Evaluating aeration techniques for decreasing phosphorus export from grasslands receiving manure

Because surface-applied manures can contribute to phosphorus (P) in runoff, we examined mechanical aeration of grasslands for reducing P transport by increasing infiltration of rainfall and binding of P with soil minerals. The effects of three aeration treatments and a control (aeration with cores, continuous-furrow "no-till" disk aeration perpendicular to the slope, slit aeration with tines, and no aeration treatment) on the export of total suspended solids, total Kjeldahl P (TKP), total dissolved P (TDP), dissolved reactive P (DRP), and bioavailable P (BAP) in runoff from grasslands with three manure treatments (broiler litter, dairy slurry, and no manure) were examined before and after simulated compaction by cattle. Plots (0.75 x 2 m) were established on a Cecil soil series with mixed tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)-bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] vegetation on 8 to 12% slopes. Manures were applied at a target rate of 30 kg P ha(-1), and simulated rainfall was applied at a rate of 85 mm h(-1). Although the impact of aeration type on P export varied before and after simulated compaction, overall results indicated that core aeration has the greatest potential for reducing P losses. Export of TKP was reduced by 55%, TDP by 62%, DRP by 61%, total BAP by 54%, and dissolved BAP by 57% on core-aerated plots with applied broiler litter as compared with the control (p < 0.05). Core and no-till disk aeration also showed potential for reducing P export from applied dairy slurry (p < 0.10). Given that Cecil soil is common in pastures receiving broiler litter in the Southern Piedmont, our results indicate that pairing core aeration of these pastures with litter application could have a widespread impact on surface water quality.     

Environmental risk assessment of genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant Zoysia japonica

Herbicide-tolerant Zoysia grass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) has been generated previously through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The genetically modified (GM) Zoysia grass survived Basta spraying and grew to maturity normally while the wild-type (WT) grass stopped growing and died. GM Zoysia grass will permit more efficient weed control for various turf grass plantings such as home lawns, golf courses, and parks. We examined the environmental/biodiversity risks of herbicide-tolerant GM Zoysia before applying to regulatory agencies for approval for commercial release. The GM and WT Zoysia grass' substantial trait equivalence, ability to cross-pollinate, and gene flow in confined and unconfined test fields were selectively analyzed for environmental/biodiversity effects. No difference between GM and WT Zoysia grass in substantial traits was found. To assess the potential for cross-pollination and gene flow, a non-selective herbicide, Basta, was used. Results showed that unintended cross-pollination with and gene flow from GM Zoysia grass were not detected in neighboring weed species examined, but were observed in WT Zoysia grass (on average, 6% at proximity, 1.2% at a distance of 0.5 m and 0.12% at a radius of 3 m, and 0% at distances over 3 m). On the basis of these initial studies, we conclude that the GM Zoysia grass generated in our laboratory and tested in the Nam Jeju County field does not appear to pose a significant risk when cultivated outside of test fields.     

Spore release by the green alga Ulva: a quantitative assay to evaluate aquatic toxicants

A toxicity test using spore release of the aquatic green alga, Ulva, was developed and evaluated by assessing the toxicity of different organic and inorganic chemicals and elutriates of sewage or waste sludge. The toxic ranking of four metals was: Cu (EC50 of 0.040mgL(-1))>Cd (0.095mgL(-1))>Pb (0.489mgL(-1))>Zn (0.572mgL(-1)). The EC50 for TBTO ranged from 24 to 63microgL(-1). The most toxic VOC was formalin (EC50 of 0.788microlL(-1)) and the least toxic was acetone. Spore release was significantly inhibited in all elutriates; the greatest and least toxic effects were for industrial sewage (3.29%) and filtration bed (10.08%), respectively. The bioassay is simple, inexpensive and sensitive. The cosmopolitan distribution of Ulva means that the test would have a potential application worldwide.     

Monitoring bacterial community structure and variability in time scale in full-scale anaerobic digesters

Using a high-throughput pyrosequencing technology, this study assessed bacterial community structure and time-scale variability in great detail in seven full-scale anaerobic digesters operated variously in terms of influent substrate, digestion temperature, and reactor configuration. Pyrosequencing generated a total of 83,774 sequence reads from 40 digester sludge samples collected monthly for six months. The highest number of sequence reads were detected within Proteobacteria (20.5%), followed by those within Bacteroidetes (19.7%), Firmicutes (17.8%), and Chloroflexi (4.8%). The relative composition of bacterial populations was varied within the digesters as well as between the digesters, and the bacterial community structures were mainly influenced by digestion temperature. Detailed bacterial community structures were assessed by analyzing the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on 97% sequence similarity, which resulted in a total of 9051 OTUs. Among these, a total of 31 core OTUs were analyzed and inferred phylogenetically, which enabled us to classify the sequences within an unclassified phylum. Unclassified sequences were mostly affiliated with the sequences within Spirochaetes and Firmicutes. Interestingly, numerically dominant novel phylotypes (18% of the total sequence reads) presumably involved in anaerobic digestion within Spirochaetes were identified. Temporal variability was further explored using a non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination which demonstrated that the variability of the bacterial community within the digesters was smaller than between digesters. Correlation analysis demonstrated that digester performance and operational conditions affected the pattern of bacterial community in the ordination. Additionally, a multi-response permutation procedure revealed that the bacterial communities within the digesters were more similar than those belonging to other digesters statistically, demonstrating a patchiness of the digesters in the distribution of bacterial populations. Overall, this study revealed the correlation of bacterial community structure and time-scale variability with digester performance and operating conditions.     

Spatial and temporal patterns of soil erosion in the Tibetan Plateau from 1984 to 2013北大核心CSCD

Soil erosion has a critical effect on ecological security and socioeconomics, which may deteriorate ecosystem services and common human well-being. The revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) was applied to assess soil erosion from 1984 to 2013 in the Tibetan Plateau and analyzed the temporal and spatial variation of soil erosion intensity. Furthermore, the temporal and spatial variation rates of soil erosion were explored across different ecosystems. The results indicated that the annual soil erosion fuctuated in the Tibetan Plateau, the soil erosion intensity decreased from south to north, and the most serious soil erosion was mainly distributed in the southern Tibetan Plateau (Xigaze and Changdu regions, Lhasa, and north of the Shannan region). The soil erosion intensity was higher in shrub, alpine meadow, and sparse vegetation ecosystems. The highest soil erosion was found in alpine meadow (2.17 × 1010 t), followed by alpine grassland (1.59 × 1010 t) and sparse vegetation (1.30 × 1010 t) ecosystems. Meanwhile, although the most serious soil erosion intensity was found in the regions of 3 000-4 000 m altitude, the soil erosion was mainly observed in the regions of 4 000-5 000 m altitude. In the three most recent decades, annual soil erosion decreased at a rate of-1.78 × 108 t/a. Additionally, soil erosion mainly increased in south of the Qiangtang Plateau and in the periphery of the Qaidam basin. Decreased soil erosion was mainly found along the Hengduan Mountains, central Himalayas. Although the increased annual normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) had positive effects for soil protection, changes in soil erosion was mainly controlled by the change of annual precipitation. Thus, the fragility of ecological systems and increased rainfall erosivity accounted for the obviously increased soil erosion in the alpine grassland ecosystem (1.19 × 10 t/a). However, increased ecosystem stability and decreased rainfall erosivity contributed to the decreased soil erosion in forest and shrub ecosystems, by-0.77 × 10 t/a and-1.65 × 10 t/a, respectively. The slightly decreased rainfall erosivity accounted for a decrease of soil erosion in the sparse vegetation ecosystem (-0.44 × 10 t/a). Meanwhile, soil erosion has decreased in the alpine meadow ecosystem over the past 30 years, which may owing to the relatively higher NDVI that neutralized the increase of rainfall erosivity to some extent. This study revealed serious soil erosion regions and ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau and explored possible reasons for variations in soil erosion in different ecosystems, which may provide a scientific reference for soil erosion conservation and control in the near future. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

The New England Air Quality Forecasting Pilot Program: Development of an Evaluation Protocol and Performance Benchmark

Abstract

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently sponsored the New England Forecasting Pilot Program to serve as a “test bed” for chemical forecasting by providing all of the elements of a National Air Quality Forecasting System, including the development and implementation of an evaluation protocol. This Pilot Program enlisted three regional-scale air quality models, serving as prototypes, to forecast ozone (O₃) concentrations across the northeastern United States during the summer of 2002. A suite of statistical metrics was identified as part of the protocol that facilitated evaluation of both discrete forecasts (observed versus modeled concentrations) and categorical forecasts (observed versus modeled exceedances/nonexceedances) for both the maximum 1-hr (125 ppb) and 8-hr (85 ppb) forecasts produced by each of the models. Implementation of the evaluation protocol took place during a 25-day period (August 5–29), utilizing hourly O₃ concentration data obtained from over 450 monitors from the U.S. Environment Protection Agency’s Air Quality System network.     

Seasonal variation and factors influencing perchlorate in water,snow, soil and corns in Northeastern China

Seasonal variation and influencing factors of perchlorate in snow, surface soil, rain, surface water, groundwater and corn were studied. Seven hundreds and seventy samples were collected in different periods in Harbin and its vicinity, China. Perchlorate concentrations were analyzed by ion chromatography–electrospray mass spectrometry. Results indicate that fireworks and firecrackers display from the Spring Festival to the Lantern Festival (February 2, 2011–February 17, 2011) can result in the occurrence of perchlorate in surface soil and snow. Perchlorate distribution is affected by wind direction in winter. Melting snow which contained perchlorate can dissolve perchlorate in surface soil, and then perchlorate can percolate into groundwater so that perchlorate concentrations in groundwater increased in spring. Perchlorate concentrations in groundwater and surface water decrease after rainy season in summer. Groundwater samples collected in the floodplain areas of the Songhua River and the Ashi River contained higher perchlorate concentrations than that far away with the rivers. The corns have the ability to accumulate perchlorate.     

学龄儿童肺功能的影响因素分析

以武汉市污染区和对照区 50 0多名学龄儿童为研究对象 ,通过问卷调查和为期四年的肺功能连续测定 ,运用逐步回归模型对儿童肺功能的影响因素进行多元分析。结果表明 ,儿童肺功能生长发育水平与机体生理因素 ,尤其是身高的关系最密切。室内外空气污染对儿童肺功能的生长发育有不同程度的抑制作用 ,小气道对各环境因素的影响较大气道敏感 ,女性较男性敏感。影响儿童肺功能最主要的环境因素是大气 TSP,其次为 SO2 、家庭燃煤和 NOx,被动吸烟的影响较轻。TSP与 FEF2 5 %～ 75 % 有着密切的统计学联系 ,是影响小气道功能的主要污染物     

岩体声发射技术在金川二矿区的应用

岩体声发射技术是利用岩体变形破坏过程中产生应力波的强弱,来监测岩体的安全状态。针对金川二矿区地压大、岩体破碎的特点,金川公司先后在二矿区１１５０ｍ水平二期快进巷道、８０１采场、１４３８ｍ水平１２＃采场进路等处进行了应用岩体声发射预报矿岩体和充填体安全状态的试验。在对试验过程和监测结果进行分析的基础上,初步建立了金川二矿区矿岩体和充填体安全状态与声发射参数的近似关系,为实现金川二矿区安全管理的定量化进行了有益探索。     

高梯度磁除尘的实验研究

对磁性粉尘和非磁性粉尘进行了磁分离实验研究。结果表明,对磁性粉尘,磁除尘效率可达99％以上,而对非磁性粉尘,通过粉尘上磁,磁除尘效率可达90％以上。