Changes in physicochemical forms of lead and cadmium added to freshwater

Transformation of physicochemical forms of cadmium and lead added at 1 μ/L to Lake Michigan water have been studied by anodic stripping voltammetry. Unfiltered, 0.45 μ membrane filtered, ultrafiltered, and UV irradiated ultrafiltered samples were used to differentiate metal binding by particulate, colloidal, and dissolved organic matter. The reaction of added metal with colloids and particles is rapid. Their reaction with soluble organic matter is slow, requiring 1 to 2 days for complexation of one-half the added metal.     

The prediction of scenic beauty from landscape content and composition

Two studies were conducted to examine distance classes of vegetation (foreground, middleground and background) and scene composition (presence of vegetation in left, center or right section of the image) as predictors of perceived scenic beauty. In study one, 41 students rated 63 landscape scenes with regard to scenic beauty. The Scenic Beauty Estimation Method was used to derive interval scale beauty values (SBEs). For each landscape image, areal measures of vegetation in each distance class and for each vertical section were taken and used as predictors. Presence of haze, clouds and human impacts were also recorded. Among the most important contributors to scenic beauty were amount of center middleground vegetation, and center background vegetation. Left foreground vegetation and right foreground vegetation were found to have significant and opposing regression weight signs—negative for the left and positive for the right. Study two was conducted to determine whether these opposing regression weight signs for foreground vegetation were due to a perceptual right-left bias or to some specific content in the image itself. In the second study, the photographic slides used to present landscape scenes to subjects were reversed so that the content which was previously on the right was now left, and vice versa. Thirty-nine students rated the reversed slides with regard to their scenic beauty. The signs of the regression weights in study two shifted such that left foreground was now positively valued and right foreground was negatively valued. This finding suggests that viewers are sensitive to foreground content and its placement in the image, and not simply to one side of the field of vision.     

Operational Atmospheric Modeling System CARIS for Effective Emergency Response Associated with Hazardous Chemical Releases in Korea

The Chemical Accidents Response Information System (CARIS) was developed at the Center for Chemical Safety Management in South Korea in order to track and predict the dispersion of hazardous chemicals in the case of an accident or terrorist attack involving chemical companies. The main objective of CARIS is to facilitate an efficient emergency response to hazardous chemical accidents by rapidly providing key information in the decision-making process. In particular, the atmospheric modeling system implemented in CARIS, which is composed of a real-time numerical weather forecasting model and an air pollution dispersion model, can be used as a tool to forecast concentrations and to provide a wide range of assessments associated with various hazardous chemicals in real time.This article introduces the components of CARIS and describes its operational modeling system. Some examples of the operational modeling system and its use for emergency preparedness are presented and discussed. Finally, this article evaluates the current numerical weather prediction model for Korea.Published online     

A reactor network model of the Passaic River

A modeling concept, based on a network of ideal reactor elements, is illustrated with tracer data for the Passaic River of New Jersey. This approach to simulation permits evaluation of mixing without detailed knowledge of internal processes or concentration profiles. The effect of dispersion can be superimposed on first-order decay processes, such as oxygen demand, and evaluated with this method. Application as a water quality management tool extends present use of this concept to wastewater treatment plant analyses.     

内蒙古主要畜牧气象灾害减灾对策研究

针对内蒙古自治区草地畜牧业生产中长期存在的实际问题,从草地雪灾、暴风雪、风冷灾害、旱灾等方面讨论了气象灾害对草地畜牧业生产的影响,并提出了相应的减灾对策,为草原牧区防灾减灾决策提供科学依据。     

避洪耐涝生态农业的发展方向与思路——洞庭湖退田还湖区案例研究

在退田还湖区发展避洪耐涝生态农业，是提高移民收入、脱贫致富奔小康、提高移民安置质量和拓展安置容量的重要途径。根据洞庭湖区的农业优势和退田还湖区发展高效生态农业的基础和条件，将其发展的总体方向确定为实现避洪耐涝高效特色生态农业产业化。其基本思路是：（1）双退垸行洪区面对洪水渍水重点发展耐涝性强的水生蔬菜、水生饲料及特种名优渔类产业；（2）单退垸区避开洪水重点发展粮油、林草、畜牧业等主导产业；面对洪水、渍水发展耐涝性强的水禽和特种水产养殖业；（3）蓄洪垸区避开特大洪水大力发展粮食、经济作物，突出发展草食牧畜业，积极发展水禽和特种渔类养殖业。通过发展差异性的避洪耐涝生态农业，建设具有支柱产业链特色的粮油生产基地、畜禽生产基地、林木、蔬菜生产基地，特种水产养殖基地，最终实现高效生态农业产业化。     

European Union waste management strategy and the importance of biogenic waste

In the European Union (EU), waste management is almost totally regulated by EU directives, which supply a framework for national regulations. The main target in view of sustainability is the prevention of direct disposal of reactive waste in landfills. The tools to comply with these principles are recycling and material recovery as well as waste incineration with energy recovery for final inertization. The adaptation of the principles laid down in EU directives is an ongoing process. A number of countries have already enacted respective national regulations and their realization shows that recycling and incineration are not in competition but are both essential parts of integrated waste management systems. In the EU, the amount of residual waste available for energy recovery can supply approximately 1% of the primary energy demand. About 50% of the energy inventory of municipal solid waste (MSW) in most EU countries is of biogenic origin, and MSW is to the same extent to be looked upon as regenerative fuel. Hence part of the CO₂ released from waste incineration is climate neutral. In the EU, this share could produce savings of the order of 1% of annual CO₂ emissions if energy from MSW replaced that derived from fossil fuel.     

由伦敦地铁连环爆炸案引发对我国城市安全应急体系的思考

以伦敦最近发生的恐怖袭击为背景,介绍了英国政府和伦敦市府所启动的城市安全应急体系的相关内容,由此分析了我国在城市安全应急机制方面的现状和不足,并根据多年的实际工作经验,提出了加强和完善我国城市安全应急的对策和思考.     

Arthropod Monitoring for Fine-Scale Habitat Analysis: A Case Study of the El Segundo Sand Dunes

/ Arthropod communities from several habitats on and adjacent to the El Segundo dunes (Los Angeles County, CA) were sampled using pitfall and yellow pan traps to evaluate their possible use as indicators of restoration success. Communities were ordinated and clustered using correspondence analysis, detrended correspondence analysis, two-way indicator species analysis, and Ward's method of agglomerative clustering. The results showed high repeatability among replicates within any sampling arena that permits discrimination of (1) degraded and relatively undisturbed habitat, (2) different dune habitat types, and (3) annual change. Canonical correspondence analysis showed a significant effect of disturbance history on community composition that explained 5-20% of the variation. Replicates of pitfall and yellow pan traps on single sites clustered together reliably when species abundance was considered, whereas clusters using only species incidence did not group replicates as consistently. The broad taxonomic approach seems appropriate for habitat evaluation and monitoring of restoration projects as an alternative to assessments geared to single species or even single families.