微波催化氧化法处理垃圾渗滤液的正交试验

在微波辐射条件下,采用活性炭与Fenton试剂处理垃圾渗滤液,并通过正交试验考察了微波辐射时间、pH、活性炭用量、硫酸亚铁用量和H2O2用量对处理效果的影响.结果表明:pH对处理效果的影响最大,其次为活性炭用量、微波辐射时间、硫酸亚铁用量和H2O2用量;在100 mL水样中,最佳处理条件为活性炭2 g、H2O20.2 mL、硫酸亚铁0.834 g、pH 6、微波辐射时间10 min,垃圾渗滤液中的COD去除率达到75.36%.     

颗粒活性炭催化臭氧氧化降解活性黑5

本文以深度处理后印染废水为配水模拟实际废水,对颗粒活性炭催化臭氧氧化降解活性黑5进行了研究.用低温N_2吸附-脱附等温线、SEM-EDS等对颗粒活性炭进行了表征,发现颗粒活性炭比表面积高达931 m~2·g~(-1).考察了颗粒活性炭吸附性能和催化臭氧活性,结果表明单独臭氧与颗粒活性炭催化臭氧脱色率在反应30 min内均高达100%.反应1h时,5 g·L~(-1)、10 g·L~(-1)颗粒活性炭催化臭氧TOC去除率分别为57%、74%,比单独臭氧高出33%和50%,颗粒活性炭具有良好的催化效果,能提高对污染物的矿化效果.颗粒活性炭促进了溶解性臭氧分解,重复使用6次后10 g·L~(-1)活性炭在反应时间为2 h时染料废水TOC去除率均能稳定在85%左右,多次利用后活性炭的催化活性没有明显降低.EPR检测表明,其主要机制为颗粒活性炭能够稳定地催化臭氧分子分解产生羟基自由基,实现污水中有机物的矿化.     

电解硫酸钠水溶液处理十二碳硫醇恶臭污水

采用电解硫酸钠水溶液配合活性炭催化氧化处理十二碳硫醇恶臭污水。进行了初步的实验并取得了良好的效果。在电流1A条件下电解1%(m/V)的Na2SO4水溶液,以活性炭作催化剂,反应温度为30℃,反应时间10～30s可以去除十二碳硫醇恶臭物质。     

金属负载活性炭催化氧化法处理ZPT生产废水

研究了金属负载活性炭催化剂在常温常压下催化氧化处理吡啶硫酮锌(ZPT)废水的技术，在探讨影响催化氧化效果诸因素的基础上，确定出中和预处理、后接两级催化氧化处理该废水的工艺流程，该流程的COD的去除率最高可达92％，处理出水达到国家污水综合排放标准二级指标。     

太湖流域农村分散居民生活垃圾与生活污水共处置强化产沼技术

开发以农村生活易腐垃圾为骨料,利用农村生活污水流动分配养分的厌氧发酵技术,以实现农村废物的共处置目标。试验结果表明,生活污水回灌促进了生活垃圾产CH4量,进水频率5 d.次-1的工况处置CH4累积产量高于进水频率3 d.次-1的工况处置。进水量100 mL、进水频率3 d.次-1条件下,与空白反应器(加入蒸馏水)相比,加入生活污水的反应器所产CH4浓度提高了2.4倍(P0.05),45 d时CH4累积产量提高了4.9倍。反应器内CH4累积量与进水量呈正比例关系,进水量150与50 mL的工况处置相比较而言,CH4累积量可提高2.1~4.5倍。回灌后出水的沼液CODC r高于10 g.L-1,TN约为600 mg.L-1,TP约为100 mg.L-1,具备较高的肥效,可作为液体肥料还田。     

固定化生物活性炭处理低浓度甲醇废水

将分离筛选得到的甲醇降解菌固定在颗粒活性炭上，组成固定化生物活性炭反应系统，研究该反应系统处理轻度污染含甲醇废水的最佳运行条件和运行效果，结果表明，固定化生物活性炭处理轻度污染含甲醇放心水的方法明显好于3种树脂和单纯活性炭吸附处理，反应系统的最佳运行条件是水力负荷0．84－0．77m^3(m^2.h），停留时间57－62min，pH7－8，温度20℃－30℃，溶解氧是去除甲醇的主要限制因子，甲醇含量为11．3－23．1mg／L时，去除率大90％，出水CODcr小于12mg／L。此外还研究了生物活性炭生物膜的一些特点，并分析了运行中活性炭吸附性能的变化。     

活性炭吸附焦化污水中某些无机离子的行为

本文重点探讨了焦化污水中主要无机离子对COD测定值的影响和活性炭对它们的吸附性能。试验得出,污水中CNS、S_2O_3~(2-)、NO_2、S~(2-)的实际耗氧量分别为:0.96、0.53、0.46、1.50mg/mg,NH_4 对COD测定值没有影响,Cl~-的理论耗氧量为0.23mg/mg,但由于在COD测定中加IIgSO_4排除Cl~-的干扰,所以Cl~-对COD测定值没有影响。活性炭对CNS、Cl基本不吸附,对S_2O_3~(2-)部分吸附。为降低活性炭深度处理后出水COD值,应改进工艺流程或操作条件,使生化出水中CNS~-、S_2O_3~(2-)含量尽量降低。     

提高甲醛吸附速率的活性炭表面改性及评估方法

通过负载多羟基和胺基化合物来对活性炭表面进行官能团修饰,可提高活性炭在大风量和高空速下对甲醛污染物的吸附速率.实验考察了基炭孔结构参数,改性剂负载量,改性炭制备条件等因素对活性炭吸附甲醛性能提升的影响,并介绍了一种测定甲醛吸附速率的装置和方法,用来评估和筛选家用净化器用的活性炭.结果表明,对于四氯化碳值为76%的活性炭,采用等量浸渍的方法制备改性炭的优化条件为:空气气流下的200℃氧化处理,6%的改性剂负载量和不超过100℃的烘干处理温度.本文还通过实验验证和分析,提出和明确了此类表面改性活性炭对甲醛的吸附机理.     

粉煤灰活性炭处理含铜废水的性能

为了研究粉煤灰活性炭的吸附性能,以原粉煤灰和纯活性炭作对照,比较3种吸附剂在不同时间、pH和投加量下处理含Cu(Ⅱ)废水的性能.结果表明,在pH 5,吸附时间60 min的条件下,纯活性炭、粉煤灰活性炭和粉煤灰对含Cu(Ⅱ)废水的去除率依次为100%、97%和78.7%,粉煤灰活性炭吸附性能接近纯活性炭.Cu饱和的粉煤灰活性炭,用0.2 mol.L-1浓度的HCl清洗解吸效果最好.在饱和吸附和解吸重复10次后,再生粉煤灰活性炭的吸附容量下降20%,接近活性炭的18%,充分说明粉煤灰活性炭有较好的可再生性.粉煤灰制成粉煤灰活性炭,用于含金属废水的治理,不仅效果好、成本低,还是粉煤灰资源化的重要途径,有广阔的应用前景.     

秸秆-污泥复合基活性炭的制备及其对1,2,4-酸氧体的吸附特性

以污水处理厂剩余污泥与芦苇秸秆为原料,采用化学活化和高温热解的方法制备了秸秆-污泥复合基活性炭,研究了其各项性质及对1,2-重氮氧基萘-4-磺酸(1,2,4-酸氧体)的吸附性能.结果显示,当污泥与秸秆的质量比为4∶1时,经0.5 mol.L-1的KOH活化并且600℃高温炭化后,复合基活性炭的比表面积和含碳量分别为558.1 m.2g-1和58.9%,比污泥基活性炭提高了9.2%和4.6%,掺杂秸秆能有效提高污泥制备活性炭的比表面积和含碳量;扫描电镜观察显示,复合基活性炭表面呈多孔状.热分析研究发现复合基活性炭前躯体的高温热解过程主要伴随低温区域的脱水以及高温区域的造孔,其800℃热解时的烧失率为43%;N2吸附脱附曲线表明添加秸秆有利于增加活性炭微孔及中孔数量;在25℃下对酸氧体的吸附等温线结果显示,经秸秆掺杂的复合基活性炭其吸附性能明显提高,最大吸附量为56.4 mg.g-1,而同等条件下污泥基活性炭的最大吸附量仅为20.4 mg.g-1,表明复合基活性炭对该染料具有较好的吸附性能.从而本研究也为更好地实现污泥的资源化利用提供了一条有效途径.     

Achieving Open Access to Conservation Science

Conservation science is a crisis discipline in which the results of scientific enquiry must be made available quickly to those implementing management. We assessed the extent to which scientific research published since the year 2000 in 20 conservation science journals is publicly available. Of the 19,207 papers published, 1,667 (8.68%) are freely downloadable from an official repository. Moreover, only 938 papers (4.88%) meet the standard definition of open access in which material can be freely reused providing attribution to the authors is given. This compares poorly with a comparable set of 20 evolutionary biology journals, where 31.93% of papers are freely downloadable and 7.49% are open access. Seventeen of the 20 conservation journals offer an open access option, but fewer than 5% of the papers are available through open access. The cost of accessing the full body of conservation science runs into tens of thousands of dollars per year for institutional subscribers, and many conservation practitioners cannot access pay‐per‐view science through their workplace. However, important initiatives such as Research4Life are making science available to organizations in developing countries. We urge authors of conservation science to pay for open access on a per‐article basis or to choose publication in open access journals, taking care to ensure the license allows reuse for any purpose providing attribution is given. Currently, it would cost $51 million to make all conservation science published since 2000 freely available by paying the open access fees currently levied to authors. Publishers of conservation journals might consider more cost effective models for open access and conservation‐oriented organizations running journals could consider a broader range of options for open access to nonmembers such as sponsorship of open access via membership fees. Obtención de Acceso Abierto a la Ciencia de la Conservación     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

Some polyphagous Homoptera gain protection from their natural enemies by feeding on the toxic plantsSpartium junceum andErythrina corallodendrum (Leguminosae)

Summary Interactions were studied among alkaloid-containing legumes (Erythrina corallodendrum andSpartium junceum) and non-toxic plants (Citrus sinensis, Cucurbita moschata andEuphorbia tirucalli), several polyphagous homopterans,Aphis craccivora (Aphididae),Icerya purchasi, I. aegyptiaca (Margarodidae),Lepidosaphes ulmi (Diaspididae) andPlanococcus citri (Pseudococcidae), and some major natural enemies of these homopterans. Significant reductions in survival due to negative effects of alkaloid containing as compared with non-alkaloidal plants were recorded for the predatorsRodolia cardinalis andChilocorus bipustulatus, but not forCryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae),Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) andSympherobius sanctus (Neuroptera: Sympherobiidae). The development time of the larvae or pupae ofR. cardinalis, C. carnea andS. sanctus was longer on the toxic plants than on the non-toxic ones. The percentage of parasitism ofA. craccivora collected from the non-alkaloidal plantsVicia palaestina andMelilotus albus was much higher than that onS. junceum. The parasitoid complexes ofA. craccivora differed between both plant groups. The nutritive value of honeydew ofI. purchasi andA. craccivora, as expressed by the life span ofEncyrtus infelix (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) adults, was also investigated. Life spans were significantly longer when the wasps fed on honeydew produced on non-alkaloidal plants (C. sinensis andPittosporum tobira) than on alkaloid containing plants whenI. purchasi — but notA. craccivora — was the producer. It is suggested that the chemical defense ofE. corallodendrum andS. junceum is exploited by polyphagous phytophages to reduce predation. In nature, population growth and density of four of the investigated homopterans are conspicuously high when they developed on the alkaloid containing plant species, and very low on non-alkaloid plants. The efficiency of their natural enemies may be reduced by sequestration of alkaloids (or other toxic plant compounds) or their transfer into excreted honeydew. Therefore it is assumed that a generalist phytophagous homopteran may be protected from its natural enemies, although at different rates of efficiency, if it can safely sequester the host allelochemical when it develops on toxic species within its host range.     

A palaeo-hydrogeological model for arsenic contamination in southern and south-east Asia

An argument is presented in which areas of natural arsenic contamination of modern groundwaters throughout Asia have a common origin. Arsenic originally accumulated in oceanic ferro-manganoan sediments of the eastern Palaeo-Tethys. This was further concentrated through oceanic crustal extinction in what later became the south-east Chinese accreted mineralised terrain. Proto-Himalayan uplift of this area created the palaeo-drainage systems of the Ganges – Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Red Rivers, with consequent headwater erosion of arsenic-rich sediments. Their downstream deposition as immature and easily redistributed Neogene sandstones, silts, and iron-rich clays has created secondary and tertiary reservoirs of adsorbed and authigenic arsenic, from which the current arsenic-rich groundwaters have evolved. Considering river basins within the above palaeo-hydrogeological framework provides a basis for assessing the risk of arsenic in groundwater basins of south and south-eastern Asia.     

Sequestration of cucurbitacin analogs by New and Old World chrysomelid leaf beetles in the tribe Luperini

Summary Two South American polyphagous leaf beetles,Diabrotica speciosa andCerotoma arcuata, selectively accumulated the bitter tasting compound 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D in their body after ingesting root tissues of cucurbit plants. Similarly, three Asian Cucurbitaceae-feeding specialists in the genusAulacophora were found to sequester the same compound. Cucurbitacin analogs were shown to deter feeding by a bird predator, indicating an allomonal role for these compounds in cucurbitacin-associated chrysomelid leaf beetles both of New and Old Worlds. The strong affinity to cucurbitacins, selective sequestration of the analogs and consequent protection from predators suggested an ecological adaptation mechanism developed in common among these two geographically isolated subtribes in the Luperini.     

Effects of Controlled Fire and Livestock Grazing on Bird Communities in East African Savannas

Abstract: In East Africa fire and grazing by wild and domestic ungulates maintain savannas, and pastoralists historically set fires and herded livestock through the use of temporary corrals called bomas. In recent decades traditional pastoral practices have declined, and this may be affecting biodiversity. We investigated the effects of prescribed fires and bomas on savanna bird communities in East Africa during the first and second dry seasons of the year (respectively before and after the rains that mark the onset of breeding for most birds). We compared abundance, richness, and community composition on 9‐ha burned plots, recently abandoned bomas, and control plots in the undisturbed matrix habitat over a 3‐year period. Generally, recently burned areas and abandoned bomas attracted greater densities of birds and had different community assemblages than the surrounding matrix. The effects of disturbances were influenced by interactions between primary productivity, represented by the normalized difference vegetation index, and time. Bird densities were highest and a greater proportion of species was observed on burned plots in the months following the fires. Drought conditions equalized bird densities across treatments within 1 year, and individuals from a greater proportion of species were more commonly observed on abandoned bomas. Yearly fluctuations in abundance were less pronounced on bomas than on burns, which indicate that although fire may benefit birds in the short term, bomas may have a more‐lasting positive effect and provide resources during droughts. Several Palearctic migrants were attracted to burned plots regardless of rainfall, which indicates continued fire suppression may threaten their already‐declining populations. Most notably, the paucity of birds observed on the controls suggests that the current structure of the matrix developed as a result of fire suppression. Traditional pastoralism appears critical to the maintenance of avian diversity in these savannas.     

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

How should managers choose among conservation options when resources are scarce and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of actions? Well‐developed tools exist for prioritizing areas for one‐time and binary actions (e.g., protect vs. not protect), but methods for prioritizing incremental or ongoing actions (such as habitat creation and maintenance) remain uncommon. We devised an approach that combines metapopulation viability and cost‐effectiveness analyses to select among alternative conservation actions while accounting for uncertainty. In our study, cost‐effectiveness is the ratio between the benefit of an action and its economic cost, where benefit is the change in metapopulation viability. We applied the approach to the case of the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), which is threatened by urban development. We extended a Bayesian model to predict metapopulation viability under 9 urbanization and management scenarios and incorporated the full probability distribution of possible outcomes for each scenario into the cost‐effectiveness analysis. This allowed us to discern between cost‐effective alternatives that were robust to uncertainty and those with a relatively high risk of failure. We found a relatively high risk of extinction following urbanization if the only action was reservation of core habitat; habitat creation actions performed better than enhancement actions; and cost‐effectiveness ranking changed depending on the consideration of uncertainty. Our results suggest that creation and maintenance of wetlands dedicated to L. raniformis is the only cost‐effective action likely to result in a sufficiently low risk of extinction. To our knowledge we are the first study to use Bayesian metapopulation viability analysis to explicitly incorporate parametric and demographic uncertainty into a cost‐effective evaluation of conservation actions. The approach offers guidance to decision makers aiming to achieve cost‐effective conservation under uncertainty.     

Parasitic wasps orient to green leaf volatiles

Summary Undamaged plants emit low levels of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), while caterpillar-damaged and artificially damaged plants emit relatively higher levels of certain GLVs. Female braconid parasitoids,Microplitis croceipes, oriented to both damaged plants and to individual GLVs in no-choice tests in a wind tunnel, but seldom oriented to undamaged plants. Female ichneumonid parasitoids,Netelia heroica, also oriented to individual GLVs in a wind tunnel. Males of both wasp species failed to orient to the GLVs. These data show that leaf-feeding caterpillars can cause the release of GLVs, and that parasitic wasps can respond to these odors by flying upwind (chemoanemotactic response), which brings the wasps to their caterpillar hosts. This supports the hypothesis that plants communicate with members of the third trophic level,i.e., plants under herbivore attack emit chemical signals that guide natural enemies of herbivores to sites of plant damage. In this interaction, the GLVs serve as tritrophic plant-to-parasitoid synomones. That parasitoids from two different wasp families oriented to GLVs suggests that the response may be widespread among the Hymenoptera.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture     

What Every Conservation Biologist Should Know about Economic Theory

Abstract: The last century has seen the ascendance of a core economic model, which we will refer to as Walrasian economics. This model is driven by the psychological assumptions that humans act only in a self‐referential and narrowly rational way and that production can be described as a self‐contained circular flow between firms and households. These assumptions have critical implications for the way economics is used to inform conservation biology. Yet the Walrasian model is inconsistent with a large body of empirical evidence about actual human behavior, and it violates a number of basic physical laws. Research in behavioral science and neuroscience shows that humans are uniquely social animals and not self‐centered rational economic beings. Economic production is subject to physical laws including the laws of thermodynamics and mass balance. In addition, some contemporary economic theory, spurred by exciting new research in human behavior and a wealth of data about the negative global impact of the human economy on natural systems, is moving toward a world view that places consumption and production squarely in its behavioral and biophysical context. We argue that abandoning the straightjacket of the Walrasian core is essential to further progress in understanding the complex, coupled interactions between the human economy and the natural world. We call for a new framework for economic theory and policy that is consistent with observed human behavior, recognizes the complex and frequently irreversible interaction between human and natural systems, and directly confronts the cumulative negative effects of the human economy on the Earth's life support systems. Biophysical economics and ecological economics are two emerging economic frameworks in this movement.