Impact of invasive mammal species on natural ecosystems: An example of the Prioksko-Terrasnyi Biosphere Reserve

On the basis of Annals of Nature of the Prioksko-Terrasnyi Biosphere Reserve, its colonization by invasive mammal species and the current state of their populations have been analyzed. In the mammal fauna of the reserve, 13 out of 60 species can be classified as invasive. They differ in the degree of impact on the biota. The house mouse, Norway and black rats, and European bison have virtually no effect on natural ecosystems; the effect of the muskrat, raccoon dog, American mink, red and axis deer is insignificant; and that of stray dogs and Tartarian roe deer is considerable. The European beaver and wild boar play an environment-forming role. The impact of beaver activities is strong but local, whereas activities of wild boars put into question the very possibility of conservation and analysis of representative biosphere areas and biological diversity in the reserve.     

Measuring the environmental performance of IPPC industry: I. Devising a quantitative science-based and policy-weighted Environmental Emissions Index

This paper describes the derivation of an Environmental Emissions Index (EEI) intended to quantify the environmental performance of Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) installations and sectors. Characterisation and normalisation methods used in lifecycle analyses were applied to 20 routinely reported emissions parameters, pertaining to six environmental impact categories. Distance to policy targets for relevant emissions were used to weight impact categories, and link the EEI to policy priorities. Ireland and the EU15 were considered as scales of context. The European Pollutant Emission Register was a convenient source of normalisation data, but restricted the context of the EEI to industrial emissions, and distorted outputs. Using national and EU15 total loading estimates for normalisation resulted in an EEI that better reflected the relative contribution of reported emissions towards overall environmental pressures. Using Ireland's pharmaceutical sector as a case study indicated that weighting factors, and the toxicity range of NMVOC emissions, were the largest sources of EEI uncertainty. Through the integration of inventory data, scientific characterisation, and policy targets, the EEI translates reported emissions data from IPPC installations and sectors into a benchmark of environmental performance. It may be regarded as an evolving tool of potential utility to regulators and policy makers.     

Spatial population structure in forest voles of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys</Emphasis> in the southern taiga of the Middle Irtysh region

A comparative analysis of spatial population structure in the northern red-backed vole (Clethrionomys rutilus Pall.) and large-toothed red-backed vole (Cl. rufocanus Sund.) has been performed in the middle taiga zone of the Middle Irtysh region (Omsk oblast). Populations of these species are represented by sets of territorial groups whose numbers and spatial distribution change from year to year depending on the ratio of these species in a biotope and their population density. There is no significant interspecific competition between cohabitant Cl. rutilus and Cl. rufocanus. In particular, this follows from the fact that the population density and distribution pattern of one species are independent of those of the other species. It has been found that the size of home ranges in Cl. rutilus inversely depends on its population density, with that in Cl. rufocanus remaining approximately the same at different population densities, and that the structure of the resident part of the population in both species changes during the season, as voles from neighboring habitats or dispersing voles settle in the study area.     

Phenotypic diversity in populations of the common blue butterfly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polyommatus icarus</Emphasis> Rott. As a trend in the ecocenotic strategy of the species

Phenotypic diversity in populations of Polyommatus icarus Rott. (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) is regarded as a component of the ecocenotic strategy of the species, trends in which may serve as markers characterizing the state of natural populations.     

Simple and Rapid Detection of Human Norovirus from Produce Using SYBR Green I-based Real-time RT-PCR

Several foodborne norovirus gastroenteritis outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce. Rapid and sensitive detection can help prevent the release of contaminated produce items in the market. The objectives of this study were to apply a relatively inexpensive SYBR Green I-based real-time RT-PCR assay for the rapid detection of human norovirus (NoV) GI and GII on the surfaces of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and green onions. Each washed produce commodity (25 g) was spiked with serial dilutions of NoV GI and GII stool samples. RNA was eluted from the produce surface and extracted using the TRIzol^? method. This was followed by detection using SYBR Green I real-time RT-PCR with primers specific for NoV GI (COG1F-COG1R) and GII (COG2F-COG2R) along with an internal RNA amplification control. End-point detection limits from lettuce and tomatoes were found to be 10 RT-PCR units/25 g for GI and GII and 1 RT-PCR unit/25 g for GI and 10 RT-PCR units/25 g for GII from green onions. These results were confirmed by Tm analysis (showing peaks at 81.5 and 84°C for GI and GII, respectively; and 83°C for the IAC) as well as agarose gel electrophoresis that confirmed products of ~95 bp for GI and GII and ~155 bp for the RNA IAC. Results could be obtained within one working day, showing potential for routine use in diagnostics and monitoring of NoV contamination by the produce industry.     

城市污水水质水量变化及生活污染源污染特征研究

在收集西安市污水处理厂近年来水质水量监测数据的基础上,统计分析污水处理厂水量水质的变化规律,并通过对不同生活污水污染源的现场监测,研究各类生活污水污染源的污染强度和污染特征,识别重点生活污染源。研究结果表明,西安市主要污水处理厂近年来进水量逐年增大,且进水水质逐年恶化,其中COD、SS和NH3-N浓度逐年增加,TP浓度年际变化较小;城市污水的水质水量随季节波动变化,西安市城市污水水量以及COD、SS和NH3-N等水质指标在7-9月份及春节期间出现高峰,这与季节及年节导致的用水量变化有关,但年内TP浓度均在10 mg/L以下,波动较小;生活类污染源中污染物浓度因行业不同而异,餐饮业、学校、住宿业及生活小区是生活类污染源中的＂高污染＂行业,加强对上述行业的监管力度,从源头消减污染物对于节能减排具有重要的现实意义。     

Transformation of rural communities: lessons from a local self-initiative for building resilience in the Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands is vulnerable to negative impacts from climate change, where people’s livelihoods and their well-being are threatened, especially the viability of isolated communities. Realising the increasing risks from climate change on communities, government, in partnership with aid-donor partners, has invested millions of dollars in climate change projects, through mitigation and adaptation strategies. As a form of adaptation, the government invests in programmes aimed at increasing the adaptive capacity of the vulnerable communities through landscape and seascape projects across the rural communities. Focusing on the “transformation concept” as a long-term adaptation strategy and enlargement of climate engineering and ecological resilience concepts, the paper discusses why building resilience from transformation of rural communities, as well as from landscape and seascape projects, would benefit communities and relevant authorities. This paper describes the findings of a study on two rural villages, Keigold and Mondo, from Ranogha Islands, Western Province, in Solomon Islands, where 80% of households decided to relocate from their old village “Mondo” to their new home “Keigold” after an earthquake in 2007, as part of a self-initiative. The reallocation process can be seen as a case of pro-active community transformation that provides valuable lessons to other rural communities that may be forced to move due to impacts from natural catastrophes, including those explained by climate change risks. Lessons from this experience suggest that policy-makers and non-government organisations should consider and empower local transformation initiatives as a way to building long-term adaptation to climate change.     

Sex ratio of juvenile loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: is it really 1:1?

Sex ratios are a crucial parameter for evaluating population viability. In species with complex life history patterns and temperature sex determination mechanisms, such as the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), sex ratios may vary within a population and among populations. In the Mediterranean, juvenile sex ratios appear to not differ significantly from 1:1, although estimates for hatchling sex ratios are highly female biased. The immigration of males from the Atlantic has been suggested as a possible cause of such variation. Here, we present results of a multi-year investigation (2000–2011) on the sex ratios of loggerhead turtles foraging along the south Tyrrhenian coast, Western Mediterranean, with the aim of providing a better understanding of the potentially underlying forces that drive regional and age-dependent differences in sex ratios. Sex was determined through visual examination of the gonads in 271 dead turtles (curved carapace length range 29.5–89 cm). A fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region was sequenced from 61 specimens to characterise the demographic composition of this foraging assemblage by applying a many-to-many mixed stock analysis approach. No significant association was found between sex ratios and years or size classes, although the largest size was male biased. Juvenile sex ratio was 1.56:1, which was different from an even sex ratio but still less female biased than hatchling sex ratios from Mediterranean beaches. Results of the mixed stock analysis indicate that juvenile sex ratios in the Mediterranean are largely unaffected by immigration of Atlantic individuals into the basin, as previously suggested. Continued long-term monitoring of juvenile sex ratios is necessary to detect biologically significant sex ratio shifts in the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle population.     

水泥厂废旧除尘布袋焚烧灰作水泥混合材试验

为探索水泥厂化纤布袋焚烧灰和玻纤布袋焚烧灰用作水泥混合材的可行性,将两种废旧布袋焚烧灰分别按10%、20%、30%、40%与熟料、石膏进行配比制成水泥.通过对各试样进行物理检验,研究了两种布袋焚烧灰的掺量对水泥性能的影响.试验结果表明,两种布袋焚烧灰作水泥混合材活性试验的R28分别为91.0%和80.6%,高于活性混合材R28为65%的判定指标,由此可认为此两种布袋焚烧灰具有较高的活性,可单独用作水泥混合材;两种布袋焚烧灰在掺量低于20%时,水泥强度达到甚至超过同龄期S号参照水泥;两种布袋焚烧灰在掺量小于40%的范围内,除掺加30%玻纤布袋灰的样品外,其余试样的水泥安定性、凝结时间和水泥强度等性能指标均满足42.5R强度等级水泥要求.     

不同生态工程组合系统对南方水源地污水的净化效果

于2010年6月(丰水期)和11月(枯水期),对我国南方水源地农村生活污水处理系统(系统Ⅰ)以及农田排水处理系统(系统Ⅱ)的常规污染物和藻类进行调查,分析比较两个系统对常规污染物以及藻类的去除效果.结果表明,系统Ⅰ出水中的生化需氧量、化学耗氧量、总磷、总氮和悬浮物等指标均符合《国家城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB18918-2002)回用水要求,该系统中共监测出浮游植物6门53属74种,系统Ⅰ丰水期对藻类细胞总密度和叶绿素a的去除率分别为87.71%和58.87%,枯水期为95.73%和58.57%;系统Ⅱ出水中的生化需氧量、化学耗氧量、总磷、总氮和氨氮等指标优于《地表水环境质量标准》(GB3838-2002)Ⅳ类水标准,该系统监测出浮游植物6门48属66种,系统Ⅱ丰水期对藻类细胞总密度和叶绿素a的去除率分别为62.43%和72.25%,系统Ⅱ丰水期的藻类处理效果优于枯水期.对两个系统的水质净化效果进行比较,系统Ⅰ对总氮、藻类细胞密度、叶绿素a的去除效果优于系统Ⅱ,系统Ⅱ对氨氮的去除效果优于系统Ⅰ.两种生态工程组合系统的水质净化效果明显,能为南方类似水源地污水处理和水生生态态系统恢复提供技术支持.图3表2参33