A profile of environmental science in China

This paper concisely introduced the eco-environmental survey in China and the Chinese scientific programme for environmental research which is being practiced or being planned. China has established a nation-wide system relating to environmental scientific research and environmental administration and has taken the following strategies for solving the environment problems: (1) a series of laws and regulations for environmental protection has been promulgated so as to strengthen the legal administration and economic punishment. (2) the idea of ecological construction has been proposed for the purpose of taking the environmental protection work into the consideration of the national and provincial (or regional) economic construction planning. (3) spreading ecological engineering and ecological technologies have reduced the pollutant sources and have increased the industrial and agricultural economic profit.     

The role of science and technology in environmentally sound urbanization in China

In the process of accelerating industrialization,urbanization is inevitable and important to China's modernization drive. While people are cherishing the advantages of living in cities, the increasing negative impact of urbanization has to be put on the top of priority list. As urbanization proceeds, the existing pollution problem aggravates with not only increasing quantity of pollutants, but diversity as well. Science and technology have been contributing to urbanization process in both positive and negative ways. Nonetheless, the role of science an technology in promoting sustainable urbanization is increasingly important. China has been conducting environmental research and development since the early 1970's, and now is capable of supplying most technologies needed for urban environmental protection. To keep pace with the rapid urbanization process in China,environmental research and technology development should bestrengthened. This is mostly dependent on domestic resources withintroduction of advanced yet cost-effective technologies from therest of the world. With a survey of current urban environmental R & D in China and on-going activities of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), recommendations on future UCL(University College London)-CAS collaboration in the domain of urban environment aremade.     

Divergent perspectives on water resource sustainability in a public–policy–science context

Diverging perspectives toward environmental problems, their causes, and solutions can exacerbate controversy in participatory decision making. Past research has examined the lay–expert divide in perceptions about diverse risks, but relatively few studies have examined multidimensional perspectives on water scarcity across expert groups with different knowledge systems. We address this gap by examining conflicting perspectives across ‘lay’ residents and academic and policymaking ‘experts’ in Phoenix, AZ. We analyze ecological concern about water issues, risk perceptions regarding the factors contributing to scarcity, and policy attitudes pertaining to resource management alternatives. All three groups expressed substantial concern for broad-scale water issues, especially drought. Residents exhibited a heightened tendency to blame other people for water scarcity, in addition to opposition toward stringent approaches such as water pricing. While strongly supporting the acquisition of more supplies, policymakers exhibited lower concern about regional water use rates while displacing blame away from anthropogenic causes compared to both residents and academic experts. Scientists, on the other hand, stressed the need for stricter regulation of water demand. Findings point to the challenges of meshing different knowledge systems for collaborative research and policy making.     

Purification function of the natural wetland in the Liaohe Delta

１ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅ，ｆｕｎｃｔｉｏｎａｎｄｃｈａｎｇｅａｒｅｔｈｒｅｅｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔａｓｐｅｃｔｓｏｆｌａｎｄｓｃａｐｅｅｃｏｌｏｇｙ（Ｆｏｒｍａｎ，１９８６）．Ｌａｎｄｓｃａｐｅｆｕｎｃｔｉｏｎｍｅａｎｓｔｈｅｉｎｔｅ...     

Estimation of the radionuclide distribution in sediment in coast area

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｈｅｒａｄｉｏｎｕｃｌｉｄｅｓｉｎｌｏｗ ｌｅｖｅｌｒａｄｉｏａｃｔｉｖｅｌｉｑｕｉｄｗａｓｔｅ (ＬＬＷ)ｆｒｏｍｃｏａｓｔａｌｎｕｃｌｅａｒｆａｃｉｌｉｔｉｅｓｏｒｎｕｃｌｅａｒｐｏｗｅｒｐｌａｎｔｓｗｉｌｌｂｅｄｉｌｕｔｅｄ ,ｄｉｆｆｕｓｅｄａｎｄｔｒａｎｓｐｏｒｔｅｄｉｎｔｈｅｃｏａｓｔａｒｅａ .Ａｎｄｔｈｅｙｗｉｌｌａｌｓｏｄｅｐｏｓｉｔｉｎｔｈｅｓｅｄｉｍｅｎｔ.Ｈｏｗｔｏｅｓｔｉｍａｔｅｔｈｅｅｆｆｅｃｔｏｆｄｅｐｏｓｉｔｒａｄｉｏｎｕｃｌｉｄｅｓｉｓａｖｅｒ…     

Innovations in the water chain – experiences in The Netherlands

Innovations in water chain are discussed based on experiences in the Netherlands. The available and new technological options, as well as their dissemination in the Netherlands, are presented for the prevailing system with add-on technologies (elongation), and for the emerging separation system with technologies at the source. Numerous new options are available for both systems but these options are rarely used. The low use is explained using economic theories and with practical examples from the Netherlands. In order to foster innovations, the mainstream, evolutionary, and behavioral theories pinpoint respectively the pricing of common goods, broad support of concerted action, and support for innovators’ entry. These actions may all be needed. Experiences with a stakeholder cluster in water management suggest that markets for high value water use invoke innovations and low-cost technology adaptations. The systematic development of services that foster high value water-based activities is recommended.     

Can the Earth's magnetic field be simulated in the laboratory?

Today it is generally accepted that the Earth's magnetic field, as well as that of many other planets, is generated by buoyancy driven convection in the electrically conducting liquid cores of these rotating celestial bodies. The conversion of mechanical energy into electromagnetic energy is known as the dynamo effect. In contrast to technical dynamos, which utilize the rotational motion of a complex arrangement of wire coils and other materials of different electrical and magnetic properties, the geodynamo is based on a freely developing spiral flow in a practically homogeneous, electrically conducting liquid core domain, and is therefore termed a homogeneous dynamo. This report outlines some fundamental properties of the Earth's magnetic field. The structure of the spiral flow in the liquid interior of planets is explained with the help of some model experiments in rapidly rotating spherical shells, which were carried out by Busse and Carrigan (1974). Based on the main ideas of electromagnetism it is shown that spiral motion in well-conducting fluids, like liquid metals, can amplify seed magnetic fields to generate dynamo action. Starting from the conjectured flow structure in the Earth's interior, a conceptional and engineering design is described for a laboratory dynamo experiment. Some details of the construction of the test facility and first experimental results are presented and discussed.     

A preliminary study on the characteristics of fogwater in the masson pine forest in Chongqing, China

The masson pine (Pinns massoniana Lamb.) forest of 2000 ha situated on Nanshan, the south bank of the Yangtze River near Chongqing, China. From 1982, some trees began to die. Since then, half of the trees have died and the whole forest is in danger. Prom November 1986 to January 1987, a study dealt with the characteristics of fogwater in that area was carried out, in order to explain the relationship between acid fog and masson pine decline. The results of our study showed that the acid fog might be responsible in part for the decline of the masson pine forest.     

Fate of BHC in the terrestrial ecosystem

The fate of BHC in the terrestrial ecosystem was investigated under both laboratory and field conditions. The uptake, accumulation and degradation of BHC in earthworms and corn plants were studied. Earthworms could absorb and accumulate BHC residues from soil. Statistically, significant correlation existed between the amounts of BHC in soil and in earthworms. Different species of earthworms appeared to concentrate BHC in their bodies to different extents. In a terrestrial ecosystem, the uptake, accumulation of BHC residues by soil animals and plants had an effect on each other.     

A method for calculating the total ozone amount in the clear skies

Ａｍｅｔｈｏｄｆｏｒｃａｌｃｕｌａｔｉｎｇｔｈｅｔｏｔａｌｏｚｏｎｅａｍｏｕｎｔｉｎｔｈｅｃｌｅａｒｓｋｉｅｓ￥ＢａｉＪｉａｎｈｕｉ；ＷａｎｇＧｅｎｇｃｈｅｎ（ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＡｔｍｏｓｐｈｅｒｉｃＰｈｙｓｉｃｓ，ＣｈｉｎｅｓｅＡｃａｄｅｍｙｏ...     

Estimates of maximum ground-level concentration in the convective boundary layer—the error in using The Gaussian distribution

This paper derives expressions for the maximum cross-wind integrated and ceterline concentrations at ground level for an elevated source in the convective boundary layer. These expressions account for the observation that the probability density function (pdf) of vertical velocities in the convective boundary is positively skewed with a negative mode. The estimates obtained with these formulae compare favorably with observations reported by Briggs (1993; Boundary-layer Met.62, 315–328).The paper also examines the error associated with using a symmetric Gaussian pdf instead of the skewed pdf to estimate the ground-level concentration. We show that the error is equivalent to an underestimation of a factor of almost 1.5 for the cross-wind integrated concentration and a factor of 1.3 for the ground-level centerline concentration.     

Organic contamination in the Great Wall bay,Antarctica in austral summer

ＯｒｇａｎｉｃｃｏｎｔａｍｉｎａｔｉｏｎｉｎｔｈｅＧｒｅａｔＷａｌｌｂａｙ，Ａｎｔａｒｃｔｉｃａｉｎａｕｓｔｒａｌｓｕｍｍｅｒ￥ＰｕＪｉａｂｉｎ，ＬｉＺｏｎｇｐｉｎｇ，ＳｈａｎｇＬｏｎｇｓｈｅｎ，ＬｉＨｏｎｇ（ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＭａｒｉｎｅＥｎｖ...     

Nitrogen cycling of atmosphere-plant-soft system in the typical Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland in the Sanjiang Plain,Northeast China

The nitrogen(N)distribution and cycling of atmosphere-plant-soil system in the typical meadow Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland (TMCW)and marsh meadow Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland(MMCW)in the Sanjiang plain were studied by a compartment model.The results showed that the N wet deposition amount was 0.757 gN/(m~2.a),and total inorganic N(TIN)was the main body (0.640 gN/(m~2.a)).The ammonia volatilization amounts of TMCW and MMCW soils in growing season were 0.635 and 0.687 gN/m~2, and the denitrification gaseous lost amounts were 0.617 and 0.405 gN/m~2,respectively.In plant subsystem,the N was mainly stored in root and litter.Soil organic N was the main N storage of the two plant-soil systems and the proportions of it were 93.98% and 92.16%, respectively.The calculation results of N turnovers among compartments of TMCW and MMCW showed that the uptake amounts of root were 23.02 and 28.18 gN/(m~2.a)and the values of aboveground were 11.31 and 6.08 gN/(m~2.a),the re-translocation amounts from aboveground to root were 5.96 and 2.70 gN/(m~2.a),the translocation amounts from aboveground living body to litter were 5.35 and 3.38 gN/(m~2.a),the translocation amounts from litter to soil were larger than 1.55 and 3.01 gN/(m~2.a),the translocation amounts from root to soil were 14.90 and 13.17 gN/(m~2.a),and the soil(0-15 cm)N net mineralization amounts were 1.94 and 0.55 gN/(m~2.a), respectively.The study of N balance indicated that the two plant-soil systems might be situated in the status of lacking N,and the status might induce the degradation of C.angustifolia wetland.     

The role of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific,Technical and Technological Advice to the Convention on Biological Diversity as science–policy interface

The Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has become the centre of heated debates concerning its function as the science–policy interface of the Convention. Based on explorations of the role, nature, and organisation of scientific advice mechanisms for multilateral environmental agreements in general, we give reasons for SBSTTA's inherently political role in the current governance process of the CBD, and then explore ways to enhance SBSTTA's effectiveness as a science–policy interface, going beyond the usual view that it should merely be “more scientific”. As the quality of SBSTTA's work depends primarily on the processes that guide the discussions during its meetings and on the material on which these discussions are based, we suggest that SBSTTA (a) improves its scientific foundation by systematically strengthening its relations to more scientific institutions outside the formal CBD regime, and (b) focuses on providing for a more substantive political debate to resolve alternative policy choices during its meetings. For this approach to succeed there is a need for a mechanism that provides SBSTTA with timely, salient, legitimate, and credible advice—a role that an International Mechanism of Scientific Expertise on Biodiversity (IMoSEB) could well provide.     

Progress in the research on aquatic environmental nonpoint source pollution in China

ＰｒｏｇｒｅｓｉｎｔｈｅｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈｏｎａｑｕａｔｉｃｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔａｌｎｏｎｐｏｉｎｔｓｏｕｒｃｅｐｏｌｕｔｉｏｎｉｎＣｈｉｎａＢａｏＱｕａｎｓｈｅｎｇ，ＭａｏＸｉａｎｑｉａｎｇ，ＷａｎｇＨｕａｄｏｎｇＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＥｎｖｉｒｏ...     

Mercury emissions and cycling in the coastal zone

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＭｅｒｃｕｒｙｌｅｖｅｌｓｉｎｍａｒｉｎｅａｎｄｆｒｅｓｈｗａｔｅｒｆｉｓｈｅｘｃｅｅｄｉｎｇｎａｔｉｏｎａｌａｎｄｉｎｔｅｒｎａｔｉｏｎａｌｐｕｂｌｉｃｈｅａｌｔｈｇｕｉｄｅｌｉｎｅｓａｒｅｃｏｍｍｏｎｔｏａｑｕａｔｉｃｓｙｓｔｅｍｓｉｎｂｏｔｈｈｅｍｉｓｐｈｅｒｅｓ,ａｎｄｉｎｓｅｔｔｉｎｇｓｒａｎｇｉｎｇｆｒｏｍｕｒｂａｎ/ｒｅｇｉｏｎａｌ/ｃｏａｓｔａｌｔｏｒｅｍｏｔｅｏｃｅａｎｉｃｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｓ (Ｅｉｓｌｅｒ,1981;Ｗｉｅｎｅｒ,1996;ＦａｒｏｅＩｓｌａｎｄｓＭｅｅ…     

When Being Green Puts You in the Black

Are America's capitalist titans really going green? This week's announcement that two of the country's largest private equity firms,Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Texas Pacific Group,will pur- chase the Dallas-based utility TXU made headlines,and not just because the $45 billion deal represents the largest private equity transac- tion in history.The even bigger news was the environmental dimension of the takeover proposal. It calls for scaling back construction of new coal- fired power plants,ramping up commitmeats to wind and solar power,supporting mandatory con- trols on greenhouse gas emissions and promoting energy efficiency.     

Is the flower fluorescence relevant in biocommunication?

Flower fluorescence has been previously proposed as a potential visual signal to attract pollinators. In this work, this point was addressed by quantitatively measuring the fluorescence quantum yield (Φ _f) for flowers of Bellis perennis (white, yellow, pink, and purple), Ornithogalum thyrsoides (petals and ovaries), Limonium sinuatum (white and yellow), Lampranthus productus (yellow), Petunia nyctaginiflora (white), Bougainvillea spectabilis (white and yellow), Antirrhinum majus (white and yellow), Eustoma grandiflorum (white and blue), Citrus aurantium (petals and stigma), and Portulaca grandiflora (yellow). The highest values were obtained for the ovaries of O. thyrsoides (Φ _f?=?0.030) and for Citrus aurantium petals (Φ _f?=?0.014) and stigma (Φ _f?=?0.013). Emitted photons as fluorescence were compared with reflected photons. It was concluded that the fluorescence emission is negligible compared to the reflected light, even for the most fluorescent samples, and it may not be considered as an optical signal in biocommunication. The work was complemented with the calculation of quantum catches for each studied flower species to describe the visual sensitization of eye photoreceptors.     

Sensitized effect of β-cyclodextrin on the fluorescence in the determination of carbaryl

Based on the significant enhancement of fluorescence intensity of carbaryl in inclusion complex, a spetrofluorimetric method with high sensitivity was developed for the determination of carbaryl in aqueous solution. Under the optimum conditions, the complex had excitation and emission maxima at 278 nm and 332 nm, respectively. The linear range of the method was 7.0 ng/ml-1500 ng/ml with a detection limit of 1.2 ng/ml. The proposed method was successfully used to determine quantitatively of carbaryl in cottonseeds.