Identifying the possibilities and pitfalls of conducting IUCN Red List assessments from remotely sensed habitat information based on insights from poorly known Cuban mammals

The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species (RLS) is the key global tool for objective, repeatable assessment of species’ extinction risk status, and plays an essential role in tracking biodiversity loss and guiding conservation action. Satellite remote sensing (SRS) data sets on global ecosystem distributions and functioning show exciting potential for informing range-based RLS assessment, but their incorporation has been restricted by low temporal resolution and coverage of data sets, lack of incorporation of degradation-driven habitat loss, and noninclusion of assumptions related to identification of changing habitat distributions for taxa with varying habitat dependency and ecologies. For poorly known mangrove-associated Cuban hutias (Mesocapromys spp.), we tested the impact of possible assumptions regarding these issues on range-based RLS assessment outcomes. Specifically, we used annual (1985–2018) Landsat data and land-cover classification and habitat degradation analyses across different internal time series slices to simulate range-based RLS assessments for our case study taxa to explore potential assessment uncertainty arising from temporal SRS data set coverage, incorporating proxies of (change in) habitat quality, and assumptions on spatial scaling of habitat extent for RLS parameter generation. We found extensive variation in simulated species-specific range-based RLS assessments, and this variation was mostly associated with the time series over which parameters were estimated. However, results of some species-specific assessments differed by up to 3 categories (near threatened to critically endangered) within the same time series, due to the effects of incorporating habitat quality and the spatial scaling used in RLS parameter estimation. Our results showed that a one-size-fits-all approach to incorporating SRS information in RLS assessment is inappropriate, and we urge caution in conducting range-based assessments with SRS for species for which habitat dependence on specific ecosystem types is incompletely understood. We propose novel revisions to parameter spatial scaling guidelines to improve integration of existing time series data on ecosystem change into the RLS assessment process.     

环境砷中毒人群皮肤损害与DNA氧化损伤的关联性

选择内蒙古自治区某县长期暴露于高砷饮用水的人群中有皮肤损害者199人(病例组)和无皮肤损害者91人(对照组)作为研究对象,检测饮用水砷、尿砷和DNA氧化损伤的主要标志物8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-OHdG)水平,以分析慢性砷中毒人群DNA氧化损伤与皮肤损害的相关性.结果表明,砷性皮肤损害组和无皮肤损害组人群尿中8-OHdG水平的中位数(四分位间距)分别为4.9(3.5~6.3)μg/g和5.3(4.1~7.2)μg/g,2组对象尿中8-OHdG水平间差异无统计学意义(P=0.074);多元Logistic回归分析结果显示,在校正了年龄、体质指数(BMI)、吸烟、饮酒和饮用高砷水时间等可能的混杂因素后,皮肤损害组人群尿中8-OHdG水平升高的比值比(OR)为1.1(95%CI:0.6,1.9),提示在砷暴露人群中,有无皮肤损害与8-OHdG水平的差异无统计学意义(P=0.863).慢性砷中毒人群皮肤损害与体内的DNA氧化损伤之间无显著的关联性,无皮肤损害人群同样有DNA氧化损伤的风险.     

太湖背角无齿蚌组织中8-羟基脱氧鸟苷的含量及在水体污染评价中的初步应用

对2003--2008年闯采集自太湖不同水域的9个背角无齿蚌（Anodontawoodiana）样品组织中的DNA损伤产物-8-羟基脱氧鸟苷（8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine,8-OHdG）的水平进行了分析,同时研究了蚌体组织中重金属cd2＋和有机污染物PCBs的蓄积残留量,以探明水体污染和DNA损伤的相关性。研究结果显示,9个样本中的8-OHdG的含量在1．021-8．886ng．g-1之间,尤其以无锡三山岛和宜兴大浦这2个水域的样本最为突出,差异显著,表明上述水域已受到较严重的污染。PCBs在9个样本中有7个检出,但含量无明显差异（P〉0．05）,表明PCBs并非引起背角无齿蚌体内DNA损伤的主要污染因素。而背角无齿蚌组织中的cd2＋残留量与8-OHdG水平间存在显著的剂量一效应关系,呈正相关。这一结果与实验室内的模拟试验相吻合,提示重金属cd2＋是引起水体中背角无齿蚌DNA受损的主要污染因素。研究显示,背角无齿蚌机体组织中的8-OHdG具有稳定性强、测定方法简单快速、在一定的范围内具有显著的剂量—效应关系、实验室与野外分析相吻合等特点,因此可作为分子生物标志物来评价生物体受水环境持久性污染物污染而导致的DNA损伤效应。     

中国部分地区2021年几次典型沙尘天气遥感监测分析

2021年,中国北方地区经历了多轮大范围沙尘天气,波及西北、华北、东北甚至黄淮、长三角等地区。其中,3月份出现自2010年以来最强沙尘天气过程。该研究基于Himawari-8静止卫星数据和地面同步空气站点监测数据,分析了2021年3月14—17、27—30日和4月14—15日3次典型沙尘天气过程。分析结果显示：2021年3月14—17日沙尘天气影响范围最广,沙尘分别在不同时间段起源于蒙古国西北部、中国甘肃和青海交界处、新疆和甘肃交界处,大范围沙尘天气是多处尘源综合作用的结果。3月27—30日和4月14—15日沙尘主要起源于蒙古国,沙尘源较单一,影响范围相对集中,但某些时段受影响区域的沙尘强度很高。地面同步空气站点PM₁₀监测数据与卫星数据有很好的一致性。     

基于热红外遥感的广西平果县石漠化初步研究

中国西南喀斯特地区石漠化问题十分严重。为更好地利用卫星遥感监测和评价石漠化现状,提出了一种基于卫星热红外遥感的石漠化等级划分的新方法。以广西平果县为研究区,利用2014年Landsat 8热红外遥感影像分别提取夏季和冬季的亮温值并计算亮温差,经过高分影像建立典型样本区并分析亮温差,确定不同石漠化等级的亮温差阈值,最后对全县石漠化进行等级划分。结果显示,平果县2014年重度石漠化面积占喀斯特区域面积的比例为3.87%,中度石漠化占9.19%,轻度石漠化占22.26%,潜在石漠化占57.46%,非石漠化占7.22%。研究表明,通过确定适当的夏冬季亮温差阈值可以有效地对石漠化程度进行分级划分,该新方法与已有方法相比,具有物理意义明确、方法简单有效、结果客观等优点,具有推广应用价值。     

Is BDE-175 an important enough component of commercial octabromodiphenyl ether mixtures to be listed in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention?

Commercial octabromodiphenyl ether mixtures, containing hexabromodiphenyl ethers and heptabromodiphenyl ethers were listed in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention on May 2009 (Fourth Conference of the Parties) (UNEP, 2009a). Four compounds are specifically mentioned: 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-153), 2,2′,4,4′,5,6′-hexabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-154), 2,2′,3,3′,4,5′,6-heptabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-175), and 2,2′,3,4,4′,5′,6-heptabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-183). Presumably they were identified as key components of commercial mixtures and found to be present in environmental samples. However, since BDE-175 and BDE-183 co-elute on common HRGC columns, the presence of BDE-175 as an important component in technical octa-BDE mixtures has not been illustrated. The successful HRGC/LRMS separation of a 1:1 mixture of BDE-175 and BDE-183, as well as ¹H NMR analysis of technical material, has allowed us to confirm that this congener is not present in technical products (e.g. Great Lakes DE-79™) in quantifiable amounts.     

Photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants in aqueous solution by Bi(4)Nb(x)Ta((1-x))O(8)I

In this work, Bi₄Nb_xTa_(1−x)O₈I photocatalysts have been synthesized by solid state reaction method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and UV-Vis near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of these photocatalysts was evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solutions under visible light, UV light and solar irradiation. The effects of catalyst dosage, initial pH and MO concentration on the removal efficiency were studied, and the photocatalytic reaction kinetics of MO degradation as well. The results indicated that Bi₄Nb_xTa_(1−x)O₈I exhibited high photocatalytic activity for the removal of MO in aqueous solutions. For example, the removal efficiency of MO by Bi₄Nb_0.1Ta_0.9O₈I was as high as 92% within 12 h visible light irradiation under the optimal conditions: initial MO concentration of 5-10 mg L⁻¹, catalyst dosage of 6 g L⁻¹ and natural pH (6-8), the MO molecules could be completely degradated by Bi₄Nb_0.1Ta_0.9O₈I within 40 min under UV light irradiation, and the photodegradation efficiency reaches to 60% after 7 h solar irradiation. Furthermore, the photocatalytic degradation of Bisphenol A (BPA) was also investigated under visible light irradiation. It is found that 99% BPA could be mineralized by Bi₄Nb_0.1Ta_0.9O₈I after 16 h visible light irradiation. Through HPLC/MS, BOD, TOC, UV-Vis measurements, we determined possible degradation products of MO and BPA. The results indicated that MO was degradated into products which are easier to be biodegradable and innocuous treated, and BPA could be mineralized completely. Furthermore, the possibility for the photosensitization effect in the degradation process of MO under visible light irradiation has been excluded.     

八羟基喹啉改性膨润土预处理养殖废水

以八羟基喹啉为改性剂,天然膨润土为原料,制备一种新型吸附剂,并将其应用于养殖废水的预处理中。确定了改性膨润土的最佳制备条件:土液比为4 g/L,改性剂浓度为0.3 g/L,改性时间为50 min,改性温度为50℃。并以扫描电镜方法对改性膨润土行进表征:八羟基喹啉已经有效进入层间,改变了膨润土的性状,提高了吸附效果。优化了改性膨润土处理养殖废水的工艺条件:投土量为1 g/L,pH为4,搅拌时间为30 min,搅拌速度为350 r/min,沉淀时间为40 min。在此优化条件下,改性膨润土对养殖废水的COD去除率最高可达79.18%,且吸附动力学结果满足二级动力学模型。     

Assessment of oxidative stress due to exposure to pesticides in plasma and urine of traditional limited-resource farm workers: Formation of the DNA-adduct 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy-guanosine (8-OHdG)

The objective of this study was to assess the risk of genotoxicity caused due to oxidative stress using plasma and urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in farm workers for six months during a growing season. Blood and urine samples were collected once a month for six months (June to November 2003) from farm workers (n = 15) and urban unexposed controls (n = 10). Plasma and urinary levels of 8-OHdG were evaluated by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. There was no significant difference in the urinary levels of 8-OHdG between the farm workers and the control group, but there was an approximately four-fold increase in mean values of plasma 8-OHdG levels in the farm worker group (P ≤ 0.05).     

基于多源遥感影像融合的武汉市土地利用分类方法研究

准确高效的获取土地利用信息,对于合理利用和开发土地资源具有十分重要的意义。在快速城镇化地区,土地利用活动频繁且密集,土地利用格局演变十分剧烈,增加了城市土地利用精准分类的不确定性;且受环境气候和云雨天气影响增加了有效光学影像获取的难度。为提高城市土地分类精度,该文选取武汉市中心城区为研究案例,以Sentinel-1A和Landsat8 OLI影像为数据源,采用Gram-Schmidt变换方法进行影像融合,选取最大似然、支持向量机、CART决策树、BP神经网络等4种分类方法对融合的影像进行分类,提取了研究区土地利用信息,并对其进行分析。进一步,通过与光学影像的分类结果对比,探究了Sentinel-1A和Landsat8 OLI融合影像在土地利用信息提取方面是否具有优势。研究结果表明:(1)对比其他3种方法,CART决策树分类方法对于融合后的影像分类精度最高,总体分类精度和Kappa系数分别达到88.55%和0.841 4;(2)与光学影像相比,Sentinel-1A和Landsat8 OLI融合影像可以更有效地获取高精度城市土地利用信息;(3)基于多源遥感影像融合的CART决策树分类方法是获取研究区高精度土地利用信息的一种行之有效的技术手段。研究成果可为快速城镇化区域的土地利用分类提供参考。