Capitalizing on energy supply: Western China's opportunity for development

Two kinds of disparities pervade China and threaten its well-being. The first, regional disparities focus on levels of economic development, which vary considerably across China. The second is largely a corollary of the first, referring to mismatch in energy supply and demand, with some places suffering severe shortages while others are blessed with significant surpluses. Western China enjoys the dubious distinction of recording the country's lowest levels of economic development while, paradoxically, being blessed with plentiful reserves of energy and non-energy minerals. Turning those surplus resources to good account through transferring them to minerals and energy-hungry Eastern China is seen by policy-makers as something of a panacea. Not only will such a strategy significantly boost Western China's economic prospects, but it will eliminate the resource shortages currently constraining the East's vibrant growth. The issues of regional disparities, energy mismatches and transfers of these resources are discussed, with attention given to both spatial and time perspectives. The paper concludes with a cautious endorsement of the policy initiatives that promote the strategy of mineral transfers.     

The fate of the poor in growing mineral and energy economies

There are frequent suggestions that countries specializing in mineral and energy extraction have a type of growth that is bad for the poor. Others claim that extraction-led growth is particularly good for the poor. Both claims are made without the support of substantial empirical evidence. This paper uses longitudinal data on income growth by quintile in 57 developed and developing countries to statistically assess how mineral and energy extraction has affected the relationship between growth and the poor. We can find no evidence that the data support either the claim that extraction-led growth is good for the poor or that extraction-led growth is bad for the poor. This finding does not rule out that extractive activity can have special positive or negative impacts on the poor in some countries or regions. Rather, it simply brings to light that such effects are not evident as a persistent statistical phenomenon in the national level data that are available, which may be why the debate tends to move along without resolution.     

An analysis of future platinum resources,emissions and waste streams using a system dynamic model of its intentional and non-intentional flows and stocks

Platinum is increasingly used intentionally and non-intentionally in several applications. This has raised the concern about its future resources, emissions and losses during its life cycle. On the one hand, increasing platinum emissions might affect human health. On the other hand, the accumulated platinum in mineral waste, soil, landfill sites and construction materials as a result of the emissions, losses and the utilization of secondary materials can be seen as potential resources for platinum. This paper is aimed at (1) analyzing the long term impacts of the use of platinum intentionally and non-intentionally on its future demand and supply, release to the environment and accumulation in mineral waste, soil, landfill sites and construction materials and (2) quantifying the amount of platinum in secondary materials that would be available for platinum future supply. The analysis is carried out on a global level using a system dynamic model of platinum intentional and non-intentional flows and stocks. The analysis is based on four scenarios for the introduction of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). The results show that platinum demand is increasing overtime in all scenarios at different rates and its identified resources are expected to deplete before the end of the century with or without the introduction of FCVs. The release of platinum to the environment and the accumulation in soil are expected to decrease when conventional ICE vehicles is replaced by FCVs. The amount of platinum accumulated in mineral waste, soil, landfill sites and construction materials by the time platinum is depleted are more than double its identified resources and would be potential resources for platinum that are available in different parts of the world. The methodology presented in this paper can be used in the assessment of other technologies and other metals.     

Depth profiles of radiocarbon and carbon isotopic compositions of organic matter and CO2 in a forest soil

Depth profiles of the specific activities of (14)C and carbon isotopic compositions (Delta(14)C, delta(13)C) in soil organic matter and soil CO(2) in a Japanese larch forest were determined. For investigating the transport of CO(2) in soil, specific activities of (14)C, Delta(14)C and delta(13)C in the organic layer, and atmospheric CO(2) in the same forest area were also determined. The specific activity of (14)C and Delta(14)C in the soil organic matter decreased with the increase in depth of 0-60cm, while that of soil CO(2) did not vary greatly at a soil depth of 13-73cm and was more prevalent than that of atmospheric CO(2). Peaks of specific activities of (14)C appeared at the depth of 0-4cm and Delta(14)C values were positive in the depth range from 0 to 15cm. These results suggest that the present soil at a depth of 0-4cm had been produced from the mid-1950s up until 1963, and the bomb C had reached the depth of 15cm in the objective soil area. The delta(13)C in the soil organic matter increased at the depth of 0-55cm, while that of soil CO(2) collected on 8 November 2004 decreased rapidly at the depth of 0-13cm and only slightly at the depth of 53-73cm. By combining the Delta(14)C and delta(13)C of the respective components and using the Keeling plot approach it was made clear that the entering of atmospheric CO(2) showed a large contribution to soil CO(2) at the depth of 0-13cm and a negligible contribution at the depth of 53-73cm for soil air collected on 8 November 2004. Respiration of live roots was presumed to be the main source of soil CO(2) at the depth of 53-73cm on 8 November 2004.     

生物炭输入对土壤本体有机碳矿化的影响

近年来,生物炭应用于土壤后其碳汇能力已成为国内外的研究热点,但是目前研究结果显示其碳汇功能仍然存在争议,生物炭与土壤本体有机碳之间的作用关系还有待探明.研究以水稻土(C3土壤)为供试土壤,向其中添加以水洗(CS)和未水洗(CN)方式处理的玉米(C4作物)秸秆生物炭,生物炭分别按1%和3%(CS1%、CS3%和CN1%、CN3%)的质量比与C3土壤均匀混合,以不添加生物炭(CK)为对照处理,每个处理重复3次,开展室内培养实验,探讨生物炭添加对土壤有机碳矿化的影响.结果表明:1在180 d的培养期内,CS1%、CS3%、CN1%这3种处理的土壤CO2累计释放量分别为1 865.7、1 864.4和1 856.2 m L·kg-1,均高于对照土壤CK的1 779.0 m L·kg-1,但未形成显著差异.处理CN3%的CO2累计释放量最大,为2 289.1m L·kg-1,明显高于其他处理及对照土壤.说明较高添加量下,水洗生物炭CS处理减排效果明显;2同位素分析结果显示,CK处理土壤的本体有机碳的CO2累计释放量最高,达到1 534.2 m L·kg-1,CS3%与CN3%处理土壤本体有机碳的CO2累计释放量分别为1 000.4 m L·kg-1和1 153.7 m L·kg-1,均明显低于对照处理,说明2种生物炭的添加均能抑制土壤本体有机碳的矿化.激发效应的结果也验证了这一点,CS3%处理土壤的激发效应PE值为-34.8%,处理CN3%的PE值为-24.8%,CS生物炭的负激发效应更显著.     

低碳经济下洛阳市生态城市规划研究

"十三五"时期是推动城市向协调、开放、绿色、环保发展的新时期,这对重工业发达的洛阳来说是一个承前启后的时期.近些年来,洛阳市在城市化进程中所产生的城市生态环境问题日益突出.为了适应新时期的发展,文章对当前洛阳市生态城市规划与已有城市规划体系间如何实现有机融合做出思考,指出洛阳市城市规划必须走低碳经济之路,强调在城乡规划,绿色公共交通网络建立,污水管道规划,绿地规划等四个方面树立生态环境标准从而有效实现洛阳市生态城市规划.     

不同碳负荷梯度下稻田土壤有机碳矿化特征

易利用态有机碳是土壤微生物的重要碳源,影响土壤有机碳的矿化和累积过程,而易利用态碳源的输入量尤其是相对于土壤微生物生物量碳的不同输入负荷,对土壤有机碳的矿化影响机制尚不明确.因此,本研究采取室内模拟培养实验,选择不同浓度梯度添加[0. 5、1、3、5倍微生物量碳(MBC)]~(13)C-葡萄糖,分析葡萄糖-C的矿化特征及其激发效应.结果表明,葡萄糖-C矿化率随着外源碳添加量的增加而显著增加;葡萄糖-C向快库、慢库分配的比例也分别与碳添加量呈指数关系(R~2=0. 99,P 0. 05和R~2=0. 99,P 0. 05).在高添加量处理(3×MBC、5×MBC)中,葡萄糖的添加抑制土壤原有有机碳的矿化,即表现出负激发效应;而在低添加量处理(0. 5×MBC、1×MBC)中,表现为正激发效应,60 d培养结束后累积激发效应分别为160. 0 mg·kg~(-1)和325. 1 mg·kg~(-1).相关性分析结果表明在培养实验前期,累积激发效应主要受MBC、MBN和DOC的影响,而在后期主要β-葡糖苷酶、几丁质酶和铵态氮的影响.因此,稻田土壤有机碳矿化和激发效应与易利用态有机碳添加的碳负荷密切相关,并通过微生物量和酶活性调控土壤碳的矿化过程.本研究对于揭示稻田有机碳累积行为与推动农业可持续发展具有重要的科学意义.     

福建千年桐种源叶片δ13C与环境及叶碳氮含量的关系

选取福建省不同千年桐种源在同一条件下人工培育,通过测定千年桐叶片稳定碳同位素比率(δ¹³C),分析千年桐叶片δ¹³C的特征及其种源差异,以及环境因素和种源生长对其的影响。结果表明,千年桐种源叶片δ¹³C的变化范围在-26.06‰~-24.46‰之间,平均值为-25.54‰,其中莆田、顺昌和沙县种源δ¹³C值较大。千年桐种源叶片δ¹³C值与经纬度之间相关性不显著,与年均温度呈显著正相关,与年均降水量呈显著负相关,年均温度和年均降水量是千年桐δ¹³C值变化的主要限制因素。千年桐种源叶片δ¹³C值与叶N含量以及C/N呈现二次曲线相关性。结合叶片δ¹³C及其对环境因素的响应,莆田、顺昌、沙县千年桐种源具有较高的δ¹³C值,对应较高的水分利用效率,可以考虑栽植在较干旱、贫瘠环境中作为先锋树种,其落叶阔叶的特性也有助于养分回归、改良地力;而政和、尤溪、建阳种源的δ¹³C值相对较小,建议栽植在水分条件较好的湿润地区,充分发挥对水分的摄取能力,提高其生长量。     

H13钢表面多弧离子镀CrAlN涂层的显微硬度及耐磨性影响

目的 提高H13热作模具钢表面的显微硬度及耐磨性。方法 通过多弧离子镀技术,分别对未经热处理的H13钢、淬火H13钢以及氮化H13钢的表面进行多弧离子镀沉积CrAlN涂层,并分别对这3种基体上的CrAlN涂层的显微硬度和摩擦磨损性能进行研究。结果 涂层表面均较为平整,且出现了白色小颗粒。经过淬火和氮化处理后,H13钢CrAlN涂层的显微硬度达到3 300HV以上,达到基体的14倍多。与基体的摩擦系数相比,淬火和氮化处理后,H13钢的摩擦系数比基体低,镀膜后的摩擦系数比基体高。氮化H13钢表面CrAlN涂层的磨损机理主要是磨粒磨损和黏着磨损共同作用,淬火H13钢的CrAlN涂层磨损机理主要是黏着磨损;淬火和氮化后H13钢基体上CrAlN涂层的耐磨性均得到较大的提高。