Production and fate of copepod fecal pellets across the Southern Indian Ocean

The vertical distribution of copepods, fecal pellets and the fecal pellet production of copepods were measured at seven stations across the Southern Indian Ocean from productive areas off South Africa to oligotrophic waters off Northern Australia during October/November 2006. We quantified export of copepod fecal pellet from surface waters and how much was retained. Furthermore, the potential impact of Oncaea spp. and harpacticoid copepods on fecal pellets degradation was evaluated and found to be regional substantial. The highest copepod abundance and fecal pellet production was found in the western nutrient-rich stations close to South Africa and the lowest at the central oligotrophic stations. The in situ copepod fecal pellet production varied between 1 and 1,000 μg C m⁻³ day⁻¹. At all stations, the retention of fecal pellets in the upper 400 m of the water column was more than 99% and the vertical export of fecal pellets was low (<0.02 mg m⁻² day⁻¹).     

Ontic openness: An absolute necessity for all developmental processes

The physicist Walter M. Elsasser is mostly known for his work on the Earth's magnetism. Less attention has been paid to his efforts toward identifying what are the real differences between physical and biological systems. One essential distinction he recognized was that physical systems are largely homogenous while biological systems always revealed what he called ordered heterogeneity. Calculation of the possible configurations of such heterogeneous systems almost always leads to combinatorial explosions and to what Elsasser referred to as immense numbers. Such calculations have the consequence that any such systems are necessarily unique - mathematically speaking they represent one-sets.Another consequence is that immense numbers automatically introduce enormous uncertainty and indeterminacy into the system. Such systems are said to be ontically open. Applying this perspective to the genome and employing the notion of informational entropy reveals a common drive behind all development. This means that both conventional Darwinian evolution as well as the genomic mistakes that are believed to lie behind processes like aging and diseases can be interpreted against the background of one and the same process.At the same time the approach demonstrates how Darwinian evolution encompasses other notions such as Kauffman's “adjacent possible” ( [Kauffman, 1995] and [Kauffman, 2000]) and Eldrege's and Gould's “evolution via punctuated equilibria” (e.g., [Eldredge and Gould, 1972] and [Gould and Eldredge, 1977]).     

How to Consider the Value of Farm Animals in Breeding Goals. A Review of Current Status and Future Challenges

The objective of this paper is to outline challenges associated with the inclusion of welfare issues in breeding goals for farm animals and to review the currently available methodologies and discuss their potential advantages and limitations to address these challenges. The methodology for weighing production traits with respect to cost efficiency and market prices are well developed and implemented in animal breeding goals. However, these methods are inadequate in terms of assessing proper values of traits with social and ethical values such as animal welfare, because such values are unlikely to be readily available from the product prices and costs in the market. Defining breeding goals that take animal welfare and ethical concerns into account, therefore, requires new approaches. In this paper we suggest a framework and an approach for defining breeding goals, including animal welfare. The definition of breeding goals including values related to animal welfare requires a multidisciplinary approach with a combination of different methods such as profit equations, stated preference techniques, and selection index theory. In addition, a participatory approach involving different stakeholders such as breeding organizations, food authorities, farmers, and animal welfare organizations should be applied. We conclude that even though these methods provide the necessary tools for considering welfare issues in the breeding goal, the practical application of these methods is yet to be achieved.     

城市污水处理厂污泥中多氯二苯并二噁英/呋喃的分布特征

采用同位素稀释法-高分辨气相色谱-质谱测定了2007年北京8个污水处理厂污泥样品中多氯二苯并二噁英(PCDDs)和多氯二苯并呋喃(PCDFs)的分布情况,并根据毒性当量系数计算了污泥中PCDD/Fs的毒性当量(I-TEQPCDD/Fs).样品的I-TEQPCDD/Fs为1.4-15.0pg·g-1dw,平均值为6.0p...     

基于模糊数学的场地重金属污染风险综合评价

在传统土壤评价方法的理论基础上,参考模糊数学的架构,建立了由风险因素集、风险评价集、隶属度函数、评估矩阵和权重系数组成的评价模型,最终形成了一套场地重金属污染风险的综合评价方法.选取安徽铜陵某冶炼厂作为研究场地,分析场地土壤中重金属的污染情况并验证该评价模型的科学性.结果表明,研究场地内表层土壤重金属含量平均值分别为As(1382mg/kg)、Cd(64.9mg/kg)、Cu(4973mg/kg)、Pb(3403mg/kg),As和Pb污染严重.相比于传统土壤评价方法,综合评价方法考虑重金属的人体健康风险、地下水迁移风险和生态风险3个方面,插值后不同风险所占面积比例为安全(25.3%)、低风险(5.86%)、中风险(9.00%)、高风险(59.9%).与内梅罗指数法对比,综合评价风险结果中的高风险区域面积下降了9.50%,而中风险、低风险和安全区域的面积则分别上升了约3.54%、3.83%和1.20%,整体风险有所降低.与传统土壤评价方法对比,基于模糊数学模型的综合评价方法不局限于重金属总量单一因素对土壤污染风险水平的限制,根据场地实际情况及土地二次利用途径对其进行更加详细的污染风险评...     

基于环剪试验的四方碑滑坡滑带土残余强度空间差异性和稳定性分析

水库滑坡因受库水位变化的影响,不同空间位置滑带土的含水率不同,滑带土残余强度也存在空间差异性,使用统一的滑带土残余强度难以准确计算滑坡的稳定性系数。以四方碑滑坡滑带土为研究对象,通过环剪试验分析了不同含水率和不同法向应力作用下滑带土的残余强度特性,结合滑坡渗流模拟结果对滑带土残余强度的空间差异性进行了分区,并计算了在175 m和145 m库水位条件下滑坡的稳定性。结果表明:不同含水率的滑带土试样,其残余强度与法向应力都呈现较好的线性关系,符合Mohr-Coulomb准则;随着滑带土含水率的增加,其残余黏聚力和残余内摩擦角都减小,且滑带土的残余内摩擦角与含水率之间呈现良好的负指数关系;基于滑带土分区的滑坡稳定性计算结果与通过野外调查得到的滑坡稳定性现状相符,说明本文方法具有可靠性。     

Growth of plankton algae as a function of N-concentration,measured by means of batch technique

Employing a special batch technique which involves extremely low concentrations of the alga Selenastrum capricornutum, it is shown that a growth rate of ca. 75% of optimum growth occurs at a concentration of 0.02 g-at N(NH₄ ⁺) l^-1. The low concentrations of this N-source in the oligotrophic parts of the oceans (ca. 0.06 g-at l^-1) thus give rise to a borderline deficiency. As the half-saturation constant (K _S) for growth was recorded at 0.05 g-at N(NO₃ ^-), this ion can hardly be of much importance at the low concentrations present in these parts of the oceans. It is wrong to assert that N is the primary limiting nutrient. Phosphate also is found at concentrations giving rise to a borderline deficiency.     

Annual population development and production by small copepods in Disko Bay,western Greenland

The population of small copepod species (approximately <1 mm) were investigated during an annual cycle in Disko Bay, western Greenland. The small species considered were Acartia longiremis, Pseudocalanus spp., Oithona spp., Oncaea spp., Microsetella spp., and Microcalanus spp. Most of the small species were present in the surface waters year round and numerically dominated the community, and in biomass from late summer and throughout winter. Oithona spp. was numerically the main contributor, while Pseudocalanus spp. dominated in terms of biomass. In the uppermost 50 m, maximum abundance, biomass and secondary production were observed in late September after the phytoplankton production practically had terminated and the winter initiated. The free spawning Acartia longiremis showed a strong seasonal fluctuation in biomass and egg production, in contrast to the egg carrying species Pseudocalanus spp. and Oithona spp. These had a long spawning season and maintained a more stable biomass year round. Secondary production was estimated by three different ways: (1) based on the obtained specific egg production rates, (2) a temperature dependent equation, and (3) a multilinear regression taking temperature, body weight and chlorophyll into consideration. The contribution of the small species was insignificant when compared to the large Calanus species during the spring- and post-bloom. However, during late summer and winter, where Calanus had left the upper water strata for hibernation, the small species played a crucial role in the pelagic carbon cycling.     

最大日负荷总量(TMDL)技术在农业面源污染控制与管理中的应用与发展趋势

介绍了美国最大日负荷总量(total maximum daily load, TMDL)计划的基本内容、基本原理和实施步骤,综述了TMDL计划在国内外实施中常用的流域模型,如SWAT、HSPF和AnnAGNPS模型的研究进展,以及TMDL计划中使用的最佳管理措施(BMPs)及TMDL不确定性分析方面的研究现状.最后,提出了TMDL技术的发展方向,结合我国环境保护和总量控制技术体系现状,展望了TMDL技术在我国农业面源污染控制与管理中的应用前景.     

上海崇明县植被覆盖度动态变化遥感监测研究

植被覆盖度是用于描述和评价生态系统的重要参数。基于1989、2001、2006年的TM/ETM+遥感数据,以上海市崇明县为研究区域,利用改进的像元二分模型,估算出不同时期内崇明县的植被覆盖度,并对其变化进行了定量分析。结果表明:1989-2001年,植被覆盖度负向变化地表约10.17%,正向变化约20.58%,乡镇和湿地区域正向变化的面积大于负向变化,农场区域则相反;2001-2006年,负向变化约29.1%,正向变化约12%,农场和湿地区域正向变化的面积大于负向变化,乡镇区域则相反,并且随着城市化进程的深入,各土地用地类型的植被覆盖度变化在一定程度上都呈现出生态退化的趋势。