The Botanist Effect Revisited: Plant Species Richness, County Area, and Human Population Size in the United States

Abstract:  The "botanist effect" is thought to be the reason for higher plant species richness in areas where botanists are disproportionately present as an artefactual consequence of a more thorough sampling. We examined whether this was the case for U.S. counties. We collated the number of species of vascular plants, human population size, and the area of U.S. counties. Controlling for spatial autocorrelation and county area, plant species richness increased with human population size and density in counties with and without universities and/or botanical gardens, with no significant differences in the relation between the two subsets. This is consistent with previous findings and further evidence of a broad-scale positive correlation between species richness and human population presence, which has important consequences for the experience of nature by inhabitants of densely populated regions. Combined with the many reports of a negative correlation between the two variables at a local scale, the positive relation between plant species richness in U.S. counties and human population presence stresses the need for the conservation of seminatural areas in urbanized ecosystems and for the containment of urban and suburban sprawl.     

大气污染指示植物的研究

自50年代以来.为寻找一种经济、实用和灵敏的方法来监测环境变化,开展了大量大气污染指示植物的研究.这些工作包括用植物叶片典型症状、树皮、草本植物、附生植物指示气体污染(O_3、PANs、NO_x、SO_2、HF、乙烯等)、粉尘以及重金属污染.进入80年代以后,有关研究集中到利用植物富集的污染物含量结合计算机等先进技术指示和监测大气环境变化及进行大气质量评价.本文对国内外开展的大气污染指示植物研究的历史及其主要方法作了简要介绍,并就利用植物指示和监测大气污染的若干问题进行了探讨.     

向海湿地河道上下游土壤重金属污染程度分析

以向海湿地河道上、下游土壤沉积物为研究对象，以Al元素作为标准化元素，通过对重金属元素富集因子的分析，研究了Cu、Ni、Mn、Fe、Ba、Cr等6种重金属元素的人为污染状况及分级。结果表明，该区土壤沉积物中重金属元素均受到不同程度的人为污染影响，部分层面Ni、Ba等重金属元素污染程度达到显著水平，造成这种现象的主要原因是富含重金属的霍林河上游矿源物质的沉积及人类对湿地开发活动的历史变迁过程；此外，径流淹没频率不同造成了两断面土壤沉积类型和沉积效果的不同，使得受水文影响较大的上游断面的人为污染程度大于受影响较小的下游断面，说明向海湿地对人为污染具有一定的缓冲能力，或向海湿地具有较强的净化和过滤功能。     

水体表面微层的环境化学研究

水体表面微层是大气和水体间的界面，其物理、化学和生物特性可影响水体中各种物质的存在形式及最终归缩。本文总结了近几十年的参考文献，对表面微层的采样及各类物质的表面微层的行为做了系统的论述，指出了研究的难点和今后的发展方向。     

天津市土壤风沙尘元素的分布特征和来源研究

通过与土壤标准和背景值的比较分析了天津市土壤风沙尘元素的质量分数分布特征，通过富集因子法分析了天津市风沙尘元素的富集特征，进而说明天津市风沙尘元素的来源及其变化。结果表明，（1）Cr、Ni、Cu、Zn和As质量分数均有超过土壤标准的现象。（2）Ni、Cu、Pb、Zn和Ag超过背景值10倍以上，受到了人为污染。（3）粗颗粒中西青区的Pb元素，津南区的Ni元素和Pb元素以及细颗粒中东丽区的Ca元素和Zn元素，西青区的Cu、Pb，津南区的Cr、Ni、Pb等元素达到显著污染级别；各区粗细颗粒中的Ag元素污染级别最高，有的为极强烈污染；这些元素是典型的人为污染元素。（4）粗颗粒中只有Ca和Ni污染级别有所增加，细颗粒中只有Na、Ni、As等3种元素的富集因子略有增加。所以，天津市土壤风沙尘的治理重在控制人为来源的Ni、Cu、Pb、Zn、Ag、Cr和Ca等高污染元素。     

Enrichment of potentially toxic elements in areas underlain by black shales and slates in Korea

The Okchon black shale in Korea provides an important example of natural geological materials containing toxic elements; the Chung-Joo, Duk-Pyung, Geum-Kwan, I-Won and Chu-Bu areas are underlain by these black shales and slates of the Guryongsan Formation. This formation is part of the Okchon Group which is found in the central part of Korea. Geochemical surveys were undertaken in these five study areas in the Okchon Zone in order to examine the level of enrichment and dispersion patterns of potentially toxic elements in rocks and soils. After appropriate preparation, samples were analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for a range of elements. Arsenic, Cu, Mo, V, U and Zn are highly enriched in the Okchon black shales and their mean concentrations are significantly higher than those in black slates. These elements are closely associated with one another from a geochemical viewpoint and may be enriched simultaneously. Mean concentrations of As, Mo and U in soils derived from black shales occurring in the Duk-Pyung and Chu-Bu areas are higher than the permissible level suggested by Kloke (1979), and the enrichment index decreases in the order of Duk- Pyung > Chu-Bu > Chung-Joo > Geum-Kwan = I-Won areas. Uranium-bearing minerals such as uraninite and brannerite have been identified in black shales from the Chung-Joo area by electron probe micro-analysis. Uraninite grains are closely associated with monazite and pyrite with a grain size ranging from 2m to 10m whereas brannerite grains occur as a euhedral form 50m in diameter.     

大气有机物GC分析预处理中的组分损失

大气有机物在脱水，富集过程中的组分损失造成ＧＣ分析的系统误差。回收率测定表明，在本实验条件下，疏水性有机组分在填充碱石棉与碳酸钾的脱水预柱上的损失率分别为２５％和１５％左右，亲水性的乙醇的损失经高达６０％左右。     

木本植物休眠的诱导因子及其细胞内Ca2+水平的调节作用

本研究揭示 ,越冬木本植物在夏秋转变过程中对光周期变化十分敏感 .在北纬 4 5°的明尼苏达州圣保罗地区 ,当日照变短 72min时 (2 0 0 0年 8月 8日 ) ,桑树顶芽细胞质浆和细胞核内即出现Ca2 流入 ,而在夏天长日照时期 (7月上、中旬 )很少有Ca2 存在的细胞质和细胞核 .12d后 (8月 2 0日 ) ,观测到桑树和杨树芽已经开始进入生理休眠 .从 9月上旬到 11月中旬 ,细胞质和细胞核内的Ca2 浓度显著升高 ,11月中旬达到高峰 .与此同时 ,芽的生理休眠深度也迅速增加 ,并于 11月达到高峰 ,4 2d培养也不见萌芽迹象 .到 12月中旬 (12月 2 0日 ) ,细胞核和细胞质中的Ca2 浓度又恢复到夏季观察到的低水平 ,显示早先进入细胞质和细胞核中的Ca2 已经被排出 .此后 ,在 12月下旬 (2 5日 ) ,检测到生理休眠的终结 .室外补充光照实验进一步证明 ,只有日照缩短才会引发植物进入自然生理休眠 ;保持日照长度不变 ,晚夏时期的自然温度降低 ,不能诱导植株停止生长和进入休眠 .这些结果表明 ,越冬木本植物在晚夏到冬季的生理休眠发展过程中 ,日照缩短引起的核和质内Ca2 的流入不仅起着传递日照变短信号的作用 ,导致生理休眠的起始 ;而且 ,高水平的核 /质Ca2 浓度还起着发展和保持深度生理休眠的作用 .图版 1图 1表 2参     

Indigenous Uses, Population Density, and Conservation of Threatened Medicinal Plants in Protected Areas of the Indian Himalayas

Abstract:  For 10 years I monitored the population density of threatened medicinal plant species in seven protected areas in the Indian Himalayas. I also documented the indigenous uses of threatened medicinal plants through interviews with 138 herbal healers (83 Tibetan healers and 55 Ayurvedic healers) residing in the buffer zone villages of these protected areas. To assess the population status of threatened medicinal plant species, I sampled the 10 major habitat types in the protected areas. In all, I found 60 threatened medicinal plant species during the study period, of which 54 species occurred in the sampling plots. Twenty-two percent of threatened medicinal plant species were critically endangered, 16% were endangered, and 27% were vulnerable. Thirty-two threatened medicinal plant species were endemic to the Himalayan region. The density of threatened medicinal plant species varied with protected areas. The Valley of Flowers protected area had the highest number of threatened medicinal plant species. The "moist" habitat type was richest in these species among all 10 habitat types sampled. Arnebia euchroma (Royle ex Benth.) Johnston and Ephedra gerardiana Wall. ex Stapf. were the most common threatened medicinal plant species. The indigenous groups of healers used these threatened species in curing about 45 different ailments. Based on my findings, I believe that to ensure the long-term sustainability of threatened medicinal plants, medicinal-plant conservation areas should be established.