Impact of Human Activities on Carbon Dioxide (CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) Emissions: A Statistical Analysis

Summary The balance of evidence suggests a perceptible human influence on global ecosystems. Human activities are affecting the global ecosystem, some directly and some indirectly. If researchers could clarify the extent to which specific human activities affect global ecosystems, they would be in a much better position to suggest strategies for mitigating against the worst disturbances. Sophisticated statistical analysis can help in interpreting the influence of specific human activities on global ecosystems more carefully. This study aims at identifying significant or influential human activities (i.e. factors) on CO₂ emissions using statistical analyses. The study was conducted for two cases: (i) developed countries and (ii) developing countries. In developed countries, this study identified three influential human activities for CO₂ emissions: (i) combustion of fossil fuels, (ii) population pressure on natural and terrestrial ecosystems, and (iii) land use change. In developing countries, the significant human activities causing an upsurge of CO₂ emissions are: (i) combustion of fossil fuels, (ii) terrestrial ecosystem strength and (iii) land use change. Among these factors, combustion of fossil fuels is the most influential human activity for CO₂ emissions both in developed and developing countries. Regression analysis based on the factor scores indicated that combustion of fossil fuels has significant positive influence on CO₂ emissions in both developed and developing countries. Terrestrial ecosystem strength has a significant negative influence on CO₂ emissions. Land use change and CO₂ emissions are positively related, although regression analysis showed that the influence of land use change on CO₂ emissions was still insignificant. It is anticipated, from the findings of this study, that CO₂ emissions can be reduced by reducing fossil-fuel consumption and switching to alternative energy sources, preserving exiting forests, planting trees on abandoned and degraded forest lands, or by planting trees by social/agroforestry on agricultural lands.     

The rise of glyphosate and new opportunities for biosentinel early‐warning studies

Glyphosate has become the most commonly used herbicide worldwide and is reputedly environmentally benign, nontoxic, and safe for use near wildlife and humans. However, studies indicate its toxicity is underestimated and its persistence in the environment is greater than once thought. Its actions as a neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor indicate its potential to act in similar ways to persistent organic pollutants such as the organochlorines dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and dioxin. Exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate‐based herbicides for both wildlife and people is likely to be chronic and at sublethal levels, with multiple and ongoing exposure events occurring in urban and agricultural landscapes. Despite this, there has been little research on the impact of glyphosate on wildlife populations, and existing studies appear in the agricultural, toxicology, and water‐chemistry literature that may have limited visibility among wildlife biologists. These studies clearly demonstrate a link between chronic exposure and neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, cell damage, and immune suppression. There is a strong case for the recognition of glyphosate as an emerging organic contaminant and substantial potential exists for collaborative research among ecologists, toxicologists, and chemists to quantify the impact of glyphosate on wildlife and to evaluate the role of biosentinel species in a preemptive move to mitigate downstream impacts on people. There is scope to develop a decision framework to aid the choice of species to biomonitor and analysis methods based on the target contaminant, spatial and temporal extent of contamination, and perceived risk. Birds in particular offer considerable potential in this role because they span agricultural and urban environments, coastal, inland, and wetland ecosystems where glyphosate residues are known to be present.     

The value of virtual conferencing for ecology and conservation

The objectives of conservation science and dissemination of its research create a paradox: Conservation is about preserving the environment, yet scientists spread this message at conferences with heavy carbon footprints. Ecology and conservation science depend on global knowledge exchange—getting the best science to the places it is most needed. However, conference attendance from developed countries typically outweighs that from developing countries that are biodiversity and conservation hotspots. If any branch of science should be trying to maximize participation while minimizing carbon emissions, it is conservation. Virtual conferencing is common in other disciplines, such as education and humanities, but it is surprisingly underused in ecology and conservation. Adopting virtual conferencing entails a number of challenges, including logistics and unified acceptance, which we argue can be overcome through planning and technology. We examined 4 conference models: a pure‐virtual model and 3 hybrid hub‐and‐node models, where hubs stream content to local nodes. These models collectively aim to mitigate the logistical and administrative challenges of global knowledge transfer. Embracing virtual conferencing addresses 2 essential prerequisites of modern conferences: lowering carbon emissions and increasing accessibility for remote, time‐ and resource‐poor researchers, particularly those from developing countries.     

河流CO2与CH4排放研究进展

河流作为连接海-陆两大碳库的主要通道,其水-气界面二氧化碳(CO_2)与甲烷(CH_4)排放构成全球碳循环的重要环节,对全球气候变暖的贡献不容小觑.明确河流水体CO_2与CH_4产排过程、时空特征以及控制因素是认识河流生态学功能以及其对变化环境响应的重要内容.基于当前河流CO_2与CH_4排放研究进展,构建河流碳排放动力学概念框架(内源代谢、陆源输入),并从全球尺度、区域尺度、流域尺度综述了河流碳排放时空变异性特征以及存在的研究不足.在理解碳排放动力学概念框架和时空变异特征的基础上,构建了河流CO_2与CH_4动力学控制因子分层框架(内部因子:有机质、温度、营养盐;外部因子:水文、地貌、人类活动),深入探讨了河流碳排放的关键影响因素.最后,根据当前研究中存在的不足,提出河流碳排放应将纳入区域陆地碳平衡过程,今后研究重点应包括流域尺度上河流CO_2与CH_4内源产生与陆源输入相对贡献的量化研究、不同界面CO_2与CH_4产生与排放过程研究、高时空分辨率的监测数据的补充以及变化环境与人类活动干扰下河流碳排放的响应过程等,为理解河流生态学过程及生态系统功能提供基础,同时为我国进一步深入开展相关研究提供借鉴.     

福建省地级市人为源活性氮排放及其特征分析

在人口增长和快速城市化的背景下,活性氮排放对生态环境的影响日益加剧.为研究省级尺度活性氮排放规律,采用排放因子法建立2000、2005及2010年福建省人为源活性氮排放清单,分析各地市3个年份活性氮排放量及排放强度特征.结果表明,3个年份福建省活性氮排放总量分别为538.4、587.0和619.97 Gg,呈整体增加趋势.在9个地级市中,增速最快的为莆田市,而漳州市排放量有所下降.排放量最大的为漳州和泉州,排放量最小的为宁德与厦门.从排放来源看,90%以上的排放来自农田生态系统和畜禽养殖系统.能源活动贡献较小,但其排放增长最为显著.2010年,各地市单位面积活性氮排放强度呈"东南沿海高西北内陆低"的格局,最高为厦门市,最低为三明市;GDP和人口排放强度则呈"东南沿海低西北内陆高"的格局,最高为南平市,最低为厦门市.在分析各地市活性氮排放源特征的基础上,探讨了不同地区活性氮减排重点,研究结果可为福建省及下辖各地市活性氮减排提供科学依据.     

不同絮凝剂对活性污泥特性及除污效能的影响研究

为了研究絮凝剂对污泥特性及除污效能的作用结果,考察了SBR反应器中投加聚合氯化铝(PAC)、聚合硫酸铁(PFS)和阳离子聚丙烯酰胺(CPAM)对污泥特性及COD、NH_4~+-N和TP去除效果的影响。结果表明:投加10 mg/L PAC会导致活性污泥沉降性能变差,降低了微生物对污染物质的分解能力;投加0.1 mg/L CPAM和10 mg/L PFS能够改善活性污泥菌胶团和絮体结构,使得活性污泥的吸附效能和沉降性增强。     

三峡前置库汉丰湖试运行年水体水质现状及控制效果评估

三峡汉丰湖是世界范围较罕见的专为减弱消落带影响而修建的前置库,也是中国最大城市人工湖体,自汉丰湖试运行后,山水林田湖生态效益及建设宜居城市的社会效益显著.本文以三峡汉丰湖为研究对象,对汉丰湖试运行年支流来水及湖体断面进行水文、水质分层监测,包括水文参数(v、H等)、物理参数(T、pH、SD、DO、TSS等)、化学参数(高锰酸盐指数、Chl-a、TN、DN、NO_3~--N、NH_4~+-N、NO_2~--N、TP、DP、SRP等)共17个指标.监测结果表明:1 2月、10月等开始泄水蓄水时期水质较差,南河支流来水断面水质最差,调节坝出水断面最好;2汉丰湖水体总体呈轻度富营养化,主要污染指标为DN、TN、NO_3~--N、TP;3汉丰湖在试运行年对水体富营养化控制效果显著,Chl-a年平均消减率57.73%,高锰酸盐指数年平均消减率28.12%,SRP、TP、TN、TSS、NO_2~--N、DN、DP等年平均消减率20.15%~22.81%,NH_4~+-N、NO_3~--N等年平均消减率16.92%~18.74%,水体年平均富营养化指数降低15.74%.研究表明,1~3月、10~12月高水位湖泊形态试运行期间对各水质指标消减率高于5~8月河流形态时期,汉丰湖试运行良好,对水体富营养化控制效果显著,可消减三峡入库水体污染物浓度.     

地膜覆盖对菜地生态系统N2O排放的影响

为了探讨地膜覆盖对菜地N_2O的排放通量、土壤剖面N_2O浓度以及土壤温度和湿度的影响,选取西南地区常见菜地(辣椒-萝卜轮作)为研究对象,采用静态暗箱/气相色谱法,进行了为期1 a的野外观测实验.结果表明,在辣椒季,常规处理(不覆膜)N_2O的平均排放通量为1000.0μg·(m~2·h)~(-1),覆膜处理为400.6μg·(m~2·h)~(-1),覆膜显著低于常规处理(P0.05);而在萝卜季,N_2O的平均排放通量则表现为覆膜处理[128.1μg·(m~2·h)~(-1)]高于常规处理[107.8μg·(m~2·h)~(-1)],但两者差异未达到显著水平(P0.05).覆膜和常规菜地土壤中N_2O含量均基本随土层深度的增加而增加,表现为:30 cm20cm10 cm,相同处理各层次土壤N_2O含量间均呈显著相关,不同处理相同深度处的土壤N_2O含量间也存在显著的正相关关系.对不同土层中的N_2O含量与地表N_2O排放通量的相关性分析可得出,常规处理各土层处的N_2O含量与地表N_2O排放通量呈显著正相关关系.覆膜处理的N_2O排放通量仅与30 cm深土壤中的N_2O含量存在显著正相关关系.通过对土壤湿度和温度的观测可以得出,地膜覆盖对土壤的增温效应在夏季更加明显,对土壤的保水作用在秋冬季更加突出.相关性分析和主成分分析结果表明,土壤中氮素形态是决定农田N_2O排放最重要的因素,其中常规菜地N_2O排放主要受土壤中总氮含量的影响,而覆膜菜地N_2O的排放对土壤中无机态氮含量的变化更加敏感.     

基于多区域投入产出(MRIO)的中国区域居民消费碳足迹分析

近年来,居民消费活动和环境的关系逐渐受到关注,而与温室气体排放相关的研究更是其中的热点.因此,本文采用“居民消费碳足迹”概念来定义特定居民消费活动所导致的直接和间接温室气体排放的总和,主要包括CO2、CH4、N2O3种温室气体;构建了基于环境扩展的多区域投入产出(Multiregional input-output,MRIO)模型的碳足迹核算方法,并以2007年中国8个区域为例对其居民消费碳足迹的数量、构成、分布及转移进行了分析.结果显示,2007年全国居民消费碳足迹总量达到31.74亿t(以CO2当量计).此外,碳足迹还呈现出区域差异明显、间接排放大于直接排放、城乡差距过大等特征.人均碳足迹方面,发展水平较高的京津、东部沿海地区明显高于相对滞后的西北、西南区域.研究还对碳足迹的区域分布和转移进行了深入探讨.结果发现,东北、京津、西北和西南区域转移收支为负,表示这些区域为其他区域承担的排放大于其他区域为其承担的排放;剩余的北部沿海、东部沿海、南部沿海和中部区域情况则正好相反.这些结果对现阶段中国制定具体区域消费政策或分配碳减排责任等具有参考价值;本研究的方法论也适用于研究其他环境因子及足迹因子与居民消费的关系.     

Pollutant emission characteristics of rice husk combustion in a vortexing fluidized bed incinerator

Rice husk with high volatile content was burned in a pilot scale vortexing fluidized bed incinerator. The fluidized bed incinerator was constructed of 6 mm stainless steel with 0.45 m in diameter and 5 m in height. The emission characteristics of CO, NO, and SO2 were studied. The effects of operating parameters, such as primary air flow rate, secondary air flow rate, and excess air ratio on the pollutant emissions were also investigated. The results show that a large proportion of combustion occurs at the bed surface and the freeboard zone. The SO2 concentration in the flue gas decreases with increasing excess air ratio, while the NOx concentration shows reverse trend. The flow rate of secondary air has a significant impact on the CO emission. For a fixed primary air flowrate, CO emission decreases with the secondary air flowrate. For a fixed excess air ratio, CO emission decreases with the ratio of secondary to primary air flow. The minimum CO emission of 72 ppm is attained at the operating condition of 40% excess air ratio and 0.6 partition air ratio. The NOx and SO2 concentrations in the flue gas at this condition are 159 and 36 ppm, which conform to the EPA regulation of Taiwan.