Exploring Chemical Variables in Ligustrum lucidum Ait. F. Tricolor (Rehd.) Rehd. in Relation to Air Pollutants and Environmental Conditions

Ligustrum lucidum Ait. f. tricolor (Rehd.) Rehd. in relation to atmospheric pollutants in Córdoba city, Argentina. The study area receives regional pollutants and was categorized taking into account traffic level, industrial density, type of industry, location of the sample point in relation to the street corner, treeless condition, and topographic level. Dried weight/fresh weight ratio (DW/FW) and specific leaf area (SLA) were calculated, and concentrations of chlorophylls, carotenoids, total sulfur, soluble proteins, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydroperoxy conjugated dienes (HPCD) were determined in leaf samples. Sulfur content correlates positively with traffic density and SLA correlates negatively with some combinations of the categorical variables; MDA correlates positively with topographic level and total protein concentration correlates negatively with treeless condition. On the basis of our results, traffic, location of trees, type of industry, situation of a tree with respect to others, and topographic level are the environmental variables to bear in mind when selecting analogous sampling points in a passive monitoring program. An approximation to predict tree injury may be obtained by measuring DW/FW ratio, proteins, pigments, HPCD, and MDA as they are responsible for the major variability of data.     

城市湿地公园建设中的若干问题探讨

本文主要围绕城市湿地公园建设中的定位、自然化、生态修复、危害物种防治四方面进行探讨,以期对城市湿地公园的建设和管理起到一定的指导作用。     

对加快推进我国矿山生态修复的思考

绿色矿山建设是矿业领域践行"绿水青山就是金山银山"的重要体现。本文从矿山生态修复的内涵到外延，从问题识别到任务措施，从单一治理修复目标到生态系统功能修复目标，从矿山生态修复系统到与经济社会发展系统相结合等多个方面，系统地梳理矿山生态修复的解决路径，围绕矿业绿色发展提出一系列建议。     

长江中游城市群经济与生态成本空间演化模式分析

综合运用变异系数、泰尔指数及ESDA-GIS多种方法,在充分考虑传统经济影响因子的基础上,尝试引入经济发展生态成本指标,分析长江中游城市群经济综合发展水平与生态成本的空间匹配及演化模式。研究表明:经济综合发展水平高低聚集特征明显,空间极化现象是导致区域经济发展不平衡的主要原因;生态成本空间集聚现象以高高集聚和低低集聚为主,且呈现出高高集聚减少、低低集聚增多的现象,生态成本消耗有所改善;2001~2012年长江中游城市群市域经济综合发展水平与生态成本表现出越来越显著的差异化空间格局,呈现出由低经济综合发展水平-低生态成本过渡到高经济综合发展水平-高生态成本,进而发展到高经济综合发展水平-低生态成本的空间匹配模式的阶段性特征;高经济综合发展水平-高生态成本的经济发展模式仍在大部分城市中存在,经济与生态空间协调发展的潜力仍然很大。     

Ozone patterns for three metropolitan statistical areas in North Carolina, USA

As part of an effort by the state of North Carolina to develop a State Implementation Plan (SIP) for 1-h peak ozone control, a network of ozone stations was established to monitor surface ozone concentrations across the state. Between 19 and 23 ozone stations made continuous surface measurements between 1993 and 1995 surrounding three major metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): Raleigh/Durham (RDU), Charlotte/Mecklenburg (CLT), and Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem (GSO). Statistical averages of the meteorological and ozone data were performed at each Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) to study trends and/or relationships on high ozone days (days in which one of the MSA sites measured an hourly ozone concentration90.0 ppbv). County emission maps of precursor gases, wind roses, total area averages of ozone, total downwind averages of ozone deviations, upwind averages of ozone, and a modified delta ozone analysis were all obtained and analyzed. The results of this study show a reduction in the delta ozone relative to an earlier study at RDU, but no average significant change at CLT (no comparison can be made for GSO). The statistical data analyses in this study are used to quantify the importance of local contributions and regional transport, to ozone air pollution in the MSAs.     

三峡工程与长江中游沿江产业带建设

讨论了长江中游沿江产业带发展条件、限制因素和未来发展，指出三峡工程的建设将对长江中游产业的布局和经济发展带来深刻的变化；防洪作用促进中游两岸大型工业项目的兴建，调整现有沿江城镇的布局，使之结构趋于合理化；电力供应经解能源的紧张状态，改善航运条件，发挥长江黄金水道的综合效益。当然，由于坝下河道冲刷，对现有的码头带来一定的影响，由于冬季水位抬升引起两岸低湖田地下水位上升，加剧两岸土壤潜育化和沼泽化。     

Transforming urban planning processes and outcomes through creative methods

Inclusively delivering the sustainable development goals (SDGs) remains challenging, particularly in urban areas, where some of the most pressing concerns exist. To achieve the transformative SDG agenda, new methods are required to overcome current deficits in engagement around inclusion and equitable outcomes. Evaluating against theories of governance and inclusion, we test a mixture of digital and physical creative methods abilities to deliver co-designed solutions that influence mobility and road safety planning outcomes in East African cities. Greater inclusion led to improved interactions of citizens with decision makers, and the identification of novel, practical solutions, delivering some elements of transformation. Risks include creative methods being used to co-opt communities to official agendas, and institutional planning norms needing to adapt to respond to a wider range of stakeholders. Overall, where risks are mitigated, we recommend that using Creative Methods could localise SDG delivery, ensuring more equitable and effective outcomes from infrastructure development investments.Supplementary InformationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01436-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Beyond ‘trees are good’: Disservices,management costs,and tradeoffs in urban forestry

The provision of ecosystem services is a prominent rationale for urban greening, and there is a prevailing mantra that ‘trees are good’. However, understanding how urban trees contribute to sustainability must also consider disservices. In this perspective article, we discuss recent research on ecosystem disservices of urban trees, including infrastructure conflicts, health and safety impacts, aesthetic issues, and environmentally detrimental consequences, as well as management costs related to ecological disturbances and risk management. We also discuss tradeoffs regarding species selection and local conservation concerns, as well as the central role of human perception in the interpretation of ecosystem services and disservices, particularly the uncritical assertion that ‘everybody loves trees’. Urban forestry decision-making that fails to account for disservices can have unintended negative consequences for communities. Further research is needed regarding life cycle assessments, stakeholder decision-making, return-on-investment, and framings of services and disservices in urban forestry.     

Spatial distribution of pollution in an urban stormwater infiltration basin

Infiltration basins are frequently used for stormwater drainage. Because stormwater is polluted in highly toxic compounds, assessment of pollution retention by infiltration basins is necessary. Indeed, if basins are not effective in trapping pollution, deep soil and groundwater may be contaminated. This study's objective is to investigate soil pollution in infiltration basins: spatial distribution of soil pollution, optimisation of the number of soil samples and a contamination indicator are presented. It is part of a global project on long-term impact of stormwater infiltration on groundwater. Soil sampling was done on a basin in suburban Lyon (France). Samples were collected at different depths and analysed for nutrients, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and grain size. Pollutant concentrations decrease rapidly with depth while pH, mineralisation and grain size increase. Sustainable metal concentrations are reached at a 30-cm depth, even after 14 years of operation; hydrocarbon pollution is deeper. Principal component analysis shows how pollutants affect each level. The topsoil is different from other levels. Three specifically located points are enough to estimate the mass of pollution trapped by the basin with a 26% error. The proposed contamination indicator is calculated using either average level concentrations or maximum level concentrations. In both cases, the topsoil layer appears polluted but evaluation of lower levels is dependent on the choice of input concentrations.     

Characterization of atmospheric aerosol (PM10 and PM2.5) from a medium sized city in São Paulo state, Brazil

Air pollution causes deleterious effects on human health with aerosols being among the most polluting agents.The objective of this work is the characterization of the PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) aerosol mass in the atmosphere.The methods of analysis include WD-XRF and EDS.Data were correlated with meteorological information and air mass trajectories(model HYSPLIT)by multivariate analysis.A morphological structural analysis was also carried out to identify the probable sources of atmospheric aerosols in the city of Sao Jose do Rio Preto,Brazil.The mean mass concentration values obtained were 24.54 μg/m~3 for PM_(10),above the WHO annual standard value of 20 μg/m~3 and 10.88 μg/m~3 for PM_(2.5) whose WHO recommended limit is10 μg/m~3.WD-XRF analysis of the samples revealed Si and Al as major components of the coarse fraction.In the fine fraction,the major elements were Al and S.The SEM-FEG characterization allowed identifying the morphology of the particles in agglomerates,ellipsoids and filaments in the PM_(10),besides spherical in the PM_(2.5).The analysis by EDS corroborated WD-XRF results,identifying the crustal elements,aluminosilicates and elements of anthropogenic origin in the coarse fraction.For the fine fraction crustal elements were also identified;aluminosilicates,black carbon and spherical particles(C and O) originating from combustion processes were predominant.The use of multivariate analysis to correlate air mass trajectories with the results of the morpho-structural characterization of the particulate matter allowed confirmation of the complex composition of the particles resulting from the combination of both local and long-distance sources.