Benthic Macroinvertebrate Responses to Increasing Levels of Cattle Grazing in Blue Ridge Mountain Streams, Virginia, USA

The relationship between benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and cattle density was assessed from fall 2002 through spring 2004 in five small streams that represented a gradient of cattle grazing intensity. All study stream reaches were in pasture with no woody riparian vegetation, but varied in the intensity of cattle grazing (0 cattle ha⁻¹ at site 1 to 2.85 cattle ha⁻¹ at site 5). Regression analysis indicated highly significant and strong macroinvertebrate metric responses to cattle density during most sampling periods. The majority of metrics responded negatively to increased grazing, while a few (total taxa richness, number of sensitive taxa, and % collector filterers) increased along the gradient before declining at the most heavily grazed sites. Total number of sensitive taxa and % Coleoptera had the strongest relationship with cattle density throughout the study period. During some sampling periods, nearly 80% of the variation in these metrics was explained by cattle density. The elmid beetle, Oulimnius, had a particularly strong negative response to the grazing gradient. Study site groupings based on taxa composition, using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), indicated that benthic samples collected from the reference site and light rotational grazing site were more similar in macroinvertebrate taxa composition than samples collected from the intermediate grazing and heavy grazing sites. Our findings demonstrate that biological integrity, as measured by benthic macroinvertebrate metrics and assemblage composition, is highly related to cattle density in small streams in the Blue Ridge mountains, Virginia, USA. This suggests that the degree of agricultural intensity should be given consideration in stream assessments, as well as land use planning and regulatory decisions.     

氟化氢熏气和喷施防护剂对小麦应激乙烯产生的影响

应用开顶式熏气装置,研究了ＨＦ熏气对小麦叶片细胞质膜透性和ＭＤＡ（丙二醛）含量的影响,以及ＨＦ熏气和氟污染防护剂抗坏血酸（Ｖｃ）对小麦体内应激乙烯产生的影响,结果表明,小麦接触ＨＦ气体时细胞质膜透性增大,ＭＤＡ含量升高,体内乙烯量增加,增加幅度与ＨＦ的作用剂量有关,喷施防护剂Ｖｃ也引起乙烯量增加,Ｖｃ和ＨＦ在诱导乙烯生成上有协同效应,推测乙烯的增生可能是植物对环境变化的防御性反应。     

Blood biomarkers and contaminant levels in feathers and eggs to assess environmental hazards in heron nestlings from impacted sites in Ebro basin (NE Spain)

Blood biomarkers and levels of major pollutants in eggs and feathers were used to determine pollution effects in nestlings of the Purple Heron Ardea purpurea and the Little Egret Egretta garzetta, sampled on three Ebro River (NE Spain) areas: a reference site, a site affected by the effluents of a chlor-alkali industry and the river Delta. The two impacted heron populations showed mutually different pollutant and response patterns, suggesting different sources of contamination. In the population nesting near the chlor-alkali plant, elevated levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in eggs, and mercury in feathers in A. purpurea chicks were related with reduced blood antioxidant defenses and increased levels of micronuclei. In Ebro Delta, high levels of plasmatic lactate dehydrogenase in A. purpurea chicks and high frequency of micronuclei in blood of both species were tentatively associated with intensive agricultural activities taking place in the area. These results provide the first evidence of a biological response in heron chicks to the release of pollutants at a chlor-alkali plant.     

Water stress, water transfer and social equity in Northern China--implications for policy reforms

Water stress in Northern China is characterized with major, inefficient irrigation water use and rapidly growing non-agricultural water demands, as well as limited water quantity and declining water quality. Water use in the region is undergoing transfer from agricultural to municipal and industrial sectors. Currently, part of the economic loss and environmental damage due to water stress can be considered as a consequence of water transfer failures, including the current transfers, which hurt farmers' livelihood and income, and the needed transfers, which industry and cities have been waiting for but have not received. This paper starts with a discussion of the causes of water stress in Northern China, which is fundamental to understand the necessity and complexity of agricultural water transfers. Following that, it reviews water transfers in Northern China as a cause for concern over the social stability, economy and environment of the region. Based on an integrated analysis of economic, environmental, fiscal and social implications, this paper begins by identifying critical barriers to smooth water redistribution; and ends with implications for policy reforms, ensuring that farmers can and will save water. It is concluded that the decisions of water reallocation under water stress should be shared by communities at all levels, from the local to the national, to ensure equal access of water, especially the availability of the basic water need for all groups.     

Cobalt and manganese stress in the microalga Pavlova viridis （Prymnesiophyceae）： Effects on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes

Pollution of marine environment has become an issue of major concern in recent years.Serious environmental pollution by heavy metals results from their increasing utilization in industrial processes and because most heavy metals are transported into the marine environment and accumulated without decomposition.The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects on growth,pigments, lipid peroxidation,and some antioxidant enzyme activities of marine microalga Pavlova viridis,in response to elevated concentrations of cobalt(Co)and manganese(Mn),especially with regard to the involvement of antioxidative defences against heavy metal-induced oxidative stress.In response to Co~(2 ),lipid peroxidation was enhanced compared to the control,as an indication of the oxidative damage caused by metal concentration assayed in the microalgal cells but not Mn~(2 ).Exposure of Pavlova viridis to the two metals caused changes in enzyme activities in a different manner,depending on the metal assayed:after Co~(2 )treatments,total superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity was irregular,although it was not significantly affected by Mn~(2 )exposure.Co~(2 )and Mn~(2 )stimulated the activities of catalase(CAT)and glutathione(GSH),whereas,ghitathione peroxidase(GPX)showed a remarkable increase in activity in response to Co~(2 )treatments and decreased gradually with Mn~(2 )concentration,up to 50μmol/L,and then rose very rapidly,reaching to about 38.98% at 200μmol/L Mn~(2 ).These results suggest that an activation of some antioxidant enzymes was enhanced,to counteract the oxidative stress induced by the two metals at higher concentration.     

引信步进应力加速试验贮存寿命预测研究

目的 针对某机电引信加速寿命试验数据,采用传统统计分析方法存在计算量大、寿命预测精度难以保证的问题,开展与智能算法相结合的引信贮存寿命预测研究。方法 针对步进应力加速寿命试验数据,采用贝叶斯理论的环境因子法,对各级应力下的贮存时间进行折合计算。利用进化策略对粒子群算法进行改进,进而对所建立的BP神经网络预测模型的全局参数进行调整和优化,突破传统方法的局限。将折合后的试验时间、样本量、应力水平作为网络输入,失效数作为输出,来预测引信贮存寿命。结果 利用训练好的 BP神经网络预测引信在正常应力水平下的失效数,计算其贮存可靠度。在迭代402次后,模型找到最优解,且预测误差在1%以内。结论 步进应力加速寿命试验与智能算法相结合的方法计算过程简单,预测精度较高,可有效提高引信贮存寿命的预测精度。     

Experimental research on the variational characteristics of vertical stress of soft coal seam in front of mining face

Permeability of coal seam is extremely sensitive to the in situ stress loaded. The techniques of “Pressure relief” have been proved significantly effective in practice to improve the gas permeability and the gas extraction rate to the soft coal seam. It is very necessary to make clear of the variational characteristics of the stress distribution in front of coal mining face with the production process. The vertical stress values of the top and bottom layer of the coal seam at different distances in front of the coal face are respectively measured, and the corresponding curves of the vertical stress variation along the mining direction have been obtained. According to the research conclusions in this paper, some available technical measures of “Pressure relief” at different distances and different layers of soft coal seam in front of mining face, are expected to make and to put into practice. The research methods and correlative data included in this paper also can be referred to conduct some further and deep-seated exploration to get new theories and practical techniques for the gas drainage of the soft and low permeability coal seam.     

巷道顶板三维板梁结构的传力机制研究

为了揭示巷道开挖前后,巷道顶板三维板梁结构内应力场的演化规律,通过建立层状岩层的承载传力力学模型,研究了层间结构面和层状岩体变形对承载和传递应力的扰动作用,提出了层间结构面和层状岩体承载传力的能量分析方法,确定了层状岩体的应力传递和应变能密度解析解,揭示了结构面储能和层状岩体承载传力的影响规律,并在淮南张集矿1412A工作面开展工程应用。结果表明:法向刚度和切向刚度决定了层间结构面的储能能力,法向应力和切向应力决定了结构面的实际储能大小;岩层的承载应力并非等于上部岩层的负重,而是上部岩层的作用应力、自重应力、下位岩层的作用应力叠加的结果;应力传递效率与相邻上下层岩层的容重比呈正相关关系,与层厚比呈负相关关系,与弹性模量比呈负相关关系;1412A工作面开采时,1#煤顶板第1层薄的软弱泥岩无法承载上方岩层的重量,第2层厚的中砂岩可以承载上方岩层及自身重量,载荷应力为0.90 MPa,计算得到该类条件下基本顶初次断裂步距为30.7 m,与现场实测结果基本一致。     

外源水杨酸对Pb2+胁迫下玉米幼苗生理特性的影响

为了研究水杨酸对重金属胁迫下植物幼苗的缓解效应,以玉米叶片的叶绿素、游离脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白质量比和丙二醛(MDA)含量,以及过氧化物酶(POD)与超氧化物酶(SOD)活性为指标,采用水培法研究了不同质量浓度水杨酸对150 mg/L Pb2+胁迫下玉米幼苗生理特性的影响.结果表明,经30 mg/L水杨酸缓解后受迫玉米幼苗的根长、株高和根系活性明显增加,叶片的叶绿素、游离脯氨酸与可溶性蛋白质量比均明显提高,叶片的SOD与POD活性均高于对照组和各处理组,且叶片的MDA含量显著降低.外源水杨酸可通过正向调控植物物质与能量代谢,以及保护酶系统活性来维持细胞膜的稳定性,并有效减缓膜脂过氧化进程,缓解了Pb2+胁迫对玉米幼苗的毒害.     

冲击载荷下螺栓预紧力对应力波影响分析

目的 研究拉伸冲击载荷作用下螺栓预紧力对应力波的影响.方法 针对螺栓弹性变形、塑性变形和冲击破坏3种情形,对螺栓未施加预紧力及施加不同预紧力下的连接结构进行冲击数值模拟,对比分析连接结构的测点应变及螺栓响应,并与霍普金森拉伸实验结果进行对比.结果 螺栓达到断裂或塑性变形时,预紧力对测点应变及螺栓最大应力影响较小;螺栓弹...