Spatial Characterization and Prioritization of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil-Water Resources in Peri-Urban Areas of National Capital Territory (NCT), Delhi

Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization during last two decades, contamination of soils by heavy metals is on an increase globally. Lands under peri-urban agriculture are the worst affected. In NCT, Delhi about 14.4% of land area is chemically degraded. In order to take care of this problem, recently the Supreme Court of India ordered to shift various non-confirming (about 39,000 units) industries to regions outside NCT, Delhi. However in spite of this, there have been several reports and parliamentary debates on the phyto-toxicity and extensive accumulation of heavy metals in the region. Literature review revealed that the basis of these debates is a few studies on some point locations in/around Delhi. It was further observed that information on the distribution and extent of heavy metal pollution problem in the region was completely missing. The present study was thus basically aimed at assessing the spatial distribution/extent and type of heavy metal pollution in the study area, for enabling future designing of appropriate site-specific management measures by the decision makers.For this, detailed spatial information on bio-available heavy metal concentrations in the soils and surface/sub-surface waters of NCT (Delhi) was generated through actual soil/water surveys, standard laboratory methods and GIS techniques. The study showed that concentration of all micronutrients (viz. Zn: 0.05–0.18 ppm; Cu: in traces; Fe: 0–0.5 ppm; and Mn: 0–1.2 ppm) and most heavy metals (viz. Ni: 0–0.7 ppm; Pb: 0–0.15 ppm and Cd: in traces) in the surface/sub-surface irrigation waters were well within permissible limits. However Cr concentrations in irrigation waters of Alipur and Shahdara blocks were far above their maximum permissible limit of 1 ppm. It was further observed that Ni and Cr concentrations in the drinking waters of almost entire test area were far above maximum permissible levels of 0.02 and 0.01 ppm, respectively. Bio-available concentrations of several heavy metals (viz. Pb: 0.1–2 ppm; Cd: traces; Ni: 0.05–2 ppm and Cr: 0–0.4 ppm) in the study area soils were also observed to be well within the maximum permissible limits. However there were point Cu contaminations (5–10 ppm) in the sewage-sludge amended soils of vegetable growing areas near south Shahdara block. This was attributed to increased Cu availability due to oxidized acidic conditions generated by over-irrigation of agricultural lands. Available Mn concentrations in Kanjhawala, western Najafgarh and Alipur soils were also observed to be above maximum permissible limit of 10 ppm. This was observed to be mainly due to the geology (i.e. presence of Mn rich sedimentary rocks) and prevalence of reduced acidic conditions, due to paddy cultivation, in these areas. It was further observed that there is acute zinc (Zn) deficiency (< 0.6 ppm) in paddy growing soils of north Kanjhawala, Alipur and some parts of Najafgarh and Shahdara blocks due to extensive leaching of available Zn fractions to lower soil horizons. Similar available Zn deficiencies in high pH (8.5) soils of areas around Bamnoli village in E-Najafgarh block were also observed.     

Spatial Patterns and Rankings of Contaminant Concentrations in Herring Gull Eggs from 15 Sites in the Great Lakes and Connecting Channels, 1998–2002

Mean values of eight contaminants in Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) eggs were calculated for 15 Great Lakes sites for the 5 year period 1998–2002. The sites were ranked according to the concentrations of each of seven compounds relative to fish flesh criteria for the protection of piscivorous wildlife, and a single overall rank of contamination was calculated for each site. Based on this weighted ranking scheme, we found that sum PCBs, dioxin and DDE contributed the most (60.2, 30.5% and 8.5%, respectively) to the overall rankings. The weighted ranking scheme showed that eggs from Channel-Shelter Island (Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron), Strachan Island (St. Lawrence River) and Gull Island (northern Lake Michigan) ranked as the three most contaminated sites, while Agawa Rocks (eastern Lake Superior), Chantry Island (southern Lake Huron) and Port Colborne (eastern Lake Erie) ranked as the three least contaminated sites. Two of the three most contaminated sites are Areas of Concern; none of the three least contaminated sites are Areas of Concern.     

火灾发生率空间分异及影响因素研究

为了探究我国火灾空间聚集特征与影响因素的空间异质性,采用全局莫兰指数、局部莫兰指数、逐步回归模型、地理加权回归模型、地理探测器方法对我国地级市单元进行研究。研究结果表明:我国火灾发生率具有显著的聚集性;我国火灾发生率较低的“冷点”区域有1个,火灾发生率较高的“热点”区域有4个;人均GDP、城镇居民人均可支配收入、人口密度、年平均气温4 个因素的影响效应具有空间异质性。人均GDP与火灾发生率为正相关,另外3影响因素对火灾发生率的作用表现出正负2种相关关系;2因素交互作用要比单因素作用于火灾发生率时影响力更显著,各影响因素的交互作用类型有非线性增强型和双因子增强型2种。     

A new approach to spatial source apportionment of haze pollution in large scale and its application in China

Long-lasting expansion of haze pollution in China has already presented a stern challenge to regional joint prevention and control. There is an urgent need to enlarge and reconstruct the coverage of joint prevention and control of air pollution in key area. Air quality models can identify and quantify the regional contribution of haze pollution and its key components with the help of numerical simulation, but it is difficult to be applied to larger spatial scale due to the complexity of model parameters. The time series analysis can recognize the existence of spatial interaction of haze pollution between cities, but it has not yet been used to further identify the spatial sources of haze pollution in large scale. Using econometric framework of time series analysis, this paper developed a new approach to perform spatial source apportionment. We applied this approach to calculate the contribution from spatial sources of haze pollution in China, using the monitoring data of particulate matter (PM_2.5) across 161 Chinese cities. This approach overcame the limitation of numerical simulation that the model complexity increases at excess with the expansion of sample range, and could effectively deal with severe large-scale haze episodes.     

A multi-agent simulation model for spatial optimisation of manure allocation

The EU Nitrate Directive has spurred many countries to regulate manure production and manure application. Farmers have three allocation options: spreading manure on their own land, transporting manure to other farmers' land or processing manure. The manure problem can be seen as an allocation problem. To better understand this allocation problem, we have developed the spatial mathematical programming multi-agent simulation (MP-MAS) model. This model has been applied in Flanders, Belgium, a region with a high concentration of livestock. The model evaluates the cost efficiency of policy intervention in the manure market through obliged processing. We propose to further optimise the policy using a regionally differentiated manure pressure indicator, which is directly derived from the dual outcome of the mathematical programme. This indicator increases transparency in the manure and processing market, leading to better decision support about location and type of manure processing.     

长江三角洲生产性服务业的空间分布特征分析

在国家层面,生产性服务业向大都市地区聚集的趋势十分明显;在地区层面,生产性服务业在都市核心区集群化发展日益凸显。长三角地区生产性服务业发展不平衡,总体上初步形成了以上海生产性服务业与其他城市现代制造业相互促进的发展局面,产业之间的联系更加紧密,横向联系日益加强,推动着长三角地区产业竞争力和区域竞争力的提升。     

Metabolic diversity of the heterotrophic microorganisms and potential link to pollution of the Rouge River

The heterotrophic microbial communities of the Rouge River were tracked using Biolog Ecoplates to understand the metabolic diversity at different temporal and spatial scales, and potential link to river pollution. Site less impacted by anthrophogenic sources (site 1), showed markedly lower metabolic diversity. The only substrates that were utilized in the water samples were carbohydrates. Sites more impacted by anthrophogenic sources (sites 8 and 9) showed higher metabolic diversity. Higher functional diversity was linked to the physico-chemical and biological properties of the water samples (i.e. higher concentrations of DO, DOC, chlorophyll, and bacterial density). Biolog analysis was found to be useful in differentiating metabolic diversity between microbial communities; in determining factors that most influence the separation of communities; and in identifying which substrates were most utilized by the communities. It can also be used as an effective ecological indicator of changes in river function attributable to urbanization and pollution.     

不同种植方式对水生植物生长的影响

水生植物恢复是水体生态恢复与重建的一个关键,而人工快速大面积恢复沉水植物存在较大的难度。在淀山湖318国道近岸水域生态带内,运用水泥涵管覆土种植、箩筐覆土种植、纱布包裹覆土种植、编织袋覆土种植和竹签扦插法对水生植物进行种植。通过实验得出,运用水泥涵管覆土种植的芦苇存活率比用箩筐覆土种植的存活率高;运用水泥涵管覆土+竹签扦插法种植的狐尾藻存活率比其他几种种植方法的存活率高,几种种植方式下的生物量无显著差异。     

基于分形理论的江苏沿江城镇体系研究

开放条件下,“全球 地方”作用深刻影响着区域城镇体系,沿江发达地区表现尤其典型。基于分形的相关理论和方法,以2006年为时空断面,对江苏沿江地区城镇体系的空间分布进行实证研究。结果表明：（1）区域城镇规模等级结构服从Zipf定律,首位城市南京在区域城市体系中的垄断性相对较强,但并非处于绝对垄断地位;（2）空间关联维数显示,沿江地区城镇体系的交通网络通达性优良,各城镇间联系紧密;（3）根据分维数和无标度区分析,三大城市群中,宁镇扬城市群分形发育最好,苏锡常次之,通泰城市群分形发育最差;（4）扬州、镇江、南京和苏州的城镇集聚程度较高,分形发育较为成熟;南通、泰州、无锡和常州的集聚程度均较低,分形结构不佳。扬州在区域城镇体系中分形发育最为完善,中心性最好,历史上形成的这种空间格局至今没有变化.     

常熟市耕地资源时空演变特征

基于卫星遥感影像数据,GIS空间分析技术和统计分析方法相结合,利用耕地面积缩减强度指数、空间叠加等方法分析了常熟市耕地资源的时空演变特征,揭示了苏南经济发达地区耕地资源减少的规律。研究发现,随着经济发展,常熟耕地资源逐渐减少,且因城区和工业用地扩张引起的耕地非农转化指向十分强烈,居民点空间的指向呈逐渐减弱的态势。从空间演变规律看,常熟耕地非农化主要表现在：1）经济增长越快,发展水平越高,耕地减少越快;2）在城市、港口区的镇耕地减少更快;3）港区和工业区的建设,使其周边耕地非农化速度加快;4）道路交通的扩张是耕地非农转化的一个稳定因素;5）不同时期,耕地非农占用的空间指向不同：从20世纪80年代被居民点用地占用逐渐变迁为2000年以后的被工业用地、城镇用地、港口用地占用为主。城市发展、港区建设、交通建设、农村居民点建设、工业化推进和经济发展是耕地资源缩减的主导影响因子.