A Bayesian network highlighting the linkages between landscape structure and the local economy: the case of agritourism in lowland areas of Northern Italy

Linking landscapes to socio-economic benefits necessarily requires considering the usability of landscape structure. To do so, however, depends on the interaction between users and producers of landscape-related services. We illustrate this interaction with a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) in a case study analysing the connection between residents' perceptions of landscape structure and agritourism restaurants in the eastern lowlands of Ferrara (Italy). We use estimates of prior and conditional probabilities from a mix of different data: land use, survey data, regional statistics, and expert judgements to show the likely effects of the landscape structure on the local economy by using intermediate forms of services (i.e. second-order services). The second-order service is highly influenced by the agritourism density and by the frequency with which customers dine at agritourism restaurants and less by landscape attractiveness, confirming the importance of the supply and demand of second-order services in the provision of landscape-related services.     

沉积物中不同浓度多壁碳纳米管对Cd和BDE-47生态毒性的影响

随着碳纳米管的广泛应用,其将不可避免地进入环境中.由于其具有极好的吸附亲和力和吸附容量,碳纳米管可以充当环境中持久性有毒污染物的载体,从而改变共存污染物的生物有效性和生态毒性.为评价淡水沉积物中不同多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)对Cd和BDE-47生态毒性的影响,采用沉积物慢性生物测试研究了不同浓度MWCNTs存在下Cd和BDE-47对铜锈环棱螺肝胰脏抗氧化防御系统关键成分超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)与Ⅱ相解毒反应的关键酶谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GST)以及脂质过氧化损伤指标丙二醛(MDA)的影响.结果表明,沉积物中低浓度MWCNTs(0.5 mg·g~(-1))增强Cd对铜锈环棱螺的氧化胁迫,中、高浓度(5、50 mg·g~(-1))MWCNTs引起Cd对铜锈环棱螺的氧化损伤,MWCNTs的存在显著增强了沉积物中Cd对铜锈环棱螺的毒性,而且具有浓度-效应关系;低浓度MWCNTs不影响BDE-47对铜锈环棱螺的毒性,中、高浓度MWCNTs显著降低BDE-47的毒性,同样具有明显的浓度-效应关系.因此,在评价MWCNTs的潜在环境风险时,不仅考虑MWCNTs自身的毒性,还应当考虑MWCNTs的浓度、共存污染物的种类和MWCNTs与共存污染物之间的相互作用.     

Reuse of nickel recovered from spent Ni–Cd batteries for the preparation of C/Ni and C/Ni/Pd layered electrodes for energy sources

Nickel recovered in the recycling process of Ni–Cd batteries was used as a main component of bath for electrodeposition of nickel onto carbon fabric in order to obtain C/Ni composite. A part of the obtained composite was additionally coated with a thin layer of palladium (C/Ni/Pd composite). All the materials were investigated to assess the possibility of their use in the processes of electrochemical storage (sorption/desorption) of hydrogen and electrochemical oxidation of methanol. The obtained results showed the composites to be active electrode materials in these processes. The electrodes exhibited high activity and cyclability, especially in the process of methanol oxidation due to electrocatalytic activity of both nickel deposited onto carbon fabric and the outer layer of porous palladium coating nickel substrate.     

Innovative combined technique for high concentration of azo dye AR18 wastewater treatment using modified SBR and enhanced Fenton process as post treatment

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the performance of combined biological/advanced oxidation process (AOP) system for treatment of wastewater containing high concentration (500 mg/L) of azo dye Acid Red 18 (AR18). Two alternating anaerobic–aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBR1 and SBR2 without and with external feeding at the beginning of aeration cycle, respectively) were operated. The effluent of the SBRs was then post treated through enhanced Fenton process (using zero-valent iron combined with ultrasonic irradiation). More than 90% and 97% of COD was removed in the combined SBR/AOP system without external carbon source (CTS1) and with external feeding (CTS2), respectively. The analysis of dye and its metabolites using UV–vis and HPLC analysis also proved that 99% of the original dye was decolorized and more than 89% of its metabolites were degraded through CST2 which is significantly higher than the reported values in the literature. Besides, more than 87% of phosphorus removal efficiency was obtained in CST2 compared to only 54.5% removal efficiency in CST1. Regarding the findings of this study, the proposed combined treatment system (CTS2) can be suggested as an effective technique for treatment of high azo dye AR18 concentration wastewater.     

Investigation of affecting parameters on treating high-strength compost leachate in a hybrid EGSB and fixed-bed reactor followed by electrocoagulation–flotation process

In this research, treatability of high-load compost leachate in a hybrid expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) and fixed-bed (FB) bioreactor followed by electrocoagulation–flotation (ECF) system was examined. The operational factors in EGSB–FB were influent chemical oxygen demand (COD), hydraulic retention time (HRT) and COD/nitrogen ratio (COD/N). And, their interactive effects on the efficiency of COD removal and biogas production rate (BPR) as responses were analyzed and correlated by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum conditions of the hybrid EGSB–FB reactor were acquired at COD = 7800 mg/L, HRT = 35 h, COD/N = 70, in which COD removal efficiency was 83% and BPR 94 mL/h. The amount of confidence interval was 95%. COD (relevant coefficient = 9.8) and HRT (relevant coefficient = −24) were resulted respectively as the most effective parameters on COD removal and BPR. Yet, COD/N parameter imposed negative effect on COD removal and BPR in values less than about 100. The outcomes indicated that operated ECF as post-treatment in constant conditions (electrolysis time = 75 min, electrodes distance = 3 cm, voltage = 20 V) successfully satisfied discharge criteria in the most part of experimental domains.     

It pays to have an eye for emotions: Emotion recognition ability indirectly predicts annual income

This study integrates the emotion and social influence literatures to examine how emotion recognition ability (ERA) relates to annual income. In a sample of 142 employee–peer–supervisor triads from a broad range of jobs and organizations, we find that people's level of ERA indirectly relates to how much they earn per year. The relationship between ERA and annual income is mediated sequentially through political skill and interpersonal facilitation. The results imply that emotional abilities allow people not only to process affect‐laden information effectively but also to use this information to successfully navigate the social world of organizations in the pursuit of prosperity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水生生物水质基准研究中轮虫、水螅、涡虫类受试生物的筛选

轮虫、水螅、涡虫是水生生态系统的重要生物类群。因其对水体污染较敏感,所以对水生生物基准研究有重要意义。依据我国生物区系资料及毒性数据丰度,筛选出8种代表性本土轮虫、水螅、涡虫类生物。参照美国水生生物基准技术指南,搜集、筛选了这8种代表性生物的急性毒性数据,通过数据分析,筛选出对各物种毒性最大的污染物,主要包括重金属、农药、有机锡化物、表面活性剂、吡啶胺类杀菌剂。分析污染物的物种敏感度分布,依据累积概率对代表性生物的物种敏感性进行分类,结果为:萼花臂尾轮虫(Brachionus calyciflorus)、绿水螅(Hydra viridissima)、普通水螅(Hydra vulgaris)对重金属铜的累积概率为6.5%、8.5%和10.4%,普通水螅(Hydra vulgaris)对重金属汞的累积概率为6.3%;龟甲轮虫(Keratella cochlearis)和四齿腔轮虫(Lecane quadridentata)对五氯酚钠的累积概率为5.1%和7.6%;褐水螅(Hydra oligactis)和绿水螅(Hydra viridissima)对三丁基氧化锡的累积概率为6.9%和13.8%,萼花臂尾轮虫(Brachionus calyciflorus)对氟啶胺的累积概率为6.7%,日本三角涡虫(Dugesia japonica)对四氯化碳、十二烷基苯磺酸钠的累积概率分别为6.7%和7.1%。上述结果表明:萼花臂尾轮虫、绿水螅对重金属铜敏感;普通水螅对重金属铜和汞敏感;龟甲轮虫和四齿腔轮虫对农药敏感;褐水螅和绿水螅对有机锡化物敏感;萼花臂尾轮虫对吡啶胺类杀菌剂敏感;日本三角涡虫对四氯化碳、表面活性剂敏感。这7种代表性生物可作为相关污染物的水生生物基准受试物种。     

云南兰坪县城滑坡地质特征及其成因分析

2000年9月兰坪县城发生特大型山体滑坡,造成重大经济损失,采取挡墙、抗滑桩等措施后,北部边坡局部基本稳定,南部依见明显新变形,2010~2013年尤甚。基于滑坡现状特征及区域地质环境条件分析,提出了以隐伏断裂(F2)为界将滑坡区重新分块,能够合理反映滑坡的变形破坏特征,并为类似滑坡地质勘察加强针对隐伏断裂的影响分析具有重要的借鉴意义。通过分析滑坡体地质及变形破坏特征,认为滑坡的成因主要受控于滑坡区发育的不利岩性条件及地质结构面,水~岩作用是导致岩体崩解破坏诱发滑坡的主要因素。     

Global population collapse in a superabundant migratory bird and illegal trapping in China

Persecution and overexploitation by humans are major causes of species extinctions. Rare species, often confined to small geographic ranges, are usually at highest risk, whereas extinctions of superabundant species with very large ranges are rare. The Yellow‐breasted Bunting (Emberiza aureola) used to be one of the most abundant songbirds of the Palearctic, with a very large breeding range stretching from Scandinavia to the Russian Far East. Anecdotal information about rapid population declines across the range caused concern about unsustainable trapping along the species’ migration routes. We conducted a literature review and used long‐term monitoring data from across the species’ range to model population trend and geographical patterns of extinction. The population declined by 84.3–94.7% between 1980 and 2013, and the species’ range contracted by 5000 km. Quantitative evidence from police raids suggested rampant illegal trapping of the species along its East Asian flyway in China. A population model simulating an initial harvest level of 2% of the population, and an annual increase of 0.2% during the monitoring period produced a population trajectory that matched the observed decline. We suggest that trapping strongly contributed to the decline because the consumption of Yellow‐breasted Bunting and other songbirds has increased as a result of economic growth and prosperity in East Asia. The magnitude and speed of the decline is unprecedented among birds with a comparable range size, with the exception of the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), which went extinct in 1914 due to industrial‐scale hunting. Our results demonstrate the urgent need for an improved monitoring of common and widespread species’ populations, and consumption levels throughout East Asia.     

Syntrophic co-culture of Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumonia for degradation of kraft lignin discharged from rayon grade pulp industry

In order to search the degradability of kraft lignin, the potential bacterial strains Bacillus subtilis (GU193980) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (GU193981) were isolated, screened and applied in axenic and co-culture conditions. Results revealed that mixed culture showed better decolorization efficiency (80%) and reduction of pollution parameters (COD 73% and BOD 62%) than axenic culture. This indicated syntrophic growth of these two bacteria rather than any antagonistic effect. The HPLC analysis of degraded samples of kraft lignin has shown the reduction in peak area compared to control, suggesting that decrease in color intensity might be largely attributed to the degradation of lignin by isolated bacteria. Further, the GC–MS analysis showed that most of the compounds detected in control were diminished after bacterial treatment. Further, the seed germination test using Phaseolus aureus has supported the detoxification of bacterial decolorized kraft lignin for environmental safety. All these observations have revealed that the developed bacterial co-culture was capable for the effective degradation and decolorization of lignin containing rayon grade pulp mill wastewater for environmental safety.