Non-native Species <Emphasis Type="Italic">DO</Emphasis> Threaten the Natural Environment!

Sagoff [Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 18 (2005), 215–236] argues, against growing empirical evidence, that major environmental impacts of non-native species are unproven. However, many such impacts, including extinctions of both island and continental species, have both been demonstrated and judged by the public to be harmful. Although more public attention has been focused on non-native animals than non-native plants, the latter more often cause ecosystem-wide impacts. Increased regulation of introduction of non-native species is, therefore, warranted, and, contra Sagoff’s assertions, invasion biologists have recently developed methods that greatly aid prediction of which introduced species will harm the environment and thus enable more efficient regulation. The fact that introduced species may increase local biodiversity in certain instances has not been shown to result in desired changes in ecosystem function. In other locales, they decrease biodiversity, as they do globally.     

Class: an Essential Aspect of Watershed Planning

A study of a watershed planning process in the Cache River Watershed in southern Illinois revealed that class divisions, based on property ownership, underlay key conflicts over land use and decision-making relevant to resource use. A class analysis of the region indicates that the planning process served to endorse and solidify the locally-dominant theory that landownership confers the right to govern. This obscured the class differences between large full-time farmers and small-holders whose livelihood depends on non-farm labor. These two groups generally opposed one another regarding wetland drainage. Their common identity as “property owner” consolidated the power wielded locally by large farmers. It also provided an instrument – the planning document – for state and federal government agencies to enhance their power and to bring resources to the region. The planning process simultaneously ameliorated conflicts between government agencies and the large farmers, while enhancing the agencies’ capacity to reclaim wetlands. In this contradictory manner, the plan promoted the environmental aims of many small-holders, and simultaneously disempowered them as actors in the region’s political economy. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Human Diets and Animal Welfare: the Illogic of the Larder

Few moral arguments have been made against vegetarian diets. One exception is the “Logic of the Larder:” We do animals a favor by purchasing their meat, eggs, and milk, for if we did not purchase these products, fewer animals would exist. This argument fails because many farm animals have lives that are probably not worth living, while others prevent a significant number of wild animals from existing. Even if this were not so, the purchase of animal products uses resources that could otherwise be used to bring a much greater number of animals into existence.     

Fe3O4纳米磁性微粒对全氟辛烷磺酸盐的吸附

采用共沉淀法合成Fe3O4纳米磁性颗粒,用透射电子显微镜(TEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)以及振动样品磁强计(VSM)对Fe3O4纳米磁性颗粒的粒径、形貌和磁性进行表征并研究Fe3O4纳米磁性微粒对全氟辛磺酸盐的吸附。结果表明:在PFOS初始浓度4 mg/L,pH为3,反应时间24 h,Fe3O4纳米磁性微粒投加量1.25 g/L,对全氟辛磺酸盐去除率达到90%。Fe3O4纳米磁性微粒对PFOS的吸附符合Freundlich吸附方程。     

上海部分城市污水处理厂现状调查

对上海市部分城市水污水处理厂的工艺特点，处理能力，污染物去除率，废水排放达标率进行了调查与分析，指出，必须加强对城市污水处理厂的监督监测，并就污水处理厂的建设，改造提出了一些建议。     

印染废水污染物在曝气生物滤池中的沿程去除规律

主要研究了曝气生物滤池（BAF）对印染废水中污染物的沿程去除规律。研究表明：BAF对印染废水污染物的去除沿高程有着不同的变化规律：在BAF总高度为300 cm,填料层高度为200 cm,气水比3∶1,停留时间11.8 h,的情况下, BAF对COD的去除主要集中在<160 cm的填料层部分,在总的去除率为63.1%时,此区域去除率可达56.60%;对NH3N的去除主要集中在填料层100～160 cm段,在总NH₃-N去除率为85.09%时,此区域NH₃-N去除率达38.28%。BAF对浊度的去除主要集中在填料层小于100 cm的部分,在总去除率为94.04%,区域去除率达到61.90%。印染废水经过BAF的前100 cm填料层后,pH值由10降至7.6后基本维持不变。     

火灾烟气中有毒气体的体积分数分布与危害

研究火灾烟气的成分与其体积分数分布是火灾科学的一项重要内容。为了更好地研究建筑火灾烟气的释放过程并为建筑材料评价提供依据，采用文献综述的方法论述了建筑火灾烟气的主要有毒成分、体积分数范围(即浓度范围)与危险含量(即危险浓度)，还介绍了常用的烟气分析方法，说明了对火灾烟气的产生机理和火灾烟气成分的检测方法等还需要进行深入的研究。