Development and use of a floristic quality index for coastal Louisiana marshes

The Floristic Quality Index (FQI) has been used as a tool for assessing the integrity of plant communities and for assessing restoration projects in many regions of the USA. Here, we develop a modified FQI (FQI_mod) for coastal Louisiana wetlands and verify it using 12 years of monitoring data from a coastal restoration project. Plant species that occur in coastal Louisiana were assigned a coefficient of conservatism (CC) score by a local group with expertise in Louisiana coastal vegetation. Species percent cover and both native and non-native species were included in the FQI_mod which was scaled from 0–100. The FQI_mod scores from the long-term monitoring project demonstrated the utility of this index for assessing wetland condition over time, including its sensitivity to a hurricane. Ultimately, the FQI developed for coastal Louisiana will be used in conjunction with other wetland indices (e.g., hydrology and soils) to assess wetland condition coastwide and these indices will aid managers in coastal restoration and management decisions.     

Temporal variations of 90Sr and 137Cs concentrations and the 137Cs/90Sr activity ratio in marine brown algae, Undaria pinnatifida and Laminaria longissima, collected in coastal areas of Japan

The anthropogenic radionuclides, 90Sr and 137Cs, were measured in two marine algal species, wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) and edible kelp (Laminaria longissima), collected in four coastal areas of Japan during 1998-2008. Although 90Sr and 137Cs could be detected at all sampling sites, the concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs were at low levels and those in some samples were below the detection limit. These low concentrations and the small variation of both concentrations and the 137Cs/90Sr activity ratio indicate that the source of 90Sr and 137Cs detected in this study originated from the global fallout deposition following atmospheric nuclear-bomb tests in the past. There were no significant differences in both concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs in wakame seaweed among three sampling sites. Although wakame seaweed is extensively distributed in southern and central Japan, it does not occur in northern areas and so edible kelp was monitored. The concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs in edible kelp were significantly different from those in wakame seaweed in some sampling sites. These differences could be due to the difference in the concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs in the surrounding seawater or the difference in species. The combined data with data from the previous report and the preexisting database showed that wakame seaweed incorporated 137Cs through a different pathway from that of 90Sr. The combined data also suggested that wakame seaweed responded differently to the source of 137Cs.     

Separate estimation of N export into baseline N leakage without disturbance and N loss due to insect defoliation in a pine forest watershed in central Japan

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is caused by a non-native pest that has spread extensively throughout Japan. Previous research has indicated that most infected trees have died and the litter deposited has resulted in changes to stream-water chemistry, particularly increased nitrate (NO ₃ ^? ) concentrations. In this study, we divided stream nitrogen (N) export into N loss due to PWD and baseline N leakage without disturbance based on long-term monitoring. The annual N export was 110.0 mol N ha^?1 year^?1 in 1990 and 749.8 mol N ha^?1 year^?1 in 1997, and had decreased to 37.0 mol N ha^?1 year^?1 in 2005. N export under PWD influence was estimated to be 3697 mol N ha^?1, and N loss due to PWD was 2810 mol N ha^?1. N loss due to PWD was three times larger than baseline N leakage for the disturbed period. These changes in plant–herbivore relationships could affect N status in a forest ecosystem. So-called “semi-natural” disturbances related to non-native species invasion and increases of atmospheric N deposition caused by human activity will increase. Long-term monitoring studies of various aspects are necessary to offer insight into this ecosystem.     

Bioaccumulation and growth characteristics of Vallisneria natans (Lour.) Hara after chronic exposure to metal-contaminated sediments

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Metal-contaminated sediments in lakes is a global concern that poses toxicological risk to aquatic organisms. This study performed bioassays using the...     

Juvenile hormone–dopamine systems for the promotion of flight activity in males of the large carpenter bee Xylocopa appendiculata

The reproductive roles of dopamine and dopamine regulation systems are known in social hymenopterans, but the knowledge on the regulation systems in solitary species is still needed. To test the possibility that juvenile hormone (JH) and brain dopamine interact to trigger territorial flight behavior in males of a solitary bee species, the effects on biogenic amines of JH analog treatments and behavioral assays with dopamine injections in males of the large carpenter bee Xylocopa appendiculata were quantified. Brain dopamine levels were significantly higher in methoprene-treated males than in control males 4 days after treatment, but were not significantly different after 7 days. Brain octopamine and serotonin levels did not differ between methoprene-treated and control males at 4 and 7 days after treatment. Injection of dopamine caused significantly higher locomotor activities and a shorter duration for flight initiation in experimental versus control males. These results suggest that brain dopamine can be regulated by JH and enhances flight activities in males. The JH–dopamine system in males of this solitary bee species is similar to that of males of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera.     

The sensitivity of carbon sequestration to harvesting and climate conditions in a temperate cypress forest: Observations and modeling

The role of disturbance and climate factors in determining the forest carbon balance was investigated at a Japanese cypress forest in central Japan with eddy flux measurements, tree-ring analyses, and a terrestrial biosphere model. The forest was established as a plantation after intermittent harvesting and replanting between 1959 and 1977, and acted as a strong carbon sink of approximately 500 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ for the measurement years between 2001 and 2007. A terrestrial biosphere model, BIOME-BGC, was validated using the eddy flux data at daily to interannual timescales, and the tree-ring width data at interannual to decadal timescales. According to the model simulation, during the observation period 270 ± 55 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ was additionally sequestered due to the indirect effects of the harvesting and planting, whereas the increase of CO₂ concentration and the change in climate increased the sink of 110 ± 40 and 30 ± 80 g C m⁻² year⁻¹, respectively. The model simulation shows that the forest is now recovering from harvesting, and that harvesting is a more important determinant of the current carbon sink than either interannual climate anomalies or increased atmospheric CO₂ concentration. We found that harvesting with long rotation length could be effective management activity in order to increase carbon sequestration, if the harvested timber is converted into products with long lifecycles.     

什么是清洁生产技术的未来问题?

把注意力集中在清洁生产技术的技术方面可以提高工业和政府的效率,使功能最佳化并且避免产生废物,鉴于当前对于与可持续的生产和消费系统有关的成就的挑战,必须把更广泛的社会和工作质量评价结合进目前的清洁生产概念中去,为了使可持续发展性成为可能,必须强调一系列的挑战.例如,在关注职业安全、环境和社会责任的同时,把清洁生产和生命周期方法结合进正在出现的生产技术.