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Into The Desert: An Arab View Of The Book Of Mormon, Ehab Abunuwara Jul 2002

Into The Desert: An Arab View Of The Book Of Mormon, Ehab Abunuwara

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

The Book of Mormon culture is found to be strikingly similar to that of the Middle East. An Arab Latter-day Saint tells his experience with the Book of Mormon and how he is able to relate to the stories within its pages because of his cultural origins. Among the congruities discussed are the structure of the family, the concept of taking oaths, the behavior of women, and the danger of the desert. Together, these points demonstrate the worth of the Book of Mormon and show how each reader is able to draw from his or her own cultural background in …

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An Interview With John L. Sorenson, Journal Of Book Of Mormon Studies Jul 2002

An Interview With John L. Sorenson, Journal Of Book Of Mormon Studies

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

Editors of the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies interview renowned Book of Mormon scholar John L. Sorenson to discuss his experience in doing Book of Mormon research for more than fifty years. Sorensen tells of becoming interested in the Book of Mormon and in Mesoamerican anthropology and archaeology. He also articulates how to be a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while conducting objective and scholarly research on the Book of Mormon. Sorenson explains how this approach has helped people throughout the world better understand the Book of Mormon and how it will continue …

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Women In The Book Of Mormon, Camille Williams Jul 2002

Women In The Book Of Mormon, Camille Williams

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

Feminist readers, particularly, have argued that biblical writing is sexist because the majority of the text was written by men who seem to place little significance on the role of women. This observation has become a serious concern among some because it calls into question the nature of God: does this supposedly perfect being love men and women equally? This study delves into the text of the Book of Mormon and its female characters to suggest that women were not considered lower than men in Book of Mormon times; likewise, women are not considered lower than men in the Church …

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Il Libro Di Mormon: Anticipating Growth Beyond Italy's Waldensian Valleys, Michael W. Homer Jul 2002

Il Libro Di Mormon: Anticipating Growth Beyond Italy's Waldensian Valleys, Michael W. Homer

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

In the year 1850, Elder Lorenzo Snow of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles arrived in Italy as a missionary. He and his companions spent much of their time with a Waldensian community. Elder Snow soon began sending missionaries to Switzerland to preach the gospel to French speakers there and began publishing church materials into French. The new materials caused a lot of opposition from Swiss Protestants and Italian Catholics. Elder Snow then went to England, where he solicited the help of an anonymous translator, and together they completed the translation of the Book of Mormon into Italian. Elder Snow …

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A Reader's Library, Martin H. Raish, C. Gary Bennett Jul 2002

A Reader's Library, Martin H. Raish, C. Gary Bennett

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

Two critics evaluate the book By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion. Raish opines that Givens’s book effectively explains why a person might accept the Book of Mormon and facilitates a reader’s desire to better understand the Book of Mormon. Bennett adds that Givens approaches his discussion of the Book of Mormon as a scholar, resulting in a more accepting readership. Givens also studies the Book of Mormon with respect to its role in promoting the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a worldwide religion.

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A Classification Of Aquatic Plant Communities Within The Nothern Rocky Mountains, John R. Pierce, Mark E. Jensen Jul 2002

A Classification Of Aquatic Plant Communities Within The Nothern Rocky Mountains, John R. Pierce, Mark E. Jensen

Western North American Naturalist

A synecological study of aquatic macrophyte plant communities was conducted across northern Idaho and western Montana during the summers of 1997, 1998, and 1999. A total of 111 natural and man-made water bodies were sampled based on a stratification of environmental variables thought to influence plant species distribution (i.e., elevation, landform, geology, and water body size). Plant species foliar cover data were used to develop a hierarchical, floristic-based community type classification with TWINSPAN and DECORANA software. Six planmergent (conspicuous portion of vegetative plant body on the water surface) and 24 submergent (vegetative plant body found primarily underwater) community types were …

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Kanab Ambersnail And Other Terrestrial Snails In South Central Utah, Vicky J. Meretsky, Eric G. North, Lawrence E. Stevens Jul 2002

Kanab Ambersnail And Other Terrestrial Snails In South Central Utah, Vicky J. Meretsky, Eric G. North, Lawrence E. Stevens

Western North American Naturalist

Surveys for succineid snails were conducted to improve genetic and geographical information for the endangered Kanab ambersnail (Oxyloma haydeni kanabensis Pilsbry) and related taxa within the Succineidae. Surveys were carried out in the Bureau of Land Management Kanab District, at the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, on 3 private holdings, and along Highways 89, 12, and 14, all in south central Utah. A population of Kanab ambersnails was known to exist in the region; other populations of Oxyloma were discovered in primarily seep-fed wetlands in Kanab Creek and in tributaries of and wetlands along the Virgin, Sevier, and Escalante …

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Genetic Differentiation Of Rare And Common Varieties Of Eriogonum Shockleyi (Polygonaceae) In Idaho Using Issr Variability, James F. Smith, Terry A. Bateman Jul 2002

Genetic Differentiation Of Rare And Common Varieties Of Eriogonum Shockleyi (Polygonaceae) In Idaho Using Issr Variability, James F. Smith, Terry A. Bateman

Western North American Naturalist

Idaho populations of Eriogonum shockleyi are divided taxonomically into 2 varieties: E. shockleyi var. packardae, which is endemic to Idaho, and the typical variety, which is widespread in the western United States. Recent morphological investigations of E. shockleyi in Idaho have identified potentially reliable morphological characters for field identification of the subspecific taxa. This paper investigates the genetic basis for the separation of the 2 varieties of E. shockleyi using inter simple-sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Although we found some morphological differences between the populations that correlated with the 2 varieties, we identified no molecular markers in this study to …

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Autumnal Migration Of Eared Grebes (Podiceps Nigricollis) Through Southwestern Wyoming: A Key To Assessing The Size Of The North American Population, Joseph R. Jehl Jr., Carl Johansson Jul 2002

Autumnal Migration Of Eared Grebes (Podiceps Nigricollis) Through Southwestern Wyoming: A Key To Assessing The Size Of The North American Population, Joseph R. Jehl Jr., Carl Johansson

Western North American Naturalist

In autumn the vast majority of the North American population of Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) congregates for several months at Great Salt Lake, Utah, and Mono Lake, California. Because the lakes are so large, it has not been possible to monitor grebe migration with sufficient accuracy to determine when peak numbers are reached. To clarify migration phenology, we analyzed data from 2 isolated wetland areas in southwestern Wyoming where grebes land en route between breeding areas in the interior and Great Salt Lake. Occasional birds, probably nonbreeders or failed breeders, begin moving southward as early as mid-June. Migration …

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The Short Song Of Brewer's Sparrow: Individual And Geographic Variation In Southern Idaho, Terrell D. Rich Jul 2002

The Short Song Of Brewer's Sparrow: Individual And Geographic Variation In Southern Idaho, Terrell D. Rich

Western North American Naturalist

Brewer's Sparrows (Spizella breweri) have two song types—a "short" song that has 1 to 3 trill types and a "long" song that has 5 to 10 or more trill types. I describe the short song and examine patterns of individual and geographic song variation from 15 sites on the Snake River Plain in southern Idaho. Territorial males sang the short song regularly during the breeding season. Two-trill song types comprised 72.9% of all song types, with 3-trill types (18.8%) and 1-trill types (8.2%) less frequent. Over 90% of the males sang their song type(s) essentially without variation. Many …

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Full Issue, Vol. 62 No. 3 Jul 2002

Full Issue, Vol. 62 No. 3

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

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A Simulation System For Waste Management – From System Dynamics Modelling To Decision Support, Patrick A. Wäger, Lorenz M. Hilty Jul 2002

A Simulation System For Waste Management – From System Dynamics Modelling To Decision Support, Patrick A. Wäger, Lorenz M. Hilty

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

With ongoing differentiation of society and an increasing demand to consider sustainability principles, instruments to support the assessment, design and control of complex socio-technical systems will gain importance. In this context, computer-based numerical models may play an essential role. We present a system dynamics based simulation system for plastics waste management and discuss the practical experiences made with this system. The simulation system – called EcoSolver IP-SSK - combines the advantages of a system dynamics approach with expertise from the field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). EcoSolver IP-SSK has been developed in cooperation with key players of the waste management …

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Choice Processes In Modelling For Policy Support, Penny Kloprogge, Jeroen Van Der Sluijs Jul 2002

Choice Processes In Modelling For Policy Support, Penny Kloprogge, Jeroen Van Der Sluijs

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

When building a (interdisciplinary) model for policy support, modellers are faced with many choices that influence the model, and may influence the model outcomes. When a personal judgment is involved in a choice process, this can make the model biased. A model and its outcomes may be unacceptable to the users and stakeholders and may lead to conflict if the model does not adequately take their knowledge and perspectives into account. This study explored how choice processes in the modelling practice take place and what biases may occur that may influence the knowledge and perspectives incorporated in a model. Based …

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Environment Explorer: Spatial Support System For The Integrated Assessment Of Socio-Economic And Environmental Policies In The Netherlands, Guy Engelen, Inge Uljee, Roger White Jul 2002

Environment Explorer: Spatial Support System For The Integrated Assessment Of Socio-Economic And Environmental Policies In The Netherlands, Guy Engelen, Inge Uljee, Roger White

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Environment Explorer is a system developed to support spatial scientists, planners and decision makers at the regional and national level in the Netherlands to analyse a wide range of social, economic and environmental policies and their associated spatial patterns. The core of this system consists of linked dynamic spatial models operating at both the micro- and the macro-geographical scales. At the macro scale, the modeling framework integrates several component sub-models, representing the natural, social, and economic sub-systems. At the micro level, cellular automata based models determine the faith of individual parcels of land based on institutional, physical and environmental factors …

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Renewable Energy: A Decision Support System For Forest Biomass Exploitation, D. Freppaz, R. Minciardi, M. Robba, Roberto Sacile, A. Taramasso Jul 2002

Renewable Energy: A Decision Support System For Forest Biomass Exploitation, D. Freppaz, R. Minciardi, M. Robba, Roberto Sacile, A. Taramasso

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

A decision support system for forest biomass exploitation for energy supply is presented. In the proposed approach, geographic information system based techniques are integrated with mathematical programming methods yielding a comprehensive system, which allows formalizing the problem, taking decisions, and evaluating their effects. The aim of this work is to evaluate the possibility of biomass exploitation for both thermal and electric energy production in a provincial area. The decision support system is able to locate and size different kinds of plants on the territory (defining which kind of energy is convenient to produce for the specific area), take into account …

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Exergy And Information Indices: A Comparison For Use In Structurally Dynamic Models, Brian D. Fath Jul 2002

Exergy And Information Indices: A Comparison For Use In Structurally Dynamic Models, Brian D. Fath

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Ecosystems are open, dynamic systems changing both their structure and their function over time. A model, which is an abstraction of the system manifest at the time of its construction, can project future dynamics so long as the fundamental structure of the system does not change. A primary modelling challenge arises when the system structure changes, i.e., internal reorganization, as a result of external perturbation. Ideally, one could include algorithms in the model to anticipate such changes, but that would entail knowing a great deal more about the system and disturbances to it than is possible. Other methods to anticipate, …

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Ideas For Assessing The Sustainability Potential Of Human- Environmental Auxiliary Systems - The Case Of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills -, D. J. Lang, Claudia R. Binder, B. Stäubli, Roland W. Scholz Jul 2002

Ideas For Assessing The Sustainability Potential Of Human- Environmental Auxiliary Systems - The Case Of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills -, D. J. Lang, Claudia R. Binder, B. Stäubli, Roland W. Scholz

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Although sustainability is a widely accepted guiding idea for the development of our planet, only a few concepts exist on how to specify this idea in the context of human-environmental systems. We understand sustainability as a combination of system limit management with ethical allegiances. Uncertainties given by large timeframes and vague definitions present a major problem when assessing if an object or circumstance is sustainable or not. However, a sound standing assessment is indispensable if sustainability is to be more than a buzzword. In this paper, we present a systemic method for assessing the sustainability potential of anthropogenic systems. This …

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Interaction Protocols For A Network Of Environmental Problem Solvers, M. K. Purvis, P. Hwang, M. A. Purvis, S. J. Cranefield, M. Schievink Jul 2002

Interaction Protocols For A Network Of Environmental Problem Solvers, M. K. Purvis, P. Hwang, M. A. Purvis, S. J. Cranefield, M. Schievink

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Environmental management and emergency response often involves the joint cooperation of anetwork of distributed problem solvers, each of which may be specialised for a specific task or problem domain.Some of these problem solvers could be human, others could be ‘intelligent’ environmental monitoring andcontrol systems. Environmental software systems are needed not only for the provision of basic environmentalinformation but also to support the coordination of these problem solvers. An agent architecture can supportthe requirement associated with disparate problem solvers. The various stakeholders in the process arerepresented by software agents which can collaborate with each other toward achieving a particular goal. Thecommunication …

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Fuzzy Prediction Of The Algal Blooms In The Orbetello Lagoon, Stefano Marsili-Libelli, G. Pacini, C. Barresi Jul 2002

Fuzzy Prediction Of The Algal Blooms In The Orbetello Lagoon, Stefano Marsili-Libelli, G. Pacini, C. Barresi

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

The Orbetello lagoon is a shallow brackish waterbody subject to intense and diverse eutrophication (phytoplancton, macroalgae and macrophytes). Periodically a large amount of algae must be artificially removed, their collection and disposal representing a considerable management cost. This paper describes the design of a bloom predictor based on the daily fluctuations of simple water quality parameters such ad dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, pH and temperature. The task of the fuzzy predictor is to recognise the possibility that a bloom of the macroalgae population is about to occur based on the changing daily pattern of these variables. The fuzzy predictor is …

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An Integrated Multi-Scaled Decision Support Framework Used In The Formulation And Evaluation Of Land-Use Planning Scenarios For The Growth Of Hervey Bay, C. Pettit, D. Pullar, R. Stimson Jul 2002

An Integrated Multi-Scaled Decision Support Framework Used In The Formulation And Evaluation Of Land-Use Planning Scenarios For The Growth Of Hervey Bay, C. Pettit, D. Pullar, R. Stimson

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

This paper investigates how demographic (socio-economic) and land-use (physical and environmental) data can be integrated within a multi-scaled decision support framework to formulate and evaluate land-use planning scenarios. A case study approach is undertaken using ‘what-if’ planning scenarios for a rapidly growing coastal area in Australia, the Shire of Hervey Bay. The town and surrounding area requires careful planning of future urban growth between competing land-uses. Three potential urban growth scenarios are put forth to address this issue. Scenario A - ‘business as usual’ is based on existing socio-economic trends. Scenario B – ‘maximisation of rates base’ has been derived …

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Generic Integration In Environmental Information And Decision Support Systems, Ralf Denzer Jul 2002

Generic Integration In Environmental Information And Decision Support Systems, Ralf Denzer

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Environmental Information Systems (EIS) and Environmental Decision Support Systems (EDSS) are major building blocks in environmental management and science today. They are used at all levels of public bodies (community, state, national and international level), in science, in management and as information platforms towards the public. EIS and EDSS are usually said to have certain characteristics, which distinguish them from standard information systems, e.g. information complexity in time and space or uncompleteness or fuzzyness of data items. By the very nature of the complex tasks involved, different methodologies can be an option while developing a new system, for instance modelling, …

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Putting The Decision In Decision Support, David Swayne Jul 2002

Putting The Decision In Decision Support, David Swayne

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

We consider a novel approach to developing multi-objective environmental decision support applications. We propose using causal probabilistic networks (CPN) to subsume one or more engineering process models, together with CPN implementations of specific decisions and utility measures. So-called decision nodes are set to prior probability assignments of 1/N (where the particular decision has N possible values) and utility nodes are based upon the standard lottery principle give a value for that decision choice. The decisions can be so-called "one-shot" or sequential (time-dependent or at least seasonal). In the latter case maximization of the utility is calculated by gaming to optimize …

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Modelling Intervention Strategies For Cooperative Environmental Management, Jim Doran Jul 2002

Modelling Intervention Strategies For Cooperative Environmental Management, Jim Doran

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Central to sustainable natural resource management is the achievement of cooperation and collective action amongst stakeholders with initially conflicting short and long-term goals. It is argued that automatically generated agent-based computer models may be used to explore the ways in which external intervention can bring about effective stakeholder cooperation in environmental resource management contexts. The potential advantages of the agent-based modelling approach in this context include objectivity, and the discovery of currently unrecognised intervention strategies of practical value. An experimental procedure is proposed, and, by reference to a detailed design for a class of agent-based models, the technical obstacles that …

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An Integrated Assessment Framework For Combining General Systems And Organizational Levels, Roman Lenz Jul 2002

An Integrated Assessment Framework For Combining General Systems And Organizational Levels, Roman Lenz

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

It is stated, that ecological theories like the one of organizational levels in living systems, ifcombined with a general systems approach, can be useful also for understanding and manipulating socialsystems and its “hidden socio-cybernetic processes”.Especially in relation to trans-level phenomena affecting different organisational levels, different researchapproaches have to be introduced, showing that descriptive-observational (which also means more holistic)and quantitative-experimental (which also means more reductionistic) approaches are complementary.Therefore, to include all relevant information in delineation and description of systems at any integrationlevel, a ”staircase” or ”scaling” of research steps appears to be the most useful approach. This combinescomparative and quantitative research …

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Implementation Of A Multiagent Prototype For Wwtp Management, F. Borrell, D. Riaño, Miquel Sànchez-Marrè, Ignasi Rodríguez-Roda Jul 2002

Implementation Of A Multiagent Prototype For Wwtp Management, F. Borrell, D. Riaño, Miquel Sànchez-Marrè, Ignasi Rodríguez-Roda

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

The control and management of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is a complex task that requires the supervision of human experts. To ease this task, Multiagent Systems provide a framework for a more efficiently control in environmental processes. A prototype of multiagent system has been designed for WWTP management. Two subgroups of agents are identified: the interface and the intelligent agents. The first subgroup is designed to interact with the plant and the final users. This group contains the monitoring agent, which is used to store and manage all the sensor data incomes, the actuator agent which acts on the …

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A Multiobjective Approach For Solid Waste Management, R. Minciardi, Massimo Paolucci, M. Robba, Roberto Sacile Jul 2002

A Multiobjective Approach For Solid Waste Management, R. Minciardi, Massimo Paolucci, M. Robba, Roberto Sacile

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Nowadays, solid waste management is a problem of major relevance for all societies. Finding acceptable strategies to cope with such a problem is becoming a quite hard task, owing to the increasing awareness of environmental issues by population and authorities. In general, this awareness has led to the development of enhanced pollution control technologies and to a more rigorous legislation on waste handling and disposal, to minimize the related environmental impact. Solid waste management is a problem that is even more felt at the municipal level, where decision makers should plan an effective strategy, taking simultaneously into account conflicting objectives …

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Ecological Modelling Using The Spreadsheet Model Tabsim, L. Matejicek Jul 2002

Ecological Modelling Using The Spreadsheet Model Tabsim, L. Matejicek

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Simulation of ecological systems represents more sophisticated analysis, which extends possibilities of standard research methods. In contrast to majority of computer languages available for calculation of dynamic models, spreadsheet models (TabSim-Table Simulation) offer to spend more effort on investigating the features of a dynamic system, rather than writing a program code. The program structures are replaced by table objects, which represent basic dynamic relations (integrations and time delays) and static relations (described by built-in functions and user functions). In addition to calculation of dynamic and static relations, the wide range of built-in graphs and graphic objects can be used for …

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Application Of A Checklist For Quality Assistance In Environmental Modelling To An Energy Model, James Risbey, Jeroen Van Der Sluijs, Penny Kloprogge, Jerry Ravetz, Silvio Funtowicz, S.C. Quintana Jul 2002

Application Of A Checklist For Quality Assistance In Environmental Modelling To An Energy Model, James Risbey, Jeroen Van Der Sluijs, Penny Kloprogge, Jerry Ravetz, Silvio Funtowicz, S.C. Quintana

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Large, complex energy models present considerable challenges to develop and test. Uncertainty assessments of such models provide only partial guidance on the quality of the results. We have developed a model quality assistance checklist to aid in this purpose. The checklist is applied to an energy model for the problem of assessing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Use of the checklist suggests that results on this issue are contingent on a number of assumptions that are highly value-laden. When these assumptions are held fixed, the model is deemed capable of producing moderately robust results of relevance to climate policy …

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Weathering In Terrestrial Ecosystems: Carbon Sink, P. Egorov, Yuri Svirezhev Jul 2002

Weathering In Terrestrial Ecosystems: Carbon Sink, P. Egorov, Yuri Svirezhev

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

In the framework of "active planetary cover" concept the influence of weathering on the atmosphere carbon and, as a consequence, on the climate is considered. The relatively slow process of chemical weathering, which is accompanied by an uptake of carbon from the atmosphere and its transportation to the intercontinental and epicontinental seas, is significantly amplified by terrestrial ecosystems. The mechanism of amplification is explained by an increase in CO2 concentration in the "soil" atmosphere caused by root respiration and the metabolism of micro-organisms, the so-called "respiration of soil". In accordance with Zavarzin’s estimation, the concentration of CO2 in the soil …

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The Inemar Database: A Tool For Regional Atmospheric Emission Inventory, Stefano Caserini, Anna Fraccaroli, Anna Maria Monguzzi, Marco Moretti, Angelo Giudici, Giovanni Volpi Jul 2002

The Inemar Database: A Tool For Regional Atmospheric Emission Inventory, Stefano Caserini, Anna Fraccaroli, Anna Maria Monguzzi, Marco Moretti, Angelo Giudici, Giovanni Volpi

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Within the framework of the Regional Air Quality Plan (PRQA) of the Lombardy Region (Italy) adatabase named INEMAR (AiR EMission INventory) was developed for the estimation and management ofthe atmospheric emissions.The INEMAR system considers emissions of different sources (point, area, biogenic, road transport), andorganizes all information needed for their estimation: activity indicators, emission factors, other statisticaldata necessary on spatial and temporal distribution of emissions.As the first Italian experience of an emission inventory source code made by a regional authority, INEMARis a multi-user database that contains all the data for the emission estimates, the procedures that carry out thealgorithms utilized for …

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