Global sources,emissions, transport and deposition of dust and sand and their effects on the climate and environment: a review

Dust and Sand Storms (DSS) originating in deserts in arid and semi-arid regions are events raising global public concern. An important component of atmospheric aerosols, dust aerosols play a key role in climatic and environmental changes at the regional and the global scale. Deserts and semi-deserts are the main source of dust and sand, but regions that undergo vegetation deterioration and desertification due to climate change and human activities also contribute significantly to DSS. Dust aerosols are mainly composed of dust particles with an average diameter of 2 mm, which can be transported over thousands of kilometers. Dust aerosols influence the radiation budget of the earthatmosphere system by scattering solar short-wave radiation and absorbing surface long-wave radiation. They can also change albedo and rainfall patterns because they can act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) or ice nuclei (IN). Dust deposition is an important source of both marine nutrients and contaminants. Dust aerosols that enter marine ecosystems after long-distance transport influence phytoplankton biomass in the oceans, and thus global climate by altering the amount of CO₂ absorbed by phytoplankton. In addition, the carbonates carried by dust aerosols are an important source of carbon for the alkaline carbon pool, which can buffer atmospheric acidity and increase the alkalinity of seawater. DSS have both positive and negative impacts on human society: they can exert adverse impacts on human’s living environment, but can also contribute to the mitigation of global warming and the reduction of atmospheric acidity.

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Effect of the topography of an industrial site on dust emissions from open storage yards

The erosion, transport and subsequent deposition of particles by wind has been identified as an important environmental problem worldwide. Investigations assessing fugitive dust emissions represent a relevant subject for various applications such as prevention of desert expansion, farmland erosion, quantification of dust emissions due to wind erosion from mining zones or open storage yards of granular materials. The present study, within this latter framework, aims to improve the methods of quantification of fugitive emissions from granular materials stockpiles on industrial sites. The methodology mostly used by the industrial operators to quantify dust emissions from their plants is based on the wind flow analysis and application of emission factors into such pattern. In this paper, three-dimensional numerical simulations were done to simulate wind flow over a real configuration of a power plant to highlight the influence of the surroundings buildings on the real exposure of the granular materials stockpiles. This study emphasizes the necessity to take into consideration the presence of surrounding buildings for the calculation of the particle emissions rate on stockpiles in order to obtain a more accurate and relevant evaluation of fugitive dust emissions from open storage systems on industrial sites.     

Fuel type preference of taxi driver and its implications for air emissions

Natural gas became an available fuel for taxis in 2005 and had occupied a market share of 43.6% in taxi industry till 2010 in Nanjing, China. To investigate the energy replacement pattern as well as the pollutants reduction potential of the taxi industry, first, the fuel preference determinants of taxi drivers for their next taxis are analyzed. Results show that as an important alternative for the traditional gasoline, natural gas is widely accepted (75%) by taxi drivers. Different from the previous studies which focused on the early stage of cleaner fuel replacement, taxi drivers with various characteristics (such as age, working experience, and education level) are consistent with their fuel preference when they choose their next taxis. Result suggests that policies that concern consumers with specific characteristics may have little effects on the change of the market share, when the alternative fuel market has been developed well. In addition, the increased share of gas in the fuel market achieves a 7.2% reduction of energy consumption. Considering life cycle emissions, the following air pollutants, namely Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), carbonic oxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NO_x), particulate matters (PM) and hydrocarbons (C_xH_y), gain 10.0%, 3.5%, 20.5%, 36.1%, and 26.4% of reduction respectively. Assuming all taxi fleets powered by natural gas with local policy intervention, the energy conservation and the five major air pollutant emissions could achieve the maximum reductions with 12.2%, 16.0%, 8.8%, 22.5%, 44.2%, and 49.4% correspondingly.     

北京城市道路积尘多环芳烃的粒度分布特征及其影响因素

对北京城市不同道路类型的道路积尘进行了为期16个月的采样,分别分析了道路尘的粒径、多环芳烃及TOC.道路积尘的粒径呈三峰态分布,<75 μm部分的颗粒所占体积最大,>214 μm部分颗粒所占体积最小.>214 μm这部分颗粒中的多环芳烃质量分数最低,<75μm和75～214μm这两部分颗粒中多环芳烃的质量分数没有显著差异,但由于<75μm部分颗粒所占的体积和质量比例最大,这部分颗粒的多环芳烃累积量所占比例最高.不同道路的积尘粒径存在差异,海淀路和成府路机动车道的积尘颗粒相比自行车道和人行道的颗粒更粗.由于粒径分布的差异和多环芳烃质量分数的差异,不同类型道路的多环芳烃累积量的粒径分布呈现差异.多环芳烃质量分数和累积量的粒度分布也呈现季节差异,冬春季<75 μm颗粒中的多环芳烃质量分数最高,多环芳烃的累积量所占比例也较夏秋季高.在三个粒级中,TOC与多环芳烃质量分数均呈现显著的正相关.高比例的细颗粒及细颗粒中的多环芳烃使得道路积尘再悬浮进入大气以及随湿沉降进入地表径流的环境风险加大.     

Parasite distribution and virulence: implications for parasite-mediated sexual selection

The Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis states that females choosing males with more developed secondary sexual traits, i.e. brighter males, achieve greater fitness if variability in brightness reflects heritable variation in resistance to parasites. However, several factors will affect the likelihood that parasites play a role in sexual selection in given species. Here, using simple models, we show that because of parasite aggregation on a few hosts, only few breeding males would suffer from reductions in brightness due to parasites. Only in cases where parasites are abundant and show low levels of aggregation among their hosts would there be sufficient variability in brightness among breeding males for female choice of bright, resistant males to evolve. In addition, sufficient parasite-induced variability in brightness among breeding males will only occur in host-parasite systems where pathology is linearly related to the number of parasites per host. The presence of males that are uninfected and bright but genetically susceptible to parasites will also influence the fitness advantages obtained by females choosing bright males. If genetic immunity against parasites is rare in the host population, females can probably only benefit from choosing bright males if parasites are common and little aggregated among males. These results greatly limit the generality of the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis, and suggest that only a small fraction of host-parasite associations could promote the evolution of host mate choice for resistance based on brightness. Correspondence to: R. Poulin     

Ontogenetic changes in the retinal topography of the European hake, Merluccius merluccius: implications for feeding and depth distribution

Changes in the distribution pattern of cells in the ganglion cell layer were studied in the retina of the European hake, Merluccius merluccius (L.), to identify the possible adaptations of visual capabilities to different bathymetric distributions and feeding habits. From early juveniles to adults, the eye diameter increased eightfold; thus, retinal surface increased dramatically with size also. In early juveniles the retinal topography of the cells in the ganglion cell layer showed a concentric arrangement with respect to the centre of the retina. Two specialised areas were found, located at the ventral and dorso-rostral periphery, where the cell density reached 47,900 cells mm^-2, which corresponds to a theoretical visual acuity of 21' (minutes of arc). The visual axes were located upwards and downwards at around 80° from the geometric centre of the retina. In juveniles, the retina underwent important changes as the concentric topographic pattern transformed: the ventral specialised area progressively disappeared, the dorso-rostral area relocated to a rostral position and a new specialised area formed in the temporal retinal region. The visual axes were directed forward and backward. For fish with a total length of 12 cm or more, a horizontal visual streak formed along the rostro-temporal axis of the retina and a new specialised area was formed in the temporo-central region of the visual streak. In adults, acute vision could be identified with the two specialised areas at the temporal and rostral periphery, where the ganglion cell density peak decreased to 3,200-3,600 cells mm^-2 and the resolving power increased to 10'. As visual acuity is partially dependent on the cell types in the ganglion cell layer, cell populations in this layer were distinguished into either ganglion cells or displaced amacrine cells, using morphometric and histological criteria. The proportion of displaced amacrine cells was fairly uniform throughout the retinal surface, always representing between 32% and 39% of all cells in early and advanced juveniles. Only in adults did their density increase to 50%, probably as an adaptation to low light levels, which fish encounter as their distribution increases in depth. A small population of giant ganglion cells was also present in the retina. In the young and adult retinae, they represented 1.2% and 2.7% of the total cell population, respectively. Therefore, it has been shown how in M. merluccius the retinal topography undergoes important changes in relation to varying environmental demands.     

Net emissions of CH4 and CO2 in Alaska: implications for the region's greenhouse gas budget.

We used a biogeochemistry model, the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM), to study the net methane (CH4) fluxes between Alaskan ecosystems and the atmosphere. We estimated that the current net emissions of CH4 (emissions minus consumption) from Alaskan soils are approximately 3 Tg CH4/yr. Wet tundra ecosystems are responsible for 75% of the region's net emissions, while dry tundra and upland boreal forests are responsible for 50% and 45% of total consumption over the region, respectively. In response to climate change over the 21st century, our simulations indicated that CH4 emissions from wet soils would be enhanced more than consumption by dry soils of tundra and boreal forests. As a consequence, we projected that net CH4 emissions will almost double by the end of the century in response to high-latitude warming and associated climate changes. When we placed these CH4 emissions in the context of the projected carbon budget (carbon dioxide [CO2] and CH4) for Alaska at the end of the 21st century, we estimated that Alaska will be a net source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere of 69 Tg CO2 equivalents/yr, that is, a balance between net methane emissions of 131 Tg CO2 equivalents/yr and carbon sequestration of 17 Tg C/yr (62 Tg CO2 equivalents/yr).     

Unbalanced exchange flow and its implications for the night cooling of buildings by displacement ventilation

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Passive ventilation of buildings at night forms an essential part of a low-energy cooling strategy, enabling excess heat that has accumulated during the day to...     

Morphology and distribution of the ampullary electroreceptors in wobbegong sharks: implications for feeding behaviour

The electrosensory capabilities of wobbegong sharks are of particular interest, partly because very little is known about their behavioural ecology and specifically because of their unusual ambush predatory strategy and benthic lifestyle. While several biological functions of electroreception have been proposed, less consideration has been given to the functional significance of interspecific differences in the morphology and topographic distribution of the ampullary organs. The morphology of the ampullary organs was examined in four species of wobbegong shark, and the distribution of electroreceptive pores was mapped in two species. The ampullary systems of wobbegongs are similar in morphology to other marine elasmobranchs. The number of alveoli per ampullae is not significantly different between the four species; however, differences are seen between ampullary cell size in some species. Ampullary pore distribution patterns are relatively unique, with the majority of pores occurring on the dorsal region of the head. Wobbegongs feed primarily on demersal teleost fishes, and as the benthic and well-camouflaged wobbegong remains motionless, these fish could be easily detected by the dorsal pores when swimming within range.     

A study on the spatial distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus balance, and regional nitrogen flow through crop production

The spatial distribution patterns of the nitrogen and phosphorus input/intake amounts in crop production within two small basins are examined, based upon a cropping unit distribution map that is obtained from remote sensing data analysis. Firstly, we examine the availability and suitability of approaches to the spatial distribution analysis of cultivation patterns classified from material flow characteristics of crop production using seasonal remote-sensing data. Secondly, material flow units in crop production are grouped according to the cultivation patterns obtained from the remote-sensing data analysis. Consequently, the spatial patterns of the amounts of both nitrogen and phosphorus inputs/intakes through crop production on farmland are examined and their spatial distribution maps are prepared according to the material flow units. In addition, we developed a nitrogen flow and runoff model and the model is simulated based on the examination of the results of spatial distribution patterns of the material flow units. The annual nitrogen runoff from small catchments, where various crops are cultivated, varies from 2.7 kg ha(-1) year(-1) to 108 kg ha(-1) year(-1) and the annual balanced losses of nitrogen in small catchments varied from -30 kg ha(-1) year(-1) to 101 kg ha(-1) year(-1). Also, the monthly changes in soil nitrogen of each material flow unit is estimated at -55 kg ha(-1) as a maximum decrease and 114 kg ha(-1) as a maximum increase. These results indicate that the spatial distribution patterns of nutrient input and intake through agricultural activities should be considered when analyzing the material flows and nutritient movement in soil-water systems in rural areas for watershed environmental control and regional agricultural management.     

Experimental and numerical study on the shear velocity distribution along one or two dunes in tandem

This paper investigates, experimentally and numerically, the shear velocity distribution along a single transverse dune and along two closely spaced dunes, analyzing the flow effects of one dune upon the other. The paper focuses on two-dimensional models simulating transverse sand dunes. The shape of the two pile geometries studied is described by sinusoidal curves, one having a maximum slope of $32^{\circ }$ and the other $27.6^{\circ }$ , with leeward flow separation. The tests were carried out for two undisturbed wind speeds and the experimental data obtained through wind-tunnel modeling encompass flow visualization and shear-velocity results. A generally good agreement is observed between the experimental measurements and computational results. From the inquiry between shear velocity distributions and published eroded contours for the same geometries, it appears the Bagnold’s approach is insufficient in the prediction of threshold conditions in wake flows formed in the dune’s leeward side.     

孔雀草对镉胁迫的响应及其积累与分布特征

采用营养液培养法研究了不同浓度的Cd(0、0.01、0.05、0.1、0.2、0.3、0.4 mmol·L-1)对孔雀草叶片光合色素和丙二醛含量以及Cd积累量、亚细胞与化学形态分布的影响.结果表明,随着营养液Cd浓度的增加,叶片光合色素含量呈先升后降趋势,丙二醛含量则呈线性递增趋势,高浓度Cd处理(≥0.1 mmol·L-1)对孔雀草产生了显著的胁迫响应.Cd主要贮存于可溶组分中,根系中占50.91%—66.40%,叶片中占39.09%—60.52%;其次为细胞壁,细胞器中的镉比例较低.随着Cd处理浓度的增加,Cd在根系细胞壁中的贮存比例呈增加趋势.液胞区隔化和细胞壁固持是孔雀草应对Cd胁迫的重要耐性机制.根系中的Cd主要以乙醇提取态存在,占27.62%—70.46%,叶片中Cd主要以去离子水提取态和氯化钠提取态存在,两者合计占58.91%—71.09%.叶片中活性态Cd含量显著低于根系,显著降低了地上部Cd的积累,也显著降低了Cd对地上部的胁迫作用.     

Effects of incubation temperature on behavior of hatchling pine snakes: implications for reptilian distribution

Summary Incubation temperatures in vertebrates affect incubation periods, and in some reptiles incubation temperature determines sex ratios and some limited behavior. Here I present evidence that incubation temperature in pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) affects not only incubation periods and posthatching behavior in the laboratory, but also the behavior of hatchlings required for successful emergence and survival. These behavioral differences have evolutionary implications for selection of hatchlings from particular temperature nests. With increasing temperature, incubation periods decreased in the laboratory. In addition, incubation temperature affected hatching and emergence times as well as movement speed and foraging ability. Hatchlings from medium temperature conditions emerged from nests in the field in less time than hatchlings incubated at high or low temperatures, and hatchlings from low temperatures moved slower and were less able to capture and eat mice in the laboratory than hatchlings incubated at medium or high temperatures. Taken together, these laboratory and field experiments suggest that hatchlings from low temperature nests, compared to those from higher temperature nests, would be less able to emerge, find food, and locate hibernation sites prior to the onset of cold temperatures in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. These results suggest that incubation temperature affects a whole range of behavior and that distributional ranges of reptiles and other poikilotherms could be affected by summer temperatures (via incubation period and subsequent behavior) as well as ambient winter temperatures.     

Urban expansion and its contribution to the regional carbon emissions: Using the model based on the population density distribution

The method is used for calculating regional urban area dynamics and the resulting carbon emissions (from the land-conversion) for the period of 1980 till 2050 for the eight world regions. This approach is based on the fact that the spatial distribution of population density is close to the two-parametric Γ-distribution [Kendall, M.G., Stuart, A., 1958. The Advanced Theory of Statistics, vol. 1.2. Academic Press, New York; Vaughn, R., 1987. Urban Spatial Traffic Patterns, Pion, London]. The developed model provides us with the scenario of urbanisation, based on which the regional and world dynamics of carbon emissions and export from cities, and the annual total urban carbon balance are estimated. According to our estimations, world annual emissions of carbon as a result of urbanisation increase up to 1.25 GtC in 2005 and begin to decrease afterwards. If we compare the emission maximum with the annual emission caused by deforestation, 1.36 GtC per year, then we can say that the role of urbanised territories (UT) in the global carbon balance is of a comparable magnitude. Regarding the world annual export of carbon from UT, we observe its monotonous growth by three times, reaching 505 MtC. The latter, is comparable to the amount of carbon transported by rivers into the ocean (196–537 MtC). The current model shows that urbanisation is inhibited in the interval 2020–2030, and by 2050 the growth of urbanised areas would almost stop. Hence, the total balance, being almost constant until 2000, then starts to decrease at an almost constant rate. By the end of the XXI century, the total carbon balance will be equal to zero, with the exchange flows fully balanced, and may even be negative, with the system beginning to take up carbon from the atmosphere, i.e., becomes a “sink”. The regional dynamics is somewhat more complex, i.e., some regions, like China, Asia and Pacific are being active sources of Carbon through the studied period, while others are changing from source to sink or continue to be neutral in respect the GCC.     

高校室内降尘粒度、磁学特征与重金属污染垂向分布特征

以南通某高校为采样点,采集3个校区教学楼不同楼层室内降尘,测试并分析样品的粒度、磁学特征、重金属污染的垂向分布规律,讨论重金属污染影响因素.研究发现,样品的粒度特征在垂向上呈明显波动变化,在人流量大的教学层,粒度特征受教学活动影响;在人流量小的办公层,粒度大小与楼层高度有关,即随楼层增加,粒度逐渐减小,如校区3教学楼1-3、7、9层粒度分别为35.4、29.0、28.8、27.3、23.2μm.室内降尘磁性矿物主要以亚铁磁性矿物和不完整反铁磁性矿物为主,χARM值垂向变化趋势与χlf基本一致,指示单畴颗粒对样品磁化率贡献较大.各校区教学楼不同楼层Cu、Zn、Pb、As元素富集因子(EF)值由10降至接近1,指示随楼层增加重金属元素污染程度从严重污染到无污染;校区3教学楼1—5楼重金属污染程度均相对较高(内梅罗指数平均为20.08),6层及以上样品重金属污染程度较低(内梅罗指数平均为9.01),说明随着楼层的增加,重金属污染总体呈降低趋势.小于20μm粒径颗粒对重金属元素As具有较好吸附作用,大于20μm颗粒对重金属元素吸附作用较弱.饱和等温剩磁(SIRM)与重金属元素As具较好的正相关关系(R2=0.4351),用SIRM可快速指示室内降尘重金属元素As的污染状况.     

Spatial distribution,pollution level,and health risk of Pb in the finer dust of residential areas: a case study of Xi'an,northwest China

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - The spatial distribution, pollution level, and exposure risk of Pb in the finer dust (particle size?&lt;?63&nbsp;μm) of residential...     

A closure approach with multi-scale mixing length,and its application to wind and shear stress profiles within the atmospheric boundary layer

A method to determine flow specific first-order closure for the turbulent flux of momentum in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is presented. This is based on the premise that eddy viscosity is a flow rather than a fluid property, and the physically more realistic assumption that the transfer of momentum and other scalar quantities in a turbulent flow takes place by a large, but finite number of length scales, than the often used single length scale, the ‘mixing length’. The resulting eddy viscosity is flow specific and when applied to the study of the ABL, yields the vertical profiles of shear stress and mean wind velocity in good agreement with observations. The method may be extended to other types of turbulent flows, however it should be recognized that each type of flow may yield a different eddy viscosity profile. Using the derived eddy viscosity the paper presents simple analytical solutions of the ABL equations to determine observationally consistent wind speed and shear stress profiles in the ABL for a variety of practical applications including air pollution modelling.     

Spatial distribution and human health risk assessment of mercury in street dust resulting from various land-use in Ahvaz,Iran

Mercury as a toxic element and its associated health hazard has been an important topic of research for urban pollution for many years. In this paper, the spatial distribution, pollution assessment, and health risk associated with Hg in roadside dust 96 street dust samples, representing differing land-uses, have been investigated. Land-uses included residential areas (RA), industrial areas (IA), public gardens (PG), roadside areas (RS), and suburban areas (SA) in the city of Ahvaz, Iran were investigated. Compared with other cities, the concentration of Hg in Ahvaz was considerably higher with a mean value of 2.53 mg kg^?1, ranging from 0.02 to 8.75 mg kg^?1. Residential areas exhibited higher Hg in street dust than other areas, as demonstrated by spatial mapping illustrating hot spots associated with old urban areas with high residential density, high volume traffic of roadside areas, and industrial districts: including oil-drilling activities, steel smelting-related industries, and small industrial towns around Ahvaz. However, Hg concentrations in street dust near to the public gardens (PG) and suburban areas (SA) were not at elevated levels compared other land-uses investigated in this study. A health risk assessment model of non-carcinogenic effects was evaluated for both children and adults. The HQ values also revealed that the main exposures route for children and adults decreased as follows: vapour > ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation. The hazard index (HI) in each area is less than the safe level (HI ≤ 1) for children and adults, but higher for children. The HI value decreases as the following order: RS > IA > RA > SA > PG, which indicates potentially serious health hazards for children in the study areas.