Experience in quantitative analysis of floristic structure and diversity in Samarskaya Luka

Quantitative methods have been applied to the study of floristic structure and diversity in Samarskaya Luka. The results show that Samarskaya Luka is a floristically heterogeneous area in which six elementary floras can be distinguished. This area has been assessed as a floristically autonomous formation, and its floristic representativeness was estimated.     

Epidemiologic Analysis of Factors Associated with Local Disappearances of Native Ranid Frogs in Arizona

Abstract:  We examined factors that may independently or synergistically contribute to amphibian population declines. We used epidemiologic case–control methodology to sample and analyze a large database developed and maintained by the Arizona Game and Fish Department that describes historical and currently known ranid frog localities in Arizona, U.S.A. Sites with historical documentation of target ranid species ( n = 324) were evaluated to identify locations where frogs had disappeared during the study period (case sites) and locations where frog populations persisted (control sites). Between 1986 and 2003, 117 (36%) of the 324 sites became case sites, of which 105 were used in the analyses. An equal number of control sites were sampled to control for the effects of time. Risk factors, or predictor variables, were defined from environmental data summarized during site surveys and geographic information system data layers. We evaluated risk factors with univariate and multifactorial logistic-regression analyses to derive odds ratios (OR). Odds for local population disappearance were significantly related to 4 factors in the multifactorial model. Disappearance of frog populations increased with increasing elevation (OR = 2.7 for every 500 m, p < 0.01). Sites where disappearances occurred were 4.3 times more likely to have other nearby sites that also experienced disappearances (OR = 4.3, p < 0.01), whereas the odds of disappearance were 6.7 times less (OR = 0.15, p < 0.01) when there was a source population nearby. Sites with disappearances were 2.6 times more likely to have introduced crayfish than were control sites (OR = 2.6, p = 0.04). The identification of factors associated with frog disappearances increases understanding of declines occurring in natural populations and aids in conservation efforts to reestablish and protect native ranids by identifying and prioritizing implicated threats.     

岷江上游崩塌滑坡分布规律研究

岷江为长江—级支流，上游长３３０ｋｍ，自１９８６年以来，发生崩塌滑坡２００余处，体积约２．１亿ｍ￣３。作者研究了岷江上游崩塌滑坡的分布规律。采用统计指标法，将岷江上游分为三种不同的崩塌滑坡分布密度区：①ＵＸＳ．高密度区；②ＭＸＳ，中密度区；③ＬＸＳ＿３低密度区。     

2002年3-6月国内安全事故数据

统计了2002年3-6月国内发生的各种安全事故871起,包括矿业事故、交通事故、爆炸事故、火灾、毒物泄露和中毒及其他事故.统计表明,在这些事故中,矿业事故最多,占61. 8%,平均每天4.5起事故,其次是交通事故(16.3%)、爆炸事故(6.7%)、火灾(6.0%)、其他事故(5.6%)、毒物泄露和中毒(3.7%).871起事故共死亡2 197人,伤3 321人,死亡人数的百分比分别为矿业事故53.7%、交通事故28.0%、火灾6.1%、爆炸事故5.9%、其他事故5.1%、泄露中毒1.2%;受伤人数的百分比分别为泄露中毒37.4%、交通事故26.9%、爆炸事故14.2%、矿业事故11.8%、其他事故5.3%、火灾4.4%.     

焦化废水处理过程中固相物质的形成及处置方法评价

焦化废水处理过程中产生的焦油、污泥和结晶杂盐等固相物质,既有资源属性,又有污染特性,但目前缺乏基于能源、经济及环境影响方面的评估.本研究阐述了3类固相物质的形成机制,建立了质量当量计算及处置方法评价模型.以宝武集团韶关钢铁股份有限公司焦化厂（二期）焦化废水处理工程的A/O/H/O（厌氧/好氧/水解/好氧）流化床工艺作为考察对象,利用工程运行参数和水质统计数据进行固相物质的产量推算,结果发现,焦油、物化污泥、生物污泥（含水率为80%）和工业杂盐的产率分别为0.186、5.80、4.24和1.97 kg·m^-3.通过处置方法评价模型明确了焦油焚烧、污泥热解、结晶杂盐分盐提纯后工业应用是最佳处置方案,在60 m³·h^-1废水处理规模的固相物质处置过程中,每年约产生1177 MWh的能源,获得135.0万元的经济效益,排放627.0 t CO₂,表明能源回收、经济效益和环境影响的协同存在.     

有机垃圾厌氧消化泡沫产生机理及控制方法

为了分析厌氧消化泡沫的产生机理和控制方法有助于解决有机垃圾厌氧消化起泡问题,本文调研了近年来报道的厌氧消化系统起泡现象,并从底物特性、反应器构造及运行条件和消化过程相关特性3方面分析了不同底物、工艺和环境条件下厌氧消化反应器的起泡机理;讨论了丝状菌指数、表面张力、粘度、有机负荷、起泡趋势和泡沫稳定性等参数作为起泡风险评价指标的合理性;介绍和比较了4类消泡方法（物理法、机械法、生物法和化学法）的消泡原理及优缺点.目前,除污泥厌氧消化系统外,其他有机垃圾厌氧消化系统起泡的主要因素尚不明确,而这也限制了泡沫控制方法的开发.后期探索关键起泡微生物或研究生物表面活性物质与起泡的相关性,将有助于从新的角度揭示起泡机理,并开发出针对性更强的泡沫控制方法.     

Concentration and Distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Harbour Dredging Sediments: A Pilot Study Using a Statistical Approach for a More Efficient Characterisation and Management

The Italian guidelines concerning the dumping of dredgingmaterials implies chemical, physical and microbiologicalcharacterisation of dumping sediments collected through aspecific sampling strategy.POP's such as PCB's and organochlorine pesticides, areconsidered as priority pollutants in all the InternationalConventions for the protection of the marine environment, inconsequence of their persistence, toxicity and bioaccumulation capacity.In the present article the concentrations and distribution ofPCB's and organochlorine pesticides in dredging sediments ofPiombino harbour (northern Thyrrenian sea) were investigates.The results showed high POP's concentrations in all the studiedareas. The maximum values were: 3.94 mg kg^-1 dry weight for PCB's(IUPAC Nos. 28; 52; 101, 118; 137; 153; 180; 209); 2.04 mg kg^-1 d.w.for HCH's (-, -, - and -hexachlorocyclohexane isomers); 0.28 mg kg^-1 d.w. for DD's (DDT + DDE + DDD).Subsequently, the data related to each pollutant were treatedwith statistical tests, in order to verify how well the samplingstrategy is able to represent the distribution of contaminantsin the dredging area. Finally, management strategies werederived for the studied dredging sediments.     

The Variability of Estimates of Variance, and Its Effect on Power Analysis in Monitoring Design

Power analysis can be a valuable aid in the design of monitoringprograms. It requires an estimate of variance, which may come from a pilot study or an existing study in a similar habitat. For marine benthic infauna, natural variation in abundances canbe considerable, raising the question of reliability of varianceestimates. We used two existing monitoring programs to generatemultiple estimates of variance. These estimates were found to differ from nominated best estimates by 50% or more in 43% of cases, in turn leading to under or over-estimation of samplesize in the design of a notional monitoring program. The twostudies, from the same general area, using the same samplingmethods and spanning a similar time scale, gave estimatesvarying by more than an order of magnitude for 25% of taxa.We suggest that pilot studies for ecological monitoring programsof marine infauna should include at least two sampling times.     

Application of CFD Methods for Modelling in Air Pollution Problems: Possibilities and Gaps

Different urban air pollution problems deal with complex structure of air flows and turbulence. For such problems the Computer Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods become widely used. However, this approach despite a number of advantages has some problems. Experience of use of CFD tools for development of models and suggestions of their applications for a local scale air pollution over a complex terrain and stable stratification are discussed in this paper, including: Topography and complex geometry: choose of the co-ordinate system and computer grid; Turbulence closure for air pollution modelling: modified k- model for stable stratified ABL; Boundary conditions for vertical profiles of velocity for stable-stratified atmosphere; Effects of the radiation and thermal budget of inclined surfaces to dispersion of pollutants; Artificial sources of air dynamics and circulation.Some examples of CFD applications for air pollution modelling for a flat terrain, mountainous area, mining open cast and indoor ventilation are discussed. Modified k- model for stably-stratified ABL is suggested. Due to the isotropic character of the k- model a combination of it in vertical with the sub-grid turbulence closure in horizontal can be more suitable for ABL. An effective scheme of boundary conditions for velocity profiles, based on the developed similarity theory for stable-stratified ABL, is suggested. Alongside with the common studies of atmospheric dispersion, the CFD methods have also demonstrated a good potential for studying anthropogenic and artificial-ventilation sources of air dynamic and circulation in local-scale processes of air pollution.     

Assessment of the Heavy Metal Pollution Effects on the Soil Respiration in the Baix Llobregat (Catalonia, NE Spain)

A main goal of investigations is to determine could a soilrespiration be an indicator of the soil pollution. In this case a measured levelof the soil oxygen consumption depends of its pollution. It alsomeans that the pollution reduces biological processes in edaphon.Investigated soil samples were taken from polluted andnon-polluted places in the Baix Llobregat near Barcelona (Catalonia, NE Spain). Soil samples were taken from the top ofsoil (0–5 cm) without a litter. Soil analysis were done, determining percentage shares of coarsefragments, coarse sand, fine sand, coarse silt, fine silt, clay,CaCO₃, organic matter as well as water pH and conductivityCE (1:5 [mS cm^-1]). Also were determined (in mg kg^-1)quantities of heavy metals, as Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Cr, Ni, V, Cu, Cd, Pb.The soil respiration was investigated in temperatures15 and 30 °C and with controlled humidity.The respiration in 30 °C is number of times greater thenin 15 °C both for polluted and non-polluted soils.Particularly high coefficients of correlation between the soilrespiration and soil pollution in polluted soils were obtainedfor Pb: r = 0.75 in 15 °C and r = 0.98 in30 °C; for Ba: 0.90 and 0.57; for V: 0.99 and 0.81. In non-polluted soils highest correlation coefficients are for Pb: r = 0.70 in 15 °C; Fe: 0.60 and 0.72; Al: 0.68 and0.64; Mn: 0.51 and 0.66; Ba: 0.63 and 0.61; Cr: 0.94 and0.70; Ni: 0.64 and 0.65; Cu: 0.69 and 0.48; as well as V: 0.62in 15 °C; and Cd: 0.69 in 15 °C.This way the soil respiration could be a good indicator of the soil pollution.