Evidence for a male-produced pheromone in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetropium fuscum</Emphasis> (F.) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetropium cinnamopterum</Emphasis> (Kirby) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

(E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-ol (geranyl acetol), termed here fuscol, was identified as a male-produced pheromone emitted by Tetropium fuscum (F.) and Tetropium cinnamopterum Kirby. In field experiments, traps baited with synthetic fuscol alone were not significantly attractive, but the combination of fuscol plus host volatiles (a synthetic blend of monoterpenes plus ethanol) attracted significantly more male and female T. fuscum and female T. cinnamopterum than did host volatiles alone. This is the first homoterpenoid alcohol to be described in the Cerambycidae, and the first pheromone reported from the sub-family Spondylidinae.     

Examining adaptation and mitigation opportunities in the context of the integrated watershed management programme of the Government of India

India occupies 2.4% of the world’s geographical area with a large percentage of its land under agriculture. About 228 Million hectares (Mha) of its geographical area (nearly 69%) fall within the dryland (arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid) region. Of the total cultivated area of 142 Mha, major part of agriculture in the country is rainfed, extending to over 97 Mha and constituting nearly 68% of the net cultivated area, therefore making the agricultural sector vulnerable and exposed to the vagaries of weather conditions. Climate change adds to this dimension of stress. A strong need is felt for targeting programmes in these areas that address issues related to employing suitable soil and water conservation measures. In this context this paper seeks to examine the case for watershed development as an adaptive strategy. An examination of the possibility of fortifying the existing programme with a view to adapting to expected changes in climate in future is undertaken. Also, the possibility of watershed development integrating into a suitable mitigation strategy for the country is assessed.

Tropical deforestation in a future international climate policy regime—lessons from the Brazilian Amazon

The possibility of adopting national targets for carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from tropical deforestation in a future international climate treaty has received increasing attention recently. This attention has been prompted by proposals to this end and more intensified talks on possible commitments for developing countries beyond the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyoto Protocol. We analyze four main scientific and political challenges associated with national targets for emissions from tropical deforestation: (1) reducing the uncertainties in emission inventories, (2) preserving the environmental integrity of the treaty, (3) promoting political acceptance and participation in the regime, and (4) providing economic incentives for reduced deforestation. We draw the following conclusions. (1) Although there are large uncertainties in carbon flux from deforestation, these are in the same range as for other emissions included in the current Kyoto protocol (i.e., non-CO₂ GHGs), and they can be reduced. However, for forest degradation processes the uncertainties are larger. A large challenge lies in building competence and institutions for monitoring the full spectrum of land use changes in developing countries. (2 and 3) Setting targets for deforestation is difficult, and uncertainties in future emissions imply a risk of creating ‘tropical hot air’. However, there are proposals that may sufficiently deal with this, and these proposals may also have the advantage of making the targets more attractive, politically speaking. Moreover, we conclude that while a full carbon accounting system will likely be politically unacceptable for tropical countries, the current carbon accounting system should be broadened to include forest degradation in order to safeguard environmental integrity. (4) Doubts can be cast over the possible effect a climate regime alone will have on deforestation rates, though little thorough analysis of this issue has been made.

不锈钢丝网填料存在时氮氧化物吸收过程的研究

在不锈钢丝网波纹填料柱中以水为吸收液,考察了气体空塔速度和氧化度对低浓度氮气化物(NO_x)吸收的影响。吸收率随氧化度的增高而增高,随空塔速度的增高而降低。并对比了聚丙烯丝网波纹填料柱吸收NO_x的效果。实验结果表明,在室温下不锈钢对NO_x的吸收未显示出催化活性。同时讨论比较了网波填料柱和降膜湿壁柱的吸收性能。 近年来用波纹填料或塑料针毡滤料消除尾气中NO_x和硝酸雾的方法,引起人们的注意。不过其净化机理还不十分清楚,Gilbert,W.J.等认为不锈钢丝网填料对NO有催化氧化的作用。为了弄清这一问题我们考察了不锈钢丝网和聚丙烯丝网填料柱中空塔速度和NO_x氧化度对NO_x吸收的影响,实验结果表明,在室温条件下不锈钢对NO_x的吸收未显示出催化活性。只是在空塔速度低或氧化度高的情况下,NO_x的吸收率才较高。同时对吸收特性进行了讨论。     

天津地区大气污染状况和气溶胶硫酸盐的研究

我们于1980—1981年对天津市大气污染物浓度做了同步监测,对天津市大气污染状况,二氧化硫转化为硫酸盐的过程及其对大气能见度的影响做了研究。以超C_i几率和的方法处理数据,研究结果表明,大气污染以早晨最严重,傍晚次之,中午较轻:冬季比夏季污染严重。各种污染物中以硫酸盐对大气能见度的影响最大,总颗粒物次之。当大气相对湿度大于70%时,对大气能见度的影响比较突出。颗粒物中的苯溶物对大气能见度有一定的影响。城市中相对湿度高时硫酸盐浓度大,可能是产生冬季烟雾事件的原因。下风方向的硫酸根浓度与二氧化硫浓度的比值和硫酸根含硫浓度与大气总硫浓度的比值均比上风方向相应的数值高,说明城市燃煤烟气是硫酸盐的来源。城市中硫酸根浓度与二氧化硫浓度的相关系数为0.77,硫酸根与颗粒物浓度的相关系数为0.95。在形成硫酸根的过程中二氧化硫浓度和颗粒物可能有贡献。以一维有源简化模式估算二氧化硫转化为硫酸根的速率常数,约为2.3±1.1%/hr,冬季约1.5%/hr。二氧化硫的迁移距离约为17—340km。     

ClO2和碳水化合物水平对中国明对虾存活和生长的影响

研究了盐度为5条件下,ClO2和碳水化合物水平对中国明对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)存活和生长的影响,共两个实验:实验1研究了ClO2(0、1、4、7、10、13、16、19和22 mg/L)对中国明对虾存活的影响,发现随ClO2浓度的升高,对虾存活率呈下降趋势;在24、48、72和96 h,LC50分别为21.04、13.32、10.91和8.26 mg/L,安全浓度为1.60 mg/L.实验2研究了ClO2(0.0、0.2、0.4和0.6 mg/L)和饲料中碳水化合物水平(13.89和41.76%)对中国明对虾存活和生长的影响,发现在两个碳水化合物水平,随ClO2浓度的升高,对虾存活率、特定生长率、摄食量和吸收效率均呈下降趋势,而饲料系数呈上升趋势;在四个ClO2水平,摄食13.89%碳水化合物对虾的特定生长率、摄食量和吸收效率均高于摄食41.76%碳水化合物的对虾,而摄食13.89%碳水化合物对虾的饲料系数低于摄食41.76%碳水化合物的对虾.     

环境磁学在环境科学中的应用研究

综述了环境磁学发展进程中与环境问题的相互联系，以及磁学在气候、土壤、湖泊、生物和环境污染领域的广泛应用。分析了环境磁学进一步发展的研究方向。指出环境磁学以解决环境问题为主要目标。环境磁学方法所具有的样品用量少，灵敏度高，简便快速，非破坏性，费用低等特点，为研究环境问题提供了新途径和新方法。随着人类对环境问题的不断重视，利用环境磁学来追踪污染物的起源以及土壤，湖泊沉积物等物源将是环境磁学服务社会的重要内容。     

Assessing external factors on substitution of fossil fuel by biofuels: model perspective from the Nordic region

The aim of this study is to develop a theoretical model by which to demonstrate how taxes and subsidies work as external factors to substitute fossil fuel by a forest-based biofuel. For biofuels, this study predominantly considers solid-form biomass that generates electricity; for fossil fuels, it considers coal. The model results explicated with three states by using various numeric values taken from the literature. Three states are as follows: a situation without a tax and subsidy, a situation with a biofuel subsidy, and a situation with a biofuel subsidy and a fossil fuel tax. The results of the first state exemplify current fuel market situation; those of the second indicate that the aggregate demand for biofuel has shifted upwards by around 15 % and that substitution has increased by around 18 % due to biofuel subsidies being offered. Under the third state, aggregate biofuel demand has shifted upwards by around 19 %, reduced the demand for fossil fuels by around 13 %, and increased substitution by around 31 %. This state relates to a greater sense of social welfare than other two states. It is conceivable that the joint application of taxes and subsidies will succour biofuel to supplant fossil fuel in the near future.     

The adaptive capacity of institutions in the spatial planning,water, agriculture and nature sectors in the Netherlands

The climate change problem calls for a continuously responding society. This raises the question: Do our institutions allow and encourage society to continuously adapt to climate change? This paper uses the Adaptive Capacity Wheel (ACW) to assess the adaptive capacity of formal and informal institutions in four sectors in the Netherlands: spatial planning, water, agriculture and nature. Formal institutions are examined through an assessment of 11 key policy documents and informal institutions are analysed through four case studies covering each sector. Based on these ACW analyses, both sector-specific and more general strengths and weaknesses of the adaptive capacity of institutions in the Netherlands are identified. The paper concludes that the most important challenge for increasing institutional adaptive capacity lies in combining decentralized, participatory approaches with more top-down methods that generate leadership (visions, goals) standards, instruments, resources and monitoring.     

Temperature-Dependent Persistence of Human Norovirus Within Oysters (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea virginica</Emphasis>)

This study characterizes the persistence of human norovirus in Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) held at different seawater temperatures. Oysters were contaminated with human norovirus GI.1 (Norwalk strain 8FIIa) by exposing them to virus-contaminated water at 15 °C, and subsequently holding them at 7, 15, and 25 °C for up to 6 weeks. Viral RNA was extracted from oyster tissue and hemocytes and quantitated by RT-qPCR. Norovirus was detected in hemocytes and oysters held at 7 and 15 °C for 6 weeks and in hemocytes and oysters held at 25 °C for up to 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. Results confirm that NoV is quite persistent within oysters and demonstrate that cooler water temperatures extend norovirus clearance times. This study suggests a need for substantial relay times to remove norovirus from contaminated shellfish and suggests that regulatory authorities should consider the effects of water temperature after a suspected episodic norovirus-contamination event.