Paying for International Environmental Public Goods

Supply of international environmental public goods must meet certain conditions to be socially efficient, and several reasons explain why they are currently undersupplied. Diagnosis of the public goods failure associated with particular ecosystem services is critical to the development of the appropriate international response. There are two categories of international environmental public goods that are most likely to be undersupplied. One has an additive supply technology and the other has a weakest link supply technology. The degree to which the collective response should be targeted depends on the importance of supply from any one country. In principle, the solution for the undersupply lies in payments designed to compensate local providers for the additional costs they incur in meeting global demand. Targeted support may take the form of direct investment in supply (the Global Environment Facility model) or of payments for the benefits of supply (the Payments for Ecosystem Services model).     

Tree and Shrub Expansion Over the Past 34 Years at the Tree-Line Near Abisko,Sweden

Shrubs and trees are expected to expand in the sub-Arctic due to global warming. Our study was conducted in Abisko, sub-arctic Sweden. We recorded the change in coverage of shrub and tree species over a 32– to 34-year period, in three 50 × 50 m plots; in the alpine-tree-line ecotone. The cover of shrubs and trees (<3.5 cm diameter at breast height) were estimated during 2009–2010 and compared with historical documentation from 1976 to 1977. Similarly, all tree stems (≥3.5 cm) were noted and positions determined. There has been a substantial increase of cover of shrubs and trees, particularly dwarf birch (Betula nana), and mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii), and an establishment of aspen (Populus tremula). The other species willows (Salix spp.), juniper (Juniperus communis), and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) revealed inconsistent changes among the plots. Although this study was unable to identify the causes for the change in shrubs and small trees, they are consistent with anticipated changes due to climate change and reduced herbivory.     

Changes in Tree Growth,Biomass and Vegetation Over a 13-Year Period in the Swedish Sub-Arctic

This study was conducted in the Swedish sub-Arctic, near Abisko, in order to assess the direction and scale of possible vegetation changes in the alpine–birch forest ecotone. We have re-surveyed shrub, tree and vegetation data at 549 plots grouped into 61 clusters. The plots were originally surveyed in 1997 and re-surveyed in 2010. Our study is unique for the area as we have quantitatively estimated a 19% increase in tree biomass mainly within the existing birch forest. We also found significant increases in the cover of two vegetation types—“birch forest-heath with mosses” and “meadow with low herbs”, while the cover of snowbed vegetation decreased significantly. The vegetation changes might be caused by climate, herbivory and past human impact but irrespective of the causes, the observed transition of the vegetation will have substantial effects on the mountain ecosystems.     

Evaluation on the toxicity of ionic liquid mixture with antagonism and synergism to Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a fascinating group of new chemicals with the potential to replace the classical volatile organic solvents, stimulating many applications in chemical industry. In case ILs are released to the environment, possible combined toxicity should be taken into account and it is, however, often neglected up to now. In this paper, therefore, the concentration-response curves (CRCs) of four groups of IL mixtures with various mixture ratios to Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 were determined using the microplate toxicity analysis and were compared to the CRCs predicted by an additive reference model, the concentration addition (CA) or independent action (IA), to identify the toxicity interaction. It is showed that most of the IL mixture rays displayed the classical addition while the remaining rays exhibited antagonism or synergism. Moreover, it is found that the pEC₅₀ values of the mixture rays exhibiting antagonism or synergism are well correlated with the mixture ratio of a certain IL therein.     

人口长期均衡发展及其评价监测模型的构建与应用

在借鉴已有理论的基础上,界定了人口长期均衡发展的内涵,提出人口长期均衡包含人口内部均衡和人口外部均衡两个方面,人口内部均衡包括人口数量、人口质量和人口结构三个维度,人口外部均衡包括人口与经济、人口与社会、人口与资源、人口与环境四个维度;在此基础上构建了人口长期均衡发展的指标体系和评价模型,指标体系设定为三级,第一级包括人口内部均衡和人口外部均衡两个方面,第二级由人口数量、人口质量、人口结构等七个部分构成;第三级指标包括反映内部均衡的7个指标以及反映外部均衡的13个指标.并使用层次分析法确定了指标的权重;采用2000-2007年31个省级单位的数据对人口长期均衡发展评价模型进行了验证,并对人口总体均衡水平以及影响人口均衡发展的关键要素进行了实证分析.结果表明.北京、上海和浙江分列前三,人口均衡发展程度最高.从影响均衡程度的关键因素看.人口质量和人口结构是制约人口自身均衡的主要因素,人口与社会的均衡状况对人口与外部系统均衡制约最大,其次是人口与经济的均衡状况.     

Bacterial community composition characterization of a lead-contaminated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcoleus</Emphasis> sp. consortium

Introduction  

A Microcoleus sp. consortium, obtained from the Ebro delta microbial mat, was maintained under different conditions including uncontaminated, lead-contaminated, and acidic conditions.     

Phytoremediation of a sulphonated azo dye Green HE4B by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glandularia pulchella</Emphasis> (Sweet) Tronc. (Moss Verbena)

Purpose  

The dyes and dye stuffs present in effluents released from textile dyeing industries are potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic. Phytoremediation technology can be used for remediating sites contaminated with such textile dyeing effluents. The purpose of the work was to explore the potential of Glandularia pulchella (Sweet) Tronc. to decolorize different textile dyes, textile dyeing effluent, and synthetic mixture of dyes.     

Chitosan membranes as sorbents for trace elements determination in surface waters

Purpose  

Chitosan membranes (non-crosslinked, crosslinked, and modified with l-cysteine) were evaluated as sorbents prior to electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) determination of total dissolved metal content in surface water samples.     

Structural isomers of polyfluorinated di- and tri-alkylated phosphate ester surfactants present in industrial blends and in microwave popcorn bags

Introduction  

In this study, we provide strategies for detecting and quantifying the structural isomers of polyfluorinated di- and tri-alkyl surfactants (PFAS) by mass spectrometry (MS). We specifically investigate polyfluorinated dialkylated phosphate ester surfactants (x:2/y:2 diPAPS, (F(CF₂) _x CH₂CH₂O-P(O)(O)⁻-OCH₂CH₂(CF₂) _y F)) and their thioether analogues (x:2/y:2 S-diPAPS, F(CF₂) _x CH₂CH₂SCH₂-C[CH₂O)₂P(O)(O)⁻]-CH₂SCH₂CH₂(CF₂) _y F), which are used for industrial applications, such as oil- and water-repellent coatings on paper and board. DiPAPS have been found in human blood and are metabolised to the persistent perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCA) in rats.