Sustainability Commons^™

Scientific Research Supports Biosphere’S Conservation —Case Study Of Dinghushan World Biosphere Reserve, Hanping Xia, Juxiu Liu, Xiankai Lu, Hai Ren

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Based on a brief review of the Dinghushan National Nature Reserve/Dinghushan World Biosphere Reserve, this study comprehensively reviews its scientific research progress in the past 70 years, including three stages: early ecological investigation and biodiversity monitoring; mid-term research on ecosystem structure, function, and dynamics; and recent comprehensive studies. The study also analyzes the role of scientific research in supporting biodiversity conservation, local community sustainable development, and mitigation and adaptation to global climate change in the reserve. Finally, five inspirations and suggestions are proposed to support biosphere conservation through scientific research: (1) research-based conservation has strong vitality; (2) enhancing the level …

Empowering Ecological Monitoring With Science And Technology, Driving Conservation And Development Through Innovation—A Case Study Of Wolong World Biosphere Reserve, Tingmei He, Shufeng Wang, Fan Wu, Yongfeng Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Ecological monitoring can provide basic data and decision-making support for ecological environment management and policy formulation. The technologies and methods adopted in ecological monitoring by the Wolong National Nature Reserve, located in Sichuan, China, hold extensive representativeness and influence on a global scale. Based on a review of the main monitoring practices of the Wolong World Biosphere Reserve, this paper presents the adoption of different technical paths and collaborative applications in the “sky-Earth-space integrated” monitoring, as well as the practices in promoting the “Five Ones” goals (i.e., one set of data, one platform, one set of algorithms, one cloud, and …

Integrating Protection And Development Issues Through Expansion: A Case Study Of Tianmushan-Qingliangfeng World Biosphere Reserve, Wei Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

In September 2025, the Fifth UNESCO World Congress of Biosphere Reserves will be held in Hangzhou, China. The delegates will engage in detailed discussions on key issues, including the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature, as well as balanced conservation and development. This congress will also develop a strategic and action plan for the next phase of the world biosphere reserves. The Tianmushan-Qingliangfeng World Biosphere Reserve represents China’s first successful application for world biosphere reserve achieved through an expansion process. Here, this study first elucidates the value and significance of expanding world biosphere reserves. Subsequently, drawing on the practical experience …

Transboundary Conservation Of Biosphere: Case Study From Xishuangbanna World Biosphere Reserve, Lin Wang, Lifan Wang, Xiaoyan Yi, Yun Yang, Ruichang Quan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Transboundary conservation, as a pivotal strategy in addressing the global biodiversity crisis, plays a critical role in maintaining ecological connectivity and promoting regional ecological security and sustainable development. Under the initiative of the Xishuangbanna World Biosphere Reserve and with bilateral governmental support from China and Laos, a contiguous transboundary protected area spanning approximately 220 km and encompassing 200 000 hectares was established along their shared border in 2012. This study elucidates the importance of transboundary conservation. Using the Xishuangbanna World Biosphere Reserve as a case study, the joint efforts between China and Laos are examined, and the effectiveness in the …

Developing Integrated Protected Area Communities: Insights From Gaoligongshan Unesco Biosphere Reserve, China, Jianwei Chen, Ling Tang, Ying’An Zhang, Shihai Yu, Hui Yang, Yuanmengran Chu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The integrated protected area community (IPAC) model is a Chinese innovation in protected area governance, emerging from the convergence of national policy support, local government implementation, and community participation. Rather than relying solely on administrative jurisdiction or geographic proximity, IPAC uses protected areas as institutional hubs to align ecological conservation with community development and regional collaboration. Based on the case of the Gaoligongshan UNESCO biosphere reserve, this study examines how policy coordination, stakeholder integration, and ecological value realization are operationalized under the IPAC approach, highlighting an integrated mechanism that combines state-led planning, multi-entity co-governance, and ecological product valorization. The Gaoligongshan …

Aesthetics Of Life’S Continuity: Local Experiences And Chinese Wisdom In Sustainable Development Of Maolan Biosphere Reserve, Ying Zhang, Jingcheng Ran, Dengli Yu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) emphasizes that biosphere reserves should serve as “learning sites for sustainable development”. Ecological conservation should not be separated from human life, but instead be integrated with community development, cultural continuity, and educational advancement. Guided by this principle, the Maolan Biosphere Reserve in Guizhou has grounded its efforts in the traditional ecological culture of its multi-ethnic local communities. It transforms ecological ethics and aesthetic experiences into shared ecological values and innovative governance mechanisms, thereby forging a path of ecological civilization that integrates nature conservation, cultural identity, and livelihood improvement.

Hu Baonan: Qingliangfeng National Nature Reserve—Scientific Conservation Of Endangered Species, Editorial Office Of Bulletin Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

No abstract provided.

Dabuxilatu, Hong Meijing: Ecological And Cultural Symphony In Saihanwula World Biosphere Reserve, Inner Mongolia, Editorial Office Of Bulletin Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

No abstract provided.

Shu Zufei: Exploration Of “Harmony Between Humans And Nature” In Chebaling World Biosphere Reserve, Editorial Office Of Bulletin Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

No abstract provided.

Ma Yu: Niubeiliang World Biosphere Reserve: Nature Education For Future, Editorial Office Of Bulletin Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

No abstract provided.

Yang Kun, Xing Huaibo: Ten Years’ Journey Of Hanma World Biosphere Reserve, Editorial Office Of Bulletin Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

No abstract provided.

What Does The 100-Year Flood Hazard Map Mean? Uncertainties With The Approach And Temporal Evolution Of Events, Sara Santamaria-Aguilar

Sustainability Seminar Series

Flood hazard maps are an essential tool for cities and communities worldwide and are used for a variety of purposes such as city planning, insurance and emergency management. Flooding rarely occurs from a single water source (e.g. storm surge, tides, rain and river discharge) and commonly arise from a combination of them, the so-called compound events. Thus, assessing flooding from compound events has become essential to inform decision-makers as these events can exacerbate flood impacts compared to single-driver events and may require different adaptation strategies. There is no standard approach to assess compound flood hazard and uncertainties and differences between …

Method Of Selecting The Optimal Variant Of Mine Closure With The Possibility Of Capturing Methane From Underground Excavations, Marian Turek, Małgorzata Magdziarczyk

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The article presents a method of selecting the optimal option for the closure of a coal mine, from which it is planned to capture the methane remaining in the goaf and deposit it for many years for its economic use. Using the example of several options for the closure of one of the mines, for which the evaluation criteria have been defined, and the weights of their relevance have been determined, it is described how to create a special algorithm for the selection of the optimal option.

Application Of Haines And Terbrugge Chart For Suitable Slope Angles – A Case Study Of Artisanal And Small-Scale Mining, Carol Mgiba, Steven Rupprecht

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Significant hazards in Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) are rock failure and slope collapse caused by overly steep pit walls, poor mine design and water pressure. There is a lack of expertise and capital in ASM. Providing a simple and cost-effective slope stability analysis and designing systems that can mitigate the risk of slope collapse is essential. This article aims to assess whether stability charts and estimations can be used to establish suitable slope angles to mitigate the overwhelming cases of slope collapse in ASM. The Bieniawski’s Rock Mass Rating system and Heins and Terbrugge stability chart were used to …

Digital Models Of The Crust To Understand The Earth’S Past And Present, Daven Quinn

Sustainability Seminar Series

Macrostrat is a geological data platform that integrates stratigraphic columns and geologic maps into a digital description of the crustal rock record. It comprises thousands of stratigraphic columns and 300+ geologic maps, correlated into an integrated, web-accessible dataset. Combined, map and column information create a spatial and temporal “scaffold” that can organize and contextualize information about the rock record. Macrostrat columns can represent stratigraphy at any scale, from regional summaries to single core logs, and can translate between physical and time-stratigraphic representations of the rock record. This capability is particularly powerful when combined with proxy data (e.g., geochemistry, fossils, and …

The Foodpunk City: Advancing Portland's Food Security Through A Shared Ideology Of Adaptation & Resistance, Nickolas Hash

Dissertations and Theses

Food injustice is a form of violence perpetrated by state and corporate actors against a constituency under their governing power, particularly impacting marginalized and impoverished communities. It denies individuals access to nutritious food, perpetuating cycles of poverty, inequality, physical health risks, and social exclusion. Grassroots movements have emerged to challenge dominant paradigms and advocate for food sovereignty, agroecology, and food anarchy. In Portland, the movement represents a nontraditional approach to food security that closely resembles the reactionary ideology of urban "punk" culture. Both groups prioritize community autonomy over food systems, sustainable agricultural practices, and resistance to oppressive structures that perpetuate …

Reactive Dye Wash-Off Processing Of Cotton Fabrics Using Polymer Dye Transfer Inhibitors For Sustainable Dyeing, Muhammad Nazrul Islam, Tuba Toprak-Cavdur, Safiqul Islam, Fatema Tarannum, Keisha Walters

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cotton fiber consumption is higher than any other natural fiber due to its superior mechanical and physical properties. In the conventional reactive dyeing process, the dye undergoes hydrolysis due to hydrogen bonding and weak Van der Waals forces, yielding poor washing color fastness. Additionally, the post-dyeing wash-off process consumes significant amounts of water, energy, and time in order to remove the unreacted and hydrolyzed dye. Therefore, reactive dyes are predominantly utilized to color cotton fabrics as the covalent bond formed between dye and fiber results in excellent washing fastness for a wide range of colors, and improved ease of use. …

Breeding Ewes Are Worth Feeding, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Despite potentially elevated grain prices, strong prices for meat and wool mean that Western Australian sheep farmers can confidently supplementary feed their underweight ewes in summer/autumn.

Analysis in 2019, based on then-current prices, showed it was a profitable investment to feed all ewes to maintain condition during pregnancy, and to feed low condition score single bearing ewes and low and medium condition score twin bearing ewes to gain condition.

In 2019, John Young from Farming Systems Analysis Service completed an analysis on the value of a ewe in the WA farming system. His report had some important messages for the …

Investigation Of Temperature, Solution Strength, And Applied Stress Effects On Cation Exchange Processes In Different Geosynthetic Clay Liner Products, Kendra Fuller

Master's Theses

An extensive laboratory test program was conducted to analyze and compare the cation exchange processes in three different varieties of sodium bentonite (Na-B) geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) over increased conditioning durations up to 32 days and investigate the effects of temperature, solution strength, and applied stress. The goal of this test program was to establish whether the variables of temperature, solution strength, and applied stress improved or degraded the engineering properties of GCLs in laboratory testing and municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill applications. The GCLs were conditioned in liquids of increasing ionic strength, using deionized water and 2, 50, and …

Willingness To Pay And Market Potential For Biowrap: An Economic Study Of A New Biodegradable Mulch Product In Home Gardening, Gengchen Cai

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explores the market potential of BioWRAP, a biodegradable sprayable weed suppression product, by assessing the willingness to pay (WTP) among American home gardeners. Traditional plastic mulch offers significant agronomic benefits but poses considerable environmental challenges, making BioWRAP a promising alternative due to its similar benefits and reduced environmental impact. Using a double-bounded contingent valuation method, we analyze the WTP for BioWRAP among different demographic groups and gardening practices. Our findings indicate that the highest WTP for BioWRAP is among home gardeners who currently use chemical sprays for weed suppression, followed by those using physical barriers, with the lowest …