Investigating cumulative effects across ecological scales

Species, habitats, and ecosystems are increasingly exposed to multiple anthropogenic stressors, fueling a rapidly expanding research program to understand the cumulative impacts of these environmental modifications. Since the 1970s, a growing set of methods has been developed through two parallel, sometimes connected, streams of research within the applied and academic realms to assess cumulative effects. Past reviews of cumulative effects assessment (CEA) methods focused on approaches used by practitioners. Academic research has developed several distinct and novel approaches to conducting CEA. Understanding the suite of methods that exist will help practitioners and academics better address various ecological foci (physiological responses, population impacts, ecosystem impacts) and ecological complexities (synergistic effects, impacts across space and time). We reviewed 6 categories of methods (experimental, meta-analysis, single-species modeling, mapping, qualitative modeling, and multispecies modeling) and examined the ability of those methods to address different levels of complexity. We focused on research gaps and emerging priorities. We found that no single method assessed impacts across the 4 ecological foci and 6 ecological complexities considered. We propose that methods can be used in combination to improve understanding such that multimodel inference can provide a suite of comparable outputs, mapping methods can help prioritize localized models or experimental gaps, and future experiments can be paired from the outset with models they will inform.     

Quantifying the rebound effects of residential solar panel adoption

Customers who adopt solar panels can reduce their energy bills and lower the effective average electricity prices they pay. When the price falls, a solar consumer might consume more electricity than before – a solar rebound effect. We provide the first empirical evidence of residential solar rebound effects in the U.S. We use household level hourly and daily electricity meter data as well as hourly solar panel electricity generation data from 277 solar homes and about 4000 non-solar homes from 2013 to 2017 in Phoenix Arizona. Using matching methods and a fixed effects panel regression approach, we find that when solar electricity generation increases by 1 kWh, solar homes increase their total electricity consumption by 0.18 kWh. This indicates that solar rebound effects are estimated at 18%. Building upon our theoretical framework, the increase in consumer surplus from solar panel adoption is estimated at $972/yr.     

Economic assessment of the health effects related to particulate matter pollution in 111 Chinese cities by using economic burden of disease analysis

With China's rapid economic development, environmental problems have become more and more serious. Particulate air pollution is terrible in cities with large and dense population. It may lead to adverse health effects and economic costs. In this study, we calculated the health effects of pollution caused by particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 10mum (PM(10)) in 111 Chinese cities in 2004 according to statistical data and epidemiological exposure-response functions. Using economic burden of disease analysis, an economic assessment of these health risks was also presented. In contrast to many previous studies that have examined individual cities, this study covered most large and medium-sized cities in China, which accounted for more than 70% gross domestic product (GDP) of China in 2004. The total economic cost caused by PM(10) pollution was estimated as approximately US$ 29,178.7 million. Mega cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin contribute relatively more to the total costs. The results will help policy makers in formulating more effective countermeasures and increasing public awareness to enhance environmental protection.     

车内空气污染及控制

近年来,人们越来越关注车内空气污染。但人们对车内空气污染的了解甚少。本文就车内空气污染的污染源、污染物、健康影响、治理措施,相关标准等一系列问题,作系统论述。     

Mobility of Cd and Cu in formulated sediments coated with iron hydroxides and/or humic acids: a DGT and DGT-PROFS modeling approach

The diffusive gradients technique in thin films (DGT) was used to investigate the kinetic resupply of Cd and Cu to pore water from the solid phase. For the sake of simplification, experiments were performed using formulated sediments that differed in the presence or absence of humic acids (HA) and/or of iron hydroxides (i.e., goethite and ferrihydrite). The effects of the time after the contamination of the solid phase (aging effect) on formulated sediments that were coated with goethite and HA and spiked with Cd were also evaluated. Kinetic DGT results were interpreted using the newly developed, multi-compartmental model DGT-PROFS.Due to Cu humate formation, the addition of HA slightly increased the Cu concentration in the pore water independent of the effect of the iron hydroxide coating on the formulated sediments and slightly decreased that of Cd. The impact of 8-190 d of aging resulted in a significant decrease in the Cd concentration of the pore water over an increasing incubation time.Modeling our results with DGT-PROFS led to the following conclusions concerning the impact of HA and iron hydroxides on Cd and Cu availability. First, in the presence of HA and absence of iron hydroxides, Cd is associated mainly with weak sites, while Cu is bound to strong sites. Similarly, in the presence of both iron hydroxides and HA, Cu appeared to be more heavily associated with the strong sites than did Cd. When the incubation time increased from 8 to 190 d, a proportion of Cd initially adsorbed onto weak sites transferred to the strong sites, suggesting that the adsorption of Cd on sediments is controlled partially by slow kinetic processes.     

Within season and carry-over effects following exposure of grassland species mixtures to increasing background ozone

Few studies have investigated effects of increased background ozone in the absence of episodic peaks, despite a predicted increase throughout the northern hemisphere over the coming decades. In this study Leontodon hispidus was grown with Anthoxanthum odoratum or Dactylis glomerata and exposed in the UK to one of eight background ozone concentrations for 20 weeks in solardomes. Seasonal mean ozone concentrations ranged from 21.4 to 102.5 ppb. Ozone-induced senescence of L. hispidus was enhanced when grown with the more open canopy of A. odoratum compared to the denser growing D. glomerata. There was increased cover with increasing ozone exposure for both A. odoratum and D. glomerata, which resulted in an increase in the grass:Leontodon cover ratio in both community types. Carry-over effects of the ozone exposure were observed, including delayed winter die-back of L. hispidus and acceleration in the progression from flowers to seed-heads in the year following ozone exposure.     

TCP的污泥减量效果及其对出水水质的长期影响

向倒置A2/O中试系统中投加2,4,5-三氯苯酚(TCP),研究TCP对污泥的减量效果及进入处理系统后对系统出水水质长期影响。研究结果表明:与参照组相比,加药组投加TCP 2 mg/L时,污泥减量达62.5%,出水TN比参照组平均高0.8 mg/L,137 d后出水TP超过0.5 mg/L。TCP对污泥的减量效果好,需要加除磷药剂进行辅助除磷。     

海州湾海洋牧场的长期环境效应研究

为探讨海州湾海洋牧场的长期环境效应,调查了2010~2015年牧场区和对照区沉积物总氮（TP）、总磷（TN）、水体活性磷酸盐（PO₄^3--P）、总溶解无机氮（DIN）含量,浮游植物和底栖动物的生物量.结果表明：人工鱼礁和贻贝、藻类的养殖造成了牧场区沉积物TN的累积,由2010年的266.62mg/kg增加至2015年的596.21mg/kg.浮游植物的高丰度加快了牧场区和对照区沉积物生物有效性磷的释放,造成TP含量呈减小趋势.牧场区由2010年的547.26mg/kg下降至2015年的317.25mg/kg,对照区由2010年的438.21mg/kg下降至2015年的342.97mg/kg.TP含量的空间分布由牧场区（547.26mg/kg） > 对照区（438.21mg/kg）转变为牧场区（317.25mg/kg） < 对照区（342.97mg/kg）.底栖动物对沉积物-水界面的营养盐交换通量的贡献较低,不是TP、TN变化的主导因素.牧场区DIN含量更易受到沉积物TN的影响,对照区PO₄^3--P的含量变化与TP保持了一致性.高溶解氧环境和高TN含量为牧场区提供了内源性的NH₄⁺-N.牧场区的N/P更接近最适值,海州湾海洋牧场建设取得了一定的生态修复效果.     

制氧企业安全评价方法探讨

本文针对制氧行业的生产特点以及安全管理情况,对作业过程中存在的危险、有害因素进行了分析,综合运用安全检查表法(SCL)与故障模式、影响及危险度分析法(FMECA)对制氧企业安全现状进行了评价,并提出了相应的对策措施.结果表明:安全检查表法简便、易于掌握、较为实用;故障模式、影响及危险度分析法对评价人员的要求较高,但可得...     

“耕地总量动态平衡”政策驱动下中国的耕地变化及其生态环境效应

土地政策是影响土地利用及生态环境变化的一个重要的驱动因素。论文分析了“耕地总量动态平衡”政策对中国的耕地变化及其生态环境效应的影响,结果表明,“耕地总量动态平衡”政策对中国耕地的数量变化产生了积极作用,主要表现为:非农建设占用耕地的势头总体上得到遏制,全国及各省(市、区)基本实现耕地占补平衡,促进了农地整理工作的开展。但是,该政策对中国耕地的质量变化的影响却相反,在全国实现耕地占补平衡的情况下,耕地的总体生产能力呈下降趋势,同时,对生态环境产生了一定的负面效应。在此基础上,论文提出了重新审视“耕地总量动态平衡”政策的可行性,以“保护和提高耕地综合生产能力”替代“耕地总量动态平衡”以及根据土地资源区域差异采取不同的具体措施等对该政策加以调整的思路。