A botanical importance rating system for estuaries

In many semi-arid areas, estuaries are threatened because of freshwater impoundment. Estuaries are important sites for ecological diversity and, increasingly, for recreation. A system has been developed which rates estuaries according to their botanical importance. A formula allows a single numerical importance score to be calculated. The area cover of each estuarine plant community type (i.e. intertidal salt marsh, submerged macrophytes, reed/sedge swamps and supratidal salt marsh) and its importance in the estuary forms the basis of the score. The ‘ecological condition’ of the plant community and the community richness within the estuary are incorporated into the formula. The formula is effective in determining the botanical importance of estuaries. Further methods to determine the zoological, physical and socio-economic importance of estuaries need to be developed to allow the overall importance of estuaries to be determined.     

Effect of low-molecular weight organic acids on phosphorus release and phytoavailabilty of phosphorus in phosphate rocks added to soils

Phosphorus (P) is critically needed to improve soil fertility in many parts of the world. The use of water-soluble P fertilizers, e.g., single super-phosphate and triple super-phosphate in developing countries to improve crop production has been limited primarily by their high cost. The presence of indigenous phosphate deposits in some countries provides an incentive for direct application or local chemical treatment at low cost to improve the solubility of low reactive phosphate rocks (PRs). The use of naturally occurring low-molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) that are produced in soil as microbial metabolites or plant exudates from dead or living cells represents a new perspective in PR research. The LMWOAs contain various functional groups that may play a significant role in PR dissolution. Little information is available, however, about the potential of LMWOAs in releasing P from PRs. This study reports P release from 12 PRs, four each of low, medium, and high reactivity, obtained from various deposits (Kodjari, Tahoua, North Carolina, Gafsa, Khouribga, Tilemsi Valley, Central Florida, Sechura, Minjingu, North Florida, Hahotoe, and Parc W) using nine LMWOAs containing mono-, di-, and tri-carboxylic groups and a mineral acid (H₂SO₄). Laboratory studies showed that the organic acids are effective in releasing P from low and medium reactive PRs, but very ineffective in releasing P from high reactive PRs. The average amounts of P released by all the organic acids from the three types of PRs were 65.5 mmol kg⁻¹ PR from the low reactive PRs, 55.1 mmol kg⁻¹ from the medium, and 11.1 mmol kg⁻¹ from the high; those released from across all the PRs were 21.9 by the mono-carboxylic acid group, 54.2 by the di-carboxylic acid group, and 57.0 mmol P kg⁻¹ by the tri-carboxylic acid group. The P released was negatively correlated with the equilibrium pH, but positively correlated with Ca released from the PRs. Laboratory incubation studies on the release of P from PRs added to soils with or without organic acids and incubated at 25 °C for 15, 30, and 45 days showed that the percentage of plant-available P released varied considerably from 0.95 in the Kodjari PR to 40.1% in the North Carolina PR and was related to PR reactivity. A greenhouse study with corn (Zea mays L.) grown for 60 days on soils treated with PRs or with PRs mixed with organic acids showed that corn response to addition of oxalic or citric acid varied with P rates and PR sources, suggesting that organic acids have potential as amendments for increasing plant-available P in PR-treated soils.     

水资源对人类安全的负面影响

水是丰富的.但水不等于水资源.由于水资源分布不均、人类需求的不断膨胀以及水资源污染等,造成了水资源的短缺.水资源关乎着人类的安全:冲突、战争因水而起;水污染威胁人类健康;水资源缺乏威胁着食品(粮食)安全;水资源制约着经济乃致社会的发展,成为人类生存的最大限制因子.     

2013—2017年《自然资源学报》办刊进展

论文基于2013—2017年中国科学技术信息研究所发布的《中国科技期刊引证报告（核心版）》和《中国科技期刊引证报告（扩刊版）》,《中国学术期刊（光盘版）》电子杂志社有限公司、中国科学文献计量评价研究中心和清华大学图书馆联合发布的《中国学术期刊影响因子年报》以及中国科学院文献情报中心的中国科学引文数据库（CSCD）中统计的《自然资源学报》的总被引频次、影响因子等相关引证指标,分析了近5年来《自然资源学报》一些重要引证指标的变化;同时梳理了《自然资源学报》近5年来被数据库收录情况、获奖情况以及发表的学术论文获奖和被媒体报道、转载情况,总结了2013—2017年间《自然资源学报》的办刊进展。结果表明：1）《自然资源学报》2016年核心影响因子、扩展影响因子和复合影响因子分别达到1.912、2.565、3.250,近5年来的增长率分别达到47.0%、46.4%、33.8%,在资源科学期刊领域排名稳居前列;2）《自然资源学报》已被国内重要数据库和检索系统全部收录,并在2016年被收录在EBSCO最新研发的数据库Academic Search Ultimate;3）2013—2017年间,《自然资源学报》共获得了15项学术期刊领域奖项,2013—2017年连续获得中国科协精品科技期刊工程项目支持,并于2014、2015年获得中国科学院科学出版三等基金资助;4）2013—2017年间,《自然资源学报》共有65篇论文入选中国精品科技期刊顶尖学术论文,多篇论文被媒体报道和转载。通过对2013—2017年《自然资源学报》发展状况的分析,为期刊未来的发展提供科学依据,为我国资源科学期刊质量的提升提供参考。     

佳木斯市四丰山风景区环境污染综合治理对策

佳木斯市四丰山风景区是黑龙江省政府确定的省级风景名胜区,由于近些年无序、过度的开发,环境现状急剧恶化,亟需治理。通过对其周边污染源及水库水质状况的调查,提出了污染治理方案,明确了综合治理的必要性。     

我国矿产资源开发生态补偿制度的探讨

矿产资源是经济社会可持续发展战略实施的资源保证,但长期矿产资源的开发造成我国生态破坏和环境污染,成为制约我国经济社会发展的重要因素。本文论述了我国矿产资源开发带来的生态问题,对现行生态补偿措施进行了评价,探讨了建立我国矿产资源开发生态补偿制度的基本思路,对我国矿产资源生态补偿制度的完善提出了建设性意见。     

栽植寒富苹果防风固沙修复土壤的效益分析

通过台安县西平林场大兴村栽植寒富苹果防风固沙修复土壤实验,证明在北方沙化土地上种植寒富苹果是可行的.以内蒙古"十五"林业生态建设所产生的生态效益为依据,寒富苹果基地建设,一方面促进农民增收,另一方面具有防风固沙修复土壤、涵养水源,保持水土的作用.能获得生态效益和经济效益双赢,在适宜地区具有广泛的推广价值.     

关于积极推进生态城市建设的对策建议

介绍了沈阳市在生态城市建设中的成绩 ,提出积极推进生态城市建设中要切实注重的几个问题———进一步完善森林城市生态规划 ,提高水资源利用率 ,建设节水型社会 ,保护地下水 ,使人民群众喝上安全合格的水 ,提出对策建议。     

The floristics and conservation status of sand-dune communities in Wales

An inventory of the vascular plants, bryophytes, fungi and terricolous lichens recorded within the different sand-dune communities in Wales has been compiled and a summary of the importance of these different taxonomic groups to the ecology and conservation of sand dunes is provided. The total floristic assemblage amounted to 945 species, with vascular plants representing 439 of these. Fungi unexpectedly formed the next most important group with ca. 289 species, followed by bryophytes (171 species) and terricolous lichens (66 species). However, very few of these species are confined to sand dunes. Of the vascular plants only ca. 7 % (32 species) could be classed as either wholly dependent or strongly associated with sand dunes, whereas up to 13% (22 species) of the bryophytes fell within this category. Of the fungi only 4% (10 species) appear to be restricted to sand dunes, but none of the lichen species could be classed as being either limited to, or strongly associated with, this habitat. Over 9% (91 species) of the total flora are considered to be rare, scarce or endangered within the UK or Europe, and ca. 8% of the vascular plant species are considered to be endemic or near-endemic to Europe. The inventory therefore not only provides an insight in the overall plant diversity of dune systems in Wales, it also gives an indication of the proportion of species that are under threat, and the numbers of species that are more-or-less totally dependent on sand dunes. In the discussion various relevant sand-dune management issues are addressed.     

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN1

ABSTRACT: As part of the National Assessment of Climate Change, the implications of future climate predictions derived from four global climate models (GCMs) were used to evaluate possible future changes to Pacific Northwest climate, the surface water response of the Columbia River basin, and the ability of the Columbia River reservoir system to meet regional water resources objectives. Two representative GCM simulations from the Hadley Centre (HC) and Max Planck Institute (MPI) were selected from a group of GCM simulations made available via the National Assessment for climate change. From these simulations, quasi-stationary, decadal mean temperature and precipitation changes were used to perturb historical records of precipitation and temperature data to create inferred conditions for 2025, 2045, and 2095. These perturbed records, which represent future climate in the experiments, were used to drive a macro-scale hydrology model of the Columbia River at 1/8 degree resolution. The altered streamflows simulated for each scenario were, in turn, used to drive a reservoir model, from which the ability of the system to meet water resources objectives was determined relative to a simulated hydrologic base case (current climate). Although the two GCM simulations showed somewhat different seasonal patterns for temperature change, in general the simulations show reasonably consistent basin average increases in temperature of about 1.8–2.1°C for 2025, and about 2.3–2.9°C for 2045. The HC simulations predict an annual average temperature increase of about 4.5°C for 2095. Changes in basin averaged winter precipitation range from -1 percent to + 20 percent for the HC and MPI scenarios, and summer precipitation is also variously affected. These changes in climate result in significant increases in winter runoff volumes due to increased winter precipitation and warmer winter temperatures, with resulting reductions in snowpack. Average March 1 basin average snow water equivalents are 75 to 85 percent of the base case for 2025, and 55 to 65 percent of the base case by 2045. By 2045 the reduced snowpack and earlier snow melt, coupled with higher evapotranspiration in early summer, would lead to earlier spring peak flows and reduced runoff volumes from April-September ranging from about 75 percent to 90 percent of the base case. Annual runoff volumes range from 85 percent to 110 percent of the base case in the simulations for 2045. These changes in streamflow create increased competition for water during the spring, summer, and early fall between non-firm energy production, irrigation, instream flow, and recreation. Flood control effectiveness is moderately reduced for most of the scenarios examined, and desirable navigation conditions on the Snake are generally enhanced or unchanged. Current levels of winter-dominated firm energy production are only significantly impacted for the MPI 2045 simulations.