Ecological consequences of forest elephant declines for Afrotropical forests

Poaching is rapidly extirpating African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) from most of their historical range, leaving vast areas of elephant‐free tropical forest. Elephants are ecological engineers that create and maintain forest habitat; thus, their loss will have large consequences for the composition and structure of Afrotropical forests. Through a comprehensive literature review, we evaluated the roles of forest elephants in seed dispersal, nutrient recycling, and herbivory and physical damage to predict the cascading ecological effects of their population declines. Loss of seed dispersal by elephants will favor tree species dispersed abiotically and by smaller dispersal agents, and tree species composition will depend on the downstream effects of changes in elephant nutrient cycling and browsing. Loss of trampling and herbivory of seedlings and saplings will result in high tree density with release from browsing pressures. Diminished seed dispersal by elephants and high stem density are likely to reduce the recruitment of large trees and thus increase homogeneity of forest structure and decrease carbon stocks. The loss of ecological services by forest elephants likely means Central African forests will be more like Neotropical forests, from which megafauna were extirpated thousands of years ago. Without intervention, as much as 96% of Central African forests will have modified species composition and structure as elephants are compressed into remaining protected areas. Stopping elephant poaching is an urgent first step to mitigating these effects, but long‐term conservation will require land‐use planning that incorporates elephant habitat into forested landscapes that are being rapidly transformed by industrial agriculture and logging.     

Conserving and managing the subnivium

In regions where snowfall historically has been a defining seasonal characteristic of the landscape, warming winters have reduced the depth, duration, and extent of snowpack. However, most management and conservation has focused on how aboveground wildlife will be affected by altered snow conditions, even though the majority of species that persist through the winter do so under the snowpack in a thermally stable refugium: the subnivium. Shortened winters, forest management practices, and winter recreation can alter subnivium conditions by increasing snow compaction and compromising thermal stability at the soil–snow interface. To help slow the loss of the subnivium in the face of rapidly changing winter conditions, we suggest managers adopt regional conservation plans for identifying threatened snow‐covered environments; measure and predict the effects land cover and habitat management has on local subnivium conditions; and control the timing and distribution of activities that disturb and compact snow cover (e.g., silvicultural practices, snow recreation, and road and trail maintenance). As a case study, we developed a spatially explicit model of subnivium presence in a working landscape of the Chequamegon National Forest, Wisconsin. We identified landscapes where winter recreation and management practices could threaten potentially important areas for subnivium persistence. Similar modeling approaches could inform management decisions related to subnivium conservation. Current climate projections predict that snow seasons will change rapidly in many regions, and as result, we advocate for the immediate recognition, conservation, and management of the subnivium and its dependent species.     

Dry reforming of methane over oil palm shell activated carbon and ZSM-5 supported cobalt catalysts

In this study, cobalt supported oil palm shell activated carbon (Co/OPS-AC) and ZSM-5 zeolite (Co/ZSM-5) catalysts have been prepared for dry reforming of methane. Cobalt ratios of 6.0 and 14.0 wt% were deposited via wet impregnation method to the OPS-AC and ZSM-5 catalysts. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, N₂ adsorption--desorption isotherms, BET surface area, SEM, FESEM-EDX, TPR-H₂, and TPD-NH₃. The dry reforming of methane was performed using a micro reactor system under the condition of 10,000 ml/h.g-cat, 3 atm, CH₄/CO₂ ratio of 1.2:1.0 and temperature range from 923 K to 1023 K. The gaseous products were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) with thermal conductivity detector (TCD) and further quantified to determine the conversions of CH₄ and CO₂, and the yields of CO and H₂. Experimental results revealed both catalysts exhibited lower conversions of CO₂ and CH₄ with the increase in temperature from 923 K to 1023 K. The reduced conversions may be due to the formation of carboneous substance on the catalyst known as coking. Comparatively, Co/OPS-AC gave higher conversions of CO₂ and CH₄ as well as higher yields of H₂ and CO as it has a higher surface area than Co/ZSM-5 which subsequently rendered higher activity for the reforming of methane. With the increasing cobalt loadings and reaction temperature, OPS-AC(14) catalyst exhibited improved activity and H₂/CO ratio. Based on these results, cobalt supported OPS activated carbon catalyst was suggested to be more effective for CO₂ and CH₄ conversions.     

2008~2012年上海黑碳浓度变化特征分析

采用上海市城市环境气象中心2008~2012年黑碳质量浓度小时平均资料,分析了上海市区黑碳质量浓度变化规律.结果表明,2008~2012年间上海黑碳平均质量浓度呈下降趋势,各年黑碳平均质量浓度从(4 045.3±3 375.4)ng·m-3降至(2 766.2±2 078.9)ng·m-3,观测期间的逐年变化率分别为2.3%、-6.5%、-18.7%和-12.1%.与其它大城市相比,黑碳平均质量浓度为中等偏低水平.从年平均变化看,11和12月的5年平均质量浓度最高,分别为5 426.6 ng·m-3和5 365.3ng·m-3,其次为1、6和10月,分别为4 402.5、3 763.3和3 412.7 ng·m-3.工作日和休息日的5年平均日变化均呈明显双峰结构,两峰分别出现在北京时间07:00~10:00和18:00~22:00,工作日第一峰高于第二峰,休息日则相反.5年间,工作日黑碳平均质量浓度较休息日高9%.此外,根据有效观测数据,通过回归整理,给出了一个5年平均黑碳质量浓度日变化的逐时经验函数,以方便估计和预测黑碳浓度水平.     

不同硅铝比Fe-ZSM-5催化剂对氧化亚氮催化分解性能的研究

以不同硅铝比的H-ZSM-5分子筛为载体,采用离子交换法和化学气相沉积法制备Fe-ZSM-5催化剂,并用XRD、BET、TEM、UV-vis和NH3-TPD等表征手段对催化剂进行分析,研究催化剂中铁的存在状态.结果表明,分子筛的硅铝比影响铁在分子筛中的分布形态,化学气相沉积法和热离子交换法制得硅铝比为25的Fe-ZSM-5-25分子筛催化剂上均匀地分布着粒径为8 nm左右的纳米氧化铁颗粒,并且Fe-ZSM-5-25分子筛催化剂比Fe-ZSM-5-300更容易形成Fe3+x O y团簇.制得的Fe-ZSM-5分子筛催化剂催化分解氧化亚氮(N2O),结果表明,相同的制备方法,硅铝比小的Fe-ZSM-5-25催化剂对N2O分解活性更好;相同硅铝比的Fe-ZSM-5催化剂,采用化学气相沉积法制得的对N2O分解活性最好.另外,O2的存在对Fe-ZSM-5上N2O催化分解活性有抑制作用,而NO对N2O催化分解活性展示了一定的正效应.最后,经过100 h的连续反应,Fe-ZSM-5催化剂依然能够保持催化活性.     

不同孔径HZSM-5协同低温等离子体催化降解甲苯性能研究

研究了HZSM-5分子筛孔径对其在等离子体场内催化降解甲苯的影响.采用化学液相沉积法对HZSM-5分子筛进行改性,利用XRD、氮气吸附脱附等方法表征样品的骨架结构和表面性质,并用择形吸附实验对样品孔径进行表征.同时,评价了HZSM-5分子筛体系中降解甲苯的性能,研究了分子筛吸附甲苯性能及臭氧的产量,并采用飞行时间质谱(TOF-MS)和气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)分析了反应产生的有机副产物.结果表明:液相沉积法成功调控了HZSM-5孔径,样品孔径随沉积剂用量增加而减小;同时,样品均具有相同的MFI骨架结构,比表面积和孔容相差不大.HZSM-5的孔径尺寸对甲苯去除率影响不大,但对碳平衡有影响,孔径越大,碳平衡越好.孔径较大的HZSM-5分子筛对甲苯具有更大的吸附速率和吸附容量,同时更多臭氧参与反应,生成·OH和O·,促进甲苯深度氧化,减少副产物,提高碳平衡.     

CuO/ZSM-5系列催化剂的脱硫脱硝性能研究

采用浸渍法制备了不同质量分数的催化剂x％ CuO/ZSM-5 (x =2、4、6、8、10、12、50),并考察了其在CH4为还原剂条件下的脱硫脱硝性能.同时,采用X射线衍射(XRD)、H2-程序升温还原(H2-TPR)、NH3-程序升温脱附(NH3-TPD)、比表面积(BET)、扫描电子显微镜与能谱分析(SEM-EDS)等测试手段对催化剂进行表征.实验结果表明:10％ CuO/ZSM-5催化剂的活性组分具有较好的晶型结构,且高度分散在ZSM-5骨架中.在CH4+NO+ SO2反应中,10％ CuO/ZSM-5催化剂具有最好的脱硫脱硝活性,最高脱硫率和脱硝率分别为97.4％和94.6％.     

石臼漾湿地冬季有机质的可生化性

在冬季,石臼漾构筑根孔湿地对有机质的去除率不高.若设想这只是一个表观现象,实际上湿地在冬季能够有效地去除水体中难降解有机质,但释放部分易生化的有机物质.为了验证这一假设,研究了冬季石臼漾湿地岸边带和植物床-沟壕系统中有机质可生化性的空间分布.结果表明:湿地内部其有机质可生化性r(BOD₅/COD_Cr)为0.26~0.84,80%数据高于可生化性下限值(0.30),远超过源水(0.0999).经过湿地净化,水体中有机质的性质发生了显著的变化.湿地内部其r(COD_Cr/TOC)比值(0.85~2.57,平均值1.90)远低于源水(5.41),大量的还原性有机物质及部分芳香族类化合物被湿地拦截和持留.这说明即使在冷季,石臼漾湿地仍对源水中的有机质具有较好的去除效果.以人工湿地生态根孔技术为核心的植物床-沟壕系统是整个湿地中水质净化特别是有机质去除的关键区域.     

膜电极法测定 BOD5的质量控制

生化需氧量（BOD5）作为环境监测重要参数之一,是一项重要的反应有机污染的指标。 BOD5分析过程一个复杂的生化过程,受到许多客观环境因素的影响,如样品温度、环境温度、搅拌速度,仪器校正等。采用膜电极法测定BOD5时,综合考虑,做好质量控制,可获得满意的测定结果。     

PM2．5的污染特征及综合防治分析

大气污染严重,空气中尤以PM2.5对人健康损害最大。本文对PM2.5的来源、污染表征、国内外控制标准及综合防治措施作了基本概述,以期对读者有参考。