The spatio-temporal distribution of thermodynamic forces at the land-atmosphere interface in China

Correlation analysis and the complementary relationship model are used to indirectly measure and characterize the dynamic and thermodynamic properties at the land-atmosphere interface in China.Results show that thermodynamic forces driving the exchange fluxes of energy,water and carbon between the land surface and the overlying atmosphere are significantly enhanced along the mid-upper reaches of the Yangtze River basin around Sichuan Basin and the northern region of Heilongjiang.The thermodynamic forces exh...     

Monitoring temporal and spatial trends of legacy and emerging contaminants in marine environment: results from the environmental specimen bank (es-BANK) of Ehime University, Japan

The Environmental Specimen Bank (es-BANK) for Global Monitoring at the Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Japan has more than four decades of practical experience in specimen banking. Over the years, es-BANK has archived specimens representing a wide range of environmental matrices, i.e. fishes, reptiles, birds, aquatic mammals, terrestrial mammals, human, soils, and sediments. The samples have been collected as part of the various monitoring programs conducted worldwide. The current review is a summary of selected studies conducted at the Center for Marine Environmental Studies, on temporal and spatial trends of legacy and emerging contaminants in the marine environment. One of the major conclusions drawn from the studies is that environmental problems are no more regional issues and, thus, environmental specimen banking should not be limited to national boundaries, but should have a global outlook.     

Heavy metals contamination levels at the Coast of Aliağa (Turkey) ship recycling zone

Alia?a Bay is one of the most important maritime zones of Turkey where shipping activity, shipbreaking industry, steel works and petrochemical complexes exist together. Concentrations of heavy metals and organic carbon in sediment of the Alia?a Bay were investigated to evaluate an environmental risk assessment from metals contamination in 2009-2010. Comparison of the metal concentrations with average shale and Mediterranean background levels revealed that most of the samples from the Alia?a were polluted with Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Mn and Ni. It was found that Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn and Ni levels in Alia?a Bay exceeded the PEL values. Sediments, contaminated with Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni were considered as heavily polluted per the SQG.     

The cumulative impacts of reclamation and dredging on the marine ecology and land-use in the Kingdom of Bahrain

This article assesses the ecological and economic impacts of land reclamation and dredging through consulting recent environmental impact assessment reports. Geographic features of Bahrain during 1963-2008 are produced using Geographical Information System. Extensive but inexpensive shallow coastal areas and tidal flats have been reclaimed particularly from 1997 to 2007 at a high rate of 21 km(2)/year. Formal records show the increase in the original land mass by the year 2008 to be 91 km(2). An estimated total cumulative loss of major habitats resulting from 10 reclamation projects was around 153.58 km(2). Also much larger scale impacts should be considered resulting from the borrow areas used for the extraction of sand or infill materials. A number of key habitats and species are affected in the vicinity of these projects. The study attempts to assign a monetary value to the marine ecosystem functions. There is a need for efficient coastal zone management to regulate a sustainable use of the marine resources.     

Plastic ingestion by the northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) in Iceland

In 2011, northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from Iceland were used to test the hypothesis that plastic debris decreases at northern latitudes in the Atlantic when moving away from major human centres of coastal and marine activities. Stomach analyses of Icelandic fulmars confirm that plastic pollution levels in the North Atlantic tend to decrease towards higher latitudes. Levels of pollution thus appear to link to regions of intense human coastal and marine activities, suggesting substantial current inputs in those areas.     

2010年10月25日明打威海啸地震（Mw7．8）和浅层巨大逆冲断裂引起的海啸灾害

2010年10月25日印度尼西亚明打威地震（Mw7.8）,致使苏门答腊近海明打威群岛向海一侧的俯）中带浅部发生破裂,在巴盖群岛西南的沿海地带引发了3～9m高的海啸,并夺去了至少431人的生命。对有限断层震源破裂特征的远震P波、SH波及瑞雷波的分析说明,在倾角为10。的巨大逆）中断层上破裂过程持续了大约90s,破裂速度相对较低,约为1．5km／s,在约为100km长的震源区总滑动量约为2～4m。根据地震矩所计算的能量释放为1．4×10^-6,小于2006年7月17日爪哇海啸地震（Mw7．8）的能量释放量2．4×1^-6。明打威地震致使2007年9月12日群岛地震（MW7．9）的滑动区上倾部位发生破裂,结合沿岛弧锡默卢岛西北方向近海的1907年1月4日（M7．6）海啸地震,说明印度尼西亚和其他地方发生特大俯冲地震的上倾地区的浅层逆冲破裂,特别容易引发海啸灾害。     

Assessment and analysis of rockfall-caused tree injuries in a Turkish fir stand: A case study from Kastamonu-Turkey

Rockfalls can cause serious damage to people,property,facilities and transportation corridors.Furthermore,rockfalls are major hazards in mountain areas with negative impacts on individual trees and forested ecosystems.We conducted a study of rockfall events on 117 mapped(91% of total trees in the stand with1.3 m in height and5 cm diameter at breast height)Turkish fir trees(Abies bornmuelleriana Mattf.)in a stand within the Kayaarkasi-Topular Village,Inebolu district, Kastamonu province of Turkey.The study site of 0.35 Ha is located on the transition zone of frequently passing rockfall fragments(～40 cm in diameter) generally causing healable injuries.Parameters of trees and injuries were recorded and analysed as to injury number,height and size.Bivariate correlation analysis were used to investigate the relationships between:a)diameter at breast height and number of injuries per tree,b)diameter at breast height and total injury size,c)the number of injuries and total injury size and d)the number of injuries per tree and distance from the source of the rockfall area.Results indicate that the average height of injury,average number of injuries and average injury area to be 81.3 cm(STDEV:49.8),7.46(STDEV:4.4)and 628.6 cm2 (STDEV:678.2),respectively.In total 84% of all injuries were recorded within 160°sector at the upslope side of trees and callus tissue that had closed wounds was observed in 79.1% of all injuries. Furthermore 14.5% of injured trees had callus tissue in the process of closing wounds while 6.4% of injuries had not formed any callus tissue.The most common injury types were bark and wood injuries. Bivariate correlation analysis indicated strong relationships between diameter at breast height and the number of injuries(rs=0.524),injury number and total injury area(rs=0.653)and distance from rockfall area and injury numbers relations(rs=-0.518).A weaker relationship was found between diameter at breast height and total injury area(rs=0.363).These results indicate that bigger trees are more prone to rockfall injuries.As expected,trees further from the rockfall area seem to be less prone to rockfall injuries.From our results,it can be inferred that the protection of people and property can be increased through the maintanance of forest in areas immediately below areas prone to rockfall.This stand is still managed in selective forest management system.In order to protect the settlement at the deposition zone it has to manage for protective goals with uneven-aged and multilayered stand structure.     

Ethnobotanical study towards conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants in upper catchments of Dhauli Ganga in the central Himalaya

The present study broadly focused on medicinal plant species collected from wild by the villagers for different purposes in the upper catchment of Dhauli Ganga in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve(NDBR),in the central Himalaya.A schedule based survey was conducted during the years 2003-2005 in 15 villages of Chamoli district part of the NDBR.Information was collected from collectors, vaidya(medicine man)and those dealing with domestication and marketing of the medicinal plants. The aim of the study was to understand the prioritiesed medicinal plants,their mode of collection and document their ethnobotanical uses by the Bhotiya tribal communities,in this world heritage site. During the survey,50 medicinal plants belonging to 31 families and 44 genera were documented.Out of these,70% were harvested from the wild,22% were cultivated and 8% were cultivated as well as wild harvested.Of the cultivated species,8% were found growing in the kitchen gardens and 14%in the agricultural fields.However,42%of the plants had their roots and rhizomes used followed by leaves (26%),seeds(10%),seed and leaf(8%),bark and whole plant(6%)and flower(1%).Most plants were reported to be used for rheumatism(16),followed by stomach disorder(14),cold and cough(11),and jaundice(9).Thirty three plants species were reported to have more than one therapeutic uses,while 17 species were reported to be used against single ailment.The distance of villages from road head was one of the factors contributing to the decline in the medicinal plant population in their natural habitats. The availability of medicinal plants increased with increase in distance from road head and also the peoples’dependence on them.Documentation of the traditional knowledge will help in conservation of knowledge and also opportunity for using it for future training and use.The result of this study will help in promoting sustainable cultivation and implementation in conservation protocol of those species,which are in the verge of extinction in this region.     

Dam-break flood simulation under various likely scenarios and mapping using GIS: Case of a proposed dam on River Yamuna, India

The precision modeling of dam break floods can lead to formulation of proper emergency action plan to minimize flood impacts within the economic lifetime of the assets.Application of GIS techniques in integration with hydrological modeling for mapping of the flood inundated areas can play a momentous role in further minimizing the risk and likely damages.In the present study,dam break analysis using DAMBRK model was performed under various likely scenarios.Probable Maximum Flood (PMF)calculated for a return period of 1000 years using deterministic approach was adopted for dam break analysis of the proposed dam under various combinations of breach dimensions.The available downstream river cross-sections data sets were used as input in the model to generate the downstream flood profile.Dam break flow depths generated by the DAMBRK model under various combinations of structural failure are subsequently plotted on Digital Elevation Model(DEM)of the downstream of dam site to map the likely affected area.The simulation results reveals that in one particular case the flood without dam may be more intense if a rainfall of significant intensity takes place.