Harnessing the potential of integrated systematics for conservation of taxonomically complex,megadiverse plant groups

The value of natural history collections for conservation science research is increasingly recognized, despite their well-documented limitations in terms of taxonomic, geographic, and temporal coverage. Specimen-based analyses are particularly important for tropical plant groups for which field observations are scarce and potentially unreliable due to high levels of diversity-amplifying identification challenges. Specimen databases curated by specialists are rich sources of authoritatively identified, georeferenced occurrence data, and such data are urgently needed for large genera. We compared entries in a monographic database for the large Neotropical genus Myrcia in 2007 and 2017. We classified and quantified differences in specimen records over this decade and determined the potential impact of these changes on conservation assessments. We distinguished misidentifications from changes due to taxonomic remodeling and considered the effects of adding specimens and georeferences. We calculated the potential impact of each change on estimates of extent of occurrence (EOO), the most frequently used metric in extinction-risk assessments of tropical plants. We examined whether particular specimen changes were associated with species for which changes in EOO over the decade were large enough to change their conservation category. Corrections to specimens previously misidentified or lacking georeferences were overrepresented in such species, whereas changes associated with taxonomic remodeling (lumping and splitting) were underrepresented. Among species present in both years, transitions to less threatened status outnumbered those to more threatened (8% vs 3%, respectively). Species previously deemed data deficient transitioned to threatened status more often than to not threatened (10% vs 7%, respectively). Conservation scientists risk reaching unreliable conclusions if they use specimen databases that are not actively curated to reflect changing knowledge.     

Evidence-based guidelines for automated conservation assessments of plant species

Assessing species’ extinction risk is vital to setting conservation priorities. However, assessment endeavors, such as those used to produce the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, have significant gaps in taxonomic coverage. Automated assessment (AA) methods are gaining popularity to fill these gaps. Choices made in developing, using, and reporting results of AA methods could hinder their successful adoption or lead to poor allocation of conservation resources. We explored how choice of data cleaning type and level, taxonomic group, training sample, and automation method affect performance of threat status predictions for plant species. We used occurrences from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to generate assessments for species in 3 taxonomic groups based on 6 different occurrence-based AA methods. We measured each method's performance and coverage following increasingly stringent occurrence cleaning. Automatically cleaned data from GBIF performed comparably to occurrence records cleaned manually by experts. However, all types of data cleaning limited the coverage of AAs. Overall, machine-learning-based methods performed well across taxa, even with minimal data cleaning. Results suggest a machine-learning-based method applied to minimally cleaned data offers the best compromise between performance and species coverage. However, optimal data cleaning, training sample, and automation methods depend on the study group, intended applications, and expertise.     

湿地生态系统还原性硫气体自然释放研究

还原性硫气体是重要的痕量生源气体,对全球硫循环和大气化学具有重要作用。湿地是还原性硫气体的重要排放源,二甲基硫(DMS)、硫化氢(H2S)、羰基硫(COS)和二硫化碳(CS2)是湿地系统释放明显的还原性硫气体。开展湿地生态系统还原性硫气体自然释放的研究,可在全球尺度上估算还原性硫气体对大气循环的具体贡献提供基础数据。DMS、H2S和CS2的日变化规律表现为昼释放率大于夜释放率,COS释放速率表现为夜大于昼,在季节变化上都呈现生长季释放率大于非生长季;空间释放规律上也有较大差异性,水稻田硫气体释放量较为明显。温度通过影响酶活性进而影响硫气体释放,土壤、植被和潮周期等也是影响湿地生态系统还原性硫气体释放的重要因素。在探讨目前该研究领域存在不足的同时,对未来的研究工作进行了展望,以期对湿地生态系统还原性硫气体释放取得更深入的探究。     

基于盲数理论的水体沉积物重金属污染评价模型

针对污染风险评价系统多种不确定信息共存的特点,将盲数理论引入污染评价领域,建立基于盲数理论的地累积指数评价模型.用盲数表示沉积物污染物浓度和地球化学背景值,并通过盲数可靠性分析BM模型和隶属度加权计算得出重金属污染程度等级.将该模型应用于洞庭湖水系沉积物重金属污染的评价,结果表明,这些重金属的富集程度由高至低排列的顺序为:Cd>Cr=Cu=Zn=Hg=As>Pb,Cd是洞庭湖沉积物污染的主要环境污染因子.该模型算出了重金属地累积指数的可能值区间,并且得出与其相对应的可信度水平,进而定量计算出重金属隶属于各污染程度的可能性,它弥补了传统确定性方法的不足,更真实、更客观地表征了评价区域沉积物重金属的富集污染程度.     

Microbial biotransformation of aryl sulfanylpentafluorides

We report, for the first time, the biotransformation of potential pollutants bearing the pentafluorosulfanyl (SF₅-) functional group in a fungus and bacteria. Cunninghamella elegans transformed p-methoxy phenyl SF₅ via demethylation; Pseudomonas knackmussii and P. pseudoalcaligenes KF707 transformed amino-, hydroxyamino- and diamino- substituted phenyl SF₅, forming the N-acetylated derivatives as the main product. Cell-free extract of Streptomyces griseus transformed 4-amino-3-hydroxy-phenyl SF₅ to the N-acetylated derivative in the presence of acetyl CoA, confirming that an N-acetyltransferase is responsible for the bacterial biotransformations. Approximately 25 % of drugs and 30 % of agrochemicals contain fluorine, and the trifluoromethyl group is a prominent feature of many of these since it improves lipophilicity and stability. The pentafluorosulfanyl substituent is seen as an improvement on the trifluoromethyl group and research efforts are underway to develop synthetic methods to incorporate this moiety into biologically active compounds. It is important to determine the potential environmental impact of these compounds, including the potential biotransformation reactions that may occur when they are exposed to microorganisms.     

广州市白云人工湖生态修复工程设计

广州市白云湖是广州市最大的人工生态服务湖泊,通过对白云湖生态修复工程进行设计,采用了炭素纤维生态草、微纳米气泡发生装置及纯氧发生器和人工干预与生物处理相结合生态浮床等环保新技术对白云湖水体进行综合生态修复,并对白云湖水质进行跟踪监测。结果显示,白云湖水质提升工程实施之后,白云湖各项水质指标都有一定的改善。白云湖生态修复工程的设计经验对于类似人工水体的水质改善和生态修复工程建设具有参考意义。     

On the Curing of ESO/MTHPA/DEH 35 and ESO/MTHPA/DEH 35/TIN

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) compounds were cured with methyl tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (MTHPA) as hardener and 2,4,6-tris (dimethylaminomethyl) phenol...     

基于区间数的河流水环境健康风险模糊综合评价模型

利用区间数表示水环境中污染物浓度的不确定性,构建了基于区间数的河流水环境健康风险评价模型.同时,采用专家咨询法建立模糊化的风险评价标准体系,将风险评价标准分为低、低.中、中、中.高、高和极高6个风险等级,并运用一级综合评判法得出健康风险评价的等级.最后,选取cd、As、Hg、Pb、CN、NH3和挥发酚为评价因子,将基于区间数和模糊理论的河流水环境健康风险模糊综合评价模型应用于2005～2007年湘江长株潭段的水环境健康风险评价中.评价结果表明,2005～2007年湘江长株潭段的水环境健康风险水平较高;株洲和湘潭段的个人年风险值较大.其中,五星断面的个人年风险最高,儿童的个人年风险明显高于成人的个人年风险;2006年朱亭镇、霞湾、三汊矶和樟树港4个断面上个人年风险略有增高,2007年各断面的健康风险水平有所降低.     

Using an integrated approach for quantifying VOC source areas for site remediation

Locating and quantifying free-phase volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the subsurface represent one of the more difficult challenges facing hazardous waste site remediation programs. Successful remediation programs require reliable data on the size and extent of potential VOC contamination sources. Improving subsurface quantification of VOCs requires a large number of reliable low-cost samples. Satisfying this objective relies on improved sampling techniques, field analysis of samples, and a modified quality assurance program. This paper describes an integrated approach using conventional split-spoon samplers, microcore sampling, hexane extractions, and a field gas chromatograph with an autosampler as part of a technical demonstration for innovative remediation technologies. Using this approach, it was possible to delineate a subsurface source of free-phase VOCs at a cost of $15 per sample. The distribution of dense nonaqueous phase liquid determined by this sampling approach agreed with the conceptual model for the site.