Elevated CO2 changes the moderate shade tolerance of yellow birch seedlings

To demonstrate the existence of light thresholds in plant growth and to examine the effects of elevated CO2 on the shade tolerance of a tree species, an experiment consisting of a completely randomized design for a total of 96 yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) seedlings was conducted with 3 light levels (2.9%, 7.7%, 26.1% of full sunlight)×2 CO2 levels (350 and 700±10 ppm) with 4 replications in a phytotron. The study proved that thresholds exist and they vary in different plant organs. In ambient CO2, the thresholds were 13.3%, 18.7%, 15.0%, 15.2%, and 15.6% of full sunlight for stem, leaf, root, total plant biomass, and the averaged value, respectively. In 700 ppm CO2, the corresponding thresholds were 16.7%, 21.3%, 18.1%, 21.7% and 19.5% for stem, leaf, root, total plant biomass, and the averaged value, respectively. The lowest threshold in the stem is an indicator of the minimal light intensity for regular growth for seedlings of this species. Below this threshold, light-stressful growth occurs. The result of a paired t-test indicated that the thresholds in elevated CO2 were significantly higher than in ambient CO2. This suggests that yellow birch will lose its moderate shade tolerance, evolutionally becoming a shade-intolerant species, and that it may become more difficult to naturally regenerate in the future.     

Heavy metal availability and impact on activity of soil microorganisms along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient

All the regulations that define a maximum concentration of metals in the receiving soil are based on total soil metal concentration. However, the potential toxicity of a heavy metal in the soil depends on its speciation and availability. We studied the effects of heavy metal speciation and availability on soil microorganism activities along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient. Microbial biomass and enzyme activity of soil contaminated with both Cu and Zn were investigated. The results showed that microbial biomass was negatively affected by the elevated metal levels. The microbial biomass-C （Cmic）/organic C （Corg） ratio was closely correlated to heavy metal stress. There were negative correlations between soil microbial biomass, phosphatase activity and NH4NO3 extractable heavy metals. The soil microorganism activity could be predicted using empirical models with the availability of Cu and Zn. We observed that 72% of the variation in phosphatase activity could be explained by the NH4NO3-extractable and total heavy metal concentration. By considering different monitoring approaches and different viewpoints, this set of methods applied in this study seemed sensitive to site differences and contributed to a better understanding of the effects of heavy metals on the size and activity of microorganisms in soils. The data presented demonstrate the relationship between heavy metals availability and heavy metal toxicity to soil microorganism along a contamination gradient.     

Toxicity assessing for chlorpyrifos-contaminated soil with three different earthworm test methods

Earthworm toxicity tests are useful tools for terrestrial risk assessment but require a hierarchy of test designs that differ in effect levels (behavior, sublethal, lethal). In this study, the toxicity of chlorpyrifos contaminated soil on earthworms was assessed. In addition to the acute and chronic tests, an avoidance response test was applied. Earthworms were exposed to sublethal and lethal concentration of chlorpyrifos, and evaluated for acute toxicity, growth, fecundity and avoidance response after a certain exposure period. The test methods covered all important ecological relevant endpoints (acute, chronic, behavioral). Concentration of 78.91 mg/kg, chlorpyrifos caused significant toxic effects in all test methods, but at lower test concentrations, only significant chronic toxic effects could be observed. In the present study, chlorpyrifos had adverse effect on growth and fecundity in earthworm exposed to 5 mg/kg chlorpyrifos after eight weeks. The avoidance response test, however, showed significant repellent effects concentration of 40 mg/kg chlorpyrifos. For chlorpyrifos, concentration affecting avoidance response was far greater than growth and fecundity, it seemed likely that earthworms were not able to escape from pesticide-contaminated soil into the clean soil in field and hence were exposed continuously to elevated concentrations of pesticides.     

Imazaquin degradation and metabolism in a sandy loam soil amended with farm litters

Irnazaquin applied in legume crops has a long residual time in soil, which often impacts safety of the susceptible crops. To increase safety of imazaquin application, two composted litters, bovine manure （BM） and chicken manure （CM）, were used to determine their effects on imazaquin environmental behavior by incorporating each kind of manure into the tested sandy loam soil at 10% （w/w）. The degradation of imazaquin in BM- and CM-amended soil was about 2.4 and 1.5 times, respectively, faster than that in unamended soil. The half-lives of imazaquin in BM-amended soil varied between 6.7 and 15.4 d over the temperature range of 20 to 40℃, and the degradation rate constant （k） increased by a factor of about 1.5 for every 10℃ change. Higher mix ratio did not significantly increase the degradation, and the optimal active degradation of imazaquin was observed approximately at the mix ratio of 10：1 of soil to BM. The different moisture levels had negligible effect on imazaquin degradation. In both unamended and BM-amended treatments, two metabolites were observed at 5, 10 and 30 d after treatment. One metabolite at retention time （RT） of 8.4 rain was identified as 2-（4- hydroxyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl） quinoline acid, originating from the loss of isopropyl group and hydroxylation at the 4-position of imidazolinone ring. The other at RT of 12.9 rain was identified as quinoline-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride, resulting from detachment of imidazolinone ring and the forming of dicarboxylic anhydride. This finding suggested that the addition of farm litters into soil might be a good management option since it can not only increase soil fertility but also contribute to increase safety of imazaquin application to the following susceptible crops.     

Adsorption thermodynamics and kinetic investigation of aromatic amphoteric compounds onto different polymeric adsorbents

The adsorption behavior of p-aminobenzoic acid and o-aminobenzoic acid onto the different polymeric adsorbents was systematically investigated as a function of the solution concentration and temperature.Experimental results indicated that the equilibrium adsorption data of the four polymeric adsorbents fitted well in the Freundlich isotherm.The adsorption capacity of multi-functional polymeric adsorbent NJ-99 was the highest,which might be attributed to the strong hydrogen-bonding interaction between the amino groups on the resin and the carboxyl group of aminobenzoic acid.The adsorption capacity of o-aminobenzoic acid onto any adsorbent was higher than p-aminobenzoic acid.Thermodynamic studies suggested the exothermic,spontaneous physical adsorption process.Adsorption kinetics results showed that the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the intraparticle mass transfer process was the rate-controlling step.     

中国土地财政地域差异与转型研究

土地财政是当前政府管理中的热点问题,分地域研究土地财政差异情况,对于提出科学合理的转型对策具有重要的理论与现实意义.总结土地财政各项收入来源发展概况,考虑土地储备抵押融资为借债收入,故只以土地出让金与土地、房产税收计算1999-2010年全国31个省(市)土地财政收入总规模,同时考虑各省(市)年均土地财政收入规模占地方财政总收入的比重(贡献率),找出土地财政情况地域差异的基本规律.进一步采用SPSS19.0层次聚类分析方法,将全国31个省(市)土地财政情况划分为5种集群类型:土地财政发展期、较旺盛期、旺盛期、中期、后期.从土地财政收入规模与增长趋势及对地方财政总收入的贡献程度,分析各集群土地财政情况存在差异的原因.在此基础上,考虑土地财政不可持续性及存在的诸多弊端,针对不同集群地域从国家层面制度改革、征收物业税、改变土地财政为动力源泉的城市化、发挥闲散土地的财政作用等4方面,提出土地财政转型的政策建议.     

川西盆周山地几种人工林的碳聚积效应研究

本文采用材积源生物量法和土壤剖面分析方法,以四川彭州为典型案例,对栽植17年的人工柳杉、杉木、水杉、桦木、桤木、喜树林的碳聚积效应进行了研究.结果表明:不同树种的生物量积累规律为:柳杉>桦木>喜树>水杉>杉木>桤木,每公顷柳杉、桦木、喜树、水杉、杉木、桤木的生物量分别为172t、162t、157t、126t、124t、111t.柳杉的生物量比桦木、喜树、水杉、杉木、桤木增加5.81%、8.72%、26.7%、27.9%、35.5%;不同树种的林分碳贮量为柳杉>桦木>喜树>水杉>杉木>桤木,柳杉、桦木、喜树、水杉、杉木、桤木林分的碳贮量分别为86.0、81.0、7＆5、63.0、62.0、55.5tC/hm2,表明柳杉比其它树种具有更强的生长能力和固碳能力;林下土壤的有机碳含量,在不同土层中的分布规律为:0～10cm>10～30cm>30～50cm>50～70cm,土壤有机碳集中分布于0～50cm土层内;不同树种林下土壤的碳贮量均高于同期的林分碳贮量,表明土壤碳库是林分碳库的补充和延续,且具有更大的固碳潜力.     

中国21世纪城市供水新概念--分质供水

结合我国城市一直使用的统一给水方式已与当前水资源紧缺,用水多样化,人们饮用水质质化的状况极不适应的情况,提出对传统的给水方式进行改革的最适宜方式是分质供水。     

HPLC测定川楝子不同采收期及不同部位中川楝素的含量

通过测定不同采收期和不同部位川楝子中川楝素的含量,为确定川楝子最佳采收期提供依据。采用高效液相色谱法,色谱柱Agilent Zorbax SB-C18（4.6mm×150mm,5μm）,流动相乙腈—水（28∶72）,流速1.0mL/min,检测波长210nm,柱温35℃。不同采收期川楝子中川楝素以1—2月间采收的含量最高;同一采收期的川楝子果核和果肉中川楝素含量最高,外果皮次之,种子中未检出川楝素。     

pH对活化前后废弃铁铝泥吸附不同种磷动力学的影响

实验研究了300℃热活化前后的给水厂废弃铁铝泥（R-FARs和H300-FARs）对正磷酸盐、聚磷酸盐和有机磷酸盐的吸附动力学特性,并考察pH对不同磷吸附动力学的影响。结果表明,pH对不同磷吸附动力学过程的影响趋势相似,即低pH有利于吸附。准二级动力学模型能够更真实地反映不同磷在R-FARs和H300-FARs的吸附动力学行为,由拟合结果可知焦磷酸盐和六肌醇磷酸盐的初始吸附速率相对较大,而甘油磷酸盐最小;且活化作用明显提高了不同磷的初始吸附速率,并减弱了pH对初始吸附速率的影响。不同磷的吸附速率受到液膜扩散、颗粒内扩散和吸附反应三者共同控制,其中吸附反应是主要的控制步骤。