Exploring the risks and benefits of flexibility in biodiversity offset location in a case study of migratory shorebirds

Biodiversity offsets aim to counterbalance the residual impacts of development on species and ecosystems. Guidance documents explicitly recommend that biodiversity offset actions be located close to the location of impact because of higher potential for similar ecological conditions, but allowing greater spatial flexibility has been proposed. We examined the circumstances under which offsets distant from the impact location could be more likely to achieve no net loss or provide better ecological outcomes than offsets close to the impact area. We applied a graphical model for migratory shorebirds in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway as a case study to explore the problems that arise when incorporating spatial flexibility into offset planning. Spatially flexible offsets may alleviate impacts more effectively than local offsets; however, the risks involved can be substantial. For our case study, there were inadequate data to make robust conclusions about the effectiveness and equivalence of distant habitat-based offsets for migratory shorebirds. Decisions around offset placement should be driven by the potential to achieve equivalent ecological outcomes; however, when considering more distant offsets, there is a need to evaluate the likely increased risks alongside the potential benefits. Although spatially flexible offsets have the potential to provide more cost-effective biodiversity outcomes and more cobenefits, our case study showed the difficulty of demonstrating these benefits in practice and the potential risks that need to be considered to ensure effective offset placement.     

Recycling food and agriculture by-products to mitigate climate change: a review

Food loss and waste is a major issue affecting food security, environmental pollution, producer profitability, consumer prices, and climate change. About 1.3 billion tons of food products are yearly lost globally, with China producing approximately 20 million tons of soybean dregs annually. Here, we review food and agricultural byproducts with emphasis on the strategies to convert this waste into valuable materials. Byproducts can be used for animal and plant nutrition, biogas production, food, extraction of oils and bioactive substances, and production of vinegar, wine, edible coatings and organic fertilizers. For instance, bioactive compounds represent approximately 8–20% of apple pomace, 5–17% of orange peel, 10–25% of grape seeds, 3–15% of pomegranate peel, and 2–13% of date palm seeds. Similarly, the pharmaceutical industry uses approximately 6.5% of the total output of gelatin derived from fish bones and animal skin. Animals fed with pomegranate peel and olive pomace improved the concentration of deoxyribonucleic acid and protein, the litter size, the milk yield, and nest characteristics. Biogas production amounts to 57.1% using soybean residue, 53.7% using papaya peel, and 49.1% using sugarcane bagasse.

     

Determination of 27 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in water: The benefit of isotope dilution

• Isotope dilution method was developed for the determination of 27 PPCPs in water. • The established method was successfully applied to different types of water samples. • The correction effect of corresponding 27 ILSs over 70 d was investigated. • Benefit of isotopic dilution method was illustrated for three examples. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are a unique group of emerging and non-persistent contaminants. In this study, 27 PPCPs in various water samples were extracted by solid phase extraction (SPE), and determined by isotope dilution method using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem triple quadruple mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). A total of 27 isotopically labeled standards (ILSs) were applied to correct the concentration of PPCPs in spiked ultrapure water, drinking water, river, effluent and influent sewage. The corrected recoveries were 73%–122% with the relative standard deviation (RSD)<16%, except for acetaminophen. The matrix effect for all kinds of water samples was<22% and the method quantitation limits (MQLs) were 0.45–8.6 ng/L. The developed method was successfully applied on environmental water samples. The SPE extracts of spiked ultrapure water, drinking water, river and wastewater effluent were stored for 70 days, and the ILSs-corrected recoveries of 27 PPCPs were obtained to evaluate the correction ability of ILSs in the presence of variety interferences. The recoveries of 27 PPCPs over 70 days were within the scope of 72%–140% with the recovery variation<37% in all cases. The isotope dilution method seems to be of benefit when the extract has to be stored for long time before the instrument analysis.     

饱和粉末活性炭电化学再生研究

采用电化学再生法对吸附处理染料废水产生的饱和粉末活性炭(PAC)进行再生,以NaCl为电解质,考察了电源类型、pH、再生时间、电压和NaCl浓度对活性炭再生率的影响,并对活性炭表面酸性含氧官能团进行测定。结果表明:(1)在pH=1、直流电压为6V、NaCl为6g/L、再生90min的最佳条件下,采用单室反应器,饱和PAC再生率达到59.09%。(2)电极循环伏安曲线结果表明,饱和PAC电极表面发生氧化反应,与主电极直接和间接氧化共同作用,使活性炭表面吸附的污染物降解。活性炭表面酸性含氧官能团滴定和红外光谱测试结果进一步表明,电化学再生法使活性炭表面基团得到恢复。     

射阳湖浮游动物群落结构特征及其与环境因子相关性研究

2016—2017年对射阳湖开展浮游动物群落结构和水质指标逐月监测。结果表明,射阳湖共鉴定出浮游动物61种,其中原生动物、轮虫、枝角类和桡足类分别为25种、24种、7种和5种。浮游动物种类数呈现春夏季多于秋冬季的变化趋势。浮游动物优势种数量较多、分布广,群落结构相对复杂且稳定。运用Shannon-Wiener指数、均匀度指数和B/T指数对射阳湖水质作评价,结果表明,该湖处于轻度—中度污染状态,生物学指标评价法与常规水质评价结果一致。浮游动物群落结构与水质指标相关性分析表明,水温、透明度、Chl-a和DO是影响射阳湖浮游动物群落结构的主要水质指标。     

喀斯特生态环境治理下土壤保持功能对石漠化的响应机制

喀斯特地区土壤保持功能是衡量石漠化生态治理成效的重要手段之一,基于InVEST模型,利用"3S"技术对2005、2010、2015年的关岭-贞丰花江示范区的石漠化进行解译,研究石漠化与土壤保持量两者的响应机制。结果表明:(1)2005～2015年石漠化程度总体减缓,面积由3 773.56 hm~2减少至3 474.23 hm~2,土壤保持总量相继上升,从29.29万t提高至37.29万t,2005～2010年单位面积土壤保持增量集中在6～30 t·hm~(-2)·a~(-1),后五年增量在0～6 t·hm~(-2)·a~(-1)。(2)由于土地利用方式、坡度、土层厚度等差异,土壤保持功能并未呈现简单式下降,而是表现为强度中度、轻度潜在、非喀斯特无石漠化。其中轻度与潜在差值最大,可达5.53 t·hm~(-2)·a~(-1),说明了潜在石漠化是今后治理的重点。(3)2005～2010年石漠化恢复型土壤保持增量为10.27 t·hm~(-2)·a~(-1),由于土地利用方式的转变以及治理时效性在2010～2015年降低为3.01 t·hm~(-2)·a~(-1)。稳定型石漠化变化土壤保持变化最为平稳,强度石漠化减缓区土壤保持功能上升快,轻度最为平缓,表明了治理期长且需循序渐进。因而,在治理过程中需考虑不同等级石漠化具有的土壤保持功能特性及其恢复的时效性。     

地表水环境遥感监测关键技术与系统

本文主要是围绕地表水环境遥感检测展开讨论,全面介绍了水环境检测的关键技术和系统,建立改进双峰法的水体分布遥感提取方法,并以具体地区为例进行分析,采用不同方法建立解析方法,从根本上提升反演方法的区域和积极适用性,希望能够对相关人员起到参考性价值。     

一种基于工作流模型的系统运行评估方法

复杂信息系统各功能正常运行依赖于内部各数据处理节点之间的高效协作和数据交互。针对复杂信息系统运行情况评估的需求,提出了一种基于工作流模型的评估方法,能够依据系统运行过程中各节点之间的数据交互关系建立模型,通过该模型对系统的记录数据进行自动化处理,实现系统整体运行情况、各节点运行情况以及各项功能完成情况的统计和分析,实现故障问题的隔离和定位。