The relevance of limnological information in the development and management of inland fisheries

The purpose of this paper is not to justify the existence of limnologists in fishery science, but to illustrate the now well accepted view that limnology holds the key to the understanding of fish production, and that an understanding of environmental relationships and the modification rates at all trophic levels must be the basis of enlightened management.

PH-dependent leaching behaviour and other performance properties of cement-treated mixed contaminated soil

Portland cement has been widely used for stabilisation/solidification (S/S) treatment of contaminated soils. However, there is a dearth of literature on pH-dependent leaching of contaminants from cement-treated soils. This study investigates the leachability of Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) from a mixed contaminated soil. A sandy soil was spiked with 3000 mg/kg each of Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn, and 10,000 mg/kg of diesel, and treated with ordinary Portland cement (CEM I). Four different binder dosages, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% (m/m) and different water contents ranging from 13%-19% dry weight were used in order to find a safe operating envelope for the treatment process. The pH-dependent leaching behaviour of the treated soil was monitored over an 84-day period using a 3-point acid neutralisation capacity (ANC) test. The monolithic leaching test was also conducted. Geotechnical properties such as unconfined compressive strength (UCS), hydraulic conductivity and porosity were assessed over time. The treated soils recorded lower leachate concentrations of Ni and Zn compared to the untreated soil at the same pH depending on binder dosage. The binder had problems with Pb stabilisation and TPH leachability was independent of pH and binder dosage. The hydraulic conductivity of the mixes was generally of the order, 10-8 m/sec, while the porosity ranged from 26%-44%. The results of selected performance properties are compared with regulatory limits and the range of operating variables that lead to acceptable performance described. © 2012 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Industrial ecology at factory level: A prototype methodology

The concept of sustainable manufacturing is a form of pollution prevention that integrates environmental considerations in the production of goods while focusing on efficient resource use. Taking the industrial ecology perspective, this efficiency comes from improved resource flow management. The assessment of material, energy and waste resource flows, therefore, offers a route to viewing and analysing a manufacturing system as an ecosystem using industrial ecology biological analogy and can, in turn, support the identification of improvement opportunities in the material, energy and waste flows. This application of industrial ecology at factory level is absent from the literature. This article provides a prototype methodology to apply the concepts of industrial ecology using material, energy and waste process flows to address this gap in the literature. Various modelling techniques were reviewed and candidates selected to test the prototype methodology in an industrial case. The application of the prototype methodology showed the possibility of using the material, energy and waste resource flows through the factory to link manufacturing operations and supporting facilities, and to identify potential improvements in resource use. The outcomes of the work provide a basis to build the specifications for a modelling tool that can support those analysing their manufacturing system to improve their environmental performance and move towards sustainable manufacturing. © IMechE 2012.

Engineering Fundamentals of Energy Efficiency

Using energy more efficiently is essential if carbon emissions are to be reduced. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy efficiency improvements represent the largest and least costly savings in carbon emissions, even when compared with renewables, nuclear power and carbon capture and storage. Yet, how should future priorities be directed? Should efforts be focused on light bulbs or diesel engines, insulating houses or improving coal-fired power stations? Previous attempts to assess energy efficiency options provide a useful snapshot for directing short-term responses, but are limited to only known technologies developed under current economic conditions. Tomorrow's economic drivers are not easy to forecast, and new technical solutions often present in a disruptive manner. Fortunately, the theoretical and practical efficiency limits do not vary with time, allowing the uncertainty of economic forecasts to be avoided and the potential of yet to be discovered efficient designs to be captured. This research aims to provide a rational basis for assessing all future developments in energy efficiency. The global fow of energy through technical devices is traced from fuels to final services, and presented as an energy map to convey visually the scale of energy use. An important distinction is made between conversion devices, which upgrade energy into more useable forms, and passive systems, from which energy is lost as low temperature heat, in exchange for final services. Theoretical efficiency limits are calculated for conversion devices using exergy analysis, and show a 89% potential reduction in energy use. Efforts should be focused on improving the efficiency of, in relative order: biomass burners, refrigeration systems, gas burners and petrol engines. For passive systems, practical utilisation limits are calculated based on engineering models, and demonstrate energy savings of 73% are achievable. Significant gains are found in technical solutions that increase the thermal insulation of building fabrics and reduce the mass of vehicles. The result of this work is a consistent basis for comparing efficiency options, that can enable future technical research and energy policy to be directed towards the actions that will make the most difference.

Spatial distribution of benthic algae in the Gangqu River, Shangrila, China

This study consisted of sampling benthic algae at 32 sites in the Gangqu River, an important upstream tributary of the Yangtze River. Our aims were to characterize the benthic algae communities and relationships with environmental variables. Among the 162 taxa observed, Achnanthes linearis and Achnanthes lanceolata var. elliptica were the dominant species (17.10% and 14.30% of the total relative abundance, respectively). Major gradients and principal patterns of variation within the environmental variables were detected by principal component analysis (PCA). Then non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) divided all the sites into three groups, which were validated by multi-response permutation procedures (MRPP). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that three environmental variables (TN, TDS, and TP) significantly affected the distribution of benthic algae. Weighted averaging regression and cross-calibration produced strong models for predicting TN and TDS concentration, which enabled selection of algae taxa as potentially sensitive indicators of certain TN and TDS levels: for TN, Achnanthes lanceolata, Achnanthes lanceolata var. elliptica, and Cymbella ventricosa var. semicircularis; for TDS, Cocconeis placentula, Cymbella alpina var. minuta, and Fragilaria virescens. The present study represents an early step in establishing baseline conditions. Further monitoring is suggested to gain a better understanding of this region.

黄河中游地区年径流对土地利用变化时空响应分析

以黄河中游河龙区间为研究区,以水土流失综合治理及生态环境建设导致的土地利用/覆被变化为背景,采用非参数统计法,基于区内38个水文站20世纪50年代至2000年水文数据,分析流域年径流对土地利用/覆被变化响应的时空变异特征,估算影响因素贡献率。结果表明:其中29条流域年径流量呈显著减少趋势,变率为0.17~2.61 mm/a;28条流域年径流量具有显著跃变时间,无定河流域各水文站跃变时间多在1970—1973年间,其余则多为1978—1985年,最晚为1994年;在5%、50%和95%的发生频率上,跃变前后时段年径流量减少幅度以30%~60%普遍,最大分别为73.2%、63.5%和69.7%;河龙区间整体呈显著减少趋势,变率为0.79 mm/a,跃变时间发生在1979年,3个频率上的减少幅度分别为46.5%、42.4%和24.1%。估算的11条流域中有9条土地利用/覆被变化等人类活动对流域径流减少影响程度超过50%。水土保持措施面积的增加,尤其淤地坝等水利水保工程措施的持续修建,对区域地表径流变化具有明显影响。

黄土高原六盘山生态经济圈功能区规划研究

六盘山区位于黄河中上游,是黄土高原西部天然生态屏障和水源涵养区,在中国生态环境建设中具有重要战略地位。本区土地资源丰富,生态环境洁净,旱作农业潜力大,草畜业兴旺。六盘山生态经济圈规划了4个功能区和7大特色农业基地产业,以六盘山国家自然保护区为中心,加大退耕造林种草与管护力度,到2015年基本修复六盘山区受损的森林生态系统和灌丛草原植被;以旱作农业技术体系为支撑,建立高效可持续发展的生态农业系统和绿色农牧产品基地,为经济社会发展和新农村建设提供良好的生态环境和农业基础。

沈阳城市森林环境效益的生理生态学基础研究

为了对沈阳市绿化树种的合理配置及城市森林环境效益的定量评价提供科学依据，本文以沈阳典型城市森林功能类型为试验区，利用L工一6400光合作用测定系统，采用自然条件下定位观测和室内分析相结合的方法，在典型城市森林功能类型主要绿化树种光合与蒸腾生理生态特性分析的基础上，首次对沈阳市城市森林固碳释氧和降温增湿生态环境效益进行了系统研究。典型城市森林功能类型主要树种的光合与蒸腾日变化曲线多呈单峰型，春季和夏季公园主要树种以双峰型曲线居多。光合速率与蒸腾速率季节变化趋势主要表现为夏季＞秋季＞春季。利用多元逐步回归分析方法，首次建立了沈阳市典型功能类型主要树种光合速率和蒸腾速率与生理生态因子的关系模型，确定了各季节影响光合与蒸腾速率的主要因子。典型城市森林功能类型乔木树种单位叶面积日固碳释氧能力为：白榆＞京桃＞旱柳＞银中杨＞刺槐＞油松＞银杏，降温增湿能力为：白榆＞京桃）银中杨＞旱柳＞刺槐＞油松＞银杏；灌木树种日固碳释氧与降温增湿能力均为：金钟连翘＞重瓣榆叶梅＞紫丁香。碳氧平衡分析表明，沈阳市城市森林年总固碳量205.20万吨，总释氧量147.88万吨，沈阳市耗氧量为1 463.04万吨，森林释氧量为其耗氧量的10.11％。

论黄土高原山川秀美建设

简介了黄土高原山川秀美的由来 ,论述了山川秀美的基本内涵和黄土高原山川秀美建设的基本思路。在此基础上 ,对陕西省生态环境建设规划进行了简要述评 ,指出了其优缺点 ,并提出了黄土高原山川秀美建设的进一步设想

不同时间尺度径流对植被变化的响应

植被覆盖对陆地生态系统的水分循环起着重要作用。径流对植被变化在不同时间尺度的响应研究,对区域生态环境建设及水资源管理具有重要的参考价值。该文介绍基于对比流域法,在多年平均、年际、季节等不同时间尺度径流对植被变化响应的研究结果。多年平均尺度上,由植被类型更替引起的径流绝对变化量,湿润区较干旱区大,其相对变化量在干旱区严重;年际尺度上,因植被变化,径流从一种平衡状态到另一种平衡状态的响应时间因抚育措施和地区不同而不同,造林情况下,湿润地区一般需要15~20 a,干旱地区约需25 a甚至更长,森林自然恢复情况下则需要上百年;季节尺度上,径流对植被变化的响应在季风影响区较四季湿润地区强烈。流量历时曲线研究表明,干旱地区造林,其基流无论在量或发生概率的变化上均较湿润区强烈。

新疆水土保持与可持续发展研究

新疆维吾尔族自治区作为我国最大及地理位置重要的西北边陲省份 ,随着人口的增长和区域开发进程的进一步加快 ,水土流失问题日趋严重 ,水土保持和可持续发展已成为其生态环境建设的重要课题。分析了新疆水土流失的现状、特点和成因以及存在的问题 ,从可持续发展角度提出了新疆水土保持的对策和建议

Preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(L-lactide) biocomposite microspheres

Nano-hydroxyapatite (HA)/poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) composite microspheres with relatively uniform size distribution were prepared by a solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) emusion solvent evaporation method. The encapsulation of the HA nanopaticles in microshperes was significantly improved by grafting PLLA on the surface of the HA nanoparticles (p-HA) during emulsion process. This procedure gave a possibility to obtain p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with uniform morphology and the encapsulated p-HA nanoparticle loading reached up to 40 wt% (33 wt% of pure HA) in the p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres. The microstructure of composite microspheres from core-shell to single phase changed with the variation of p-HA to PLLA ratios. p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with the diameter range of 2-3 mu m were obtained. The entrapment efficiency of p-HA in microspheres could high up to 90 wt% and that of HA was only 13 wt%. Surface and bulk characterizations of the composite microspheres were performed by measurements such as wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Petri网理论在柔性制造系统(FMS)性能分析中的应用

本文用 Petri 网的一个子类——时间事件图对流水车间型和作业车间型的柔性制造系统(FMS)建模并进行理论分析,给出了可行排序的判定条件及系统中托盘数量配置与系统生产率的关系,对系统的主要性能指标,如生产周期、工件驻留时间、在制品库存等给出了定量描述.这些结果为系统的设计和运行提供了理论依据.