A large-eddy simulation of a line source in a convective atmospheric boundary layer—I. Dispersion characteristics

The dispersion of a passive line source in the convective atmospheric boundary layer is calculated with a large-eddy simulation. The results of the calculation are presented in the form of dispersion parameters. The total dispersion parameter is made up of two contributions: meandering and relative diffusion. Both contributions are calculated as a function of diffusion time and of source height. The results for vertical dispersion show that initially the contribution by meandering is large. Furthermore, the meandering component becomes larger as source height increases. These results can be interpreted in terms of the well-known looping plume in the convective boundary layer. The horizontal dispersion parameter is also influenced by meandering. However, in this case the lowest source has the largest meandering component. Finally, we consider the velocity statistics and demonstrate that they are consistent with the dispersion parameters.     

Non-point source analysis of a railway bridge area using statistical method：Case study of a concrete road-bed

In an effort to protect the quality of the water system, interest in non-point source pollution is increasing. Recently, studies of non-point sources pollution are continuing in relation to various land- use areas, but such studies have not been fully conducted in railway facility sites. Using monitoring data of railway bridge area with concrete road-bed, the runoff characteristics, pollutant unit loads, and first flush criteria were assessed. Railway bridge area with concrete road-bed typically show the first flush effect, and the pollutant unit load was determined to be higher than other public facilities areas. Further, the first flush criteria show an effective rainfall amount of 7 mm. In other words, from the runoff of railway facilities, considerable amounts of non-point source pollutants are occurred, indicating the need to create best management practices which are adequate for railway facility sites.     

Gold mining in Siberia and the Far East as a source of mercury contamination of the environment

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Carbon credit for hydroelectric dams as a source of greenhouse-gas emissions: the example of Brazil’s Teles Pires Dam

Carbon credit is granted to hydroelectric dams under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the assumptions that (1) the dams would not be built without CDM funding and (2) over the 7 to 10-year duration of the projects the dams would have minimal emissions as compared to the fossil fuel-generated electricity they displace. Both of these assumptions are false, especially in the case of tropical dams such as those planned in Amazonia. Brazil’s Teles Pires Dam, now under construction, provides a concrete example indicating the need for reform of CDM regulations by eliminating credit for hydroelectric dams.     

Nonpoint source nutrient Ioad from a subcatchm ent with a rice cultivation and m ultipond system

A small subwatershed of Chaohu Lake was chosen for research on the relationships of landuse，nonpoint source pollution and its prevention．The distributions of nitrogen and phosphorus in the different land use types were shown by monitoring N and P in water samples from rainfall，surface runoff,ponds，a stream and the lake，and in soil samples from rice fields，nonirrigated land and mountain forests．A multi-pond agroecosystem was found to prevent the nonpoint source pollutants and sediment loading to eutrophic Chaohu Lake from its catchment area，because this multi-pond system can effectively keep water and nutrients inside the catchment area and be reused to irrigate the rice field．It requires only a Small investment and energy consumption．and that is suitable for this large under-development agricultural watershed．     

Environmental risk assessment of the middle route of south-to-north water transferring source project in China

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Are soils of Iowa USA currently a carbon sink or source? Simulated changes in SOC stock from 1972 to 2007

Upscaling the spatial and temporal changes in carbon (C) stocks and fluxes from sites to regions is a critical and challenging step toward improving our understanding of the dynamics of C sources and sinks over large areas. This study simulated soil organic C (SOC) dynamics within 0–100 cm depth of soils across the state of Iowa in the USA from 1972 to 2007 using the General Ensemble biogeochemical Modeling System (GEMS). The model outputs with variation coefficient were analyzed and assembled from simulation unit to the state scale based upon major land use types at annual step. Results from this study indicate that soils (within a depth of 0–100 cm) in Iowa had been a SOC source at a rate of 190 ± 380 kg C ha^?1 yr^?1. This was likely caused by the installation of a massive drainage system which led to the release of SOC from deep soil layers previously protected under poor drainage conditions. The annual crop rotation was another major force driving SOC variation and resulted in spatial variability of annual budgets in all croplands. Annual rate of change of SOC stocks in all land types depended significantly on the baseline SOC levels; soils with higher SOC levels tended to be C sources, and those with lower levels tended to be C sinks. Management practices (e.g., conservation tillage and residue management practices) slowed down the C emissions from Iowa soils, but could not reverse the general trend of net SOC loss in view of the entire state due mainly to a high level of baseline SOC stocks.     

Validation of an agricultural non-point source （AGNPS） pollution model for a catchment in the Jiulong River watershed, China

This study tested and evaluated the agricultural non-point source(AGNPS)model for the Wuchuan catchment, a typical agricultural area in the Jiulong River watershed, Fujian Province. China. The AGNPS model was calibrated and validated for the study area with observed data onten storms. Thedata on eight stormsin 2002 were used for calibration while data on two stormswere used for validation of the model. Considering the lack of water quality data over a long-term series, a novel method, comparing an internal nested catchment with its surrounding catchment, was used to supplement the less long-term series data. Dual calibration and validation of the AGNPS model was obtained by this comparison. The results indicate that the correlation coefficients were 0. 99 and 0. 98 for runoff, 0. 94 and 0. 95 forthe peak runoff rate of the large catchment and the small catchment, respectively, and 0. 76 forthe sediment of the small catchment only. Each pair of correlation coefficients is homogeneous for the same event for the two catchments. With the exception of the sediment yield and particulate phosphorus, the peak nmofr rate and other nutrients were well predicted. Sensitivity analysis showed that the Soil Conservation Service curve number and rainfall quantity were the most sensitive parameters, which resulted in high output variations. Erosivitv and other parameters had little influence on the hydrological and quality outputs.     

Low frequency electromagnetic waves as a supplemental energy source to sustain microbial growth?

Microbial populations in tetra-distilled water collapsed when cultured in a permalloy chamber shielding the populations from the suns and earths electromagnetic field, but thrived when cultured in an ordinary thermostat open to the electromagnetic field. Theoretically, protons in liquid water can be excited at their natural resonance frequencies through Langmuir oscillations and obtain enough kinetic energy to charge the transmembrane potential of a cell. Microbes may be capable of converting this energy into chemical energy to supplement their energy needs.     

Biodegradation of mixture of VOC''''s in a biofilter

IntroductionDeterioratingatmosphericairqualityhasresultinginmorestringentregulationsarebeingenforcedtocontrolairpollutants .Volatileorganiccompounds(VOCs)areamongthenewclassofaircontaminantsgeneratedfromavarietyofindustrialsources .Effortstocontroltheemis…     

Are linear habitats in agrarian landscapes source areas of beneficial or pest rodents?

This study tested the hypotheses that populations of the montane vole Microtus montanus (a potential pest species) and deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus (a potential beneficial species) in linear habitats will be (i) positively related to the type of vegetation (abundance and diversity of vascular plants) within and adjacent to those habitats; and (ii) correlated with population changes and productivity (reproductive performance, recruitment, and survival) in nearby apple (Malus domestica) orchards. Population dynamics of M. montanus and P. maniculatus were measured by intensive live-trapping from 2003 to 2006 in replicated hedgerows, riparian strips, and nearby orchards, in southern British Columbia, Canada. Hedgerows were borders between orchards, orchards and old fields, as well as orchards and natural forest. Contrary to hypothesis (i), M. montanus and P. maniculatus populations were not positively related to vegetation type within linear habitats and their adjacent crop and non-crop areas. Mean abundance and diversity of vegetation attributes were similar among linear habitats. Hypothesis (ii) was not supported for M. montanus populations in linear habitats since they did not correlate with population changes in nearby apple orchards, during a peak year in abundance. Populations of P. maniculatus were similar in abundance and other demographic variables among the linear habitats and apple orchards, and hence hypothesis (ii) was supported for this species.     

Dry deposition of atmospheric aerosols by dual tracer method — I. Area source

Aerosol deposition velocities can be estimated from measurements of the ratio of the concentration of a depositing species, such as Pb, to a non-depositing (conserved) species, such as CO, when both originate from the same source (dual tracer method). This method has been applied to size-segregated aerosol samples collected in Los Angeles, CA during the Southern California Air Quality Study, summer 1987. Lead size distributions were measured in ambient and tunnel samples using an eight-stage low pressure impactor. A new parameter, the fraction of aerosol remaining airborne, was directly determined. This fraction is of great importance receptor modelling. Dry deposition velocities calculated using a stirred atmosphere (box) model, varied over three orders of magnitude depending on particle size. The calculated deposition velocity for unit density particles > 0.5 μm, was approximately proportional to D_p² as expected for deposition by an interception mechanism (d_p = particle aerodynamic diameter).     

Dovehicular emissions dominate the source of C6-C8aromatics in the megacity Shanghai of eastern China?

The characteristic ratios of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to i-pentane, the indicator of vehicular emissions, were employed to apportion the vehicular and non-vehicular contributions to reactive species in urban Shanghai. Two kinds of tunnel experiments, one tunnelwith more than 90% light duty gasoline vehicles and the otherwithmore than 60% light duty diesel vehicles, were carried out to study the characteristic ratios of vehicle-related emissions from December 2009 to January 2010. Based on the experiments, the characteristic ratios of C6-C8 aromatics to i-pentane of vehicular emissions were 0.53 ± 0.08 (benzene), 0.70 ± 0.12 (toluene), 0.41 ± 0.09 (m,p-xylenes), 0.16 ± 0.04 (o-xylene), 0.023 ± 0.011 (styrene), and 0.15 ± 0.02 (ethylbenzene), respectively. The source apportionment results showed that around 23.3% of C6-C8 aromatics in urban Shanghai were from vehicular emissions, which meant that the non-vehicular emissions had more importance. These findings suggested that emission control of non-vehicular sources, i.e. industrial emissions, should also receive attention in addition to the control of vehicle-related emissions in Shanghai. The chemical removal of VOCs during the transport from emissions to the receptor site had a large impact on the apportionment results. Generally, the overestimation of vehicular contributions would occur when the VOC reaction rate constant with OH radicals (k_OH) was larger than that of the vehicular indicator, while for species with smaller kOH than the vehicular indicator, the vehicular contribution would be underestimated by the method of characteristic ratios.     

Analysis of chemical composition of precipitation in a typical background site

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Do vehicular emissions dominate the source of C6–C8 aromatics in the megacity Shanghai of eastern China?

The characteristic ratios of volatile organic compounds(VOCs) to i-pentane, the indicator of vehicular emissions, were employed to apportion the vehicular and non-vehicular contributions to reactive species in urban Shanghai. Two kinds of tunnel experiments, one tunnel with more than 90% light duty gasoline vehicles and the other with more than 60% light duty diesel vehicles, were carried out to study the characteristic ratios of vehicle-related emissions from December 2009 to January 2010. Based on the experiments, the characteristic ratios of C6–C8aromatics to i-pentane of vehicular emissions were 0.53 ± 0.08(benzene), 0.70 ± 0.12(toluene),0.41 ± 0.09(m,p-xylenes), 0.16 ± 0.04(o-xylene), 0.023 ± 0.011(styrene), and 0.15 ± 0.02(ethylbenzene), respectively. The source apportionment results showed that around 23.3% of C6–C8 aromatics in urban Shanghai were from vehicular emissions, which meant that the non-vehicular emissions had more importance. These findings suggested that emission control of non-vehicular sources, i.e. industrial emissions, should also receive attention in addition to the control of vehicle-related emissions in Shanghai. The chemical removal of VOCs during the transport from emissions to the receptor site had a large impact on the apportionment results. Generally, the overestimation of vehicular contributions would occur when the VOC reaction rate constant with OH radicals(k OH) was larger than that of the vehicular indicator, while for species with smaller k OH than the vehicular indicator, the vehicular contribution would be underestimated by the method of characteristic ratios.     

Review of heterogeneous photochemical reactions of NOy on aerosol－A possible daytime source of nitrous acid (HONO) in the atmosphere

As an important precursor of hydroxyl radical, nitrous acid (HONO) plays a key role in the chemistry of the lower atmosphere. Recent atmospheric measurements and model calculations show strong enhancement for HONO formation during daytime, while they are inconsistent with the known sources in the atmosphere, suggesting that current models are lacking important sources for HONO. In this article, heterogeneous photochemical reactions of nitric acid/nitrate anion and nitrogen oxide on various aerosols were reviewed and their potential contribution to HONO formation was also discussed. It is demonstrated that HONO can be formed by photochemical reaction on surfaces with deposited HNO3 , by photocatalytic reaction of NO2 on TiO2 or TiO2 -containing materials, and by photochemical reaction of NO2 on soot, humic acids or other photosensitized organic surfaces. Although significant uncertainties still exist in the exact mechanisms and the yield of HONO, these additional sources might explain daytime observations in the atmosphere.     

Field measurements of dissociation of ammonium nitrate at a Beijing site

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Bioaugmentation: a new strategy for removal of recalcitrant compounds in wastewater—a case study of quinoline

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The evolution of bird migration—a synthesis

We approach the problem of the evolution of bird migration by asking whether migration evolves towards new breeding areas or towards survival areas in the non-breeding season. Thus, we avoid the ambiguity of the usually discussed “southern-home-theory” or “northern-home-theory”. We argue that migration evolved in birds that spread to seasonal habitats through gradual dispersal to enhance survival during the non-breeding season; this in contrast to the alternative idea suggesting that migration evolved towards new breeding areas to increase reproductive success. Our synthesis is based on the threshold model explaining how migratory traits can change rapidly through microevolutionary processes. Our model brings former theories together and explains how bird migration, with the appropriate direction and time program, evolves through selection after genetically non-directed events such as dispersal and colonization. The model does not need the former untested assumptions such as competition as a reason for migration and for the disappearance of sedentary populations or higher reproductive success in temperate breeding areas. Our theory offers answers to questions such as how birds with a southern origin may gradually reach northern latitudes, why migration routes may follow historical expansion routes and why birds leave an area for the non-breeding season and move back instead of breeding on their wintering grounds. The theory proposes gradual change through selection and not sudden changes such as long distance dispersal or mutations and can be applied to migration at all latitudes and in all directions. The scenario provides a reasonable concept to understand most of the existing migratory phenomena on the basis of the ecology and genetics of migratory behaviour.     

Context-dependent crypsis: a prey’s perspective of a color polymorphic predator

Many animals use body coloration as a strategy to communicate with conspecifics, prey, and predators. Color is a trade-off for some species, since they should be visible to conspecifics but cryptic to predators and prey. Some flower-dwelling predators, such as crab spiders, are capable of choosing the color of flowers where they ambush flower visitors and pollinators. In order to avoid being captured, visitors evaluate flowers visually before landing. The crab spider Mecaphesa dubia is a polymorphic species (white/purple color morphs), which inhabits the flower heads of a dune plant, Palafoxia lindenii. Using full-spectrum photography of spiders and flowers, we evaluated how honeybees perceived the spiders at different distances. Using visual modeling, we obtained the chromatic and achromatic contrasts of the spiders on flower heads as perceived by honeybees. Purple morphs were found mainly on the receptacle area and white morphs were equally likely to be found in the flowers and receptacle. According to theoretical modeling, white morphs were visible to honeybees from a distance of 10 cm in receptacle area but appeared to be cryptic in the flower area. Purple morphs were cryptic on the receptacle and less so when they were on the flowers. Spiders on flower heads are predicted to be more easily detected by honeybees using chromatic contrast. Our study shows that the conspicuousness of flower dwelling spiders to honeybees depends on the color morph, the distance of observation, and the position of spider on the flower head.