Long-Term Avifaunal Impoverishment in an Isolated Tropical Woodlot

Abstract:  Long-term (>50 years) extinction patterns and processes in isolated tropical forest patches are poorly understood. Considering that forest fragments are rapidly becoming the common feature of most tropical landscapes, data on the long-term conservation value of such fragments are urgently needed. We report on avifaunal turnover in a tropical woodlot (Bogor Botanical Gardens; 86 ha; 54% native and 46% introduced plants; mean 83,649 visitors/month) that has been surveyed several times before and after its isolation in 1936. By 2004 the original avifaunal richness of this woodlot declined by 59% (97 to 40 species) and its forest-dependent avifauna declined by 60% (30 to 12 species). Large-bodied birds were particularly prone to extinction before 1987, but following this time none of the species traits we studied could be considered predictive of extinction proneness. All seven forest-dependent bird species that attempted to colonize this woodlot by 1987 perished thereafter. Our results show that area reduction, isolation, intense human use, and perverse management (e.g., understory removal) of this patch have probably negatively affected the long-term sustainability of its forest avifauna.     

Minimizing N2O fluxes from full-scale municipal solid waste landfill with properly selected cover soil

Municipal solid waste landfills emit nitrous oxide （N2O） gas. Assuming that the soil cover is the primary N2O source from landfills, this study tested, during a four-year project, the hypothesis that the proper use of chosen soils with fine texture minimizes N2O emissions. A full-scale sanitary landfill, a full-scale bioreactor landfill and a cell planted with Nerium indicum or Festuca arundinacea Schreb, at the Hangzhou Tianziling landfill in Hangzhou City were the test sites. The N2O emission rates from all test sites were considerably lower than those reported in the published reports. Specifically, the N2O emission rate was dependent on soil water content and nitrate concentrations in the cover soil. The effects of leachate recirculation and irrigation were minimal. Properly chosen cover soils applied to the landfills reduced N2O flux.     

Decomposition of CCl4 and CHCl3 on gliding arc plasma

Introduction C hlorinated volatile organic com pounds(C V O C s) w ere released to the atm osphere as flue gases from various industrial processes. C hlorinated hydrocar- bons have been w idely accepted as solvents and chem ical interm ediates in the m an…     

The Role of Botanic Gardens in the Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration

Abstract: Many of the skills and resources associated with botanic gardens and arboreta, including plant taxonomy, horticulture, and seed bank management, are fundamental to ecological restoration efforts, yet few of the world's botanic gardens are involved in the science or practice of restoration. Thus, we examined the potential role of botanic gardens in these emerging fields. We believe a reorientation of certain existing institutional strengths, such as plant‐based research and knowledge transfer, would enable many more botanic gardens worldwide to provide effective science‐based support to restoration efforts. We recommend botanic gardens widen research to include ecosystems as well as species, increase involvement in practical restoration projects and training practitioners, and serve as information hubs for data archiving and exchange.     

Naphthalene emissions from moth repellents or toilet deodorant blocks determined using head-space and small-chamber tests

The present study investigated the emissions of naphthalene and other compounds from several different moth repellents(MRs) and one toilet deodorant block(TDB)currently sold in Korea,using a headspace analysis.The emission factors and emission rates of naphthalene were studied using a small-scale environmental chamber.Paper-type products emitted a higher concentration of the total volatile organic compounds(VOCs)(normalized to the weight of test piece)than ball-type products,which in turn emitted higher ...     

生物炭对水体中铵氮的吸附特征及其动力学研究

以生物炭作为吸附剂,通过静态实验研究了生物炭对水体中铵氮的吸附特性,并从动力学角度探讨了其吸附机理。结果表明,生物炭对铵氮的吸附在60min内基本达到吸附平衡,其吸附量随着水溶液中铵氮的增加而增加,Langmuir方程能够更好的描述铵氮在生物炭上的等温吸附行为,最大吸附量为l.24mg／g,铵氮在生物炭上的吸附动力学数...     

相关分析和主成份分析在有机酸来源分析中的应用

源解析是大气中低分子有机酸研究的重要内容。收集了贵阳市和尚重镇2006年5月至2007年4月降水样品,测定其中有机酸和主要的无机离子。结果表明,大气降水有机酸存在显著相关关系,说明两地区均存在有机酸的共同来源。运用不同来源示踪剂发现,尚重镇低分子有机酸来源比较单一,主要是受植物或土壤的直接和间接释放作用的影响;贵阳市低分子有机酸的来源相对复杂,尤其是人为活动和大气光化学反应都可能是大气有机酸的重要来源。主成分分析把贵阳市和尚重镇大气降水中主要离子大致分为3类,尚重镇SO42-、NO3-、HCOOH、CH3COOH和(COOH)2是第一主成份,反映了农业活动、土壤释放和生物质燃烧可能是这类污染物的重要来源,贵阳市降水中CH3COOH、HCOOH和(COOH)2具有较高的因子负荷,为第三主成份占方差总和的19.68%。     

零价铁降解4-氯硝基苯动力学研究

实验采用无氧条件下不同浓度零价铁降解硝基芳香烃代表物4-氯硝基苯,研究4-氯硝基苯的降解速率及各产物的反应速率.根据化学反应计量学,通过准一级动力学方程对实验结果进行拟合,得到生成各产物反应速率,并利用穆斯堡尔技术检测零价铁的产物.结果表明,4-氯硝基苯的还原转化速率与零价铁浓度有关,中间产物4-氯亚硝基苯和4-氯苯基羟胺的生成和转化速率可通过拟合各反应速率得到.当零价铁浓度为1.04 g.L-1时4-氯硝基苯反应速率最快,反应速率常数为0.189min-1.反应过程中生成的亚铁离子在反应初期吸附在零价铁表面,各物质的生成和还原速率取决于零价铁表面的活性位点和各物质与零价铁之间的质量传递.     

A reactor system combining reductive dechloirnation with cometabolic oxidation for complete degradation of tetrachloroentylene

A laboratory sequential anaerobic aerobic bioreactor system, which consisted of an anaerobic fixed film reactor and two aerobic chemostats, was set up to degrade tetrachloroethylene (PCE) without accumulating highly toxic degradation intermediates. A soil enrichment culture, which could reductively dechlorinate 900μM (ca. 150 mg/L) of PCE stoichiometrically into cis-1,2-dichloroethylene ( cis-DCE), was attached to ceramic media in the anaerobic fixed film reactor. A phenol degrading strain, Alcaligenes sp. R5, which can efficiently degrade cis-DCE by co metabolic oxidation, was used as inoculum for the aerobic chemostats consisted of a transformation reactor and a growth reactor. The anaerobic fixed film bioreactor showed more than 99 % of PCE transformation into cis DCE in the range of influent PCE concentration from 5μM to 35μM at hydraulic retention time of 48h. On the other hand, efficient degradation of the resultant cis-DCE by strain R5 in the following aerobic system could not be achieved due to oxygen limitation. However, 54% of the maximum cis-DCE degradation was obtained when 10 μmol of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was supplemented to the transformation reactor as an additional oxygen source. Further studies are needed to achieve more efficient co metabolic degradation of cis DCE in the aerobic reactor.     

A survey of arsenic and other heavy metals in vegetation from markets or mine tailings

This research includes two investigations. The first one is a market basket survey of the levels of arsenic （As） and trace elements in bracken fern （Pteridium aquilinum） originated from three countries： South Korea, China and North Korea. The results showed that the mean As concentrations in stems of samples were significantly higher than those in leaves. As concentrations in all samples did not exceed food safety limits for vegetables. Generally, concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn in leaves were higher than those in stems. The second investigation is a survey on the levels of As and other heavy metals in vegetation in the vicinity of Myoungbong mine tailings. The results demonstrated that As, Pb and Cu concentrations and bioaccumulation factors （BCF） in seedlings of the fern（A splenium achilleifolium） were the highest, whereas Marsh horsetail（Equisetum polustre） accumulated the highest levels of Zn. Concentrations of As, Pb, Zn and Cu in vegetable-cress （Lepidium sativum） and the edible herb-aromatic madder （Elasholtzia splendens） were higher than food safety limits. Therefore, a risk assessment of As and other heavy metals in vegetables and herbs on local human health should be conducted in the future.