Evaluation of noise environments during daily activities of university students

Noise conditions specifically in areas inside university facilities and its impact on the quality of life of university students are topics that have received little attention. This paper presents a study of the noise conditions in which university students of various institutions in Madrid, Spain, carry out their daily studies. A representative number of measurements was carried out using noise dosemeters and dataloggers in order to evaluate the levels of noise, noise dose and exposure to noise during school periods and extracurricular activities. The results were compared with the recommendations given by current environmental noise regulations. This paper was complemented with a survey to get to know how students perceive the exposure to noise in university environments.     

不规则波情况下破波带内污染物水平二维输移扩散实验研究

研究破波带内污染物输移扩散特性可为近岸水环境保护和污染物的排放设计提供依据。由于实际情况中海岸入射波都是不规则波,因此本文基于物理模型实验、图像处理和形心点追踪等方法对5组不规则入射波况下的污染物水平二维输移扩散特性进行了研究,着重对不同波况下污染物垂直岸线方向与沿岸方向的输移速度及垂直岸线方向的扩散系数进行了计算分析。结果表明,不规则入射波情况下污染物垂直岸线方向的输移速度V_x约为沿岸方向输移速度V_y的4.4%～64.7%;沿岸方向的污染物输移速度约为时均沿岸流速最大值的35%;在不规则波入射情况下,垂直岸线方向的扩散系数为2.3×10?4 ～2.2×10?3 m2/s,并且扩散系数随不规则入射波周期的增大而减小,而入射波波高对其影响并不显著。     

Relationship between organizational justice and employee work outcomes: a cross‐national study

This study examined the influence of organizational justice perceptions on employee work outcome relationships as moderated by individual differences that are influenced by societal culture. Power distance, but not country or individualism, moderated the relationships between perceived justice and satisfaction, performance, and absenteeism. The effects of perceived justice on these outcomes were stronger among individuals scoring lower on power distance index, and most of these study participants were in the U.S. (versus Hong Kong) sample. Limitations of the study and the implications of the findings for managing cross‐culturally are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ecosystem engineering by leaf-rolling mites enhances arthropod diversity

Bombardier beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Brachininae) possess a remarkable defense mechanism where a hot chemical spray is released from the tip of their abdomen, with an audible explosive sound. To date, the repellent properties of these chemicals have been tested against a limited number of taxa, such as amphibians and insects. To investigate the impact of bombardier beetle defenses on avian predators, feeding trials were conducted using the bombardier beetle (Pheropsophus jessoensis) and the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), a sympatric and generalist predator. All naïve, hand-reared quail attacked live beetles, indicating the absence of an innate aversion to them. However, most of the quail rejected consuming the beetles whether or not the beetles sprayed them with chemicals. Naïve quail also rejected dead P. jessoensis individuals. These results support the recent hypothesis that it is not essential for P. jessoensis to spray noxious chemicals to deter predators. We also found that some of the quail exposed to live P. jessoensis remembered to avoid them for up to 5 weeks. Our results provide the first evidence of the repelling effects of bombardier beetle defense mechanisms on avian predators.

     

Determination of ortho-phthalaldehyde in air and on surfaces

Three sampling and analytical methods have been developed and evaluated for ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA): (1) an HPLC-UV method for OPA in air, (2) a fluorimetric method for OPA on surfaces, and (3) a colorimetric method for OPA on surfaces. (1) The air sampler contains 350 mg of silica gel coated with 1 mg of acidified 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). Air sampling may be conducted at 0.03 to 1.0 L min(-1) for periods up to 8 h. Samples were eluted with ethyl acetate, and the eluents were allowed to stand for 72 h. Analysis was by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a UV detector set at 369 nm. An unusual phenomenon was the observation that the stability of the sample on a sampler at 3 degrees C tends to decrease as the total quantity of OPA collected on the sampler decreases. Elution of the samples within 24 h of air sampling is required. The detection limit (LOD) is approximately 0.02 microg of OPA per sample. OPA on surfaces may be collected with strips cut from a sheet of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA wipe). (2) In the surface wipe method with analysis by fluorescence measurement, the strips of PVA wipe were placed into dimethyl sulfoxide. An aliquot was treated with aqueous N-acetyl-l-cysteine and ethylenediamine. Analysis was performed with a portable fluorometer (excitation and emission wavelengths = 365 nm and 438 nm, respectively). The LOD is 0.2 microg per sample. (3) In the surface wipe method with visual colorimetric detection, the strips of PVA wipe were placed into 30 : 70 acetonitrile : water. An aliquot was treated with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine in 0.1 m sulfuric acid. After color development, the LOD is approximately 48 microg per sample. These methods have been field tested in a hospital.     

季铵化合物对环境的影响及微生物降解研究进展

季铵化合物(QACs)作为最主要的阳离子表面活性剂,被认定为一种需要深入研究的潜在有害物质.美、日、欧地区学者已经对QACs展开了广泛研究,而国内只对其分析监测方法作了一些初步探索,在环境领域对于QACs的研究还鲜有报道.综述了QACs在城市污水处理厂以及自然水体中的分布特征、环境风险、降解特性以及降解机制等方面的研究进展,并对QACs的环境影响以及生物降解的研究方向进行了探讨,对相关研究人员具有一定的参考价值.     

隔河岩水库二氧化碳通量时空变化及影响因素

随着气候变化研究的深入,大型河流拦截工程对水域碳循环及温室气体交换的影响引起越来越多的关注.为了评估河流拦截工程对水域生态系统碳循环和二氧化碳交换通量时空分布模式的影响,选择清江隔河岩水库作为典型案例,采用在线分析仪与浮箱相结合的方法,在2015年3月至2016年2月期间开展了完整水文年连续观测实验,获取了水库坝前、上游、支流、消落带与库湾等典型区域二氧化碳通量数据.数据分析结果表明隔河岩水库水气界面二氧化碳平均通量为(55.691 8±66.332 9)mg·(m2·h)-1,呈现年内冬季高其他季节低的时间变化规律,空间上则表现为水库消落带坝前较低、典型库湾区域较高的分布格局.作为水库背景的库尾断面渔峡口区域二氧化碳通量季节变化非常稳定,在大部分时间内反而高于坝前和消落带断面的二氧化碳通量.数据分析表明二氧化碳通量时空分布格局受到水温、pH值和水体碳浓度的显著影响,但其相关程度受到季节和蓄水的双重影响.     

萍乡市土壤中重金属离子含量、空间分布及其变化趋势研究

以江西省萍乡地区土壤为研究对象,分析研究了萍乡市土壤中重金属离子的含量及空间分布特征,并初步估算了重金属离子累积现速率和加速度.结果表明:萍乡市土壤整体环境质量较好,但随着社会经济的快速发展,工农业生产等人为活动对土壤的影响越来越大.从空间分布来看,在全市5个县区布置的52个采样点中,共有24个测点的重金属离子含量超标.其中上栗县有10个测点的重金属离子含量超标,明显多于其他县区,出现了与其他县区不同的污染特征.     

Origin of major ions in monthly rainfall events at the Bamenda Highlands, North West Cameroon

Rainwater characteristics can reveal emissions from various anthropogenic and natural sources into the atmosphere. The physico-chemical characteristics of 44 monthly rainfall events （collected between January and December 2012） from 4 weather stations （Bamenda, Ndop plain, Ndawara and Kumbo） in the Bamenda Highlands （BH） were investigated. The purpose was to determine the sources of chemical species, their seasonal inputs and suitability of the rainwater for drinking. The mean pH of 5 indicated the slightly acidic nature of the rainwater. Average total dissolved solids （TDS） were low （6.7 mg/L）, characteristic of unpolluted atmospheric moisture/air. Major ion concentrations （mg/L） were low and in the order K＋ 〉 Ca2＋ 〉 Mg2~ 〉 Na＋ for cations and NO3 〉〉 HCO3 〉 SO] 〉 CI- 〉 PO3- 〉 F- for anions. The average rainwater in the area was mixed Ca-Mg-SO4-CI water type. The CI-/Na＋ ratio （1.04） was comparable to that of seawater （1.16）, an indication that N a＋ and CI originated mainly from marine （Atlantic Ocean） aerosols. High enrichments of Ca2＋, Mg2＋ and SO2- to Na＋ ratios relative to seawater ratios （constituting 44% of the total ions） demonstrated their terrigenous origin, mainly from Saharan and Sahelian arid dusts. The K＋/Na＋ ratio （2.24）, which was similar to tropical vegetation ash （2.38）, and NO3 was essentially from biomass burning. Light （〈 100 mm） pre-monsoon and post-monsoon convective rains were enriched in major ions than the heavy （〉 100 mm） monsoon rains, indicating a high contribution of major ions during the low convective showers. Despite the acidic nature, the TDS and major ion concentrations classified the rainwater as potable based on the WHO guidelines.     

Spatial heterogeneity influences native and nonnative plant species richness

Spatial heterogeneity may have differential effects on the distribution of native and nonnative plant species richness. We examined the effects of spatial heterogeneity on native and nonnative plant species richness distributions in the central part of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA. Spatial heterogeneity around vegetation plots was characterized using landscape metrics, environmental/topographic variables (slope, aspect, elevation, and distance from stream or river), and soil variables (nitrogen, clay, and sand). The landscape metrics represented five components of landscape heterogeneity and were measured at four spatial extents (within varying radii of 120, 240, 480, and 960 m) using the FRAGSTATS landscape pattern analysis program. Akaike's Information Criterion adjusted for small sample size (AICc) was used to select the best models from a set of multiple linear regression models developed for native and nonnative plant species richness at four spatial extents and three levels of ecological hierarchy (i.e., landscape, land cover, and community). Both native and nonnative plant species richness were positively correlated with edge density, Simpson's diversity index and interspersion/juxtaposition index, and were negatively correlated with mean patch size. The amount of variation explained at four spatial extents and three hierarchical levels ranged from 30% to 70%. At the landscape level, the best models explained 43% of the variation in native plant species richness and 70% of the variation in nonnative plant species richness (240-m extent). In general, the amount of variation explained was always higher for nonnative plant species richness, and the inclusion of landscape metrics always significantly improved the models. The best models explained 66% of the variation in nonnative plant species richness for both the conifer land cover type and lodgepole pine community. The relative influence of the components of spatial heterogeneity differed for native and nonnative plant species richness and varied with the spatial extent of analysis and levels of ecological hierarchy. The study offers an approach to quantify spatial heterogeneity to improve models of plant biodiversity. The results demonstrate that ecologists must recognize the importance of spatial heterogeneity in managing native and nonnative plant species.