Mowers versus growers: Riparian buffer management in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains,USA

Despite long-standing knowledge of the benefits of riparian buffers for mitigating nonpoint source pollution, many streams are unprotected by buffers. Even landowners who understand ecological values of buffers mow riparian vegetation to the streambank. Do trends in rural riparian conditions reflect the development of riparian forest science? What motivates residential riparian management actions? Using high-resolution orthoimagery, we quantified riparian conditions and trends between 1998 and 2015 in the rural upper Little Tennessee River basin in Macon County, North Carolina and explored how landowners view riparian zone management and riparian restoration programs. Buffer composition in 2015 was as follows: no buffer (32.5%), narrow (19.3%), forested (26.7%), shrub (7.2%), and intermediate (7.0%). Relative to 1998, the greatest decrease occurred in the no buffer class (−17.7%, 46 km) and the largest increases occurred in the shrub (+72.5%, 20 km) and narrow (12.6%, 14 km) classes. Forested buffer marginally increased. Semi-structured interview data suggest that landowners prioritize recreational and scenic aspects of riparian buffers over ecological functions such as filtration and bank stabilization. Riparian restoration programs might be made more enticing to non-adopters if outreach language appealed to landowner priorities, design elements demonstrated intentional management, and program managers highlighted areas where ecological goals and landowner values align.     

Combined Effects of Levels of Protection and Environmental Variables at Different Spatial Resolutions on Fish Assemblages in a Marine Protected Area

Abstract: The links between species–environment relations and species’ responses to protection are unclear, but the objectives of marine protected areas (MPAs) are most likely to be achieved when those relations are known and inform MPA design. The components of a species’ habitat vary with the spatial resolution of the area considered. We characterized areas at two resolutions: 250 m² (transect) and approximately 30,000 m² (seascape). We considered three categories of environmental variables: substrate type, bottom complexity, and depth. We sought to determine at which resolution habitat characteristics were a better predictor of abundance and species composition of fishes and whether the relations with environmental variables at either resolution affected species’ responses to protection. Habitat features accounted for a larger proportion of spatial variation in species composition and abundances than differences in protection status. This spatial variation was explained best by habitat characteristics at the seascape level than at the transect level. Species’ responses to protected areas were specific to particular seascape characteristics, primarily depth, and bottom complexity. Our method may be useful for prioritizing marine areas for protection, designing MPAs, and monitoring their effectiveness. It identified areas that provided natural shelter, areas acting as buffer zones, and areas where fish species were most responsive to protection. The identification of such areas is necessary for cost‐effective establishment and monitoring of MPAs.     

Structure and activity of thermophilic methanogenic microbial communities exposed to quaternary ammonium sanitizer

Food processing facilities often use antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) sanitizers to maintain cleanliness. These QACs can end up in wastewaters used as feedstock for anaerobic digestion. The aim of this study was to measure the effect of QAC contamination on biogas production and structure of microbial communities in thermophilic digester sludge. Methane production and biogas quality data were analyzed in batch anaerobic digesters containing QAC at 0, 15, 50, 100 and 150 mg/L. Increasing sanitizer concentration in the bioreactors negatively impacted methane production rate and biogas quality. Microbial community composition data was obtained through 16S rRNA gene sequencing from the QAC-contaminated sludges. Sequencing data showed no significant restructuring of the bacterial communities. However, significant restructuring was observed within the archaeal communities as QAC concentration increased. Further studies to confirm these effects on a larger scale and with a longer retention time are necessary.     

京津冀区域燃煤发电行业大气污染物排放时空变化特征研究

为了科学评估京津冀区域燃煤发电行业特别排放限值和超低排放相关要求实施后的大气污染物减排效果,以行业调查数据为基础,建立了2013年和2015年京津冀区域燃煤发电行业大气污染物排放清单,分析了装机容量与SO_2、NO_x和烟尘排放量的时空耦合关系,讨论了国家相关政策和标准的实施效果。结果显示:区域内2015年燃煤机组装机容量与2013年相比略有下降,SO_2、NO_x和烟尘排放量分别下降75.95%、83.09%和71.20%,减排效果明显。2015年100 MW以下等级机组3种污染物排放总量位居各机组首位,建议通过多种合理方式压减小型燃煤发电机组数量和排放浓度。     

福建省工业CO2排放效率评价研究

运用基于非期望产出、非径向、非角度的SBM-DEA模型,对2005年-2014年福建省工业35个行业CO2排放效率进行评价,然后通过行业效率值动态聚类深入揭示福建省工业行业CO2排放特质,最后提出福建省工业低碳发展的建议.研究表明:福建省工业存在较大的节能减排空间,高效率行业具有技术进步显著的优势,中效率行业效率值受贸易结构影响,低效率行业普遍存在产能过剩的问题.因此,福建省工业低碳转型需要调整能源消费结构、推进低碳技术进步、优化贸易结构、消化过剩产能.     

构建中国快递行业包装废弃物产业链对环境影响重要性研究

互联网和电子商务的快速发展带动了快递行业的飞速发展,使社会对快递包装物的需求增加.庞大的快递废弃物给环境造成了严重的破坏.然而由于相关法律不健全、回收体系不完整、企业不积极以及回收渠道少等原因导致了中国的快递包装废弃物回收率非常低.构建快递包装废弃物回收产业链,并降低快递包装废弃物对环境造成的影响就成了社会经济发展的一个迫切需要.为此推广环保材料和环保产品以及提高消费者环保意识入手,构建快递包装废弃物回收产业链势在必行.     

我国水泥工业碳排放特征及动态变化分析

水泥工业是温室气体二氧化碳(CO2)的主要排放源,利用碳排放数学模型计算2001-2010年我国水泥工业碳的排放量,分析碳排放量的变化特点和发展趋势。结果表明:水泥工业碳排放总量逐年增长,与水泥产量和排放强度呈线性关系。"十一五"期间单位产品碳排放强度由0.69 t/t下降到0.65 t/t。万元GDP碳排放量2008年达到最低值为0.295 1 t,平均每年万元GDP碳排放量下降2.85%。水泥工业十年间实施节能降耗、资源循环利用、提高经济效益等措施,对于减少碳排放具有明显效果。     

新颖性染料脱色菌株的筛选及脱色效果研究

文章首次尝试以新颖筛选方法对台湾及大陆两岸当地微生物自然生态中,以非偶氮染料脱色作为优势筛选条件,以筛选出可有效电子传递于非偶氮染料RB198脱色的混菌,再进行优势纯化分离,以得到可对非偶氮染料具有强电子传递脱色能力的菌株。再藉此特性来研究其对偶氮染料电子传递生物脱色的特性。结果表明,通过脱色测试及蛋白质电泳初步筛选出4种对非偶氮染料RB198具有较优异脱色能力的菌株,并进行16S rRNA分析,此4株纯菌分别为Microvirgula aerodenitrificans,Acinetobacter guillouiae,Pseudomonas sp.,Rahnella aquatilis。其中Rahnella aquatilis DX2b,Microvirgula aerodenitrificans SH7b为脱色新菌株,文章首度发表其具有脱色性能,对非偶氮染料RB198及偶氮染料RB160,OrangeⅠ有优异脱色能力。     

城市绿色建筑与可持续发展探析

结合我国国情,对绿色建筑的基本概念和要达到的目标进行了分析。综合可持续发展评价体系以及我国目前在绿色建筑方面的发展进程,提出全面推进绿色建筑,完善建筑业可持续发展体系的措施建议。     

浦东新区“十二五”主要工业污染物排放总量预测及控制对策研究

文章以2010年污染源普查动态更新数据为基础,分析了目前浦东新区主要工业污染物的排放现状,掌握了浦东新区工业源主要能源消耗及污染物排放情况,重点工业源主要污染物行业分布和时空分布。根据浦东新区社会经济发展和环境保护的实际情况,采用情景分析法,设置三种不同工业增加值年增长率情景对浦东新区2015年主要工业污染物的排放量进行了预测,并结合浦东新区“十二五”主要污染物排放总量控制目标作了可达性分析,在此基础上,提出了浦东新区“十二五”主要工业污染物总量控制的对策措施。