Is Current Consumption Excessive? A General Framework and Some Indications for the United States

Abstract:  Many prior studies have explored the implications of human population growth and environmentally problematic technologies for biodiversity loss and other forms of environmental degradation. Relatively few, however, have examined the impacts of the level and composition of consumption. We offer a framework that shows how the level and composition of a society's total consumption relate to the uses of various forms of capital and to the sustainability of natural resources and human well-being. We relate the framework to two main approaches—top–down macro studies and bottom–up computer models—for measuring whether overall consumption in the United States satisfies a sustainability requirement. Existing top–down studies have shortcomings that bias their results toward optimism, and current computer simulation models, although strong on revealing biophysical outcomes, are limited in their ability to evaluate impacts on human well-being. Although some ambiguities arise in determining whether overall consumption in the United States is excessive, our conclusions regarding the composition of U.S. consumption are unambiguous. Distorted consumption patterns and associated production methods lead to excessively rapid natural resource depletion; greater conservation would yield gains to current and future generations that more than compensate for the sacrifices involved. Public policies that deal with the composition problem not only would help conserve natural resources and improve current welfare but also would reduce the costs of meeting the goal of sustainability.     

镉污染土壤对潜在能源植物生长的影响

利用重金属污染土壤种植能源植物是一种同时解决环境问题和能源问题的新理念,但目前相关研究成果并不多。通过盆栽试验研究人工镉污染土壤中象草Pennisetumpurpureum和亚香茅Cymbopogonnardus两种植物植株的生长状况和两种植物对土壤镉的吸收和富集能力。结果表明,当外源可溶性镉加入到土壤后,其主要是以生物有效性较高的状态存在。土壤镉对象草和亚香茅生长的影响作用有很大的不同,亚香茅比象草具有更强的镉耐受力,其生物量受镉污染影响小。两种植物植株镉含量均随土壤镉添加量的增加而增加。除高镉处理象草外,植物地下部分含镉量比地上部分高很多。高镉处理象草地下部分含镉量比地上部分低的现象可能反映出根系已积累了太多的镉,因而加速了向地上部的转移,从而加剧了植物中毒的程度。赤泥添加剂具有降低土壤酸度,减少植物对镉的吸收和增加象草和亚香茅生物量的作用。     

Flow Dynamics in Eccentrically Rotating Flasks Used for Dispersant Effectiveness Testing

The evaluation of dispersant effectiveness used for oil spills is commonly done using tests conducted in laboratory flasks. We used a Hot Wire Anemometer (HWA) to characterize mixing dynamics in the Swirling Flask (SF) and the Baffled Flask (BF), the latter is being considered by the EPA to replace the prior to test dispersant effectiveness in the laboratory. Five rotation speeds of the orbital shaker carrying the flasks were considered, Ω = 50, 100, 150, 175 and 200 rpm. The radial and azimuthal water speeds were measured for each Ω. It was found that the flow in the SF is, in general, two-dimensional changing from horizontal at low Ω to axi-symmetric at high Ω. The flow in the BF appeared to be three-dimensional at all rotation speeds. This indicates that the BF is more suitable for representing the (inherently) 3-D flow at sea. In the SF, the speeds and energy dissipation rates ɛ increased gradually as the rotation speed increased. Those in the BF increased sharply at rotation speeds greater than 150 rpm. At 200 rpm, the Kolmogorov scale (i.e., size of smallest eddies) was about 250 and 50 μm in the SF and BF, respectively. Noting that the observed droplet sizes of dispersed oils range from 50 to 400 μm (hence most of it is less than 250 μm), one concludes that the mixing in the SF (even at 200 rpm) is not representative of the vigorous mixing occurring at sea.     

大红色基G生产中的废酸资源回收

大红色基Ｇ生产中产生的废硫酸内含硫酸达５０％，ＣＯＤ７０ｇ／Ｌ，难用常规的方法来处理。本文给出了用该废酸生产硫酸锌进而生产立德粉的方法，并用ＣＯＤ浓度作为硫酸锌质量的控制指标，氧化锌和了废硫酸后，有机会物从溶液中析了，ＣＯＤ的去除率达９９％。残存的有机物用活性炭吸附法除去。控制ＺｎＳＯ４溶液中ＣＯＤ≤６０ｍｇ／Ｌ，可制得合格的Ｂ３０１立德粉。有杉本法使硫酸资源全部回收并且无废水排放。     

能源甘蔗主要经济和光合性状的遗传分析

以 4× 5不完全双列杂交 (NcII)衍生的 2 0个家系实生苗为材料 ,对其主要经济和光合性状的遗传力和配合力进行分析 .结果表明 :(1)锤度、株高和茎径的遗传主要由加性基因效应引起 ,而丛有效茎数、丛重、锤重和地上部鲜重的遗传主要由非加性基因效应引起 ;(2 )配合力分析表明 ,CP84 / 1198、CP74 / 383、崖 90 / 3、桂 73/ 16 7和科 5各性状 gca较大 ,是较好的高生物量高光效亲本 ,CP84 / 1198×Ya 90 / 3、CP85 / 14 32×桂 73/ 16 7、CP74 / 383×桂 73/ 16 7、CP85 /14 32×科 5各性状sca和tca较大 ,为较好的高生物量高光效组合 ;(3)茎径、锤度和丛重母本gca方差大于父本 gca方差 ,丛有效茎数、锤度和地上部鲜重的广义遗传力在 5 0 %以上 .表 7参 16     

九孔鲍摄食江蓠与人工配合饵料的能量收支比较

通过投喂江蓠 (Gracilariaceaelicheniodes)和配合饵料对九孔鲍 (Haliotisdiversicoloraquatilis)的能量收支进行了比较研究 .结果表明 :两种饲料组的九孔鲍耗氧率在昼夜之间均并没有明显差异 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,九孔鲍摄食两种饵料的吸收率也没有显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,而饵料系数、蛋白质效率、总生长效率则有显著的差异 (P <0 .0 5 ) .配合饵料组的排泄能显著高于江篱组的 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,而代谢能和粘液能却显著低于江篱组的 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,两组饲料的排粪能和壳能没有显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 ) .因壳能很少 ,在测定中可以忽略 .配合饵料组的软体部生长能显著高于江篱组的 (P <0 .0 5 ) .摄食江蓠和配合饵料的九孔鲍能量收支方程分别为 :江蓠组10 0C =(12 .76± 1.2 2 )F (76 .4 7± 5 .33)R (2 .74± 0 .4 0 )U (6 .75± 0 .4 6 )M (2 .78± 0 .4 8)Pg (0 .0 3±0 .0 1)Psh- (1.5 3± 4 .19)配合饵料组10 0C =(12 .15± 1.6 9)F (5 4 .94± 5 .10 )R (4.5 0± 0 .70 )U (3.99± 0 .0 7)M (2 9.79± 4 .77)Pg (0 .0 3±0 .0 1)Psh- (5 .4 0± 7.4 3)     

Between-group encounters among bonnet macaques (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Macaca radiata</Emphasis>)

Socioecological theory suggests that between-group competition is an important factor affecting the nature of primate social relationships. Between-group encounters in macaques may involve female resource defense, male mate defense, and male resource defense. We observed between-group encounters in two groups (a forest group and a temple group) of bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata). We observed 102 encounters in 875 h of observation of the forest group (1.40 per 12-h day) and 58 encounters in 907 h of observation of the temple group (0.77 per 12-h day). Aggressive interactions between groups occurred in 32.4% and 29.3% of encounters in the forest and temple groups, respectively. Overall, we found little support for the female resource defense hypothesis. Females in both groups rarely participated aggressively in between-group encounters. We found support for the male mate defense hypothesis. For example, males of the forest group were more aggressive during encounters in the mating season than in the non-mating season. Males were also aggressive to females from their own group immediately following encounters. We also found partial support for the male resource defense hypothesis. Encounters in the forest group occurred in a feeding context more often than expected based on time budgets. Also, males in the temple group were more often aggressive in food-related encounters than in other encounters. The findings of this study suggest that socioecological models of primate social relationships need to distinguish male and female strategies during between-group encounters and integrate the resulting functional outcomes.Communicated by T. Czeschlik     

High-energy milling to decontaminate soils polluted by polychlorobiphenyls and atrazine

Mechanical energy has been used so far for running chemical reactions and for preparing new materials in absence of solvents. Very recently, the technology has been applied to solve environmental problems. In this paper, we describe the application of high-energy milling (HEM) for the remediation of soils contaminated by chlorinated organic compounds such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and agrochemicals like atrazine. NaBH₄ and LiAlH₄ have been successfully used for the total dehydrohalogenation of both classes of compounds, leaving a residue lower than 2 ppmw of the starting compound in the treated soil. LiAlH₄ was found to be more active than NaBH₄.     

邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯对小鼠睾丸能量代谢相关酶的影响

为了从生殖细胞能量代谢角度探讨邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯(BBP)对雄性小鼠生殖损伤的机制,以昆明系雄性小白鼠为实验对象,研究了BBP对小鼠睾丸组织能量代谢相关酶的影响.实验设0、125、250、500、1000mg·kg-1(质量分数)5组浓度梯度,连续灌胃染毒30d后,采用分光光度法检测小鼠睾丸组织匀浆中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、琥珀酸脱氢酶(SDH)、Ca-Mg-ATPase酶的活性以及睾丸脏器系数.结果发现,1)与对照组相比,高浓度染毒组(500、1000mg·kg-1)LDH、SDH和Ca-Mg-ATPase活性均极显著降低(p<0.01);而低浓度染毒组(125mg·kg-1)3种酶活性均无显著变化(p>0.05);中浓度染毒组(250mg·kg-1)LDH没有显著变化(p>0.05),而SDH、Ca-Mg-ATPase均显著降低(p<0.05,p<0.01).2)染毒30d后,各染毒组睾丸脏器系数略有下降,但与对照组相比,差异均未达到显著水平(p>0.05).以上结果表明,较高水平的BBP不仅可以干扰睾丸组织有氧代谢及无氧代谢的产能过程,还可以干扰生殖细胞对能量的利用,提示能量代谢的障碍可能是BBP对雄性生殖细胞产生损伤的原因之一.     

MCAI资源管理的信息化

要实现培养创造力人才的目标,教育信息化是最有效途径之一,教育信息化要从资源(包括多媒体辅助教学资源)库整合、资源管理信息化(ERM)等多方面着手,并使它们协调运行才能有效推进教育信息化进程.整合MCAI资源库,建立资源管理信息化系统的实现流程,共建共享资源,快速推进教育信息化进程.