Malondialdehyde concentrations in the intestine and gills of Vardar chub (Squalius vardarensis Karaman) as indicator of lipid peroxidation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), was studied in Vardar chub (Squalius vardarensis Karaman) as an indicator of oxidative stress,...     

Resource availability,planning rigidity and Realpolitik in Lithuanian forest utilization

As tensions among diverse forest‐use interests in Lithuania are on the rise, this study examines the actual resource availability, the underlying planning approaches and the pertinent policy arena. Two 5‐year cycles of sampling‐based forest inventory provide accurate data showing that the overall timber harvest/increment ratio (or utilization intensity) is 61%. Utilization intensity is similar in state and private forests. It could potentially be raised to 70‐80%, with due account for environmental values. Such an increase is inhibited by rigid routines of forest management planning, involving inflexible rotation ages and cutting norms. Age‐class analysis indicates that the current planning practice counters its underlying aim of achieving a long‐term even flow of timber. According to a survey of key forest stakeholders, those who directly benefit from forest utilization have a weak position in the policy arena, the dominant powers being vested in the national forestry authorities. State forest enterprises have to follow restrictive plans from above, private forest owners are constrained by stern regulations and suffer from the bad image caused by the persistent myth of overuse in private forests. More rational management of Lithuanian forests is hardly possible without major shifts in the institutional set‐up accompanied by transformation of the professional ideology.     

基于CHIRPS卫星降水的雅砻江流域干湿时空演变分析

雅砻江流域是我国水电开发的重点区域之一，在全球气候变化背景下探究流域干湿时空演变规律有利于合理规划和充分利用水资源，为流域内农业生产活动提供科学指导。基于1981~2017年雅砻江流域内及周边16个气象站月气象数据，采用Penman-Monteith（PM）公式计算各站逐月潜在蒸散量ET0，基于气象站降水校正CHIRPS卫星降水产品，从而获得更高空间分辨率的降水数据，以此计算标准化降水蒸散SPEI指数，采用云模型、Mann-Kendall（MK）趋势检验法分析流域年代际、年、季尺度的干湿时空分布特征与变化趋势。结果表明：（1）对CHIRPS卫星降水产品进行偏差校正不但提高了精度，而且能够获得更高空间分辨率的降水；（2）流域春季呈湿润化趋势，其余时间尺度均呈现干旱化趋势，以冬季干旱化速率最快。年尺度下干湿变化不均匀度的稳定性最差，秋季稳定性相对最好。春、冬两季SPEI空间分布的不均匀度弱于时间分布；（3）同一时间尺度下的流域各级别干湿相对面积近似呈正态分布，流域干湿变化趋势空间分布差异较大；（4）流域各级别干旱与湿润高发区无明显区域分布规律，发生干旱与湿润的最高频率在20%左右，且随着干湿程度的加重，频率变化范围逐渐缩小；（5）不同年代干湿频率差异较为显著，年平均干旱频率变化趋势为减-增-减，湿润频率变化趋势为增-减-减，湿润频率高值区呈现由下游向上游转移的趋势。     

Anaerobic Biodegradation of Blends Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol

The presented work deals with blends composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and biopolymers (protein hydrolysate, starch, lignin). PVA does not belong to biologically inert plastics but its degradation rate (particularly under anaerobic conditions) is low. A potential solution to the issue problem lies in preparation of blends with readily degradable substrates. We studied degradation of blow-molded films made of commercial PVA and mentioned biopolymers in an aqueous anaerobic environment employing inoculation with digested activated sludge from the municipal wastewater treatment plant. Films prepared in the first experimental series were to be used for comparing biodegradation of blends modified with native or plasticized starch; in this case effect of plasticization was not proved. The degree of PVA degradation after modification with native or plasticized starch increases in a striking and practically same manner already at a starch level as low as approximately 5 wt.%. Films of the second experimental series were prepared as additionally modified with protein hydrolysate and lignin. Only lignin-modified samples exhibited a somewhat lower degree of biodegradation but regarding the measure of lignin present in blend this circumstance is not essential. Level of biodegradation with all discussed films differed only slightly—within range of experimental error.     

Analysis of emergency situations at municipal solid waste landfills

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This work focuses on the issue of emergency prevention in the operation of municipal solid waste landfills. In this work, an emergency is...     

Cybernetic formulation of control in ecosystems

Hierarchical control formulations are given for a simple predator-prey model: self-optimization of one subsystem, natural multi-goal optimization, man's multiparameter control of an ecosystem and man's control of a self-optimizing ecosystem. Natural multigoal optimization suggests how several levels of an ecosystem can be optimized simultaneously. The idea of management of a self-optimizing ecosystem takes into account the reactions of the ecosystem to man's activity.     

Natural control mechanisms in models of aquatic ecosystems

Based on cybernetic categories of natural control mechanisms, four generations of ecosystem models are distinguished: feed-forward, feedback, self-adaptation and self-organization models. The analysis of the natural control mechanisms in aquatic ecosystems suggests that different processes are controlled in different ways, and, although the four mechanisms were identified in historical sequence, they all operate simultaneously. The concept of self-organization of an ecosystem is introduced and specified for a model of an aquatic pelagic ecosystem. The concept of the ecosystem as a multilayer, multigoal and multiechelon hierarchical system with hierarchy of the levels of biological organization is also introduced.