Mortality and recruitment of mountain birch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Betula pubescens</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">czerepanovii</Emphasis>) in the impact zone of a copper-nickel smelter in the period of significant reduction of emissions: The results of 15-year monitoring

Long-term monitoring of mountain birch populations (1992–2006) was performed in 14 test plots located at distances of 1 to 63 km from the copper-nickel smelter in Monchegorsk (Murmansk oblast) and differing in the degree of disturbance. In the period from 1999 to 2006, atmospheric emissions of sulfur dioxide and heavy metals amounted to only one-third of those between 1992 and 1998, but birch mortality in heavily polluted areas (with nickel concentrations in leaves exceeding 160 mg/kg) remained at the same level, being absent (as previously) in less polluted areas. Throughout the observation period, birch recruitment was observed only in areas where nickel concentrations in the leaves were below 160 mg/kg; i.e., this concentration proved to be the threshold with respect to both mortality and recruitment of mountain birch. The course of demographic processes in its populations has remained unchanged after the reduction of emissions, confirming the hypothesis of the “inertial“ effect of industrial emissions on ecosystems. In some areas of industrial barrens, mountain birch may perish completely within the next decade.     

Response of the pigment system of conifers to long-term industrial air pollution

To estimate the response of conifers to long-term industrial air pollution at the pigment system level, the dynamics of photosynthetic pigments have been studied in needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) growing at different distances from the emission source (a pulp and paper mill). It has been shown that the pigment apparatus of spruce. The results show that in spruce, unlike in pine, the pigment apparatus remains unchanged under the effect of weak pollution. Long-term exposure at high levels of industrial emission results in suppression of chlorophyll and carotenoid syntheses in pine but stimulates pigment production in spruce. An increase in the contents of pigments in the needles of conifers growing in the impact zone of the pulp and paper mill reflects a compensatory mechanism of adaptation of their pigment system to long-term stress exposure.     

环保新思维：绿色保险

我国现在正处于环境事故高发期，而环境污染损害赔偿是企业，甚至是国家必须面对的现实问题。然而单凭企业承担责任是力所不能及的，最终不得不由国家买单，给国家带来沉重的负担。这种情况迫切需要建立环境污染损害责任保险机制，即绿色保险，把赔偿引向社会化。保险本身就是一种救灾形式，因为它能分散风险，减少损失。针对我国的具体情况，建立适宜的环境污染责任保险模式才能平衡发展与环境保护的关系、在全社会牢固树立生态文明理念。     

对广东北江镉污染事件的立法评析—兼评《水污染防治法》

本文选取环境问题比较突出的水污染领域进行集中探讨，从分析“广东北江镉污染”这一具有典型意义的水污染突发事件入手，首先分析导致北江污染事件发生的具有普遍意义的共性原因，然后总结1996年《水污染防治法》存在的问题并提出修订法律的必要性，最后通过对2008年新修订的《水污染防治法》相关制度的解读与评说，来提出进一步完善新法的一些立法建议。     

Development of a Quantitative Pasture Phosphorus Management Tool Using the SWAT Model1

Abstract: Assessment tools to evaluate phosphorus loss from agricultural lands allow conservation planners to evaluate the impact of management decisions on water quality. Available tools to predict phosphorus loss from agricultural fields are either: (1) qualitative indices with limited applicability to address offsite water quality standards, or (2) models which are prohibitively complex for application by most conservation planners. The purpose of this research was to develop a simple interface for a comprehensive hydrologic/water quality model to allow its usage by farmers and conservation planners. The Pasture Phosphorus Management (PPM) Calculator was developed to predict average annual phosphorus (P) losses from pastures under a variety of field conditions and management options. PPM Calculator is a vastly simplified interface for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model that requires no knowledge of SWAT by the user. PPM Calculator was validated using 33 months of data on four pasture fields in northwestern Arkansas. This tool has been extensively applied in the Lake Eucha/Spavinaw Basin in northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas. PPM Calculator allows conservation planners to take advantage of the predictive capacity of a comprehensive hydrologic water quality model typically reserved for use by hydrologists and engineers. This research demonstrates the applicability of existing water quality models in the development of user friendly P management tools.     

河北省地表水环境污染特征及分析

河北省1998年-2005年的水环境质量监测数据分析表明：河北省地表水污染恶化趋势基本得到遏制，但部分地区水污染矛盾仍很突出；水体总体污染减轻，但氨氮污染有加重趋势；主要湖（库）水水质稳定，但普遍呈不同程度的富营养化。在此基础上，分析了地表水污染的原因，并提出了河北省改善地表水环境污染的对策与措施。     

Development and Use of a Sedimentation Risk Index for Unpaved Road‐Stream Crossings in the Choctawhatchee Watershed1

Abstract: Unpaved road‐stream crossings increase sediment yields in streams and alter channel morphology and stability. Before restoration and sedimentation reduction strategies can be implemented, a priority listing of unpaved road‐stream crossings must be created. The objectives of this study were to develop a sedimentation risk index (SRI) for unpaved road‐stream crossings and to prioritize 125 sites in the Choctawhatchee watershed (southeastern Alabama) using this model. Field surveys involved qualitative and quantitative observations of 73 metrics related to waterway conditions, crossing structures, road approaches, and roadside soil erosion. The road‐stream crossing risk analyses involved elimination of candidate metrics based on redundancy, skewness, lack of data, professional judgment, lack of nonzero values, unbalanced box plots, and limited ranges of values. A final selection of 12 metrics formed the SRI and weighed factors involving soil erodibility, road sedimentation abatement features, and stream morphology alteration. The SRI was organized into narrative categories (excellent, good, fair, poor, and very poor) based on the distribution of scores. No excellent sites (scores ≥55) were found in this study, 17 (20.7%) were good (low sedimentation risk), 37 (45.1%) were fair (moderate sedimentation risk), 26 (31.7%) were poor (high sedimentation risk), and two (2.5%) were very poor (high sedimentation risk). There was no significant difference in SRI scores among crossing structure type (round culverts, box culverts, and bridges) (H = 4.31, df = 2, p = 0.058). A future study of the Choctawhatchee watershed involving the same study sites could assess the success of restoration plans and activities based on site score improvement or decline.     

西洋河流域污染的特征研究

随着卢龙县工业及畜牧业的发展及人口的增加，西洋河水域污染日益严重，水质功能已达到Ⅳ类，生态环境遭到严重的破坏。西洋河流域地表污染源主要有工业企业废水、畜禽养殖污水、甘薯淀粉加工废水和农业生产废水等。本文分析了西洋河流域地表水质污染的现状，在严格排查污染源的基础上对其水质特征进行了科学分析。     

衡水市空气主要污染物体积质量的时间分布特征

利用衡水市环境监测站2005—2007年度大气例行检测的数据，对衡水市大气中主要污染物SO^2、NO^2、PM10体积质量值的逐日数据进行统计分析，得出了衡水市空气污染的现状和时间变化规律：（1）污染物体积质量值的月变化曲线呈槽型分布，非取暖期的空气状况明显好于取暖期，取暖期SO^2平均体积质量是非取暖期的2．45倍；（2）污染物体积质量值的日变化曲线基本为两高两低型，其中取暖期污染指数早晨出现极高值的时间比非取暖期明显偏晚；（3）污染物体积质量值的年变化表明了SO^2的体积质量在降低，而NO^2的体积质量却有了小幅增长。     

Influence of temporally variable groundwater flow conditions on point measurements and contaminant mass flux estimations

Monitoring of contaminant concentrations, e.g., for the estimation of mass discharge or contaminant degradation rates, often is based on point measurements at observation wells. In addition to the problem, that point measurements may not be spatially representative, a further complication may arise due to the temporal dynamics of groundwater flow, which may cause a concentration measurement to be not temporally representative. This paper presents results from a numerical modeling study focusing on temporal variations of the groundwater flow direction. “Measurements” are obtained from point information representing observation wells installed along control planes using different well frequencies and configurations. Results of the scenario simulations show that temporally variable flow conditions can lead to significant temporal fluctuations of the concentration and thus are a substantial source of uncertainty for point measurements. Temporal variation of point concentration measurements may be as high as the average concentration determined, especially near the plume fringe, even when assuming a homogeneous distribution of the hydraulic conductivity. If a heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity field is present, the concentration variability due to a fluctuating groundwater flow direction varies significantly within the control plane and between the different realizations. Determination of contaminant mass fluxes is also influenced by the temporal variability of the concentration measurement, especially for large spacings of the observation wells. Passive dosimeter sampling is found to be appropriate for evaluating the stationarity of contaminant plumes as well as for estimating average concentrations over time when the plume has fully developed. Representative sampling has to be performed over several periods of groundwater flow fluctuation. For the determination of mass fluxes at heterogeneous sites, however, local fluxes, which may vary considerably along a control plane, have to be accounted for. Here, dosimeter sampling in combination with time integrated local water flux measurements can improve mass flux estimates under dynamic flow conditions.