The case for embedding researchers in conservation agencies

Although protected areas represent a pivotal response to escalating anthropogenic threats, they face many pressures, inside and outside their boundaries. Amid these challenges, effective conservation is guided by evidence-based decision making supported by dynamic processes of learning and knowledge exchange. Although different models promote knowledge exchange, embedding research scientists within conservation agencies is best suited to supporting evidence-based conservation. Based on available literature and our experiences on several continents, we considered the benefits, challenges, and opportunities associated with embedding research scientists within conservation agencies and the research required to better understand the effectiveness of the embedding model for evidence-based conservation. Embedded researchers provide long-term commitment to building social capital among academic and nonacademic stakeholders; act as skilled gatekeepers who increase 2-way flow of knowledge between scientists and managers; attract, coordinate, and support management-relevant external research projects; drive the design and maintenance of long-term monitoring; and align their research with information needs. Notwithstanding the many benefits, research capacity of conservation agencies is declining worldwide. A significant challenge is that the values, structures, functions, and effectiveness of the embedding model of knowledge exchange remain poorly evaluated and documented. Also, embedded researchers have to balance their desire for creativity and flexibility with the standardization and quality control required by their public sector agencies; may be perceived as not credible because they are not truly independent of their agency; and have to couple scientific productivity with skills for transdisciplinary research, social facilitation, and stakeholder engagement. Systematic research on embedding and other models of knowledge exchange, across different world contexts, is required to better understand the benefits, costs, and institutional arrangements associated with different models.     

Determining Decision Thresholds and Evaluating Indicators when Conservation Status is Measured as a Continuum

Categorization of the status of populations, species, and ecosystems underpins most conservation activities. Status is often based on how a system's current indicator value (e.g., change in abundance) relates to some threshold of conservation concern. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves can be used to quantify the statistical reliability of indicators of conservation status and evaluate trade‐offs between correct (true positive) and incorrect (false positive) classifications across a range of decision thresholds. However, ROC curves assume a discrete, binary relationship between an indicator and the conservation status it is meant to track, which is a simplification of the more realistic continuum of conservation status, and may limit the applicability of ROC curves in conservation science. We describe a modified ROC curve that treats conservation status as a continuum rather than a discrete state. We explored the influence of this continuum and typical sources of variation in abundance that can lead to classification errors (i.e., random variation and measurement error) on the true and false positive rates corresponding to varying decision thresholds and the reliability of change in abundance as an indicator of conservation status, respectively. We applied our modified ROC approach to an indicator of endangerment in Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) (i.e., percent decline in geometric mean abundance) and an indicator of marine ecosystem structure and function (i.e., detritivore biomass). Failure to treat conservation status as a continuum when choosing thresholds for indicators resulted in the misidentification of trade‐offs between true and false positive rates and the overestimation of an indicator's reliability. We argue for treating conservation status as a continuum when ROC curves are used to evaluate decision thresholds in indicators for the assessment of conservation status. Determinación de Umbrales de Decisiones y Evaluación delos Indicadores cuando se Mide el Estado de de Conservación como un Continuo     

挥发性有机物污染控制方案的运行费用效能比较

当前,中国挥发性有机物(volatile organic compounds,VOCs)的污染控制工作已进入深水区,VOCs污染控制措施费用效能的高低将决定其减排工作的环保意义,筛选出费用效能高的措施也是VOCs减排工作能够持续稳定进行的必要基础.本文从排放浓度、排放风量及连续还是间歇排放等污染源排放特征角度确定出12种典型的VOCs排放情景,针对这些典型情景估算了目前主流减排方案的运行费用,并以减排单位质量VOCs的运行费用(unit abatement cost,UAC,元·kg~(-1),以VOCs计)为费用效能指标进行了技术经济比较,以期为依据VOCs排放特征选择适宜的减排方案提供参考.分析结果表明,对于低浓度VOCs排气,其减排UAC总体达8元·kg~(-1)以上,浓缩工序可有效减少UAC,通过合理地气体收集方式减少排放风量并提高排气浓度对后续处理的费用效能影响巨大.强化VOCs排放过程的按质分类收集以提高得到VOCs液体的资源化属性,也是今后提高VOCs控制费用效能的有效途径之一.     

餐厨废油捕收剂浮选高炭粉煤灰

通过对餐厨废油进行处理,制备餐厨废油捕收剂用以处理高炭粉煤灰.分别采用机械活化试验确定高炭粉煤灰原灰的最佳机械活化时间,通过不同温度工况的浮选试验获得餐厨废油捕收剂的脱炭性能规律并同常规捕收剂煤油对比,通过FTIR、SEM、TG等技术对餐厨废油捕收剂和脱炭产物进行系统分析.结果表明：最佳机械活化时间为30min,最佳温度工况下,浮选炭热值可达到中高热值燃料要求,产物脱炭粉煤灰矿物成分可达到Ⅰ级粉煤灰标准.真正实现了"以废治废"和"变废为宝",对环境保护、节能减排和资源的综合利用有着重要意义.     

基于KZ滤波法的河北省PM2.5和O3浓度不同时间尺度分析研究

大气细粒子和臭氧是影响我国城市空气质量的主要污染物质,其浓度的大小不仅与污染源的排放量有关,气象条件也是影响其浓度分布特征的重要因素.要评估污染物减排措施的效果,有必要将气象条件的影响剥离出来,仅评估排放量的降低对污染物浓度长期变化趋势的影响.本文使用KZ(Kolmogorov-Zurbenko)滤波方法对河北省石家庄、保定、张家口三市2013—2017年PM_(2.5)和O_3逐日浓度时间序列进行分解,并使用同期地面气象观测数据对各时间序列进行逐步回归分析,将经过KZ滤波后的长期序列与经逐步回归后的结果的差值再次进行滤波处理,得到去除气象影响的污染物浓度长期变化趋势,该浓度仅与污染物的排放量有关.结果表明,因污染源排放的影响,河北省三市大气PM_(2.5)浓度在研究年内除在2017年初略有上升以外,其余季节均呈下降趋势.河北省三市大气O_3浓度在研究年内均有波动上升趋势.气象条件对PM_(2.5)浓度长期变化趋势的影响大于O_3.     

Effects of solution conditions on the physicochemical properties of stratification components of extracellular polymeric substances in anaerobic digested sludge

The composition and effects of solution conditions on the physicochemical properties of the stratification components of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in anaerobic digested sludge were determined. The total EPS in anaerobic digested sludge were extracted by the cation exchange resin method. Another EPS extraction method, the centrifugation and sonication technique was employed to stratify the EPS into three fractions: slime, loosely bound (LB)-EPS, and tightly bound (TB)-EPS from the outside to the inside of the anaerobic digested sludge. Proteins and polysaccharides were dispersed uniformly across the different EPS fractions, and humic-like substances were mainly partitioned in the slime, with TB-EPS second. Protein was the major constituent of the LB-EPS and TB-EPS, and the corresponding ratios ranged from 54.0% to 65.6%. The hydrophobic part in the EPS chemical components was primarily comprised of protein and DNA, while the hydrophilic part was mainly composed of polysaccharide. In the slime, the hydrophobic values of several EPS chemical components (protein, polysaccharide, humic-like substances and DNA) were all below 50%. The protein/polysaccharide ratio had a significant influence on the Zeta potentials and isoelectric point values of the EPS: the greater the protein/polysaccharide ratio of the EPS was, the greater the Zeta potential and the higher the isoelectric point value were. All Zeta potentials of the EPS showed a decreasing trend with increasing pH. The corresponding isoelectric point values (pH) were 2.8 for total EPS, 2.2 for slime, 2.7 for LB-EPS, and 2.6 for TB-EPS. As the ionic strength increased, the Zeta potentials sharply increased and then gradually became constant without charge reversal. In addition, as the temperature increased (< 40°C), the apparent viscosity of the EPS decreased monotonically and then gradually became stable between 40 and 60°C.     

西方环保民间组织的发展及借鉴研究

在西方,环保民间组织作为环境保护的一支新兴力量发展已日趋成熟。文章简要阐述了西方环保民间组织的发展演化过程及概况,重点分析了与政府合作、与企业科研机构合作、与其他组织合作、与媒体合作等四种运行模式,总结了网络化、多样化、专业化、经济独立及名人效应等众多特点。最后在借鉴国外的经验基础上,中国应立足实际,充分发挥环保NGO这一组织的作用,开辟解决环境问题的新途径。     

Optimisation of rainwater tank design from large roofs: A case study in Melbourne, Australia

Rainwater tanks for larger roof areas need optimisation of tank size, which is often not carried out before installation of these tanks. This paper presents a case study of rainwater tank evaluation and design for large roof areas, located in Melbourne, Australia, based on observed daily rainfall data representing three different climatic regimes (i.e. dry average, and wet years). With the aim of developing a comprehensive Decision Support Tool for the performance analysis and design of rainwater tanks, a simple spreadsheet based daily water balance model is developed using daily rainfall data, contributing roof area, rainfall loss factor, available storage volume, tank overflow and irrigation water demand. In this case study, two (185 m³ and 110 m³) underground rainwater tanks are considered. Using the developed model, effectiveness of each tank under different climatic scenarios are assessed. The analysis shows that both the tanks are quite effective in wet and average years, however less effective in dry years. A payback period analysis of the tanks is preformed which reveals that the total construction cost of the tanks can be recovered within 15-21 years time depending on tank size, climatic conditions and future water price increase rates. For the tanks, a relationship between water price increase rates and payback periods is developed. The study highlights the need for detailed optimisation and financial analysis for large rainwater tanks to maximise the benefits.     

The influence of reducing conditions on the dissolution of a Mn-rich slag from pyrometallurgical recycling of alkaline batteries

The redox potential (Eh) is a key parameter for controlling the release of elements from solid materials. Nevertheless, this parameter is seldom taken into account during risk assessment studies within any regulatory framework. We studied the incidence of redox changes to the solid materials using two batch procedures: i) a gradient of redox conditions obtained using sodium ascorbate solutions at various concentrations; ii) N₂ bubbling in water. These experiments were performed on two Mn-rich slag samples coming from a pyrometallurgical plant that recycles alkaline batteries. Both samples differed slightly in their chemical composition and solid characterization (i.e. presence of Mn oxide) and presented different behaviours. The present study focused on the release of the main slag elements (i.e. Mn and Si) chosen as indicators of the dissolution of primary silicate phases. Solid phase analyses (SEM-EDS and XRD) were coupled with the monitoring of elements in leachates in order to understand their behaviour and the mechanisms involved. The results indicated that the solid composition plays an important role in the release mechanisms. The presence of Mn oxide enhanced the mobilization of Mn in the greatest reducing conditions (−320 ± 5 mV/SHE), to the extent that 42% of the total Mn was leached. This demonstrated the significance in studying the solid phases (using SEM-EDS and XRD) before and after any leaching experiment. From a laboratory practice point of view, it was easier to use sodium ascorbate and allowed, in our case, greater reducing conditions to be reached.     

我国安全生产规制体制及其运行模式

为健全我国安全生产法律制度体系,提高安全监管效率,采用规制理论,提出安全生产规制范畴并分析其构成要素。结合当前实际情况,将我国安全生产规制按规制主体的不同可划分为3种类型即立法规制、行政规制和司法规制,并按内容的不同总结归纳为6个方面的规制,即作业场所安全条件及安全健康标准规制、安全投入及工伤保险规制、安全生产管理及责任规制、安全生产市场准入规制、安全生产监管规制、事故责任追究规制。在此基础上,绘制出我国现行安全生产规制体制的运行模式图,认为安全生产监管规制和事故责任追究规制是保障其他各种规制得到有效落实和确保规制目标得以实现的关键。