Compromise solutions to the acid deposition control problem: a theoretical model and some simulation results

Acid deposition is a muitifaceted environmental phenomenon whose control represents one of the most controversial environmental policy areas. Because of the longrange transport of air pollutants contributing to acid deposition, its control is the responsibility of more than one region. Given the interdependence between the economic and environmental impacts of acid deposition as well as the interregional conflicts over its control, the present article proposes an interregional integrated economic-environmental model for the study of the impacts of acid deposition control policies. This model is solved with the use of a compromise programming procedure which facilitates the explicit treatment of conflicting regional goals. After the theoretical and operational forms and the solution procedure of the proposed model are described, the use of the model is illustrated with a simulation example using the 1963 MRIO accounts and hypothetical environmental data. The compromise programming procedure can form the basis for interactive decision processes when policy makers are exposed to the solutions yielded by the model. The model's usefulness and future research directions are discussed.     

Acid deposition in aquatic ecosystems: Setting limits empirically

The problem of acid deposition and its harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems has created a new branch of science that is called upon to provide the knowledge on which legislative controls can be based. However, because of the nature of existing legislation, which requires evidence of cause and effect between industrial emissions and pollution, and because of science's inability to provide this information over the short term, considerable controversy has arisen about whether sufficient information exists to warrant control measures at this time. Among those who advocate controls, there is genuine divergence of opinion about how stringent the controls must be to achieve any desired level of protection.The controversy has led to an impasse between the scientific and political participants, which is reflected in the slow pace of progress toward an effective management strategy. Resolution of the impasse, at least in the short term, may demand that science and politics rely on empirical models rather than explanatory ones. The empirical model, which is the major proposal in this article, integrates all of the major variables and many of the minor ones, and constructs a three-dimensionally curved surface capable of representing the status of any waterbody subjected to the effects of acid deposition. When suitably calibrated—a process involving the integration of knowledge and data from aquatic biology, geochemistry, meteorology, and limnology—it can be used to depict limits to the rate of acid deposition required for any level of environmental protection. Because it can generate a pictorial display of the effects of management decisions and legislative controls, the model might serve as a basis for enhancing the quality of communication among all the scientific and political participants and help to resolve many of their controversies.     

MOUND FORMATION AT CULVERT OUTLETS1

ABSTRACT One component of the local scour process near a culvert outlet is the formation of an aggraded mound downstream of the scour area. This investigation presents a series of observations and empirical relationships depicting the formation, growth, and estimated maximum dimensions of a mound in a uniformly graded sand material due to clear water scour. The maximum dimensions of the mound were correlated to the discharge intensity (Qg^-0.5 D^-2.5), the maximum dimensions of the scour hole, time, and tailwater elevation. The concept of an approximate area of scour influence was developed relating the mound width, scour hole length, and mound length as a function of the culvert diameter and discharge intensity.     

A DECISION MODEL TO PREDICT SEDIMENT YIELD FROM FOREST PRACTICES1

ABSTRACT: In order to choose among “best management practices,” forest managers need to predict sediment yield to perennial streams following various forest land operations. The “universal soil loss equation” (USLE) is not directly applicable to forest operations because of the heterogenous soil surface conditions left by harvesting, site preparation, and planting. A sediment hazard index is proposed, to be based on the amount of exposed mineral soil and its proximity to streams. The model offered includes rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility and average land slope, together with the index W. A paired watershed experiment in the central Georgia Piedmont was used to estimate parameters in the model. The experimental basin (80 acres) was clearcut, drum roller chopped twice, and planted by machine. The standard error of estimate of sediment yield was computed to be about 50/lbs/ac per sampling period (four months). Use of William's erogivity index (storm flow times peak flow) reduced the standard error to 33/lbs/ac.     

Atmospheric Deposition of Reactive Nitrogen on Turf Grassland in Central Japan: Comparison of the Contribution of Wet and Dry Deposition

The atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen on turf grassland in Tsukuba, central Japan, was investigated from July 2003 to December 2004. The target components were ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite ions for wet deposition and gaseous ammonia, nitric and nitrous acids, and particulate ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite for dry deposition. Organic nitrogen was also evaluated by subtracting the amount of inorganic nitrogen from total nitrogen. A wet-only sampler and filter holders were used to collect precipitation and the atmospheric components, respectively. An inferential method was applied to calculate the dry deposition velocity of gases and particles, which involved the effects of surface wetness and ammonia volatilization through stomata on the dry deposition velocity. The mean fraction of the monthly wet to total deposition was different among chemical species; 37, 77, and 1% for ammoniacal, nitrate-, and nitrite-nitrogen, respectively. The annual deposition of inorganic nitrogen in 2004 was 47 and 48 mmol m⁻² yr⁻¹ for wet and dry deposition, respectively; 51% of atmospheric deposition was contributed by dry deposition. The annual wet deposition in 2004 was 20, 27, and 0.07 mmol m⁻² yr⁻¹, and the annual dry deposition in 2004 was 35, 7.4, and 5.4 mmol m⁻² yr⁻¹ for ammoniacal, nitrate-, and nitrite-nitrogen, respectively. Ammoniacal nitrogen was the most important reactive nitrogen because of its remarkable contribution to both wet and dry deposition. The median ratio of the organic nitrogen concentration to total nitrogen was 9.8, 17, and 15% for precipitation, gases, and particles, respectively.     

基于GIS的2.5维场地地震液化势概率评价

用具有概率意义的饱和砂土抗液化强度经验公式对2.5维工程场地进行了地震液化势概率评价,通过Kriging法对目标场地区域进行空间插值,可以对大区域工程场地的液化深度和液化范围进行分析评价;采用不规则三角网表面和四面体综合法共同描述地质体模型,在GIS的3维分析模块支持下建立了液化势可视化模型。研究表明:Kriging法通过已勘测点的土层地震液化势来估计未勘测点的土层地震液化势,能够较好地区划出场地地震液化势的空间分布特征,并对待估点进行预测;利用GIS的3维分析模块,实现2.5维场地地震液化势可视化模型的建立是一条有效的技术路线。     

Direct and Indirect Effects of Soil Pollution by Lignite Mining

Lignite mining and processing has caused a pronounced impact both directly and indirectly on soils and ecosystems across large areas of the former GDR. We studied soils of pine forest ecosystems at sites affected by severe alkaline dust and sulphur deposition, stemming from lignite fired power plant emission, and at dumped sites from lignite mining. In this paper we summarize our main results and evaluate the long-term impact of lignite mining and combustion on the environment. The pine ecosystems on naturally developed soils show a clear effect of deposition history along a former deposition gradient with distinct changes in chemical properties of organic surface layers and mineral soil as well as in element turnover and cycling rates. Afforested sites on mining dumps are directly affected by the composition of the dumped substrates. Over a large area (800 km²) these substrates are dominated by Tertiary sediments with varying amounts of lignitic particles and pyrite that result in phytotoxic site conditions (pH < 3, high salt and metal contents). High amelioration doses of liming material (up to 200 t ha⁻¹) were applied for restoration purposes. We studied the development of these sites over a period of 60 years using a false-time series approach. Beside the extreme soil conditions, element budgets of these sites are characterized by very high element release rates over decades caused by pyrite oxidation and primary mineral weathering.     

论综合型休闲娱乐场所环境影响评价的工作重点

娱乐及餐饮业近年来发展迅速，开展这类项目的环境影响评价工作首先应确保其环保审批手续的前置性。环评单位应在项目筹划初期介入，工作中应以项目合理选址和提出具有可操作性的污染防治措施这两个侧重面开展工作，作出准确的评价结论，给出可行的污染防治措施及方案。只有这样，才能编制出较为完善的环境影响评价文件，才能达到预防或减轻不良环境影响的最终目的。     

人类活动对城市地下水影响的探讨

通过对城市地下水包气带特征、地下水的排泄和补给特征、雨水排泄特征的系统分析，认为由于城市地下水系统受自然条件和人为因素双重作用的控制使之表现出与自然状态下完全不同的特征：由于地表的硬化，城市包气带由三层结构变为四层结构，即地表硬化层、土壤水带、中间带和毛细水带；城市地区的人文历史沉积也会对包气带造成影响；雨水主要通过城市的排水系统排泄。地下水主要通过人工开采排泄，都表现出集中排泄的特点。文中还对酸沉降对城市地区地下水水质和包气带性质可能受到的影响进行了初步的分析。     

Ecophysiological responses of winter wheat seedling to aerosol wet deposition of Xi’an area, China

Aerosol leads to 30% reduction in solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface, and a similar reduction in crops yield for both wheat and rice. To determine the effect of aerosol wet deposition on crops, aerosol samples were collected in September, 2006 at Xi’an urban suburb (34?44 N, 109?49 E), and wheat seedlings were treated with aerosol of different concentrations in laboratory conditions. Changes in physiological and biochemical parameters of wheat seedlings were measured. In comparison with the control, the activities of superoxide dismudase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the concentration malondialdehyde (MDA) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) of wheat seedlings increased progressively with increasing concentrations of added aerosol, while the opposite trend was seen for the activities of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), the concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO), and the ratio of GSH/GSSG. When the seedlings were treated with the aerosol of 1 and 2 mg/L, the coleoptile elongation, shoot elongation and biomass accumulation were increased, the effect at treatment of 2 mg/L was most significant. However, aerosol treatments with rates of 3 and 4 mg/L resulted in a decrease in coleoptile elongation, shoot elongation and biomass accumulation in seedlings, and significant effect was for the treatment of 4 mg/L. Hence, lower concentrations of aerosol wet deposition were in favor of crops growth, but its higher concentrations could result in deleterious effects for crops and decreased crops growth.