Spatial scales and probability based sampling in determining levels of benthic community degradation in the Chesapeake Bay

The extent of degradation of benthic communities of the Chesapeake Bay was determined by applying a previously developed benthic index of biotic integrity at three spatial scales. Allocation of sampling was probability-based allowing areal estimates of degradation with known confidence intervals. The three spatial scales were: (1) the tidal Chesapeake Bay; (2) the Elizabeth River watershed; and (3) two small tidal creeks within the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River that are part of a sediment contaminant remediation effort. The areas covered varied from 10^–1 to 10⁴ km² and all were sampled in 1999. The Chesapeake Bay was divided into ten strata, the Elizabeth River into five strata and each of the two tidal creeks was a single stratum. The determination of the number and size of strata was based upon consideration of both managerially useful units for restoration and limitations of funding. Within each stratum 25 random locations were sampled for benthic community condition. In 1999 the percent of the benthos with poor benthic community condition for the entire Chesapeake Bay was 47% and varied from 20% at the mouth of the Bay to 72% in the Potomac River. The estimated area of benthos with poor benthic community condition for the Elizabeth River was 64% and varied from 52–92%. Both small tidal creeks had estimates of 76% of poor benthic community condition. These kinds of estimates allow environmental managers to better direct restoration efforts and evaluate progress towards restoration. Patterns of benthic community condition at smaller spatial scales may not be correctly inferred from larger spatial scales. Comparisons of patterns in benthic community condition across spatial scales, and between combinations of strata, must be cautiously interpreted.     

Crown condition dynamics of oak in southern Sweden 1988’999

Crown defoliation of oak (Quercus robur and Q. petraea) was analysed in 808 trees during three forest condition surveys (1988, 1993, and 1999) in the southern Sweden. From 1988 to 1999 crown defoliation increased by more than 20%. Changes in crown defoliation were related to the pH in the upper 20–30 cm of the mineral soils, which was closely connected to other measures of soil fertility (cation exchange capacity, CEC and C/N ratio). Trees growing on soils with a high pH (≥4.00, in BaCl₂ filtrate), high CEC and low C/N ratio had significantly lower crown defoliation than trees growing on more acid soils (pH <4.00), indicating that less favourable soil conditions may further enhance oak decline. Age did not differentiate trees with respect to crown defoliation, indicating that decline in crown condition was not due to an age-related increase in crown transparency. Considering only trees younger than 100 years, a significant interaction was observed between changes in crown defoliation and soil pH. Trees younger than 100 years old growing on more acidic soils had a greater increase in crown transparency than trees on more basic soils between 1988 and 1999. Trees ≥100 years old had significantly higher defoliation on more acidic than on more basic soils, however defoliation dynamics of these trees over 1988–99 was not related to soil acidity. Two biotic agents (insect and fungal leaf infections) evaluated in this study did not prove to be important drivers of defoliation dynamics.     

Spatial-Scale Effects on Relative Importance of Physical Habitat Predictors of Stream Health

A common theme in recent landscape studies is the comparison of riparian and watershed land use as predictors of stream health. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of reach-scale habitat and remotely assessed watershed-scale habitat as predictors of stream health over varying spatial extents. Stream health was measured with scores on a fish index of biotic integrity (IBI) using data from 95 stream reaches in the Eastern Corn Belt Plain (ECBP) ecoregion of Indiana. Watersheds hierarchically nested within the ecoregion were used to regroup sampling locations to represent varying spatial extents. Reach habitat was represented by metrics of a qualitative habitat evaluation index, whereas watershed variables were represented by riparian forest, geomorphology, and hydrologic indices. The importance of reach- versus watershed-scale variables was measured by multiple regression model adjusted-R² and best subset comparisons in the general linear statistical framework. Watershed models had adjusted-R² ranging from 0.25 to 0.93 and reach models had adjusted-R² ranging from 0.09 to 0.86. Better-fitting models were associated with smaller spatial extents. Watershed models explained about 15% more variation in IBI scores than reach models on average. Variety of surficial geology contributed to decline in model predictive power. Results should be interpreted bearing in mind that reach habitat was qualitatively measured and only fish assemblages were used to measure stream health. Riparian forest and length-slope (LS) factor were the most important watershed-scale variables and mostly positively correlated with IBI scores, whereas substrate and riffle-pool quality were the important reach-scale variables in the ECBP.     

有害废物堆肥技术及堆肥生态系统研究进展

介绍了现代堆肥技术的特点及发展，近年在堆肥生态系统的研究表明，除去在堆肥中起重要作用的微生物学过程及生物因子外，非生物因子的作用也不容忽视。影响微生物活性和对堆肥反应速率起作用的非生物因子有温度，水分含量，通风供氧，ｐＨ毒物初始浓度，有机质含量和碳氮比等。     

高压均质对蓝藻有机质释放与厌氧发酵产酸的促进效果

为提高蓝藻在厌氧发酵过程中的资源化利用率,采用高压均质技术处理蓝藻以提高其厌氧发酵产VFAs（挥发性脂肪酸）的效率,通过对蓝藻进行不同压力和pH的高压均质处理,比较处理后蓝藻营养物质的释放情况,并确定该处理的优选运行条件;同时,对未处理蓝藻、高压均质蓝藻、热碱蓝藻进行厌氧发酵试验,评估高压均质处理对蓝藻发酵产酸效果的影响.结果表明:不同条件下高压均质的蓝藻所释放的有机质均较处理前有所提高,其中高压均质的优选条件为压力100 MPa和pH=11,该条件下ρ（SCOD）（SCOD为溶解性化学需氧量）可达22.74 g/L,比对照组提高了52.34倍.在厌氧发酵试验中,高压均质处理在促进有机质释放的同时,还可以提高底物的可生化性,进而提升产酸量.高压均质蓝藻产VFAs的质量浓度最高达8.22 g/L,是对照组的2.16倍.另外,高压均质处理蓝藻的CST（毛细吸水时间）由热碱预处理蓝藻的2 940 s降至1 940 s,减缓了有机质释放带来的脱水性能的恶化趋势.研究显示,高压均质预处理能够提高蓝藻细胞有机质释放、改善碳源可生化性、促进厌氧发酵产酸量,并且降低了分离回收碳源的难度.      

生物配体模型的适用性研究

简要介绍了生物配体模型(Biotic Ligand Model,BLM)的发展以及理论基础,对模型的优势和应用中存在的问题进行了分析,并对模型研究的发展趋势进行了展望。