Isoprene Emission from the Forest of Haryana State

Tropical and sub tropical regions are regarded as dominant source of biogenic volatile organic compounds emission (BVOC). However, measurement studies from these regions are limited and largely confined to South Africa and Amazonia. Consequently, global BVOC estimates are mainly based on modeling studies. Moreover, BVOC emission estimate is altogether lacking for any region of the Indian sub continent. This study attempts to estimate isoprene emission capacity of forest of Haryana state. Individual plant species isoprene emission capacity is found to vary from below detection limit (BDL) to 12.01 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1}. Maximum emission capacity (12.01 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1}) is noticed in case of Dalbergia sissoo. The area average isoprene emission capacity for the Haryana forest is found to be 19.98 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1}, which is significantly (2.4 times) higher than the reported isoprene emission value of 8.2 mg Cm^{− 2} h^{− 1} for the Kalahari woodland of Africa.     

Emission of isoprene from common Indian plant species and its implications for regional air quality

Isoprene is most dominant volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted by many plants. In this study 40 common Indian plant species were examined for isoprene emission using dynamic flow through enclosure chamber technique. Isoprene emission rates of plants species were found to vary from undetectable to 69.5 microg g(-1) h(-1) (Madhuca latifolia). Besides, an attempt has been made to evaluate suitability of 80 common Indian plant species for planting programmes. Out of 80 species, 29 species were moderate to high emitters (10 to < or =25 microg g(-1) h(-1)), 12 species were low emitter emitters (1 to < or =10 microg g(-1) h(-1)) and remaining 39 species were found to be negligible or non emitters (<1 microg g(-1) h(-1)) of isoprene. About 50% plant species selected for planting programmes in India were found to be moderate to high emitters of isoprene.     

Development of a calibration system to evaluate VOC losses in a branch enclosure

Considerable uncertainties are associated with the experimental estimates of emission rates of different volatile organic compound (VOC) species from the biosphere to the atmosphere. Some of this uncertainty derives from the sampling and analytical procedures used in emission rate measurements. A calibration system was developed in order to evaluate possible errors in the measurements of biogenic emission rates using a branch enclosure system. Two types of calibration procedures were tested, a standard additions technique and an internal standard procedure. Both techniques were used to evaluate possible losses while sampling isoprene and monoterpenes, which are the most abundant VOCs of biogenic origin. The losses to Teflon lines and the empty sampling system were tested and losses to the branch enclosure system installed on two VOC emitting plant species were evaluated. A considerable loss of isoprene (approximately 18% of inflow concentration 65 ng l(-1)) to the empty enclosure system and to the system installed on the plant was measured, but no losses of monoterpenes were observed.     

Measurements of biogenic hydrocarbons and carbonyl compounds emitted by trees from temperate warm Atlantic rainforest, Brazil

This study is part of a three-year project on biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from trees of the temperate warm Atlantic rainforest found in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo City (MASP). No study of VOC emission rates from plant species has been carried out in the temperate warm Atlantic rainforest of Brazil prior to this work. Eleven species were selected (Alchornea sidifolia, Cupania oblongifolia, Cecropia pachystachia, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Casearia sylvestris, Machaerium villosum, Trema micrantha, Croton floribundus, Myrcia rostrata, Solanum erianthum and Ficus insipida) and some of them were studied in urban, sub-urban and forest areas inside the MASP in order to evaluate biogenic VOC composition at sites characterized by different emission sources. Biogenic VOC emissions were determined by placing branches of plants in a dynamic enclosure system, an all-Teflon cuvette, and by sampling the compounds in the air leaving the cuvette. Pre-concentration using adsorbents to retain the VOC, followed by GC-MS after thermal desorption of the sample, was employed to determine the amount of biogenic hydrocarbons. The collection of carbonyl compounds on a 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine coated silica followed by HPLC-UV was used to analyze low molecular weight carbonyl compounds. Emission rates of isoprene, alpha-pinene, camphene and limonene ranged from 0.01 to 2.16 microg C h(-1) g(-1) and emission rates of aldehydes (C(2)-C(6)), acrolein, methacrolein and 2-butanone ranged from 1.5 x 10(-2) to 2.3 micro g C h(-1) g (-1). Ambient and leaf temperatures, relative humidity, light intensity, O(3) and NO(x) levels in the local atmosphere were monitored during experiments. It was possible to identify different biogenic VOCs emitted from typical plants of temperate warm Atlantic rainforest. The emission rates were reported as a function of the type of site investigated and were only provided for compounds for which quantification was feasible. Other biogenic compounds were only identified.     

Monitoring The Dynamics Of Coastal Vegetation In Southwestern Taiwan

This study analyzes the results of the first 5 years of long-term environmental monitoring of the dynamics of coastal vegetation communities in southwestern Taiwan. Seven permanent plots were established in major vegetation communities, including grassland, windbreak forest, and secondary succession forest. Results showed that species richness decreased yearly in grasslands but fluctuated moderately in the forest plots. A Jaccard similarity coefficient was used to evaluate the similarities of species composition between different monitoring years. Species composition changed rapidly in grassland sites, with the similarity coefficient dropping from 82 to 29% in 5 years. The similarity coefficient of vegetation in the compositehardwood forest dropped from 80 to 50%, indicating that at least half the species were the same as those in the beginning and that the composition of forest communities was more stable than that of grassland communities. Dominant species in the forest community changed gradually during the monitoring period. The original planting of Casuarina equisetifolia in windbreak forests decreased year by year in most of the plots, while Cerbera manghas and Ficus microcarpa became the dominant species. The trend of replacement of dominant species indicates that most of the vegetation communities are still in successional stages.     

Assessing Potential for Recovery of Biotic Richness and Indicator Species due to Changes in Acidic Deposition and Lake ph in Five Areas of Southeastern Canada

Biological damage to sensitive aquatic ecosystems is among the most recognisable, deleterious effects of acidic deposition. We compiled a large spatial database of over 2000 waterbodies across southeastern Canada from various federal, provincial and academic sources. Data for zooplankton, fish, macroinvertebrate (benthos) and loon species richness and occurrence were used to construct statistical models for lakes with varying pH, dissolved organic carbon content and lake size. pH changes, as described and predicted using the Integrated Assessment Model (Lam et al., 1998; Jeffries et al., 2000), were based on the range of emission reductions set forth in the Canada/US Air Quality Agreement (AQA). The scenarios tested include 1983, 1990, 1994 and 2010 sulphate deposition levels. Biotic models were developed for five regions in southeastern Canada (Algoma, Muskoka, and Sudbury, Ontario, southcentral Québec, and Kejimkujik, Nova Scotia) using regression tree, multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses to make predictions about recovery after emission reductions. The analyses produced different indicator species in different regions, although some species showed consistent trends across regions. Generally, the greatest predicted recovery occurred during the final phase of emission reductions between 1994 and 2010 across all taxonomic groups and regions. The Ontario regions, on average, were predicted to recover to a greater extent than either southcentral Québec or the Kejimkujik area of Nova Scotia. Our results reconfirm that pH 5.5–6.0 is an important threshold below which damage to aquatic biota will remain a major local and regional environmental problem. This damage to biodiversity across trophic levels will persist well into the future if no further reductions in sulphate deposition are implemented.     

Biochemical and Ultrastructural Changes in Plant Foliage Exposed to Auto-Pollution

Auto-pollution is the by-product of our mechanized mobility, which adversely affects both plant and human life. However, plants growing in the urban locations provide a great respite to us from the brunt of auto-pollution by absorbing the pollutants at their foliar surface. Foliar surface configuration and biochemical changes in two selected plant species, namely Ficus religiosa L. and Thevetia nerifolia L., growing at IT crossing (highly polluted sites), Picup bhawan crossing (moderately polluted site) and Kukrail Forest Picnic Spot (Low polluted site) were investigated. It was observed that auto-exhaust pollution showed marked alterations in photosynthetic pigments, protein and cysteine contents and also in leaf area and foliar surface architecture of plants growing at HP site as compared to LP site. The changes in the foliar configuration reveal that these plants can be used as biomarkers of auto-pollution.     

Biogenic Emissions by Oak Trees Common to Mediterranean Ecosystems

The experimental site was a Mediterranean type forest located in Viols-en-Laval near Montpellier (France). The principal species studied were Quercus ilex and Quercus pubescens. The determination of biogenic emissions was carried out by the enclosure method, which consists in enclosing an intact branch in a Teflon cuvet. The evolution of global terpenic emissions were recorded on June 1995.For Quercus ilex it appears that most terpenic emissions take place during the diurnal period. The evolution of terpenic emission rates versus light (PAR), internal temperature within the cuvet, CO2 exchange and transpiration (H2O) were carried out. A close relation between terpene emission and light-triggered physiological activities, was always found. It is obvious that there was no simple correlation between the leaf temperature and the terpenic emission. The temperature of the leaves does not seem to play a significant role in the regulation of the monoterpenic emission. This behaviour allows us to conclude that light with its effect on assimilation and stomatal behaviour is the most important factor for monoterpenic emission by Quercus ilex like for Quercus pubescens which is an isoprene emitter.     

Higher Plants As Bioindicators Of Sulphur Dioxide Emissions In Urban Environments

The evaluation of certain vascular plants that grow in the city of Madrid as biomonitors of SO₂ air pollution in urban environments has been carried out. Total concentration of sulphur in leaves of the chosen higher plants as well as other parameters in close relation to this contaminant (visible injury symptoms, chlorophyll a- and b-content and peroxidase activity) have been determined in order to study the spatial distribution and temporal changes in SO₂ deposition. Results obtained show that coniferous species such as Pinus pinea, were more sensitive to SO₂ atmospheric concentration than leafy species as Quercux ilex subspecies ballota and, in the same way, bush species, such asPyracantha coccinea and Nerium oleander, were more sensitive than wooded species, such as Cedrus deodaraandPinus pinea, respectively. There is a higher accumulation of sulphur in vegetable species located near highways and dense traffic incidence roads and near areas with high density of population. The minimum values for accumulation of SO₂ were registered in winter and spring seasons (from January to April) due to the vegetative stop; while maximum values are obtained during the summer season (from June to September), due to the stoma opening. The highest increments in sulphur concentration, calculated as the difference between two consecutive months, are obtained in May and June for all considered species except forCedrus deodara and Pyracantha coccinea, both species have few seasonal changes during the whole year. Some species are more sensitive to natural washing than others, showing a decrease in sulphur concentration after rainfall periods.     

Spatio-Temporal Fluxes in Particulate Organic Carbon in a Tropical Coastal Lagoon

Temporal and spatial variations in particulate organic carbon (POC) in relation to primary production, chlorophyll a, phaeophytin, plankton abundance, secondary production and suspended particulate matter (SPM) were studied monthly for 1 year from April 1996 to March 1997 in a shallow tropical coastal lagoon on the southwest coast of India. Though temporal variations in all components were significant, spatial variabilities were not statistically significant. POC values range from 200 to 5690 mg C m³ h⁻¹, while primary production, chlorophyll a, and phaeophytin varied between 0.02 and 14.53 mg C m⁻³ h⁻¹, 0.87 and 23.11 mg m⁻³ and 3.02 and 30.581 mg m⁻³, respectively. Phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance varied from 0.01 to 655.5×10⁵ no m⁻³ and negligible to 7.08×10⁵ no m⁻³ respectively; secondary production from 10 to 490 mg C m⁻³ and SPM between 0.38 and 74.43×10⁴ mg m⁻³ during this study. Temporally, postmonsoon months were observed to have the highest concentrations of POC in the lagoon waters. The bulk of the POC pool in the lagoon was composed of secondary producers (72%), followed by chlorophyll a (21%), phaeophytin (7%) and suspended particulate matter of inorganic origin (< 0.1%).     

基于浮游植物群落的青岛世园会天水水库水体评价

于2014年5—9月逐月对青岛世园会园区内的天水水库进行了浮游植物群落结构研究,共发现浮游植物7门42属66种,密度变化范围为18.48×104~427.00×104个/L,优势种为克罗脆杆藻(Fragilaria crotonensis)、铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)和尖尾蓝隐藻(Chroomonas acuta),监测期间浮游植物密度逐渐升高,均匀度和多样性指数呈下降趋势。聚类结果显示,监测区域大致可按月分为3个浮游植物群落,分别为绿藻型、硅藻-隐藻型、蓝藻型。冗余分析表明,氨氮、CODMn及总氮与水库浮游植物的群落结构关系最为密切。水质评价显示,天水水库水质处于中度污染,营养水平为中营养。     

Seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton and its relationship with the environmental factors in Dongping Lake, China

Dongping Lake is the final adjusting and storing lake in the east route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, and there has been serious concern regarding the water quality. Understanding the process of phytoplankton variation can be particularly useful in water quality improvement and management decisions. In this study, the phytoplankton taxonomic composition, abundance, temporal variations, spatial distribution, and diversity were studied based on a monthly sampling campaign from three sampling stations between May 2010 and May 2011. A total of 132 species (8 phyla, 72 genera), including 64 species of Chlorophyta, 26 species of Bacillariophyta, 21 species of Cyanophyta, 12 species of Euglenophyta, 3 species of Cryptophyta, 2 species of Xanthophyta, 1 species of Pyrrophyta, and 3 species of Chrysophyta were identified. Average phytoplankton diversity index and evenness values were 3.83 and 0.77, respectively, revealing a high biodiversity of phytoplankton community. The phytoplankton abundance averaged 5.11?×?10⁶ cells/L, with Bacillariophyta dominant in winter and spring, but Cyanophyta in summer and autumn. There were 14 predominant species including Pseudanabaena limnetica, Chlamydomonas simplex, Cyclotella stelligera, and Chroomonas acuta. Phytoplankton community structure and water quality variables changed substantially over the survey period; redundancy analysis, Pearson correlations, and regression analysis as an integrated approach were applied to analyze the relationships among them. Total phosphorus and ammonium played governing roles in the phytoplankton dynamics of Dongping Lake during all periods investigated.     

Variation in spatial pattern of criteria air pollutants before and during initial rain of monsoon

Spatial patterns of various criteria air pollutants,like SO₂, NO₂, O₃, and TSP were studied atShahdara National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring stationin Delhi (India) in July 1999. The minimum pollutantconcentrations were observed during morning hours,whereas the highest concentrations were found during thelate night hours, which seem to be related with thevehicular emission. Pre-monsoon daily ambient airquality spatial pattern was compared with the spatialpattern during initial and subsequent rain shower ofmonsoon. These spatial patterns were found to beessentially the same before and during rain, however asignificant decrease in SO₂, NO₂ and TSPconcentrations (40-45%) was observed after initial andsubsequent rains of the monsoon, demonstrating theimportance of rainfall in the scavenging of thesecriteria air pollutants.     

Urban and suburban aerosol in Yokohama, Japan: a comprehensive chemical characterization

This article analyses elemental composition of suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples collected monthly from 1999 to 2005 at two locations in Yokohama, Japan. Microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy was employed to measure Mg, Al, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Cs, Ba, Pb, and Bi. Water-soluble ions (Na^?+?, NH₄ ^?+?, K^?+?, Ca^2?+?, Cl^???, NO₃ ^???, and SO₄ ^2???) and carbonaceous mass (elemental and organic carbon) were detected using ion chromatograph and CHN analyzer, respectively. The results indicate that the composition of SPM on one of the sites is determined by automobile emissions and on the other by industrial combustions. The impact of the emission regulations for automobiles in large Japanese cities, which were enacted during 2002 and 2003, on the SPM composition of the samples is also studied.     

Temporal changes of soil respiration under different tree species

Soil respiration rates were measured monthly (from April 2007 to March 2008) under four adjacent coniferous plantation sites [Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis L.), Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arnold), Turkish fir (Abies bornmulleriana L.), and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)] and adjacent natural Sessile oak forest (Quercus petraea L.) in Belgrad Forest—Istanbul/Turkey. Also, soil moisture, soil temperature, and fine root biomass were determined to identify the underlying environmental variables among sites which are most likely causing differences in soil respiration. Mean annual soil moisture was determined to be between 6.3 % and 8.1 %, and mean annual temperature ranged from 13.0°C to 14.2°C under all species. Mean annual fine root biomass changed between 368.09 g/m² and 883.71 g/m² indicating significant differences among species. Except May 2007, monthly soil respiration rates show significantly difference among species. However, focusing on tree species, differences of mean annual respiration rates did not differ significantly. Mean annual soil respiration ranged from 0.56 to 1.09 g?C/m²/day. The highest rates of soil respiration reached on autumn months and the lowest rates were determined on summer season. Soil temperature, soil moisture, and fine root biomass explain mean annual soil respiration rates at the highest under Austrian pine (R ²?=?0.562) and the lowest (R ²?=?0.223) under Turkish fir.     

Changes in the soft-bottom macrobenthic diversity and community structure from the ports of Mumbai, India

Soft-bottom macrobenthic diversity and community structure were assessed at Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru ports during three different periods between 2001 and 2002 (November 2001 post-monsoon 1, April/May 2002 pre-monsoon, and October 2002 post-monsoon 2). A total of 43 macrobenthic invertebrate species belonging to five phyla were recorded. Macrofaunal abundance (PM1 186, PreM 106, and PM2 31 ind m^?2) and species diversity index (PM1 0.87, PreM 0.73, and PM2 0.30) were very low in all the seasons. Polychaetes were the most dominant macrobenthic group (72.09%) followed by decapoda, amphipoda, and bivalves (4.56%). Canonical correspondence analysis showed that sediment texture, temperature, and suspended particulate matter were the most important environmental variables influencing polychaete species composition. Significant seasonal variations were observed, influenced by dissimilar monsoonal patterns. Macrobenthic population density during November 2001 was higher than that of October 2002 post-monsoon season. Pre-monsoon season recorded more carnivorous polychaete species than post-monsoon seasons. The present study showed lower values of polychaete diversity index in all the seasons compared to earlier studies. Out of 31 polychaete species, 19 have been reported for the first time from this area. Polychaete species and Glycera longipinnis, Paraprionospio pinnata, and Cossura coasta recorded from 1985 to 1986 were also observed in the present study. Species like Sigambra constricta, Perinereis cavifrons, Prionospio polybranchiata, and Parheteromastus tenuis were not recorded in the present study, although they were observed during earlier studies in this area.     

Copepods and Larvae of Nematodes Parasiting the White Mullet Mugil Curema (Valenciennes, 1836): Indicators of Anthropogenic Impacts in Tropical Coastal Lagoons?

The relationship between parasites and environmental stress were studied in two tropical coastal lagoons of Northwest Mexico: Urias estuary (highly polluted) and Teacapan estuary (slightly polluted). Metazoan parasites were examined in 292 white mullet (Mugil curema) specimens collected bimonthly during a year from both systems. Haliotrema mugilinus, Metamicrocotyla macracantha, Ergasilus sp., Caligus sp., Holobomolochus sp., and Lernaeopodidae were found in gills, while Contracaecum sp. larvae III was found liver, hepatic portal vein and kidneys. Ecological indices were influenced by the slightly higher number of parasitic species in Urias compared to Teacapan, as well as the clear dominance of two species: Ergasilus sp. and Contracaecum sp. in both systems. In fact, Ergasilus sp. showed considerably higher abundance in Urias, possibly indicating that its success was a result of adverse conditions affecting the host, while Contracaecum sp showed higher abundances in Teacapan, suggesting that the environmental conditions occurring in Urias could have produced negative impacts on the nematode's infective potential.     

成都双流国际机场大气污染物排放清单与时空分布特征

基于成都双流国际机场活动水平数据,采用排放因子法和计算模型等,编制了机场大气污染物排放清单,并完成了时空分配和不确定性分析,建立了高分辨率网格化排放清单。结果表明,成都双流国际机场标准起飞着陆(LTO)循环数为2.4×10~5次/a,CO、VOCs、NO_x、PM_(10)、PM_(2.5)、SO_2排放量分别为1.2×10~3、1.3×10~2、2.1×10~3、2.8×10、2.7×10、2.5×10~2t/a,且主要由飞机发动机排放;活动水平数据仅包括LTO循环数和地面保障设备两部分;污染物排放分布和跑道类型相关性较高;排放清单活动水平数据可靠性较高,而排放因子存在一定的不确定性。     

Phytoplankton variation and its relationship with the environmental factors in Nansi Lake, China

Nansi Lake is an important storage lake in the east route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, about which there has been serious concern regarding the water quality. In this study, the phytoplankton taxonomic composition, abundance, temporal variations, spatial distribution, and diversity were studied based on a monthly sampling campaign from five sampling stations between January 2010 and December 2010. A total of 159 species (8 phyla, 79 genera), including 74 species of Chlorophyta, 36 species of Bacillariophyta, 19 species of Cyanophyta (including 2 water bloom causative species), 21 species of Euglenophyta, 3 species of Cryptophyta, 5 species of Xanthophyta, 2 species of Pyrrophyta, and 2 species of Chrysophyta, were identified. Average phytoplankton diversity index and evenness values were 4.33 and 0.81, respectively, revealing high biodiversity of phytoplankton community. The phytoplankton abundance averaged at 9.51?×?10⁶ cells L^?1 and was much higher than previous investigations carried out in 1983–1984. The dominant species were Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta in winter and spring, and Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta in summer and atutumn. There were 14 predominant species including Chlorella vulgaris, Cyclotella stelligera, Pseudanabaena limnetica, and Chroomonas acuta. Phytoplankton community structure and environmental variable changed substantially over the survey period. Redundancy Analysis was used to analyze the relationship between them. Temperature was considered to be the key factor driving the change in phytoplankton community composition in Nansi Lake during the 2010 study period.