Analyzing the Economic Sustainability of Tourism Development: Evidence from Hong Kong

Despite increased concerns about the negative economic impacts of tourism on host communities, insufficient attention has been paid to assess tourism economic sustainability. This paper aims to develop and validate a framework for assessing economic sustainability from the perspective of local stakeholders. In-depth interviews with 12 major stakeholders and a telephone survey with 1839 Hong Kong citizens were conducted. The tourism economic sustainability construct consisted of three dimensions: economic positivity, development control and individual welfare. The reliability and validity of the dimensions were confirmed by the data of sub-samples. The links between socio-demographic characteristics and attitudes toward tourism economic sustainability were evaluated. This paper enhanced our understanding of tourism economic sustainability by expanding the measurement from the macro level to micro level. Using the study setting in Hong Kong, it transcends previous analysis by providing a context to learn from ongoing controversies about the effects of tourism on host community

Satellite Estimation of Coastal \u3ci\u3ep\u3c/i\u3eCO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e and Air-Sea Flux of Carbon Dioxide in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Satellite approaches for estimation of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and air-sea flux of CO2 in coastal regions offer the potential to reduce uncertainties in coastal carbon budgets and improve understanding of spatial and temporal patterns and the factors influencing them. We used satellite-derived products in combination with an extensive data set of ship-based observations to develop an unprecedented multi-year time-series of pCO2 and air-sea flux of CO2 in the northern Gulf of Mexico for the period 2006–2010. A regression tree algorithm was used to relate satellite-derived products for chlorophyll, sea surface temperature, and dissolved and detrital organic matter to ship observations of pCO2. The resulting relationship had an r2 of 0.827 and a prediction error of 31.7 μatm pCO2 (root mean-squared error of the relationship was 28.8 μatm). Using a wind speed and gas exchange relationship along with satellite winds, estimates of air-sea flux of CO2 were derived yielding an average annual flux over the period 2006–2010 of − 0.8 to − 1.5 (annual mean = − 1.1 ± 0.3) mol C m−2 y−1, where the negative value indicates net ocean uptake. The estimated total annual CO2 flux for the study region was − 4.3 + 1.1 Tg C y−1. Relationships of satellite-derived pCO2 with salinity were consistent with shipboard observations and exhibited a concave relationship with low values at mid- and low salinities attributed to strong biological drawdown of CO2 in the high productivity river-mixing zone. The time-series of satellite-derived pCO2 was characterized by a seasonal pattern with values lower during winter and spring, low to intermediate values during fall, and higher and more variable values during summer. These findings were similar to simulations from a coupled physical-biogeochemical model. A seasonal pattern was also evident in the air-sea flux of CO2 with generally more negative fluxes (i.e., ocean uptake) during winter and spring, and positive fluxes during summer months with fall being a period of transition. Interannual variations in annual means of both air-sea flux of CO2 and DIN loading were significant, with higher DIN loading coinciding in some cases with more negative air-sea flux of CO2 (i.e., net ocean uptake). Spatial patterns of pCO2 reflected regional environmental forcing including effects of river discharge, wind forcing, and shelf-slope circulation. Our study also illustrates the utility of satellite extrapolation for highlighting areas that may contribute significantly to regional signals and for guiding prioritization of locations for acquiring further observations. The approach should be readily applicable to other regions given adequate availability of in situ observations for algorithm development

Appendix_1,_2_and_3 – Supplemental material for Analyzing the Economic Sustainability of Tourism Development: Evidence from Hong Kong

<p>Supplemental material, Appendix_1,_2_and_3 for Analyzing the Economic Sustainability of Tourism Development: Evidence from Hong Kong by Hanqin Qiu, Daisy X. F. Fan, Jiaying Lyu, Pearl M. C. Lin and Carson L. Jenkins in Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research</p

Century-Scale Responses of Ecosystem Carbon Storage and Flux to Multiple Environmental Changes in the Southern United States

Terrestrial ecosystems in the southern United States (SUS) have experienced a complex set of changes in climate, atmospheric CO2 concentration, tropospheric ozone (O3), nitrogen (N) deposition, and land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) during the past century. Although each of these factors has received attention for its alterations on ecosystem carbon (C) dynamics, their combined effects and relative contributions are still not well understood. By using the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM) in combination with spatially explicit, longterm historical data series on multiple environmental factors, we examined the century-scale responses of ecosystem C storage and flux to multiple environmental changes in the SUS. The results indicated that multiple environmental change