Flow Dynamics in Eccentrically Rotating Flasks Used for Dispersant Effectiveness Testing

The evaluation of dispersant effectiveness used for oil spills is commonly done using tests conducted in laboratory flasks. We used a Hot Wire Anemometer (HWA) to characterize mixing dynamics in the Swirling Flask (SF) and the Baffled Flask (BF), the latter is being considered by the EPA to replace the prior to test dispersant effectiveness in the laboratory. Five rotation speeds of the orbital shaker carrying the flasks were considered, Ω = 50, 100, 150, 175 and 200 rpm. The radial and azimuthal water speeds were measured for each Ω. It was found that the flow in the SF is, in general, two-dimensional changing from horizontal at low Ω to axi-symmetric at high Ω. The flow in the BF appeared to be three-dimensional at all rotation speeds. This indicates that the BF is more suitable for representing the (inherently) 3-D flow at sea. In the SF, the speeds and energy dissipation rates ɛ increased gradually as the rotation speed increased. Those in the BF increased sharply at rotation speeds greater than 150 rpm. At 200 rpm, the Kolmogorov scale (i.e., size of smallest eddies) was about 250 and 50 μm in the SF and BF, respectively. Noting that the observed droplet sizes of dispersed oils range from 50 to 400 μm (hence most of it is less than 250 μm), one concludes that the mixing in the SF (even at 200 rpm) is not representative of the vigorous mixing occurring at sea.     

A Reliability and Risk Analysis System for Multipurpose Reservoir Operation

This paper proposes a reliability analysis system, which can be widely applied to the cases in which a reservoir is operated to meet several purposes such as flood control, energy generation, irrigation, domestic and industrial water supply, etc. The presented system has a structure of three levels.1. Decision-making.2. Tradeoff analysis.3. The third level that mainly consists of three subsystems:i – The reservoir flood risk analysis subsystem by flood control simulation.ii – The benefit promotion subsystem of reservoir operation using Stochastic Dynamic Programming. In this subsystem, the Lagrange multipliers are introduced into the objective function to take into account the water supply failures. This method guarantees that each run of the SDP will necessarily derive a non-inferior policy for reservoir operation.iii – The reservoir operation simulation subsystem to derive the performance indices associated with the reservoir operation policies. With the input and feedback between the second level and the subsystems of the third level, a great deal of efficient operation policies and the associated performance indices can be obtained. Then the tradeoff relationships between different performance indices can be derived for the decision makers. With application to Yudong Reservoir in Yunnan province of China, the presented analysis system is practically tested.     

Structure of pathways in ecological networks: relationships between length and number

In ecosystems network, structure determines adjacent (direct) and non-adjacent (indirect) pathways over which energy, matter, and information can flow. The more pathways, the more possible ways the conservative substance can move in zero-sum transactions between network nodes that the pathways interconnect, and the more possible non-conservative, nonzero-sum relations can be secondarily derived from these. Structural analysis is a tool we employ, from a family of input–output methods for exploring zero- and nonzero-sum attributes of environmental networks, to count pathways of varying length between network nodes. In this paper, we examine the relationship between pathway length (k) and number (P_k) as determined by system size (n, number of nodes) and extent and pattern of connectance (C). We develop a measure (m_a) of pathway growth in numbers with increasing length, and then normalize this to the maximum rate possible (m_a/m_c) for a given system size. These measures apply to two pathway types—paths, m_a(0) and m_a(0)/m_c(0), which forbid adjacent node repetitions, and walks, m_a(1) and m_a(1)/m_c(1), which allow them. We find that network size has a curvilinear effect on the pathway number versus length relationship, and extent and pattern of connectance are convolved. Values computed for the paths and walks of three ecosystem models (oyster reef, freshwater marsh, and reservoir cove) are used to compare their pathway structure.     

我国部分商品粮基地粮食重金属污染的差异分析与综合评价

本文根据1988年全国农业环境质量状况调查资料,选取我国部分商品粮基地县粮食重金属污染数据,通过多元统计分析,揭示了各商品粮基地粮食重金属污染的差异与分类。最后采用模糊综合评判方法,对各商品粮基地粮食重金属污染程度进行了综合评价,得到了相对污染程度的排序。     

广西涠洲岛沉凝灰岩土壤粘粒矿物的研究

用X射线衍射分析和电子显微镜分析,对涠洲岛沉凝灰岩母质发育土壤的两个典型剖面八个土样的粘粒矿物进行分析研究。结果表明,离火山口距离不同的两个剖面土壤粘粒矿物组成不同,1号剖面以2:1型粘粒矿物为主,2号剖面则以1:1型粘粒矿物为主;结合其它分析结果,讨论了两个剖面土壤粘粒矿物组成不同的原因、对土壤有关特性的影响及其与土壤形成和分类的关系。     

Using Modeling to Improve Monitoring of Structured Populations: Are We Collecting the Right Data?

Abstract:  Population monitoring is central to most demographic studies and conservation efforts, but it may not always be directed at the most appropriate life stage. We used stochastic simulation modeling to evaluate the effectiveness of a monitoring program for a well-studied population of Eastern Imperial Eagles ( Aquila heliaca ) in Kazakhstan. Specifically, we asked whether the most appropriate data were being collected to understand system state and population dynamics. Our models were parameterized with data collected over the course of 25 years of study of this population. We used the models to conduct simulation experiments to evaluate relationships between monitored or potentially monitored parameters and the demographic variables of interest—population size ( N ) and population growth (λ). Static analyses showed that traditional territory-based monitoring was a poor indicator of eagle population size and growth and that monitoring survivorship would provide more information about these parameters. Nevertheless, these same traditionally monitored territory-based parameters had greater power to detect long-term changes in population size than did survivorship or population structure. Regardless of the taxa considered, threats can have immediate impacts on population size and growth or longer-term impacts on population dynamics. Prudently designed monitoring programs for any species will detect the demographic effects of both types of threats.     

Fecundity as a Basis for Risk Assessment of Nonindigenous Freshwater Molluscs

Abstract:  The most efficient way to reduce future damages from nonindigenous species is to prevent the introduction of harmful species. Although ecologists have long sought to predict the identity of such species, recent methodological advances promise success where previous attempts failed. We applied recently developed risk assessment approaches to nonindigenous freshwater molluscs at two geographic scales: the Laurentian Great Lakes basin and the 48 contiguous states of the United States. We used data on natural history and biogeography to discriminate between established freshwater molluscs that are benign and those that constitute nuisances (i.e., cause environmental and/or economic damage). Two statistical techniques, logistic regression and categorical tree analysis, showed that nuisance status was positively associated with fecundity. Other aspects of natural history and biogeography did not significantly affect likelihood of becoming a nuisance. We then used the derived statistical models to predict the chance that 15 mollusc species not yet in natural ecosystems would cause damage if they become established. We also tested whether time since establishment is related to the likelihood that nonindigenous mollusc species in the Great Lakes and United States would cause negative impacts. No significant relationship was evident at the U.S. scale, but recently established molluscs within the Great Lakes were more likely to cause negative impacts. This may reflect changing environmental conditions, changing patterns of trade, or may be an indication of "invasional meltdown." Our quantitative analyses could be extended to other taxa and ecosystems and offer a number of improvements over the qualitative risk assessments currently used by U.S. (and other) government agencies.     

Reproductive Success of Captive-Bred Steelhead Trout in the Wild: Evaluation of Three Hatchery Programs in the Hood River

Abstract:  Population supplementation programs that release captive-bred offspring into the wild to boost the size of endangered populations are now in place for many species. The use of hatcheries for supplementing salmonid populations has become particularly popular. Nevertheless, whether such programs actually increase the size of wild populations remains unclear, and predictions that supplementation fish drag down the fitness of wild fish remain untested. To address these issues, we performed DNA-based parentage analyses on almost complete samples of anadromous steelhead ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) in the Hood River in Oregon (U.S.A.). Steelhead from a supplementation hatchery (reared in a supplementation hatchery and then allowed to spawn naturally in the wild) had reproductive success indistinguishable from that of wild fish. In contrast, fish from a traditional hatchery (nonlocal origin, multiple generations in hatcheries) breeding in the same river showed significantly lower fitness than wild fish. In addition, crosses between wild fish and supplementation fish were as reproductively successful as those between wild parents. Thus, there was no sign that supplementation fish drag down the fitness of wild fish by breeding with them for a single generation. On the other hand, crosses between hatchery fish of either type (traditional or supplementation) were less fit than expected, suggesting a possible interaction effect. These are the first data to show that a supplementation program with native brood stock can provide a single-generation boost to the size of a natural steelhead population without obvious short-term fitness costs. The long-term effects of population supplementation remain untested.     

基于放射性碳分析的多环芳烃源解析:技术进展和准确性评估

化石燃料燃烧和生物质燃烧是污染物多环芳烃(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon,PAHs)的两大来源.放射性碳(14C)分析近年用于评估这两类源对环境中PAHs的相对贡献.此方法基于化石燃料和生物质的14C含量差异,即化石燃料不含14C,而生物质的14C浓度有一个较稳定值.14C的自然丰度极低(约10-12),因此检测PAHs这样的痕量污染物的14C含量一度极具挑战.1990年代中期,加速器质谱的技术突破使得对环境样品PAHs的14C分析具有实用价值.要准确测出PAHs的14C含量,须先从化学成分复杂的环境样品中分离出高纯度的PAHs.制备气相色谱因其出色的分离能力而成为目前环境样品PAHs14C分析必备的工具.本文意在简介基于14C分析的PAHs源解析的基本原理、技术进展,以及评估该方法获得的PAHs源解析结果的准确性.     

北京城市发展新区土地利用景观格局分析

以北京南部城市发展新区典型代表———房山、大兴、通州3处作为研究区,运用马尔科夫转移矩阵和景观格局指数的方法,进行土地利用变化和景观格局分析。通过对2001—2006年、2006—2011年两个时段的对比分析,发现2001—2006年研究区存在草地、林地、耕地等非建设用地类型面积下降,建设用地面积上升的趋势,且2006—2011年该趋势更加明显。结果表明研究区自然景观向人文景观变革迅速,并面临着后备土地资源不足等问题,亟需调整土地利用方式并优化景观系统空间格局。