Photocatalytic degradation of chlorophenols using Ru(bpy) 3 2+ /S2O 8 2−

Advanced oxidation processes, such as photocatalysed oxidation, provide an important route for degradation of wastes. In this study, the lowest excited state (³MLCT) of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ is used to break down chlorophenol pollutant molecules to harmless products. This has the advantage of using visible light and a short-lived catalytically active species. Photolysis of deaerated aqueous solutions of a variety of mono- and poly-substituted chlorophenols has been followed in the presence of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/S₂O₈²⁻ with near visible light (λ > 350 nm) by UV/visible absorption spectroscopy, luminescence, potentiometry, NMR and HPLC techniques. Upon irradiation, a decrease is observed in the chlorophenol concentration, accompanied by the formation of Cl⁻, H⁺ and SO₄²⁻ ions as the main inorganic products. Benzoquinone, phenol, dihydroxybenzenes and chlorinated compounds were the dominant organic products. As the ruthenium(II) complex is regenerated in the reaction, the scheme corresponds to an overall catalytic process. The kinetics of the rapid chlorophenol photodechlorination has been studied, and are described quite well by pseudo-first order behaviour. Further studies on this were made by following Cl⁻ release with respect to the initial Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and S₂O₈²⁻ concentrations. A comparison is presented of the photodechlorination reactivity of the mono and polychlorophenols studied at acidic and alkaline pH.     

Terpenes and phenolics in response to nitrogen fertilization: A test of the carbon/nutrient balance hypothesis

Nitrogen fertilization resulted in a linear increase in the growth ofAbies grandis seedlings, but linear decrease in foliage concentrations of phenolic compounds. These data are consistent with the inverse relationship between growth and production of carbonbased secondary chemicals predicted by the carbon/nutrient balance (CNB) hypothesis. However, in contrast to predictions of the CNB hypothesis, nitrogen fertilization had no effect on foliage terpene concentrations. The results suggest that not all carbon-based chemicals respond in the same manner to environmental variation, and that the carbon/nutrient balance hypothesis does not adequately explain all patterns of environmentally-induced variation in secondary metabolism.     

A Bayesian strategy for combining predictions from empirical and process-based models

We present a strategy for using an empirical forest growth model to reduce uncertainty in predictions made with a physiological process-based forest ecosystem model. The uncertainty reduction is carried out via Bayesian melding, in which information from prior knowledge and a deterministic computer model is conditioned on a likelihood function. We used predictions from an empirical forest growth model G-HAT in place of field observations of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) in a deciduous temperate forest ecosystem. Using Bayesian melding, priors for the inputs of the process-based forest ecosystem PnET-II were propagated through the model, and likelihoods for the PnET-II output ANPP were calculated using the G-HAT predictions. Posterior distributions for ANPP and many PnET-II inputs obtained using the G-HAT predictions largely matched posteriors obtained using field data. Since empirical growth models are often more readily available than extensive field data sets, the method represents a potential gain in efficiency for reducing the uncertainty of process-based model predictions when reliable empirical models are available but high-quality data are not.     

转sck单价基因和cry1Ac/sck双价基因水稻对二化螟的致死效应及中肠组织病理变化观察

室内采用离体叶片法研究了转sck单价基因抗虫水稻86AS1和转cry1Ac/sck双价基因抗虫水稻MSB不同生育期主茎顶叶对二化螟幼虫的杀虫效果.结果发现,不同生育期的MSB对二化螟初孵幼虫表现出了很强的毒杀效果,二化螟幼虫校正死亡率在扬花期前均达到90%以上;扬花期和灌浆期抗虫性有所下降,校正死亡率高于80%;成熟期校正死亡率在60%以上.在整个生育期,二化螟幼虫取食86AS1主茎顶叶的校正死亡率均未超过50%.MSB对二化螟幼虫的毒杀效果明显高于86AS1.采用透射电镜观察二化螟幼虫取食转cry1Ac/sck双价基因抗虫水稻和转sck单价基因抗虫水稻主茎顶叶后中肠组织的病理变化.结果发现,两种转基因水稻都能够引起二化螟幼虫中肠组织发生病理变化,但病变程度有明显差异.二化螟幼虫取食转cry1Ac/sck双价基因抗虫水稻3d,中肠组织受到严重破坏且病理变化明显;取食转sck单价基因抗虫水稻3d,幼虫中肠组织的病理变化却较缓慢.图2参10     

Active Adaptive Management for Conservation

Abstract:  Active adaptive management balances the requirements of management with the need to learn about the system being managed, which leads to better decisions. It is difficult to judge the benefit of management actions that accelerate information gain, relative to the benefit of making the best management decision given what is known at the time. We present a first step in developing methods to optimize management decisions that incorporate both uncertainty and learning via adaptive management. We assumed a manager can allocate effort to discrete units (e.g., areas for revegetation or animals for reintroduction), the outcome can be measured as success or failure (e.g., the revegetation in an area is successful or the animal survives and breeds), and the manager has two possible management options from which to choose. We further assumed that there is an annual budget that may be allocated to one or both of the two options and that the manager must decide on the allocation. We used Bayesian updating of the probability of success of the two options and stochastic dynamic programming to determine the optimal strategy over a specified number of years. The costs, level of certainty about the success of the two options, and the timeframe of management all influenced the optimal allocation of the annual budget. In addition, the choice of management objective had a large influence on the optimal decision. In a case study of Merri Creek, Melbourne, Australia, we applied the approach to determining revegetation strategies. Our approach can be used to determine how best to manage ecological systems in the face of uncertainty.     

A review of the chemical ecology of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera)

Summary. This review summarizes the literature related to the chemical ecology of the Cerambycidae and provides a brief overview of cerambycid biology, ecology, economic significance, and management. Beetles in the family Cerambycidae have assumed increasing prominence as pests of forest and shade trees, shrubs, and raw wood products, and as vectors of tree diseases. Exotic species associated with solid wood packing materials have been notable tree killers in North American urban and peri-urban forests. In forested ecosystems native species respond to disturbances such as fires and windstorms, and initiate the biodeterioration of woody tissue. Eggs are laid by females, on or through the bark surface of stem and branch tissue of moribund, recently killed or decomposing woody plants; larval cerambycids (roundheaded woodborers) typically feed in the phloem and later in the xylem. Females will also, in some cases, select living hosts, e.g. adult conifer and angiosperm trees, for oviposition. Research on the chemical ecology of over 70 species has revealed many examples of attractive kairomones (such as floral volatiles, smoke volatiles, trunk and leaf volatiles, and bark beetle pheromones), repellents and deterrents, oviposition stimulants, short- and long-range sex pheromones, and defensive substances. Emerging generalities are that attractants tend to be monoterpenoids and phenolic esters; oviposition stimulants are monoterpenoids and flavanoids; short-range sex pheromones are female-produced, methyl-branched cuticular hydrocarbons; and long-range sex pheromones are male-produced -hydroxy ketones and (,)-diols ranging in length from 6 to 10 carbons. The latter compounds appear to originate from glands in the male thorax; putative defensive substances originate from metasternal secretory pores or mandibular glands. In one unusual case, a flightless, subterranean female that attacks sugar cane produces a sex pheromone that is derived from the amino acid isoleucine. With significantly more than 35,000 species of Cerambycidae worldwide, these generalities will be subject to change as more species are examined. Addendum The authors would like to point out that the electronic version is more accurate than the printed version.     

广西大明山自然保护区两栖动物资源调查报告

2000年9月11日至26日，在广西省大明山自然保护区共采集鉴定两栖类动物66只(种)，共计9种，隶属1目，4科．结合以往的调查资料，目前已知大明山自然保护区有两栖动物动物22种，隶属1目，5科，9属．保护区内的两栖类多样性系数(H′)为1．21028，均匀度指数(J)为0．58202．     

沙打旺与柳枝稷单、混播种苗期水分利用和根冠生长的比较

在室内生长箱内盆栽沙打旺和柳枝稷的苗期生长阶段进行高土壤水分 (黄绵土土壤田间持水量FC的 80 % )和低土壤水分 (5 0 ?)处理 ,比较二者单、混播种植下水分利用与根冠生长差异 ,以探讨黄土高原半干旱丘陵区牧草植物的合理种植方式 .结果表明 :在水分利用方面 ,低水处理下混播使沙打旺和柳枝稷叶片瞬时水分利用效率均较单播提高 ,低水处理后混播群体水分利用效率也显著比单播柳枝稷增大 .在根冠生长方面 ,混播促进了柳枝稷地上部分植株高度生长 ,并使地下部分分配比重增大 ,根系绝对长度缩短 ;混播后沙打旺的植株高度降低 ,根系绝对长度增加 ,但干物质分配比重减小 .低水处理后 ,沙打旺和柳枝稷混播下的根冠生长趋向于资源的充分合理利用 ,表现在混播群体的根系生长有利于充分利用土壤深层水和表层来水 ,混播后地上部分高度的生长特征变化利于对光的利用 .因此 ,在水分和养分条件相对较差坡地占较大比例的半干旱黄土丘陵地区 ,采用沙打旺和柳枝稷混播种植相比各自单播利于促进苗期生长与提高土壤水分利用率 .图 2表 2参 10     

碱矿渣胶凝材料固化重金属污泥的研究

主要原材料为高炉矿渣的碱矿渣胶凝材料(HAS)、掺3%沸石的HAS、掺5%沸石的HAS、水泥等4种固化材料被用来固化人工合成含铅、镉、铬等重金属的污泥。污泥固化体中污泥与固化材的掺和比例为4:1。实验结果表明,HAS固化剂对重金属污泥的固化效果要好于水泥,其污泥固化体的无侧限抗压强度高于水泥固化体,同时其固化体的重金属浸出量明显低于水泥。沸石的掺入使HAS固化体的重金属浸出量减小,且随着沸石掺加量的增大,HAS固化体的重金属浸出量相应的减少。     

Distribution of Poly(β-propiolactone) Aerobic Degrading Microorganisms in Different Environments

The distribution of degading microorganisms of high molecular weight poly(-propiolactone) (PPL), whose individual structural units are similar to those of poly(-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(€-caprolactone) (PCL), was examined. Despite the fact that PPL is a chemosynthetic polymer, many kinds of PPL-degrading microorganisms were found to be distributed as resident populations widely in natural environments. A total of 77 strains of PPL-degrading microorganisms was isolated. From standard physiological and biochemical tests, at least 41 strains were referred to as Bacillus species. Microbial degradation of fibrous PPL proceeded rapidly in some enrichment cultures but was not as complete as that of PHB. Most of the isolated PPL-degrading microorganisms were determined to be PCL degraders and/or PHB degraders. Therefore, it can be assumed that mostly PPL is recognized by the microorganisms as PHB or another natural substrate of the same type as which PCL is regarded. Microbial degradation of PPL was confirmed by some Bacillus strains from type culture collections. The similarity of microbial degradation between PPL and PCL was found to be very close.