Setbacks to shoot growth are common in woody plants, so how are shoots of some species safer than others?

Tissue turnover is a critical facet of plant life history variation. This study quantifies losses from setbacks to growth of terminal woody shoots 1.2m long, across 83 species and seven sites in eastern Australia. Setbacks, where the leading meristem had been removed or died and a new leader had emerged, were common (median three per shoot). Shoots had lost an average of 0.25 m of lead-stem length for 1.2 m net shoot-length gain. Insects like girdlers and borers were prominent causes of large setbacks. The sites spanned tropical to temperate and humid to semiarid climates, but variation in stem loss was much greater across species than across sites. We measured 17 plant functional traits related to growth form, mechanics, hydraulics, and economics. Only four traits were correlated with variation across species in stem losses: stem diameter, stem nitrogen content, bark thickness, and maximum photosynthetic rate. The correlations were weak. Stem specific gravity (wood density) showed no correlation with risk. Our results suggest a pattern similar to the growth risk trade-off known for herbaceous plants, where traits associated with fast growth increase tissue turnover and herbivory, but the weak correlations leave ample scope for other influences that remain to be identified.     

Performance evaluation of an anaerobic/aerobic landfill-based digester using yard waste for energy and compost production

The objective of this study was to evaluate a new alternative for yard waste management by constructing, operating and monitoring a landfill-based two-stage batch digester (anaerobic/aerobic) with the recovery of energy and compost. The system was initially operated under anaerobic conditions for 366 days, after which the yard waste was aerated for an additional 191 days. Off gas generated from the aerobic stage was treated by biofilters. Net energy recovery was 84.3MWh, or 46kWh per million metric tons of wet waste (as received), and the biochemical methane potential of the treated waste decreased by 83% during the two-stage operation. The average removal efficiencies of volatile organic compounds and non-methane organic compounds in the biofilters were 96-99% and 68-99%, respectively.     

Boater preferences for beach characteristics downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona

Release flow decisions are increasingly being influenced by an array of social values, including those related to river-based recreation. A substantial portion of past recreation research on downstream impacts of dams has focused on variability of instream flows. This study complements past research by assessing user preferences for beach characteristics affected by long-term impacts of flow regimes. Based upon a study of three recreational user groups (private trip leaders, commercial passengers, and river guides) of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, preferences for beach size, presence of shade on beach, and presence of vegetation on beach are examined. Results indicate that large size beaches with shade from trees are setting characteristics with highly reliable and strong user preferences. The multinomial regression models developed for each user group indicate that 80% of all respondents would choose beach campsites 800 m(2); results were the same regardless of respondents' past boating experience, boat type (i.e. oar or motorized), or group size. In addition, size of beach was consistently reported to be a trip feature of moderate importance to respondents' river trip. Implications of this research are related to future prospects for controlled floods (i.e. spike flows) released from Glen Canyon Dam.     

Using a driving simulator to identify older drivers at inflated risk of motor vehicle crashes

PROBLEM: To develop appropriate assessment criteria to measure the performance of older drivers using an interactive PC-based driving simulator, and to determine which measures were associated with the occurrence of motor-vehicle crash. METHOD: One hundred and twenty-nine older drivers residing in a metropolitan city volunteered to participate in this retrospective cohort study. Using the driving simulator, appropriate driving tasks were devised to test the older drivers, whose performances were assessed by 10 reliable assessment criteria. Logistic regression analysis was then undertaken to determine those criteria that influence the self-reported crash outcome. RESULTS: As expected, driving skill of older drivers was found to decline with age. Over 60% of the sample participants reported having at least one motor-vehicle crash during the past year. Adjusting for age in a logistic regression analysis, the cognitive abilities associated with the crash occurrence were working memory, decision making under pressure of time, and confidence in driving at high speed. SUMMARY: The findings of this retrospective study indicated those individuals at inflated risk of vehicle crashes could be identified using the PC-based interactive driving simulator. Prospective studies need to be undertaken to determine whether the driving simulator can predict future crash events. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: This study demonstrated an economical driving simulator approach to screen out problematic or unsafe older drivers before a more detailed but expensive road test is considered.     

利益相关者的观点:推动组织

清洁生产原则的积极推广,有赖于政府、工业界和"推动组织"(例如金融和教育机构、非政府组织、技术指导人员和咨询人员、工业协会)间有效合作伙伴关系的推动与发展.本文引证了推动组织参与的一些成功行动.迫切希望不同的利益相关者在推动社会向可持续性发展转化中,发挥更积极的作用.     

Modeling obsolete computer stock under regional data constraints: An Atlanta case study

In this paper, we report on our efforts to develop a research framework that can be used to quantify waste flows for different geographical areas in the face of limited waste data availability. We demonstrate this framework in our case study of obsolete computers in the Atlanta metropolitan area. We develop computer obsolescence rates at the national metropolitan level, and couple this data with economic information at the census tract level to generate product inventory estimates (PIE) of the stock of obsolete computers from both business and household sectors in the Atlanta metropolitan area. We seek to improve the accuracy of waste flow estimates for specific geographic areas over those of previous studies, provide an easily replicable and cost effective methodology, highlight the ensuing spatial implications for collection and recycling systems using GIS, and demonstrate the potential economic benefits from diverting electronic wastes within a region. The modeling framework we have developed is intended to be applicable to other regions and to other medium range durable goods discarded by households, businesses, or obtained from buildings.     

Tapping the leakages: Methane losses, mitigation options and policy issues for Russian long distance gas transmission pipelines

The Russian natural gas industry is the world's largest producer and transporter of natural gas. This paper aims to characterize the methane emissions from Russian natural gas transmission operations, to explain projects to reduce these emissions, and to characterize the role of emissions reduction within the context of current GHG policy. It draws on the most recent independent measurements at all parts of the Russian long distance transport system made by the Wuppertal Institute in 2003 and combines these results with the findings from the US Natural Gas STAR Program on GHG mitigation options and economics.With this background the paper concludes that the methane emissions from the Russian natural gas long distance network are approximately 0.6% of the natural gas delivered. Mitigating these emissions can create new revenue streams for the operator in the form of reduced costs, increased gas throughput and sales, and earned carbon credits. Specific emissions sources that have cost-effective mitigation solutions are also opportunities for outside investment for the Joint Implementation Kyoto Protocol flexibility mechanism or other carbon markets.     

FLOOD PROTECTION BENEFITS AS REFLECTED IN PROPERTY VALUE CHANGES1

ABSTRACT: Measuring flood control benefits from estimated property damage in prior floods omits losses in the form of depressed values of land put to less valuable uses because of annual flooding. Covariance analysis of real property values in three urban areas differently situated around Lake Cumberland, Kentucky shows a much larger rate of increase, over a 15-year period, for the area receiving flood protection. This suggests that the economic benefits from a flood protection facility include these additional property value increases as well as the prevented property damage.     

Stream macroinvertebrate baseline surveys: A comparative analysis from the oil-shale regions of Colorado,USA

General surveys of the benthic macroinvertebrates from Piceance Creek and the White River were conducted for nearly a decade prior to oil-shale exploitation in north central Colorado, USA. Comparison of the taxa collected in four studies on Piceance Creek and five studies on the White River shows little similarity among most studies. Studies were generally consistent in methods, site selection, and time of year for collection. Lack of agreement among the studies on what constitutes a baseline of common taxa is probably a result of taxonomic difficulties and differences in technique. More emphasis should be placed on testing possible impacts than on repeated, expensive, and inconclusive baseline inventories.     

植物CytP450和抗氧化酶对土壤菲、芘暴露的生态毒理响应

以玉米(Zea mays L.)为供试植物,草甸棕壤为供试土壤,以微粒体细胞色素P450含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性为指标,进行了土壤菲、芘暴露的生态毒理响应研究.结果表明,菲、芘暴露均能引起植物代谢解毒和抗氧化防御系统的胁迫响应,不同程度引发植物代谢解毒及抗氧化能力的改变.P450酶活性与低浓度菲、芘单-暴露浓度具有相关性(r=0.834,P<0.01),与菲、芘复合暴露浓度负相关,说明菲、芘复合暴露导致代谢解毒能力下降,对植物的代谢解毒具有协同毒性效应;SOD酶活性与菲、芘单一暴露浓度负相关,CAT酶活性与菲、芘单-暴露浓度正相关,POD酶活性与菲的水溶解度正相关,而与芘的总浓度负相关.SOD、CAT和POD酶活性与菲、芘复合暴露浓度均呈正相关,说明菲、芘复合暴露导致氧化损伤程度减弱,对植物的氧化损伤具有拮抗作用.