我国典型流域镉水质基准研究

对《我国淡水水生生物镉基准研究》一文推算的国家镉基准进行了修正,采用“重新计算法”推算了我国典型流域的镉生物基准,并以辽河上游的大伙房水库为试点,利用“水效应比值法”推算了区域镉基准. 结果表明:我国国家镉急性和慢性基准分别修正为1.81和0.21 μg/L;珠江流域、长江流域、太湖流域和辽河流域的镉急性基准分别为3.60,3.61,3.19和2.95 μg/L;镉慢性基准分别为1.39,0.06,0.04和0.04 μg/L;大伙房水库镉急性和慢性基准分别为2.72和0.05 μg/L. 流域及区域的镉急性基准值全部大于国家急性基准值,但大部分镉慢性基准都严于国家慢性基准.      

基于水土流失的景观格局分析方法

景观格局和生态过程是景观生态学研究的重要内容,但是很多研究只重视景观格局的研究,而忽略了生态过程的研究。文章针对水土流失这一重要生态过程,提出了基于水土流失过程的景观坡度指数和景观空间负荷对比指数,并对黄土高原泾河流域15个子流域的景观格局进行了分析,认为泾河流北部各子流域主要以水土流失的＂源＂景观为主,景观坡度指数大,空间负荷指数小,水土流失风险大;流域南部各子流域上游以＂汇＂景观为主,坡度指数大,中下游以＂源＂景观为主,景观空间分布不均衡,存在一定的水土流失风险;流域东部局部子流域主要以水土流失的＂汇＂景观为主,＂源＂景观相对较小,＂源＂-＂汇＂景观空间分布均衡,水土流失风险小。     

太湖流域农村生活污水产排污系数测算

选取太湖流域典型地区9户农户(高、中、低收入水平各3户)作为研究对象,采用现场监测及入户调查的方法对农户生活污水各类污染物产排污系数进行系统定量研究。结果表明,收入水平对农户总生活污水中TN、NH4+-N、TP产污系数无显著影响,但对污水量、COD产污系数及总生活污水中各类污染物排污系数影响显著,均表现为高收入农户中收入农户低收入农户。厕所污水对污水污染总负荷贡献率极高,COD占67%以上,TN、NH4+-N、TP占84%以上,因此,厕所污水的利用与处理率是影响污染物排污系数的主导因素,而农业收入水平及化粪池类型则对这2种因素影响显著。     

Nitrogen-retaining property of compost in an aerobic thermophilic composting reactor for the sanitary disposal of human feces

Aerobic composting is a method for the sanitary disposal of human feces as is used in bio-toilet systems. As the products of composting can be utilized as a fertilizer, it would be beneficial if the composting conditions could be more precisely controlled for the retention of fecal nitrogen as long as possible in the compost. In this study, batch experiments were conducted using a closed aerobic thermophilic composting reactor with sawdust as the bulk matrix to simulate the condition of a bio-toilet for the sanitary disposal of human feces. Attention was paid to the characteristics of nitrogen transformation. Under the controlled conditions of temperature at 60°C, moisture content at 60%,anda continuous air supply, more than 70% fecal organic removal was obtained, while merely 17% fecal nitrogen loss was observed over a two-week composting period. The nitrogen loss was found to occur mainly in the first 24 h with the rapid depletion of inorganic nitrogen but with an almost unchanged organic nitrogen content. The fecal NH₄-N which was the main component of the inorganic nitrogen ( > 90%) decreased rapidly in the first day, decreased at a slower rate over the following days, and finally disappeared entirely. The depletion of NH₄-N was accompanied by the accumulation of NH₃ gas in the ammonia absorber connected to the reactor. A mass balance between the exhausted NH₃ gas and the fecal NH₄-N content in the first 24 hours indicated that the conversion of ammonium into gaseous ammonia was the main reason for nitrogen loss. Thermophilic composting could be considered as a way to keep a high organic nitrogen content in the compost for better utilization as a fertilizer.     

Deposition and Retention of Ultrafine Aerosol Particles in the Human Respiratory System. Normal and Pathological Cases

The particle number concentration in ambient air is dominated by nanometersized particles. Recent epidemiological studies report an association between the presence of nanoparticles in inhaled air at the workplace and acute morbidity and even mortality in the elderly. A theoretical model of deposition of 20 nm particles in the human alveolus was formulated. Gas flow structure and deposition rate were calculated for alveoli with different elastic properties of lung tissue. Data obtained in the paper show increased convective effects and diffusional rate of deposition of nanoparticles for alveoli with higher stiffness of the alveolar wall. The retention of deposited particles is also higher in these pathological alveoli. Results of our calculations indicate a possibility of existence of a positive loop of coupling in deposition and retention of nanoparticles in the lung with pathological changes.     

Social capital networks for achieving sustainable development

There have been few empirical studies investigating whether and how social capital (SC) relates to better achievement of sustainability goals and, if so, how. This research investigates the roles three types of SC, namely, bonding, bridging, and bracing SC, play in achieving sustainable development (SD), using a case study of the Japanese region to explore the process of SC accumulation leading to collective action. The research question as to whether SC accumulation makes a difference in the progress towards sustainability is addressed qualitatively and quantitatively using a case study, and network and regression analysis; in particular the impact and functions of bracing SC are closely investigated. The study concludes that SC accumulation can indeed make a difference in achieving sustainability and that bracing SC plays an essential role in expediting the processes of goal sharing and resource flow by connecting various networks across sectors and scales, thereby making collective action possible. These findings suggest that creating an environment in which the generation of all three types of SC is encouraged may help local governments to achieve their desired policy goals for SD.     

What factors determine whether a community will choose the pathway to sustainable development in China?

In this paper, we divide the communities in Central China into four groups, namely ecological high-poverty communities, non-ecological high-poverty communities, sustainable communities and non-ecological low-poverty communities. We use 2000 and 2006 data for 498 counties to conduct analysis and comparison between sustainable and unsustainable communities in order to define determinants of the development pathways to sustainable communities. The comparison of the variable means between the groups of ecological high-poverty communities and non-ecological high-poverty communities in 2006 indicates that there is no significant difference in the dimensions related to economy, society and environment, with the exception of average output value per industrial enterprise.

The non-ecological low-poverty communities are more likely to have a higher proportion of secondary industry, higher total industrial output value, higher average output value per industrial enterprise and higher intensity of infrastructure construction, compared to the sustainable communities. The factors that determine whether the communities will choose the pathway to sustainable communities are found to be landscape, social conditions of secondary industry and agriculture and economic development level. Hence, the policies that aim at promoting sustainability for the unsustainable communities will have to focus on different strategies and actions for non-ecological high-poverty and non-ecological low-poverty communities.     

Status,stigma and energy practices in the home

Domestic energy practices are a topical policy issue, with implications for climate change, energy security and fuel poverty. Accordingly, a growing body of literature examines ways of promoting energy conservation and generation by individuals. However, there has been relatively little discussion of how status and stigma are implicated in these practices, and may act as facilitators or barriers to “behaviour change”. To help address this gap, this article draws both on existing literature and a new UK-based study of people who are attempting to live sustainable lives, to provide insights into how domestic energy practices may be status-enhancing or stigmatising, and how these risks and opportunities can be managed. While energy practices are often understood as “inconspicuous”, it is argued here that in some circumstances individuals may actively manage the visibility of their energy practices. The discussion considers these findings with regard to social power relations, and identifies issues warranting further exploration within the emerging research agenda on energy and equity.     

The effects of community-based action for sustainability on participants' lifestyles

There has been increased interest in the role of community-based action in promoting sustainable lifestyles in recent years, but relatively limited evidence on the effects of such activity on participants' behaviours. In this paper, I present an evaluation of the effects of community-based action for sustainability on participants' lifestyles. I draw on extensive qualitative research to assess how much change participants of community sustainability projects report, what kinds of participants these projects attract and how the circumstances of these projects affect the changes that participants make. The main findings are that these initiatives have different effects on different people. Those who are new to sustainability and who are actively involved in cohesive groups, which are specifically targeting their lifestyles, are more likely to report substantial changes. I present a model to explain what change occurs, for which types of participants, in what circumstances as a result of community-based action.     

基于熵值法的济南市可持续发展能力动态研究

为使济南市更加科学、协调、稳健地可持续发展,根据科学性、操作性、可比性、代表性等原则建立济南市可持续发展指标体系,并在此基础上,利用熵值法对济南市“十一五”期间可持续发展综合能力进行了定量评估;从系统的角度出发,对济南市社会、经济、环境各子系统在可持续发展中的作用、影响以及各子系统间的协调状态进行了分析并针对性地提出了济南市可持续发展建议.文章对其他大中城市的社会、经济、环境可持续发展能力建设具有一定的参考价值.