The brief as an instrument of policy

A review of the use of planning and design briefs by local authorities in the United Kingdom was carried out in 1982–83 to test whether the role of the brief as an instrument of local policy and as a promotional tool in the development process was being fully exploited. The paper provides a state of the art review, presents a summary of the findings and offers some comments on the results. It concludes that most authorities now use briefs as part of their normal planning procedures, but that there is potential which is not yet being exploited.     

Modelling and experimental studies on the transfer of radionuclides to fruit

Although fruit is an important component of the diet, the extent to which it contributes to radiological exposure remains unclear, partially as a consequence of uncertainties in models and data used to assess transfer of radionuclides in the food chain. A Fruits Working Group operated as part of the IAEA BIOMASS (BIOsphere Modelling and ASSessment) programme from 1997 to 2000, with the aim of improving the robustness of the models that are used for radiological assessment. The Group completed a number of modelling and experimental activities including: (i) a review of experimental, field and modelling information on the transfer of radionuclides to fruit; (ii) discussion of recently completed or ongoing experimental studies; (iii) development of a database on the transfer of radionuclides to fruit; (iv) development of a conceptual model for fruit and (v) two model intercomparison studies and a model validation study. The Group achieved significant advances in understanding the processes involved in transfer of radionuclides to fruit. The work demonstrated that further experimental and modelling studies are required to ensure that the current generation of models can be applied to a wide range of scenarios.     

Mercury volatilisation and phytoextraction from base-metal mine tailings

Experiments were carried out in plant growth chambers and in the field to investigate plant-mercury accumulation and volatilisation in the presence of thiosulphate (S2O3)-containing solutions. Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) plants grown in Hg-contaminated Tui mine tailings (New Zealand) were enclosed in gastight volatilisation chambers to investigate the effect of ammonium thiosulphate ([NH4]2 S2O3) on the plant-Hg volatilisation process. Application of (NH4)2 S2O3 to substrates increased up to 6 times the Hg concentration in shoots and roots of B. juncea relative to controls. Volatilisation rates were significantly higher in plants irrigated only with water (control) when compared to plants treated with (NH4)2 S2O3. Volatilisation from barren pots (without plants) indicated that Hg in tailings is subject to biological and photochemical reactions. Addition of sodium thiosulphate (Na2S2O3) at 5 g/kg of substrate to B. juncea plants grown at the Tui mine site confirmed the plant growth chambers studies showing the effectiveness of thio-solutions at enhancing shoot Hg concentrations. Mercury extraction from the field plots yielded a maximum value of 25 g/ha. Mass balance studies revealed that volatilisation is a dominant pathway for Hg removal from the Tui mine site. A preliminary assessment of the risks of volatilisation indicated that enhanced Hg emissions by plants would not harm the local population and the regional environment.     

Organic solute accumulation in osmotically-stressed Enteromorpha intestinalis

The role of organic solutes in the osmotic adjustment processes of the marine macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis (L.) Link was investigated in 1986, using fresh samples collected from mid-shore rock pools at Tayport, Fife, Scotland. Natural-abundance ¹³C nuclear magnetic-resonance spectroscopy revealed -dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) to be the only major low molecular weight organic osmolyte present. However, on transfer to a hypersaline medium (300% sea water; 100%=35 S), tissue sucrose and proline levels increased markedly, while DMSP remained constant. Recovery of optimal photosynthetic activity and increases in inorganic ion levels occurred over a similar time scale to the changes in sucrose and proline (within 48 h), indicating that these two organic solutes are involved in hyperosmotic adjustment in E. intestinalis while DMSP is not. Freshly-collected plants transferred to 300% sea water medium in the dark showed no significant increases in organic osmolytes. In contrast, starch-enrichment (16 d continuous illumination) led to enhanced synthesis of sucrose and proline in the light and in darkness, but tissue DMSP levels showed no variation throughout. These observations suggest that DMSP is not involved in short-term osmoacclimation in E. intestinalis.     

干燥条件下高硫煤低温氧化特性研究

为进一步揭示不同环境条件下高硫煤的低温氧化特性,选取含硫量较低、自燃倾向性较高的褐煤,向其添加不同比例的FeS2,配制成含量分别为3%,5%,7%的混合高硫煤样,利用中国矿业大学自行研制的煤氧化模拟试验系统,测试分析干燥混合煤样在低温氧化过程中,交叉温度和指标气体CO产生量体积的变化。试验结果表明,在低温干燥的条件下,随着FeS2含量的增加,煤样的氧化特性受到抑制:交叉点温度升高;指标气体CO产生量在相同温度时体积降低。因此,在高硫煤层自燃火灾防治过程中,应尽量控制煤层周围环境的干燥度。     

Monitoring,imperfect detection,and risk optimization of a Tasmanian devil insurance population

Most species are imperfectly detected during biological surveys, which creates uncertainty around their abundance or presence at a given location. Decision makers managing threatened or pest species are regularly faced with this uncertainty. Wildlife diseases can drive species to extinction; thus, managing species with disease is an important part of conservation. Devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) is one such disease that led to the listing of the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) as endangered. Managers aim to maintain devils in the wild by establishing disease‐free insurance populations at isolated sites. Often a resident DFTD‐affected population must first be removed. In a successful collaboration between decision scientists and wildlife managers, we used an accessible population model to inform monitoring decisions and facilitate the establishment of an insurance population of devils on Forestier Peninsula. We used a Bayesian catch‐effort model to estimate population size of a diseased population from removal and camera trap data. We also analyzed the costs and benefits of declaring the area disease‐free prior to reintroduction and establishment of a healthy insurance population. After the monitoring session in May–June 2015, the probability that all devils had been successfully removed was close to 1, even when we accounted for a possible introduction of a devil to the site. Given this high probability and the baseline cost of declaring population absence prematurely, we found it was not cost‐effective to carry out any additional monitoring before introducing the insurance population. Considering these results within the broader context of Tasmanian devil management, managers ultimately decided to implement an additional monitoring session before the introduction. This was a conservative decision that accounted for uncertainty in model estimates and for the broader nonmonetary costs of mistakenly declaring the area disease‐free.     

Patterns of houses and habitat loss from 1937 to 1999 in northern Wisconsin, USA.

Rural America is witnessing widespread housing development, which is to the detriment of the environment. It has been suggested to cluster houses so that their disturbance zones overlap and thus cause less habitat loss than is the case for dispersed development. Clustering houses makes intuitive sense, but few empirical studies have quantified the spatial pattern of houses in real landscapes, assessed changes in their patterns over time, and quantified the resulting habitat loss. We addressed three basic questions: (1) What are the spatial patterns of houses and how do they change over time; (2) How much habitat is lost due to houses, and how is this affected by spatial pattern of houses; and (3) What type of habitat is most affected by housing development. We mapped 27 419 houses from aerial photos for five time periods in 17 townships in northern Wisconsin and calculated the terrestrial land area remaining after buffering each house using 100- and 500-m disturbance zones. The number of houses increased by 353% between 1937 and 1999. Ripley's K test showed that houses were significantly clustered at all time periods and at all scales. Due to the clustering, the rate at which habitat was lost (176% and 55% for 100- and 500-m buffers, respectively) was substantially lower than housing growth rates, and most land area was undisturbed (95% and 61% for 100-m and 500-m buffers, respectively). Houses were strongly clustered within 100 m of lakes. Habitat loss was lowest in wetlands but reached up to 60% in deciduous forests. Our results are encouraging in that clustered development is common in northern Wisconsin, and habitat loss is thus limited. However, the concentration of development along lakeshores causes concern, because these may be critical habitats for many species. Conservation goals can only be met if policies promote clustered development and simultaneously steer development away from sensitive ecosystems.     

SO2衍生物对蚕豆根尖细胞不同分裂阶段的遗传损伤

研究SO2体内衍生物-亚硫酸钠和亚硫酸氢钠混合液[c(Na2SO3):c(NaHSO3)=3:1]对蚕豆根尖细胞不同分裂时期的遗传损伤效应；结果表明：SO2衍生物（c=0.17-15.0mmolL^-1)诱发蚕豆根尖细胞遗传损伤在细胞分裂的不同阶段有不同的表现形式。间期异常主要是微核和核芽，分裂期异常包括微核，染色体断片，粘连及滞后等，研究结果表明：SO2衍生物处理组蚕豆根尖中，间期微核细胞数，分裂期具有染色体断裂，粘连或滞后的细胞数均明显多于对照组，而且易于观察分析，可以作为环境监测指标。     

An improved technique for the determination of organic phosphorus in sediments and soils by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Knowledge of organic phosphorus (P) species quantity and distribution in sediments and soils is needed to determine the potential for aquatic and terrestrial organism growth. This can be achieved with ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), but resolving peaks within spectra can be problematic because of broadening via paramagnetics, which can cause peaks to overlap. We compared ³¹P NMR spectra of NaOH-EDTA extracts of three sediments and three soils to those that had first been pre-treated with Ca-EDTA-dithionite to remove Fe and Mn, paramagnetics that cause broadening of peaks, but leave organic P alone. Broadening of peaks in Ca-EDTA-dithionite pre-treated samples decreased by 46% and revealed peaks that were hidden compared to untreated samples. The spectrum of one pre-treated soil was similar if not better than the same soil that had received pre-treatment with Chelex resin (also to remove paramagnetics). Therefore, pre-treatment with Ca-EDTA-dithionite is recommended as a simple and cost-effective method for improving organic P idenTIFication and determination in subsequent NaOH-EDTA extracts of sediments and soils rich in Fe and Mn.     

Occurrence and significance of nitrogen transport in the brown alga Laminaria digitata

Nitrogen transport in a Laminaria digitata (Huds.) Lamour population growing at Arbroath, Scotland has been investigated (during the period 3 June 1981 to 3 July 1981), using ¹⁵N as tracer. NO ₃ ^- was assimilated both by the blade meristem and by the mature blade. NO ₃ ^- uptake by the blade meristem alone was insufficient to supply the nitrogen demand for growth. This additional demand was met by nitrogen transport from the mature blade to the meristem. It was estimated that 70% of the nitrogen demand of the meristematic region was supplied by nitrogen transport from the mature blade. Although transport occurred, the size of the endogenous pool of stored nitrogen in the mature blade did not change, the quantity of nitrogen transported being equivalent to the amount of NO ₃ ^- assimilated during the experimental period. The possible co-transport of nitrogen and carbon is discussed.