Hibernation and daily torpor minimize mammalian extinctions

Small mammals appear to be less vulnerable to extinction than large species, but the underlying reasons are poorly understood. Here, we provide evidence that almost all (93.5%) of 61 recently extinct mammal species were homeothermic, maintaining a constant high body temperature and thus energy expenditure, which demands a high intake of food, long foraging times, and thus exposure to predators. In contrast, only 6.5% of extinct mammals were likely heterothermic and employed multi-day torpor (hibernation) or daily torpor, even though torpor is widespread within more than half of all mammalian orders. Torpor is characterized by substantial reductions of body temperature and energy expenditure and enhances survival during adverse conditions by minimizing food and water requirements, and consequently reduces foraging requirements and exposure to predators. Moreover, because life span is generally longer in heterothermic mammals than in related homeotherms, heterotherms can employ a ‘sit-and-wait’ strategy to withstand adverse periods and then repopulate when circumstances improve. Thus, torpor is a crucial but hitherto unappreciated attribute of small mammals for avoiding extinction. Many opportunistic heterothermic species, because of their plastic energetic requirements, may also stand a better chance of future survival than homeothermic species in the face of greater climatic extremes and changes in environmental conditions caused by global warming.     

On sealing a lakebed: mass media and environmental democratisation in China

This paper examines a transition of environmental governance in China that involves increased transparency and public participation. It pays close attention to the role of the mass media in this transformation. After briefly reviewing the history of environmental governance in China, the paper examines the particular transformations in the governance regime that are associated with the controversy over the sealing of the eastern lake in the Old Summer Palace, Beijing. The paper argues that the central government has increasingly enlisted the support of the public and the media in governing environmental matters and provides evidence that the traditional mass media and the Internet have become increasingly active in environmental debates in China.     

On mass transport limitation to the rate of reaction of gases in liquid droplets

Expressions are derived to readily compare contributions to overall mass transport limitation by gas-phase diffusion, interfacial transport and aqueous-phase diffusion to the overall rate of reaction in liquid droplets. The three criteria previously derived by Schwartz (1986, in Chemistry of Multiphase Atmospheric Systems, pp. 415–471, Springer) for the absence of mass transport limitation are shown to be special cases of the more general criterion obtained here. Sensitivity of the characteristic time to achieve steady state to the accommodation coefficient is examined. Inequalities are established that give lower and upper bounds of mass transport limitation in cases of non-first-order chemical kinetics.     

Principle and technique of field-desorption mass spectrometry

The principle and technique of field-desorption mass spectrometry is described briefly. As is demonstrated for some corrin derivatives and vitamin B₁₂ as examples, the method of field desorption extends the range of mass-spectrometric analysis considerably. The molecular weights of substances that are not amenable to conventional mass-spectrometric techniques can be determined. Recent results show that the most important application of field-desorption mass spectrometry will be in the field of biochemical, medical, and environmental analysis.     

Laser microprobe mass analysis of Amazon Basin aerosols

Individual aerosol particles sampled over the Amazon Basin, Brazil, were analysed using laser microprobe mass analysis (LAMMA). Spectra are complex due to the high organic content of the samples. Phosphate was found to be concentrated largely in one particle type, which was only detected in the dry season samples. This points to a biomass burning origin or at least to a season-related vegetative aerosol production mechanism. The most abundant particle type, most likely originating from a vegetation source, can be described as a mixture of different salts and organic fragments.     

Additional mass transport considerations in the formation of hydroxyalkylsulfonates

The formation rates of hydroxyalkylsulfonates in cloud droplets was examined with consideration of aldehyde mass transport to droplets and hydration rates of aldehydes in cloud droplets. Detailed calculations were performed for hydroxymethanesulfonate formation in cloud droplets. It was found that mass transport of formaldehyde into droplets can occur rapidly enough so that methylene glycol dehydration is not the rate limiting step as it is, under certain conditions, in a closed system.     

污水生物处理中生物膜传质特性的研究进展

生物膜法处理污水,起主要作用的是附着于填料表面形成的生物膜,因此研究生物膜的传质特性对于提高处理效率、探究处理机理具有重要意义.本文综述了生物膜传质特性在污水生物处理中的研究进展,包括生物膜结构模型、传质微环境,以三相传质体系为研究重点的传质特性,以及影响生物膜传质的因素包括生物膜结构和水力条件等,并对以后应着重开展的...     

激光质谱法探测痕量污染气体的定标研究

介绍了一种新的环境污染痕量气体探测方法——激光质谱法,并给出了定标方法.采用甲苯作为定标的标准样品,用这种方法定量检测了汽车尾气的多种有机污染物.理论研究和实验结果表明,激光质谱法是一种有效的痕量污染气体的多组分在线检测方法.     

Probability mass first flush evaluation for combined sewer discharges

The Korea government has put in a lot of e ort to construct sanitation facilities for controlling non-point source pollution. The first flush phenomenon is a prime example of such pollution. However, to date, several serious problems have arisen in the operation and treatment e ectiveness of these facilities due to unsuitable design flow volumes and pollution loads. It is di cult to assess the optimal flow volume and pollution mass when considering both monetary and temporal limitations. The objective of this article was to characterize the discharge of storm runo pollution from urban catchments in Korea and to estimate the probability of mass first flush (MFFn) using the storm water management model and probability density functions. As a result of the review of gauged storms for the representative using probability density function with rainfall volumes during the last two years, all the gauged storms were found to be valid representative precipitation. Both the observed MFFn and probability MFFn in BE-1 denoted similarly large magnitudes of first flush with roughly 40% of the total pollution mass contained in the first 20% of the runo . In the case of BE-2, however, there were significant di erence between the observed MFFn and probability MFFn.     

复杂DNAPL污染源区溶解相污染通量的升尺度计算

重非水相液体(DNAPL)污染场地中NAPL相污染物会持续溶解于地下水中,释放出溶解相污染羽,对人体健康产生威胁.准确评估DNAPL污染场地源区下游的溶解相污染通量至关重要.由于介质的非均质性常形成复杂DNAPL污染源区,其溶解相污染通量往往呈现出阶段性变化.目前溶解相污染通量计算普遍采用Christ等提出的双域升尺度模型,但该模型仅适用于弱非均质性的污染源区.本文基于大量强非均质性条件下的污染源区数值算例,修正了Christ双域模型中污染源区衰减指数的经验公式,将该模型的适用范围推广至强非均质性的复杂污染源区.通过蒙特卡罗数值算例及两个二维砂箱试验数据验证了修正模型的适用性和精度.对比结果表明:修正模型可广泛适用于不同结构的复杂DNAPL污染源区,与以往的计算方法相比,修正模型计算的溶解相污染通量精度提高了约35%.     

Dealing with near collinearity in chemical mass balance receptor models

The amount of airborne particulate pollution attributable to various sources can be estimated from a linear least squares (LLS) fit of concentrations of chemical elements observed at a receptor to the known elemental composition of the particles emitted by the sources. The resulting least squares problem often displays a high degree of ill-conditioning and associated inflation of the uncertainties in the estimates. Because of the physical constraints of the problem, variable selection and ridge regression cannot be used to remedy the ill-conditioning. In particular, it is shown that a stable ridge regression solution is equivalent to assuming sources of airborne particulates with negative elemental composition. A method is developed which defines, for a specific level of acceptable uncertainty, three classes of sources; those which can be estimated accurately by LLS, those which cannot be so estimated and those which cannot be accurately estimated individually but participate in linear combinations which can be accurately estimated. A technique is presented which determines those linear combinations of source contributions of minimum variance.     

Detection of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol by liquid-liquid extraction-gas chromatograph mass spectrum (LLE-GCMS)and solid phase extraction-gas chromatograph mass spectrum (SPE-GCMS)

Two sample preparation methods were introduced and compared in this paper to establish a simple, quick and exact analysis of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol. LC-18 column was employed in solid phase extraction (SPE), 1.0 mL of hexane was adopted in liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), and the extracts were analyzed by gas chromatograph mass spectrum (GCMS) in selected ion mode. Mean recoveries of SPE were low for 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) and geosmin (GSM) with values below 50%. For LLE, the recoveries were satisfyingly above 50% for 2-MIB and 80% for GSM. Detection limits of the LLE method were as low as 1.0 ng/L for GSM and 5.0 ng/L for 2-MIB. A year-long investigation on odor chemicals of drinking water in Shanghai demonstrated that in the summer, there was a serious odor problem induced by a high concentration of 2-MIB. The highest concentration of 152.82 ng/L appeared in July in raw water, while GSM flocculation was minimal with concentrations below odor threshold.     

九孔鲍苗种培育期间"脱板症"预防探讨

采用不同的光照强度,异、同地亲鲍,投放受精卵和投放担轮幼虫等3种方法进行育苗试验,结果表明,在九孔鲍人工苗种生产中,采取1 000～1500 lx的光照强度,用异地亲鲍繁育,投放担轮幼虫等方法进行育苗,可以预防或减少"脱板症"的发生.本文还就相关问题进行了探讨.     

Covariation between eumelanic pigmentation and body mass only under specific conditions

Identifying the factors that mediate covariation between an ornament and other phenotypic attributes is important to determine the signaling function of ornaments. Sign and magnitude of a covariation may vary across environments if the expression of the ornament or of its linked genes regulating correlated phenotypes is condition-dependent. I investigated in the barn owl Tyto alba whether sign and magnitude of covariation between body mass and two heritable melanin-based plumage ornaments change with food supply, along the reproductive cycle and from the morning to the evening. Using a dataset of 1,848 measurements of body mass in 336 breeding females, I found that females displaying large black spots were heavier than conspecifics with smaller spots in the afternoon (i.e., a long time after the last feeding) but not in the morning (i.e., a short time after the last feeding). This is consistent with the recently proposed hypothesis that eumelanin-based ornaments are associated with the ability to maintain energy balance between food intake and energy expenditure. Thus, covariation between melanin-based coloration and body mass can be detected only under specific conditions potentially explaining why it has been reported in only ten out of 28 vertebrate species. The proposition that ornamented individuals achieve a higher fitness than drab conspecifics only in specific environments should be tested for other ornaments.     

A new type of insect infrared organ of low thermal mass

The Australian beetle Acanthocnemus nigricans is attracted by forest fires and has a pair of complex infrared (IR) receptor organs on the first thoracic segment. Each organ consists of a tiny sensory disc (diameter 120-130 µm) which serves as an absorbing structure for IR radiation. The disc is arranged above an air-filled cavity which is located just anteriorly to the coxae of the prothoracic legs. Inside the disc, about 30 multipolar thermoreceptors (warmth receptors) are tightly attached to the cuticle which is directed to the outside. The many dendrites of each multipolar neuron are tightly wrapped around the soma and contain a large number of mitochondria. Absorption of IR radiation by the disc causes an increase in temperature which is measured by the warmth receptors. Therefore, the IR receptors of A. nigricans can be classified as microbolometers with reduced thermal mass and in principle can be compared to the IR organs of pit vipers.     

Nitrogen mass balance in a constructed wetland treating piggery wastewater effluent

The nitrogen changes and the nitrogen mass balance in a free water surface flow constructed wetland （CW） using the four-year monitoring data from 2008 to 2012 were estimated. The CW was composed of six cells in series that include the first settling basin （Cell 1）, aeration pond （Cell 2）, deep marsh （Cell 3）, shallow marsh （Cell 4）, deep marsh （Cell 5） and final settling basin （Cell 6）. Analysis revealed that the NH4＋-N concentration decreased because of ammonification which was then followed by nitrification. The NO4＋-N and NO4＋-N were also further reduced by means of microbial activities and plant uptake during photosynthesis. The average nitrogen concentration at the influent was 37,819 kg/year and approximately 45% of that amount exited the CW in the effluent. The denitrification amounted to 34% of the net nitrogen input, whereas the accretion of sediment was only 7%. The biomass uptake of plants was able to retain only 1% of total nitrogen load. In order to improve the nutrient removal by plant uptake, plant coverage in four cells （i.e., Cells 1, 3, 4 and 5） could be increased.     

Quantitative relationship between visibility and mass concentration of PM2.5 in Beijing

The pollution of particulate matter less than 2.5μm （PM2.5） is a serious environmental problem in Beijing. The annual average concentration of PM2.5 in 2001 from seasonal monitor results was more than 6 times that of the U,S, national ambient air quality standards proposed by U.S. EPA. The major contributors to mass of PM2.5 were organics, crustal elements and sulfate. The chemical composition of PM2.5 varied largely with season, but was similar at different monitor stations in the same season. The fine particles （PM2.5） cause atmospheric visibility deterioration through light extinction, The mass concentrations of PM2.5 were anti-correlated to the visibility, the best fits between atmospheric visibility and the mass concentrations of PM2.5 were somehow different： power in spring, exponential in summer, logarithmic in autumn, power or exponential in winter. As in each season the meteorological parameters such as air temperature and relative humidity change from day to day, probably the reason of above correlations between PM2.5 and visibility obtained at different seasons come from the differences in chemical compositions of PM2.5.