EcoTroph: Modelling marine ecosystem functioning and impact of fishing

EcoTroph (ET) is a model articulated around the idea that the functioning of aquatic ecosystems may be viewed as a biomass flow moving from lower to higher trophic levels, due to predation and ontogenetic processes. Thus, we show that the ecosystem biomass present at a given trophic level may be estimated from two simple equations, one describing biomass flow, the other their kinetics (which quantifies the velocity of biomass transfers towards top predators). The flow kinetic of prey partly depends on the abundance of their predators, and a top-down equation expressing this is included in the model. Based on these relationships, we simulated the impact on a virtual ecosystem of various exploitation patterns. Specifically, we show that the EcoTroph approach is able to mimic the effects of increased fishing effort on ecosystem biomass expected from theory. Particularly, the model exhibits complex patterns observed in field data, notably cascading effects and ‘fishing down the food web’. EcoTroph also provides diagnostic tools for examining the relationships between catch and fishing effort at the ecosystem scale and the effects of strong top-down controls and fast-flow kinetics on ecosystems resilience. Finally, a dynamic version of the model is derived from the steady-state version, thus allowing simulations of time series of ecosystem biomass and catches. Using this dynamic model, we explore the propagation of environmental variability in the food web, and illustrated how exploitation can induce a decrease of ecosystem stability. The potential for applying EcoTroph to specific ecosystems, based on field data, and similarities between EcoTroph and Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) are finally discussed.     

复合式生物膜反应器中生物膜的特性

传统的活性污泥工艺中加入废弃轮胎颗粒作为生物膜载体形成的复合式生物膜反应器。在颗粒浓度为４０ｇ／Ｌ时,稳定运行条件下在轮胎颗粒表面可形成约５０ｍｇ／ｇ的生物膜量,即在传统曝气池的２０００－３０００ｍｇ／Ｌ悬浮生长污泥的基础上,可增加２０００ｍｇ／Ｌ的附着生物膜量。     

Optimal biomass allocation in heterogeneous environments in a clonal plant—Spatial division of labor

When interconnected ramets of clonal plants are growing in heterogeneous environments, ramets may specialize to uptake locally abundant resources rather than scarce resources. This biomass allocation pattern may result in more efficient sharing of resources through physiological integration and an overall benefit to the plants (spatial division of labor; DoL).     

Differences in the growth response of three bryophyte species to nitrogen

The effect of nitrogen on biomass production, shoot elongation and relative density of the mosses Pleurozium schreberi, Hylocomium splendens and Dicranum polysetum was studied in a chamber experiment. Monocultures were exposed to 10 N levels ranging from 0.02 to 7.35 g N m⁻² during a 90-day period. All the growth responses were unimodal, but the species showed differences in the shape parameters of the curves. Hylocomium and Pleurozium achieved optimum biomass production at a lower N level than Dicranum. Pleurozium had the highest biomass production per tissue N concentration. Tolerance to N was the widest in Dicranum, whereas Hylocomium had the narrowest tolerance. Dicranum retained N less efficiently from precipitation than the other two species, which explained its deviating response. All species translocated some N from parent to new shoots. The results emphasize that the individual responses of bryophytes to N should be known when species are used as bioindicators.     

渗透胁迫下两种生物质能源植物的抗渗透胁迫能力及稳定碳同位素组成

本研究以麻疯树(Jatropha curcas L.)和油桐(Vernicia fordii H.)幼苗为材料,考察了麻疯树和油桐幼苗的生理指标和稳定碳同位素组成对渗透胁迫的响应情况。结果表明,麻疯树比油桐更具有抗渗透胁迫能力,主要体现在:随着渗透胁迫程度的加剧,麻疯树叶片相对含水量与叶绿素含量的下降幅度均小于油桐,脯氨酸含量和可溶性糖含量的增加幅度高于油桐,相对电导率的上升幅度小于油桐;随着渗透胁迫程度的加剧,两种植物幼苗叶片的δ13 C值也都显著升高,但是在同一渗透胁迫水平下,麻疯树幼苗叶片的δ13 C值较油桐高,表明其拥有较高的水分利用效率,能够在干旱胁迫下更好地生长,暗示着植物叶片的δ13 C值在一定情况下可以表征植物的抗旱性。     

生物质材料在重金属废水处理中的应用

可再生、低成本、有效且易从环境获取的生物质材料越来越多地用于去除废水中的重金属离子。本文着重介绍三大类生物质材料：Ⅰ、动物类（主要是甲壳素和壳聚糖衍生物）;Ⅱ、植物类（包括木质素、活性炭、竹炭、富含单宁的物质、农林废弃物等）;Ⅲ、微生物类（各种茵类等）,及其改性产物在处理有毒重金属废水方面的应用研究进展。     

UNITANK工艺BC(生物/化学)法除磷试验研究

研究了UNITANK工艺采用BC法以PAC为絮凝剂的除磷效果，并对生物相在各个投加剂量条件下的活性进行了观察。     

Comparison of biomass production and biological nitrogen fixation of multi-species pastures (mixed herb leys) with perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture with and without irrigation in Canterbury, New Zealand

Legume-based pastures in Australasia are predominantly perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.). These pastures have disadvantages such as limitations in the production and persistence of white clover and ryegrass in drought prone regions. With the increasing interest in organic agriculture, more complex pasture mixtures are seen as an alternative to the standard ryegrass-white clover (RWC) pasture. Although anecdotal evidence exists to support the benefits of alternative pastures, there is insufficient scientific evidence to support or refute these claims. The present study was conducted to compare three different alternative multi-species (mixed herb leys) (MSP) pastures with the standard RWC pasture with and without irrigation, in terms of biomass and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) over a period of 1 year under field conditions in Canterbury, New Zealand. Isotopic dilution technique involving field ¹⁵N-microplots were used to measure BNF. Irrigation doubled dry matter yields (DMY) of all pastures compared with those under dryland. There was no significant difference between DMY of all pastures under dryland. However, under irrigation, MSP pastures out-yield RWC pasture in total and legume DMY. Red clover MSP produced significantly lower DMY than the comprehensive or lucerne MSP treatment, probably due to the ability of lucerne in extracting water from deeper soil depth. Seasonal changes in plant composition varied according to the species sown, soil moisture status and temperature. Total and seasonal amounts of N₂ fixed followed the same trend as the DMY and were related to the DMY of legumes. On average, about 26–34 kg N was fixed per tonne of legume DMY, showing a uniformity across all pastures. Overall, based on the present results of 1-year study, the MSP pastures tend to result in higher DMY, BNF and legume growth compared with that of the RWC pasture, provided irrigation is available. With increased BNF, these irrigated MSP pastures may provide high quality feed to grazing animals.     

Effects of soiling and cleaning on the reflectance and solar heat gain of a light-colored roofing membrane

A roof with high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance (e.g., a white roof) stays cool in the sun, reducing cooling power demand in a conditioned building and increasing summertime comfort in an unconditioned building. The high initial solar reflectance of a white membrane roof (circa 0.8) can be lowered by deposition of soot, dust, and/or biomass (e.g., fungi or algae) to about 0.6; degraded solar reflectances range from 0.3 to 0.8, depending on exposure. We investigate the effects of soiling and cleaning on the solar spectral reflectances and solar absorptances of 15 initially white or light-gray polyvinyl chloride membrane samples taken from roofs across the United States. Black carbon and organic carbon were the two identifiable strongly absorbing contaminants on the membranes. Wiping was effective at removing black carbon, and less so at removing organic carbon. Rinsing and/or washing removed nearly all of the remaining soil layer, with the exception of (a) thin layers of organic carbon and (b) isolated dark spots of biomass. Bleach was required to clear these last two features. At the most soiled location on each membrane, the ratio of solar reflectance to unsoiled solar reflectance (a measure of cleanliness) ranged from 0.41 to 0.89 for the soiled samples; 0.53 to 0.95 for the wiped samples; 0.74 to 0.98 for the rinsed samples; 0.79 to 1.00 for the washed samples; and 0.94 to 1.02 for the bleached samples. However, the influences of membrane soiling and cleaning on roof heat gain are better gauged by fractional variations in solar absorptance. Solar absorptance ratios (indicating solar heat gain relative to that of an unsoiled membrane) ranged from 1.4 to 3.5 for the soiled samples; 1.1 to 3.1 for the wiped samples; 1.0 to 2.0 for the rinsed samples; 1.0 to 1.9 for the washed samples; and 0.9 to 1.3 for the bleached samples.     

Miscanthus × Giganteus straw and pellets as sustainable fuels and raw material for activated carbon

Miscanthus × Giganteus is an excellent candidate for energy cultivation. Here we report, for the first time, the results of the pyrolysis of Miscanthus × Giganteus straw or pellets both in tubular reactor (3–6 g) and in rotary kiln (10–30 g). At 400–600°C the fractions obtained from both reactors are: solid 16–25 (wt.%); liquids 25–40; water 15–20 and gases 15–50. GC-MS analyses of pyrolysis liquids reveal the occurrence of phenolic derivatives and ethanol from lignin, furanic and linear oxygenated compounds from cellulose and hemicellulose. Finally the chars produced by the pyrolysis of M×G pellets in rotary kiln present good calorific values close to 29,000 J/g. Additionally, activated carbons with a BET surface area as high as 800–900 m²/g are produced from pellets. These results indicate that chars have a good potential either for energy production, e.g. briquetting, or as adsorbents precursors.