Efficacy of Control Measures for European Buckthorn (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhamnus cathartica</Emphasis> L.) in Saskatchewan

Introduced to Saskatchewan in the 1930s as a potential shelterbelt species, European buckthorn is now a prominent understory shrub in riparian woodland and shrub communities around Saskatoon. Locally, the Meewasin Valley Authority (MVA) is actively controlling buckthorn as part of its mandate to conserve natural heritage resources of the South Saskatchewan River Valley, with the goal of restoring the natural biodiversity of remnant patches of native vegetation. European buckthorn is normally dioecious, and MVA has chosen to treat only fruiting stems in an attempt to limit seed production. Two control techniques have been used. In one treatment, glyphosate was applied to stems after cutting; alternatively Garlon 4 Dow AgroSciences herbicide (active ingredient triclopyr) was applied as a chemical girdle directly to the stems using a streamline basal bark spray method. To date, more than 347,000 fruiting stems of buckthorn have been treated. Results indicate good initial progress in limiting seed production in dense buckthorn sites, but at a high cost. Although seed eradication is not a practical short-term goal for the Saskatoon buckthorn population, chemical girdling can substantially and strategically reduce seed and effectively limit spread. Field-tested strategies to reduce costs and improve efficiencies are discussed.     

Environmental sub models for a macroeconomic model: agricultural contribution to climate change and acidification in Denmark

Integrated modelling of the interaction between environmental pressure and economic development is a useful tool to evaluate environmental consequences of policy initiatives. However, the usefulness of such models is often restricted by the fact that these models only include a limited set of environmental impacts, which are often energy-related emissions. In order to evaluate the development in the overall environmental pressure correctly, these model systems must be extended. In this article an integrated macroeconomic model system of the Danish economy with environmental modules of energy related emissions is extended to include the agricultural contribution to climate change and acidification. Next to the energy sector, the agricultural sector is the most important contributor to these environmental themes and subsequently the extended model complex calculates more than 99% of the contribution to both climate change and acidification. Environmental sub-models are developed for agriculture-related emissions of CH(4), N(2)O and NH(3). Agricultural emission sources related to the production specific activity variables are mapped and emission dependent parameters are identified in order to calculate emission coefficients. The emission coefficients are linked to the economic activity variables of the Danish agricultural production. The model system is demonstrated by projections of agriculture-related emissions in Denmark under two alternative sets of assumptions: a baseline projection of the general economic development and a policy scenario for changes in the husbandry sector within the agricultural sector.     

Impact of the FTSE4Good Index on firm price: an event study

This paper examines whether corporate financial performance is affected by public endorsement of environmental and social performance. Event study methodology, which relies on the notion of market efficiency, is used to examine the relationship between positive and negative announcements and changes in share prices or daily returns. Inclusion in and deletion from the FTSE4Good UK Index is used as a proxy measure for good (poor) corporate social responsibility. The abnormal or unexpected daily returns associated with an event are calculated and their significance tested. The results show a trend towards positive and negative announcements having the expected effects on daily returns. But these movements are not significant and the data do not suggest that a firm's presence on the index brings it any significant financial return for signalling its corporate social responsibility.     

Effect of feeding time on the performance of a sequencing batch reactor treating a mixture of 4-CP and 2,4-DCP

This paper investigated the biodegradation kinetics of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) separately in batch reactors and mixed in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). Batch reactor experiments showed that both 4-CP and 2,4-DCP began to inhibit their own degradation at 53 and 25 mg l(-1), respectively, and that the Haldane equation gave a good fit to the experimental data because r(2) values were higher than 0.98. The maximum specific degradation rates (q(m)) were 130.3 and 112.4 mg g(-1) h for 4-CP and 2,4-DCP, respectively. The values of the half saturation (K(s)) and self-inhibition constants (K(i)) were 34.98 and 79.74 mg l(-1) for 4-CP, and 13.77 and 44.46 mg l(-1) for 2,4-DCP, respectively. The SBR was fed with a mixture of 220 mg l(-1) of 4-CP, 110 mg l(-1) of 2,4-DCP, and 300 mg l(-1) of peptone as biogenic substrate at varying feeding periods (0-8h) to evaluate the effect of feeding time on the performance of the SBR. During SBR operation, in addition to self-inhibition, 4-CP degradation was strongly and competitively inhibited by 2,4-DCP. The inhibitory effects were particularly pronounced during short feeding periods because of higher chlorophenol peak concentrations in the reactor. The competitive inhibition constant (K(ii)) of 2,4-DCP on 4-CP degradation was 0.17 mg l(-1) when the reactor was fed instantaneously (0 h feeding). During longer feedings, increased removal/loading rates led to lower chlorophenol peak concentrations at the end of feeding. Therefore, in multi-substrate systems feeding time plus reaction time should be determined based on both degradation kinetics and substrate interaction. During degradation, the meta cleavage of 4-chlorocatechol resulted in accumulation of a yellowish color because of the formation of 5-chloro-2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde (CHMS), which was further metabolized. Isolation and enrichment of the chlorophenols-degrading culture suggested Pseudomonas sp. and Pseudomonas stutzeri to be the dominant species.     

4-n-Nonylphenol and 17-β estradiol may induce common DNA effects in developing barnacle larvae

There is a growing concern over the potential effects of environmental endocrine disrupters on both human and wildlife populations. However, to date, minimal research has been conducted to determine the effect of estrogens and xenoestrogens at the DNA level. In this study, we used the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay to evaluate the effects on the genomic DNA of barnacle larvae that had been exposed to 17β-estradiol (E₂) and low concentrations of 4-n-nonylphenol (NP). DNA effects include DNA damage as well as mutations and possibly other effects at the DNA level that can be induced by chemical or physical agents that directly and/or indirectly interact with genomic DNA. Not only did exposure to NP and E₂ induce changes in RAPD profiles in the exposed barnacle larvae when compared to control patterns, but also, and more importantly, there were similarities in the RAPD modifications in the exposed populations that had been treated to either chemical. We propose that NP and E₂ induced some common DNA effects in barnacle larvae and that these specific modifications in RAPD patterns may arise as a consequence of hot spot DNA damage (e.g. DNA adducts) and/or mutations (point mutations or genomic rearrangements). This could help to explain how xenoestrogens mimic the effects produced by natural estrogens. In conclusion, in the field of endocrine disruption, the study of DNA effects induced by estrogens and/or xenoestrogens warrants further investigation. Indeed, changes at the DNA level may be the precursors of some of the numerous effects reported at higher levels of biological organisation such as the feminization of males, developmental abnormalities, and infertility.     

Prenatal findings on ultrasound and X-ray in a case of overgrowth syndrome associated with increased nuchal translucency

A case of prenatal diagnosis of an overgrowth syndrome at 30 weeks of gestation is reported. The diagnosis was suggested on the basis of increased fetal growth from 16 weeks onwards, advanced bone age, and characteristic facial features such as hypertelorism, broad forehead and small chin. The fetus presented at 12 weeks with a markedly increased nuchal translucency thickness and generalized skin edema, but normal karyotype. Serial ultrasound scans revealed brain abnormalities including mild unilateral ventriculomegaly and a cyst in the cavum septi pellucidi. The pregnancy was terminated at the parents' request at 32 weeks of gestation and postmortem examination confirmed the prenatal findings. This case demonstrates the possibility of prenatal diagnosis of early overgrowth syndromes and highlights the dilemma arising from the prenatal diagnosis of a non-lethal condition associated with an uncertain prognosis and poorly documented in utero. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

杀菌剂对湖泊水体温室气体浓度分析的影响

通过往湖泊水样中添加杀菌剂(CuSO4和HgCl2),利用平衡法,用气相色谱仪测定CO2、CH4、N2O浓度,研究杀菌剂(CuSO4和HgCl2)添加对湖泊水体CO2、CH4、N2O浓度分析的影响.实验设计:对照组(CK)不加任何试剂;处理组T1加1mL CuSO4溶液,T2加5 mL CuSO4溶液,T3加0.5 mL HgCl2溶液;每组的水样分两批分析:(Ⅰ)预处理完成后立即分析和(Ⅱ)预处理完成后静置两天再分析.结果表明,CuSO4和HgCl2的添加均能明显增加水体中CO2的浓度,CK(Ⅰ)和CK(Ⅱ)的CO2平均浓度分别为(11.5±1.47)μmol·L-1和(14.38±1.59)μmol·L-1,T1(Ⅰ)和T1(Ⅱ)的CO2平均浓度分别为(376±70)μmol·L-1和(448±246.83)μmol·L-1;T2(Ⅰ)和T2(Ⅱ)的CO2平均浓度分别为(885±51.53)μmol·L-1和(988.83±101.96)μmol·L-1;T3(Ⅰ)和T3(Ⅱ)的CO2平均浓度分别为(287.19±30.01)μmol·L-1和(331.33±22.06)μmol·L-1.但CuSO4和HgCl2添加对水体中CH4和N2O的浓度没有影响.对比Ⅰ和Ⅱ的实验结果可知,在水样预处理完成后需当天分析其温室气体(CO2、CH4、N2O)浓度.本研究表明,杀菌剂的添加能显著增加水体CO2的浓度.     

纳米零价铁催化过氧化氢强化修复4-氯硝基苯污染地下水的研究

化学氧化还原技术是快速修复受污染地下水的重要手段,为探明某污染场地地下水化学修复的可行性和有效性,通过FeSO4与NaBH4液相还原反应制备了纳米零价铁(nZVI)颗粒,对其进行了扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和X射线衍射(XRD)形貌观测与分析表征.采用制备的nZVI,在常温常压下催化H2O2修复4-氯硝基苯(4-ClNB)污染地下水.考察了不同工艺反应条件对修复效果的影响,分析探讨了工艺对特征污染物的降解机制.结果表明,在温度30℃、初始pH值3.0、nZVI质量浓度268.8mg·L-1、H2O2浓度4.90 mmol·L-1时,nZVI催化H2O2工艺能在30 min内完全转化降解污染地下水中4-ClNB.通过GC/MS、LC/MS和IC鉴定得到4-ClNB降解的主要中间产物,包括4-氯亚硝基苯、4-氯羟基苯胺、4-氯氧化偶氮苯、4-氯偶氮苯、4-氯苯胺、对苯醌、甲酸、乙酸、草酸和氯离子等,并在此基础上给出了4-ClNB可能的降解途径.     

不同开垦年限黑土温室气体排放规律研究

以东北黑土区荒地土壤(H)、开垦2 a(L)、30 a(S)和100 a(Y)土壤为对象,在25℃和60%WHC水分条件下,通过7 d的室内培养试验,研究了不同开垦年限黑土温室气体N2O、CO2和CH4的排放规律.结果表明,黑土开垦后理化性质发生了显著改变,进而影响了温室气体的排放.N2O排放量随开垦年限的增加而增加,开垦30 a和100 a土壤的N2O排放量显著高于荒地土壤.净硝化量和N2O排放量与土壤水溶性有机氮和粉粒含量呈显著正相关关系,与土壤pH和砂粒含量呈显著负相关关系.CO2排放量随开垦年限的增加而逐渐降低,开垦30 a和100 a土壤与荒地土壤差异显著.土壤有机碳和水溶性有机碳含量与CO2累积排放量呈显著正相关关系.好氧条件下,荒地土壤和开垦土壤在培养前4 d表现为对CH4的微量排放,然后表现为对CH4的微量吸收,开垦土壤的CH4排放量随开垦年限的增加而增加.不同开垦年限黑土可能因土壤pH、有机碳、水溶性有机碳含量以及土壤机械组成的差异而产生CO2和CH4排放的差异.