Differences in distributions,assembly mechanisms,and putative interactions of AOB and NOB at a large spatial scale

● Nitrifiers in WWTP were investigated at large spatial scale. ● AOB populations varied greatly but NOB populations were similar among cities. ● Drift dominated both AOB and NOB assembling processes. ● DO did not show a significant effect on NOB. ● NOB tended to cooperate with AOB and non-nitrifying microorganisms. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) play crucial roles in removing nitrogen from sewage in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to protect water resources. However, the differences in ecological properties and putative interactions of AOB and NOB in WWTPs at a large spatial scale remain unclear. Hence, 132 activated sludge (AS) samples collected from 11 cities across China were studied by utilizing 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology. Results indicated that Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira accounted for similar ratios of the AOB community and might play nearly equal roles in ammonia oxidation in AS. However, Nitrospira greatly outnumbered other NOB genera, with proportions varying from 94.7% to 99.9% of the NOB community in all WWTPs. Similar compositions and, hence, a low distance–decay turnover rate of NOB (0.035) across China were observed. This scenario might have partly resulted from the high proportions of homogenizing dispersal (~13%). Additionally, drift presented dominant roles in AOB and NOB assembling mechanisms (85.2% and 81.6% for AOB and NOB, respectively). The partial Mantel test illustrated that sludge retention time and temperature were the primary environmental factors affecting AOB and NOB communities. Network results showed that NOB played a leading role in maintaining module structures and node connections in AS. Moreover, most links between NOB and other microorganisms were positive, indicating that NOB were involved in complex symbioses with bacteria in AS.     

轴向与截面非均匀温度场对某固支钢梁最大挠度的影响

目前钢构件火灾响应特性的数值模拟分析一般假设温度场轴向均匀分布,但大空间真实火灾环境下,火源位置的变化往往会导致温度场轴向和截面的非均匀。采用ANSYS有限元分析软件,对某12m长固支钢梁在三面受火情况下的最大挠度进行分析,首先假设温度场轴向非均匀分布,在此基础上进一步假设截面方向也存在非均匀分布,并与轴向均匀温度场下钢梁的最大挠度进行比较。在该文研究条件下可得如下结果：钢梁在轴向非均匀温度场下最大挠度较小,耐火时间增长;对于温度场轴向非均匀分布,截面同时非均匀分布时钢梁最大挠度较大;当温度场轴向非均匀、截面均匀时,火源位置从端部到中间,钢梁最大挠度逐渐减小,在距端部1/4处最大挠度有突增。     

九龙江流域大气氮湿沉降研究

通过2004～2005年对位于我国东南沿海的九龙江流域及周边共17个站点的实地观测,运用GIS技术定量揭示了大气氮湿沉降强度和时空分布特征,并利用氮稳定同位素分析雨水硝态氮的主要来源.结果表明,①17个站点雨水总氮平均浓度为(2.20±1.69)～(3.26±1.37) mg·L-1(以N计,下同),铵态氮、硝态氮和有机氮分别占39%、25%和36%;②雨水氮浓度随降雨强度的增大呈降低趋势,旱季浓度明显大于雨季,降水对大气具有清洗作用;③低δ15N值表明雨水硝态氮主要来源于汽车尾气排放、化石燃料燃烧和化肥施用;④九龙江流域大气氮湿沉降量平均9.9 kg·hm-2,春夏2季约占全年的91%,大气氮湿沉降占沉降总量的66%,揭示了该地区1∶2的大气氮干湿沉降结构.大气氮湿沉降时空差异与降雨量和氮的排放直接相关.     

基于数理统计理论的超标概率在环境质量评价中的应用

目前经常使用的评价环境质量超标情况的主要指标为超标率,但它将环境监测抽样样本和样本总体相混淆,从而导致其不能客观评价环境质量的超标情况。基于概率统计论提出了一种新的指标——超标概率来评价环境质量的超标情况。利用抽样样本的特性,求出超标概率。由于环境监测样本抽样方式的不同,超标概率的计算公式也略有不同。为了说明该方法如何运用,以京杭大运河宿迁段水质为例,分析了每种污染物和整个京杭大运河宿迁段的超标情况。     

ACCEPTING THE STANDARDIZED PRECIPITATION INDEX: A CALCULATION ALGORITHM1

ABSTRACT: The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) has been calculated for about 30 years as a means of providing a single measure of meteorological drought severity. It was intended to retrospectively look at wet and dry conditions using water balance techniques. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is a probability index that was developed to give a better representation of abnormal wetness and dryness than the Palmer indices. Before the user community will accept the SPI as an alternative to the Palmer indices, a standard method must be developed for computing the index. Standardization is necessary so that all users of the index will have a common basis for both spatial and temporal comparison of index values. If different probability distributions and models are used to describe an observed series of precipitation, then different SPI values may be obtained. This article describes the effect on the SPI values computed from different probability models as well as the effects on dry event characteristics. It is concluded that the Pearson Type III distribution is the “best” universal model, and that the reliability of the SPI is sample size dependent. It is also concluded that because of data limitations, SPIs with time scales longer than 24 months may be unreliable. An internet link is provided that will allow users to access Fortran 77 source code for calculating the SPI.     

Statistical Issues in Assessing Anthropogenic Background for Arsenic

Conceptual and statistical issues surrounding the estimation of a background concentration distribution for arsenic are reviewed. How background area is defined and samples collected are shown to impact the shape and location of the probability density function that in turn affects the estimation and precision of associated distributional parameters. The overall background concentration distribution is conceptualized as a mixture of a natural background distribution, an anthropogenic background distribution and a distribution designed to accommodate the potential for contamination site samples being included into the background sample set. This concept is extended to a discussion of issues surrounding estimation of natural and anthropogenic background distributions for larger geographic areas. Finally, the mixture model is formally defined and statistical approaches to estimating its parameters discussed.     

Discrepancies in the acute versus chronic toxicity of compounds with a designated narcotic mechanism

In this study, it was illustrated that even for certain simple organic compounds with a designated mode of action (MOA) (i.e. narcotic toxicity) unexpected differences in acute and chronic toxicity can be observed. In a first part of the study, species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) based on either acute or chronic toxicity data of three narcotic test compounds (methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol) were constructed. The results of the acute SSDs were as expected for narcotic compounds: rather similar sensitivity and small differences in toxicity were observed among different species. On the contrary, the chronic SSDs of methanol and ethanol indicated larger interspecies variation in sensitivity. Furthermore, the chronic toxicity trend (ethanol > methanol > 2-propanol) was unexpectedly different from the acute toxicity trend (2-propanol > ethanol > methanol) and acute versus chronic extrapolation could not be successfully described for methanol and ethanol using an ACR of 10 (as suggested for narcotic compounds). In contrast to the interspecies approach in the first part of this study, the second part of the study was focused on the assessment of acute and chronic toxicity of the three test compounds in Daphnia magna, which was identified as one of the most sensitive organisms to methanol and ethanol. Here, the differences in acute and chronic toxicity trend were in accordance to the results of the SSDs. The enhancement of membrane penetration due to the small molecular size of methanol and ethanol, in combination with the higher toxicity of their respective biotransformation products were suggested as potential causes of the increased chronic toxicity. Furthermore, it was stressed that larger awareness of these irregularities in acute to chronic extrapolations of narcotic compounds is required and should receive additional attention in further environmental risk assessment procedure.     

Fundamental insights on when social network data are most critical for conservation planning

As declines in biodiversity accelerate, there is an urgent imperative to ensure that every dollar spent on conservation counts toward species protection. Systematic conservation planning is a widely used approach to achieve this, but there is growing concern that it must better integrate the human social dimensions of conservation to be effective. Yet, fundamental insights about when social data are most critical to inform conservation planning decisions are lacking. To address this problem, we derived novel principles to guide strategic investment in social network information for systematic conservation planning. We considered the common conservation problem of identifying which social actors, in a social network, to engage with to incentivize conservation behavior that maximizes the number of species protected. We used simulations of social networks and species distributed across network nodes to identify the optimal state-dependent strategies and the value of social network information. We did this for a range of motif network structures and species distributions and applied the approach to a small-scale fishery in Kenya. The value of social network information depended strongly on both the distribution of species and social network structure. When species distributions were highly nested (i.e., when species-poor sites are subsets of species-rich sites), the value of social network information was almost always low. This suggests that information on how species are distributed across a network is critical for determining whether to invest in collecting social network data. In contrast, the value of social network information was greatest when social networks were highly centralized. Results for the small-scale fishery were consistent with the simulations. Our results suggest that strategic collection of social network data should be prioritized when species distributions are un-nested and when social networks are likely to be centralized.     

An inexact two-stage mixed integer linear programming method for solid waste management in the City of Regina

In this study, an interval-parameter two-stage mixed integer linear programming (ITMILP) model is developed for supporting long-term planning of waste management activities in the City of Regina. In the ITMILP, both two-stage stochastic programming and interval linear programming are introduced into a general mixed integer linear programming framework. Uncertainties expressed as not only probability density functions but also discrete intervals can be reflected. The model can help tackle the dynamic, interactive and uncertain characteristics of the solid waste management system in the City, and can address issues concerning plans for cost-effective waste diversion and landfill prolongation. Three scenarios are considered based on different waste management policies. The results indicate that reasonable solutions have been generated. They are valuable for supporting the adjustment or justification of the existing waste flow allocation patterns, the long-term capacity planning of the City's waste management system, and the formulation of local policies and regulations regarding waste generation and management.     

Dobbins概率边界模型及应用

在W.J.Padgett等对随机水质模型研究的基础上,本文以样本资料为重要信息,直接推求BOD和DO的联合分布函数。以此为基础,结合地面水水质标准,推出BOD-DO的耦合达标率公式,同时结合Dobbins模型导出了上游断面的BOD-DO概率边界值计算式。以沱江流域顺河场至中瓷厂水质资料作为实例进行计算,结果表明模型有广阔应用前景。