Characterisation of airborne particles collected within and proximal to an opencast coalmine: South Wales,U.K

Airborne particulate matter has been collected from within,and proximal to, an opencast coal mine in south Wales. Thiswork forms the first part of a three year project to collectand characterise, then determine the possible toxicology ofairborne particles in the south Wales region. High-resolutionField Emission SEM has shown that the coal mine dusts consistlargely of an assemblage of mineral grains and vehicle exhaustparticles. SEM-EDX has shown that the mineralogical make-up ofthe PM10 is complex, heterogeneous, and constantly changing.These findings are supported by analytical TEM-EPXMA.However, patterns can be determined relating the mineralogicalcomposition of the airborne particles to collection locationsand mining activities within the opencast. At our studyopencast, Park Slip West, quartz, which has known healtheffects, never exceeded 30% of the total collection mass, andaverage levels were much less. Vehicle exhaust emissions wasthe largest source in terms of particle numbers. The mass ofairborne particulate matter within the pit averagedapproximately twice that of outside the pit: importantlyhowever, this higher mass was due to relatively large, andnon-respirable, mineral grains. This study demonstrates that the physicochemical andmineralogical characterisation of airborne particles frommining and quarrying is essential to quantify the respirablefraction, and to identify potentially hazardous componentswithin the PM10.     

Fire and explosion assessment on oil and gas floating production storage offloading (FPSO): An effective screening and comparison tool

Fires and explosions have been identified as major potential hazards for Oil and Gas Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) installations and pose risk to personnel, assets, and the environment. Current fire and explosion assessment (FEA) tools require physical effect modeling software and follows standards from API, ISO, and engineering practices. However, the tools are not specific to any particular system such as an FPSO, and do not provide comprehensive guidance for safety engineers to perform FEA.This paper discusses the development of a screening and comparison tool for FEA on FPSOs and the incorporation of an expert system into the tool. The results are computerized using MS Excel/VBA to provide a structured and comprehensive assessment on each equipment and module handling natural gas, crude oil, methanol and diesel on FPSO topsides.This tool features built-in calculations for jet and pool fire size estimation for gas/liquid releases, and the ability to perform Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) to specify the personnel and equipment risk for varying leak sizes and process conditions. Control and recovery measures are incorporated as an expert system based on report findings, engineering practices, and relevant standards. Bowtie analysis is applied in the tool to define detailed control and recovery measures for the FPSO based on the incident scenarios. An explosion assessment is performed by incorporating physical effect modeling software results.Unique features provided in the tool include fire and radiation contour mapping on an FPSO layout to help determine personnel and equipment risk more accurately and fire pump sizing that can be used to verify the amount of water deluge system required to mitigate fires and explosions. In addition, flexibility of data input (process data, failure rate data, etc.) and user interfaces assist safety engineers to screen and compare process alternatives, check design quality, and evaluate design options at any design stage.     

Source apportionment and source/sink relationships of PAHs in the coastal atmosphere of Chicago and Lake Michigan

Multivariate statistical techniques were used to investigate source apportionment and source/sink relationships for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the urban and adjacent coastal atmosphere of Chicago/Lake Michigan in 1994–1995. The PAH signatures for the atmospheric particle phase, surface water particle phase and sediments indicate that atmospheric deposition is the major source of PAHs to the sediments and water column particulate phase of Lake Michigan. The PAH signature for the atmospheric gas phase and water dissolved phase indicate an intimate linkage between the lake and its overlying atmosphere. A modified factor analysis-multiple regression model was successfully applied to the source apportionment of atmospheric PAHs (gas+particle). Coal combustion accounted for 48±5% of the ΣPAH concentration in both the urban and adjacent coastal atmosphere, natural gas combustion accounted for 26±2%, coke ovens accounted for 14±3%, and vehicle emissions (gas+diesel) accounted for 9±4%. Each is an identified source category for the region. These results are consistent with the mix of fossil fuel combustion sources and ratios of indicator PAHs.     

A longitudinal study of age-specific reproductive output and body condition among male rhesus macaques,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Macaca mulatta</Emphasis>

In many mammalian species, male reproductive success appears to climb sharply at young adulthood, form a brief plateau during prime ages, and decline among older animals, a pattern often attributed to reduced physical condition with ageing. However, solid evidence to either substantiate or refute this profile among nonhuman primates is lacking. Here, we combine a decade of genetic analysis of paternity among free-ranging rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta, with information about body condition in order to evaluate how changes in morphology might govern age-specific reproduction among males. We show that age-specific reproductive success traverses the same life history profile as found in other mammals, but reductions in reproductive output with advanced age were associated with reduced chances of survivorship rather than accompanied by diminished body condition. We demonstrate that variance in male age at onset of reproduction is three times greater than variance in female age at onset of reproduction. We provide the first evidence from primates that age-specific reproductive output among males is not a consequence of age-related changes in body condition, but reflects social and demographic factors.     

上海市城区典型道路行驶特征研究

对上海市城区快速干道、主干道和次于道等3种典型道路上的机动车行驶特征和交通状况进行试验和调查，得出了上海市城区各类道路上机动车行驶特征参数和交通密度。结果显示，上海市城区各类道路综合行驶特征为平均速度低，加减速频繁。其中又以主干道交通状况最差。文中的数据和结论不仅可以用于上海城市交通规划，而且对控制道路两旁机动车污染具有重要意义。     

Feeding ecology and niche segregation in oceanic top predators off eastern Australia

We examined the feeding ecology and niche segregation of the ten most abundant fish species caught by longline operations off eastern Australia between 1992 and 2006. Diets of 3,562 individuals were examined. Hook timer data were collected from a further 328 fish to examine feeding behaviour in relation to depth and time of day. Prey biomass was significantly related to predator species, predator length and year and latitude of capture. Although the fish examined fed on a mix of fish, squid and crustacea, fish dominated the diet of all species except small albacore (Thunnus alalunga) which fed mainly on crustacea and large swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and albacore which fed mainly on squid. Cannibalism was observed in lancetfish (Alepisaurus spp.). Multidimensional scaling identified three species groups based on their diet composition. One group consisted of yellowfin tuna (T. albacares), striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) and dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus); a second group consisted of bigeye tuna (T. obesus), swordfish and albacore; and a third consisted of southern bluefin tuna (T. maccoyii) and blue shark (Prionace glauca). Of note was the separation of mako shark (Isurus oxyrhynchus) and lancetfish from all other predators. Prey length generally increased with increasing predator length although even large predators fed on a wide range of prey lengths including very small prey. Overall, differences in prey type and size, feeding times and depths were noted across the range of species examined to the extent that predators with overlapping prey, either in type or size, fed at different times of the diel period or at different depths. Taken together these data provide evidence for feeding niche segregation across the range of oceanic top predators examined.     

Spatial and temporal changes in group dynamics and range use enable anti-predator responses in African buffalo

The reintroduction of large predators provides a framework to investigate responses by prey species to predators. Considerable research has been directed at the impact that reintroduced wolves (Canis lupus) have on cervids, and to a lesser degree, bovids, in northern temperate regions. Generally, these impacts alter feeding, activity, and ranging behavior, or combinations of these. However, there are few studies on the response of African bovids to reintroduced predators, and thus, there is limited data to compare responses by tropical and temperate ungulates to predator reintroductions. Using the reintroduction of lion (Panthera leo) into the Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) Main Camp Section, South Africa, we show that Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) responses differ from northern temperate ungulates. Following lion reintroduction, buffalo herds amalgamated into larger, more defendable units; this corresponded with an increase in the survival of juvenile buffalo. Current habitat preference of buffalo breeding herds is for open habitats, especially during the night and morning, when lion are active. The increase in group size and habitat preference countered initial high levels of predation on juvenile buffalo, resulting in a return in the proportion of juveniles in breeding herds to pre-lion levels. Our results show that buffalo responses to reintroduced large predators in southern Africa differ to those of northern temperate bovids or cervids in the face of wolf predation. We predict that the nature of the prey response to predator reintroduction is likely to reflect the trade-off between the predator selection and hunting strategy of predators against the life history and foraging strategies of each prey species.     

Determinants of bird conservation‐action implementation and associated population trends of threatened species

Conservation actions, such as habitat protection, attempt to halt the loss of threatened species and help their populations recover. The efficiency and the effectiveness of actions have been examined individually. However, conservation actions generally occur simultaneously, so the full suite of implemented conservation actions should be assessed. We used the conservation actions underway for all threatened and near‐threatened birds of the world (International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species) to assess which biological (related to taxonomy and ecology) and anthropogenic (related to geoeconomics) factors were associated with the implementation of different classes of conservation actions. We also assessed which conservation actions were associated with population increases in the species targeted. Extinction‐risk category was the strongest single predictor of the type of conservation actions implemented, followed by landmass type (continent, oceanic island, etc.) and generation length. Species targeted by invasive nonnative species control or eradication programs, ex situ conservation, international legislation, reintroduction, or education, and awareness‐raising activities were more likely to have increasing populations. These results illustrate the importance of developing a predictive science of conservation actions and the relative benefits of each class of implemented conservation action for threatened and near‐threatened birds worldwide.     

Predicting Sample Source Location from Soil Analysis Using Neural Networks

A system combining a national soils database with a neural network was developed for prediction of source location for soil samples. The neural network was trained to predict environmental characteristics, which can be of crucial importance to investigating officers in a police operation or to environmental agencies attempting to locate the source of a pollutant. When coupled with maps of environmental conditions and a generalized opinion pool approach, the system was used to produce weighted maps of source location. The system was capable of reducing search areas of a sample source to less than 0.1% of the total area.     

Integrating Large Wood Jams into Hydraulic Models: Evaluating a Porous Plate Modeling Method

Large wood (LW) jams are key riverine habitat features that affect hydraulic processes and aquatic habitat. The hydraulic influence of LW jams is poorly understood due to the complexity of fluid dynamics around irregular, porous structures. Here we validated a method for two‐dimensional hydraulic modeling of porous LW jams using the open‐source modeling software Delft3D‐FLOW. We sampled 19 LW jams at three reaches across the Columbia River Basin in the United States. We used computer‐generated porous plates to represent LW jams in the modeling software and calibrated our modeling method by comparing model outputs to measured depths and velocities at validation points. We found that modeling outputs are error‐prone when LW jams are not represented. By representing LW jams as porous plates we reduced average velocity root mean square error (RMSE) values (i.e., improved model accuracy) by 42.8% and reduced average depth RMSE values by 5.2%. These differences impacted habitat suitability index modeling. We found a 15.1% increase in weighted useable area for juvenile steelhead at one test site when LW jams were simulated vs. when they were ignored. We investigated patterns in average RMSE improvements with varying jam size, bankfull obstruction, porosity, and structure type, and river complexity. We also identified research gaps related to field estimation of LW jam porosity and porous structure modeling methods.