Influence of Agricultural Antibiotics and 17β-Estradiol on the Microbial Community of Soil

Agricultural pharmaceuticals are a major environmental concern because of their hazardous effects on human and wildlife. This study analyzed phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFAs) and quinones to investigate the effects of a steroid (17β-estradiol) and agricultural antibiotics (chlortetracycline and tylosin) on soil microbes in the laboratory. Two different types of soil were used: Sequatchie loam (0.8% organic matter) and LaDelle silt loam (9.2% organic matter). The soils were spiked with 17β-estradiol and antibiotics, alone or in combination. In Sequatchie loam, 17β-estradiol significantly increased the microbial biomass, especially the biomarkers for beta proteobacteria (16:1ω7c, 18:1ω7c, Cy17:0, and UQ-8). The coexistence of antibiotics decreased the stimulatory effect of 17β-estradiol on the microbial community. In LaDelle silt loam, there were no significant differences in total microbial biomass and their microbial community structure among the treatments. Overall, 17β-estradiol changed the microbial community of soil and the presence of antibiotics nullified the effect of 17β-estradiol. However, the effects of 17β-estradiol and antibiotics on soil microbes were sensitive to the soil properties, as seen in the LaDelle silt loam.     

Impact and Dynamics of Disease in Species Threatened by the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Abstract:  Estimating disease-associated mortality and transmission processes is difficult in free-ranging wildlife but important for understanding disease impacts and dynamics and for informing management decisions. In a capture–mark–recapture study, we used a PCR-based diagnostic test in combination with multistate models to provide the first estimates of disease-associated mortality and detection, infection, and recovery rates for frogs endemically infected with the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the pandemic amphibian disease chytridiomycosis. We found that endemic chytridiomycosis was associated with a substantial reduction (approximately 38%) in apparent monthly survival of the threatened rainforest treefrog Litoria pearsoniana despite a long period of coexistence (approximately 30 years); detection rate was not influenced by disease status; improved recovery and reduced infection rates correlated with decreased prevalence, which occurred when temperatures increased; and incorporating changes in individuals' infection status through time with multistate models increased effect size and support (98.6% vs. 71% of total support) for the presence of disease-associated mortality when compared with a Cormack–Jolly–Seber model in which infection status was restricted to the time of first capture. Our results indicate that amphibian populations can face significant ongoing pressure from chytridiomycosis long after epidemics associated with initial Bd invasions subside, an important consideration for the long-term conservation of many amphibian species worldwide. Our findings also improve confidence in estimates of disease prevalence in wild amphibians and provide a general framework for estimating parameters in epidemiological models for chytridiomycosis, an important step toward better understanding and management of this disease.     

Decomposition of aqueous chlorinated contaminants by UV irradiation with H2O2

In the present study, the decomposition rates of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in water by the ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation alone and H₂O₂/UV were experimentally investigated. The detailed experimental studies have been conducted for examining treatment capacities of the two different ultraviolet light sources (low and medium pressure Hg arc) in H₂O₂/UV processes. The low or medium UV lamp alone resulted in a 60%–90% decomposition of 2,4-DCP while a slight addition of H₂O₂ resulted in a drastic enhancement of the 2,4-DCP decomposition rate. The decomposition rate of 2,4-DCP with the medium pressure UV lamp alone was about 3–6 times greater than the low pressure UV lamp alone. In the direct photolysis of aqueous CCl₄, the medium pressure UV lamp had advantage over the low pressure UV lamp because the molar extinction coefficient of CCl₄ at shorter wavelength (210–220 nm) is about 20 to 50 times higher than that at 254 nm. However, adding H₂O₂ to the medium pressure UV lamp system rendered a negative oxidation rate because H₂O₂ acted as a UV absorber being competitive with CCl₄ due to negligible reaction between CCl₄ and OH radicals. The results from the present study indicated significant influence of the photochemical properties of the target contaminants on the photochemical treatment characteristics for designing cost-effective UV-based degradation of toxic contaminants.     

三江平原保护区社区居民对湿地生态系统服务功能的贡献意愿

为了解社区对维持保护区湿地生态系统服务功能的贡献意愿,研究选取三江平原5个湿地自然保护区及其社区,依据条件价值评估法设计双边界二分式问卷,进行实地走访调查,从居民社会经济背景等方面探讨影响贡献意愿的因素、居民支付意愿（WTP）和劳动意愿（WTW）的差异。结果表明：1）居民对湿地生态系统服务的劳动意愿（73.57%）高于支付意愿（55.65%）,居民的抗议支付率随WTP和WTW投标值增加呈上升趋势,人均WTP为387.25±7.08元/a,WTW为31.40±0.39 h/月;2）月收入水平较高及对支付金钱有较高接受程度的受访居民,其WTP相对较高;加入环保类协会、对付出劳动的接受程度较高、受教育程度较高及男性的受访居民,则有较高的WTW;3）49.46%的居民愿意同时贡献金钱与劳动,远高于其他贡献意愿类型。建议在保护区的资源保护与管理实践中鼓励社区参与,充分发挥社区居民乐于提供志愿服务时间的贡献意愿。     

改性生物炭对水体中抗生素的去除研究进展

随着社会经济的不断发展,抗生素造成的水体环境污染问题已不容忽视.利用生物炭去除水体中的抗生素是解决这一问题的有效手段之一.然而,原始生物炭对水体中抗生素等有机污染物的去除存在一定局限性,因此对生物炭进行改性以提升其吸附能力尤为必要.生物炭的吸附性能受生物质类型、碳化条件和改性方法等因素影响较大,导致目前虽然开展了许多相关研究,但结论不一,尤其是在不同改性生物炭对不同抗生素吸附机理的解释方面还不是很清楚,因此有必要对现有研究进行系统地归纳和总结.本文首先对用于抗生素吸附的改性生物炭制备方法及理化性质表征方法进行了介绍,综述了改性生物炭对不同种类抗生素(磺胺类、喹诺酮类、四环素类、大环内酯类、氯霉素类)的吸附效果、吸附机理及其影响因素(如溶液pH值、热解温度、改性材料等),对比分析了生物炭改性前后吸附效果的差异,对目前改性生物炭用于去除水体中抗生素存在的问题进行了分析和总结,在此基础上,对今后该领域的研究和发展方向进行了展望,以期为将来开展相关的研究工作提供一定的参考.     

元素-锶同位素技术在农产品原产地溯源中的应用

农产品质量安全及其产地溯源是当今世界共同关注的问题。国际上,将元素-同位素技术应用到农产品溯源领域正受到极大关注。通过研究农产品原产地土壤、岩石、降水及地表水等环境因子中元素-同位素组成与农产品之间的对应关系,可定位农产品原产地及其生长地域环境地球化学特征。目前,追溯农产品产地的技术方法存在同位素分馏效应,人为干扰因素...     

土壤CO2浓度与地表CO2通量的季节变化及其相互关系

采用气相色谱法对贵州喀斯特地区不同土地利用方式土壤剖面CO2浓度与地表CO2通量的季节变化特征进行为期一年的观测.结果表明:土壤CO2浓度和地表CO2通量具有明显的季节变化规律,均表现为:从春季到夏季浓度和通量逐渐增加,而从秋季到冬季浓度和通量又逐渐降低,这与该区域的温度和降雨量变化趋势一致.不同土地利用方式土壤CO2...     

中国北方干旱-半干旱地区草地NH_3通量原位观测研究

NH3挥发是导致农业和畜牧业施肥中N素流失的主要途径之一。基于这一认识,人们推测NH3的释放也可能在干旱-半干旱地区天然草地氮素流失中起着重要作用。然而这方面的观测研究却十分有限。我国北方天然草地面积约150万平方千米,而且在干旱-半干旱过渡地区的草地中存在N相对于C不足的现象。认识NH3挥发在其中所起的作用对防治草地退化、保护干旱区生态环境安全具有重要意义。本文利用Thermo-Fisher公司生产的Model17iNOx-NH3分析仪和动态箱法对黄土高原西北部边缘和宁夏中东部地区,也即农牧过渡带地区在8～9月份的地-气NH3交换通量进行了观测研究,发现其通量昼夜变化存在多种类型,平均通量在-2～2g NH3/(m2.h)之间;在空间变化上,NH3的地-气交换在毛乌素沙地西侧表现为对大气NH3的净吸收,经黄土高原边缘和宁夏中东部的过渡,到宁夏南部的固原地区变化为草地NH3的净释放。这种草地NH3释放通量自北向南增加的现象主要是由于降水对土壤的湿润作用所致。干旱的环境条件使得水分超过了土壤pH和温度等众多影响因素而成为NH3挥发的主要限制因素。据此可以推测NH3挥发作用在我国北方自然草地N素流失中的作用可能较小,不可能是导致农牧交错地区土壤N素相对不足的原因。     

生物炭在新疆棉田的应用效果研究

农业是新疆经济和社会的基础,维系着全疆广大农牧民的生计,也关系到民族团结、边疆稳定和各族人民生活水平。寻求新技术提高绿洲农业生产力是新时期新疆经济和社会发展的要求。我们将小麦秸秆生物炭应用于喀什绿洲的灌淤土,研究了其对土壤pH和土壤水分的影响以及对棉花生长和产量的促进作用。结果显示,10%生物炭施用量可以倍增田间持水量,并提高土壤pH值0.36。但后一作用会随土壤灌溉和淋滤作用的增加而降低;在混合施用方式下,生物炭显著提高棉花产量,5%的施用量提高皮棉产量26%。这种增产效果产生的原因是生物炭的施用增加了土壤的营养成分和供水能力,从而增强了植株的株高、果枝数和单株铃数等。但条施方式对棉花的增产效果不显著,其施用过程会伤及作物根系和/或纯生物炭的高碱性影响植株的生理作用,从而造成棉株的枯萎、迟滞作物的生长。上述结果表明生物炭技术是提高绿洲农业生产力很有潜力的一条途径,但施用方式是一个很重要的影响因素。本研究结果不仅可以直接指导新疆绿洲的棉花生产,还可以为我国北方广大干旱区农业生产和管理提供借鉴。     

Effects of low temperature on aluminum(Ⅲ) hydrolysis: theoretical and experimental studies

In this study, the effects of low temperature on aluminum(III) (Al) hydrolysis were examined both theoretically and experimentally by constructing a solubility diagram for amorphous aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3(am)) and a distribution diagram of hydrolyzed Al species. Firstly, thermodynamic data of Al species at 4℃ were calculated from that at 25℃. A well confirmed polymeric Al species, AlO4Al12(OH)247 (Al13), was involved in building the diagrams and, correspondingly, the non-linear simultaneous equations with 13 degrees were resolved. Secondly, polarized Zeeman atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and ferron-based spectrophotometry were applied for constructing the practical diagrams. The results show that a decrease of temperature from 25 to 4℃ caused the Al(OH)3(am) boundary on the solubility diagram to shift toward the alkaline side by about 1.0 pH unit and the minimum solubility of Al(OH)3(am) to reduce by 1.0 log unit. The distribution diagram indicates that the monomeric Al, Al13, and solid-phase Al(OH)3 were alternately the predominant species with the increase of pH value during Al hydrolysis. At 25℃, Al13 was the dominant species in a pH range of 4.0 to 4.5, whereas at 4℃, Al13 was the leading species in a pH range spaced from 4.5 to 6.3. The predominant species changed from the monomeric Al to the solid-phase Al(OH)3 over the range of 1.8 pH units at 4℃ in comparison with the range of 0.5 pH unit at 25℃.