Eradication of the non-native Poa pratensis colony at Cierva Point,Antarctica: A case study of international cooperation and practical management in an area under multi-party governance

The on-going introduction of non-native species to Antarctica due to expanding human activity presents an increasing threat to biodiversity. Under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, all introduced non-native species should be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area. The non-native grass Poa pratensis was first introduced to Cierva Point (Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula), along with substantial quantities of non-Antarctic soil, in the mid-1950s. Consistent with the Protocol, in January 2015 an internationally coordinated team undertook the eradication of the grass. Immediately prior to removal of P. pratensis, factors affecting its establishment, persistence and impacts upon local indigenous species was examined within the international management framework of the Antarctic Treaty System. The underlying soil had a high organic content of 15.5%, which may have contributed to the successful establishment of P. pratensis and restricted, at least initially, its vegetative growth to the enriched area. Examination of P. pratensis expansion from the original introduction sites showed that the plant colony intricate root system facilitated little or no coexistence of other native plants within its extent. The non-native plant colony also constituted a novel habitat for soil fauna within Antarctic terrestrial environments. The P. pratensis plant colony provided an unfavorable habitat for two of the locally endemic soil invertebrates, Cryptopygus antarcticus and Belgica antarctica. These observations led to the selection of an appropriate eradication approach, where the plants were targeted for physical extraction along with all underlying soil. During the eradication, c. 500 kg of soil and plant material from the P. pratensis colony was removed from the site. Monitoring one year later showed no evidence of re-establishment. Consistent with the Committee for Environmental Protection ‘Non-native Species Manual’, we recommend development and implementation of rapid response protocols following the discovery of a non-native plant colony to limit future impacts on indigenous species and local habitats.     

土壤微生物处理石油污染的研究

本文概述了石油污染土壤微生物处理的几种方法、生物降解机制以及这一领域的研究成果、研究现状，讨论了这一技术在我国的应用前景     

生物有机肥料对温室蔬菜硝酸盐和土壤盐分累积的影响

探讨了 3种有机肥料对温室苋菜、芹菜硝酸盐和土壤盐分累积的影响。结果表明 :施用有机肥可显著降低蔬菜硝酸盐含量。用 3种有机肥料处理栽培的芹菜NO3- 含量平均值为 2 133mg/kg ,比用蔬菜专用肥 (对照 )的低 1617mg/kg ,其中施用大三元生物有机肥的芹菜NO3- 值最低 ,为 180 3mg/kg,比对照低 1947mg/kg。施用大三元生物有机肥的土壤盐分 (EC)含量也最低 ,0～ 10cm耕层的盐分为 0 0 79S/m ,比对照低 0 0 2 4S/m ;10～ 2 0cm耕层的盐分为 0 0 5 5S/m ,比对照低 0 0 10S/m。     

快速提取用于PCR分析的几种蔬菜DNA的方法

利用两种不同的简便方法提取大白菜、大葱和厚皮酣瓜发芽种子的DNA，均能产生具有重现性的RAPD结果这两种方法提取DNA的PCR扩增结果与多次利用苯酚／氯仿提取DNA的结果一致.RNase处理与否对提取DNA的PCR扩增结果没有影响.方法1不用氯仿，但残留蛋白质等容易造成DNA溶解困难；方法2提取的DNA纯度高对于含蛋白质较少的植物器官或组织，可以选用方法1，而对于含蛋白质较多的植物器官或组织，宜选用方法2.两种方法提取的DNA量与用苯酚／氯仿提取DNA的量相似样品之间提取DNA量的多少主要受研磨破碎程度高低所决定.方法1每人每天提取约120个样品，方法2提取约100个样品，比先前的方法快1倍多.所提取的每个样品DNA约能用于100次PCR反应，两种DNA提取方法简便、迅速，为快速进行大量样品的PCR分析提供了条件.     

三峡大坝附近地区反季节蔬菜生产及其产业化战略

三峡大坝附近地区有发展反季节蔬菜生产的小气候环境，有比较丰富的可开垦利用的土地资源，具有广阔的市场。秭归县因地制宜地建设“河谷平坝保护地蔬菜基地”：和“高山反季节蔬菜基地”两大类型反季节蔬菜生产基地，极大地丰富了三峡工程建设区的副食品供应，增加了库区移民的经济收入，取得了很好的经济效益，很大的社会影响和良好的生态效应。     

陕西省主要蔬菜产区多菌灵农药残留分析与评价

以无公害蔬菜标准为评价标准,对陕西省10个蔬菜主产区152个蔬菜样品中的多菌灵农药残留情况进行了分析与评价.陕西省10个蔬菜主产区的152个蔬菜样品中有99个出现多菌灵超标,超标率达65.1%.超标的蔬菜种类主要以韭菜、芹菜、空心菜、茼蒿、青菜等叶菜类及菜花、青椒等为主,而瓜类蔬菜如西葫芦、黄瓜、瓠子等的多菌灵农药残留相对较轻.陕西省主要蔬菜产区多菌灵污染程度依次为宝鸡＞铜川＞西安＞咸阳＞渭南＞汉中.     

淮北市叶菜类蔬菜中硝酸盐含量的调查

通过对淮北市近郊几个大的蔬菜生产基地叶菜类蔬菜中硝酸盐含量的分析,发现淮北市叶菜类蔬菜中硝酸盐含量普遍很高,且有超标状况存在。究其因,主要是化肥的过量使用,使蔬菜中的硝态氮不能及时还原,累积于体内。     

Element mobility and partitioning along a soil acidity gradient in central Ontario forests, Canada

The potential environmental risk posed by metals in forest soils is typically evaluated by modeling metal mobility using soil-solution partitioning coefficients (K(d)), although such information is generally restricted to a few well-studied metals. Soil-solution partitioning coefficients were determined for 17 mineral elements (Al, As, Be, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mg, Rb, Sr, Tl, U and V) in A-horizon (0-5 cm) soil at 46 forested sites that border the Precambrian Shield in central Ontario, where soil pH(aq) varied from 3.9 to 8.1. Sites were dominated by mature sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), white birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) or white pine (Pinus strobus L.). Log K(d) values for all elements could be predicted by empirical linear regression with soil pH (r (2) = 0.17-0.77) independent of forest type, although this relationship was greatly affected by positive relationships between acid-extractable metal concentration and pH(aq) for 13 of the 17 elements. Elements that exhibited strong or moderate (r (2)> 0.29; p < 0.001) relationships with soil pH(aq) in soil water extracts include Al, Ba, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Rb, Tl, V (negative) and Ca (positive). Elemental partitioning in mineral soil was independent of forest type; tree species differed in their response to chemical differences in mineral soil. For example, Rb, Ba, and Sr concentrations in foliage of sugar maple and white birch significantly increased with increasing soil acidity, whereas Rb, Ba, and Sr concentrations in balsam fir and white pine foliage exhibited no response to soil pH(aq). While K(d) values can provide useful information on the potential mobility and bioavailability of mineral elements in forest soils, care must be used when interpreting the relative contribution of solid and aqueous phases to this relationship and the differing responses of vegetation in elemental cycling in forests must also be considered.     

Critical Loads of Acidity for Forest Soils: Tentative Modifications

We reviewed the current methods for calculatingcritical loads of acidity for forest soils. The consequencesof four sets of assumptions concerning the soil modelstructure, parameter values and the critical loads criterionwere explored by comparing the values of the averageaccumulated exceedance (AAE) calculated for Finland withdeposition values for the year 1995. The AAE index is given inthe unit of deposition and is a measure of how far a region isfrom being protected in terms of fulfilling a certaincriterion, taking into account the size of the ecosystem areas.Using a critical limit for the molar ratio of theconcentrations of base cations to aluminium in soil solutiongave the lowest average accumulated exceedance. Assumingorgano-aluminium complexes and leaching of organic anions gaveAAE = 4 eq ha^-1 a^-1, which was close to the valueobtained with the standard approach used in Finland, assuminggibbsite equilibrium and no leaching of organic anions,yielding AAE = 5 eq ha^-1 a^-1. With a critical basesaturation limit, instead of the concentrations criterion, theAAE index was 17 eq ha^-1 a^-1. The highest averageaccumulated exceedance (AAE = 25 eq ha^-1 a^-1),corresponding to the lowest critical load, was obtained whenthe effects-based criterion (critical concentration or criticalbase saturation) was substituted with one restricting thedeterioration of the neutralizing capacity of the soil, ANC _le(crit) = 0. These tests illustrate the variabilityof the critical load values for acidity that can be introducedby changing the criterion or by varying the calculation method,without, however, representing the extreme values of criticalloads that could be derived.     

The Role of Mineral Weathering Rate Determinations in Generating Uncertainties in the Calculation of Critical Loads of Acidity and their Exceedance

Current legislation within Europe aimed at limitingecosystem damage resulting from inputs of atmosphericpollution is based on the critical load concept. Mineralweathering rates are central to the calculation ofcritical loads (acceptable levels) of acid deposition.The authors have undertaken a number of studies whichillustrate the complications and limitations inherent inpredicting mineral weathering rates and the implicationswhich these have for critical loads calculations andmapping. Calculated weathering rates and critical loadsfor two acid-sensitive parent materials (greywackes andgranites) are presented and are used to illustrate theimpact that uncertainty can have on critical loadexceedances. The results have obvious implications forportraying the uncertainties of critical loads to policy makers.