Use of Predictive Weather Uncertainties in an Irrigation Scheduling Tool Part II: An Application of Metrics and Adjoints

We apply predictive weather metrics and land model sensitivities to improve the Colorado State University Water Irrigation Scheduler for Efficient Application (WISE). WISE is an irrigation decision aid that integrates environmental and user information for optimizing water use. Rainfall forecasts and verification performance metrics are used to estimate predictive rainfall probabilities that are used as input data within the irrigation decision aid. These input data errors are also used within a land model sensitivity study to diagnose important prognostic water movement behaviors for irrigation tool development purposes simultaneously performing the analysis in space and time. Thus, important questions such as “how long can a crop water application be delayed while maintaining crop yield production?” are addressed by evaluating crop growth stage interactions as a function of soil depth (i.e., space), rainfall events (i.e., time), and their probabilistic uncertainties. Editor’s note : This paper is part of the featured series on Optimizing Ogallala Aquifer Water Use to Sustain Food Systems. See the February 2019 issue for the introduction and background to the series.     

Experimental investigation of a line plume in a filling box

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - A series of experiments were conducted to quantify the dynamics of a filling box driven by a line plume that spans the full width of the enclosure. Three...     

Temporal and Spatial Variations of Phytoplankton Community Structure in Lake Erhai,a Chinese Plateau Lake,with Reference to Environmental Factors

Russian Journal of Ecology - Temporal and spatial variations of phytoplankton community in Lake Erhai were investigated from May 2010 to April 2011. A total of 124 species belonging to 8 phyla and...     

Influence of Clear Fellings on the Bryophyte Component of the Broad-leaved Forests of the Bashkir Cis-Ural Region

The change in the composition of the bryophyte component of succession communities that occur in the process of natural regeneration at the site of clear felling of the indigenous elm—maple–linden forests of the Bashkir Cis-Ural Region has been studied. The vulnerability of species to the consequences of felling is affected by their substrate confinement, ecological amplitude in relation to the factors of temperature, humidity, variability of soil moisture, and type of life strategy. In the secondary aspen forests, the absence or low constancy of nemoral epiphytic and ground mosses was noted.     

Shale weathering profiles show Hg sequestration along a New York–Tennessee transect

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Shale-derived soils have higher clay, organic matter, and secondary Fe oxide content than other bedrock types, all of which can sequester Hg. However, shales...     

TiO2气溶胶快速去除空气中的芥子气模拟剂

在自制反应器内,通过喷射法将纳米TiO_2分散成气溶胶形式,用以降解空气中的芥子气模拟剂二乙基硫醚(DES)。利用自行设计的一套气溶胶沉降行为评价装置,对TiO_2气溶胶的释放条件进行了优化。系统研究了相对湿度、反应温度、光强、催化剂加入量、反应物浓度等因素对DES降解速率和彻底矿化速率的影响。结果表明:TiO_2气溶胶对2.80 mg/L(近似芥子气快速致死浓度)DES降解的半衰期由涂覆型TiO_2的34.5 min缩短至8.5 min;TiO_2气溶胶光催化降解DES的最佳相对湿度为35%,此时CO_2最快生成速率可达34.64μg/(L·min),150 min内彻底矿化比例达66.1%;对于1.5 L反应器,催化剂加入量为30 mg时降解DES的量效比达到最佳状态;TiO_2气溶胶光催化适用于含低浓度DES空气的快速净化。     

Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Hepatitis A Virus in Wastewaters in Tunisia

Hepatitis A causes substantial morbidity in both industrialized and non-industrialized countries and represents an important health problem in several southern Mediterranean countries. The objectives of the study were as follows: (a) to assess the occurrence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in Tunisia through the monitoring of urban wastewaters collected at wastewater treatment plants (WTPs); (b) to characterize environmental strains; and (c) to estimate the viral load in raw and treated sewages, in order to evaluate the potential impact on superficial waters receiving discharges. A total of 150 raw and treated wastewaters were collected from three WTPs and analyzed by both qualitative (RT-PCR/nested) and quantitative (qRT-PCR) methods. Of these, 100 (66 %) were found to be positive for HAV by the qualitative assay: 68.3 % in influents and 64.7 % in effluents. The vast majority of HAV sequences belonged to sub-genotype IA, with 11 different strains detected found to be identical to clinical strains isolated from Tunisian patients with acute hepatitis. Five unique variants were also detected, not previously reported in clinical cases. Only two IB strains were found, confirming the rarity of this sub-genotype in this country. The results of the present study indicate a wide circulation of the pathogen in the population, most probably in the form of asymptomatic infections, a finding consistent with the classification of the country as having intermediate/high endemicity. Quantitative data showed high viral loads in influents (3.5E+05 genome copies/liter, mean value) as well as effluents (2.5E+05 genome copies/liter, mean value), suggesting that contaminated water could be a critical element in transmission.     

规划环境影响评价中公众参与探讨研究

公众参与作为规划环境影响评价的重要组成部分,具有重要的作用和意义。公众参与可以提高规划环境影响评价的有效性、提高规划的合理性及环保性。结合规划环评的应用实例,归纳了规划环评公众参与的参与对象、参与形式等,指出目前规划环评公众参与在应用中存在公众参与对象局限、规定和程序不明确、公民环保意识差等问题,建议采用多种形式开展公众参与环评,同时建议相关部门制定法律条文等进一步明确公众参与环评的规定和程序,提高信息公开度和民众的环保意识。