RESEARCH: Shrub Propagation Techniques for Biological Control of Invading Tree Species

Cornus stolonifera, Salix petiolaris, and Spiraea alba clones already located within the corridor of an electrical power line. To establish the efficiency of treatments, we examined the statistical differences of growth traits between species and treatments. An analysis of the effects of layering shows, after the first growth season, differences for all growth traits in only one species, Spiraea alba. After the second growth season, we observed the development of new aerial stems. Layering favors horizontal expansion of shrubs over height development. The third year after treatment, the effect of layering is reduced except for Cornus stolonifera, which continuously increases, as shown by the significant progression of the clone issued from the layer even five years after treatments. With the cutting back technique, we expected a distinct vertical growth of the shrubs at the expense of increasing the crown diameter. This technique would be best associated with the rejuvenation of clones, followed by a layering of new shoots to allow a horizontal expansion of the shrubs. Therefore, the formation of a dense shrub community by layering should be considered a valuable approach for the biological control of undesirable trees in powerline rights-of-way.     

Material suppliers and industrial metabolism

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is not sufficiently tailored to the analysis of strategic environmental problems of material suppliers. Sustainable development calls for a reduction by a factor of 10 to 20 in the material intensity of the economy, a situation which leads to dramatic shifts in markets for raw materials. Furthermore, a material supplier might have major improvement options in the material’s numerous downstream uses. LCAs, however, can’t cover these two aspects. An adapted form of Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) may be an answer. This approach defines a system in relation to the flow of a specific material through society. All environmental interventions related to the material are inventoried. An emission evaluation indicates the dominant environmental bottlenecks, given the current market volume of each application of the material. This helps to identify improvement options and strategic choices in market portfolios. Scenario analysis on potential measures can further indicate changes of material flows — and thus markets — in the system. The approach is illustrated with a case study on chlorine.     

造纸行业的清洁生产示范

文章概述了我国造纸行业清洁生产示范项目审计的成果，从环境、经济及清洁生产方案类型等角度对企业推行清洁生产进行了初步分析，提出了存在的主要问题，并就进一步推动造纸行业的清洁生产提出了建议。     

Life cycle analysis and choice of natural gas-based automotive alternative fuels in Chongqing Municipality,China

Road transport produces significant amounts of emissions by using crude oil as the primary energy source. A reduction of emissions can be achieved by implementing alternative fuel chains. The objective of this study is to carry out an economic, environmental and energy (EEE) life cycle study on natural gas-based automotive fuels with conventional gasoline in an abundant region of China. A set of indices of four fuels/vehicle systems on the basis of life cycle are assessed in terms of impact of EEE, in which natural gas produces compressed natural gas (CNG), methanol, dimethylether (DME) and Fischer Tropsch diesel (FTD). The study included fuel production, vehicle production, vehicle operation, infrastructure and vehicle end of life as a system for each fuel/vehicle system. A generic gasoline fueled car is used as a baseline. Data have been reviewed and modified based on the best knowledge available to Chongqing local sources. Results indicated that when we could not change electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles into commercial vehicles on a large scale, direct use of CNG in a dedicated or bi-fuel vehicle is an economical choice for the region which is most energy efficient and more environmental friendly. The study can be used to support decisions on how natural gas resources can best be utilized as a fuel/energy resource for automobiles, and what issues need to be resolved in Chongqing. The models and approaches for this study can be applied to other regions of China as long as all the assumptions are well defined and modified to find a substitute automotive energy source and establish an energy policy in a specific region.     

Application of a health promotion model to community-based sustainability planning

The future of human health and that of all other species depends on the viability and sustainability of a host of environments and ecosystems. Human behaviours have profound effects (both positive and negative) on such ecosystems. Despite the obviousness of these statements, there remains a lack of clarity around the mechanisms for altering specific behaviours related to sustainability and their impact on environments. This paper offers a conceptual framework for identifying relations between human behaviour and ecosystem health and sustainability. We also discuss strategies for changing target behaviours in the context of a programme or policy planning. Finally, we draw on research that applies this adaptation to a small island community near Vancouver, Canada.     

Tillage erosion and its effect on soil properties and crop yield in Denmark

Tillage erosion had been identified as a major process of soil redistribution on sloping arable land. The objectives of our study were to investigate the extent of tillage erosion and its effect on soil quality and productivity under Danish conditions. Soil samples were collected to a 0.45-m depth on a regular grid from a 1.9-ha site and analyzed for 137Cs inventories, as a measure of soil redistribution, soil texture, soil organic carbon (SOC) contents, and phosphorus (P) contents. Grain yield was determined at the same sampling points. Substantial soil redistribution had occurred during the past decades, mainly due to tillage. Average tillage erosion rates of 2.7 kg m(-2) yr(-1) occurred on the shoulderslopes, while deposition amounted to 1.2 kg m(-2) yr(-1) on foot- and toeslopes. The pattern of soil redistribution could not be explained by water erosion. Soil organic carbon and P contents in soil profiles increased from the shoulder- toward the toeslopes. Tillage translocation rates were strongly correlated with SOC contents, A-horizon depth, and P contents. Thus, tillage erosion had led to truncated soils on shoulderslopes and deep, colluvial soils on the foot- and toeslopes, substantially affecting within-field variability of soil properties. We concluded that tillage erosion has important implications for SOC dynamics on hummocky land and increases the risk for nutrient losses by overland flow and leaching. Despite the occurrence of deep soils across the study area, evidence suggested that crop productivity was affected by tillage-induced soil redistribution. However, tillage erosion effects on crop yield were confounded by topography-yield relationships.     

磷酸铵镁碱促(Mg(OH)2)热解产物氨氮去除性能

磷酸铵镁热解循环技术可以有效降低磷酸铵镁结晶技术的药剂费用。同时,在磷酸铵镁热解过程中添加Mg(OH)2碱促媒介,能阻止磷酸氢镁向焦磷酸镁的转化,并降低热解产物氨氮去除过程中上清液磷酸盐的残留。在Mg(OH)2:NH4+摩尔比为1:1,热解温度为110℃条件下,热解产物沉氨效率接近84%,上清液磷酸盐残留量为0.02 mg/L。     

16SrDNA克隆文库解析AO-MBR系统中细菌种群多样性

采用分子生物学手段16S rDNA克隆文库方法对缺氧/好氧膜生物反应器(AO-MBR)的好氧池与缺氧池中细菌进行了多样性研究。实验结果表明,好氧池污泥样品的克隆文库包括9个类群,其中变形菌(Proteobacteria)和拟杆菌(Bacteroidetes)在文库中所占比例最大,分别为37.04%和14.81%;其次是酸杆菌(Acidobacteria)、未培养菌(uncultured bacterium)、绿菌(Chlorobi)和未培养的绿弯菌(uncultured Chloroflexi bacterium)、浮霉状菌(Planctomycetes),分别为11.11%、11.11%、7.41%、7.41%和5.56%;硝化螺旋菌(Nitrospirae)和裸藻门(Euglenozoa)所占比例相对较小,均为1.85%。缺氧池样品克隆文库包括10个类群,其中变形菌(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌(Bacteroidetes)和未培养菌(uncultured bacterium)在文库中所占比例最大,分别为27.91%、13.95%和12.79%;其次是浮霉状菌(Planctomycetes)、酸杆菌(Acidobacteria)和绿弯菌(Chloroflexi),在文库中所占比例分别为9.3%、9.3%和9.3%;硝化螺旋菌(Nitrospirae)、裸藻门(Euglenozoa)、芽单胞菌(Gemmatimonadetes)和放线菌(Actinobacteria)所占比例相对较少,分别为6.98%、8.14%、1.16%和1.16%。两池细菌的主要类群相似,但菌属及比例有所差异,变形菌是系统中的主要脱氮菌属。     

城市污水处理过程中不同形态氮类营养物的转化特性

针对不同形态氮类营养物在城市污水处理系统中迁移转化机理尚不明确这一问题,通过现场监测和实验室模拟分析,研究不同形态氮类营养物在整个城市污水处理系统(A/A/O工艺)中的转化特性。研究结果表明,在原污水总氮中溶解态氮和颗粒态氮比例相当,浓度分别为39.28 mg/L和41.24 mg/L,无机氮是溶解态氮的主要成分,比例占93.2%(36.61 mg/L),而有机氮含量极少,仅为2.67 mg/L。在颗粒态氮中有机氮比重很大,约占96.58 %(39.83 mg/L)。在整个一级处理过程中溶解态氮变化量很小,而颗粒态有机氮减少了45%,总氮降低主要是由于颗粒态有机氮通过沉淀作用去除而实现的。现场监测和模拟实验结果表明,溶解性有机氮在厌氧区和缺氧区中由于被厌氧微生物降解而大幅度减少,而在好氧区却有一定程度的增加。二级出水中的氮主要还是以无机氮为主,可通过进一步优化工艺参数来强化系统硝化/反硝化作用,去除污水中残留的无机氮。     

国产活性炭喷射去除大型城市生活垃圾焚烧发电厂烟气中的二恶英

本研究针对二恶英削减及降低成本选用优质国产活性炭,对一典型城市生活垃圾焚烧发电厂(MSWI)的"活性炭喷射+布袋除尘过滤"系统优化。在实际工况条件下,对3个活性炭投加速率(5、10和15 kg/h)下所获得的二恶英的排放浓度、去除效率及去除特征进行评价。结果发现,(1)选用的活性炭对二恶英具有优越的去除效果,5 kg/h投加速率即可使去除效率达到99.0%,排放浓度下降到低于改用前的1/10,远低于欧盟排放标准;(2)3个投加实验在二恶英的排放浓度、总去除效率、去除特征上并没有表现出显著差异,综合考虑认为,5 kg/h(150 mg/Nm3)是合理的工程应用依据;(3)本研究成功的实验结果说明,选用的活性炭品质能满足工程需求,其表征特点可作为未来活性炭选用的依据,即孔径分布主要集中在2~5 nm之间,属于中孔范围中靠近微孔区域,比表面积大于500 m2/g,比孔容积大于0.2 cm3/g。