Physiological Age of Host Plant Foliage and Survival of Gypsy Moth Larvae

The pH of leaf homogenates of common birch (Betula verrucosa L.), a food plant of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) larvae, was measured at different times of day in the course of leaf organogenesis, and midgut pH was measured in gypsy moth larvae phenotypically differing in the color of the hypodermis at the fifth instar. A possible relation between these parameters is discussed.     

Description and evaluation of a model of deposition velocities for routine estimates of dry deposition over North America. Part II: review of past measurements and model results

Numerical sensitivity tests and four months of complete model runs have been conducted for the Routine Deposition Model (RDM). The influence of individual model inputs on dry deposition velocity as a function of land-use category (LUC) and pollutant (SO₂, O₃, SO²⁻₄ and HNO₃) were examined over a realistic range of values for solar radiation, stability and wind speed. Spatial and temporal variations in RDM deposition velocity (V_d) during June – September 1996 time period generated using meteorological input from a mesoscale model run at 35 km resolution over north-eastern North America were also examined. Comparison of RDM V_d values to a variety of measurements of dry deposition velocities of SO₂, O₃, SO²⁻₄ and NHO₃ that have been reported in the literature demonstrated that RDM produces realistic results. Over northeastern NA RDM monthly averaged dry deposition velocities for SO₂ vary from 0.2 to 3.0 cm s⁻¹ with the highest deposition velocities over water surfaces. For O₃, the monthly averaged dry deposition velocities are from 0.05 to 1.0 cm s⁻¹ with the lowest values over water surfaces and the highest over forested areas. For HNO₃, the monthly averaged dry deposition velocities have the range of 0.5 to 6 cm s⁻¹, with the highest values for forested areas. For SO²⁻₄, they range from 0.05–1.5 cm s⁻¹, with the lowest values over water and the highest over forest. The monthly averaged dry deposition velocities for SO₂ and O₃ are higher in the growing season compared to the fall, but this behaviour is not apparent for HNO₃ and sulphate. In the daytime, the hourly averaged dry deposition velocities for SO₂, O₃, SO²⁻₄ and HNO₃ are higher than that in the nighttime over most of the vegetated area. The diurnal variation is most evident for surfaces with large values for leaf area index (LAI), such as forests. Based on the results presented in this paper, it is concluded that RDM V_d values can be combined with measured air concentrations over hourly, daily or weekly periods to determine dry deposition amounts and with wet deposition measurements to provide seasonal estimates of total deposition and estimates of the relative importance of dry deposition.     

微波诱导热解法制备落叶吸附剂及其工艺优化

采用微波诱导热解法制备低成本落叶吸附剂,以实现落叶的资源化利用.以碘吸附值为响应值,采用响应面分析法研究了微波诱导热解法制备落叶吸附剂的工艺条件.结果表明,热解时间与微波功率之间存在交互作用,当热解功率增加时,可适当缩短热解时间.落叶吸附剂的最佳制备工艺条件为:热解时间4.04 min,微波功率488.72W,氯化锌质量分数27％.落叶吸附剂以微孔吸附为主,BJH孔径分布较窄,孔容最高峰对应的孔径在1.9 nm左右,Langmuir比表面积为769.61 m2/g.     

A feasibility and cost comparison of perchloroethylene dry cleaning to professional wet cleaning: case study of Silver Hanger Cleaners, Bellingham, Massachusetts

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) has been working with the dry cleaning sector for over 10 years - focusing on the ultimate goal of eliminating the use of perchloroethylene in this sector due to the availability of less toxic, feasible alternatives. Professional wet cleaning has been identified as one of these alternatives and has been a focus of the Institute in recent years. In 2008, the Institute provided a matching grant to Silver Hanger Cleaners in Bellingham, Massachusetts to convert their operations from perchloroethylene-based to water-based processes. Two years of data have been collected from the facility, reflecting one year of solvent use and one year of dedicated professional wet cleaning. The analysis of that data is presented here, including capital costs, performance data and associated costs, operational costs, and resource use and associated costs.     

Effect of land management on soil microbial N supply to crop N uptake in a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania

In Sub-Saharan Africa, conservation of available soil N during early crop growth, when N loss by leaching generally occurs, is important to improve crop productivity. In a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania, we assessed the potential role of soil microbes as a temporal N sink-source to conserve the available soil N until later crop growth, which generally requires substantial crop N uptake. We evaluated the effect of land management [i.e., no input, plant residue application before planting (P plot) with or without fertilizer application, fertilizer application alone, and non-cultivated plots] on the relationship between soil N pool [microbial biomass N (MBN) and inorganic N] and crop N uptake throughout the ∼120-d crop growth period in two consecutive years. In the P plot, MBN clearly increased (∼14.6-29.6 kg N ha⁻¹) early in the crop growth period in both years because of immobilization of potentially leachable N, and it conserved a larger soil N pool (∼10.5-21.2 kg N ha⁻¹) than in the control plot. Especially in one year in which N leaching was critical, increased MBN maintained a larger soil N pool in the P plot throughout the experimental period, and a delay of increased MB C:N ratio and a substantial decrease in MBN was observed, indicating better soil microbial N supply for crop N uptake during later crop growth. Therefore, plant residue application before planting should enhance the role of soil microbes as a temporal N sink-source, leading to the conservation of potentially leachable N until later phase of crop growth, especially in years in which N leaching is relatively severe. Although further studies are necessary, our results suggest that plant residue application before planting is a promising option to achieve better N synchronization.     

Epiphytic Lichens and Tree Leaves As Biomonitors of Trace Elements Released By Geothermal Power Plants

Leaves of the oak, Quercus cerris, and thalli of the epiphytic lichen, Parmelia caperata, from the Travale-Radicondoli geothermal area (central Italy) were analyzed for their trace elements (As, B, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, Zn). the results showed that concentrations of arsenic and boron in leaf and lichen samples were higher than in remote areas. the mean concentrations of many trace elements were higher in lichens than in oak leaves, suggesting that these organisms can be used in similar biomonitoring studies. the levels of boron and manganese were higher in tree leaves, so that for these two elements, the higher plant foliage could constitute a better biomonitor than lichens. the correlations found between the concentrations of cadmium and manganese in leaves and lichens suggests foliar leaching and washing of the elements down the tree trunk, where lichens may intercept them.     

Application of micrometeorological approaches to measure methane exchange in a dry paddy field in the western coast of Korea

The exchange processes of CH₄ were investigated in a paddy field in the Hari area of Kang Hwa Island over an 8 day period in late April 2002. The quantification of CH₄ fluxes was made under dry field condition of early spring by concurrently measuring its concentrations (at the two heights of 1 and 5 m) and the relevant micrometeorological parameters. To help elucidate the factors determining the mobilization characteristics of CH₄, the results of our measurement data were examined using a number of approaches. The results of the trajectory analysis indicated that its concentration changed very sensitively with the influence of different source types, as seen from the air mass movement patterns. The concentrations and fluxes of methane, when examined over this short-term scale, showed moderately strong patterns across 24 h period in which higher values tend to occur during morning or evening. The overall results of our field measurements suggest that CH₄ exchange processes in the paddy area proceeded in a fairly complicated manner. The study area behaved as a net source of CH₄ to the atmosphere with a net daily emission rate of 3.6 mg m⁻² despite the fact that downward deposition was observed more frequently than upward emission.     

Renewable biomass gel reinforced core-shell dry water material as novel fire extinguishing agent

This work explores the feasibility of using chitosan (CS)-sodium alginate (SA) crosslinking gel to reinforce dry water (DW) composites. The stability and fire extinguishing efficiency of the DW powder are investigated. Compared to ordinary DW material, water loss rate of the modified DW composite is decreased, and its pressure resistance and stability are significantly increased. Moreover, it possesses higher fire extinguishing efficiency than conventional dry powder. Fire extinguishing mechanism and gel formation mechanism are proposed. The improvement in stability has great significance for the storage and transportation of DW materials. These results demonstrate the ability to create a fully green and renewable crosslinking gel capable of endowing high stability to DW material. This work provides a novel solution to improve the stability of DW materials, which will have great application prospect in fire suppression of some flammable hazardous chemicals.     

苗期玉米根叶对干旱胁迫的生理响应

采用人工控制水分的方法,研究了干旱胁迫下苗期玉米(ZeamaysL.)根系和叶片的生理指标,用以明确苗期玉米根系和叶片对干旱的生理响应。研究结果表明,苗期中度干旱胁迫处理条件下,玉米根系和叶片均表现出对干旱胁迫的生理响应,并各具特点。与对照相比,干旱胁迫使玉米根系和地上部的生物量降低,叶片中的叶绿素含量显著降低、叶片光合面积减小,根冠比增大。干旱胁迫使玉米根系比表面积增大,根系氧化活力和还原活力增强。干旱胁迫导致玉米叶片的光合功能降低,初始荧光升高,初始光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)的原初光能转换效率、PSⅡ潜在活性、潜在光合作用活力均受到抑制。干旱胁迫下玉米叶片和根系脂质过氧化作用增强,根系和叶片中的游离脯氨酸含量升高。     

叶片微观结构变化对其颗粒物滞纳能力的影响

叶片作为植物滞留大气颗粒物最主要的载体,其表面微观结构特征和粗糙度的差异是颗粒物滞纳能力的重要决定因素.叶片微观结构会随着生长(内部因素)以及环境污染强度(外部因素)发生变化,然而现有的粉尘喷洒模拟实验,一般持续时间较短,而微观结构变化响应具有明显的滞后性,其结果无法客观反映由内外因素作用引起的微观结构变化对颗粒物滞纳能力的影响.本研究利用新叶和老叶研究叶片生长,并选择自然状态下不同污染源条件研究污染强度,分析叶片表面微观结构的变化及其对颗粒物滞纳能力的影响.研究得到3种常绿树种(矮紫杉Taxus cuspidata var.、侧柏Platycladus orientalis和油松Pinus tabuliformis)的老叶滞纳TSP、 PM_(10)、 PM_(2.5)和PM_1量均高于新叶,随着叶片的生长其颗粒物滞纳量在增大,且新叶与老叶对不同粒径颗粒物的滞纳量间均存在极显著的差异.生长中叶片粗糙度Rq值的增大是老叶颗粒物滞纳能力增大的主要原因. 5个树种(侧柏、油松、国槐Sophora japonica、毛白杨Populus tomentosa和银杏Ginkgo biloba)TSP和PM_(10)滞纳量为重度污染区高于相对清洁区.而PM_(2.5)和PM_1滞纳量则是油松、银杏和侧柏为重度污染区高于相对清洁区,国槐和毛白杨为相对清洁区高于重度污染区.不同污染强度区域间叶片TSP、PM_(10)和PM_(2.5)滞纳量存在着极显著的差异,PM_1滞纳量也存在着差异.主要归因于与相对清洁区相比,重度污染区叶片的气孔指数降低,蜡质层退化,表面纹理和细胞边界更加不规则,绒毛变长,变硬,叶片微观结构的这些变化使得重度污染区叶片粗糙度Rq值高于相对清洁区,且叶片背面的增加较正面更明显.研究结果将为深入揭示叶片颗粒物滞纳能力的驱动因素,以及提出更科学地提升净化颗粒物功能的城市森林管理措施提供数据支持.