An oasis in a watery desert? Discourses on an industrial ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico Rigs‐to‐Reefs program

This article explores how in the years after 1980 a spectrum of historical actors came to see petroleum platforms in the Gulf of Mexico as a necessary part of the Gulf ecosystem and how such views affected platform removal policies. Through a discourse analysis of the Rigs‐to‐Reefs program, in which old offshore petroleum facilities were converted into artificial reefs, this article examines how actors presented to the public their notions of the relationship of the Gulf ecosystem with technological offshore structures. Through this case we see how ideas of technology and nature were mutually constructed via discourses and what affect that had on policies.     

Vattel's law of nations and just war theory

It has often been said that Vattel's treatise on the law of nations breaks with the tradition of modern natural law and just war theory. Based on a closer examination of Vattel's justification of preventive war and of his assessment of the balance of power in Europe, the paper argues that this criticism is greatly exaggerated, if not entirely misleading.     

On Theme and Variation

Abstract

The ways in which the author, the sculptor Peter Randall-Page, has made use of the ideas of D’Arcy Thompson are described. How Thompson showed that commonalities of form and pattern exist across the biological and abiotic realms is described, and the implications that physical constraints limit and sometimes dominate the capabilities of evolutionary natural selection are explored. Since we evolved in a world shaped in this manner, the likelihood that this palette of forms is one that carries strong psychological meanings and associations is examined, and the ways in which these forms are a rich source of inspiration and allusion for visual artists are discussed, hinting at the play of opposing tendencies, the dance between order and randomness, and the ways in which nature can derive variations on a theme.     

When Natural met Social: A Review of Collaboration between the Natural and Social Sciences

Abstract

This paper investigates the opportunities for further collaboration between the natural and social sciences. From 81 systematically identified and reviewed papers published in scientific journals, it became clear that complex situations that depend on human behaviour as well as natural processes require natural–social science collaboration. The creation of a community of collaborative natural–social science research, that learns from and can contribute to best practice across the sciences, is advocated to support natural– social science collaboration. Across disciplines, it became clear that such a community should deal with (1) difference between paradigms in the current sciences; (2) creation of skills and competences of the involved scientists; (3) scarcity of institutions sympathetic to collaborative research; and (4) the internal organization of collaborative projects.     

In Situ Preservation and Monitoring of the James Matthews Shipwreck Site

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the archaeological community has been moving away from the more traditional methods of excavation and recovery of underwater cultural heritage towards a less intrusive management approach, essentially involving the preservation of sites in situ. This trend has been politically galvanized in Article 2, point 5 of the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (), which states that ‘The preservation in-situ of underwater cultural heritage shall be considered as the ?rst option before allowing or engaging in any activities directed at this heritage’. Over the years, a number of different remediation strategies have been utilized in order to protect underwater cultural heritage sites in situ, and most of the techniques or combinations thereof involve reburial of sites. Reburial may be an appropriate means of stabilizing and decreasing the deterioration rate of a site, however, there needs to be a holistic approach to the study of the environment, before and after reburial, to gain a full understanding of the changes that are occurring on the site and determine the effectiveness of the technique.

In early 2000, the James Matthews, a copper-sheathed, wooden-hulled vessel wrecked in 1841 south of Fremantle, Western Australia, was identi?ed as being under considerable threat from increased site exposure due to a combination of natural near-shore sedimentary processes and industrial activity in the immediate area. An extensive on-site conservation survey was carried out to establish the state of preservation of the wreck and provide information regarding the physico-chemical and biological nature of the environment prior to the implementation of any mitigation strategy. In 2003 it was con?rmed that further exposure of the site was occurring and devising a management plan was of paramount importance.

Since this time a number of different reburial techniques have been trialled on the site and these include sand bags of differing material composition, polymeric shade cloth, arti?cial sea grass mats made from polyvinyl chloride bunting, and the use of interlocking medium density polyethylene ‘crash barrier’ units in a cofferdam arrangement to con?ne deposited sand. The geological, physico-chemical, and microbiological changes in the burial environments have been monitored over this time. Furthermore, the broader scale, near-shore sedimentary processes affecting the site are being assessed in order to establish the reasons behind the continuing sediment loss. In situ preservation of the iron ?ttings by cathodic protection has also been included in these ?eld trials. In this paper the results from these experiments will be summarized. This information will be used to ?nalize the design of the full-scale in situ preservation strategy for the site and assist in establishing a post-reburial monitoring programme that will measure the success of the adopted remediation technique.     

Marine Data,Access, and Interoperability: Two Case Studies of English National Records

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the long-term management of marine historic environment archives, focusing on the comparison of English Heritage’s National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) with the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) as case studies.

Within marine (and terrestrial) contexts, archaeological archives are unique records of survey, excavation, and associated research of the historic environment. They are a resource which allows understanding of the human past to be developed, reviewed, and reinterpreted as new data is gathered. As such, they are significant for research, development-led studies, education, outreach, and public enjoyment. At a time when there is a significant focus on data from the marine environment, both within the UK and more widely across Europe, this paper puts forward some initial recommendations to enable further interoperability between these two key national datasets.

Analysis of these datasets highlighted some interesting points, including the quantification and qualification of the scale of discrepancies between data providers (NRHE and UKHO), and how these can be overcome to allow comprehensive, reliable, and accessible data on which to base long-term planning, decision-making, and resource management. This will ensure a consistent approach, enabling the successful long-term management of historic environment archives, and making historic environment data readily accessible to the wider public.     

Managing global heritage in the face of future climate change: the importance of understanding geological and geomorphological processes and hazards

It is now widely acknowledged that human adaptation of the planet is causing significant changes to the global climate, which are being felt currently and are likely to increase in the future. This is beginning to place exceptional strains on the historic environment, here defined as both above and below ground archaeological remains. Using examples from the cultural list of World Heritage Sites in mainland Britain, this paper explores how knowledge of past and contemporary geological and geomorphological processes can provide an understanding of natural hazards and risk assessment. This, in turn, can inform management strategies to allow the protection and stabilisation of sites, limit further degradation and ensure long-term sustainability. From the analysis of published documentation available from UNESCO, it appears that natural processes have not always received the attention they deserve, and in some cases appear to have been ignored. Given the complexity of future climate change and the role that natural processes will play in determining the vulnerability of individual heritage assets, it is essential that geoscientists, archaeologists and cultural heritage managers work together to develop appropriate strategies to mitigate the effects of change in the future, especially since many of the themes developed in this paper have generic applicability across a range of landscape environments.     

福建省投资环境竞争力空间过程与驱动因素分析

构建福建省地级市投资环境竞争力评价指标体系,为GIS环境地级市多边形的主要属性,以2000-2007年福建统计年鉴为主要数据源,建立时态空间数据库。通过"时空同时归一"的指标变换方法定义投资环境相对竞争力,使不同指标"等价"与引入时空统一标准,选择时间序列、截面权变显著的经因子分析确定权矩阵,进行变权法三维评价,利用序列快照模型表达、逼近福建省投资环境竞争力空间过程,通过基于数据的空间过程因子识别技术,进行驱动因素分析,为优化福建省投资环境提供调控依据。     

从区位功能和投资环境看南京的发展走向

南京不仅是江苏省的政治、经济、文化中心,也是长江下游仅次于上海的第二大经济中心,并成为长江流域四大区域经济的中心之一,其超越省际的区域经济中心的位势正逐步得到加强。本文着重从空间区位和功能作用的角度分析南京的投资环境,进而对南京大都市的重点投资产业和空间发展前景作一些探讨。     

中外滑雪旅游的比较研究

本文就滑雪旅游历史进程、自然地理条件、滑雪地与滑雪场建设、客源市场状况等方面进行中外对比,旨在促进我国滑雪旅游业稳步、持续地发展。