Detection and quantitation of trace levels of low molecular weight halocarbons (LMHs) associated with commercial sodium humate

Examination of vapor above commercial sodium humate and above 10wt% aqueous humate solution by gas chromatography (GC) revealed the presence of chloroform and trichloroethylene. Further examination of the aqueous humate by the purge and trap procedure confirmed the association of chloroform and trichloroethylene with the humate. GC/mass spectrometry analyses of methylene chloride extract of the humate established the association of LMHs with the humate. Improved headspace capillary GC technique showed that the humate contained not only chloroform, trichloroethylene but several other LMHs in the range 190 to 4000ng·kg^‐1.     

Photoreduction of parathion ethyl †

Photodegradation of parathion ethyl in presence of unsaturated biomolecules takes place by sufficient reduction of the phenyl nitro group. Main products are N,0‐dialkenyl hydroxylamino, cis/trans azo, and azoxy derivatives of parathion.     

Biodegradation of paclobutrazol by a microbial consortium isolated from industrially contaminated sediment

Biodegradability of the plant growth retardant paclobutrazol by a microbial consortium in which Pseudomonas was the predominant strain was investigated in batch culture. The consortium which had been isolated from an industrially contaminated sediment was proven to be useful for the treatment of effluents containing paclobutrazol. Paclobutrazol was degraded by the pure isolated strain of Pseudomonas sp. as well as the microbial consortium. Paclobutrazol was utilized as the sole source of carbon and energy. Sixty percent of the paclobutrazol was degraded by the microbial consortium from an initial concentration of 54 mg L^?1 within 48 h and more than 98% of an initial concentration of 3.4 mg L^?1 was degraded within 36 h. The optimum temperature and pH were determined to be 30°C and 7.0, respectively. A pure strain of a bacterium, isolated from the enrichment culture was identified as Pseudomonas sp. The microbial consortium was tolerant of high pH and could degrade paclobutrazol faster than the pure strain. The degradation rate of this plant growth regulator in an aerobic environment was greater than that under anaerobic conditions.     

Dissipation and effect of chlorophenoxy herbicide on plant pigments and carbohydrates of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The dissipation pattern of the chlorophenoxy herbicides (2,4‐D and 2,4,5‐T) residues in sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus L.) has been studied along with its effect on the changes of plant pigments (chlorophyll‐a,b, total chlorophyll, carotene and anthocyanin), sugar and starch in different parts of the plant. The residues of 2,4‐D and 2,4,5‐T remained for larger period of time (10 days) at higher concentrations than the lower concentration. The concentrations of chlorophylls and carotene were found to be reduced with the application of both 2,4‐D and 2,4,5‐T. But the chlorophyll concentrations were slowly normalized accompanied with the reduction of the herbicide residues. For anthocyanin, there was no significant effect. In case of carbohydrate, the sugar concentration was found to be raised by all doses in leaf and stem. The change in starch content in different plant parts did not follow an uniform pattern at different doses of herbicides.     

臭氧/活性炭协同作用去除二级出水中DON

为探讨臭氧氧化和活性炭吸附对城市污水厂二级出水中溶解性有机氮(DON)的去除机制,首先测定二级出水DON、溶解性有机炭(DOC)、UV254、pH值等指标.接着通过臭氧氧化试验和活性炭吸附试验来考察二级出水中DON、DOC和UV254变化,以及DON分子量分布和DON亲疏水性变化,并应用三维荧光光谱对二级出水中DON变化进行表征.结果表明,当臭氧投加量为8mg/L,DON的去除率大约为33.9%,DOC和UV254去除率约21.2%、66.7%;当活性炭投加量为2.0g/L,DON、DOC和UV254的去除率大约为43.4%、27.6%、92.2%;臭氧氧化和活性炭吸附组合试验时,对DON的去除率大约为83.3%和81.5%;臭氧氧化提高小分子量( 20kDa)的DON所占比例;活性炭吸附降低小分子量( 20kDa)DON所占比例为;臭氧氧化和活性炭吸附都提高亲水性DON所占比例,而降低疏水性和过渡性DON所占比例;三维荧光光谱证实,二级出水中DON变化与3个主要峰有关,分别代表物质为色氨酸类蛋白质、芳香族类蛋白质和富里酸类物质.     

植物微体遗存分析在第四纪环境研究中的应用:综述与展望

以孢粉、植硅体等为代表的植物微体遗存由于其分布广泛,容易保存,可反映母体植物类型的优点,在第四纪环境研究中得到了广泛应用。本文介绍了植物微体遗存的概念、常见类型,以及它们的提取方法和原理,综述了利用植物微体遗存重建古环境的传统方法和近年来发展的几种古植被与古气候定量重建方法,最后简述了植物微体遗存在年代测定、稳定同位素分析研究上的应用进展与实例。文末指出了现有研究方法的问题与不足,并对今后的多代用指标的综合研究提出了展望。     

Quantifying Plant Population Persistence in Human-Dominated Landscapes

Abstract:  We assessed population performance of rare plants across a gradient from rural to urban landscapes and evaluated 2 hypotheses central to strategic conservation planning: (1) population performance declines with increasing human dominance and (2) small populations perform poorly relative to larger ones. Assessing these hypotheses is critical to strategic conservation planning. The current conservation paradigm adheres to the well-established ecology theory that small isolated populations, particularly those in human-dominated landscapes, are the least likely to succeed over the long term. Consequently, conservation planning has strongly favored large, remote targets for protection. This shift in conservation toward ecosystem-based programs and protection of populations within large, remote systems has been at the expense of protection of the rarest of the rare species, the dominant paradigm for conservation driven by the endangered species act. Yet, avoiding conservation of small populations appears to be based more on theoretical understanding and expert opinion than empiricism. We used Natural Heritage data from California in an assessment of population performance of rare plants across a landscape with an urban-rural gradient. Population performance did not decrease in urban settings or for populations that were initially small. Our results are consistent with a pattern of few species extinctions within these landscapes over the past several decades. We conclude that these populations within compromised landscapes can contribute to overall biodiversity conservation. We further argue that conservation planning for biodiversity preservation should allocate relatively more resources to protecting urban-associated plant taxa because they may provide conservation benefit beyond simply protecting isolated populations; they may be useful in building social interest in conservation.     

Sesquiterpene Hydrocarbons: Kairomones with a releaser effect in the sexual communication of the white-spotted longicorn beetle, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anoplophora malasiaca</Emphasis> (Thomson) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Summary.  We conducted a series of experiments with the white-spotted longicorn beetle Anoplophora malasiaca (Thomson), and its host plant, Citrus unshiu, to examine the origin of the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (SHCs; including β-elemene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, α-farnesene, and several unidentified compounds) that are contained in the elytra of the beetles and act as an attractant. In the laboratory, mechanically wounded citrus branches, as well as those fed upon by A. malasiaca, attracted males more frequently than intact branches. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) and subsequent analyses by gas chromatography (GC) analyses detected measurable SHCs from the air around both mechanically wounded and beetle-infested branches, as well as trace amounts from intact branches. The SHCs were also detected for a certain time from beetles that had fed on the citrus branches, but the amounts decreased rapidly after they were removed from the host. This decrease generally corresponded with a reduction of attractiveness of the beetles in a behavioural assay. Isolated females acquired the SHCs after exposure to, but not upon contact with, other females that had fed on C. unshiu branches. We hypothesize that the citrus SHCs are adsorbed in, retained on, and released from the wax layer of the beetle elytra. Since these compounds are released from branches when beetles feed, they may indirectly signal the presence of beetles to others in the field. The high response rate to SHCs by males is likely representing mate searching behavior. The SHCs act as kairomones with a releaser effect in the communication system of A. malasiaca. Hiroe Yasui, Toshiharu Akino, Midori Fukaya: These authors contributed equally to this article.     

北京市25种公路绿化植物及配置模式的绿量

计量研究公路绿地的生态服务功能有助于科学评估公路绿化的无形价值。以北京市顺义区顺平路(S305)的绿化植物群落为研究对象,运用WinScanopy For Canopy Analysis冠层分析仪采集数据,研究了公路绿化常见植物及配置模式的绿量率,并建立了25种公路绿化常见植物的绿量率模型,以期为公路绿化树种选择和群落配置提供基础分析与参考。结果表明:阔叶乔木的绿量率在3.02~4.80之间,针叶乔木的绿量率集中在4~6之间,灌木植物的绿量率较小,种植紧凑的绿篱绿量率达到3.94;不同配置模式的群落绿量率大小顺序依次为:针阔混交林>阔叶林>针叶林>灌木群落。其研究结果为公路绿化建设和绿地生态效益的计量提供了科学依据。     

近5年增强UV-B辐射对植物影响的研究进展

综合分析了近5年增强UV-B辐射对植物影响的最新研究进展.结果发现近5年来增强UV-B辐射对植物影响的研究明显具有以下趋势:1)增强UV-B辐射对植物个体影响的研究总体上趋于减少;2)对植物信号转导的研究日益增多;3)植物对增强UV-B辐射胁迫的防卫机制和伤害修复研究仍是重点,但更偏重于防卫机制方面的研究;4)更加重视对植物群体及生态系统影响的研究;5)增强UV-B辐射与其它因子(环境背景因子和污染胁迫因子)的复合作用研究成为新的热点和重点.根据近5年的研究进展,推断在今后一段时间内,有关增强UV-B辐射对植物和生态系统影响的研究还会加强,信号转导、分子水平机理以及增强UV-B辐射与其它因子的复合作用研究可能是今后的研究热点.