Parameterizing soil and weather inputs for crop simulation models using the VEMAP database

Soil and weather data are critical for the operation of crop simulation models. However, in many cases they are not readily available, especially applications at a regional or larger spatial scale. The Vegetation/Ecosystem Modeling and Analysis Project (VEMAP) provides massive quantities of geo-referenced soil and weather data variables on a half-degree latitude–longitude grid covering the conterminous USA. The VEMAP data were derived from a range of products and analyses, including ground observations, cluster analyses, kriging interpolation, and data assimilation. The objective of this study was to convert the soil and daily weather data of VEMAP into a format that can be used in the popular modeling software Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). Users can select appropriate soil or daily weather information for the area of interest. The conversion of the VEMAP data resulted in 5927 unique soil profiles and 3261 unique weather station files that encompass daily data from 1895 to 1993. To demonstrate the utility of this database in DSSAT, one representative county of the state of Georgia, USA was selected and a soybean simulation model was employed to simulate final yield using the extracted soil and daily weather data for the normal year (1961–1990). Meanwhile, the extracted daily weather data were compared with ground station observations from the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Program (COOP). The paired t-test showed that no significant differences were found between the daily weather data and between simulated yields based on VEMAP and COOP weather data for the selected location. The outcome of this research showed that the VEMAP data can be used for crop model applications. However, further research is needed to assess the accuracy of the datasets for a variety of crops at a regional or national scale.     

Is there a commercially viable market for crop insurance in rural Bangladesh?

The study aims to assess the commercial viability of a potential crop insurance market in Bangladesh. In a large scale household survey, agricultural farm households were asked for their preferences for a hypothetical crop insurance scheme using double bounded (DB) contingent valuation (CV) method. Both revenue and production cost based indemnity payment approaches were applied to assess the commercial viability of a crop insurance program assuming a partner-agent (PA) model of insurance supply. Crop insurance is found marginally commercially viable in riverine flood plain areas. The expected indemnity payable consistently exceeds the expected insurance premium receivable by the insurer for the households living in wetland basin and coastal floodplain. We conclude that a uniform structure of crop insurance market does not exist in Bangladesh. The nature of the disaster risks faced by the farm households and the socio-economic characteristics of the rural farm communities need to be taken into careful consideration while designing such an insurance scheme.

景观型人工湿地污水处理系统构建及植物脱氮效应研究

将15种景观植物,其中包括4种陆生木本植物引入人工湿地,用于构建景观型人工湿地污水处理系统.该实验系统由12个独立处理单元组成,其中包括由4个平行处理单元构成的一级处理系统及由8个处理单元构成的二级跌流系统.对植物在各处理单元中的氮积累特征及植物氮吸收对系统脱氮贡献率进行研究,结果表明,在进水TN浓度为37.5~55.6 mg/L时,植物吸收脱氮贡献率仅为1%~3%,其不能准确反映植物在系统中的重要作用.因此,本研究采用植物脱氮效应(有植物与无植物系统脱氮的差异)来衡量植物在处理系统中的综合作用,其包括植物吸收贡献及植物与根际微生物、填料基质的协同效应之和,分析表明,植物协同效应占系统脱氮效应的80%以上.     

陆生经济植物浮床去除富营养化水中氮素研究

通过玻璃缸静态培养试验,探讨陆生经济植物芹菜(Apium graveolens L).、茼蒿(Chrysanthemum coronarium L).和大蒜(Alliumsativum L).作为人工生物浮岛栽培植物,去除富营养化水体中氮的可行性和净化效果。采用常规耗竭法进行吸收动力学试验,研究植物根系对不同形态氮的吸收特性,为浮床植物遴选提供理论依据。结果表明:芹菜、茼蒿和大蒜在水中生长状况良好,试验前后生物量相对增长了121.24%~330.12%;三种经济植物浮床系统净化效果显著,对水中TN的去除率为44.94%~82.84%,高于空白对照系统(25.15%)。三种植物浮床系统对TN去除效果差异极显著(P0.05),根据这三种植物根系对不同形态氮在不同浓度水平下的吸收特性研究发现,其吸收规律均符合Michaelis-Menten动力学方程,但不同种类植物根系吸收特性存在差异,从而影响不同形态氮的去除效果。其中芹菜对NH4+-N的吸收潜力最大,对NO3--N的亲和力最大,大蒜对NO3--N的吸收潜力最大,对NH4+-N亲和力最大,茼蒿对两种形态氮的吸收能力较差。     

燃煤电厂脱硫设施GGH安装利弊分析

通过对比上海市燃煤电厂脱硫设施的实际运行情况,结合烟囱腐蚀、烟气温度、烟气抬升高度、能耗、水耗以及投资费用、运行费用等,从环保角度和脱硫设施长效运行角度分析,安装GGH利大于弊。     

中国燃煤电厂大气污染物控制现状分析

改革开放以来,我国电力工业飞速发展,成就辉煌。截至2010年底,全国发电总装机容量和发电量分别达到96219万kW和42280亿kW.h,从1996年起一直稳居世界第二位。电力行业燃煤电厂大气污染物控制成效显著,主要污染物排放量得到有效控制,排放绩效逐年下降;2009年底,电力行业烟尘、二氧化硫、氮氧化物排放绩效分别下降至1.0,3.2和2.9g/(kW.h)。电力行业应对气候变化工作业已开展并且成绩斐然;以2005年为基准年,2006—2009年电力行业累计减排二氧化碳约9.51亿t。展望十二五,电力行业在大气污染物控制方面,应坚持源头控制与末端治理相结合的控制路线,坚持区域联防联控和对复合型污染控制的重点工作;在应对气候变化方面,应坚持优化电源结构、强化节能降耗的发展思路。     

基于CP对污水处理厂综合评价指标体系的研究

基于国内的清洁生产(CP)评价指标,以污水处理厂为研究对象,将生命周期评价(LCA)作为指导思想,从环境、经济、资源、人类健康、技术性能5个方面选取了全球变暖、固体废弃物、占地面积、运行稳定情况等22个指标,按3个层次构建了污水处理厂的综合评价指标体系。该指标体系的建立为污水处理厂的综合评价提供了决策依据。     

竹类植物的生态功能

中国是世界上竹类资源最丰富的国家.竹类植物分布广、生长快、产量高、用途广,一年种植可连年持续利用,具有极高的生态价值,其特殊的生物学特性对环境改善、水土保持具有不可忽视的重要作用.根据前人的研究成果,对竹类植物的生态功能作用进行了分类描述,以期对竹类植物的生态功能开发提供参考,进一步推动竹类植物的生态研究.     

城市污水厂尾水受纳河段沉积物脲酶活性及硝化潜力分析

为探究城市污水厂尾水排放对河流沉积物氮素滞留的影响,在合肥市的南淝河、十五里河、塘西河、板桥河和廿埠河各选取一个河段,分3个季节采集尾水排放口上、下游一定范围的河道表层沉积物,解析沉积物脲酶活性、硝化潜力及其变化特征,并对沉积物脲酶活性对外源碳的响应开展定量化分析.结果表明,5个尾水受纳河段排放口下游河道沉积物TN、NH₄⁺-N含量都不同程度的低于上游对照点,多数受纳河段沉积物NO₃^--N和OM含量下降,TP则大都不同程度的升高.绝大多数受纳河段尾水排放口下游沉积物脲酶活性低于上游对照点,甚至离尾水排放口距离越近的采样点位脲酶活性越低.5个尾水受纳河段不同程度表现出沉积物脲酶活性随外源碳浓度梯度增大的特点,表明河段沉积物脲酶活性存在一定的碳限制性.南淝河、十五里河和塘西河河段尾水排放口下游所有采样点沉积物硝化速率均高于上游对照点,而板桥河、 廿埠河河段则相反.总体上,各尾水受纳河段排放口上游对照点与下游采样点的沉积物脲酶活性、硝化潜力和硝化活性差异性不显著.