Litter decomposition and nitrogen release in a sloping Mediterranean subtropical agroecosystem on the coast of Granada (SE, Spain): Effects of floristic and topographic alteration on the slope

On the coast of Granada (SE, Spain), an economically important area for subtropical fruit cultivation, the crops are grown on orchard terraces. Also, high amounts of fertilizers, often excessive, are used in this type of intensive agriculture. However, each year significant fractions of nutrients taken up by the trees return to the soil by fallen leaves. Using a litter-bag technique, we assessed the decomposition rates and N-release in various types of litter. Our main purpose was to compare two different agroecosystem scenarios: (1) an unaltered slope consisting mainly of a mixture of herbaceous plants (Papaver rhoeas, Convolvulus sp., Malva sylvestris, Reseda phyteuma, Anacyclus sp., Sinapis arvensis, Medicago sp.) among spontaneous perennial woody shrubs (Genista umbellata, Olea europaea, Lavandula officinalis, Phlomis purpurea, Retama sphaerocarpa), and (2) an altered slope cultivated with subtropical trees on terraces: loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), mango (Mangifera indica), avocado (Persea americana), and cherimoya (Annona cherimola), with groundcover plantings of aromatic, medicinal, and melliferous plants (AMMPs) on the taluses of the terraces, which are usually used for erosion control: Lavandula dentata, Thymus mastichina, Satureja obovata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Anthyllis cytisoides. In the leaves from the subtropical crops, we found the highest decomposition rates in cherimoya and the lowest in mango (1.30 and 0.64 years⁻¹, respectively). Leaves from mango and loquat registered initial peaks of N immobilization and later N-release, which was highest in cherimoya and avocado leaves (71.2 and 56.8% of the initial remaining N). In the spontaneous woody shrubs, O. europaea and G. umbellata were the slowest in decomposing (1.18 and 1.01 years⁻¹, respectively) contrary to L. officinalis, which decomposed fastest (2.22 years⁻¹). Only L. officinalis and P. purpurea registered a net N-release at the end of the study. The AMMPs showed different decomposition patterns: L. dentata registered the highest decomposition rates and Rosmarinus the lowest (1.9 and 1.1 years⁻¹, respectively). T. mastichina, L. dentata, and S. obovata had the highest N-release, whereas R. officinalis and A. cytisoides showed N immobilization (183 and 122% of the initial N). Knowledge of the dynamics of nutrient release and litter decomposition will be useful for predicting nutrient availability and nutrient cycles in these types of agroecosystems where subtropical orchards are grown on terraces.     

Soil microbial response to herbicides applied to glyphosate-resistant canola

Adoption of glyphosate-resistant canola (Brassica napus L.) has increased glyphosate applications to this crop, and concerns have been raised about unintended consequences of these multiple applications. A field trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of pre-seed and in-crop glyphosate and alternative herbicides on soil microbial community functional structure, diversity and biomass. Pre-seed treatments were 2,4-D, glyphosate and 2,4-D + glyphosate, and in-crop treatments were glyphosate applied once, glyphosate applied twice, ethalfluralin, ethalfluralin + sethoxydim + ethametsulfuron + clopyralid, and sethoxydim + ethametsulfuron. Rhizosphere and bulk soil was collected at flowering stage of canola and analyzed for bacterial community-level substrate utilization patterns and microbial biomass C (MBC). Where differences were significant, pre-seed application of both 2,4-D and glyphosate altered the functional structure and reduced the functional diversity of soil bacteria, but increased MBC. These effects were not necessarily concurrent. The reduction in functional diversity was due to reduction in evenness, which means that the soil where both pre-seed herbicides had been applied was dominated by only few functional groups. In 1 year, two in-crop applications of glyphosate also reduced the functional diversity of soil bacteria when applied after pre-seed 2,4-D, as did in-crop sethoxydim + ethametsulfuron following pre-seed glyphosate. Even though significant differences between herbicides were fewer than non-significant differences, i.e., there were no changes in soil microbial community structure, diversity or biomass in response to glyphosate or alternative herbicides applied to glyphosate-resistant canola in most cases, the observed changes in soil microbial communities could affect soil food webs and biological processes.     

Valuation of natural marine ecosystems: an economic perspective

This paper attempts to examine whether information from valuation studies can help the design of policies adequate to reverse and halt the generally poor state of marine and coastal ecosystems of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Economic implications of managing coastal and marine environments are thus discussed by assessing the results of different valuation studies implemented in the area. Lessons and policy recommendations from existing literature are inferred to guide marine resources management decisions. One of our main findings is that there are extremely few published studies within the Mediterranean and Black Sea region which highlights the potential for future research on coastal and marine ecosystems ability to sustain different goods and services as a result of climate change and anthropogenic drivers in the area. However, results reveal that there are substantial positive economic values attached to marketed and non-marketed services provided by marine and coastal ecosystems that justify their sustainable use and management.     

混装制剂类制药行业污染特征与控制标准研究

对混装制剂类制药工业污染物的产生和排放特征进行了调研,对国内外相关标准进行了比较分析,分析了混装制剂类制药行业污染物排放标准的达标情况。提出了大气污染物排放标准的控制项目和建议。     

西部管道工程HSE一体化绩效管理应用研究

分析了我国管道工程项目HSE绩效管理存在问题,运用绩效管理理论,结合“PMT（业主）＋PMC（监理）＋EPC（施工总承包方）”一体化模式及西部管道工程,阐述了HSE一体化绩效管理体系的建立及应用情况。     

某市工业区土壤重金属污染及富集植物的研究

为了促进某市工业区土壤重金属污染的治理,对该区土壤和野生的主要四种植物,用原子吸收的方法测定了金属Cr、Cu和Ni的含量。结果表明：土壤中三种金属的X含量是533．14mg／ks,923．252mg／kg,310．928mg／kg。是国家土壤环境质量三级标准的533．1、2．3和1．55倍,说明污染严重;植物体内的金属含量高出正常土壤环境下的含量,经过对植物转移系数和富集系数分析,蒲公英Taraxacum ohwianum Kitam．对三种金属积累和富集最强;其次菊芋Hellanthus tuberofus L．对Cr能力较强;龙葵Solarium nigrum L．对Cu能力较强;小蓟Cirsium segetum Bunge对Ni能力较强。使利用植物积累和富集还原和净化土壤重金属污染成为可能。     

制革废水氨氮处理技术探讨

制革废水的治理技术已相对成熟,但其除氮效果不理想,氨氮去除率普遍较低,大部分企业处理后的氨氮都远远超过排放标准,有效去除废水中的氨氮从技术角度上是一个很大的难题。本文简要介绍了制革废水主要污染物排放情况、废水主要特性;分析了废水中氨氮含量较高的主要成因,氨氮处理方法的选择,生物法脱氮的原理、特点;结合工程实例,对两种典型氨氮生化处理技术一多级A／O（硝化／反硝化）活性污泥法和悬浮生物滤池法的工艺流程及其工艺特点进行了具体介绍,分析了两种方法的氨氮处理效果及其影响因素。     

Optimizing the biodiversity gain from agri-environment schemes

How best to optimize the biodiversity gain from agri-environment schemes (AES) has recently been identified as a key policy-relevant question. Here, the effects of two features of lowland agricultural landscapes on the abundance and diversity of larger moths are contrasted. Although both features bring about positive effects, hedgerow trees have a larger impact than 6 m wide grassy field margins. Whilst AES payments are given to create and maintain grass margins, no financial reward is currently offered for the retention of hedgerow trees. Furthermore, it was only in areas where the amount of land under AES was experimentally increased, by targeting farmers, that the presence of hedgerow trees resulted in a substantially higher abundance (+60%) and diversity (+38%) of moths. Thus, by using larger moths as bio-indicators of landscape-scale quality, it is demonstrated that improvements to the cost-effectiveness of AES could be achieved, firstly, by providing more appropriate financial rewards to farmers for different landscape features, and secondly, through landscape-scale targeting of farmers to encourage participation in AES.     

Initiating automotive component reuse in Malaysia

As the production of local vehicles increases, the impact of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) wastes to the environment will also increase. ELVs recovery including reuse, remanufacture, and recycle apparently become a strategy in solving this environmental problem. This study identifies the existing conditions of automotive reuse in Malaysia by conducting some interviews in selected local automotive and automotive component manufacturers. Results from the interviews indicated that reuse of automotive components in newly manufactured vehicles has never been practiced by the selected companies. However, there is interest among respondents in developing automotive components for after-market reuse. Some strategies were proposed in this study to initiate automotive components reuse in the local automotive manufacturers including the establishment of the end-of-life directive, enhance research and development on design for reuse and increase reusability and economic benefits of reuse.     

Reaction mechanism and metal ion transformation in photocatalytic ozonation of phenol and oxalic acid with Ag+/TiO2

Photocatalytic ozonation of phenol and oxalic acid （OA） was conducted with a Ag^＋/TiO2 catalyst and different pathways were found for the degradation of different compounds. Ag^＋ greatly promoted the photocatalytic degradation of contaminants due to its role as an electron scavenger. It also accelerated the removal rate of OA in ozonation and the simultaneous process for its complex reaction with oxalate. Phenol could be degraded both in direct ozonation and photolysis, but the TOC removal rates were much higher in the simultaneous processes due to the oxidation of hydroxyl radicals resulting from synergetic effects. The sequence of photo-illumination and ozone exposure in the combined process showed quite different effects in phenol degradation and TOC removal. The synergetic effects in different combined processes were found to be highly related to the properties of the target pollutants. The color change of the solution and TEM result confirmed that Ag＋ was easily reduced and deposited on the surface of Tit2 under photo-illumination, and dissolved again into solution in the presence of ozone. This simple cycle of enrichment and distribution of Ag^＋ can greatly benefit the design of advanced oxidation processes, in which the sequences of ozone and photo-illumination can be varied according to the needs for catalyst recycling and the different properties of pollutants.