Evaluating the success of functional restoration after reintroduction of a lost avian pollinator

Conservation translocation is a common method for species recovery, for which one increasingly frequent objective is restoring lost ecological functions to promote ecosystem recovery. However, few conservation translocation programs explicitly state or monitor function as an objective, limiting the ability to test assumptions, learn from past efforts, and improve management. We evaluated whether translocations of hihi (Notiomystis cincta), a threatened New Zealand passerine, achieved their implicit objective of restoring lost pollination function. Through a pollinator-exclusion experiment, we quantified, with log response ratios (lnR), the effects of birds on fruit set and seed quality in hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium), a native flowering shrub. We isolated the contributions of hihi by making comparisons across sites with and without hihi. Birds improved fruit set more at sites without hihi (lnR = 1.27) than sites with hihi (lnR = 0.50), suggesting other avian pollinators compensated for and even exceeded hihi contributions to fruit set. Although birds improved seed germination only at hihi sites (lnR = 0.22–0.41), plants at sites without hihi had germination rates similar to hihi sites because they produced 26% more filled seeds, regardless of pollination condition. Therefore, although our results showed hihi improved seed quality, they also highlighted the complexity of ecological functions. When an important species is lost, ecosystems may be able to achieve similar function through different means. Our results underscore the importance of stating and monitoring the ecological benefits of conservation translocations when functional restoration is a motivation to ensure these programs are achieving their objectives.     

重污染天气应对“绩效分级、差异化管控”措施首次实践效果后评估

为提高重污染天气应对的科学性和精准度,2019年7月生态环境部制定重污染天气应对“绩效分级、差异化管控”措施.为应对9月底至10月初的重污染过程,京津冀及周边共68个城市启动重污染预警,该措施得以首次实践.通过时间序列断点回归方法对该措施效果进行评估发现,空气质量改善存在滞后的现象,SO₂、 NO₂和CO这3个气态污染物改善速度较快,对涉及二次生成的O₃和PM_2.5两个污染物见效速度相对较慢. 10月1日恰逢在北京举办庆祝中华人民共和国成立70周年阅兵式,对10月1日当天进行评估,发现与假如不采取措施的情形相比,重污染应急措施使北京市PM_2.5、 NO₂和CO日均浓度显著下降,下降幅度分别为54.1%、 62.4%和25.8%.如果不采取重污染应急措施,北京10月1日上午可能出现中重度污染,但实际上空气质量保持在良的水平.区域启动预警的68城市PM_2.5、 PM₁₀、 NO₂、 SO     

静脉产业类生态工业园区标准的研究

以静脉产业和静脉产业类生态工业园区的基本概念为基础,深入分析了我国建立静脉产业类生态工业园区标准的重要意义. 选取经济发展、资源循环与利用、污染控制和园区管理4个方面共20个指标,构成静脉产业类生态工业园区评价指标体系,旨在全面、准确地反映静脉产业类生态工业园区的建设水平. 经过综合分析,确定采用层次分析(AHP)法对评价指标体系进行权重计算. 根据权重分析结果可得出如下结论:静脉产业类生态工业园区的建设重点应为提高资源循环利用率和保障环境安全,污染控制以固体废物的安全处置为主. 最后,对该评价指标体系进行了可行性分析,该方法所设定的各项指标在经济上、技术上、可操作性上都是可行的. 依据该评价方法,制定了国家《静脉产业类生态工业园区标准》.      

An individual-based model to study the reproduction of egg bearing copepods: Application to Eurytemora affinis (Copepoda Calanoida) from the Seine estuary,France

Limited empirical studies have elucidated the daily egg production and associated reproductive processes of egg bearing copepod. Herein, we present an individual-based model which constitutes a realistic representation of the reproduction in egg bearing copepods. The model has been parameterized using an extensive set of experimental data obtained from the literature and from the laboratory and field experiments on the estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis. The proposed model takes into account the adult female longevity, the clutch size and interclutch duration, which is a function of egg maturation time and latency time required by the female after egg hatching to produce a new clutch. The embryonic development time and hatching success are also taken into account. The effect of temperature on the means and variances of above-mentioned reproductive parameters has been also incorporated. A multi agent system based generic platform “Mobidyc” has been used to generate and calibrate the model. The model demonstrates the reproductive parameters of females of E. affinis which is validated through individual based experiments. Temperature specific simulations provide a dynamical explanation of temperature effect on the cumulative egg production. The daily survival principally affects the number of clutches produced per female during its life span. The results obtained in the present study by combining temperature and survival effects reveal the relatively greater importance of the first factor on the daily egg production of egg-carrying copepods. The present model is generic and hence easily applicable to other animals with comparable reproductive strategy.     

FUZZY ITERATION METHODOLOGY FOR RESERVOIR FLOOD CONTROL OPERATION1

ABSTRACT: Reservoir flood control is operated in real time so finding the optimal solution is unnecessary since it may not be practical. The key to reservoir flood control operation is quickly generating some feasible and effective alternatives and then selecting one among them. A fuzzy iteration methodology, which gives the objective weight and the relative membership degree of alternatives at the same time, is presented. Since the weight and relative membership degree are directly acquired from the recommended alternatives provided by decision makers, the results are more reasonable and realistic. Besides, the difficulty in giving weights is also avoided. With the aid of a robust and flexible decision support system, the effectiveness of decision making can be improved.     

Spatial distribution of aerosol pollution based on MODIS data over Beijing, China

With the help of regression analysis,the relationships were detected between aerosol's contribution to apparent reflectance(ACR) derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)on board Terra and hourly PM_(10)mass concentration measured at 30 ground-based locations in Beijing for the August of 2003 and 2004.It was shown that there was a good correlation between the ACR and PM_(10)(linear correlation coefficient,R=0.56).On the basis of this relationship,spatial distribution and possible sources of PM_(10)derived from MODIS were analyzed and two frequently heavily-polluted regions were found,namely downtown of the city and the district near Xishan Mountain.These two regions coincidently are also urban heat island centers.The foundings of this paper will be greatly useful for environmental monitoring and urban planning for Beijing,especially for the 2008 Olympic game to be held in Beijing.     

Thermodynamics and kinetics of cadmium adsorption onto oxidized granular activated carbon

Cadmium sorption behavior of granular activated carbon oxidized with nitric acid was systematically studied by sets of the equilibrium and time-based experiments under various conditions.The cadmium adsorption capacity of oxidized granular activated carbon enlarged with an increase in pH,and reduced with an increase in ionic strength.Experimental data were evaluated to find out kinetic characteristics.Adsorption processes were found to follow pseudo-second order rate equation.Adsorption isotherms correlate well with the Langmuir isotherm model and the maximum sorption capacity of cadmium evaluated is 51.02μmol/g.Thermodynamic parameters were calculated based on Van't Hoff equation.Equilibrium constant Kd was evaluated from Freundlich isotherm model constants,Langmnir isotherm model constants,and isotherms,respectively.The average change of standard adsorption heatΔH~0 was -25.29 kJ/mol.NegativeΔH~0 andΔG~0 values indicate the adsorption process for cadmium onto the studied activated carbon is exothermic and spontaneous.The standard entropyΔS~0 was also negative,which suggests a decrease in the freedom of the system.     

Non-UV based germicidal activity of metal-doped TiO2 coating on solid surfaces

A stain-based screening method was developed to screen different catalyst coatings for their germicidal activity. A Baclight dead/live bacteria viability kit （invitrogen, molecular probes） was used for staining the cell. The screening was carried out following a standard procedure. This included loading cell suspension to solid surface and maintaining contact for 30 min, then staining with a mixture containing dyes. The stained cells were observed using an epifluorescent microscope and photographed with a CCD camera under UV. Metal-doped TiO2 coatings on AI plates were prepared and tested for non-UV germicidal activity without using UV. It was tested using model microorganisms such as Bakers Yeast （Saccharomyces cerevisiae）, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, and Escherichia coli. On the basis of the germicidal activity of catalyst and the degree of damage caused to the cells, the stained cells may appear green （viable）, green with red or yellow nuclei and yellow （compromised） or red （nonviable）. According to their stained color, cells were counted to calculate the percentage of dead, live, and compromised cells. Compromised cells are cells that grow very slowly after reculturing indicating a degree of reversible cell damage. Screening the germicidal activity using this staining method is accurate and efficient, and requires less time than the culture-based method. A modification to the procedure for measuring germicidal activity of rough surfaces or fibrous coatings was developed. Both TiO2 and metal-doped TiO2 （Ag, Pt, Au, Cu） possess non-UV based germicidal activity. The germicidal activity of TiO2 was found to be related with its wetting property and can be improved by UV irradiation before testing. It is not greatly affected by contact time, indicating a fast acting germicidal activity.     

陆地生态系统净第一性生产力过程模型研究综述

陆地生态系统净第一性生产力的模拟已从统计模型发展到过程模型时代。过程模型从机理上对植物的生物物理过程以及影响因子进行分析和模拟,理论框架完整,结构严谨。论文从植物器官、个体、冠层、景观以及区域等不同尺度对过程模型进行分析。近年来,由于遥感和GIS技术的支持,使得遥感过程模型融合了遥感及时、准确、宏观、多尺度的优势而成为当前生产力模型的主攻方向。遥感过程模型可实现生态系统NPP的及时模拟和动态监测,便捷、准确地反映NPP的时空变化格局。而在NPP建模过程中,尺度转换是所面临的一个重要问题。不同尺度模型间扩展时,需要采取相应的数学手段进行尺度转换,同时遥感和GIS技术提供了尺度转换的有力工具。综观我国NPP研究的发展,起步晚、发展快是其特点。虽然取得了大量的研究成果,但过程模型的建模方面还很不足,这是一个亟待解决的问题。     

水体沉积物重金属质量基准研究新进展——生物效应数据库法

根据加拿大、美国佛罗里达、澳大利亚、新西兰、中国香港等国家和地区水体沉积物质量基准研究的最新资料 ,综述了目前国际上广泛采用的用于制定沉积物质量基准的新方法——生物效应数据库法 ,介绍了该方法制定基准研究和应用的新进展