辽河三角洲芦苇湿地生态系统水碳通量动态及其控制机制

全球变化背景下人类生存环境及社会经济的可持续发展要求，使得水循环和碳循环成为科学研究的关注点。湿地与森林、海洋并称为全球三大生态系统，与生态平衡、人类生存和经济社会可持续发展息息相关，特别是湿地的碳汇功能使得其在全球碳循环中具有重要作用。我国湿地面积占亚洲第一位，世界第四位，占世界湿地面积的11.9% 。但是，与森林、草地与农田等生态系统相比，湿地水碳循环控制机制研究的甚少，制约着湿地生态系统的水碳管理。 本论文基于2005~2007 年盘锦芦苇湿地生态系统野外观测站的涡度相关系统的水碳通量和气象环境因子的连续观测数据，结合芦苇湿地生态系统的生物学调查资料，较系统地分析了芦苇湿地生态系统水汽通量和碳通量的动态特征，探讨了不同时间尺度芦苇湿地生态系统水汽通量和碳通量的环境控制机制。主要结论如下： (1)芦苇湿地生态系统蒸散的日、季变化显著。2005~2007 年盘锦芦苇湿地生态系统的年蒸散量分别为432、480 和445 mm。非生长季(11 月~次年4 月)对全年蒸散量的贡献约13~16%，表明在湿地蒸散年总量的估算中不能忽略非生长季的贡献。 (2)关于动力作用和热力作用对芦苇湿地蒸散的贡献表明，能量是驱动芦苇湿地蒸散的重要因素，在小时至月尺度上均起着主导作用；时间尺度越长，能量因子对蒸散变异的解释率越大。仅温度就能解释蒸散月总量变异的95%左右。但是，随着时间尺度的降低，水分条件如饱和水汽压差、相对湿度，对芦苇湿地蒸散的作用逐渐显现。降雨和蒸散的变化虽然没有统计上的相关性，但短时段的降雨可能导致雨后蒸散增强，而持续多天的阴雨天气却能导致蒸散量连续下降。 (3)基于芦苇湿地生态系统作物系数(kc)具有显著日间变异的事实，发展了耦合气温、相对湿度和净辐射影响的芦苇湿地日作物系数模型，弥补了国际粮农组织建议的蒸发散估算模型FAO56 缺乏适宜湿地作物系数的不足。 (4)芦苇湿地生态系统呼吸呈单峰型季节变化，2005~2007 年生态系统呼吸的年总量分别为834、894 和872 g C m-2 yr-1，非生长季芦苇湿地的生态系统呼吸碳排放量为102~136 g C m-2 season-1，占全年生态系统呼吸总量的12~16%。这说明，非生长季湿地生态系统的碳排放通量不可忽视。温度是小时至月尺度的生态系统呼吸控制因子；同时，生物因素也对芦苇湿地生态系统呼吸有显著影响。生态系统呼吸对温度的响应呈指数函数关系，二者间的响应受土壤水分的影响。当表层土壤含水量(5 cm) 为20~25%时，芦苇湿地生态系统呼吸的潜力(Reco,10)最大。生态系统呼吸的日值与地上生物量、叶面积指数呈对数正相关，而与冠层高度呈显著二次曲线关系。生态系统呼吸的年际差异并不是由温度变化引起，而与植被生长状况密切相关。 (5)芦苇湿地生态系统的净碳交换季节变化明显，变化范围在-12.9~4.2 g C m-2 day-1 之间。一般在5~9 月表现为大气CO2 的汇，其余月份为碳源。其中，净碳吸收最大的月份为6、7 月，而净碳排放最大的月份为4、10 月。2005~2007 年的年碳收支分别为-55、-230 和-53 g C m-2 yr-1，呈碳汇。 (6)不同时间尺度的净碳交换控制因子不同。小时尺度上，影响芦苇湿地生态系统净碳交换的环境因子主要是光合有效辐射(PAR) 。芦苇湿地生态系统光合作用的光响应参数(α、Amax 和Reco)随温度指数上升，而与叶面积指数呈线性正相关。光响应参数的这种显著季节波动表明，在生态系统碳循环模型中不应该将生态系统的光合作用参数视为常数，应该考虑采用光响应参数与环境和生物因子间的定量关系来反映光合作用光响应参数动态。日尺度上，温度是芦苇湿地碳交换的主要控制因子，湿地净碳交换在15℃左右由正值变为负值，芦苇湿地由碳源变为碳汇。除温度外，饱和水汽压差对日尺度净碳交换波动也有影响，二者呈二次曲线关系(U 型)，当饱和水汽压差在0.8 kPa 附近时，芦苇湿地净碳吸收达到最大。月尺度上，影响芦苇湿地净碳交换的主要环境因子依然是温度，二者间表现出“非对称响应”特征。 (7)对芦苇湿地碳交换各组分间的关系分析表明，芦苇湿地生态系统呼吸和净碳交换均受总光合生产力的显著影响，即通过光合作用产物来源控制。

Impact of cloudiness on net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide in different types of forest ecosystems in China

Asia 3 Foresight Program [30721140307]; National Key Research and Development Program [2010CB833500]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [30590381, 30900198];

Characterizing evapotranspiration over a meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

To characterize evapotranspiration (ET) over grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we examined ET and its relevant environmental variables in a Kobresia meadow from 2002 to 2004 using the eddy covariance method. The annual precipitation changed greatly, with 554, 706, and 666 mm a(-1) for the three consecutive calendar years. The annual ET varied correspondingly to the annual precipitation with 341, 407, and 426 mm a(-1). The annual ET was, however, constant at about 60% of the annual precipitation. About 85% annual ET occurred during the growing season from May to September, and the averaged ET for this period was 1.90, 2.23, and 2.22 mm/d, respectively for the three consecutive years. The averaged ET was, however, very low (< 0.40 mm/d) during the nongrowing season from October to April. The annual canopy conductance (gc) and the Priestley-Taylor coefficient (a) showed the lowest values in the year with the lowest precipitation. This study first demonstrates that the alpine meadow ecosystem is characterized by a low ratio of annual ET to precipitation and that the interannual variation of ET is determined by annual precipitation.

Electronic aids to daily living: be able to do what you want

Purpose. This study explores the experiences of Irish people with high cervical spinal cord injuries living with electronic aids to daily living (EADL) and the meaning attributed to such systems in the context of participation in everyday life. Method. Qualitative methodology using a phenomenological approach was used to explore the phenomenon of living with EADL. Data were collected using four focus groups of users and nonusers of EADL (n = 15). All participants had high cervical spinal cord injuries (C3-5). Groups were video recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using descriptive phenomenological analysis. Findings. Findings revealed key elements of the meaning of living with EADL. Two key themes, time alone and changed relationships are described. These contribute to the super ordinate theme of autonomy. Findings suggest that participants perceived improvements in both anticipated and actual lived experiences with EADL. Themes are interrelated and together represent a summary of the experience of living with environmental controls. The themes described are similar to those found in other spinal injury studies relating to quality of life. Conclusions. Findings highlight differences in life experiences for those with and without EADL and provides motivation to address this difference. Such insights are valuable for both users and providers of EADL.

Analytical phytoplankton carbon measurements spanning diverse ecosystems

The measurement of phytoplankton carbon (Cphyto) in the field has been a long-sought but elusive goal in oceanography. Proxy measurements of Cphyto have been employed in the past, but are subject to many confounding influences that undermine their accuracy. Here we report the first directly measured Cphyto values from the open ocean. The Cphyto samples were collected from a diversity of environments, ranging from Pacific and Atlantic oligotrophic gyres to equatorial upwelling systems to temperate spring conditions. When compared to earlier proxies, direct measurements of Cphyto exhibit the strongest relationship with particulate backscattering coefficients (bbp) (R2=0.69). Chlorophyll concentration and total particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration accounted for ~20% less variability in Cphyto than bbp. Ratios of Cphyto to Chl a span an order of magnitude moving across and within distinct ecosystems. Similarly, Cphyto:POC ratios were variable with the lowest values coming from productive temperate waters and the highest from oligotrophic gyres. A strong relationship between Cphyto and bbp is particularly significant because bbp is a property retrievable from satellite ocean color measurements. Our results, therefore, are highly encouraging for the global monitoring of phytoplankton biomass from space. The continued application of our Cphyto measurement approach will enable validation of satellite retrievals and contribute to an improved understanding of environmental controls on phytoplankton biomass and physiology.

A commentary on climate change, stone decay dynamics and the ‘greening’ of natural stone buildings: new perspectives on ‘deep wetting’

Environmental controls on stone decay processes are rapidly changing as a result of changing climate. UKCP09 projections for the 2020s (2010–2039) indicate that over much of the UK seasonality of precipitation will increase. Summer dryness and winter wetness are both set to increase, the latter linked to projected precipitation increases in autumn and spring months. If so, this could increase the time that stone structures remain wet and possibly the depth of moisture penetration, and it appears that building stone in Northern Ireland has already responded through an increased incidence of algal ‘greening’.This paper highlights the need for understanding the effects of climate change through a series of studies of largely sandstone structures. Current and projected climatic trends are therefore considered to have aesthetic, physical and chemical implications that are not currently built into our models of sandstone decay, especially with respect to the role played by deep-seated wetness on sandstone deterioration and decay progression and the feedbacks associated with, for example surface algal growth. In particular,it is proposed that algal biofilms will aid moisture retention and further facilitate moisture and dissolved salt penetration to depth. Thus, whilst the outer surface of stone may continue to experience frequent wetting and drying associated with individual precipitation events, the latter is less likely to be complete, and the interiors of building blocks may only experience wetting/drying in response to seasonal cycling. A possible consequence of deeper salt penetration could be a delay in the onset of surface deterioration,but more rapid and effective retreat once it commences as decay mechanisms ‘tap into a reservoir of deep salt’.

Experimental studies of near-surface temperature cycling and surface wetting of stone and its implications for salt weathering

It has long been accepted that thermal and moisture regimes within stonework exert a major influence upon patterns of salt movement and, subsequently, the type and severity of salt-induced decay. For example, it is suggested that slow drying is more likely to bring dissolved salts to the surface, whereas rapid drying could result in the retention of some salt at or near the frequent wetting depth. In reality however, patterns of heating, cooling and surface wetting regimes that drive them – are complex and inconsistent responses to a wide range of environmental controls. As a first step to understanding the complexity of these relationships, this paper reports a series of experiments within a climatic cabinet designed to replicate the effects of short-term temperature fluctuations on the surface and sub-surface temperature regimes of a porous Jurassic limestone, and how they are influenced by surface wetting, ambient temperature and surface airflow. Preliminary results confirm the significance of very steep temperature/stress gradients within the outer centimetre or less of exposed stone under short-duration cycles of heating and cooling. This is important because this is the zone in which many stone decay processes, particularly salt weathering, operate, these processes invariably respond to temperature and moisture fluctuations, and short-term interruptions to insolation could, for example,
trigger these fluctuations on numerous occasions over a day. The data also indicate that there are complex patterns of temperature reversal with depth that are influenced in their intensity and location by surface wetting and moisture penetration, airflow across the surface and ambient air temperature. The presence of multiple temperature reversals and their variation over the course of heating and cooling phases belies previous assumtions of smooth, exponential increases and decreases in subsurface temperatures in response, for example to diurnal patterns of heating and cooling

Location-Awareness for Radios and Networks: Part I

The papers in this special issue focus on the topic of location awareness for radio and networks. Localization-awareness using radio signals stands to revolutionize the fields of navigation and communication engineering. It can be utilized to great effect in the next generation of cellular networks, mining applications, health-care monitoring, transportation and intelligent highways, multi-robot applications, first responders operations, military applications, factory automation, building and environmental controls, cognitive wireless networks, commercial and social network applications, and smart spaces. A multitude of technologies can be used in location-aware radios and networks, including GNSS, RFID, cellular, UWB, WLAN, Bluetooth, cooperative localization, indoor GPS, device-free localization, IR, Radar, and UHF. The performances of these technologies are measured by their accuracy, precision, complexity, robustness, scalability, and cost. Given the many application scenarios across different disciplines, there is a clear need for a broad, up-to-date and cogent treatment of radio-based location awareness. This special issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in technology, regulation, and theory. It also presents a holistic view of research challenges and opportunities in the emerging areas of localization.

Liens entre défavorisation extrême chez des enfants à la maternelle et engagement en classe en 3e année du primaire

L’objectif de cette étude est de vérifier s’il existe un lien entre les conditions de défavorisation extrême associées à la pauvreté familiale telles que vécues par l’enfant en maternelle et son engagement en classe en 3e année du primaire. Pour ce faire, nous avons analysé des données portant sur un groupe de 341 enfants provenant des régions les plus défavorisées de Montréal à partir des observations rapportées par leur enseignant. Plusieurs régressions multiples ont permis de mettre en évidence des indicateurs sur l’engagement en classe, soit la concentration, la persistance et l’autonomie des participants avec quatre indicateurs liés à la défavorisation extrême soit la faim, les retards à l’école, l’habillement inadéquat et les signes de fatigue. Les résultats de cette étude ont montré que chacun de ces indicateurs pouvait indépendamment contribuer à l’engagement en classe, mais, que deux indicateurs ont un pouvoir prédictif supérieur et fiable, soit le retard en classe et les signes de fatigue. D’autres recherches plus poussées étaient les résultats de la présente étude et suggèrent comment une intervention précoce des enseignants, au début du primaire, pourrait encourager l’engagement en classe d’enfant provenant d’une population défavorisée urbaine.

Determination of the optical properties of plastic films used as cladding materials in novel energy efficient greenhouses

Greenhouse cladding materials are a major component in the design of energy efficient greenhouses. The optical properties of cladding materials determine a major part of the overall performance of a greenhouse both in terms of the energy balance of the greenhouse and on crop behavior. Various film plastic greenhouse-cladding materials were measured under laboratory conditions using a spectroradiometer equipped with an integrating sphere. Films were measured over a range of angles of incidence and the effect of increasing distance between double films was also measured. PAR transmission remained nearly constant for angles of incidence increased up to 30 degrees but fell rapidly thereafter as the angles of incidence increased up to 90 degrees. Increasing distance between double films did not significantly affect PAR transmission in all films examined. These results are discussed in relation to the design criteria for an energy efficient greenhouse.

Isoprene emissions and climate

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) play an important role in atmospheric chemistry and the carbon cycle. Isoprene is quantitatively the most important of the non-methane BVOCs (NMBVOCs), with an annual emission of about 400–600 TgC; about 90% of this is emitted by terrestrial plants. Incorporating a mechanistic treatment of isoprene emissions within land-surface schemes has recently become a focus for the modelling community, the aim being to quantify the potential magnitude of associated climate feedbacks. However, these efforts are hampered by major uncertainties about why plants emit isoprene and the relative importance of different environmental controls on isoprene emission. The availability and reliability of observations of isoprene fluxes from different types of vegetation is limited, and this also imposes constraints on model development. Nevertheless, progress is being made towards the development of mechanistic models of isoprene emission which, in conjunction with atmospheric chemistry models, will ultimately allow improved quantification of the feedbacks between the terrestrial biosphere and climate under past and future climate states.

STOWING AWAY ON SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT: SCLEROBIONT ASSEMBLAGES ON INDIVIDUALLY DATED BIVALVE AND BRACHIOPOD SHELLS FROM A SUBTROPICAL SHELF

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Intra-annual dynamics of non-structural carbohydrates in the cambium of mature conifer trees reflects radial growth demands

The presence of soluble carbohydrates in the cambial zone, either from sugars recently produced during photosynthesis or from starch remobilized from storage organs, is necessary for radial tree growth. However, considerable uncertainties on carbohydrate dynamics and the consequences on tree productivity exist. This study aims to better understand the variation in different carbon pools at intra-annual resolution by quantifying how cambial zone sugar and starch concentrations fluctuate over the season and in relation to cambial phenology. A comparison between two physiologically different species growing at the same site, i.e., the evergreen Picea abies Karst. and the deciduous Larix decidua Mill., and between L. decidua from two contrasting elevations, is presented to identify mechanisms of growth limitation. Results indicate that the annual cycle of sugar concentration within the cambial zone is coupled to the process of wood formation. The highest sugar concentration is observed when the number of cells in secondary wall formation and lignification stages is at a maximum, subsequent to most radial growth. Starch disappears in winter, while other freeze-resistant non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) increase. Slight differences in NSC concentration between species are consistent with the differing climate sensitivity of the evergreen and deciduous species investigated. The general absence of differences between elevations suggests that the cambial activity of trees growing at the treeline was not limited by the availability of carbohydrates at the cambial zone but instead by environmental controls on the growing season duration.

Infection Prevention in the Emergency Department.

Infection prevention remains a major challenge in emergency care. Acutely ill and injured patients seeking evaluation and treatment in the emergency department (ED) not only have the potential to spread communicable infectious diseases to health care personnel and other patients, but are vulnerable to acquiring new infections associated with the care they receive. This article will evaluate these risks and review the existing literature for infection prevention practices in the ED, ranging from hand hygiene, standard and transmission-based precautions, health care personnel vaccination, and environmental controls to strategies for preventing health care-associated infections. We will conclude by examining what can be done to optimize infection prevention in the ED and identify gaps in knowledge where further research is needed. Successful implementation of evidence-based practices coupled with innovation of novel approaches and technologies tailored specifically to the complex and dynamic environment of the ED are the keys to raising the standard for infection prevention and patient safety in emergency care.

Sedimentology and stable oxygen isotope ratios of foraminifera from cores of the Porcupine Seabight, Northeast Atlantic

Large carbonate mound structures have been discovered in the northern Porcupine Seabight (Northeast Atlantic) at depths between 600 and 1000 m. These mounds are associated with the growth of deep-sea corals Lophelia pertusa and Madrepra oculata. In this study, three sediment cores have been analysed. They are from locations close to Propeller Mound, a 150 m high ridge-like feature covered with a cold-water coral ecosystem at its upper flanks. The investigations are concentrated on grain-size analyses, carbon measurements and on the visual description of the cores and computer tomographic images, to evaluate sediment content and structure. The cores portray the depositional history of the past ~31 kyr BP, mainly controlled by sea-level fluctuations and the climate regime with the advance and retreat of the Irish Ice Sheet onto the Irish Mainland Shelf. A first advance of glaciers is indicated by a turbiditic release slightly older than 31 kyr BP, coherent with Heinrich event 3 deposition. During Late Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) and MIS 2 shelf erosion prevailed with abundant gravity flows and turbidity currents. A change from glaciomarine to hemipelagic contourite sedimentation during the onset of the Holocene indicates the establishment of the strong, present-day hydrodynamic regime at intermediate depths. The general decrease in accumulation of sediments with decreasing distance towards Propeller Mound suggests that currents (turbidity currents, gravity flows, bottom currents) had a generally stronger impact on the sediment accumulation at the mound base for the past ~31 kyr BP, respectively.