The effects of community-based action for sustainability on participants' lifestyles

There has been increased interest in the role of community-based action in promoting sustainable lifestyles in recent years, but relatively limited evidence on the effects of such activity on participants' behaviours. In this paper, I present an evaluation of the effects of community-based action for sustainability on participants' lifestyles. I draw on extensive qualitative research to assess how much change participants of community sustainability projects report, what kinds of participants these projects attract and how the circumstances of these projects affect the changes that participants make. The main findings are that these initiatives have different effects on different people. Those who are new to sustainability and who are actively involved in cohesive groups, which are specifically targeting their lifestyles, are more likely to report substantial changes. I present a model to explain what change occurs, for which types of participants, in what circumstances as a result of community-based action.     

农村黑臭水体沉积物细菌群落结构特征

沉积物微生物是农村黑臭水体物质循环和有机物降解等过程的主要驱动者,其群落结构组成常因外界环境的微小变化而变化.以菏泽市东明县29个农村黑臭水体为研究对象,测定农村黑臭水体上覆水和沉积物氮、磷及重金属等污染物指标,结合Illumina测序结果,分析农村黑臭水体沉积物细菌群落组成和多样性特征及其与环境因子的相关性.结果表明,该区域农村黑臭水体上覆水和沉积物中污染物分布范围均较广.与农业面源相比,以农村生活污水为主要污染来源的农村黑臭水体上覆水中氮、磷污染物浓度更高,分别是农业面源的3.1倍和1.5倍.此外,该区域农村黑臭水体沉积物中重金属含量处于较低水平,普遍低于菏泽市土壤元素背景值.该区域农村黑臭水体沉积物细菌群落的优势菌门为变形菌门、放线菌门、绿弯菌门、厚壁菌门和酸杆菌门,这5种优势菌门的序列总和占全部序列的70.3%～83.6%.γ-变形菌纲、α-变形菌纲、厌氧绳菌纲和放线菌纲是沉积物细菌群落的优势菌纲;硫杆菌属和假节杆菌属是其优势菌属.Spearman相关性分析结果表明,环境因子中DO、 COD、 TN、 TP和有机质对农村黑臭水体沉积物细菌菌属有显著影响(P<0.05),沉...     

聚己内酯与聚羟基丁酸戊酸酯的脱氮性能对比

以可生物降解聚合物聚己内酯(PCL)和聚羟基丁酸戊酸酯(PHBV)作为反硝化缓释碳源和微生物载体,利用清水释碳和批式反硝化试验选出适用于再生水反硝化深度脱氮生物滤池的可生物降解碳源滤料,通过比较与分析碳源滤料的表面形态及物质特性和附着微生物的群落特征揭示其性能优越的原因.结果表明,PHBV反硝化启动时间短,反硝化速率高,剩余有机物浓度低,相比PCL具有更稳定持续的反硝化效果.原因是其表面粗糙,且含有大量C—O和CO等亲水性基团,易于微生物附着和降解利用;其表面附着的微生物种类多样,其中发硫菌属(Thiothrix)、假单胞属(Pseudomonas)、菌胶团属(Zoogloea)、黄杆菌属(Flavobacterium)和脱氯菌属(Dechloromonas)等优势菌属均具有异养反硝化功能.因此,PHBV更适合作为再生水反硝化深度脱氮生物滤池的碳源滤料.     

Effects of soil nematodes communities on litter decomposition in urban forest of Dalian北大核心CSCD

In order to further expound the effect of soil nematodes on litter decomposition in urban forest, this study investigated the responses of soil nematodes communities to litter decomposition by litterbags technology at different mesh sizes in Dalian National Forest Park. Soil nematodes community composition, decomposition rate of litter and nutrient release were also analyzed. It found a total of 4 418 nematodes from 39 genera. Higher relative density of soil nematodes was found in the bags with 0.1 mm mesh size (1.55 individuals and 7.34 orders per g of dry litter) compared to the bags with 0.02 mm mesh size (0.21 individuals and 0.49 orders per g of dry litter). There were very few soil nematodes in the 0.02 mm litter bags. Thus we regarded that soil nematodes only affected the 0.1 mm litter bags. The mass loss rates as well as C and P release rates was higher in litter bags with 0.1 mm mesh size than in those with 0.02 mm mesh size, indicating a significant influence of soil nematodes on mass loss and nutrient release. The contribution of soil nematodes to the litter mass loss was about 24%. The effect of soil nematodes on the nutrient release rates differed among elements. The soil nematodes had a bigger influence on the release rate of N than that of other elements, whereas the influence on K release rate was the lowest. The results showed that soil nematodes communities has a significant effect on the litter decomposition and nutrient release of the forest litter in Dalian city, especially promoting the mass loss rates and N release rates.     

Trans-Sahara migrants select flight altitudes to minimize energy costs rather than water loss

Meteorological conditions influence strongly the energy and water budget of birds. By adjusting their flights spatially and temporally with respect to these conditions, birds can reduce their energy expenditure and water loss considerably. By radar, we quantified songbird migration across the western Sahara in spring and autumn. There autumn migrants face the trade-off between (a) favorable winds combined with hot and dry air at low altitudes and (b) unfavorable winds combined with humid and cold air higher up. Thus, it can be tested whether birds may chose altitudes to minimize water loss instead of energy expenditure. We predicted optimal flight altitudes with respect to water loss and energy expenditure based on a physiological flight model when crossing the western Sahara and compared these model predictions spatially and temporally with measured songbird densities. The model aiming for minimal water consumption predicted a mean flight altitude of 3,400 m under autumn conditions. However, 64% of the nocturnal songbird migration flew at altitudes below 1,000 m above ground level profiting from tailwind. This preference for tailwind in autumn, despite the hot and dry air, emphasizes the importance of energy savings and diminishes the significance of possible water stress for the selection of flight altitude. Nevertheless, during daytime, high energy expenditure due to air turbulences and water loss due to warmer air and direct solar radiation prevent songbirds from prolonging their nocturnal flights regularly into the day. Birds crossing the Sahara save water by nocturnal flights and diurnal rests.     

Sustainable coastal communities in the age of coastal storms: Reconceptualising coastal planning as ‘new’ naval architecture

Hurricanes devastated the Gulf coast of the USA in 2005. Hurricane Katrina, in particular, highlighted the compelling need to build more sustainable and hazard-resilient communities. Much can be learned from recovery efforts to rebuild the Gulf coast. Personal observations and interviews with planners, academics and others involved in recovery efforts inform this analysis, which focuses on New Orleans. A conceptual framework is developed and principles and operational imperatives outlined to guide action for building sustainable, hazard-resilient communities. Such communities will remain elusive unless ‘business as usual’ is confronted by a transformational process of developmental planning. Sustainable, hazard-resilient coastal communities are founded upon robust ‘critical infrastructure’ that is secured by planning and decision-making processes that enable coastal communities to build ‘layers of resilience’ to overcome ‘waves of adversity’. Planners need to take on a redefined role—as ‘new naval architects’—to design and build communities that are ‘sea-worthy’ in this age of coastal storms.

Evaluating Local Benefits from Conservation in Nepal’s Annapurna Conservation Area

Protected areas are integral to the global effort to conserve biodiversity, and, over the past two decades, protected area managers have begun to recognize that conservation objectives are next to impossible to achieve without considering the needs and concerns of local communities. Incentive-based programs (IBPs) have become a favored approach to protected area management, geared at fostering local stewardship by delivering benefits tied to conservation to local people. Effective IBPs require benefits to accrue to and be recognized by those experiencing the greatest consequences as a result of the protected area, and those likely to continue extractive activities if their livelihood needs are compromised. This research examines dispersal of IBP benefits, as perceived by local residents in Nepal's Annapurna Conservation Area. Results reported here are based on questionnaire interviews with 188 households conducted between September and December 2004. Results indicate that local residents primarily identify benefits from social development activities, provisions for resource extraction, and economic opportunities. Overall, benefits have been dispersed equally to households in villages on and off the main tourist route, and regardless of a household's participation in tourism. However, benefits are not effectively targeted to poorer residents, those highly dependent on natural resources, and those experiencing the most crop damage and livestock loss from protected wildlife. This article provides several suggestions for improving the delivery of conservation incentives.     

Duetting and mate-guarding in Australian magpie-larks (Grallina cyanoleuca)

A recently favored hypothesis is that duetting in birds has a mate-guarding function: a male responds vocally to his partner’s song, thereby forming a duet that repels males who are attracted to her song. Previous studies have not provided unambiguous tests of the mate-guarding hypothesis because: (1) the probability of a male answering his partner’s song has not been shown to increase specifically when the female is fertile, and (2) the probability of a male answering his partner’s song has not been assessed separately from simply a higher song initiation rate. We investigated extra-pair paternity, mate-guarding, and duetting in the socially monogamous Australian magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca). DNA fingerprinting revealed that 3% of young were the result of extra-pair paternity, and we found that males guarded fertile females by staying close to them. However, males did not initiate songs at a higher rate when females were fertile and actually reduced their probability of replying to female song during this period. We conclude that although male magpie-larks did guard fertile females in an attempt to prevent extra-pair copulations, they did not use duetting for this purpose. Received: 10 May 1999 / Received in revised form: 27 September 1999 / Accepted: 2 October 1999     

甘肃某冶炼厂区土壤重金属铅、镉污染特征及其对微生物群落结构的影响

长期受到重金属铅(Pb)和镉(Cd)污染的土壤生态危害指数较高,土壤微生物群落结构容易受到重金属的影响,重金属对土壤微生物的毒性与重金属的生物利用度直接相关.以白银市重金属污染土壤为样本,分析了土壤的理化性质、重金属Pb和Cd的污染状况及土壤微生物群落结构,探究它们之间的关联性.样本采自距离污染中心由近及远的4个位置(...     

不同填料负载微生物去除地表水氨氮的研究

氨氮浓度过高是黑臭水体难以治理的重要原因之一.本研究比较了经活性污泥驯化的菌株与市售硝化菌液两种不同菌剂分别在有机填料聚丙烯纤维和无机填料沸石上的挂膜特性,考察了不同挂膜填料性质、填料粒径、源水pH值等因素对氨氮去除效果的影响,并通过高通量测序解构不同填料生物膜的微生物群落差异,探究填料负载微生物的生物膜法去除氨氮的综...