Transformation of ecological conditions of soil and humus substance formation in the urban environment

Ecological conditions of soil formation and specific features of humus substance formation are considered with regard to urban soils of different types formed in the following functional zones: the park zone, residential area, and sanitary protective zone of the Middle Ural Copper-Smelting Plant. The specificity of soil formation in Revda, a typical industrial city of the Middle Urals, is determined by the combined effect of urban and technogenic factors (urbogenesis and technogenesis), with the former being of primary importance. At a constant period of biological activity, the depth of humification is primarily a function of granulometric and chemical composition of urban soils.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 1, 2005, pp. 11–19.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Meshcheryakov, Prokopovich, Korkina.     

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF IRRIGATION ON WATER RESOURCES IN THE LITTLE WABASH BASIN OF ILLINOIS1

The level of water demand for supplemental irrigation and the impact of such demand on water supplies were estimated, as a function of the price of corn (Zea Mays L.). The method of estimation was based on an economic analysis of irrigation practice which assumed constant irrigation costs, profit maximizing behavior on the part of irrigators, and which was deliberately structured to underestimate the level of irrigation water use. The analysis was applied to and used data from the Little Wabash basin in Illinois. No irrigation was predicted at a corn price below $3.50 per bushel. Between $3.50 and about $6.50 per bushel, irrigation was estimated to be profitable for a small region of the basin where acceptable groundwater was available. Above about $6.50 to $7.50, irrigation was found to be profitable in the remainder of the basin, where impoundment storage was required. The potential impact on the water resources of the basin is significant. For a corn price between $3.50 and about $6.50, the probability of a shortfall, defined as the event where the potential demand exceeds the supply, was estimated to be between 2 percent and 20 percent during the growing season. Above about $7.50, this probability was found to be about one-third. The development of policies to control withdrawals for irrigation and other uses is endorsed.     

Fingerprinting Global Climate Change and Forest Management Within Rhizosphere Carbon and Nutrient Cycling Processes

As one of the two Principal Subject Editors for ESPR Subject Area 1 'Terrestrial Ecology and Biology / Soil and Sediments: Toxicology-related Subjects' (see pp 287-293), the senior author and his colleague, Dr Chen, present an example of sub-category 4 'Environmental studies of pesticides, air pollution, and management strategies for forestry and plant ecosystems'. Thereby, they inform the ESPR community about the new Australian research project concerning the fingerprints of global climate change (GCC) and forest management on rhizosphere carbon and nutrient cycling and, subsequently, present an overview on the GCC and forest management fingerprints.     

房间开门形式和走廊转角条件对人员疏散规律影响的实验研究与数值模拟分析

为了研究房间开门形式和走廊转角条件对人员疏散规律的影响,通过一系列实验并采用计算机数值模拟相结合,对比分析了不同开门形式和走廊转角条件下的人员疏散规律。结果表明:房间开门总宽度一定且出口出现拥堵条件下,只设置一道门,疏散效率最高。当房间需要满足设置两道门时,门应尽量设置在房间的两对边墙上,这样疏散效率较高。两道门设置在房间相邻边墙上时最不利于人员疏散。走廊转角角度从0°增加到90°,疏散时间先增长然后缩短最后又增长。同条件下,圆角疏散能力优于折角。圆角半径大小对人员疏散没有显著影响。研究结果为建筑房间开门形式和走廊设计提供了参考依据。     

E-bikers’ braking behavior: Results from a naturalistic cycling study

Abstract

Objective: The number of e-bike users has increased significantly over the past few years and with it the associated safety concerns. Because e-bikes are faster than conventional bicycles and more prone to be in conflict with road users, e-bikers may need to perform avoidance maneuvers more frequently. Braking is the most common avoidance maneuver but is also a complex and critical task in emergency situations, because cyclists must reduce speed quickly without losing balance. The aim of this study is to understand the braking strategies of e-bikers in real-world traffic environments and to assess their road safety implications. This article investigates (1) how cyclists on e-bikes use front and rear brakes during routine cycling and (2) whether this behavior changes during unexpected conflicts with other road users.

Methods: Naturalistic data were collected from 6 regular bicycle riders who each rode e-bikes during a period of 2 weeks, for a total of 32.5?h of data. Braking events were identified and characterized through a combined analysis of brake pressure at each wheel, velocity, and longitudinal acceleration. Furthermore, the braking patterns obtained during unexpected events were compared with braking patterns during routine cycling.

Results: In the majority of braking events during routine cycling, cyclists used only one brake at a time, favoring one of the 2 brakes according to a personal pre-established pattern. However, the favored brake varied among cyclists: 66% favored the rear brake and 16% the front brake. Only 16% of the cyclists showed no clear preference, variously using rear brake, front brake, or combined braking (both brakes at the same time), suggesting that the selection of which brake to use depended on the characteristics of the specific scenario experienced by the cyclist rather than on a personal preference. In unexpected conflicts, generally requiring a larger deceleration, combined braking became more prevalent for most of the cyclists; still, when combined braking was not applied, cyclists continued to use the favored brake of routine cycling. Kinematic analysis revealed that, when larger decelerations were required, cyclists more frequently used combined braking instead of single braking.

Conclusions: The results provide new insights into the behavior of cyclists on e-bikes and may provide support in the development of safety measures including guidelines and best practices for optimal brake use. The results may also inform the design of braking systems intended to reduce the complexity of the braking operation.     

一种提取氧化葡萄糖酸杆菌山梨糖脱氢酶的简单方法

利用表面活性剂TritonX-100建立一种提取和测定氧化葡萄糖酸杆菌（Gluconobacter oxydans)L-山梨糖脱氢酶（L-sorbose dehydrogenaseSDH)活性的简便方法，最适提取条件为：TritonX-100浓度ψ（Triton)/%=0.3。提取温度θ=4℃，处理时间t/h=6-10h；用于提取的菌悬液D550nm范围0.090-0.252。该方法提取效率为细胞碎片法的97.83%。图2表2参7     

生态住宅的水环境规划:I. 水循环

生态住宅已成为住宅建设的发展趋势和潮流,水环境是生态住宅小区的重要组成部分。文章以中信保利达美景度假区为实例,根据度假区建筑总体规划方案,结合当地自然条件和水环境现状,探讨生态住宅小区的水环境规划,全面统一规划住宅小区内各种水系统,提出小区水环境总体规划方案,充分发挥各系统的功能,使其相互衔接、协调与补充。重点对项目所在区域开发前后的水量平衡,水库的水位变化及其安全性,极端气候条件下的库区水量变化及其因应对策,高尔夫球道的用水方案以及项目开发后的水循环模型做了深入探讨,旨在为生态住宅的水环境建设提供范例。     

森林土地利用变化及其对碳循环的影响

由于人口剧增，人类活动的影响不断加大，在过去100年全球土地利用／土地覆被发生了巨大的变化。最常见的土地利用变化是由森林转变为农业用地。森林砍伐使森林生态系统地上部生物量大大减少，砍伐后作农业用地，降低了植被生产力，减少了土壤有机质的输入，增强了腐殖质的矿化作用，有机质分解速率增加，有机碳贮量随之降低，从而影响到森林生态系统的碳循环，使大量碳元素释放到大气中，引起温室效应，导致全球变暖。另一个常见的土地利用变化是植树造林和森林恢复，这一过程可以增加森林生态系统的碳储量，从而减缓大气CO2体积分数的上升。     

磷化氢在湖泊磷生物地球化学循环中的作用

重点介绍磷化氢对湖泊富营养化和在湖泊磷的生物地球化学循环中的作用，并探讨其形成机理。     

河流营养物参照状态的建立方法研究进展

建立营养物参照状态是河流水污染控制的关键问题之一。系统论述了参照状态的各种内涵,重点分析了国外建立河流营养物参照状态的各种方法及优缺点,并分析了其在中国的适用性。最后,提出了河流营养物参照状态的进一步研究的重点。参照状态根据允许人类活动影响的程度可有多种含义:最小干扰状态、历史状态、最少干扰状态和最佳可达成状态。其中,最少干扰状态和最佳可达成状态在现实管理中具有一定程度的可操作性。参照河流百分比法是建立营养物参照状态的首选方法,但中国水环境污染形势严峻,参照点变得越来越少。当参照点不存在时,一般河流百分比法是参照河流百分比法的替代方法,然而一般河流百分比法和参照河流百分比法的匹配性关系并不完全保持一致。由于栖息地退化等因素对生物完整性的影响程度可能比营养物浓度更大,生物响应法在实际应用中是非常困难的。流域模型法虽然有众多优点,但是数据要求较高,并且常用流域模型的机理与中国有较大差距,在中国应用的结果具有较大的不确定性。综合考虑中国水环境污染现状和数据要求,以多元线性回归模型为代表的简易模型方法在中国应有最大的适用性。然而,环境因素与营养物质间的关系往往都是非线性的,今后应着重研究建立河流营养物参照状态的多元非线性回归模型方法。此外,还应加强季风河流营养物参照状态的季节性差异与年际差异研究,并在全国层面上根据自然因素划分适当规模的生态区,分区确定各生态区的河流营养物参照状态。