Environmental change,development and vectorborne disease: Malaysia’s experience with filariasis,scrub typhus and dengue

During Malaysia’s rapid economic development into becoming a middle income country in the past several decades, environmental changes resulted in altered land use patterns because of agricultural practices such as large scale rice, rubber and oil palm cultivation. The impact of environmental changes brought about by rice and rubber cultivation affected the breeding habitats of mosquito vectors which in turn affected the prevalence of two strains of lymphatic filariasis in different ways. With scrub typhus, the development of oil palm plantations affected the ecology of mite and rodent populations which resulted in very high incidence of the disease in affected populations. Malaysia’s relentless urbanization has resulted in increased incidence of dengue, as peridomestic mosquito vectors increasingly colonize urban habitats. This article discusses how ecological factors determine the way lymphatic filariasis, scrub typhus and dengue were spread in Malaysia. The nation’s experience with environmental changes due to rapid development provides lessons for other developing countries in control programs and public health policy.     

Public perception of air pollution sources across Europe

Air pollution is one of the primary concerns of our society for its effect on human health and the environment. Among the policy measures that can be put in place to limit air pollutant emissions, end-of-pipe technologies and/or regulatory instruments may be implemented through legislative acts. Also, equally important are behavioural measures, requiring citizens’ active involvement. The success of any measure to limit pollutant emissions requires the acceptance by the citizens that, in turn, implies a correct perception of the main pollutant emission drivers. We present here the comparison between the public perception of air pollution sources and the real-world situation through a survey carried out in seven European countries and involving 16 101 respondents. Our study shows a dramatic underestimation of the contribution of the agri-food sector to air pollution. This result is common to all respondents in the seven countries examined and only to a small extent depends on gender, age and socio-economic status of the respondents.     

2014年北京市CO浓度水平和时空分布

对北京市地面监测站点的CO浓度进行分析，探讨其浓度水平、变化趋势和时空分布特征。2014年春、夏、秋、冬四季北京市CO平均浓度分别为1.06、0.87、1.34、2.17 mg/m³。CO浓度均呈双峰型变化，第一个峰值出现在07：00-09：00，主要由交通早高峰的排放引起；第二个峰值出现在23：00左右，主要受交通晚高峰排放和夜间边界层高度降低的挤压效应的共同影响。从空间分布来看，全年整体呈现南高北低的分布特征，尤其是秋、冬季较为明显，体现了工业布局和区域传输对CO的影响。从全年来看，湿度对CO浓度的影响最大。对2014年冬季北京市的一次高CO浓度分析结果表明，此次过程是由本地排放和区域传输共同造成的，气象要素中地面气压对CO浓度影响最大。     

Dynamics of soil organic matter in primary and secondary forest succession on sandy soils in The Netherlands: An application of the ROMUL model

We applied the simulation model ROMUL of soil organic matter dynamics in order to analyse and predict forest soil organic matter (SOM) changes following stand growth and also to identify gaps of data and modelling problems. SOM build-up was analysed (a) from bare sand to forest soil during a primary succession in Scots pine forest and (b) on mature forest soil under Douglas fir plantations as an example of secondary succession in The Netherlands. As some of the experimental data were unreliable we compiled a set of various scenarios with different soil moisture regime, initial SOM pools and amount and quality of above and below ground litter input. This allowed us to find the scenarios that reflect the SOM dynamics more realistically. In the Scots pine forest, total litter input was estimated as 0.50 kg m⁻² year⁻¹. Two scenarios were defined for the test runs: (a) forest floor moisture regimes—‘dry, mesic and hydric’ and (b) augmenting a root litter pool with three ratios of needles and branches to roots: 1:1, 1:1.5 and 1:2.0. The scenario finally compiled had the following characteristics: (a) climate for dry site with summer drought and high winter moisture of forest floor; (b) a litter input of 0.25 kg m⁻² year⁻¹ above ground and 0.50 kg m⁻² year⁻¹ below ground; (c) a low nitrogen and ash content in all litter fall fractions. The test runs for the estimation of the initial SOM pools and the amount and proportion of above and below ground litter fall were also performed in the Douglas fir plantation. The inputs of above ground litter tested in various combinations were 0.30 and 0.60 kg m⁻² year⁻¹, and below ground litter 0.30, 0.60 and 0.90 kg m⁻² year⁻¹. The scenario that fitted the experimental data had an SOM pool of 20–25 kg m⁻², an aboveground litter input of 0.6 kg m⁻² year⁻¹and a below ground litter input of 0.9 kg m⁻² year⁻¹. The long-term simulation corresponded well with the observed patterns of soil organic matter accumulation associated with the forest soil development in primary and secondary succession. During primary succession in Scots pine forest on dry sand there is a consistent accumulation of a raw humus forest floor. The soil dynamics in the Douglas fir plantation also coincide with the observed patterns of SOM changes during the secondary succession, with SOM decreasing significantly under young forest, and SOM being restored in the older stands.     

Adaptive behaviour of chironomid larvae (Chironomus riparius) in response to chemical stimuli from predators and resource density

Chemical-mediated effects of predatory fish on chironomid larvae behaviour have been ignored so far. Sediment-dwelling chironomid larvae inhabit protective burrows from which they extend their bodies only to feed on deposited detritus and microalgae from the surrounding sediment. Here, we performed factorial laboratory experiments to study whether fish-borne chemical cues (kairomones) are responsible for behavioural trait changes of chironomid larvae, and whether chironomid larvae are able to assess the densities of fish predators and food resources and the trade-off between them. We exposed naïve Chironomus riparius larvae to the chemical presence of zero, one, and ten predator fish (Rutilus rutilus) and offered two resource levels (low food, high food) for each treatment. Kairomones induced significant inherent behavioural trait changes in chironomid larvae. During the first 120 min after exposing chironomids to fish-conditioned water, we found a significant increase in digging activity with increasing predator density. After 3 days of exposure, the deepest chironomid burrows were found in treatments with the highest predator density. Chironomid larvae were significantly able to adjust their foraging behaviour to different predator densities and food concentrations and trade off between them; that is, when fish predators were more abundant or when more food resources were available, the foraging activities of larvae were significantly reduced. Our data suggest that chemically mediated trait changes (burrowing and foraging behaviour) may cascade through the littoral food web.     

全球变化对跨境淡水资源利用和管理的影响

跨境淡水资源的合理利用和协调管理,已成为当今国际区域经济发展、跨境资源和市场共享、世界生态维护的合作主题,成为下世纪制约区域可持续发展和避免地区冲突的一个关键因素,受到国际社会广泛关注。从边界变化、国际区域合作和经济一体化、气候变化、人口增长、可持续发展等全球趋势对此主题的影响进行了探讨。     

沙漠绿洲的开发与环境变化的相互影响

干旱区的农业活动、特别是沙漠绿洲的开发,改变了地-气系统的能量交换。几年来的沙漠绿洲气候与防风林的研究、气候资料的分析和实地考察表明,中国西部干旱区最近４３年来的沙漠绿洲开发已改变着那里的局地气候环境,使其向有利于人类和农业的方向发展着。在沙漠绿洲的开发利用与局地环境变化之间,存在着两种截然相反的反馈作用：环境变好→绿洲发展→环境更好→绿洲再发展;环境恶化→绿洲退化→环境更坏→绿洲再退化,甚至消失。决定这两种反馈作用的是大环境的变迁和绿洲开发利用中是否合理利用资源和按自然规律办事。     

Effects of uncontrolled particulate matter release on precipitation under warfare conditions

This study has shown theoretical, observed and experimental evidence of pollutants released, transported and deposited during the Kosovo conflict in 1999 and their effects on precipitation in Serbia. The greatest bombardment of the chemical industry, oil refineries and fuel storage in Serbia which occurred during April, resulted in releases of many hazardous, toxic and cancerogenic substances. The number of April's days with precipitation greater or equal to 0.1 mm in 1999 are compared to those in the period from 1961 to 1990 registered at thirty meteorological stations in Serbia and especially at the Belgrade-Observatory station in the period from 1888 to 1995. The maximums of days with precipitation greater or equal to 0.1 mm were at the wider Belgrade area and at the central and southwestern parts of Serbia during April 1999. This is confirmed by using the Eta trajectory analysis.     

济南市水域鱼类功能群结构及其季节性变化

鱼类对于维护河流生态系统的稳定具有重要作用,季节性变化在一定程度上影响鱼类的群落结构.为了解济南市水域鱼类的功能群结构及其季节性差异,于2014年春季（5月）、夏季（8月）和秋季（11月）选取济南市水域的40个采样点对鱼类群落和水环境理化因子,通过单因素方差分析、多响应置换过程以及典范对应分析等方法,分析鱼类功能群在不同季节的差异性.结果表明:①春季共鉴定出鱼类5目7科26种,夏季为5目9科32种,秋季为5目7科20种.将鱼类按栖息水层、产卵类型、对环境的耐受性以及营养结构4个方面分为4种功能类群共11亚类.春季主要以植食性、底层与敏感种功能群为主,夏季主要以肉食性、中下层、耐污种、特殊产卵与粘性卵功能群为主,秋季主要以杂食性、浮性卵、中上层、耐污种功能群为主.②典范对应结果显示,影响粘性卵功能群、肉食性功能群、底层功能群以及敏感种功能群分布的驱动因子是ρ（DO）,电导率则是影响植食性功能群的驱动因子.研究显示,鱼类功能群的季节性变化受到内源性和外源性的共同影响,即鱼类自身生活习性和水环境因子季节性变化的共同影响.      

白洋淀水质时空变化及影响因子评价与分析

作为海河流域重要湖泊湿地,白洋淀的水环境直接影响着流域生态健康和环境安全.综合运用灰色聚类法、综合污染指数和单因子污染指数法探讨白洋淀水质时空变化规律及关键影响因子.在时间序列上,白洋淀水质1973～2007年年际变化总体呈现出恶化趋势,劣于Ⅲ类水水质,由20世纪70年代的14.3%上升到2000年以后的83%,水质恶化严重;2006年内水质变化综合污染指数春(52.9)夏(11.4)冬(9.81)秋(8.88),且TP的综合污染指数最高达到14.86,BOD5综合污染指数最低为7.67.空间分布上,以南刘庄为核心的西北部区域污染最为严重,其次为白洋淀东北部区域的烧车淀、王家寨、光淀张庄、枣林庄和圈头;采蒲台和端村的东南和西南区域污染最轻.通过对自然和社会影响因素的比较分析,结果表明,影响白洋淀水质的关键自然因子是入淀水量,从1973～2007年,历年入淀水量远达不到淀区最小需水量.社会因子包括产业和产业结构两方面因子,产业因子有保定市第一产业、安新县第二产业和保定市第三产业,相关系数分别为0.771、0.708和0.624;产业结构因子有安新县工业和安新县渔业和保定市农业的发展,相关系数分别为0.746、0.734和0.661.此外,安新县和保定市人口增长与水质的相关系数也分别达到0.731和0.690.建议:①控制入淀水质、淀区面源和内源污染;②空间上分区管理,可分为污染控制区、综合改善区和生态恢复区;③加强生态的监测和预警,完善白洋淀流域环境公共政策和产业环境管理.