Excretion of manure-borne estrogens and androgens and their potential risk estimation in the Yangtze River Basin

The Yangtze River is the longest river in China, and the river basin spans one fifth of the area of the whole country. Based on statistical data, the excretion of manure-borne steroid hormones, including steroid estrogens(SEs) and steroid androgens(SAs), in 10 provinces of China within the region has been estimated. The potential environmental and ecological risk of manure-borne steroid estrogens to the surface water in this region was also assessed. The manure-borne SE and SA excretions in the 10 provinces and municipalities vary in the order: Sichuan Hunan Hubei Yunnan Jiangsu Anhui Jiangxi Chongqing Qinghai Shanghai. The highest increase of manure-borne SEs(1434.3 kg)and SAs(408.5 kg) was found in Hunan and Hubei provinces, respectively, and the total excretion in 2013 was 65% more than 15 years earlier in these two provinces. However, the emissions in Anhui and Shanghai decreased in this 15 year period of time. Swine urine,chicken feces, cattle urine, and laying hen feces were considered the dominant sources of manure-borne E1, βE2, αE2, and SAs, respectively. Although Jiangsu province did not have the largest excretion of manure-borne SEs, it had the highest level of predicted17β-estradiol equivalency(EEQs) value of 16.65 ng/L in surface water because of the limited surface water resources. According to the lowest observable effect level of 10 ng/L for17β-estradiol, the manure-borne SEs in Jiangsu province might potentially pose ecological risk to its wild aquatic organisms.     

The integrated project AquaTerra of the EU sixth framework lays foundations for better understanding of river-sediment-soil-groundwater systems

The integrated project "AquaTerra" with the full title "integrated modeling of the river-sediment-soil-groundwater system; advanced tools for the management of catchment areas and river basins in the context of global change" is among the first environmental projects within the sixth Framework Program of the European Union. Commencing in June 2004, it brought together a multidisciplinary team of 45 partner organizations from 12 EU countries, Romania, Switzerland, Serbia and Montenegro. AquaTerra is an ambitious project with the primary objective of laying the foundations for a better understanding of the behavior of environmental pollutants and their fluxes in the soil-sediment-water system with respect to climate and land use changes. The project performs research as well as modeling on river-sediment-soil-groundwater systems through quantification of deposition, sorption and turnover rates and the development of numerical models to reveal fluxes and trends in soil and sediment functioning. Scales ranging from the laboratory to river basins are addressed with the potential to provide improved river basin management, enhanced soil and groundwater monitoring as well as the early identification and forecasting of impacts on water quantity and quality. Study areas are the catchments of the Ebro, Meuse, Elbe and Danube Rivers and the Brévilles Spring. Here we outline the general structure of the project and the activities conducted within eleven existing sub-projects of AquaTerra.     

Environmental risk perception, environmental concern and propensity to participate in organic farming programmes

This paper aims to identify the factors underlying farmers' propensity to participate in organic farming programmes in a Romanian rural region that confronts non-point source pollution. For this, we employ structural equation modelling with latent variables using a specific data set collected through an agri-environmental farm survey in 2001. The model includes one 'behavioural intention' latent variable ('propensity to participate in organic farming programmes') and five 'attitude' and 'socio-economic' latent variables ('socio-demographic characteristics', 'economic characteristics', 'agri-environmental information access', 'environmental risk perception' and 'general environmental concern'). The results indicate that, overall, the model has an adequate fit to the data. All loadings are statistically significant, supporting the theoretical basis for assignment of indicators for each latent variable. The significance tests for the structural model parameters show 'environmental risk perception' as the strongest determinant of farmers' propensity to participate in organic farming programmes.     

零价铁与磁铁矿促进半干式猪粪厌氧产甲烷的效能与机理研究

本实验探究了相同剂量（5 g·L^-1）的零价铁、磁铁矿和两者的混合物对半干式猪粪厌氧消化过程的影响,重点揭示了零价铁和磁铁矿对甲烷生产的协同促进效能与机理.结果表明,与无添加剂的对照组相比,零价铁、磁铁矿和混合添加剂分别使系统的甲烷产量提高了32.8%、21.8%和35.1%.与单独添加零价铁或磁铁矿相比,混合添加剂对产甲烷的提升效果更佳.零价铁与磁铁矿对厌氧消化的协同促进效应体现在以下4个方面：①能更好地维持低氢气分压环境,推动产甲烷种间电子传递;②可使反应器的总碱度维持在相对较高的水平,提高系统缓冲 能力;③能增加厌氧体系中溶解性铁离子浓度,进一步提高厌氧微生物的活性;④同时富集能够介导种间氢传递和种间直接电子传递的细菌和古菌,提高有机底物转化为甲烷的效率.     

Effects of artificially induced complete mixing on dissolved organic matter in a stratified source water reservoir

Naturally complete mixing promotes the spontaneous redistribution of dissolved oxygen(DO), representing an ideal state for maintaining good water quality, and conducive to the biomineralization of organic matter. Water lifting aerators(WLAs) can extend the periods of complete mixing and increase the initial mixing temperature. To evaluate the influence of artificial-induced continuously mixing on dissolved organic matter(DOM) removal performance, the variations of DOM concentrations, optical cha...     

不同施肥措施对热带地区稻菜轮作体系土壤CH4和N2O排放的影响

研究稻菜轮作模式下土壤甲烷（CH₄）和氧化亚氮（N₂ O）排放对不同施肥措施的响应,对补充我国热带地区CH₄和N₂ O排放研究的不足具有重要的指导意义.在辣椒季设置4种施肥处理：磷钾肥（PK）、氮磷钾肥（NPK）、等氮条件下50%有机肥替代化肥（NPK+M）和100%有机肥替代（M）,水稻种植季未设置施肥处理,研究辣椒季不同施肥条件下CH₄和N₂ O的排放规律以及对早稻生长季水稻产量、CH₄和N₂ O排放的后续影响.采用密闭静态箱-气相色谱法测定稻菜轮作土壤CH₄和N₂ O,同时测定作物产量,并估算全球增温潜势（GWP）和温室气体排放强度（GHGI）.结果表明：①辣椒季和早稻季4种施肥处理下土壤CH₄的累积排放量分别为0.9~2.7 kg ·hm^-2和5.5~8.4 kg ·hm^-2,与NPK处理相比,辣椒季NPK+M和M处理CH₄累积排放量分别减少35.3%和7.6%;而早稻季NPK+M和M处理CH₄累积排放量均增加37.5%和55.1%,其中早稻季M处理达到显著水平.②辣椒季和早稻季4种施肥处理下N₂ O的累积排放量分别为0.5~3.0 kg ·hm^-2和0.3~0.5 kg ·hm^-2,相对NPK处理,辣椒季NPK+M和M处理降低33.7%和16.0%的N₂ O累积排放量,其中NPK+M处理达到显著差异,早稻季NPK+M处理N₂ O累积排放量降低23.5%,M处理却增加9.1%,但均未达到显著水平.③ 4种施肥处理下辣椒和早稻的产量分别为3055.6~37722.5 kg ·hm^-2和5850.9~6994.4 kg ·hm^-2,与NPK处理相比,NPK+M和M处理显著增加辣椒产量.各施肥处理GWP为508.0~1864.4 kg ·hm^-2,NPK+M和M处理相对NPK处理分别下降25.7%和5.7%,其中NPK+M处理达到显著差异.辣椒季各处理的GWP对总GWP的贡献率为69.2%~78.1%,N₂ O对总GWP的贡献率为77.3%~85.3%.辣椒季和早稻季GHGI分别为0.03~0.09 kg ·kg^-1和0.04~0.24 kg ·kg^-1,与NPK处理相比,辣椒季M和NPK+M处理使GHGI显著下降71.5%和54.7%,早稻季NPK+M和M处理GHGI值分别下降44.0%和20.8%,其中NPK+M处理达到显著差异.综合作物产量及温室气体减排效果考虑,化肥和有机肥配施（NPK+M）可推荐为海南稻菜轮作模式下一种最优的减排稳产的施肥措施.     

Organic farmers in islands: Agricultural management and attitude towards the environment

SUMMARY

This study explores differences among organic farmers who live in islands and have isolated small-size operations. The relationships between farmers' characteristics and attitudes and farm management were interpreted by studying how they manage their land, their attitudes towards the environment and alternative farming systems, and their involvement in organic farming. The research was carried out using questionnaires addressed to organic farmers on the island of Thassos. Nonlinear canonical correlation was applied for data analysis. This information could contribute to adjustment of policy decisions for on-farm diversification. Agricultural policy makers should approach organic farmers in northern Thassos (productive irrigated olive orchards with gentle slopes) by enacting standards to reduce the cost of alternative plant protection methods and promoting their products in order to maintain and expand organic farming. They should also approach organic farmers in southern Thassos (less productive, dry cultivated olive orchards with steep slopes, overgrazed and often abandoned) by providing them with the necessary information and appropriate agricultural know-how to effectively manage their farms. Organic farmers with stable off-farm income are more aware of environmental values and consider that they risk less than others in order to gain the benefits of alternative farming systems. However, they should attend training programmes to achieve economic success to allow them to continue farming organically.     

Sorption of 2,4-D on Natural and Organic Amended Soils of Different Characteristics

The effect of one organic amendment consisting of an urban waste compost (UWC) was assessed on the sorption properties of the herbicide 2,4-D on four soils of different physicochemical characteristics. The soils chosen were a Typic Haphorthod (ST), a Typic Endoaquept (SR), an Entic Pelloxerert (TO), and a Typic Eutrochrept (AL). Adsorption experiments were performed on the original soils, and on mixtures of these soils with UWC at a rate of 6.25% (w/w). These mixtures were used just after preparation, and after aging for 8 and 25 weeks. 2,4-D adsorption was the highest on ST soil, whereas the lowest adsorption was for SR soil. This behavior is related to the high amount of organic matter (OM) and amorphous iron and aluminum oxides content on soil ST, whereas soil SR had the lowest OM content and specific surface area of the soils of this study. Addition of exogenous OM to soils caused an increase in the 2,4-D adsorption by three of the soils treated with UWC, with the only exception being ST soil, due to an observed decrease in its specific surface area. The adsorbed amounts of the herbicide on aged organic fertilized soils diminished in three of the amended soils, but was still greater than on unamended soils. In contrast, the ST soil showed the largest adsorption for unamended soil.     

Environmental Awareness, Economic Orientation, and Farming Practices: A Comparison of Organic and Conventional Farmers

/ This study examines similarities and differences between organic and conventional farmers. We explore the factors that underlie farmers' conservation attitudes and behaviors, including demographic and farm characteristics, awareness of and concern for environmental problems associated with agriculture, economic orientation toward farming, and self-reported conservation practices. A series of intensive personal interviews was conducted with 25 farmers in Washtenaw County, Michigan, USA, using both qualitative and quantitative survey methods. The findings indicate that both groups of farmers share a concern for the economic risks associated with farming, although the organic farmers reported a significantly greater concern for long-term sustainability and a greater willingness to incur present risk to gain future benefits. Organic farmers expressed a greater awareness of and concern for environmental problems associated with agriculture. Organic farmers also scored significantly higher on a multifaceted measure of conservation practices, although both groups had a fairly high adoption rate. Implications of these findings are discussed, relative to economic risks of farming, implications for new farmers, effectiveness of conservation education and government programs, and impact of farm size and crop diversity.KEY WORDS: Environmental attitudes; Conservation behaviors; Organic farming; Agricultural sustainability     

Responses of plant, insect and spider biodiversity to local and landscape scale management intensity in cereal crops and grasslands

The aim of this study was to determine the relative effects of landscape scale management intensity, agroecosystem type, local management intensity and edges on diversity patterns of functional groups of plants, carabid beetles, spiders and grasshoppers. Nine landscapes were selected differing in percent intensively used agricultural area (IAA), each with a pair of organic and conventional winter wheat fields and a pair of organic and conventional mown meadows. Within fields, plants were surveyed in the edge and in the interior. Carabid beetles and spiders were captured by funnel traps, while grasshoppers were sweep-netted in the meadows. Diversity patterns of study organisms were affected both by local variables (local management, agroecosystem type and within-field position) and by landscape scale management intensity. Species richness of grasses, presumably because of sowing low-diversity mixtures, and hunting spiders decreased with percent cover of IAA. Meadows differed from wheat fields in that they had higher species richness of forbs and grasses, as well as higher densities of hunting spiders. In contrast, more carabid individuals, especially of non-carnivore species, were captured in wheat fields. In field edges with their reduced management intensity and increased immigration, species richness of plants, carabids and spiders was higher than in the interiors regardless of agroecosystem type and management. Organic management enhanced forb richness and cover in both agroecosystem types. Organic management also increased grass cover in wheat fields, but not in meadows, and promoted species richness of non-carnivore carabids and hunting spiders, but not grasshoppers. The results show that agri-environmental management needs to be targeted to the agroecosystem's field size, because higher edge area led to higher species richness. Organic management affected several functional groups positively (forbs, non-carnivore carabids, hunting spiders), while lower landscape scale management intensity only increased species richness of grasses and spiders. The great differences in responses of functional groups to local cereal and grassland as well as landscape management suggest implementing more scale and group specific targets for agri-environmental schemes to improve their efficiency.