Assessing Landowner Activities Related to Birds Across Rural-to-Urban Landscapes

Fluctuations of bird abundances in the Midwest region of the United States have been attributed to such factors as landscape change, habitat fragmentation, depredation, and supplemental feeding. However, no attempt has been made to estimate the collective role of landowner activities that may influence birds across a landscape. To investigate how landowners might influence birds when the majority (> 90%) of land is privately owned, we surveyed all 1694 private domestic landowners living on three breeding bird survey routes (120 km) that represent a continuum of rural-to-urban landscapes in Southeastern Michigan from October through December 2000. Our survey was designed to investigate (1) the proportion of landowners involved in bird feeding, providing bird houses, planting or maintaining vegetation for birds, gardening, landscaping, applying fertilizer, and applying pesticides or herbicides; (2) whether differences existed between urban, suburban, and rural landowner activities; and (3) whether landowners that carried out a given activity were sociodemographically different from those who did not. Of the 968 respondents (58.5% response rate), 912 (94%) carried out at least one of the activities on their land and the average landowner carried out 3.7 activities. A total of 65.6% fed birds, 45.7% provided bird houses, 54.6% planted or maintained vegetation for birds, 72.7% gardened, 72.3% landscaped, 49.3% applied fertilizer, and 25.2% applied pesticides or herbicides. Significant differences existed between the landscapes, with rural landowners having more bird houses and applying pesticides or herbicides in greater frequency. Similarly, urban landowners had a greater density of bird feeders and houses, but planted or maintained vegetation in the lowest frequency. Participation in activities varied by demographic factors, such as age, gender, and occupation. Scaling each activity to all landowners, including nonrespondents, across all landscapes indicates that between 14% and 82% of landowners may be engaged in a particular activity, with application of pesticides or herbicides having the least potential involvement (13.9%–55.4%) and gardening having the greatest potential involvement (40.1%–81.6%). Taken collectively, our results indicate that landowners are both intentionally and unintentionally engaged in a wide range of activities that are likely to influence bird populations.     

Modeling the e ects of constructed wetland on nonpoint source pollution control and reservoir water quality improvement

This article describes the integrated modeling approach for planning the size and the operation of constructed wetlands for maximizing retention of nonpoint source pollutant loads and reservoir water-quality improvement at a catchment scale. The experimental field-scale wetland systems (four sets, 0.88 ha each) have been in operation since 2002, where water depth was maintained at 30–50 cm and hydraulic loading rate was at 6.3–18.8 cm/day. The wetland system was found to be adequate for treating polluted stream water with stable removal e ciency even during the winter. The integrated modeling system (modified-BASINS) was applied to the Seokmoon estuarine reservoir watershed and calibrated with monitoring data from constructed wetland, stream, and reservoir. The calibrated integrated modeling system estimated that constructing wetlands on 0.5% (about 114 ha) of the watershed area at the mouth of reservoir could reduce 11.61% and 13.49% of total external nitrogen and phosphorus loads, respectively. It also might improve the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of the reservoir by 9.69% and 16.48%, respectively. The study suggested that about 0.1%–1.0% of the watershed area should be allocated for constructed wetland to meet specified water-quality standards for the estuarine reservoir at the polder area where land use planning is relatively less complicated.     

三峡库区回水区营养盐和叶绿素a的时空变化及其相互关系

为探讨三峡水库调度运行背景下,库区回水区营养盐和叶绿素a时空变化及其相互关系,于2013年5月~2014年5月在三峡库区北岸最大、也是库区水华频发的支流——澎溪河的回水区高阳平湖进行了定点和高频监测.结果表明水体热分层是高阳平湖水华发生的诱导因素.高阳平湖水体热分层发生于春季(3月初),消亡于夏末(9月中旬),冬季没有分层.2014年春季,随着水体分层的发生和发展,表层叶绿素a在69 d内从14.92μg·L-1骤增至183.73μg·L-1,并暴发水华,之后叶绿素a随着混合层深度增加而下降.水体没有分层时,表、中和底层营养盐浓度相近;水体分层之后,各层磷浓度有了明显差异,表层和底层总磷浓度相差(0.18±0.04)mg·L-1.高水位期(9月至次年4月),高阳平湖硝氮和溶解性磷高于低水位期(5~8月)的含量,分别占总氮、总磷浓度的71.4%~95.4%和42.7%~94.4%,是总氮和总磷的主要组成部分,干流倒灌输入的硝氮和溶解性磷是其主要来源.     

蠕虫在膜生物反应器和活性污泥法中的污泥减量研究

通过长达345d的中试规模试验,研究比较了蠕虫在膜生物反应器(MBR)和活性污泥法(CAS)的生长状况及其导致的污泥减量效果.CAS中的蠕虫生长状况明显优于MBR的蠕虫生长状况.MBR曝气池中平均蠕虫密度(10条·mg-1)远低于CAS曝气池中平均蠕虫密度(71条·mg-1),并且CAS中蠕虫连续保持高密度(>30条·mg-1)生长达172d.CAS中红斑瓢体虫和仙女虫交替成为优势蠕虫.蠕虫生长对MBR的污泥产率(0 40kg·kg-1)和污泥沉降性能(污泥沉降指数133mL·g-1)影响很小,但却能显著减少CAS的污泥产率(0 17kg·kg-1)和改善污泥沉降性能(污泥沉降指数为60mL·g-1).仙女虫比红斑瓢体虫能更大地减少污泥产量和更好地改善污泥沉降性能.蠕虫生长不影响MBR的COD去除率和出水水质,但却显著影响CAS的COD去除率和出水水质.     

Behavioral aspects of sperm competition in cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Sepioidea: Cephalopoda)

Sexual selection studies in cephalopods indicate that sperm competition is a central feature of their mating systems, yet this has not been studied experimentally in any detail. In 1998 we staged 20 matings of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis L., in the laboratory. Males rapidly initiated mating in the “head-to-head” position, with no apparent courtship. Mating lasted an average of 10 min (range 7 to 14 min). For the first 6 min (on average 63% of the mating duration), the male flushed strong jets of water directly at the female's buccal membrane, which sometimes resulted in the expulsion of parts of spermatangia placed there in recent matings. Then, in a single discrete movement that lasted an average of only 14 s, the male's modified fourth left arm – the hectocotylus – wrapped around a single large bundle of spermatophores (ca. 150 to 300) and transferred them to the female's buccal membrane. For the remainder of the mating (average 3 min, range 1.5 to 5.0 min), the hectocotylus repeatedly broke the spermatophores open, and manipulated them, so that sperm were released and many spermatangia were attached along the ventral buccal membrane, near the paired seminal receptacles. Approximately 140 spermatangia were attached in rows 3 to 5 deep around the ventral buccal membrane in a single mating; the rest were usually discarded during mating. Histology revealed that each of the seminal receptacles consists of a series of sperm storage bulbs connected by a central duct, which leads to a single pore at the surface of the buccal membrane. Baseline data on sperm motility were obtained, but the mechanism by which sperm enter the seminal receptacle remains unknown. Females seemed to initiate termination of mating, then males guarded their mates temporarily. These results, combined with other recent laboratory experiments, provide evidence that sperm competition may be a major feature of the mating system of S. officinalis. Received: 4 January 1999 / Accepted: 18 May 1999     

Degradation of three phenylurea herbicides (chlortoluron, isoproturon and diuron) by micromycetes isolated from soil

As part of a study conducted on the fate of xenobiotics in the environment, a selection of 100 strains of micromycetes (Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Yeasts) have been cultivated in liquid synthetic medium with 3 phenylurea herbicides: chlortoluron and isoproturon (100mg L-1) and diuron (20mg L-1). While 17 strains depleted isoproturon over 50% only 4 depleted diuron and 2 chlortoluron at the same level. The best results were obtained with Bjerkandera adusta and Oxysporus sp which were the most efficient towards the 3 substrates. After 2 weeks Bjerkandera adusta depleted chlortoluron 98%, diuron 92% and isoproturon 88%.     

Effect of chromium on the fatty acid composition of two strains of Euglena gracilis

The effect of hexavalent chromium on fatty acid composition was studied in two strains of Euglena gracilis; UTEX 753 (from the Culture Collection of Algae of Texas University, USA) and MAT (isolated from a highly polluted River). Both were grown in photoauxotrophic and photoheterotrophic conditions and exposed to two metal concentrations, one below and one above IC50. The high malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (3 to 7-fold) obtained with chromium concentration above IC50, suggested the existence of metal-induced lipid peroxidation. Total lipid content increased only with concentration below IC50, whereas it was inhibited by higher metal concentration. Photoheterotrophic control strains exhibited a significantly higher proportion of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Polyunsaturated acids were most affected by chromium, especially those related to chloroplast structures. Ultra-structure studies showed clear thylakoid disorganization in all treated cells. The results indicate that hexavalent chromium affects levels of fatty acids, especially those related to photosynthetic activity.     

Ammonia emission from grassland and livestock production systems in the UK

Emissions of ammonia were measured from livestock excreta and fertilisers applied to grass swards, from grazed paddocks, from decomposing grass herbage and from an animal house containing dairy cows. Emissions from urine, dung, slurry and fertilisers were determined using a system of wind tunnels with each tunnel covering an area of 1 m(2). Emissions from grazed swards were determined using a micrometeorological mass balance method. From the results of these measurements, together with other published information, an inventory for ammonia emissions has been calculated for grassland and livestock production systems over the UK as a whole. It is estimated that emissions from grassland and cattle and sheep production amount to about 230 kt NH(3)-N annually, while emissions from pig and poultry production amount to about 40 kt and 80 kt NH(3)-N, respectively.     

Trace metals in the hair of habitants of the Ok Tedi region, Papua New Guinea

It has long been known that mining activity can markedly change the level and distribution of certain heavy metals in the adjacent environment. This pollution can be quite widespread and long lasting and often has deleterious effects on the health of local populations. In the present study scalp hair was used as the biopsy material because of its ease of collection and long history of use in this connection. Hair was collected from all the local villages in the vicinity of the mine site, as well as from Papua New Guinean nationals from other provinces, and European expatriates who were employed by the mining company and who were resident in the area. Hair from local people showed a remarkably high iron content by comparison with previously studied populations. The extreme variations in hair iron levels were reflected in the differential distribution of levels according to location, age and sex. Hair cadmium was also high in the population studied. Hair copper, lead, zinc and mercury all appeared to be within 'normal' limits by comparison with other general populations. These results are discussed in the context of the environmental and social impact of the mining operations on the local people.     

Distribution of fission products in dust samples from the region of Thessaloniki, Greece, after the Chernobyl nuclear accident

The distribution of the fission products (95)Zr, (95)Nb, (103)Ru, (106)Ru (determined through (106)Rh), (125)Sb, (129m)Te, (134)Cs, (137)Cs, (140)Ba, (140)La, (141)Ce and (144)Ce has been determined in dust samples from the region of Thessaloniki, Greece, after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. The samples studied also included (110m)Ag, not belonging to the products of (235)U fission. Samples showing higher concentrations of radionuclides also show a higher content in clay minerals, whereas samples having low concentrations of radionuclides usually contain large amounts of quartz and feldspars. Desorption and leaching experiments using solutions of chlorides of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium (0.5 N), as well as distilled and tap water, were also performed. Sodium and potassium chloride solutions were found to be efficient in desorbing and/or leaching of caesium and ruthenium isotopes to an extent of about 30%.