Biodegradation and environmental behavior of biodiesel mixtures in the sea: An initial study

Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, is rapidly moving towards the mainstream as an alternative source of energy. However, the behavior of biodiesel, or blends of biodiesel with fossil diesel, in the marine environment have yet to be fully understood. Hence, we performed a series of initial laboratory experiments and simple calculations to evaluate the microbial and environmental fate of FAMEs. Aerobic seawater microcosms spiked with biodiesel or mixtures of biodiesel and fossil diesel revealed that the FAMEs were degraded at roughly the same rate as n-alkanes, and more rapidly than other hydrocarbon components. The residues extracted from these different microcosms became indistinguishable within weeks. Preliminary results from physical-chemical calculations suggest that FAMEs in biodiesel mixtures will not affect the evaporation rates of spilled petroleum hydrocarbons but may stabilize oil droplets in the water column and thereby facilitate transport.     

Environmental degradation narratives in Madagascar: From colonial hegemonies to humanist revisionism

It is recurrently argued that political ecologists, by overlooking biophysical realities, misinterpret ecological interactions and underestimate environmental degradation. This article investigates the relevance of these critiques in the case of the Malagasy highlands. It is based on an analysis of three environmental narratives: a narrative developed by European colonists at the beginning of the century; a “modern” narrative developed since the 1980s by combining data from paleobotanists, archeologists and paleontologists; and a narrative developed more recently by political ecologists. I will show that biophysical realities were actually investigated by political ecologists in Madagascar, but that their interpretation differed from those of mainstream ecologists as a result of a different way of defining, characterizing and valuing the environment. With the aim of favoring a more comprehensive understanding of environmental degradation in Madagascar, I will propose to clarify the epistemological framework of political ecology, and to bring an objective nature back into its scope of enquiry. Far from weakening political ecology, this exercise will render the discipline more resistant to the counterattacks it has received, and more powerful for building a future that will answer to both social and environmental challenges.     

电活化硫酸盐处理四环素类废水的研究

本文构建以掺硼金刚石(Boron-doped diamond,BDD)为阳极、不锈钢为阴极、硫酸盐为电解质的电化学体系,考察了电流密度、pH值、硫酸盐浓度以及初始四环素浓度等四个因素对电化学氧化降解废水中四环素的影响,运用响应曲面法对运行参数进行优化;通过电子自旋共振检测技术分析电化学反应中产生的自由基,探究了间歇通电模式下电化学体系持续氧化机理。结果表明,四个因素对TOC去除率的影响大小次序为:电流密度>初始四环素浓度>初始pH值>硫酸盐浓度,其中初始pH值和硫酸盐浓度与电流密度和初始四环素浓度的交互作用对TOC去除率的影响较为显著;最佳运行参数为pH值为5,电流密度为100 mA·cm^-2,硫酸盐浓度为0.25 mol·L^-1,初始四环素浓度为1000 mg·L^-1;间歇通电模式下,BDD电极表面产生的SO₄^·-等高活性物质间相互转化提供了体系的可持续氧化能力。该研究结果为电化学氧化技术的实际应用提供了节省能耗的有效途径。     

深海来源芳烃类降解菌筛选与盐单胞菌芘降解能力测定

海洋来源的菌株在高盐污水类修复处理中有重要的应用前景,而烃类物质是污水中的重要组成部分,其中含有多个苯环的芳香烃族化合物,对人类和环境具有较大的毒性,而目前关于多环芳烃(PAHs)厌氧代谢的相关报道相对较少。本研究以PAHs(萘、菲和芘等)为唯一碳源和能源,通过厌氧富集对太平洋深海沉积物中的PAHs降解菌展开研究。富集物细菌菌群分析结果表明,盐单胞菌属(Halomonas)、海旋菌属(Thalassospira)、海杆菌属(Marinobacter)、海洋杆菌属(Oceanobacter)和食烷菌属(Alcanivorax)等是主要的功能类群;其中盐单胞菌属是最主要的功能类群。通过筛选分离获得一高效烃降解盐单胞菌株,鉴定并命名为泰坦尼克盐单胞菌(Halomonas titanicae) PA16-9,该菌与模式菌株Halomonas titanicae BH1^T的16S rRNA相似性为99.52%。基于16S rRNA基因序列比对搜寻NCBI数据库,发现Halomonas titanicae广泛存在于废水、活性污泥、油田、湿地等有机质复杂区域,生态位分布极广,可利用丰富多样的底物。通过生长实验表明,菌株PA16-9能在厌氧条件下以硝酸盐为主要电子受体,利用芘、苯并芘和十六烷等烃类物质为唯一碳源进行生长,在培养45 d后芘的降解率达到61.9%,期间亚硝酸盐逐渐积累,浓度达到约0.24 mmol/L。盐单胞菌广泛存在于厌氧烃降解富集菌群中,暗示了盐单胞菌属在厌氧烃代谢中可能发挥了重要作用,在实际应用上具有很大潜力。     

Spatial patterns of subsistence extraction of forest products – An indirect approach for estimation of forest degradation in dry forest

Successful implementation of a forest based climate change mitigation mechanism such as REDD + depends on robust and available methods for measurement and estimation of forest degradation. Currently available methods are for application in single-hit degradation incidents in high density humid forests. However, it has been suggested that gradual degradation, especially in dry forests, is more widespread and that methods are needed for measuring and estimating associated emissions. We assess the applicability of an indirect remote sensing approach for monitoring forest degradation: infrastructure and other indicators of human activities are mapped and used for spatial prediction of degradation activities. For proxy variables we tested distance to forest edge, distance to roads, and population pressure calculated as the sum of inhabitants per pixel in the Landscan 2010 population raster dataset multiplied by an inverse power distance decay function. Wood extraction incidents were counted in 160 plots in two dry forests in Tanzania with infrastructural entry from one side only. We analyzed the spatial pattern of forest degradation as a function of the chosen proxy variables using zero inflated count models which allows for an excess of zero counts. A jack-knife bootstrap using 10,000 runs was applied to optimize the population distance decay function. We found that the impact of forest degradation is highest near high population concentration, above 1000 individuals. Furthermore, distance to nearest forest edge or road was a significant proxy for estimation of the number of wood extraction incidents (p < 0.001), where degradation incidents decreased with increasing distance to forest edge or road. At 3000 m from the forest edge towards the forest core the probability of wood extraction is 20% and dropping. The population distance decay function was found to have a steep decline indicating a relative small impact on forest degradation. Further, and perhaps larger, studies are needed to be able to recommend a distance decay function for general application in Tanzania. However, the results are useful for understanding spatial patterns of wood harvesting as a function of distance to nearest forest edge or road in dry Miombo woodland areas with average population pressure at 1685 ± 101 persons within a radius of 4000 m from the wood extraction sites.     

闽江流域水体氨氮降解系数实验模拟研究

本研究采用模拟实验对闽江流域氨氮的降解规律进行研究,降解系数采用稳态一维降解模型进行分析计算,闽江上游流域氨氮的平均降解系数为0.140~0.260 d-1,中下游流域氨氮的平均降解系数为0.099~0.203 d-1。结果表明,闽江上游流域氨氮自净能力比中下游流域的自净能力好,古田溪断面的氨氮平均降解系数低于全国的平均值,说明氨氮自净能力相对较弱,本研究为确定流域水环境容量和纳污能力及制定污染物总量控制提供科学依据。     

不同氧饱和度环境刀额新对虾幼体对微藻脂肪酸在沉积物中降解的影响研究

以中国近海典型赤潮藻中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum)为研究对象,考察不同氧饱和度环境下底栖甲壳动物对有机物在沉积物中降解的影响。通过对比不同氧饱和度培养模拟体系中中肋骨条藻在有/无刀额新对虾(Metapenaeus ensis)幼体活动背景下的降解过程,追踪中肋骨条藻中4种主要脂肪酸(C14:0,C16:0,C16:1(7)和C20:5)在100%,50%,25%和0%的氧饱和度体系中的降解行为。结果表明,100%氧饱和度体系中刀额新对虾幼体的活动能明显加快脂肪酸在沉积物中的降解(约为对照组的1.2~1.7倍),特别是对饱和脂肪酸C14:0和C16:0的作用最为明显;而在50%氧饱和度的缺氧体系中,在前三天的培养中,刀额新对虾幼体的活动逐渐减弱直至最终死亡,死亡之前的扰动增加了有机物在次表层沉积物中的埋藏并降低了其降解速率。研究还发现,在100%氧饱和度体系中,刀额新对虾幼体的扰动作用促进大量脂肪酸转移到次表层沉积物和悬浮颗粒中;而在50%氧饱和度体系中,这种转移作用明显变小。对于氧饱和度25%和0%的环境,刀额新对虾幼体在模拟培养开始后迅速死亡,对有机物质降解几乎没有影响。     

Vertical zonation and aggregated distribution of the Manila clam on subtidal sand flats in a coastal brackish lagoon along the Sea of Japan

The Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, has maintained small‐sized populations in a semi‐enclosed brackish lake along the Sea of Japan, the Honjo area of Lake Nakaumi, although the environment and biota of this area have changed dramatically due to a large‐scale reclamation project. There should be underlying processes that enable the restoration of this species from small‐sized populations, such as the existence of source (i.e. reproductive) populations in other areas and depth zones of the lake. However, there has been no robust, properly designed evaluation of the distribution of the Manila clam in the subtidal sand flats. In order to elucidate the possible mechanisms that allow for the persistence of populations of the Manila clam, we examined the spatiotemporal and vertical variation in distributions of 0‐age clams in the subtidal zone of sand flats. Seasonal effects on population variations showed erratic changes among depth zones without a decreasing trend along the depth gradient. Further, many local populations became extinct even in the shallower zones due to seasonal (summer) hypoxia at deeper zones and hypoxia by the accumulation of key benthic species (Asian mussel and decaying macroalgae) in mats at shallower zones. A few surviving local populations were stable with a spatial‐fragmental (patchy) distribution, associated with fragmented accumulations of Asian mussels and macroalgae. Efforts to maintain stable populations and to restore this species in the subtidal area may depend on these small, restricted, patchy local populations. These findings suggest that high fertility and productivity of the Manila clam as well as patchy distribution of small populations may contribute to the maintenance of the population and the avoidance of extinction (by spatially diffusing the risk of extinction) in harsh environments resulting from the reclamation project.     

若尔盖沼泽湿地的萎缩机制

1960年以来,若尔盖沼泽湿地的快速萎缩严重影响黄河上游水量补给和当地湿地生态系统,但其机制尚不清晰。基于2010—2013年野外调查、气象水文资料和遥感影像,分析若尔盖沼泽退化的主要原因与机制。尽管气温的缓慢升高,但降水量并未减少,考虑到沼泽的季节性特征,气候变暖对沼泽萎缩影响相当有限,但不是主要原因。经遥感判读和统计,共识别现有920 km的人工渠道,其疏干的沼泽面积约648.3 km2,占总萎缩面积的27%。人工开渠作为强烈的人类活动干扰,是若尔盖沼泽快速萎缩的重要原因。自然水系的溯源侵蚀长期疏干沼泽、降低地下水水位和放射状地向沼泽内部切穿是沼泽萎缩的重要机制。人工开渠连通自然水系强化沼泽内河床下切和排水作用。     

Evolution of the freeze-thaw cycles in the source region of the Yellow River under the influence of climate change and its hydrological effects

As an important water source and ecological barrier in the Yellow River Basin, the source region of the Yellow River (above the Huangheyan Hydrologic Station) presents a remarkable permafrost degradation trend due to climate change. Therefore, scientific understanding the effects of permafrost degradation on runoff variations is of great significance for the water resource and ecological protection in the Yellow River Basin. In this paper, we studied the mechanism and extent of the effect of degrading permafrost on surface flow in the source region of the Yellow River based on the monitoring data of temperature and moisture content of permafrost in 2013–2019 and the runoff data in 1960–2019. The following results have been found. From 2013 to 2019, the geotemperature of the monitoring sections at depths of 0–2.4 m increased by 0.16°C/a on average. With an increase in the thawing depth of the permafrost, the underground water storage space also increased, and the depth of water level above the frozen layer at the monitoring points decreased from above 1.2 m to 1.2–2 m. 64.7% of the average multiyear groundwater was recharged by runoff, in which meltwater from the permafrost accounted for 10.3%. Compared to 1960-1965, the runoff depth in the surface thawing period (from May to October) and the freezing period (from November to April) decreased by 1.5 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively during 1992–1997, accounting for 4.2% and 3.4% of the average annual runoff depth, respectively. Most specifically, the decrease in the runoff depth was primarily reflected in the decreased runoff from August to December. The permafrost degradation affects the runoff within a year by changing the runoff generation, concentration characteristics and the melt water quantity from permafrost, decreasing the runoff at the later stage of the permafrost thawing. However, the permafrost degradation has limited impacts on annual runoff and does not dominate the runoff changes in the source region of the Yellow River in the longterm.