的现状及策略研究

2007年来,对贵州省野菜资源保护和利用现状及策略的调查研究结果显示,野菜资源蕴藏量大,受到较好的保护,生长的环境复杂,环境污染相对较少,野菜开发市场广阔,受到国内外顾客的欢迎,但野菜开发利用的程度弱,基础较差,规模较小。贵州省应结合石漠化治理持续保护和开发利用野菜,构建草坪建植、灌木和森林恢复、林下管理等立体生态农业,实施规模化高科技管理,进行旅游开发等是十分重要的策略,其潜力巨大,具有民族特色,前景好。     

伯努利方程的原理及运用浅析

伯努利方程原理是流体力学中的一个重要定理,涉及很多流体力学的知识,在现实生活中运用很多。由于一些知识点难以理解,在实际的解题和运用中让一些师生疑惑不解。本文重点剖析了伯努利方程的原理内涵及在现实生活中的一些应用。     

Archiving Records and Papers of Conservators of Art and Artifacts

ABSTRACT

The records of art conservators are important for many reasons. As people consider artwork a legacy of American culture so too will they also consider the records generated by individuals who have spent their working lives guaranteeing its long-term survival. Conservators and archival repositories need to work together to ensure that records relating to the treatment of art objects in their many forms be retained and made available to researchers generations from now. Some conservators and institutions have already begun to work together, most notably the conservators who have donated their papers to the Winterthur Museum. The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works and The Getty Conservation Institute organized a two-day roundtable discussion in May 2003, bringing conservators and archivists together to discuss the next steps in archiving the records of art conservators.     

Light-induced color changes and chemical modification of treated and untreated chestnut wood surface

Abstract

The aim of this work is to study the surface modifications of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) wood by reflectance spectrophotometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in order to understand the mechanisms that cause changes and to suggest possible solutions to avoid degradation phenomena. The experimental data were statistically treated to evaluate their significance. Concerning the surface protection of wood, starting from the results obtained by testing different commercial products, attention was focused on a novel organic preservative/consolidant product (Linfoil^®) that has attracted great interest in the field of conservation of wooden artifacts. Color monitoring showed that wood surface color undergoes an important variation due to photoirradiation, occurring within the first 24 hours and mainly due to L* decrease and b* increase. Though the protective treatment modifies wood color, nevertheless the product tested seems to protect the wood surface by reducing photoyellowing. FTIR analysis indicated that irradiation caused the degradation of lignin and increased the concentration of the chromophore groups on the wood surface. Changes in the chromaticity coordinates can be linked to the degradation of lignin and to increase of the concentration of carbonyl groups.