Non-native Species <Emphasis Type="Italic">DO</Emphasis> Threaten the Natural Environment!

Sagoff [Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 18 (2005), 215–236] argues, against growing empirical evidence, that major environmental impacts of non-native species are unproven. However, many such impacts, including extinctions of both island and continental species, have both been demonstrated and judged by the public to be harmful. Although more public attention has been focused on non-native animals than non-native plants, the latter more often cause ecosystem-wide impacts. Increased regulation of introduction of non-native species is, therefore, warranted, and, contra Sagoff’s assertions, invasion biologists have recently developed methods that greatly aid prediction of which introduced species will harm the environment and thus enable more efficient regulation. The fact that introduced species may increase local biodiversity in certain instances has not been shown to result in desired changes in ecosystem function. In other locales, they decrease biodiversity, as they do globally.     

不同环境体系下锂离子电池热失控特性实验研究

针对锂离子电池热失控引发的航空运输安全问题,自主设计并搭建锂离子电池热失控灾害演化及危险性分析实验平台。在敞开和密封环境体系下,对电加热触发荷电量(State of Charge,SOC)为0%、50%和100%的18650型锂离子电池热失控规律进行了实验研究。观察单体锂离子电池在敞开和密封体系中的热失控现象,并记录单体锂离子电池热失控时间、温度峰值及相应的温度变化。数据结果显示,相比敞开体系,密封体系有效的延缓了锂离子电池发生热失控的时间,并降低了锂离子热失控时释放的能量,为锂离子电池的航空运输安全性研究提供了理论依据和工程技术参考。     

Landscape consequences of aggregation rules for functional equivalence in compensatory mitigation programs

Mitigation and offset programs designed to compensate for ecosystem function losses due to development must balance losses from affected ecosystems with gains in restored ecosystems. Aggregation rules applied to ecosystem functions to assess site equivalence are based on implicit assumptions about the substitutability of functions among sites and can profoundly influence the distribution of restored ecosystem functions on the landscape. We investigated the consequences of rules applied to the aggregation of ecosystem functions for wetland offsets in the Beaverhill watershed in Alberta, Canada. We considered the fate of 3 ecosystem functions: hydrology, water purification, and biodiversity. We set up an affect‐and‐offset algorithm to simulate the effect of aggregation rules on ecosystem function for wetland offsets. Cobenefits and trade‐offs among functions and the constraints posed by the quantity and quality of restorable sites resulted in a redistribution of functions between affected and offset wetlands. Hydrology and water purification functions were positively correlated with one another and negatively correlated with biodiversity function. Weighted‐average rules did not replace functions in proportion to their weights. Rules prioritizing biodiversity function led to more monofunctional wetlands and landscapes. The minimum rule, for which the wetland score was equal to the worst performing function, promoted multifunctional wetlands and landscapes. The maximum rule, for which the wetland score was equal to the best performing function, promoted monofunctional wetlands and multifunctional landscapes. Because of implicit trade‐offs among ecosystem functions, no‐net‐loss objectives for multiple functions should be constructed within a landscape context. Based on our results, we suggest criteria for the design of aggregation rules for no net loss of ecosystem functions within a landscape context include the concepts of substitutability, cobenefits and trade‐offs, landscape constraints, heterogeneity, and the precautionary principle.     

Effects of organic matter on Leymus chinensis germination,growth, and urease activity and available nitrogen in coastal saline soil

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of three organic matters (stalk powder, microbial fertilizer, and manure) on Leymus chinensis germination, growth, and urease activity and available nitrogen (N) in coastal saline soil. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design with eight treatments: J₀V₀Y₀, J₁V₀Y₀, J₀V₁Y₀, J₀V₀Y₁, J₁V₁Y₀, J₁V₀Y₁, J₀V₁Y₁, J₁V₁Y₁. The notations were based on the quantities of each agent added to 1 kg of coastal saline soil: J₀ – no straw powder, J₁ – 0.2 kg straw powder, Y₀ – no manure, Y₁ – 0.3 kg manure, V₀ – no microbial fertilizer, V₁ – 0.2 L microbial fertilizer, each in quantic repeat. L. chinensis was sown as 50 seeds per pot. Results indicated that addition of organic agents exerted a significantly enhanced germination, increase in fresh weight and elevated soil urease activity. Soil available N levels were significantly positively correlated with soil urease activity and fresh weight, but not with germination rate. It is noteworthy that the halophyte L. chinensis showed improved characteristics when grown in coastal saline soil with addition of organic amendments.     

The Value of Using Feasibility Models in Systematic Conservation Planning to Predict Landholder Management Uptake

Understanding the social dimensions of conservation opportunity is crucial for conservation planning in multiple‐use landscapes. However, factors that influence the feasibility of implementing conservation actions, such as the history of landscape management, and landholders’ willingness to engage are often difficult or time consuming to quantify and rarely incorporated into planning. We examined how conservation agencies could reduce costs of acquiring such data by developing predictive models of management feasibility parameterized with social and biophysical factors likely to influence landholders’ decisions to engage in management. To test the utility of our best‐supported model, we developed 4 alternative investment scenarios based on different input data for conservation planning: social data only; biological data only; potential conservation opportunity derived from modeled feasibility that incurs no social data collection costs; and existing conservation opportunity derived from feasibility data that incurred collection costs. Using spatially explicit information on biodiversity values, feasibility, and management costs, we prioritized locations in southwest Australia to control an invasive predator that is detrimental to both agriculture and natural ecosystems: the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). When social data collection costs were moderate to high, the most cost‐effective investment scenario resulted from a predictive model of feasibility. Combining empirical feasibility data with biological data was more cost‐effective for prioritizing management when social data collection costs were low (<4% of the total budget). Calls for more data to inform conservation planning should take into account the costs and benefits of collecting and using social data to ensure that limited funding for conservation is spent in the most cost‐efficient and effective manner.     

Greening Leviathan: the rise of the environmental state?

‘Bringing the state back in’ to research on comparative, inter-, and trans-national environmental politics and policy will contribute to better understanding of the limits and prospects of contemporary approaches to environmental politics and the overall evolution of contemporary states once environmental issues become central. The rationale for the state as an analytical perspective in environmental policy and politics is explained, and an empirically oriented concept of the environmental state is introduced, along with a tentative sketch of its evolution in historical perspective. A research agenda on the environmental state is mapped out, centring around variation and convergence in environmental states across space and time; the political/economic dynamics of contemporary environmental states; and inter-linkages among environmental problems, the constitution of political communities, and the functioning of the public power. In conclusion, the ways in which the contributions to this volume address that research agenda are introduced.     

三峡蓄水期间汉丰湖消落区营养状态时间变化

为探明三峡蓄水后汉丰湖消落区水质营养状态的变化特征,于2013年10月至2014年2月对水质进行连续观察,测定了水质物理参数、营养盐与叶绿素(Chl-a)的质量浓度.结果表明,水体中营养盐与Chl-a质量浓度的增加,在淹水后营养程度有升高现象,2014年2月与2013年10月相比,TN、TP、高锰酸盐指数与Chl-a质量浓度分别增加了4.7、1.0、0.2、3.27倍,TN、TP质量浓度均超过藻类生长限值,随滞留时间延长易造成水体富营养化,应引起重视.Chl-a单因子评价反映出水质由贫营养向富营养演变.TN/TP结果表明,TN、TP分别在不同时间内制约着藻类的生长;2013年10~12月与2014年2月,藻类生长受TN限制;2014年1月,藻类生长受TP限制.Chl-a与p H、DO、NH+4-N、NO-3-N、TN、高锰酸盐指数及TP呈显著正相关,而与SD、水温呈显著负相关;蓄水期间,水质受到了同一污染源的影响.因子分析结果表明,汉丰湖消落区水质主要受p H、DO、NO-3-N、TN的影响,同时Chl-a、TP、NH+4-N与好氧性有机物的污染不可忽视;在蓄水稳定初期水体具有自净能力,随蓄水滞留时间的延长,水质污染程度整体上呈现逐步恶化的趋势,应加以控制;三峡蓄水期间,南河、东河营养程度相对较高,应加强治理.     

南京北郊春季气溶胶吸湿性分析

大气气溶胶的吸湿性对气溶胶粒子的谱分布、云凝结核形成、气候强迫、人体健康等均有重要的影响.利用吸湿性串联差分迁移率分析仪(HTDMA)在2014年4月16日~5月21日对南京北郊的大气气溶胶吸湿特性进行观测.30~230 nm气溶胶粒子在90%相对湿度下的吸湿增长观测结果表明,气溶胶粒子的吸湿增长因子平均概率分布函数(GF-PDF)呈现明显的双峰分布,即一个占主导地位的强吸湿模态,和一个相对较小但仍很明显的弱吸湿模态.对吸湿性的日夜对比分析发现,整体上白天的气溶胶粒子吸湿性大于夜间气溶胶粒子,白天强吸湿模态的粒子数目比例高于夜间,夜间气溶胶粒子的外混合程度更高.利用HYSPLIT模式对气溶胶来源分析结果表明,观测期间南京北郊主要受到3类气团的影响.其中西北大陆气团背景下爱根核模态粒子在经过大陆的长距离输送过程后,老化程度较高,吸湿性也更强.而对于积聚模态粒子,则为来自东方气团的粒子吸湿性更强,强吸湿模态粒子数目比例也较高.局地气团背景下气溶胶粒子在各粒径段都具有较高的强吸湿比例.     

基于ES-VSP分布的交通状态对公交车动态排放的影响

为评估不同交通状态下公交车运行特征和排放水平的差异,现场采集广州市B9、226线路公交车的逐秒GPS数据,以ES-VSP（发动机负荷-机动车比功率）分布表征畅通、轻度拥堵和中度拥堵下的公交车运行特征,结合IVE（international vehicle emission）模型求得公交车平均排放因子并分析其差异.结果表明:①所测公交车的发动机低负荷区中bin11（-1.6 < ES ≤ 3.1,-2.9 kW/t ≤ VSP < 1.2 kW/t）频率范围为50.55%~83.39%,中度拥堵时bin 11频率是畅通时的1.1~1.3倍;② 3种交通状态下公交车的CO、VOC（运行产生的挥发性有机物）、VOC_evap（蒸发产生的挥发性有机物）、NO_x（氮氧化物）和PM（颗粒物）平均排放因子范围分别为7.63~11.40、0.26~0.46、0.68~1.56、0.32~0.51和0.72×10-2~1.28×10-2 g/km;③同种交通状态下,主干路公交车专用道和BRT车道的公交车的大部分污染物平均排放因子低于次干路混行车道、主干路混行车道,中度拥堵时主干路BRT车道的CO、VOC、VOC_evap、NO_x和PM平均排放因子相对其他道路最低,分别为7.66、0.27、0.87、0.32和0.75×10-2 g/km;④次干路混行车道、主干路混行车道的公交车污染物平均排放因子随交通状态愈加拥堵而增大,但畅通时主干路BRT车道的公交车行驶速度、加速度较高,导致CO平均排放因子较高,对应3种交通状态其比例为1.0:0.9:0.8.研究显示,交通状态对公交车运行和排放具有显著影响.      

铁炭内电解垂直流人工湿地对污水厂尾水深度脱氮效果

针对污水厂尾水总氮(TN)含量偏高、微生物可利用碳源低的问题,构建铁炭内电解垂直流人工湿地(ICIE-VFCW)装置,研究了ICIE-VFCW对尾水的处理效果,并采用紫外-可见光光谱(UV-VIS)、凝胶过滤色谱(GFC),进一步探讨了ICIEVFCW强化脱氮机制.结果表明,ICIE-VFCW可提高系统对尾水中COD的去除,出水COD可稳定在30 mg·L~(-1)以下,全年、暖季、寒季COD平均去除率较普通垂直流人工湿地分别可提高10.16%、9.81%、11.22%.系统出水TN可维持在10 mg·L~(-1)以下,全年、暖季、寒季TN平均去除率较普通垂直流人工湿地分别提高13.72%、12.90%、16.17%.经过人工湿地处理后,污水中有机物的腐殖度、芳香度及相对分子质量(Mr)均有所下降,且ICIE-VFCW中Mr下降更为明显.湿地基质掺杂铁炭可促进尾水中大分子有机物转化为小分子,为微生物提供更多可利用碳源,从而提高脱氮效率.