Assessment Of Budget Research Articles

Gridded fossil CO2 emissions and related O2 combustion consistent with national inventories 1959\u20132018

Quantification of CO2 fluxes at the Earth’s surface is required to evaluate the causes and drivers of observed increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Atmospheric inversion models disaggregate observed variations in atmospheric CO2 concentration to variability in CO2 emissions and sinks. They require prior constraints fossil CO2 emissions. Here we describe GCP-GridFED (version 2019.1), a gridded fossil emissions dataset that is consistent with the national CO2 emissions reported by the Global Carbon Project (GCP). GCP-GridFEDv2019.1 provides monthly fossil CO2 emissions estimates for the period 1959–2018 at a spatial resolution of 0.1°. Estimates are provided separately for oil, coal and natural gas, for mixed international bunker fuels, and for the calcination of limestone during cement production. GCP-GridFED also includes gridded estimates of O2 uptake based on oxidative ratios for oil, coal and natural gas. It will be updated annually and made available for atmospheric inversions contributing to GCP global carbon budget assessments, thus aligning the prior constraints on top-down fossil CO2 emissions with the bottom-up estimates compiled by the GCP.

Canopy Height Estimation in Mediterranean Forests of Spain With TanDEM-X Data

Canopy height is an essential feature in forest inventory, and for the assessment of biomass and carbon budgets. Spatially explicit maps of forest height over large areas can be derived from satellite synthetic aperture radar data. We aimed to evaluate the capacity of TanDEM-X (TDX) data to assess canopy height in Mediterranean forests of Spain, which are of relatively short height (typically R 2 = 0.91 and root-mean-square error = 1.24 m in one of the study sites. However, in some areas the results were much worse, especially in regions characterized by rugged terrain with broadleaved species. This work demonstrates the feasibility of deriving a forest height map over the entire area of Spain from TDX data. Stratification per slope interval and selection of long interferometric baselines are recommended.

Preliminary Assessment of a Coupled Dynamic-Energy Budget and Agent-based Model (DEB-ABM) for Predicting Individual and Population-Level Dynamics: A Case Study on Anchovy, Engraulis japonicus

Preliminary Assessment of a Coupled Dynamic-Energy Budget and Agent-based Model (DEB-ABM) for Predicting Individual and Population-Level Dynamics: A Case Study on Anchovy, Engraulis japonicus

High-Tech industry budget assessment and planning model

In the conditions of a constant budget deficit allocated to the research and manufacturing complex, the problem of value for money take on particular significance. The solution to this problem largely depends on the scientific validity of planning budget expenditures for innovative development and, first of all, on the optimality of the plans being developed in the context of crises, pandemics or sanctions. In this connection, the article analyzes modern research and manufacturing complex development processes under fiscal stress. As a result, economic and mathematical tools based on the analytic hierarchy process will be scientifically substantiated and developed. This method is designed to build a model that allows to quantify and efficiently distribute funds allocated by the State. This is necessary for the formation of that part of the budget item, which refers to the innovative development of knowledge-based industry.

Оценка бюджета проекта по критериям удовлетворѐнности акторов

In the project management manuals for the creation of software components of computing and communication systems, it is noted that the quality of the results is determined by the validity of organizational decisions related to project management. It is emphasized that organizational mistakes made at the initial stages of the project, including insufficient justification of the project budget, have serious consequences. The novelty of this work lies in the assertion that the quality of the project results is equally determined not only by the satisfaction of consumers / customers, but also by the satisfaction of the developers with the progress of the project. A scheme for assessing the possible boundaries of the project budget, in which it is possible to obtain a solution acceptable both for consumers / customers and for the executors of the project, is proposed. The basis of the scheme is the use of the experience of consumers and developers in the implementation of projects with similar content. The model basis of the scheme is formed by non-linear empirical functional dependencies between the indicators of actor satisfaction, the project budget and the duration of its implementation. Improving the validity of the budget assessment, taking into account the experience of the actors, is a prerequisite for reducing the organizational defects of the project, which makes it possible to achieve the required quality of the infrastructure components of computing and communication systems.

Multi-decadal assessment of water budget and hydrological extremes in the Tigris-Euphrates Basin using satellites, modeling, and in-situ data

The transboundary Tigris-Euphrates Basin (TEB) is prone to water-scarcity disputes. Water scarcity is related to aridity, climate extremes, limited supplies, upstream reservoir storage, rising water demand, and population growth. Understanding the water budget and storage changes in the basin in relation to hydrological extremes is fundamental to mitigate the drought and flood impacts and the key to efficient water resources management. This study evaluated the water budget related to drought occurrences in the TEB over four decades (1979–2020) based on GRACE/GRACE-FO, and altimetry satellites data, in situ observations, and hydrological modeling using a Bayesian model averaging (BMA) approach. Results show that severe droughts occurred at about decadal timescales with increasing recovery times. Severe and exceptional droughts dominated from (1998 to 2000, 2007 to 2009). Mild to moderate droughts occurred in 1983–1984, 1989–1992, 2011–2013, and 2018. The most severe drought occurred in 2007–2009, with the largest decline (−80 km3) in GRACE total water storage (TWS). Depletion in TWS was dominated by depletion in reservoir storage. In contrast, groundwater (GW) depletion accounted for only 25–30% of TWS decline. Storage depletion was amplified by human intervention (e.g., irrigation and GW abstraction) by at least 50% during drought. Marked recovery in TWS occurred in 2019 and 2020 (totaling ~144 km3 by July 2020, representing ~2× total depletion between 2007 and 2018) in response to regional flooding. Applying the BMA approach to the estimates of water cycle fluxes improved the accuracy and similarity of storage change, but not variability relative to GRACE. In summary, prolonged droughts are the norm rather than the exception in the TEB over the past four decades. The frequency and severity of droughts have substantial implications for water scarcity for countries sharing the TEB and underscore riparian countries' needs to expand their water management portfolio to mitigate drought impacts.

Assessment of the Anthropogenic Sediment Budget of a Littoral Cell System (Northern Tuscany, Italy)

In the present study we describe a straightforward and highly replicable methodology to assess the anthropogenic sediment budget within a coastal system (the Northern Tuscany littoral cell, Italy), specifically selected in a partially natural and partially highly urbanized coastal area, characterized by erosion and accretion processes. The anthropogenic sediment budget has been here calculated as an algebraic sum of sediment inputs, outputs and transfer (m3) within a 40 year time interval (1980–2020). Sediment management strongly influences the sediment budget and, even if its evaluation is crucial to assess the efficiency of a coastal management policy, it is often difficult to quantify the anthropogenic contribution to sedimentary processes. Different types of intervention are carried out by a variety of competent authorities over time (Municipalities, Marinas, Port Authorities), and the correct accountability of sediment budget is no longer known, or possible, for the scientific community. In the Northern Tuscany littoral cell, sedimentation is concentrated in a convergent zone and updrift of port structures, which have determined a series of actions, from offshore dumping and disposal into confined facilities (sediment output), to bypassing and redistribution interventions (sediment transfer); conversely, river mouths and coastal areas protected by groins and barriers are subjected to severe erosion and coastline retreat, resulting in many beach nourishments (sediment input). The majority of coastal protection interventions were carried out to redistribute sand from one site to another within the study area (2,949,800 m3), while the sediment input (1,011,000 m3) almost matched the sediment output (1,254,900 m3) in the considered time interval. A negative anthropogenic sediment budget (−243,900 m3) is here documented.

Формирование стратегии устойчивого управления лесами

The paper is focused on the problem of developing a strategy for sustainable forest management and the forest sector of the economy of the territories. The aim is to improve approaches to its creation based on an ecosystem approach to generating real economic incomes from forest products and forest services and improving the environment. For this, the conceptual framework of the study based on the ecosystem approach is substantiated, considering the relationship between ecosystem services of the forest and various forms of their contribution to the economic development of territories, taking into account the forest and non-forest sectors of the economy. To determine the ecosystem services of the forest, the methods of direct counting, compara-tive analysis, assessment of “willingness to pay”, assessment of the carbon budget, etc. were used. The study of the economic value of the ecosystem services of the forest of transboundary territories showed the differences between the direct and indi-rect contribution of forests to the economy of the regions, which are determined by climatic features, the state of the forest fund, the degree of forestry activities, applied methods of forest management and forest use. The study made it possible to devel-op strategic directions for sustainable management of forest ecosystem services in transboundary terri-tories and to draw a conclusion about the need to move from a conservation type of forest manage-ment to the principles of sustainable development based on the preservation and enhancement of the economic, social and ecological value of forests.

Total alkalinity production in a mangrove ecosystem reveals an overlooked Blue Carbon component

AbstractMangroves have the capacity to sequester organic carbon (Corg) in their sediments permanently. However, the carbon budget of mangroves is also affected by the total alkalinity (TA) budget. Principally, TA emitted from carbonate sediment dissolution is a perennial sink of atmospheric CO2. The assessment of the TA budget of mangrove carbonate sediments in the Red Sea revealed a large TA emission of 403 ± 17 mmol m−2 d−1, independent of light, seasons, or the presence of pneumatophores, compared to −36 ± 10 mmol m−2 d−1 in lagoon sediment. We estimate the TA emission from carbonate dissolution in Red Sea mangroves supported a CO2 uptake of 345 ± 15 gC m−2 yr−1, 23‐fold the Corg burial rate of 15 gC m−2 yr−1. The focus on Corg burial in sediments may substantially underestimate the role of mangroves in CO2 removal. Quantifying the role of mangroves in climate change mitigation requires carbonate dissolution to be included in assessments.

Protocol for an economic evaluation and budget impact assessment of a randomised, stepped-wedge controlled trial for practice change support to increase routine provision of antenatal care for maternal alcohol consumption

BackgroundAntenatal clinical practice guidelines recommend routine assessment of women’s alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The delivery of advice and referral when necessary are also recommended. However, evidence suggests there are barriers to the uptake of best-care guidelines. Effective, cost-effective and affordable implementation strategies are needed to ensure the intended benefits of guidelines are realised through addressing identified barriers. This paper describes the protocol for evaluating the efficiency and affordability of a practice change intervention compared to the usual practice in an implementation trial.MethodsThe effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated in a stepped-wedge randomised controlled implementation trial, conducted in an Australian setting. An economic evaluation will be conducted alongside the trial to assess intervention efficiency. A budget impact assessment will be conducted to assess affordability. The prospective trial-based economic evaluation will identify, measure and value key resource and outcome impacts arising from the multi-strategy practice change intervention compared with usual practice. The evaluation will comprise (i) cost-consequence analyses, where a scorecard approach will be used to show the costs and benefits given the multiple primary outcomes included in the trial, and (ii) cost-effectiveness analyses, where the primary outcome will be incremental cost per percent increase in participants reporting receipt of antenatal care for maternal alcohol consumption consistent with the guideline recommendations. Intervention affordability will be evaluated using budget impact assessment and will estimate the financial implications of adoption and diffusion of this implementation strategy from the perspective of relevant fundholders. Results will be extrapolated to estimate the cost and cost-effectiveness of rolling out the model of care.DiscussionUptake of clinical guidelines requires practice change support. It is hypothesized that the implementation strategy, if found to be effective, will also be cost-effective, affordable and scalable. This protocol describes the economic evaluation that will address these hypotheses.Trial registrationAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12617000882325. Registered on 16 June 2017

Modeling soil porewater salinity in mangrove forests (Everglades, Florida, USA) impacted by hydrological restoration and a warming climate

Hydrology is a critical driver controlling mangrove wetlands structural and functional attributes at different spatial and temporal scales. Yet, human activities have negatively affected hydrology, causing mangrove diebacks and coverage loss worldwide. In fact, the assessment of mangrove water budgets, impacted by natural and human disturbances, is limited due to a lack of long-term data and information that hinders our understanding of how changes in hydroperiod and salinity control mangrove productivity and spatial distribution. In this study, we implemented a mass balance-based hydrological model (RHYMAN) that explicitly considers groundwater discharge in the Shark River estuary (SRE, southwestern Everglades) located in a karstic geomorphic setting and influenced by regional hydrological restoration. We used long-term hydroperiod and porewater salinity (PWS) datasets obtained from 2004 to 2016 for model calibration and validation and to determine spatiotemporal variability in water levels and PWS at three riverine mangrove sites (downstream, SRS-6; midstream, SRS-5; upstream, SRS-4) along SRE. Model results agree with a distinct PWS pattern along the estuarine salinity gradient where the highest PWS occurs at SRS-6 (mean: 25, range: 22–30 ppt), followed by SRS-5 (17, 14–25 ppt) and SRS-4 (5, 3–13 ppt). A commensurate increase in PWS over a thirteen-year period indicates a long-term reduction in freshwater inflow coupled with sea-level rise (SLR). Increasing freshwater scenario simulation results show a significant reduction (17–27%) in PWS along the estuary in contrast with a high SLR scenario when salinity increases up to 1.1 to 2.5 times that of control values. Model results show that freshwater inflow and SLR are key drivers controlling mangrove wetlands PWS in this karstic coastal region. Given its relatively simple structure, this mass balance-based hydrological model could be used in other environmental settings to evaluate potential habitat and regime shifts due to changes in hydrology and PWS under regional hydrological restoration management.

Carbon stock assessment and its relation with tree biodiversity in Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest of Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Odisha, India

Spatial understanding of biomass and carbon stock in tropical moist deciduous forests is crucial in assessment of global carbon budget. The present study was aimed to assess the above ground and below ground carbon stock and its relation with tree diversity parameters in two tropical moist deciduous forest sites, namely: Xylia dominated forest (XDF) and Sal dominated forest (SDF) of Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR), Odisha, India. A total of seventy-two tree species ≥ 5 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) were recorded, belonging to 62 genera and 27 families. Estimated average above-ground biomass carbon and soil organic carbon were 180.05 Mg C ha−1, 55.4 Mg C ha−1 and 209.3 Mg C ha−1, 61.8 Mg C ha−1 in XDF and SDF of SBR, respectively. Shorea robusta Gaertn. was the most carbon accumulating species of both the forests contributing about 21.5% of biomass carbon in XDF and 47.8% biomass carbon in SDF. Maximum carbon allocation was in above-ground biomass pool (69.04%) followed by soil organic carbon (20.9%) and below-ground biomass/root (10.1%). The correlation study revealed that above-ground biomass had strong positive correlation with basal area and Importance Value Index of tree species indicating importance of dominant species in carbon storage. Therefore, the dominant tree species such as S. robusta Gaertn., Xylia xylocarpa (Roxb.) Taub., Terminalia tomentosa Wight & Arn., Schleichera oleosa Lour.) Merr. etc. is suggested for proper conservation and management to maintain the carbon stock of SBR. The results emphasized the importance of tropical moist deciduous forests in potential carbon storage and conservation of biodiversity in forest ecosystem of India. Further, the information will supplement to the global deficit of carbon stock data of moist deciduous forest and has implications in carbon model projections and management both nationally and globally.

Measurements of carbonyl compounds around the Arabian Peninsula: overview and model comparison

Abstract. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured around the Arabian Peninsula using a research vessel during the AQABA campaign (Air Quality and Climate Change in the Arabian Basin) from June to August 2017. In this study we examine carbonyl compounds, measured by a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS), and present both a regional concentration distribution and a budget assessment for these key atmospheric species. Among the aliphatic carbonyls, acetone had the highest mixing ratios in most of the regions traversed, varying from 0.43 ppb over the Arabian Sea to 4.5 ppb over the Arabian Gulf, followed by formaldehyde (measured by a Hantzsch monitor, 0.82 ppb over the Arabian Sea and 3.8 ppb over the Arabian Gulf) and acetaldehyde (0.13 ppb over the Arabian Sea and 1.7 ppb over the Arabian Gulf). Unsaturated carbonyls (C4–C9) varied from 10 to 700 ppt during the campaign and followed similar regional mixing ratio dependence to aliphatic carbonyls, which were identified as oxidation products of cycloalkanes over polluted areas. We compared the measurements of acetaldehyde, acetone, and methyl ethyl ketone to global chemistry-transport model (ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry – EMAC) results. A significant discrepancy was found for acetaldehyde, with the model underestimating the measured acetaldehyde mixing ratio by up to an order of magnitude. Implementing a photolytically driven marine source of acetaldehyde significantly improved the agreement between measurements and model, particularly over the remote regions (e.g. Arabian Sea). However, the newly introduced acetaldehyde source was still insufficient to describe the observations over the most polluted regions (Arabian Gulf and Suez), where model underestimation of primary emissions and biomass burning events are possible reasons.

Degradation leads to dramatic decrease in topsoil but not subsoil root biomass in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau, China

Understanding the effects of degradation on belowground biomass (BGB) is essential for assessment of carbon budget of the alpine meadow ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau, China. This ecosystem has been undergoing serious degradation owing to climate change and anthropogenic activities. This study examined the response of the vertical distribution of plant BGB to degradation and explored the underlying mechanisms in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. A field survey was conducted in an alpine meadow with seven sequential degrees of degradation in the Zoige Plateau on the Tibetan Plateau during the peak growing season of 2018. We measured aboveground biomass (AGB), BGB, soil water content (SWC), soil bulk density (SBD), soil compaction (SCOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN), soil total phosphorus (STP), soil available nitrogen (SAN), and soil available phosphorus (STP) in the 0–30 cm soil layers. Our results show that degradation dramatically decreased the BGB in the 0–10 cm soil layer (BGB0–10) but slightly increased the subsoil BGB. The main reason may be that the physical-chemical properties of surface soil were more sensitive to degradation than those of subsoil, as indicated by the remarked positive associations of the trade-off value of BGB0–10 with SWC, SCOM, SOC, STN, SAN, and STP, as well as the negative correlation between the trade-off value of BGB0–10 and SBD in the soil layer of 0–10 cm. In addition, an increase in the proportion of forbs with increasing degradation degree directly affected the BGB vertical distribution. The findings suggest that the decrease in the tradeoff value of BGB0–10 in response to degradation might be an adaptive strategy for the degradation-induced drought and infertile soil conditions. This study can provide theoretical support for assessing the effects of degradation on the carbon budget and sustainable development in the alpine meadow ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau as well as other similar ecosystems in the world.

Gravity reference at the Argentinean–German Geodetic Observatory (AGGO) by co-location of superconducting and absolute gravity measurements

The Argentinean–German Geodetic Observatory (AGGO) is a fundamental geodetic observatory located close to the city of La Plata, Argentina. Two high-precision gravity meters are installed at AGGO: the superconducting gravimeter SG038, which is in operation since December 2015, and the absolute gravimeter FG5-227, which has provided absolute gravity measurements since January 2018. By co-location of gravity observations from both meters between January 2018 and March 2019, calibration factor and instrumental drift of the SG038 were determined. The calibration factor of the SG038 was estimated by different strategies: from tidal models, dedicated absolute gravity measurements over several days and a joint approach (including the determination of the instrumental drift) using all available absolute gravity data. The final calibration factor differs from the determination at the previous station, the transportable integrated geodetic observatory, in Concepcion, Chile, by only 0.7‰, which does not imply a significant change. From the combined approach also the mean absolute level of the SG was determined, allowing to predict absolute gravity values from the SG at any time based on a repeatability of 12nm/s2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$12\\,\\hbox {nm}/\\hbox {s}^{2}$$\\end{document} for the FG5-227 at AGGO. Such a continuous gravity reference function provides the basis for a comparison site for absolute gravimeters in the frame of the international gravity reference frame for South America and the Caribbean. However, it requires the assessment of the total error budget of the FG5-227, including the link to the international comparisons, which will be subject of future efforts.

Arctic Sea Level Budget Assessment during the GRACE/Argo Time Period

Sea level change is an important indicator of climate change. Our study focuses on the sea level budget assessment of the Arctic Ocean using: (1) the newly reprocessed satellite altimeter data with major changes in the processing techniques; (2) ocean mass change data derived from GRACE satellite gravimetry; (3) and steric height estimated from gridded hydrographic data for the GRACE/Argo time period (2003–2016). The Beaufort Gyre (BG) and the Nordic Seas (NS) regions exhibit the largest positive trend in sea level during the study period. Halosteric sea level change is found to dominate the area averaged sea level trend of BG, while the trend in NS is found to be influenced by halosteric and ocean mass change effects. Temporal variability of sea level in these two regions reveals a significant shift in the trend pattern centered around 2009–2011. Analysis suggests that this shift can be explained by a change in large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns over the Arctic. The sea level budget assessment of the Arctic found a residual trend of more than 1.0 mm/yr. This nonclosure of the sea level budget is further attributed to the limitations of the three above mentioned datasets in the Arctic region.

Link budget assessment for GEO feeder links based on optical technology

SummaryNowadays, large geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites can offer capacities up to 260 Gbps. In the midterm, in order to cope with the forecasted traffic demand, multibeam high throughput satellite systems are already being deployed. Optical GEO feeder link technology may provide transmission data rates up to the order of several terabits per second by making use of wavelength division multiplexing schemes. This work identifies physical layer techniques that enable the transmission of DVB‐S2X RF modulated signals over optical carriers. The techniques reported here are the analog transparent (AT), digital transparent (DT), and the digital regenerative schemes, which require different satellite payload architectures. The effects of atmospheric turbulence over the traveling wave are addressed and discussed, along with a methodology to calculate the link budget in the feeder uplink channel. Link budget calculations for two different selected ground station locations are presented, for the both the AT and DT options. It is shown that for high altitude locations, the transmission using the AT and DT options works well. For midaltitude locations, typical 36 MHz signal are feasible, whereas for higher bandwidths, the DT option could work when an error correction code is used.

Assessment and projection of the water budget over western Canada using convection-permitting weather research and forecasting simulations

Abstract. Water resources in cold regions in western Canada face severe risks posed by anthropogenic global warming as evapotranspiration increases and precipitation regimes shift. Although understanding the water cycle is key for addressing climate change issues, it is difficult to obtain high spatial- and temporal-resolution observations of hydroclimatic processes, especially in remote regions. Climate models are useful tools for dissecting and diagnosing these processes, especially the convection-permitting (CP) high-resolution regional climate simulation, which provides advantages over lower-resolution models by explicitly representing convection. In addition to better representing convective systems, higher spatial resolution also better represents topography, mountain meteorology, and highly heterogeneous geophysical features. However, there is little work with convection-permitting regional climate models conducted over western Canada. Focusing on the Mackenzie River and Saskatchewan River basins, this study investigated the surface water budget and atmospheric moisture balance in historical and representative concentration pathway (RCP8.5) projections using 4 km CP Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF). We compared the high-resolution 4 km CP WRF and three common reanalysis datasets, namely the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR), the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis (JRA-55), and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis interim dataset (ERA-Interim). High-resolution WRF outperforms the reanalyses in balancing the surface water budget in both river basins with much lower residual terms. For the pseudo-global-warming scenario at the end of the 21st century with representative concentration pathway (RCP8.5) radiative forcing, both the Mackenzie River and Saskatchewan River basins show increases in the amplitude for precipitation and evapotranspiration and a decrease in runoff. The Saskatchewan River basin (SRB) shows a moderate increase in precipitation in the west and a small decrease in the east. Combined with a significant increase in evapotranspiration in a warmer climate, the Saskatchewan River basin would have a larger deficit of water resources than in the current climate based on the pseudo-global-warming (PGW) simulation. The high-resolution simulation also shows that the difference of atmospheric water vapour balance in the two river basins is due to flow orientation and topography differences at the western boundaries of the two basins. The sensitivity of water vapour balance to fine-scale topography and atmospheric processes shown in this study demonstrates that high-resolution dynamical downscaling is important for large-scale water balance and hydrological cycles.

Soil moisture- and texture-dependent effects of soil deposition on evaporation and carbon emission

Soil erosion drives water and nutrient redistribution among landscape positions and thus global biogeochemical cycles. However, large uncertainties remain in the effects of deposition after erosion on soil hydrological and nutrient turnover, hindering precise assessment of global water and nutrient budgets. Herein, we presented the results of soil evaporation and carbon (C) emission measurements in a 19-day simulated depositional experiment at standard temperature (25 °C). A homogeneous soil treatment was designed as a control to assess the effects of deposition. Three soils (Ultisol, Mollisol and Entisol) varying in texture and organic matter content were used, and two soil moisture conditions (drying and wetting) were included to examine the interactions of soil texture and moisture with deposition. Soil macropores were measured using X-ray tomography at the end of the simulation experiment to relate the soil structure to evaporation and C emission. We hypothesized that the deposition of soil after erosion will increase evaporation and C emission and that such effects are regulated by the soil texture and moisture conditions. The depositional soils had greater macropore numbers (8/cm3), macroporosity (0.61 %/cm3), connectivity density (0.91/cm3), cumulative evaporation (332.92 g) and C emission (2.46 g kg−1) than the homogeneous soils (1/cm3, 0.05 %/cm3, 0.02/cm3, 303.35 g, and 1.95 g kg−1, respectively). The effect of deposition on macropores was greater under drying condition than under wetting condition and was greater in the Mollisol than in the Ultisol and Entisol. The effects of deposition on evaporation dynamics varied with soil moisture conditions regardless of soil texture, with less effect under drying condition but increased evaporation under wetting condition. The deposition increased C emission under both drying and wetting conditions for the Ultisol and Entisol, but its impact on the Mollisol varied with the soil moisture treatment, with increased C emission under drying condition but decreased C emission under wetting condition. These results suggested that the effects of deposition are regulated by the soil texture and moisture and that the development of macropores due to shrinkage in depositional soils increased soil water loss and carbon decomposition, which might decrease C sequestration potential in deposition sites.

Effectiveness fettered by bureaucracy : why surveillance technology is not evaluated

ABSTRACT The evaluation of the effectiveness of surveillance technology in intelligence agencies and oversight bodies is notably lacking. Assessments of surveillance technology concerning legal compliance, cost, and matters of privacy occupy a solid place, but effectiveness is rarely considered. Bureaucracy may explain this absence. Applying James Q. Wilson’s observations on bureaucracy reveals that effectiveness is minimally treated because it is more difficult to evaluate than budget assessments and legal compliance, and because intelligence outcomes are unobservable and difficult to oversee. Effectiveness evaluation is thus fettered by bureaucracy. Considerations of bringing in effectiveness assessment must appreciate the realities of bureaucratic constraints to be successful.