Using Modeling to Improve Monitoring of Structured Populations: Are We Collecting the Right Data?

Abstract:  Population monitoring is central to most demographic studies and conservation efforts, but it may not always be directed at the most appropriate life stage. We used stochastic simulation modeling to evaluate the effectiveness of a monitoring program for a well-studied population of Eastern Imperial Eagles ( Aquila heliaca ) in Kazakhstan. Specifically, we asked whether the most appropriate data were being collected to understand system state and population dynamics. Our models were parameterized with data collected over the course of 25 years of study of this population. We used the models to conduct simulation experiments to evaluate relationships between monitored or potentially monitored parameters and the demographic variables of interest—population size ( N ) and population growth (λ). Static analyses showed that traditional territory-based monitoring was a poor indicator of eagle population size and growth and that monitoring survivorship would provide more information about these parameters. Nevertheless, these same traditionally monitored territory-based parameters had greater power to detect long-term changes in population size than did survivorship or population structure. Regardless of the taxa considered, threats can have immediate impacts on population size and growth or longer-term impacts on population dynamics. Prudently designed monitoring programs for any species will detect the demographic effects of both types of threats.     

氨法脱硫生产氨肥的清洁生产研究

我国因燃煤导致的SO2污染危害十分严重。从清洁生产角度出发,通过比较锅炉烟气脱硫各种方法的优缺点,确定氨法脱硫作为化工企业处理锅炉烟气的工艺。介绍了氨法脱硫机理,工艺各系统结构组成,进行了经济及社会效益分析。氨法脱硫工艺可以去除93％的SO2,处理后的烟气达到了国家排放标准,脱硫副产品硫酸铵可以转交给同区域的企业,深加工为优质化肥。说明发展清洁生产和循环经济是企业预防和控制污染的有效途径,是实现可持续发展战略的必然选择,有利于企业技术进步,提高管理水平,增强综合竞争能力。     

中水回用与效益分析

当前我国水资源供需矛盾日益加剧,实现中水利用是节约水资源的一条有效途径.通过分析中水水源、MBR处理技术及中水用途,结合一个高校实例,进行经济效益分析,并对建设中水回用系统的可行性进行论证.经计算可得效益费用比达到2.38,经济效益是非常明显的,具有实际的参考价值.中水回用不仅节约了水资源而且也产生了明显的经济效益,是城市发展的趋势.     

一株抗Cd~（2＋）菌株的筛选及其吸附性能

Cd2＋为一种毒性金属元素,为了实际解决污水中低浓度重金属污染,实现污水达标排放,通过12C6＋重离子束辐照诱变技术筛选到一株耐受Cd2＋的菌株C2,研究其对Cd2＋的抗性和低浓度Cd2＋的吸附性能表明,Cd2＋浓度≤100 mg/L时,C2菌株可以生长繁殖,但随Cd2＋浓度升高受到抑制;SEM分析表明,受到Cd2＋胁迫时,C2产生大量胞外产物与Cd2＋形成络合物;吸附过程中菌粉表面空隙得到填充,形成凸起;红外光谱分析表明,吸附过程中的主要作用基团为醇羟基O—H键、氨基和酰胺基团;C2菌粉和固定化菌球都对Cd2＋有较好的吸附能力,菌粉吸附效果比固定化菌球稍好;菌粉和固定化吸附剂的最佳吸附初始pH值为5~6.0,最佳投加量分别为1.0 g/L和10 g/L（实际含菌量为1.0 g/L）;Cd2＋浓度在2~20mg/L时,在最佳吸附条件下,菌粉和固定化吸附剂对Cd2＋的吸附率均在90%左右;2种吸附剂吸附过程与Langmuir等温模型和拟二级动力学模型拟合最佳;热力学研究表明吸附反应均能自发进行。以上研究结果表明,C2菌粉和固定化吸附剂均可用于污水中低浓度Cd2＋的去除。     

碱激发胶凝材料及其固化Pb^2＋的试验研究

对碱激胶凝材料（碱-偏高岭土、碱-矿渣和碱-粉煤灰）与水-水泥体系固化Ph^2＋进行了试验研究,其中水-水泥体系为对比样。结果表明：对于相同稠度的碱激发胶凝材料,即使Pb^2＋含量达到2．4％,除了碱-粉煤灰的抗压强度略低外,其他都达到30MPa以上,满足填埋或做建筑基材的使用要求;与水泥相比,碱激发胶凝材料能显著降低重金属离子（Ph^2＋）浸出浓度,其规律性与其NH4交换容量大小的规律性一致,与其固化体的抗压强度的大小没有相关性。     

Ti（Ⅳ）催化臭氧／过氧化氢预处理酸性难降解废水

在Ti（Ⅳ）和过氧化氢存在条件下,考察了臭氧化酸性苯乙酮溶液、硝基苯溶液和垃圾渗滤液（浙江衢州某垃圾填埋场）的预处理效能。结果表明,在pH2．86条件下,单独臭氧化处理对苯乙酮、硝基苯和垃圾渗滤液的COD去除率分别为10．1％、44％和28．6％。BOD,／COD值分别从原来的0．039、0．060和0．085提高到了0．130、0．158和0．174,仍属生化难降解废水。当体系加入Ti（Ⅳ）后,臭氧化苯乙酮和硝基苯的COD去除率分别达到了75．5％和65％,BOD;／COD则提高到了0．679和0．314,可生化性提升明显。对于垃圾渗滤液,只有当体系加入Ti（Ⅳ）和H22后,臭氧化COD的去除率达到66．6％,BOD、／COD提高至0．425。上述结果对酸性难降解废水的处理实际意义非常突出。     

Addressing Data Deficiency in Classifying Extinction Risk: a Case Study of a Radiation of Bignoniaceae from Madagascar

Abstract:  Of the roughly 12,000 known plant species in Madagascar, only 3% are found in the IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List of Threatened Species. We assigned preliminary IUCN categories of threat to the species of a comparatively well-known tribe, Coleeae (Bignoniaceae), which comprises an endemic, species-rich radiation in Madagascar. Because the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria 3.1 discourage the use of the data-deficient category, we developed a novel method for differentiating between range-limited species and poorly sampled species. We used the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG) gazetteer to determine where other collection efforts had taken place. We drew buffers around each Coleeae locality and determined how many times the surrounding area had been visited since the last sighting of the specimens by intersecting the buffers with all known botanical localities from the MBG gazetteer. We determined that at least 54% of the Coleeae species are threatened with extinction. Assignments of species to this category were often due to predicted future decline within their current area of occupancy and their lack of inclusion within the protected-area network (only 42% of species are known to occur in protected areas). Three species were presumed extinct, and an additional 12 have not been seen in decades. Among the species threatened with extinction, we "rescued" six of them from the data-deficient category by considering both the sample dates and localities of places where they occurred in relation to additional collections that took place in the immediate area. Due to their recent discovery, 15 species remained in the data-deficient category. If Coleeae is representative of the Malagasy flora, or at least of other endemic-radiated plant groups, then species loss in Madagascar may be even more extreme than is realized.     

RESEARCH: Optimizing the Mix of Strategies for Control of Vehicular Emissions

/ A number of strategies for the control of vehicular emissions are being considered by the Philippine government to address Metropolitan Manila's air quality problem. An analytical tool is needed for optimizing criteria pollutant reductions given the budgetary constraints. The simplest approach is to take costs and pollutant removals to be linear with each strategy's scale of activity, and this is readily solved as a linear programming problem. Another approach is to use a dynamic system of weights which shift with progressive improvements in pollutant emissions. The two approaches yield somewhat different results, suggesting the sensitivity of the solution to the assumed weights. The study also illustrates the importance of a sound methodology for evaluating priorities given to different air quality goals. One such methodology may involve a polling of expert panels and the public to gain insight into the relative importance given to competing emissions reduction goals. An informal polling of resource agency staff was conducted and discussed in this paper. The authors take the position that proper planning involves tracing intermediate steps to the final outcome and not just focusing on the latter.KEY WORDS: Vehicular emissions; Urban air quality; Emissions control; Optimization; Manila; Environmental systems analysis     

Response to displaced neighbours in a territorial songbird with a large repertoire

Neighbour recognition allows territory owners to modulate their territorial response according to the threat posed by each neighbour and thus to reduce the costs associated with territorial defence. Individual acoustic recognition of neighbours has been shown in numerous bird species, but few of them had a large repertoire. Here, we tested individual vocal recognition in a songbird with a large repertoire, the skylark Alauda arvensis. We first examined the physical basis for recognition in the song, and we then experimentally tested recognition by playing back songs of adjacent neighbours and strangers. Males showed a lower territorial response to adjacent neighbours than to strangers when we broadcast songs from the shared boundary. However, when we broadcast songs from the opposite boundary, males showed a similar response to neighbours and strangers, indicating a spatial categorisation of adjacent neighbours’ songs. Acoustic analyses revealed that males could potentially use the syntactical arrangement of syllables in sequences to identify the songs of their neighbours. Neighbour interactions in skylarks are thus subtle relationships that can be modulated according to the spatial position of each neighbour.     

基于多种方法的长江上游小流域水质综合评价

选取大河和巴关河流域2018—2022年水质监测数据,运用单因子评价法、Spearman秩相关系数法、综合污染指数法和主成分分析法,对流域水质状况、变化趋势及主要污染物特征进行综合评价分析。结果表明:2018—2022年,大河流域水质未达到地表水Ⅲ类标准;流域整体综合污染指数超过了1,为重污染,下游污染程度较重;营养指标和有机污染物指标存在显著正相关。巴关河流域水质达到了地表水Ⅲ类标准;流域整体综合污染指数未超过1,为中污染,上游污染程度较重;营养指标、有机污染物指标和重金属指标等均呈现出不同程度的相关性。巴关河流域水质总体优于大河流域。TP、NH₃-N、COD_Mn、COD_Cr和BOD₅是影响大河流域和巴关河流域水质的主要因子,均属于有机型及富营养化污染指标,主要来自生活源和农业源。建议选择适宜的评价方法开展系统性小流域污染溯源,分河段有针对性地开展小流域水环境治理。