Evaluation of bacterial pathogen diversity, abundance and health risks in urban recreational water by amplicon next-generation sequencing and quantitative PCR

The microbial quality of urban recreational water is of great concern to public health.The monitoring of indicator organisms and several pathogens alone is not sufficient to accurately and comprehensively identify microbial risks.To assess the levels of bacterial pathogens and health risks in urban recreational water,we analyzed pathogen diversity and quantified four pathogens in 46 water samples collected from waterbodies in Beijing Olympic Forest Park in one year.The pathogen diversity revealed by 16 S r RNA gene targeted next-generation sequencing(NGS) showed that 16 of 40 genera and 13 of 76 reference species were present.The most abundant species were Acinetobacter johnsonii,Mycobacterium avium and Aeromonas spp.Quantitative polymerase chain reaction(q PCR) of Escherichia coli(uid A),Aeromonas(aer A),M.avium(16S r RNA),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(oaa) and Salmonella(inv A) showed that the aer A genes were the most abundant,occurring in all samples with concentrations of 10~(4–6) genome copies/100 m L,followed by oaa,inv A and M.avium.In total,34.8% of the samples harbored all genes,indicating the prevalence of these pathogens in this recreational waterbody.Based on the q PCR results,a quantitative microbial risk assessment(QMRA) showed that the annual infection risks of Salmonella,M.avium and P.aeruginosa in five activities were mostly greater than the U.S.EPA risk limit for recreational contacts,and children playing with water may be exposed to the greatest infection risk.Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of bacterial pathogen diversity and pathogen abundance in urban recreational water by applying both NGS and q PCR.     

人工替代栖息地对长江口湿地的补充作用研究

利用恢复生态学和景观生态学原理构建人工替代栖息地是恢复和重建生物栖息地环境的重要手段之一,是用于滨海河口区修复或重建滩涂湿地等栖息地的一种替代方法。人工替代栖息地构建出了接近自然原貌的人工系统,创造一种湿地植被和湿地动物可以协调共存的生境,不仅可以为鸟类资源和渔业资源提供良好的栖息环境,其中多样化组合的植被群落在滨水景观、水质净化等方面也起到了重要的作用,对长江口自然湿地的恢复和自然保护区的动态管理具有不可忽视的补充作用。在迁徙鸟类重要中转驿站,珍稀或者经济鱼类的洄游通道,特殊价值的重要湿地景观格局以及水资源战略储备区域中布局人工替代栖息地,可以发挥其对长江口湿地的补充作用,使高度开放而又极为敏感的长江河口地区循着生态健康道路发展。     

贵阳城市环境功能定位研究

环境功能定位是城市环境总体规划的重要组成内容和出发点,同时也是城市维持环境功能、环境形态和环境安全的基础。文章以第二批城市环境总体规划试点城市之一的贵阳市为案例,结合城市环境功能定位的经验方法,从大系统和长周期角度出发,分析了长江流域和长江经济带对贵阳市的环境功能需求,梳理了贵阳市环境问题演变和与工业化、城镇化发展历程之间的相互关系,对比分析了贵阳市在西南地区主要城市中的环境比较优势,最终得出贵阳市的4大环境功能定位。最后分析了贵阳市发挥4大环境功能存在的问题和挑战,并且提出了相应的对策建议。     

沈阳市城市污水处理厂现状及提标改造技术对策分析

为达到国家《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB18918—2002)一级A要求,对沈阳市污水处理厂实施提标改造工程。通过对沈阳市城市污水处理厂现状、处理工艺特征及运行情况调研分析,根据沈阳市城市污水处理厂需要提标改造存在的问题,提出工艺优化以及提标改造解决对策,为沈阳市城市污水处理厂提标改造的工程建设提供技术支撑。     

我国畜禽粪便污染的区域差异与发展趋势分析

随着我国畜禽养殖业的快速发展,畜禽生产所导致的粪便污染问题日趋严重,甚至威胁到农业可持续发展.本研究结合宏观统计数据和实地调研数据,对我国总体和各省2010年畜禽粪便排放和污染情况进行了分析,并通过中国农业可持续发展决策支持系统(CHINAGRO)对2020年我国总体和各省畜禽粪便排放和污染的发展趋势进行了预测分析.结果表明,2010年我国畜禽粪便排放总量为19.00亿t,形成污染的畜禽粪便量为2.27亿t,平均每公顷耕地的畜禽粪便污染量为1.86 t,我国东南地区的广东、福建等省是畜禽粪便污染较重的区域.模型预测结果表明,如果不进行政策干预,全国畜禽粪便总污染量将大幅增至2020年的2.98亿t.东部地区畜禽粪便污染将更为严重,中部和西部地区污染程度相对较低且增幅低于东部地区.建议通过税收和补贴等政策措施控制畜禽粪便的污染排放,鼓励畜牧业生产向中西部地区转移.     

A binational, supply-side evaluation for managing water quality and invasive fouling species on California's coastal boats

Integrated solutions are needed for sustainable management of risks posed by recreational boats to coastal water quality and ecosystems. Fouling organisms roughen vessel hull surfaces, creating friction that slows sailboats and increases fuel consumption by powerboats. Hull fouling control strategies for recreational boats that are stored in the water may include antifouling hull paints, newer alternative hull coatings, periodic in-water hull cleaning, and excluding propagules by surrounding the boat with a slip liner or raising it above water on a lift. Copper discharged to harbor waters from antifouling paints via passive leaching and in-water hull cleaning may elevate dissolved copper levels above government standards. Invasive species carried among boat-hull fouling organisms may be introduced as boats move among coastal areas. Some of these species tolerate copper in antifouling paints and copper-polluted harbor waters. Policy development must consider supply-side capacity, as well as economic and environmental sustainability, in managing these issues. This paper presents a supply-side evaluation useful in developing policies to co-manage water quality and invasive species risks for recreational boats navigating along the coasts of California, the Baja California peninsula and California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Supply-side perspectives on services, materials, costs, and boat owner behaviors, such as residence and travel patterns, awareness of hull-coating choices and selection of hull coatings, are determined. Analyses include evaluation of risks, risk management capacity and costs, and role of education in risk management. The issues raised are broadly applicable, as they are appearing on research and policy agendas in diverse coastal areas.     

Walking in “wild” and “tended” urban forests: The impact on psychological well-being

The positive effect of natural compared to urban environment on human restoration and well-being has been proved in various studies. To go one step further in analyzing the influence of physical environments, we question if this positive effect is consistent in different natural conditions namely wild and tended urban forests. In an experimental field setting, participants were randomly assigned to either a walk through wild or tended forests for 30 min. Multidimensional scales in a pre-post-treatment-setting measured well-being. Results indicate a stronger change in “positive affect” and “negative affect” in the tended forest condition. Well-being factors “activation” and “arousal” changed after solitary walks, too. However, there were no differences between the treatment conditions, indicating a stronger influence of physical activity than the forest condition wild and tended on these well-being factors. Perceived attractiveness of the natural area did not effect the change in well-being, thus questioning the close relation between perceived attractiveness and the effect on well-being suggested in prior research. Furthermore, more and less fatigued persons did not profit differently concerning well-being changes. The results give important advice to design natural areas serving restoration and public health, especially for people living in urban environments.     

Metal contamination in sediments of the western Bohai Bay and adjacent estuaries, China

Twelve sediment cores were collected in July 2007 in open waters of western Bohai Bay, the Port of Tianjin, and the adjacent estuaries of the Haihe and Yongding Rivers. While overall concentrations of trace metals at incremental depths in these cores met the Marine Sediment Quality (GB18668-2002) criteria of China, the magnitude of both metal enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation indices (I(geo)) suggested that pollution with Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn was occurring in the estuaries and Port. Risk analysis also suggested that Ag and Ni concentrations were sufficiently elevated as to cause adverse biological effects in the study area. Although metal concentrations in western Bohai Bay were of less concern, a positive relationship between EF values and excess (210)Pb activity for several metals suggested that their concentrations were increasing over time.     

Is everyone hot in the city? Spatial pattern of land surface temperatures,land cover and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics in Baltimore,MD

Urban heat island effect refers to the phenomenon that ambient air and surface temperatures in urban areas are several degrees higher than surrounding rural areas. Higher temperatures not only impact the comfort of urban dwellers, but also increase energy use, ozone production, and the risk of death for humans in a heat wave. Our research focuses on the variation in land surface temperature in the Gywnns Fall Watershed, Maryland. We found that land surface temperature is highly variable spatially, resulting in "hotspots" within the heat island. We further explore how this temperature variation relates to social factors on the scale of the census-based block group. We show that land surface temperature is statistically higher in block groups that are characterized by low income, high poverty, less education, more ethnic minorities, more elderly people and greater risk of crime. These variables were mapped to evaluate the spatial relationship of land surface temperatures to social factors. This spatially explicit approach facilitates identification of specific areas to prioritize for heat prevention and intervention efforts. We demonstrate, through an exercise, how incorporating data on land surface temperature and social factors into heat intervention strategies could contribute to efficient allocation of limited resources and services. The exercise also indicates where heat prevention efforts, such as tree-planting programs, are most needed to help reduce heat exposure and moderate the urban heat island effect.     

成都城市热环境的空间特点及对策

简要介绍了城市热环境的形成因素、机理和危害;基于《成都市城市热岛效应的遥感研究》成果,分析了成都城市热环境所具有的环型特征及其成因;探讨了改善热环境的方法和对策措施。这对于环境保护、城市的可持续发展,建设＂世界现代田园城市＂等具有现实意义。