Impact of a small city on the structure of small mammal fauna in forests of the northeastern Moscow region

Forests in and around the reserve located near the city of Chernogolovka (50 km northeast of Moscow), forests adjoining the city, and urban forests were examined during the period from 1992 to 2004. Differences between forests of the reserve proved to be less significant than those resulting from the impact of urban factors. The influence of a small city was found to change the structure of communities of small mammals in surrounding forests by reducing their diversity and enhancing the dominance of ecologically restrained synanthropic species.     

Prospects for Conserving and Restoring the Properties and Ecological Functions of Arable Soils

Changes in the properties and ecological functions of soils under the effect of farming are considered. Evidence is provided that optimization of the structure of land inventory with regard to environmental conditions in a concrete region is a promising approach to the conservation and restoration of disturbed and degraded soils. A classification of soils with respect to their arability is proposed as a theoretical basis for reorganizing agricultural land use.     

Ethological Structure of Freshwater Benthic and Nektobenthic Communities and Its Changes under the Influence of Abiotic and Anthropogenic Factors

Classification of the mode of life and behavior of zoobenthic, nektobenthic, and neustonic organisms was used as a basis for elucidating the formation of ethological structure of their communities in small lakes and streams of northeastern Fennoscandia. It is shown that the general response of these communities to anthropogenic impact is manifested in the reduction of the number of ethological groups. The specific response to eutrophication and heat pollution involves a decrease in the relative biomass of clingers and burrowers and an increase in the biomass of sprawling–walking and wormy animals; the response to toxic pollution and acidification is manifested in the prevalence of sprawlers–walkers.     

Cytogenetic Damage of Human Somatic Cells and Weeping Birch Cells in Voronezh Districts with Different Levels of Anthropogenic Pollution

Cytogenetic parameters (the mitotic rate and the frequency of pathological mitoses) of the seed offspring of weeping birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and the frequency of micronuclei in the buccal epithelium of children living in several raions (districts) of the city of Voronezh differing in environmental conditions were studied. Judging from these parameters, the environmental situation was the worst in the Sovetskii raion. A correlation was found between the frequency of pathological mitoses in the roots of birch seedlings and the frequency of micronuclei in the buccal epithelial cells of children. This indicates that the cytogenetic monitoring data obtained in plants may be extrapolated to man.     

Composition, source, mass closure of PM2:5 aerosols for four forests in eastern China

PM2.5 aerosols were collected in forests along north latitude in boreal-temperate, temperate, subtropical and tropical climatic zones in eastern China, i.e., Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve (CB), Dongping National Forest Park in Chongming Island (CM), Dinghu Mountain Nature Reserve (DH), Jianfengling Nature Reserve in Hainan Island (HN). The mass concentrations of PM2.5, organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) as well as concentrations of ten inorganic ions (F-, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, C2O42-, NH4+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) were determined. Aerosol chemical mass closures were achieved. The 24-hr average concentrations of PM2.5 were 38.8, 89.2, 30.4, 18 μg/m3 at CB, CM, DH and HN, respectively. Organic matter and EC accounted for 21%-33% and 1.3%-2.3% of PM2.5 mass, respectively. The sum of three dominant secondary ions (SO42-, NO3-, NH4+) accounted for 44%, 50%, 45% and 16% of local PM2.5 mass at CB, CM, DH and HN, respectively. WSOC comprised 35%-65% of OC. The sources of PM2.5 include especially important regional anthropogenic pollutions at Chinese forest areas.     

北京地区2003～2007年人类活动氮累积状况研究

人类活动引起的生态系统的氮输入和累积对区域环境特别是水环境有着潜在的重要影响.引入人类活动净氮累积的概念(net anthropogenic nitrogen accumulation,NANA),将NANA定义为人类活动氮的输入和输出之差,它是通过大气沉降、肥料应用、人类食物和动物饲料、氮固定和河流的累积这五项来计算...     

Millennial mercury records derived from ornithogenic sediment on Dongdao Island, South China Sea

Two ornithogenic sediment cores, which have a time span of 1000 years and are influenced by red-footed booby (Sula sula), were collected from Dongdao Islands, South China Sea. The determined mercury concentrations of the two cores show similar and substantial fluctuations during the past millennium, and the fluctuations are most likely caused by the changes in mercury level of the ocean environment and in anthropogenic Hg emission. For the past 500 years, the mercury concentration in the red-footed booby excrement has a striking association with global anthropogenic mercury emission. The mercury concentration increased rapidly after AD 1600 in corresponding to beginning of the unparalleled gold and silver mining in South Central America that left a large volume of anthropogenic mercury pollution. Since the Industrial Revolution, the mercury level has increased at a fast pace, very likely caused by modern coal combustion, chlor-alkali and oil refining industries. The comparison of mercury profiles from different places on earth suggested that anthropogenic mercury pollution after the Industrial Revolution is more severe in Northern Hemisphere than in Antarctica.     

广东省春季一次酸雨过程的数值模拟

采用WRF/Chem模式对2004年4月6—8日发生在广东省一次典型冷锋酸雨过程的气象场和污染物分布进行数值模拟,分析此次酸雨过程中致酸污染物SO2、NOx、硫酸盐气溶胶和硝酸盐气溶胶的主要分布特征,进而探讨此次酸雨的成因.结果表明,冷锋过境前,边界层高度较低,不利于污染物扩散,主要是局地排放致酸;冷锋过境形成了逆温层,污染物在逆温层内成片状均匀分布,使广东省出现大范围的酸雨.污染物浓度分布的模拟结果表明:SO2以本地源为主;NOx扩散范围较SO2广,分布更均匀;硫酸盐气溶胶和硝酸盐气溶胶6日主要分布在粤北,7日成大范围片状分布,与pH值的分布特征相似.     

Spreading the News on Carbon Capture and Storage: A State-Level Comparison of US Media

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has received abundant federal support in the USA as an energy technology to mitigate climate change, yet its position within the energy system remains uncertain. Because media play a significant role in shaping public conversations about science and technology, we analyzed media portrayal of CCS in newspapers from four strategically selected states. We grounded the analysis in Luhmann's theory of social functions, operationalized through the socio-political evaluation of energy deployment (SPEED) framework. Coverage emphasized economic, political/legal, and technical functions and focused on benefits, rather than risks of adoption. Although news coverage connected CCS with climate change, the connection was constrained by political/legal functions. Media responses to this constraint indicate how communication across multiple social functions may influence deployment of energy technologies.     

Using historical spy satellite photographs and recent remote sensing data to identify high-conservation-value forests

High-conservation-value forests (HCVFs) are critically important for biodiversity and ecosystem service provisioning, but they face many threats. Where systematic HCVF inventories are missing, such as in parts of Eastern Europe, these forests remain largely unacknowledged and therefore often unprotected. We devised a novel, transferable approach for detecting HCVFs based on integrating historical spy satellite images, contemporary remote sensing data (Landsat), and information on current potential anthropogenic pressures (e.g., road infrastructure, population density, demand for fire wood, terrain). We applied the method to the Romanian Carpathians, for which we mapped forest continuity (1955–2019), canopy structural complexity, and anthropogenic pressures. We identified 738,000 ha of HCVF. More than half of this area was identified as susceptible to current anthropogenic pressures and lacked formal protection. By providing a framework for broad-scale HCVF monitoring, our approach facilitates integration of HCVF into forest conservation and management. This is urgently needed to achieve the goals of the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy to maintain valuable forest ecosystems.