Characteristics of clustered particles in skimming flows on a stepped spillway

Air–water flows at hydraulic structures are commonly observed and called white waters. The free-surface aeration is characterised by some intense exchanges of air and water leading to complex air–water structures including some clustering. The number and properties of clusters may provide some measure of the level of particle-turbulence and particle–particle interactions in the high-velocity air–water flows. Herein a re-analysis of air–water clusters was applied to a highly aerated free-surface flow data set (Chanson and Carosi, Exp Fluids 42:385–401, 2007). A two-dimensional cluster analysis was introduced combining a longitudinal clustering criterion based on near-wake effect and a side-by-side particle detection method. The results highlighted a significant number of clustered particles in the high-velocity free-surface flows. The number of bubble/droplet clusters per second and the percentage of clustered particles were significantly larger using the two-dimensional cluster analysis than those derived from earlier longitudinal detection techniques only. A number of large cluster structures were further detected. The results illustrated the complex interactions between entrained air and turbulent structures in skimming flow on a stepped spillway, and the cluster detection method may apply to other highly aerated free-surface flows.     

Grassland restoration with and without fire: evidence from a tree-removal experiment

Forest encroachment threatens the biological diversity of grasslands globally. Positive feedbacks can reinforce the process, affecting soils and ground vegetation, ultimately leading to replacement of grassland by forest species. We tested whether restoration treatments (tree removal, with or without fire) reversed effects of nearly two centuries of encroachment by Abies grandis and Pinus contorta into dry, montane meadows in the Cascade Range, Oregon, USA. In nine, 1-ha plots containing a patchy mosaic of meadow openings and forests of varying age (20 to > 140 yr), we compared three treatments affecting the ground vegetation: control (no trees removed), unburned (trees removed, slash burned in piles leaving 90% of the area unburned), and burned (trees removed, slash broadcast burned). We quantified changes over 3-4 years in soils, abundance and richness of species with differing habitat associations (meadow, forest, and ruderal), and recruitment of conifers. Except for a transient increase in available N (especially in burn scars), effects of burning on soils were minimal due, in part, to mixing by gophers. Tree removal greatly benefited meadow species at the expense of forest herbs. Cover and richness of meadow species increased by 47% and 38% of initial values in unburned plots, but changed minimally in burned plots. In contrast, cover and richness of forest herbs declined by 44% and 26% in unburned plots and by 79% and 58% in burned plots. Ruderal species and conifer seedlings were uncommon in both treatments. Although vegetation was consumed beneath burn piles, meadow species recovered significantly after three years. Long-term tree presence did not preclude recovery of meadow species; in fact, colonization was greater in older than in younger forests. In sum, temporal trends were positive for most indicators, suggesting strong potential for restoration. Contrary to conventional wisdom, tree removal without fire may be sufficient to shift the balance from forest to meadow species. In meadows characterized by historically infrequent fire, small-scale disturbances and competitive interactions may be more critical to ecosystem maintenance and restoration. Managers facing the worldwide phenomenon of tree invasion should critically evaluate the ecological vs. operational need for fire in ecosystem restoration.     

Characterization of turbulence statistics on the non-aerated skimming flow over stepped spillways: a numerical study

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - In this work we address the mean flow and turbulence statistics in the non-aerated region of a stepped spillway by using two different numerical strategies in two...     

Self-aeration in the rapidly- and gradually-varying flow regions of steep smooth and stepped spillways

In high-velocity chute flows, free-surface aeration is often observed. The phenomenon is called self-aeration or white waters. When the turbulent shear stresses next to the free-surface are large enough, air bubbles are entrained throughout the entire air–water column. A rapidly-varied flow region is observed immediately downstream of the inception point of free-surface aeration. An analytical solution of the air diffusion equation is proposed and the results compare well with new experimental data. Both experiments and theory indicate that the flow bulking spans over approximately 3–4 step cavities downstream of the inception point of free-surface aeration on a stepped chute. Further downstream the void fraction distributions follow closely earlier solutions of the air diffusion equation. The application of the diffusion equation solution to prototype and laboratory data shows air bubble diffusivities typically larger than the momentum transfer coefficient. The result highlights however a marked decrease in the ratio of air bubble diffusivity to eddy viscosity with increasing Reynolds number. The finding might indicate some limitation of laboratory investigations of air bubble diffusion process in self-aerated flows and of their extrapolation to full-scale prototype applications.     

Four kinds of capping materials for controlling phosphorus and nitrogen release from contaminated sediment using a static simulation experiment

• Lanthanum modified bentonite (LMB) can effectively absorb phosphorus (P). • Water treatment plant sludge (WTPS) capping is effective for controlling P release. •Aluminum-based P-inactivation agent (Al-PIA) is an efficient P control material. •The P adsorbed by WTPS and Al-PIA is mainly in the form of NAIP. We determined the effects of quartz sand (QS), water treatment plant sludge (WTPS), aluminum-based P-inactivation agent (Al-PIA), and lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) thin-layer capping on controlling phosphorus and nitrogen release from the sediment, using a static simulation experiment. The sediment in the experiment was sampled from Yundang Lagoon (Xiamen, Fujian Province, China), which is a eutrophic waterbody. The total phosphorus (TP), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), and total organic carbon (TOC) levels in the overlying water were measured at regular intervals, and the changes of different P forms in WTPS, Al-PIA, and sediment of each system were analyzed before and after the test. The average TP reduction rates of LMB, Al-PIA, WTPS, and QS were 94.82, 92.14, 86.88, and 10.68%, respectively, when the release strength of sediment TP was 2.26–9.19 mg/(m²·d) and the capping strength of the materials was 2 kg/m². Thin-layer capping of LMB, WTPS, and Al-PIA could effectively control P release from the sediment (P<0.05). However, thin-layer capping of LMB, Al-PIA, and QS did not significantly reduce the release of ammonium N and organic matter (P > 0.05). Based on our results, LMB, Al-PIA, and WTPS thin-layer capping promoted the migration and transformation of easily released P in sediment. The P adsorbed by WTPS and Al-PIA mainly occurred in the form of NAIP.     

Effects of water quality on the coagulation performances of humic acids irradiated with UV light

The presence of humic acid in drinking water treatment has received significant attention in recent years because of its adverse effects on the removal of many pollutants in coagulation. In this paper, the effects of water quality including pH, turbidity, alkalinity, and hardness on the removal of humic acid were investigated in a UV light hybridized coagulation process. Our results suggested that UV light radiation could effectively improve the removal rate of humic acid in coagulation under both neutral and basic conditions, and the variations of the selected water quality parameters had little adverse effect on the function of UV light. After UV light radiation, the removal rate of the nitro-humic acid (NHA) increased from 20% to 60% in coagulation, and increased further to 75% and 85% for the raw waters with 10.0 NTU kaolin and 100 mg·L^-1 hardness, respectively. In addition to NHA, the removal rates of the humic acid extracted from peat coal (PHA) and the humic acid provided by Japan metals and chemicals company (JHA) in coagulation were also improved, both in the range of 80%–90% after undergoing UV light radiation. By changing the radiation location from prior to coagulation to the flocculation process, similar experimental results were obtained. The formation of positive charged sites after UV light radiation was considered to be the primary factor that led to an enhanced removal of the humic acid in coagulation.     

膨润土基共聚复合物的制备及对亚甲基蓝的脱色性能

将乙酸乙烯酯、马来酸酐和丙烯酸作为功能性单体,在钠基膨润土分散体系中进行原位共聚反应,制备了一种膨润土基共聚复合物(P(MAVM)/NaB),采用FT-IR、XRD、SEM等手段对其结构进行了表征.结果表明,NaB与共聚物均匀复合,其中部分高分子链进入了膨润土层间,扩大了缝隙.将膨润土基共聚复合物用于染料亚甲基蓝(MB)的吸附,考察了影响膨润土基共聚复合物吸附亚甲基蓝的主要因素.结果表明:25℃,吸附剂用量为0.1 g.L-1,振荡5 min,MB初始浓度为20 mg.L-1的条件下,MB脱色率可达97.7%,吸附容量达195.46 mg.g-1.处理后水样的色度达到国家污水综合排放一级标准.同时研究了吸附机理,结果发现:吸附过程符合准二级动力学模型,MB通过电中和、氢键及范德华力作用被P(MAVM)/NaB吸附.     

微孔曝气与覆盖对城市重污染河道底泥磷形态分布及释放过程的影响

采用自行研发的泥-水界面微孔曝气系统,开展了底泥表面曝气和覆盖对城市重污染河道底泥磷释放及形态分布规律的影响研究.结果表明,微孔曝气能够有效提高上覆水的溶解氧(DO)和沉积物的氧化还原电位(Eh),能够将泥-水界面Eh维持在-100 m V左右,DO提高到6 mg·L-1以上.与对照比较,原位覆盖处理的上覆水DO和Eh有一定提高,但仍明显低于微孔曝气处理.与对照相比较,微孔曝气处理均有效降低上覆水中总磷(TP)和溶解性正磷酸盐(PO3-4)的含量.试验结束时,微孔曝气(A)和微孔曝气+原位覆盖处理(A+C)上覆水中TP含量由初始的0.201 mg·L-1分别降至0.062 mg·L-1和0.050 mg·L-1;上覆水中PO3-4含量由0.086 mg·L-1和0.078 mg·L-1分别降至0.026 mg·L-1和0.023 mg·L-1.与对照相比,微孔曝气处理明显降低了底泥间隙水中TP的浓度,在整个培养期间,其TP含量平均下降38.8%(A)和47.9%(A+C).底泥原位覆盖处理对抑制泥-水界面磷释放能力要弱于微孔曝气处理,而且在试验后期(50 d),上覆水中TP和PO3-4的含量均有所反弹.不管有无覆盖,泥-水界面微孔曝气处理均显著改变了表层底泥磷形态分布特征,显著降低了底泥中铁铝结合态磷(Fe/Al-P)组分比例,而钙结合态磷(Ca-P)含量比例却出现明显增加.单一的表面覆盖处理对底泥磷形态分布特征没有显著影响(P0.05).研究表明,与单一的处理效果相比较,泥-水界面纳米微孔曝气处理,并结合底泥原位覆盖,更有利于抑制城市重污染河道泥-水界面中磷的释放风险.     

Effect of cypermethrin on breeding performances of a freshwater fish,Labeo rohita (Hamilton)

Abstract

Concentrations of the related elements calcium, strontium, barium, and lead were determined in soil extract, consumer stomach contents, and consumers in lead polluted and unpolluted areas. Discrimination against the nonessential metals relative to the nutritious metal calcium, as the metals were transferred through a trophic pathway was determined. Discrimination of metals varied systematically as a function of degree of nonessential element similarity to calcium. The existence of systematic trends of discrimination may facilitate the assessment of natural levels of some toxic elements (e.g. lead) in organisms.     

初期通气和震荡培养提高高浓度乙醇发酵的乙醇浓度和产率

研究了氧气和震荡条件对酿酒酵母高浓度乙醇发酵的影响.结果表明,震荡是提高发酵液乙醇浓度和产率的最重要因素.与静止培养相比,在不通气情况下震荡培养使乙醇浓度提高了69%(从75.8 g L-1提高到128.1 g L-1),在通气条件下乙醇浓度提高了68.7%(从85.2 g L-1提高到to 143.8 g L-1).在最优条件下,两次补料,经54 h发酵,发酵液中乙醇浓度达到143.8 g L-1,乙醇产率与理论产率的比值为0.471 g/g(即92.20%).经分析,通气和震荡条件提高了发酵液中酿酒酵母的生物量和细胞活力.图5表1参12     

Adaptive cluster sampling with clusters selected without replacement and stopping rule

Adaptive cluster sampling (ACS) has received much attention in recent years since it yields more precise estimates than conventional sampling designs when applied to rare and clustered populations. These results, however, are impacted by the availability of some prior knowledge about the spatial distribution and the absolute abundance of the population under study. This prior information helps the researcher to select a suitable critical value that triggers the adaptive search, the neighborhood definition and the initial sample size. A bad setting of the ACS design would worsen the performance of the adaptive estimators. In particular, one of the greatest weaknesses in ACS is the inability to control the final sampling effort if, for example, the critical value is set too low. To overcome this drawback one can introduce ACS with clusters selected without replacement where one can fix in advance the number of distinct clusters to be selected or ACS with a stopping rule which stops the adaptive sampling when a predetermined sample size limit is reached or when a given stopping rule is verified. However, the stopping rule breaks down the theoretical basis for the unbiasedness of the ACS estimators introducing an unknown amount of bias in the estimates. The current study improves the performance of ACS when applied to patchy and clustered but not rare populations and/or less clustered populations. This is done by combining the stopping rule with ACS without replacement of clusters so as to further limit the sampling effort in form of traveling expenses by avoiding repeat observations and by reducing the final sample size. The performance of the proposed design is investigated using simulated and real data.     

Toward estimation of map accuracy without a probability test sample

The time and effort required of probability sampling for accuracy assessment of large-scale land cover maps often means that probability test samples are not collected. Yet, map usefulness is substantially reduced without reliable accuracy estimates. In this article, we introduce a method of estimating the accuracy of a classified map that does not utilize a test sample in the usual sense, but instead estimates the probability of correct classification for each map unit using only the classification rule and the map unit covariates. We argue that the method is an improvement over conventional estimators, though it does not eliminate the need for probability sampling. The method also provides a new and simple method of constructing accuracy maps. We illustrate some of problems associated with accuracy assessment of broad-scale land cover maps, and our method, with a set of nine Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite image-based land cover maps from Montana and Wyoming, USA.     

滤层厚度对慢滤池深度处理污水的性能影响

将慢滤池用于污水二级出水的深度处理,并利用小试装置研究了滤层厚度对慢滤池性能的影响。选取浊度、COD和色度三个指标,在滤层不同深度处多次取样,分析各指标沿滤层厚度的变化。结果表明,采用粒径为0．4～0．6mm,滤层厚度为800mm的石英砂做滤床时,慢滤池对二级出水具有较好的净化效果：当进水浊度、COD和色度分别为1.3～6．9NTU、30．4～70．0mg·L^-1和20．6°～57．6°时,平均去除率分别达到86．5％、45．0％和46．3％。从试验结果可以看出,慢滤池类似一个微缩的污水二级处理系统,滤层表面的粘性滤膜起到类似初沉池的作用,可以对各指标实现较好的去除,58．6％的浊度、52．7％的COD和45．7％的色度是在滤层上部去除的;慢滤池中部起到类似曝气池的作用,下部起到类似二沉池的作用,对水质指标也能实现一定的去除。     

Escape from the cell: Spatially explicit modelling with and without grids

This paper is concerned with the representation of individuals embedded in a two- (or three-) dimensional environment, and with the techniques that can be used to simulate the evolution of the spatial patterns both of the populations of those individuals and of their environment. Its scope is therefore that of individual based or agent based modelling, of a general type, including herbivore populations, predator-prey models or any other type that is concerned with the spatial patterning evolving from recruitment, interaction and/or movement of discrete individuals. The aim is to discuss a modelling technique that allows more flexibility in the representation of the positions of individuals than is typically the case for cellular automata (CA), but which also deals efficiently with the problem of searching for neighbours when individual positions can vary nearly continuously. A scaling problem is discussed that arises when the range over which individuals interact is much smaller than the size of the domain. It is argued that validation of CA models involving discrete individuals is made more difficult when the system scale exceeds the size of individuals by a large factor. However, even when the domain size is small, if interaction between individuals is mediated by their size, imposition of a fixed grid upon the dynamics may cause important phenomena to be misrepresented or missed altogether. We suggest that cellular automata, as usually formulated, do not deal adequately with this type of problem, and introduce a particle-in-cell (PIC) method to deal with it in intermediate cases. Alternative data structures are discussed for dealing with more extreme cases, including the possibility of modelling an indefinitely large domain using a changing set of cells (PIC:SI).     

Initial orientation of homing pigeons at the magnetic equator with and without sun compass

Summary To test the present hypotheses concerning the functioning of the bird's magnetic compass, pigeons reared near the magnetic and geographic equator (Fortaleza, NE Brasil) were released 300 km NW of their home in the horizontal field at the magnetic equator. Pigeons released in the morning and in the afternoon were roughly homeward oriented whereas pigeons released at noon with the sun near the zenith vanished close to magnetic north. According to the Wiltschko model of the magnetic compass they should not be able to pick up specific directions. A considerable number of young and inexperienced pigeons returned home against a continuously blowing trade wind. This result contradicts the hypothesis of olfactory navigation as currently discussed.     

Laboratory measurements and multi-block numerical simulations of the mean flow and turbulence in the non-aerated skimming flow region of steep stepped spillways

We present and discuss the results of a comprehensive study addressing the non-aerated region of the skimming flow in steep stepped spillways. Although flows in stepped spillways are usually characterized by high air concentrations concomitant with high rates of energy dissipation, the non-aerated region becomes important in small dams and/or spillways with high specific discharges. A relatively large physical model of such spillway was used to acquire data on flow velocities and water levels and, then, well-resolved numerical simulations were performed with a commercial code to reproduce those experimental conditions. The numerical runs benefited from the ability of using multi-block grids in a Cartesian coordinate system, from capturing the free surface with the TruVOF method embedded in the code, and from the use of two turbulence models: the k-e{k{-}\varepsilon} and the RNGk-e{k{-}\varepsilon} models. Numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data corresponding to three volumetric flow rates in terms of the time-averaged velocities measured at diverse steps in the spillway, and they are in very satisfactory agreement for water levels along the spillway. In addition, the numerical results provide information on the turbulence statistics of the flow. This work also discusses important aspects of the flow, such as the values of the exponents of the power-law velocity profiles, and the characteristics of the development of the boundary layer in the spillway.     

Fighting without weaponry: a review of male-male contest competition in butterflies

The males of many butterfly species compete via pair-wise intrasexual contests, yet lack any obvious morphological traits conventionally associated with animal aggression. The evolution of contest behavior in this group is therefore interesting because the means by which individuals are able to inflict costs upon each other during combat are unclear. Here we review the relevant empirical information within a game-theoretical context in order to analyze contest-related costs and mechanisms of dispute settlement. Territorial butterfly contests carry obvious role asymmetries, and individuals in the 'resident' role are more likely to win across all studied species. We use this phenomenon as a framework for gaining further insight into the evolution of contest settlement in this group. Four principal hypotheses are evaluated: (1) that residency is used as an arbitrary convention, (2) that residents stand to gain a greater payoff if successful, (3) that residency bestows higher resource-holding potential (RHP) on males in that role, and (4) that residents are males of intrinsically higher RHP. We found most support for the latter explanation (the 'superior-competitor' hypothesis), partly because the alternatives require a restrictive set of ecological conditions, but also due to positive support for the idea of intrinsic RHP. The strongest evidence is provided by species in which repeated interactions (between the same individuals) always have the same outcome, regardless of changes in residency status. However, we also found a consistent effect on contest duration due to apparent 'confusion over residency,' which suggests a conventional element to contest behavior. Although butterfly contests must be costly in some way, the literature provides limited insight into how costs accrue, and hence the determinants of contest RHP remain obscure. We suggest that careful experimentation, using 'natural' manipulations where possible, should prove most beneficial in identifying costs and exploring schedules of contest settlement in this group. Moreover, future investigations should be sensitive to the fact that butterfly territoriality and associated male-male interactions are seated within a broader ecological and life-historical context.     

Erratum to: High optoelectronic and antimicrobial performances of green synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using Aesculus hippocastanum

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Nanosized materials are of increasing interest due to their optical and electrical properties. In particular, the semiconductor ZnO has a wide band gap of...     

Variation and persistence of the middle rocky intertidal community of central Chile,with and without human harvesting

Humans are an important intertidal predator in central Chile. Following a five-year study we report on the effects of the exclusion of humans from the rocky intertidal at Las Cruces, central Chile. The middle intertidal of harvested and non-harvested areas diverged in species diversity and composition during the experiment. In harvested areas the middle intertidal rocky shore was dominated throughout the study by a monoculture of mussels, Perumytilus purpuratus. When humans were excluded, the middle intertidal community switched to one dominated by barnacles (predominantly Jehlius cirratus and Chthamalus scabrosus); this community has persisted for at least three years, despite the presence of forces e.g. mussel larvae, that have the potential to alter the community structure. Such changes were mediated by the muricid gastropod Concholepas concholepas, a key-stone predator. As a consequence of the above changes, the species diversity, H', (primary space occupiers) in the non-harvested area increased from H'=0 at the beginning of the study in 1983 (when the middle intertidal community was dominated by mussels), to values ca H'=2 toward the middle of the study in 1984 (which coincided with the maximum predatory impact of C. concholepas) and subsequently decreasing to ca H'=0.5 at the end of the study in 1987 (when the middle intertida community was dominated by barnacles).Please address all correspondence to J. C. Castilla, Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA, until March 1990     

Feedbacks of flow and bed morphology from a submerged dense vegetation patch without upstream sediment supply

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Laboratory experiments were performed to investigate how flow patterns and bed morphology are affected around a submerged vegetation patch in the condition without...