Elevated CO2 changes the moderate shade tolerance of yellow birch seedlings

To demonstrate the existence of light thresholds in plant growth and to examine the effects of elevated CO2 on the shade tolerance of a tree species, an experiment consisting of a completely randomized design for a total of 96 yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) seedlings was conducted with 3 light levels (2.9%, 7.7%, 26.1% of full sunlight)×2 CO2 levels (350 and 700±10 ppm) with 4 replications in a phytotron. The study proved that thresholds exist and they vary in different plant organs. In ambient CO2, the thresholds were 13.3%, 18.7%, 15.0%, 15.2%, and 15.6% of full sunlight for stem, leaf, root, total plant biomass, and the averaged value, respectively. In 700 ppm CO2, the corresponding thresholds were 16.7%, 21.3%, 18.1%, 21.7% and 19.5% for stem, leaf, root, total plant biomass, and the averaged value, respectively. The lowest threshold in the stem is an indicator of the minimal light intensity for regular growth for seedlings of this species. Below this threshold, light-stressful growth occurs. The result of a paired t-test indicated that the thresholds in elevated CO2 were significantly higher than in ambient CO2. This suggests that yellow birch will lose its moderate shade tolerance, evolutionally becoming a shade-intolerant species, and that it may become more difficult to naturally regenerate in the future.     

Heavy metal availability and impact on activity of soil microorganisms along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient

All the regulations that define a maximum concentration of metals in the receiving soil are based on total soil metal concentration. However, the potential toxicity of a heavy metal in the soil depends on its speciation and availability. We studied the effects of heavy metal speciation and availability on soil microorganism activities along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient. Microbial biomass and enzyme activity of soil contaminated with both Cu and Zn were investigated. The results showed that microbial biomass was negatively affected by the elevated metal levels. The microbial biomass-C （Cmic）/organic C （Corg） ratio was closely correlated to heavy metal stress. There were negative correlations between soil microbial biomass, phosphatase activity and NH4NO3 extractable heavy metals. The soil microorganism activity could be predicted using empirical models with the availability of Cu and Zn. We observed that 72% of the variation in phosphatase activity could be explained by the NH4NO3-extractable and total heavy metal concentration. By considering different monitoring approaches and different viewpoints, this set of methods applied in this study seemed sensitive to site differences and contributed to a better understanding of the effects of heavy metals on the size and activity of microorganisms in soils. The data presented demonstrate the relationship between heavy metals availability and heavy metal toxicity to soil microorganism along a contamination gradient.     

Spatial variability of organochlorine pesticides （DDTs and HCHs） in surface soils from the alluvial region of Beijing, China

The spatial variability in the concentrations of 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) in surface soils was studied on the basis of the analysis of 131 soil samples collected from the surface layer (0-20 cm depth) of the alluvial region of Beijing, China. The concentrations of total HCHs (including α-, β-, γ-, and δ-isomers) and total DDTs (i ncluding p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE, and o,p'-DDT) in the surface soils tested were in the range from nondetectable to 31.72 μg/kg dry soil, with a mean value of 0.91, and from nondetectable to 5910.83 μg/kg dry soil, with a mean value of 32.13,respectively. It was observed that concentrations of HCHs in all soil samples and concentrations of DDTs in 112 soil samples were much lower than the first grade (50 μg/kg) permitted in "Environment quality standard for soils in China (GB15618-1995)". This suggests that the pollution due to organochlorine pesticides was generally not significant in the farmland soils in the Beijing alluvial region. In this study, the spatial distribution and trend of HCHs and DDTs were analyzed using Geostatistical Analyst and GS (513).Spatial distribution indicated how these pesticides had been applied in the past. Trend analysis showed that the concentrations of HCHs,DDTs, and their related metabolites followed an obvious distribution trend in the surface soils from the alluvial region of Beijing.     

千层塔扦插繁殖研究

通过扦插试验,采用不同浓度水平的吲哚丁酸、萘乙酸、生根粉和吲哚丁酸＋萘乙酸等药剂处理千层塔插条,研究对插条的生根量、生根率、成活率等的影响和插条萌芽状况及扦插基质对插条生根的影响,为千层塔资源快速再生提供有效的繁殖途径。     

三维电极电解硝基苯废水处理实验研究

以涂膜活性炭-活性炭为填充粒子,对三维电极电解硝基苯废水进行了研究。通过实验探讨了投盐量、槽电压、主电极间距、反应时间及初始浓度对电解硝基苯废水的影响。结果表明,三维电极在电极间距为9mm、槽电压为20V、硫酸钠投加量为1.5g/L、pH值为6、电解时间为90min的条件下,硝基苯去除率可达90%以上。在三维电极电解作用下,硝基苯转化为可生化和低毒的苯胺,苯胺在三维电极电解作用下还可以得到进一步的降解。     

广东南部电白小良试验站4种森林群落结构的对比研究

通过对小良试验站不同类型、不同林龄的３种人工林群落（群落Ｂ：桉林;群落Ｃ：松桉混交林;群落Ｄ：阔叶混交林）与当地自然次生热带季雨林（乡土林）相比较,从群落结构的角度探讨人工恢复热带森林的可行性．结果表明：从桉林到松桉混交林到阔叶混交林,３种人工林群落的组成结构和空间结构向着复杂性和稳定性方向发展,并逐渐向地带性自然次生林方向演替;群落的相似性研究也表明,阔叶混交林是３种人工林中与乡土林最为相似．因此,对于极度退化的热带丘陵台地区,在一定工程和生物措施基础上,用先锋绿化树种造林成功后,及时用多层多种的阔叶混交林改造原有先锋林,可以加速人工林向地带性植被类型演替．     

农业生态与土地退化的土壤微形态研究

简要地介绍了土壤微形态研究方法及其在农业生态与土地退化研究中的应用,并回顾了近20a的国际土壤微形态研究的内容与进展.在过去的20a中,土壤微形态学在概念、现象的解释、分析技术'以及应用上都取得了前所未有的进展.特别在样品脱水方法、荧光分析、图象处理及定量分析技术上得到很大的发展.植物根系与土壤微结构的关系,土壤改良对结构的影响等方面研究取得一定的成就.利用土壤微形态研究农业生态系统中的根系与根际的生态过程,作物对水分和养分的吸收过程,人为活动对土壤退化,熟化的微形态指标,以及利用微形态指标评价人为因素在现代土壤过程中的作用等,是土壤微形态研究的最新动态.     

中美高等环境类专业课程结构和教学实施比较研究

以美国５所大学为代表，调查和分析了其环境类专业的课程结构和教学实施的基本状况，并与我国进行了比较研究．研究表明课程结构和教学实施存在明显差别，其主要表现在以下９个方面：本科生专业培养目标；素质教育课程的设置；课程体系结构和学分制；培养解决环境问题能力的课程设置；及时反映新观点和新理论的课程；人文科学和社会科学类课程设置；环境政策课程；资源课程和专业教学方式．比较研究认为，上述９个方面可作为我国修订环境类本科生专业基本培养规格和基本教学要求的借鉴．同时还提供某些具有参考价值的课程设置实例．     

生物法净化处理低浓度挥发性有机及恶臭气体

结合课题组研究工作,概要介绍生物法废气净化技术的基础菌种及应用条件、菌种库与菌种批量生产线、初步工业应用等方面的研究成果与应用情况。     

再生资源产业回收模式比较

回收网络与回收模式的选择对再生资源企业非常关键。在实践中,存在分散型、层级管理、柔性管理、点对点及承包协议等多种不同的回收模式,而且各自具备不同的特点。基于对不同回收模式的比较分析,针对每种模式分别提出以下建议:以政策规范分散回收行为、以宣传推广柔性管理模式、以共生提高层级网络效率、以信息平台扩大点对点模式、以市场运行承包协议模式。