Park In Beijing Research Articles

Intellectual property management and patent propensity in Chinese small firms

Based on a survey of local firms in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing, China, this paper examines the impact of intellectual property management practices on the patent propensity of small firms. With a particular focus on two aspects of intellectual property management, we find that R&D personnel-related management practices, such as training and rewarding mechanism, are more effective in enhancing a firm’s willingness to patent and encouraging the patenting behavior within the firm. Monitoring the R&D process in intellectual property right (IPR) management, such as proposal and outcome evaluation, is less influential in fostering manufacturing firms to patent. One implication emerged from the analysis is that a firm can speed up or intensify its generation of IPR assets by introducing well-developed management practices, even without reorienting its intellectual property strategies.

Runoff and sediment modeling in a peri-urban artificial landscape: Case study of Olympic Forest Park in Beijing

In recent years, many ecological parks have been constructed in the peri-urban areas of Chinese cities to relieve the ecological pressure of high-speed urbanization. Compared with the natural landscape, the artificial ecological park is totally a man-regulated system, which is fragile and very sensitive to the runoff and sediment disturbance from severe storms. Thus, a case study was performed in the artificially constructed Beijing Olympic Forest Park to study its hydrological response to severe storms and to identify the critical areas for implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs). The monitored rainfall–runoff data revealed that infiltration excess runoff was the predominant runoff generation mechanism in the study area. A Dynamic Watershed Simulation Model (DWSM) was used to simulate the runoff and sediment transport processes from monitored and design storms. Owing to the complexity of topography and lack of a single outlet, the DWSM was calibrated and validated in a typical hillslope with a nested structure to acquire scale appropriate parameters. Then, the DWSM was applied to other overland segments and scaled consistently to perform scenario analysis under design storm conditions. Results showed that, the shift of rainfall intensity in design storms could produce amplified hydrologic responses, but had little impact on the overland rankings based on runoff depth or specific sediment yield. However, the different spatial patterns between runoff and sediment revealed the spatially varied soil erosion processes (transport-limited or supply-limited) and the necessity of site-specific BMPs. Generally, the areas with high runoff and sediment potentials were mostly related to the segments with small drainage areas and short, steep slopes, while the constructed drainage system could function as interception BMPs to reduce runoff and sediment discharges. The analysis of the relationship between overland rankings and overland features could provide guidance to identify critical areas and to implement site-specific BMPs in peri-urban artificial landscapes.

北京城市公园湿地休憩功能的利用及其社会人口学因素

城市公园湿地是城市重要的生态基础设施,是城市居民休闲游憩的重要场所,具有重要的生态、社会文化服务功能。以北京地区20个典型的公园湿地为研究对象,采用问卷调查方法,将定性指标和定量指标相结合,用统计学方法分析了休憩者对公园湿地的使用情况,并采用Logistic回归方法揭示了影响城市公园湿地利用的社会人口学因素。结果表明:(1)休憩者到访公园湿地的距离与使用频率密切相关,43.4%的休憩者到达公园湿地的行程时间<1 h,这其中34.1%的休憩者使用公园湿地的频率每年在12次以上;仅有17.4%的休憩者每年使用各公园湿地频率为12次以上,这其中85%到达各公园湿地的行程时间<1 h;(2)影响休憩者对公园湿地使用频率为每年12次以上的因素依次为行程时间、个人月收入、有无私家车、文化程度、职业、年龄。另外,性别与年龄的交互作用也有一定的影响;(3)愉悦身心是休憩者使用各公园湿地的最主要原因。研究旨在为城市公园湿地的合理优化与配置、城市绿地系统规划及城市的可持续发展提供科学依据。;This paper presents urban parks as the last remnant of natural landscapes in urbanized areas to be the recreational service of wetlands as green spaces. Although the proportion of green spaces was found to decrease with the increasing urbanization, as the major part of green spaces, urban parks can provide ecological, economic, social, and cultural services for human, and make up of public recreational areas for modern-life styles. In urban parks, water landscapes were important for the recreational service due to their direct use for residents. This study analyzed the effects of social-demographic factors on the recreational services of 20 urban parks in Beijing by questionnaires. Descriptive statistical methods were used to investigate the use of urban parks wetlands, and logistic regression analysis was used to identify effects of socio-demographic factors on use of urban parks wetlands. The results show that: (1) the travel time of respondents to a park was correlated to frequency of visits. About 43.4% of the respondents live in the areas with 1 hour travel, among which 34.1% of the respondents visit the park wetlands more than 12 times every year. On the other hand, only 17.4% of the respondents visit urban parks wetlands more than 12 times every year, 85% of the respondents have accessibility less than 1 hour travel. (2) The importance of socio-demographic factors on the preference of local people to urban park decreases from travel time, income per capita, private car, education level, occupation, and age. Travel time is the most important factor to affect the use frequency of parks wetlands in Beijing. Gender and accommodation types were not significantly correlated to the frequency of use of parks wetlands in Beijing. However, the integrative effect of gender and age was obvious. (3) Most respondents visit urban parks for relax, and then getting knowledge, physical exercise, and social exchange. This study may help decision-makers and urban planners on optimization and management of urban parks.

The Local Climate and Energy Budget Differences between a Typical Architectural Complex and a Green Park in Beijing

Abstract Understanding theimpact of urban underlying surfaces on the urban local climate is very important. The analysis on climatic characteristics of different urban landscape communities can play an important part in understanding the urban surface – atmosphere interaction, urban planning and landscape design. In this study, meteorology and radiation observation data of two typical urban landscape communities (a typical architectural complex and a green park) in Beijingwere used to analyze the climate differences and energy budget items differences with alocalscaleurban meteorological parameterization scheme (LUMPS). The results showed that: 1) Comparison with the green park, the architectural complexwas more hot-dry climatic conditions than the green park.The difference value of air temperature and relative humidity of the two communities were 0.30°C and 2.0% separately. 2) The changes of energy budget items could explain the change process of air temperature. The heat budget of different landscape communities existed differences, especially net radiation and latent heat flux, which displayed a marked difference. Therein, the annual mean net radiation and the latent heat flux of the green park were 14.33 W/m2and 14.56 W/m2 higher than the architectural complex area, respectively. While the sensible heat flux of the green park was 2.9 W/m2 lower than the architectural complex area. 3) The latent heat flux had close relationship with air temperature, and had a lag effect. The correlation coefficient between latent heat flux and temperature could reach 0.633 from the initial 0.513 after about 2-hour delay. All these demonstrated the important effects of latent heat on temperature.

基于湿地植物光谱的水体总氮估测

利用再生水补充城市湿地是目前湿地恢复与重建的主要方向,然而再水中高浓度的氮、磷含量极易导致水体富营养化。遥感技术已成为富营养化监测的重要手段,但对于植被覆盖水域的富营养化直接探测存在一定的局限性。以北京市典型再生水补水湿地奥林匹克公园南园湿地为研究区,利用湿地植物光谱进行水体富营养化主控因子总氮的遥感探测。测定芦苇(<em>Phragmites australis</em>)和香蒲(<em>Typha angustifolia</em>)的叶片光谱及水体总氮含量,在对数据进行预处理的基础上建立二者的关系模型,包括单变量模型(比值光谱指数(SR)模型和归一化差值光谱指数(ND)模型),与多变量模型(逐步多元线性回归(SMLR)模型和偏最小二乘回归(PLSR)模型),并利用交叉验证决定系数(<em>R</em>_cv²)和均方根误差(RMSE_cv)进行模型精度检验。结果表明,不同回归模型相比,多变量回归模型精度较高;多变量回归模型中,PLSR模型精度较高,<em>R</em>_cv²可达0.72,RMSE_cv仅为0.24,是建立湿地植物光谱与水体总氮含量关系的最优模型。不同湿地植物类型相比,利用芦苇反射光谱建立的各种预测模型的精度都高于香蒲。其他环境因子(总磷)也是影响TN含量与湿地植物反射光谱关系的重要因素。研究成果可以弥补现有水体富营养化遥感探测的不足,并为再生水利用的城市湿地水质监测与管理提供有力的科学依据。;Supplying urban wetlands with reclaimed water is recognized as a superior way for wetland restoration and reconstruction. However, the high concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in reclaimed water can easily lead to water eutrophication. Although remote sensing technology has become a useful tool to monitor the eutrophication of water body, it is usually employed to detect eutrophication in open water. Limited applications have been found in measuring eutrophication of wetland covered by vegetation. Utilizing plants spectral response to environment can monitor environmental changes. This study explores the possibility to use wetland vegetation reflectance spectra in estimating total nitrogen content which is one of the key indicators of water eutrophication. The South Wetland in the Olympic Park in Beijing, a typical wetland using reused water, was selected as our study area. The leaf reflectance spectra of main wetland plants, reed (<em>Phragmites australis</em>) and cattail (<em>Typha angustifolia</em>), were acquired by means of an ASD FieldSpec 3 spectrometer (350-2500nm). Water quality samples were collected at the same time and analyzed by Center for Environmental Quality Test, Tsinghua University subsequently. The research established several univariate models including simple ratio spectral index (SR) model and normalized difference spectral index (ND) model, as well as multivariate models including stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) model and partial least squares regression (PLSR) model. The accuracy of these models was tested through cross-validated coefficient of determination (<em>R</em>_cv²) and cross-validated root mean square error (RMSE_cv). The results have shown that 1) In comparison with univariate techniques, multivariate regressions can improve the estimation of total nitrogen concentration in water. The accuracy of PLSR model was the highest (<em>R</em>_cv²=0.72, RMSE_cv=0.24) among all models. PLSR provides the most useful explorative tool for unraveling the relationship between spectral reflectance of wetland plants and total nitrogen content in water at leaf scale. 2) The accuracy of prediction models built in this study using <em>Phragmites australis</em> reflectance spectra is higher than those using <em>Typha angustifolia</em> reflectance spectra. 3) Other environmental factors should also be discreetly considered in modeling exercise. Total phosphorus is found to have impact on the relationship between TN and reflectance spectra from wetland vegetation. Strong predictive power for multiple regression equations has been achieved when the range of total phosphorus was restricted. The result from this study can not only fill the gaps in the detection of eutrophication using remote sensing, but also provide a strong scientific basis for the water quality monitoring and management of urban wetlands using recycled water.

Ecological Network Analysis for a Low-Carbon and High-Tech Industrial Park

Industrial sector is one of the indispensable contributors in global warming. Even if the occurrence of ecoindustrial parks (EIPs) seems to be a good improvement in saving ecological crises, there is still a lack of definitional clarity and in-depth researches on low-carbon industrial parks. In order to reveal the processes of carbon metabolism in a low-carbon high-tech industrial park, we selected Beijing Development Area (BDA) International Business Park in Beijing, China as case study, establishing a seven-compartment- model low-carbon metabolic network based on the methodology of Ecological Network Analysis (ENA). Integrating the Network Utility Analysis (NUA), Network Control Analysis (NCA), and system-wide indicators, we compartmentalized system sectors into ecological structure and analyzed dependence and control degree based on carbon metabolism. The results suggest that indirect flows reveal more mutuality and exploitation relation between system compartments and they are prone to positive sides for the stability of the whole system. The ecological structure develops well as an approximate pyramidal structure, and the carbon metabolism of BDA proves self-mutualistic and sustainable. Construction and waste management were found to be two active sectors impacting carbon metabolism, which was mainly regulated by internal and external environment.

Study on the microclimatic characteristics and human comfort of park plant communities in summer

With the rapid worldwide urbanization, the environment quality has been worsening dramatically. It is a solid fact that the urban air temperature is gradually rising in all cities and some effective measures are needed to mitigate it. Planting of vegetation is one of the main strategies to regulate urban microclimate and mitigate the urban heat island (UHI). This paper aims to investigate the effect of tree community, mainly through shading, on the improvement of microclimatic conditions in urban areas, specifically, in the case of Beijing Olympic Forestry Park in Beijing, China. The microclimate characteristics of different communities were analyzed, and the discomfort index (DI) was introduced to evaluate the effects of different tree communities on human body′s comfortable degree. The results showed that there existed significant differences in the air temperature, relative humidity and light intensity between tree communities and the control open space site (CK). Compared with CK, the tree communities can decrease temperature by 1.6∼2.5°C increase the humidity with 2.9%∼5.2%. The differences of DI among tree communities and CK are not significant, however, compared to the CK, all species communities are able to reduce the diurnal mean DI in some degree. Correlation analysis between microclimate factors and the indices of the tree communities canopy structural characteristics show that canopy characteristics play important regulatory role in microclimate and DI degree. The intention of this work is to provide more basic and solid information to aid human′s understanding the role of plant on mitigation of the urban heat island, and specifically, to aid efforts to improve the environment of Beijing through better planning and the appropriate choice of plant species used for landscape design, and for references of other cities that have similar climatic characteristics as well.

Diversity of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) at Cuihu, a newly-built urban wetland park in Beijing

To evaluate the potential role of an urban wetland park in conserving biodiversity during urbanization, we studied ground beetle (Carabidae) diversity using pitfall traps in five vegetation types, i.e., poplar, cypress, mixed forest, barberry scrub, and reed beds, within a newly-built urban wetland park, Cuihu Wetland Park in Beijing, for three years. A total of 441 individuals representing 30 species and 18 genera of carabid beetles were captured. Carabid species richness and abundance both sharply increased with park age. For each of the five vegetation types, approximately 25% of their carabid species (3–4 species) were unique and were not detected in other types. Poplar forest exhibited the highest abundance and richness of carabid species and showed the strongest increasing trend through time. Our results suggested a significant role of urban wetland parks in the conservation of carabid beetle diversity in the process of urbanization. In order to maximize their conservation value, they should be revegetated by a diversity of plants while using poplars as pioneers.

Evaluating the environmental quality impact of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: magnetic monitoring of street dust in Beijing Olympic Park

Aggressive traffic intervention and emission control measures implemented during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing created a valuable case study for evaluating the effectiveness of measures for mitigating environmental pollution and protecting public health. Results are reported here for a suite of magnetic and non-magnetic (microscopic, chemical and statistical) methods conducted on street dust deposits and parkland soils around the Olympic Park in Beijing. In both areas magnetic grains with multidomain properties predominate; grain sizes are coarser in the heavy traffic regions and finer in the park areas with evidence for particulate steel dust input in the former case. Traffic is the major source of anthropogenic magnetic particle-induced enhancement of magnetic susceptibility in street dust; however, domestic combustion processes (mainly coal burning) are found to contribute a significant magnetic signature in the urban environment during the winter. Due to the traffic intervention, magnetic compositions in street dust decreases significantly during the Olympic Games. Correlations between magnetic parameters and heavy metal contents prove that magnetic parameters can be used as proxies for heavy metal pollution.

THE EXTRACTINON OF BUILDING DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION OF DIFFERENT HEIGHTS IN A CITY FROM THE SHADOWS IN A IKONOS IMAGE

Based on an analysis of the relationship between the building heights and the shadows in IKONOS image, this paper presents the principle and the method for the estimation of building heights in a city from the shadows of an image. A fairly accurate result was achieved in applying this technique to extracting building height information from Zhongguancun area, Tiantan Park and Beihai Park in Beijing. The achievements made demonstrate the great application potential of satellite remote sensing in garden designing and numerical simulation of the urban garden environment.

First Report of Black Spot Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on Paper Mulberry in China.

Paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Venten. (family Moraceae), is a fast-growing tree with luxuriant branches and leaves. Because of strong adaptability and tolerance to unfavorable environmental conditions, it is an important tree species for shade or shelter and reforestation in mined areas and on hillsides. During the summer of 2010, brown-to-black spots were observed on leaves of paper mulberry in Baiwangshan Forest Park in Beijing, China. Early symptoms were round or elliptic, light brown, small lesions that later extended to round or irregular spots (4 to 6 × 4 to 8 mm) that were dark brown or black in the center with brown or light brown margins. Several dozen spots were found on severely infected leaves. Leaf tissues (2 × 2 mm), cut from the margins of lesions, were surface disinfected in 0.5% NaOCl solution for 3 min, rinsed three times with sterile water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C with a 12-h light and 12-h dark period. Numerous waxy subepidermal acervuli with setae were observed after 3 days. Acervuli were brown or black, round or elongate, and 100 to 250 μm in diameter. Setae were dark brown, erect straight or slightly curved, and 60 to 74 × 4 to 8 μm with one to two septa. Conidiophores were hyaline or light brown, short with no branches, and cylindrical with dimensions of 12 to 21 × 4 to 5 μm. Conidia were 11 to 21 × 3 to 6 μm, hyaline, aseptate, and cylindrical. Mycelia on PDA were off white-to-dark gray on the reverse side of the colony. Six isolates (BP21-1 to BP21-6) were obtained from different infected leaves and identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. (teleomorph Glomerella cingulata (Stonem.) Spaulding & Schrenk) on the basis of reverse colony color, dimensions and colors of acervuli, conidiophores, and conidia (3). ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequence analysis was performed on all six isolates. The resultant sequences were identical (GenBank Accession No. HQ 654780) and revealed 99% similarity (100% coverage) with C. gloeosporioides isolates in the GenBank (Accession Nos. EU371022.1 and AY376532.1) (2). Pathogenicity was demonstrated using six potted 3-month-old paper mulberry trees. Isolate BP21-2 was grown on PDA for 14 days and conidia were harvested to prepare a suspension of 106 conidia/ml. Three plants were sprayed with the conidial suspension and three were sprayed with sterile water. All trees were covered with plastic bags for 24 h to maintain high humidity and incubated at 25°C for 6 days. All conidia-inoculated trees showed identical symptoms as the infected leaves in the park, while the control trees remained symptom free. Reisolation of the fungus confirmed that the causal agent was C. gloeosporioides. C. gloeosporioides is distributed worldwide causing anthracnose on a wide variety of plants including members of mulberry family Moraceae, e.g., mortality of stem cuttings and death of saplings on mulberry (Morus alba L.) in India (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. gloeosporioides causing black spots on paper mulberry in China.

Patent Propensity in Small Technology‐based Firms: Evidence from Zhongguancun Science Park

AbstractUsing a survey administered in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing, China, this paper investigates the impact of R&amp;D personnel‐related intellectual property management practices on the patent propensity of small technology‐based firms. It is found that R&amp;D personnel‐related management practices, including training and reward mechanisms, are effective in enhancing a firm's willingness to patent. In particular, we find that reward mechanisms can negatively moderate the effect of size on a firm's willingness to patent. One implication that emerged from the analysis is that a small firm can counteract its size disadvantage in patenting by introducing a well‐developed reward mechanism.

Uncultivated Magnetotactic Cocci from Yuandadu Park in Beijing, China

In the present study, we investigated a group of uncultivated magnetotactic cocci, which was magnetically isolated from a freshwater pond in Beijing, China. Light and transmission electron microscopy showed that these cocci ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 microm and contained two to four chains of magnetite magnetosomes, which sometimes were partially disorganized. Overall, the size of the disorganized magnetosomes was significantly smaller than that arranged in chains. All characterized magnetosome crystals were elongated (shape factor = 0.64) and fall into the single-domain size range (30 to 115 nm). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the enriched bacteria were a virtually homogeneous population and represented a novel lineage in the Alphaproteobacteria. The closest cultivated relative was magnetotactic coccoid strain MC-1 (88% sequence identity). First-order reversal curve diagrams revealed that these cocci had relatively strong magnetic interactions compared to the single-chain magnetotactic bacteria. Low-temperature magnetic measurements showed that the Verwey transition of them was approximately 108 K, confirming magnetite magnetosomes, and the delta ratio delta(FC)/delta(ZFC) was >2. Based on the structure, phylogenetic position and magnetic properties, the enriched magnetotactic cocci of Alphaproteobacteria are provisionally named as "Candidatus Magnetococcus yuandaducum."

Contamination of soils with organochlorine pesticides in urban parks in Beijing, China

Urban parks are an integral component of healthy urban living. Since they are frequently visited, an understanding of the environmental quality of these urban facilities is crucial. Here, a study was conducted on the contamination of soils in the parks of Beijing. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), which have the potential to cause endocrine disturbances, were considered study objectives. Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were found at concentrations of 0.2490–197.0 ng g −1 and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) were found at concentrations of 5.942–1039 ng g −1 in the soils investigated. The preliminary pollution assessment indicated that DDTs have caused high pollution levels in the soils of some parks. Analysis of the sources of contamination showed that HCHs in the soils were derived from an old mixed source of technical HCHs and lindane and that DDTs, which were suspected to have recent application to the soils at some sites, were derived mainly from a mixture of technical DDTs and dicofol containing DDT impurities. An independent sample t-test proved that pesticides containing DDTs had been used in large amounts in the soils of parks before 1983 ( p < 0.05) and that the levels of DDTs in the soils of parks administered by the Beijing municipal government were significantly higher than the levels in those administered by the district government ( p < 0.05). However, the main difference in this situation needs to be further studied. This study suggested that open spaces like urban parks were not as sound as was expected and that there was potential for exposure of visitors/workers in the parks to organochlorine pesticides.

Plant species composition in relation to green cover configuration and function of urban parks in Beijing, China

AbstractParks, as one specific type of urban open space, play important roles in the conservation of urban biodiversity and provision of recreational services for local residents. As there is a lack of specific insight into park plant species composition in relation to park features, 24 sample parks within the inner city of Beijing, the capital of China, were studied by stratified random plot sampling of their tree, shrub, and herbaceous communities, respectively, in order to investigate how human activities have influenced park green cover configuration and floristic characteristics. The quantitative correlation of species richness and the park green cover indices (patch size, shape, etc.) were studied. The importance value index for plant species (trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species) of each park was calculated. The two‐way indicator species analysis approach (TWINSPAN) was applied to classify the 24 parks into different groups based on their species assemblages. Two‐hundred and eighty‐eight species were recorded within the 24 study parks, belonging to 184 genera and 72 families dominated by Gramineae, Compositae, and Leguminosae. Among all the recorded species, 41% are exotic. The species occurrence, abundance and diversity vary significantly among different parks. Besides the positive correlation (R=0.505, P&lt;0.05) between herbaceous species abundance and the park green cover size, no other significant relations were found between the species abundance and other indices of park green cover configuration. Remarkably, the TWINSPAN classification resulted in a good discrimination between park functional types and the variation in their species assemblage. For the parks of similar age (development history) or landscape design, their species assemblages show more similarity. The methodology adopted and results can be employed to improve baseline information on urban plant ecology and support the setting of priorities for future park management and vegetation protection.

The Making of an Innovative Region from a Centrally Planned Economy: Institutional Evolution in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing

Literature on innovation regions has focused mostly on case studies in mature capitalist economies in North America and Europe, generating little knowledge of how innovation may take place in alternative institutional settings or how institutional transformation occurs in regions other than advanced capitalist economies. This paper traces the institutional evolution of Zhongguancun (ZGC), China's most prominent science and technology park, in the northwestern part of Beijing, in its pursuit of becoming China's own ‘Silicon Valley’. Created during the planned economy, ZGC has traveled a radically different trajectory compared with most high-tech regions in advanced countries. Since the mid-1980s, the area has been able to transform itself from a quiet Beijing suburb designated for scientific research and higher education into a bustling hub of global high-tech business. In this paper I examine the changing patterns of behavior and interaction among the Chinese state, Chinese technology firms, and multinational technology corporations during three different stages of ZGC's development, illustrating the possibility of alternative institutional arrangements and the intricacy of institutional transformation. The paper then compares the formal and informal institutional characteristics of ZGC with those of California's Silicon Valley, signifying its strengths and weaknesses for fostering an innovative environment.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in surface soils of urban parks in Beijing, China

Assessing the concentration of potentially harmful heavy metals in the soil of urban parks is imperative in order to evaluate the potential risks to residents and tourists. To date, little research on soil pollution in China’s urban parks has been conducted. To identify the concentrations and sources of heavy metals, and to assess the soil environmental quality, samples were collected from 30 urban parks located in the city of Beijing. Subsequently, the concentrations of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the samples were analyzed. The investigation revealed that the accumulations of Cu and Pb were readily apparent in the soils. The integrated pollution index (IPI) of these four metals ranged from 0.97 to 9.21, with the highest IPI in the densely populated historic center district (HCD). Using multivariate statistic approaches (principal components analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis), two factors controlling the heavy metal variability were obtained, which accounted for nearly 80% of the total variance. Nickel and Zn levels were controlled by parent material in the soils, whereas Cu, Pb and, in part, Zn were accounted for mainly by anthropogenic activities. The findings presented here indicate that the location and the age of the park are important factors in determining the extent of heavy metal, particularly Cu and Pb, pollution. In addition, the accumulation of Zn did not appear to reach pollution levels, and no obvious pollution by Ni was observed in the soils of the parks in Beijing.

New Information and Communication Technologies and Local Clustering of Firms: A Case Study of the Xingwang Industrial Park in Beijing

Recent advances in telecommunications technologies have initiated debates on the changing balance between centralizing and decentralizing forces driving economic activities. The literature reveals that new information and telecommunication technologies (ICTs) have been driving new economic activities into a number of cities and regions with well-developed information infrastructures while within these cities and regions new industries tend to disperse as a result of the safe and sufficient communications across distance enabled by new ICTs. This finding suggests that the application of new ICTs is a strong decentralizing force in a firm's location at the local scale. It is against such a background that this paper examines the Xingwang Industrial Park located in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area (BDA) as a case study to focus on the dynamics of local industrial clusters enabled by new ICTs. The authors argue that new ICTs are an enabling or facilitating agent rather than a deterministic force. The application of new ICTs tends to lead to a "virtual clustering" of firms as this is an essential step of integration of supply chains while whether or not suppliers choose to locate in proximity to each other and to assemblers depends on a number of other factors.

北京双楡公園における再整備の立案手法に関する研究

北京双楡公園における再整備の立案手法に関する研究

China Goes for Beauty Contests in a Big Way

A few models once happened to enter the Zhongnanhai [formerly an imperial park in Beijing and now the site of the central organs of the Chinese Communist Party and government—Trans.] to do a fashion show. Not bad, was the comment of the veteran revolutionaries who saw the show, and since then beauty contests have swept the land of China. Beauty contests are a quick way for women to achieve fame, as well as a means for enterprises to make profits. While these contests appear in many different forms, supporters and opponents each express different views on the subject.