Genetically Modified (GM) Crops: Precautionary Science and Conflicts of Interests

Risk governance of GM plants and GMfood products is presently subject to heatedscientific and public controversies. Scientistsand representatives of the biotechnologyindustry have dominated debates concerningsafety issues. The public is suspicious withregard to the motives of scientists, companies,and political institutions involved. Thedilemmas posed are nested, embracing valuequestions, scientific uncertainty, andcontextual issues. The obvious lack of data andinsufficient information concerning ecologicaleffects call for application of thePrecautionary Principle (PP). There are,however, divergent opinions among scientistsabout the relevance of putative hazards,definition of potential ``adverse effects,' andwhether actions should be taken to preventharm. The reliance on the concept ofsubstantial equivalence in safety evaluation ofGM food is equally controversial. Consequently,value assumptions embedded in a scientificframework may be a barrier for employment ofthe PP. One of our major conclusions is thatprecautionary GMP usage requires riskassessment criteria yet undeveloped, as well asbroader and more long-term conceptions of risk,uncertainty, and ignorance. Conflicts ofinterest and public participation are otherissues that need to be taken intoconsideration. GMP governance regimes that arejustifiable from a precautionary and ethicalpoint of view must transcend traditionalscientific boundaries to include alternativescientific perspectives as well as publicinvolvement.     

贵州珍稀濒危药用植物与可持续开发利用

通过调查贵州珍稀濒危药用植物的种类、分布、现状及用途，为该省珍稀濒危药用植物的合理开发利用提供依据。采用实地调查、资料查阅、市场调研，然后作出评估与评价。结果表明，贵州珍稀濒危药用植物种类较多，具有良好的开发应用前景。贵州珍稀濒危药用植物的开发利用应走深度开发、可持续利用模式。     

四川省野生观赏植物资源及开发利用

介绍了四川省丰富的野生观赏植物资源,分析了开发前景,针对其开发程度低、开发利用方式落后、资源保护性差的现状,指出四川省在野生观赏植物的保护和开发利用中应重点加强的几方面工作.     

沉水植物对富营养化水体的净化效果研究

通过建立小型围隔区,研究了沉水植物对富营养化水体中氮、磷等污染物的净化效果,以及对底泥中磷含量的影响.结果表明:(1)在放养沉水植物的围隔水体中各种营养盐浓度明显低于对照围隔;(2)沉水植物对磷的吸收能够有效地保持底泥中磷的含量,而在对照围隔中的底泥中磷元素含量却不断增加;(3)经50天后,水体中TN、NH4 -N、TP、PO43--P和CODMn平均去除率分别为36.3%、70.5%、54.6%、65.4%和43.1%.     

Empirical Trials of Plant Field Guides

We designed 3 image‐based field guides to tropical forest plant species in Ghana, Grenada, and Cameroon and tested them with 1095 local residents and 20 botanists in the United Kingdom. We compared users’ identification accuracy with different image formats, including drawings, specimen photos, living plant photos, and paintings. We compared users’ accuracy with the guides to their accuracy with only their prior knowledge of the flora. We asked respondents to score each format for usability, beauty, and how much they would pay for it. Prior knowledge of plant names was generally low (<22%). With a few exceptions, identification accuracy did not differ significantly among image formats. In Cameroon, users identifying sterile Cola species achieved 46–56% accuracy across formats; identification was most accurate with living plant photos. Botanists in the United Kingdom accurately identified 82–93% of the same Cameroonian species; identification was most accurate with specimens. In Grenada, users accurately identified 74–82% of plants; drawings yielded significantly less accurate identifications than paintings and photos of living plants. In Ghana, users accurately identified 85% of plants. Digital color photos of living plants ranked high for beauty, usability, and what users would pay. Black and white drawings ranked low. Our results show the potential and limitations of the use of field guides and nonspecialists to identify plants, for example, in conservation applications. We recommend authors of plant field guides use the cheapest or easiest illustration format because image type had limited bearing on accuracy; match the type of illustration to the most likely use of the guide for slight improvements in accuracy; avoid black and white formats unless the audience is experienced at interpreting illustrations or keeping costs low is imperative; discourage false‐positive identifications, which were common; and encourage users to ask an expert or use a herbarium for groups that are difficult to identify. Pruebas Empíricas de Guías de Campo de Plantas Hawthorne, Cable & Marshall     

Level of environmental threat posed by horticultural trade in Cactaceae

Ornamental horticulture has been identified as an important threat to plant biodiversity and is a major pathway for plant invasions worldwide. In this context, the family Cactaceae is particularly challenging because it is considered the fifth most threatened large taxonomic group in the world; several species are among the most widespread and damaging invasive species; and Cactaceae is one of the most popular horticultural plant groups. Based on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna and the 11 largest online auction sites selling cacti, we documented the international cactus trade. To provide an in‐depth look at the dynamics of the industry, we surveyed the businesses involved in the cactus trade in South Africa (a hotspot of cactus trade and invasions). We purchased seeds of every available species and used DNA barcoding to identify species to the genus level. Although <20% of this trade involved threatened species and <3% involved known invasive species, many species were identified by a common name. However, only 0.02% of the globally traded cacti were collected from wild populations. Despite a large commercial network, all South African imports (of which 15% and 1.5% were of species listed as threatened and invasive, respectively) came from the same source. With DNA barcoding, we identified 24% of the species to genus level. Based on our results, we believe that if trade restrictions are placed on the small proportion of cacti that are invasive and there is no major increase in harvesting of native populations, then the commercial trade in cactus poses a negligible environmental threat. However, there are currently no effective methods for easily identifying which cacti are traded, and both the illicit harvesting of cacti from the wild and the informal trade in invasive taxa pose on‐going conservation challenges.     

模型模拟土壤性质和植被种类对再生水灌溉水盐运移的影响

为推动再生水安全灌溉,本研究运用ENVIRO-GRO模型模拟了不同土壤性质、植被条件下土壤盐分的分布规律及累积趋势,探讨了土壤性质和植被种类对再生水灌溉水盐运移的影响.研究发现,不同土壤初始含盐量下,经多年重复模拟后最终达到统一的平衡状态;而不同土壤质地下,随着灌溉年份的增加,壤土、黏壤土中的土壤ECe年均值逐渐增加直到平衡,砂壤土中的土壤ECe年均值逐渐减少直到平衡,平衡时土层中的ECe值砂壤土〈壤土〈黏壤土.3种植被下,大叶黄杨、油松的土壤ECe值增加量小于早熟禾;土壤盐分在土层中的空间、时间分布也均有所不同.此外,不同模拟情景下,土壤盐分累积都不会影响植被的生长（黏壤土除外）,但均出现轻度盐渍化（砂壤土除外）.     

我国沿海地区城镇污水处理厂污泥重金属污染状况及其处置分析

采用ICP-MS分析法测定了我国3个典型沿海城市广州、上海和大连共13个污水处理厂污泥的7种重金属含量,并与2006年和2001年的数据进行了对比,以了解我国沿海城市污水处理厂重金属污染状况、变化趋势和处置方案.结果表明,我国沿海城市污泥中重金属污染分布存在较大差异,7种重金属平均含量大小顺序为Cr>Zn>Cu>Pb>As>Hg>Cd,Cr、Cu和As的含量超出了《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》,污染严重.相对于以前,我国沿海城市污泥中Zn的含量明显减少,Pb、Hg和Cd的含量与没有明显变化,但Cr、Cu、As均明显增加.各区域各类型污水处理厂城市污泥重金属含量分析表明,来源于工业废水的城市污泥中Zn、Cu和Hg的平均含量较生活污水为主的污泥高;广州污水处理厂城市污泥中Cr、Pb、As、Hg和Cd的含量均高于上海和大连.沿海城市污水处理厂中超出《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》中污泥农用标准限值的占总调查污水处理厂的23%,我国沿海城市污泥大部分仍可采用污泥农用的有益处置方式进行处置.同时,本次调查数据也为我国沿海城市开展污水污泥海洋倾倒相关技术标准的制定提供了基础数据.     

Tolerance of Chrysantemum maximum to heavy metals: The potential for its use in the revegetation of tailings heaps

To find if ornamental plants are applicable to the remediation of metal-polluted areas, the tolerance of chrysanthemum plants (Chysanthemum maximum) var. Shasta to different metals under hydroponic conditions was studied. Their responses as influenced by the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerdemann & Trappe BEG25 on substrates containing mine residues were also investigated. Our results showed that chrysanthemum is a metal-tolerant plant under hydroponic conditions, plants behaving as Pb-excluders, whereas Cd, Cu and Ni were accumulated in roots. Low accumulation in flowers was observed for Cd and Cu but it was concentration-dependent. Ni and Pb were not translocated to flowers. Shoot biomass was not significantly affected by the different rates of mine residue addition for both mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal plants accumulated less Pb and Cu in both shoots and roots than non-mycorrhizal plants. Chysanthemum could be a prospective plant for revegetation of tailings and the use of inoculation may decrease plant metal accumulation in polluted soils.     

呼和浩特地区污水厂能耗评价与碳排放分析

污水处理过程的能耗和温室气体排放方面的研究对于应对能源危机和气候危机具有重要作用。文章利用层次分析法,建立了具有4层15项指标的能耗评价体系。结合城镇污水处理系统的绿色指标体系,选取呼和浩特地区具有代表性、处理规模相近的2座中小型污水厂进行能耗评价。结果表明:处理能力利用率、处理工艺系统稳定性和污水厂高程布置所对应的3项评价指标在所选择的能耗影响因素中所占权重较大,分别为:0.143 0,0.302 4和0.145 6。进一步运用IPCC计算方法对污水处理厂进行碳排放概算,得出A、B污水处理厂的碳排放量分别为:19.401 t CO2/104t、18.378 t CO2/104t。A、B污水处理厂的实际比能耗分别为0.293 kW.h/m3、0.195 kW.h/m3。将碳排放数据与实际能耗情况对比得出:污水处理厂的能耗水平越高,单位碳排放量也越大。