Life-history parameters and vertical distribution of Maurolicus muelleri in Masfjorden in summer

Population characteristics, individual life-history variables, feeding and vertical distribution of the mesopelagic fish Müller's pearlside Maurolicus muelleri collected in 1990 in Masfjorden, western Norway, are reported as well as environmental variables from the fjord. Minimum size at maturity was far smaller than reported from previous investigations in the same region. Fecundity was size-dependent and total egg numbers were higher than reported from other investigations of M. muelleri world wide, while the number of maturing eggs was far lower than observed in the same region earlier. Food concentration in the fjord was an order of magnitude lower than previous early summer observations, and several factors indicated that feeding opportunities may have been low for a long period. Daily feeding rate (g prey g^-1 fish) decreased with increasing fish size. These observations fit well with a model of maximizing fitness by means of a flexible size at maturity. Minimum age at maturity seems to be achieved at the expense of fecundity. M. muelleri was concentrated in a 20 to 30 m deep sound scattering layer (SSL). The SSL stayed close to the surface during the night and at 100 to 180 m during the daytime. The vertical position of the SSL varied instantaneously with changes in surface light intensity, remaining at 10^-3 to 10^-4 mol m^-1 s^-1 at the top of the SSL. Stomach fullness was highest during the night; feeding intensity seems to have been peaked at dusk. Cladocerans were the main prey ranked by number, copepods by biomass. Intake of large copepods increased with fish size.     

Accidents and risk control

A framework for transformation of knowledge and experience from risk analysis to emergency education is presented. An accident model was developed built on the concept “uncontrolled flow of energy (UFOE)”, where essential elements are the state, location and movement of the energy. A UFOE can be considered as the driving force of an accident, e.g. an explosion, a release of heavy gases. A domain model has been developed for representing emergencies occurring in society. A domain is a group of activities with allied goals and elements, and the domain model uses three main categories: status, context and objectives. Ten specific domains have been investigated including process plant, energy production and distribution, natural disasters and different sorts of transport. Totally 25 accident cases were consulted and information was extracted for filling into the schematic representations with two to four cases pr. specific domain.     

太湖梅梁湾水体组分吸收特性季节差异分析

利用2006年8月、11月和2007年3月太湖梅梁湾水样实验室测定的水体组分固有光学特性数据和水质分析数据,分析水体中各组分在不同季节的吸收特性,并讨论不同季节光谱吸收的主导因子.结果表明,各组分在不同季节其吸收特性存在一定的差异,总悬浮吸收系数在夏季最大,在440 nm平均吸收系数为(7.49 4±3.0)m-1,春季最小,440 nm平均吸收系数为(2.86±0.73)m-1,且不同季节其吸收类型不同;非藻类颗粒吸收特性的季节性差异相对较小,其吸收系数和S值的差异主要是由于无机悬浮物含量和组成的不同导致的;由于藻类含量的差异导致浮游藻类吸收系数在夏季最大,675 nm平均吸收系数为(5.49±3.5)m-1,秋季次之675 nm平均吸收系数为(2.03±1.14)m-1,春季最小,675 nm平均吸收系数为(0.62±0.25)m-1;而有色可溶件有机物(chromophoric dissolved organic matter,CDOM)吸收系数和S值的季节差异性主要是由于其来源的不同,导致其浓度和成分的不同形成的.春、秋季由于无机悬浮物含量较高,非藻类颗粒物对总吸收的贡献大于其他组分,是水体总吸收的主导因子,而夏季由于浮游藻类含量较高,使其成为水下光谱的主要影响因素.     

太湖水体中悬浮颗粒物的比吸收光谱特性及其参数化分析

通过对太湖水体的野外采样,利用定量滤膜技术测量了水体中浮游植物色素的吸收系数(aph(λ))和非色素颗粒物的吸收系数(aNAP(λ)),进而推算比吸收系数.同时,对浮游植物色素和非色素颗粒物的比吸收系数的时空变化特征进行了分析.结果表明,浮游植物色素的比吸收系数(ap*h)在蓝光440nm的变化范围为0.008～0.268m2·mg-1,在红光670nm的变化范围为0.004～0.098m·2mg-1;;通过K-Mean算法将浮游植物色素的比吸收光谱分成3种具有不同光谱特征的类型,类别1、2和3占总数的百分比分别为61.0%、12.2%和26.8%,表明太湖水体中浮游植物色素的比吸收光谱是以类别1为主;;色素包裹效应因子Qa*(675)在Chla浓度<50mg·m-3时,随Chla浓度的增大迅速减小,而在Chla浓度>50mg·m-3时,其减小的趋势趋于缓慢,Qa*(675)与Chla浓度呈现出较好的幂函数关系.非色素颗粒物的比吸收系数(aN*AP)在蓝光440nm处的变化范围为0.012×10-3～0.143×10-3m2·mg-1,利用此处的比吸收系数建立的非色素颗粒物比吸收光谱的参数化模型,光谱曲线斜率...     

铜管模拟输配系统中氯胺衰减过程与模拟

研究了氯胺在铜管模拟输配系统中的衰减过程,并利用一级反应动力学模型对氯胺衰减规律进行了模拟;考察了pH、初始氯胺浓度等水质条件与流速等水力条件对氯胺衰减速率的影响.结果表明,pH值是影响氯胺衰减速率与金属铜溶出的重要因素,pH越低氯胺衰减越快;提高氯胺初始浓度可加快氯胺衰减速度,也可增加金属铜的溶出量;流速对氯胺衰减速率的影响不大.此外,衰减动力学过程模拟结果表明,采用一级反应动力学模型可以较好地拟合不同条件下的氯胺衰减规律.从而对于工程中不同条件下消毒剂浓度预测具有重要意义.     

R&D Activities,Operating Experience Discussed at Fabric Alternatives Forum

ABSTRACT

Previously reported volatile organic compounds (VOC) radiocarbon (¹⁴C) measurements for 1992 summertime Atlanta, GA, have been compared with chromatographic data and emissions inventory predictions. The chromatographic approach that was used provided a more comprehensive VOC characterization than typically achieved, and the emissions inventory was research-grade level (date-, site-, and time-specific). The comparisons are in general agreement that biogenic emissions contribute only modestly (<10%) to the VOC content of the particular ambient samples that were collected and measured. The choices of sampling site (near city-center) and times (early morning and late evening) are major influences on the results, which consequently should not be regarded as representing the average VOC biogenic impact for the Atlanta area.     

From food to pest: Conversion factors determine switches between ecosystem services and disservices

Ecosystem research focuses on goods and services, thereby ascribing beneficial values to the ecosystems. Depending on the context, however, outputs from ecosystems can be both positive and negative. We examined how provisioning services of wild animals and plants can switch between being services and disservices. We studied agricultural communities in Laos to illustrate when and why these switches take place. Government restrictions on land use combined with economic and cultural changes have created perceptions of rodents and plants as problem species in some communities. In other communities that are maintaining shifting cultivation practices, the very same taxa were perceived as beneficial. We propose conversion factors that in a given context can determine where an individual taxon is located along a spectrum from ecosystem service to disservice, when, and for whom. We argue that the omission of disservices in ecosystem service accounts may lead governments to direct investments at inappropriate targets.

     

Validation of the Digital Opacity Compliance System under Regulatory Enforcement Conditions

Abstract

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emission Measurement Center in conjunction with EPA Regions VI and VIII, the state of Utah, and the U.S. Department of Defense have conducted a series of long-term pilot and field tests to determine the accuracy and reliability of a visible opacity monitoring system consisting of a conventional digital camera and a separate computer software application for plume opacity determination. This technology, known as the Digital Opacity Compliance System (DOCS), has been successfully demonstrated at EPA-sponsored Method-9 “smoke schools,” as well as at a number of government and commercially operated industrial facilities.

Results from the current DOCS regulatory pilot study demonstrated that, under regulatory enforcement conditions, the average difference in opacity measurement between the DOCS technology and EPA Reference Method 9 (Method 9) was 1.12%. This opacity difference, which was computed from the evaluation of 241 regulated air sources, was found to be statistically significant at the 99% confidence level. In evaluating only those sources for which a nonzero visible opacity level was recorded, the average difference in opacity measurement between the DOCS technology and Method 9 was 1.20%. These results suggest that the two opacity measurement methods are essentially equivalent when measuring the opacity of visible emissions.

Given the costs and technical limitations associated with use of Method 9, there is a recognized need to develop accurate, reproducible, and scientifically defensible alternatives to the use of human observers. The use of digital imaging/processing brings current technology to bear on this important regulatory issue. Digital technology offers increased accuracy, a permanent record of measurement events, lower costs, and a scientifically defensible approach for opacity determination.