Changes of foraging patch selection and utilization by a giant panda after bamboo flowering

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The bamboo flowering leads to the habitat fragmentation and food quality decline of a giant panda. Few empirical research has been conducted about the...     

Optimum ridge-to-furrow ratio in ridge-furrow mulching systems for improving water conservation in maize (Zea may L.) production

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water-saving cultivation techniques have been attracting increased attention worldwide. Ridge-furrow mulching system (RFMS), as a prospective...     

Removal of arsenic(III,V) by a granular Mn-oxide-doped Al oxide adsorbent: surface characterization and performance

In order to remove arsenic (As) from contaminated water, granular Mn-oxide-doped Al oxide (GMAO) was fabricated using the compression method with the addition of organic binder. The analysis results of XRD, SEM, and BET indicated that GMAO was microporous with a large specific surface area of 54.26 m^2/g, and it was formed through the aggregation of massive Al/Mn oxide nanoparticles with an amorphous pattern. EDX, mapping, FTIR, and XPS results showed the uniform distribution of Al/Mn elements and numerous hydroxyl groups on the adsorbent surface. Compression tests indicated a satisfactory mechanical strength of GMAO. Batch adsorption results showed that As(V) adsorption achieved equilibrium faster than As(III), whereas the maximum adsorption capacity of As(III) estimated from the Langmuir isotherm at 25 °C (48.52 mg/g) was greater than that of As(V) (37.94 mg/g). The As removal efficiency could be maintained in a wide pH range of 3~8. The presence of phosphate posed a significant adverse effect on As adsorption due to the competition mechanisms. In contrast, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ could favor As adsorption via cation-bridge involvement. A regeneration method was developed by using sodium hydroxide solution for As elution from saturated adsorbents, which permitted GMAO to keep over 75% of its As adsorption capacity even after five adsorption–regeneration cycles. Column experiments showed that the breakthrough volumes for the treatment of As(III)-spiked and As(V)-spiked water (As concentration = 100 μg/L) were 2224 and 1952, respectively. Overall, GMAO is a potential adsorbent for effectively removing As from As-contaminated groundwater in filter application.

     

The Importance of Temporal and Spatial Vegetation Structure Information in Biotope Mapping Schemes: A Case Study in Helsingborg,Sweden

Temporal and spatial vegetation structure has impact on biodiversity qualities. Yet, current schemes of biotope mapping do only to a limited extend incorporate these factors in the mapping. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the application of a modified biotope mapping scheme that includes temporal and spatial vegetation structure. A refined scheme was developed based on a biotope classification, and applied to a green structure system in Helsingborg city in southern Sweden. It includes four parameters of vegetation structure: continuity of forest cover, age of dominant trees, horizontal structure, and vertical structure. The major green structure sites were determined by interpretation of panchromatic aerial photographs assisted with a field survey. A set of biotope maps was constructed on the basis of each level of modified classification. An evaluation of the scheme included two aspects in particular: comparison of species richness between long-continuity and short-continuity forests based on identification of woodland continuity using ancient woodland indicators (AWI) species and related historical documents, and spatial distribution of animals in the green space in relation to vegetation structure. The results indicate that (1) the relationship between forest continuity: according to verification of historical documents, the richness of AWI species was higher in long-continuity forests; Simpson’s diversity was significantly different between long- and short-continuity forests; the total species richness and Shannon’s diversity were much higher in long-continuity forests shown a very significant difference. (2) The spatial vegetation structure and age of stands influence the richness and abundance of the avian fauna and rabbits, and distance to the nearest tree and shrub was a strong determinant of presence for these animal groups. It is concluded that continuity of forest cover, age of dominant trees, horizontal and vertical structures of vegetation should now be included in urban biotope classifications.     

微生物生理群在猪粪秸秆高温堆肥碳氮转化中的作用

在自制的强制通风静态堆肥反应箱中,猪粪与秸秆以鲜重7∶1的比例进行了堆肥化实验,在堆制的23 d里根据堆温变化分阶段采集堆肥样品,利用MPN法测定了堆料中纤维素分解菌和氮素微生物生理群的数量变化,同时测定了相应的碳、氮含量。结果表明,纤维素分解菌在稳定腐熟阶段较多,对于后期有机碳的降解和腐殖质含量的增大起了很大的作用,在堆制的23 d里,腐殖质增加了2.4%。整个堆制过程中,氨化细菌的数量最大且与氨气释放浓度和铵态氮含量呈显著正相关,都在高温期增加,降温期后减少,氨化细菌的数量在高温期的增加率远高于降温期后的减少率,而铵态氮在高温期的增加率远低于在降温后期的减少率,铵态氮总体上减少了74.1%;亚硝化细菌数量与硝态氮呈正相关;反硝化细菌数量在降温期上升幅度较大,堆制结束时为堆制初期的13倍,且与堆肥中硝态氮含量呈正相关;硝态氮含量增加了87.5%;堆肥后期硝态氮的增加可能与堆肥中存在能进行硝化作用的反硝化细菌有关。固氮菌数量在堆制结束时达堆制初期的2.61倍,主要在降温期增加较多,对堆肥中有机氮的形成起很大作用。     

基于模糊评判法的陕西农村公共物品供给模式选择分析

陕西一直实行"以农补工、优先发展城市、优先发展工业"的倾斜性战略政策,使得城乡在资源分配和社会事业发展等方面存在较大的差距,农村发展处于劣势地位,尤其是农村公共物品未能得到有效供给,其供给主要是采取以政府为主导的模式。研究利用陕西农村1990-2008年的时间序列统计数据,通过构建陕西农村经济发展的9个评判指标并对其分别赋予不同的隶属度,运用模糊评判法,对陕西农村公共物品供给的经济发展阶段进行了定量评判。实证研究表明,自20世纪90年代以来,陕西农村地区整体上处于经济发展的第二个阶段,即经济发展的成长阶段。因此,陕西应主要采取以政府为主导型的农村公共物品供给模式,而私人(市场)供给只能作为农村公共物品供给的少许补充。农村公共物品供给模式应根据经济发展阶段作出选择,以期实现各个时期农村公共物品供给的最优化:考虑不同地区农民的需求意愿,改革"一刀切"的供给模式;扭转农民负担部分公共物品供给成本的局面。     

基于农户生产技术效率的退耕还林政策评价——黄土高原区3县的实证研究

本文的目的在于从农户层面上,以技术效率为标准,对退耕还林政策加以评价。以黄土高原区的陕西省吴起县、定边县和甘肃省华池县为实证案例,论文通过同时估计农户的投入导向的随机距离前沿和技术效率影响模型两个等式,分别测算了2009年吴起县159户、定边县152户和华池县125户农户退耕还林政策与技术效率之间的关系。研究发现:退耕还林与吴起县农户技术效率之间呈显著的正相关关系,与定边县和华池县的样本农户技术效率之间呈现显著负相关关系。因此,退耕还林政策在我国不同地区的执行存在显著差异;需要对定边和华池农户给予额外补贴或者实质性扶持,才可以实现该公共政策均衡私人森林供给和社会森林需求。研究还显示:3县农户生产受到劳动力、资金、土地、固定资产等投入要素的约束;户主的年龄、家庭规模和教育对不同地区的农户生产技术效率存在影响;3县农户的平均技术效率在80%,说明存在减少约20%的成本且不减少产出的空间。     

Agricultural Productivity Changes Induced by the Sloping Land Conversion Program: An Analysis of Wuqi County in the Loess Plateau Region

This paper examines the agricultural productivity change induced by the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) using the Malmquist index method and household data collected from Wuqi. We find that during the period of 1998–2004, the total factor productivity (TFP) grew by 15.8%. While numerous households suffered a TFP decline, the majority of them experienced a large gain. By decomposing the TFP, we further show that its increase is due exclusively to the improvement of technical efficiency rather than to technological change. To validate these findings and put them in perspective, we also estimated the TFP change with county-level aggregate data. It is revealed that driven by technological change and scale efficiency, the TFP grew slightly during the period of 1992–1998. Because of the tremendous cropland reduction and production mode shift caused by implementing the SLCP, the TFP declined substantially during the first three years of the program; due to continued improvement of technical efficiency; however, its growth accelerated later. Altogether, our evidence consistently suggests that implementing the SLCP has contributed to the agricultural TFP growth in the longer term and that the efficiency improvement has resulted mainly from the increased public expenditures for extension services and diffusion of technical knowledge. Wuqi’s experience proves that it is possible to achieve environmental conservation and increase productivity simultaneously, even when facing a cropland reduction and production mode alternation.     

产业结构演变的流域水环境响应研究——以社渎港流域为例

以太湖15个入湖河流之一的社渎港为研究对象,利用社渎港流域的水环境质量监测数据、工业企业污染排放调查数据、环境统计数据及社会经济统计数据,对社渎港流域产业结构的合理性进行了诊断,并采用典型相关分析方法探讨了产业结构演变对水环境的影响。结果表明,研究区的工业污染总体上得到了较好控制,其中屺亭街道的工业污染排放最为严重;城乡生活污染和农业面源污染是研究区水环境质量恶化的主要原因,城乡生活污染对COD和氨氮入河量的贡献率较高,分别为46.59%和60.55%,农业面源污染对TN和TP入河量的贡献率突出,分别为64.05%和76.50%;研究区产业结构与钱纳里三次产业结构模式(产业结构合理程度的参照标准)的Hamming贴近度从2001年的0.83下降到2007年的0.77,产业结构不尽合理,且不合理程度逐渐加剧;研究区第一产业对TN和TP入河量的影响最为显著,第三产业对氨氮和COD入河量的影响最为明显;可通过优化产业结构来减轻研究区的水环境污染状况,产业结构调整的主要目标应为降低第二产业产值比例及增加第三产业产值比例。