High solids co-digestion of food and landscape waste and the potential for ammonia toxicity

A pilot-scale study was completed to determine the feasibility of high-solids anaerobic digestion (HSAD) of a mixture of food and landscape wastes at a university in central Pennsylvania (USA). HSAD was stable at low loadings (2 g COD/L-day), but developed inhibitory ammonia concentrations at high loadings (15 g COD/L-day). At low loadings, methane yields were 232 L CH₄/kg COD fed and 229 L CH₄/kg VS fed, and at high loadings yields were 211 L CH₄/kg COD fed and 272 L CH₄/kg VS fed. Based on characterization and biodegradability studies, food waste appears to be a good candidate for HSAD at low organic loading rates; however, the development of ammonia inhibition at high loading rates suggests that the C:N ratio is too low for use as a single substrate. The relatively low biodegradability of landscape waste as reported herein made it an unsuitable substrate to increase the C:N ratio. Codigestion of food waste with a substrate high in bioavailable carbon is recommended to increase the C:N ratio sufficiently to allow HSAD at loading rates of 15 g COD/L-day.     

Audience Response to Values-based Marketplace Advocacy by the Fossil Fuel Industries

A form of issue advocacy, marketplace advocacy campaigns often arise in response to burgeoning societal concerns, especially those faced by energy industries. Although these campaigns may include brief and selective references to corporate activities, most campaigns place a much stronger emphasis on commonly shared societal values. This study examines audience response to values-based environmental marketplace advocacy messages by the fossil fuel industries through a series of focus groups. Four instrumental values were identified in campaign videos (innovation, community, resilience, and patriotism), and the terminal value of pragmatism, especially as it relates to environmental issues, was identified as a result of identification with one or more of the instrumental values. The findings are discussed through the lens of extant research on marketplace advocacy and organizational values as well as Habermas's theory of refuedalization, shedding light on the ways corporations appeal to commonly held societal values in an effort to generate support for a given industry.     

A Protocol to Select High Quality Datasets of Ecotoxicity Values for Pesticides

Abstract

The key to any QSAR model is the underlying dataset. In order to construct a reliable dataset to develop a QSAR model for pesticide toxicity, we have derived a protocol to critically evaluate the quality of the underlying data. In developing an appropriate protocol that would enable data to be selected in constructing a QSAR, we concentrated on one toxicity end point, the 96 h LC50 from the acute rainbow trout study. This end point is key in pesticide regulation carried out under 91/414/EEC. The dataset used for this exercise was from the US EPA-OPP database.     

石臼湖马鞍山环湖片区景观生态规划研究

环湖片区是人与自然亲密相处的空间场所,具有丰富的自然资源和人文资源。环湖片区的景观生态规划可以协调人与自然及资源利用的关系。对石臼湖马鞍山环湖片区的生态环境基底和生态敏感性进行分析,确定重点规划区域;采用相对重要性指数(d I)识别落在规划区域内的重要斑块;运用最小耗费距离模型(MCR)模拟潜在生态廊道,并将其与景观廊道、游憩廊道相叠加;构建连续的景观生态格局,为石臼湖马鞍山环湖片区的景观生态规划提供依据和指导。结果表明,以景观生态学原理为指导,用客观定量的标准对景观要素进行选择和规划,使景观中资源组合在结构和功能上接近或达到最优化,提高区域内景观的稳定性,可以实现对环湖片区生态环境的有效保护。     

Measurement, Collaborative Learning and Research for Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Services: Landscape Concepts and Europe as Laboratory

Policies at multiple levels pronounce the need to encompass both social and ecological systems in governance and management of natural capital in terms of resources and ecosystems. One approach to knowledge production and learning about landscapes as social–ecological systems is to compare multiple case studies consisting of large spaces and places. We first review the landscape concepts’ biophysical, anthropogenic, and intangible dimensions. Second, we exemplify how the different landscape concepts can be used to derive measurable variables for different sustainability indicators. Third, we review gradients in the three dimensions of the term landscape on the European continent, and propose to use them for the stratification of multiple case studies of social–ecological systems. We stress the benefits of the landscape concepts to measure sustainability, and how this can improve collaborative learning about development toward sustainability in social–ecological systems. Finally, analyses of multiple landscapes improve the understanding of context for governance and management.     

贵州省土壤硒含量背景值研究

以贵州省耕地表层土壤(0～20 cm)为研究对象,系统采集了454431件土壤样品,分析测试了土壤硒含量,讨论了贵州省耕地表层土壤硒含量及其分布特征,以及不同土壤类型、不同酸碱度、不同地类土壤的硒含量背景值.结果 表明,贵州省耕地土壤硒含量背景值为0.482 mg/kg,变化范围为0.179～1.295 mg/kg.与...     

人工湿地环境经济价值评价及实例研究

在人工湿地污水自然处理技术应用中提出,人工湿地价值体系由环境经济价值和成本价值组成,环境经济价值由环境容量价值、资源价值和社会价值组成,成本价值由维护价值和人工改造价值组成;采用权变评价法探讨了人工湿地环境经济价值的评价程序和计算方法.以沈阳市马官桥人工湿地为例,采取问卷调查和数理统计方法,计算出马官桥人工湿地总价值为15 789.7万元,总经济效益为8 227.3万元,成本效益比为1∶6.3,表明环境经济效益显著.      

再生水回用于景观水体的初步探讨

从国内外再生水回用于景观水体的现状以及城市生活污水再生利用发展规模上的变化,阐述了生活污水回用于景观水体的必要性,介绍了再生水处理工艺,通过实验结果论述了生活污水回用于景观水体的可行性,并分析了它的环境效益和经济效益。     

滦河流域景观格局变化及其驱动因子分析

基于遥感、地理信息系统(GIS)技术、景观生态学方法和多元统计方法,以滦河流域为研究区域,在1980～2008年的土地利用图基础上,对景观格局特征和变化及其驱动因子进行研究分析.结果表明1980～2008年间林地始终占据了景观的主导地位,约为流域的40%;近年来滦河流域除林地外其它景观类型都有显著性变化;总体上看,滦河...     

基于人体健康风险的水污染事件污染物安全阈值研究

水污染事件急性人体健康风险评估是环境科学的一个新兴研究领域.在简要介绍污染物急性风险评估方法的基础上,建立了水污染事件特征污染物安全阈值的计算模型.根据水污染事件特征污染物安全阈值计算方法,对我国2000～2010年间发生的主要水污染事件特征污染物的急性暴露安全阈值进行研究.结果表明不同水污染事件特征污染物的急性暴露安全阈值:氰化钠、镉、甲醛、氨氮、甲苯、硝基苯、微囊藻毒素-LR分别为0.1、0.6、8、20、6、0.07、0.004 mg.L-1.比较了急慢性安全阈值计算方法,其差异性在于污染物毒理学范围不同、饮用水暴露比例不同、暴露敏感人群不同.