Evaluating losses in ecosystem services in nature reserves in Sichuan,China

Nature reserves have developed rapidly over the decades in China and play a significant role in the function of ecosystem services. The function of ecosystem services in nature reserves, however, has tended to decline in recent years due to natural hazards and human activities. Based on land use, the variation of ecosystem services value (ESV) during 2000–2010 in national nature reserves in Sichuan was evaluated. We analyzed the comprehensive effects of natural disasters and human activities on the decline of ESVs. Total ESV in the national nature reserves in Sichuan was approximately 2741.35 million US$ in 2000, 2616.81 million US$ in 2005, and 2499.06 million US$ in 2010, representing a decrease of 242.29 million US$, or 8.84%, in the decade. Forestland, grassland, wetland, and water bodies played vital roles in the function of ecosystem services, with an aggregated ESV of 99% of the total. The largest proportion of the total ESV was the protection of biodiversity at 48.6%. ESV of all land use types and single ecosystem services continued to decline during 2000–2010. A mechanism of adaptable risk prevention should be established, and unreasonable human activities should be avoided to protect ecosystems and to improve the functions of ecosystem services.     

Environmental education in comprehensive schools in Greece

The new institution of comprehensive high school, in Greece today, aims to relate the school with the natural, social, economical and cultural environment. In this frame of process, interrelation and dynamic contact of school with the holistic environment, the subject “Ecology and Environment”; of the 2nd class (16–17 years old), informs, sensitizes and activizes the anxious young generation. The textbook of the subject determines and analyzes the human impact and their consequences to the natural ecosystems. In the total content there are also numerous examples from the natural, man‐made and cultural environment of Greece.     

中国公众参与环境管理的研究

回顾了中国公众参与环境管理的发展历程,分析了公众参与环境管理存在的问题。针对公众参与环境保护管理的有效性的影响因子,例如主观因素、传统背景、时效因素及执行技巧等进行一系列的探讨,并根据公众参与计划的设计构思、公众参与计划的关键两方面的讨论,提出增加公众参与环境保护管理有效性的一些建议。     

Variation in male courtship costs in butterflies

A cost of mating is common to both sexes but has predominantly been examined in females. In species where males provide resources to females at copulation, male mating costs are expected to be high as nutrient provisioning enhancing female fecundity is assumed to carry costs. In addition, males frequently court females prior to mating, which is known to carry survival costs to both sexes. However, the magnitude and basis of variation in males’ mating costs remains largely unknown. Here, I examine the effect of nutrient provisioning and courtship on male longevity across full-sib families in the paternally investing green-veined white butterfly, Pieris napi. Copulating males suffered a survival cost as did courting males prevented from copulating, indicating the courtship component of mating is costly. Male P. napi release aphrodisiacs during courtship to promote mating, indicating that these compounds may also be costly to produce. Contrary to expectation, nutrient provisioning was not associated with reduced survival relative to males only allowed to court females, although it is possible that this could be masked by the potentially elevated courtship rates of courting males relative to mating males. Families differed in magnitude of reduced male survivorship, indicating a likely genetic basis to variation in costs of courtship and copulation. Male weight was unrelated to longevity and mating success, whereas longevity strongly influenced male mating success, indicating lifespan is an important male fitness trait in this species.     

Is the antipredatory response in behaviour reflected in stress measured in faecal corticosteroids in a small rodent?

Predation risk has been shown to alter various behaviours in prey. Risk alters activity, habitat use and foraging, and weight decrease might be a consequence of that. In mammals, studies on physiological measures affected by risk of predation, other than weight, are rare. We studied in two separate laboratory experiments foraging, hoarding behaviour and expression of stress measured non-invasively from the faeces in the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), a common boreal rodent. Voles were exposed to predation risk using odours of the least weasels (Mustela nivalis nivalis). Distilled water served as control. In the first experiment, we found that foraging effort, measured as sunflower seeds taken from seed trays filled with sand, was significantly lower in trays scented with weasel odour. Both immediate consumption of seeds and hoarding were affected negatively by the weasel odour. Females hoarded significantly more than males in autumn. In the second experiment, the negative effect of weasel odour on foraging was consistent over a 3-day experiment, but the strongest effect was observed in the first night. Foraging increased over the time of the experiment, which might reflect either energetic compensation during a longer period of risk, predicted in the predation risk allocation hypothesis, or habituation to the odour-simulated risk. Despite decreased foraging under predation risk, stress measured as corticosteroid metabolite concentration in vole faeces was not affected by the weasel odour treatment. In conclusion, we were able to verify predation-risk-mediated changes in the foraging effort of bank voles but no physiological stress response was measured non-invasively, probably due to great individual variation in secretion of stress hormones.     

Lead in a residential environment in Jamaica

The background levels of lead in Jamaica in soils and sediments, estimated at 37 mg kg^–1, are relatively high compared with world averages. Several areas have values in excess of this due to mineralisation and pollution. One such is the residential Hope Flats/Kintyre area in which levels of lead up to 2.5% are found in the soils and up to 8 g kg^–1 in the water of the nearby Hope River. The blood lead levels of a sample of children were in the range 5.7–57 g dl^–1. The high lead levels suggest a potential health risk, particularly for the children. This can be minimised by programmes which include community education, case management and abatement to reduce the lead exposure.     

Genotypic variation in element concentrations in brown rice from Yunnan landraces in China

The mineral elements present in brown rice play an important physiological role in global human health. We investigated genotypic variation of eight of these elements (P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in 11 different grades of brown rice on the basis of the number and distance coefficients of 282 alleles for 20 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Six-hundred and twenty-eight landraces from the same field in Yunnan Province, one of the largest centers of genetic diversity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the world, formed our core collection. The mean concentrations (mg kg⁻¹) of the eight elements in brown rice for these landraces were P (3,480) > K (2,540) > Mg (1,480) > Ca (157) > Zn (32.8) > Fe (32.0) > Cu (13.6) > Mn (13.2). Mean P concentrations in brown rice were 6.56 times total soil P, so the grains are important in tissue storage of P, but total soil K is 7.82 times mean K concentrations in brown rice. The concentrations of the eight elements in some grades of brown rice, on the basis of the number and distance coefficients of alleles for 20 SSR markers for the landraces, were significantly different (P < 0.05), and further understanding of the relationship between mineral elements and gene diversity is needed. There was large variation in element concentrations in brown rice, ranging from 2,160 to 5,500 mg P kg⁻¹, from 1,130 to 3,830 mg K kg⁻¹, from 61.8 to 488 mg Ca kg⁻¹, from 864 to 2,020 mg Mg kg⁻¹, from 0.40 to 147 mg Fe kg⁻¹, from 15.1 to 124 mg Zn kg⁻¹, from 0.10 to 59.1 mg Cu kg⁻¹, and from 6.7 to 26.6 mg Mn kg⁻¹. Therefore, germplasm evaluations for Ca, Fe, and Zn concentrations in rice grains have detected up to sevenfold genotypic differences, suggesting that selection for high levels of Ca, Fe, and Zn in breeding for mass production is a feasible approach. Increasing the concentrations of Ca, Fe, and Zn in rice grains will help alleviate chronic Ca, Zn, and Fe deficiencies in many areas of the world.     

我国大气环境毒理学研究新进展

对大气环境中重要污染物的毒理学作用及其机制方面的文献进行综述。首先,总结了细颗粒物(PM2.5)和纳米颗粒物对呼吸系统和心血管系统毒理学作用及其机理方面的研究;然后,评述了二氧化硫(SO2)对基因表达的影响及内源性SO2生理作用方面的研究,提出SO2既是一种全身性毒物,又是一种新型信号分子的新观点;对大气环境致癌物,特别是有关苯并芘致癌作用分子机制的研究进行讨论;对大气中臭氧和光化学烟雾对健康影响的研究作了评述;最后,对室内空气污染物尤其是甲醛的毒性作用及其机理方面的最新研究进行了评论。     

Unusual characteristics in a Meromictic lake in Greece

The studied lake, a meromictic shallow lagoon, in Peloponissos, presents unusual physical and chemical features which derive mainly from its mineral springs, and the sea water that invades into the lake. The form of vegetation and the abundant organic matter of the mud together with the sulfate salts of the water create conditions which are responsible for the production of gases such as H₂S and CH₄. Vertical profiles of temperature, salinity and oxygen show that a large area of the lake is well stratified, at least periodically and no marked mixing occurs, between the upper less saline water and the lower saline water. In the halocline the vertical gradient of salinity is large. Mesothermic and poikilothermic conditions were also observed, whereas large temperature differences were recorded in water column.     

三江平原农田源头排水沟渠截留排水中氮素动态

通过小尺度野外原位试验,研究排水沟渠水体、底泥和植物中氮含量的变化规律.结果表明,随水体停留时间增加,沟渠对水体氮素的净化能力增强,认为停留8d左右较适宜.沟渠对NH4-N的截留率大于TN和NO3--N.渠水停留11d时,4条试验沟渠[氮浓度高、磷浓度低(NHPL),氮浓度高、磷浓度高(NHPH),氮浓度低、磷浓度低(NLPL),氮浓度低、磷浓度高(NLPH)]对NH4+-N的截留率均达100％,对NO3--N的截留率分别为84.63％、84.35％、75.67％和76.14％,对TN的截留率分别为88.02％、89.89％、90.88％和88.53％.试验结束时沟渠表层(0～15 cm)底泥氮含量降低,植物氮累积量远大于进水TN总量,说明植物生长同时吸收了水体、土壤和底泥中的氮,建议在秋季适时收割植物,以避免植物分解导致二次污染.     

城市中不同生境下鸟类群落特征研究

2004年1月至2004年12月,对内蒙古自治区呼和浩特市市区7种不同生态环境类型中的鸟类进行了调查研究。研究结果显示:商业区和交通占地中的鸟类群落最为相似,苗圃和公园中的鸟类群落较为相似。景观水平和干扰因素(样带至市中心的距离、噪音、建筑指标)对鸟类的分布、密度、多样性和丰富度具有不同程度的影响。分析表明,人为干扰影响鸟类多样性、群落结构和生态分布。     

Challenges in characterization of nanoplastics in the environment

Plastic pollution has been a legacy environment problems and more recently, the plastic particles, especially those ultrafine or small plastics particles, are widely recognized with increasing environmental and ecological impacts. Among small plastics, microplastics are intensively studied, whereas the physicochemical properties, environmental abundance, chemical states, bioavailability and toxicity toward organisms of nanoplastics are inadequately investigated. There are substantial difficulties in separation, visualization and chemical identification of nanoplastics due to their small sizes, relatively low concentrations and interferences from co-existing substances (e.g., dyes or natural organic matters). Moreover, detection of polymers at nanoscale is largely hampered by the detection limit or sensitivity for existing spectral techniques such as Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) or Raman Spectroscopy. This article critically examined the current state of art techniques that are exclusively reported for nanoplastic characterization in environmental samples. Based on their operation principles, potential applications and limitations of these analytical techniques are carefully analyzed.     

Perceived changes in well-being and happiness with gardening in urban organic allotments in Portugal

Urban allotment gardens (AG) in Portugal have increased in recent years, as in many other European countries and worldwide. The contribution of these gardens to the happiness and well-being of urban populations has been recognized, but evaluations of their benefits are still very scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate this contribution, based on the urban organic AG of the Devesa Park in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. The sample included 65 gardeners who completed the self-administered questionnaires of Bem-Estar Pessoal (personal well-being scale), Felicidade Subjetiva (subjective happiness scale) and sociodemographic characteristics. Respondents were mainly adults under 65 years, married and academically well qualified and about half of them had a professional activity, with nearly one third being retired. They considered themselves happy with their life (Personal Well-being Index = 74.5%) and revealed an optimistic and positive attitude towards life, regardless of economic or social difficulties. The increased frequency of visits for gardening was positively related to a greater perception of subjective happiness. The gardeners who visited the AG more frequently considered themselves happier from a self-perspective and in comparison with peers. It can be suggested that urban organic AG represent a means for enhancing citizen well-being, contributing positively to their feelings of happiness and life satisfaction, changing behaviours and developing personal capacities. Beyond economic measures, urban AG can be recommended to capture the well-being of societies.     

Metals in agricultural soils and plants in Egypt

Since analysis of both soil and plants are useful to assess contamination of a geographic area, concentrations of five representative metals: copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and iron (Fe) in soil and associated plants were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Samples were collected from four different Egyptian regions (El-mehala El-kobra, Kafr El-Sheikh, Kafr El-zayat, and Al-fayoum) during spring and summer 2010. Concentrations of the selected metals in agricultural soils were significantly different among locations and seasons. Concentrations of Cd and Fe in soils at the four locations exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations for Cd (8 mg/kg, dry mass (dm)) and Fe (1000 mg/kg, dm). Accumulation was different for clover and cotton. Clover blossoms grown in soil from Kafr El-zayat contained the greatest concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Fe. Cotton flowers from El-mehala El-kobra accumulated the highest levels of Cd. Concentrations of Cd and Pb in both clover and cotton flowers from the four locations exceeded maximum allowable concentrations (3 mg/kg, dm) for both Cd and Pb. Using such agricultural soils for cultivation of edible crops for consumption may result in chronic hazards to human health.     

污染水体中鱼体内三聚氰胺的累积及其在清洁水体中的消除

以吉富罗非鱼（Oreochromis niloticus）为受试动物,在室内用水族箱进行模拟养殖试验,设定污染水体中三聚氰胺初始浓度为0.2 g·L-1,考察罗非鱼在其中饲养1周期间体内三聚氰胺的累积情况。再将鱼转移至不含三聚氰胺的清洁水体中饲养1周,考察鱼体内三聚氰胺在其中的消除情况。结果表明,三聚氰胺能在鱼体内迅速富集,鱼肉及内脏中三聚氰胺的含量均与鱼在污染水体中暴露的时间成正相关。其中,鱼肉中三聚氰胺的浓度几乎成线性增大,拟合所得方程为y=5.598 8x＋12.897,相关系数为0.995 9。内脏对三聚氰胺的富集速率先快后慢,且其中三聚氰胺的浓度为鱼肉的2~3倍。在试验后期,鱼肉及内脏中三聚氰胺的浓度分别高达51.55 mg·kg-1和93.89 mg·kg-1,此时罗非鱼表现出明显的中毒迹象。将罗非鱼转移至清洁水体中养殖后,鱼肉及内脏中三聚氰胺的残留量均迅速下降,尤其是后者的消除速度甚快,一周后两者的浓度分别降至0.13 mg·kg-1和0.21 mg·kg-1。此时,罗非鱼中毒症状逐渐消失,活动趋向正常。     

长春市主要蔬菜中农药残留分析

采用速测法和气相色谱法研究了长春市市场销售的主要蔬菜中的农药残留问题。2002年秋季对长春市的9个蔬菜批发市场的16种蔬菜进行抽样检测，蔬菜中有机磷类和氨基甲酸酯类农药平均超标率为11．05％，残留的主要农药种类是甲胺磷、氧化乐果和敌敌畏。检测16种蔬菜中有9种超标。2003年春季同样对9个蔬菜市场的17种蔬菜进行抽样检测，农药残留平均超标率为11．0％，残留的农药主要种类是甲基对硫磷、对硫磷、甲拌磷、敌敌畏、氯氰菊酯和氰戊菊酯等，检测的17种蔬菜中有3种严重超标。由此可见蔬菜中农药残留还是很严重的问题，政府与有关部门仍需加强管理。     

轮虫在生态毒理学中的研究进展

轮虫是浮游动物中的重要类群,因具有生活周期短、对毒物的敏感性高、有两性生殖方式、易培养和实用性强等优势特征,已被用作生态毒理学实验中重要的模式生物,颇有研究前景。本文简介了轮虫作为受试生物的特点及其生活史,并从实验方法、污染物种类、测试指标等角度对近几十年来轮虫在生态毒理学中的应用现状、主要成果和最新进展作了概述,主要包括轮虫在常规毒性评价中的应用:急性毒性、慢性毒性以及对其行为的影响效应;综述了几类典型环境污染物,例如重金属、UV辐射、持久性有机污染物以及农药化合物的胁迫对轮虫的毒性效应,特别对目前存在的问题、研究热点及今后需要加强研究的方向进行了讨论和展望,以期为应用轮虫生态毒理学进行环境污染及风险评估提供参考。     

崇明东滩湿地沉积物砷的形态特征

于2008年4月在崇明东滩湿地开展野外调查,采集表层沉积物样品,参考Walter W W等提出的砷5步提取法进行总砷、砷的形态分析。结果表明:东滩湿地沉积物总砷含量5.33~19.74 mg/kg,各形态砷所占比例:弱交换态0.6%(0.5%~0.7%);强交换态5%(3%~7%);非晶形铁铝锰氧化物结合态28%(26%~29%);晶形铁铝锰氧化物结合态21%(19%~24%);残渣态46%(42%~51%)。     

Bioavailability of trace metals in brownfield soils in an urban area in the UK

Thirty-two brownfield sites from the city of Wolverhampton were selected from those with a former industrial use, wasteland or areas adjacent to industrial processes. Samples (<2 mm powdered soil fraction) were analysed, using inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES) for 20 elements. Loss on ignition and pH were also determined. A five-step chemical sequential extraction technique was carried out. Single leach extraction with 0.12 M hydrochloric acid of Pb, Cu and Zn in soil was determined as a first approximation of the bioavailability in the human stomach. Some of the sites were found to have high concentrations of the potentially toxic elements Pb, Zn, Cu and Ni. The partitioning of metals showed a high variability, however a number of trends were determined. The majority of Zn was partitioned into the least chemically stable phases (steps 1, 2 and 3). The majority of Cu was associated with the organic phase (step 4) and the majority of Ni was fractionated into the residue phase (step 5). The majority of Pb was associated with the residue fraction (step 5) followed by Fe–Mn oxide fraction (step 3). The variability reflects the heterogeneous and complex nature of metal speciation in urban soils with varied historic histories. There was a strong inverse linear relationship between the metals Ni, Zn and Pb in the readily exchangeable phase (step 1) and soil pH, significant at P < 0.01 level. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the partitioning of Cu, Ni and Zn into step 4 (the organic phase) in soils with a higher organic carbon content (estimated by loss on ignition). Copper was highly partitioned into step 4 as it has a strong association with organics in soil but this phase was not important for the partitioning of Ni or Zn. The fractionation of Ni, Cu and Zn increased significantly in step 3 when the total metal concentration increases (P < 0.01). The Fe–Mn oxide fraction becomes more important in soils elevated in these metals, possibly due to the scavenging of metals by oxides. Cu and Pb extracted by HCl was statistically similar to the sum of the metals in steps 1 to 4 (P < 0.01) and HCl available Zn was statistically similar to the sum of Zn in steps 1 to 3 (P < 0.01). Step 4 (the organic phase) was not an important phase for Zn, so it was concluded that any Cu, Zn and Pb present in soil in a nonresidue phase would be potentially available for uptake into the human system once soil has been ingested.     

湿地对水中磷素净化作用的研究进展

随着对湿地功能认识的加强，湿地科学研究从资源考察开始向湿地过程研究转变，尤其是全球环境问题的加剧，使得湿地对营养物质的截留功能倍受关注。磷是农业非点源污染的重要元素之一，又是导致湿地及下游水体富营养化的重要原因，研究湿地对水中磷素的净化作用是湿地生物地球化学研究和流域水环境保护研究的重要环节。文章综述了湿地系统各因子(土壤、植被、水文、微生物)及其它环境因子(如温度、CO2浓度、污染物负荷)对磷的净化作用的影响以及湿地中磷的动态模型等方面的国内外研究进展，指出在研究手段、方法和内容方面的不足，强调今后研究应注重长期连续的湿地动态监测，湿地净化功能模型和净化能力阈值以及景观生态学在湿地净化功能方面的应用。