The role of digital data entry in participatory environmental monitoring

Many argue that monitoring conducted exclusively by scientists is insufficient to address ongoing environmental challenges. One solution entails the use of mobile digital devices in participatory monitoring (PM) programs. But how digital data entry affects programs with varying levels of stakeholder participation, from nonscientists collecting field data to nonscientists administering every step of a monitoring program, remains unclear. We reviewed the successes, in terms of management interventions and sustainability, of 107 monitoring programs described in the literature (hereafter programs) and compared these with case studies from our PM experiences in Australia, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greenland, and Vietnam (hereafter cases). Our literature review showed that participatory programs were less likely to use digital devices, and 2 of our 3 more participatory cases were also slow to adopt digital data entry. Programs that were participatory and used digital devices were more likely to report management actions, which was consistent with cases in Ethiopia, Greenland, and Australia. Programs engaging volunteers were more frequently reported as ongoing, but those involving digital data entry were less often sustained when data collectors were volunteers. For the Vietnamese and Canadian cases, sustainability was undermined by a mismatch in stakeholder objectives. In the Ghanaian case, complex field protocols diminished monitoring sustainability. Innovative technologies attract interest, but the foundation of effective participatory adaptive monitoring depends more on collaboratively defined questions, objectives, conceptual models, and monitoring approaches. When this foundation is built through effective partnerships, digital data entry can enable the collection of more data of higher quality. Without this foundation, or when implemented ineffectively or unnecessarily, digital data entry can be an additional expense that distracts from core monitoring objectives and undermines project sustainability. The appropriate role of digital data entry in PM likely depends more on the context in which it is used and less on the technology itself.     

Review of LCA studies of solid waste management systems – Part II: Methodological guidance for a better practice

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is increasingly used in waste management to identify strategies that prevent or minimise negative impacts on ecosystems, human health or natural resources. However, the quality of the provided support to decision- and policy-makers is strongly dependent on a proper conduct of the LCA. How has LCA been applied until now? Are there any inconsistencies in the past practice? To answer these questions, we draw on a critical review of 222 published LCA studies of solid waste management systems. We analyse the past practice against the ISO standard requirements and the ILCD Handbook guidelines for each major step within the goal definition, scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation phases of the methodology. Results show that malpractices exist in several aspects of the LCA with large differences across studies. Examples are a frequent neglect of the goal definition, a frequent lack of transparency and precision in the definition of the scope of the study, e.g. an unclear delimitation of the system boundaries, a truncated impact coverage, difficulties in capturing influential local specificities such as representative waste compositions into the inventory, and a frequent lack of essential sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. Many of these aspects are important for the reliability of the results. For each of them, we therefore provide detailed recommendations to practitioners of waste management LCAs.     

PLC控制系统在钢渣热焖工艺中的应用

利用PLC控制系统,实现在钢渣热焖工艺中的恒压供水和钢渣热焖定时定量喷水的自动控制要求,具有国际先进水平,取得了良好的经济效益、社会效益和环境效益.     

改良剂对广西环江强酸铅锌污染土壤的修复作用

广西环江沿岸农田土壤具有强酸、多重金属污染等特点,失去了农业生产能力,为此,本研究试用了土壤淋溶实验探究不同类型改良剂(生石灰、钙镁磷肥、有机肥、聚丙烯酰胺)组合对广西环江沿岸污染土壤的修复效果,土壤重金属迁移规律及对农田适耕性的影响.结果表明,对照组T1土壤酸化严重,降低清洁接触土壤层p H值,而处理方式T2、T3、T4、T5均能显著提高污染土壤p H值(P0.05),对供试土壤p H变化大小分别为2.7~3.2、1.6~2.7,均能达到南方农业生产土壤p H值范围.较对照组T1,在污染土壤0~20 cm处,处理方式T2、T3、T4、T5能有效地活化Pb,钝化Zn的作用;在清洁土壤20~60cm处,各个处理方式对DTPA-Pb、DTPA-Zn的作用不存在显著差异(P0.05).较对照组T1,处理方式T4、T5能为植物提供良好的种植营养物质,以期能为今后结合生物修复等措施提供技术支撑.     

长期施肥下浙江稻田不同颗粒组分有机碳的稳定特征

依托浙江水网地区稻田长期定位施肥试验(1996~2013年),利用固态13C核磁共振波谱技术,研究长期不同施肥措施下土壤各颗粒组分有机碳含量及其化学结构特征.结果表明,与不施肥对照(CK)相比,秸秆与化肥配施(NPKRS)、栏肥与化肥配施(NPKOM)、单施化肥(NPK)和单施栏肥(OM)处理均显著(P0.05)增加了砂粒(2~0.02 mm)、粉粒(0.02~0.002mm)和黏粒(0.002 mm)组分中有机碳含量;而单施秸秆(RS)处理仅显著增加砂粒组分有机碳含量.此外,与单施化肥处理相比,有机肥和化肥配施促进了新增有机碳在粉粒和黏粒组分的分配,更有利于新增有机碳的稳定.应用13C-NMR波谱技术进行结构表征,结果表明粉粒和黏粒组分有机碳的化学结构存在明显差异,粉粒组分烷氧碳、芳香碳的相对含量高于黏粒,而烷基碳、羰基碳的相对含量低于黏粒.长期有机肥与化肥配施下粉粒和黏粒烷基碳相对含量较单施有机肥处理分别降低9.1%~11.9%和13.7%~19.9%,烷氧碳的相对含量则分别增加2.9%~6.3%和13.4%~22.1%,表明有机肥与化肥配施处理降低了粉粒和黏粒组分有机碳的分解程度.长期单施化肥处理下粉粒和黏粒组分有机质的芳化度和疏水性低于单施有机肥处理和不施肥处理,有机质的矿化稳定性较低.长期有机肥与化肥配施,尤其是NPKOM处理,通过增加化学抗性化合物和碳水化合物的积累,并且减缓活性组分的分解提高粉粒和黏粒组分有机碳含量,是促进稻田土壤有机碳可持续积累的有效措施.     

矿区植被恢复方式对土壤微生物和酶活性的影响

矿区废弃地生态退化形势严峻,生态修复已成为矿区可持续发展的主要措施,土壤微生物和酶活性可作为评价土壤恢复质量的敏感因子.本研究将以山西省安太堡煤矿复垦区作为对象,分析植被恢复方式对土壤微生物和酶活的影响.结果表明,不同植被方式对土壤理化特征、参与氮代谢的3类菌群(固氮菌、硝化细菌和反硝化细菌)和4种酶活性(蔗糖酶、过氧化氢酶、脲酶和多酚氧化酶活)均有显著影响.土壤总氮含量与固氮菌和硝化细菌数量均显著相关,而与反硝化细菌不相关.多酚氧化酶活性与有机碳和总氮含量之间为负相关,而其它3种酶与有机碳和总氮之间呈正相关.通过主成分分析计算综合肥力指标,刺槐-油松混交林土壤综合肥力指标最高,而未复垦综合肥力指标最低.可见,刺槐-油松混交林是晋西北干旱区矿区复垦较为适宜的植被恢复模式.     

石油污染土壤的生物修复技术及微生物生态效应

利用投菌法和生物刺激法对陕北子长石油污染土壤进行微生物修复研究.通过利用红外分光光度法测定不同处理方法对石油烃的去除效果确定了修复陕北石油污染土壤的最佳方案.修复过程中利用最大可能计数法(MPN)、PCR-琼脂糖电泳法、PCR-DGGE法分别测定了石油烃降解菌数目、催化基因、土壤微生物多样性对土壤微生物生态效应进行研究.结果发现石油污染土壤不同生物处理修复效果为:生物刺激(加入N、P营养物质)生物强化(投加降解菌)其他.土壤中石油烃降解率与可降解石油烃的催化基因含量之间存在正相关关系,修复过程中土壤中的石油烃和烷烃降解菌数量显著多于多环芳烃降解菌数量,投加外源降解菌SZ-1可以显著提高土壤细菌群落的多样性.研究结果有助于深入理解生物修复石油土壤过程中的微生物生态效应变化.     

绿洲土Pb-Zn复合胁迫下重金属形态特征和生物有效性

通过对Pb-Zn复合胁迫下干旱区绿洲土壤中油菜种植进行盆栽试验模拟,探讨了重金属复合污染对油菜生长的影响及其各形态之间的转化规律和生物有效性.结果表明,低浓度Pb、Zn处理下,油菜生长得到促进,茎叶生长优势大于根系.随着外源重金属的投加,土壤中Pb、Zn主要赋存形态较对照均由紧结合态向松结合态转化,重金属生物有效性提升;可交换态Pb、碳酸盐结合态Zn分别是油菜不同部位吸收Pb、Zn的主要贡献形态.油菜在低浓度胁迫水平对Pb、Zn的富集能力和转移能力强于高浓度胁迫水平,且油菜对Pb、Zn的富集、迁移系数均随土壤中对应元素或共存元素生物有效态含量的增大而减小.所有处理中,油菜茎叶中的Pb含量均超出了食品安全限量指标,建议在此类土壤种植叶菜类蔬菜前进行相关指标检测.     

Ambio’s legacy on monitoring,impact, and management of acid rain: This article belongs to Ambio’s 50th Anniversary Collection. Theme: Acidification

Early studies published in Ambio showed large-scale acidification of lakes in southern Sweden and Norway from acid rain. These studies were important for delimiting various scientific issues and thus for eventually contributing to legislation, which reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides and helped to mitigate this major environmental problem. Long-term studies and monitoring in Sweden and Norway and at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire helped guide this legislation in Europe and in the USA.     

Hydromorphological and socio-cultural assessment of urban rivers to promote nature-based solutions in Jarabacoa,Dominican Republic

In Latin America and the Caribbean, river restoration projects are increasing, but many lack strategic planning and monitoring. We tested the applicability of a rapid visual social–ecological stream assessment method for restoration planning, complemented by a citizen survey on perceptions and uses of blue and green infrastructure. We applied the method at three urban streams in Jarabacoa (Dominican Republic) to identify and prioritize preferred areas for nature-based solutions. The method provides spatially explicit information for strategic river restoration planning, and its efficiency makes it suitable for use in data-poor contexts. It identifies well-preserved, moderately altered, and critically impaired areas regarding their hydromorphological and socio-cultural conditions, as well as demands on green and blue infrastructure. The transferability of the method can be improved by defining reference states for assessing the hydromorphology of tropical rivers, refining socio-cultural parameters to better address river services and widespread urban challenges, and balancing trade-offs between ecological and social restoration goals.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01565-3.