Digital innovation through partnership between nature conservation organisations and academia: A qualitative impact assessment

Nature conservation organisations increasingly turn to new digital technologies to help deliver conservation objectives. This has led to collaborative forms of working with academia to spearhead digital innovation. Through in-depth interviews with three UK research-council-funded case studies, we show that by working with academics conservation organisations can receive positive and negative impacts, some of which cut across their operations. Positive impacts include new ways of engaging with audiences, improved data workflows, financial benefits, capacity building and the necessary digital infrastructure to help them influence policy. Negative impacts include the time and resources required to learn new skills and sustain new technologies, managing different organisational objectives and shifts in working practices as a result of the new technologies. Most importantly, collaboration with academics was shown to bring the opportunity of a profound change in perspectives on technologies with benefits to the partner organisations and individuals therein.     

Mapping species distributions: A comparison of skilled naturalist and lay citizen science recording

To assess the ability of traditional biological recording schemes and lay citizen science approaches to gather data on species distributions and changes therein, we examined bumblebee records from the UK’s national repository (National Biodiversity Network) and from BeeWatch. The two recording approaches revealed similar relative abundances of bumblebee species but different geographical distributions. For the widespread common carder (Bombus pascuorum), traditional recording scheme data were patchy, both spatially and temporally, reflecting active record centre rather than species distribution. Lay citizen science records displayed more extensive geographic coverage, reflecting human population density, thus offering better opportunities to account for recording effort. For the rapidly spreading tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum), both recording approaches revealed similar distributions due to a dedicated mapping project which overcame the patchy nature of naturalist records. We recommend, where possible, complementing skilled naturalist recording with lay citizen science programmes to obtain a nation-wide capability, and stress the need for timely uploading of data to the national repository.     

Microscope and spectacle: On the complexities of using new visual technologies to communicate about wildlife conservation

Wildlife conservation-related organisations increasingly employ new visual technologies in their science communication and public engagement efforts. Here, we examine the use of such technologies for wildlife conservation campaigns. We obtained empirical data from four UK-based organisations through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Visual technologies were used to provide the knowledge and generate the emotional responses perceived by organisations as being necessary for motivating a sense of caring about wildlife. We term these two aspects ‘microscope’ and ‘spectacle’, metaphorical concepts denoting the duality through which these technologies speak to both the cognitive and the emotional. As conservation relies on public support, organisations have to be seen to deliver information that is not only sufficiently detailed and scientifically credible but also spectacular enough to capture public interest. Our investigation showed that balancing science and entertainment is a difficult undertaking for wildlife-related organisations as there are perceived risks of contriving experiences of nature and obscuring conservation aims.     

共振能量转移同步荧光猝灭法测定水体中孔雀石绿

采用L-半胱氨酸、巯基乙酸为稳定剂水相合成Cd Te量子点,且以Cd Te量子点为能量供体、孔雀石绿为能量受体建立荧光共振能量转移体系,从而实现孔雀石绿含量的同步荧光猝灭法测定。结果表明,当固定波长差为220 nm时,Cd Te量子点的同步荧光最大发射波长位于323 nm。在最优实验条件下,体系的同步荧光淬灭强度与孔雀石绿的浓度在0.5~10.0μmol/L范围内呈良好的线性关系,相关系数为0.9995,方法的检出限为10 nmol/L。该方法用于实际水样中孔雀石绿含量的测定,加标回收率为94%~105%。     

γ-Al_2O_3负载Ni、Fe催化剂同时脱硫脱硝

采用浸渍法制备了不同负载量的Ni(x)Fe(y)/γ-AL2O3催化剂,通过XRD、H2-TPR、BET和SEM对催化剂进行表征,使用微型催化反应装置考察催化剂在以CO作为还原气时,同时脱硫脱硝的催化活性。结果表明,Ni O和Fe2O3做为活性组分可以很好地分散在γ-Al2O3载体上,并且不破坏其结构;Ni(8)Fe(2)/γ-Al2O3催化剂有最佳的脱硫脱硝活性,脱硫率达到96.55%,脱硝率达到97.92%。     

Food utilization and growth of cutworm Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae exposed to nickel,and its effect on reproductive potential

Food utilization and growth of the 5th and 6th instar Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae, and its effect on reproduction potential was evaluated by feeding larvae diets with different doses of Ni for 3 generations. Dose-dependent relationships between Ni levels and food consumption and growth were variable with different larval developmental period and Ni exposure duration. RCR, AD and RGR of the 6th instar larvae were much more affected by Ni exposure than those of 5th instar larvae, and the effects were strongest in the 3rd generation. It was found that RCR was significantly stimulated after 1 and 20 mg kg⁻¹ Ni exposure, while AD was significantly inhibited after 1, 5, 10 and 40 mg kg⁻¹ Ni exposure. However, lower levels of Ni (?5 mg kg⁻¹) significantly increased and higher levels of Ni (?10 mg kg⁻¹) significantly decreased RGR. In 3 successive generations, 10 mg kg⁻¹ Ni significantly increased the ECI and ECD of the 5th instar larvae, and 5 mg kg⁻¹ Ni significantly increased the ECD of the 6th instar larvae. However, ECD were all significantly inhibited with 20 mg kg⁻¹ Ni exposure. Results also revealed that durations of larvae were shortened at low levels of Ni, but extended at high levels of Ni. Fecundity was inhibited by the highest Ni doses in each generation, while improved by low Ni doses in the 3rd generation. Hatching rates in all treatments were significantly decreased in a Ni dose-dependent manner. Study indicated that effects of Ni on these parameters were predominant with the increasing Ni exposure period.     

长江中游盆地地质环境系统演变与防治对策

在构造沉降,泥沙淤积及人工围的相互的相互作用下,长江中游盆地质环境系统分割为演变化方向不同的两部分,堤外水域成为人工过饱盆地,堤内垸地成人为人工饥饿盆地。,长江某些区段及洞庭湖 水位抬升,垸地高程不断降低,洪涝渍害不断加剧。     

The Avoidance Responses of Daphnia magna to the Exposure of Organophosphorus Pesticides in an On-Line Biomonitoring System

In this study, avoidance behavior of the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna Straus was used as indicator to assess the early stress of accidental organophosphorus pesticide (OP) contamination. The movement behavior was detected by a multi-species biomonitoring system. There was obvious concentration–response relationship between the OP stress and the behavioral response even at sublethal exposure. A rising OP stress resulted in a significant decrease of response time to escape (RTE; p<0.05). In comparison of different OPs, it was found that there was a power regression between RTE and the toxic unit of OPs. Therefore, the avoidance behavior of D. magna was a sensitive indicator of sublethal OP stress, and the power relationship could be used to predict the early warning thresholds of more OPs in the on-line biomonitoring system.     

Determination of road dust loadings and chemical characteristics using resuspension

The contribution of fugitive dust from traffic to air pollution can no longer be ignored in China. In order to obtain the road dust loadings and to understand the chemical characteristics of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 from typical road dust, different paved roads in eight districts of Beijing were selected for dust collection during the four seasons of 2005. Ninety-eight samples from 28 roads were obtained. The samples were resuspended using equipment assembled to simulate the rising process of road dust caused by the wind or wheels in order to obtain the PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 filter samples. The average road dust loading was 3.82 g m^− 2, with the highest of 24.22 g m^− 2 being in Hutongs in the rural–urban continuum during winter. The road dust loadings on higher-grade roads were lower than those on lower-grade roads. Attention should be paid to the pollution in the rural–urban continuum areas. The sums of element abundances measured were 16.17% and 18.50% for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 in road dust. The average abundances of OC and EC in PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 in road dust were 11.52%, 2.01% and 12.50%, 2.06%, respectively. The abundance of elements, water-soluble ions, and OC, EC in PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 resuspended from road dust did not change greatly with seasons and road types. The soil dust, construction dust, dust emitted from burning coal, vehicle exhaust, and deposition of particles in the air were the main sources of road dust in Beijing. Affected by the application of snow-melting agents in Beijing during winter, the amount of Cl⁻ and Na⁺ was much higher during that time than in the other seasons. This will have a certain influence on roads, bridges, vegetations, and groundwater.