A Critical Review of Assumptions About the Prairie Dog as a Keystone Species

Cynomys spp.) have been labeled as keystone species because of their influence on biological diversity and ecosystem function. However, the validity of several assumptions used to support keystone status is questionable. We review the strength of the evidence and the magnitude of the prairie dog's effects on ecosystem structure and function. We use this review to reevaluate the keystone role for prairie dogs. Our goal is to encourage sound management of the prairie dog ecosystem by improving the ecological foundation of their keystone status. Our review confirms that prairie dogs affect a number of ecosystem-level functions but that their influence on prairie vertebrates may be less than previously suggested. Species richness and abundance patterns were variable among plants, mammals, and birds and were not consistently higher on prairie dog colonies compared to uncolonized areas. In addition, only nine of the 208 species listed in the literature as observed on or near prairie dogs colonies had quantitative evidence of dependence on prairie dogs. Abundance data indicated opportunistic use of colonies for an additional 20 species. A total of 117 species may have some relationship with prairie dogs, but we lacked sufficient data to evaluate the strength of this relationship. The remaining 62 species may be accidental or alien to the system. Despite our conclusion that some prairie dog functions may be smaller than previously assumed, collectively these functions are quite large compared to other herbivores in the system. We suggest that prairie dogs also provide some unique functions not duplicated by any other species and that continued decline of prairie dogs may lead to a substantial erosion of biological diversity and landscape heterogeneity across prairie and shrub-steppe landscapes. Thus, we concur that keystone status for prairie dogs is appropriate and may aid conservation efforts that help protect species dependent on prairie dogs and support other important ecosystem functions.     

A second life for old data: global patterns in pollution ecology revealed from published observational studies

A synthesis of research on the responses of terrestrial biota (1095 effect sizes) to industrial pollution (206 point emission sources) was conducted to reveal regional and global patterns from small-scale observational studies. A meta-analysis, in combination with other statistical methods, showed that the effects of pollution depend on characteristics of the specific polluter (type, amount of emission, duration of impact on biota), the affected organism (trophic group, life history), the level at which the response was measured (organism, population, community), and the environment (biome, climate). In spite of high heterogeneity in responses, we have detected several general patterns. We suggest that the development of evolutionary adaptations to pollution is a common phenomenon and that the harmful effects of pollution on terrestrial ecosystems are likely to increase as the climate warms. We argue that community- and ecosystem-level responses to pollution should be explored directly, rather than deduced from organism-level studies.     

基于可拓方法的职业危害控制水平预警模型

为了量化职业危害发生的可能性,并为职业病防治提供依据,利用物元分析方法,建立了高危作业有害因素控制水平的综合预警模型。为了避免人为主观因素的影响,采用简单可拓关联函数确定模型中指标权重,并以定量结果确定预警级别。实例验证表明,该模型可用于对职业危害的控制水平做出综合评价,并提供定量的预警信息。     

Metals pollution and human bioaccessibility of topsoils in Grugliasco (Italy)

Polluted soils can present a significant health risk especially in an urban environment. Most current legislation and health risk frameworks are based on pseudototal metal content. However, only a fraction of these concentrations is available for plant and human uptake. The aim of this work was to study the diffuse metal contamination in the soils of a municipality in Northern Italy in terms of: (i) metal availability, and (ii) metal accessibility to the human body and its relationship to soil properties, considering lead, copper, zinc, nickel, and chromium. Soil metal content was measured simulating availability conditions. Human bioaccessibility was derived from a modified physiologically-based extraction test. The human bioaccessible content was then estimated taking into account the relationships between pseudototal content and selected soil parameters. For the case study, the prediction of human bioaccessibility based on pseudototal content, organic matter and soil texture produced statistically significant models, with r² = 0.60 for Cu, r² = 0.53 for Pb and r² = 0.42 for Zn.     

基于城市空间溢出的远郊型乡镇开发模式研究

在城市空间溢出理论的指导下,以我国在2007年设立的国家级统筹城乡综合配套改革试验区重庆市为例,选取重庆市的远郊型城镇江北区五宝镇为研究区域,探讨旨在促进大城市周边的远郊型城镇与城区功能协调、互惠多赢的开发模式。首先,以鲜菜类和休闲度假类消费需求为例,对重庆市主城区城市居民消费需求的空间溢出展开调研;然后,从区位交通、资源基础、生态环境和开发现状等方面分析和判断五宝镇是否具备承接主城区溢出消费需求的条件,并设计了基于城市空间溢出的开发模式;最后,从经济效益、社会效益和生态效益等方面,对远郊型乡镇的传统开发模式和基于城市空间溢出的开发模式进行了综合效益比较。主要结论为:①重庆市主城区对其外部空间的土地、生物、景观和环境等要素存在着显著的溢出消费需求;②以城市溢出消费需求为导向,以协调城乡功能为目标,发挥自身的资源优势,将绿色农业与休闲经济有机结合是此类远郊型乡镇开发的最佳模式。     

基于距离判别分析法的冲击地压预测研究

考虑影响冲击地压的矿山地质因素和开采技术因素,提出预测预报冲击地压危险性的距离判别分析方法。选用煤层开采深度、顶板岩性、地质构造复杂程度、煤层倾角、煤层厚度、开采方法、有无煤柱、炮采或综采8项指标作为距离判别分析模型的输入变量,并以工程实测数据作为学习样本进行训练,建立相应判别函数对待判样本进行预测。研究结果表明,距离判别分析模型学习性能良好,预测精度高,回判估计的误判率为零,是冲击地压预测预报的一种有效而实用的方法。     

四种竞争与环境可持续性

本文提出了人类生产与消费活动所造成的环境功能的数量竞争、质量竞争、空间竞争和时间竞争的概念,系统地阐述了各自的内涵及其相互关系。     

京杭运河(苏州段)水质时空分布特征分析

本文基于数据分析工具Excel 2007和SPSS17.0,采用多元统计方法中的聚类分析与判别分析对2008年京杭运河(苏州段)水质时空分布特征进行分析,以识别水质指标的时间与空间差异性。时间分析结果将京杭运河(苏州段)划分为与丰、平、枯水期略有差异的3个时期,其中7项显著性时间差异的水质指标为pH、NH4-N、CODMn、DO、BOD5、V-phen、cn-total。空间分析结果将研究区域分为3个污染区域;空间分析判别函数的构建表明仅pH、NH4-N、CODMn、DO、BOD55项水质指标即可反映研究区域水质的差异性。本研究结果对改善省界河流水质、缓解省际纠纷、维护社会和谐稳定具有重要意义。     

基于ESEF的水生态承载力评估——以太湖流域湖州市为例

以基于生态系统服务的生态足迹(ESEF)为基础的水生态承载力评估方法,综合考虑了水量支撑、水质限定和水生态稳定三方面特征,从而实现了足迹方法对水生态系统承载能力的有效表征。然而,如何界定水产品、水资源和水污染足迹以及承载力之间的关系,是目前研究的重点和难点。以太湖流域上游湖州市为例,探讨了在考虑或不考虑水质标准与环境功能分类的情况下,如何利用求并集法或求平均值法进行基于ESEF的水生态承载力评估。研究表明,两种方法均反映出湖州市人们对水生态系统服务的消费需求超出了当地水生态系统的供给能力,需求与供给之间的差距对当地水生态系统的可持续性造成影响。综合考虑水产品供给、水量支撑和水质保障三方面因素,湖州市水生态系统可承载的人口与经济规模为现状水平的95%;如果增加对水质标准和环境功能分类的考虑,则湖州市水生态系统的承载能力仅为现状水平的79%。虽然求并集法的计算结果更有说服力,但是求平均值法则提供了在更小尺度上研究的可能。     

双功能陶瓷膜生物反应器处理废水的研究

研制了一种具有抽滤和曝气双重功能的陶瓷膜生物反应器并用于处理废水.比较了废水经陶瓷膜抽滤后的出水浊度和自然沉降后的浊度,经过陶瓷膜过滤后的出水浊度达到自然沉降4～24h的效果.在处理废水的过程中,进行曝气/抽滤的切换,可有效地解决膜的堵塞问题.分别进行了间歇和连续的方法处理废水的试验,其COD负荷分别达到1.1kg/(m³·d)和1.5kg/(m³·d).