Soil erosion and sediment fluxes analysis: a watershed study of the Ni Reservoir,Spotsylvania County,VA, USA

Anthropogenic forces that alter the physical landscape are known to cause significant soil erosion, which has negative impact on surface water bodies, such as rivers, lakes/reservoirs, and coastal zones, and thus sediment control has become one of the central aspects of catchment management planning. The revised universal soil loss equation empirical model, erosion pins, and isotopic sediment core analyses were used to evaluate watershed erosion, stream bank erosion, and reservoir sediment accumulation rates for Ni Reservoir, in central Virginia. Land-use and land cover seems to be dominant control in watershed soil erosion, with barren land and human-disturbed areas contributing the most sediment, and forest and herbaceous areas contributing the least. Results show a 7 % increase in human development from 2001 (14 %) to 2009 (21.6 %), corresponding to an increase in soil loss of 0.82 Mg ha^-1 year^-1 in the same time period. ²¹⁰Pb-based sediment accumulation rates at three locations in Ni Reservoir were 1.020, 0.364, and 0.543 g cm^-2 year^-1 respectively, indicating that sediment accumulation and distribution in the reservoir is influenced by reservoir configuration and significant contributions from bedload. All three locations indicate an increase in modern sediment accumulation rates. Erosion pin results show variability in stream bank erosion with values ranging from 4.7 to 11.3 cm year^-1. These results indicate that urban growth and the decline in vegetative cover has increased sediment fluxes from the watershed and poses a significant threat to the long-term sustainability of the Ni Reservoir as urbanization continues to increase.     

Implications of differing input data sources and approaches upon forest carbon stock estimation

Site index is an important forest inventory attribute that relates productivity and growth expectation of forests over time. In forest inventory programs, site index is used in conjunction with other forest inventory attributes (i.e., height, age) for the estimation of stand volume. In turn, stand volumes are used to estimate biomass (and biomass components) and enable conversion to carbon. In this research, we explore the implications and consequences of different estimates of site index on carbon stock characterization for a 2,500-ha Douglas-fir-dominated landscape located on Eastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. We compared site index estimates from an existing forest inventory to estimates generated from a combination of forest inventory and light detection and ranging (LIDAR)-derived attributes and then examined the resultant differences in biomass estimates generated from a carbon budget model (Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS3)). Significant differences were found between the original and LIDAR-derived site indices for all species types and for the resulting 5-m site classes (p?<?0.001). The LIDAR-derived site class was greater than the original site class for 42% of stands; however, 77% of stands were within ±1 site class of the original class. Differences in biomass estimates between the model scenarios were significant for both total stand biomass and biomass per hectare (p?<?0.001); differences for Douglas-fir-dominated stands (representing 85% of all stands) were not significant (p?=?0.288). Overall, the relationship between the two biomass estimates was strong (R ²?=?0.92, p?<?0.001), suggesting that in certain circumstances, LIDAR may have a role to play in site index estimation and biomass mapping.     

Dynamic extreme values modeling and monitoring by means of sea shores water quality biomarkers and valvometry

Water quality can be evaluated using biomarkers such as tissular enzymatic activities of endemic species. Measurement of molluscs bivalves activity at high frequency (e.g., valvometry) during a long time period is another way to record the animal behavior and to evaluate perturbations of the water quality in real time. As the pollution affects the activity of oysters, we consider the valves opening and closing velocities to monitor the water quality assessment. We propose to model the huge volume of velocity data collected in the framework of valvometry using a new nonparametric extreme values statistical model. The objective is to estimate the tail probabilities and the extreme quantiles of the distribution of valve closing velocity. The tail of the distribution function of valve closing velocity is modeled by a Pareto distribution with parameter ??_t,τ, beyond a threshold τ according to the time t of the experiment. Our modeling approach reveals the dependence between the specific activity of two enzymatic biomarkers (Glutathione-S-transferase and acetylcholinesterase) and the continuous recording of oyster valve velocity, proving the suitability of this tool for water quality assessment. Thus, valvometry allows in real-time in situ analysis of the bivalves behavior and appears as an effective early warning tool in ecological risk assessment and marine environment monitoring.     

Synthesis of carbon-coated magnetic nanocomposite (Fe3O4@C) and its application for sulfonamide antibiotics removal from water

The occurrence of antibiotics in the environment has recently raised serious concerns regarding their potential threat to human health and aquatic ecosystem. A new magnetic nanocomposite, Fe304@C （Fe304 coated with carbon）, was synthesized, characterized, and then applied to remove five commonly-used sulfonamides （SAs） from water. Due to its combinational merits of the outer functionalized carbon shell and the inner magnetite core, Fe3O4@C exhibited a high adsorption affinity for selected SAs and a fast magnetic separability. The adsorption kinetics of SAs on Fe304 @ C could be expressed by the pseudo second-order model. The adsorption isotherms were fitted well with the Dual-mode model, revealing that the adsorption process consisted of an initial partitioning stage and a subsequent hole-filling stage. Solution pH exerted a strong impact on the adsorption process with the maximum removal efficiencies （74% to 96%） obtained at pH 4.8 for all selected SAs. Electrostatic force and hydrogen bonding were two major driving forces for adsorption, and electron-donor-acceptor interactions may also make a certain contribution. Because the synthesized Fe304@C showed comprehensive advantages of high adsorptivity, fast magnetic separability, and prominent reusability, it has potential applications in water treatment.     

含Br-废水高级氧化过程AOX生成特性研究

在焦化废水中投加Br^-模拟含Br^-难降解废水,研究UV/H₂O₂和UV/PDS两种高级氧化工艺在实现TOC优化去除条件下可吸附有机卤素（Adsorbable Organic Halogens,AOX）的生成特性.通过响应曲面法优化反应条件,实现废水中TOC高效去除,但Br^-浓度从50 mg·L^-1增至150mg·L^-1时,UV/H₂O₂和UV/PDS出水AOX浓度分别从0.56 mg·L^-1和0.65 mg·L^-1升高至1.44 mg·L^-1和1.63 mg·L^-1,远高于进水AOX浓度(0.08mg·L^-1);对活性卤代成分（RHS）稳态浓度的模拟结果表明UV/PDS中RHS浓度总体高于UV/H₂O₂,是造成二者出水AOX浓度区别的重要原...     

An agenda for assessing and improving conservation impacts of sustainability standards in tropical agriculture

Sustainability standards and certification serve to differentiate and provide market recognition to goods produced in accordance with social and environmental good practices, typically including practices to protect biodiversity. Such standards have seen rapid growth, including in tropical agricultural commodities such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soybeans, and tea. Given the role of sustainability standards in influencing land use in hotspots of biodiversity, deforestation, and agricultural intensification, much could be gained from efforts to evaluate and increase the conservation payoff of these schemes. To this end, we devised a systematic approach for monitoring and evaluating the conservation impacts of agricultural sustainability standards and for using the resulting evidence to improve the effectiveness of such standards over time. The approach is oriented around a set of hypotheses and corresponding research questions about how sustainability standards are predicted to deliver conservation benefits. These questions are addressed through data from multiple sources, including basic common information from certification audits; field monitoring of environmental outcomes at a sample of certified sites; and rigorous impact assessment research based on experimental or quasi‐experimental methods. Integration of these sources can generate time‐series data that are comparable across sites and regions and provide detailed portraits of the effects of sustainability standards. To implement this approach, we propose new collaborations between the conservation research community and the sustainability standards community to develop common indicators and monitoring protocols, foster data sharing and synthesis, and link research and practice more effectively. As the role of sustainability standards in tropical land‐use governance continues to evolve, robust evidence on the factors contributing to effectiveness can help to ensure that such standards are designed and implemented to maximize benefits for biodiversity conservation.     

Distribution and assessment of heavy metal toxicity in sediment cores from Bizerte Lagoon,Tunisia

To examine the state of pollution of Bizerte Lagoon which is exposed to intense anthropogenic pressure, two sediment cores were taken at two sites, one undergoes the dual effects of both marine waters arriving from the Mediterranean Sea through the Channel, and also of freshwater from the Tinja River; the other core is located at the center of the lagoon where water depth is maximal (12 m). Heavy metal concentrations in the two cores were assessed, with calculated enrichment factors and geo-accumulation indexes. Core sediments were also studied for chemical speciation and their monosulfide contents were measured. Results from enrichment factors and geo-accumulation indexes show an accumulation of Cd, Zn, Cr, and Pb, while chemical speciation revealed a risk only from Cd and Mn. Comparison of sequential extraction values with those of acid volatile sulfides revealed that non-toxic effects may be caused by any of the studied metals in the sediment.     

鄱阳湖区国土资源综合评价和开发整治战略

本文在鄱阳湖区国土资源综合评价的基础上,提出了开发整治的战略。鄱阳湖区自然资源比较丰富,开发潜力大。但是,由于洪涝干旱等自然灾害比较频繁,经济结构不合理,商品生产不发达,人口增长率高,科技文化比较落后,环境恶化等原因,影响了湖区经济的发展。为了开发整治鄱阳湖区,本文提出了整治洪涝灾害,充分发挥湖泊水资源优势;优化经济和产业结构,合理利用国土资源,充分发挥湖区农业优势;严格控制人口增长,增加智力投资,提高人口素质,促进科技进步等战略问题。     

钦州湾近20 a来水环境指标的变化趋势Ⅰ平水期营养盐状况

根据 198 3、1990年和 1998～ 1999年平水期 (春、秋季 )的调查资料 ,分析了钦州湾水域的营养盐状况及其与环境因子的关系。结果表明 :本湾营养盐含量变化显著 ,无机氮呈明显递增趋势 ,无机磷则与此相反 ,而活性硅的最低值则出现在浮游植物量最高的 1990年度 ;相关分析显示 ,陆源输入的多寡和浮游植物的丰度是导致本湾N、P、Si含量变化的主要因素 ;Si/N/P值分析则体现了本湾从明显N限制到显著P限制的演化规律 ,而Si限制状态只有在浮游植物异常丰富的情况下才出现 ;通过营养状态综合指数计算 ,表明本湾水体已由明显贫营养状态上升为中营养和富营养状态