复合光催化剂(TiO2/多壁碳纳米管)制备工艺条件对甲基橙光催化降解动力学的影响

采用溶胶-凝胶法在不同条件下制备了多壁碳纳米管(MwCNTs)负载纳米TiO2的复合光催化剂(TiO2/MWCNTs).以偶氮类染料甲基橙为模拟污染物,研究不同制备工艺参数的复合光催化剂对甲基橙的光催化降解动力学的影响.对TiO2/MWCNTs的表征结果表明,纳米TiO2较好地分散在多壁碳纳米管表面;随着温度的升高,复...     

沉积贵金属Pt的Pt/TiO2膜利用可见光催化降解苯酚

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备锐钛矿纳米TiO2光催化材料,并用化学还原法还原氯铂酸溶液(H2PtCl6·4H2O)制备Pt胶体,然后滴涂在制备好的锐钛矿纳米TiO2基片上即对其进行贵金属修饰,从而得到纳米光催化材料Pt/TiO2膜.采用XRD、XPS、UV-Vis和SEM等手段对其表面理化特性进行了表征.以苯酚溶液为光催化降解...     

Ce掺杂TiO2固相光催化降解塑料薄膜

采用溶胶凝胶法合成了纯TiO2和掺杂Ce原子比例(Ce/Ti)为1.2%的TiO2粉末(Ce1.2%-TiO2)光催化剂,分别制备了纯聚乙烯薄膜、添加纯TiO2和Ce1.2%-TiO2粉末的复合聚乙烯薄膜,并于紫外、可见光照下进行了薄膜光催化降解实验;采用X射线衍射、紫外-可见漫反射分析表征了光催化剂的晶体结构及紫外可见光吸收性能;通过激光扫描共焦显微镜和傅立叶红外光谱对薄膜光催化降解过程进行测试.实验结果表明,添加光催化剂可有效降解聚乙烯薄膜,其中Ce掺杂TiO2的活性明显优于纯TiO2;在紫外光照下的降解效果优于在可见光照下的降解效果,且随着光催化剂投加量的增大,光催化效果越来越好,当添加量为5.0 %(质量分数)的Ce1.2%-TiO2时复合薄膜经紫外光照300 h后,光催化降解失重率达到33%(质量分数).     

铂掺杂二氧化钛的制备及光催化乳酸制氢的研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法和甲醛还原法制备了Pt/TiO2光催化剂,并采用XRD对其结构进行了表征.当焙烧温度为500℃时,制备的纳米二氧化钛为纯锐钛矿相;在二氧化钛表面沉积少量的铂对二氧化钛的晶相和粒径几乎没有影响,但可以使二氧化钛光催化的产氢性能提高近10倍.以乳酸为电子供体,对影响其光催化产氢的因素进行了详细地考察.研究结果表明,光催化分解乳酸产氢的最佳条件为焙烧温度500℃、焙烧时间2 h、载铂量0.8%、催化剂用量0.14 g·L-1和pH 1-2.     

低温种子聚合法制备磁载纳米TiO2光催化剂及其对苯酚的光催化降解

通过种子聚合法,以聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)处理过的纳米Fe2O4为磁核,在低温(95℃)、中性(pH=7左右)条件下,制备了一种磁载TiO2光催化剂.利用Zeta电位仪、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、傅里叶红外分光光度计(FT-IR)、振动样品磁强计(VSM)测试方法对磁核的表面电位、催化剂的形貌、物相...     

磁载光催化剂TiO2/Al2O3/γ-Fe2O3的制备与降解染料的优化模型

采用共沉淀结合固体粒子混合法,在TiO2中引入三氧化二铝包膜磁性核,通过对催化剂的XRD,TEM和红外光谱分析,发现磁性核具有γ-Fe2O3的晶相,且被三氧化二铝及二氧化钛包裹,形成复合型磁载光催化剂.同时对影响磁载光催化剂氧化直接耐酸大红4BS染料废水的因素:初始pH值(5.3-5.7)、光强(12.35-18.455μW·cm-2)和TiO2浓度(0.45-1.45mg·l-1)进行研究,通过建立响应曲面模型可得到最佳的初始pH值、光强和磁载光催化剂浓度分别为5.45,19.49×102μW·cm-2和0.86mg·l-1,脱色率达到92.4%.     

TiO2固定薄膜光催化剂的制备与表征

以钛板为基材,制备TiO2固定薄膜光催化剂.X射线衍射法表征结果表明,TiO2半导体光催化剂主要呈锐钛矿晶型,平均晶粒尺度为35.7nm.电子扫描显微镜法表征结果显示,光催化剂表面形态均匀、致密,TiO2与Ti板结合紧密、牢固.电化学法表征结果显示,光催化剂为n型半导体,外加电场将极大地促进光生电子和空穴的分离,有利于光催化氧化技术效率的提高.苯甲酰胺降解试验表明,外加电场对光催化氧化技术具有较强的辅助作用,电助光催化氧化技术的处理效率远远高于光催化氧化技术,当施加的电极电位为-0.05V(SCE)时,苯甲酰胺在120min时的去除率可达95%.     

掺铁TiO2对庚烷气相光催化活性的研究

以乙酰丙酮铁和钛酸四丁酯为前驱体，制备掺铁TiO2复合光催化剂，以光催化降解正庚烷为反应模型，测定掺铁对TiO2光催化剂的结构、光吸收和光催化活性的影响．XRD的表征结果显示，焙烧温度升高，锐钛矿型TiO2转化成金红石型，且在700℃下有铁板钛矿生成；UV-Vis的结果表明，TiO2掺铁后增强了在可见光区的吸收，并且随着含铁量的增大，红移增大，提高了对可见光的利用率．相同掺铁量(Fe／Ti=0．07)下，500℃焙烧的光催化剂对庚烷的光催化降解活性最高，300℃次之，700℃最差．相同焙烧温度下，掺铁量在0．007-0．07范围内，光催化活性随掺杂量的增大而下降．     

TiO2/Li4Ti5O12/Na2Ti6O13复合催化剂的制备、表征及其光催化活性

采用反相微乳法,制备了TiO2/Li4Ti5O12/Na2Ti6O13复合催化剂,运用TG-DSC、XRD、SEM等分析方法对催化剂进行表征.在紫外光(λ=365 nm)照射下,以2,4-二氯苯酚(2,4-DCP)作为目标污染物,用P-25型TiO2作对照,研究了TiO2/Li4Ti5O12/Na2Ti6O13复合催化剂光催化降解2,4-DCP的特性.结果表明,制备的TiO2/Li4Ti5O12/Na2Ti6O13复合催化剂成带状纳米结构,其长度大于5μm,宽度约60 nm,厚度小于30 nm,结晶良好,分散性高,在紫外光照射下,50 min内对20 mg·L-1的2,4-DCP降解率达到了99.8%,表现出了比P-25型TiO2更高的光催化活性.     

油酸铵改性的高活性TiO2/V-TiO2复合光催化剂的制备及光催化降解甲基橙的研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法,将经过油酸铵改性的掺钒二氧化钛粉末投入到纯TiO2溶胶中,烘干、煅烧,制得带有n-n异质结半导体结构的复合型高活性掺钒二氧化钛光催化剂,并通过XRD、TEM、XPS等技术对样品进行了表征。通过对甲基橙溶液的光催化降解实验来考察TiO2/V-TiO2催化剂的光催化活性。结果表明：TiO2/V-TiO2复合催化剂拥有比纯TiO2更高的光催化活性。其中,V的掺杂摩尔分数为0.5%、TiO2：V-TiO2的质量比为10∶1的最佳复合催化剂,其光催化活性是纯TiO2的5.1倍。     

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     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Effects of Coffee Management on Deforestation Rates and Forest Integrity

Knowledge about how forest margins are utilized can be crucial for a general understanding of changes in forest cover, forest structure, and biodiversity across landscapes. We studied forest‐agriculture transitions in southwestern Ethiopia and hypothesized that the presence of coffee (Coffea arabica)decreases deforestation rates because of coffee's importance to local economies and its widespread occurrence in forests and forest margins. Using satellite images and elevation data, we compared changes in forest cover over 37 years (1973–2010) across elevations in 2 forest‐agriculture mosaic landscapes (1100 km² around Bonga and 3000 km² in Goma‐Gera). In the field in the Bonga area, we determined coffee cover and forest structure in 40 forest margins that differed in time since deforestation. Both the absolute and relative deforestation rates were lower at coffee‐growing elevations compared with at higher elevations (?10/20% vs. ?40/50% comparing relative rates at 1800 m asl and 2300–2500 m asl, respectively). Within the coffee‐growing elevation, the proportion of sites with high coffee cover (>20%) was significantly higher in stable margins (42% of sites that had been in the same location for the entire period) than in recently changed margins (0% of sites where expansion of annual crops had changed the margin). Disturbance level and forest structure did not differ between sites with 30% or 3% coffee. However, a growing body of literature on gradients of coffee management in Ethiopia reports coffee's negative effects on abundances of forest‐specialist species. Even if the presence of coffee slows down the conversion of forest to annual‐crop agriculture, there is a risk that an intensification of coffee management will still threaten forest biodiversity, including the genetic diversity of wild coffee. Conservation policy for Ethiopian forests thus needs to develop strategies that acknowledge that forests without coffee production may have higher deforestation risks than forests with coffee production and that forests with coffee production often have lower biodiversity value. Efectos de la Administración Cafetalera sobre las Tasas de Deforestación y la Integridad de los Bosques     

Globalization of the Cashmere Market and the Decline of Large Mammals in Central Asia

As drivers of terrestrial ecosystems, humans have replaced large carnivores in most areas, and human influence not only exerts striking ecological pressures on biodiversity at local scales but also has indirect effects in distant corners of the world. We suggest that the multibillion dollar cashmere industry creates economic motivations that link western fashion preferences for cashmere to land use in Central Asia. This penchant for stylish clothing, in turn, encourages herders to increase livestock production which affects persistence of over 6 endangered large mammals in these remote, arid ecosystems. We hypothesized that global trade in cashmere has strong negative effects on native large mammals of deserts and grassland where cashmere‐producing goats are raised. We used time series data, ecological snapshots of the biomass of native and domestic ungulates, and ecologically and behaviorally based fieldwork to test our hypothesis. In Mongolia increases in domestic goat production were associated with a 3‐fold increase in local profits for herders coexisting with endangered saiga (Saiga tatarica).That increasing domestic grazing pressure carries fitness consequences was inferred on the basis of an approximately 4‐fold difference in juvenile recruitment among blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur)in trans‐Himalayan India. Across 7 study areas in Mongolia, India, and China's Tibetan Plateau, native ungulate biomass is now <5% that of domestic species. Such trends suggest ecosystem degradation and decreased capacity for the persistence of native species, including at least 8 Asian endemic species: saiga, chiru (Pantholops hodgsoni), Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), snow leopard(Panthera uncia), khulan(Equus hemionus), kiang (E. kiang), takhi (E. przewalski), and wild yak (Bos mutus). Our results suggest striking yet indirect and unintended actions that link trophic‐level effects to markets induced by the trade for cashmere. Globalización del Mercado de Cachemira y la Declinación de Mamíferos Mayores en Asia Central     

The lichen-rich coastal heath vegetation on the isle of Anholt, Denmark — conservation and management

The high conservational value of the lichen-rich vegetation and landscape of the marine foreland Ørkenen on the isle of Anholt is treated from a Danish as well as a European perspective. The sensitivity of the lichen-rich vegetation to physical disturbance is emphasized. The impact of invasive species such asPinus mugo as well as the effect of atmospheric deposition of nutrients on the heaths at Anholt is described. Considerations related to the development of a management plan for Ørkenen are presented.     

Behavior and ecology of Old World Luperini beetles of the genusAulacophora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Summary The attraction of Old World leaf beetles in the genusAulacophora to kairomones and parakairomones which are effective lures for New WorldDiabrotica andAcalymma were investigated. Beetles captured on sticky traps baited with single and multicomponent lures were no different from the control traps for two species ofAulacophora. Yellow colored traps and squash blossoms are attractive toAulacophora beetles which detect sub-microgram quantities of cucurbitacins on silica gel. Leaf feeding behavior and flight activity data are correlated with varietal preference of threeAulacophora species. The common response byDiabrotica andAulacophora to cucurbitacins reinforces the two groups' coevolutionary association with the Cucurbitaceae. The apparent lack of a common response toCucurbita blossom volatiles suggests recent evolutionary pathways are substantially different for these two groups of beetles.     

Use of stochastic patch occupancy models in the California red-legged frog for Bayesian inference regarding past events and future persistence

Assessing causes of population decline is critically important to management of threatened species. Stochastic patch occupancy models (SPOMs) are popular tools for examining spatial and temporal dynamics of populations when presence–absence data in multiple habitat patches are available. We developed a Bayesian Markov chain method that extends existing SPOMs by focusing on past environmental changes that may have altered occupancy patterns prior to the beginning of data collection. Using occupancy data from 3 creeks, we applied the method to assess 2 hypothesized causes of population decline—in situ die-off and residual impact of past source population loss—in the California red-legged frog. Despite having no data for the 20–30 years between the hypothetical event leading to population decline and the first data collected, we were able to discriminate among hypotheses, finding evidence that in situ die-off increased in 2 of the creeks. Although the creeks had comparable numbers of occupied segments, owing to different extinction–colonization dynamics, our model predicted an 8-fold difference in persistence probabilities of their populations to 2030. Adding a source population led to a greater predicted persistence probability than did decreasing the in situ die-off, emphasizing that reversing the deleterious impacts of a disturbance may not be the most efficient management strategy. We expect our method will be useful for studying dynamics and evaluating management strategies of many species.