Characterizing the Extent of Spatially Integrated Floodplain and Wetland Systems in the White River,Indiana, USA

Floodplain delineation may inform protection of wetland systems under local, state, or federal laws. Nationally available Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs, “100‐year floodplain” maps) focus on urban areas and higher‐order river systems, limiting utility at large scales. Few other national‐scale floodplain data are available. We acquired FIRMs for a large watershed and compared FIRMs to floodplain and integrated wetland area mapping methods based on (1) geospatial distance, (2) geomorphic setting, and (3) soil characteristics. We used observed flooding events (OFEs) with recurrence intervals of 25‐50 to >100 years to assess floodplain estimate accuracy. FIRMs accurately reflected floodplain areas based on OFEs and covered 32% of river length, whereas soil‐based mapping was not as accurate as FIRMs but characterized floodplain areas over approximately 65% of stream length. Geomorphic approaches included more areas than indicated by OFE, whereas geospatial approaches tended to cover less area. Overall, soil‐based methods have the highest utility in determining floodplains and their integrated wetland areas at large scales due to the use of nationally available data and flexibility for regional application. These findings will improve floodplain and integrated wetland system extent assessment for better management at local, state, and national scales.     

隔离曝气生物反应器处理含硫含酚碱渣

采用隔离曝气生物反应器（简称反应器）处理含硫含酚碱渣（简称碱渣）,探讨了碱渣中硫化物的去除机理．研究了反应器中的挂膜驯化过程,考察了水力停留时间、气水体积比（简称气水比）及反冲洗周期等对碱渣中硫化物、挥发酚、COD和油等污染物处理效果的影响。实验结果表明,在碱渣处理量为1m^3／h、气水比为36：1、水力停留时间为12．0h,反冲洗周期为3～5d的条件下,经过隔离曝气生物氧化工艺处理后碱渣的COD、硫化物、油和挥发酚的去除率分别为88％,99％,89％,85％,出水BOD,约为30mg／L,BOD,／COD小于0．1,处理1t碱渣的产泥量为0．17～0．26kg。     

Effects of humic acid coatings on phenanthrene sorption to black carbon

Black carbon (BC) can strongly adsorb hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs).The HOC sorption to coated BC could be attenuated in soil and sediment compared with that of the parent BC.To study the potential causes of the sorption attenuation,humic acid (HA) and BC were isolated.Phenanthrene (PHE) was selected as the representative of HOCs.BC was coated with the precipitated HA.The PHE sorption to the HA-coated BC was determined.The HA coatings on BC could result in the significant sorption attenuation of PHE to BC.The attenuation varied in different HA origin and was positively correlated to the aromaticity of HA.The attenuation could be explained by the direct competition between HA and PHE for the available sorption sites on BC and the reduction of the available sorption sites as a result of the pore blockage of BC caused by the HA coatings.Therefore,the HA coatings on BC was one potential cause of the attenuation of HOC sorption to BC in soil and sediment.     

不同铅暴露区人体离体牙铅含量和年龄关系及指示意义

人体牙釉质是记录环境铅(Pb)暴露信息的较好载体。本研究采用微波消解-电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)联用的方法测定来自高Pb暴露区(铅锌冶炼厂地区)和Pb暴露对照区(农业种植区)附近长期居住 /不同年龄段人体离体牙的Pb含量,结果显示：高Pb暴露区离体牙表现出Pb含量高且随居民年龄增长而增高的趋势,离体牙Pb含量从6—12岁儿童的(60.8±15.3) μg·g^-1增加到65岁以上老年人的(200.1±30.5) μg·g^-1;而铅暴露对照区人体离体牙Pb含量低且基本随年龄增长变化不大。Pb主要通过呼吸道和消化道进入人体并在牙齿中富集,因此,牙齿中的Pb含量与生活环境密切相关。研究结果表明：生活在高Pb暴露区的人群,环境中的Pb可能通过各种介质(空气、水、实物等)不断进入人体,其牙齿不断蓄积环境来源的Pb。因此人体离体牙Pb有可能作为人体长期Pb暴露生物标志物。     

Toxicity of 4-methylimidazole on isolated brain mitochondria: using both in vivo and in vitro methods

4-methylimidazole (4MI) is a compound widely used in various industrial and consumer applications. The most important sources of exposure include chemical caramel coloring, ammoniated molasses, dyes and pigments, rube, cleaning and agricultural chemicals. Toxicity attributed to 4MI in foods has recently become a focus of research. Recent studies showed that 4MI induced adverse changes in various target tissues. Brain is known to be a target organ for 4MI-induced toxicity but its cytotoxic mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. In this study, experiments were divided into two parts: (1) using in vivo methodology, doses of 4MI at 100, 200, or 300 mg/kg were administered orally to mice daily for 14 to obtain brain mitochondria; and (2) utilizing in vitro methodology, brain mitochondria were incubated with 4MI at 400, 800, or 1600 μM concentrations. Subsequently, the neurotoxicity of 4MI was assessed using mitochondrial dysfunction tests, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse, mitochondrial swelling, and cytochrome c release. Our results from both in vivo and in vitro experiments on isolated brain mitochondria showed a significant decrease in complex II activity and also marked elevation in the ROS formation, MMP collapse, mitochondrial swelling, and enhanced release of cytochrome c. Data indicated that 4MI induced neurotoxicity through the impairment of electron transfer chain especially at complex II and elevated ROS formation leading to subsequent oxidative stress events including mitochondrial membrane depolarization, mitochondrial swelling, and release of cytochrome c, which is the starting point of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis signaling and neurodegeneration.     

Investigation on the Degradation of Natural Heritage of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring at Dunhuang City,China

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to put forward a reasonable idea of the general protection for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, a rare and unique desert wonder, and of sustainable tourism development based on the research on the ecological environment around. Methods of documentation, case study and comparison were employed. Finally, aiming at solving the problems of natural environment and those existing after the exploitation of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring the author puts forward three measures: the comprehensive treatment for Crescent Moon Spring (broadening resources of water and reducing expenditures, checking the decreasing depth of Crescent Moon Spring, and improving the geographical environment), the general protection envisions for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring and establishing a dynamic monitoring and early-warning system of regional ecosystem.     

Conservation of Epiphyte Diversity in an Andean Landscape Transformed by Human Land Use

Abstract: Epiphytes are diverse and important elements of tropical forests, but as canopy‐dwelling organisms, they are highly vulnerable to deforestation. To assess the effect of deforestation on epiphyte diversity and the potential for epiphyte conservation in anthropogenically transformed habitats, we surveyed the epiphytic vegetation of an Ecuadorian cloud forest reserve and its surroundings. Our study was located on the western slopes of the Andes, a global center of biodiversity. We sampled vascular epiphytes of 110 study plots in a continuous primary forest; 14 primary forest fragments; isolated remnant trees in young, middle‐aged, and old pastures; and young and old secondary forests. It is the first study to include all relevant types of habitat transformation at a single study site and to compare epiphyte diversity at different temporal stages of fragmentation. Epiphyte diversity was highest in continuous primary forest, followed by forest fragments and isolated remnant trees, and lowest in young secondary forests. Spatial parameters of habitat transformation, such as fragment area, distance to the continuous primary forest, or distance to the forest edge from inside the forest, had no significant effect on epiphyte diversity. Hence, the influence of dispersal limitations appeared to be negligible or appeared to operate only over very short distances, whereas microclimatic edge effects acted only in the case of completely isolated trees, but not in larger forest fragments. Epiphyte diversity increased considerably with age of secondary forests, but species assemblages on isolated remnant trees were impoverished distinctly with time since isolation. Thus, isolated trees may serve for recolonization of secondary forests, but only for a relatively short time. We therefore suggest that the conservation of even small patches of primary forest within agricultural landscape matrices is essential for the long‐term maintenance of the high epiphyte diversity in tropical cloud forests.     

Investigation on the Degradation of Natural Heritage of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring at Dunhuang City, China

The main purpose of this study is to put forward a reasonable idea of the general protection for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, a rare and unique desert wonder, and of sustainable tourism development based on the research on the ecological environment around. Methods of documentation, case study and comparison were employed. Finally, aiming at solving the problems of natural environment and those existing after the exploitation of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring the author puts forward three measures： the comprehensive treatment for Crescent Moon Spring （broadening resources of water and reducing expenditures, checking the decreasing depth of Crescent Moon Spring, and improving the geographical environment）, the general protection envisions for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring and establishing a dynamic monitoring and early-warning system of regional ecosystem.     

形状记忆合金丝-橡胶支座钢框架隔震效果分析

根据作者开发研制的形状记忆合金丝一橡胶复合支座，建立了传统抗震结构和两种不同支座隔震结构体系的运动方程，并对某个实际工程四层钢框架结构进行了数值模拟，分析其在阪神波和El Centro波作用下的时程反应。研究表明，SMA丝一橡胶复合支座是一种很有效的隔震装置，将它用于钢框架结构，能有效地减小结构的位移、速度及加速度时程反应，而对于加速度峰值较大的阪神波的隔震效果更为明显，说明该复合支座能有效地提供罕遇地震作用下钢结构的隔震效果。     

海冰与孤立桩柱碰撞破碎模型

本文对辽东湾冰原冰与孤立桩相互作用过程进行了研究，根据高速率下冰原冰的非开裂挤压脆性破坏过程特点，将整个冰与桩柱相互作用过程分为三个阶段，通过一些适当的简化和假设，提出了这三个不同阶段孤立桩前冰的破碎过程模型，利用此破碎过程模型结合相应的力学模式计算冰与桩柱相互作用力随时间的变化。实测资料与模拟计算值比较，其结果符合较好，因此该破碎过程模型具有较好的可实用性。