Factors affecting the floristic diversity and nestedness in the islets of Lake Bardawil, North Sinai, Egypt: implications for conservation

Island biogeography theory and nestedness are two relevant and important concepts in biogeography and conservation. However, their integration and application has not been examined for maintaining or maximizing species diversity, especially in arid regions. The aim of this study is to investigate the ecological mechanisms related to the observed pattern of floristic diversity and nestedness in the Lake Bardawil islets on the Mediterranean coast of Sinai Peninsula before the execution of the North Sinai Agricultural Development Project (NSADP) that will threaten the ecosystem of the lake. Plant species on 15 islets were identified and categorized into ecological groups related to their life-form, salt tolerance and succulence. Richness of total plant species and their ecological groups were positively correlated with islet area, number of habitats and elevation, and negatively with disturbance index. The temperature calculator detected highly significant nestedness for the entire flora and all ecological groups. Distance from the mainland had no effect on either species richness or nested pattern of total plant species and their ecological groups. Both the analyses of species richness and nested distribution yielded evidence for a positive species-area relationship. Although nestedness was detected for the entire plant species and their ecological groups, many species and islets exhibited idiosyncratic distribution. Idiosyncrasies could be mainly attributed to demographic stochasticity which is an important character for species interaction and diversity maintenance in arid regions. Therefore, in developing conservation strategies for the Lake Bardawil islets, it is important to incorporate spatial and temporal stability of populations.     

生态系统服务约束关系界定及影响机制分析

以长江经济带为研究对象,选择InVEST模型对长江经济带代表性的5种生态系统服务进行评估,根据两两配对关系原理进行约束线提取,并构建生态系统服务约束关系与影响因素相互作用模型,对其作用机制进行探究.结果表明,2000～2015年长江经济带5种生态系统服务两两间共表现出矩形型,对数型,抛物线型和驼峰型4种约束类型;7种影...     

Employee responses to employment‐relationship practices: The role of psychological empowerment and traditionality

In studying the effect of employment‐relationship practices on employees, research has largely ignored individual differences, both cross‐culturally and within cultures. In this study, the authors examine the moderating effect of middle managers' traditionality, a within‐culture value orientation regarding submission to authority and endorsement of hierarchical role relationships, on their responses to an organization's employee–organization relationship practices. Based on social learning and social exchange theories, the authors expect the more traditional middle managers to respond less positively in terms of their performance and commitment to high levels of expected contributions and the associated psychological empowerment but respond more positively to high levels of offered inducements. Using a sample of 535 middle managers from 40 companies in China, the authors find support for all hypotheses except the moderating effect of traditionality on the relationship between offered inducements and performance. Additional analysis reveals that less‐traditional managers responded to economic rewards (but not developmental rewards) with higher job performance. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for research and the practice of employment relationships. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial distribution of aerosol pollution based on MODIS data over Beijing, China

With the help of regression analysis,the relationships were detected between aerosol's contribution to apparent reflectance(ACR) derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)on board Terra and hourly PM_(10)mass concentration measured at 30 ground-based locations in Beijing for the August of 2003 and 2004.It was shown that there was a good correlation between the ACR and PM_(10)(linear correlation coefficient,R=0.56).On the basis of this relationship,spatial distribution and possible sources of PM_(10)derived from MODIS were analyzed and two frequently heavily-polluted regions were found,namely downtown of the city and the district near Xishan Mountain.These two regions coincidently are also urban heat island centers.The foundings of this paper will be greatly useful for environmental monitoring and urban planning for Beijing,especially for the 2008 Olympic game to be held in Beijing.     

Surfactant-induced changes in gravity fingering of water through a light oil

Gravity-driven preferential flow (fingering) can greatly affect how one fluid displaces another in the subsurface. We have studied the internal properties of these preferential flow paths for water, with and without surfactants, infiltrating into oil saturated porous media using synchrotron X-rays, and miniature tensiometers to characterize fluid content and pressure relationships. We also used a light transmission technique to visualize overall flow pattern. Capillary pressure and water content decrease behind the front, similar to fingers in air-dry sand, with quantitative differences for five different surfactants with surface tensions ranging from 4–21 g/s². Using unstable flow theory, the finger widths, capillary pressure drops within the fingers, finger tip lengths, and finger splitting dynamics were scaled successfully with interfacial tension, fluid density, and the contact angle using the fingers in air–water systems as the reference.     

Measurement of air exchange rates in different indoor environments using continuous CO2 sensors

A new air exchange rate (AER) monitoring method using continuous CO₂ sensors was developed and validated through both laboratory experiments and field studies. Controlled laboratory simulation tests were conducted in a 1-m³ environmental chamber at different AERs (0.1-10.0 hr^-1). AERs were determined using the decay method based on box model assumptions. Field tests were conducted in classrooms, dormitories, meeting rooms and apartments during 2-5 weekdays using CO₂ sensors coupled with data loggers. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), and CO₂ concentrations were continuously monitored while outdoor parameters combined with on-site climate conditions were recorded. Statistical results indicated that good laboratory performance was achieved: duplicate precision was within 10%, and the measured AERs were 90%-120% of the real AERs. Average AERs were 1.22, 1.37, 1.10, 1.91 and 0.73 hr^-1 in dormitories, air-conditioned classrooms, classrooms with an air circulation cooling system, reading rooms, and meeting rooms, respectively. In an elderly particulate matter exposure study, all the homes had AER values ranging from 0.29 to 3.46 hr??1 in fall, and 0.12 to 1.39 hr^-1 in winter with a median AER of 1.15.     

基于农户层次的陕北黄土丘陵区农业生态经济系统耦合关系研究

农业生态经济系统耦合是一个复杂的过程,是潜变量与潜变量、潜变量与可测变量及可测变量之间相互作用的结果,结构方程模型的建立很好地描述了这一复杂关系。通过对吴起县、安塞县和宝塔区共建的中尺度生态农业建设试验示范区、米脂县等3个典型区域所代表的黄土丘陵区及其各个区域农业生态经济系统结构方程模型的建立与运算,结果表明:在"退耕还林还草工程"等外力作用下,农业生态经济系统运行模式基本揭示了农业产业与农业资源相互耦合这一本质规律,但现状耦合模式并未充分利用农业资源,系统耦合效果较低。农业产业与农业资源对系统耦合的影响系数分别为0.54和0.16,农业产业和农业资源之间的相关系数只有0.28,即农业资源没有很好地支撑产业的发展,导致农业生态经济系统耦合效果不明显,存在着局部相悖的态势,潜伏了林草资源与其相关产业链网缺失现象。为此,需要强化农业产业与农业资源的互动过程,特别要发展林草及其相关产业,促进林草资源的有效利用,促使系统耦合效果的不断提高,增加经济效益。     

水泥工业区内土壤剖面金属元素量特征及其指示意义

为了研究水泥工业区内污染土壤中金属元素含量变化特征,对安徽省凤阳县水泥工业区内一条土壤剖面中金属元素(Al、Fe、Ca、Mg、K、Na、Cr、Ba、Mn、Zn)含量进行了测量。结果显示,土壤剖面分2层,第一层(0～20 cm)为污染层,该层Al、Fe、Mg、Na、Ba、Mn、Cr元素主要来源于自然土壤,没有富集,Ca、K、Zn元素主要来源于水泥粉尘的输入,存在富集,其中0～2 cm土壤的富集因子最大,Ca和Zn含量最高,指示0～2 cm土壤被污染的程度最深。第二层(20 cm以下)为土壤母质层,该层各金属元素含量相对比较稳定。由于0～2 cm土壤中Ca、Zn元素还没有大量向下淋溶,导致第一层土壤中Ca、Zn含量随采样深度的增加而减少。土壤剖面中Ca和Zn的含量能指示水泥粉尘对工业区土壤环境的污染,土壤母质层的Ca、Zn含量可以作为参考的警戒值。     

Development of machine learning based prediction models for hazardous properties of chemical mixtures

Lower flammability limit (LFL), upper flammability limit (UFL), auto-ignition temperature (AIT) and flash point (FP) are crucial hazardous properties for fire and explosion hazards assessment and consequence analysis. In this study, a comprehensive prediction model set was constructed by using expanded chemical mixture databases of chemical mixture hazardous properties. Machine learning based gradient boosting quantitative structure-property relationship (GB-QSPR) method is implemented for the first time to improve the model performance and prediction accuracy. The result shows that all developed models have significantly higher accuracy than other regular QSPR models, with the 5-fold cross-validation RMSE of LFL, UFL, AIT, and FP models being 1.06, 1.14, 1.08, and 1.17, respectively. All developed QSPR models can be used to estimate reliable chemical mixture hazardous properties and provide useful guidance in chemical mixture hazard assessment and consequence analysis.     

近10年中国三大经济区太阳总辐射特征及其与O3、PM2.5的关系

采用中国地面气象观测站网2007~2016年的辐射日值数据集和中国空气质量在线监测平台2014~2016年逐日观测数据,分析了京津冀、长三角和珠三角近10a太阳总辐射年际和季节变化,近3a臭氧日最大8h平均（O_{3_8h_max}）和细颗粒物（PM_2.5）的污染过程频次变化,通过不同因子及其不同强度等级的分型统计,探讨PM_2.5、O_{3_8h_max}与太阳总辐射的关系.结果表明：京津冀近10a太阳总辐射显著上升,京津冀春季和珠三角夏季太阳总辐射显著上升.三大经济区PM_2.5污染过程年频次均呈现逐年递减,且从北到南递减;O₃污染过程年频次时间上呈现先减后增,空间上京津冀多于长三角和珠三角.三大经济区O_{3_8h_max}与太阳总辐射相关系数均在0.71以上,有较强的正相关;而PM_2.5与太阳总辐射的相关性具有区域差异性.三大经济区不同季节不同太阳总辐射下O_{3_8h_max}与PM_2.5的相关关系差异显著,其中京津冀春夏秋三季O_{3_8h_max}与PM_2.5在强太阳总辐射下有较好的正相关,冬季则存在一定的负相关;长三角四季两者相关性均较弱;珠三角夏季两者正相关最为显著;不同PM_2.5浓度下O_{3_8h_max}与太阳总辐射的线性拟合效果较好,体现出较强的正相关关系,各经济区拟合曲线的倾向率均随PM_2.5升高而增大.PM_2.5>75μg/m³时拟合优度均达到最大.