Growth rate and hatching date in ostrich chicks reflect humoral but not cell-mediated immune function

A tradeoff between immune response and life history traits, in particular growth rate, has been documented in various bird species. Ostriches are fast-growing birds and a typical feature of cohorts is that offspring often differ greatly in size. We investigated the relationship between hatching date and growth rate of chicks and both cell-mediated (measured using a phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) injection) and humoral immune responses in ostrich chicks maintained on a research farm. Chicks with higher growth rates had intermediate responses to both diphtheria and tetanus toxoids. By contrast, no relation between growth rates and responses to PHA injection were found. We conclude that chick growth rate variation may be explained beyond a certain threshold by a tradeoff between the humoral response and growth. Both responses to PHA injection and humoral responses in chicks were found to decrease with chick hatching date. Within the context of ostrich farming, these results could partially explain size variations observed in cohorts of chicks, as well as high mortality rates during their first 3 months of age.     

自适应滑模控制器的EPS侧风反向控制研究

为了研究在侧风影响下汽车正向助力转向偏移过大而威胁驾驶员行车安全的问题,提出一种将反向助力和自适应滑模控制器相结合的控制方法。该方法通过驾驶员转矩和汽车车速的配比设计反向助力特性曲线,并利用自适应滑模电机控制器控制电机输出助力转矩,使汽车在转向过程中,增加了驾驶员转向的阻尼感,也同时提高了驾驶员对转向电机的实时操纵性。将其应用到汽车EPS系统中,仿真结果表明,在不同的车速、风速下,采用反向控制策略不仅减小了方向盘角度、齿条位移,还减小了汽车横摆角速度,可以显著地改善汽车行驶的稳定性和安全性。     

中国能源消费排放的CO2测算

基于“能源-经济-环境”的MARKAL-MACRO模型和数理人口学中的Keyfitz模型,测算未来中国能源消费需求;考虑能源效率、能源结构的变化以及气候变化问题的约束,设定了能源消费的3种情景,并分别测算了CO2排放量.结果表明,在基准情景下,中国的CO2排放在2042年达到峰值,为118.47亿t;在能源结构优化情景下,CO2排放在2036年达到峰值,为107.53亿t;在气候变化约束情景下,CO2排放在2031年达到峰值,为94.72亿t,相对于基准情景,排放峰值降低了23.75亿t,且峰值时间提前11a.随着城市化与工业化的推进,电力、水泥、钢铁行业的碳排放将先上升后下降;由于机动车保有量的增加,交通运输业的碳排放将持续上升.     

中国工业废水排放格局及其驱动因素

基于2005~2015年中国31个省（市、自治区）的环境统计数据,运用GIS空间分析方法和SARAR计量模型系统刻画了工业废水排放的时空格局演变与空间集聚特征,并进一步揭示其驱动因素及区域差异性。结果表明：（1）研究时段内,工业废水排放逐年减少,但废水排放总量不断上升,表明中国废水排放主导源已经发生替变;（2）中国工业废水排放量总体呈现“东南高、西北低”的省际格局特征,胡焕庸线可看作工业废水排放“热区”与“冷区”的分界线;（3）中国工业废水排放表现出明显的空间集聚特征,集聚趋势逐年加强;（4）SARAR模型估计结果显示,城镇化推进、第二产业发展、人口增长依次是中国工业废水排放的主要驱动因素。与全国相比,热区的SARAR模型估计结果与上述结论基本一致,但各驱动因素的影响效应略有不同     

大气环境质量预测模型研究

为适应青岛和贵阳地区地形和大气流场复杂的特点,吸收高斯烟云模式和烟团模式的优点,建立高斯轨迹烟云模式,模式同时考虑静风条件下的扩散。应用青岛和贵阳的实测数据对模式的性能进行检验,结果证明,该模式可适用于地形和流场复杂的地区。该模式是环境决策支持系统的一部分。      

关键环境因子对海月水母浮浪幼虫附着变态的影响

海月水母的生活史包括底栖的螅状体世代和浮游的水母体世代。水母成体通过有性生殖释放精子和卵子,形成受精卵,受精卵随后经由浮浪幼虫变态发育成螅状体。浮浪幼虫经附着变态成为螅状体的阶段因在海底发生,不易观察,常被忽视。本文选取温度、盐度、光照3个关键环境因子,在实验室条件下开展了其对海月水母浮浪幼虫附着变态影响的研究。结果表明:（1）21 ℃为海月水母浮浪幼虫附着变态的最适宜温度,在此温度下浮浪幼虫附着所需时间最短（48 h）,温度过高（24 ℃）或者过低（12 ℃）都不利于浮浪幼虫附着;（2）在试验的盐度范围内（18～33）,盐度越低,浮浪幼虫附着率越高;（3）在试验所设置的光照范围内（0～300 Lux）,随着光强的增加,海月水母浮浪幼虫的附着率提高。本研究有助于人们了解海月水母的生活史,并为近岸水母暴发的防治提供数据参考。     

Combined MODFLOW‐FRACTRAN Application to Assess Chlorinated Solvent Transport and Remediation in Fractured Sedimentary Rock

Detailed field investigations and numerical modeling were conducted to evaluate transport and fate of chlorinated solvent contamination in a fractured sedimentary bedrock aquifer (sandstone/siltstone/mudstone) at a Superfund site in central New Jersey. Field investigations provided information on the fractured rock system hydrogeology, including hydraulic gradients, bulk hydraulic conductivity, fracture network, and rock matrix, and on depth discrete contaminant distribution in fractures (via groundwater sampling) and matrix (via detailed subsampling of continuous cores). The numerical modeling endeavor involved application of both an equivalent porous media (EPM) model for flow and a discrete fracture network (DFN) model for transport. This combination of complementary models, informed by appropriate field data, allowed a quantitative representation of the conceptual site model (CSM) to assess relative importance of various processes, and to examine efficacy of remedial alternatives. Modeling progressed in two stages: first a large‐scale (20 km x 25 km domain) 3‐D EPM flow model (MODFLOW) was used to evaluate the bulk groundwater flow system and contaminant transport pathways under historic and current aquifer stress conditions and current stresses. Then, results of the flow model informed a 2‐D DFN transport model (FRACTRAN) to evaluate transport along a 1,000‐m flowpath from the source represented as a 2‐D vertical cross‐section. The combined model results were used to interpret and estimate the current and potential future extent of rock matrix and aqueous‐phase contaminant conditions and evaluate remedial strategies. Results of this study show strong effects of matrix diffusion and other processes on attenuating the plume such that future impacts on downgradient well fields under the hydraulic stresses modeled should be negligible. Results also showed futility of source remediation efforts in the fractured rock, and supported a technical impracticability (TI) waiver for the site. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Groundwater-surface water interaction and its role on TCE groundwater plume attenuation

A field investigation of a TCE plume in a surficial sand aquifer shows that groundwater-surface water interactions strongly influence apparent plume attenuation. At the site, a former industrial facility in Connecticut, depth-discrete monitoring along three cross-sections (transects) perpendicular to groundwater flow shows a persistent VOC plume extending 700 m from the DNAPL source zone to a mid-size river. Maximum TCE concentrations along a transect 280 m from the source were in the 1000s of microg/L with minimal degradation products. Beyond this, the land surface drops abruptly to a lower terrace where a shallow pond and small streams occur. Two transects along the lower terrace, one midway between the facility and river just downgradient of the pond and one along the edge of the river, give the appearance that the plume has strongly attenuated. At the river, maximum TCE concentrations in the 10s of microg/L and similar levels of its degradation product cis-DCE show direct plume discharge from groundwater to the river is negligible. Although degradation plays a role in the strong plume attenuation, the major attenuation factor is partial groundwater plume discharge to surface water (i.e. the pond and small streams), where some mass loss occurs via water-air exchange. Groundwater and stream mass discharge estimates show that more than half of the plume mass discharge crossing the first transect, before surface water interactions occur, reaches the river directly via streamflow, although river concentrations were below detection due to dilution. This study shows that groundwater and surface water concentration measurements together provide greater confidence in identifying and quantifying natural attenuation processes at this site, rather than groundwater measurements alone.     

Industrial sources influence air concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide in rural areas of western Canada

A survey of monthly average concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at rural locations in western Canada (provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan) was conducted in 2001-2002, as part of an epidemiological study of the effects of oil and gas industry emissions on the health of cattle. Repeated measurements were obtained at some months and locations. We aimed to develop statistical models of the effect of oil and gas infrastructure on air concentrations. The regulatory authorities supplied the information on location of the different oil and gas facilities during the study period and, for Alberta, provided data on H2S content of wells and flaring volumes. Linear mixed effects models were used to relate observed concentrations to proximity and type of oil and gas infrastructure. Low concentrations were recorded; the monthly geometric mean was 0.1-0.2 ppb for H2S, and 0.3-1.3 ppb for SO2. Substantial variability between repeated measurements was observed. The precision of the measurement method was 0.005 ppb for both contaminants. There were seasonal trends in the concentrations, but the spatial variability was greater. This was explained, in part, by proximity to oil/gas/bitumen wells and (for SO2) gas plants. Wells within 2 km of monitoring stations had the greatest impact on measured concentrations. For H2S, 8% of between-location variability was explained by proximity to industrial sources of emissions; for SO2 this proportion was 18%. In Alberta, proximity to sour gas wells and flares was associated with elevated H2S concentrations; however, the estimate of the effect of sour gas wells in the immediate vicinity of monitoring stations was unstable. Our study was unable to control for all possible sources of the contaminants. However, the results suggest that oil and gas extraction activities contribute to air pollution in rural areas of western Canada.     

Coal-Mine Hollow Fill and Settling Pond Influences on Headwater Streams in Southern West Virginia, USA

The influences of coal-mine hollow fills and associated settling ponds in three headwater streams were assessed in southern West Virginia, USA. Fill drainage waters had elevated conductivities and metal concentrations, compared to a regional reference. Benthic macroinvertebrate richness was not affected consistently by the hollow fill drainages, relative to a regional reference, although a more tolerant community, lacking in Ephemeroptera taxa at most locations, was evident. Collector-filterer populations were elevated at monitoring stations directly below the settling ponds, indicating that the ponds’ presence influenced macroinvertebrate community structure by means of organic enrichment. Corbicula fluminea growth was enhanced in monitoring locations directly below the settling ponds, also an apparent result of organic enrichment. Results of acute water column toxicity testing with Ceriodaphnia dubia, sediment chronic toxicity testing with Daphnia magna, and in-situ ecotoxicological assessments with C. fluminea demonstrated no mortality or toxic influence at most of the sites tested below the ponds. The settling ponds appear to serve as sinks in collecting some, but not all, trace metals.