Visual preference and ecological assessments for designed alternative brownfield rehabilitations

This paper describes an integrative method for quantifying, analyzing, and comparing the effects of alternative rehabilitation approaches with visual preference. The method was applied to a portion of a major industrial area located in southern Italy. Four alternative approaches to rehabilitation (alternative designs) were developed and analyzed. The scenarios consisted of the cleanup of the brownfields plus: (1) the addition of ground cover species; (2) the addition of ground cover species and a few trees randomly distributed; (3) the addition of ground cover species and a few trees in small groups; and (4) the addition of ground cover species and several trees in large groups. The approaches were analyzed and compared to the baseline condition through the use of cost-surface modeling (CSM) and visual preference assessment (VPA). Statistical results showed that alternatives that were more ecologically functional for forest bird species dispersal were also more visually preferable. Some differences were identified based on user groups and location of residence. The results of the study are used to identify implications for enhancing both ecological attributes and visual preferences of rehabilitating landscapes through planning and design.     

Evaluation of alternative water sources for commercial buildings: A case study in Brisbane,Australia

Commercial buildings are central to cities and contribute significantly to the urban demand for natural resources, including freshwater. Green building benchmarking tools include more efficient water use as key indicator of sustainability. This paper explores options for substituting mains drinking water with an alternative, non-potable water source on a fit for purpose basis. The research findings are based on a monitoring study of a commercial building in Brisbane, Australia that is harvesting rainwater for meeting non-potable water demand. The results demonstrated that the system is only achieving moderate reliability in meeting demand due to operational problems. The case study analysis has highlighted the need to include validation and monitoring to ensure the system is operating as per design intent. The paper also investigates the potential of other local, non-potable water sources for high-rise commercial buildings, in particular air conditioning condensate and groundwater inflow to a basement wet well. The paper concludes by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of different local water sources which highlights the need to undertake a site specific investigation to identify a suitable alternative water source, which considers O&M complexity and the capacity of facilities management.     

Sperm swimming speed and energetics vary with sperm competition risk in bluegill (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepomis macrochirus</Emphasis>)

Under sperm competition, a males fertilization success depends largely on the ejaculate characteristics of competing males. Theoretical models predict that, in external fertilizers, increased risk of sperm competition should result in selection for increased sperm swimming speed. To test this prediction, we studied the behavior of sperm from parental and sneaker male bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), a fish species characterized by high levels of cuckoldry due to alternative reproductive tactics of males (parentals and cuckolders). Because cuckolders (sneakers and satellites) always spawn in the presence of a parental male, but the reverse is not true, cuckolders experience the greater risk of sperm competition. We show here that the spermatozoa of sneakers have faster initial swimming speeds but shorter periods of motility than the sperm of parental males. Moreover, we show that sperm swimming speeds shortly after activation (when most fertilization occurs) are correlated with starting ATP levels in spermatozoa, suggesting that sperm competition has selected for higher energetic capacity in the sperm of sneakers. Thus, the higher energetic capacity and initial swimming speed of sneaker sperm may explain why, despite having fewer sperm per ejaculate than parentals, sneakers fertilize more eggs than parental males when they compete to fertilize a clutch of eggs.Communicated by L.W. Simmons     

非诉讼环境纠纷解决机制之重构

在环境纠纷的非诉讼解决方面,我国虽然已有运用各种非诉讼纠纷解决方式来处理环境纠纷的实践,但在立法方面以及运作方式上仍然不完善,通过对该机制的各种程序进行分析和阐述,提出我国在环境纠纷解决中运用非诉讼解决机制进行重构.     

Application of recycled paper sludge and biomass materials in manufacture of green composite pallet

Rice straw, rice husk and paper sludge are by-products and industrial waste, and are beneficial resources as raw biomass materials used for manufacturing value-added composite products. We investigated the effect on selected mechanical properties of adding rice straw, rice husk and paper sludge to wood composites to replace wood particles for manufacturing green pallets. Results showed that increasing the contents of rice straw and rice husk dramatically decreased the mechanical strength of the composites. This is because the wax and silicate coating of these materials obstructed the strong bonding with UF resin. When 10 wt.% of wood particle was replaced with 10 wt.% of paper sludge, the wood–paper sludge composites showed similar mechanical properties to those of wood particle. Wood particle can be replaced by 10 wt.% of dried paper sludge in accordance with the minimum requirement recommended by standards in green pallet manufacturing.     

Development paths of drylands: thresholds and sustainability

Drylands (41 and 35% of global land and population, respectively) have the lowest biological productivity of any ecosystem, contain populations with the highest growth rates on earth, and share a significant fraction of global poverty for which desertification is implicated. A global assessment of the available information indicates that the inherent low productivity of drylands, when combined with other adverse factors, can generate poverty. It additionally indicates that while the drylands may exist in a locally stable and sustainable state, this is readily destabilized by non-linear, threshold-crossing transitions to an alternative steady-state leading to desertification, poverty and conflicts. The “desertification paradigm” (human and climatological pressures driving overexploitation of land resources, leading to desertification, poverty and reduced security) is challenged by its “counter-paradigm” (adversity elicits innovation, leading to ingenuous solutions for avoiding desertification). But the latter does not account for the inevitability of continued and increasing pressure on the finite dryland resources, expected to be further exacerbated by a globally increasing need for agricultural land. A companion paper points out that this situation can be avoided by reducing dependence on land productivity, through adoption of “alternative livelihoods.” These livelihoods, while economically advantageous, reduce pressure on land resources.     

Household use of and satisfaction with alternative water sources in Victoria Australia

Climate change is increasing the variability of rainfall, and thus the availability of water supplies in many areas of the world. These impacts are already being felt in the state of Victoria, Australia where a 12 year drought period was recently experienced. Restrictions to water use have been implemented, as one component of a broad policy approach to manage the drought. While anecdotal evidence suggests that the substitution of centralised water supplies is occurring, this has not been proven empirically. This paper reports results from a survey of households in Victoria regarding their use of alternative water sources. The study found that substitution is occurring. Garden watering is the purpose which has the highest rate of alternative water source use. In total 41.6% of respondents always, and 33.2% sometimes use an alternative water source for garden watering. The most commonly used alternative source of water for garden watering is water previously used in the laundry (30.7%). The alternative source of water used was found to vary depending on the purpose of the water use. High levels of satisfaction were found for all alternative water sources used. Several barriers were found to the use of alternative water sources, the main of which were: inflexibility of existing infrastructure, cost, policy, and housing status. The results have implications for water retailers, policy makers and governments in locations facing water shortage.     

Oxidation reactivity of 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) by Compound I model of cytochrome P450s

Alternative brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have become prevalent as a consequence of restrictions on the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). For risk assessment of these alternatives, knowledge of their metabolism via cytochrome P450 enzymes is needed. We have previously proved that density functional theory (DFT) is able to predict the metabolism of PBDEs by revealing the molecular mechanisms. In the current study, the reactivity of 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane and structurally similar chemicals with the Compound I model representing the active site of P450 enzymes was investigated. The DFT calculations delineated reaction pathways which lead to reasonable explanations for products that were detected by wet experiments, meanwhile intermediates which cannot be determined were also proposed. Results showed that alkyl hydrogen abstraction will lead to bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethanol, which may undergo hydrolysis yielding 2,4,6-tribromophenol, a neurotoxic compound. In addition, a general pattern of oxidation reactivity regarding the 2,4,6-tribromophenyl moiety was observed among several model compounds. Our study has provided insights for convenient evaluation of the metabolism of other structurally similar BFRs.     

Desire to Bargain and Negotiation Success: Lessons About the Need to Negotiate from Six Hydropower Disputes

/ We investigated the notion that successful negotiations require that all parties to the dispute must have a desire to bargain. This desire is most likely to be present when the dispute exhibits ripeness and each party believes a bargained solution is the most cost-effective way to resolve differences. Structured interviews of participants in six Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hydropower licensing consultations were conducted to determine the level of need to negotiate for each party. The findings indicate that a need to negotiate is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for success. Several factors were associated with a need to negotiate: a weak BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement); a salient issue; participants' sense of efficacy; a sense of inevitability; professional roles encouraging negotiation; and disputes about facts as opposed to disputes about values. Participants' need to negotiate fluctuated throughout the process and intensified when questions were ripe: i.e., critical issues were debated or the regulatory process required action.KEY WORDS: Alternative dispute resolution; Federal licenses; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Instream flow; Environmental planning     

2015—2018年山西省车用柴油质量状况分析

基于GB 19147—2013/2016《车用柴油》,以山西省车用柴油抽检样品为对象,分析2015—2018年车用柴油实际质量状况。结果表明:总体上,2015年抽检样品合格率最低,为58.3%,随后样品合格率以11.7%的年均增长率升至2016年的70.8%和2017年的82.1%,2018年抽检合格率稍有降低,为81.3%。其中国Ⅳ、国Ⅴ、国Ⅵ样品合格率分别为65.3%、78.9%和97.4%。不合格样品主要超标项目为硫浓度和闪点,超标样品硫浓度平均值为(671.7±1 061.4)mg/kg,闪点平均值为(47.0±9.4)℃。空间上,山西省车用柴油抽检样品合格率呈现以“2+26”城市为主的中东部城市高、西南部城市低的规律;时间上,各城市的车用柴油合格率变化呈稳定改善型、后进追赶型和恶化型3种类型。建议建立分级分区精准油品监管制度,加强对车用柴油的质量监管。