Little Egrets (Egretta Garzetta) and Trace-Metal Contamination in Wetlands of China

The rapidly developing Asian countries may face threatening environmental contamination, that however remains largely unassessed. We studied persistent trace elements in three wetlands, Poyang Lake, relatively unpolluted, and Tai Lake, and Pearl River Delta, selected as hotspots of pollution in Central China. We adopted as indicator the Little Egret, a widespread colonial waterbird, and during 1999 and 2000 we collected and analysed the same samples as for a parallel study we conducted in Pakistan, e.g. eggs, body feathers of chicks, prey spontaneously regurgitated by the chicks, and sediments at the areas most used by foraging egrets. The levels of trace-metals at our three study areas were similar, or within the range, of those found in the few other studies for East Asia, with few exceptions. The concentrations of the various elements were below the threshold that may affect the survival or reproduction of the birds, and even the highest concentrations relative to background, i.e. Se in eggs, and Hg in feathers at Pearl Delta, do not pose toxic hazards. In sediments, the levels of trace elements were lower than the critical levels assumed for contaminated soil, except for alarming high levels of As at Poyang. These results do not confirm our expectation, that Poyang was relatively uncontaminated, while Tai and Pearl were polluted. Although trace metal concentration differed significantly among the three study areas, these differences were minor and were not consistent among elements and samples. The bioaccumulation ratios from sediments through prey, feather and egg, were consistent with our previous findings for Pakistan. Only Hg exhibited high bioaccumulation, while Se and Zn had low accumulation, and the other elements no accumulation. This reasserts that feathers of predators such as egrets, may be more sensitive indicators of environmental contamination for the elements subject to bioaccumulation, whereas the sediments or the organisms low in the food chain are better indicators for the other elements.     

Effects of environmental regulation on firm entry and exit and China’s industrial productivity: a new perspective on the Porter Hypothesis

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - This paper dissects the effects of environmental regulation on the productivity of pollution-intensive industries and by doing so offers a new...     

基于可拓物元模型的安全经济开采评价指标体系的构建及应用

首先根据安全经济开采的内涵,建立以人员安全、设施设备安全、开采环境安全、安全投资和安全管理为主要制约因素的安全经济开采评价模型,并运用改进的层次分析法确定人员可靠度对安全经济开采水平影响最大,开采环境可靠度影响最小。其次,采用函数拟合法、专家打分法、标准化打分法量化安全经济开采水平指标,并将安全经济开采水平划分为3个等级。最后,运用可拓物元模型方法,得出某铁矿安全经济开采水平为二级,无重大经济损失,与实际吻合。     

扎哈淖尔露天煤矿南帮压煤回采边坡稳定性分析

针对露天矿边帮普遍存在的压煤问题,基于极限平衡及强度折减理论,从控制边坡稳定性角度出发,结合扎哈淖尔露天煤矿南帮软岩边坡工程实际,通过定量计算与定性分析,提出横采内排压帮开采方式。采用二维刚体极限平衡与三维数值模拟相结合的方法分析了横采深部开挖角度及内排跟踪距离对边坡稳定性的影响及其程度,优化设计了扎哈哈淖尔露天矿横采南帮边坡形态。结果表明:南帮边坡滑坡模式为以IVC煤层底板弱层为底界面的切层-顺层滑动;横采内排压帮开采方式可借助边坡三维效应提高露天矿边坡角度及其自身稳定性,进而达到安全、高效地回收边帮压煤,提高露天矿煤炭资源回收率;扎哈淖尔露天煤矿横采南帮边坡稳定性随内排跟踪距离增大呈负指数降低;最终确定横采开挖位置为+908水平,内排跟踪距离为100 m,深部开挖角度为42°,可累计为扎哈淖尔露天煤矿多采出IV煤4 701.39万t,经济效益显著。     

我国三大城市群城镇化水平对碳排放的影响

在新型城镇化进程深入推进的背景下,选择我国城镇化发展水平较高的京津冀、长三角和珠三角三大城市群为研究对象,利用STIRPAT模型分析了三大城市群城镇化水平与碳排放之间的关系。结果表明：三大城市群城镇化水平与碳排放之间呈现出先下降后上升的“正U型”曲线关系;经济发展与碳排放之间存在着“倒U型”的曲线关系;人口总量和能源强度对碳排放存在显著的正向影响,产业结构对碳排放影响较小。在城镇化发展早期加快城镇化发展速度,而在城镇化发展到一定阶段后,控制人口规模,降低能源强度,均可实现减少二氧化碳排放的目标。     

Effects of Topographical Heterogeneity and Dispersal Limitation on Species Turnover in a Temperate Mountane Ecosystem: a Case Study in the Henan Province,China

Species turnover patterns can be inconsistent due to differences in the dispersal ability of different growth forms. Here, species of trees, shrubs, herbs, and bryophytes in the Xiaoqinling National Nature Reserve in China were analyzed to determine patterns of species turnover along an elevation and spatial gradient. Variance partitioning was used to assess the relative contribution of topographic heterogeneity and dispersal limitation to species turnover. Our results suggest that the effect of dispersal limitation is more important than topographic heterogeneity on species turnover in temperate mountane ecosystems in the study area. Dispersal limitation has a greater effect on trees species turnover than on shrubs, herbs or bryophytes species turnover.     

长江三角洲城市群工业用水效率评价及时空差异研究

在水资源约束趋紧的背景下,选取长江三角洲城市群中26个城市2005~2014年的面板数据,运用SBM模型对工业用水效率进行测算,并基于可分解的泰尔指数分析长江三角洲城市群内部工业用水效率的空间差异。结果显示：（1）长江三角洲城市群工业用水效率水平整体偏低,在不考虑与考虑非期望产出的情况下,工业用水效率10a平均值分别为 0.591 8.和 0.519 7;（2）工业用水效率的地区内部差异是造成总差异的主要部分,并且有随时间递增的趋势,其中安徽省对于地区内部差异的贡献率最大,其次为浙江省,江苏省贡献率最低;（3）江苏省各城市工业用水效率虽然差异不大但整体水平较低,而上海市工业用水效率较高并处于稳步上升状态。因此,缩小地区内部差异是实现长江三角洲城市群工业用水效率整体上升的重要途径。     

Effects of coal spoil amendment on heavy metal accumulation and physiological aspects of ryegrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lolium perenne</Emphasis> L.) growing in copper mine tailings

Copper mine tailings pose many threats to the surrounding environment and human health, and thus, their remediation is fundamental. Coal spoil is the waste by-product of coal mining and characterized by low levels of metals, high content of organic matter, and many essential microelements. This study was designed to evaluate the role of coal spoil on heavy uptake and physiological responses of Lolium perenne L. grown in copper mine tailings amended with coal spoil at rates of 0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 20%. The results showed that applying coal spoil to copper mine tailings decreased the diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn contents in tailings and reduced those metal contents in both roots and shoots of the plant. However, application of coal spoil increased the DTPA-extractable Cr concentration in tailings and also increased Cr uptake and accumulation by Lolium perenne L. The statistical analysis of physiological parameters indicated that chlorophyll and carotenoid increased at the lower amendments of coal spoil followed by a decrease compared to their respective controls. Protein content was enhanced at all the coal spoil amendments. When treated with coal spoil, the activities of superoxide dismutases (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) responded differently. CAT activity was inhibited, but POD activity was increased with increasing amendment ratio of coal spoil. SOD activity increased up to 1% coal spoil followed by a decrease. Overall, the addition of coal spoil decreased the oxidative stress in Lolium perenne L., reflected by the reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in the plant. It is concluded that coal spoil has the potential to stabilize most metals studied in copper mine tailings and ameliorate the harmful effects in Lolium perenne L. through changing the physiological attributes of the plant grown in copper mine tailings.     

Isotopes as tracers of sources of lead and strontium in aerosols (TSP & PM2.5) in Beijing

Even after its being phased out in gasoline in the late 90s, lead (Pb) is still present at relatively high levels in the atmosphere of Beijing, China (0.10–0.18 μg m^?3). Its origin is subject to debate as several distinct sources may contribute to the observed pollution levels. This study proposes to constrain the origin(s) of Pb and strontium (Sr) in aerosols, by coupling both Pb and Sr isotope systematics. The characterisation of the main pollution sources (road traffic, smelters, metal refining plants, coal combustion, cement factories, and soil erosion) shows that they can unambiguously be discriminated by the multi-isotope approach (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr). The study of total suspended particulates (TSP) and fine particles (PM_2.5) from Beijing and its vicinity indicates that both size fractions are controlled by the same sources. Lead isotopes indicate that metal refining plants are the major source of atmospheric lead, followed by thermal power stations and other coal combustion processes. The role of this latter source is confirmed by the study of strontium isotopes. Occasionally, emissions from cement plants and/or input from soil alteration are isotopically detectable.     

固定化包埋亚硝酸菌短程脱氮与同步除磷工艺研究

为实现常温下低碳源城市生活污水的低能耗脱氮除磷,采用固定化技术和厌氧/好氧/缺氧(AOA)工艺耦合与游离组进行了对比实验研究。在温度为25±1℃、pH为8.0±1、DO为1±0.5 mg/L和HRT为9 h的条件下,两组运行结果表明,固定组具有较高的硝化效率和较强的适应能力,亚硝氮的积累率可以稳定维持在70%以上,对NH4+-N、COD和TP的去除率分别为92.2%、87.2%和81.3%,明显优于游离组。