Diversity of Soil Nematodes in Areas Polluted with Heavy Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Lanzhou,China

This study investigated the soil nematode community structure along the Yellow River in the Lanzhou area of China, and analyzed the impact of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the nematode community. Soil samples from five locations (named A–E), which were chosen for soil analysis, showed significant differences in their heavy metal content (p < 0.01), as well as in the variety of nematodes (up to 41 genera) and families (up to 20) that were present. The different samples also differed significantly in the total PAH content (p < 0.05), as well as the six types of PAH present. Sites A–C showed the most severe contamination with heavy metals and PAHs; these sites had the lowest abundance of fungivores and omnivore/predators, but the proportion of bacteriovores was the highest (p < 0.05). Site E, in contrast, showed only minor pollution with heavy metals and PAHs, and it contained the highest abundance of plant parasites (p < 0.05). Several nematode ecological indicators were found to correlate with concentration of soil pollutants at all the sites tested: the maturity index (MI, in addition to plant parasites), plant parasite index (PPI), ΣMI (including all the soil nematodes), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H′′), and Wasilewska index (WI). Disturbance to the soil environment was more severe when MI, ΣMI, and H′ values were lower. The results of the study show that the abundance and structure of the soil nematode communities in the sampling locations were strongly influenced by levels of heavy metals and PAHs in the soil. They also show that the diversity index H′ and the maturity index can be valuable tools for assessing the impact of pollutants on nematodes.     

Power matters in closing the phenotyping gap

Much of our understanding of physiology and metabolism is derived from investigating mouse mutants and transgenic mice, and open-access platforms for standardized mouse phenotyping such as the German Mouse Clinic (GMC) are currently viewed as one powerful tool for identifying novel gene-function relationships. Phenotyping or phenotypic screening involves the comparison of wild-type control mice with their mutant or transgenic littermates. In our study, we explored the extent to which standardized phenotyping will succeed in detecting biologically relevant phenotypic differences in mice generated and provided by different collaborators. We analyzed quantitative metabolic data (body mass, energy intake, and energy metabolized) collected at the GMC under the current workflow, and used them for statistical power considerations. Our results demonstrate that there is substantial variability in these parameters among lines of wild-type C57BL/6 (B6) mice from different sources. Given this variable background noise in mice that serve as controls, subtle phenotypes in mutant or transgenic littermates may be overlooked. Furthermore, a phenotype observed in one cohort of a mutant line may not be reproducible (to the same extent) in mice coming from a different environment or supplier. In the light of these constraints, we encourage researchers to incorporate information on intrastrain variability into future study planning, or to perform advanced hierarchical analyses. Both will ultimately improve the detectability of novel phenotypes by phenotypic screening. Carola W. Meyer and Ralf Elvert contributed equally to this work.     

Effects of Fireplace Use on Forest Vegetation and Amount of Woody Debris in Suburban Forests in Northwestern Switzerland

Urban forests are popular recreation areas in Europe. Several of these temperate broad-leaved forests also have a high conservation value due to sustainable management over many centuries. Recreational activities, particularly the use of fireplaces, can cause extensive damage to soil, ground vegetation, shrubs, and trees. Firewood collection depletes woody debris, leading to a loss of habitat for specialized organisms. We examined the effects of fireplace use on forest vegetation and the amount of woody debris by comparing disturbed and control plots in suburban forests in northwestern Switzerland. At frequently used fireplaces, we found reduced species densities in the ground vegetation and shrub layer and changes in plant species composition due to human trampling within an area of 150–200 m². Picnicking and grilling also reduced the height and changed the age structure of shrubs and young trees. The amount of woody debris was lower in disturbed plots than in control plots. Pieces of wood with a diameter of 0.6–7.6 cm were preferentially collected by fireplace users. The reduction in woody debris volume extended up to a distance of 16 m from the fire ring, covering an area of 800 m² at each picnic site. In order to preserve the ecological integrity of urban forests and to maintain their attractiveness as important recreation areas, we suggest depositing logging residues to be used as firewood and to restrict visitor movements near picnic sites.     

一种新型滑动集电材料的研制及性能研究

利用粉末冶金 /挤压的方法制作了一种新型的Cu C滑动集电材料 ,并对该材料的机械物理、摩擦磨损性能进行了检测 ,结果证明该材料具有较高的抗拉强度、适中的表面硬度、较低的电阻率、优良的摩擦磨损性能 ,是一种较为优良的电力机车滑板材料。其性能测试结果和铁道部标准要求相比 ,优于铁道部标准要求。     

阿什河流域地下水脆弱性分区

为识别阿什河流域地下水易污区,基于DRASTIC模型,结合研究区水文地质特点和地下水源地特质,舍弃土壤类型和水力传导系数指标,新增抽水井群影响范围评价指标,得到适用于阿什河流域的DRATIE脆弱性评价体系.借助OpenGeoSys(OGS)软件,模拟研究区抽水与不抽水时的地下水流场,圈划出抽水时流场的变化区域,划分抽水井群影响范围.运用DRATIE模型对研究区进行脆弱性评价,绘制研究区地下水脆弱性分区图,并根据用水趋势进行脆弱性情景分析.结果表明:研究区地下水脆弱性主要为较低、中、较高3个级别;河漫滩和阶地区域较易受到污染,抽水井群影响范围内脆弱性为中等,1号井群每口井抽水量不宜超过3.23×10-2 m3/s,2号井群每口井抽水量不宜超过4.00×10-2 m3/s;其余地区较不易受到污染.研究显示,应严格控制水源地抽水量,以防阿什河水体倒灌;合理分配1、2号井群抽水量,可减小水源地脆弱性范围和等级.      

微量营养物质对有机废水厌氧消化过程的调控作用

通过向处理酸性葡萄酒蒸馏废水的厌氧移动床生物膜反应器中投加微量营养物质的试验,得出利用微量营养物质调控厌氧消化过程在技术上是可行的。Fe、Ni、Co组合不仅能加快挥发性有机酸(VFA),特别是丙酸的降解速率,进而提高厌氧反应器的溶解COD去除率,同时,还有利于厌氧反应器有机负荷的快速提升和较强pH缓冲能力的形成。B族维生素对厌氧移动床生物膜反应器运行效果影响不大。Fe对厌氧移动床生物膜反应器运行有一定影响,但效果也不十分明显。     

水解+滴滤床工艺在城镇污水处理厂的应用

贵州省遵义市龙坑污水处理厂处理规模为30 000m3/d.采用水解+滴滤床污水处理工艺,现已建成投产.建设投资少,运行费用低,处理效果稳定,出水达到GB18918-2002(城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准>一级B标准.     

Echolocation behavior of the bat <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vespertilio murinus</Emphasis> reveals the border between the habitat types “edge” and “open space”

We test the hypothesis that echolocation behavior can be used to find the border between bat habitats. Assuming that bats react to background targets in “edge space” but not in “open space”, we determined the border between these two habitat types for commuting individuals of the parti-colored bat Vespertilio murinus. We recorded sequences of bats’ echolocation signals while they flew parallel to the walls of large buildings and to the ground and determined the signals’ average bandwidth, duration, and pulse interval. These parameters varied systematically with the estimated horizontal and vertical distances between the bats and the background. A distinct effect of horizontal distance to the background on echolocation behavior was found for horizontal distances of less than 6 m, thus indicating the border between edge and open space. Only a few bats flew at vertical distances below 5 m. However, enough passages at vertical distances of 5 m and above indicated that the vertical border is somewhere below a distance of 5 m. Within edge space, V. murinus reacted to the background by reducing signal duration, increasing bandwidth at closer distances, and often emitting one signal per wing beat. In open space, signal parameters did not vary as a function of distance to the background. There, V. murinus emitted the longest signals with the narrowest bandwidth and often made one or two wing beats without emitting a pulse. With our data we support with statistical methods the hypothesis that echolocation behavior reveals the border between the habitat types “edge” and “open space”.