城市居民区圆柏花粉浓度的时空变化及其影响因素

通过对散粉期间居民区建筑不同位置、不同高度的圆柏花粉浓度进行了全天昼夜监测。结果表明居民楼群环境对圆柏花粉的时空分布有一定的影响,具体变化规律为:1)城市居民区内圆柏花粉浓度日变化为双峰单谷型,正午前后是首次高峰期,平均浓度为25粒/(h.cm2),凌晨左右为次高峰期,谷值出现在下午18:00时到人们晚上休息之前,平均浓度为2粒/(h.cm2)。2)总体上城市楼群边缘圆柏花粉浓度垂直分布梯度为1.5 m>13.5 m>7.5 m,楼群中心圆柏花粉浓度垂直变化梯度为13.5 m>7.5 m>1.5 m。但是不同时段内,由于主导因素不同,花粉浓度的垂直分布不尽一致。最后,还分析了气象要素对圆柏花粉浓度的影响。     

Use of trace element analysis of feathers as a tool to track fine-scale dispersal in birds

Tracking dispersal and migratory movements of animals over small and large spatial scales is a challenge. In birds, a promising yet underutilized tool is the trace elemental composition of feathers. The elemental profile of a feather may reveal information about the geographic origin of a bird provided that molting occurs on the breeding grounds and that elemental differences exist between breeding areas. Here, we explore the use of trace elemental composition in body feathers of the Puget Sound white-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis as a tool (1) to discriminate among birds collected in four different song dialect populations along a 400-km stretch of the Pacific Northwest coast and (2) to assign males singing nonlocal dialects in one population to potential natal populations. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detected 34 trace elements in sampled feathers and in a discriminant function analysis seven of these elements differed among the four source populations. Half of the six nonlocal dialect singers, who were likely to have immigrated into the focal population, were assigned to a population that matched their song dialect. Our study suggests that feather microchemistry is a promising tool for identifying geographic origins of dispersing birds over small geographic scales and in combination with other markers, such as song, may give insight into ecological and evolutionary processes.     

Effect of the water-soluble fraction of diesel exhaust particles on the development and protein patterns of pollen grains in bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Excessive air pollution may adversely affect plant growth and development. The overall objective of this research was to elucidate some microscopic effects of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on the formation, development, and structure of pollen grains and its proteins in Phaseolus vulgaris L. Bean plants were grown in experimental pots and treated with different concentrations of the water-soluble fraction of DEP. Flowers and young buds were removed, fixed in FAA₇₀ (formalin?:?acetic acid?:?ethanol, 2?:?1?:?17), and subjected to developmental studies. Our results show that DEP cause some abnormalities during pollen development. Pollen grains in normal plants are spherical in equatorial view and triangular in polar view; in DEP-treated plants, they were changed into irregular shapes in equatorial view and asteroidal in polar view. Delay in degeneration of the tapetum layer of the anther, and formation of giant, irregular, and non-fertile pollen grains are other results of DEP treatment. Gel electrophoretic studies revealed that a new protein with a molecular mass of 80?kD was formed in the DEP-treated group. Some pollen proteins may act as allergens, considering the fact that pollen allergy frequency is increased in polluted areas; the possibility arises that DEP could be an effective agent entail formation of detoxifying proteins which, on the other hand, can also act as allergens.     

Pollen dispersal and intensity as criteria for the minimum viable population and species reserves

In small populations the lack of mating individuals may cause a reduction in reproductive potential which can restrict population expansion or cause further population declines. This is especially true in outcrossing monoecious and self-incompatible dioecious plant species. Principles of pollen dispersal suggest that many small to medium size population reserves of round shape will maximize the pollen interaction within and between island reserves. Diverse and low-density ecosystems require more total area in reserves than low-diversity and high-density ecosystems.     

城市空气花粉污染评价

以贵阳市为例 ,提出了空气花粉污染评价的 3种方法 :空气花粉种类和含量直接评价法、花粉污染指数评价法和花粉症发病率评价法。采用这 3种方法对贵阳市空气花粉污染状况进行评价 ,其评价结果是相对一致的 ,其中后 2种方法评价效果较好。     

上海大气中花粉与颗粒物的复合污染特征

于2009~2010年,利用风标式花粉采集器,采集了上海不同区域春、秋、冬季的飞散花粉和大气颗粒物样品,并于春季(2010年4月)利用重力花粉采集器在不同高度采集了飞散花粉样品,以及不同区域悬铃木的花粉.对风标花粉采样器采集的样品进行溶酸处理后进行花粉鉴定;对重力法采集的花粉样品染色后直接进行观察.利用高分辨的扫描电镜(SEM)对悬铃木花粉上吸附的大气颗粒物进行了微观表征.结果显示,上海春季大气中的花粉以木本植物花粉为主.不同区域悬铃木花粉上所吸附的颗粒物组分有所差异.冬季和春季大气颗粒物(总悬浮颗粒物)中的SO42-的浓度均为所检测离子(Na+、K+、Ca2+、Mg2+、NH4+、NO3-、SO42-、Cl-)中浓度最高的,NO3-、SO42-、NH4+在冬季样品中要比春季样品中的浓度高.上海大气颗粒物中的地壳元素的质量浓度从高到低为Ca >Na>Mg>K.     

城区飞散致敏花粉与大气细/超细颗粒物的协同生物效应研究

城市大气颗粒物污染和致敏花粉的污染已经对人群健康和城市空气质量产生了较为严重的影响.这2种污染物的协同生物效应正在成为大气环境科学、环境毒理学、免疫学等学科研究的前沿和热点研究领域.以上海大气中的细/超细颗粒物和日本关东地区致敏花粉(柳杉)为例,阐述了大气细/超细颗粒物的表征以及花粉致敏的过程.在研究中,观察到了日本柳杉花粉壁附着有直径0.7μm的含变应原蛋白的微粒(Ubisch body),并用ELISA法揭示了日本关东地区大气颗粒物中含变应原蛋白的颗粒主要分布在1μm的粒径范围内;而在上海大气颗粒物中,化学元素总量的最大值出现在细/超细粒径颗粒物(0.3～0.18μm)范围,污染元素S和Pb的质量浓度在超细(纳米尺度)/细颗粒物中比在其他粒径范围颗粒物中要高,另外还发现在上海大气颗粒物中有植物花粉的存在.城市大气颗粒物中的主要组分,柴油机车尾气颗粒物(DEPs)与飞散花粉之间存在协同生物效应,但其机制和过程还不清楚,在最新研究成果的基础上并结合国内外相关研究领域的进展,对飞散花粉与大气细/超细颗粒物的协同生物效应的研究进行了总结并提出今后研究的方向.