执行国际协定的限制因素:博茨瓦纳执行《蒙特利尔议定书》的情况

本文分析了在博茨瓦纳有效执行<蒙特利尔议定书>中遇到的困难;并就在发展中国家执行国际协定问题时如何向决策者提出建议提供了一个总的认识.对臭氧耗损物质(ODSs)的正式和非正式用户进行的问卷调查表明:所散发的有关ODSs的信息,对于用户们选择制冷气体几乎没有什么影响,而且这个信息偏向有利于ODSs的正式用户.因此,ODS使用数量的年统计资料可能估计偏低.困难在于,要在短期内从老技术转向新技术,成本较高.回收废气和处理废旧硬件设备的基础设施缺乏或不足.这些问题的解决需要一个全面的政策,它能满足所有ODSs用户的要求;还需要把经济发展与环境保护结合起来进行考虑.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of diene modified analogs of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Matsucoccus</Emphasis> sex pheromones

The biological activity of the Matsucoccus spp. sex pheromones and diene modified analogs has been tested in forests of Israel and Portugal in order to explore the structure-activity relationship of the pine bast scale pheromone/kairomone system. The response of the adult predatory bugs, Elatophilus hebraicus and E. crassicornis and of the brown lacewing, Hemerobius stigma is more selective than that of the conspecific Matsucoccus males. The removal of the terminal methyl group from the diene terminus of both pheromones 1 and 2 eliminates all kairomonal activity but retains moderate pheromonal activity. Addition of a methyl group to the diene terminus of pheromones 1 and 2 sustains full pheromonal and kairomonal activities of the Elatophilus spp. but eliminates entirely the kairomonal activity of H. stigma. Subtle designed alterations in the structure of the diene group, typical of all Matsucoccus pheromones, change the mode of the kairomonal activity markedly.     

Relevance of mangroves for the production and deposition of organic matter along tropical continental margins

Mangroves are highly complex ecosystems occupying a major part of tropical coastlines. High primary productivity, efficient biological nutrient recyling and a permanent exchange with terrestrial and marine ecosystems are their common features. Despite the high production and export rates of leaf litter, mangrove detritus has been reported to be of minor importance in sustaining marine food webs. The geographical distribution of mangrove-derived organic matter (OM) in marine sediments is found to be restricted to the vicinity of its source. Dissolved nutrient inputs from mangroves and rivers may fuel the production of marine OM. In this paper we assess the relevance of mangroves for the production and sedimentation of OM in the tropical coastal ocean based on data available from the literature and our own research results. We estimate the rates of carbon accumulation in mangrove sediments and of carbon export to the coastal seas. From the rates of litter fall and export we calculate carbon accumulating in mangrove sediments to be in the order of 23᎒¹² g C per year and mangrove carbon introduced into the coastal ocean to be in the order of 46᎒¹² g C per year. They account for about 11% of the total input of terrestrial carbon into the ocean and 15% of the total carbon accumulating in modern marine sediments.     

Triploid fetus: An important consideration in the evaluation of very high maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein

Two patients referred for evaluation of very high maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (10–20 multiples of the median) were carrying triploid fetuses with placentas showing features of partial hydatidiform mole. The diagnosis of fetal triploidy should be considered when there is a very high maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein and no ultrasound evidence of open neural tube defect, ventral wall defect, or any other explanation. Therefore, chromosomal analysis of amniotic fluid cells in such cases is essential.