Influence of support on catalytic behavior of nickel catalysts in the steam reforming of ethanol for hydrogen production

Al₂O₃, MgO, SiO₂ and ZnO-supported nickel catalysts were prepared and evaluated in the ethanol steam reforming for hydrogen production. It is shown that the catalytic behavior can be influenced depending on the experimental conditions employed and chemical composition of the catalyst.     

Modeling the fate and transport of non-volatile organic chemicals in the agro-ecosystem: A case study of Cameron Highlands,Malaysia

Many pesticides used in agricultural activities are considered environmentally non-volatile. The main purpose of this paper is to develop multimedia model to be used as a tool to predict the overall fate and transport of non-volatile organic chemicals (NVOCs) dynamic in the agro-ecosystem. The model was developed based on the EQuilibrium Criterion (EQC) model for type 2 chemicals introduced by Mackay and colleagues in 1996. Mackay’s model only considered four environmental compartments, which are air, water, soil and sediment. The present model adds the vegetation compartment, in addition to previous compartments that shape the agro-ecosystem. The vegetation compartment is described by two sub-compartments consisting of the above ground plant (AGP) and roots. The model was parameterized for the Cameron Highlands region, Malaysia, and runs with an illustrative emission rate of 1 kg h^?1 into the air for three selected pesticides, namely, mancozeb, spinosad and chlorosulfuron. The simulation results with and without vegetation compartment were compared. The estimated results indicating that the AGP captures 99.9% of introduced NVOCs (i.e., of 100% or 1 kg h^?1) and transfers them to the ground below due to the slight degradation losses of 10^?4% and the non-volatility property of the evaluated chemicals. Root uptake of chlorosulfuron accounted the highest removal process from soil while degradation of spinosad in the soil is the major loss mechanism. Leaching to groundwater loss for mancozeb is about 2-fold greater than that of degradation, which together accounted the major removal process from soil. Based on the estimated results of mass distribution on the overall system, vegetation compartment accumulates 0.04%, 0.5% and 2.02% of the mancozeb, spinosad and chlorosulfuron, respectively.     

Flexible foraging strategies of gentoo penguins <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pygoscelis papua</Emphasis> over 5 years in the South Shetland Islands,Antarctica

Gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua show considerable plasticity in their diet, diving, and foraging behaviors among colonies; we expected that they might exhibit similar variability over time, at a single site, since flexible foraging habits would provide a buffer against changes in prey availability. We examined interannual changes in the foraging strategies and diet of gentoo penguins in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, over 5 years with variable prey abundance. Antarctic krill Euphausia superba was the primary diet item, and fish the secondary, though the importance of these items varied among years. Diving behavior also varied over time: different dive depth distributions were observed among years. Nonetheless, chick-rearing success remained relatively constant, indicating that gentoo penguins were able to maintain chick provisioning by altering their foraging strategy among years. Variable abundance of krill in the region did not have observable impacts on the diet, foraging behaviors or chick-rearing success of gentoo penguins. We suggest that foraging plasticity may be one reason that gentoo penguin populations have remained stable in the region, while their congeners (P. antarctica and P. adeliae) with less flexible foraging strategies have declined.     

Emergy-based urban health evaluation and development pattern analysis

The objective of this study is to measure and evaluate the ecosystem health levels of 31 Chinese capital cities in 2004 through an emergy synthesis framework. A system of indicators was developed corresponding to the four factors of urban ecosystem health including efficiency, structure, impact and flux. Furthermore, combined with individual indices, an emergy-based urban ecosystem health index (EUEHI) was proposed to measure and evaluate the health levels among various typical cities in China, which offers an integrated evaluation tool in view of urban production, trade and consumption. The results showed that there are intrinsic differences among six clusters associated with driving mechanisms distinguishing the rankings of urban health levels. After lining the cities of similar health levels with cluster map, the spatial distribution of the urban health is found to be arch-shaped, increasing initially and then decreasing from coast to inner land. This kind of spatial hierarchy is per se compatible and consistent with the hierarchical theory of emergy synthesis. The results also revealed double restrictions of urban health between economy and environment. Moreover, the interaction analysis was used for mirroring the driving mechanism of urban ecosystem health. Three conclusions were arrived at. Firstly, environmental health is inversely related to the economic health in China, indicating that cities cannot achieve win–win between environment and economy in the current urban development mode. Secondly, based on economy-driven mode, four quadrants were divided in the city division map, wherein 43.33% of the concerned cities developed in high economy-restriction mode, which means low economic level is still an important limiting factor for the major cities of China. Finally, based on environment-driven mode, two sections were divided, of which weak environmental dominance mode expounds the special characteristics of urban environment with obvious fragility. 23.33% of the 30 cities were in the intermediate state, which means a few correspondingly unhealthy cities should develop concrete polices for the urban ecosystem restoration.     

Cloning,expression, and functional identification of CaSWEET7 and CaSWEET15 genes in Canarium album北大核心CSCD

糖外排转运蛋白(sugars will eventually be exported transporters,SWEET)介导植物光合同化产物蔗糖的跨膜运输.以橄榄(Canarium album(Lour.)Raeusch.)果实为材料,通过气相色谱串联质谱(GC-MS)检测橄榄果实中糖组分及含量变化,利用RT-PCR技术克隆得到CaSWEET7和CaSWEET15基因开放阅读框(ORF)序列.结果表明:CaSWEET7和CaSWEET15基因ORF全长分别为774 bp和951 bp,分别编码长度为257个和316个氨基酸残基,具有2个MtN3_slv结构域;进化树分析表明,CaSWEET7属于CladeⅡ,CaSWEET15属于CladeⅢ.实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)技术检测其在不同发育时期的果实中相对表达量变化,结果表明,随着果实发育,CaSWEET7和CaSWEET15表达量逐渐递增,且与果实发育蔗糖含量变化呈显著正相关(相关性系数分别为0.931和0.904,P<0.05);利用酵母功能互补证明CaSWEET7和CaSWEET15基因编码的蛋白具有转运蔗糖能力.本研究表明CaSWEET7和CaSWEET15基因可能在橄榄果实蔗糖积累中发挥作用.(图9表2参44)     

Urban Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation for Agricultural Irrigation: The situation in Morocco and Palestine

As freshwater becomes increasingly scarce due to population growth, urbanisation and, probably, climate change, the use of wastewater in agriculture, aquaculture, groundwater recharge and in other areas will increase. In some cases, wastewater is the only water resource available to poor, subsistence-level farming communities. Although there are benefits to using wastewater in agriculture—such as better nutrition and food security for many households—uncontrolled use of wastewater is frequently associated with significant negative human health impacts. These health impacts can be minimized when good management practices are implemented. In this paper the existing situation, in relation to water resources availability, wastewater treatment and reuse in Morocco and Palestine, is presented.     

Construction of an ecosystem service value evaluation system for the Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park in Chengdu City Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process北大核心CSCD

As a special ecosystem, an urban forest park, which is different from a regular “forest park”, is one of the key elements involved in improving the urban ecological environment and promoting the sustainable development of a city. The “urban forest park” can also significantly improve living conditions by acting as a greenbelt. The Chengdu Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park is a rare mountain urban forest park located in the center of the city. This “urban forest park” not only provides more ecological products and maintains ecological security but also meets the growing needs of people for food, environmental quality, and spirituality. To comprehensively assess the ecological value of the Chengdu Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park, this study used the literature analogy and questionnaire survey methods to establish a targeted ecosystem service assessment system in this study area. In addition, combined with the hierarchical analysis method, the indicator system was tested, and the specific evaluation index was determined. In the Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park Ecosystem Service Value Index System, three first-level indicators, such as ecological material products (with a weight of 0.412 6), ecological regulation (0.327 5), and dwelling culture (0.259 9); eight secondary indicators, such as product production (0.206 3), resource supply (0.206 3), and biodiversity (0.194 4); and twenty-three tertiary indicators, such as air negative oxygen ion (0.154 7), habitat quality (0.095 9), and ecological health benefit (0.075 5), were identified. From the weights of the first and second indicators, it was clear that the supply of ecological material products is the main service function in the Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park ecosystem. Moreover, from the weights of the third indicator, the public’s cognition and concept of the ecosystem service value of the “urban forest park” gradually shifted from the supply service of products and resources to cultural services. In summary, the ecosystem service value assessment system designed for the Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park in this study has certain feasibility and extensibility that lays a theoretical foundation for the scientific assessment of ecological value and ecological value realization mechanism for other “forest parks” worldwide. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.     

The distribution of intertidal phytopsammon in an Oregon estuary

The sediments of two tidal flats in Yaquina Bay, Oregon, USA, were studied to determine the distribution and abundance of the interstitial microalgal communities. The hydrography of the bay, as well as fluetuations in various physical and chemical parameters appear to regulate the biomass and the vertical and intertidal distribution of these organisms.     

Bromate formation on the non-porous TiO2 photoanode in the photoelectrocatalytic system

The increasing use of ozone in water disinfection processes has been the focus of considerable concern in regards to inorganic disinfection by product formation of bromate in waters containing bromide. Due to the public health risk caused by the presence of bromate as a suspected carcinogen, attention had been addressed to the conditions under which bromate is formed. In this study, photoanodic bromine generation and bromate (BrO(3)(-)) formation were investigated using a TiO(2) electrode in a photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) treatment process. The separation of anodic and cathodic reactions in the PEC system resulted in a pH decrease from 9.3 to 3.0 in the photoanode compartment and an increase to 11.0 in the cathode compartment. Under a photo-illumination intensity of 5.7 m W cm(-2) UV, a biasing potential of +1.0V vs SCE, a pH of 6.0 and at a NaBr concentration of 1.0 x 10(-2) M, active bromine formation increased over time with 2.4 x 10(-6) M min(-6) rate and reached a steady-state concentration of 1.44 x 10(-4) M in 60 min. Bromate formation was detected after a lag-period of 15 min and exhibited a continuous increasing trend with respect to irradiation time. No bromate formation was observed below pH 6.5 whereas an increasing bromate concentrations and pH up to pH=8.5 were noted.     

Population development of the invader ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, in the Black Sea and in other seas of the Mediterranean basin

In the last two decades of the twentieth century, the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (A. Agassiz) has invaded the Black, Azov, Marmara and Aegean Seas, and, recently, the Caspian Sea. Here, we compare its spatial and temporal distribution, seasonal dynamics and the time and duration of reproduction. We also discuss factors that control its abundance throughout its invasive range and its effect on ecosystems. Observations are based on the long-term field data collected by three research institutes. An analysis of the effects of temperature, salinity, prey (zoo- and ichthyoplankton) availability and predation (by ctenophores of the genus Beroe) on M. leidyi population size, and the effects of M. leidyi on zoo- and ichthyoplankton, and on fish populations in the Black and Azov Seas is also provided. With the Black Sea current, M. leidyi spreads to the upper layers of the Sea of Marmara, where it now occurs around the year. At regular intervals, the Black Sea current also takes it to the northern Aegean Sea. In contrast, it has to re-invade the Sea of Azov every spring or summer, dying out during winter when the temperature drops below 4°C. The warm summer and mild winter temperatures, relatively low salinity and abundance of prey in the Black Sea are close to optimal for M. leidyi, while they are suboptimal in the northern Aegean Sea, where salinity and temperature are often too high. In the Black Sea the absence of gelatinous and other predators led to an enormous ctenophore abundance for a decade, but with the appearance of Beroe ovata in 1999, M. leidyi abundance greatly decreased. Analysis of seasonal dynamics of M. leidyi in the Black Sea and in other seas of the Mediterranean basin indicates similarities in the timing of maximum abundance and biomass, in spite of some differences in the initiation and duration of reproduction. A peak biomass and density occurred in 1989 in the Black and Azov Seas and in 1990 in the other seas. The M. leidyi invasion negatively affected the ecosystems of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The zooplankton, ichthyoplankton and zooplanktivorous fish stocks all underwent profound changes. Similar effects, but less pronounced, were recorded in the Sea of Marmara. Effects on Mediterranean food chains have, so far, remained insignificant. Salinity is probably supraoptimal here, and several predators prevent M. leidyi from reaching outbreak levels.