Wild elephant (Loxodonta africana) breeding herds respond to artificially transmitted seismic stimuli

Seismic communication is known to be utilized in insects, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals, but its use has not yet been documented in large mammals. Elephants produce low-frequency vocalizations, and these vocalizations have seismic components that propagate in the ground, but it has not yet been demonstrated that elephants can detect or interpret these seismic signals. In this study, we played back seismic replicates of elephant alarm vocalizations to herds of wild African elephants in their natural environment and observed significant behavioral changes indicating that they had detected these signals. Seismic communication may provide an important complement to existing communication modes used by elephants. Seismic sensitivity may also provide elephants with an additional modality for sensing important environmental cues such as changes in weather patterns or seismic disturbances.     

Opportunities and constraints for development and conservation: Teller County/Woodland Park growth management plan

This is the second of three articles prepared to explain the Teller County growth management process. As part of an ongoing growth management process in Teller County, Colorado, opportunities and constraints for development and conservation were identified. The scenic mountain county faces a number of issues because of growth. The recognition of those issues has resulted in the goal to direct future growth to the most appropriate and cost-effective places. To determine those places that are best for new development, thorough ecological inventories were conducted for the entire county as well as for the City of Woodland Park area. From these inventories, environmentally sensitive areas were identified. The environmentally sensitive areas were considered constraints in conducting suitability analyses for a variety of potential land uses. The suitability analyses resulted in the identification of opportunities for future growth in Teller County generally as well as the more specific Woodland Park planning area. This article, like the other two, is part of a reflective analysis by the planners who were involved. Paper 2 in a series 3.     

Field demonstration of surfactant-enhanced solubilization of DNAPL at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware

This study reports on a surfactant-based flood for tetrachloroethylene (PCE) removal from a control test cell at the Dover National Test Site. The surfactant formulation (sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (Aerosol-MA or AMA), isopropanol and calcium chloride) was able to achieve a high concentration of PCE in swollen micelles (supersolubilization) without vertical PCE migration. The hydraulic system included eight screened wells that were operated in both vertical circulation and line drive configurations. After 10 pore volumes of flushing, the overall PCE removal was 68% (65% of which corresponded to the surfactant flooding alone). In addition, the residual PCE saturation was reduced from 0.7% to 0.2%, and the concentration of PCE in the groundwater was reduced from 37-190 mg/L before the flushing to 7.3 mg/L after flooding. Recycling the surfactant solution reduced the required surfactant mass (and thus cost, and waste) by 90%. Close to 80% of the total PCE removal was obtained during the first five pore volumes which were operated in an upward vertical circulation flow scheme. No free oil phase was observed during the test. Further analysis of multilevel sampler data suggests that most of the trapped oil remaining in the cell was likely localized in secluded regions of the aquifer, which helps explain the lower PCE groundwater concentration after remedial activities. In summary, this field study demonstrated the feasibility of surfactant-enhanced remediation to reduce the mass in the source zone and significantly reduce the PCE aqueous concentration and therefore the risk associated with the contaminant plume.     

The photodecomposition of fenitrothion [0, 0-dimethyl-0-(3-methyl-4-nitrophenol) phosphorothioate]

The photolysis of fenitrothion in vapor and liquid phase has been examined, using radiation available in the solar spectrum, i.e., λ> 300 nm. In both the vapor phase and in ethanol solution, two primary products are produced, the major one being p-nitrocresol (4-nitro-3-methyl-phenol). Prolonged irradiation yields additional products probably due to secondary photolysis. The photodecomposition of fenitrothion may be one of the reasons for the rapid disappearance of this material when it is introduced into the environment.     

Effect of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-product on water quality at an underground coal mine

In this paper, a field study was carried out to examine the effect of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-product on water quality at an underground coal mine in central-eastern Ohio. Flue gas desulfurizalion by-product was injected into the down-dip portions of the Robert-Dawson mine in an attempt to seal major seeps exiting the mine and to coat exposed pyritic surfaces. Immediately following grout injection, significant increases in acidity, iron, aluminum, sulfur, and calcium were observed at most surface and ground water locations near where grouting was carried out. Following this initial flush of elements, concentrations of most constituents have decreased to near pre-grouting levels. Data from the site and geochemical modeling suggest that an increase in water level or rerouting of drainage flow resulted in the dissolution of iron and aluminum sulfate salts and ferrihydrite. Dissolution of the FGD grout material resulted in increases in calcium and sulfate concentrations in the drainage waters. Water within the mine voids was saturated with respect to calcium sulfate and gypsum immediately following grout injection. Based on an analysis of core samples obtained from the site, acid mine drainage (AMD) was in contact with at least some portions of the grout and this resulted in grout weathering. Subsequent transport of calcium and sulfate to the underclay, perhaps by fracture flow, has resulted in the deposition of gypsum and calcium sulfate solids.     

The Brown Trout Population at Loch Fleet Eight Years After Liming

At the start of the Loch Fleet Project in 1984, the Loch and the upper 7 km of its efferent stream were found to be devoid of trout (Salmo trutta) as a result of acidification. Following the liming treatments applied to the catchment, from 1986 the formerly toxic water quality conditions (pH ∼ 4.5, calcium ∼ 1 mgl^-1, elevated aluminium and heavy metal levels) were eliminated, and trout were reintroduced on two occasions, in 1987 and 1988. A total of 520 fish were stocked, at a combined density equivalent to 5.5 kg ha^-1. Surveys of the loch and stream populations were carried out annually until 1993 to monitor their development, using a range of techniques, including electrofishing, gill-netting, seine-netting, spawner trapping and mark-release recapture methods. Length and scale- analysis were used to investigate fish growth.

The trout population in Loch Fleet expanded rapidly as a result of natural spawning in the loch's main feeder stream, augmented by the use of an artificial spawning bed which was constructed at the loch outlet in 1990. in mid-1983 the stock density, estimated by mark-recapture census methods, had increased to 24.9 kg ha^-1. Poor recruitment in the years 1991-93, however, reduced the rate of expansion and resulted in a population comprising mainly older individuals. the poor recruitment in these years was not fully explained but was not caused by water quality and was most likely a result of fry washout by spring spates.

Fish growth rates were high initially and were estimated on the basis of the Elliott trout growth model to be optimal for the prevailing water temperature regime of the loch. By 1991, growth rates had fallen, probably as a result of competition for food, but showed signs of recovery towards the end of the study period in 1993, following the period of lower population densities of young fish.

Trout rapidly repopulated the loch's outlet stream after 1987 but have remained sparse and have shown no signs of spawning within most of the stream. Water analyses have shown that the liming of the Loch Fleet catchment has minimal impact on downstream waters when flows are high, so that potentially toxic acid episodes have not been prevented.     

对比研究槽式堆肥处理不同畜禽粪便对植物毒性的影响

为揭示槽式堆肥过程中不同畜禽粪便堆肥理化性质的变化及其对植物毒性的影响,分别开展了以羊、牛、鸡、猪粪便与木屑为堆料、为期44 d的好氧槽式堆肥对比试验,采集了不同堆肥期的堆肥样品,测定了堆肥的pH、电导率（EC）、可溶性有机碳（DOC）、硝氮（NO₃^--N）、氨氮（NH₄⁺-N）、全氮（TN）、碳氮比（C/N）、全磷（TP）、全钾（TK）、铜（Cu）、锌（Zn）含量及水堇的相对生长指数（RGI）和种子发芽指数（GI）,并通过相关分析和线性回归拟合,分析了堆肥过程粪便对水堇种子植物毒性的影响机制.结果表明,槽式堆肥过程中,羊粪的高温期持续时间最长,牛粪其次,猪粪和鸡粪最短;堆肥结束时4种粪便均呈弱碱性.堆肥过程中猪粪和鸡粪的EC降低,其他粪便的EC变化幅度较小,各粪便的DOC、NH₄⁺-N含量降低,NO₃^--N、TP、TK、Cu和Zn含量增加,牛粪和鸡粪的C/N逐渐降低,而猪粪和羊粪的C/N呈先升后降的趋势,羊粪和猪粪的TN含量下降,鸡粪和牛粪的TN含量缓慢上升.堆肥过程中4种粪便对水堇种子的植物毒性均降低,且RGI和GI升幅由高到低为：牛粪 > 羊粪 > 鸡粪 > 猪粪.相关分析表明,堆肥过程中羊粪的TP、Cu、Zn,牛粪的Zn、TK、TP、NO₃^--N,鸡粪的NO₃^--N、TN、Cu,猪粪的NO₃^--N、TP、Zn、TK与RGI呈显著正相关（p<0.01）;而羊粪的Cu、TP、TK,牛粪的Zn、TK、TP,鸡粪的Cu、TN、NO₃^--N、TK,猪粪的TP、Zn、NO₃^--N与GI呈显著正相关（p<0.01）.由此表明,不同粪便堆肥的以上指标促进了植物的根伸长和种子发芽.但堆肥过程中羊粪的NH₄⁺-N、TN、DOC,牛粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、C/N、EC,鸡粪的C/N、EC、DOC,猪粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、EC与RGI呈显著负相关（p<0.01）;羊粪的NH₄⁺-N、TN、DOC,牛粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、C/N,鸡粪EC、DOC、C/N,猪粪的NH₄⁺-N、DOC、EC与GI呈显著负相关（p<0.01）.由此表明,不同粪便的以上指标显著抑制了植物的根伸长和种子发芽.多元回归分析说明,堆肥过程羊粪和牛粪的NH₄⁺-N,鸡粪的NO₃^--N、Cu、C/N和EC,猪粪的NO₃^--N和TK对水堇种子根伸长具有显著的影响,而羊粪的NH₄⁺-N和TK,牛粪的DOC、pH和EC,鸡粪Cu、TN和NO₃^--N,猪粪的TK对水堇种子发芽具有显著的影响.以上对比研究结果可为不同畜禽粪便槽式堆肥处理和土地利用提供重要的理论依据和决策支持.