Progress in indicators to assess agricultural landscape valuation: how and what is measured at different levels of governance

Landscape is defined by the European Landscape Convention as “an area perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”. Many efforts have been devoted in addressing the core concepts on which this definition roots: perception and interaction of men and nature, but when coming to large (continental) scale assessments, the latter prevail on the former.This paper aims at presenting a framework for a measurable landscape awareness indicator as a key link to the public demand for a specific type of landscape: the agricultural landscape. This is a necessary effort to complement more physically based assessments, which include as well the impact of human activities on landscapes.The analysis is carried out at different levels of governance: EU and regional, using an example from the Alentejo region in Portugal and EU wide databases, and addresses conceptual and practical questions: what type of societal landscape awareness can be monitored and by whom (e.g., individuals, specific social groups, society as a whole); what are the landscape dimensions that should be assessed; what are the limitations imposed by data-related constraints. By applying the methodology to build composite indicators to map landscape societal awareness, the paper shows the regional and local meaning of indicator approaches developed at European level, presents developments for downscaling to regional level, while introducing the social component to support sound policy development for European rural landscapes.     

Bank competition,concentration and financial stability in the Turkish banking industry

This paper analyzes the impact of competition and concentration on bank stability in the Turkish banking industry over the period 2002–2012. The Boone indicator and the efficiency-adjusted Lerner index are used as proxies for competition, while the non-performing loans (NPL) ratio and Z-scores are used as proxies for bank stability. The main results indicate that competition is negatively related to the NPL ratio but positively related to the Z-score. The results further indicate that greater concentration has a positive impact on the NPL and a negative impact on the Z-score. We also use a quadratic term of the competition measures to capture a possible non-linear relationship between competition and stability. The results show that the coefficient of the quadratic term is negative for the NPL model and positive for the Z-score model. Overall, our findings provide support for the competition-fragility view.     

How useful is an Asian Currency Unit (ACU) index for surveillance in East Asia?

An Asian Currency Unit (ACU) index is constructed using an alternative procedure which minimizes a basket or portfolio of assets expressed in terms of national currencies. Using this estimated ACU index and an ACU deviation indicator, the main finding of this study based on the current trajectory of East Asian currencies relative to this regional ACU benchmark is that there is a formation of two contrasting groups of countries in the region—one group of strong currencies and one group of weak currencies. We emphasize that this contrasting trajectory in East Asian intra-regional exchange rates implies disturbed competitive trading relationships in the region, which may result in wasteful beggar-thy-neighbor policies. As emphasized in other recent studies (e.g., Kawai and Takagi, 2012), the region needs a framework for exchange rate policy coordination that will promote intra-regional exchange rate stability. We suggest two important ways in which the region can capitalize on using an ACU index for surveillance purposes in the immediate term. One way is to assess “over- and undervaluation” of individual currencies from the regional ACU average. The other is to use it as a monitoring device for excessive flows of international capital within the region.     

基于生态系统服务空间流的洪涝调节 服务需求制图与生态空间优先级识别

中国快速城市化地区面临严重洪涝风险和洪涝调节 服务供需空间的分离。为识别在满足洪涝调节服务需求方面重 要性高的生态空间以纳入保护的优先级,提出了一种在生态空 间中绘制洪涝调节服务需求的新技术：基于生态系统服务空间 流,利用流量、流边界、流方向、分配原则及其修正因子4个 多维指标,表征将服务需求从建设空间向生态空间分配与投射 过程的关键环节。结果显示：面积大、人口密度高的建设空间 存在高需求流量;借助水文空间流,服务需求由建设空间被分 配至同一集水区内具有洪涝调节能力的生态空间中;被投射为 高服务需求的生态空间大多规模较大或紧邻高需求的建成空 间。通过控制流量、扩展流区域、增加流方向和提升生态空间 服务供应能力,能有效调控投射于生态空间内的洪涝调节服务 高需求。     

食品中钙含量的测定

文章采用重量滴定法对食品中的钙含量进行了测定,并将结果与容量滴定法进行相比,准确度高,操作简单便捷,回收率高,重现性好。     

新型农村社会养老保险风险评估指标体系的设计与运用

新农保风险评估指标体系能够对新农保制度面临的风险大小进行评估,反映制度的可持续发展状况。从制度建立和运行程序上来看,新农保风险包括制度设计风险、筹资风险、基金投资风险、操作风险和给付风险。从这五个方面选取合适的指标可以建立起新农保风险评估指标体系,然后利用层次分析法可以确定出各指标的权重。新农保风险评估指标体系运用的关键是新农保风险评估标准的确定以及指标实际风险值大小的判定。     

上市公司信息披露质量直接测度理论模式研究

在理论上,人们对“如何评价上市公司信息披露质量”并没有达成统一认识;在实践中,各机构的研究也各具特色。直接测度方法是理论界和实践部门评价信息披露质量的主流方法,但是其完善进程缓慢,还存在忽视概念内涵的界定、评价指标体系差异大、对于是否设置评价指标权重的意见不一、观点的论证缺乏坚实的理论基础等问题。评价指标争议,可通过依据测量理论的概念化和操作化程序的实施来解决;而指标权重的确定,可在综合评价理论的指导下比较各方案的优缺点,以评价目标为导向,择优选用。应依据测量理论与综合评价理论分析和确定信息披露质量的评价维度与指标,并重视上市公司信息披露质量评价的市场反应。     

松毛虫危害的生态经济损失内容及评估指标体系构建探析

在查阅现有相关文献的基础上,结合松毛虫危害发生的实际情况,首先对松毛虫危害所引发的生态与经济损失的主要内容进行了系统地分析和论证,包括林产品、景观价值、农业、畜牧业、渔业、人类健康、涵养水源、保持水土、防风固沙、净化空气、调节气候、固碳制氧、生物多样性保护等11个方面的损失;接着构建了松毛虫危害的生态经济损失评估指标体系,其中共包括2个一级指标、4个二级指标、13个三级指标和26个四级指标。     

区域土地资源安全评价研究——以广东省四会市为例

针对目前土地资源安全评价研究中的不足,构建了区域土地资源安全评价指标体系框架,重点分析各指标的含义、指标值获取方法和评价标准,探讨了区域土地资源安全评价方法,并以广东省四会市为例进行评价指标体系及方法的验证.