Atmospheric sulfur hexafluoride in-situ measurements at the Shangdianzi regional background station in China

We present in-situ measurements of atmospheric sulfur hexafluoride（SF6） conducted by an automated gas chromatograph–electron capture detector system and a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system at a regional background site, Shangdianzi,in China, from June 2009 to May 2011, using the System for Observation of Greenhouse gases in Europe and Asia and Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment（AGAGE）techniques. The mean background and polluted mixing ratios for SF6 during the study period were 7.22 × 10-12（mol/mol, hereinafter） and 8.66 × 10-12, respectively. The averaged SF6 background mixing ratios at Shangdianzi were consistent with those obtained at other AGAGE stations located at similar latitudes（Trinidad Head and Mace Head）, but larger than AGAGE stations in the Southern Hemisphere（Cape Grim and Cape Matatula）. SF6 background mixing ratios increased rapidly during our study period, with a positive growth rate at 0.30 × 10-12year-1. The peak to peak amplitude of the seasonal cycle for SF6 background conditions was 0.07 × 10-12, while the seasonal fluctuation of polluted conditions was 2.16 × 10-12. During the study period, peak values of SF6 mixing ratios occurred in autumn when local surface horizontal winds originated from W/WSW/SW/SWS/S sectors, while lower levels of SF6 mixing ratios appeared as winds originated from N/NNE/NE/ENE/E sectors.     

水稻种植对黑土微生物生物量和碳源代谢功能的影响

采用磷脂脂肪酸方法和Biolog-ECO微平板检测法,以吉林省长春市双阳区农业技术推广站实验区的土壤为对象,研究了水稻种植对黑土微生物生态结构和功能的影响.结果表明空地中有机质含量最高,其次为田间土,根际土中有机质含量最低;在夏季的样品中有机质含量最高,土壤中全氮的变化趋势与土壤有机质比较相似.土壤微生物群落功能多样性指数则表现为夏季显著高于秋季和春季,春、秋两季差异不明显,冬季最低,空地中微生物群落的Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou均匀度指数高于田间和根际.全部样品微生物生长步入稳定期时间和碳源的颜色平均变化率变化范围不同,时间分别为216、192、216、120 h,范围分别为0.52~0.84、0.82~1.28、0.40~0.84、0.05~0.48,表明春秋季微生物步入稳定期和对碳源的代谢量比较相似,夏季最大,冬季最小.研究结果为科学评价典型水稻种植黑土区土壤生境质量退化与恢复过程中微生物特征的变化提供参考.     

Efficiency analysis for organic agricultural producers: the role of soil-improving inputs

Greater emphasis is being placed on indicators of agri-environmental efficiency of organic production systems. Linking environmental measures with profitability measures based on net income is the only way to develop such indicators. A stochastic production frontier model that explicitly incorporates farm decisions about acquiring and managing organic soil-improving inputs is used to measure efficiency. The results confirm that on-farm self-sufficiency in soil-improving inputs is positively related to farm-level efficiency.     

A preliminary validation of a new measure of occupational health and safety

INTRODUCTION: This article describes the validation of an instrument designed to conduct an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) self-diagnosis using workers observations of tangible facts and actions in the workplace. The instrument puts the emphasis on observable factors that make it possible to act proactively before accidents actually occur. METHOD: Three companies were recruited from the printing sector in Québec based on their OHS performance (low, medium, and high), their interest in the project, and their availability. The master sample was composed of 269 people. Partial least squares (PLS) and vanishing tetrad analyses were used to study the behavior of the formative scales developed. RESULTS: The results indicate that partial revision of the instrument will be necessary to reach a fully satisfying level of validity. With regards to the statistical approach adopted, the use of a macro called CTA-SAS 2.0 developed by Bollen and Ting [Bollen, K.A., & Ting, K.-F. (1993). Confirmatory tetrad analysis. In P.V. Marsden (Ed.), Social methodology.Vol.23 (pp.147-176). Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 23] has proven to be effective in providing a suitable statistical treatment of the latent formative variables on which our instrument's development is based. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the instrument appears to be relatively robust and appropriate to diagnose OHS leading measures. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: In the long run, this instrument will make it possible for companies to draw a more refined picture of OHS evolution, even in the absence of occupational injuries.     

PROBLEMS IN WEIGHTING OF HYETOGRAPHS1

ABSTRACT: It was found that the conventional weighting factor application to hyetograph ordinates results in artificially attenuated storm patterns. A modified weighting procedure is suggested which allows adjustments in the storm timing, peak intensity, and volume but conserves the storm pattern observed at the raingage nearest to the watershed point of interest. The systematic underestimation of peak flood flows, which result from conventional hyetograph weighting, can be avoided by conserving the hyetograph shape from the raingage nearest to any subarea of a modeled watershed and merely applying weighting factors to the rainfall volumes and temporal center of gravity of several hyetographs.     

OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF NEW ZEALAND RIVERS IN RELATION TO FLOW1

ABSTRACT: Six years (1989–1994) of data from New Zealand's National Rivers Water Quality Network were used to characterize the optical water quality regime of river waters as regards: visual clarity (black disc visibility), turbidity, and light-absorbing aquatic humic material (referred to as ‘yellow substance,’ measured as light absorption at 440 nm). Quantitative relationships between optical water quality variables and flow in rivers are well-described by power law expressions. Visual clarity usually decreases strongly with increasing flow in individual rivers. There is a strong, inverse relationship between turbidity and visibility, but, because of differences between sites, turbidity is not a good general predictor of visual clarity (the attribute of real interest) in rivers. Yellow substance tends to increase with increasing flow, probably because during rainstorms, soil water high in yellow-colored humic material, rather than rain water or ground water, dominates discharge. Therefore, rivers are typically clear and low in humic matter at low flow, and turbid and yellow-colored at high flow.     

MATCHING NATURAL WATER COLORS TO MUNSELL STANDARDS1

ABSTRACT: Color of natural waters strongly influences their aesthetic appeal, suitability for recreational use, and aquatic habitat, but methods for routine specification of color have been lacking. An improved method has been developed for specifying water colors in the field. The water color, seen through an underwater viewer, is matched directly to Munsell standard patches observed simultaneously. The Munsell color-matching method was verified versus measurements of the underwater light field, made with a submersible spectroradiometer in 20 different natural waters in New Zealand (mainly lakes), which varied widely in color and other optical characteristics. Hue, the most important color attribute of natural waters, could be matched accurately; the saturation and brightness less so. Color standard patches are not available covering the full range of typically dark water colors, but fortunately, brightness can be measured with simple submersible light sensors. The Munsell color matching method seems suitable for routine water resources survey and monitoring.     

RED ALDER LEAF LITTER AND STREAMWATER QUALITY IN WESTERN OREGON1

ABSTRACT: Streamside red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) stands are common in western Oregon, and they have been suspected of causing water quality problems in domestic supplies during autumn leaf fall. Studies in the Seaside municipal watershed showed potential water quality effects (particularly increased color) from alder leaves, but stream sampling during 1981–82 revealed no chronic problems. The few observed short-term increases in water color occurred near the onset of storm flows, which suggested a flushing of organic matter storage sites. An extended period of unusually low flows and high leaf fall are probably necessary to produce significant water quality problems in this stream system. Laboratory leaching of alder leaves in filtered stream water indicated a fairly constant release of colored organic matter over time, and running water leached this matter more efficiently than still water. Water color increased linearly with increasing leaf mass added to still water, and for a given leaf mass there appeared to be a limit to the amount of colored matter that could be removed in the first 48 hours of leaching. Other laboratory tests showed that ultraviolet absorbance (254 mm) may provide a reasonable estimate of dissolved organic carbon concentrations in systems dominated by alder leaf inputs.     

RELATIONS BETWEEN COLOR AND SOME LIMNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FLORIDA LAKES1

Data obtained from a limnological survey of 165 Florida lakes were analyzed to determine regional differences in lake color (Pt-Co units) and relations between color and various physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Average color measurements for the different lakes ranged from 0 to 416 Pt-Co units with individual measurements being as high as 600 Pt-Co units. With the exception of extreme south Florida, lake color concentrations were found to increase from north to south and from inland highlands to lowlands. Central Florida had the greatest heterogeneity in lake color because of an extremely diverse geology and physiography. Color was inversely related to Secchi disc transparency and positively related to total iron concentrations. Color was not strongly related to pH, total alkalinity, nutrients, chlorophyll a, and many other limnological parameters. Although lakes having color concentrations greater than 20 Pt-Co units can often be visually identified as colored lakes, the limnological processes in these are not necessarily different from those of lakes having clear water.