Ecological and Economic Services Provided by Birds on Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Farms

Abstract: Coffee farms can support significant biodiversity, yet intensification of farming practices is degrading agricultural habitats and compromising ecosystem services such as biological pest control. The coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) is the world's primary coffee pest. Researchers have demonstrated that birds reduce insect abundance on coffee farms but have not documented avian control of the berry borer or quantified avian benefits to crop yield or farm income. We conducted a bird‐exclosure experiment on coffee farms in the Blue Mountains, Jamaica, to measure avian pest control of berry borers, identify potential predator species, associate predator abundance and borer reductions with vegetation complexity, and quantify resulting increases in coffee yield. Coffee plants excluded from foraging birds had significantly higher borer infestation, more borer broods, and greater berry damage than control plants. We identified 17 potential predator species (73% were wintering Neotropical migrants), and 3 primary species composed 67% of migrant detections. Average relative bird abundance and diversity and relative resident predator abundance increased with greater shade‐tree cover. Although migrant predators overall did not respond to vegetation complexity variables, the 3 primary species increased with proximity to noncoffee habitat patches. Lower infestation on control plants was correlated with higher total bird abundance, but not with predator abundance or vegetation complexity. Infestation of fruit was 1–14% lower on control plants, resulting in a greater quantity of saleable fruits that had a market value of US$44–$105/ha in 2005/2006. Landscape heterogeneity in this region may allow mobile predators to provide pest control broadly, despite localized farming intensities. These results provide the first evidence that birds control coffee berry borers and thus increase coffee yield and farm income, a potentially important conservation incentive for producers.     

A Marine Pollution Study of Northeast Coastal Water Off Taiwan Island

The coastal water of northeast Taiwan island, called 'Yin-Yang Hai' for its distinct yellow colour compared with blue offshore water, was investigated from 1989 to 1990 by the authors. Biological study showed the dominant species of plankton to be Copepoda, Cladocera, planktonic eggs and Diatoma. Dominant species of benthos were young crabs, Amphipoda and Annelida, with Amphipoda usually occurring in heavily polluted areas. Heavy metal data showed that the concentration of copper was high. the copper and iron concentration in algae of the intertidal zone was also high. the concentrations of iron and copper in inshore water were also higher than in offshore water. By comparison of the pH and salinity distribution of this area, we conclude that this coastal water has been polluted by acid waste water from coastal industry. the suspended solids concentration in sea water is high. Flocculation occurring at the boundary of fresh and saline water might be a reason for the distinct yellow colour of the water of this area. Further study is required.     

蔬菜样品的H_2SO_4-H_2O_2快速消化方法

本文报道了使用硫酸 -过氧化氢对蔬菜样品进行快速消化的方法。其消化时间比常规消化方法大为缩短。重金属元素镉、铬、铜、镍、锌含量测定的结果 ,与用常规消化方法 (硝酸 -高氯酸 )相吻合。     

Removal of heavy metals (Cr6+,Ni2+)from polluted water using decaying leaves of plane (Plantanus orientalis)

plane decaying leaves have been found capable of removing chromium and nickel ions from aqueous solutions. The removal efficiency depends upon the pH conditions, ions components and concentrations, and concentrations of leaves in media. The maximum removal for unique Cr⁶⁺ is about 7.5-8.0g/kg leaves at pH 4. 0, for unique Ni²⁺ about 2. 6g/kg at the region of PH5. 0-5.5. Under the described conditions nickel increases chromium uptake by plane decaying leaves from solution.     

Mosaicism of 46,XX/47,XX,+9/47,XX,+?mar in the same amniotic fluid with apparent loss of one cell line after delivery

A 46,XX; 47,XX,+9; 47,XX, + ?mar karyotype was detected in an amniotic fluid cell culture and confirmed in a subsequent fetal blood sample from a 40-year-old woman. After termination of the pregnancy, none of the 186 mitoses obtained from a second blood sample was trisomic for chromosome 9 (p<0.001). Selection against cells containing trisomy 9 is postulated to explain the disappearance of the lymphocyte clone.     

印刷线路板厂含铜污泥固化处理工艺研究

研究采用水泥作固化基材固化处理某印刷线路板厂酸性废水用石灰混凝所产生的含铜、锡、金的污泥 ,对固化块在不同 pH的水中重金属Cu2 +的浸出实验结果表明 :水泥固化处理该混凝污泥效果良好 ,控制合适的条件 ,可得到混合性能好、初凝时间适当、抗压强度较好的固化块。Cu2 +的浸出率低于允许浸出浓度。混凝过程中加入硫脲硅酸钠等助剂 ,可提高固化效果。研究还对几种不同配比的固化块抗压强度进行了探讨。     

Evaluation of the biodegradability of copolyesters containing aromatic compounds by investigations of model oligomers

Model oligo esters of terephthalic acid with 1,2-ethanediol, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,4-butanediol have been investigated with regard to their biodegradability in different biological environments. Well-characterized oligomers with weight-average molar masses of from 600 to 2600 g/mol exhibit biodegradation in aqueous systems, soil, and compost at 60°C. SEC investigations showed a fast biological degradation of the oligomer fraction consisting of 1 or 2 repeating units, independent of the diol component used for polycondensation, while polyester oligomers with degrees of polymerization higher than 2 were stable against microbial attack at room temperature in a time frame of 2 months. At 60°C in a compost environment chemical hydrolysis also degrades chains longer than two repeating units, resulting in enhanced degradability of the oligomers. Metabolization of the monomers and the dimers as well by the microorganisms could be confirmed by comparing SEC measurements and carbon balances in a Sturm test experiment. Based on these results degradation characteristics of potential oligomer intermediates resulting from a primary chain scission from copolyesters consisting of aromatic and aliphatic dicarbonic acids can be predicted depending on their composition. These results will have an evident influence on the evaluation of the biodegradability of commercially interesting copolyesters and lead to new ways of tailor-made designing of new biodegradable materials as well.     

Evidence for biodegradation and volatilisation of dissolved petroleum hydrocarbons during in situ air sparging in large laboratory columns

Laboratory column experiments run for up to 13 days compared air sparging of groundwater contaminated by dissolved petroleum hydrocarbons in sterile and non-sterile aquifer sediments as well as uncontaminated sediments and groundwater. Loss of dissolved BTEX compounds in the contaminated columns was very rapid, occurring through volatilisation. The majority of the dissolved total organic carbon (TOC) persisted for much longer periods however. A direct comparison between losses from sterile and non-sterile columns suggested a negligible contribution of biodegradation to the removal of TOC. This was difficult to confirm through examination of O₂ utilisation because oxidation of a small amount of reduced sulphur in the aquifer materials was the dominant sink for O₂. Despite this, it was possible to conclude that less than 22% of the removal of TOC was through biodegradation during the first three days of air sparging.     

HEAVY RAINFALL DISTRIBUTIONS BY SEASON IN LOUISIANA: SYNOPTIC INTERPRETATIONS AND QUANTILE ESTIMATES1

ABSTRACT: In most studies, quantile estimates of extreme 24-hour rainfall are given in annual probabilities. The probability of experiencing an excessive storm event, however, differs throughout the year. As a result, this paper explored the differences between heavy rainfall distributions by season in Louisiana. It was concluded by using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests that the distribution of heavy rainfall events differs significantly between particular seasons at the sites near the Gulf Coast. Furthermore, seasonal frequency curves varied dramatically at the four sites examined. Mixed distributions within these data were not found to be problematic, but the mechanisms that produced the events were found to change seasonally. Extreme heavy rainfall events in winter and spring were primarily generated by frontal weather systems, while summer and fall events had high proportions of events produced by tropical disturbances and airmass (free-convective) conditions.     

非热等离子体与催化相结合去除气相低浓度苯系物

利用串齿线-简体构成的等离子体反应器,研究了非热等离子体及其与Pt/Al2O3或Mn/Al2O3催化剂组合作用下的苯系物转化率、COx产率和O3生成情况.结果表明.苯系物转化率排序为对二甲苯＞甲苯＞苯.产生非热等离子体的放电区后接Pt/Al2O3或Mn/Al2O3催化剂可提高苯系物的转化率,并使达到相同转化率所对应的电压降低1～2kV,等离子体与催化剂之间表现出明显的协同效应.非热等离子体放电与Pt/Al2O3或Mn/Al2O3催化剂组合后也有利于苯系物向COx转化及去除放电产生的O3,可使最大COx产率从80%分别提高到86%和100%,而反应器出口的最大O3浓度则从707mg·m-3分别降至339mg·dm-3和39mg·dm-3.经过等离子体反应器、催化剂以及两者组合方式的优化,等离子体放电协同Mn/Al2O3催化剂工艺有望成为处理气相低浓度有机物的实用方法.