Threats to Avifauna on Oceanic Islands

Abstract:  Results of the study by Blackburn et al. (2004 a ) of avifauna on oceanic islands suggest that distance from the mainland and time since European colonization have major influences on species extinctions and that island area is a significant but secondary contributing factor. After augmenting the data of the study on geographical properties for some of the islands they examined, we used a causal analysis approach with structural equation modeling to reexamine their conclusions. In our model geographical properties of islands, such as island area and isolation, were considered constraints on biological factors, such as the number of introduced mammalian predators and existing number of avifauna, that can directly or indirectly influence extinction. Of the variables we tested, island area had the greatest total influence on the threat of extinction due to its direct and indirect effects on the size of island avifauna. Larger islands had both a greater number of threatened bird species and more avifauna, increasing the number of species that could become threatened with extinction. Island isolation also had a significant, positive, and direct effect on threats to island avifauna because islands farther from the mainland had fewer current extant avifauna. Time since European colonization had a significant negative, but relatively weaker, influence on threats compared with the traditional biogeographic factors of island area and distance to the mainland. We also tested the hypothesis that the amount of threat is proportionally lower on islands that have had more extinctions (i.e., there is a "filter effect"). Because the proportion of bird extinctions potentially explained only 2.3% of the variation in the proportion of threatened species on islands, our results did not support this hypothesis. Causal modeling provided a powerful tool for examining threat of extinction patterns of known and hypothesized pathways of influence.     

上海新港河道耗氧特性研究及其综合整治措施

通过实验室试验测定，得出了上海市新港河道水体和底泥的耗氧特性曲线，分析了水体和底泥耗氧的阶段历时、阶段耗氧特性及动力学过程。在缺乏河道水质模型的情况下，利用耗氧特性曲线可以估算各个阶段的耗氧量和河道的总耗氧量，为河道充氧设备的选择提供一定的理论指导。通过计算，上海新港河道的总耗氧量约为75．7kg／d。上海宏成实业发展有限公司采用充氧曝气、投加微生物、种植水生植物等措施对河道进行了治理，实践表明，这些措施可以使新港河道的水质有明显的改善。     

环境监测数据线性回归分析中回归模型的比较

应用偏重于优化因变量拟合效果的最小二乘回归分析法对环境监测随机数据样本进行数值评估原则上是不可取的。文章以降水无机阴阳离子电荷平衡分析为例,对最小二乘法、压轴回归法和最小正交平方和法的回归分析结果进行了比较。结果表明,压轴回归分析法适合于处理随机数据样本,得到的回归系数b值较大,变量之间的数值变化关系较为密切。     

氯气和二氧化氯混合组分的分别测定

氯气和二氧化氯气体共存时，用现有的分析方法不能分别测定，采用甲基橙比色法和硝酸银比浊法分别测定氯气和二氧化氯的总量，然后根据各自的反应原理和标准曲线方程建立二元一次方程组。通过求方程组的解，得到氯气和二氧化氯各自的含量，同时还研究了冷阱分离法，并对两种方法的测定结果进行了比较。     

One independent variable rate equation describing utilization of biodegradable organic matter in activated sludge processes

This investigation aims to represent aerobic utilization of biodegradable organic matter present in wastewater by a rate equation. This rate equation can then be used to develop a substrate utilization (removal) kinetic model for unsteady state activated sludge process. To achieve this objective, theoretical utilization of biodegradable organic matter in batch process and growth pattern theory were studied. Also, experimental data representing removal of organic matter in different types of wastewaters were collected and analyzed for batch and continuous activated sludge assays. A rate equation was proposed to describe the utilization of biodegradable organic matter based on theoretical analysis of batch process. This rate equation was then verified through differential and integral analysis of the experimental data. Furthermore, a substrate kinetic model for batch and continuous processes was developed. The developed rate equation will facilitate the analysis and design of sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology for biological treatment of wastewater.     

A baseline study characterizing the municipal solid waste in the State of Kuwait

This paper provides a new reference line for municipal solid waste characterization in Kuwait. The baseline data were collected in accordance with the Standard Test Method for the Determination of the Composition of Unprocessed Municipal Solid Waste (ASTM). The results indicated that the average daily municipal waste generation level is 1.01 kg/person. Detailed waste stream surveys were conducted for more than 600 samples of municipal solid waste (MSW). The waste categories included paper, corrugated fibers, PET bottles, film, organic matter, wood, metal, glass, and others. The results indicated that organic waste dominated the characterization (44.4%), followed by film (11.2%) and then corrugated fibers (8.6%). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to investigate the influence of season and governorate on waste composition. A significant seasonal variation was observed in almost all waste categories. In addition, significant differences in proportions between the current level and 1995 baseline were observed in most waste categories at the 95% confidence level.     

Relative Risk of Fatal Injury in “High-Performance-Small-Motorcycle” Crashes in Malaysia

This study presents an analysis of injuries (severe and fatal) sustained by “high-performance-small-motorcycle” users in Malaysia and establishes the relationship between fatality risk and human factors, exposure and vehicle factors resulting from motorcycle crashes. From the data gathered a statistical model based on logistic regression modeling technique has been developed. Five variables found to have a significant influence on fatality risk (p < 0.05) were age, location sites, engine capacity, object/vehicle struck and collision types.     

A generalized differential method to calculate lumped kinetic triplet of the nth order model for the global one-step heterogeneous reaction using TG data

Computing kinetic triplet is of importance for the process safety of combustion/gasification industries to establish the chemical reaction scheme and to assess the hazardous risk. Few approaches have been capable of calculating lumped kinetic triplet at one time efficiently, which might be attributed to the fact that the analytical solution for the nonlinear ordinary differential equation (NNODE) for the n^th order reaction model has not been found yet. This paper presents an analytical solution of NNODE to compute kinetic triplet. Results showed that the proposed method (mass fraction curve-fitting error ϕ = 1.49%–2.07%) is more efficient to compute kinetic triplet of the n^th order reaction model, comparing to genetic algorithm (GA) optimization (ϕ = 1.43%–1.81%), Coats-Redfern (ϕ = 2.36%–3.16%), peak-shape, and isoconversional methods. A compensation effect between lnA and E_a is observed due to heating rates. Effects of exported data quality and smooth processing on computation of kinetic triplet are discussed. It is the first time that an analytical solution of NNODE (n^th order model) for global one-step heterogeneous reaction is derived for computing kinetic triplet. This work may help to search for analytical solutions of power-law and Avrami-Erofeev models in the future to efficiently calculate kinetic triplet for accelerating and sigmoidal reaction systems.     

The Importance of Selecting Appropriate Criteria for Calculating Acidity Critical Loads for Terrestrial Ecosystems Using the Simple Mass Balance Equation

The Simple Mass Balance (SMB) equationis commonly used throughout Europe for thecalculation of acidity critical loads for forestsoils. Different criteria can be set in themodel depending on whether the receptor (e.g. treeroots) is more sensitive to the toxic effects ofaluminium or to unfavourable pH conditions. Thispaper examines the effects on critical loadscalculations of using different criteria andcritical limits, and demonstrates the importanceof selecting the most appropriate and justifiablecriteria for the chosen receptor, since they caneffect the critical loads values obtained. Abrief review of the range of different criteriaand limits used throughout Europe is included. In addition, the gibbsite equilibrium constant,used in the SMB equation to represent therelationship between dissolved aluminium andhydrogen ions in soil solution, is discussed. This relationship is not generally described inthe literature as a criterion in the equation,but this work highlights the effects differentgibbsite values have on critical loadcalculations and the importance of applying themost appropriate value for the soil in therooting zone of the receptor.     

以控制资源消耗量为突破口做好环境保护规划

提出了稳态、非稳态社会经济系统在环境方面的基本关系式.着重说明了资源消耗量是源头上的"因",而环境质量是最终的"果".提出了以控制资源消耗量为重点,进一步完善末端治理,提高环境自净能力,标本兼治的环境保护工作思路.介绍了编制环保规划要掌握的2个基本公式.强调了单位(以104元计)GDP环境负荷及其年下降率的重要性.穿越"环境高山",应成为制定规划的目标.按计划管理模式,编制环境保护规划,在我国可能是完全必要的.