Modelling Phosphorus Retention in Lakes and Reservoirs

Steady-state models for the prediction of P retention coefficient (R) in lakes were evaluated using data from 93 natural lakes and 119 reservoirs situated in the temperate zone. Most of the already existing models predicted R relatively successfully in lakes while it was seriously under-estimated in reservoirs. A statistical analysis indicated the main causes of differences in R between lakes and reservoirs: (a) distinct relationships between P sedimentation coefficient, depth, and water residence time; (b) existence of significant inflow–outflow P concentration gradients in reservoirs. Two new models of different complexity were developed for estimating R in reservoirs: , where τ is water residence time (year), was derived from the Vollenweider/Larsen and Mercier model by adding a calibrated parameter accounting for spatial P non-homogeneity in the water body, and is applicable for reservoirs but not lakes, and , where [P_in] is volume-weighted P concentration in all inputs to the water body (μg l⁻¹), was obtained by re-calibrating the OECD general equation, and is generally applicable for both lakes and reservoirs. These optimised models yield unbiased estimates over a large range of reservoir types.     

Assessing the Effects of Alternative Setback Channel Constraint Scenarios Employing a River Meander Migration Model

River channel migration and cutoff events within large river riparian corridors create heterogeneous and biologically diverse landscapes. However, channel stabilization (riprap and levees) impede the formation and maintenance of riparian areas. These impacts can be mitigated by setting channel constraints away from the channel. Using a meander migration model to measure land affected, we examined the relationship between setback distance and riparian and off-channel aquatic habitat formation on a 28-km reach of the Sacramento River, California, USA. We simulated 100 years of channel migration and cutoff events using 11 setback scenarios: 1 with existing riprap and 10 assuming setback constraints from about 0.5 to 4 bankfull channel widths (bankfull width: 235 m) from the channel. The percentage of land reworked by the river in 100 years relative to current (riprap) conditions ranged from 172% for the 100-m constraint setback scenario to 790% for the 800-m scenario. Three basic patterns occur as the setback distance increases due to different migration and cutoff dynamics: complete restriction of cutoffs, partial restriction of cutoffs, and no restriction of cutoffs. Complete cutoff restriction occurred at distances less than about one bankfull channel width (235 m), and no cutoff restriction occurred at distances greater than about three bankfull widths (∼700 m). Managing for point bars alone allows the setbacks to be narrower than managing for cutoffs and aquatic habitat. Results suggest that site-specific “restriction of cutoff” thresholds can be identified to optimize habitat benefits versus cost of acquired land along rivers affected by migration processes.     

Estimate on spillover effect of environmental pollution between peripheral areas

ABSTRACT

Interaction of environmental pollution between peripheral areas has become a central topic in the field of resources and environment but little is known about the actual impact on peripheral areas in the current literature. This paper sets out a simultaneous equation model to investigate the spillover effect of environmental pollution between China’s peripheral areas utilizing the panel data of 218 cities in China. Making use of indicators for measuring the impact on environmental pollution, it identifies that environmental pollution between cities of China has a significant two-way spillover effect. After standardization of variables, it is found that the spillover effect of peripheral areas on urban environmental pollution cannot be neglected. Nearly, a third of the environmental pollution level in a city is induced by the environmental pollution in peripheral areas. If the indicator of environmental pollution in peripheral areas is missing, wrong conclusions will be drawn. Therefore, government should shift the emphasis of environmental regulation from local to global, and improve the overall environmental quality through coordinated management of regional environment.     

Footprints for Sustainability: The Next Steps

The concept of an ecological footprint is based on the understanding that every individual human appropriates a share of the productive and assimilative capacity of the biosphere. An ecological footprint corresponds to this exclusive biologically productive area that a defined population uses for all its resource requirements and wastes, and is expressed in terms of bioproductive space, with world-average productivity. Humanity's footprint or its aggregate ecological demand can only temporarily exceed the productive and assimilative capacity of the biosphere without liquidating and weakening the natural capital on which humanity depends fundamentally. Therefore, accounting tools for quantifying humanity's use of nature are essential for overall assessments of human impact as well as for planning specific steps towards a sustainable future.This paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the ecological footprint as an ecological accounting method, points out research needs for improvement of the analysis, and suggests potential new applications. The paper identifies ten new applications of the tool to make it applicable at various geographic scales and for a number of analytical and didactic purposes. Then nine methodological improvements are suggested that could refine the currently applied method, making assessments more sensitive to a larger number of ecological impacts. It concludes that many crucial questions pertinent to building a sustainable society can be addressed by current ecological footprint research. By making the method more complete, this tool could evolve from being largely of pedagogical use to become a strategic tool for policy analysis.     

气候变化和人类活动对丹江口入库径流的影响及评估

科学估算气候变化和人类活动对河川径流的影响,可以更为合理地规划利用地球水资源。针对丹江口水库入库径流的减少问题,分别采用Mann-Kendall方法和Pettitt检验,对1960~2012年间丹江口水库入库径流的年际和年内变化趋势进行了分析,并与同时期汉江上游20个地面观测站的降水、气温的年际和年内演化趋势进行了比较,从气候变化和人类活动影响的两个方面分析了入库径流减少的原因。在此基础上,利用气候弹性模型分别估算了气候变化和人类活动对径流的影响度。结果表明:近年来丹江口入库径流的减少主要受春季和秋季径流减少的影响,在春季径流的减少总量中,气候变化的贡献度为67%,人类活动为33%;秋季径流的减少总量中,气候变化的贡献度为88%,人类活动为12%。气候变化是导致丹江口入库径流减少的主要原因。     

三峡库区重庆段土壤保持服务时空分布格局研究

土壤保持是生态系统服务与功能的重要组成,在防止土壤侵蚀、减少径流泥沙与农业面源污染等方面具有至关重要的作用。以对国家生态安全具有重要作用的土壤保持生态功能区——三峡库区重庆段为研究区域,研究得到了2000~2013年时间序列区域土壤保持服务"流量"结果,结果表明:(1)三峡库区重庆段多年平均土壤保持量为604.39 t/hm~2·a,沿长江干流自西向东逐渐增强,区域差异显著;(2)三峡库区的土壤保持服务存在明显的垂直分异特征,随着高程的增加,以300 m与900 m为节点,出现递减-递增-递减的分段规律,与人类活动存在明显的相关关系;(3)增加森林覆被面积是改善区域土壤保持、减少水土流失的重要举措。同时,在三峡库区开展坡改梯工程,减少坡耕地的数量能够有效控制区域水土流失;     

农业机械化、非农就业与农民的承包地退出意愿

工业化和城镇化必然要求部分农民与农村土地"人地分离",农业生产方式的转变加快了上述进程。理论分析表明,农业机械的广泛使用,不仅可能对农民的承包地退出意愿直接产生正负两种作用,还可能会通过非农就业这一中介变量间接影响农民的退地意愿。为了考察当前我国农民的农村土地退出意愿以及农业机械化、非农就业对其造成的影响,本文首先采用两阶段随机抽样法,对河北、山东、河南三省九县(市、区)620个农户进行了问卷调查,发现相当一部分农民愿意有偿退出农村承包地,且对不同的退出方式有不同的选择偏好。利用上述农户调查数据,本文将农村承包地退出划分为"换工资收入"、"直接出售"和"被政府征用"三种具体方式,通过构建mvprobit模型,计量分析了农业机械化、非农就业与农民的承包地退出意愿之间的联系。研究发现,农业机械使用比例的提高会强化农民以承包地换养老保险等工资性收入的意愿,而农民对农机作业服务满意程度的提升,则会抑制其直接出售承包地或用之换养老保险等工资性收入的意愿。整体来看,农业机械化对农民"弃地进城"有显著的积极作用。非农就业是农业机械化影响农民退地意愿的中介变量,但它对退地意愿的作用不显著。成员非农就业较稳定的农户家庭,更愿意以一次性卖断(直接出售或被政府征用)的方式处置承包地。为了避免陷入"日韩陷阱",推动农业转型发展和农民市民化,需要实施农民的承包地退出制度,尽快为有意愿、有能力的进城农户彻底放弃农村土地提供制度出口。     

湖岸缓冲带反硝化作用的研究进展

反硝化作用是湖岸缓冲带去除硝酸盐的重要途径。湖岸缓冲带是联系陆地与湖泊生态系的纽带,不仅为许多动植物提供适宜生境,而且通过反硝化作用能去除地下水中的硝酸盐,提高湖泊水质。概述不同检测反硝化速率的方法,并对比各种方法的优点与缺点。阐述反硝化作用的影响因素：厌氧环境、有机碳、湖岸坡度、缓冲带坡度、pH与温度、硝酸盐浓度。介绍反硝化速率模型的研究开发状况。最后,提出了目前国内外反硝化研究中存在的不足及发展方向。     

新型转式垃圾焚烧过程中脱氯脱硫机理的研究

为了探讨有机垃圾焚烧过程钙基添加剂对HCl,SO_x生成特性的影响,分别在自行设计的中空水冷转式垃圾焚烧炉和固定床加热炉中进行了一系列的实验,研究结果表明新型转式焚烧炉具有强化传热传质特性,能提高HCl、SO_x的脱除率,可抑制有害气体的生成;同时也研究了 HCl,SO₂气体同时存在时,钙基添加剂对脱氯脱硫效率的影响规律。     

NaCl和KCl对厌氧污泥抑制的动力学研究

在厌氧颗粒污泥和厌氧絮状污泥系统中,进行盐质量浓度(NaCl或KCl质量浓度,下同)对厌氧污泥抑制动力学的研究,得到不同拟合的COD降解动力学方程及参数.实验结果表明:当盐质量浓度为10～30 g/L时,KCl对厌氧污泥的COD比降解速率的抑制程度大于NaCl;当盐质量浓度由0 g/L增至10 g/L时,半速率常数逐渐增加;当盐质量浓度由10 g/L增至30 g/L时,半速率常数逐渐减小;在厌氧污泥系统中,NaCl抑制作用下的盐抑制常数高于KCl,且颗粒污泥的盐抑制常数高于絮状污泥.