Water quality in the Tibetan Plateau: metal contents of four selected rivers

The water used by 85% of the Asian population originates in Tibetan Plateau. During April and May of 2006, water samples were collected from four major Asian rivers in the Plateau (i.e. the Salween, Mekong, Yangtze River and Yarlung Tsangpo) and analyzed for Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Mo, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Li, Mn, Al, Fe, Mg and Hg. The results showed that elements such as Mg were rather high in Tibetan rivers, giving a mean electrical conductance of 36 mS/m. In a few locations, the results also showed relatively high concentrations of Al and Fe (>1 mg/L). However, the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, and Cr were generally low. Contamination with Pb was identified at a few locations in the Salween and Ni at a few sites in the Yangtze River.     

南京及周边区域亚青期间大气监控预警走航观测研究

2013年8月,为了解亚青会期间南京及周边地区大气污染物的来源、时空分布和输送规律,江苏省环境监测中心联合中科院大气物理所等15家单位,开展了为期一个月的夏季联合观测,监测区域覆盖江苏沿江8市以及安徽部分地区。该次联合观测,江苏首次利用空气质量数值预报模式指导开展走航观测,实现了动静、水平与垂直相结合的立体式巡航观测,并初步揭示了现阶段江苏省大气污染主要特征,观测结果直接服务于亚青空气质量会商,为保障南京市空气质量提供技术支撑,同时为2014青奥会空气质量保障积累经验。     

Functional nonredundancy of elephants in a disturbed tropical forest

Conservation efforts are often motivated by the threat of global extinction. Yet if conservationists had more information suggesting that extirpation of individual species could lead to undesirable ecological effects, they might more frequently attempt to protect or restore such species across their ranges even if they were not globally endangered. Scientists have seldom measured or quantitatively predicted the functional consequences of species loss, even for large, extinction‐prone species that theory suggests should be functionally unique. We measured the contribution of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) to the dispersal of 3 large‐fruited species in a disturbed tropical moist forest and predicted the extent to which alternative dispersers could compensate for elephants in their absence. We created an empirical probability model with data on frugivory and seed dispersal from Buxa Tiger Reserve, India. These data were used to estimate the proportion of seeds consumed by elephants and other frugivores that survive handling and density‐dependent processes (Janzen‐Connell effects and conspecific intradung competition) and germinate. Without compensation, the number of seeds dispersed and surviving density‐dependent effects decreased 26% (Artocarpus chaplasha), 42% (Careya arborea), and 72% (Dillenia indica) when elephants were absent from the ecosystem. Compensatory fruit removal by other animals substantially ameliorated these losses. For instance, reductions in successful dispersal of D. indica were as low as 23% when gaur (Bos gaurus) persisted, but median dispersal distance still declined from 30% (C. arborea) to 90% (A. chaplasha) without elephants. Our results support the theory that the largest animal species in an ecosystem have nonredundant ecological functionality and that their extirpation is likely to lead to the deterioration of ecosystem processes such as seed dispersal. This effect is likely accentuated by the overall defaunation of many tropical systems.     

石羊河流域降水稳定同位素变化的区域差异

为了了解干旱内陆河流域降水稳定同位素变化过程及其影响因素,基于石羊河流域荒漠区、绿洲区和山区8个站点2013年7月至2014年7月,497个降水样品氢氧稳定同位素数据及相应气象数据,研究了石羊河流域降水稳定同位素的时空变化、环境效应以及降水水汽来源.结果显示：石羊河流域局地大气水线斜率和截距表现出夏低冬高的变化趋势;降水稳定同位素表现出夏高冬低的变化趋势,从荒漠区、绿洲区到山区,稳定同位素值随海拔升高而降低,海拔效应为-0.22‰/100m,这是温度效应的另一种体现;流域降水稳定同位素表现出显著的温度效应,温度效应为0.43‰/℃,在天气尺度下受季风水汽和降水淋洗过程的影响表现出降水量效应;流域降水来源主要受西风水汽控制,夏季也会会受到季风水汽影响,冬季也受到极地气团影响.     

Action-Oriented Support for Occupational Safety and Health Programs in Some Developing Countries in Asia

Action-oriented support programs have been increasingly playing vital roles in promoting safety and health in developing countries in Asia. This paper studied achievements of 3 action-oriented support programs: the WISE program for small enterprises, the WIND program for farmers, and the POSITIVE program for workers and trade unions. Special attention was paid to how the programs have strengthened local efforts for sustainable actions in safety and health improvements. The results showed that there were significant achievements in action-oriented support programs in the region, including a large number of improvement examples, integration into government policies, and network support through employers’ and workers’ organizations. Participatory, action-oriented training tools such as action-checklists, local good example photos, and group work methods played key roles in the effective implementation of the programs. It was of note that there were a number of local efforts to extend the coverage of action-oriented support even to hard-to-reach workers such as home-based workers, rural workers, and ethnic minorities. The efforts included the equal participation in the training by female and male farmers, shortened and weekend training programs, photo sheets showing local good examples, and reasonable fee collection for better sustainability. In conclusion, action-oriented support programs provided local people with concrete means to promote safety and health improvements. The successful programs commonly focused on local initiatives and were built on local wisdom and resources.     

黑河草滩庄引水枢纽的泥沙冲淤对生态环境的影响

根据黑河草滩庄引水枢纽闸上游泥沙冲淤情况 ,分析了局部冲刷、泥沙淤积和上下游输沙不平衡等对生态环境的影响 ,提出了改善生态环境的具体工程措施     

南亚高压对四川盆地夏季区域持续性O3污染的影响

基于2015~2020年四川盆地臭氧（O₃）浓度监测数据,构建O₃区域性持续性污染过程个例库,并进一步时空匹配高低空气象资料,探究夏季南亚高压系统对四川盆地地面气象要素及O₃污染生成的影响机制.结果表明：（1）2015~2018年四川盆地O₃区域性持续性污染（ORPP）逐年加重,2018~2020年保持相对稳定的污染态势,且ORPP多集中于春、夏两季.盆地中南部成都、重庆、泸州等城市O₃污染形势最为严峻,且高值区逐渐向南北方向转移.（2）基于南亚高压（系统存在率、中心离散度与东西振荡量）对地面气象要素的影响阐释ORPP的生成机制：系统存在率均值偏低且位置偏东时,平均气温、气温日较差及日照时数偏高,相对湿度偏低,利于O₃生成;南亚高压东模态中心显著聚集时,气温日较差与日照时数激增,易造成O₃异常高值;西模态剧烈振荡时,气温日较差、日照时数及相对湿度改变,易使O₃浓度波动.（3）对比清洁期与污染期,南亚高压系统存在率、中心离散度与东西振荡量综合作用于清洁期,而污染期则主要受中心离散度与东西振荡量影响.当南亚高压西模态剧烈振荡与东模态显著聚集配合出现时,极易诱发四川盆地内ORPP二级过程.     

Prenatal diagnosis of Hb H disease due to compound heterozygosity for South-East Asian deletion and Hb constant spring by polymerase chain reaction

A pregnant woman has two children affected by moderately severe Hb H disease due to compound heterozygosity of South-east Asian deletion and Constant Spring mutation. In her third pregnancy, transabdominal chorionic villus sampling was performed at the tenth gestational week to obtain fetal DNA. The polymerase chain reaction was used for detection of both the South-east Asian deletion and the Constant Spring mutation. Hb H disease was diagnosed in the fetus. After genetic counselling, the couple elected to have the pregnancy terminated.     

First in situ UV profile across the UTLS accompanied by ozone measurement over the Tibetan Plateau

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) and ozone can greatly affect human health and the Earth's ecological environment. By deploying a UV radiometer aboard a stratospheric balloon released at Qaidam (QDM) during the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) period in 2019, we provided in situ measurement of the UV profiles from the surface to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), China, for the first time. Based on two in situ UV profiles accompanied by four ozonesonde measurements, this study exhibited detailed variations of downwelling UV and vertical ozone distributions over the TP during the ASM period. The UV differences between the surface and stratospheric balloon flight altitudes were 16.7, 15.8, 12.6 and 18.0 Wm^?2 during the four ozonesonde launches. Due to the diurnal variations in photochemical production and the stratosphere-troposphere exchange, the integrated ozone columns below 30 km ranged from 184.4 to 221.6 DU from four ozonesonde measurements. A positive correlation between UV attenuation and ozone column was exhibited under low cloud cover and clear sky conditions. The results of this study are expected to improve our understanding of UV and ozone properties, as well as their potential effects on terrestrial ecosystems and living environments over this significant plateau.     

中国东部AOD等级变化及与东亚夏季风的联系

利用2000年3月～2017年1月Terra卫星反演的最新版本C06的MODIS气溶胶光学厚度（AOD）、NCEP fnl全球业务分析数据、CMAP降水、CERES SYN1deg Ed4月平均资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料等,依据区域平均AOD距平的显著年际变化特征,将历年AOD划分为5个不同的污染等级,并探讨了不同污染等级的局地成因及其与季风环流的联系.结果表明,夏季中国东部地区AOD异常偏大与地面风速小、中高层季风环流系统不利于气溶胶扩散有关.气溶胶污染最重（最轻）时,气溶胶与到达地面的太阳短波辐射、地面气温、风速及降水存在密切联系;在其他污染等级下,除了与到达地面的短波辐射有密切关系外,与其他量的联系并不明显.气溶胶污染严重时,到达地面的太阳短波辐射相对减小,地面气温异常偏低,低层大气冷却,地面风速减小,地面降水呈现南多北少的变化特征;反之,气溶胶污染较轻时,到达地面的太阳短波辐射相对增加,地面气温异常偏高,低层大气加热,地面风速增大,地面降水呈现南少北多的变化特征.