The importance of local tree resources around Gombe National Park, Western Tanzania: implications for humans and chimpanzees

Miombo woodlands and associated habitats provide a vital resource for both humans and chimpanzees in western Tanzania. A baseline survey was conducted to determine the perceived relative value of different woody species to local people in the six villages adjacent to Gombe National Park. This area also provides direct comparison of tree utilization by humans and chimpanzees since it has been the site of a long-term behavioral study on chimpanzees. Four hundred and fifty-two people, all over 30 years old, were interviewed and asked to select the 10 trees that they considered to be the most important in their everyday lives: 77% of the 4520 responses (represented by 260 species) were native and 23% (represented by 35 species) were exotic trees. In this study, particular focus was paid to the 25 tree species most frequently listed. Of these trees, 19 (representing 50% of all responses) were native, and 6 were exotic. There was a marked difference in the choices, especially with respect to native trees, by men and women. Many of the trees highly prized by humans are also of great importance in the diet of chimpanzees. It is recommended that a major effort be made to maintain the usage and availability of native trees outside the park boundary, which, in conjunction with the balanced planting of exotics for meeting local needs, should contribute to protecting the biodiversity of Gombe and the local ethnobotanical heritage.     

Dioxins, metals, and fish toxicity in ash residue from space heaters burning used motor oil

Ash residue, generated from burning used motor oil, is a complex and ubiquitous waste stream. Ash samples were collected from space heaters and analyzed for dioxins (N=10), expressed as toxic equivalents (TEQ), and heavy metals (N=9). TEQ averaged 148-164 ng kg(-1) (standard deviation [SD] 385-416 ng kg(-1)), depending on methods used for non-detects (NDs) and toxic equivalency factors (TEFs). It is notable that median TEQ (2.89-3.49 ng kg(-1)) was about 50 fold lower, reflecting the influence of several high end values on the mean. The proportion of NDs among 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in each sample averaged 38.2% (range 0-94.1%). Total metals averaged 103,000 mg kg(-1) (SD 26,600 mg kg(-1)), with Zn, Cu, and Pb contributing 89.3%, 6.4%, and 3.0% of the total, respectively. Rainbow trout bioassays resulted in median mortalities of 3.2% and 42.0% (respective SD 25.3% and 43.2%) at ash concentrations of 10 and 100 mg l(-1), respectively. Nominal concentrations of several metals (e.g., Cu, Zn) in the fish bioassay exceeded their reported median lethal concentrations (LC50s) for the test species. Multiple regressions (Bonferroni P<0.05) demonstrated that most of the variance in fish mortality could be accounted for by pH, metals (e.g., As, Cd, Pb), and TEQ. Mean TEQ concentration in used oil ash ranked on the high end of TEQ content in other environmental matrices, including wood ash, cement kiln dust, biosolids, and soils. Overall, these results suggest that suitable disposal methods are needed for ash generated from burning used motor oil.     

Simultaneous optimization of dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source and contaminant plume remediation

A framework is developed for simultaneous, optimal design of groundwater contaminant source removal and plume remediation strategies. The framework allows for varying degrees of effort and cost to be dedicated to source removal versus plume remediation. We have accounted for the presence of physical heterogeneity in the DNAPL source, since source heterogeneity controls mass release into the plume and the efficiency of source removal efforts. We considered high and low estimates of capital and operating costs for chemical flushing removal of the source, since these are expected to vary form site to site. Using the lower chemical flushing cost estimates, it is found that the optimal allocation of funds to source removal or plume remediation is sensitive to the degree of heterogeneity in the source. When the time elapsed between the source release and the implementation of remediation was varied, it was found that, except for the longest elapsed time (50,000 days), a combination of partial source removal and plume remediation was most efficient. When first-order, dissolved contaminant degradation was allowed, source removal was found to be unnecessary for the cases where the degradation rate exceeded intermediate values of the first-order rate constant. Finally, it was found that source removal became more necessary as the degree of aquifer heterogeneity increased.     

多模式模拟评估奥运赛事期间可吸入颗粒物减排效果

以空气质量多模式系统为工具,分析奥运赛事期间可吸入颗粒物(PM10)浓度大幅减小特征,从气象场和排放源两方面研究PM10浓度大幅减小的主要原因.多模式系统由嵌套网格空气质量模式(NAQPMS)、通用空气质量多尺度模式(CMAQ)和复杂大气空气质量三维模式(CAMx)3个空气质量复合模型组成,并以中尺度气象模式(MM5)和稀疏矩阵排放处理模型(SMOKE)提供统一气象场及排放源.研究对比2006年8月、2008年8月两组气象条件下北京PM10浓度水平及模拟效果,结果表明奥运赛事期间PM10浓度大幅减小的主要原因不是气象因素,而是由于额外措施引起的PM10排放减少.同时采用多模式系统数值模拟反向评估,获得北京奥运赛事期间奥运控制及额外减排措施引起的PM10减排量,结果表明,奥运赛事期间所有额外控制措施对颗粒物浓度效果相当于在2008年8月气象条件下,削减大约200t.d-1的无组织PM10排放,相当于北京正常时期PM10排放的50%.     

Determination of European methane emissions,using concentration and isotope measurements

The determination of methane emissions on a regional scale is needed in order to reduce some of the uncertainties in the global methane budget. Our measurements of the concentration and the Carbon-13 isotope composition (¹³C) of atmospheric methane are, combined with trajectories, used to get insight in the type and size of the methane emissions of a large area.     

Reduction in labile copper in the 7-day Ceriodaphnia dubia toxicity test due to the interaction with zooplankton food

Due to the increased popularity of zooplankton toxicity tests, it is important to investigate potential confounding factors. Though zooplankton food has been studied extensively to meet the nutritional needs of the zooplankton, less research has been done on whether food addition reduces the toxicity of metals in the tested sample. This investigation combines toxicity tests and metal speciation analysis to determine whether the EPA recommended food of YCT (yeast, cerophyll, and trout chow) and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (formerly Selenastrum capricornutum) reduces copper toxicity by decreasing the concentration of labile copper. Toxicity tests were performed with Ceriodaphnia dubia on culture water spiked with 0, 787, and 1574 nM copper with five different food levels. A Chelex-100 cation exchange resin and a graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrophotometer were used in conjunction with the toxicity tests to measure the amount of labile copper in the culture water. At the EPA recommended food dosage, the C. dubia food has a chelating capacity of approximately 500 nM Cu. For both concentrations of spiked culture water, the toxicity to C. dubia was reduced with increasing food level, which seemed to be both from a decrease in labile copper concentration and an increase in the nutritional condition of the zooplankton.