Heat-balling wasps by honeybees

Defensiveness of honeybee colonies of Apis cerana and Apis mellifera (actively balling the wasps but reduction of foraging) against predatory wasps, Vespa velutina, and false wasps was assessed. There were significantly more worker bees in balls of the former than latter. Core temperatures in a ball around a live wasp of A. cerana were significantly higher than those of A. mellifera, and also significantly more when exposed to false wasps. Core temperatures of bee balls exposed to false wasps were significantly lower than those exposed to V. velutina for both A. cerana and for A. mellifera. The lethal thermal limits for V. velutina, A. cerana and A. mellifera were significantly different, so that both species of honeybees have a thermal safety factor in heat-killing such wasp predators. During wasps attacks at the hives measured at 3, 6 and 12 min, the numbers of Apis cerana cerana and Apis cerana indica bees continuing to forage were significantly reduced with increased wasp attack time. Tropical lowland A. c. indica reduced foraging rates significantly more than the highland A. c. cerana bees; but, there was no significant effect on foraging by A. mellifera. The latency to recovery of honeybee foraging was significantly greater the longer the duration of wasp attacks. The results show remarkable thermal fine-tuning in a co-evolving predator–prey relationship.     

张士灌区镉污染及其改良途径

张士灌区是国内镉严重污染区。本文全面论述了1981—1983年以来所采取综合防治的效果:①减少灌溉水中Cd浓度,提高pH,改污灌为清灌;②增施石灰、钙镁磷肥等各种改良剂;③农业工程方法、客土、去土;④生物改良方法、种植其他作物,或将污染稻谷作为良种繁育。几年来密切联系生产实际,在污染现场作试验。试验所得结果适合于灌区实际应用。     

The amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS): A rapid and direct prenatal diagnostic technique for β-thalassaemia in Singapore

β-Thalassaemia major patients have chronic anaemia and since 3–4 per cent of Singaporeans carry the β-gene, prenatal diagnosis is essential. We evaluated the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) technique as a routine test for prenatal diagnosis of β-major. Six mutations along the β-gene were studied—41–42 (-TCTT), IVSII #654 (C-T), 17β (A-T), – 28 TATA (A-G), IVSI #5 (G-C), and IVSI #1 (G-T). Our results indicate that prenatal diagnosis using these mutations can be offered to 90 per cent (35/39) of our Chinese couples and 54·6 per cent (12/22) of our Malay couples at risk. Confirmation of ARMS results was carried out using allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. Prenatal diagnosis using ARMS was successfully carried out in nine cases which included a set of triplets and twins. The triplets were diagnosed with the β-trait carrying the 41–42 mutation. The couple with twins possessed the #654 mutation and one twin was diagnosed with the β-trait and the other with #654 homozygosity. Genomic sequencing of the undefined mutations in the Chinese couples revealed rarer mutations at − 29 and an ATG-AGG base substitution at the initiation codon for translation. In the Malay couples, genomic sequencing detected mutations at codon 15 (TGG-TAG) and codon 26 (GAG-AAG). We conclude that ARMS with its direct detection of amplified products by gel electrophoresis provides an accurate, rapid, and simpler method for our β-thalassaemia prenatal diagnosis programme in Singapore.     

天津市大港石化发展规划区大气SO2排放总量控制实例分析

污染物排放总量控制是控制环境污染、实现可持续发展的一项根本措施，本文在全面调查和监测天津市大港石化发展规划区大气ＳＯ２现状污染水平的基础上，分析和计算出该区域ＳＯ２排放控制总量。提出了在周围边缘重点大气污染源存在下对区域大气污染物排放总量方法的一种改进。     

稳定同位素在污染物溯源与示踪中的应用

由于稳定同位素在特定污染源中组成确定,且具有分析结果精确可靠、在污染物迁移与转化过程中不发生显著变化的特点,故已被广泛应用于环境污染事件的仲裁、环境污染物的来源分析与示踪研究中。介绍了稳定同位素分馏对于来源分析的影响以及稳定同位素技术在污染物溯源与示踪中识别大气多环芳烃来源、推测环境中硫和铅的来源、考察甲基叔丁基醚来源与降解过程等方面的应用进展。     

A hydrodynamic and water quality modeling study of spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton growth in a stratified lake with buoyant incoming flow

A three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model was applied to Lake Paldang, a lake in South Korea that is stratified by incoming flows. The spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton growth in this lake were determined from the model. The model was calibrated and verified using data measured under different hydrological conditions. The model results were in reasonable agreement with the field measurements, in both the calibration and verification phases. The distributions of water quality and residence time in the lake and phytoplankton response to changes in nutrient loads were examined with the model, and the influence of the hydrodynamics on phytoplankton response was analyzed. The simulation results indicated that Lake Paldang is an essentially phosphorus-limited system, but that phytoplankton growth is limited by low water temperature and short residence time during the winter and the summer monsoon period, respectively. The results of sensitivity analyses also suggested that the hydrodynamics within the lake may have an indirect influence on phytoplankton responses to changes in the limiting nutrient loads, and that reducing phosphorus loading from Kyoungan Stream should be a high priority policy for controlling algal blooms during the pre- and post-monsoon periods. From this study, it was concluded that the three-dimensional water quality model incorporating hydrodynamic processes could successfully simulate phytoplankton response to changes in nutrient loads and that it could become a useful tool for identifying the essential factors determining phytoplankton growth and for developing the best management policy for algal blooms in Lake Paldang.     

A mathematical model to estimate nitrate release from ocher pellets applied to anaerobic benthic sediment

A mathematical model was developed to estimate nitrate release from ocher pellets in benthic sediment. Ocher pellets, called “limnomedicine,” consisting of ocher and calcium nitrate were used to suppress phosphorus release from contaminated sediment under anaerobic conditions. The proposed model represents the fate and transport of nitrate released from the pellets, in both the water column and the sediment. Most of the nitrate (83.6%) released from the pellets was consumed in the degradation of organic matter and FeS in the sediment over a period of 12 days. While an increase in pellet dosage helps to accelerate the sediment treatment rate, it also has the effect of increasing the mass of nitrate that diffuses into the water column. Quantitative analysis of these effects using the proposed mathematical model makes it possible to determine the proper pellet dosage based on sediment conditions such as organic matter content.     

上海市某工业区大气颗粒物(PM10)中多环芳烃的来源和分布特征

利用大气采样器采集上海市某工业区焦化厂,电厂和氯碱厂的大气颗粒物(PM10),结果显示,工业区中低环化合物占优势;焦化厂、电厂和氯碱厂含量最高的化合物分别是萘、苊和菲;煤炭燃烧是该工业区焦化厂和电厂多环芳烃的主要来源,氯碱厂多环芳烃可能主要是来自于其上风向的焦化厂,二者可能有弱的相关性;苯并(a)芘含量处于中等污染水平.     

生态影响评价中生境评价方法

生态影响评价是环境影响评价的重要分支，生境评价方法是生态影响证件 主要方法。美国是较早开展生态影响评价的国家，发展了一批生境评价方法。本文系统介绍了美国两种最常用的生境评价方法－生境评价系统和生境评价程序，并简要对比介绍其它方法，为我国开展生态影响评价提供一定理论参考。     

开发小区地面水环境影响评价技术

开发小区的建设会给区域环境尤其是区域地面水环境带来与单项工程建设不同的更大影响。本文重点探讨了开发小区废水排放量和废水中污染物排放量的预测方法，并根据各开发小区废水去向的不同考查了其对受纳（水）体的影响。