Hydrologic and land use impacts on vegetation growth and NPP at the watershed scale in a semi-arid environment

Significant, adverse climatic change and drastically increased demographic pressure have strongly affected, in recent years, the hydrology and environment in the semi-arid Sahel region of West Africa. Marked rain deficits have coincided with increased water runoff, meaning less water availability for the vegetation. Conversely, changes in vegetation cover have had strong repercussions on the hydrologic cycle. To study these phenomena, the coupling of two explicit, process-based models, of catchment hydrology and of mixed vegetation cover, respectively, has been undertaken and applied to a 2 km² site in Niger. Some of the first significant results are presented herein. Some are consistent with intuitive judgments that can be made in the absence of a coupled model, others are much less so and show that representation through model coupling of hydrosphere/biosphere interactions is essential to produce more reliable analyses and projections. In particular, it is found that the relation of biomass productivity to rainfall under this dry, water-limited climate is not as straightforward as one would expect, more specifically, that its main control may not be the total season rainfall.     

南黄海表层海水重金属的变化特征及影响因素

根据1997～2004年每年1次的南黄海表层海水重金属(As、Cd、Cu、Hg、Pb、Zn)及有关环境因子的调查数据,重点研究了2003-10南黄海表层海水重金属的分布特征、控制其分布的生物地球化学机制以及8 a的年际变化趋势.结果表明,2003-10南黄海表层海水中As、Cd、Cu、Hg、Pb、Zn的平均浓度分别为2.33、0.078、1.41、0.0036、0.37、6.21μg/L.8 a中重金属除Zn有明显的上升趋势外,其它元素变化较小.重金属的分布模式与离岸距离有关,即除Pb外,在离岸较远的南黄海中部地区含量较低,而近岸海区则普遍较高,这种分布模式典型地体现了人类活动对近海的影响.对于重金属在局部海区的分布,亦存在其它控制因子,如Pb受大气沉降影响较大, Cd与海水盐度和pH密切相关, Hg受海水中有机碳浓度影响较大,沉积物再悬浮影响着As的浓度与分布, Cu、Zn则典型地受到了径流和排污的影响.8 a海水重金属浓度的均值皆符合国家一类海水水质标准,采用潜在生态危害指数法(ERI)分析2003年6种重金属的叠加生态效应,结果显示海水总的重金属生态危害指数较可发生重金属生态危害的ERI值小一个数量级,这从重金属的角度说明南黄海海水质量良好.     

南海北部大气气相多溴联苯醚的含量及来源

通过"实验三号"开放航次在南海北部采集了32个大气样品,用气相色谱/质谱联用仪分析了样品中的多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)同系物,并对其含量、组成特征、空间分布及主要来源进行了研究.结果表明,南海北部大气中7种PBDEs总浓度为0.07～35.9 pg.m-3,四溴(BDE-47)和五溴(BDE-99和-100)化合物为主要组成,分别约占PBDEs总量的51.5%和36.9%,显示工业五溴联苯醚的使用是其主要来源;中国东南沿海和菲律宾附近PBDEs浓度较高,南海靠近越南中部海域大气PBDEs含量较低.后推气流轨迹分析指出:我国东南沿海,特别是珠江三角洲,以及我国台湾和菲律宾等地区陆源污染物的外溢是引起南海北部地区PBDEs浓度较高的主要原因.     

南水北调中线水源地不同植被类型坡地土壤水分特征研究

为了解不同植被类型土壤水资源的变化规律,选择南水北调中线水源区宁陕县寨沟区域典型植被针阔混交林、针叶林、板栗林、灌木林、荒坡草地和坡耕地为研究对象,通过样地调查与实验分析的方法对其土壤水分物理特征及有机质含量进行测定研究。结果表明,各种有林地的土壤容重、孔隙度和有机质等理化特征均优于荒坡和坡耕地;针阔混交林土壤含水量最高,蓄水能力明显好于其它植被类型;在垂直剖面上,各种植被类型坡地土壤含水量和饱和蓄水量随土壤深度的增加基本呈递减趋势,但有林地下降幅度较大,表层含水量明显高于荒坡与坡耕地表层。由此可见,在涵养水源方面,针阔混交林最好,针叶林、板栗林与灌木林次之,荒坡与坡耕地较差。     

非洲地区环境法对中国石油海外业务影响分析

文章在调研中国石油非洲地区主要业务国环境法律法规的基础上,阐述了这些国家在环境管理方面的现状,提出了中国石油应对非洲地区环境法律制约的措施和建议,包括可行性研究阶段的法规调研要兼顾非洲习惯法,及早应对政策风险,项目实施过程严格落实环境影响评价、环境审计、环境许可和环境应急管理制度等。     

A botanical importance rating system for estuaries

In many semi-arid areas, estuaries are threatened because of freshwater impoundment. Estuaries are important sites for ecological diversity and, increasingly, for recreation. A system has been developed which rates estuaries according to their botanical importance. A formula allows a single numerical importance score to be calculated. The area cover of each estuarine plant community type (i.e. intertidal salt marsh, submerged macrophytes, reed/sedge swamps and supratidal salt marsh) and its importance in the estuary forms the basis of the score. The ‘ecological condition’ of the plant community and the community richness within the estuary are incorporated into the formula. The formula is effective in determining the botanical importance of estuaries. Further methods to determine the zoological, physical and socio-economic importance of estuaries need to be developed to allow the overall importance of estuaries to be determined.     

ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING: Which Birds Are Useful Bioindicators of Mining and Grazing Impacts in Arid South Australia?

Significant annual variations in population size of most species were evident with greater abundance of most species in wet years. Habitat variables, particularly vegetation structure, were also an important determinant of the abundance of most bird species and tended to mask the impacts of the land use under investigation. Several bird species had benefited from the provision of permanent water at mining and pastoral sites. Other species utilized increased nesting or feeding opportunities associated with the mining operation and increased food supply at the pastoral sites. Crested bellbirds and mixed-feeding flocks of small insectivorous birds were apparently disadvantaged by mining and hence may be useful bioindicators of mining impacts. No bird species or community parameters were identified which could serve as useful early warning bioindicators of pastoral impacts.     

Ecosystem management to achieve ecological sustainability: The case of South Florida

The ecosystems of South Florida are unique in the world. The defining features of the natural Everglades (large spatial scale, temporal patterns of water storage and sheetflow, and low nutrient levels) historically allowed a mosaic of habitats with characteristic animals. Massive hydrological alterations have halved the Everglades, and ecological sustainability requires fundamental changes in management.The US Man and the Biosphere Human-Dominated Systems Directorate is conducting a case study of South Florida using ecosystem management as a framework for exploring options for mutually dependent sustainability of society and the environment. A new methodology was developed to specify sustainability goals, characterize human factors affecting the ecosystem, and conduct scenario/consequence analyses to examine ecological and societal implications. South Florida has sufficient water for urban, agricultural, and ecological needs, but most water drains to the sea through the system of canals; thus, the issue is not competition for resources but storage and management of water. The goal is to reestablish the natural system for water quantity, timing, and distribution over a sufficient area to restore the essence of the Everglades.The societal sustainability in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) is at risk because of soil degradation, vulnerability of sugar price supports, policies affecting Cuban sugar imports, and political/economic forces aligned against sugar production. One scenario suggested using the EAA for water storage while under private sugar production, thereby linking sustainability of the ecological system with societal sustainability. Further analyses are needed, but the US MAB project suggests achieving ecological sustainability consistent with societal sustainability may be feasible.     

Simulation of vegetation dynamics and management strategies on south Texas, semi-arid rangeland

In this paper, we describe a model designed to simulate seasonal dynamics of warm and cool season grasses and forbs, as well as the dynamics of woody plant succession through five seral stages, in each of nine different plant communities on the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Refuge. The Welder Wildlife Refuge (WWR) is located in the Gulf Coastal Prairies and Marshes ecoregion of Texas. The model utilizes and integrates data from a wide array of research projects that have occurred in south Texas and WWR. It is designed to investigate the effects of alternative livestock grazing programs and brush control practices, with particular emphasis on prescribed burning, the preferred treatment for brush on the WWR. We evaluated the model by simulating changes in the plant communities under historical (1974-2000) temperature, rainfall, livestock grazing rotation, and brush control regimes, and comparing simulation results to field data on herbaceous biomass and brush canopy cover collected on the WWR over the same period. We then used the model to simulate the effects of 13 alternative management schemes, under each of four weather regimes, over the next 25 years. We found that over the simulation period, years 1974-2000, the model does well in simulating the magnitude and seasonality of herbaceous biomass production and changes in percent brush canopy cover on the WWR. It also does well in simulating the effects of variations in cattle stocking rates, grazing rotation programs, and brush control regimes on plant communities, thus providing insight into the combined effects of temperature, precipitation, cattle stocking rates, grazing rotation programs, and brush control on the overall productivity and state of woody plant succession on the WWR. Simulation of alternative management schemes suggests that brush canopy removal differs little between summer and winter prescribed burn treatments when precipitation remains near the long-term average, but during periods of low precipitation canopy removal is greater under winter prescribed burning. The model provides a useful tool to assist refuge personnel with developing long-term brush management and livestock grazing strategies.     

瀑河水库蓄水后水质变化预测

瀑河水库拟作为南水北调中线的一个调蓄水库。在瀑河水库淹没区内布10个采样点，分别采集0－20、20－40、40－60cm深度的土壤，实验室中模拟水库蓄水淹没情景，连续监测“库水”水质，试验表明：蓄水初期土壤中营养物质溶出对库水水质有一定影响，且随着时间的推移，各营养物质溶出的速度及浓度变化不同，蓄水16天后浓度趋于平稳，库水水质达到地表水环境质量Ⅱ类标准，将模拟值作为初始值，利用WQRRS模型进行运行期水质预测，得到结论为：（1）当调水水质为Ⅰ和Ⅱ类标准值的中值、流域汛期径流水质为Ⅱ－Ⅴ类时，预测库水水质为Ⅱ－Ⅲ类；（2）当调水水质为Ⅱ类标准值的下限值、流域汛期径流水质为Ⅱ－Ⅴ类时，预测库水水质大多为Ⅲ类，部分情况下为Ⅳ类，且N、P超标；（3）当调水水质为Ⅰ和Ⅱ类标准值的中值、流域径流水质为Ⅱ类时，在2010、2020和2030水平年水库水质全部为Ⅱ类；当调水水质为Ⅱ类标准值的下限值时库水水质则为Ⅲ类。