A methodological approach to develop “contaminant migration–population effects” models

The main aim of the present work is to discuss the methodological approaches that underpin the “contaminant migration–population effects” models for the evaluation of the detriment to populations of moving organisms in environmental systems with spatial and time dependent pollution levels. A technique to couple the equations controlling the population dynamics and the pollutant dispersion is described and discussed. The domain of application and the limitations of the methodology are analysed and illustrated by some examples. Possible alternative approaches are briefly presented.     

On the consequences of aggregation and balancing of networks on system properties derived from ecological network analysis

In the ecological network analysis (ENA) of complex flow food webs the assumption is often made that the models characterizing the flows and stocks of ecosystems occur in a steady state where inflows equals outflows. An assessment of the system indices derived from ENA of six balanced and unbalanced system models, respectively, indicate to differences between indices. The aggregation of highly articulated flow models into models with fewer compartments also has drastic effects on the system metrics, particularly on the information indices.     

Habitat Change and Plant Demography: Assessing the Extinction Risk of a Formerly Common Grassland Perennial

Abstract:  An important aim of conservation biology is to understand how habitat change affects the dynamics and extinction risk of populations. We used matrix models to analyze the effect of habitat degradation on the demography of the declining perennial plant Trifolium montanum in 9 calcareous grasslands in Germany over 4 years and experimentally tested the effect of grassland management. Finite population growth rates (λ) decreased with light competition, measured as leaf-area index above T. montanum plants. At unmanaged sites λ was <1 due to lower recruitment and lower survival and flowering probability of large plants. Nevertheless, in stochastic simulations, extinction of unmanaged populations of 100 flowering plants was delayed for several decades. Clipping as a management technique rapidly increased population growth because of higher survival and flowering probability of large plants in managed than in unmanaged plots. Transition-matrix simulations from these plots indicated grazing or mowing every second year would be sufficient to ensure a growth rate ≥1 if conditions stayed the same. At frequently grazed sites, the finite growth rate was approximately 1 in most populations of T. montanum . In stochastic simulations, the extinction risk of even relatively small grazed populations was low, but about half the extant populations of T. montanum in central Germany are smaller than would be sufficient for a probability of survival of >95% over 100 years. We conclude that habitat change after cessation of management strongly reduces recruitment and survival of established individuals of this perennial plant. Nevertheless, our results suggest extinction processes may take a long time in perennial plants, resulting in an extinction debt. Even if management is frequent, many remnant populations of T. montanum may be at risk because of their small size, but even a slight increase in size could considerably reduce their extinction risk.     

Invasion, Disturbance, and Competition: Modeling the Fate of Coastal Plant Populations

Abstract:  Wetland habitats are besieged by biotic and abiotic disturbances such as invasive species, hurricanes, habitat fragmentation, and salinization. Predicting how these factors will alter local population dynamics and community structure is a monumental challenge. By examining ecologically similar congeners, such as Iris hexagona and I. pseudacorus (which reproduce clonally and sexually and tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions), one can identify life-history traits that are most influential to population growth and viability. We combined empirical data and stage-structured matrix models to investigate the demographic responses of native ( I. hexagona ) and invasive ( I. pseudacorus ) plant populations to hurricanes and salinity stress in freshwater and brackish wetlands. In our models I. hexagona and I. pseudacorus responded differently to salinity stress, and species coexistence was rare. In 82% of computer simulations of freshwater marsh, invasive iris populations excluded the native species within 50 years, whereas native populations excluded the invasive species in 99% of the simulations in brackish marsh. The occurrence of hurricanes allowed the species to coexist, and species persistence was determined by the length of time it took the ecosystem to recover. Rapid recovery (2 years) favored the invasive species, whereas gradual recovery (30 years) favored the native species. Little is known about the effects of hurricanes on competitive interactions between native and invasive plant species in marsh ecosystems. Our models contribute new insight into the relationship between environmental disturbance and invasion and demonstrate how influential abiotic factors such as climate change will be in determining interspecific interactions.     

Treatment technologies for aqueous perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA)

Fluorochemicals (FCs) are oxidatively recalcitrant, environmentally persistent, and resistant to most conventional treatment technologies. FCs have unique physiochemical properties derived from fluorine which is the most electronegative element. Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) have been detected globally in the hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Reducing treatment technologies such as reverses osmosis, nano-filtration and activated carbon can remove FCs from water. However, incineration of the concentrated waste is required for complete FC destruction. Recently, a number of alternative technologies for FC decomposition have been reported. The FC degradation technologies span a wide range of chemical processes including direct photolysis, photocatalytic oxidation, photochemical oxidation, photochemical reduction, thermally-induced reduction, and sonochemical pyrolysis. This paper reviews these FC degradation technologies in terms of kinetics, mechanism, energetic cost, and applicability. The optimal PFOS/PFOA treatment method is strongly dependent upon the FC concentration, background organic and metal concentration, and available degradation time.     

基于控制单元的农村生活污水处理优化模型

基于系统动力学(SD)模拟模型和Powell优化模型,建立了农村生活污水污染物削减量与治理费用的SD-Powell模拟优化耦合模型,该模型可模拟预测污染物排放量,建立污染物削减量与治理费用函数关系.在此基础上,以污水治理费用最小为目标,以污水处理量为约束条件,对区域污染物削减量进行空间优化,得到最小治理费用下的最大污染物削减量.以常州市为例进行实证分析,模拟结果显示,2020年常州市农村生活污水COD和NH3-N排放量将达到16583t和2551t,分别比2008年增长4.60%和4.59%.采用聚类方法将常州市51个乡镇划分为4类控制单元,得到4类地区COD、NH3-N治理费用函数.各单位治理资金削减量存在明显差异,COD削减率的排序依次为:I类控制单元413kg/万元、IV类控制单元 380kg/万元、II类控制单元352kg/万元、III类控制单元348kg/万元,NH3-N削减率的排序依次为:III类控制单元65kg/万元、I类控制单元64kg/万元、IV类控制单元58kg/万元、II类控制单元54kg/万元,全区域削减率达到100%需要的治理费用约为16870万元.污染物削减空间优化结果显示,基于控制单元空间优化的削减效率高于平均分配的结果,治理费用在1000 -16870万元/a范围,COD、NH3-N的削减率分别提高6.4%和7.4%,4类地区的优先排序顺序依次为I类,IV类,II类和III类.     

对特辛基苯酚干扰雌激素受体作用的分子基础及其对ERβ亚型选择性结合的理论研究

对特辛基苯酚(4-tert-octylphenol,PTOP)是一种环境内分泌干扰物。已有研究发现虽然其能够直接与雌激素受体(estrogen receptor,ER)的两种亚型(ERα,ERβ)结合并产生干扰效应,但其结合能力却各不相同,PTOP对ERβ表现出更强的结合活性。为了探究PTOP与ER结合的分子机制及其对ER两种亚型的选择性机制,本文采用分子动力学模拟对PTOP-ER复合物进行了研究,并利用MM-GBSA方法计算了结合自由能。结果表明,范德华作用是维持PTOP与ER结合的主要驱动力;而极性相互作用的差异是导致PTOP对ERα和ERβ产生选择性结合的重要因素,PTOP与ERα之间的极性溶剂化作用阻碍了两者的结合。将PTOP与ER的天然底物雌二醇进行比较,发现PTOP与ER口袋之间缺乏氢键稳定二者结合,因此PTOP的结合活性较低。计算模拟亦指出了PTOP结合过程中发挥重要作用的关键氨基酸。以上计算结果将有助于我们进一步理解PTOP影响ER介导生理过程的干扰机制。     

林地的水分动态及其对树木生长的影响——以香桂（Cinnamomum subavenium）人工林为例

土地利用变化引起的水分条件变化反过来又会影响植被的生长,然而,森林-水分-植物生长之间相互作用关系的研究还很少。以香桂（Cinnamomum subavenium）人工林为例,在盐亭生态试验站开展观测,研究了无枯落物林地（FB）、有枯落物林地（FL）和裸地（BL）的水分动态（土壤水分、径流组成和径流量）,比较了FB和FL样地树木高、基径、叶面积、比叶面积（SLA）、地上和地下生物量。研究结果表明：①FL样地的土壤含水量最高,其次是FB样地,而BL样地的土壤含水量最低;②地上径流展现了与土壤水分相反的趋势（FLFB〉BL）,3个样地的总径流量则没有表现出一个明确的大小关系。在观测期间,BL、FB和FL的地表径流量分别为284.68、222.93和68.98cm,地下径流分别为57.83、134.00和289.52 cm,总径流量依次为343.16、356.93和358.35 cm;③在观测早期,FL样地和FB样地植物形态学特征、SLA以及地上和地下生物量均没有显著差异（p〉0.05）。在观测期末,虽然两个样地的基径和SLA无显著差异,然而其他指标差异极显著（p〈0.005）。在观测末期,除SLA外,FL样地植物的高、基径、叶面积、地上生物量和地下生物量分别高于FB样地,表明该样地植物生长条件更好。这些结果表明森林改善了自身的水分环境,而水分环境的改善又反过来促进了森林的生长,森林植被-水分条件的这种相互促进作用是森林系统生存策略的一种表现。     

三氯生对羊角月牙藻生长及其抗氧化系统的影响

以羊角月牙藻(Selenastrum capricornutum)为实验材料,研究了三氯生(triclosan,TCS)对羊角月牙藻生长、光合作用叶绿素荧光动力学参数及抗氧化酶活性的影响。结果表明,TCS对羊角月牙藻的96h-EC50为0.112mg·L-1,属于高毒。TCS暴露对羊角月牙藻的叶绿素荧光中ABS/RC、PIabs、RC/CSo和OEC比例等参数有显著影响。随着三氯生浓度的增大,羊角月牙藻的叶绿素荧光中ABS/RC大幅上升,PIabs、RC/CSo和OEC比例下降;当三氯生浓度为0.256mg·L-1时,ABS/RC达到最大值,PIabs、RC/CSo和OEC比例下降为最小值,表明藻细胞光合作用的原初反应及电子链传递过程受到严重阻碍。同时,三氯生对羊角月牙藻体内抗氧化酶系中GST活性和MDA含量也有较大影响。在低浓度暴露下,GST活性随TCS浓度增加而增大,但当TCS浓度超过0.256mg·L-1时,GST活性出现显著下降,同时MDA含量达到最大,这种GST活性的下降同时伴随MDA含量的增加表明藻细胞膜系统受到较大损害。     

北京城区臭氧日变化特征及与前体物的相关性分析

对2012年12月至2013年11月北京城区12个自动空气监测子站的臭氧及其前体物的浓度进行了分析,探讨北京城区臭氧浓度的日变化特征以及与前体物的关系.研究发现,北京市城区臭氧在5~8月份维持相对较高浓度,其他月份则较低.臭氧浓度呈现单峰型分布,基本在15:00、16:00达到峰值;同时臭氧呈现较明显的“周末效应”,即周末臭氧浓度高于工作日浓度. CO、NO、NO2和NOx等前体物多呈现双峰型分布,与O3均呈显著的负相关性,相关性在夏季较低.通过大气氧化剂OX和NOx的拟合方程发现,冬季北京市城区OX在白天受区域O3影响相对较大,在夜间受局地NOx污染影响相对较大.计算了在理想情况下的城区NO2光解速率,春季、夏季、秋季和冬季的平均值分别为0.180,0.209,0.169,0.149min-1.在白天臭氧的高浓度时段城区O3、NO和NO2体现出近似光化学平衡态的特征.