Specific Conductance and pH as Indicators of Watershed Disturbance in Streams of the New Jersey Pinelands, USA

/ We used linear regression to independently and jointly relate specific conductance and pH measured at New Jersey Pinelands stream sites to the percentage of altered land in a watershed. Percentage altered land included developed and agricultural land uses and represented watershed disturbance for a given site. Median values calculated for a 2-year period (September 1992 through August 1994) characterized pH and specific conductance at the study sites. We found the relationships between the median values for both water-quality measures and percentage altered land for a site to be consistent across subregion and dominant altered-land use. Our results also demonstrated that the water-quality/altered-land relationships developed using median values were similar to relationships developed using data from any single-sample period within the entire study period. Individually, pH and specific conductance explained 48% and 56%, respectively, of the variability in watershed disturbance among study sites. The joint use of pH and specific conductance explained 79% of the watershed disturbance variability among sites. The joint use of these easily obtained water-quality measures can provide a quick assessment of instream water-quality impacts from upstream watershed disturbance at any Pinelands stream site. Additionally, a range in pH and specific conductance, and hence a range in ambient water quality, can be predicted for a given altered-land percentage or a change in existing altered-land conditions.     

Hydrological Connectivity Between Headwater Streams and Downstream Waters: How Science Can Inform Policy1

Abstract: In January 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers exceeded its statutory authority by asserting Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction over non‐navigable, isolated, intrastate waters based solely on their use by migratory birds. The Supreme Court’s majority opinion addressed broader issues of CWA jurisdiction by implying that the CWA intended some “connection” to navigability and that isolated waters need a “significant nexus” to navigable waters to be jurisdictional. Subsequent to this decision (SWANCC), there have been many lawsuits challenging CWA jurisdiction, many of which are focused on headwater, intermittent, and ephemeral streams. To inform the legal and policy debate surrounding this issue, we present information on the geographic distribution of headwater streams and intermittent and ephemeral streams throughout the U.S., summarize major findings from the scientific literature in considering hydrological connectivity between headwater streams and downstream waters, and relate the scientific information presented to policy issues surrounding the scope of waters protected under the CWA. Headwater streams comprise approximately 53% (2,900,000 km) of the total stream length in the U.S., excluding Alaska, and intermittent and ephemeral streams comprise approximately 59% (3,200,000 km) of the total stream length and approximately 50% (1,460,000 km) of the headwater stream length in the U.S., excluding Alaska. Hillslopes, headwater streams, and downstream waters are best described as individual elements of integrated hydrological systems. Hydrological connectivity allows for the exchange of mass, momentum, energy, and organisms longitudinally, laterally, vertically, and temporally between headwater streams and downstream waters. Via hydrological connectivity, headwater, intermittent and ephemeral streams cumulatively contribute to the functional integrity of downstream waters; hydrologically and ecologically, they are a part of the tributary system. As this debate continues, scientific input from multiple fields will be important for policymaking at the federal, state, and local levels and to inform water resource management regardless of the level at which those decisions are being made. Strengthening the interface between science, policy, and public participation is critical if we are going to achieve effective water resource management.     

The role of stand history in assessing forest impacts

Air pollution, harvesting practices, and natural disturbances can affect the growth of trees and forest development. To make predictions about anthropogenic impacts on forests, we need to understand how these factors affect tree growth. In this study the effect of disturbance history on tree growth and stand structure was examined by using a computer model of forest development. The model was run under the climatic conditions of east Tennessee, USA, and the results compared to stand structure and tree growth data from a yellow poplar-white oak forest. Basal area growth and forest biomass were more accurately projected when rough approximations of the thinning and fire history typical of the measured plots were included in the simulation model. Stand history can influence tree growth rates and forest structure and should be included in any attempt to assess forest impacts.     

风浪扰动对太湖水体中砷在水相-悬浮物相之间分配的影响

在太湖冬季不同风速下(0.8、1.8、2.7、3.2、4.0 m·s-1)采集了不同深度(水深0.1、1.0和1.8 m,分别记为上、中和下层)的水样,测定了水体和悬浮物中的砷含量及水质参数,计算了砷在两相之间的分配系数,以期了解在太湖生物活动最低的阶段,风浪扰动作用对砷在水相和悬浮物相之间分配的影响.结果显示,随着风浪作用的加强,水体总砷含量有所增加,相应的悬浮物总砷含量及砷的分配系数降低,说明风浪作用可以降低悬浮物吸附砷的能力,以至于促进砷从悬浮物中的释放,进而使水体中的溶解态砷增加.相关性分析及变化趋势比较分析发现,砷分配系数的降低与在风浪扰动的影响下悬浮物浓度和溶解氧的增加,以及叶绿素a浓度的下降有关.不同风速下各参数的垂向分布变化显示,风浪扰动对中下层的砷分配系数以及中层的悬浮物砷含量影响较大;风速变大时,中层溶解态砷含量升高,上层与下层溶解态砷含量降低;而风浪扰动作用对水体总砷的分层变化影响不大.悬浮物浓度、砷浓度及分配系数均在3~4 m·s-1风速下发生变化,且呈现与之前不同的分层特征.4 m·s-1可能是一个临界风速,在4 m·s-1以上的风速下风浪占主导作用,而4 m·s-1以下是湖流与风浪共同作用的结果.     

共模阻抗稳定网络的研制

为了消除辐射测试场地供电端口阻抗的差异,本文设计制作了一种共模阻抗稳定网络,可以在供电端口处提供稳定的共模阻抗。文中对该网络的技术参数、元件规格及分布参数控制提出设计方案.经实际制作与量测验证后,该稳定网络可以在30~300MHz的频段内提供稳定的阻抗(50±5?),符合设计方案的目标,利用此网络可有效消除供电端口阻抗差异引起的测试误差。     

An Adaptive‐Management Framework for Optimal Control of Hiking Near Golden Eagle Nests in Denali National Park

Abstract: Unintended effects of recreational activities in protected areas are of growing concern. We used an adaptive‐management framework to develop guidelines for optimally managing hiking activities to maintain desired levels of territory occupancy and reproductive success of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Denali National Park (Alaska, U.S.A.). The management decision was to restrict human access (hikers) to particular nesting territories to reduce disturbance. The management objective was to minimize restrictions on hikers while maintaining reproductive performance of eagles above some specified level. We based our decision analysis on predictive models of site occupancy of eagles developed using a combination of expert opinion and data collected from 93 eagle territories over 20 years. The best predictive model showed that restricting human access to eagle territories had little effect on occupancy dynamics. However, when considering important sources of uncertainty in the models, including environmental stochasticity, imperfect detection of hares on which eagles prey, and model uncertainty, restricting access of territories to hikers improved eagle reproduction substantially. An adaptive management framework such as ours may help reduce uncertainty of the effects of hiking activities on Golden Eagles.     

武宁县森林扰动及驱动因子分析

森林扰动是影响陆地生态系统的重要因子,也是影响全球碳循环的重要因素.以江西省武宁县为例,利用1986-2011年14景Landsat TM/ETM+遥感影像,通过扰动指数(disturbance index,DI)时间序列轨迹分析提取森林扰动信息,并引入经验正交函数(empirical orthogonal function,EOF)分解方法定量分析了森林扰动的时空变化规律,利用GIS深入分析了自然和社会驱动因子影响.结果表明,武宁县森林扰动在1986-1998年较强,扰动面积以1992年为最大,以地区性扰动为主;2000年以后则趋于平缓,扰动以砍伐和森林火灾为主;在空间上,扰动主要发生在近道路、低海拔、低坡度和近水地区,并受地形和交通的制约,城镇化逐渐成为该地区森林扰动的一个不可忽略的驱动因子.     

物理和摇蚊幼虫组合扰动对内源磷再生和形态转化的协同作用

为探讨物理和摇蚊幼虫组合扰动对内源磷再生和形态转化的协同作用,选取了苏州某富营养化河道为研究对象.利用室内静态培养试验和Rhizon间隙水采样技术,着重对比了单纯的摇蚊幼虫扰动和组合扰动下,上覆水、间隙水、沉积物中磷形态数量分布的变化规律.结果表明,组合扰动下,上覆水中不同形态磷含量(TP、PP、DTP、DIP)均处于较高水平,明显高于摇蚊幼虫扰动.这可归因于微生物活性的显著增加.与摇蚊幼虫扰动相比,组合扰动下,间隙水中DIP和Fe2+浓度的降低幅度和降低范围明显更大.这主要是由于物理扰动和底栖生物扰动产生的叠加效应,导致溶解氧渗透深度增加.另外,0~2 cm沉积物中,NH4Cl-P含量明显降低,Fe/Al-P明显增加,并且,NH4Cl-P和Fe/Al-P的变化幅度均在组合扰动下最大.这暗示了物理扰动和底栖生物扰动对磷再生和迁移产生的叠加效应.     

大气扰动下人－机系统建模与仿真

建立了人、机、大气环境扰动的动力学模型。形成一个便于仿真计算的人－机－环境系统模型，针对驾驶员完成俯仰跟踪任务，研究了大气扰动对驾驶员控制特性和人－机闭环特性的影响。     

西双版纳补蚌地区望天树林近20 a来物种多样性变化研究

通过对1988年和2006年西双版纳补蚌地区望天树林样方资料的比较研究,探讨了望天树林群落近20a来在物种多样性方面的变化.研究结果表明,在2006年的样方中,望天树仍然具有最大的优势度,该群落仍然是以望天树为优势种的单优群落.在群落自身演替以及外界环境干扰的影响下,幼树、灌木和藤本植物种类和数量明显增加,而草本植物和附生植物减少.分析乔木层的物种多样性变化发现,尽管2006年样方在植物种类和数量上都要高于1988年样方,但辛普森指数和均匀度指数并未增加,很可能是样方中形成了林窗的结果.另外,乔木层中物种优势度变化非常明显,少数优势种衰退了,少数变得更优势.1988年的两个样方中分别有50%和40%的物种被后来的物种所取代,物种替换现象特别显著,外界环境的干扰可能是导致物种成分替换的主要原因.图2表1参23