Spatially distributed modeling of the long-term carbon balance of a boreal landscape

Spatially and temporally distributed information on the sizes of biomass carbon (C) pools (BCPs) and soil C pools (SCPs) is vital for improving our understanding of biosphere-atmosphere C fluxes. Because the sizes of C pools result from the integrated effects of primary production, age-effects, changes in climate, atmospheric CO₂ concentration, N deposition, and disturbances, a modeling scheme that interactively considers these processes is important. We used the InTEC model, driven by various spatio-temporal datasets to simulate the long-term C-balance in a boreal landscape in eastern Canada. Our results suggested that in this boreal landscape, mature coniferous stands had stabilized their productivity and fluctuated as a weak C-sink or C-source depending on the interannual variations in hydrometeorological factors. Disturbed deciduous stands were larger C-sinks (NEP₂₀₀₄ = 150 gC m⁻² yr⁻¹) than undisturbed coniferous stands (e.g. NEP₂₀₀₄ = 8 gC m⁻² yr⁻¹). Wetlands had lower NPP but showed temporally consistent C accumulation patterns. The simulated spatio-temporal patterns of BCPs and SCPs were unique and reflected the integrated effects of climate, plant growth and atmospheric chemistry besides the inherent properties of the C pool themselves. The simulated BCPs and SCPs generally compared well with the biometric estimates (BCPs: r = 0.86, SCPs: r = 0.84). The largest BCP biases were found in recently disturbed stands and the largest SCP biases were seen in locations where moss necro-masses were abundant. Reconstructing C pools and C fluxes in the ecosystem in such a spatio-temporal manner could help reduce the uncertainties in our understanding of terrestrial C-cycle.     

Changes in risky driving behavior from age 21 to 26 years

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether the prevalence of risky driving behavior changed between ages 21 and 26 years, among a cohort of young people. Method: This study was part of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, which is a longitudinal study of a birth cohort. This study involved examining changes in the prevalence of risky driving behavior among young adults at ages 21 and 26 years. At both ages, 936 members of the cohort were administered face-to-face interviews, using a structured questionnaire that included items on a range of risky driving and thrill-seeking activities. Results: The results showed that risky driving was predominantly a male activity, but by 26 years of age, many had “matured out” of this behavior. At the same time, the desire for thrill-seeking increased among the males. Among the females, there were few significant changes between ages 21 and 26 years, but at both ages, the prevalence of risky driving and thrill-seeking was relatively low. Impact on industry: These results show that the main target population for road safety interventions aimed at reducing risky driving behavior should be young, male drivers.     

Municipal solid waste management and short-term projection of the waste discard levels in Taiwan

Industrialization and urbanization result in significant changes in lifestyle. These lifestyle changes seem to lead to unsustainable consumption patterns and increase the generation of various kinds of environmental loads, especially the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW). Taiwan is a small island with scarce natural resources. The economic development in Taiwan has resulted in the generation of large amounts of MSW. As a result, the Taiwan Environmental Pollution Administration (TEPA) has produced regulations for waste minimization and has imposed several important policy measures that have successfully reduced the MSW discard rate in recent years and have established a public recycling network as a part of the MSW collection. Nowadays, the objective of the MSW policies in Taiwan is to develop a “zero-waste society.” This article aims to review the MSW management progress in Taiwan and to project future MSW discards up to 2011 based on the national plan and assumed scenarios for socioeconomic variables. According to the analysis results, a more sustainable consumption pattern can be proposed and the corresponding MSW management system can be planned so as to develop a low-waste-discard society.     

Evaluation of phytoextracting cadmium and lead by sunflower, ricinus, alfalfa and mustard in hydroponic culture

Soil contaminated with heavy metals cadmium(Cd)and lead(Pb)is hard to be remediated.Phytoremediation may be a feasible method to remove toxic metals from soil,but there are few suitable plants which can hyperaccumulate metals.In this study,Cd and Pb accumulation by four plants including sunflower(Helianthus annuus L.),mustard(Brassica juncea L.),alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.), ricinus(Ricinus communis L.)in hydroponic cultures was compared.Results showed that these plants could phytocxtract heavy metals, the ability of accumulation differed with species,concentrations and categories of heavy metals.Values of BCF(bioconcentration factor)and TF(translocation factor)indicated that four species had dissimilar abilities of phytoextraction and transportation of heavy metals.Changes on the biomass of plants,pH and Eh at different treatments revealed that these four plants had distinct responses to Cd and Pb in cultures.Measurements should be taken to improve the phytoremediation of sites contaminated with heavy metals,such as pH and Eh regulations,and so forth.     

罗得河积水区地表径流中铝形态的变化

美国东部地区的罗得河流域遭受严重的酸沉降侵蚀，对流域和内湖生态系统产生致毒影响。监测地表水和土壤水中的铝形态及浓度变化是问题关键。该文应用自行设计的改进ＭＩＮＱＬ微机模型对该地区地表径流中铝 动力学变化规律了分析，得出有价值的论述。     

基于NDVI的风景区索道建设前后植被覆盖动态变化研究

基于归一化植被指数(NDVI)分析方法,利用黄山风景名胜区新云谷索道建设前(2004年)后(2008年)的2个时相的遥感数据对索道建设区进行植被覆盖动态变化分析。结果表明:新云谷索道建设后周边的植被覆盖和生长情况明显优于建设前,森林生态系统正向演替没有因为工程建设而受到限制,工程建设导致的人工干扰没有使植被遭受明显破坏,研究区植被生态系统的结构与功能没有因索道建设而受到影响。以遥感技术(Remote sensing,RS)为手段的风景区植被指数分析方法在生态环境研究中具有广阔的应用前景。     

Vegetation changes along the United States east coast following the great storm of march 1962

Regional-scale vegetation changes on Assateague Island following overwash from the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 were investigated using historical aerial photography. Grasses and dunes were more abundant in 1974 in areas that were overwashed, whereas areas that were not overwashed have been more extensively colonized by shrubs. The increase in shrubs on Assateague Island is attributed to the absence of a subsequent storm overwash.     

乌鲁木齐地区近代生态环境变化特征

本文从近代社会发展探讨乌鲁木齐地区的生态环境变化特征.指出,自然绿州不断缩小,人造绿州扩大;城市发展迅猛,环境污染加重;地下水位下降;天然森林破坏而导致水土流失和沙化;草场过度放牧,退化严重;野生生物锐减;水资源利用率显著提高,耕灌地大面积增加,由此表明,该区生态环境发展趋势既朝着某些有利于人类发展,也存在某些不利人类发展的方向变化.     

Changes in cell-type composition in digestive gland of slugs and its influence in biomarkers following transplantation between a relatively unpolluted and a chronically metal-polluted site

Changes in cell-type composition (CCTC) is a general phenomenon that takes place in the digestive gland epithelium of stressed molluscs. The aim of the present work was to determine whether CCTC is a reversible process in the digestive gland of sentinel slugs chronically exposed to metal pollution and how CCTC affects metal accumulation parameters and different cell and tissue biomarkers of exposure and effect. Slugs (Arion ater) from an abandoned zinc mine were transferred to a relatively unpolluted site and the other way around for 3, 10 and 28 d. The volume density of black silver deposits (Vv_BSD) after autometallography, and metallothionein (MT) levels were used as biomarkers of exposure to metals and CCTC and lysosomal responses were selected as effect biomarkers. Results indicated that slugs were sensitive to recent metal pollution; however, slugs chronically exposed to metals presented some characteristic features and were less responsive to pollution cessation without signs of CCTC reversal.     

广州城区大气环境变化及其影响研究

以广州市区大气环境监测的十几年数据为依据，采用定性和定量相结合的方法，得出了广州市大气环境质量恶化，污染物以氮氧化物为主，热岛效应增强，酸雨频率上升等结论，并对其发生变化的原因作了综合分析，同时指出，大气环境变化后对文稿市部分气候因子，市民身体健康，风景区产生一定的负面影响。