Effects of ultraviolet radiation on toad early life stages

Background  Exposure to harmful levels of ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB), a component of solar radiation, has been suggested as a potential cause of amphibian declines. Methods  We measured solar radiation (UVB, ultraviolet-A, and visible) wavebands in breeding ponds of Bufo boreas (boreal toad, a montane species that has undergone severe population declines) and Bufo woodhousii (Woodhouse’s toad, a plains toad that has not experienced declines) and examined tolerances of these species to simulated solar UVB exposures in the laboratory. Results  We found larvae of both species to be tolerant of simulated solar UVB in excess of solar UVB levels observed in their breeding ponds. B. boreas tadpoles were more tolerant of simulated solar UVB exposure than B. woodhousii tadpoles, possibly because of greater amounts of photoprotective melanin in B. boreas skin. Conclusions  UVB levels observed in B. boreas habitats do not currently appear to constitute a threat to the survival of these animals; however, long-term (>1 month) exposure to UVB levels comparable to levels associated with the water interface appears to reduce survival in B. woodhousii tadpoles. Therefore, future increases in surface and water column UVB radiation in bufonid habitats might pose significant survival risks to B. boreas or B. woodhousii populations.     

氧化镁脱硫回收副产品提浓试验研究

本文通过一系列的工业试验对氧化镁湿法烟气脱硫技术中的硫酸镁回收试验进行了研究，结果表明：在烟气氧含量约为14％和吸收液以明流排入塔外吸收液池再循环的情况下，自然氧化和简易强制氧化均能将MgSO4浓度提升至循环温度下的饱和或准饱和浓度；吸收液循环氧化提浓未对脱硫产生负面影响，且脱硫率相对初期有明显提高。     

Leaching characteristics of copper flotation waste before and after vitrification

Copper flotation waste from copper production using a pyrometallurgical process contains toxic metals such as Cu, Zn, Co and Pb. Because of the presence of trace amounts of these highly toxic metals, copper flotation waste contributes to environmental pollution. In this study, the leaching characteristics of copper flotation waste from the Black Sea Copper Works in Samsun, Turkey have been investigated before and after vitrification. Samples obtained from the factory were subjected to toxicity tests such as the extraction procedure toxicity test (EP Tox), the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and the "method A" extraction procedure of the American Society of Testing and Materials. The leaching tests showed that the content of some elements in the waste before vitrification exceed the regulatory limits and cannot be disposed of in the present form. Therefore, a stabilization or inertization treatment is necessary prior to disposal. Vitrification was found to stabilize heavy metals in the copper flotation waste successfully and leaching of these metals was largely reduced. Therefore, vitrification can be an acceptable method for disposal of copper flotation waste.     

STATISTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COAL-MINE DISCHARGES ON WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REMINING SITES1

ABSTRACT: Under an approved remining program, a coal mine operator can remine abandoned sites without legally assuming treatment responsibilities of the previously degraded water, as long as these discharging waters are not further degraded. Determination of discharge degradation caused by remining of abandoned coal mines requires knowledge of mine water quality and discharge flow rate characteristics both before and after remining. Normality tests performed on the water quality and flow data from 57 mine discharges indicate generally nonnormal distributions and extreme right-skewness. Exploratory data analysis (notched box-and-whisker plots) of the differences among medians indicates that the water quality of underground mines was more highly degraded in terms of acidity, iron, and sulfate concentrations than that from surface mines. Spearman's rank correlation tests, normality testing, and exploratory data analysis indicate that discharge flow rate is the primary controlling factor on the variability of pollution load rate. Reduction of recharge from the surface and adjacent unmined strata should decrease the mine discharge flow rate and in turn the pollution load.     

Temporal changes in wetland landscapes of a section of the St. Lawrence River,Canada

Historical aerial photographs (from 1946 through 1983) were used to study and describe the nature and extent of changes in wetland vegetation of a section of the St. Lawrence River and to evaluate the relative importance of water level, fire, and vegetational development as causal factors of these historical changes. Data were encoded and analyzed using a geographical information system, autocorrelation, and Mantel tests. Results show three temporal patterns in wetland dynamics. First, some wetland zones have been reduced by human activities (urbanization, landfilling, canal dredging). The second group consists of wetland areas that remain stable and do not change over time. They are generally protected sites artificially maintained by water-level control. A third situation has occurred in the Lake Saint-François National Wildlife Area, where no significant wetland losses were detected, but where landscape structure has changed greatly. Modeling with Mantel tests suggests that, in the latter case, these changes in wetland landscape are related to the suppression of burning (fires set deliberately by Indians) since the purchase of the territory by the Canadian federal government. This situation has caused rapid replacement of wet meadows byAlnus rugosa scrub and a possible decline in habitat diversity.     

Patterns and Trends in Southern Ontario Lake ice Phenology

An analysis is presented of 46 ice break up and 15 ice free season phenology data series obtained largely through volunteer monitoring efforts in Southern Ontario. Observations spanned the years 1853–2001. Available data included dates of ice formation and ice break up as well as the number of ice free days in a year. A high degree of temporal coherence in ice phenology between lakes was observed (137/365 pairwise correlations significant at P<0.05). Significant monotonic trends towards earlier break up dates and longer ice free seasons were observed across the region both in the entire series and in the last thirty years of data. Trends in longer series may be associated with the end of the Little Ice Age. The significantly longer ice free seasons and earlier ice break up dates observed in the study area have important implications for lakes in other parts of Canada where climate change effects are predicted to be more extreme than in South-Central Ontario.     

DATA ANALYSIS OF WATER QUALITY TIME SERIES IN LAKE ERIE1

ABSTRACT: A comprehensive data analysis study is carried out for detecting trends and other statistical characteristics in water quality time series measured in Long Point Bay, Lake Erie. In order to glean an optimal amount of useful information from the available data, the exploratory and confirmatory data anslysis stages are adhered to. To test a range of hypotheses regarding the statistical properties of the time series, a wide variety of both parametric and nonparametric techniques are employed. A particularly useful nonparametric method for discovering trends is the seasonal Mann-Kendall test.     

航道疏浚对珠江口附近海洋生态环境影响及预防措施

广州港航道疏浚工程中开挖和处理底泥会产生大量悬浮物，悬浮物及其含有的各种污染物将影响珠江口近海洋生态和渔业。本文主要介绍污染情况以及预防措施。通过扩散实验认为与航道疏浚工程有一定的污染，但是影响不大。通过施工前及施工期间监测结果相对照，认为航道疏浚工程对珠江口附近海洋生态环境基本没有产生大的影响，疏浚工程所采取的环保措施是极为有效的。     

微生物腐蚀监测方法研究进展

近年来,随着石油与天然气资源的大力开发,油气集输管道的腐蚀问题引起了人们的广泛关注,其中微生物腐蚀是导致管线服役失效的一大重要因素.建立快速有效的微生物检测方法及微生物腐蚀监测技术,可对腐蚀状态做出预判,为管道安全运作提供保障.针对这个问题,文中概述了微生物腐蚀机制,详细总结了各类微生物检测方法.从电化学角度出发,系统...     

土壤监测中环境和农业行业标准分析方法的等效性评价

为评估土壤监测过程中环境和农业行业不同标准分析方法得到监测数据的可统筹性,运用多种统计方式,对土壤pH值、有机质、阳离子交换量、铜、锌、铅、镍、镉、铬、汞和砷共11个监测指标所采用的标准分析方法的等效性进行分析。技术规范比对结果显示：环境和农业行业,在土壤样品的采集、保存和制备过程所采用的技术规范,对分析结果的影响不大。方法性能指标结果显示：2类标准分析方法的精密度没有显著性差异。显著性检验结果显示：除pH值和汞外,其他9个指标均有显著性差异。等效性评价（等效边界为±20%）结果显示：测定pH值、有机质、阳离子交换量、铜、锌、镍、汞和砷8个指标的2类标准分析方法是等效的,所得监测数据可以共享。方法性能评价和显著性检验无法定量给出方法间差异的范围,而双单侧检验则弥补了这种不足,还避免了因样本量不足或精密度过高而引起的显著性误判,因此可根据该研究的评价结果对环境和农业行业土壤环境质量监测网络进行整合管理,有助于更加全面地掌握农用地土壤环境的污染现状。