Regional monitoring of lead and cadmium contamination in a tropical grazing land site,Thailand

An investigation was carried out to monitor Pb and Cd contamination in grazing land located near a highway. Environmental media at different distances fromhighway (soil, grass, water, cow's forage, fertilizer,manure and milk samples) were collected from three samplinglocations. Soil and grass were characterized by high metalmobility (soil with Pb: 5.25±0.71–14.59±1.17 mgkg^-1, dry mass and Cd: 0.038–0.33±0.04 mg kg^-1, dry mass and grass with Pb: 0.76±0.05–6.62±0.18 mg kg^-1, dry mass and Cd: 0.17±0.01–0.73±0.09 mg kg^-1, dry mass). One-way analysis of variane (ANOVA) was applied to find out the correlation between metal (total and bioavailable) concentrationsin the soil and the distance from roadside. In most cases, the finding showed that plants growing nearer to the highway are usually exposed to more heavy metal accumulations than those awayfrom the highway. In addition, a correlation was established between plant available metal concentrations and plant metaluptake concentrations.Analysis of fertilizer and manure showed considerable amountof metals (fertilizer with Pb: 1.53±0.06 mg kg^-1 andCd: 0.038 mg kg^-1 and manure with Pb: 2.55–3.34 mgkg^-1 and Cd: 0.14–0.31 mg kg^-1). Long termsimultaneous application of fertilizer and manure on thecommercial farm showed higher metal accumulation in the soiland plants than those of co-operative farm Considerableconcentrations of metals (Pb: 1.60–2.94 mg kg^-1 andCd: 0.025–0.19 mg kg^-1) were observed in fodder. The finding clearly demonstrated that there are seasonalvariation in total daily metal intake by individual cow (Pb:109.37 mg day^-1 (dry), 273.47 mg day^-1 (rainy) andCd: 2.02 mg day^-1 (dry), 19.62 mg day^-1 (rainy)).The provisional tolerable weekly intake of heavy metals incows is 390 g Pb and 28 g Cd per kg bodyweight in the rainy season and 156 g Pb and 2 gCd per kg body weight in the dry season. The levels of metals (Pb: 0.014 mg L^-1 and Cd: not detectable) and bio-transferfactor (10^-5–10^-4) in raw milk were found to be well below the Codex Alimentarius Commissions Draft (1997). Ouranalysis revealed that improvements on farm management give significant reduction in elevated levels of Pb and Cdin soil and plants, and however leads to minimize the amountof Pb and Cd in consumed milk.     

人类活动对北京东灵山地区景观格局影响分析

干扰改变景观格局,同时又受景观格局的影响,干扰是景观异质性的一个主要来源。应用ＩＬＷＩＳ地理信息系统,以１∶２００００植被图为基础,结合野外考察,分析了北京东灵山地区森林景观空间格局,采用缓冲区分析方法,研究了人类活动对该地区森林景观格局的影响。研究结果表明,在东灵山地区,人类活动的强弱与景观的破碎化表现出一定的相关性。人类作用强的地区斑块面积较小,作用弱的地区斑块面积较大,人类的活动对该地区的景观破碎化产生了明显的影响。随着距所选择的干扰区的远近,几个景观多样性指数没有表现出有规律的大小变化。虽然该地区人类活动有愈来愈强的趋势,但目前决定该地区景观空间格局的因子主要还是自然要素,人类活动虽然也对该区的景观格局产生了一定的影响,但还不是决定因素     

Environmentally stratified sampling design for the development of Great Lakes environmental indicators

Understanding the relationship between human disturbance and ecological response is essential to the process of indicator development. For large-scale observational studies, sites should be selected across gradients of anthropogenic stress, but such gradients are often unknown for a population of sites prior to site selection. Stress data available from public sources can be used in a geographic information system (GIS) to partially characterize environmental conditions for large geographic areas without visiting the sites. We divided the U.S. Great Lakes coastal region into 762 units consisting of a shoreline reach and drainage-shed and then summarized over 200 environmental variables in seven categories for the units using a GIS. Redundancy within the categories of environmental variables was reduced using principal components analysis. Environmental strata were generated from cluster analysis using principal component scores as input. To protect against site selection bias, sites were selected in random order from clusters. The site selection process allowed us to exclude sites that were inaccessible and was shown to successfully distribute sites across the range of environmental variation in our GIS data. This design has broad applicability when the goal is to develop ecological indicators using observational data from large-scale surveys.     

Ice Storm Damage and Early Recovery in an Old-Growth Forest

We quantified the damage causedby a major ice storm to individual trees in two1-ha permanent plots located at Mont St. Hilairein southwestern Québec, Canada. The storm, whichoccurred in January 1998, is the worst on recordin eastern North America; glaze ice on the orderof 80–100 mm accumulated at our study site. Allbut 3% of the trees (DBH 10 cm) lost at leastsome crown branches, and 35% lost more than halftheir crown. Damage to trees increased in the order: Tsuga canadensis, Betula alleghaniensis, Ostrya virginiana, Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Quercus rubra, Betula papyrifera, Acer rubrum, Tilia americana, and Fraxinus americana. Only 22% of the saplings and small trees (4 cm < DBH < 10 cm)escaped being broken or pinned to the ground byfalling material. Levels of damage generally weregreater in an exposed ridge top forest than in acove protected from wind. By August 1999 only53% of the trees had new shoots developing fromthe trunk or broken branches; among the moredominant canopy trees, Fagus grandifoliahad the least sprouting and Acer saccharumand Quercus rubra the most. We anticipateand will monitor both significant turnover in thetree community and some shift in composition ofthe canopy dominants.     

不同放牧强度影响下的土壤剪切力空间变化

在内蒙古锡林河流域建立典型羊草植被覆盖下围封、冬季放牧和过度放牧试验区以及典型大针茅植被覆盖下围封和持续放牧试验区。在长135 m,宽105 m,共计100个测量点的空间区域测量土壤剪切力并研究其空间变化情况。结果表明,土壤含水量是引起区域土壤剪切力变化的主要因素,而放牧是引起土壤剪切力空间变异的关键因子,其途径主要是通过改变土壤结构、土壤含水量以及植被状况。过度放牧严重破坏土壤结构导致的土壤剪切力最小。适度放牧因局部干扰,土壤剪切力的空间分布具有清晰的递变性,但这种递变性在干旱条件下减弱。而围封仅在土壤含水量与植被根系的作用下并未形成类似前者的空间分布形式。这说明在适度放牧的干预下,土壤剪切力的空间分布具有相对稳定性。     

Modelling the responses of wildlife to human disturbance: An evaluation of alternative management scenarios for black-crowned night-herons

The impact of anthropogenic disturbance on wildlife is increasing becoming a source of concern as the popularity of outdoor recreation rises. There is now more pressure on site managers to simultaneously ensure the continued persistence of wildlife and provide recreational opportunities. Using ‘Simulation of Disturbance Activities’, a model designed to investigate the impact of recreational disturbance on wildlife, we demonstrate how a simulation modelling approach can effectively inform such management decisions. As an example, we explored the implications of various design and management options for a proposed recreational area containing a historic breeding bird colony. By manipulating the proximity, orientation and intensity of recreation, we were able to evaluate the impact of recreational activities on the behaviour of black-crowned night-heron nestlings (Nycticorax nycticorax). Using a classification and regression tree (CART) procedure to analyse simulation output, we explored the dynamics of multiple strategies in concert. Our analysis revealed that there are inherent advantages in implementing multiple strategies as opposed to any single strategy. Nestlings were not disturbed by recreation when bird-watching facility placement (proximity and orientation) and type were considered in combination. In comparison, proximity alone only led to a <10% reduction in disturbance. Thus we demonstrate how simulation models based on customised empirical data can bridge the gap between field studies and active management, enabling users to test novel management scenarios that are otherwise logistically difficult. Furthermore, such models potentially have broad application in understanding human-wildlife interactions (e.g. exploring the implications of roads on wildlife, probability of bird strikes around airports, etc.). They therefore represent a valuable decision-making tool in the ecological design of urban infrastructures.     

Exploring alternative states in ecological systems with a qualitative analysis of community feedback

Demonstrating and predicting the existence of alternative states in natural communities remains a challenge for ecologists and is essential for resource managers. Positive feedback is often presented as central in maintaining alternative ecosystem states, but no formal approach relates this part of theory to real world applications. Through qualitative modelling of community response to long-term perturbations, we define generic mechanistic links between positive feedback and the occurrence of alternative states. Positive feedback diminishes a system's overall resistance to change, and can create and maintain correlations in the relative abundance of variables that coincide with alternative states.Through specific models of the dynamics of Tasmanian rocky-reef communities, which are affected by climate and fishing and persist within alternative states, we demonstrate the ability of our theoretical framework to predict alternative states in ecosystems and inform management intervention. A qualitative knowledge of community structure permits a thorough analysis of system feedback and an assessment of the potential for an ecosystem to exhibit alternative states. We illustrate the usefulness of the approach to inform management priorities, and to focus monitoring and field research on the key drivers of ecosystem dynamics.     

Floral biodiversity: a question of survival in the Indian Thar Desert

The Thar Desert of North-west India has sprung into prominence recently because of nuclear testing in 1998. It occupies about 3 million km² of diverse habitat. Each of the various habitats and landforms in the desert supports distinctive plants. 682 plant species have been identified including 107 grasses. Plants are removed for fuel, fodder, fencing and other farming, domestic and commercial purposes. There are about 200 species of plants with recognised medicinal uses in the desert. The medicinal usefulness of others is yet to be established. Commiphora wightii, Withania somnifera and Urginia indica have high glycoside content and are valued for gums and used in ayurvedic medicines for enhancing mental retention and memory enhancement. Such plants are being indiscriminately exploited for fuelwood.     

放牧对草原土壤N2O产生及微生物的影响

利用AIM乙炔抑制法,首次测试了我国内蒙古放牧和非放牧羊草草原土壤N₂O产生的微生物过程;通过分析不同类型草原土壤N₂O产生的微生物过程和相关微生物菌群的季节变化,研究了放牧行为对于草原土壤N₂O微生物产生过程的影响.放牧行为改变了土壤结构,有利于土壤微生物反硝化作用的发生,在一定程度上降低了草原土壤N₂O的排放.揭示了内蒙古草原土壤N₂O产生是以异养硝化作用过程为主的微生物过程,解释了内蒙古典型草原土壤N₂O通量较低和其季节变化的微生物学机理.     

电磁兼容发射测量中的不确定度

本文着重分析电磁兼容发射测量中的不确定度。以评定电源端子骚扰电压的不确定度为例,介绍发射测量不确定度的目的、不确定度源的种类、不确定度报告的评定方法及其Ucispr和不确定度在符合性判据中的运用。