Impacts of Chronic Anthropogenic Noise from Energy‐Sector Activity on Abundance of Songbirds in the Boreal Forest

Abstract: The effects of human activities in forests are often examined in the context of habitat conversion. Changes in habitat structure and composition are also associated with increases in the activity of people with vehicles and equipment, which results in increases in anthropogenic noise. Anthropogenic noise may reduce habitat quality for many species, particularly those that rely on acoustic signals for communication. We compared the density and occupancy rate of forest passerines close to versus far from noise‐generating compressor stations and noiseless well pads in the boreal forest of Alberta, Canada. Using distance‐based sampling, we found that areas near noiseless energy facilities had a total passerine density 1.5 times higher than areas near noise‐producing energy sites. The White‐throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Yellow‐rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata), and Red‐eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) were less dense in noisy areas. We used repeat sampling to estimate occupancy rate for 23 additional species. Seven had lower conditional or unconditional occupancy rates near noise‐generating facilities. One‐third of the species examined showed patterns that supported the hypothesis that abundance is influenced by anthropogenic noise. An additional 4 species responded negatively to edge effects. To mitigate existing noise impacts on birds would require approximately $175 million. The merits of such an effort relative to other reclamation actions are discussed. Nevertheless, given the $100 billion energy‐sector investment planned for the boreal forest in the next 10 years, including noise suppression technology at the outset of construction, makes noise mitigation a cost‐effective best‐management practice that might help conserve high‐quality habitat for boreal birds.     

白眉蝮蛇毒精氨酸酯酶的急性、亚急性毒性实验

用小鼠和大鼠分别研究了白眉蝮蛇(Agkistrodon halys ussuriensis )蛇毒中精氨酸酯酶的急性毒性和亚急性毒性.腹腔和静脉给药小鼠急性毒性分别为半数致死量LD50,ip =5.73～6.68 U/kg, LD50,iv=4.12～4.76 U/kg ;最大致死量LD100,ip=8.60 U/kg, LD100,iv=6.40 U/kg;最小致死量LDmin,ip =4.20 U/kg, LDmin,iv=3.10 U/kg .大鼠急性毒性结果分别为LD50,ip= 5.09～5.98 U/kg, LD50,iv=3.30～3.86 U/kg ; LD100,ip=7.80 U/kg, LD100,iv=5.50 U/kg; LDmin,ip=3.60 U/kg, LDmin,iv=2.70 U/kg.大鼠亚急性毒性实验结果为活动能力、生长率、进食量、死亡率等一般综合指标药物处理组和CK没有明显差别;血检、尿检等临床指标除谷丙转氨酶(GPT)高剂量药物处理组与CK有明显差异外(P<0.05),其它生化指标无显著差异(P>0.05);病理解剖和脏器系数指标,高剂量药物处理组肝脏明显肿大、空泡化,脏器系数也明显高于CK(P<0.05),其它脏器未见病变,脏器系数未见显著差异(P>0.05).从急性毒性和亚急性毒性方面考虑,纯精氨酸酯酶比现在临床应用的"蝮蛇清栓酶"(主要成分为精氨酸酯酶)毒性低. 表3 参11     

Geographic Analysis of Forest Health Indicators Using Spatial Scan Statistics

Geographically explicit analysis tools are needed to assess forest health indicators that are measured over large regions. Spatial scan statistics can be used to detect spatial or spatiotemporal clusters of forests representing hotspots of extreme indicator values. This paper demonstrates the approach through analyses of forest fragmentation indicators in the southeastern United States and insect and pathogen indicators in the Pacific Northwest United States. The scan statistic detected four spatial clusters of fragmented forest including a hotspot in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain region. Three recurring clusters of insect and pathogen occurrence were found in the Pacific Northwest. Spatial scan statistics are a powerful new tool that can be used to identify potential forest health problems.     

WATER RESOURCES AND HUMAN HEALTH: THE VIEWPOINT OF MEDICAL GEOGRAPHY1

ABSTRACT: Medical geography studies both areal patterns of human health and disease and the environmental and cultural factors that contribute to such conditions. In such studies water resources are of major importance, not only because they are essential for life and their scenic beauty is of inspirational value, but also because they are involved, directly or indirectly, in more than 80 percent of all disease. The direct involvements result from various disease causing agents sometimes found in surface or ground water organic ones such as bacteria, worms, etc., which are known as pathogens, and inorganic ones such as trace elements and synthetic toxic chemicals. Surface waters may have indirect effects also, for they may serve as habitats or breeding places for organisms that do not themselves cause human disease but that serve as vectors or hosts for such pathogens. This paper will discuss these various roles of water resources in both endemic and epidemic disease occurrences and ways in which various human activities domestic, economic, recreational, or religious — increase or reduce our exposure to such diseases.     

北方蚕区夏秋蚕病的防范对策

夏秋蚕病是北方蚕桑生产上存在的主要问题,对蚕桑的危害不断扩大。为此,笔者根据多年调查研究,试验摸索出了北方蚕区夏秋蚕病的防范对策。