Conservation implications of physiological carry‐over effects in bats recovering from white‐nose syndrome

Although it is well documented that infectious diseases can pose threats to biodiversity, the potential long‐term consequences of pathogen exposure on individual fitness and its effects on population viability have rarely been studied. We tested the hypothesis that pathogen exposure causes physiological carry‐over effects with a pathogen that is uniquely suited to this question because the infection period is specific and time limited. The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans causes white‐nose syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bats, which either die due to the infection while hibernating or recover following emergence from hibernation. The fungus infects all exposed individuals in an overwintering site simultaneously, and bats that survive infection during hibernation clear the pathogen within a few weeks following emergence. We quantified chronic stress during the active season, when bats are not infected, by measuring cortisol in bat claws. Free‐ranging Myotis lucifugus who survived previous exposure to P. destructans had significantly higher levels of claw cortisol than naïve individuals. Thus, cryptic physiological carry‐over effects of pathogen exposure may persist in asymptomatic, recovered individuals. If these effects result in reduced survival or reproductive success, they could also affect population viability and even act as a third stream in the extinction vortex. For example, significant increases in chronic stress, such as those indicated here, are correlated with reduced reproductive success in a number of species. Future research should directly explore the link between pathogen exposure and the viability of apparently recovered populations to improve understanding of the true impacts of infectious diseases on threatened populations.     

Investigating the effect of compression on solute transport through degrading municipal solid waste

The effect of applied compression on the nature of liquid flow and hence the movement of contaminants within municipal solid waste was examined by means of thirteen tracer tests conducted on five separate waste samples. The conservative nature of bromide, lithium and deuterium tracers was evaluated and linked to the presence of degradation in the sample. Lithium and deuterium tracers were non-conservative in the presence of degradation, whereas the bromide remained effectively conservative under all conditions. Solute diffusion times into and out of less mobile blocks of waste were compared for each test under the assumption of dominantly dual-porosity flow. Despite the fact that hydraulic conductivity changed strongly with applied stress, the block diffusion times were found to be much less sensitive to compression. A simple conceptual model, whereby flow is dominated by sub-parallel low permeability obstructions which define predominantly horizontally aligned less mobile zones, is able to explain this result. Compression tends to narrow the gap between the obstructions, but not significantly alter the horizontal length scale. Irrespective of knowledge of the true flow pattern, these results show that simple models of solute flushing from landfill which do not include depth dependent changes in solute transport parameters are justified.     

Alternative management structures for municipal waste collection services: The influence of economic and political factors

Identifying and characterising the factors that determine why a local authority opts for a particular way of managing its waste collection service is an important issue, warranting research interest in the field of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. This paper presents empirical evidence spanning a broad time horizon (2002–2010) showing that economic and political factors impact in different ways on the provision of waste management services. We examine five alternatives in this area, including public and private service delivery formulas and, within each field, individual and joint options. Our findings highlight the importance of the service cost and that of the various indicators of fiscal stress as determinant factors of management decisions regarding the provision of MSW management services.     

外源钙盐对盐胁迫下沙拐枣渗透调节和膜脂过氧化的影响

为了解外源钙对缓解沙拐枣（Calligonum mongolicum）盐胁迫的主要生理机制,采用盆栽法探究在0、100、200 mmol/L的NaCl胁迫下,分别添加5、10、15和20 mmol/L的Ca（NO₃）₂对沙拐枣同化枝中w（脯氨酸）、丙二醛含量、w（可溶性蛋白）、w（可溶性糖）的影响.结果表明,单独添加Ca（NO₃）₂使沙拐枣同化枝内w（脯氨酸）、丙二醛含量、w（可溶性蛋白）以及w（可溶性糖）增加,即Ca（NO₃）₂对沙拐枣的生长造成了胁迫.对w（脯氨酸）、丙二醛含量、w（可溶性蛋白）、w（可溶性糖）来说,NaCl和Ca（NO₃）₂之间均存在极显著的交互作用,与对照相比,在c（NaCl）分别为100、200 mmol/L,添加c[Ca（NO₃）₂]为10、20 mmol/L时,w（脯氨酸）显著增加,分别达到最大值（736.7、1 086.3 μg/g）;丙二醛含量分别降低了37.8%和40.5%,w（可溶性蛋白）以及w（可溶性糖）均增加.总之,适宜浓度的钙盐通过增加渗透物质w（脯氨酸）、w（可溶性蛋白）及w（可溶性糖）,降低丙二醛的含量来有效缓解盐胁迫对沙拐枣幼苗产生的伤害,当c（NaCl）/c[Ca（NO₃）₂]为10:1时,缓解作用最佳,并且钙盐对沙拐枣盐胁迫的缓解属于抗性诱导的调节作用.      

短波长X射线衍射技术及在环境工程中的应用展望

介绍了短波长特征X射线衍射无损检测分析原理和方法,无损地测定了预拉伸铝板、高强钢孔挤压件、铝合金搅拌摩擦焊接件等材料部件的内部残余应力、内部物相、内部织构及其分布,并分析讨论了测试结果。该仪器具有体积小,投资少、使用维护方便等优势,展望了该无损检测分析技术在装备环境工程中的应用前景。     

丁腈橡胶密封圈高温老化行为——自由状态和承压状态

目的研究丁腈橡胶密封圈自由状态和承压状态下的高温老化行为。方法以拉伸强度和拉断伸长率为参数,对各温度下的老化行为进行表征和分析。结果 70℃条件下机械应力大大加快了橡胶密封件拉伸强度的下降速率,以致试验64 d时拉伸强度甚至比110℃时还低,拉断伸长率的下降速率也明显加快了;90℃加速条件下机械应力对拉伸强度的下降有一定的促进作用,但对拉断伸长率的变化基本无影响;110℃加速条件下机械应力对拉伸强度和拉断伸长率均没有明显的影响。结论机械应力在较低温度下可以显著促进丁腈橡胶密封圈热氧老化,高温条件下促进作用不明显。     

铜胁迫对不同基因型谷子幼苗基因组DNA多态性的影响

采用室内盆栽土培法,以4种基因型谷子(D2-8、安06、黄米、朝谷)为供试材料,研究了不同浓度Cu2+胁迫对谷子幼苗体内可溶性糖、脯氨酸、丙二醛(MDA)含量和基因组DNA多态性的影响.结果表明,经50~400 mg·kg-1Cu2+处理30 d后,4种谷子幼苗体内可溶性糖含量与对照相比呈现先上升后下降的趋势,在50 mg·kg-1时达到最大值.当浓度为200mg·kg-1以上时,4种谷子的可溶性糖含量的平均降幅为对照的32.44%~56.5%.脯氨酸则表现为低含量(≤50 mg·kg-1)的促进和高含量(≥100 mg·kg-1)的抑制效应,MDA含量均有增加且与对照差异显著(P<0.05).Cu2+胁迫下不同基因型谷子幼苗基因组DNA的RAPD图谱发生明显变化,表现为单条或多条RAPD谱带的增加和缺失或者荧光强度的改变,细胞中基因组模板DNA的稳定性下降,DNA多态性变化与Cu2+浓度之间存在剂量-效应关系.不同基因型谷子对Cu2+胁迫的生理和遗传损伤响应存在差异.利用RAPD技术获得的DNA多态性变化可作为检测Cu2+遗传毒性效应的生物标记物.     

基于生态足迹改进模型的生态安全及其预测研究

由William Rees提出的生态足迹模型已经成为近年来生态可持续发展的重要的度量工具,但是该模型仅考虑了土地的基本生产功能,忽视了土地生态系统的服务功能。文章借鉴生态系统服务功能理论改进了传统的生态足迹模型,将生态系统服务功能价值当量因子引入生态足迹模型均衡因子和产量因子的计算中,改进后的模型体现了生态系统功能的完整性;同时,文章以江苏省2010年的统计数据为基础,应用改进模型计算了其2010年生态压力指数,结果表明,江苏省生态压力指数达到1.495,其安全状况已经超过了极不安全边界,处于极不安全状态;最后利用灰色理论GM(1,1)模型对其2011-2015年的生态安全状况进行了预测,发现江苏省未来5年生态压力指数快速增大,年平均增长速度为6.89%,表明江苏省未来5年生态安全状况将继续恶化,这将严重影响其生态可持续发展和经济可持续发展。     

选矿废水污染的土壤铜量与生物累积的研究

通过对花石头河沿岸研究区植物的根部、茎叶进行采样分析,探讨了土壤铜含量和铜在植物体内的累积状况。结果表明,光叶蕨、三叶鬼针草、野牡丹、紫茎泽兰4种植物体内铜含量随着土壤铜含量的增加而增加,光叶蕨增量最大。植物根部铜生物累积系数(BF)与茎叶铜生物累积系数(BF)之间相关性不显著,但根部BF为1.311,茎叶BF为0.159,前者是后者的8.2倍。光叶蕨铜的累积能力最强,其次是紫茎泽兰,植物间铜生物累积系数没有显著性差异。各采样区土壤铜含量差异大,它们之间的差异达到显著性水平。无论是全株植物、根部,还是茎叶,BF值:公路边>山坡上>河边。青蒿铜的迁移系数(TF)最大,与其余植物的迁移系数存在显著性差异,而这4种植物之间铜的迁移系数没有显著性差异,不同采样区TF均值以公路边TF值最高,其次是河边,最后才是山坡上。     

ESS试验温度循环次数确定方法研究

介绍了环境应力筛选温度循环试验数学模型,通过雷达单元实际筛选数据统计建模计算,在相同的温度范围、温变速率条件下,进行筛选度和循环次数的理论与实际数据对比分析,得出了确定雷达组成电子单元温度循环试验循环次数的方法和修正系数。