Yuan RMB Research Articles

P03-145 An economic burden comparison of typical and atypical antipsychotic therapies for schizophrenia between general hospital and psychiatric hospital

Aims:To compare efficacy and medical costs of typital and atypical antipsychotics in treating schizophrenic patients.Methods:250 in patients in general hospital and psychiatric hospital were randomly allocated to one of the two groups, one treated with typital antipsychotics as chlorpromazine, haloperidol and so on with a mean daily dose of 500∼800 mg in chlorpromazine equivalents, and the other with atypical agents in cluding clozapine (mean daily dose of 400∼800mg ), risperidone of 6 mg, or olanzapine of 20 mg.Results:The total costs of the treatment were (3157±253) Yuan RMB for patients treated with typical agents in general hospital, and (3673±294) Yuan RMB for patients treated with typical agents in psychiatric hospital respectively. the costs for medicine were (774±903) Yuan RMB, (1061±903) Yuan RMB respectively. the costs in atypical group were(1120±390) Yuan RMB and (1637±325) Yuan RMB, and (108±157) Yuan RMB and (240±317) Yuan RMB respectively. the duration of patients treated with typical agents in hospital is longer than that with atypical agents.Conclusions:It indicates that atypical antipsychotics have similar efficacy to typical agents in treating schizophrenic patients with less costs.

Value flow analysis based on EAP industrial chain: case of Huaning in Xichang, Sichuan

In this paper, based on symbiotic network of Eco-agricultural Park (EAP), value flows of different industrial chains are studied, and input–output efficiencies of industrial chain and individual enterprise accounted independently are compared in the case of Huaning EAP. The results indicate: (1) the total profit of industrial chain of feedstuff processing, breeder duck breeding, laying-hen breeding, farm garden, dairy farm and milk processing is more than the sum of profits of individual enterprises independently accounted, with a difference of 950,800 RMB yuan. Input–output efficiency of this industrial chain is 1.30 times higher than the average that of individual enterprises accounted independently. (2) The total profit of industrial chain of feedstuff processing, dairy farm, grass farm, laying-hen breeding and milk processing is more than the sum of profits of individual enterprises accounted independently, with a difference of 3,258,800 RMB yuan. Input–output efficiency of this industrial chain is 1.45 times higher than the average that of individual enterprises accounted independently. (3) Through collaboration among enterprises in the industrial system, the benefits of the industrial chain are much higher than the sum of those obtained by individual enterprises, which is benefited from the performance of resource and by-product exchange network among enterprises in the EAP.

A study of reliability and validity of appraisal questionnaire (Chinese language version) of human immunodeficiency virus positive persons

To evaluate the Chinese language version of the appraisal questionnaire (AQ) for HIV/AIDS (HIV positive persons). The scale was translated and adapted into Chinese and then reversely translated into English. The internal consistency reliability, structural validity, differential validity and predictive validity were evaluated by prevalence study in the city of Guangzhou. Cronbach's alpha coefficient achieved a value ranged from 0.530 to 0.886, with satisfied predicted validity. The regression equation accounted for 24.4% of variance in anxiety, and all factors of cognition accounted for 11.4% of variance, among all factors, only factor one had significant influence on anxiety (t=3.838, P<0.001); the regression equation accounted for 38.6% of variance in depression, and all factors of cognition accounted for 26.0% of variance. Factor I and factor II had significant influence on depression (t=5.707, P<0.001; t = -2.876, P<0.01). The results of differential validity suggested the mean scores of factor III were lower in the group with lower education level and monthly salary. Meanwhile, the persons with monthly salary under 300 yuan RMB had higher mean score of factor I, and the persons with lower academic degree had lower mean score of factor II. The principal-components factor analysis yielded three factors with common factor larger than 1.0, which were threat, challenge and controllability; and the three factors accounted for 62.23% of the total variance. The AQ Chinese version attained satisfactory reliability and validity. Even considering some essential explanatory words for the Chinese version, the scale might be attempted to use in the population with HIV in our country.

Changes in Ecosystem Service Values on the Loess Plateau in Northern Shaanxi Province, China

The Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi Province of China covers Yulin, Yan'an, and Tongchuan cities mainly. The kind of physiognomy is complicated and various, including the transitional region of the sand and wind, the hilly-gully fragile region, the pimple mound region from North to South. Large-scale land reclamation projects that are severely affecting these ecosystems have been implemented. In this paper, we reported an investigation to the changes in land use and ecosystem services on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi Province from 1978 to 2000. We used three LANDSAT TM and/or ETM data sets to estimate the changes in the size of five land-cover/land-use categories, and we also used previously published value coefficients to estimate the changes in the value of ecosystem services delivered by each land category. Finally, we ranked the contribution of various ecosystem functions to the overall value of the ecosystem services. we have estimated that the annual value of the ecosystem services is 56.95 billon RMB yuan in the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi Province in 2000. In the region, from 1978 to 2000, the economic value of the fixing carbon was higher, the economic value of water conservation was the lowest, but the economic value of the NPP, fixing carbon, and supplying oxygen accounted for above ninety percent of the total value, obviously the vegetation created the biggest ecosystem service value. We can conclude that future land-use policy formulation should give precedence to the conservation of these ecosystems over uncontrolled reclamation, and that further land reclamation should be based on rigorous environmental impact analyses.

Epidemiological analysis of injury in Shandong Province, China

BackgroundInjury is an emerging public health problem with social development and modernization in developing countries. To describe the prevalence and burden of injury and provide elaborate information for policy development, we conducted a community-based household survey in the Shandong Province of China.MethodsThe survey was conducted in 2004. Participants were selected by a multi-stage random sampling method. Information on injuries occurring in 2003 was collected in four cities and six rural counties in Shandong Province, China.ResultsThe estimated incidence rate of injury in Shandong Province was 67.7 per 1,000. Injury incidence was higher in rural areas (84.3 per 1,000) than in urban areas (42.9 per 1,000), and was higher among males (81.1 per 1,000) than females (54.1 per 1,000).The average years of potential life lost is 37.7 years for each fatal injury. All injuries together caused 6,080,407 RMB yuan of direct and indirect economic loss, with traffic injuries accounting for 44.8% of the total economic loss.ConclusionInjury incidence was higher among males than females, and in rural areas than in urban areas. Youngsters suffered the highest incidence of injury. Injury also caused large losses in terms of both economics and life, with traffic injuries contributing the most to this loss. Strategies for prevention of injury should be developed.

ANNOUNCEMENT

In order to keep abreast with the progress of physics in the 21st century, from 2008 the Chinese PhysicalSociety will arrange all its physics journals published in English into a series, so as to present the publicationsin an orderly way. The Society has decided that from issue No 1 2008, Chinese Physics will change itstitle to Chinese Physics B and its website will be http://cpb.iphy.ac.cn to facilitate international academicexchanges.The journal's publication goals, policy and scope of distribution still remain unchanged, and its volumenumber will continue directly from Chinese Physics, i.e. the 2008 volume will be volume 17, so that the newname will not interrupt the continuity of the publication history of Chinese Physics. The rank of ChinesePhysics B in the SCI database will not be affected and we have been assured by the Editorial Office of SCI(an e-mail reply dated 1 Feb. 2007 from the editor of SCI-E) that the change of name to Chinese Physics Bwill in no way affect our citation frequency and impact factor statistics.Chinese Physics B will still be published monthly on the 4th day of every month, in a large edition of 16mowith 250 pages in each issue. Similarly, it will be distributed domestically by the Editorial Office of ChinesePhysics B, at a price of 86 Yuan RMB, while distributed abroad by the Institute of Physics Publishing, UK,at a price which will be given on the inside front cover of issue No 1 2008 of the journal.Fax: 010-82649072, Tel:010-82649026, 010-82649294

Saving Energy and Reducing Emission When Recycling Acetone during the Production of Soy Phospholipid

Abstract Acetone, which is volatile, flammable, toxic, expensive and causing serious air pollution, is often used as extracting solvent in the production of powdery soy phospholipid. Recycling and reusing acetone is the key of reducing the cost of production. Therefore, saving energy and reducing emission when recycling acetone are the most important technologies during the production of phospholipid. On the basis of the productivity of powdery phospholipid being 2.4 t every day, 43.2 t acetone is reused every 8 h and the total volume of acetone gas emitted is 450.75 m3(about 901.5 kg). According to the current price of acetone, the lost money is about 7212 yuan RMB.

Analysing levels of China's agricultural domestic support with an optimising model

The paper analyses the impacts of alteration of agricultural domestic supports on state welfare adopting partial equilibrium theory. In order to find out the appropriate levels of agricultural domestic supports in China, a nonlinear programming approach was utilised, based on constraints of the annual financial budget and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture, to build an optimisation model for levels of China agricultural domestic support was built to aim at the maximum welfare. The result shows that the maximum levels of China “amber box” support are 50 billion dollars from welfare maximisation in the international agricultural product trade. The amber box support is about 174 billion RMB yuan according to the de minimis levels of China with 8.5%. The national annual budgetary expenditure for agriculture was 175.445 billion RMB yuan approximately in 2003, the amber box support of which was only 55.143 billion RMB yuan.

A clinical study on global TCM therapy in treating senile advanced non-small cell lung cancer

To assess the clinical efficacy of global traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy in treating senile advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with the aim of seeking a standardized, rational and economical way to treat advanced NSCLC in old patients. A retrospective analysis and comparison was carried out in 86 patients with senile advanced NSCLC, 44 treated by global TCM (TCM group) and 42 by chemotherapy (control group) through dynamical observation on related indexes including tumor size, quality of life and the survival time, as well as on the fee for medical service at various time points in the course of the treatment. The changes of tumor size, score of clinical main symptoms and behavior condition (by ZPS scoring), as well as survival rates in the two groups at corresponding time points, were not different significantly (P>0.05). The mean survival time in the TCM group was 13.20+/-1.52 months and that in the chemotherapy group was 13.45+/-1.94 months, showing insignificant difference between them. However, the median survival time in the TCM group (12 months) was actually longer than that in the chemotherapy group (9 months, P<0.05). The mean daily expense and the mean expense (RMB yuan) for each patient in the TCM group were significantly lower than that in the control group, which was 180.73+/-93.21 vs 825.84+/-329.63 for the mean daily expense and 34077.21+/-14638.04 vs 58516.59+/-45429.76 for the mean expense for each patient (both P<0.01). Treatment of senile advanced NSCLC with TCM alone has its apparent superiority in stabilizing tumor focus, improving clinical symptoms, elevating quality of life and prolonging the survival time. TCM is also less expensive, making it a good alternative therapeutic approach for this specific group of people.

Effects of pleural drainage using central venous catheter and simple aspiration in treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax: a clinical comparative study

To compare the curative effects and expenses of pleural drainage by using central venous catheter and of simple aspiration by thoracentesis in treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. 46 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax were randomly divided into 2 equal groups: Group A, treated with pleural drainage by using central venous catheter, and Group B, treated with simple aspiration by thoracentesis. The curative rate and average residual volume after treatment were used to evaluate the curative effects. The average hospitalization days, duration of treatment, and expenses for medical materials were used to evaluate as the economic index. (1) The effective rates were 100% and 91.30% in Groups A and B respectively. (2) The average residual volume of pneumothorax at the time of discharge from hospital of Group A was 4.17%, significantly lower than that of Group B (18.62%, P < 0.05). (3) The average residual volume of pneumothorax 1 week after discharge of Group A was 0.53%, significantly lower than that of Group B (7.59%, P < 0.01). (4) The expense for medical materials of Group A was 264.79 Yuan RMB, a little bit more than that of Group B (233.62 Yuan RMB). (5) The hospitalization time of Group A was 5.32 days, significantly shorter than that of Group B (7.68 days, P < 0.05). The duration of treatment with antibiotics of Group A was 3.46 days, significantly shorter than that of Group B (5.59 days, P < 0.05). The time of oxygen inhalation of Group A was 86.4 hours, significantly shorter than that of Group B (133.1 hours, P < 0.01). With higher curative effect and lower expenses, pleural drainage by using central venous catheter is superior to simple aspiration in treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax, and can be the first choice.

Eco-health evaluation for the Shanghai metropolitan area during the recent industrial transformation (1990–2003)

Shanghai is a cosmopolitan city and one of the most important economic centers in China, but is saddled with serious environmental problems resulting from a recent industrial transformation. This paper examines the interactive relationships between economic growth, eco-efficiency of urban metabolism, and environmental performance of the Shanghai metropolitan area since the 1990s using 15 indicators. This study has revealed an enhanced eco-efficiency of water and energy use as well as an improved overall environmental quality in the central urban districts of Shanghai. Both TGDP (total GDP) and GDP per capita increased rapidly at the annual rate of 16.28% and 15.91%, respectively. In contrast, energy consumed per 10 000 RMB YUAN GDP (ECG), water consumed per 10 000 RMB YUAN GDP (WCG), wastewater discharged per 10 000 RMB YUAN GDP (WWDG), and waste gases emitted per 10 000 RMB YUAN GDP (WGEG) decreased at the annual rate of 9.34%, 10.69%, 14.57%, and 8.52%, respectively. The rapid decline in ECG, WCG, WWDG, and WGEG indicates an enhanced eco-efficiency of urban metabolism. However, uncontrolled emission of wastes from domestic instead of industrial sources adversely affected the overall environmental quality. In addition, suburban areas have undergone rapid economic growth at the cost of human health deterioration, as measured by mortalities and relative mortality ratios of three major diseases (tumor, respiratory disease, and trauma/toxicosis). With Shanghai serving as the “locomotive” driving the economy of the Yangtze River Basin, effective pollution control policies and a network of regional coordination are urgently needed in the globalization and ecological security of the entire area.

Ecological Functions and Their Values in Chinese Cropland Ecosystem

Cropland ecosystem not only provides people with grains, vegetables, fibers, etc., but also plays an important role in air regulation, soil and water conservation, environmental decontamination, etc. Furthermore, cropland ecosystem has negative effects on our environment, such as soil and water pollution, because of the use of fertilizers and pesticides. So far, there are a few research findings about Chinese farmland's ecological functions, but only a part of ecological functions is discussed in this article. At present, an integrated research is needed in order to get a comprehensive understanding of cropland ecosystem. This article gives a primary result of ecological functions and their monetary values in Chinese cropland ecosystem. The results showed that the total monetary value of ecological functions provided by Chinese cropland ecosystem was 1912.18 billion yuan RMB in 2003 (present price in 2003); the positive value was 2233.41 billion yuan RMB and negative was −321.23 yuan billion RMB. The value per hectare was 18960.60 yuan RMB/hm 2, of which the value of crop products was 14788.70 yan RMB/hm 2 and others were 4171.90 yuan RMB/hm 2. The ecological functions in the farmland vary with regions. The values ranged from 8.68 to 505.08 billion yuan RMB, and HHHR and MLRYR were higher than those of the other ecological zones. The values per hectare ranged from 515.90 to 3498.43 yuan RMB/hm 2, and SC and MLRYR were higher.

Discussion on the Green Tax Stimulation Measure of Nitrogen Fertilizer Non-Point Source Pollution Control – Taking the Dongting Lake Area in China as a Case

Abstract A study on designing the tax of nitrogen fertilizer can provide a new method for controlling nitrogen fertilizer non-point source pollution. The tax design of nitrogen fertilizer was discussed by utilizing the external theory and the demand elasticity theory. The results indicated that the coefficient of price elasticity of nitrogen fertilizer demand is -0.21, which instructed that the market demand is in lack of elasticity in the short period and the impact of nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers is subtle. The 11 counties (cities and boroughs) in the Dongting Lake area in China, where the farmland nitrogen application surpassed the average ecological fertilization dosage, is listed to the taxation scope of nitrogen fertilizer tax. The environment loss will reduce 0.07 hundred million RMB yuan and the revenue will increase 0.89 hundred million RMB yuan in the country after levying on nitrogen fertilizer. The loss, which was brought by the decreasing food supplies production, will be 0.58 hundred million RMB yuan and the net social benefit will be 0.38 hundred million RMB yuan following revenue collection. The variation scope of the increasing expenditure of farmers will range from 0.95 to 1.49%. The variation scope of the income of farmers will range from -8.41 to 6.44%. The 5 areas, Yunxi Borough, Junshan Borough, Hanshou County, Jinshi City, and Ziyang Borough, had an increase in food supplies production after the revenue collection. The environment loss will reduce 0.01 hundred million RMB yuan and the revenue will increase 0.16 hundred million RMB yuan in the country after levying on nitrogen fertilizer. The economic benefits, which was brought by the increasing cereals production, will be 0.67 hundred million RMB yuan and the net social benefit will be 0.84 hundred million RMB yuan after revenue collection. The variation scope of the increasing expenditure of farmers will range from 0.95 to 1.06%. The variation scope of the increasing income of farmers will range from 0.69 to 6.44%. Considering the entire social welfare, taxation of nitrogen fertilizer will have more advantages than disadvantages in the Dongting Lake area.

Assessment of land use change and potential eco-service value in the upper reaches of Minjiang River, China

The remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) technologies were adopted and a mathematic method was developed to evaluate the changes of ecosystem services in the upper reaches of Minjiang River-valley for providing advices to manage the ecosystem. The results showed that the land use change mainly occurred on forest, farmland and grassland. From 1986 to 1994, the area of farmland increased by 477% (60801 hm^2), while the area of forest decreased by 4.97% (89012.17hm^2). From 1986 to 2000, the eco-service value of forest was degressive but that of farmland increased greatly as the increasing of planting area, while the total eco-service value decreased by 771.11×10^8 yuan RMB due to the rapid increase of population in this region. The driving force of eco-service change was also discussed in the paper. The nation policy of Natural Forest Protection Project has taken effect in preventing the decline of eco-services.

External Costs and Optimum Use of Nitrogen Fertilizer Based on the Balance of Economic and Ecological Benefits in the Paddy Field System of the Dongting Lake Area, China

The external costs and the optimum use of nitrogen fertilizer based on the balance of economic and ecological benefits was studied with the paddy field system of Dongting Lake area, one of the main food production regions in China. The environmental impact was economically evaluated using methods of the environmental impact economical evaluation. The optimum use of nitrogen fertilizer was calculated based on the exterior diseconomy theory and by using the production function model. Both ecological benefits and farmers' economic benefits were considered. It was calculated on the data from 2002 that the losses caused by inappropriate utilization of nitrogen fertilizer in the process of food production were fishery, 0.1 × 10 7 RMB yuan; water treatment, 1.02x 10 8 RMB yuan; tour business, 0.11 × 10 8 RMB yuan, and habitation environment, 0.3 × 10 7 RMB yuan, totally equivalent to 0.41 RMB yuan kg −1 N. The economically satisfactory and the ecological agronomic nitrogen fertilizer dose for current production was 138 and 137 kg ha −1, respectively. The research showed that the actual nitrogen fertilizer application amount in the paddy field system of the Dongting Lake area already reached or exceeded the farmers' economic satisfaction and the ecological agronomic nitrogen fertilizer dose for current production. An environmental tax is suggested to impose on over-use of nitrogen fertilizer.

Unventilated Indoor Coal-Fired Stoves in Guizhou Province, China: Reduction of Arsenic Exposure through Behavior Changes Resulting from Mitigation and Health Education in Populations with Arsenicosis

We the report results of a coordinated mitigation effort aimed at reducing arsenic (As) exposure in three counties of Guizhou province, China. Mitigation occurred in 2005 and encompassed 21 villages with 47,000 inhabitants, who were exposed to high levels of As in their diet through consumption of As-contaminated chili peppers and corn dried over unventilated stoves that burned coal containing high levels of As. The coal was mined by villagers from local pits. Inhalation of air that contained high levels of As contributed to approximately 25% of the daily As intake of 6–9 mg. Before mitigation, a baseline survey of 45,364 residents in 2004 identified more than 2,800 individuals with arsenicosis. The survey also found that many residents were aware of the health effects of As in general but lacked in-depth understanding of the link between coal use and arsenicosis. Consequently, an overwhelming majority (> 95%) continued to use high-As coal. This survey provided the basis for a health education campaign that promoted lifestyle changes coupled with the shutting down of local coal pits and the installation of 10,000 new stoves with chimneys for ventilation. The cost of the mitigation was about 4 million Yuan RMB (US$500,000) and was financed mostly by the government. A postmitigation response survey in 2005 found that > 85% of the residents now associate the use of coal with arsenicosis; > 90% correctly learned to operate the new ventilated stoves; and > 90% dry corn and chili peppers outdoors in the sun. Urinary As concentrations in the region decreased from 0.198 ± 0.300 mg/L (n = 144) in 2004 to 0.049 ± 0.009 mg/L (n = 50) in 2005 in individuals with arsenicosis (p < 0.01), which is consistent with the behavior changes.

Analysis of the in-patients in the rehabilitation department of a general hospital

Objective To investigate the disease categories （DCs） , admitting departments（ADs） , length of stay （LS） , and hospital costs （HCs） of the in-patients in the rehabilitation department of a general hospital. Methods A total of 1 246 in-patients admitted to the authors＇ rehabilitation department over the period from 2004 to 2005 were analyzed retrospectively with regard to their age, DCs, ADs, LS and HCs by means of the Hospital Case Enquiry and Statistical System of Guangdong Province. Results The average age of the in-patients in 2005 was 61.2 ± 13.7 years, and their average number of DCs was 5.52 ± 1.54. Common first diagnoses included cerebral infarct （40.4%） , cerebral hemorrhage （ 12.6% ） , cervical spondylosis （5.7%） , traumatic brain injury （5. 1% ） , and fracture （3.7%）. Rehabilitation （52.3% ,） , neurology （26.4%） , neurosurgery （7.9%） and orthopedics （4.1%） were the most common initial admitting departments. The average LS was 39. 1 d, and the LS of patients with rehabilitation, neurology, orthopedics and neurosurgery as their initial admitting department was 23.7 d ,44.4 d, 60.2 d and 62.4 d, respectively. The average LS of those with their first diagnosis as cerebral infarct, cervical spondylosis, traumatic brain injury and fracture was 34.2 d, 21.3 d, 64.2 d and 63.5 d, respectively. The average HCs were 36 168 yuan RMB, with the cost of medicine the highest （47.6%） , followed by costs for various therapies. The costs for cervical spodylosis were the lowest, while those for traumatic brain injury were the highest. Conclusion The rehabilitation in-patients usually had multiple DCs, needed lengthy stays and incurred high hospital and medicine costs. It is suggested that early rehabilitation interventions should be implemented before the patients are transferred to the rehabilitation ward so as to reduce HCs and LS. Key words: Rehabilitation department; Hospital costs; Length of stay

Studies on Technique of Reducing Methane Emission in a Rice-Duck Ecological System and the Evaluation of Its Economic Significance

The rice-duck ecological system is one of the major practices of the traditional Chinese agriculture. A study on the effect of reducing methane emission using this practice provided theoretical and practical basis for further development and utilization of this classical agricultural technique. The effect of reducing methane emission and the economic benefits of rice-duck ecological system were studied by carrying out a field experiment and by using economic methodology. The daily variation of CH 4 emission in late rice paddy field was basically consistent with the daily variation of atmospheric temperature. The highest emission occurred at the full tillering stage of late rice with a rate of 24.1 or 32.2 or 40.5 mg m −2 h −1 in no-tillage area with duck and no-tillage area without duck and conventional-tillage area without duck, respectively. The inhibition of methane emission was apparently effective in the rice-duck ecological system during the initial tillering stage and the full tillering stage. Compared to the no-tillage area without duck, methane emission decreased by 2.333 g m −2. Compared to the conventional-tillage area without duck, methane emission decreased by 4.723 g m −2. During the production period of late rice, the amount of methane emission in no-tillage area with duck was 3.373 g m −2 lesser than that of no-tillage area without duck, and 5.59 g m −2 less than that of conventional-tillage without duck area. The economic significance was analyzed. Farmers adopting the rice-duck ecological system obtained 2166 and 4207 RMB yuan ha −1 more income than those who adopted a no-tillage without duck technique or conventional-tillage without duck technique, respectively. In addition to the reduction of the environmental pollution by methane emission, the farmers who adopted the rice-duck ecological system achieved economic benefits of 5000 RMB yuan ha −1, which was 2206 and 4274 RMB yuan ha −1 more than those who adopted a no-tillage without duck technique and a conventional-tillage without duck technique, respectively. The rice-duck ecological system not only increased the economic benefits for farmers, but also reduced methane emission in rice paddy field. A sustainable agricultural production mode was formed.

Quantitative assessment and analysis on the dynamic change of ecological capital in arid areas

Ecological capital is the summation of the direct value of biological resources and the ecological service function value of ecosystems. Under the support of RS, GPS and GIS, in this paper the RS-based quantitative measurement model of assessing ecological capital is developed based on the traditional ecology theory and the research on the value of ecological capital per unit area by using the ecological parameters including Landsat TM data, CBERS satellite data, meteorological data, MODIS satellite data, land cover data and field-measured data. A case study on the spatiotemporal distribution of ecological capital in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture in 1990, 1995 and 2003 is carried out, and the dynamic change of ecological capital in the prefecture is measured and compared with GDP. The maps of the spatial distribution of ecological capital in the study area are charted, and the characteristics of spatial distribution of ecological capital are analyzed. The results show that the values of ecological capital in the prefecture in 1990, 1995 and 2003 were 1.473 68×1011, 1.661 60×1011 and 1.778 95×1011 yuan RMB (hereafter referred to as yuan) respectively, and that in spatial distribution, the ecological capital decreases from the alpine zones to the plains and from the oases to the deserts, which accords with the zonal distribution of vegetation in arid areas. The measured results can more objectively reflect the ecological capital and its spatial distribution in arid areas, provide an ideal foundation for further study in the future, and can also be combined with the study on service functions of ecosystems and the regional planning as an important basis of regional planning.

Study on RS-and GIS-based ecological capital assessment in arid areas

Ecological capital assessment is currently one of the important research contents in the interdisciplinary field of ecology, resources economics, environmental economics and ecological economics. To scientifically assess ecological capital redounds to decision-makers to consider the ecological cost in economic development, and is also necessary for sustainable economic development in arid areas. Based on the theory of landscape ecology, in this paper the per unit area ecological capital values in arid areas are researched by using the Landsat TM data, CBERS satellite data, meteorological data, MODIS satellite data and other ecological data, and the RS-and GIS-based models of assessing ecological capital values in arid areas are developed. Moreover, based on the field-measured data, a case study on ecological capital assessment in the Manas River basin, Xinjiang in 2003 is carried out. The basin is divided into 4 ecological capital areas so as to quantitatively calculate the ecological capital values of the ecosystems, analyze the spatial distribution of ecological capital, and chart the maps of spatial distribution of ecological capital. The results show that the total ecological capital value of the ecosystems in the Manas River basin in 2003 was 1.494 54×1011 yuan RMB. In spatial distribution, the ecological capital decreases from the alpine zones to the plains and from the oases to the deserts, which accords with the distribution of vegetation zonality in this arid area. The assessed results can objectively reflect the ecological capital and its spatial distribution in the arid basin, and can also provide reference for roundly carrying out the assessment of ecological capital in arid areas.