Potentiometric techniques applied to the modelling of actinide migration in natural water systems†

The utility of potentiometric techniques applied to environmental problems is discussed. The applicability of this technique to the estimation of thermodynamic quantities important for the modelling of uranium migration in natural waters is demonstrated. An experimental methodology for the determination of the UO₂(s) solubility product and the UO²⁺/U⁴⁺ redox potentials is proposed.     

An experimental test of alternative population augmentation scenarios

Human land use is fragmenting habitats worldwide and inhibiting dispersal among previously connected populations of organisms, often leading to inbreeding depression and reduced evolutionary potential in the face of rapid environmental change. To combat this augmentation of isolated populations with immigrants is sometimes used to facilitate demographic and genetic rescue. Augmentation with immigrants that are genetically and adaptively similar to the target population effectively increases population fitness, but if immigrants are very genetically or adaptively divergent, augmentation can lead to outbreeding depression. Despite well‐cited guidelines for the best practice selection of immigrant sources, often only highly divergent populations remain, and experimental tests of these riskier augmentation scenarios are essentially nonexistent. We conducted a mesocosm experiment with Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to test the multigenerational demographic and genetic effects of augmenting 2 target populations with 3 types of divergent immigrants. We found no evidence of demographic rescue, but we did observe genetic rescue in one population. Divergent immigrant treatments tended to maintain greater genetic diversity, abundance, and hybrid fitness than controls that received immigrants from the source used to seed the mesocosms. In the second population, divergent immigrants had a slightly negative effect in one treatment, and the benefits of augmentation were less apparent overall, likely because this population started with higher genetic diversity and a lower reproductive rate that limited genetic admixture. Our results add to a growing consensus that gene flow can increase population fitness even when immigrants are more highly divergent and may help reduce uncertainty about the use of augmentation in conservation.     

Simulating Retention of Rare Alleles in Small Populations to Assess Management Options for Species with Different Life Histories

Preserving allelic diversity is important because it provides the capacity for adaptation and thus enables long‐term population viability. Allele retention is difficult to predict in animals with overlapping generations, so we used a new computer model to simulate retention of rare alleles in small populations of 3 species with contrasting life‐history traits: North Island Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli; monogamous, long‐lived), North Island Robins (Petroica longipes; monogamous, short‐lived), and red deer (Cervus elaphus; polygynous, moderate lifespan). We simulated closed populations under various demographic scenarios and assessed the amounts of artificial immigration needed to achieve a goal of retaining 90% of selectively neutral rare alleles (frequency in the source population = 0.05) after 10 generations. The number of immigrants per generation required to meet the genetic goal ranged from 11 to 30, and there were key similarities and differences among species. None of the species met the genetic goal without immigration, and red deer lost the most allelic diversity due to reproductive skew among polygynous males. However, red deer required only a moderate rate of immigration relative to the other species to meet the genetic goal because nonterritorial breeders had a high turnover. Conversely, North Island Brown Kiwi needed the most immigration because the long lifespan of locally produced territorial breeders prevented a large proportion of immigrants from recruiting. In all species, the amount of immigration needed generally decreased with an increase in carrying capacity, survival, or reproductive output and increased as individual variation in reproductive success increased, indicating the importance of accurately quantifying these parameters to predict the effects of management. Overall, retaining rare alleles in a small, isolated population requires substantial investment of management effort. Use of simulations to explore strategies optimized for the populations in question will help maximize the value of this effort. Simulación de la Retención de Alelos Raros en Poblaciones Pequeñas para Evaluar Opciones de Manejo para Especies con Historias de Vida Diferentes     

农户生态移民意愿及影响因素研究——基于新疆三工河流域的农户调查

基于农户访谈与问卷调查,对新疆三工河流域农户的生态移民意愿、移民效果与留居意愿进行调查,并采用Logistic模型对农户移民意愿与留居意愿的主要影响因素进行分析。研究结果显示:①家庭人口数、人均纯收入、主要收入来源、非农收入比重和参与退耕还林情况是影响农户搬迁意愿的主要因素,家庭人口数量越少,非农收入比重越大,对生态环境保护重要性的认知越强,就越能接受生态移民政策;②移民工程对河谷内生态环境改善作用显著,促进了退耕还林进程,草场压力有所缓解,但移民农户没有得到妥善安置,影响了农户家庭收入,其对定居点生产条件与生活环境评价较低,42.35%的农户认为搬迁后生活质量变差;③移民农户的留居意愿普遍不强,71.92%的农户想搬回原居住地,生活质量变化、定居点灌溉条件与耕地质量是影响其留居意愿的主要因素。政府应着力改善定居点水土资源条件与基础设施建设,提供农业技术培训,鼓励外出务工,以增加农户经济收入,改善生产生活环境,加强农户移民与留居意愿,促进移民工程的顺利实施。     

Influence of host migration between woodland and pasture on the population dynamics of the tick Ixodes ricinus: A modelling approach

Ticks act as vectors of pathogens that can be harmful to animals and/or humans. Epidemiological models can be useful tools to investigate the potential effects of control strategies on diseases such as tick-borne diseases. The modelling of tick population dynamics is a prerequisite to simulating tick-borne diseases and the corresponding spread of the pathogen. We have developed a dynamic model to simulate changes in tick density at different stages (egg, larva, nymph and adult) under the influence of temperature. We have focused on the tick Ixodes ricinus, which is widespread in Europe. The main processes governing the biological cycles of ticks were taken into account: egg laying, hatching, development, host (small, mainly rodents, or large, like deer and cattle, mammals) questing, feeding and mortality. This model was first applied to a homogeneous habitat, where simulations showed the ability of the model to reproduce the general patterns of tick population dynamics. We considered thereafter a multi-habitat model, where three different habitats (woodland, ecotone and meadow) were connected through host migration. Based on this second application, it appears that migration from woodland, via the ecotone, is necessary to sustain the presence of ticks in the meadow. Woodland can therefore be considered as a source of ticks for the meadow, which in turn can be regarded as a sink. The influence of woodland on surrounding tick densities increases in line with the area of this habitat before reaching a plateau. A sensitivity analysis to parameter values was carried out and demonstrated that demographic parameters (sex ratio, development, mortality during feeding and questing, host finding) played a crucial role in the determination of questing nymph densities. This type of modelling approach provides insight into the influence of spatial heterogeneity on tick population dynamics.     

土壤-苦丁茶树系统中Cu的分布及迁移富集规律

采用火焰原子吸收光谱（FAAS）技术,测定出苦丁茶冬青（Ilex kudingcha C．J．Tseng）的根、茎、叶及其栖息土壤中Cu的含量,并对土壤．苦丁茶树系统中Cu的分布特征进行了研究,以探讨苦丁茶树对Cu的富集规律。结果表明：栖息土壤中Cu的含量不同时,苦丁茶树巾Cu的含量表现出吸收根〉嫩叶〉茎〉主根;茶树对Cu的吸收存在饱和特性,表现为随土壤Cu含量升高,茶树对Cu的富集系数和传输效率降低,使得根际土壤中Cu含量高于非根际土壤。同时对土壤剖面不同深度Cu含量研究表明：苦丁茶栖息土壤中Cu含量呈现出随土层深度增加而增加的垂直分布趋势。本研究旨在认清Cu迁移到苦丁茶树的内在规律,以利于进一步研究其迁移的调控,使苦丁茶产品中元素处在安全有效的利用范围内。     

生物扰动对沉积物中重金属迁移转化影响的研究进展

沉积物是重金属在环境中迁移转化的重要媒介。生物扰动能改变沉积物的物理化学组成,从而影响沉积物中重金属的赋存形态和迁移转化特征。文章介绍了生物扰动的定义和种类,生物扰动的影响因素以及扰动过程中影响污染物释放的主要因素,并综述了近年来生物扰动对沉积物中重金属镉、铜、锌、铅和其他重金属的环境行为影响。     

浑河中游1,2-DCA在地下水中运移规律的模拟分析

为研究有机组分在地下水中的运移规律及影响因素,并预测水质的破坏程度,利用数值模拟方法建立浑河中游区域特征有机污染组分1,2-DCA(1,2-二氯乙烷)的溶质运移模型,分析1,2-DCA在浑河中游地下水中的运移规律,并预测了其对地下水水质的影响. 细河与浑河中1,2-DCA的补给浓度(以ρ计)分别为4.50和6.40μg/L,预测期为10a,在运移模型中考虑弥散、吸附、降解作用的影响. 模拟结果显示,预测期内1,2-DCA在细河污染区的最大影响面积为1.80km2,峰值浓度(以ρ计)为3.50μg/L,污染物向北西方向运移;在浑河污染区的最大影响面积为3.78km2,峰值浓度为5.00μg/L,污染物向西南方向运移,表明污染物对地下水水质影响程度较低. 预测初期的200d内,吸附及生物降解的共同作用使细河、浑河污染晕中心的ρ(1,2-DCA)分别下降了0.12、0.10μg/L;随后,对流-弥散作用成为溶质运移的主要驱动力,并且使1,2-DCA的污染程度持续增强;黏土对1,2-DCA的运移具有阻滞作用,1,2-DCA在细河污染晕的扩散幅度略低于浑河.      

大庆典型区域湿地水体污染物迁移变化特征研究

目前对于天然湿地水体污染物迁移变化规律的研究还不全面。大庆区域湿地面积较大,但石油开采所产生的含油废水以及其他生产和生活的废水进入湿地,对该区域湿地水环境产生了较大的影响。对大庆区域湿地水体自净效果及变化状况进行研究,对揭示该湿地生态系统健康状况变化有着重要意义。为此,按不同季节对湿地系统不同典型位置(进水处、出水处、中间部位),采集水样、湿地植物芦苇(Phragmiteshirsuta)与湿地土壤,考察了大庆湿地不同时空条件下的湿地水质情况以及湿地植物芦苇、土壤的变化情况。结果表明:湿地系统夏季污染最严重,污染程度从高到低依次为夏、秋、春,春季综合污染指数最低为13.11。TN的综合污染指数最高为14.05,5项水质指标综合污染指数从高到低顺序依次为TN、COD、含油量、NH4+-N、BOD5。湿地对水体污染物去除主要发生在湿地前部区域。在监测期间,湿地前部区域去除的TN的量占整个湿地区域去除TN量的71.86%,湿地前部区域去除的COD的量占整个湿地区域去除COD量的77.51%,湿地前部区域去除的NH4+-N的量占整个湿地区域去除NH4+-N量的56.46%,湿地前部区域去除的含油量占整个湿地区域去除含油量的79.91%,湿地前部区域去除的BOD5的量占整个湿地区域去除BOD5量的53.57%。湿地系统对湿地水体污染物的降解是沿湿地水流方向逐渐降低的,湿地自净效果明显。植物通过吸收直接去除部分氮、磷,而且在生长季节作用更明显。在湿地前部区域植物生长效果略好于后部,对氮、磷吸收也略高于后部,这正与湿地系统对污染物的降解是沿湿地水流方向逐渐降低相吻合。另外,湿地土壤能够吸附水中一些污染物质,湿地植物与土壤都对水中污染物的去除发挥重要作用。     

Foreignness as a constraint on learning: The impact of migrants on disaster resilience in small islands

Knowledge about natural hazard management has increased significantly since Gilbert White's seminal research in 1945, yet people are still badly affected by natural hazards. A key question remains in natural hazards research: why, when all the conditions for effective disaster risk reduction are in place, do some people not take action to reduce their risk of harm? Through a questionnaire-based study we investigated the motivating factors that led residents of the Cayman Islands to prepare for annual tropical cyclones (hurricanes). Factors that increase the likelihood of individuals preparing for hurricanes are: previous experience of major storms, having linking networks and ties, having a child under the age of 15 in the home, and residency status—expatriate residents are less likely to prepare. Factors that appear to prevent adaptive behaviour include: living close to or adjacent to the coast, recent migration to the islands, and living in rented accommodation. The findings of the survey confirm that even within societies that are well prepared for tropical cyclones, there are still sub-groups who do not engage with the preparedness process. In the case of the Cayman Islands, new migrants are the most vulnerable to tropical cyclones as they tend to fall into the demographic groups least likely to prepare for cyclones, live in locations with high levels of exposure to cyclone impacts, and interact mostly with other expatriates with no previous experience of cyclone impacts. As climate change promises to bring an increasing intensity of tropical cyclones, these findings have relevance for all islands which draw on migrant workers to support economic growth.