Composition of extractable organic matter in aerosols from urban areas of Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil

The hydrocarbon compositions of atmospheric particulate matter from urban areas of Rio de Janeiro city have been studied to assess the different pollution levels. Samples were acquired using a standard high-volume air sampler (Hi-Vol), extracts were prepared and fractionated into aliphatic and aromatic compounds. High-resolution gas chromatography and GC coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were used for the analysis of the organic matter. The results show that all samples contain n-alkanes, but the distributions are different for each sample, reflecting both the biogenic (vascular plant wax input) and fossil fuel contamination sources (vehicular exhaust). The fossil fuel biomarkers, hopanes and steranes, were also observed in all samples except in the Tijuca Forest, which is a mountain forest in the midst of the sea-level city. A decrease in the level of pollution was observed in the sequence for Rebouças Tunnel>Cinelândia (downtown)>Quinta da Boa Vista Park>Tijuca Forest, as expected from the traffic density. Unfortunately, all sites are polluted mainly from vehicular emissions, but at different degrees, with the lowest levels in Tijuca Forest.     

Change in Fish Fauna as Indication of Aquatic Ecosystem Condition in Río Grande de Morelia–Lago de Cuitzeo Basin, Mexico

Chirostoma charari and C. compressum, and they are presumed extinct. Twelve (63%) of the remaining species had declines in distribution. Sixteen (80%) of the 20 localities sampled had lost species. The greatest declines occurred in Lago de Cuitzeo proper and in the lower portion of the Río Grande de Morelia watershed. Species losses from the lake were attributable to drying and hypereutrophication of the lake because of substantial reductions in the amount and quality of tributary inputs, whereas losses from the Río Grande de Morelia watershed were the result of pollution from agricultural, municipal, and industrial sources, especially in the region around the city of Morelia. Three localities in the upper portion of the Río Grande de Morelia watershed—Cointzio reservoir, La Mintzita spring, and Insurgente Morelos stream—contained most of the remaining fish species diversity in the basin and deserve additional protection. Fish faunal changes indicated major declines in the health of aquatic ecosystems in the Morelia–Cuitzeo basin.     

IS支持下水质模型的应用

地理信息系统（ＧＩＳ） 是集计算机科学、地球科学、信息科学为一体的高新技术。目前,ＧＩＳ技术已广泛用于资源管理、环境监测、环境评价、灾害评估、区域流域环境规划等众多领域,已成为国内外环境管理的有效决策支持工具。本文介绍了ＧＩＳ技术在金华江流域水污染控制决策方面的应用, 其中重点介绍了在ＧＩＳ支持下,金华江流域水污染决策模型（ 水质模型） 的建立、程序设计和实现     

WATER QUALITY AND SOURCE OF FRESHWATER DISCHARGE TO THE CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARY,FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: The Caloosahatchee River has two major sources of freshwater one from its watershed and the other via an artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee. The contribution of each source to the freshwater discharge reaching the downstream estuary varies and either may dominate. Routine monitoring data were analyzed to determine the effects of total river discharge and source of discharge (river basin, lake) on water quality in the downstream estuary. Parameters examined were: color, total suspended solids, light attenuation, chlorophyll a, and total and dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. In general, the concentrations of color, and total and dissolved inorganic nitrogen increased, and total suspended solids decreased, as total discharge increased. When the river basin was the major source, the concentrations of nutrients (excepting ammonia) and color in the estuary were relatively higher than when the lake was the major source. Light attenuation was greater when the river basin dominated freshwater discharge to the estuary. The analysis indicates that water quality in the downstream estuary changes as a function of both total discharge and source of discharge. Relative to discharge from the river basin, releases from Lake Okeechobee do not detectably increase concentrations of nutrients, color, or TSS in the estuary.     

完全均匀混合质量平衡水质模型在滇池中的应用

介绍了完全均匀混合假设下以质量平衡为基础的湖泊水质模型,运用滇池的实测数据对模型进行了参数率定、验证,给出了模型在滇池水质预测中的应用实测,最后讨论了模型的几个假设条件对滇池的适应性。实例研究表明,该模型可适用于滇池水质有机污染长期浓度预测。      

Determinants of male mating success in the red bishop (Euplectes orix)

We studied sexual selection in the red bishop, Euplectes orix, a colonial, polygynous weaverbird widely distributed over sub-Saharan Africa. Male reproductive success measured in terms of the number of nests accepted by females and the number of eggs and nestlings in all the nests on a male's territory varied considerably. The standardized variance (variance/mean²) in male reproductive success ranged from 0.505 to 1.737 in different years, indicating a high potential for sexual selection in this species. An analysis of genetic parentage for 432 nestlings by non-radioactive, multilocus DNA fingerprinting confirmed that male reproductive success (number of young sired on the territory) in this species can be reliably estimated by the measures introduced above. In all 4 study years there was a strong positive correlation between male mating success and the total number of nests that males built in their territories. The number of nests built can be partitioned into the number of weeks a male held a territory and his nest-building performance. Both factors exert a significant positive effect on male mating success and in combination explained between 53.3 and 86.3% of the variation in male reproductive success. Male morphological characters were found to be of no importance. Males that established a territory in the following season built more nests and held their territories for longer than males that did not establish a territory in the following season, suggesting that these measures might be indicators of male condition and quality. Male nest-building performance (number of nests built per week) seems to be unrelated to male condition or quality. Received: 8 January 1999 / Received in revised form: 7 June 1999 / Accepted: 13 June 1999     

Variance in female quality, operational sex ratio and male mate choice in a bushcricket

Male bushcrickets, Kawanaphila nartee, exercise mate choice when nutrients are limited. Male mate choice is associated with a female-biased operational sex ratio (OSR) that arises from an increased relative paternal investment under nutrient limitation. However, increased male choosiness could be attributable to the fact that females vary more in fecundity, and consequently in mate quality, when nutrient limited. Our objective was to experimentally partition the influences of OSR (male or female bias) and variance in mate quality (high or low) and to assess their relative influence on the intensity of mate choice by male bushcrickets. Female quality was manipulated by controlled feeding regimes that directly affected female fecundity. We found that males and females engaged in sexual interactions sooner under a male-biased than a female-biased OSR. Males were more likely to reject females on their first encounter when variance in female quality was high. However, the effect of quality variance on the total number of rejections during a 4-h observation period was dependent on the perceived OSR. A male's prior experience of variance in female quality did not influence male choosiness. Our observed rates of mate rejection conformed well with those predicted from recent theoretical models of sexual differences in choosiness. In conclusion, our results show that the opportunity for selection via male mate choice is influenced by an interaction between OSR and the variance in mate quality that arises within nutrient-limited populations of females. Received: 5 January 1998 / Accepted after revision: 25 October 1998     

推广固硫型煤改善城市空气环境质量

本文论述了固硫型煤在燃煤锅炉尤其是小型茶炉,洗浴炉及采暖炉上具有能消烟,除尘,脱硫 性。目前推广固型改善城市空气环境质量是经济,简便,易于,有效的实用措施。     

长江下游重点江段水质污染及对鱼类的毒性影响

通过对长江下游安庆、南京、镇江、南通４江段水质污染及其对鱼类毒性影响的调查监测可发现,长江下游江段主航道水质较好,符合国家地面水Ⅱ类水质标准．但近岸带水质由于受污染带的影响,水质污染较严重,其主要污染物为石油类和挥发酚等．上述这些污染物质对鱼类具有一定的毒性影响,其不但可引起鱼类的急性中毒,而且可诱发鱼类产生微核,并对鼠伤寒沙门氏菌ＴＡ９８菌株表现出一定的致突变性．同时在上述几个江段鱼体内可检出较高的蓄积性污染物的残留量．研究结果显示,长江下游江段正在遭受沿江诸多工业废水的污染,尤其是污染带的作用,并且这种污染对区域性渔业有一定的影响     

Main particulate matter components in Saxony (Germany)

Aerosol filter samples have been collected nearby the industrialised basin of Leipzig in Saxony (Germany) at the research station Melpitz of the Institut für Troposphärenforschung e.V. (IfT). Time series (1992–1998) and a three year comparison (1995–1997) of two different aerosol filter sampling systems, the Sierra-Andersen-PM 10 high volume sampler (daily sample, PM 10 inlet) and the Rupprecht and Patashnik Co. Inc. Model Partisol 2000 (weekly sample, PM 10 and PM 2.5 inlet) are presented and discussed. The comparison of the different sampling systems and strategies yields small differences between the daily and weekly samples for mass and different ions, which may be influenced by sampling duration and flow rates. A general trend of change in aerosol composition was observed: Soot and Sulphate concentrations decreased whereas Nitrate and Ammonium concentrations increased. During summers the mass of coarse particles is higher than in other seasons. One reason could be found in the occurence of longer periods of dry ground surfaces enabling reemission of crustal and biological material. The time series have been integrated in a longer historical aerosol mass trend for Saxony and do show a good agreement. Since 1990 a significant downward trend in gravimetric mass concentration was found.