Pollination syndromes ignored: importance of non-ornithophilous flowers to Neotropical savanna hummingbirds

Generalization prevails in flower–animal interactions, and although animal visitors are not equally effective pollinators, most interactions likely represent an important energy intake for the animal visitor. Hummingbirds are nectar-feeding specialists, and many tropical plants are specialized toward hummingbird-pollination. In spite of this, especially in dry and seasonal tropical habitats, hummingbirds may often rely on non-ornithophilous plants to meet their energy requirements. However, quantitative studies evaluating the relative importance of ornithophilous vs. non-ornithophilous plants for hummingbirds in these areas are scarce. We here studied the availability and use of floral resources by hummingbirds in two different areas of the Cerrado, the seasonal savannas in Central Brazil. Roughly half the hummingbird visited plant species were non-ornithophilous, and these contributed greatly to increase the overall nectar availability. We showed that mean nectar offer, at the transect scale, was the only parameter related to hummingbird visitation frequency, more so than nectar offer at single flowers and at the plant scale, or pollination syndrome. Centrality indices, calculated using hummingbird–plant networks, showed that ornithophilous and non-ornithophilous plants have similar importance for network cohesion. How this foraging behaviour affects reproduction of non-ornithophilous plants remains largely unexplored and is probably case specific, however, we suggest that the additional energy provided by non-ornithophilous plants may facilitate reproduction of truly ornithophilous flowers by attracting and maintaining hummingbirds in the area. This may promote asymmetric hummingbird–plant associations, i.e., pollination depends on floral traits adapted to hummingbird morphology, but hummingbird visitation is determined more by the energetic "reward" than by pollination syndromes.     

Investigation of low-molecular weight organic acids and their spatiotemporal variation characteristics in Hongfeng Lake, China

The identities and concentrations of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) were determined by ion chromatography throughout a 20-m water column in Hongfeng Lake, China. The spatiotemporal variations of LMWOAs and their contributions to dissolved organic matter (DOM) in a research period of 24 hr were also investigated. The results demonstrated that five LMWOAs (lactic, acetic, pyruvic, sorbic, oxalic acid) were detected, and their total concentration and proportion in DOC were 6.55 μmol/L and 7.47%. Their average levels were 2.50, 0.65, 2.35, 0.96 and 0.09 μmol/L, respectively. LMWOAs were higher during daytime (10:00-18:00 on Jun 13, 2008) than nighttime (21:00-6:00 the next morning), in particular 4.99 μmol/L high in the epilimnion ( 1 m water depth), reflecting the fact that direct import from terrigenous sources and photochemical production from humic materials were dominant during LMWOAs’ origin and accumulation. The same factors caused LMWOAs to be 0.63 μmol/L in the epilimnion higher than in the hypolimnion. The rapid decrease of total organic acid (TOA) up until 18:00 mainly resulted from bio-uptake and mineralization in the hypolimnion (>1 m water depth). Pyruvic acid increased with time in the epilimnion and decreased in the hypolimnion, largely related to the two contrary processes of continuous degradation and synthesis of macromolecular organic matter during life materials’ cycle mediated by organisms. Simultaneously, plankton behavior and thermal stratification played a pivotal role in LMWOAs’ behavior in the water column, causing decreasing and increasing profiles. The distribution of LMWOAs represents an interesting resource for biogeochemical research of DOM in aquatic ecosystems.     

Cost-performance analysis of nutrient removal in a full-scale oxidation ditch process based on kinetic modeling

A full-scale oxidation ditch process for treating sewage was simulated with the ASM2d model and optimized for minimal cost with acceptable performance in terms of ammonium and phosphorus removal. A unified index was introduced by integrating operational costs (aeration energy and sludge production) with effluent violations for performance evaluation. Scenario analysis showed that,in comparison with the baseline (all of the 9 aerators activated), the strategy of activating 5 aerators could save aeration energy significantly with an ammonium violation below 10%. Sludge discharge scenario analysis showed that a sludge discharge flow of 250–300 m3/day (solid retention time (SRT), 13–15 days) was appropriate for the enhancement of phosphorus removal without excessive sludge production. The proposed optimal control strategy was: activating 5 rotating disks operated with a mode of "111100100" ( "1"represents activation and "0" represents inactivation) for aeration and sludge discharge flow of 200 m3/day (SRT, 19 days). Compared with the baseline, this strategy could achieve ammonium violation below 10% and TP violation below 30% with substantial reduction of aeration energy cost (46%) and minimal increment of sludge production (< 2%). This study provides a useful approach for the optimization of process operation and control.     

废弃SCR脱硝催化剂的再生及其脱硝性能研究

对废弃脱硝催化剂处理后重新加工再生,研究了添加剂对其粉体成型和再生催化剂脱硝活性的影响,探讨了反应温度、空速、n(NH3)∶n(NO)摩尔比、氧含量、H2O和SO2对再生催化剂NH3选择性催化还原(SCR)NO的影响。结果表明:最佳再生条件是使用5%羧甲基纤维素和10%无机粘结剂辅助成型;废弃催化剂再生利用率高达90%;再生催化剂抗压强度为4.73 MPa,优于商用催化剂;空速5 000 h-1、氨氮摩尔比1、氧含量6%时,脱硝活性温度窗口为310⁴50℃,350℃时活性最高为94%;350℃时,单独通入1 000×10-6SO2或10%H2O对再生催化剂活性均有一定抑制作用,最低活性分别为70%和81%,停止通入SO2或H2O后其活性逐渐恢复;同时通入1 000×10-6SO2和10%H2O,再生催化剂活性下降至63%并于1 h内保持相对稳定,停止通入SO2和H2O 2 h后,活性逐渐恢复到73%。     

电除尘器中水雾雾化特性及对除尘性能的影响

湿式电除尘器将水雾除尘与电除尘技术相结合,可以有效地对细颗粒物进行收集,抑制了二次扬尘的发生。通过研究电除尘器喷淋系统的雾化特性,以及不同供水压力对水雾荷电的影响,并测得其分级效率。研究结果表明:在供水压力为0.4 MPa时,湿式电除尘器的除尘效率大于99.5%;在喷雾粒径为100μm时,对10μm以下的细颗粒物除尘效率大于92%。通过分析,为湿式除尘器喷淋系统设计提供了依据。     

Preparation of MgO/B2O3 coatings by plasma spraying on SUS304 surface and effects of heat-resistant

This study mainly deals with the preparation of MgO/B₂O₃ coatings by plasma spraying on the SUS304 surface and the effects of heatresistant. The power materials of low thermal conductivity were selected to control the heat divergent performance of high temperature parts. The reticular micro-structure between the cover thermal layer and the substrate was prepared by using the plasma spraying method. The powder mixture of MgO and B₂O₃ were selected as spraying materials and the SUS304 was used as the substrate material. The MgO/B₂O₃ coating was prepared on the surface of the SUS304 to provide better cover thermal performance. The properties of the microstructures and the morphologies were studied by Optical Microscope, Scanning Electron Microscope, Electron Probe Microanalyzer, and X-ray Diffraction. The results showed that the cover thermal performance has been improved.     

Homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions of anthracene with selected atmospheric oxidants

The reactions of gas-phase anthracene and suspended anthracene particles with O3 and O3-NO were conducted in a 200-L reaction chamber, respectively. The secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formations from gas-phase reactions of anthracene with O3 and O3-NO were observed. Meanwhile, the size distributions and mass concentrations of SOA were monitored with a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) during the formation processes. The rapid exponential growths of SOA reveal that the atmospheric lifetimes of gas-phase anthracene towards O3 and O3-NO are less than 20.5 and 4.34 hr, respectively. The particulate oxidation products from homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions were analyzed with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-ATOFMS). Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) analyses of oxidation products of anthracene were carried out for assigning the time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectra of products from homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. Anthrone, anthraquinone, 9,10- dihydroxyanthracene, and 1,9,10-trihydroxyanthracene were the ozonation products of anthracene, while anthrone, anthraquinone, 9-nitroanthracene, and 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone were the main products of anthracene with O3-NO.     

Waste oyster shell as a kind of active filler to treat the combined wastewater at an estuary

Estuaries have been described as one of the most difficult environments on Earth. It is difficult to know how to treat the combined wastewater in tidal rivers at the estuary, where the situation is very different from ordinary fresh water rivers. Waste oyster shell was used as the active filler in this study in a bio-contact oxidation tank to treat the combined wastewater at the Fengtang Tidal River. With a middle-experimental scale of 360 ma/day, the average removal efficiency of COD, BOD, NH3-N, TP and TSS was 80.05%, 85.02%, 86.59%, 50.58% and 85.32%, respectively, in this bio-contact oxidation process. The living microbes in the biofilms on the waste oyster shell in this bio-contact oxidation tank, which were mainly composed of zoogloea, protozoa and micro-metazoa species, revealed that waste oyster shell as the filler was suitable material for combined wastewater degradation. This treatment method using waste oyster shell as active filler was then applied in a mangrove demonstration area for water quality improvement near the experiment area, with a treatment volume of 5 × 10^3 m^3/day. Another project was also successfully applied in a constructed wetland, with a wastewater treatment volume of 1 ×10^3 m^3/day. This technology is therefore feasible and can easily be applied on a larger scale,     

储罐钢08MnNiVR和SPV490Q在石油沉积水中腐蚀性能对比

采用电化学试验、浸泡试验和慢应变速率拉伸试验研究储罐钢08MnNiVR和SPV490Q在石油沉积水中的腐蚀性能差异。电化学试验结果表明,08MnNiVR在石油沉积水中的自腐蚀电流比SPV490Q略大。浸泡试验结果表明,中短期试验时,08MnNiVR的腐蚀率略大;较长期试验时,SPV490Q的腐蚀率略大。慢应变速率拉伸试验结果表明,08MnNiVR和SPV490Q在石油沉积水中均具有高应力腐蚀抗力。     

冲压发动机C/SiC喷管承压失效研究

新型三维编织碳/碳化硅复合材料存在较强的各向异性,而各个方向的性能数据积累不足,复合材料的强度计算方法尚不完善,为了发现新型三维编织碳/碳化硅复合材料在冲压发动机喷管中应用可能遇到的问题,并找到相应地解决措施,开展了这种复合材料应用于冲压发动机喷管的承压强度计算和承压实验研究。对承压实验中出现的低压破坏情况进行了分析,分析了低压破裂的原因,提出了改进措施。分析结果表明:C/SiC喷管喉部密度较低,导致强度较低,承载能力下降,是首次强度验证实验过程中该局部破坏的原因;为提高喷管强度,需要通过其形状设计并控制沉积流场,保证其喉部的沉积密度达到1.9g/cm³以上。对改进后的喷管进行了实验验证,实验结果与计算结果基本一致,满足要求。因此,在实际应用中应对喷管喉部和纵向密度的分布进行工业CT无损检测,确保喷管密度的分布均匀。 