Solar energy for electricity and fuels

Solar energy conversion into electricity by photovoltaic modules is now a mature technology. We discuss the need for materials and device developments using conventional silicon and other materials, pointing to the need to use scalable materials and to reduce the energy payback time. Storage of solar energy can be achieved using the energy of light to produce a fuel. We discuss how this can be achieved in a direct process mimicking the photosynthetic processes, using synthetic organic, inorganic, or hybrid materials for light collection and catalysis. We also briefly discuss challenges and needs for large-scale implementation of direct solar fuel technologies.     

Interactions between Carbon Sequestration and Shade Tree Diversity in a Smallholder Coffee Cooperative in El Salvador

Agroforestry systems have substantial potential to conserve native biodiversity and provide ecosystem services. In particular, agroforestry systems have the potential to conserve native tree diversity and sequester carbon for climate change mitigation. However, little research has been conducted on the temporal stability of species diversity and aboveground carbon stocks in these systems or the relation between species diversity and aboveground carbon sequestration. We measured changes in shade‐tree diversity and shade‐tree carbon stocks in 14 plots of a 35‐ha coffee cooperative over 9 years and analyzed relations between species diversity and carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration was positively correlated with initial species richness of shade trees. Species diversity of shade trees did not change significantly over the study period, but carbon stocks increased due to tree growth. Our results show a potential for carbon sequestration and long‐term biodiversity conservation in smallholder coffee agroforestry systems and illustrate the opportunity for synergies between biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Interacciones entre el Secuestro de Carbono y la Diversidad de Árboles de Sombra en una Cooperativa de Café de Pequeños Agricultores en El Salvador     

Quantifying population declines based on presence‐only records for red‐list assessments

Accurate trend estimates are necessary for understanding which species are declining and which are most in need of conservation action. Imperfect species detection may result in unreliable trend estimates because this may lead to the overestimation of declines. Because many management decisions are based on population trend estimates, such biases could have severe consequences for conservation policy. We used an occupancy‐modeling framework to estimate detectability and calculate nationwide population trends for 14 Swiss amphibian species both accounting for and ignoring imperfect detection. Through the application of International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List criteria to the different trend estimates, we assessed whether ignoring imperfect detection could affect conservation policy. Imperfect detection occurred for all species and detection varied substantially among species, which led to the overestimation of population declines when detectability was ignored. Consequently, accounting for imperfect detection lowered the red‐list risk category for 5 of the 14 species assessed. We demonstrate that failing to consider species detectability can have serious consequences for species management and that occupancy modeling provides a flexible framework to account for observation bias and improve assessments of conservation status. A problem inherent to most historical records is that they contain presence‐only data from which only relative declines can be estimated. A move toward the routine recording of nonobservation and absence data is essential if conservation practitioners are to move beyond this toward accurate population trend estimation.     

Understanding Interaction Effects of Climate Change and Fire Management on Bird Distributions through Combined Process and Habitat Models

Abstract: Avian conservation efforts must account for changes in vegetation composition and structure associated with climate change. We modeled vegetation change and the probability of occurrence of birds to project changes in winter bird distributions associated with climate change and fire management in the northern Chihuahuan Desert (southwestern U.S.A.). We simulated vegetation change in a process‐based model (Landscape and Fire Simulator) in which anticipated climate change was associated with doubling of current atmospheric carbon dioxide over the next 50 years. We estimated the relative probability of bird occurrence on the basis of statistical models derived from field observations of birds and data on vegetation type, topography, and roads. We selected 3 focal species, Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata), Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), and Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus), that had a range of probabilities of occurrence for our study area. Our simulations projected increases in relative probability of bird occurrence in shrubland and decreases in grassland and Yucca spp. and ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) vegetation. Generally, the relative probability of occurrence of all 3 species was highest in shrubland because leaf‐area index values were lower in shrubland. This high probability of occurrence likely is related to the species’ use of open vegetation for foraging. Fire suppression had little effect on projected vegetation composition because as climate changed there was less fuel and burned area. Our results show that if future water limits on plant type are considered, models that incorporate spatial data may suggest how and where different species of birds may respond to vegetation changes.     

中国西南酸雨区降水化学特征研究进展

西南酸雨区为我国主要酸雨沉降区,且是全球三大喀斯特集中分布区之一.本文将该区9个地点的降雨资料进行了总结、整理和分析,数据包括pH值和主离子成分(Cl~-、SO_4~(2-)、NO_3~-、Ca~(2+)、NH_4~+、Mg~(2+)、K~+、Na~+).该地区降雨中的主要阴离子为SO_4~(2-)和NO_3~-,主要阳离子为Ca~(2+)和NH_4~+.与我国其它地区相比,其酸性离子、碱性离子和总离子浓度均普遍高于东南地区、而低于我国北方地区.西南酸雨区主要以pH值为4.5~5.6的弱酸性降雨为主,占总降雨频次的58%左右.根据酸、碱性离子的相关性、中和因子等分析结果,该区雨水中的酸性物质可能受到了碱性离子的中和作用,其中起主要中和作用的离子为Ca~(2+)和NH_4~+.将该区雨水pH值和酸、碱性离子浓度与我国其它地区进行对比研究发现,西南酸雨区降雨受到的中和作用要强于东南地区,但弱于北方地区的降雨.通过对西南酸雨区降雨中主要离子来源的分析和估算,降雨中的酸性离子SO_4~(2-)和NO_3~-主要来自于人为污染;99.7%的Ca~(2+)和84.0%的Mg~(2+)为陆源贡献,这可能与西南地区碳酸盐岩广泛分布有关.     

南京江北核心区气候环境宜居性评价

气候环境条件是影响宜居的一个重要因素。运用多层次评价模型,从气象灾害、大气环境、人体健康及生态气象等4个层面筛选出20项指标,构建区域气候环境宜居性的评价体系,基于层次分析法(AHP)确定各指标的权重,并以南京江北核心区为例,对其宜居水平进行评价。结果表明:在青奥生态建设期间(2011—2014年),研究区的宜居水平整体呈上升趋势,属于宜居范畴,接近非常宜居的标准。这反映青奥会期间的环境整治与灾害防治工作初见成效,对江北核心区的宜居性起正效应作用。     

Sensitivity of Precipitation Statistics to Urban Growth in a Subtropical Coastal Megacity Cluster

This short paper presents an investigation on how human activities may or may not affect precipitation based on numerical simulations of precipitation in a benchmark case with modified lower boundary conditions, representing different stages of urban development in the model. The results indicate that certain degrees of urbanization affect the likelihood of heavy precipitation significantly, while less urbanized or smaller cities are much less prone to these effects. Such a result can be explained based on our previous work where the sensitivity of precipitation statistics to surface anthropogenic heat sources lies in the generation of buoyancy and turbulence in the planetary boundary layer and dissipation through triggering of convection. Thus only mega cities of sufficient size, and hence human-activity-related anthropogenic heat emission, can expect to experience such effects. In other words, as cities grow, their effects upon precipitation appear to grow as well.     

南昌市大气降水化学特征及来源分析

为分析南昌市大气降水离子来源和源区,对南昌市2016年4—9月大气降水样品主要阴阳离子的组成进行了测定分析,并运用PMF（正定矩阵因子分解）模型分析来源和TrajStat软件模拟后向轨迹.结果表明:NH₄+和Ca2+是南昌市大气降水中的主要阳离子,加权平均浓度为65.3和23.9 μmol/L,分别占阳离子总量的57%和21%;SO₄2-和NO₃-是主要阴离子,加权平均浓度为60.4和25.3 μmol/L,分别占阴离子总量的56%和23%.c（NH₄+）、c（Ca2+）、c（K+）、c（Mg2+）、c（Na+）、c（Cl-）、c（NO₃-）之间均存在着较为显著的相关性,说明它们之间可能有相似的来源或形成化合物共同存在.结合PMF模型分析结果表明,Na+、Cl-很明显受到了海盐的影响,也部分受土壤和二次污染影响;K+、Mg2+、Ca2+大部分来自于土壤,海盐、二次污染也贡献了一部分的K+;SO₄2-、NH₄+和NO₃-是组成大气二次颗粒物的主要成分,主要由二次污染源贡献;煤燃烧贡献了主要的F-和部分SO₄2-.后向轨迹模型分析表明,南昌市大气降水主要受局地降雨气团影响,5月、8月、9月受陆源及人为影响较大,海源性离子经过内陆上空时被稀释或沉降,导致6月、7月来自于海洋上空的降雨气团对南昌影响不大.研究显示,SO₄2-对南昌市大气降水的影响逐渐增大导致降雨类型逐渐由混合型向硫酸型转化,人为影响是造成大气污染的主要原因.      

外源Ca2+对SBR启动期活性污泥胞外多聚物的动态影响

利用无机物如Ca~(2+),加快活性污泥反应器启动,强化活性污泥絮体性能和结构稳定性,受到越来越多的重视.采用序批式反应器,研究进水中添加Ca~(2+)对反应器启动期活性污泥沉降性能和胞外多聚物的影响.结果表明运行至28 d,与进水中不添加Ca~(2+)的反应器(对照反应器)相比,进水中添加150 mg·L~(-1)外源Ca~(2+)的反应器中活性污泥MLSS和MLVSS值分别高出了89.6%和75.6%,SVI值则降低了47.9%;活性污泥胞外多聚物总量增加了76.4%,多糖增加了28.8%,蛋白质减少了31.6%,添加150 mg·L~(-1)外源Ca~(2+)的反应器中污泥胞外多聚物中多糖/蛋白质值为68.8,对照反应器的活性污泥胞外多聚物多糖/蛋白质值仅为36.6.三维荧光光谱和红外光谱分析表明外源Ca~(2+)导致活性污泥胞外多聚物组分发生了变化.实验结果为进水中添加外源Ca~(2+)改善活性污泥沉降性能提供了基础数据.     

许昌市臭氧污染趋势及时空分布特征研究

为研究许昌市的臭氧(O3)污染情况及时空分布特征,对2014年-2016年许昌市3个国家环境空气监测点位的监测数据进行了统计分析.结果表明:2014年-2016年,许昌市O3污染状况整体呈加重趋势,2016年污染最为严重;O3浓度和超标天数均具有明显的季节变化特征,春末和夏季的O3污染最为严重;不同季节的O3、NO2、NO和NOx浓度日变化也不尽相同,同时O3具有明显的日变化特征,呈单峰型分布,峰值出现在14:00~15:00;并且O3与NO2具有较好的相关性.