Path selection and foraging efficiency in Argentine ant transport networks

We experimentally investigated both individual and collective behavior of the Argentine ant Linepithema humile as they crossed symmetrical and asymmetrical bifurcations in gallery networks. Ants preferentially followed the branch that deviated the least from their current direction and their probability to perform a U-turn after a bifurcation increased with the turning angle at the bifurcation. At the collective level, colonies were better able to find the shortest path that linked the nest to a food source in a polarized network where bifurcations were symmetrical from one direction and asymmetrical from the other than in a network where all bifurcations were symmetrical. We constructed a model of individual behavior and showed that an individual’s preference for the least deviating path will be amplified via the ants’ mass recruitment mechanism thus explaining the difference found between polarized and non-polarized networks. The foraging efficiency measured in the simulations was three times higher in polarized than in non-polarized networks after only 15 min. We conclude that measures of transport network efficiency must incorporate both the structural properties of the network and the behavior of the network users.     

塔克拉玛干沙漠边缘柽柳对土壤水盐分布的影响

以塔克拉玛干沙漠边缘地区生长的柽柳为研究对象,测定了柽柳灌丛下及周围土壤中Na⁺和K⁺含量、电导率、pH值、水分以及柽柳营养枝Na⁺和K⁺含量等指标.结果表明,柽柳灌丛造成土壤盐分呈现斑块状分布,形成盐岛.柽柳体内较高的盐分含量可能是造成土壤盐分分布变化的重要因素之一(盐岛效应).相关分析表明,盐岛效应强弱与背景土壤水盐条件密切相关.在背景土水盐条件适中的冲积平原中部,盐岛效应最显著;而在背景土盐分最重的冲积平原中下部和水分含量最低的沙漠边缘,盐岛效应消失.在柽柳生长的适宜地下水位,盐岛效应最明显.柽柳还使冠下土壤Na/K发生改变,碱性增加,含水量降低.     

Sorption of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) by clays and organoclays

This study focused on the sorption isotherms of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane (p,p'-DDT) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE) on different original clays (i.e., zeolite, montmorillonite and attapulgite) and organoclay complexes. Sorption of organic pollutants was determined using gas chromatographic (GC) techniques to investigate the sorption behavior, and characterize the effect of, different organic cations. The original clays only sorbed low amounts of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE, and the sorptive curves can be classified as L-shaped. Organoclays exhibited higher amounts of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE sorption. The p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE sorption increased with increasing total organic carbon (OC) content of the organoclays. For hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA)-modified organoclays, the dominant adsorptive medium showed the partitioning sorption of hydrophobic-hydrophobic interaction, indicating no competitive sorption. The sorptive curves can be classified as C-shaped of constant partition (CP). However, benzyltrimethylammonium (BTMA)-modified organoclays exhibited competitive sorption. The sorption isotherm curves can be classified as S-shaped. The sorptive capacity of the HDTMA-modified organoclays for p,p'-DDT were higher than those for p,p'-DDE, but the BTMA-modified organoclays showed a reverse trend. This can be attributed to the different structures and shapes of organic cations, giving different sorptive mechanisms. The p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE sorption onto HDTMA-modified organoclays were caused by chemical interaction, with the BTMA modified organoclays occuring due to physical sorption.     

Persistence and dissipation of synthetic pyrethroid pesticides in red soils from the Yangtze River Delta area

Laboratory incubation trials were conducted to investigate the effects of several factors on the persistence as well as the dissipation of three synthetic pyrethroid pesticides in red soils obtained from the Yangtze River Delta region in China. The pyrethroids selected for investigation were cypermethrin, fenvalerate, and deltamethrin, which continue to be used extensively to control pests on farmland in the region despite the concern that they are highly toxic to certain vertebrate and mammalian species. Data from this exploratory study showed that the dissipation half-lives (T _1/2) tended to correlate with soil pH and soil organic matter contents, but not with soil cation-exchange capacity. The T _1/2 values were seen to be shorter in soil samples fertilized with glucose than without. The rates of pyrethroid dissipation also tended to increase with increasing initial soil concentration, but were largely unaffected by whether the pesticides were present in the soil separately or as a mixture. Another noteworthy observation is that microbial activity appeared to dominate the degradation process. Findings of this type could offer valuable clues for future research directions in reducing pesticide persistence in soil, which in turn could lead to the ultimate reduction of environmental pollution caused by pyrethroid application to farmland in the region. Project supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences (Project No. KSCX2-YW-N-038) and the National Key Basic Research Support Foundation (973), China (No. 2002CB4108010).     

不同生境条件下苦槠丛枝菌根对根际土壤磷酸酶活性的影响

以浙江千岛湖和宁波天童两个不同区域内的苦储(Castanopsis sclerophytta)为材料,对处于不同生境条件下的苦槠丛枝菌根(AM)进行了研究.结果表明:两地区土壤pH均处于苦储丛枝菌根生长发育的最适范围内,丛枝菌根的侵染率无明显差异;酸性磷酸酶为两区域内的主导磷酸酶,各种磷酸酶活性均是天童地区高于千岛湖地区;AM侵染率与根际土壤磷酸酶活性之间均呈现正相关,其中天童地区为显著相关,说明AM侵染率对根际土壤磷酸酶活性在某种程度上存在有一定的影响.     

活性炭纤维及其在环境保护领域中的应用

活性炭纤维 (ACF)是一种新型高效吸附剂 ,与颗粒活性炭 (GAC)相比 ,它具有比表面积大 ,吸附速度快 ,吸附容量大等等特点。本文介绍了活性炭纤维的主要性能和它在环境领域中的应用研究。     

无机离子SO42-对小麦幼苗积累稀土的影响

采用ＭＩＮＴＥＱＡ 程序计算出在无机离子SO₄^2-存在下,轻（Ｌａ）、中（Ｇｄ）、重（Ｙ）３ 种稀土元素在溶液中的形态分布．研究了在水培条件下ＳＯSO₄^2-对３种稀土元素在小麦幼苗根、茎和叶部的积累规律．热力学实验表明,小麦幼苗在加SO₄^2-的稀土元素溶液中培养３０ｄ 后,小麦根部对Ｌａ、Ｇｄ 的积累受抑制,而对Ｙ的积累却明显提高;加入SO₄^2-后茎叶部对Ｌａ、Ｙ积累值改变不明显,但对Ｇｄ的积累有所增加．生长动态实验表明,在SO₄^2-存在下,小麦幼苗根部对稀土的积累随时间增加而增加,其积累值符合线性递增函数方程,相关系数ｒ＞ ０．９４;而茎叶部最初积累能力较强,SO₄^2-的加入对小麦植株动态吸收稀土规律无明显影响．     

新疆喀什地区农村水厂供水污染影响因素分析

为查寻影响喀什地区农村水厂水持污染的主要原因,以采取相应的防治对策,对可能影响该地区农村水厂供水污染的２２个因素进行相关和多元逐步回归分析。结果表明,在入选的２２个因素中,水厂制水人员的供水卫生法规和基本卫生知识水平,改水与改善农村环境卫生及健康教育同步实施,水厂建立并执行卫生制度和对水厂供水进行定期卫生监督监测等４个因素对农村水厂的供水卫生状况影响最大。     

新疆喀什地区农村改水水质及水源卫生防护调查与评价

为了解新疆喀什地区农村改水水质及水源卫生防护状况,对该地区不同改水形式与未改水的水质及水源卫生防护状况进行调查和监测。结果表明,与改水前比较,水质及水源防护卫生状况明显改善,不同水样的水质合格率和水质综合指数（WQI）分别是：池塘水3.3％和6.5,手压井水40.0％和1．3,深水井51．7％和1．0。结果还表明有必要加强对改水水源的卫生防护。     

Effects of individual ozone exposure on lung function in the elderly: a cross-sectional study in China

The aim of this study was to assess the acute health effects of individual ozone (O₃) exposure on the respiratory system in the elderly. A total of 40 non-smoking elderly volunteers completed personal 24 h of measurement for O₃ and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). To assess health effects, we measured the pulmonary function and five inflammatory biomarkers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC), including interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), and tumor necrosis factor α/β (TNFα/β). We used the generalized additive model to analyze the association between O₃ and these health effects, after adjusting PM_2.5, BMI, and sex as confounders. As a result, we found a negative correlation between O₃ and forced vital capacity (FVC) or forced expiratory volume-one second (FEV1). With the increasing of O₃ by 10 μg/m³, FVC and FEV1 decreased by 0.13 L (95% CI 0.01, 0.26) and 0.11 L (95% CI 0.02, 0.20), respectively. We found no statistical significance between O₃ and biomarkers in EBC. The results suggested that individual 24-h O₃ exposure was associated with decreased pulmonary function in the elderly.