A Survey of Trace Metals in Vegetation, Soil and Lower Animal Along Some Selected Major Roads in Metropolitan City of Lagos

The concentration of trace metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in a total of 144 samples of grass, soil and lower animal (earthworm, Lybrodrilus violaceous) were collected and analysed for their metallic content. Levels of cadmium ranged from 0.01–0.07 g g^–1; 0.01–0.12 g g^–1 and from trace–0.05 g g^–1 dry weight for plant, soil and animal samples respectively. Mean concentration of copper ranged 0.10–1.48 g g^–1; 0.10–2.90 g g^–1 and 0.01–0.08 g g^–1 for samples in similar order as above. The levels of Pb varied from 0.01–0.14 g g^–1; 0.02–0.23 g g^–1 and from trace–0.07 g g^–1 while that of Zn ranged from 0.19–1.80 g g^–1; 0.51–3.35 g g^–1and 0.01–0.08 g g^–1 also in the same order of samples as mentioned above. Levels of metals in soil samples were higher than the background levels with the exception of Zn but lower than European Union (EU) limits. The results generally revealed the presence of metals in plant and animal samples and metal dynamics up the food chain is highly possible. Acceptable recoveries of the spiking experiment validate the experimental protocol.     

Geostatistical Uncertainty Modelling for the Environmental Hazard Assessment During Single Erosive Rainstorm Events

This paper presents an environmental hazard assessment to account the impacts of single rainstorm variability on river-torrential landscape identified as potentially vulnerable mainly to erosional soil degradation processes. An algorithm for the characterisation of this impact, called Erosive Hazard Index (EHI), is developed with a less expensive methodology. In EHI modelling, we assume that the river-torrential system has adapted to the natural hydrological regime, and a sudden fluctuation in this regime, especially those exceeding thresholds for an acceptable range of flexibility, may have disastrous consequences for the mountain environment. The hazard analysis links key rainstorm energy variables expressed as a single-storm erosion index (EI_sto), with impact thresholds identified using an intensity pattern model. Afterwards, the conditional probabilities of exceeding these thresholds are spatially assessed using non-parametric geostatistical techinques, known as indicator kriging. The approach was applied to a test site in river-torrential landscape of the Southern Italy (Benevento province) for 13 November 1997 rainstorm event.     

IMPACTS OF VISITORS ON SOIL AND VEGETATION OF THE RECREATIONAL AREA “NACIMIENTO DEL RÍO MUNDO” (CASTILLA-LA MANCHA, SPAIN)

This study examines the effects of recreational use on the soil and vegetation at a site of ecological importance (Nacimiento del Río Mundo, Albacete, Spain). The most visited sites showed increased soil compaction of approximately 50%, bare ground increase to 61 ± 10% and a decrease in richness (from 25 ± 2 to 15 ± 2 species), diversity (from 4.0 ± 0.1 to 2.7 ± 0.4) and stratification of plant species (from 80 ± 11 to 21 ± 4%). The most visited sites had 90% less plant species as compared to the least visited. Intense use was associated with the presence of nitrophilous plant and vegetal species with a morphology adapted to heavy trampling. The recreational areas showed a distribution pattern of impact radiating outwards from the most used and degraded point. At the most visited point, Los Chorros (the spring of the river), the impact radiated outwards for about 20 m. A pilot experiment examining the effects of one-year restriction to visitors for access to a formerly impacted area showed a plant cover increase by anthropic and not by native species of 57 percent units.     

中国土壤中溴,碘的背景含量

通过对全国八百余个表层土样的分析测试,获得了中国土壤中溴、碘背景含量的总体水平及在各土类中的含量,相对于地壳丰度,中国土壤中溴、碘普遍得到了富集,溴、碘含量分异变化较大,并具有明显的地域分异特征,影响中国土壤中溴、碘含量的主要因素是降水量、土壤吸附体的含量以及某些特殊母质。     

贵阳地区基本地质环境和主要岩土工程问题综述

本文系笔者对贵阳地区主要地质环境和工程地质特点进行的初步总结,内容为贵阳地区主要岩土构成情况、分布范围及与之相应的岩土工程地质特点和主要的岩土工程地质问题的描述,旨在给同行提供宏观性的了解和方向性的参考。     

大气CO2浓度升高对农田生态系统的影响

自由大气CO2浓度升高(简称FACE,即Free A ir CO2Enrichment)对陆地生态系统的影响是全球变化研究中的一个热点。综述了FACE条件下,农田土壤植物生物量质量变化和土壤微生物对植物的反馈作用,以及土壤痕量气体排放的趋势变化。     

Determination of arsenic in grain and soil by hydride nondispersive atomic fluorescence method

Quantity of trace arsenic in grain and soil was determined by hydride nondispersive atomic fluorescence method.Optimum conditions of measurement were selected in the experiment including the pH of the medium, reductive agent, the concentration and flowing velocity of KBH4, rate of carrier gas and atomized temperature. The reference sample of rice C was determined and the linear relationship of the calibration curve was plotted, indicating that the method was highly precise. In the experiment of recovery rate, the method was quite satisfactory.Based on the determination of hundreds of samples, it is proved that atomic fluorescence method is rapid, sensitive and low in interference. It is very efficient on determination of trace arsenic in soils and grains, especially in grains.     

红壤中结合态磷在酸化条件下的变化及其相互关系

以浙江沿海地区的红壤为研究对象，通过浸滤过程，研究了在酸化条件下，红壤中可溶笥结合态磷的变化和它们之间的相关关系，结果显示，红壤中可溶性Fe-P比Ca－P、Al－P对酸度的变化更为敏感；当红壤中可溶性磷的原始含量较高时，随酸度的增强从固相中释出的趋势更明显；在酸化过程中、红壤中不同可溶性结合态磷之间呈现出不同的相关关系，这归因子它们对酸化敏感性的差异。     

Potential for carbon sequestration in Canadian forests and agroecosystems

The potential for carbon (C) sequestration was examined in selectedCanadian forest settings and prairie agroecosystems under severalmanagement scenarios. A simple C budget model was developed toquantitatively examine C sequestration potential in living biomass of forestecosystems, in associated forest-product C pools, and in displaced fossil-fuelC. A review of previous studies was conducted to examine C sequestrationpotential in prairie agroecosystems. In the forest settings examined, ourwork suggests that substantial C sequestration opportunities can be realizedin the short term through the establishment of protected forest-C reserves.Where stands can be effectively protected from natural disturbance, peaklevels of biomass C storage can exceed that under alternative managementstrategies for 200 years or more. In settings where it is not feasible tomaintain protected forest-C reserves, C sequestration opportunities can berealized through maximum sustained yield management with harvestedbiomass put towards the displacement of fossil fuels. Because there is afinite capacity for C storage in protected forest-C reserves, harvesting forestbiomass and using it to displace the use of fossil fuels, either directlythrough the production of biofuels or indirectly through the production oflong-lived forest products that displace the use of energy-intensive materialssuch as steel or concrete, can provide the greatest opportunity to mitigategreenhouse gas emissions in the long term. In Canadian prairieagroecosystems, modest C sequestration can be realized while enhancingsoil fertility and improving the efficiency of crop production. This can bedone in situations where soil organic C can be enhanced without relianceupon ongoing inputs of nitrogen fertilizer, or where the use of fossil fuelsin agriculture can be reduced. More substantial C offsets can be generatedthrough the production of dedicated energy crops to displace the use offossil fuels. Where afforestation or reconstruction of native prairieecosystems on previously cultivated land is possible, this represents thegreatest opportunity to sequester C on a per unit-area basis. However,these last two strategies involve the removal of land from crop production,and so they are not applicable on as wide a scale as some other Csequestration options which only involve modifications to currentagricultural practices.     

Multimedia model of atrazine in plant-soil-groundwater system with a fugacity approach

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