Systematic Temporal Patterns in the Relationship Between Housing Development and Forest Bird Biodiversity

As people encroach increasingly on natural areas, one question is how this affects avian biodiversity. The answer to this is partly scale‐dependent. At broad scales, human populations and biodiversity concentrate in the same areas and are positively associated, but at local scales people and biodiversity are negatively associated with biodiversity. We investigated whether there is also a systematic temporal trend in the relationship between bird biodiversity and housing development. We used linear regression to examine associations between forest bird species richness and housing growth in the conterminous United States over 30 years. Our data sources were the North American Breeding Bird Survey and the 2000 decennial U.S. Census. In the 9 largest forested ecoregions, housing density increased continually over time. Across the conterminous United States, the association between bird species richness and housing density was positive for virtually all guilds except ground nesting birds. We found a systematic trajectory of declining bird species richness as housing increased through time. In more recently developed ecoregions, where housing density was still low, the association with bird species richness was neutral or positive. In ecoregions that were developed earlier and where housing density was highest, the association of housing density with bird species richness for most guilds was negative and grew stronger with advancing decades. We propose that in general the relationship between human settlement and biodiversity over time unfolds as a 2‐phase process. The first phase is apparently innocuous; associations are positive due to coincidence of low‐density housing with high biodiversity. The second phase is highly detrimental to biodiversity, and increases in housing density are associated with biodiversity losses. The long‐term effect on biodiversity depends on the final housing density. This general pattern can help unify our understanding of the relationship of human encroachment and biodiversity response. Patrones Sistemáticos Temporales en la Relación entre Desarrollos Urbanos y la Biodiversidad de Aves de Bosque     

Interactions between Carbon Sequestration and Shade Tree Diversity in a Smallholder Coffee Cooperative in El Salvador

Agroforestry systems have substantial potential to conserve native biodiversity and provide ecosystem services. In particular, agroforestry systems have the potential to conserve native tree diversity and sequester carbon for climate change mitigation. However, little research has been conducted on the temporal stability of species diversity and aboveground carbon stocks in these systems or the relation between species diversity and aboveground carbon sequestration. We measured changes in shade‐tree diversity and shade‐tree carbon stocks in 14 plots of a 35‐ha coffee cooperative over 9 years and analyzed relations between species diversity and carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration was positively correlated with initial species richness of shade trees. Species diversity of shade trees did not change significantly over the study period, but carbon stocks increased due to tree growth. Our results show a potential for carbon sequestration and long‐term biodiversity conservation in smallholder coffee agroforestry systems and illustrate the opportunity for synergies between biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Interacciones entre el Secuestro de Carbono y la Diversidad de Árboles de Sombra en una Cooperativa de Café de Pequeños Agricultores en El Salvador     

Pseudomonas sp. ZXY-1, a newly isolated and highly efficient atrazine-degrading bacterium, and optimization of biodegradation using response surface methodology

Atrazine, a widely used herbicide, is increasing the agricultural production effectively, while also causing great environmental concern. Efficient atrazine-degrading bacterium is necessary to removal atrazine rapidly to keep a safe environment. In the present study, a new atrazine-degrading strain ZXY-1, identified as Pseudomonas, was isolated. This new isolated strain has a strong ability to biodegrade atrazine with a high efficiency of 9.09 mg/L/hr.Temperature, p H, inoculum size and initial atrazine concentration were examined to further optimize the degradation of atrazine, and the synthetic effect of these factors were investigated by the response surface methodology. With a high quadratic polynomial mathematical model(R~2= 0.9821) being obtained, the highest biodegradation efficiency of 19.03 mg/L/hr was reached compared to previous reports under the optimal conditions(30.71°C, pH 7.14, 4.23%(V/V) inoculum size and 157.1 mg/L initial atrazine concentration).Overall, this study provided an efficient bacterium and approach that could be potentially useful for the bioremediation of wastewater containing atrazine.     

中亚地区气溶胶时空分布及其对云和降水的影响

中亚地区属干旱半干旱气候区,是水资源缺乏最严重的地区之一,也是全球沙尘气溶胶贡献度较大的区域.利用MODIS气溶胶和云资料以及校准后的TRMM降水数据,可从宏观角度分析中亚地区气溶胶、云、降水的时空分布特征,研究气溶胶与云和降水之间的相互影响关系.结果表明:1中亚地区年平均气溶胶光学厚度表现为春季(0~1)夏季(0~0.8)冬季(0~0.42)秋季(0~0.38),2002—2013年间整体呈现增加趋势;冬季COD量值明显高于其他3个季节,12年间整体表现出下降趋势,夏季变化较小,增幅为-0.876%,冬季最大,增幅为-1.713%;云水路径的区域性和季节性变化较为明显,整体处于降低趋势,其中秋季的新疆塔里木盆地变化最为显著,年变化为-6.607%;利用实测降水数据对TRMM月降水数据进行校准处理,可有效提升数据精度,新疆境内夏季降水占年降水量的比重较大,春、秋次之,咸海地区降水量年内分配相对较均匀,季节性差异不明显,中亚干旱区作为一个整体,降水呈现出增加趋势,其中,冬季降水的增加趋势最明显.2气溶胶光学厚度与云光学厚度呈负相关;与云滴粒子有效半径关系复杂,受水汽影响较大,在云层含水量较低的情况下,云滴粒子与气溶胶光学厚度呈负相关,而在云层含水量较高的情况下,二者呈正相关;云水路径随着气溶胶光学厚度的增加而减小,随AOD的变化的敏感程度在秋季最高,冬季最低.3气溶胶和降水关系复杂,整体来看,中亚地区气溶胶抑制降水.     

Simple Model of Dissolved Oxygen Consumption in a Bay within High Organic Loading: An Applied Remediation Tool

San Vicente Bay is a coastal shallow embayment in Central Chile with multiple uses, one of which is receiving wastewater from industrial fisheries, steel mill effluents, and domestic sewage. A simulation model was developed and applied to dissolved oxygen consumption by organic residues released into this embayment. Three compartments were established as function of: depth, circulation and outfall location. The model compartments had different volumes, and their oxygen saturation value was used as baseline. The parameters: (a) BOD₅ of the industrial and urban effluents, (b) oxygen demand by organic sediments, (c) respiration, (d) photosynthesis and (e) re-aeration were included in the model. Iteration results of the model showed severe alterations in Compartment 1, with a decrease of 65% in the oxygen below saturation. Compartment 2 showed a small decline (10%) and compartment 3 did not show apparent changes in oxygen values. Measures recommended for remediation were to decrease the BOD₅ loading by 30% in the affected sector. Iteration of the model for 200 h following recommendations derived from the preceding results produced an increase in saturation of 60% (5 ml O₂ L⁻¹), which suggested an improvement of the environmental conditions.     

江苏省2014-2016年臭氧污染区域特征分析

分析2014—2016年江苏省O₃污染状况,以及苏北、苏中和苏南3个典型区域O₃年度、季度、日变化和频度占比等分布特征。结果表明,江苏省的O₃空间分布呈现北低南高,2014—2016年的O₃超标占比由18.4%上升至34.9%;2016年苏北、苏中和苏南地区O₃-8h第90百分位数与2014年相比,上升2.7%,21.8%和3.3%;3个区域夏季O₃-8h均值最高,春、秋2季次之,冬季最低;O₃-1h日变化呈单峰状态,最低值出现在06:00—07:00,最高值出现在15:00—16:00;2016年3个地区的O₃频度占比均呈正态分布,主要集中在40~80 μg/m³,所占比例均>15%;苏中和苏南区域2016和2014年相比O₃频率占比的变化幅度较大,苏北地区变化幅度不大。指出,江苏省的O₃污染程度在逐年提高,污染范围从苏南逐渐往中部和北部城市扩大。     

Incidence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in central air conditioner filter dust from a new office building

This study examined polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in central air conditioner filter (CACF) dust from a new office building in Shenzhen, China. Human exposure to PBDE via dust inhalation and ingestion were also estimated. PBDEs level in CACF dust was lower than those in the other countries and regions. Approximately 0.671 pg/kg bw/day PM_2.5 (Particulate Matter up to 2.5 μm in size) bounded Σ₁₅PBDEs can be inhaled deep into the lungs and 4.123 pg/kg bw/day PM₁₀ (Particulate Matter up to 10 μm in size) bounded Σ₁₅PBDEs tend to be deposited in the upper parts of the respiratory system. The average total intake of Σ₁₅PBDEs via dust inhalation and ingestion for adults reached ∼141 pg/kg bw/day in this building. This value was far below the reference dose (RfD) recommended by United States Environmental Protection Agency. Human exposure to PBDEs via dust inhalation and ingestion in the new building is less than the old ones.     

Short-term seasonal variability in Be wet deposition in a semiarid ecosystem of central Argentina

The ⁷Be wet deposition has been intensively investigated in a semiarid region at San Luis Province, Argentina. From November 2006 to May 2008, the ⁷Be content in rainwater was determined in 58 individual rain events, randomly comprising more than 50% of all individual precipitations at the sampling period. ⁷Be activity concentration in rainwater ranged from 0.7 ± 0.3 Bq l⁻¹ to 3.2 ± 0.7 Bq l⁻¹, with a mean value of 1.7 Bq l⁻¹ (sd = 0.53 Bq l⁻¹). No relationship was found between ⁷Be content in rainwater and (a) rainfall amount, (b) precipitation intensity and (c) elapsed time between events. ⁷Be ground deposition was found to be well correlated with rainfall amount (R = 0.92). For the precipitation events considered, the ⁷Be depositional fluxes ranged from 1.1 to 120 Bq m⁻², with a mean value of 32.7 Bq m⁻² (sd = 29.9 Bq m⁻²). The annual depositional flux was estimated at 1140 ± 120 Bq m⁻² y⁻¹. Assuming the same monthly deposition pattern and that the ⁷Be content in soil decreases only through radioactive decay, the seasonal variation of ⁷Be areal activity density in soil was estimated. Results of this investigation may contribute to a valuable characterization of ⁷Be input in the explored semiarid ecosystem and its potential use as tracer of environmental processes.     

河南省节能环保产业发展对策研究

节能环保产业是跨行业、涵盖面宽的综合性产业,其产业关联度大,带动力强,是国家确定的战略性新兴产业。河南省是新兴工业大省和资源消费大省,经济发展与资源环境承载力之间的矛盾日益突出,发展节能环保产业势在必行。本文分析了河南省节能环保产业的发展现状和存在的突出问题,提出了发展河南省节能环保产业的重点领域和推进路径。