The ethics of genetic engineering and gene drives in conservation

The ethical issues associated with using genetic engineering and gene drives in conservation are typically described as consisting of risk assessment and management, public engagement and acceptance, opportunity costs, risk and benefit distributions, and oversight. These are important, but the ethical concerns extend beyond them because the use of genetic engineering has the potential to significantly alter the practices, concepts, and value commitments of conservation. I sought to elucidate the broader set of ethical issues connected with a potential genetic engineering turn in conservation and provide an approach to ethical analysis of novel conservation technologies. The primary rationales offered in support of using genetic engineering and gene drives in conservation are efficiency and necessity for achieving conservation goals. The instrumentalist ethical perspective associated with these rationales involves assessing novel technologies as a means to accomplish desired ends. For powerful emerging technologies the instrumentalist perspective needs to be complemented by a form-of-life perspective frequently applied in the philosophy of technology. The form-of-life perspective involves considering how novel technologies restructure the activities into which they are introduced. When the form-of-life perspective is applied to creative genetic engineering in conservation, it brings into focus a set of ethical issues, such as those associated with power, meaning, relationships, and values, that are not captured by the instrumentalist perspective. It also illuminates why the use of gene drives in conservation is so ethically and philosophically interesting.     

乙醇汽油对减少机动车污染排放的机理研究与分析

以93#国Ⅲ乙醇汽油(E10)、93#国Ⅲ普通汽油和93#国Ⅳ普通汽油为实验对象,对GB18352.3-2005中要求限定的CO、HC和NOx,以及颗粒物(PM)和CO2等主要污染物的排放进行了测量和对比研究,并对CO、HC、PM、NOx、CO2和苯系物等污染物的形成原因和减排机理进行了分析.和93#国Ⅲ普通汽油相比,93 #国Ⅲ乙醇汽油(E10)排放的尾气中:CO降低了19.7％,HC降低了16.4％;和93#国Ⅳ普通汽油相比,93#国Ⅲ乙醇汽油(E10)排放的尾气中:CO降低了1.8％,HC降低了12.9％,CO2降低了2.4％.研究表明,乙醇汽油在减少CO、HC、NOx、颗粒物和苯系物等有毒物质排放方面具有显著功效,使用乙醇汽油可以减少环境污染物的排放,显著改善空气质量.     

合成有机物结构-生物降解性关系的研究

本文综述了合成有机物生物降解性的研究方法.以及定性结构-生物降解性关系(SBR).重点综述了芳香类化合物的结构与生物降解性的关系.研究这一关系有助于有毒化学品生物降解性的预测.     

有机污染物在土壤中迁移转化的研究进展

从机理、实验和数值模拟方面,综述了近年来国内外土壤中有机污染物迁移转化过程的最新进展,重点介绍了处理耦合数学模型的的数值模拟方法,并结合土壤污染发展的特点,对今后有机污染的研究方向作了一般性探讨,提出了需要进一步解决的关键性问题。     

番茄某些繁殖特性对增强UV-B辐射的响应

研究了增强UV-B辐射对大田生长的两种番茄(早熟型“同辉”和晚熟型“霞光”)某些繁殖特性(最大开花数、花粉萌发和花粉管伸长、果实产量、果实品质以及子代种子的数量和质量)的影响.结果表明,与对照相比,“同辉”开花数在高辐射下增加,“霞光”开花数在低辐射下减少;“同辉”果实产量在两种辐射下都明显增加,而“霞光”果实产量只在低辐射下增加;辐射抑制了“同辉”的花粉萌发和花粉管伸长,而只是降低了“霞光”的花粉萌发率;强辐射造成两种番茄果实番茄红素下降。经过一季的增强UV-B辐射处理,“同辉”种子数量增加,低辐射下种子明显变小;“霞光”种子数量减少,且明显变小.就开花数、果实产量和种子质量而言,早熟的“同辉”品种更具抗性,而晚熟的“霞光”更敏感.图3表1参29     

On the Estimation of Dispersal Kernels from Individual Mark-Recapture Data

We present a new method for estimating a distribution of dispersal displacements (a dispersal kernel) from mark-recapture data. One conventional method of calculating the dispersal kernel assumes that the distribution of displacements are Gaussian (e.g. resulting from a diffusion process) and that individuals remain within sampled areas. The first assumption prohibits an analysis of dispersal data that do not exhibit the Gaussian distribution (a common situation); the second assumption leads to underestimation of dispersal distance because individuals that disperse outside of sampling areas are never recaptured. Our method eliminates these two assumptions. In addition, the method can also accommodate mortality during a sampling period. This new method uses integrodifference equations to express the probability of spatial mark-recapture data; associated dispersal, survival, and recapture parameters are then estimated using a maximum likelihood method. We examined the accuracy of the estimators by applying the method to simulated data sets. Our method suggests designs for future mark-recapture experiments. Received: January 2004 / Revised: July 2005     

Multistate models for monitoring individual trees in permanent observation plots

This interdisciplinary research on forest ecosystems begins with some characteristics of ecosystems which are the basis for the derivation of statistical models for the development and vitality of trees. Several ecological problems which could be solved by longitudinal studies are mentioned. Statistical methods for the evaluation of the crowns of spruce trees (Picea abies Karst) in three permanent observation plots in Switzerland are described. In particular, the time-dependent proportional odds model and a transitional model are used. Through application of these multistate models the data give information on the dependence of an ordered categorical response variable on covariates characterizing the ecosystem. The response variable is observed through infrared aerial photographs. This monitoring system gives insight into the dynamic behaviour of the forest ecosystem. The need for more eco-systematically motivated statistical research using longitudinal studies is identified.     

Extinction Rate Estimates for Plant Populations in Revisitation Studies: Importance of Detectability

Abstract:  Many researchers have obtained extinction-rate estimates for plant populations by comparing historical and current records of occurrence. A population that is no longer found is assumed to have gone extinct. Extinction can then be related to characteristics of these populations, such as habitat type, size, or species, to test ideas about what factors may affect extinction. Such studies neglect the fact that a population may be overlooked, however, which may bias estimates of extinction rates upward. In addition, if populations are unequally detectable across groups to be compared, such as habitat type or population size, comparisons become distorted to an unknown degree. To illustrate the problem, I simulated two data sets, assuming a constant extinction rate, in which populations occurred in different habitats or habitats of different size and these factors affected their detectability. The conventional analysis implicitly assumed that detectability equalled 1 and used logistic regression to estimate extinction rates. It wrongly identified habitat and population size as factors affecting extinction risk. In contrast, with capture-recapture methods, unbiased estimates of extinction rates were recovered. I argue that capture-recapture methods should be considered more often in estimations of demographic parameters in plant populations and communities.     

火灾科学的研究与展望

火灾科学应社会需求而产生,目前已经形成了自己的研究框架及体系。我国火灾科学基础研究已初具结构和规模,而且确定了相应的社会定位。展望了火灾科学研究的发展前景 。     

南京地区农业资源的综合评价研究

客观、准确地评价地区农业资源,对于农业资源的开发和利用具有重要意义。本文从系统论观点出发,将地区农业资源分成自然资源和社会资源,在能够较好地反映系统结构特征、不同样点差异及满足易于收集、便于数量表示和定量处理等基本要求的基础上,选择了若干评价指标。利用综合指数法、区位商法等评价方法,对南京地区的主要农业资源（土地资源、气候资源与社会资源）进行了定量分析,并在此基础上,利用资源优势度分析法进行了综合评价。结果表明,南部小区的农业资源具有整体优势,南部和中部的资源利用较为合理,北部小区则具有较为丰富的后备资源。最后,根据各地资源要素的不同组合,简要给出了较适宜的开发途径,为该地农业资源的进一步开发与利用提供了依据。