Status of the Riparian Ecosystem in the Upper San Pedro River, Arizona: Application of an Assessment Model

A portion of Arizona’s San Pedro River is managed as a National Riparian Conservation Area but is potentially affected by ground-water withdrawals beyond the conservation area borders. We applied an assessment model to the Conservation Area as a basis for monitoring long-term changes in riparian ecosystem condition resulting from changes in river water availability, and collected multi-year data on a subset of the most sensitive bioindicators. The assessment model is based on nine vegetation bioindicators that are sensitive to changes in surface water or ground water. Site index scores allow for placement into one of three condition classes, each reflecting particular ranges for site hydrology and vegetation structure. We collected the bioindicator data at 26 sites distributed among 14 reaches that had similar stream flow hydrology (spatial flow intermittency) and geomorphology (channel sinuosity, flood-plain width). Overall, 39% of the riparian corridor fell within condition class 3 (the wettest condition), 55% in condition class 2, and 6% in the driest condition class. Condition class 3 reaches have high cover of herbaceous wetland plants (e.g., Juncus and Schoenoplectus spp.) along the perennial stream channel and dense, multi-aged Populus-Salix woodlands in the flood plain, sustained by shallow ground water in the stream alluvium. In condition class 2, intermittent stream flows result in low cover of streamside wetland herbs, but Populus-Salix remain abundant in the flood plain. Perennial wetland plants are absent from condition class 1, reflecting highly intermittent stream flows; the flood plain is vegetated by Tamarixa small tree that tolerates the deep and fluctuating ground water levels that typify this reach type. Abundance of herbaceous wetland plants and growth rate of Salix gooddingii varied between years with different stream flow rates, indicating utility of these measures for tracking short-term responses to hydrologic change. Repeat measurement of all bioindicators will indicate long-term trends in hydro-vegetational condition.     

Cancer and Non-Cancer Health Risk from Eating Cassava Grown in Some Mining Communities in Ghana

Food crops such as cassava, cocoyam and other tuber crops grown in mining communities uptake toxic or hazardous chemicals such as arsenic, and cadmium, from the soil. Cassava is a stable food for Ghanaians. This study evaluated human health risk from eating cassava grown in some mining communities in Ghana such as Bogoso, Prestea, Tarkwa and Tamso, which are important mining towns in the Western Region of Ghana. The study evaluated cancer and non-cancer health effects from eating cassava grown in the study areas in accordance with US Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Assessment guidelines. The results of the study revealed the following: cancer health risk for Tamso, 0.098 (RME – Reasonable Maximum Exposure) and 0.082 (CTE – Central Tendency Exposure). This means that approximately 10 and 8 out of 100 resident adults are likely to suffer from cancer related cases by RME and CTE parameters respectively. For Prestea, we have 0.010 and 0.12, which also means that approximately 1 out of 100 and 10 resident adults out of 100 are also likely to suffer from cancer related diseases by RME and CTE parameters. The results of the study obtained were found to be above the acceptable cancer risk range of 1× 10⁻⁶ to 1× 10⁻⁴, i.e., 1 case of cancer out of 1 million or 100,000 people respectively.     

新疆番茄酱企业生产废水处理利用方式探析

近年来,新疆番茄酱加工业得到了迅速发展,目前番茄酱的产销量已占全国的90%以上。与此同时,新疆番茄酱生产企业的废水排放量也大幅增加,大量未经处理的废水直接排放,已对当地的水环境构成严重的污染隐患。本文分析了新疆番茄酱企业生产废水的排放特征与目前排放出路的可行性,并结合新疆的自然地理条件及番茄酱企业的分布情况,着重探讨了土地处理这一适合新疆的废水利用方式,以期有利于新疆的环境保护和废水资源的循环利用。     

基于FDS的加油站便利店火灾模拟

为了研究加油站便利店火灾的发展规律,选择合理的疏散路线,使用 FDS软件对某加油站便利店进行火灾数值模拟。通过观察烟气扩散和动态升温过程,分析便利店的烟气扩散和升温规律,对比分析不同疏散路线上温度、烟气层高度和能见度的数据变化规律,分析选择不同疏散路线对人员安全疏散的影响。结果表明:在无火灾报警设备的情况下,卫生间等有隔断的设施会延迟设施内人员获得火灾信息的时间,不利于安全疏散;同等高度下靠墙区域受高温烟气影响较中央开阔区域更大;疏散时选择合理的疏散路线可以显著延长安全疏散时间。     

供水管网震后流量监测点的动态分级优化布局研究

为了提高管网地震监测点布局的准确性和合理性,基于管网微观水力计算模型和动态分级法,提出供水管网震后流量监测点的动态分级优化布局模型。首先,利用管网微观水力计算模型计算管段流量的影响系数,构建管段的影响系数矩阵,并利用信息熵确定管段权重;其次,标准化处理影响系数矩阵,通过聚类迭代提出供水管网地震流量监测点优化布局的动态分级方法,对供水管网震后流量监测点进行优化布置分级评定;最后,根据工程实例进行方法实践,结果表明:供水管网中的管线分类较为科学合理,地震监测点在供水管网上分布也比较均匀,而且该模型在一定程度上消除了人为因素的影响,保障了震时管网的监控效果和日常建设的合理性。     

不同火灾规模下隧道水幕线性喷水强度的研究

为了探究火源功率和水幕线性喷水强度对烟气特征参数和水幕阻烟隔热能力的影响,以全尺寸隧道为研究对象,采用FDS数值模拟方法,还原验证了前人使用的小尺寸模型,研究了20组工况下烟气特征参数变化的规律。研究结果表明:根据相似性原理还原后的全尺寸模型在相同工况下的模拟结果与小尺寸实验基本一致;水幕系统降低遮光率的效果随线性喷水强度增加而增强,当线性喷水强度增至一定程度时,遮光率和隔热效率无明显变化;对于中、大型规模火灾,水幕有效作用时间出现减少的情况;火源功率为5,20,30 MW的小、中、大规模的隧道火灾,综合考虑经济性和水幕效果,建议分别选择水幕的线性喷水强度为8,14,16 L/(s瘙
簚m)。     

近15a江苏省水源涵养功能时空变化与影响因素探析

定量评估生态系统服务功能是合理利用自然资源、促进人地关系与可持续发展的基础。以江苏省为研究区,基于InVEST模型产水模块,定量分析了江苏省2000~2015年产水功能和水源涵养功能的时空变化特征,并采用回归分析和主成分分析法评估了水源涵养功能与社会经济要素之间的关系。结果表明：（1）江苏省多年平均产水量为571×108 m³/a,水源涵养总量78.39×108 m³/a;（2）2000~2010年江苏省水源涵养功能呈下降趋势,2010~2015年有所回升,考虑到降水因素,江苏省实际水源涵养功能持续降低;（3）土地利用变化使15a来水源涵养功能下降15.2×108 m³,降低幅度为16.9%;（4）流域尺度上水源涵养功能与江苏社会经济因素相关关系不显著。研究结果可以为土地利用优化、流域水资源管理提供科学参考和支持。     

基于变权灰色云模型的江苏省水环境系统脆弱性评价

水环境系统脆弱性是水资源利用与生态环境研究的热点问题,通过研究水环境系统的内在机理,综合考虑影响水环境系统脆弱性的资源、环境、经济、社会等因素,借助驱动力-压力-状态-影响-响应-管理（DPSIRM）框架构建水环境系统脆弱性评价指标体系。在此基础上,构建基于变权灰色云模型的评价方法,对2004~2014年江苏省水环境系统脆弱性进行评价。结果表明：2004~2014年水环境系统脆弱性指数由47.056提高到63.210,脆弱性等级由“重度脆弱”演化为“中度脆弱”,并长期维持在“中度脆弱的”等级,2014年出现了向“轻度脆弱”状态转变的趋势。分析各个子系统对水环境系统脆弱性影响程度可知,影响子系统和响应子系统对江苏省水环境脆弱性系统的影响程度逐年增加;而压力子系统和管理子系统对水环境系统脆弱性的影响程度逐年下降;其它子系统对水环境系统脆弱性的影响维持在一定水平小幅度波动。     

三峡库区消落带农用坡地磷素径流流失特征

消落带是三峡库区重要的生态交错带,但自发农用和无序开发可能会造成更多的氮磷流失,进而加剧三峡库区水体富营养化。通过对库区连续3 a的定位监测（2011~2013年）,研究了三峡库区消落带农用坡地的磷素流失特征。结果表明：次降雨事件中常规施肥处理的地表径流、壤中流总磷平均浓度分别为0.848±0.153、0.140±0.006 mg/L,其中地表径流中磷的形态以颗粒态为主,壤中流以溶解态的生物可利用磷为主。常规施肥下,地表径流、壤中流磷素年均流失通量分别为0.236±0.004、0.100±0.003 kg·hm 2,地表径流、壤中流磷素流失通量分别占总流失通量的70.2%、29.8%,地表径流是坡地磷素流失的主要途径,但壤中流也是不可忽视的重要途径。与常规施肥处理相比,减量施肥处理地表径流、壤中流磷素流失量分别降低了45.3%、40.0%。建议采取减量施肥的方式,以降低营养盐负荷,保护水环境。     

The Dynamics of Justification in Policy Reform: Insights from Water Policy Debates in Ireland

Policy reform can be complex and fraught with contending arguments. Although much research has been conducted into the politics of coalition formation, less attention has been devoted to legitimating logics in policy reform. Drawing on the work of Boltanski and Thévenot, this exploratory study addresses this deficit by examining the influence of justifications deployed in policy debates. The paper analyses the role of shifting reasoning in contentious debates concerning attempts to reform water policy, including the introduction of domestic water charges in Ireland. Employing data from parliamentary deliberations, the paper traces the changing forms of justification used by those favouring and opposing the reforms. This examination suggests the importance of aligning an argument’s content with the shifting context into which it is introduced. The paper highlights the benefits of an investigative approach concerning policy justification for understanding policy reform dynamics at the intersection of politics and environmental communication.