Differing Modes of Biotic Connectivity within Freshwater Ecosystem Mosaics

We describe a collection of aquatic and wetland habitats in an inland landscape, and their occurrence within a terrestrial matrix, as a “freshwater ecosystem mosaic” (FEM). Aquatic and wetland habitats in any FEM can vary widely, from permanently ponded lakes, to ephemerally ponded wetlands, to groundwater‐fed springs, to flowing rivers and streams. The terrestrial matrix can also vary, including in its influence on flows of energy, materials, and organisms among ecosystems. Biota occurring in a specific region are adapted to the unique opportunities and challenges presented by spatial and temporal patterns of habitat types inherent to each FEM. To persist in any given landscape, most species move to recolonize habitats and maintain mixtures of genetic materials. Species also connect habitats through time if they possess needed morphological, physiological, or behavioral traits to persist in a habitat through periods of unfavorable environmental conditions. By examining key spatial and temporal patterns underlying FEMs, and species‐specific adaptations to these patterns, a better understanding of the structural and functional connectivity of a landscape can be obtained. Fully including aquatic, wetland, and terrestrial habitats in FEMs facilitates adoption of the next generation of individual‐based models that integrate the principles of population, community, and ecosystem ecology.     

A new index for measuring perpendicularity of animal movements in relation to patch boundaries

We introduce a new index for measuring perpendicularity of animal movements with respect to a boundary (e.g., a habitat patch edge), and provide a computer algorithm for its calculation. Our index, η, improves on an approach that measures perpendicularity with respect to a fixed boundary direction. This is because η accounts for moment-to-moment trajectories relative to nearest-neighbor boundary attributes at the scale of an animal's movement. Our algorithm prp calculates η efficiently and accurately with both synthetic data and large telemetry datasets. In addition, we have included routines in prp which account for scenarios inherently problematic to perpendicularity estimators.     

运行方式对人工快渗系统水质净化效果的影响

以天然砂作为主要渗滤介质,建立污水处理人工快速渗滤系统(CRI).分别以洗浴污水、生活污水和受污染河水作为研究对象,在相同的水力负荷条件下,用两种不同的运行方式(定期投配一定量的污水、淹水和落干交替运行)对不同水质的污染物去除效果进行了对比研究.结果表明,通过缩短淹水周期,加大系统淹水和落干的频率,可以明显改善CRI系统的污染物去除效果.     

Toxicological evaluation of constructed wetland habitat sediments utilizing 10-day sediment toxicity test and bacterial bioluminescence

A toxicological evaluation was conducted on wetland habitats created as a result of run-off from agricultural areas. These temporary wetlands were created by using drop pipes as a means of reducing erosional cutting in agricultural fields. Toxicity bioassays utilizing bacterial bioluminescence and Hyalella azteca were used to assess sediment pore water and whole sediment, respectively. Inhibition of bacterial bioluminescence was initially used to determine relative toxicities of pore water from ten wetland sites. Constructed wetland sites were compared to the University of Mississippi Biological Field Station, a relatively pristine reference site. The H. azteca ten day sediment toxicity test was utilized to assess sediment from four selected sites using survival and growth as toxicological endpoints. Results from the toxicological evaluation, along with extensive ecological evaluations, were used to assess the best approach for implementation of temporary wetland habitats with existing agricultural practices.     

Visual associative learning in two desert ant species

Visual cues are important navigational tools for many solitary foraging insects. In addition to information provided by path integration, desert ants learn and use visual cues for homing back to their nest. In this study, we compared the visually based learning of two desert ant species: the North African Cataglyphis fortis and the Australian Melophorus bagoti, each of which lives in ecologically similar but visually different environments. In our experiment, ants’ choice performance was measured by training foragers in a channel system. We used a decision box with two visual stimuli during their homebound trips, with one of the stimuli always being the correct one that provided thoroughfare. To determine any habitat effects on learning, we examined intraspecific comparisons in C. fortis with different nest surroundings. The intraspecific comparison in C. fortis revealed no differences in learning the task. In general, C. fortis showed little learning in our task and the results were similar for ants from barren and cluttered environments. Overall, M. bagoti learned the task faster and had a higher level of accuracy than C. fortis. One explanation for this species-specific difference could be that the cluttered habitat of M. bagoti favours the evolution of visual associative learning more so than the plain habitat of C. fortis.     

Plutonium in groundwater at the 100K-Area of the U.S. DOE Hanford Site

We examined the concentration, size distribution, redox state and isotopic composition of plutonium (Pu) in groundwater at the 100K-Area at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site. Total concentrations of Pu isotopes were extremely low (10(-4) to 10(-6) pCi/kg, approximately 10(4) to 10(6) atoms/kg) but measurable for the first time in the 100K-Area wells using mass spectrometric analyses that are much more sensitive than alpha spectroscopy methods used previously. Size fractionation data from two wells suggest that 7-29% of the Pu is associated with colloids, operationally defined here as particles between 1 kDa-0.2 microm in size. These colloids were collected using a 1 kDa cross-flow ultrafiltration (CFF) system developed specifically for groundwater actinide studies to include careful controls both in the field and during processing to ensure in situ geochemical conditions are maintained and size separations can be well characterized. Pu in this colloidal fraction was exclusively in the more reduced Pu(III/IV) form, consistent with the higher affinity of Pu in the lower oxidation states for particle surfaces. While the overall concentrations of Pu were low, the Pu isotopic composition suggests at least two local sources of groundwater Pu, namely, local Hanford reactor operations at the 100K-Area and spent nuclear fuel from the N-reactor, which was stored in concrete pools at this site. Differences between this site and the Savannah River Site (SRS) are noted, since groundwater Pu at the F-Area seepage basin at SRS has been found using these same methods, to be characterized by lower colloidal abundances and higher oxidation states. This difference is not directly attributable to groundwater redox potential or geochemical conditions, but rather the physical-chemical difference in Pu sources, which at SRS appear to be dominated downstream from the seepage basins by decay of 244Cm, resulting in more oxidized forms of 240Pu. There is no clear evidence for colloid facilitated transport of Pu in groundwater at the Hanford Site, since downstream wells have both an order of magnitude lower concentrations of Pu and a lower fractional colloidal distribution.     

Validation and use of in vivo solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) for the detection of emerging contaminants in fish

A variety of emerging chemicals of concern are released continuously to surface water through the municipal wastewater effluent discharges. The ability to rapidly determine bioaccumulation of these contaminants in exposed fish without sacrificing the animal (i.e. in vivo) would be of significant advantage to facilitate research, assessment and monitoring of their risk to the environment. In this study, an in vivo solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) approach was developed and applied to the measurement of a variety of emerging contaminants (carbamazepine, naproxen, diclofenac, gemfibrozil, bisphenol A, fluoxetine, ibuprofen and atrazine) in fish. Our results indicated in vivo SPME was a potential alternative extraction technique for quantitative determination of contaminants in lab exposures and as well after exposure to two municipal wastewater effluents (MWWE), with a major advantage over conventional techniques due to its ability to non-lethally sample tissues of living organisms.     

清洁生产观点2:把清洁生产纳入可持续性战略

清洁生产已经作为一套手段、一个计划和一种思维方式而产生了影响.对这些影响可以从不同的层面进行评价.清洁生产虽然在过去十年取得了进步，但是仍需解决的清洁生产问题包括政府的政策、环境技术、废物减少、工作场所的安全、经济发展和社会消费.下一个十年需要取得进展的三个环境目标是去除毒性、非物质化和脱碳.另外还提出了清洁生产的一些更长期的目标.     

Characterization of compaction and CBR properties of recycled concrete aggregates for unbound road base and subbase materials in Vietnam

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Mechanical properties of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) such as compaction and California bearing ratio (CBR) are important for application as...