Importance of information on tillage practices in the modelling of environmental processes and in the use of environmental indicators

Tillage has been and will always be integral to crop production. Tillage can result in the degradation of soil, water, and air quality. Of all farm management practices, tillage may have the greatest impact on the environment. A wide variety of tillage equipment, practices and systems are available to farmers, providing opportunities to enhance environmental performance. These opportunities have made tillage a popular focus of environmental policies and programs such as environmental indicators for agriculture. This paper provides a very brief examination of the role of tillage in crop production, its effect on biophysical processes and, therefore, its impact on the environment. Models of biophysical processes are briefly examined to demonstrate the importance of tillage relative to other farm management practices and to demonstrate the detail of tillage data that these models can demand. The focus of this paper is an examination of the use of information on tillage in Canada's agri-environmental indicators initiative, National Agri-environmental Health Analysis and Reporting Program (NAHARP). Information on tillage is required for several of the indicators in NAHARP. The type of data used, its source, and its quality are discussed. Recommendations regarding the collection of tillage data and use of tillage information are presented.     

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.     

Assessment of Eutrophication in Estuaries: Pressure–State–Response and Nitrogen Source Apportionment

A eutrophication assessment method was developed as part of the National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment (NEEA) Program. The program is designed to improve monitoring and assessment of eutrophication in the estuaries and coastal bays of the United States with the intent to guide management plans and develop analytical and research models and tools for managers. These tools will help guide and improve management success for estuaries and coastal resources. The assessment method, a Pressure-State-Response approach, uses a simple model to determine Pressure and statistical criteria for indicator variables (where applicable) to determine State. The Response determination is mostly heuristic, although research models are being developed to improve that component. The three components are determined individually and then combined into a single rating. Application to several systems in the European Union (E.U.), specifically in Portugal, shows that the method is transferable, and thus is useful for development of management measures in both the Unites States and E.U. This approach identifies and quantifies the key anthropogenic nutrient input sources to estuaries so that management measures can target inputs for maximum effect. Because nitrogen is often the limiting nutrient in estuarine systems, examples of source identification and quantification for nitrogen have been developed for 11 coastal watersheds on the U.S. east coast using the WATERSN model. In general, estuaries in the Northeastern United States receive most of their nitrogen from human sewage, followed by atmospheric deposition. This is in contrast to some watersheds in the Mid-Atlantic (Chesapeake Bay) and South Atlantic (Pamlico Sound), which receive most of their nitrogen from agricultural runoff. Source identification is important for implementing effective management measures that should be monitored for success using assessment methods, as described herein. For instance, these results suggest that Northeastern estuaries would likely benefit most from improved sewage treatment, where as the Mid and South Atlantic systems would benefit most from agricultural runoff reductions.     

The effects of sediment-laden waters on irrigated lands along the lower Yellow River in China

Expansion of irrigation in the Yellow River (Huang He in Chinese) Basin of China is a major accomplishment of the post-revolutionary period in China. Irrigation reliance on the Yellow River was anticipated to not only supply greater reliability of water for crops, but also to improve the productivity of aeolian, saline and alkali soils because of the high sediment loads in the river. Irrigation expansion also was a significant factor in affecting human modification of the landscape ecosystem in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Based on field investigation and sampling of the amount and distribution of used suspended sediment load in irrigated areas, this paper analyzes the impact of the suspended sediment on soil texture, fertility and salinity and the consequences to the landscape ecosystem. Results indicate that soil quality has indeed been improved through irrigation and related deposition of sediment, but some local problems created by long periods of irrigation should not be ignored in the future.     

Sampling and Mapping a Soil Erosion Cover Factor by Integrating Stratification,Model Updating and Cokriging with Images

Cost-efficient sample designs for collection of ground data and accurate mapping of variables are required to monitor natural resources and environmental and ecological systems. In this study, a sample design and mapping method was developed by integrating stratification, model updating, and cokriging with Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery. This method is based on the spatial autocorrelation of variables and the spatial cross-correlation among them. It can lead to sample designs with variable grid spacing, where sampling distances between plots vary depending on spatial variability of the variables from location to location. This has potential cost-efficiencies in terms of sample design and mapping. This method is also applicable for mapping in the case in which no ground data can be collected in some parts of a study area because of the high cost. The method was validated in a case study in which a ground and vegetation cover factor was sampled and mapped for monitoring soil erosion. The results showed that when the sample obtained with three strata using the developed method was used for sampling and mapping the cover factor, the sampling cost was greatly decreased, although the error of the map was slightly increased compared to that without stratification; that is, the sample cost-efficiency quantified by the product of cost and error was greatly increased. The increase of cost-efficiency was more obvious when the cover factor values of the plots within the no-significant-change stratum were updated by a model developed using the previous observations instead of remeasuring them in the field.     

Estimation of Landscape Potential for Construction of Surface-Flow Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment in Estonia

The main aim of this article is to demonstrate a method of complex landscape analysis in order to estimate the landscape suitability for the construction of surface-flow wetlands (SFW) for wastewater treatment. This is a multilevel suitability analysis from a more general regional (landscape) assessment based on a map of landscape types (1:100,000) toward a detailed analysis based on aerial orthophotos and detailed soil maps (1:10,000). The assessment scheme consists of landscape classification according to the physical-chemical properties of landscape factors (soil conditions, landforms, hydrogeology, expert decisions concerning landscape values, and suitability analysis). The partial suitability values of SFWs are derived by summarizing expert values for landscape factors (each ranging from -1 to +1). By multiplying the summarized partial suitability values with nature protection values (ranging from 0 to 1), we obtain the final suitability value for each landscape type. Any kind of nature protection area has been considered nonsuitable and excluded at regional-level analysis. The results of the regional analysis demonstrate that suitability is distributed relatively equally over the study area. The high suitability potential (classified as "very suitable") is relatively evenly distributed in lowland regions throughout the country. The share of "very suitable" and "suitable" areas in different counties varies from 5 to 23% and 7 to 49%, respectively. The detailed analysis based on aerial orthophotos showed that areas suitable for SFWs can also be found within the areas determined to be unsuitable based on the less detailed map of landscape types, whereas differences are much greater between settlements chosen for the detailed suitability analysis.     

蒙脱土原位生长MoS2复合材料光催化降解罗丹明B的机理研究

通过在Na⁺-MMT表面生长MoS₂来提高窄带隙半导体光生电子分离速率及稳定性.利用阳离子填充法及水热法成功制备了复合光催化剂Na⁺-MMT/MoS₂,并通过FT-IR、SEM、TEM、Raman、XRD、TG、XPS、UV-DRS和ESR等表征进一步证明了材料的成功负载及光、电化学性能. 同时,以有机染料罗丹明B为待降解染料来评价光催化剂的催化性能,发现其在80 min可有效降解罗丹明B,降解率达96%.经过5次循环使用后,Na⁺-MMT/MoS₂复合光催化剂仍具有较好的光催化性能.因此,利用MMT的表面电负性及稳定的片层结构负载MoS₂,可形成光生电子迁移通道进一步提高电荷迁移速率及光催化剂的稳定性.本研究可为黏土材料调控窄带隙半导体制备环境友好型光催化剂提供新思路.     

藻-菌颗粒污泥中微生物胞外多糖特性研究

藻-菌颗粒污泥（Microalgal-bacterial granular sludge,MBGS）工艺在城市污水生物处理领域引起了越来越多的研究兴趣.胞外多糖（Polysaccharides,PS）是胞外聚合物（Extracellular polymeric substances,EPS）的重要组分,是维持颗粒稳定性的关键物质之一.研究了MBGS中PS的凝胶性能,以及松散结合的胞外聚合物（Loosely bound EPS,LB-EPS）和紧密结合的胞外聚合物（Tightly bound EPS,TB-EPS）中PS的含量、分布及单糖组成,并探究了MBGS的EPS中PS可能的微生物来源.结果表明,MBGS的PS具有凝胶性,主要分布在TB-EPS中,含量为 （40.06±2.30） mg·g^-1,其中半乳糖、葡萄糖和鼠李糖为主要单糖组分,而果糖和古罗糖醛酸未被检出.Thauera、Hydrogenophaga、Azoarcus和Acutodesmus是PS的主要微生物潜在来源.本文研究结果阐释了MBGS PS的基本特性,为MBGS工艺的稳定运行提供了理论基础.     

碳中和趋势下数学模拟在污水处理系统中的发展与综合应用

数学模拟技术在污水处理方面被广泛应用,为了系统总结相关技术,本文回顾了污水处理系统中数学模拟技术的发展历程;综述了活性污泥模型(ASM)与机器学习(ML)在水质预测及参数工况优化领域中的应用;重点探究了污水处理系统中温室气体排放模型,以及多目标优化模型在污水处理系统中温室气体排放(GHG)、出水质量(EQI)和运行成本(OCI)的权衡问题;归纳了数学模拟技术在实现污水厂能量自给与资源回收的应用发展.研究结果表明数学模拟技术能准确预测出水水质、快速优化工艺参数、权衡温室气体排放、出水水质与运行成本之间的关系、以及提高资源回收效率等.因此,数值模拟技术可有效指导污水处理工艺的运行优化以及管理,为污水处理行业减污降碳协同增效提供技术支撑.     

生物酶对初沉污泥厌氧发酵产短链脂肪酸的调控研究

旨在通过生物酶调节(碱性蛋白酶、中性蛋白酶和α-淀粉酶)提高初沉污泥的厌氧发酵效率,并通过微生物群落结构解析,SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids,SCFAs)组分分析等揭示其调控机理.结果表明,3种生物酶均可增强初沉污泥水解和产酸作用,碱性蛋白酶调控系统对初沉污泥厌氧发酵的促进效果最为明显,发酵第4d SCFAs的产量和产率分别达到1508mg COD/L和0.174g COD/g VSS.对比控制组,SCFAs的产量和产率分别增加了1129mg COD/L和0.13g COD/g VSS.微生物群落结构分析表明,在碱性蛋白酶调控发酵系统中,Lentimicrobium、Proteiniphilum和Bacteroides等发酵相关菌群的相对丰度得到了改善,Methanosaeta、Methanospirillum等产甲烷古菌的活性受到了抑制.同时,生物酶调控对促进发酵过程乙酸占比也有促进作用.