Pyrophytic Properties of the Larch Larix gmelinii in Terms of Life Strategies

The pyrophytic properties of the larch Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. growing in the northern taiga of central Siberia have been studied. It has been found that, although the trees are highly combustible and fire resistance of tree stands is low, the species is highly pyrophytic, which allows it to retain its geographic range. At early stages of postfire successions, the larch exhibits characteristics of pyrogenic explerent and is subject to r-selection. When forest restoration is close to completion, the species passes into the patient state and acquires properties subject to K-selection.     

Function Zoning of the Major function Development-optimized County: A Case in Shangyu,Zhejiang

Abstract

The 11th Five Year Plan has divided national functional zones in the basic unit of county-level administrative region. After implementation of national Major Function-oriented Zones (MFOZ) at prefecture and county levels, the spatial development sequence must be specified, development intensity must be limited, oriented zones must be designated and “red line” areas of spatial governance must be defined. In view of the above, choosing a typical county area and exploring its functional zoning after orienting its major functions will supply reference for carrying out the national spatial planning in the 12th Five Year Period, and it will also provide experience for the study of function regionalization which is the theme of MFOZ in the present academic circles. In this paper, the authors take Shangyu County as an example to study the general principles, train of thought of county-level functional regionalization in development-optimized areas, and to explore its reasonable functional zoning plan. Consequently, the authors present five principles and suggest a function-oriented zoning plan with 2 levels and 4 types.     

Upward movement of plutonium to surface sediments during an 11-year field study

An 11-year lysimeter study was established to monitor the movement of Pu through vadose zone sediments. Sediment Pu concentrations as a function of depth indicated that some Pu moved upward from the buried source material. Subsequent numerical modeling suggested that the upward movement was largely the result of invading grasses taking up the Pu and translocating it upward. The objective of this study was to determine if the Pu of surface sediments originated from atmosphere fallout or from the buried lysimeter source material (weapons-grade Pu), providing additional evidence that plants were involved in the upward migration of Pu. The ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu and ²⁴²Pu/²³⁹Pu atomic fraction ratios of the lysimeter surface sediments, as determined by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectroscopy (TIMS), were 0.063 and 0.00045, respectively; consistent with the signatures of the weapons-grade Pu. Our numerical simulations indicate that because plants create a large water flux, small concentrations over multiple years may result in a measurable accumulation of Pu on the ground surface. These results may have implications on the conceptual model for calculating risk associated with long-term stewardship and monitored natural attenuation management of Pu contaminated subsurface and surface sediments.     

Oasis land-use change and its effects on the oasis eco-environment in Keriya Oasis,China

Land-use change in oases of arid zones play a significant role in the sustainable development and stability of oases. This paper presents a typical case of successful efforts to mitigate land-use change, its drivers and effects on the oasis eco-environment at Keriya Oasis in the western arid zone of China using remotely-sensed data, official statistics, and data collected by field investigation. Mathematical models were developed to quantify important elements related to land-use change, including net change and total change. The results indicate that: (1) approximately 17% of land-use types of Keriya Oasis changed between 1991 and 2002; (2) socioeconomic development, climate change, and economic polices contributed to land-use change in the oasis; (3) inappropriate human activities were the main cause of land-use change and eco-environmental degradation in the oasis; and (4) the stability of the oasis is threatened by land-use change and unexpected eco-environmental changes in the oasis and oasis–desert ecotone. The study suggests irrational human activity in arid zones, and that caution should be exercised to maintain stability and sustainable development of oases.     

郯庐断裂带皖东段与滁河断裂构造及地震活动相关性研究

郯庐断裂带皖东段与滁河断裂所处区域 ,深、浅部构造特征及动力学环境相似 ,浅层构造均为断陷盆地 ,深部构造均为地幔异常区 ,浅层构造与深部构造之间呈镜象对应关系 ,说明两者构造具有成因上的联系。在郯庐断裂带皖东段与滁河断裂上 ,现代地震活动在时间和空间上具有明显的周期性、丛集性、迁移性及相关性 ,主要表现在 :每当郯庐断裂带皖东段地震活跃幕中主要地震丛 (ML≥ 3.0 )发生前后 13年 ,相应在滁河断裂带上也会发生类似级别的地震。     

Effects of environment, vehicle and driver characteristics on risky driving behavior at work zones

This study aims to analyze the effects of environment, vehicle and driver characteristics on the risky driving behavior at work zones. A decision tree is developed using the classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm to graphically display the relationship between the risky driving behavior and its influencing factors. This approach could avoid the inherent problems occurred in the conventional logistic regression models and further improve the model prediction accuracy. Based on the Michigan M-94/I-94/I-94BL/I-94BR highway work zone driving behavior data, the decision tree comprising 33 leaf nodes is built. Bad weather, poor road and light conditions, partial/no access control, no traffic control devices, turning left/right and driving in an old vehicle are found to be associated with the risky driving behavior at work zones. The middle-aged drivers, who are going straight ahead in their vehicles with medium service time and equipped with an airbag system, are more likely to take risky behavior at lower work zone speed limits. Further, the middle-aged male drivers engage in risky driving behavior more frequently than the middle-aged female drivers. The number of lanes exhibits opposing effects on risky behavior under different traveling conditions. More specifically, the risky driving behavior is associated with the single-lane road under bad light or weather conditions while drivers are more likely to engage in risky behavior on the multi-lane road under good light conditions.     

极限平衡区顶煤自燃三维非均质动态数值模拟

为探究极限平衡区内顶煤自燃规律,利用Fluent软件对顶煤自燃进行数值模拟研究。通过对顶煤移动变形及自燃特点的分析,确定顶煤自燃过程的模拟为三维非均质动态模拟,并建立数学模型,给出相关参数及边界条件的确定方法。以恒大矿某工作面为例,对其顶煤的自燃过程进行数值模拟,并分析工作面风量及煤体耗氧速度与自然发火期之间的关系。结果表明:对计算区域进行模拟所得到的速度场、氧浓度场及温度场与现场观测结果及理论结果比较吻合;工作面风量对煤体自然发火期影响较小,而对高温区域中心点位置影响较大;煤体耗氧速率与自然发火期近似成负指数函数关系。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">A Posteriori</Emphasis> Evaluation of Strategies of Management: The Effectiveness of No-Wash Zones in Minimizing the Impacts of Boat-Wash on Macrobenthic Infauna

Wind-driven waves are important in structuring intertidal and shallow subtidal assemblages of macrobenthic infauna. In the sheltered waters of estuaries, boat-generated waves (wash) may play a similar role because they are typically of a similar amplitude or larger than wind-driven waves. However, few studies have attempted to determine the role of wash in structuring assemblages. Consequently, strategies for managing boating focus around minimization of bank erosion. Along the Parramatta River (Sydney, Australia), no-wash zones have been established and mangroves planted to minimize the erosion of riverbanks and collapse of seawalls purportedly caused by 35-m-long RiverCat ferries. Although intended to also reduce the ecological impacts of wash, it is unclear whether these strategies achieve this goal. Unvegetated and vegetated (among the pneumatophores of mangroves) sediments were sampled in wash and no-wash zones along the Parramatta River to assess the effectiveness of no-wash zones and vegetation of river banks in reducing the ecological impacts of wash. Specifically, it was hypothesized that (1) assemblages of intertidal macrobenthic infauna would differ between wash and no-wash zones of the Parramatta River and (2) these differences would be greater in unvegetated than in vegetated habitat. As predicted, assemblages of macrobenthic infauna differed between the wash and no-wash zones. Capitellids, nereids, and spionids were more abundant in the no-wash zone. Contrary to the hypothesis, differences were no greater in the unvegetated habitat than in the vegetated habitat. The results suggest an impact of wash on assemblages of macrobenthic infauana and a role for no-wash zones in minimizing the effects of this disturbance.     

Hydrochemical Buffer Assessment in Agricultural Landscapes: From Local to Catchment Scale

Non-point-source pollution of surface and groundwater is a prominent environmental issue in rural catchments, with major consequences on water supply and aquatic ecosystem quality. Among surface-water protection measures, environmental or landscape management policies support the implementation and the management of buffer zones. Although a great number of studies have focused on buffer zones, quantification of the buffer effect is still a recurring question.The purpose of this article is a critical review of the assessment of buffer-zone functioning. Our objective is to provide land planners and managers with a set of variables to assess the limits and possibilities for quantifying buffer impact at the catchment scale. We first consider the scale of the local landscape feature. The most commonly used empirical method for assessing buffers is to calculate water/nutrient budgets from inflow–outflow monitoring at the level of landscape structures. We show that several other parameters apart from mean depletion of flux can be used to describe buffer functions. Such parameters include variability, with major implication for water management. We develop a theoretical framework to clarify the assessment of the buffer effect and propose a systematic analysis taking account of temporal variability. Second, we review the current assessment of buffer effects at the catchment scale according to the theoretical framework established at the local scale. Finally, we stress the limits of direct empirical assessment at the catchment scale and, in particular, we emphasize the hierarchy in hydrological processes involved at the catchment scale: The landscape feature function is constrained by other factors (climate and geology) that are of importance at a broader spatial and temporal scale.Published on line