Chemical availability of arsenic and antimony in industrial soils

Total concentrations and extractable fractionations of As and Sb were determined in soil samples from former mining sites in Scotland and Italy. Pseudo-total levels of As and Sb in the sample were between 50–17,428 mg/kg and 10–1,187 mg/kg (Scotland), and 16–691 mg/kg and 1.63–11.44 mg/kg (Italy). Between 0.001–0.63% and <0.001−8.82% of the total soil As and Sb, were extractable using, a single extraction bioavailability estimate. Data from an As-specific extraction procedure revealed that up to 60% of As was associated to amorphous Fe-Al oxyhydroxide phase in all soils. A non-specific-sequential extraction test also showed As to be strongly associated with Fe (and Al) oxyhydroxides at both locations. In the case of Sb, in addition to the crystalline Fe-oxide bound Sb the Al-silicate phase also appeared to be significant. At both sites Sb appears to be chemically more accessible than As with consistent availability despite the varied origin and host soil properties.     

Sex-specific differences in site fidelity and the cost of dispersal in yellow-headed blackbirds

Male migratory birds tend to be more faithful than females to previous breeding sites, suggesting sex differences in costs or benefits of dispersal. In Illinois, greater site fidelity by male yellow-headed blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) was associated with reduced reproductive success the following year for dispersers relative to non-dispersers. Dispersing females suffered no reduction in reproductive success the following year. Males that attracted few social mates, and thus had low reproductive success, were more likely to disperse, whereas females dispersed in response to low-patch reproductive success, regardless of their individual performance. Males that dispersed appeared to be successful acquiring territories because none was observed as a floater. The rate of dispersal by males in this low-density population was greater than in more dense populations where dispersing males may be less successful at acquiring territories. Despite success at obtaining territories, males that dispersed acquired territories on the periphery of wetlands where fewer females nested, resulting in lower reproductive success. In the second year after dispersing, however, males moved onto more central territories where they acquired larger harems. Thus, dispersal by males may be a long-term strategy requiring at least 2 years for benefits to be realized. Long-term success was enhanced because dispersing males moved to wetlands on which reproductive success was higher than on the wetlands they left. In addition to demonstrating that both individual and patch reproductive success affect dispersal decisions, these data indicate that when evaluating costs and benefits of dispersal, researchers should use a time frame beyond 1 year.     

Four years' experience of maternal alpha-fetoprotein screening and its effect on the pattern of antenatal care

Estimation of alpha-fetoprotein (A.F.P.) in maternal serum was used as a screening method for the detection of fetal neural tube defect (N.T.D.) in 7315 women over a four year period. Of these, 5668 pregnancies were tested between 15 and 21 weeks. Action was advised in 129 patients (2·3 per cent). In 74 patients, the only action required was reviewing the notes, including the report of any ultrasound examination, and repeating the blood A.F.P. Detailed ultrasound including scanning the fetal spine was requested in 47 patients and amniocentesis was advised in 19 of these (0·33 per cent). In practice the incidence of amniocentesis was 0·28 per cent as three patients declined our advice. The programme gave detection rates between 15 and 21 weeks of 100 per cent and 75 per cent respectively for anencephaly and open spina bifida. A high fetal mortality was associated with persistently elevated blood A.F.P. levels whether amniocentesis was performed or not.     

Developing Subseasonal to Seasonal Climate Forecast Products for Hydrology and Water Management

We describe a new effort to enhance climate forecast relevance and usability through the development of a system for evaluating and displaying real‐time subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) climate forecasts on a watershed scale. Water managers may not use climate forecasts to their full potential due to perceived low skill, mismatched spatial and temporal resolutions, or lack of knowledge or tools to ingest data. Most forecasts are disseminated as large‐domain maps or gridded datasets and may be systematically biased relative to watershed climatologies. Forecasts presented on a watershed scale allow water managers to view forecasts for their specific basins, thereby increasing the usability and relevance of climate forecasts. This paper describes the formulation of S2S climate forecast products based on the Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) and the North American Multi‐Model Ensemble (NMME). Forecast products include bi‐weekly CFSv2 forecasts, and monthly and seasonal NMME forecasts. Precipitation and temperature forecasts are aggregated spatially to a United States Geological Survey (USGS) hydrologic unit code 4 (HUC‐4) watershed scale. Forecast verification reveals appreciable skill in the first two bi‐weekly periods (Weeks 1–2 and 2–3) from CFSv2, and usable skill in NMME Month 1 forecast with varying skills at longer lead times dependent on the season. Application of a bias‐correction technique (quantile mapping) eliminates forecast bias in the CFSv2 reforecasts, without adding significantly to correlation skill.     

Cadmium content of shellfish of the South Carolina fishery

A survey of cadmium residues in shellfish from the Atlantic Coast of South Carolina was undertaken to see the magnitude of cadmium contamination in the South Carolina Fishery. The shellfish collected were oysters, clams, crabs, shrimps, and scallops. Shellfish samples were dissected and pieces of edible muscle tissue were incubated in reagent grade nitric acid, at a constant temperature shaking-water bath at 58°C. Cadmium levels were determined by flame atomic absorption. The distribution pattern of the element Cd in shellfish is different in various species. It seems that shellfish contained more Cd content levels than other saltwater boney fish. It was found that Cd levels were relatively higher in oysters, shrimps, and clams than crabs and scallops. Larger shellfish had higher Cd content than the smaller shellfish of the same species. Elevated levels of Cd found in these shellfish species of edible fish were not high enough to render them dangerous for human consumption.     

响应曲面法优化Fe(Ⅲ)改性卡氏变形杆菌吸附去除Sb(Ⅴ)及其机理

水环境中过量Sb（Ⅴ）所引起的环境危害受到越来越多的关注.为了考察工艺参数对铁盐改性生物吸附剂吸附Sb（Ⅴ）效果影响、交互作用及其机理,以Fe（Ⅲ）改性卡氏变形杆菌吸附剂（简称“FMPAs”）为研究对象,采用Box-Behnken响应曲面法对FMPAs吸附处理合成含Sb（Ⅴ）废水的吸附时间、FMPAs投加量、pH、温度及Sb（Ⅴ）初始浓度等因素进行优化,确定了最优吸附条件,并对吸附过程的等温模型、动力学模型及吸附机理进行了研究.结果表明:①FMPAs吸附Sb（Ⅴ）的最优条件为吸附时间3.0 h、FMPAs投加量1 910.04 mg/L、pH 2.31、温度45.0℃、Sb（Ⅴ）初始浓度24.80 mg/L,且最优条件下Sb（Ⅴ）的去除率高达97.03%.②FMPAs对Sb（Ⅴ）的吸附符合Langmuir等温吸附模型,其最大吸附容量（q_max）为60.506 mg/g,其吸附动力学过程可采用准一级动力学模型拟合,属于单层吸附和化学吸附.③FMPAs吸附Sb的机理主要为Fe（Ⅲ）改性卡氏变形杆菌生成了Fe—O—OH、Polyose—Fe、Polyose—O—Fe（OH）₂等化合物,这些物质中羟基被Sb（Ⅴ）取代生成新的配合物Fe—O—Sb,使Sb（Ⅴ）得到吸附去除.研究显示,FMPAs对Sb（Ⅴ）具有较高的吸附容量,是一种极具潜在应用价值的绿色生物质吸附剂,可用于处理含Sb（Ⅴ）废水.      

Evaluating the blue-light hazard from solid state lighting

Purpose. New light sources including light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have elicited questions about retinal damage, including the blue-light hazard. Some organizations have recommended avoiding using LEDs with correlated color temperatures exceeding 3000?K, since they tend to produce greater short-wavelength energy. This article provides quantitative comparisons among light sources and use cases as they affect the blue-light hazard. Methods. The spectral radiant power characteristics of incandescent, fluorescent, LED and daylight sources were evaluated in terms of blue-light hazard using standard procedures for phakic, aphakic and pseudophakic eyes. Results. Under most use cases, LEDs do not exhibit greater risk for the blue-light hazard than other sources (e.g., incandescent). Because they generally produce little to no ultraviolet energy, LEDs often present less risk to aphakic eyes. Conclusions. LEDs present no special concerns for the blue-light hazard over some other common sources in typical use cases because photophobic responses limit exposure to bright sources. Where photophobic responses might not occur (e.g., eye surgery patients or premature infants) or where individuals suppress these responses (e.g., stage actors), caution is necessary. Evidence remains inconsistent regarding the risk of human retinal damage from long-term exposures to light insufficient to reach acute blue-light hazard thresholds.     

Adaptive management of marine mega-fauna in a changing climate

Management of marine mega-fauna in a changing climate is constrained by a series of uncertainties, often related to climate change projections, ecological responses, and the effectiveness of strategies in alleviating climate change impacts. Uncertainties can be reduced over time through adaptive management. Adaptive management is a framework for resource conservation that promotes iterative learning-based decision making. To successfully implement the adaptive management cycle, different steps (planning, designing, learning and adjusting) need to be systematically implemented to inform earlier steps in an iterative way. Despite the critical role that adaptive management is likely to play in addressing the impacts of climate change on marine mega-fauna few managers have successfully implemented an adaptive management approach. We discuss the approaches necessary to implement each step of an adaptive management cycle to manage marine mega-fauna in a changing climate, highlighting the steps that require further attention to fully implement the process. Examples of sharks and rays (Selachimorpha and Batoidea) on the Great Barrier Reef and little penguins, Eudyptula minor, in south-eastern Australia are used as case studies. We found that successful implementation of the full adaptive management cycle to marine mega-fauna needs managers and researchers to: (1) obtain a better understanding of the capacity of species to adapt to climate change to inform the planning step; (2) identify strategies to directly address impacts in the marine environment to inform the designing step; and (3) develop systematic evaluation and monitoring programs to inform the learning step. Further, legislation needs to flexible to allow for management to respond.     

Vegetation Placement for Summer Built Surface Temperature Moderation in an Urban Microclimate

Urban vegetation can mitigate increases in summer air temperature by reducing the solar gain received by buildings. To quantify the temperature-moderating influence of city trees and vine-covered buildings, a total of 13 pairs of temperature loggers were installed on the surfaces of eight buildings in downtown Toronto, Canada, for 6 months during the summer of 2008. One logger in each pair was shaded by vegetation while the other measured built surface temperature in full sunlight. We investigated the temperature-moderating benefits of solitary mature trees, clusters of trees, and perennial vines using a linear-mixed model and a multiple regression analysis of degree hour difference. We then assessed the temperature-moderating effect of leaf area, plant size and proximity to building, and plant location relative to solar path. During a period of high solar intensity, we measured an average temperature differential of 11.7 °C, with as many as 10–12 h of sustained cooler built surface temperatures. Vegetation on the west-facing aspect of built structures provided the greatest temperature moderation, with maximum benefit (peak temperature difference) occurring late in the afternoon. Large mature trees growing within 5 m of buildings showed the greatest ability to moderate built surface temperature, with those growing in clusters delivering limited additional benefit compared with isolated trees. Perennial vines proved as effective as trees at moderating rise in built surface temperature to the south and west sides of buildings, providing an attractive alternative to shade trees where soil volume and space are limited.