The Economic Consequences of Alien Plant Invasions: Examples of Impacts and Approaches to Sustainable Management in South Africa

The invasion of natural ecosystems by alien plants is a serious environmental problem that threatens the sustainable use of benefits derived from such ecosytems. Most past studies in this field have focussed on the history, ecology and management of invasive alien species, and little work has been done on the economic aspects and consequences of invasions. This paper reviews what is known of the economic consequences of alien plant invasions in South Africa. These economic arguments have been used to successfully launch the largest environmental management programme in Africa.Ten million hectares of South Africa has been invaded by 180 alien species, but their impacts are not fully understood, although they are undoubtedly significant. The indications are that the total costs of these impacts are substantial. Selected studies show that invasions have reduced the value of fynbos ecosystems by over US$ 11.75 billion; that the total cost of invasion would be about US$ 3.2 billion on the Agulhas Plain alone; that the net present cost of invasion by black wattles amounts to US$ 1.4 billion; that invasions by red water fern have cost US$ 58 million; and that the cost to clear the alien plant invasions in South Africa is around US$ 1.2 billion. These few examples indicate that the economic consequences of invasions are huge.One of the unique aspects of invasive plant control programmes in South Africa has been the ability to leverage further benefits (mainly through employment) for the expensive control programmes from the government's poverty relief budget. This has made it possible to allocate substantial funding to a programme that would otherwise have struggled to obtain significant support. Biological control of invasive species also offers considerable benefits, but is often the subject of debate. We believe that, at least in the case of many invasive alien plant species in South Africa, biological control offers one of the best, and most cost-effective, interventions for addressing the problem.     

Effects of salinity on soil bacterial and archaeal community in estuarine wetlands and its implications for carbon sequestration: verification in the Yellow River Delta

Soils from two typical tidal salt marshes with varied salinity in the Yellow River Delta wetland were analysed to determine possible effects of salinity on soil carbon sequestration through changes in soil microbiology. The mean soil respiration (SR) of the salt water–fresh water mixing zone (MZ) was 2.89 times higher than that of the coastal zone (CZ) (4.73 and 1.63?μmol?m^?2?s^?1, respectively, p?Pseudomonas sp. and Limnobacter sp. that might have led to its higher dehydrogenase activity and respiratory rates. Additionally, the CZ possessed more Halobacteria and Thaumarchaeota with the ability to fix CO₂ than the MZ. Significantly lower soil salinity in MZ (4.25?g?kg^?1) was suitable for β-Proteobacteria, but detrimental for Halobacteria compared with CZ (7.09?g?kg^?1, p?相似文献   

高效降解微囊藻毒素食酸戴尔福特菌USTB-04的培养与活性研究

主要针对筛选的高效降解微囊藻毒素(microcystins,MCs)的食酸戴尔福特菌USTB-04(Delftia acidovorans,DA菌)的培养方法进行了研究.结果表明,以葡萄糖、甘油和乙醇作为惟一碳源时,与氯化铵和尿素相比,酵母粉是支持DA菌生长的较好氮源.在以酵母粉作为惟一氮源时,与甘油和乙醇相比,葡萄糖是提高DA菌生长速度的较好碳源.进一步研究显示,以葡萄糖和酵母粉作为碳源和氮源时,可以支持DA菌的快速稳定生长,但在以甘油和酵母粉作为碳源和氮源时.培养出的DA菌降解MCs的比活性最高.此研究在培养高细胞浓度DA菌作为生物催化剂用于饮用水源中的MCs去除方面具有重要意义.     

Organochlorinated contaminants in decapod crustaceans from the coasts of Brittany and Normandy (France)

The contamination and distribution of organochlorinated compounds were considered in three crustacean species (edible crab, Cancer pagurus; spider crab, Maja brachydactyla; velvet swimming crab, Necora puber) from five sites along the coasts of Brittany and Normandy (Western and North-Western France). PCBs (16 single congeners), pp'-DDE and HCB were measured in hepatopancreas, gonads and muscle: in all, 175 samples were analysed. The spider crab was the only species found in the five sampling sites, thus enabling comparison between areas. Specimens from Antifer were much more contaminated (summation operator 16 PCBs in hepatopancreas=2000-4000 ng g(-1) dry weight) than those from other sites (50-1000 ng g(-1) d.w.). Among all the three species, the spider crab appeared more contaminated by PCBs than the edible crab, by a factor 2-3, probably in relation with specific differences in their life cycle. There was no difference due to the gender of the species. Within the different analysed tissues, contamination levels increased from muscle to gonads and hepatopancreas in relation with the fat content. A very similar PCB composition was observed in all samples, PCB fingerprints being characterised by the relative importance of the more persistent PCB congeners: CB153, 138, 180, 187, and 118. Finally, these results were compared to recent food regulations first of maximum marker PCB intake and secondly of maximum dioxin-like PCB intake. By considering the muscle, all samples were far below the regulatory limits; for hepatopancreas and gonads, however, some samples were unfit for human consumption.     

杭州市环境空气中黑碳质量浓度变化特征

采用2013年环境空气自动监测数据,分析杭州市空气中黑碳质量浓度的变化规律,并对变化特征的产生原因进行探讨。结果表明:黑碳测定年均值为4.10μg/m3,日变化有明显双峰结构,峰值出现在早7时和晚8时左右;从季节看,黑碳质量浓度冬季高(5.20μg/m3)、夏季低(3.00μg/m3);黑碳质量浓度与NO2、CO、PM10、PM2.5显著相关,与O3、风速、气温呈负相关,降水对黑碳的清除作用明显。     

风力发电机组低电压穿越能力的试验分析

针对多起因系统故障引起电压跌落,导致风力发电机组脱网事故,对风电机组的低电压穿越能力进行分析,采用风电机组低电压穿越移动测试装置对风电机组进行低电压穿越能力测试。测试结果表明:风电机组低电压穿越能力测试可以精确记录风电机组低电压穿越期间电压、电流等各项参数指标,对并网风机及系统的稳定运行意义重大。     

Comprehensive temperature monitoring in an in-vessel forced-aeration static-bed composting process

Comprehensive temperature monitoring was done in an in-vessel forced-aeration static-bed composting process using sewage sludge. The three layers that divided the compost pile horizontally showed different temperature distributions. The temperature of the top layer appeared not to be influenced by the ambient temperature. The temperature of the center area of the top layer was taken to be the representative temperature for evaluating composting start-up performance. The temperature of the bottom layer was strongly influenced by the ambient temperature, and the temperature of the center area of the bottom layer was taken to be the representative temperature for pathogen control as it was the minimum temperature in the reactor. Composting start-up performance was influenced by several factors when the ambient temperature was either below or above 20°C. When the ambient temperature was below 20°C, the time taken to reach 65°C (T ₆₅) was influenced by the temperature of inflowing air, but when the temperature was higher than 20°C, it was influenced by the ratio of sewage sludge to seed compost (F/S). T ₆₅ was least when F/S was 1–2. Received: January 9, 2001 / Accepted: October 10, 2001     

泰安市冬季一次严重空气污染过程分析

为揭示泰安市空气污染形成原因,选取泰安市2016年12月一次严重空气污染过程,利用泰安市2016年12月地面和探空资料及NCEP/NCAR（美国国家环境预报中心/美国国家大气研究中心）提供的FNL资料,对泰安市严重污染期间大气环流形势、边界层条件、污染源及传输路径进行分析.结果表明:在泰安市霾污染期间,500 hPa大气环流形势呈"两槽一脊"的特征,850 hPa泰安市处于南支槽前,受西南暖湿气流影响,为ρ（PM_2.5）的升高提供了有利条件;泰安市近地面处于高压控制下的弱风区（平均风速约为1.2 m/s）且边界层有逆温层存在,阻碍了PM_2.5的垂直输送,造成近地面ρ（PM_2.5）急剧升高.此外,泰安市及周边地区污染严重,聚类分析结果表明此次过程本地输送占比约为34%,其余均为外来传输,即污染物主要通过外来源传输,本地污染源贡献比率较小.污染物的高、低空传输路径不一致,低空污染物主要从安徽省水平输送至泰安市,高空污染物则先由河北省、河南省向南传输至安徽省、湖北省等地,再随南风气流向北输送至泰安市.研究显示,外来污染源传输作用配合本地静稳天气形势是造成此次泰安市空气污染的主要原因.      

滇池水生植物分布对沉积物间隙水中不同形态氮的影响

为揭示水生植物分布对滇池沉积物间隙水中各形态氮质量浓度的影响,于2015年6月在滇池分别采集有植物区域和无植物区域的沉积物柱状样,检测间隙水及上覆水中DTN(溶解性总氮)、NH₄+-N、NO₃--N和DON(溶解性有机氮)的质量浓度,分析其垂向变化特征以及水生植物对间隙水中各形态氮的释放控制效果. 结果表明:①水生植物改变了柱状沉积物间隙水中不同形态氮的分布规律,并且这种改变随湖区不同而表现不尽一致;②水生植物显著降低了沉积物间隙水中DON的贡献率,有植物分布区域ρ(DON)对ρ(DTN)的平均贡献率为41.05%,无植物区域可达58.48%;③水生植物显著抑制了沉积物中无机氮的释放,促进了DON的转化,同一采样点有植物区域NH₄+-N和NO₃--N的沉积物-水界面扩散通量分别比无植物区域平均降低了87.52%和91.99%;④水生植物生长显著削减了沉积物间隙水中氮的质量浓度,其中ρ(DON)的削减率达到了53.27%~80.42%. 研究显示,水生植物根系作为微生物和多种活性酶的主要载体,为沉积物有机氮的矿化降解起到了促进作用.