Tradeoffs between forestry resource and conservation values under alternate policy regimes: A spatial analysis of the western Canadian boreal plains

An important element of resource management and conservation is an understanding of the tradeoffs between marketed products, such as timber, and measures of environmental quality, such as biodiversity. In this paper, we develop an integrated economic-ecological spatial optimization model that we then apply to evaluate alternate forest policies on a 560,000 km² study region of managed boreal forest in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. The integrated model incorporates dynamic forest sector harvesting, current levels of oil and gas sector development, coarse-filter or habitat-based old forest indicators, a set of empirical forest bird abundance models, and statistical models of the natural and current fire regimes. Using our integrated model, economic tradeoff curves, or production possibility frontiers, are developed to illustrate the cost of achieving coarse-filter targets by a set time (50 years) within a 100-year time horizon. We found levels of ecological indicators and economic returns from the timber industry could both be increased if spatial constraints imposed by the current policy environment were relaxed; other factors being equal, this implies current policy should be revised. We explore the production possibility frontier's relationship to the range of natural variation of old forest habitat, and show how this range can be used to guide choices of preferred locations along the frontier. We also show that coarse-filter constraints on the abundance of certain habitat elements are sufficient to satisfy some fine-filter objectives, expressed as the predicted abundances of various species of songbirds.     

Postural Loading Assessment in Assembly Workers of an Iranian Telecommunication Manufacturing Company

Background. Changes in industries and work practices have coincided with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of MSDs and to assess postural loading in assembly workers of an Iranian telecommunication manufacturing company. Methods. Data were collected from 193 randomly selected workers in 4 units of the company. The Nordic musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire and the UBC ergonomic checklist were used as data collection tools. Loading on the upper body assessment (LUBA) was used to assess postural loading. Results. Lower back symptoms were the most prevalent problems among the workers (67.9%). LUBA showed that most assembly workers (94.3%) had experienced considerable and high postural loading (postural load index, PLI > 5). Regression analyses revealed that lighting, rotation, contact stress, repetition, gender and age were factors associated with symptoms. Conclusion. Work-related MSDs occurred at a high rate among workers. Postural loading requires consideration. Any ergonomic intervention should focus on eliminating ergonomic factors associated with symptoms.     

Alveolar Macrophage (AM) Mobility Reduction as a Result of Long-Term Exposure to High Dust Concentration in Inhaled Air

The influence of high concentration of insoluble particles in inhaled air on the alveolar macrophage (AM) mobility is analyzed. Kinetics of phagocytosis and the mobility of AM as a function of overloading is proposed. Three patterns of AM displacement on the surface of alveolus are distinguished depending on the loading of the surface with insoluble deposits, namely, directional being a result of surfactant activity, directional with a chemotactic bias, and purely random. The exit time of AM from alveolus under overloading is calculated.     

Escherichia coli Concentrations in Urban Watersheds Exhibit Diurnal Sag: Implications for Water‐Quality Monitoring and Assessment

The variability of indicator bacteria over a fine resolution time scale on the order of minutes has yet to be fully understood. In this study, we collected more than 700 Escherichia coli samples at a 10‐ and 30‐min resolution in an urban watershed in Houston. A Bacteria Diurnal Sag (BDS) marked with daytime exponential decay followed by an exponential nighttime regeneration was observed. This pattern was observed during all sampled events but varied depending on other variables. The concentrations during a 24‐h period varied 1 to 5 orders of magnitude and the fecal load was at least 10 times lower than what would be obtained using a single morning E. coli measurement, the typical sampling scheme in most monitoring programs. Decay rates, ranging from 3.67 to 24.7/day, decreased E. coli concentrations to below the water‐quality standards from 14:00 to 18:00 h and were strongly influenced by water temperatures and solar radiation intensities. Rapid regeneration occurred on the order of 9.41 to 64.1/day allowing E. coli concentrations to return to their pre‐decay levels. The data indicated that four to six samples taken between 06:00 and 18:00 h may be sufficient to define the BDS depending on stream conditions, and that a threshold concentration of approximately 100 MPN/dl (most probable number in a deciliter) existed for the studied urban watershed. These findings have significant implications for water‐quality monitoring, regulation, and compliance.     

冬季条件下曝气生物滤池处理模拟灰水的应用研究

文章采用陶粒滤料为载体,研究了在冬季低温条件下化学混凝-曝气生物滤池工艺对模拟灰水的中试研究。实验结果表明,在冬季水温为3℃-15℃的条件下,初沉处理大大减轻了后续曝气生物滤池的运行负荷的同时也提高了整个工艺的搞冲击能力。当曝气生物滤池水力负荷为3．8m／h时,COD、LAS的去除效率分别在70％、80％以上。NH4-N去除效率受LAS、COD、温度影响较大,整个工况去除效率在15％～75％。NH4-N的去除效率随着COD负荷的增加,其去除效率受到严重的影响。COD的去除负荷率为2．85kg／（m^3滤料·d）升高到5．04kg／（m^3滤料·d）时,NH4-N的去除率则由61％-77％,下降到26％～41％,说明了异养微生物的生长严重抑制了硝化亚硝化细菌的生长。     

Restorating marine coastal ecosystem health as a new goad for integrated catchment management in Tolo Harbour,Hong Kong,China

Abstract

The paper demonstrates why it is necessary to take the restoration of marine coastal ecosystem health as a new goal for integrated catchment management, in coastal area of the Tolo Harbour. The present goal of integrated catchment management (ICM) in the Tolo Harbour is to meet with Water Quality Objectives. The performance of an ICM plan, Tolo Harbour Action Plan (THAP), is evaluated by using marine coastal ecosystem health indicators including stress indicators and responses indicators. Since the implementation of THAP in 1988, some significant reduction in pollution loading has been observed—reduction of 83% of BOD load and 82% of TN between 1988 and 1999. There has been an improvement in the health state of Tolo Harbour marine coastal ecosystem as evidenced in the trends of the physical, chemical and biological indicators, although some reverse fluctuations in some periods exist. However, this can only be considered as the first sign of the ecosystem health restoration, since ecosystem health covers not only physical, chemical and biological aspects of an ecosystem, but also ecosystem-service-function aspect. It is recommended to take the restoration and protection of marine coastal ecosystem health as a new goal, instead of water quality objective management, for integrated catchment management in Tolo Harbour catchment. Steps to further improve the marine coastal ecosystem health of Tolo harbour are discussed in the paper.     

氮沉降对陆地生态系统土壤有机碳含量影响的Meta分析

研究已证实大气氮沉降的增加显著影响了土壤有机碳的含量,然而其变化幅度在不同的实验样地具有较大的差异.基于在我国开展的49个模拟氮沉降野外实验的408组数据,利用Meta分析、Meta回归和线性回归等方法系统研究了样地气候、土壤属性以及氮素施用参数对施氮后土壤有机碳含量的影响.结果表明,样地的年均温（MAT）和年均降水量（MAP）与施氮后土壤有机碳含量变化幅度显著正相关（P<0.05）.在MAT或MAP较低（MAT<3℃,MAP<500 mm）的样地中,施氮后土壤有机碳含量显著下降;而在MAT或MAP较高（MAT>3℃,MAP>500 mm）的样地中,施氮后土壤有机碳含量则显著升高.土壤属性方面,在C：N较高（>15）或酸性（pH<6.5）土壤中,施氮后土壤有机碳积累明显（P<0.05）;而在C：N较低（≤15）以及中性或碱性（pH≥6.5）土壤中,施氮后土壤有机碳变化不明显（P >0.05）.此外,施氮后草原生态系统土壤有机碳含量明显下降（-5.34%）;而湿地生态系统土壤有机碳含量变化不明显;森林生态系统土壤有机碳表现出明显积累（10.52%）,特别是阔叶林生态系统（13.10%）.所有的因子中,土壤C：N是影响施氮后土壤有机碳变化幅度的主导因子.在施氮类型方面,施加硝酸铵或尿素后土壤有机碳含量显著升高,而施加硝态氮对其影响不显著.综上所述,在精确评估、预测和分析氮沉降对土壤有机碳含量的影响时,应综合考虑样地的气候、土壤属性以及氮素施用参数等因素对实验结果的影响.     

Hydrologic and Phosphorus Export Behavior of Small Streams in Commercial Poultry‐Pasture Watersheds1

Romeis, J. Joshua, C. Rhett Jackson, L. Mark Risse, Andrew N. Sharpley, and David E. Radcliffe, 2011. Hydrologic and Phosphorus Export Behavior of Small Streams in Commercial Poultry‐Pasture Watersheds. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐19. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00521.x Abstract: Few watershed‐scale studies have evaluated phosphorus export in streamflow from commercial poultry‐pasture operations. Continuous streamflow and mixed‐frequency water quality datasets were collected from nine commercial poultry‐pasture (AG) and three forested (FORS) headwater streams (2.4‐44 ha) in the upper Etowah River basin of Georgia to estimate total P (TP) loads and examine variability of hydrologic response and water quality of storm and nonstorm‐flow regimes. Data collection duration ranged from 18 to 22 months, and approximately 1,600 water quality samples were collected. Significant (p < 0.1) inverse relationships were detected between peak flow response variables and both drainage area and fraction of forest cover. Order‐of‐magnitude differences in TP and dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentration were observed between AG and FORS sites and among AG sites. TP yields of FORS sites ranged from 0.01 to 0.1 kg P/ha. Yields of AG sites ranged from 0.031 to 3.17 kg P/ha (median = 0.354 kg P/ha). With 95% confidence intervals, AG yields ranged from 0.025 to 13.1 kg P/ha. These small‐watershed‐scale yields were similar to field‐scale yields measured in other studies in other regions. TP yields were significantly related to area‐weighted Mehlich‐1 soil test P concentrations (p = 0.0073) and base‐flow water sample P concentrations (p ≤ 0.0005). Water quality sampling during base‐flow conditions may be a useful screening tool for P risk‐based management programs.     

Archimedean Copulas在降水变异概率分布特征研究中的应用——以新疆福海县为例

探究二维情况下变异不同步,也就是一个变量发生变异,而另一个变量不发生变异的情况,对Copula联合分布的影响.在气温变化的环境下,降水过程发生了显著变异,而年降水量和年总降水天数的联合分布对长期旱涝情况有重要意义.以Copula函数为基础,计算新疆福海站年降水量和年总降水天数联合分布,用传统变异分析方法进行变异分析.针...     

氢氧化镁对水体内源磷释放的控制作用

本研究首先通过批量实验考察了氢氧化镁对水中磷酸盐的吸附性能,再通过底泥模拟释放实验考察了氢氧化镁覆盖和添加控制底泥中磷向上覆水体释放的效果及机制.结果表明,氢氧化镁对水中磷酸盐具有良好的吸附能力,其投加量的增加有利于水中磷酸盐被其所吸附去除,与Langmuir模型相比,其对水中磷酸盐的等温吸附行为更适合采用Freundlich和Dubinin-Radushkevitch （D-R）模型加以描述.氢氧化镁覆盖可以有效地控制底泥中磷向上覆水体的释放,使得上覆水中SRP浓度处于较低的水平,即使覆盖层的结构完整性受到扰动破坏而导致覆盖材料与表层底泥的混合,氢氧化镁仍然可以有效地控制底泥中磷向上覆水体的释放.氢氧化镁覆盖和添加均可以有效地降低最上层（0~10 mm）底泥间隙水中SRP的浓度,这对于其覆盖和添加有效控制底泥中磷向上覆水体的释放是至关重要的.人工合成的氢氧化镁对水中磷酸盐的吸附性能优于商业购买的氢氧化镁,前者控制水体内源磷向上覆水体释放的效果也优于后者.以上结果显示,氢氧化镁是一种有希望用于控制水体底泥内源磷释放的活性覆盖和改良材料.