Detection of Viruses in Coastal Seawater Using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mytilus Galloprovincialis</Emphasis> as an Accumulation Matrix

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that shellfish can be used to detect enteric viruses in marine waters where they are present at very low concentrations. Aqua-cultured mussels were placed in the sea just off the mouth of a drainage channel affected by human and animal faecal contamination. Samples were taken from the channel, the sea and the mussels at intervals over two 4-week periods. The samples were tested to verify the presence of both rotaviruses and E. coli. Rotaviruses were detected by Real Time-PCR, typed by multiplex PCR and subsequently sequenced. E. coli was enumerated in water matrices by a filtering method and in mussels by the MPN method. The presence of E. coli in the examined matrices demonstrates contamination of faecal origin throughout the studied environments. Rotaviruses were recorded in channel waters, but not in sea water. In both experiments, rotaviruses were detected in mussels 21 and 28 days after being placed in the sea water off the channel mouth. The use of mussels thus enabled the detection of rotaviruses in waters where the high dilution rendered direct investigation impossible. This study indicates that mussels can be used in marine virological surveillance programs.     

Greenhouse gas mitigation and offset options for suckler cow farms: an economic comparison for the Swiss case

We assessed the economic suitability of 4 greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation options and one GHG offset option for an improvement of the GHG balance of a representative Swiss suckler cow farm housing 35 Livestock units and cultivating 25 ha grassland. GHG emissions per kilogram meat in the economic optimum differ between the production systems and range from 18 to 21.9 kg CO₂-eq./kg meat. Only GHG offset by agroforestry systems showed the potential to significantly reduce these emissions. Depending on the production system agroforestry systems could reduce net GHG emissions by 66% to 7.3 kg CO₂-eq./kg meat in the most intensive system and by 100% in the most extensive system. In this calculation a carbon sequestration rate of 8 t CO₂/ha/year was assumed. The potential of a combination of the addition of lipids to the diet, a cover of the slurry tank and the application of nitrification inhibitors only had the potential to reduce GHG emissions by 12% thereby marginal abatement costs are increasing much faster than for agroforestry systems. A reduction of the GHG emissions to 7.5 kg CO₂-eq./kg meat—possible with agroforestry only—raised costs between 0.03 CHF/kg meat and 0.38 CHF/kg meat depending on the production system and the state of the system before the reduction. If GHG emissions were reduced maximally average costs ranged between 0.37 CHF/kg meat, if agroforestry had the potential to reduce net GHG emissions to 0 kg CO₂-eq., to 1.17 CHF/kg meat if also other options had to be applied.     

Population dynamics and regulation in the cave salamander <Emphasis Type="Italic">Speleomantes strinatii</Emphasis>

Time series analysis has been used to evaluate the mechanisms regulating population dynamics of mammals and insects, but has been rarely applied to amphibian populations. In this study, the influence of endogenous (density-dependent) and exogenous (density-independent) factors regulating population dynamics of the terrestrial plethodontid salamander Speleomantes strinatii was analysed by means of time series and multiple regression analyses. During the period 1993–2005, S. strinatii population abundance, estimated by a standardised temporary removal method, displayed relatively low fluctuations, and the autocorrelation function (ACF) analysis showed that the time series had a noncyclic structure. The partial rate correlation function (PRCF) indicated that a strong first-order negative feedback dominated the endogenous dynamics. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the only climatic factor influencing population growth rate was the minimum winter temperature. Thus, at least during the study period, endogenous, density-dependent negative feedback was the main factor affecting the growth rate of the salamander population, whereas stochastic environmental variables, such as temperature and rainfall, seemed to play a minor role in regulation. These results stress the importance of considering both exogenous and endogenous factors when analysing amphibian long-term population dynamics.     

Direct evidence of hybodont shark predation on Late Jurassic ammonites

Sharks are known to have been ammonoid predators, as indicated by analysis of bite marks or coprolite contents. However, body fossil associations attesting to this predator–prey relationship have never been described so far. Here, I report a unique finding from the Late Jurassic of western France: a complete specimen of the Kimmeridgian ammonite Orthaspidoceras bearing one tooth of the hybodont shark Planohybodus. Some possible tooth puncture marks are also observed. This is the first direct evidence of such a trophic link between these two major Mesozoic groups, allowing an accurate identification of both organisms. Although Planohybodus displays a tearing-type dentition generally assumed to have been especially adapted for large unshelled prey, our discovery clearly shows that this shark was also able to attack robust ammonites such as aspidoceratids. The direct evidence presented here provides new insights into the Mesozoic marine ecosystem food webs.     

基于服务式GIS的流域水质目标管理技术平台架构设计

针对流域水质目标管理与GIS集成技术,对比分析传统模式与服务式GIS模式的优劣,提出了基于服务式GIS的流域水质目标管理技术平台的层次结构、总体架构及建设步骤;基于具体建设需求分析,构建了辽河流域水质目标管理技术平台的详细架构。     

重金属离子快速检测技术研究与应用进展

在突发环境污染事件和区域生态风险筛查中迫切需要环境样品中重金属离子的快速检测技术手段。环境样品中重金属离子的快速检测技术有电化学方法和生物学方法。电化学检测方法主要是阳极溶出伏安法(AnodicStripping Voltammetry,ASV),可以同时检测多种重金属离子,有标准化认证的产品,但是检测成本相对较高。随着纳米粒子技术(Nanoparticles,NPs)和石英微天平分析技术(Quartz Crystal Microbalance,QCM)的引入,ASV法的检测成本将不断降低;生物检测方法包括免疫检测(Immunoassay,IA)和功能DNA(Functional DNA)检测技术。重金属离子的免疫检测技术样品通量大,检测成本低,已经广泛用于食品行业,其中汞离子的免疫检测方法已经成为环境样品标准检测方法之一。免疫检测传感器技术将拓展重金属离子的快速检测的应用空间。功能DNA传感器检测的研究为重金属离子的快速检测提供了新的技术手段,但是这些仅限于实验室研究,还没有达到实际应用的水平。     

小型燃煤工业锅炉NO_x形成与释放规律模拟研究

NOx是我国十二五期间重点控制的污染物,燃煤工业锅炉是其重要来源。为了研究燃煤工业锅炉NOx的形成与释放规律,在实验室模拟了不同煤种的燃烧过程。采用原煤/焦炭燃烧法分别研究挥发分氮和焦炭氮生成NOx的反应,探讨燃料型NOx的形成与释放规律,并解释试验模拟条件下燃煤NOx产污系数和现场实测值的差异。结果表明,试验中烟煤、无烟煤、煤焦的NO转化率平均值分别为25.77%,22.17%和11.98%,产污系数平均值分别为4.31,5.08和2.00kg/t,高于现场实测结果核算值。燃煤工业锅炉NOx以燃料型为主,燃料型NOx的形成和释放是一个复杂的多相反应过程,由挥发分氮的氧化还原反应和焦炭氮的氧化还原反应组成,煤种、温度、空气流量、粒径、氧含量等因素对4种反应各自影响及影响程度并不相同。     

化学品测试合格实验室体系建设与发展

根据《新化学物质环境管理办法》要求,为新化学物质申报目的提供测试数据的境内测试机构,应当为环境保护部公告的化学物质测试机构,并接受环境保护部的监督和检查。拟通过借鉴国际合格实验室规范(GLP)基本原则和国内其他GLP认证工作经验做法,结合环境保护部已开展的检查考核工作和化学品测试实验室实际情况,探讨化学品测试合格实验室的管理现状和存在的问题,旨在为推动我国化学品测试合格实验室体系建设提供新的管理思路。     

成渝经济区矿产资源开发对其生态环境影响评价

文章以成渝经济区为研究区,根据成渝经济区矿产资源开发和生态环境特点,综合运用RS和GIS技术,结合研究区矿产资源总体规划、生态功能区划、生物多样性保护、自然保护区、水源涵养、土壤保持、生态脆弱区分区等数据,采用空间图层叠加法,分析矿产资源开发利用对生态环境的影响,进一步分析了未来矿产资源的开发对区域主要生态屏障的水源涵养、土壤保持、生物多样性保护等生态功能的影响,并提出针对性的生态环境保护对策措施。     

双道HG-AFS同时测定鲤鱼肝脏中痕量Hg和As

应用氢化物原子荧光法,测定鲤鱼肝脏中痕量Hg和As,该法具有原子吸收和原子发射光谱两种技术优势,同时它具有分析灵敏度高,干扰少,线性范围宽,可多元素同时测定等优点;在KBH4-酸还原体系中同时测定鱼肝中Hg和As,方法检出限分别为Hg:0.33ng/ml和As0.36ng/ml,线性范围分别为:0.1-2.0ng/ml和1.0-20.0ng/ml。加标回收率分别为Hg:96.0%和As:100.6%。分析结果可靠,方法令人满意,并适合大批量样品的分析。