Forensic Evaluation of Metals (Cr,Cu, Pb,Zn), Isotopes (δ13C and δ15N), and C:N Ratios in Freshwater Sediment

A forensic approach was used to evaluate sediments from Portão Stream, including analysis of metals, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotopes, and C:N ratios. Samples collected at various points located along the stream were tested in order to investigate a possible illegal leachate input. The studied stream is heavily impacted by sewage and industrial discharges from two cities along its course. Among the metals analyzed, chromium (Cr) was noticeably the main pollutant, showing the highest levels, above regulatory limits, downstream from some potential sources of effluents enriched with this metal. Isotope analyses revealed a general trend of depletion in the heavier isotope along the stream for C and N. The exception was one point near a hazardous waste landfill, where relatively more enriched δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values were found. The isotope and metal analysis results indicated that this site was affected by a particular source, demonstrating the combination of these parameters could be used for the discrimination of sources in a heavily polluted stream. Nevertheless, further investigations are necessary to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the biogeochemical processes involved in the incorporation of leachate in sediments to use this analysis as evidence for the illegal leachate discharge.     

阿什河水系枯水期氮污染特征与同位素源解析

在阿什河水系设置20个采样点,采用水质监测技术和稳定氮同位素示踪技术,研究了枯水期阿什河氮污染特征和硝酸盐氮污染来源。结果表明:(1)阿什河枯水期大部分采样点氨氮浓度较低,大部分区域达到或优于《地表水环境质量标准》(GB3838—2002)中Ⅲ类。上游河段硝酸盐氮浓度较低,中游河段较高,到下游河段略有降低。总氮浓度较高,最高达19.4mg/L。(2)阿什河水系采样点15 N的丰度(δ15 N)主要处于0.11%~0.21%、0.42%~0.78%、0.83%~0.88%和1.09%~1.26%。稳定15 N同位素示踪解析阿什河硝酸盐氮污染来源表明,阿什河上游污染源主要为大气沉降、土壤有机氮和人工化肥;中游主要受畜禽养殖污水和生活污水污染;下游主要受城镇生活污水和工业废水影响。     

钱塘江引水降氮示范工程的构建和运行研究

针对杭州西湖钱塘江引水低碳高氮的特点,提出以改性水草塘—复合垂直流人工湿地(IVCW)相耦合的生物—生态工艺进行引水处理,对该引水降氮示范工程的构建和运行效果进行了跟踪研究。结果表明,整个稳定运行期间(2012年7月19日至11月19日),耦合工艺对COD、TN、硝酸盐氮、TP的平均去除率分别为52.27%、52.49%、53.69%、52.79%,系统出水满足《地表水环境质量标准》(GB 3838—2002)Ⅳ标准;改性水草塘和IVCW单元作为耦合工艺的两个重要组成部分,在脱氮、除磷方面优势互补,从而共同保证出水水质的稳定;在改性水草塘单元,温度与COD的去除效果呈负相关关系,进水C/N与TN去除效果呈正相关关系;而在IVCW单元,温度与COD、TN的去除效果均呈线性正相关关系,进水C/N与两者的去除效果也呈正相关关系,且对COD的影响要大于对TN的影响。     

基于GIS与RUSLE的武陵山区小流域土壤侵蚀评价研究

以长江中下游武陵山区女儿寨小流域为研究区,基于数据观测积累及实地调查采样等方法,计算了研究区降雨侵蚀力、土壤可蚀性等因子,运用GIS与RUSLE评价了流域土壤侵蚀强度并分析了其与土地利用方式、海拔高度的关系。结果表明,流域平均土壤侵蚀强度为78844 t/（km2·a）,属微度侵蚀,流域面积9518%的范围发生轻度以下的侵蚀,强烈以上侵蚀仅占1.19%。从土地利用类型来看,耕地、果园侵蚀强度较大,均达到中度侵蚀,有林地除竹林地为轻度侵蚀外均属微度侵蚀,耕地、果园、竹林地是今后水土流失防治的主要地类。不同海拔高度中,低海拔（200～400 m）区域侵蚀量占到流域侵蚀总量的6442%,是水土流失防治的重点地带。研究为应用修正通用土壤流失方程在武陵山区进行土壤侵蚀评价提供范例,为研究区防治土壤侵蚀和流域管理规划决策提供相应参考     

Nitrogen deposition effects on Mediterranean-type ecosystems: an ecological assessment

We review the ecological consequences of N deposition on the five Mediterranean regions of the world. Seasonality of precipitation and fires regulate the N cycle in these water-limited ecosystems, where dry N deposition dominates. Nitrogen accumulation in soils and on plant surfaces results in peaks of availability with the first winter rains. Decoupling between N flushes and plant demand promotes losses via leaching and gas emissions. Differences in P availability may control the response to N inputs and susceptibility to exotic plant invasion. Invasive grasses accumulate as fuel during the dry season, altering fire regimes. California and the Mediterranean Basin are the most threatened by N deposition; however, there is limited evidence for N deposition impacts outside of California. Consequently, more research is needed to determine critical loads for each region and vegetation type based on the most sensitive elements, such as changes in lichen species composition and N cycling.     

Mechanisms of purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) encroachment in dry heathland ecosystems with chronic nitrogen inputs

We analysed growth strategies (biomass allocation, nutrient sequestration and allocation) of heather (Calluna vulgaris) and purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) seedlings in monocultures and mixtures in relation to N, P, and N + P fertilisation in a greenhouse experiment in order to simulate a heath’s pioneer phase under high airborne nitrogen (N) loads. N fertilisation increased the total biomass of both species in monocultures. In mixtures, M. caerulea sequestered about 65% of the N applied, while C. vulgaris suffered from N shortage (halving of the total biomass). Thus, in mixtures only M. caerulea will benefit from airborne N loads, and competition will become increasingly asymmetric with increasing N availability. Our results demonstrate that the heath’s pioneer phase is the crucial tipping point at which the competitive vigour of M. caerulea (high belowground allocation, efficient use of belowground resources, shortened reproductive cycles) induces a shift to dominance of grasses under increased N availability.     

Assessing the recovery potential of alpine moss-sedge heath: reciprocal transplants along a nitrogen deposition gradient

The potential of alpine moss-sedge heath to recover from elevated nitrogen (N) deposition was assessed by transplanting Racomitrium lanuginosum shoots and vegetation turfs between 10 elevated N deposition sites (8.2-32.9 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and a low N deposition site, Ben Wyvis (7.2 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). After two years, tissue N of Racomitrium shoots transplanted from higher N sites to Ben Wyvis only partially equilibrated to reduced N deposition whereas reciprocal transplants almost matched the tissue N of indigenous moss. Unexpectedly, moss shoot growth was stimulated at higher N deposition sites. However, moss depth and biomass increased in turfs transplanted to Ben Wyvis, apparently due to slower shoot turnover (suggested to result partly from decreased tissue C:N slowing decomposition), whilst abundance of vascular species declined. Racomitrium heath has the potential to recover from the impacts of N deposition; however, this is constrained by the persistence of enhanced moss tissue N contents.     

N deposition as a threat to the World's protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity

This paper combines the world’s protected areas (PAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), common classification systems of ecosystem conservation status, and current knowledge on ecosystem responses to nitrogen (N) deposition to determine areas most at risk. The results show that 40% (approx. 11% of total area) of PAs currently receive >10 kg N/ha/yr with projections for 2030 indicating that this situation is not expected to change. Furthermore, 950 PAs are projected to receive >30 kg N/ha/yr by 2030 (approx. twice the 2000 number), of which 62 (approx. 11,300 km²) are also Biodiversity Hotspots and G200 ecoregions; with forest and grassland ecosystems in Asia particularly at risk. Many of these sites are known to be sensitive to N deposition effects, both in terms of biodiversity changes and ecosystem services they provide. Urgent assessment of high risk areas identified in this study is recommended to inform the conservation efforts of the CBD.     

The impact of nitrogen deposition on acid grasslands in the Atlantic region of Europe

A survey of 153 acid grasslands from the Atlantic biogeographic region of Europe indicates that chronic nitrogen deposition is changing plant species composition and soil and plant-tissue chemistry. Across the deposition gradient (2-44 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) grass richness as a proportion of total species richness increased whereas forb richness decreased. Soil C:N ratio increased, but soil extractable nitrate and ammonium concentrations did not show any relationship with nitrogen deposition. The above-ground tissue nitrogen contents of three plant species were examined: Agrostis capillaris (grass), Galium saxatile (forb) and Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (bryophyte). The tissue nitrogen content of neither vascular plant species showed any relationship with nitrogen deposition, but there was a weak positive relationship between R. squarrosus nitrogen content and nitrogen deposition. None of the species showed strong relationships between above-ground tissue N:P or C:N and nitrogen deposition, indicating that they are not good indicators of deposition rate.     

Soil nitrogen transformations under elevated atmospheric CO₂ and O₃ during the soybean growing season

We investigated the influence of elevated CO₂ and O₃ on soil N cycling within the soybean growing season and across soil environments (i.e., rhizosphere and bulk soil) at the Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment (SoyFACE) experiment in Illinois, USA. Elevated O₃ decreased soil mineral N likely through a reduction in plant material input and increased denitrification, which was evidenced by the greater abundance of the denitrifier gene nosZ. Elevated CO₂ did not alter the parameters evaluated and both elevated CO₂ and O₃ showed no interactive effects on nitrifier and denitrifier abundance, nor on total and mineral N concentrations. These results indicate that elevated CO₂ may have limited effects on N transformations in soybean agroecosystems. However, elevated O₃ can lead to a decrease in soil N availability in both bulk and rhizosphere soils, and this likely also affects ecosystem productivity by reducing the mineralization rates of plant-derived residues.