Impact of atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic and natural trace metals on Northwestern Mediterranean surface waters: a box model assessment

Under stratified oligotrophic conditions (May-November), the surface mixed layer of the Northwestern Mediterranean constitutes a homogeneous water volume of 10-30 m depth. In other respects, the mean residence time of Ligurian surface waters (0-200 m) is 102 days. It is therefore possible to quantify the extent to which atmospheric deposition of trace metals affects surface waters. On the basis of literature data on anthropogenic and natural trace metals, we demonstrate that the ratios between total seawater labile atmospheric deposition during 102 days (Δc) and dissolved TM concentrations in Ligurian surface waters (c) illustrate the impact of atmospheric deposition on surface seawater (Δc/c). High ratios indicate surface TM enrichments, while low ratios indicate surface TM depletion, due to the quasi-complete sorption and removal of TMs by plankton during spring bloom. The simple box model proposed here may be used for other marine regions where hydrodynamical and physico-chemical constraints are well defined.     

输变电环境影响评价及竣工环保验收相关要点分析

通过输变电环境影响评价及竣工环保验收工作的实践,从输变电环境影响评价及竣工环保验收的基本概念和相关法律、法规出发,分析了输变电环境影响评价及竣工环保验收工作的要点,包括敏感目标调查、生态环境影响评价与监测、声环境评价重点、公众参与等,在此基础上论述了两者之间的相互关系,最后针对输变电环境影响评价及竣工环保验收工作更加科学化提出了建议。     

矿井瓦斯爆炸传播的尺寸效应研究

基于瓦斯爆炸传播过程的理论分析 ,确定了表征瓦斯爆炸传播过程的主要物理参数 ;通过在两条巷道中进行了瓦斯爆炸传播的对比实验 ,指出了瓦斯爆炸传播过程的尺寸效应存在的原因。笔者认为 :因为巷道支护设备使巷道有效面积的减少和壁面粗糙度的变化 ,尺寸效应使大断面巷道在可比条件下 ,发生瓦斯爆炸时 ,爆炸波的火焰、压力、冲量等在更大范围内形成破坏和伤害     

安全文化对安全行为的影响模式

从分析文化对人的行为的影响方式出发 ,阐述了安全文化对人的安全行为的影响模式 ,提出了运用安全文化塑造人的安全行为的途径 ,同时为推动安全文化建设 ,以预防人的不安全行为的观点提供了理论依据 ,笔者所提出的建设安全文化的途径 ,对减少意外伤亡事故的发生具有现实指导意义和积极预防作用     

沈阳市浑南新区规划环境影响评价指标体系的建立

研究和探讨了规划环境影响评价指标的确定原则与方法,建立了沈阳市浑南新区规划环境影响评价指标体系,指标体系分目标层、准则层、指标层三个层次,包括社会生态指标、经济生态指标、环境生态指标和环境资源支撑指标四大类三十项。     

Assigning results of the Tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment (ToSIA) to products of a forest-wood-chain

A Tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment (ToSIA) has been developed for assessing sustainability impacts of forest-wood-chains (FWCs). Sustainability is determined by analysing environmental, economic, and social sustainability indicators for all the production processes along the FWC. Results of the tool can be analysed at an aggregated level for complete FWCs, but for some applications it is useful to assign the indicator results to products of the chain.This paper presents a procedure in ToSIA to assign sustainability impacts to multiple output products of FWC. The procedure was tested and demonstrated with an example FWC from Scandinavia that included furniture and bio-energy production. Two different allocation criteria, carbon-based and economic value-based, were applied with different options for assigning the impacts on the sub-products of the chain. Three indicators representing the three pillars of the sustainability were chosen to demonstrate the procedure: production costs (economic), employment (social) and transport intensity (environmental).The results indicated that the allocation criteria greatly affect the indicator results assigned to the different products of FWCs. The selection of the allocation criterion depends on the question approached and on the availability of the needed process related data. The data availability is assured for the carbon-based allocation within ToSIA, as following the carbon flows within the chain is mandatory for any ToSIA application. Economic values of products, on the other hand, are more closely linked to the aims of the production processes of the value chains and are thereby meaningful allocation criteria in many cases. The allocation procedure of ToSIA was proved to be flexible allowing different criteria and still consistent in allocation of the various sustainability impacts of the FWCs.     

Modeling soil and plant phosphorus within DSSAT

The crop models in the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) have served worldwide as a research tool for improving predictions of relationships between soil and plant nitrogen (N) and crop yield. However, without a phosphorus (P) simulation option, the applicability of the DSSAT crop models in P-deficient environments is limited. In this study, a soil-plant P model integrated to DSSAT was described, and results showing the ability of the model to mimic wide differences in maize responses to P in Ghana are presented as preliminary attempts to testing the model on highly weathered soils. The model simulates P transformations between soil inorganic labile, active and stable pools and soil organic microbial and stable pools. Plant growth is limited by P between two concentration thresholds that are species-specific optimum and minimum concentrations of P defined at different stages of plant growth. Phosphorus stress factors are computed to reduce photosynthesis, dry matter accumulation and dry matter partitioning. Testing on two highly weathered soils from Ghana over a wide range of N and P fertilizer application rates indicated that the P model achieved good predictability skill at one site (Kpeve) with a final grain yield root mean squared error (RMSE) of 535 kg ha⁻¹and a final biomass RMSE of 507 kg ha⁻¹. At the other site (Wa), the RMSE was 474 kg ha⁻¹ for final grain yield and 1675 kg ha⁻¹ for final biomass. A local sensitivity analysis indicated that under P-limiting conditions and no P fertilizer application, crop biomass, grain yield, and P uptake could be increased by over 0.10% due to organic P mineralization resulting from a 1% increase in organic carbon. It was also shown that the modeling philosophy that makes P in a root-free zone unavailable to plants resulted in a better agreement of simulated crop biomass and grain yield with field measurements. Because the complex soil P chemistry makes the availability of P to plants extremely variable, testing under a wider range of agro-ecological conditions is needed to complement the initial evaluation presented here, and extend the use of the DSSAT-P model to other P-deficient environments.     

崇明风景旅游区负氧离子监测影响因素及分析

收集2012年崇明某湿地公园、某森林公园和某湖景公园等风景旅游区的负氧离子浓度监测数据,分析并总结了季节天气、监测点位、风向和空气中PM10等因素对负氧离子浓度监测的影响。     

Elements of an SEA framework— improving the added-value of SEA

Debate across the impact assessment community has been significantly influenced by the emergence of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the past few years. Although there are still difficulties regarding the understanding of its nature and technicalities, the need for it was acknowledged, and practice is taking place in diverse forms. Such diversity of approaches to SEA, while enriching debate, are critically confusing the relationship of SEA with other planning and impact assessment tools. In this paper it is argued that the value of SEA is a function of the extent it influences, and adds value, to decision making. Following that rationale, the paper suggests that SEA should be conceptualized as a framework, defined by core elements, that are incrementally integrated into policy and planning procedures and practices, whatever decision-making system in place. It is believed that in this way SEA may better satisfy one of its acknowledged aims and benefits, which is to help achieve sustainable development by changing the way decisions are made.     

Network and system diagrams revisited: Satisfying CEA requirements for causality analysis

Published guidelines for Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) have called for the identification of cause-and-effect relationships, or causality, challenging researchers to identify methods that can possibly meet CEA's specific requirements. Together with an outline of these requirements from CEA key literature, the various definitions of cumulative effects point to the direction of a method for causality analysis that is visually-oriented and qualitative. This article consequently revisits network and system diagrams, resolves their reported shortcomings, and extends their capabilities with causal loop diagramming methodology. The application of the resulting composite causality analysis method to three Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) case studies appears to satisfy the specific requirements of CEA regarding causality. Three “moments” are envisaged for the use of the proposed method: during the scoping stage, during the assessment process, and during the stakeholder participation process.