Impacts of climate change in rapidly urbanizing region – a case study in Hangzhou (China)

Climate change is expected to be a major driving force of landscape in the coming decades. It will have a multitude of potential impacts that vary in intensity and effect according to region and sector. In the context of global warming, the climate of China has changed significantly in the recent 100 years. The reason for climate change in China is mainly due to irrational land use caused by human activities, which chiefly results in the rapid industrialization and urbanization process. Based on an assessment model, this research represents a picture of the impacts of climate change in six districts of Hangzhou region. The aim of this paper is to conclude, on the one hand, some of Hangzhou sensitivities in relation to the primary effects of climate change. On the other hand, a reflection is made on a methodology to formulate preconditions on a scientific basis for further research by design of integrated adaptation options for the future spatial developments in function to upgrade Hangzhou resilience in relation to climate change challenges.     

Natural radiation exposure in the Campo Arañuelo region in the surroundings of Almaraz nuclear power station (Spain)

During 1998 regional surveys were conducted to evaluate natural radiation exposure of people in the vicinity of the six Spanish nuclear power stations. Indoor radon, external gamma dose rates outdoors and indoors and radioactivity in soil were measured in these surveys. The highest mean annual effective dose to the population was found in the surroundings of the Almaraz nuclear power plant in the province of Cáceres and was mainly due to the presence of high radon concentrations in homes. In order to make a more accurate assessment of the dose coming from the radon in this area, a new and more extensive surgery on indoor radon with a total of 380 measurements was carried out in 2000 in the Campo Ara?uelo region around the Almaraz nuclear power station. From the results obtained in this survey, a population-weighted mean annual effective dose from radon exposure of 1.7 mSv y(-1), 44% lower than that previously reported in 1998, was estimated for the whole Campo Ara?uelo region. The maximum dose value due to radon exposure, about 4 mSv y(-1), was reached in the so-called La Vera area located in the north of this region. The relationship between the indoor radon concentrates experimentally measured, the geological characteristics of this geographic area and the information provided by the radiation map of the Spanish MARNA Project is also analyzed, confirming that La Vera area should be considered as a high radon level area.     

Environmental impact of unleaded gasolines in the bay of Cádiz (Spain)

Given the strategic situation of the José León de Carranza bridge, which spans the Bay of Cádiz (in the SW of Spain) and carries very heavy motor traffic, together with knowledge of the currents and tidal flows in the zone, we have used a technique of radioactive dating of sediments to study the temporal evolution presented by contamination from lead in the sediment column. This has allowed us to observe the environmental impact, in terms of the concentration of Pb in the sea bed sediments, that has been produced in the zone by the introduction of unleaded gasolines as substitutes for traditional automobile fuels that employ organic forms of tetra methyl lead as an antidetonant agent in the fuel.     

Phytoplankton-nutrient relationships in years with various water levels in the Pasłęka River in the vicinity of the hydroelectric power station (North-east Poland)

Relationships between abundance of basic net phytoplankton taxonomic groups (cyanobacteria, diatoms, and chlorophytes) and nutrient concentrations in water were studied on the Pas??ka River in years with varied water levels. In high water level conditions, large amounts of orthophosphates and total nitrogen from the catchment could favor development of cyanobacteria and chlorophytes. The species could be allochthonic. At low water levels, the factor stimulating phytoplankton development could be nutrients coming from mineralization of accumulated organic matter. The highest nutrient concentrations could favor diatom development. In such conditions, dominant taxa were autochthonic. In terms of numbers, F. capucina was dominant, and in terms of biomass—genus Spirogyra sp. It could come from plant periphyton inhabiting the concrete drops of the dam included in the river’s development in the vicinity of the hydroelectric power station.     

Statistics for National Natural Reserves in China (Up to the End of 2003)

4660 100949 104387 62319 3603 1 157829 559381 1682750 0 455667 96449 132764 160966 81536 159194 353201 166418 353617 175193 加8831 83637 185467 1458130 214279 1375278 37031230 68104 50950 233977 996538 6799728 702490 1577335 1011302 93821 75407 121994 391590 177750 217739 250270 140626 365856 483311 5 18736 892849 2539623 173735 3962255 34201 1087539 3841668 36150 3644 8806 0 268351 669384 20664 282845 0 100331 0 0 75574 0 263441 !63 215078 0 301442 1 18600 15913 0 1 16命11 148355 493419 0 0 0 1…     

Minor and trace elements in the shell of Patella aspera (Röding 1798)

Specimens of the limpet Patella aspera were collected from a clean, coastal marine site and a contaminated estuary on the south coast of Portugal. The shells were analysed individually for their minor (Mg, Sr) and trace element (Fe, Mn, Zn) content. Mean concentrations of these elements in the shell of P. aspera were 4651, 1318, 35.8, 29.9 and 5.5 microg g(-1), respectively. The elemental concentrations exhibited both a marked intra- and inter-population variability. Despite the variability within individual populations, significant differences in the trace element composition were apparent between the shells taken from the two sites. Small shells (< 2 g) provided the best resolution between sites for both manganese and iron. Differences in zinc were best resolved for larger shells. The shell of P. aspera has an extraordinarily high magnesium concentration, which is insensitive to gross salinity differences, and a trace metal assemblage that can be interpreted in terms of environmental exposure. On these grounds, it is recommended that the shell of P. aspera is a tissue for potential use in environmental trace metal monitoring.     

Comparative sediment quality assessment in different littoral ecosystems from Spain (Gulf of Cadiz) and Brazil (Santos and São Vicente estuarine system)

The goal of this work was to establish comparisons among environmental degradation in different areas from Southern Spain (Gulf of Cádiz) and Brazil (Santos and S?o Vicente estuary), by using principal component analyses (PCA) to integrate sediment toxicity (amphipods mortality) and chemical-physical data (Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co, V, PCBs, PAHs concentrations, OC and fines contents). The results of PCA extraction of Spanish data showed that Bay of Cádiz, CA-1 did not present contamination or degradation; CA-2 exhibited contamination by PCBs, however it was not related to the amphipods mortality. Ría of Huelva was the most impacted site, showing contamination caused principally by hydrocarbons, in HV-1 and HV-2, but heavy metals were also important contaminants at HV-1, HV-2 and HV-3. Algeciras Bay was considered as not degraded in GR-3 and -4, but in GR-3' high contamination by PAHs was found. In the Brazilian area, the most degraded sediments were found in the stations situated at the inner parts of the estuary (SSV-2, SSV-3, and SSV-4), followed by SSV-6, which is close to the Submarine Sewage Outfall of Santos - SSOS. Sediments from SSV-1 and SSV-5 did not present chemical contamination, organic contamination or significant amphipod mortality. The results of this investigation showed that both countries present environmental degradation related to PAHs: in Spain, at Ría of Huelva and Gudarranque river's estuary areas; and in Brasil, in the internal portion of the Santos and S?o Vicente estuary. The same situation is found for heavy metals, since all of the identified metals are related to toxicity in the studied areas, with few exceptions (V for both Brazil and Spain, and Cd and Co for Brazilian areas). The contamination by PCBs is more serious for Santos and S?o Vicente estuary than for the investigated areas in Gulf of Cádiz, where such compound did not relate to the toxicity.     

Heavy metal anomalies in lagoon sediments related to intensive agriculture in Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón coastal system (SE Gulf of California)

Heavy metal concentrations were examined in surface sediments from 79 sites within the Altata-Ensenada del Pabellon lagoon system. Data were normalized to separate natural from anthropogenic factors using aluminum and lithium as conservative elements and following two different discriminating criteria. For the normalization process, the natural metal concentrations were assumed to vary consistently with aluminum and lithium, unless the metal contents were of human origin. Strong linear correlations (P < .001) were observed between the conservative elements and the metals measured. According to Szefer's normalizing criteria, about 90% of the polluted sites, for at least one metal, occurred near agricultural discharge drains. In accordance with the Muller [Umschau 79 (1979) 778.] scale, this lagoon system is subject to pollutant effects only with regard to Pb (moderately to strongly polluted). It was concluded that either Al and Li could be useful to normalize granulometric variability in heavy metal studies of these lagoon sediments, and that Summers' normalization criterion proved more rigorous than Szefer's for these types of sediments.     

神农架大九湖泥炭藓沼泽湿地对镉(Ⅱ)、铜(Ⅱ)、铅(Ⅱ)、锌(Ⅱ)的净化模拟

在2007年8月研究的基础上，于2008年7月在神农架大九湖泥炭藓沼泽湿地采用自制简易模拟装置进行现场模拟实验，深入研究了泥炭藓沼泽湿地对不同浓度的金属污染物镉（Ⅱ）、铜（Ⅱ）、铅（Ⅱ）、锌（Ⅱ）的净化作用。研究表明：泥炭藓沼泽湿地对各种金属污染物都有很强的去除能力，2小时后的去除效果强弱顺序为Pb>Cu>Cd>Zn；4种金属任一时刻的去除速率都随初始浓度的增加而增大，低初始浓度先于高初始浓度达到平衡；泥炭藓沼泽湿地的稀释功能在污染物去除中起着重要作用。通过双常数速率模型得到了去除速率与实验时间的关系；拟二级动力学模型和修改后的拟一级动力学模型能够很好地描述泥炭藓沼泽湿地去除金属污染物的动态过程，拟二级动力学模型的拟合效果更佳，通过修改后的拟一级动力学模型可以计算出稀释作用对湿地净化的贡献率。为评估泥炭藓沼泽湿地净水价值、保护和合理利用泥炭藓沼泽湿地提供科学依据。     

儿童血铅(BL)与土壤含铅量(SL)关系的研究

本文比较了美国和中国的一些地区儿童血铅调查和研究成果,证明儿童血铅(BL)与土壤含铅量(SL)直接相关,土壤铅已经成为儿童铅暴露的主要来源。当土壤含铅量超过500–600 mg/kg时,长期暴露在这种土壤环境下的儿童血铅浓度超过10μg/dL是可以预期的。中美儿童血铅模型(IEUBK模型)的实际计算结果也表明,当表层土壤含铅量超过600 mg/kg时,其土地利用不适合任何儿童活动。为了更好地预防儿童高血铅,我国土壤修复的标准可定为居住用地Pb≤250 mg/kg,非居住用地Pb≤600 mg/kg。     

Sustainable Cities Programme(SCP)

Introduction The Sustainable Cities Programme (SCP) is a joint UN-HABITAT/UNEP facility established in the early 1990s to build capacities in urban environmental planning and management. The programme targets urban local authorities and their partners. It is founded on broad-based stakeholder participatory approaches.     

Transuranic and fission product contamination in lake sediments from an alpine wetland, Boréon (France)

Transuranics and fission products have been measured in lake sediment samples, collected in an alpine wetland, to determine their vertical distribution and calculate inventories. The radionuclides considered are 90Sr, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239/240Pu and 241Am. From the results, a better knowledge of radionuclide accumulation mode and behaviour was obtained. In addition, the origins of the individual pollutants could be deduced from activity ratios. Analyses were made on different sediment cores. The sampling sites were chosen to enable future determination of the mass balances of the radiopollutants. As the selected study area is in a recreational area used by urban populations, a rough estimate was made of the mean external dose from 137Cs for comparison with the French regulation.     

Estimates of (239+240)Pu inventories in Gdańsk Bay and Gdańsk basin

This paper presents and discusses the results of (239+240)Pu determinations in different components of Gdańsk bay and Gdańsk basin ecosystem, as well as estimated sources and inventories of plutonium in these basins. The total plutonium (239+240)Pu activities deposited in Gdańsk bay and Gdańsk basin sediments are 1.18 TBq and 3.77 TBq, respectively. Two rivers, the Vistula and Neman rivers, and atmospheric fallout were distinguished as the main sources of plutonium in these basins. In seawater (with suspended matter included) there is about 2.33 GBq (239+240)Pu (0.2% of total activity) in Gdańsk bay and 9.92 GBq (239+240)Pu (0.3% of total activity) in Gdańsk basin. In both cases, 56% of (239+240)Pu is associated with suspended matter. Organisms contain 3.81 MBq in Gdańsk bay and 7.45 MBq (239+240)Pu in Gdańsk basin. From this value in Gdańsk bay 82.1% of plutonium is associated with zoobenthos, 13.6% with phytobenthos, 1.6% with phytoplankton, 1.5% with zooplankton and 1.2% with fish. In Gdańsk basin, 83.2% is associated with zoobenthos, 7.5% with phytobenthos, 3.6% with phytoplankton, 3.2% with zooplankton and 2.5% with fish.     

Three decades (1983–2010) of contaminant trends in East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Part 1: Legacy organochlorine contaminants

Legacy organochlorine contaminants were determined in adipose tissues from 294 polar bears (Ursus maritimus) sampled in East Greenland in 23 of the 28 years between 1983 and 2010. Of 19 major legacy contaminants and congeners (ΣPCB, 4 PCB congeners (CB153, 180, 170/190), ΣDDT, p,p′-DDE, p,p′ -DDD and p,p′-DDT, α- and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), HCB, octachlorostyrene, dieldrin, oxychlordane, cis- and trans-chlordane, cis- and trans-nonachlor, heptachlor epoxide and BB-153), 18 showed statistically significant average yearly declines of − 4.4% (range: − 2.0 to − 10.8%/year) among subadult polar bears (i.e. females < 5 years, males < 6 years). For example, the ∑ PCB concentrations declined 2.7 fold from 22 730 ng/g lw (95% C.I.: 12 470–32 990 ng/g lw) in 1983–1986 to 8473 ng/g lw (95% C.I.: 6369–9776 ng/g lw) in 2006–2010. Similar but fewer statistically significant trends were found for adult females and adult males likely due to smaller sample size and years. Despite declines as a result of international regulations, relatively high levels of these historic pollutants persist in East Greenland polar bear tissues.     

Land use history of a floodplain area during the last 200 years in the Upper-Tisza region (Hungary)

Research into landscape history makes it possible to follow landscape changes in the past and support landscape management, conservation and restoration programs. Floodplain habitats are lost, isolated and fragmented on account of land use. Nowadays, these habitats are threatened by modifications in the natural water regime, as well as agricultural and forestry practices. Floodplains have great importance because they provide a transition between aquatic habitats and terrestrial biotopes. Our analysis of aerial photographs and topographical maps revealed that the major predicted changes in the study area are related to agricultural abandonment and afforestation. The comparison of land cover maps from 1784 to 2005 showed intensification of agriculture with land cover conversions from arable land and orchards to grasslands, marshes and woodlands. The land use types that are mostly responsible for the fragmentation of the landscape are arable land, economic plantations and orchards. We found that fragmentation was greater after 1956. This was caused by socioeconomic changes and showed that the habitats of floodplains have changed intensively during the last 200 years. Knowledge of this last 200 years of history contributes to a more careful and wiser management of the region through biodiversity protection and environmental development.     

Enchytraeus albidus (Enchytraeidae): a test organism in a standardised avoidance test? Effects of different chemical substances

Enchytraeids (Enchytraeus albidus) directly improve the pore structure of the soil and are indirectly involved in regulating the degradation of organic matter. Due to their behavior they are able to avoid unfavorable environmental conditions. Avoidance tests allow a first assessment of toxicity of a contaminated or spiked soil within 48 h, by using the reaction of the enchytraeids as measurement endpoint. In this period, the organisms can choose between the control soil and the test soil. In the tests reported here, enchytraeids were exposed to LUFA 2.2 soil spiked with the following set of toxic substances: copper chloride, zinc chloride, cadmium chloride, phenmedipham, benomyl, carbendazim, dimethoate, atrazine, pentachlorophenol, chlorpyriphos, lindane, TBTO, Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonates (LAS) and boric acid. Different chemical concentrations were tested. EC50s ranged from 8 mg/kg (Carbendazim) to >1000 mg/kg (e.g. LAS). While the tested heavy metals showed clear dose-response relationships, the effect pattern differed considerably in the tests with organic chemicals, e.g. no avoidance behaviour was observed in LAS, even at very high doses. Here we proposed to standardize the Enchytraeid avoidance test in a way similar to what is currently done for the earthworm and collembolan avoidance tests by the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO).     

中外社会发展指标体系比较(上)

l、人文发展指数┌────┬─────┬────┬────┬───┬──────┬───┬──┬─────┐│ │平均 │成入 │乍熏冷 │教育 │ 实际 │调整 │人文│口戈P ││ │寿命 │识字 ├────┤获相翻│ 入均 │后的 │发展│排位 ││ │了l,q八、│率(%) │教育 │率 │ 召川〕│实际 │指教│ 一,r ││ │ │(1 985) │年故 │ │匕 │拐阴钾│ ├─────┤│ ├─────┤ │t 19日O)│ │ (尸尸尸$) │ │ │排枯 ││ │ │ │ │ │ 19吕5~ │ │ │ ││ │ │ │ │ │ 1勺3协 │ │ │ │├────…     

中外社会发展指标体系比较(下)

56 250 2.7 32 3780 1560 2.910、男女睡异(X 100%)13、食物保障 8劳动力” .土识字率197011985平均 受教育年限1980撬196D中学、学闯987尸1988大学、孕减1987~88,轰:t物进口依搜率(%) 82中国123印度所有发展 中国家西方国家1046人均t物生产指数〔1979 81哭IDO)农业生产‘占DP%l公召吕人均每日热供给t(卡)1986196斗11匀86谷钧进口(1000公吨)1988食物援助(百万美元〕198公︸一二划幻1006 43 50 32 50 97 56 47 34~71谷物实物扭助(占谷物进口之 比)l匀87~88155172嘿杰戮ID凌。4 546口53已2 91 7D 54砂l7621702240每日热供给,(占必须的百分…     

Importance of colloids in the transport within the dissolved phase (<450 nm) of artificial radionuclides from the Rhône river towards the Gulf of Lions (Mediterranean Sea)

The significance of colloidal fractions regarding the transport of artificial radionuclides in natural water systems is underlined by using sequential ultrafiltration both in the Rh?ne freshwater and the marine area under and outside the influence of the river outflow. Indeed, the Rhodanian aquatic system represents an interesting test site as various artificial radionuclides are released into the Rh?ne river by several nuclear installations. We focused our study on (137)Cs, (106)Ru, (60)Co, (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu. Our results show that Fe, Al and Organic carbon (OC) are the main components of colloidal matter. Colloids represent about 15% of dissolved (<450 nm) OC and 25% of dissolved Fe and Al exported towards the sea. Within the dissolved (< 450 nm) phase, these colloidal compounds are shown to account for the transport of 40% for both Co and Ru, 60% for (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu and have no significance on (137)Cs flux.     

Element mobility during metasomatism of granitic rocks in the Saint-Chély d'Apcher area (Lozère,France)

This paper summarises the behaviour of major and trace elements during hydrothermal alteration processes in the Vareilles albite deposit, Saint-Chély d' Apcher area (Lozère, France). Sampling focused mainly on fine- to medium-grained two-mica granite facies surrounding albitite veins in two open pits. The primary chemical variability inherent in sampling parent rock and analytical uncertainties can seriously affect element mobility calculations. Here we present a simple model that allows to discriminate between magmatic and alteration effects and to make a proper evaluation of the chemical changes that have caused the alteration. For this reason, a range of unaltered granites and albitites were sampled to evaluate the degree of parent rock heterogeneity. Duplicate measurements were performed by epithermal neutron activation analysis (ENAA) to obtain a reliable mean concentration for trace elements and to evaluate results reproducibility. ENAA measurements are completed by analysis of major elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The enrichment or depletion of an element during alteration, relative to its concentration in fresh parent rock, can be calculated on the basis of the assumed immobility of some elements during the process. In this study, we have assumed Ta as immobile element on the basis for his inert behaviour. The distinct differences in chemical change between altered and unaltered granite suggest the need to consider alteration event as an important parameter in evaluating granitic rocks for nuclear waste disposal.