De novo biosynthesis of Δ3-Isoxazolin-5-one and 3-Nitropropanoic acid derivatives inChrysomela tremulae

The nature of the cosmic redshift is one of the most fundamental questions in modern science. Hubble's discovery of the apparent Expansion of the Universe is derived from obsevations on a small number of galaxies at very low redshifts. Today, quasar redshits have a range more than 1000 times greater than those in Hubble's sample, and represent more than 100 times as many objects. A recent comprehensive compilation of published measurements provides the basis for a study indicating that quasar observations are not in good agreement with the original predictions of the Expanding Universe theory, but are well fit by the predictions of an alternative theory having fewer adjustable parameters.     

Matter, spacetime and the vacuum

We distinguish three historical and scientific views of matter, spacetime, and the relationship between them: the absolute approach of Newton, the relational approach most often associated with Mach, and a third, geometrical approach which inspired Einstein and continues to drive efforts toward a unified theory of fundamental interactions today. Which is correct? We suggest that this is, to a large extent, an "ill-posed question," reminiscent of the wave/particle debate in earlier times. The boundary between matter and spacetime is no longer easy to draw, and it is likely that they are complementary aspects of the same reality. There is no clearer illustration of this than the modern view of the vacuum. We review the importance of this concept in cosmology, and explore the extent to which the old idea of an "empty" vacuum might still be maintained. If the real cosmological vacuum is far from empty, as observations now suggest, then it may be possible to achieve an even simpler goal: a Universe with a net energy of zero.     

The symbiotic lifestyle and its evolutionary consequences: social monogamy and sex allocation in the hermaphroditic shrimp Lysmata pederseni

Sex allocation theory predicts female-biased sex allocation for simultaneous hermaphrodites with a monogamous mating system. Mating systems theory predicts that monogamy is advantageous in environments where refuges are discrete, scarce, relatively small, and when predation risk is high outside of these refuges. These predictions were tested with the Caribbean shrimp Lysmata pederseni, a simultaneous hermaphrodite which has an early male phase and lives inside tubes of the sponge Callyspongia vaginalis. This host sponge is a scarce resource that, together with the high predation risk typical of tropical environments, should favor monogamy in the shrimp. Field observations demonstrated that shrimps were frequently encountered as pairs within these tube sponges. Pairs were equally likely to comprise two hermaphrodites or one hermaphrodite and one male. Several of these pairs were observed for long periods of time in the field. Experiments demonstrated that hermaphrodites tolerated other hermaphrodites but not males in their host sponge. These results suggest that pairs of hermaphroditic L. pederseni are socially monogamous; they share the same host individual and might reproduce exclusively with their host partners for long periods of time. Nevertheless, males appeared less likely to establish long-term associations with hermaphrodites as indicated by the rate of their disappearance from their hosts (greater than that of hermaphrodites). Sex allocation was female biased in monogamous hermaphrodites. On average, hermaphrodites invested 34 times more to female than to male reproductive structures. Monogamy and female-biased sex allocation seem to be evolutionary consequences of adopting a symbiotic lifestyle in simultaneous hermaphrodites.     

Uncertainties in source emission rate estimates using dispersion models

The source emission rates during the Prairie Grass dispersion experiments were carefully observed and were adjusted by the experimentalists so that they were about twice as high during unstable conditions as during stable conditions. The question was asked whether observed concentrations and meteorological conditions could be used in dispersion models in order to predict source emission rates and verify this factor of two difference. Three types of simple dispersion models were applied to this problem, with the result that for the model based on Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, the uncertainties in predictions of source emission rates for individual runs were at best about ±10–20% when observed crosswind integrated concentrations from the 50m arc were used. Consequently this model could discern the factor of two difference in average source emission rates for the two sets of field trials which consisted of about 20 runs each. However, some models, such as the Gaussian plume model, exhibit uncertainties of about ±70% to a factor of two in predictions for individual runs, and hence could not discern the difference in average source emission rates when concentration observations at downwind distances of 100–800 m are used. It is found that the use of observed cross-wind integrated concentrations produces more accurate conclusions that the use of observed point concentrations, for the uncertainties in predictions of source emission rates are about a factor of two larger when the observed point concentrations are used.     

Analysis of RADM gas concentration predictions using OSCAR and NEROS monitoring data

The ability of the Regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) to produce realistic atmospheric trace gas concentration patterns for a variety of atmospheric conditions is explored by comparing model results with surface monitoring data. Two frontal storm system episodes, monitored in 1981 as part of the Oxidation and Scavenging Characteristics of Aptil Rains (OSCAR) experiment, and one relatively dry high-pressure-system case from the 1979 Northeast Regional Oxidant Study (NEROS) were studied. The temporal and spatial variations of SO₂, O₃ and N species monitored at selected locations throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada are compared to the corresponding RADM grid-average predictions. The analysis is complicated by the fact that grid averages are nor necessarily representative of point measurements when the measurements are strongly influenced by local subgrid-scale phenomena. The comparison database also is limited by gaps in the hourly monitoring data and ambiguity in the N species measurements. To reduce these difficulties, observational sites located in rural and suburban areas which are less influenced by large emission sources were chosen for the comparisons, sharp hourly spikes in the observational data were omitted from the analysis and nitrogen species comparisons were limited to special observations where the measurement ambiguities were less pronounced. Spatial distributions of SO₂ and O₃ daytime (10 a.m.–4 p.m.) and night-time (10 p.m.–4 a.m.) RADM concentration averages were compared to the observational averages to confirm that the model and data concentration patterns agreed over the domain. Intercomparisons of individual grid-point pair comparisons were facilitated using fractional differences, which are defined as the difference in the observations and predictions divided by the sum of the observations and predictions. Predictions and observations showed similar patterns of high and low concentrations throughout the region for all three of the events for the daytime comparisons; the lower night-time agreement improved when night-time stability adjustments were applied to the model predictions. Summarizing over all of the individual grid-point, day-total comparisons for all three events, it was found that, for O₃, all of the pairs were in agreement to better than a factor of two and 50% of them were in agreement to a factor of 1.1 or better; for SO₂, 88% of the pairs were in agreement to better than a factor of two and 25% of the pairs were in agreement to a factor of 1.1 or better. Predicted N species concentrations in the 1–4 and 5–7 ppb ranges for two OSCAR cases were comparable to the levels measured at a rural Indiana site during the OSCAR I and OSCAR IV events. Predictions of NEROS NO_x in the 3–11 ppb range were comparable with the concentrations measured at a rural Pennsylvania site for a summer 1986 case meteorologically similar to the 1979 NEROS I event. In general, higher agreement is associated with well-mixed conditions in areas where local characteristics of the observational site more closely resemble the grid-average characteristics.     

Deposition velocity and the collision model of atmospheric dispersion—II. Extension to cases with variable turbulent velocity scale

The collision model of turbulent dispersion has been extended to deal with situations where the turbulent velocity scale is dependent on position, which requires that the particles of the Monte Carlo simulation accelerate between collisions.The theory has been applied to an idealized vegetative canopy in order to illustrate the differences from the predictions of eddy-diffusivity (K)-theory arising from the finite decorrelation length scale associated with vertical turbulent velocity. For cases of high deposition to canopy elements, the collision-model results do deviate from K-theory results, although the differences are not practically significant.An extension to the model enables gravitational settling to be handled in a more realistic manner than in K-theory. By this means, it is found that the simple expedient of adding the settling velocity to the deposition velocity due to other processes is more closely valid than appears from K-theory results.     

The organisation of social learning in response to perceptions of crisis in the water sector of The Netherlands

This article deals with responses in the Netherlands to a widespread perception within the water sector of crisis, rooted in an appreciation that former ways of managing water could no longer deal with contemporary and possible future events. The crisis and initial responses are first outlined, grounding the SLIM project experience in Dutch water management practice and policy. This leads to the research question formulated by the Dutch SLIM team, and the predictions it gave rise to. The research methodology, case studies and policy analyses at the core of the study are introduced. Empirical observations concerning four aspects of the change process are used to explore the predictions: conflict and confrontation among stakeholders; discovery of interdependence among stakeholders; development of social spaces where stakeholders could encounter each other in shared actions; and the role of facilitators and process leaders in helping stakeholders to go forward. The observations are analysed in relation to the initial predictions and the surprises encountered in the history of the cases. Knowledge management is identified as a key task in the social learning processes analysed. The article concludes with reflections on the role of the environmental sciences in the policy processes and research practices described.     

The effects of dimethylsulfide upon marine aerosol concentrations

A simplified dimethylsulfide (DMS) oxidation mechanism is used in a box model to predict the vapor source rates of the major sulfur-containing products, methanesulfonic acid and sulfuric acid, in the marine boundary layer. These vapor source rates drive an integral aerosol model that predicts gas-to-particle conversion of the acid species in the presence of water vapor. The effects of latitudinal variations in background hydroxyl radical concentrations, temperatures, and relative humidities upon the predicted aerosol number concentrations are presented, and the sensitivity of the predictions to uncertainties in aerosol model input parameters is discussed. The predictions support a dependence of marine aerosol concentrations on latitude, as noted in some observations. Realistic choices of aerosol model parameters yield number concentrations that are consistent with observed concentrations in remote marine areas.     

Assessment and prediction of the effect of ageing on the adsorption of nonylphenol in black carbon-sediment systems

Black carbon (BC) is a promising sediment amendment, as proven by its considerable adsorption capacity for hydrophobic organic pollutants and accessibility, but its reliability when used for the removal of pollutants in natural sediments still needs to be evaluated. For example, the ageing process, resulting in changing of surface physicochemical properties of BC, will decrease the adsorption capacity and performance of BC when applied to sediment pollution control. In this study, how the ageing process and BC proportion affect the adsorption capacity of BC-sediment systems was modelled and quantitatively investigated to predict their adsorption capacity under different ageing times and BC additions. The results showed that the ageing process decreased the adsorption capacity of both BC-sediment systems, due to the blockage of the non-linear adsorption sites of BC. The adsorption capacity of rice straw black carbon (RC)-sediment systems was higher than that of fly ash black carbon (FC)-sediment systems, indicating that RC is more efficient than FC for nonylphenol (NP) pollution control in sediment. The newly established model for the prediction of adsorption capacity fits the experimental data appropriately and yields acceptable predictions, especially when based on parameters from the Freundlich model. However, to fully reflect the influence of the ageing process on BC-sediment systems and make more precise predictions, it is recommended that future work considering more factors and conditions, such as modelling of the correlation between the adsorption capacity and the pore volume or specific surface area of BC, be applied to build an accurate and sound model.     

基于多重优化灰色模型的三峡库区香溪河支流回水区水华变化趋势预测研究

三峡水库蓄水后,支流香溪河夏季水体富营养化严重,水华现象暴发频繁,水质污染严重.为预知香溪河库湾水华暴发程度与分布区域,以叶绿素-a为指标,引入灰色伯努利模型,并运用参数优化、含参马尔科夫误差修正、子序列独立优化等多重优化理论对模型进行改进,验证模型的优化效果.同时,利用该优化模型对2015年夏季香溪河近10个点位的叶绿素-a平均浓度变化趋势进行短期预测,结果表明,预测值与实际值相差较小,该模型能够基本反映香溪河近几年的水华变化趋势,目前香溪河库湾XX06~XX08和XX02点位区域分别为水华暴发高危区和局部次高危区,叶绿素-a浓度远高于水华阈值,有较高的水华暴发风险.与传统灰色预测相比,该预测方法的精确度和对波动序列的适应性更好.     

A reassessment of the mating system characteristics of the army ant Eciton burchellii

In a recent study, Denny et al. (2004a) showed that queens of the army ant, Eciton burchellii, mate with multiple males and presented estimates suggesting that they mate with more males than queens of any other ant species so far investigated. They also inferred that data were consistent with queens being inseminated repeatedly throughout their life, which would be exceptional among the social Hymenoptera and contradictory to predictions from kin selection theory. In the present study, we reanalyze these data using new software and supplement them with similar microsatellite data from other colonies of the same species. Mating frequencies in E. burchellii are indeed very high (mean observed and effective queen-mating frequencies of 12.9 each) but considerably lower than the previous estimates. We show that the number of patrilines represented in the first worker offspring of a young queen is lower than in older queens but suggest that this may be due to initial sperm clumping in the queen’s sperm storage organ, rather than to repeated inseminations. Moreover, we found no evidence for repeated mating by genotyping sequential worker generations produced by a single old queen, showing that she did not obtain new inseminations despite ample opportunities for mating.     

卫星观测资料改进活性VOCs源排放及其对臭氧模拟影响

本文以INTEX-B （Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment-Phase B）人为源、FINNv1（Fire Inventory from NCAR version 1）生物质燃烧源、MEGAN （Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature）生物源作为基准源,用2005~2007年3a的OMI观测资料作为参考,使用WRF-chem模式,建立了卫星观测数据与地面排放VOCs源数据的回归方程,通过OMI观测资料的约束,人为源在目前污染最为严重的京津冀、长三角、珠三角3个城市群区域分别增加了1.51倍、1.87倍和1.93倍,生物质燃烧源在3个区域分别增加了12.2倍、6.15倍和2.27倍,生物源在3个区域分别增加了1.66、1.31和1.21倍,增加后的浓度分布与前人研究结论有较好的一致性.使用改进后的源清单模拟结果来看,不同季节,3个区域O₃浓度均有不同幅度的增加,各季节增幅较大的区域均主要集中在京津冀、长三角和珠三角中心城市及周边区域,与我国大型城市区基本都是VOCs敏感区的结论一致.整体而言,VOCs源强改进后,NO_x敏感区O₃浓度增加幅度不大,不超过4×10^-9,而部分VOCs敏感区增幅超过20×10^-9.本文所提供的方法可进一步改进后在大气污染相关研究中,特别是模式源清单研究中广泛使用.     

AERMOD与估算模式在环境影响评价中的应用与比较

采用AERMOD和估算模式两种预测模式对同一生活垃圾填埋场进行了预测。比较两种预测结果可以看出,在污染源、预测范围、运行周期相同的情况下,敏感点处的落地浓度均与排放源强呈正比,与距离呈反比。预测结果同时说明,估算模式是一种保守的预测模式,其预测结果比AERMOD模式大,可作为进一步预测模式的有效补充。     

Clockwork blue: on the evolution of non-image-forming retinal photoreceptors in marine and terrestrial vertebrates

This paper presents a hypothesis that could explain why blue light appears to dominate non-image-forming (NIF) ocular photoreception in marine as well as terrestrial vertebrates. Indeed, there is more and more evidence suggesting that 'novel' retinal photoreceptors, which are sensitive to blue light and were only discovered in the 1990s, could be a feature shared by all vertebrates. In our view, blue light photoreception evolved and persisted as NIF photoreception because it has been useful in the colonisation of extensive photo-dependent oceanic habitats and facilitated the move of vertebrates from an aquatic to a terrestrial environment. Because the available scattered evidence is compatible with the validity of our hypothesis, we hope that our rationale will be followed up. Indeed, it (1) involves testable predictions, (2) provides plausible explanations for previous observations, (3) unites phenomena not previously considered related to one another and (4) suggests tests that have not been carried out before. Overall, our approach not only embraces cross-disciplinary links; it, moreover, serves as a reminder of an all-embracing evolutionary history, especially with regard to a ubiquitous photoreceptive 'clockwork-blue' in marine and terrestrial vertebrates.     

Reactions of hydrofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons with the hydroxyl radical

The reaction rates for hydrogen-atom abstraction by hydroxyl radicals are important in determining the residence times of HCFCs and HFCs in the atmosphere. For fluorine and chlorine substituted methane and ethane, an approximate correlation is noted between the Mulliken charge on hydrogen and the activation energy for this process. The relationship should prove useful in predictions of previously unknown rates.     

“猪-沼-果”生态农业模式

“猪-沼-果”生态农业模式是一种循环经济模式,论文分析了这一模式的系统结构和运作机制,总结了科学实验的结果。“猪-沼-果”模式以沼气池为核心,聚集了一系列复杂的生化反应,优化传统种养模式的组织结构,使物质充分利用,能量有效转换,具有显著的经济、社会和生态环境效益。江西建设了103.87×104个农户家用沼气池和250个大、中型沼气工程,每年可以节省木材600×104余m 3,相当于75×104hm₂林地的活立木蓄积量;农作物施用沼肥,节省化肥农药,比传统模式提高肥效20%左右。“猪-沼-果”模式在流域综合治理、减少农村面源污染、发展绿色食品和控制血吸虫病等方面都有广泛的应用。     

澄江尖山河小流域不同土地利用类型地表径流氮、磷的流失特征

根据径流小区观测, 对澄江尖山河小流域不同土地利用类型地表径流中氮、磷的流失特征进行了研究. 结果表明:灌草丛和次生林都有较好的调节径流和减少土壤流失的作用,在相同的降水量下,坡耕地总产流量分别是人工林、次生林、灌草丛的1.58,12.45和5.52倍;而从产沙量来看,坡耕地的产沙量也远大于其余几种土地利用类型,坡耕地的总产沙量分别是人工林、次生林和灌草丛的8.41,53.06和41.90倍. 不同土地利用类型径流中的总氮、总磷的输出量差异显著,总氮、总磷输出趋势都表现为坡耕地＞人工林＞灌草丛＞次生林;不同土地利用类型径流小区侵蚀泥沙中的总氮、总磷输出量同样为坡耕地＞人工林＞灌草丛＞次生林,且坡耕地的输出量远大于其余几种土地利用类型. 相关分析表明,径流中带走的总氮量大于泥沙,磷的输出主要是以泥沙结合态为主,泥沙是磷的主要载体.