Parameterization of Albedo over Heterogeneous Surfaces in Coupled Land-Atmosphere Schemes for Environmental Modeling. Part I: Theoretical Background

In grid-based environmental models, the underlying surface consists of patches of solid and liquid parts and different plant communities, creating a very heterogeneous picture in the grid cell. In these cases, numerical modelers usually use a simple arithmetic average to determine the grid-cell albedo, a key variable in the parameterization of the land-surface radiative transfer over the grid cell. The object of this paper is to consider the assumptions for aggregating the albedo over a very heterogeneous surface where various surfaces occur at different heights, and, then propose a method for deriving a general expression for it. The suggested expression for the albedo is compared with the conventional approach, for the two-patches grid-cell with a simple geometrical distribution and different heights of its components. A numerical test is performed to compare the two approaches by numerical simulation of the evolution of the surface temperature over the particular grid-cell. Specifically, a one-dimensional land-surface model was applied to an isolated rocky grid-cell with a hole in the center; the model was forced with meteorological observations taken on July 17, 1999 in Philadelphia, PA.     

pH值对纳米零价铁吸附降解2,4-二氯苯酚的影响

在不同pH条件下,对纳米铁(颗粒粒径为30～40 nm)及其降解2,4-二氯苯酚反应体系进行取样,并进行透射电子显微镜(TEM)、扫描电子显微镜-能谱联用(SEM-EDX)以及电感耦合等离子体发射光谱(ICP-OES)等形貌观测与分析表征,以考察pH值在纳米零价铁降解氯酚反应过程中的影响和作用.结果表明,在降解2,4-二氯苯酚的过程中纳米铁由分散的颗粒逐渐团聚,其表面逐渐氧化,并最终被呈针状结晶的碱式氧化亚铁(FeOOH)覆盖,从而阻碍了降解反应的进一步进行.在酸性体系中,纳米零价铁的氧化和团聚现象有所缓解,尽管会造成一部分铁量的损失,但反应产生大量的亚铁离子参与并促进了脱氯降解反应的进行,反应过程中溶液pH值有逐渐升高的趋势.不同pH条件下,纳米铁对氯酚的去除率随pH值的降低而升高,酸性条件有利于提高氯酚的还原降解速率,当pH=3时,24 h内氯酚的去除率可达到90%以上.     

Are female boat-tailed grackle colonies neutral assemblages?

Female boat-tailed grackles (Quiscalus major) nest in colonies, and apparently settle independently of male activities. Associations between colony females may be mutually beneficial (cooperative hypothesis) or females may be penalized by associating (competitive hypothesis). Contrary to predictions based on either cooperative or competitive behavior, (1) reproductive success was not related to colony size nor to internest distance; (2) intracolony nesting synchronies were the same as those of the whole population, and within colonies, there was no relationship between the timing and spacing of nearest-neighbor nests; and (3) already established females were only occasionally aggressive toward females attempting to settle near them, and their aggressive response was independent of their stage of nesting. The results suggest that females act independently of each other and do not affect each other's fitness (neutral female hypothesis). Colonies may be neutral aggregations in sites secure from ground predators. Although females benefit by co-occupying predator-free sites, advantages and disadvantages of colomality do not appear to be related to intrasexual association.     

Soil Lead and Children’s Blood Lead Levels in Syracuse, NY, USA

A geo-referenced data set of 12 228 first-time blood lead screening values for Syracuse, NY, children was established for the 4-year period 1992–1996. Soil lead values were measured in a 600 m by 600 m tessellation grid covering the city. The two data sets were merged for evaluation of relationships between them. Strong seasonal variation in blood lead levels suggests the importance of contaminated soils as an exposure source. When the data were aggregated at a large geographic scale (3 km²), a logarithmic model showed an R² of > 0.65 for the regression of geometric mean blood lead on median soil lead values. Results showed a striking similarity to those obtained by Mielke et al. (1999) for a study in New Orleans, LA, USA.     

The predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis manipulates imprinting among offspring through egg placement

A crucial question with respect to imprinting is how animals ensure that kin imprint on kin but not on non-kin. Imprinting takes place in a sensitive ontogenetic phase, usually in an early period of life or when offspring are produced, at which time the recipient imprints on the first referents met. In the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis, imprinting among immature individuals happens in the larval stage immediately after hatching. I tested the hypothesis that adult P. persimilis females manipulate offspring imprinting by influencing the likelihood of encounters among recipients and referents via egg placement and egg aggregation. I conducted two experiments, one of which addressed imprinting and cannibalism, and the other addressed egg placement and egg aggregation. The imprinting experiment suggests that larvae imprint on any conspecific individual met in a sensitive ontogenetic phase and later on treat this individual as kin, irrespective of relatedness. After molting to protonymphs, imprinted individuals preferentially cannibalized unfamiliar to familiar larvae. Irrespective of familiarity, kin were cannibalized earlier than non-kin, suggesting the involvement of self-referent phenotype matching. The egg-placement experiment provides evidence that females adjust the aggregation level of their own eggs according to the degree of relatedness to present eggs from a previously ovipositing female. Both experiments in concert suggest that egg placement is a maternal strategy influencing imprinting among immature individuals. Apart from avoiding kin cannibalism, egg placement and imprinting by larvae may have relevance to other behaviors influenced by kin recognition, such as mate choice, prey-patch choice and dispersal.Communicated by L. Simmons     

两株重金属抗性细菌对铅镉吸附特性的比较研究

针对目前重金属水污染现状,为探究微生物法修复重金属水污染机制,本试验以抗重金属革兰氏阴性菌Rhizobium sp.W33与革兰氏阳性菌Bacillus sp.H3为供试菌株,对不同重金属(Pb、Cd)浓度及pH条件下的菌株生长状况进行测定;比较不同状态细胞(Growing、Grown、Dead)的吸附能力;利用FTIR初步分析吸附相关官能团.结果表明:两株菌对Pb抗性较强,对Cd抗性相对较弱,最适生长pH均在6~7范围内;不同状态细胞的吸附能力大小为:GrownDeadGrowing;随着重金属浓度的升高,Rhizobium sp.W33与Bacillus sp.H3的吸附容量逐渐增大,且对铅镉的吸附主要以胞外吸附为主,对铅有一定的胞内积累能力;FTIR分析显示菌株吸附过程中主要是—OH、—NH、—CO、—CH2官能团在生物吸附过程中发挥作用.Rhizobium sp.W33与Bacillus sp.H3表面官能团特性及整体吸附能力存在明显差异.     

两种粒径氧化镍纳米颗粒对小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)的生物毒性

采用藻类生物毒性测试方法(OECD201)研究了两种粒径氧化镍(NiO)纳米颗粒对小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)的生物毒性.发现纳米颗粒的毒性与其尺度有关,7 nm NiO的毒性大于20 nm NiO,二者72 h EC50分别为18.01和74.64mgNiO/L.利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察了对...     

超声空化及絮体破碎过程的模拟与试验分析

为探究利于空化效应的超声条件及超声波破碎絮体机理,基于Matlab平台建立空化气泡模型及2种简化的有限扩散聚集(DLA)絮体破碎模型,进行计算机仿真,并通过试验分析得到实际絮体破碎模式.结果表明:随着超声频率的增加,空化效应减弱;声能密度的增加导致空化气泡振幅增大,声能密度为7W/mL时气泡振幅可达初始半径的200倍,空化效果较好.低声能密(0.03~3W/mL)和低超声频率(25~40kHz)处理絮体时,剥蚀作用为主导作用,超声后絮体粒径减小,分形维数增大;声能密度超过3W/mL或频率大于40kHz,大规模破碎占主导作用,实际絮体粒径减幅小且结构散.40kHz的超声频率更利于絮体的破碎,作用10min后,絮体粒径减幅达9.8%,分形维数为1.394,结构更加密实.     

Enhancing soil aggregation and acetamiprid adsorption by ecofriendly polysaccharides hydrogel based on Ca2+- amphiphilic sodium alginate

Soil aggregation plays an important role in agricultural production activities. However, the structure of soil aggregation is destroyed by the natural environment and unreasonable farming management, resulting in the loss of water, fertilizers and pesticides in soil. At present, hydrogels have been widely reported to promote the formation of soil aggregation. In this paper, amphiphilic calcium alginate (ASA/Ca²⁺) was applied to promote the formation of soil aggregation and enhance pesticide retention. Initially, an ASA was obtained through the one-pot Ugi condensation (a four-component green chemical reaction). Then, ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel is prepared by Ca²⁺ cross-linking. The formation of soil aggregation was determined through the Turbiscan Lab Expert stability analyzer, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). And the effect of soil aggregation on acetamiprid environmental behavior was investigated by adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and leaching. The results shown that the three-dimensional network structure of ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel can promote the formation of soil aggregation. Aggregate durability index (ADI) was 0.55 in the presence of ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel, indicating that amphiphilic hydrogel can enhance the stability of soil aggregation. The adsorbing capacity of acetamiprid was 1.58 times higher than pure soil, and the release of acetamiprid only about 20% in the presence of ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel. These results would be helpful for the formation of soil aggregation and pesticides adsorption on soil aggregation. Thus, ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel is likely to improve soil quality, simultaneously it can minimize the mobility of pesticides in the agricultural system.