Heterogeneous NOx chemistry in the polluted PBL

The significance of heterogeneous mechanisms in controlling gas-phase NO_x (NO, NO₂) mixing ratios in polluted urban air, especially during nighttime, is not well established. Several recent studies have suggested that carbon soot can provide an effective surface for mediating the inter conversion among several NO_y members. However, a number of such reactions reported in the literature have widely varying reaction probabilities and often conflicting pathways. We evaluated several of these reactions and choose the NO₂ conversion to HONO on the surface of soot particles for further analysis with a box photochemical model. These calculations show that the conversion of NO₂ to HONO on particle surfaces produces a large, measurable signal (up to several parts per billion) in nighttime HONO mixing ratios. Inclusion of this reaction was also shown to have significant impacts on ozone, OH and HO₂ in the polluted planetary boundary layer (PBL). The sensitivity of these results to the different reaction rate probabilities (γ) and particle surface areas was also examined. Results are then evaluated to find the combination of γ and surface areas that would mostly likely occur in the PBL within the limitations of the model.     

Seventy‐One Important Questions for the Conservation of Marine Biodiversity

The ocean provides food, economic activity, and cultural value for a large proportion of humanity. Our knowledge of marine ecosystems lags behind that of terrestrial ecosystems, limiting effective protection of marine resources. We describe the outcome of 2 workshops in 2011 and 2012 to establish a list of important questions, which, if answered, would substantially improve our ability to conserve and manage the world's marine resources. Participants included individuals from academia, government, and nongovernment organizations with broad experience across disciplines, marine ecosystems, and countries that vary in levels of development. Contributors from the fields of science, conservation, industry, and government submitted questions to our workshops, which we distilled into a list of priority research questions. Through this process, we identified 71 key questions. We grouped these into 8 subject categories, each pertaining to a broad component of marine conservation: fisheries, climate change, other anthropogenic threats, ecosystems, marine citizenship, policy, societal and cultural considerations, and scientific enterprise. Our questions address many issues that are specific to marine conservation, and will serve as a road map to funders and researchers to develop programs that can greatly benefit marine conservation. Setenta y Un Preguntas Importantes para la Conservación de la Biodiversidad Marina     

Utilization of sepiolite materials as a bottom liner material in solid waste landfills

Landfill bottom liners are generally constructed with natural clay soils due to their high strength and low hydraulic conductivity characteristics. However, in recent years it is increasingly difficult to find locally available clay soils that satisfy the required engineering properties. Fine grained soils such as sepiolite and zeolite may be used as alternative materials in the constructions of landfill bottom liners. A study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of using natural clay rich in kaolinite, sepiolite, zeolite, and their mixtures as a bottom liner material. Unconfined compression tests, swell tests, hydraulic conductivity tests, batch and column adsorption tests were performed on each type of soil and sepiolite–zeolite mixtures. The results of the current study indicate that sepiolite is the dominant material that affects both the geomechanical and geoenvironmental properties of these alternative liners. An increase in sepiolite content in the sepiolite–zeolite mixtures increased the strength, swelling potential and metal adsorption capacities of the soil mixtures. Moreover, hydraulic conductivity of the mixtures decreased significantly with the addition of sepiolite. The utilization of sepiolite–zeolite materials as a bottom liner material allowed for thinner liners with some reduction in construction costs compared to use of a kaolinite-rich clay.     

Virtual Intergovernmental Linkage Through the Environmental Information Exchange Network

Over the past decade the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the states have partnered in developing a web-based information sharing initiative that provides state environmental agencies easy access to federal environmental monitoring data and to the environmental data of other states, and gives the EPA access to data from state sources. The Environmental Information Exchange Network (EIEN) has established basic data exchange nodes in each of the states. Using multiple regression analysis we investigate the factors that account for the number and development stage of the data exchanges in which the states participate as of 2009. Overall, we find that administrative factors, especially the EPA’s grant program, are more important than political or environmental conditions. Participation in the exchanges is important not only as a way to reduce costs for data reporting and communication, but also as a precursor to greater eventual interstate environmental collaboration. Though clear evidence of a transition to collaboration is not yet seen here, there are some indications it may emerge in time.     

面向对象的湖泊污染控制智能工程设计方法

针对传统湖泊污染治理在工程设计上存在的不足,在分析传统方法与面向对象的智能设计方法差异性的基础上,提出面向对象的智能设计方法的关键特征,即:对象视角、因果为基、集点成面、时空优化.以蓝藻控制为对象,基于垂向水动力扰动机和抽水除藻回灌技术,对蓝藻控制和水质改善的效果进行了面向对象的智能设计分析.主要的研究结论如下:传统的工程设计范式无法科学指导切实有效的湖泊污染工程设计与决策;在案例中,智能设计方法基于对象视角和定量因果分析,确定扰动机技术对于实现低到中等的水质改善目标(如在本试验水体中设置Chla浓度峰值控制目标为70μg·L-1)具有比抽水技术高得多的效率,但如果水质目标高于一定值(如在本试验水体中设置Chla浓度峰值控制目标>100μg·L-1)时,扰动机不能实现,抽水技术可以实现,但单独使用抽水技术成本太高;结合两种技术比单独使用其中一项都更有效率,且两种技术的定量规模控制对实际工程效益和成本具有显著影响.本研究显示了应用面向对象的智能设计方法的重要性与潜力,为促进湖泊污染的有效治理、有效改善湖泊水质以及相关决策提供一种新的方法学和思路.     

垂向水动力扰动机的蓝藻控制效应数值实验研究

在蓝藻水华的控制研究中,目前的发展趋势是采用快速、生态安全且经济有效的技术,其中使用垂向水动力扰动机抑制蓝藻备受关注,但缺乏深入和定量的工程设计与效果评估研究.针对垂向水动力扰动机的蓝藻抑制效应开展数值实验研究,以三维数值营养盐-藻类动力学模型(EFDC)为框架,定量探讨了扰动机数量及其位置分布对叶绿素、总氮和总磷的影响.模拟结果表明,扰动机的存在对蓝藻抑制具有比较明显的作用,随着扰动机数量由0逐渐增加到20个时,Chl-a峰值浓度共减少了37.695 2μg.L-1,并且扰动机对水质改善的程度与其数量存在很强的非线性关系,即当扰动机数量由无到有并逐渐增加时,藻类抑制的效果明显增强;但当扰动机的数量增加到一定量时,进一步增加数量将不会相应增强蓝藻抑制效果.这表明扰动机存在一个最佳数量问题.此外,本研究发现除了数量之外,扰动机的位置对蓝藻控制的效果也有很大影响.数值实验结果显示如果扰动机放置位置得当,少量的扰动机就可达到甚至超过更多扰动机所能达到的蓝藻控制效果.尤其是优化12个扰动机的位置后,Chl-a峰值浓度比扰动机为20个时减少了7.172 6μg.L-1.这些研究结果验证了国内外相关研究对水动力扰动机蓝藻控制效果的肯定性结果,并进一步表明了在实际应用该项技术时必须因地制宜,结合使用智能工程技术(如:高分辨率数值模型)确定最佳扰动机数量与位置,从而确保以最低成本获取最大的蓝藻控制效果.除蓝藻控制之外,数值实验结果也表明扰动机对营养盐浓度也有一定的降低效果.     

Cellulose biogenesis in bacteria and higher plants is disrupted by magnetic fields

This work was supported by a grant from Johnson &; Johnson to RMB. We 5 thank Dr. M. Schülein, Novo A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark for providing CBH.     

REDD+ policy strategy in Cameroon: Actors,institutions and governance

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is receiving increasing political and scientific attention as a climate change mitigation approach. The government of Cameroon has expressed an interest in participating in REDD+, and national deliberation on a policy strategy has attracted interest from different actors in the forest sector. This paper analyses the challenges of designing a governance structure for a REDD+ strategy in Cameroon. Theoretically, the paper builds on the literature on governance structures for resource management, focusing analytically on the interactions between actor constellations (state and non-state) and institutions (formal and informal) to produce policy outcomes. The paper draws on documentation of REDD+ policy events, policy texts and 23 in-depth interviews with members from government, civil society, research organizations, development partners and the private sector. It argues that although the actors involved in REDD+ are, to an extent, polarized around different issues and priorities, they are nonetheless increasingly distributing roles and responsibilities among themselves. The institutional arrangements within the policy process include: (1) rule-making systems for engagement; (2) expanding existing coordination mechanisms; (3) national safeguard standards; and (4) building on existing forest governance initiatives. The paper concludes that the multiple benefits promised by REDD+, such as poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation and economic development, are critical for the legitimacy of the mechanism.     

Best management practices for nutrient and sediment retention in urban stormwater runoff

Stormwater management infrastructure is utilized in urban areas to alleviate flooding caused by decreased landscape permeability from increased impervious surface cover (ISC) construction. In this study, we examined two types of stormwater detention basins, SDB-BMPs (stormwater detention basin-best management practice), and SDB-FCs (stormwater detention basin-flood control). Both are constructed to retain peak stormwater flows for flood mitigation. However, the SDB-BMPs are also designed using basin topography and wetland vegetation to provide water quality improvement (nutrient and sediment removal and retention). The objective of this study was to compare SDB (both SDB-BMP and SDB-FC) surface soil P concentrations, P saturation, and Fe chemistry with natural riparian wetlands (RWs), using sites in Fairfax County, Virginia as a model system. The SDB-BMPs had significantly greater surface soil total P (P(t)) concentrations than the RWs and SDB-FCs (831.9 +/- 32.5 kg ha(-1), 643.3 +/- 19.1 kg ha(-1), and 652.1 +/- 18.8 kg ha(-1), respectively). The soil P sorption capacities of SDB-BMPs were similar to the RWs, and were greater than those of SDB-FCs, appearing to result in greater soil P removal and retention in SDB-BMPs compared with SDB-FCs. Increased Fe concentrations and relatively greater amounts of more crystalline forms of Fe in SDB-BMP soils suggested increased sediment deposition compared with RW and SDB-FC soils. Data suggest that SDB nutrient and sediment retention is facilitated in SDB-BMPs. When stormwater management is necessary, use of SDB-BMPs instead of SDB-FCs could foster more responsible urban development and be an appropriate mitigation action for receiving aquatic ecosystems.