Relationship between heavy metal concentrations of herbaceous plants and soils at four Pb-Zn mining sites in Yunnan, China

This paper studied the relationship between heavy metal concentrations of herbaceous plants and soils at four Pb-Zn mining sites in Yunnan, China. 50 herbaceous plant samples of 9 plant species from 4 families and 50 soil samples were collected and then ana1yzed for the tota1 concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Zn. The results showed that the average concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Zn in soil samples were 3772.83, 168.81, and 5385.65 mg/kg, respectively. The average concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Zn were 395.68, 28.14, and 1664.20 mg/kg in the shoots, and 924.12, 57.25, and 1778.75 mg/kg in the roots, respectively. Heterospecific plants at the same site and conspecific plants at various sites had different average levels of Pb, Cd, and Zn, both in the shoots and the roots. Enrichment coefficients of Pb, Cd, and Zn were greater than 1 in 2, 3, and 9 herbaceous plant samples, respectively. Translocation factors of Pb, Cd, and Zn were greater than 1 in 10, 17, and 25 herbaceous plant samples, respectively. In all 50 samples, the concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Zn between the shoots and the roots, the shoots, and the soils, and the roots and the soils had significant positive relationships.     

铜、锌污染对水稻土中油菜（Brassica chinensis L.）生长的影响及累积效应研究

通过盆栽试验,系统研究了Cu、Zn重金属污染对油菜（Brassica chinensis L.）生长、SOD保护酶活性、脯氨酸、可溶性糖及Cu、Zn在油菜体内吸收富集的影响。结果表明：Cu、Zn污染对油菜生物量和生理生化指标（SOD保护酶活性、脯氨酸和可溶性糖）均有影响。随着Cu、Zn质量分数的升高,植株干物重和SOD保护酶活性表现为先增后降;当Cu质量分数达到1 000 mg？kg-1时,油菜干物重和SOD酶活性分别比对照下降36.79%、66.67%;当Zn质量分数达到3 000 mg？kg-1时,油菜干物重和SOD酶活性分别比对照下降55.21%、82.05%。Cu污染下,油菜叶片脯氨酸质量分数逐渐下降,总可溶性糖质量分数表现为先增后降;Zn污染下,脯氨酸和总可溶性糖质量分数均表现为先增后降。Cu、Zn污染使油菜幼苗叶片及根中的Cu、Zn质量分数明显增加,根部的积累尤其明显。当Cu处理为1 000 mg？kg-1时,油菜茎叶和根中质量分数分别为57.6、424.162 mg？kg-1;当Zn处理为1 000 mg？kg-1时,油菜茎叶和根中质量分数分别为240、608.54 mg？kg-1。与Zn相比,Cu主要积累在油菜的根部,向茎叶迁移累积的量很少,并且随着添加质量分数的增加,茎叶吸收Cu的量变化不大。总之,重金属Zn相对于Cu更容易积累于油菜的地上部分,从而更易进入食物链,它们在油菜体内富集都对其生理生化和营养产生了明显毒害作用。     

江苏省夏季浮萍种类及其生长水环境调查

对江苏省多个县（市）分布有浮萍的工业区、生活区、农田水体进行调查与采样,观测各地浮萍种类及其生长水体的富营养化状况,探讨水体pH值,铵态氮、硝态氮、总氮、总磷含量与浮萍分布的关系。调查结果表明,浮萍适宜生长在静止的水体中,流动的河流中较为少见;此外,浮萍适宜生长在农田和生活区水体中,工业区附近样本数较少。江苏省夏季浮萍的主要品种为紫萍（Spirodelapolyrrhiza）、青萍（Lemmaminor）、芜萍（Wolffiaarrhiza）和少根紫萍（Spirodelaoligorrhiza）,调查期间未发现稀脉浮萍（Lemmaperpusilla）与品藻（Lemmatrisulca）。紫萍和青萍在所调查的每个采样点均有分布,其生长水体的pH值变化范围（4．5～7．5）较大。浮萍生长水环境的氮、磷养分浓度范围很广,铵态氮、硝态氮、总氮、总磷质量浓度范围分别为0～42、0．2—2．0、0．2～45和0．02～13mg·L-1,尚未发现浮萍分布与水体氮、磷含量之间的必然联系。工业区附近水体中常见紫萍与青萍以共生形式存在,偶尔还伴有芜萍。在利用浮萍去除水中氮、磷营养物质时,应优先考虑利用各地当季优势浮萍品种及不同品种浮萍的共生复合系统,保障浮萍的最大生长量以及对水体氮、磷的最大去除率。     

植物区系学中特有现象的研究进展(Ⅱ)--中国植物区系、研究方法与任务

植物区系学中的特有现象是其研究的重点内容,对特有现象的概念、类型、起源及其研究意义作了详细的论述;其次,总结了中国植物区系的基本情况、生活型、分布区学、水平分布、垂直分布与起源等研究成果;第三,介绍了研究特有现象的形态-地理学方法、细胞地理学方法和等位酶分析方法;第四,指出了中国植物区系中特有现象研究所面临的困境,认为应该集中力量重点研究滇黔桂、横断山脉以及华中等3个地区的植物区系基本特征、组成、起源、演化与扩散等内容.     

农田土壤重金属污染状况及修复技术研究

重金属污染因具有毒性、易通过食物链在植物,动物和人体内累积,对生态环境和人体健康构成严重威胁。随着工业快速发展、农药及化肥的广泛使用,农田土壤重金属污染越来越严重,研究农田土壤重金属污染现状及修复技术对农产品安全具有重要意义。综合国内外农田土壤重金属污染状况,农田土壤重金属污染主要来源于固体废弃物堆放及处置、工业废物大气沉降、污水农灌和农用物质的不合理施用。该文综述了国内外有关农田重金属污染土壤修复技术（物理修复、化学修复、生物修复、农业生态和联合修复）的研究进展,并针对各种修复方法,阐述了其原理、修复条件、应用实例及其优缺点,重点论述了植物修复的机理和应用,提出了草本与木本联合修复可有效提高农田土壤重金属复合污染的修复效率,为农田土壤土壤重金属复合污染修复提出了新的途径。最后在对已有研究分析的基础上,提出了联合修复技术（如生物联合技术、物理化学联合技术和物理化学-生物联合技术）可以在一定程度上克服使用单一修复手段存在的缺点,可提高复合污染的修复效率、降低修复成本,未来应深入探索联合修复技术间的相互作用机理,以期为农田土壤重金属综合治理与污染修复提供科学依据。     

生物修复中有机污染物的生物可利用性

论述了土壤和地下水生物修复中有机污染物的生物可利用性。污染物的可利用性对生物修复速率和生物强化效率有重要影响。生物可利用性是指土壤和地下水中的微生物或其胞外酶对有机污染物的可接近性，它受土壤理化性质、污染物和微生物性质、污染接触时问等许多因素的综合影响。污染物的介质吸附、多相分配、老化和形成非水相基质，以及土壤微生物的吸附、过滤和沉降作用降低了污染物的可利用性。促进土壤中污染物和微生物的解吸附，增强非水相基质的溶解，加速土壤污染物与微生物之间的质量传递，可以增强污染物的可利用性和生物降解的速率。施用表面活性剂和电动力学方法可有效地增强污染物的生物可利用性。     

广西刁江流域Cd和Pb复合污染稻田土壤的钝化修复

采用田间小区试验,研究施用海泡石、石灰和磷酸盐对广西刁江流域Cd和Pb复合污染稻田土壤的钝化修复效应,并通过土壤重金属形态分析探讨不同钝化剂的作用机理。结果表明,添加钝化剂可显著提高稻谷和秸秆产量,最大增产率分别可达25．4％和28．3％,其中海泡石与磷酸盐复配处理增产效果最佳。施用钝化剂可以有效降低水稻各部位重金属含量,水稻糙米Cd和Pb含量最大降幅可达65．12％和61．86％;钝化剂复配处理对水稻地上部Cd和Pb含量的降低效果明显优于单一处理,其中海泡石和磷酸盐或石灰复配处理糙米cd含量符合GB2762--2005《食品中污染物限量》。不同钝化处理均能显著降低土壤TCLP（毒性特性浸出程序）提取态cd和Pb含量,最大降幅分别为28．86％和45．60％,其中钝化剂复配处理对土壤TCLP提取态重金属的抑制效果优于单一钝化处理。总体而言,海泡石与磷酸盐复配处理对广西刁江流域重金属复合污染稻田土壤的钝化修复作用最佳。     

上海、北京和天津碳排放的比较

以北京、天津、上海为例,探讨了城市碳排放趋势预测的研究方法。采用最优增长率模型,研究了经济平稳增长的条件下,各市未来的能源碳排放趋势。考虑了水泥工业的碳排放量,并采用CO2FIX模型计算各市森林碳汇量,从而得到各市净碳排放量。结果表明：北京、天津、上海的能源碳排放量都呈倒U型曲线,上海的碳排放量远高于北京和天津两市。北京、天津、上海的水泥碳排放量都呈增加趋势,其中北京每年的水泥碳排放量最大,且增长率也是3个城市中最大的。北京和天津的累计森林碳汇量不断上升,上海的累计森林碳汇量几乎为零。北京、上海、天津的净碳排放量仍呈倒U型曲线增长,但与不考虑水泥碳排放和森林碳汇时的情况差别不大。由此可见,北京、上海、天津应重点减少能源碳排放,有效控制水泥产业碳排放,逐步扩大植树造林面积,从多方面采取措施降低碳排放。     

Untangling the proximate causes and underlying drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Myanmar

Political transitions often trigger substantial environmental changes. In particular, deforestation can result from the complex interplay among the components of a system—actors, institutions, and existing policies—adapting to new opportunities. A dynamic conceptual map of system components is particularly useful for systems in which multiple actors, each with different worldviews and motivations, may be simultaneously trying to alter different facets of the system, unaware of the impacts on other components. In Myanmar, a global biodiversity hotspot with the largest forest area in mainland Southeast Asia, ongoing political and economic reforms are likely to change the dynamics of deforestation drivers. A fundamental conceptual map of these dynamics is therefore a prerequisite for interventions to reduce deforestation. We used a system‐dynamics approach and causal‐network analysis to determine the proximate causes and underlying drivers of forest loss and degradation in Myanmar from 1995 to 2016 and to articulate the linkages among them. Proximate causes included infrastructure development, timber extraction, and agricultural expansion. These were stimulated primarily by formal agricultural, logging, mining, and hydropower concessions and economic investment and social issues relating to civil war and land tenure. Reform of land laws, the link between natural resource extraction and civil war, and the allocation of agricultural concessions will influence the extent of future forest loss and degradation in Myanmar. The causal‐network analysis identified priority areas for policy interventions, for example, creating a public registry of land‐concession holders to deter corruption in concession allocation. We recommend application of this analytical approach to other countries, particularly those undergoing political transition, to inform policy interventions to reduce forest loss and degradation.     

Mainstreaming the social sciences in conservation

Despite broad recognition of the value of social sciences and increasingly vocal calls for better engagement with the human element of conservation, the conservation social sciences remain misunderstood and underutilized in practice. The conservation social sciences can provide unique and important contributions to society's understanding of the relationships between humans and nature and to improving conservation practice and outcomes. There are 4 barriers—ideological, institutional, knowledge, and capacity—to meaningful integration of the social sciences into conservation. We provide practical guidance on overcoming these barriers to mainstream the social sciences in conservation science, practice, and policy. Broadly, we recommend fostering knowledge on the scope and contributions of the social sciences to conservation, including social scientists from the inception of interdisciplinary research projects, incorporating social science research and insights during all stages of conservation planning and implementation, building social science capacity at all scales in conservation organizations and agencies, and promoting engagement with the social sciences in and through global conservation policy‐influencing organizations. Conservation social scientists, too, need to be willing to engage with natural science knowledge and to communicate insights and recommendations clearly. We urge the conservation community to move beyond superficial engagement with the conservation social sciences. A more inclusive and integrative conservation science—one that includes the natural and social sciences—will enable more ecologically effective and socially just conservation. Better collaboration among social scientists, natural scientists, practitioners, and policy makers will facilitate a renewed and more robust conservation. Mainstreaming the conservation social sciences will facilitate the uptake of the full range of insights and contributions from these fields into conservation policy and practice.     

有机磷农药草甘膦异丙胺盐对球形棕囊藻的刺激效应

设置0、0．001、0．01、0．1、l和10mg·L-16个质量浓度梯度,测定了草甘膦异丙胺盐（Glyphosate—isopropylammonium）农药对球形棕囊藻（Phaeocystis globosa）生长、叶绿素a含量、SOD和CAT活性的影响,探讨了有机磷农药对球形棕囊藻的毒物刺激效应。结果表明,低浓度的草甘膦异丙胺盐对球形棕囊藻的生长呈现出刺激效应。在实验所设定的6个质量浓度梯度范围内,0．001mg·L0和0．01mg·L-1质量浓度处理下的刺激效应最为显著。该两个质量浓度处理下,球形棕囊藻的平均相对增长率比对照分别提高了1．27％和0．45％,叶绿素a含量分别比对照提高了9．2％和2．5％,SOD活性提高了5．9％和7．2％,CAT活性提高了93％和155％;而当草甘膦异丙胺盐质量浓度在0．1mg·L-1以上时,球形棕囊藻的生长率、叶绿素a含量、SOD活性均显著低于对照。草甘膦异丙胺盐在0．001mg·L-1和0．01mg·L-1范围内对球形棕囊藻均呈现刺激效应,而高于0．1mg·L-1时球形棕囊藻各生理指标表现出显著抑制效应。研究结果为了解有机磷农药对海洋微藻生长的影响特征,揭示有机磷农药对微藻产生低促高抑的规律和为深入探索赤潮暴发的成因提供依据。     

Geochemistry of the barkinite liptobiolith (Late Permian) from the Jinshan Mine,Anhui Province,China

This paper discusses the geochemistry and mineralogy of the barkinite liptobiolith of the Late Permian age from the Jinshan Mine, Guangde County, Anhui Province, China. Samples were examined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry, ion-selective electrode, sequential chemical extraction, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray, and optical microscopy. The coal is a medium-ash and high-sulfur resource. Minerals in the coal are composed of kaolinite, pyrite, calcite, and quartz. Pyrite and calcite are derived from seawater during peat accumulation. Quartz in the coal is of authigenic origin. Part of the kaolinite is from a land-source region, and part occurs as cell-fillings and is of authigenic origin. The results also indicate that the barkinite liptobiolith contains some toxic elements in high concentrations. Elements including Li, Be, Si, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ga, Se, Y, Zr, Mo, the rare earth elements (REEs), W, Hg, Tl, Pb, Th, and U in the coals are enriched in the barkinite liptobiolith. Results of sequential chemical extraction showed that Li, Sc, Ti, Cr, Y, Zr, REEs, and Th in the coal mainly occur as silicates, while Be and W are related to organic matter. Pyrite is the dominant source of S, Mo, Hg, Tl, and Pb. Gallium only occurs in silicate, and U and V occur both in organic and silicate associations.     

高原深水湖泊程海氮磷形态分布特征及其与叶绿素a的相关性

湖泊水体氮、磷形态分布特征及其与藻类生长的关系是湖泊富营养化研究的重要方面。采用GPS定位,在程海湖设置了3个断面9个采样点,研究了氮、磷形态分布特征,并分析了各形态氮磷与叶绿素a的相关性。结果表明：总氮（TN）质量浓度为0.773 mg.L-1,总磷（TP）质量浓度为0.046 mg.L-1,叶绿素a质量浓度为0.024 mg.L-1。氮素的赋存形态特征是以溶解态总氮（DTN）占大部分,DTN中又以溶解态有机氮（DON）占绝大部分;磷素的存在特点是溶解态无机磷（DIP）含量比重较大。各形态氮、磷都有明显的季节性波动但区域性差异不明显,叶绿素a则有明显的季节节律和时空差异。叶绿素a很好地响应了总氮（TN）、总磷（TP）、溶解态总氮（DTN）、溶解态总磷（DTP）、颗粒态总氮（PTN）、颗粒态总磷（PTP）的变化。程海富营养化受氮和磷共同限制,控制富营养化必须同时削减氮和磷。     

太湖水-沉积物界面磷、pH及碱性磷酸酶的时空特征及相关性

于2011年3、6和9月通过对太湖不同营养化湖区的5个标准采样位点进行采样分析,探讨了界面沉积物间隙水和上覆水中磷含量、pH及碱性磷酸酶活性的时空分布特征及相关性。结果表明,上覆水及沉积物间隙水中的总磷（TP）、可溶性正磷酸盐（SAP）、pH及碱性磷酸酶（ALP）活性均表现出明显的空间异质性和季节变化趋势。间隙水总磷（PW-TP）、间隙水可溶性正磷酸盐（PW-SAP）高于上覆水,分别最高高出0．082、0．042mg·L-1;上覆水pH值高于间隙水pH值,最高高出O．35个单位;间隙水中碱性磷酸酶（PW-ALP）活性高于上覆水中碱性磷酸酶（W-ALP）活性,最高高出13．244μg·mL·h-1。TP、SAP、pH及ALP活性在3、6、9月份中均以16#样品最高,其中6月份16#样品PW-TP、PW-SAP、上覆水pH及PW-ALP活性分别O．527、0．132、7．46和61．090μg·mL·h-1。参数相关性分析结果表明,W-TP与W-SAP、W-pH显著相关。W-SAP与PW-TP、PW-SAP、W-ALP、PW-ALP均显著相关。PW-TP与PW-pH显著相关性,与PW-ALP活性存在一定的相关性,但不显著。PW-SAP与PW-ALP显著相关。     

Eradication of Invasive Mammals on Islands Inhabited by Humans and Domestic Animals

Abstract: Non‐native invasive mammal species have caused major ecological change on many islands. To conserve native species diversity, invasive mammals have been eradicated from several islands not inhabited by humans. We reviewed the challenges associated with campaigns to eradicate invasive mammals from islands inhabited by humans and domestic animals. On these islands, detailed analyses of the social, cultural, and economic costs and benefits of eradication are required to increase the probability of local communities supporting the eradication campaign. The ecological benefits of eradication (e.g., improvement of endemic species’ probability of survival) are difficult to trade‐off against social and economic costs due to the lack of a common currency. Local communities may oppose an eradication campaign because of perceived health hazards, inconvenience, financial burdens, religious beliefs, or other cultural reasons. Besides these social challenges, the presence of humans and domestic animals also complicates eradication and biosecurity procedures (measures taken to reduce the probability of unwanted organisms colonizing an island to near zero). For example, houses, garbage‐disposal areas, and livestock‐feeding areas can provide refuges for certain mammals and therefore can decrease the probability of a successful eradication. Transport of humans and goods to an island increases the probability of inadvertent reintroduction of invasive mammals, and the establishment of permanent quarantine measures is required to minimize the probability of unwanted recolonization after eradication. We recommend a close collaboration between island communities, managers, and social scientists from the inception of an eradication campaign to increase the probability of achieving and maintaining an island permanently free of invasive mammals.     

电子废物不当处置的重金属污染及其环境风险评价 Ⅳ. 电子废物不当回收地区流域水体沉积物的重金属污染

为了解电子废物不当处置活动对小流域内水体沉积物金属污染的影响,采集了位于广东省清远市龙塘镇和石角镇的电子废物焚烧和酸解活动核心区内水塘和水库的0～40cm沉积物以及附近河流大燕河表层(0～5cm)沉积物样本,分析了样本中的金属(水塘、水库:Zn、Cu、Pb、Cd、Cr;大燕河:Zn、Cu、Pb、Cd、Cr、Ni、Mg、Mn)含量.作为对照,对珠江口伶仃洋沉积物中的5种重金属(Zn、Cu、Pb、Cd、Cr)含量也进行了分析.结果表明,1)在核心区内,5种重金属的平均含量在接近酸解作坊的水塘沉积物中呈Cu(766.16mg·kg-1)>Zn(181.12mg·kg-1)>Pb(129.56mg·kg-1)>Cr(1.89mg·kg-1)≈Cd(1.12mg·kg-1),在其下游的水库沉积物中呈现相同的规律,但水塘沉积物的Cu、Zn、Pb含量均高于水库.水塘、水库沉积物重金属含量分布规律明显不同于伶仃洋沉积物,与伶仃洋沉积物相比,核心区水体沉积物Cu含量特别高,是伶仃洋沉积物的7～17倍,Pb和Cd则分别是伶仃洋的2.3～3.0倍和1.9～2.4倍,Zn、Cr含量与伶仃洋沉积物相近.2)Zn含量在核心区水体沉积物中均呈现出在20.0～30.0cm深度最高的趋势,Cu、Pb含量在水库沉积物中也有类似的表现,说明该深度的沉积物可能是电子废物回收处置活动最频繁的时期形成的,近年来随着政府取缔工作的加强,电子废物非法处置活动的减少,Zn、Cu、Pb含量有明显的下降.3)大燕河沉积物中6种重金属(Zn、Cu、Pb、Cr、Cd、Ni)的总含量表现为中游下段(1261.3mg·kg-1)>中游中段(1049.2mg·kg-1)>中游上段(401.8mg·kg-1)>上游(364.6mg·kg-1)>下游(215.4mg·kg-1).Cu、Zn、Pb和Cr含量均在中游下段的沉积物中出现最大值,次大值出现在中游中段,Ni、Cd在中游中段出现最大值,次大值出现在中游下段.中游中、下段沉积物中金属含量最大值和其上游(或中游上段)河段含量最低值的比值呈现Cu(10.1)>Cr(7.8)>Zn(3.8)>Cd(2.0)>Pb(1.9)>Ni(1.8),显示这些重金属主要从中游中、下段进入大燕河沉积物,其中Cu污染最为严重,而Cr污染可能与水土流失或当地其他活动释放的Cr有关.4)比较流域内土壤和各种沉积物以及伶仃洋沉积物中重金属的构成比例发现,核心区土壤和沉积物以及大燕河沉积物中的重金属具有明显的同源性.随着离源区距离的增加,重金属的构成比例中最明显的变化是Cu的比例下降以及Zn的比例上升。     

Acute toxicity of three avermectins to anuran tadpoles北大核心CSCD

Avermectins are a new class of macrocyclic lactones derived from mycelia of the soil actinomycete, and are among the most effective agricultural pesticides and antiparasitic agents. In this report, three avermectins (abamectin, ABM; ivermectin, IVM; and emamectin benzoate, EMB) were used to assess their toxic effects on tadpoles of four anuran species (Duttaphrynus melanostictus, Hylarana guentheri, Polypedates megacephalus and Microhyla heymonsi) using a static-renewal acute toxicity test. The results showed that there were significant dose-responsive correlations between the accumulated dead probit of tadpoles and the concentrations of the three avermectins. The 96-h half lethal concentrations (LC50) of ABM to the tadpoles of the four species were 0.042, 0.034, 0.020, and 0.014 mg/L; the 96-h LC50 values of IVM were 0.029, 0.012, 0.012, and 0.006 mg/L, and the values of EMB were 0.118, 0.111, 0.122, and 0.089 mg/L, respectively. Our study reveals that these agrochemicals probably make a significant contribution to the decline of amphibian populations, and provides valuable information about the toxic effects of avermectins on amphibians. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

微生物制剂净化富营养化湖泊的应用研究

采用经筛选、驯化的"土著"硝化细菌与腐植酸配制而成的复合型微生物制剂对富营养化湖泊水体进行生态修复净化试验,试验现场是在辽宁省鞍山市英泽湖拱桥北部圈定面积为40 m2、平均水深为1.5 m、体积为60 m3的水域内进行的。试验主要集中在湖泊藻类高发、富营养化严重的6、7、8三个月,每月投菌一次,并设未经处理的湖水为对照组。结果表明,该方法能够有效地降低富营养化湖泊水体中的浊度,提高水体溶解氧,消除恶臭,改善水质,英泽湖水体中的TN、TP、氨氮、COD及浊度等水质指标均有明显降低,下降率分别为77.8%、72.2%、94.2%、60.0%和85.6%,并且水生生物具有多样性,水体自净能力大大增强。该生态修复技术具有效果显著、投资省、操作简便、不造成二次污染等特点,对解决天然水体富营养化污染问题具有非常重要的意义和推广应用价值。     

Understanding and minimizing environmental impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) sets to create connections and build infrastructure across Eurasia, Asia, and parts of the African continent in its initial phase and is the largest infrastructure project of all time. Any infrastructure project on this scale will necessarily pass through ecofragile regions and key biodiversity areas (KBAs). This creates an imperative to identify possible areas of impact and probable effects on conservation values to facilitate adaptive planning and to mitigate, minimize, or avoid impacts. Using the highest resolution route maps of the BRI available, I overlaid the proposed road and rail routes on KBAs, protected areas, and predicted biodiversity hotspots for over 4138 animal and 7371 plant species. I also assessed the relationship between the proposed route with the distribution of mines across BRI countries and the proportion of deforestation and forest near routes. Infrastructure, especially mining, was clustered near the proposed route; thus, construction and development along the route may increase the size and number of mines. Up to 15% of KBAs were within 1 km of proposed railways. Thus, planned and probable development along the routes may pose a significant risk to biodiversity, especially because the majority of KBAs are unprotected. Many biodiversity hotspots for different taxa were near the route. These hotspots varied between taxa, making systematic management and environmental impact assessments an effective strategy for at least some taxa. A combination of planning and mitigation strategies will likely be necessary to protect the most important areas for biodiversity proximal to development, especially in currently unprotected KBAs and other regions that need protection. A fuller assessment of trade-offs between conservation and other values will be necessary to make good decisions for each project and site being developed, including potentially modifying parts of the route to minimize impacts. Modification or foregoing of infrastructure may be needed if stakeholders consider the conservation costs too high.     

The Nutrient Status of Some Graminaceous Species in Britain. 1. Molinia Caerulea (L.) Moench

Above-ground biomass biomass of Molinia caerulea from 36 sites throughout Britain was analysed for concentrations of elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Na), with matching analyses of soil nutrients, together with pH and LOI. Between-year and seasonal variation in the nutrients was also studied at one of the sites. the grass was found on acid sites ranging between pH 3.1 and 5.8. the soil humus content varied widely, and there were significant correlations between that and elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na) in the soil. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese in the plant material were significantly correlated with extractable levels in the soils. Between year variation in the plant nutrient concentrations at one site was of a similar order to variation between the sites. Generally there was less variation in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium tissue levels than in calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper. Iron and sodium were the most variable. Tissue concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and copper declined throughout the growing season, whereas magnesium, calcium and iron built up until August/September after which a decline set in as the leaves senesced. the results are discussed in relation to the importance of standardizing the time of sampling, in comparison with concentrations of tissue levels in other plants and the growth strategy of this deciduous grass.