Solar-driven technology for freshwater production from atmospheric air by using the composite desiccant material “CaCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>/floral foam”

In this communication, experiments have been performed to check the capability of the newly formed composite desiccant material (CaCl₂/floral) for the extraction of freshwater from atmospheric air. Three numbers of solar glass desiccant box type system (SGDBS) with a captured area of 0.36 m² each, have been used. The design parameters for the water production are height of glass from desiccant bed at 0.22 m, inclination in angle as 30°, the effective thickness of glass as 3 mm and number of glazing as single. The maximum yield by the new composite desiccant material is 0.35 ml/cm³/day. The efficiency of the system SGDBS with 37 % concentration of CaCl₂ is 76.44 %.     

A subsystem input–output decomposition analysis of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions in the service sectors: a case study of Beijing,China

The carbon emissions in service sectors have attracted increasing attention around the world. However, few studies have examined the driving forces for CO₂ emissions from service sectors in developing countries. With the process of accelerating industrialization, China’s service sectors are facing growing pressure to pursue energy savings and emission reductions, especially in several developed regions. In this paper, in order to better understand how CO₂ emissions in Beijing’s service sectors have evolved, we utilized a subsystem input–output decomposition analysis to study the pattern and driving factors of consumption-based emissions in Beijing’s service sectors. The results showed that the transportation sector and the Scientific Studies Technical Services sector caused the most CO₂ emissions in Beijing’s service sectors. The emission intensity effect potentially reduced CO₂ emissions by 10,833 Mt, primarily due to the decreased energy intensity of non-service sectors. Effects of demand and technology were mainly responsible for the increased CO₂ emissions in Beijing’s service sectors. Such influence was mainly related to the external component of service sectors, indicating a strong pull effect exerted by service sectors on non-service sectors. Thus, decarbonizing the supply chain of service sectors and improving the energy intensity are necessary to alleviate CO₂ emissions in Beijing.     

Economical sensitivity analysis of rice husk utilization in a 300 kW<Subscript>el</Subscript> Micro Thermal Power Plant

Production of rice husks in Rio Grande do Sul State, which is the major rice production state in Brazil, needs to be adequately managed to diminish environmental impacts. A Micro Thermal Power Plant (MTP), which is a compact and small-scale biomass thermal power plant technology, can be used in electricity generation in thermal power plants with a power capacity up to 800 kW_el. This paper presents a feasibility analysis of a 300 kW_el MTP that is fuelled by rice husks using two different scenarios: the autoproduction (Case 1) and the independent production (Case 2) of electricity. Both scenarios were found to be unfeasible. Therefore, a sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate the variables that affect feasibility, such as the electricity commercialization price, the value of certified emission reductions and the financial interest rates. According to sensitivity analysis, small-scale thermal power plants could have feasibility if they received incentives through government programmes, such as through the exemption of equipment taxes and/or the reduction or elimination of the financial interest rate.     

Changes in the structure of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dactylorhiza incarnata</Emphasis> (L.) Soó population during the overgrowing of a meadow-bog community complex in the Moscow region

The overgrowing of meadow-bog communities by shrubs and trees (age 5–40 years, crown closure 0.4–0.9) leads to a decrease in incident illumination. As a consequence, juvenile and generative plants disappear from D. incarnata population loci, their average ecological density decreases, and the loci enter the state of regression. The digging activity of wild boars disrupts phytocenotically closed groups of longirhizomatous herbs, thereby creating favorable conditions for seed reproduction of D. incarnata. The species begins to form population loci with a complete ontogenetic spectrum and high ecological density, eventually restoring the normal (definitive) population structure.     

Chernov’s compensation principle and the effect of rodent community completeness on the variability of bank vole (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys glareolus</Emphasis>) population in the Middle Urals

Using methods of geometric morphometrics, significant differences have been revealed in manifestations of variability and morphological disparity in allochronous samples from the population of model species, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreb. 1780), in the Middle Urals at different levels of rodent community (taxocene) completeness in different years. Two states of the taxocene—oligospecific (two species) and polyspecific (five species)—and the level of relative abundance of bank voles (high or low) have been taken into account. Comparative analysis of variation in the size and shape of the mandible in same-aged (late-summer) young of the year has shown that significant morphogenetic differences exist between the animals sampled from the rodent taxocene at its different states (oligospecific and polyspecific) and, to a lesser extent, at high and low levels of abundance. The level of variation and the parameter of intragroup morphological disparity (MNND) in the mandible shape reach a maximum when the community has a reduced composition and decrease to a minimum when its composition is complete (i.e., in the oligo- and polyspecific taxocene). A parallelism is observed in the manifestation of morphofunctional changes of the mandible in male and female voles under conditions when the taxocene has high abundance and oligospecific composition or low abundance but polyspecific composition. Different morphogenetic responses of the population to oligo- and polyspecific composition of the community are considered as a compensatory increase of morphological disparity in the dominant species (the bank vole) under conditions of incomplete composition of the taxocene and low population density, in accordance with Chernov’s ecological compensation principle.     

Temperature conditions in burrows of the steppe marmot, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Marmota bobak</Emphasis> Müller (1776), in the hibernation period

Data published in the Handbook on the Climate of the Soviet Union have been used as a basis for estimating the temperature of the soil surrounding the nest chamber during the period of bobak marmot hibernation. Interspecific differences in the temperature conditions of hibernation have been revealed. The hypothesis is substantiated that the dates of hibernation onset in marmots depend on air temperature outside the burrow.     

Effect of rise in spring air temperature on the arrival dates and reproductive success of the Song Thrush, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Turdus philomelos</Emphasis> (C.L. Brehm, 1831) in the forest–steppe of the Russian Plain

The effect of rise in spring air temperature on the breeding phenology and reproductive success of the Song Thrush in the Voronezh Nature Reserve have been studied over the periods of 1987 to 1990 and 2008 to 2012. The results show that relatively high air temperatures provide for earlier arrival of the birds from wintering grounds, earlier and more synchronous breeding of the majority of nesting pairs, and an increase in clutch size and proportion of pairs producing two broods per season. Predation pressure on bird nests decreases under such conditions, which markedly improves reproductive success. Climate warming is conducive to increasing breeding productivity of the Song Thrush population as a whole.     

Monitoring DNA damage in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mytilus galloprovincialis</Emphasis> from the Kaštela Bay in Croatia

The Kaštela Bay (Croatia) is known, by the use of Fast micromethod, as an area with the highest level of genotoxic agents along the Adriatic Sea. The genotoxic impacts in Kastela Bay and the neighbouring Trogir Bay using micronucleus test and Comet assay with mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) haemocytes were assesed during 2003 and 2004. This location received effluents from various industries (brewery, cement plant, etc.), ports (oil and general port), the Split shipyard, Vranjic shipworks along with domestic sewage and agricultural discharge that enters the bay without any treatment. In the meantime, a lot of industries were closed and the input of pollutants were discontinued. The tested mussels from the 2003–2004 confirmed that mussels from Kaštela Bay were affected by genotoxic contaminants. The aim of our study was to assess genotoxic impacts on Mytilus galloprovincialis in the same area after six years using Comet Assay test. Our survey showed decreses of genotoxic damage on mussel haemocytes.     

Non-timber forest product dependence among the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jah Hut</Emphasis> subgroup of Peninsular Malaysia’s Orang Asli

Non-timber forest products (NTFP) represent key sources of cash and subsistence income for millions of rural and indigenous peoples living in tropical developing countries throughout the world. The current study investigates the use and significance of NTFP within a sample of Peninsular Malaysia’s Orang Asli (indigenous people). Data collected via household surveys across three sampling phases reveals that more than 75% of the population is actively engaged in NTFP collection. Household responses indicate diversity in both the types and uses of products collected. NTFP collection participation, frequency of collection, and collection reliance are found to be significantly negatively related to village proximity to the market, as well as to income level relative to the Malaysian poverty line. When collection variables are examined by different product categories, relationships with market access and income group are variable. Implications for different approaches to forest conservation and rural development are discussed.     

Importance of colloids in the transport within the dissolved phase (<450 nm) of artificial radionuclides from the Rhône river towards the Gulf of Lions (Mediterranean Sea)

The significance of colloidal fractions regarding the transport of artificial radionuclides in natural water systems is underlined by using sequential ultrafiltration both in the Rh?ne freshwater and the marine area under and outside the influence of the river outflow. Indeed, the Rhodanian aquatic system represents an interesting test site as various artificial radionuclides are released into the Rh?ne river by several nuclear installations. We focused our study on (137)Cs, (106)Ru, (60)Co, (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu. Our results show that Fe, Al and Organic carbon (OC) are the main components of colloidal matter. Colloids represent about 15% of dissolved (<450 nm) OC and 25% of dissolved Fe and Al exported towards the sea. Within the dissolved (< 450 nm) phase, these colloidal compounds are shown to account for the transport of 40% for both Co and Ru, 60% for (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu and have no significance on (137)Cs flux.     

Beyond the money shot; or how framing nature matters? Locating Green at Wildscreen

ABSTRACT

Natural history films use technological mediations to frame aspects of nature so as to communicate information, in part through engendering particular viewer affects. As an entertainment industry embedded in capitalist social relations and concerned with competition for finance and ratings, natural history film-making is also a search for “the money shot” – associated with extremes including rarity, sensational behavior, and otherwise un(fore)seen views. I highlight this sensationalizing impetus through ethnographic fieldwork conducted at the biannual UK Wildscreen film festival in 2010. Here, wildlife films were frequently presented as action dramas with a rhythm of anticipation, climax and satisfaction. I argue that, through stimulating significantly disconnective affects, such framing may work against composition of a caring ecocultural ethics that entwines human with more-than-human natures and futures; and that this tendency parallels the similarly disconnecting effects documented for pornographic film. In contrast, I engage with the differently constructive frames guiding the low budget, open access, activist film Green, which, perhaps paradoxically given the thrust of much of the natural history film industry, won the prestigious WWF Gold Panda Award at Wildscreen 2010. I follow framing theorist George Lakoff to emphasize that since cognition is both embodied and embedded in diverse inter-relationships, affective registers generating mimetic connection are as significant in communicating information regarding “the environment” as the text and words by which nature might be framed. I conclude that attention to affective registers and embodied (dis)connections in natural history film may enhance a turning of capitalist spectacle against itself, so as to work more effectively in service to the composition of abundant socionatural futures.     

气候变化·城市化·长江三角洲

长江三角洲,是中国经济社会最发达、人口和产业最密集、发展最具活力的地区之一,正在成长为具有重要国际影响的世界级城市群,在中国经济社会发展中具有举足轻重的地位。长江三角洲的城市化与建设环境互为影响。一方面,用2008年数据概括了长江三角洲城市化现状特征,重点分析了长江三角洲城市化的发展趋势是城市化过程进一步加速;另一方面,综述了常见三角洲海平面上升研究,在未来20 a长江三角洲海平面上升估计将达到220～380 mm;在未来50 a,长江三角洲海平面上升保守的估计将达到270~610 mm。未来气候变化导致海平面上升,必然对长江三角洲城市化过程造成影响,主要是：土地淹没面积大,洪涝灾害加剧,影响生产和能源,以及进一步滋生环境问题。     

Estimating ‘rhizosphere priming effect’: Comparison of the indirect <Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis>-intercept regression approach and direct bare plot Approach

Determined the contribution of root derived CO₂ efflux to total CO₂ efflux (including root and non-root derived CO₂ efflux) is import to grope the mechanism of CO₂ efflux, however, becaused of ‘rhizoshere priming effect’ (RPE), it is difficult to achieve in practice. In this study, we attempted to estimate the RPE via comparing basal soil respiration (R_b) achieved by two different methods namely, y-intercept regression and direct bare plot approach in an arid cotton field, central Asia. On the basis of the y-intercept of linear regressions between below-ground respiration (BGR) and root biomass, R_b was indirectly calculated. Comparing with the first approach, the second approach involved direct measurements of soil respiration from bare plots. R_b estimated by y-intercept method contained the component of RPE whereas direct bare plot did not. We found that RPE showed a phenological trend with highest value in flowering stage at 0.145 g CO₂ m^–2 h^–1 and lowest at budding stage (0.007 g CO₂ m^–2 s^–1), even after the data had been corrected for the influence of soil temperature. We concluded that RPE needed to be considered when R_b was estimated by y-intercept approach.     

三峡水库“水华”成因初探

2004年3月、5月、7月、8月、10月和2005年5月对长江干流29个站点进行了5次调查。2004年3月（旱季）在三峡库区坝前（秭归）发现藻类“水华”，藻类密度达2.73×106 cells/L，优势种类为拟多甲藻。2004年8月（雨季）和2005年4月（旱季）沿香溪河下游及河口区以及香溪河口到三峡大坝干流江段进行了2次6个断面分层调查，两次调查中在香溪河下游以及香溪河口区发现了严重的藻类“水华”，藻类密度高达1.87×107 cells/L 和1.67×107 cells/L，优势种分别为蓝隐藻（1.84×107 cells/L）和美丽星杆藻 (1.34×107 cells/L)。相关分析结果表明：三峡库区干流藻类数量和生物量与水库的出水流量有着显著的负相关(Spearman，r=-1.000, r=-0.900, p<0.05)，而与可溶性营养盐（NO3 N, PO4 P, SiO3 Si）的浓度无显著的相关性；在2004年7~8月（雨季）香溪河下游及河口区浮游植物生物量与主要营养盐（NO3 N, PO4 P,SiO3 Si）的浓度呈显著负相关（Spearman,p<0.01, p<0.05,p<0.01, n=21）；在2005年4月（旱季）该河段藻类密度与主要营养盐（NO3 N N,SiO3 Si）呈显著负相关 (Spearman, p<0.05，p<0.01,n=28)，但与PO4 P无显著的相关性。香溪河口到秭归的坝前库区河段藻类数量与主要营养盐（NO3 N, PO4 P,SiO3 Si）没有显著相关性(Spearman, │r│<0.2, n=20)。然而香溪河下游及河口区主要营养盐（NO3 N, PO4 P, SiO3 Si）浓度却低于长江干流。可以推断三峡库区蓄水后干流和支流发生“水华”的最主要原因是筑坝后库区内水动力条件的改变而非营养盐浓度较高。随着三峡工程的全面完工，库区内水体滞留时间的进一步延长，三峡库区水体富营养化趋势将会进一步加剧。     

三峡水库藻类“水华”预测

根据三峡库区江段16条一级支流以及重庆市35座大中型〖JP2〗水库的调查资料，分析天然河流与水库两种不同水流条件下，水体叶绿素a浓度与总磷和透明度的关系。结果发现,在水库环境中，水体叶绿素a的浓度与总磷以及与透明度都具有较好的相关性，但在河流条件下则没有明显的关系。由于三峡库区江段大多数支流的营养水平已达到富营养化状况，当三峡水库建成、水流条件发生变化后，在支流河口等水域存在爆发“水华”的风险。为此，我们根据1998年枯水期，在三峡库区长江江段流域面积大于100 km2的40条支流河口实测的总磷浓度，利用所建立的水库环境中总磷与叶绿素a 浓度的关系，对三峡成库后在局部水域爆发“水华”的可能性和程度进行了分析，并提出了相应的对策。     

Commodity production as restoration driver in the Brazilian Amazon? Pasture re-agro-forestation with cocoa (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Theobroma cacao</Emphasis>) in southern Pará

The increasing demand for agricultural commodities is a major cause of tropical deforestation. However, pressure is increasing for greater sustainability of commodity value chains. This includes the demand to establish new crop plantations and pasture areas on already deforested land so that new forest clearing for agriculture is minimized. Where tree crops are planted as part of agroforestry systems on deforested land, this amounts to a form of re-agro-forestation which can generate environmental benefits in addition to crop production. Here, we discuss a case where agroforestry systems based on cocoa (Theobroma cacao) are being established on crop and pasture land in the south of Pará state, Brazilian Amazon. The adoption of cocoa by farmers and ranchers of the region is stimulated by the coincidence of (1) favorable prospects for cocoa on the national and international markets including the expectation of a global cocoa supply gap; (2) environmental policies obliging land owners to reforest excess cleared land with native trees, with agroforests based on the native cocoa tree being an economically attractive option; and (3) biophysical conditions (especially soil fertility) favorable for growing cocoa in part of the region. We show that in the state of Pará at least 1.26 million hectares of naturally high-fertility soils in deforested areas outside legally protected and indigenous lands are potentially suitable for cocoa production with low agrochemical inputs, sufficient to make a significant contribution to closing the predicted supply gap. Their actual suitability depends on their state of degradation after years of pasture use and the availability of technologies and finance to convert them into tree crop agroforests. We discuss the significant environmental benefits of pasture re-agro-forestation with cocoa-based systems, including reduced emissions of up to 135 Mg of carbon per hectare compared to the historically common scenario of planting cocoa after forest clearing. We identify important research questions related to the scaling up of this practice and the maximization of its environmental benefits. We conclude that the coincidence of the afore-mentioned factors could drive a re-agro-forestation frontier in this part of the Amazon, with potential for positive outcomes in terms of commodity production while generating social and environmental benefits.     

重庆市“禁磷”绩效评估

国内外研究表明，水体中的磷16％左右来自使用含磷洗涤用品。为保护三峡水库水环境,防止库区水体富营养化，重庆市政府决定，从2003年１月１日起，在全市范围内禁止销售和使用含磷洗涤用品。含磷洗衣粉的磷含量平均为4%，无磷洗衣粉的磷含量平均为0.013%，“禁磷”后洗衣粉的磷削减率平均为99.7%。监测结果表明，“禁磷”前后主城区城市污水排放口总磷浓度平均降幅为15.12%、中等城市为18.36％、县城为33.66％；禁磷前，城市居民洗衣粉磷排放量占城市污水总磷的13.77％，禁磷后只占0.05％；禁磷前，农村居民洗衣粉磷排放量占农村生活污水总磷排放量的30.53％，禁磷后只占0.01％。按城市综合污水总磷浓度变化计算（考虑到城市公建商贸行业的洗涤剂用量），则禁磷后城镇削减磷排放量1 056.2 t/a；农村居民按洗衣粉实际使用量计算，入河生活污水削减磷1 203.8 t/a；城镇和农村共削减总磷排放量2 260 t/a，占重庆市磷污染负荷总量的6.0％。     

Invasion of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mimosa pigra</Emphasis> on the cultivated Mekong River floodplains near Kratie,Cambodia: farmers’ coping strategies,perceptions, and outlooks

Mimosa pigra, an alien woody weed, invaded the Mekong River Basin since ~1970 and now covers vast floodplain areas in virtual monocultures. The prickly plants produce abundant seeds which are dispersed annually by the floods. Mimosa thus represents a burden to farming communities in Cambodia where agricultural capacities are weak. To obtain information on infestations as well as farmers’ management practices and perceptions, 81 farmers were interviewed on their fields (using questionnaires) in affected areas near Kratie municipality. Data on infestations were collected at landscape and field levels. Furthermore, villagers’ groups and key informants were interviewed (open questions). Infestations covered ~30 % of the land near fields. On average, farmers spent 11 days per hectare annually clearing mimosa. The weed represented a major cost, but other issues (animal pests, water shortages, lack of resources) were equally important; these may be connected with mimosa invasion. Farmers mostly expressed support for ideas to combat surrounding infestations, but support depended on experiences and assets at stake. Most were unconvinced that mimosa could be eliminated from the study site. Conceivable benefits of mimosa were regarded as insignificant. Given the currently few realistic options for significantly improving management, further research is suggested within adaptive management frameworks.     

Are ecological differences of irruptive bird species from typical migrants real? (The example of the long-tailed tit <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aegithalos c. caudatus</Emphasis>)

Using the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos c. caudatus) as an example of the so-called irruptive species, the ecophysiological characteristics (body mass, fat reserves) and migration speed during autumn period were analyzed. The mean body mass and the median fat score did not depend on the number of migrating individuals. There was no evidence of the so-called stress in birds, participating in migration: migrants had even higher fat reserves than residents, while no significant difference in the body mass was recorded. The increase in fat reserves in the long-tailed tit during migration period was similar to the seasonal changes in energy reserves known for typical migrants. This makes it possible for late-migrating individuals to maintain higher total speed of migration compared to early-migrating ones. Basing on the obtained data, we conclude that the ecophysiological characteristics of the long-tailed tits migrating in autumn are similar to those of regular migrants.