WATER SUPPLY DILEMMAS OF GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA1

Abstract: There are four known geothermal resource areas in the Imperial Valley that have a combined potential of over 4,000 megawatts of electrical energy for 25 years. Water resources available to support geothermal enerfy development are imprted Colorado River water, agricultural waste waters, Salton Sea water, and groundwater. In addtion, geothermal power plants can produce their own cooling water from steam condensate. Nevertheless, the relatively high water requirements of geothermal facilities along with a series of real and potential constraints may cause water supply dilemmas involving both the acquistion and use of cooling water. Important constraints are institutional policies, water supply costs, technical problems, and impacts upon the Salton Sea. These constranits and related dilemmas are examined in light of relevanty information on the valley's water resources, geothermal resources and energy technologies, cooling water requrements, and water supply options.     

Knowing, Mapping and Understanding st. Lawrence Biodiversity, with Special Emphasis on Bird Assemblages

Environment Canada and the Québec Department of the Environment, partners in the St Lawrence Vision 2000 Action Plan, set out to prepare a compendium of knowledge of the flora and fauna of the St Lawrence and to identify potential conservation sites. The resulting Portrait is an Internet site that presents the current knowledge base of the river's ecological and biological diversity (http://lavoieverte.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/biodiv/index.html). The Portrait provides information on over 5,000 species of flora and fauna. On the website, you will find a detailed ecological analysis of the richness, rarity and vulnerability of several broad groups of plant and animal species. Furthermore, you will find a list of species for each of the 700 survey units and a distribution map for 2,500 species recorded along the St Lawrence., in atlas form, along with a detailed conservation plan. The plan encompasses the most unique and heterogeneous landscapes of the St Lawrence, some of which have no protection at present. The Portrait provides an overview of the sites that are currently protected by public agencies and private-sector organisations and identifies new sites of interest for conserving biodiversity and protecting species at risk. This paper exposes the content of this extensive compendium on the biodiversity of the St. Lawrence. For conciseness, it presents some of the analyses conducted on birds to illustrate a few of the analytical approaches that were used. Then, the information on species richness and concentration areas for priority species of vascular plants, breeding birds and herpetofauna will serve to identify the terrestrial sites of significance for biodiversity. Finally, a similar approach having been applied to the aquatic environnement, we will conclude with a conservation plan that identifies the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and the geographic sites where the most important elements of St. Lawrence biodiversity are concentrated. Our analysis of the biodiversity of the most thoroughly studied taxa of the St. Lawrence clearly shows the importance of wetlands, particularly those located at the mouths of rivers or within archipelagos or delta complexes, such as the groups of islands and channels found at both ends of the Montréal Archipelago. These aquatic landscapes are sites of intense biological production, combining in a small geographical area spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for a large number of fish species and breeding, rearing and foraging areas for aquatic birds. Variable flooding conditions, associated with seasonal flooding or daily tidal fluctuations, create a complex mosaic of wetland and aquatic habitats. Although wetlands occupy only a small area in comparison with terrestrial habitats, they support a large number of rare plant and animal species in relation to their size. At present, 10% of the vascular flora and 27% of the herpetofauna of the St. Lawrence are at risk. In the case of reptiles and amphibians, the situation is especially worrisome because nearly all of the most threatened species live in a narrow band along the river corridor. Not only is this the sector that is under the greatest pressure from human development, very little public land remains here, making it difficult to create protected areas. Increased participation by non-governmental organisations and individuals, through private stewardship arrangements, is an essential precondition for completing the network of conservation areas in this part of the St. Lawrence. Along the estuary and the Gulf, habitat integrity has not been affected as much by the expansion of Québec's human population. This is a vast territory, and sites have been identified with a view to making up for the deficiencies in the present network of protected sites in terms of representing biodiversity.     

凤眼莲在城市重污染河道修复中的应用

外港河是秦淮河重要支流,长期以来遭受严重污染。2006年4月份起对外港河进行了综合生态治理。在前期清淤和截污的基础上,7月份开始引种凤眼莲。在上游排污口附近和外港河河口段分别设置的4个生态区以及河面上布设的水面载体内全面放养以凤眼莲为主的浮水植物。经过5个多月的初步治理,外港河水体透明度从40 cm以下提高到120 cm左右,COD下降了70.4％,TSS、TN和NH₃-N分别下降了39.6％、49.7％和21.8％。结果证明,凤眼莲在净化严重污染的河道方面起到了良好的效果,引种凤眼莲治理城市重污染河道是切实可行的;此外,用PVC管设计制作的水面载体来放养浮水植物可以点缀水面环境,美化城市河道景观。     

Toxicity of tributyltin to willow trees

BACKGROUND: Tributyltin is an organotin compound, used as an antifouling agent in ship paint, with heavy impact on the marine environment. Contaminated dredged harbor sludge is now dumped on land. The toxicity of tributyltin (TBT) to trees has not yet been quantified. Eventually, a vegetation cover on the dumped sludge could be established for the purpose of non-food cash crop production and phytoremediation. METHODS: The phytotoxicity of tributyltin chloride (TBTCl) and tributyltin hydride (TBTH) was measured at pH 4 and at pH 7 using the willow tree transpiration test. Different pH levels of the nutrient solutions were achieved by adding ammonium salt (low pH) or nitrate (high pH) as nitrogen source. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: At low pH (pH 4), all trees showed symptoms of poor health. Transpiration decreased at concentrations above or equal to 0.1 mg TBTCl/l and 1 mg TBTH/L. The TBT toxicity was more pronounced at pH 7. The trees survived even the highest dose of 10 mg/l TBTCl or TBTH, although their growth and transpiration was strongly reduced. CONCLUSION: In contrast to other organisms, TBTCl and TBTH were less toxic to higher plants. RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUTLOOK: The toxicity of TBT is no hindrance for establishing vegetation on TBT-contaminated sludge. Phytoremediation and cash crop production could be possible with suitable plants.     

处理生活污水的植物品种的筛选

以小型碎石床人工湿地生态系统和无土栽培2种方法，模拟研究了广东园林绿化中常用的27种植物对生活污水中氮、磷、COD的降解能力，表明野芋头、花叶万年青、象草、姜花、绿公主、富贵竹、再力花、大花叶万年青、芦苇、花芦苇、美人蕉、文殊兰、水芋头、风车草、红草、蜘蛛兰、千手观音、水葱和花蝴蝶等18种植物，可以作为人工湿地生态系统选种植物，从而扩大了可选植物品种范围，配合适当，可达到美化环境和净化污水2种功能，可适用于面源性水污染的治理。象草的研究表明，它是一种既有强污水降解能力又能作饲料的品种，适用于畜牧场的水污染治理。     

Response of successive three generations of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), fed on cotton bolls under elevated CO2

The growth, development and consumption of successive three generations of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera （Htibner）, fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2 （double-ambient vs. ambient） in open-top chambers were examined. Significant decreases in protein, total amino acid, water and nitrogen content and increases in free fatty acid were observed in cotton bolls. Changes in quality of cotton bolls affected the growth, development and food utilization of H. armigera. Significantly longer larval development duration in three successive generations and lower pupal weight of the second and third generations were observed in cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. Significantly lower fecundity was also found in successive three generations of H. armigera fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. The consumption per larva occurred significant increase in successive three generations and frass per larva were also significantly increased during the second and third generations under elevated CO2. Significantly lower relative growth rate, efficiency of conversion of ingested food and significant higher relative consumption rate in successive three generations were observed in cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. Significantly lower potential female fecundity, larval numbers and population consumption were found in the second and third generations of cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. The integrative effect of higher larval mortality rate and lower adult fecundity resulted in significant decreases in potential population consumption in the latter two generations. The results show that elevated CO2 adversely affects cotton bolls quality, which indicates the potential population dynamics and potential population consumption of cotton bollworm will alleviate the harm to the plants in the future rising CO2 atmosphere.     

利用文蛤生物标志物评价尾水-海水混合体系污染水平

采用不同浓度（体积比0%～40%,经天然海水稀释而成）的市政污水处理厂（MSTP）尾水对文蛤（Meretrix meretrix）连续培养9d,通过测定9种生化因子水平评价污染暴露对双壳类的生物学效应包括：内脏中的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GPx）、谷胱甘肽还原酶（GR）、谷胱甘肽（GSH）、乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）、金属硫蛋白（MTs）、硫代巴比妥酸反应物（TBARs）以及血细胞的溶酶体膜稳定性（LMS）.SOD、CAT除外的所有生化因子均能对尾水污染产生敏感响应,其中,GPx、MTs、AChE和LMS的响应与尾水浓度呈显著相关（P<0.05或P<0.01）,适于作为尾水污染的生物标志物;依据这些生物标志物计算的综合生物标志物响应指数值（IBR_v2=0.61～2.65）随尾水浓度上升而增大,且两者间存在显著相关性（P<0.01）.研究结果表明,基于生物标志物响应值计算IBR指数的方法适于MSTPs尾水-海水混合体系的综合污染评价.     

Trophic transfer of mercury and methylmercury in an aquatic ecosystem impacted by municipal sewage effluents in Beijing,China

Gaobeidian Lake, located in Beijing, China, serves as a recipient lake for efluents from a large municipal sewage treatment plant (MSTP). In order to evaluate the effects of discharging MSTP efluent on the mercury contamination of the local aquatic ecosystem, sediment cores, water, plankton, fish, and turtle samples were collected from Gaobeidian Lake for mercury speciation analysis. High concentrations of total mercury (T-Hg) were detected in sediment cores (5.24–17.0 μg/g dry weight (dw), average: 10.1 μg/g). The ratio of methylmercury (MeHg) to T-Hg was less than 0.3% in sediments and ranged from 35% to 76% in biota samples. The highest level of T-Hg and MeHg were found in aquatic bryophyte and crucian carp (3673 and 437 ng/g dw, respectively). The relative contents of MeHg were significantly correlated with trophic levels (R2 = 0.5506, p 0.001), which confirmed that MeHg can be bio-transferred and biomagnified via food chain in this aquatic ecosystem.     

植物整治技术在重金属废水处理中的应用

综述了植物整治技术的一般原理和研究现状 ,介绍了藻类植物、草本植物、木本植物在重金属废水治理中的应用。     

改良铅锌矿渣对栾树幼苗铅锌富集与耐性机制

植物修复是尾矿区恢复的一项生态技术,添加基质改良剂可以减轻重金属对植物的胁迫,提高修复效率.以木本植物栾树（Koelreuteria paniculata）作为供试植物,分别在100%尾矿（S）、90%的尾矿+5%蘑菇渣（SMC）+5% CaCO₃（MS）和天然红壤（RS）中进行盆栽试验.探究不同处理下栾树耐受Pb和Zn的生长富集效应、微观特征变化和基质中微生物多样性变化.结果表明,改良剂的添加相比于尾矿可以显著改善尾矿基质的理化结构,显著提升栾树的生物量、株高和叶绿素含量等相关生理指标,增加栾树中积累的重金属含量.处理组MS相较于对照组RS总根长增长达到69.3%,而对照组RS平均根径相较于对照组S下降118.7%.处理组MS与对照组S相比,Pb和Zn残渣态增加266.67%,弱酸可提取态和氧化物结合态显著降低,重金属对于植株迁移活性减弱.同时,多数重金属被栾树截留在根部,其根系构型的变化表明其在面对高浓度的Pb胁迫时具有较强的适应性.透射电镜（TEM）分析表明,对照组S中较高浓度的重金属含量会破坏细胞壁结构,对植物细胞造成毒害.改良剂的添加有效缓解了重金属胁迫对栾树各组织的影响,影响微生物群落的结构,显著提高微生物丰富度和多样性,增强栾树对重金属的适应性和植物修复能力.