Competition between enzymatic and abiotic reduction of uranium(VI) under iron reducing conditions

Reduction of U(VI) under iron reducing conditions was studied in a model system containing the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens and colloidal hematite. We focused on the competition between direct enzymatic uranium reduction and abiotic reduction of U(VI) by Fe(II), catalyzed by the hematite surface, at relatively low U(VI) concentrations (< 0.5 μM) compared to the concentrations of ferric iron (> 10 mM). Under these conditions surface catalyzed reduction by Fe(II), which was produced by dissimilatory iron reduction, was the dominant pathway for uranium reduction. Reduction kinetics of U(VI) were identical to those in abiotic controls to which soluble Fe(II) was added. Strong adsorption of U(VI) at the hematite surface apparently favored the abiotic pathway by reducing the availability of U(VI) to the bacteria. In control experiments, lacking either hematite or bacteria, the addition of 45 mM dissolved bicarbonate markedly slowed down U(VI) reduction. The inhibition of enzymatic U(VI) reduction and abiotic, surface catalyzed U(VI) reduction by the bicarbonate amendments is consistent with the formation of aqueous uranyl-carbonate complexes. Surprisingly, however, more U(VI) was reduced when dissolved bicarbonate was added to experimental systems containing both bacteria and hematite. The enhanced U(VI) reduction was attributed to the formation of magnetite, which was observed in experiments. Biogenic magnetite produced as a result of dissimilatory iron reduction may be an important agent of uranium immobilization in natural environments.     

Accumulation rates and predominant atmospheric sources of natural and anthropogenic Hg and Pb on the Faroe Islands

A monolith representing 5420 ¹⁴C yr of peat accumulation was collected from a blanket bog at Myrarnar, Faroe Islands. The maximum Hg concentration (498 ng/g at a depth of 4.5 cm) coincides with the maximum concentration of anthropogenic Pb (111 μg/g). Age dating of recent peat accumulation using ²¹⁰Pb (CRS model) shows that the maxima in Hg and Pb concentrations occur at AD 1954 ± 2. These results, combined with the isotopic composition of Pb in that sample (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb = 1.1720 ± 0.0017), suggest that coal burning was the dominant source of both elements. From the onset of peat accumulation (ca. 4286 BC) until AD 1385, the ratios Hg/Br and Hg/Se were constant (2.2 ± 0.5 × 10^-4 and 8.5 ± 1.8 × 10^-3, respectively). Since then, Hg/Br and Hg/Se values have increased, also reaching their maxima in AD 1954. The age date of the maximum concentrations of anthropogenic Hg and Pb in the Faroe Islands is consistent with a previous study of peat cores from Greenland and Denmark (dated using the atmospheric bomb pulse curve of ¹⁴C), which showed maximum concentrations in AD 1953.The average rate of atmospheric Hg accumulation from 1520 BC to AD 1385 was 1.27 ± 0.38 μg/m²/yr. The Br and Se concentrations and the background Hg/Br and Hg/Se ratios were used to calculate the average rate of natural Hg accumulation for the same period, 1.32 ± 0.36 μg/m²/yr and 1.34 ± 0.29 μg/m²/yr, respectively. These fluxes are similar to the preanthropogenic rates obtained using peat cores from Switzerland, southern Greenland, southern Ontario, Canada, and the northeastern United States. Episodic volcanic emissions and the continual supply of marine aerosols to the Faroe Islands, therefore, have not contributed significantly to the Hg inventory or the Hg accumulation rates, relative to these other areas. The maximum rate of Hg accumulation was 34 μg/m²/yr. The greatest fluxes of anthropogenic Hg accumulation calculated using Br and Se, respectively, were 26 and 31 μg/m²/yr. The rate of atmospheric Hg accumulation in 1998 (16 μg/m²/yr) is comparable to the values recently obtained by atmospheric transport modeling for Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland.     

不同水分梯度下三江平原湿地漂筏苔草无性系株高生长特性

取三江平原沼泽湿地漂筏苔草(Carexpseudocuraica)无性系种群在生长季(5~9月)进行桶栽实验,设计了6个水分梯度,即持续干旱(土壤含水量S1和S2分别为20%和50%)和持续淹水(S3、S4、S5、和S6的淹水深度分别为0cm、10cm、30cm和50cm)6个水分处理水平,研究了漂筏苔草株高生长变化规律。结果表明:在6月末以前,各水分处理(S1~S6)下株高呈单峰曲线变化,高峰值分别出现在S3、S4和S5处理下。从7月份开始直到生长季末,随着生长时期的延续、土壤湿度的增大和水位的加深株高值不断增加,即株高在S6处理下最大,S1处理下最小。到8月末以后,深水处理S6的株高远远高于其它处理。生长季各水分处理下(S1~S5)的株高增长量均呈单峰曲线变化;在S6状态下株高增长量呈双峰曲线变化。处理S1、S2、S3和S4的植株高度绝对增长速率(HAGR)随着植物生长呈逐渐降低趋势;S5和S6状态下HAGR呈单峰曲线变化。随着水分含量的增加和水位的提高(6~9月),植株高度相对增长速率(HRGR)不断增加,S1处理下最小,S6处理下最大;5月份的HRGR值呈单峰曲线变化。随着植物的生长各水分处理下植株HRGR5月时最大,6~9月依次减小。综合分析认为,漂筏苔草对水分条件的适应性较强,无论是缺水(土壤20%含水量)或淹水环境下均可生长,淹水50cm时更有利于株高的增长,不同水分条件下株高及增长速率变化幅度较大。     

基于Harris算子的遥感影像自适应特征提取方法

提出一种基于Harris算子的遥感影像自适应特征点信息提取新方法。在进行特征点自动提取时,该方法通过设计一种自适应的迭代策略,实现了特征点阈值的自动确定。在兼顾局部纹理信息的基础上,通过对影像预先的分块处理和邻近点剔除,保证了特征点在全幅影像中的均匀分布。杭州地区TM影像特征点的提取试验表明,该方法自动化程度高,提取的特征点分布均匀合理,能满足几何配准和几何纠正精度要求,具有较高的实用价值。     

Assessing catchment-scale spatial and temporal patterns of groundwater and stream salinity

Understanding catchment-scale patterns of groundwater and stream salinity are important in land- and water-salinity management. A large-scale assessment of groundwater and stream data was undertaken in the eastern Mt Lofty Ranges of South Australia using geographical information systems (GIS), regional scale hydrologic data, hydrograph separation and hydrochemical techniques. Results of the study show: (1) salts were mostly of marine origin (75%), while sulfate and bicarbonate from mineral weathering comprised most of the remainder, (2) elevated groundwater salinities and stable water isotopic compositions similar to mean rainfall indicated that plant transpiration was the primary salt accumulation mechanism, (3) key factors explaining groundwater salinity were geology and rainfall, with overall catchment salinity inversely proportional to average annual rainfall, and groundwater salinity ‘hotspots’ (EC >8 mS/cm) associated with geological formations comprising sulfidic marine siltstones and shales, (4) shallow groundwater correlated with elevated stream salinity, implying that baseflow contributed to stream salt loads, with most of the annual salt load (estimated to be 24,500 tonnes) occurring in winter when baseflow volume was highest. Salt-load analysis using stream data could be a practical, low-cost technique to rapidly target the investigation of problem areas within a catchment.     

Sources of very high heavy metal content in soils of volcanic island (La Réunion)

The objective of this study was to conduct an inventory of heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the soils of La Réunion. 39 sampling sites were selected to cover the distribution of soils of the island. The results show that soils of La Réunion are rich in heavy metals: most of them exceed the French standard values beyond which sewage sludge spreading is not authorized. To identify the sources of heavy metals, we used: (i) the relationship between the heavy metal content in soils and the origin of the volcanic parent material; (ii) the comparison of heavy metal content between cultivated and uncultivated soils; and (iii) the heavy metal distribution in soil profiles. Cd and Pb evolution in soil profiles indicate an impact of human activities. High Hg concentrations in soils can be explained by the volcanic activity of the island. For Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn, we demonstrate that high concentrations in soils are mainly determined by the natural pedo-geochemical background.     

用ANUDEM建立水文地貌关系正确DEM的方法研究

针对区域尺度的径流、水土流失定量评价和植被适宜性评价等研究工作需要,利用1∶25万数字地形图和ANUDEM软件,对黄土丘陵区中等分辨率水文地貌关系正确DEM建立方法进行了研究。结果表明该方法所建立的DEM,可以正确反映地貌梁、沟结构及其与流水线网络的关系,对地形描述的能力优于TIN方法建立的DEM;利用ANUDEM和1∶25万地形图插值建立黄土丘陵区DEM的三个主要参数分别为分辨率50或100,计算迭代次数40,第二糙率系数0.8。     

Multi-gas Emissions Pathways to Meet Climate Targets

So far, climate change mitigation pathways focus mostly on CO₂ and a limited number of climate targets. Comprehensive studies of emission implications have been hindered by the absence of a flexible method to generate multi-gas emissions pathways, user-definable in shape and the climate target. The presented method ‘Equal Quantile Walk’ (EQW) is intended to fill this gap, building upon and complementing existing multi-gas emission scenarios. The EQW method generates new mitigation pathways by ‘walking along equal quantile paths’ of the emission distributions derived from existing multi-gas IPCC baseline and stabilization scenarios. Considered emissions include those of CO₂ and all other major radiative forcing agents (greenhouse gases, ozone precursors and sulphur aerosols). Sample EQW pathways are derived for stabilization at 350 ppm to 750 ppm CO₂ concentrations and compared to WRE profiles. Furthermore, the ability of the method to analyze emission implications in a probabilistic multi-gas framework is demonstrated. The probability of overshooting a 2 ^∘C climate target is derived by using different sets of EQW radiative forcing peaking pathways. If the probability shall not be increased above 30%, it seems necessary to peak CO₂ equivalence concentrations around 475 ppm and return to lower levels after peaking (below 400 ppm). EQW emissions pathways can be applied in studies relating to Article 2 of the UNFCCC, for the analysis of climate impacts, adaptation and emission control implications associated with certain climate targets. See for EQW-software and data.     

Soil detachment and transport on field‐ and laboratory‐scale interrill areas: erosion processes and the size‐selectivity of eroded sediment

Field‐ and laboratory‐scale rainfall simulation experiments were carried out in an investigation of the temporal variability of erosion processes on interrill areas, and the effects of such variation upon sediment size characteristics. Poorly aggregated sandy soils from the semi‐arid environment of Senegal, West Africa, were used on both a 40 m² field plot and a 0·25 m² laboratory plot; rainfall intensity for all experiments was 70 mm h^?1 with a duration of 1 to 2 hours. Time‐series measurements were made of the quantity and the size distribution of eroded material: these permitted an estimate of the changing temporal balance between the main erosion processes (splash and wash). Results from both spatial scales showed a similar temporal pattern of runoff generation and sediment concentration. For both spatial scales, the dominant erosional process was detachment by raindrops; this resulted in a dynamic evolution of the soil surface under raindrop impact, with the rapid formation of a sieving crust followed by an erosion crust. However, a clear difference was observed between the two scales regarding the size of particles detached by both splash and wash. While all measured values were lower than the mean weight diameter (MWD) value of the original soil (mean 0·32 mm), demonstrating the size‐selective nature of wash and splash processes, the MWD values of washed and splashed particles at the field scale ranged from 0·08 to 0·16 mm and from 0·12 to 0·30 mm respectively, whereas the MWD values of washed and splashed particles at the laboratory scale ranged from 0·13 to 0·29 mm and from 0·21 to 0·32 mm respectively. Thus only at the field scale were the soil particles detached by splash notably coarser than those transported by wash. This suggests a transport‐limited erosion process at the field scale. Differences were also observed between the dynamics of the soil loss by wash at the two scales, since results showed wider scatter in the field compared to the laboratory experiments. This scatter is probably related to the change in soil surface characteristics due to the size‐selectivity of the erosion processes at this spatial scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.