Comparison among model estimates of critical loads of acidic deposition using different sources and scales of input data

The critical load (CL) of acidic atmospheric deposition represents the load of acidity deposited from the atmosphere to the earth’s surface at which harmful acidification effects on sensitive biological receptors are thought to occur. In this study, the CL for forest soils was estimated for 27 watersheds throughout the United States using a steady-state mass balance approach based on both national and site-specific data and using different approaches for estimating base cation weathering. Results suggested that the scale and source of input data can have large effects on the calculated CL and that the most important parameter in the steady-state model used to estimate CL is base cation weathering. These results suggest that the data and approach used to estimate weathering must be robust if the calculated CL is to be useful for its intended purpose.     

A conceptual framework: Redefining forest soil's critical acid loads under a changing climate

Federal agencies of several nations have or are currently developing guidelines for critical forest soil acid loads. These guidelines are used to establish regulations designed to maintain atmospheric acid inputs below levels shown to damage forests and streams. Traditionally, when the critical soil acid load exceeds the amount of acid that the ecosystem can absorb, it is believed to potentially impair forest health. The excess over the critical soil acid load is termed the exceedance, and the larger the exceedance, the greater the risk of ecosystem damage. This definition of critical soil acid load applies to exposure of the soil to a single, long-term pollutant (i.e., acidic deposition). However, ecosystems can be simultaneously under multiple ecosystem stresses and a single critical soil acid load level may not accurately reflect ecosystem health risk when subjected to multiple, episodic environmental stress. For example, the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina receive some of the highest rates of acidic deposition in the eastern United States, but these levels are considered to be below the critical acid load (CAL) that would cause forest damage. However, the area experienced a moderate three-year drought from 1999 to 2002, and in 2001 red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees in the area began to die in large numbers. The initial survey indicated that the affected trees were killed by the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.). This insect is not normally successful at colonizing these tree species because the trees produce large amounts of oleoresin that exclude the boring beetles. Subsequent investigations revealed that long-term acid deposition may have altered red spruce forest structure and function. There is some evidence that elevated acid deposition (particularly nitrogen) reduced tree water uptake potential, oleoresin production, and caused the trees to become more susceptible to insect colonization during the drought period. While the ecosystem was not in exceedance of the CAL, long-term nitrogen deposition pre-disposed the forest to other ecological stress. In combination, insects, drought, and nitrogen ultimately combined to cause the observed forest mortality. If any one of these factors were not present, the trees would likely not have died. This paper presents a conceptual framework of the ecosystem consequences of these interactions as well as limited plot level data to support this concept. Future assessments of the use of CAL studies need to account for multiple stress impacts to better understand ecosystem response.     

中小型工业窑炉NOx废气的净化技术与应用

介绍了中小型工业窑炉生产过程中排放NOx的现状,并针对NOx的治理问题,从工程应用角度,简述了湿法和干法净化NOx的原理和化学反应过程。讨论了NOx排放特性和NOx废气中NO2/NOx比例的问题。提出了影响NOx治理的主要因素,包括吸收剂、吸附剂、催化剂和设备的部分应用参数,并结合工程实例指出工程需要注意的问题。介绍了多项采用湿法和干法净化NOx的工程应用项目,丰富了中小工业窑炉NOx废气的治理的实践经验,为中小工业窑炉排放NOx治理奠定了基础。     

Trade‐Offs between Cattle Production and Bird Conservation in an Agricultural Frontier of the Gran Chaco of Argentina

Intensification of food production in tropical landscapes in the absence of land‐use planning can pose a major threat to biological diversity. Decisions on whether to spatially integrate or segregate lands for production and conservation depend in part on the functional relations between biological diversity and agricultural productivity. We measured diversity, density, and species composition of birds along a gradient of production intensification on an agricultural frontier of the Argentine Chaco, where dry tropical forests are cleared for cattle production. Bird species diversity in intact forests was higher than in any type of cattle‐production system. Bird species richness decreased nonlinearly as cattle yield increased. Intermediate‐intensity silvopastoral systems, those in which forest understory is selectively cleared to grow pastures of non‐native plants beneath the tree canopy, produced 80% of the mean cattle yield obtained in pastures on cleared areas and were occupied by 70–90% of the number of bird species present in the nearest forest fragments. Densities of >50% of bird species were significantly lower in open pastures than in silvopastoral systems. Therefore, intermediate‐intensity silvopastoral systems may have the greatest potential to sustain cattle yield and conserve a large percentage of bird species. However, compared with low‐intensity production systems, in which forest structure and extent were intact, intermediate‐intensity silvopastoral systems supported significantly fewer forest‐restricted bird species and fewer frugivorous birds. These data suggest that the integration of production and conservation through intermediate‐intensity silvopastoral systems combined with the protection of forest fragments may be required to maintain cattle yield, bird diversity, and conservation of forest‐restricted species in this agricultural frontier. Compromisos entre la Producción de Ganado y la Conservación de Aves en una Frontera Agrícola del Gran Chaco de Argentina     

全球环境变化对土壤有机碳库影响的研究进展

全球环境变化对土壤生态系统有机碳库的影响是当前研究的热点。本文综述了大气CO2浓度升高、温度上升、氮沉降等环境因素变化对土壤有机碳输入与土壤呼吸可能的影响,介绍了关于全球环境变化对土壤有机碳库影响的研究手段及其存在的问题,并就今后研究土壤有机碳对全球变化的响应提出了几点建议。     

Soil type affects migration pattern of airborne Pb and Cd under a spruce-beech forest of the UN-ECE integrated monitoring site Zöbelboden, Austria

Anthropogenic trace element emissions have declined. However, top soils all over the world remain enriched in trace elements. We investigated Pb and Cd migration in forest soils of a remote monitoring site in the Austrian limestone Alps between 1992 and 2004. Large spatial variability masked temporal changes in the mineral soil of Lithic Leptosols (Skeltic), whereas a significant reduction of Pb concentrations in their forest floors occurred. Reductions of concentrations in the less heterogeneous Cambisols (Chromic) were significant. In contrast, virtually no migration of Pb and Cd were found in Stagnosols due to their impeded drainage. Very low element concentrations (<1 μg l⁻¹) in field-collected soil solutions using tension lysimeters (0.2 μm nylon filters) imply that migration largely occurred by preferential flow as particulate-bound species during intensive rainfall events. Our results indicate that the extent of Pb and Cd migration in soils is largely influenced by soil type.     

长江口及其邻近海域表层沉积物分布特征

根据长江口和杭州湾北部沉积物粒度分析数据，研究表层沉积物类型、分布以及分区特征。结果表明：沉积物的分布特征受水动力条件、地貌类型以及泥沙来源等因素的综合影响，长江口表层沉积物在纵向分布上，自西向东粒径从粗到细、分选程度从好至差，在横向上自北港－北槽－南槽，沉积物粒度逐渐变细；水流动力作用强的河槽和波浪作用强的口门浅滩沉积物粒度较粗，水动力较弱的河口边滩及口外海滨区沉积物则较细。根据沉积物分布特征可将长江口及其邻近海域分为河口分汊河段沉积区、河口拦门沙沉积区、口外海滨沉积区和杭州湾北部沉积区等4个沉积区。     

Quantifying local traffic contributions to NO2 and NH3 concentrations in natural habitats

NO₂ and NH₃ concentrations were measured across a Special Area for Conservation in southern England, at varying distances from the local road network. Exceedances of the critical levels for these pollutants were recorded at nearly all roadside locations, extending up to 20 m away from roads at some sites. Further, paired measurements of NH₃ and NO₂ concentrations revealed differences between ground and tree canopy levels. At “background” sites, away from the direct influence of roads, concentrations were higher within tree canopies than at ground level; the reverse pattern was, however, seen at roadside locations. Calculations of pollutant deposition rates showed that nitrogen inputs are dominated by NH₃ at roadside sites. This study demonstrates that local traffic emissions contribute substantially to the exceedance of critical levels and critical loads, and suggests that on-site monitoring is needed for sites of nature conservation value which are in close proximity to local transport routes.     

Short-term seasonal variability in Be wet deposition in a semiarid ecosystem of central Argentina

The ⁷Be wet deposition has been intensively investigated in a semiarid region at San Luis Province, Argentina. From November 2006 to May 2008, the ⁷Be content in rainwater was determined in 58 individual rain events, randomly comprising more than 50% of all individual precipitations at the sampling period. ⁷Be activity concentration in rainwater ranged from 0.7 ± 0.3 Bq l⁻¹ to 3.2 ± 0.7 Bq l⁻¹, with a mean value of 1.7 Bq l⁻¹ (sd = 0.53 Bq l⁻¹). No relationship was found between ⁷Be content in rainwater and (a) rainfall amount, (b) precipitation intensity and (c) elapsed time between events. ⁷Be ground deposition was found to be well correlated with rainfall amount (R = 0.92). For the precipitation events considered, the ⁷Be depositional fluxes ranged from 1.1 to 120 Bq m⁻², with a mean value of 32.7 Bq m⁻² (sd = 29.9 Bq m⁻²). The annual depositional flux was estimated at 1140 ± 120 Bq m⁻² y⁻¹. Assuming the same monthly deposition pattern and that the ⁷Be content in soil decreases only through radioactive decay, the seasonal variation of ⁷Be areal activity density in soil was estimated. Results of this investigation may contribute to a valuable characterization of ⁷Be input in the explored semiarid ecosystem and its potential use as tracer of environmental processes.     

基于苔藓氮含量及d15N分析探讨农村大气氮沉降状况

2009~2010年在江西抚州市崇仁县10个乡镇采集了85个细叶小羽藓样品,通过对苔藓氮含量及氮同位素(d15N)的测定,估算了该地区大气氮沉降水平,并探讨了大气氮输入的主要来源.结果表明,研究区苔藓平均氮含量变化范围为2.24%~3.43%,其中农业覆盖率较大郭圩乡和礼陂镇苔藓氮含量均超过3%(平均值分别为3.07%、3.43%).研究区大气氮沉降的变化范围为29.62~54.39kg/(hm2·a),反映了大气氮沉降成为农村生态系统氮输入的重要补充.苔藓平均d15N值为-3.11‰~0.078‰,指示研究区主要受农业氨源的影响.崇仁县城区苔藓d15N为-1.7‰,低于其它农业乡镇(d15N为0‰±1‰),表明该地区还受到城市污水和人畜排泄物所释放的氨影响;孙坊镇苔藓d15N 变化范围为-5.89‰~0.61‰,提示大气氮沉降除受到农业排放的氨作用以外,还存在露天垃圾填埋场挥发氨的贡献.