Effects of substrate differences on water availability for Arctic lichens during the snow-free summers in the High Arctic glacier foreland

We used observational and experimental analyses to investigate the photosynthetic activity and water relationships of five lichen species attached to different substrates in a glacier foreland in the High Arctic, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (79°N) during the snow-free season in 2009 and 2010. After the rains ceased, lichens and their attached substrates quickly dried, whereas photosynthetic activity in the lichens decreased gradually. The in situ photosynthetic activity was estimated based on the relative electron transportation rate (rETR) in four fruticose lichens: Cetrariella delisei, Flavocetraria nivalis, Cladonia arbuscula ssp. mitis, and Cladonia pleurota. The rETR approached zero around noon, although the crustose lichen Ochrolechia frigida grown on biological soil crust (BSC) could acquire water from the BSC and retain its WC to perform positive photosynthesis. The light-rETR relationship curves of the five well-watered lichens were characterized into two types: shade-adapted with photoinhibition for the fruticose lichens, and light-adapted with no photoinhibition for O. frigida. The maximum rETR was expected to occur when they could acquire water from the surrounding air or from substrates during the desiccation period. Our results suggest that different species of Arctic lichens have different water availabilities due to their substrates and/or morphological characteristics, which affect their photosynthetic active periods during the summer.     

污水处理型人工湿地构建中几个问题的探讨

污水处理型人工湿地是利用基质、湿生植物协同净化水体污染物,具有良好的景观价值与生态功能。目前,人工湿地的实际构建中,在基质和植物选择、运行管理中存在一系列问题,就这几方面问题进行分析并探讨解决方案和思路。     

The Microbial Metabolic Characteristics in the Course of Sulfate-Reduction

Acid-producing phase reactor of two-phase anaerobic treatment process has remarkable advantages treating sulfate-laden wastewater. In order to investigate SRB population‘s capability of utilizing substrate and the microbial acidification type formed during the course of sulfate reduction, continuous-flow and batch tests were conducted in a continuous stirred tank bio-film reactor supplied with sodium sulfate as electron acceptor. The experimental results demonstrated that the acidification type formed b...     

人工湿地脱氮除磷的效果与机理研究进展

人工湿地作为一种低耗高效的污水处理系统正在被广泛应用于各种类型的污水处理,不仅对有机污染物有较强的降解能力,而且对传统的二级处理难以去除的氮磷也有较好的去除效果。人工湿地污水处理系统是一个复合生态工程系统,其对污染的去除机理是一个错综复杂的过程,基质、水生植物和微生物共同发挥着重要作用。综述了人工湿地脱氮除磷的效果与机理,讨论了基质、水生植物、微生物及其他外界因素对系统处理效果的影响及氮磷去除的预测模型,提出了当前人工湿地研究中存在的问题和提高人工湿地脱氮除磷能力的对策。     

The significance of atmospheric nutrient inputs and canopy interception of precipitation during ecosystem development in piñon–juniper woodlands of the southwestern USA

In arid ecosystems, widely spaced vegetation and prolonged dry periods may enhance canopy capture of nutrients from dry deposition. Additionally, differences in precipitation type, plant canopy architecture, and soil nutrient limitation could affect canopy exchange of atmospherically derived nutrients. We collected bulk precipitation and throughfall underneath piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) along a substrate age gradient to determine if canopy interception or throughfall chemistry differed among tree species, season, or substrate age. The Substrate Age Gradient of Arizona consists of four sites with substrate ages ranging from 1 ky to 3000 ky-old, which exhibit classic variations in soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability with substrate age. Greater nutrient inputs below canopies than in intercanopy areas suggest throughfall contributes to the “islands of fertility” effect. Canopy interception of precipitation did not differ between tree species, but was greater in the summer/fall than winter/spring. We found that net canopy retention of atmospherically derived N was generally greater when N availability in the soil was low, but retention also occurred when N availability was relatively high. Taken together, our results were inconclusive in determining whether the degree of soil nutrient limitation alters canopy exchange of plant growth-limiting nutrients.     

环境因子对硬壳蛤Mercenaria mercenaria稚贝成活率和生长率的影响

采用室内模拟的方法，对盐度、饵料、底质和温度对硬壳蛤稚贝成活率和生长率的影响进行了研究。结果表明，硬壳蛤稚贝存活和生长的适宜盐度范围为18－42，最适盐度范围为24－36。从稚贝成活率看，几种单胞藻的饲育效果顺序为：等鞭金藻＞美国扁藻＞混合藻＞亚心形扁藻＞大溪等鞭金藻＞三角褐指藻＞小球藻＞中肋骨条藻；但从稚贝日生长率看，几种单胞藻的饲育效果顺序为：混合藻＞等鞭金藻＝美国扁藻＝亚心形扁藻＞大溪等鞭金藻＞三角褐指藻＞小球藻＞中肌骨条藻。硬壳蛤对底质环境有一定的选择性，稚贝在纯砂底质中的成活率和日生长率均高于在纯海泥底质中，但砂的粒径大小对稚贝成活率和日生长率没有明显影响。硬壳蛤稚贝具有很强的耐高温能力，在室内控温条件下，能够耐受30－35℃的高温，但在室外自然温度条件下，当温度为21．8－35．4℃（平均为30．1℃）时，稚贝成活率却很低，无砂情况下只有32％，有砂情况下为零。     

Potential use of mangroves as constructed wetland for municipal sewage treatment in Futian, Shenzhen, China

A pilot-scale mangrove wetland was constructed in Futian, Shenzhen for municipal sewage treatment. Three identical belts (length: 33m, width: 3m, depth: 0.5m) were filled with stone (bottom), gravel and mangrove sand (surface). Seedlings of two native mangrove species (Kandelia candel, Aegiceras corniculatum) and one exotic species (Sonneratia caseolaris) were transplanted to the belts with one species for each belt. The hydraulic loading was 5m(3)d(-1) and hydraulic retention time 3d. High levels of removal of COD, BOD(5), TN, TP and NH(3)-N were obtained. The treatment efficiency of S. caseolaris and A. corniculatum was higher than that of K. candel. Faster plant growth was obtained for S. caseolaris. The substrate in the S. caseolaris belt also showed higher enzyme activities including dehydrogenase, cellulase, phosphatase, urease and beta-glucosidase. The removal rates of organic matter and nutrients were positively correlated with plant growth. The results indicated that mangroves could be used in a constructed wetland for municipal sewage treatment, providing post-treatment to remove coliforms was also included.     

广东从化地区晴朗夜间露水凝结研究

在全球变化环境压力下,非干旱地区露水研究对露水沉降规律的认识及其生态效应研究具有重要意义.文中以非干旱地区为研究区域,采用布片法对晴朗夜间的露水进行了研究.结果表明,各个季节的露水发生频率和露水凝结量明显受季节变化的影响,不同季节露水发生和凝结各不相同.秋季露水发生频率较高,达80﹪,春季露水频率较小,不到30﹪.就平均每晚露水量看,夏季和秋季无明显差异,但都显著高于冬季和春季.夜间最大露水量发生在秋冬季,大约0.23 mm.此外,下垫面对露水具有重要影响,不同下垫面上凝结的露水量不同,有植被覆盖的下垫面在夏秋季节凝结的露水量显著高于混凝土上凝结的露水量.研究结果说明,在环境管理中,应增加地表植被的覆盖,促进露水凝结.     

Effect of streambed sediment on benthic ecology

Benthic macroinvertebrates have been commonly used as indicator species for assessment of aquatic ecology. Streambed sediment, or substrate, plays an important role in habitat conditions for macroinvertebrate communities. Field investigations were done to study the benthic diversity and macroinvertebrate compositions in various stream substrata. Sampling sites with different bed sediment, latitude, and climate were selected along the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, the East River, and the Juma River, in China. The results show that benthic community structures found in different substrata clearly differ, while those found in substrata of similar composition and flow conditions but in different macroclimates are similar. The study, thus, demonstrates that the benthic macroinvertebrate community is mainly affected by substrate composition and flow conditions, but is generally unaffected by latitudinal position and macroclimate. Taxa richness of the maeroinvertebrate community was found to be the highest on hydrophyte-covered cobbles, high on moss-covered bedrock, and low on clay beds and cobble beds devoid of plant biomass. Sandy beds are compact and unstable, thus, no benthic macroinvertebrates were found colonizing such substrata. Aquatic insects account for most of the macroinvertebrates collected in these rivers. Different insects dominate in different types of substrata： mainly EPT species （Ephemeroptera, Ptecoptera, Tfichoptera） in cobble, gravel, and moss-covered bedrock; and Chironomidae larvae in clay beds. The relation between the number of species in the samples and the size of the sampling area fits a power function of the species area. One square meter （lm） is suggested as the minimum sampling area. A substrate suitability index is proposed by integrating the suitability of sediment, periphyton, and benthic organic materials for macroinvertebrates. The biodiversity of macroinvertebrates increases linearly with the substrate suitability index. Benthic taxa richness increases linearly with the suitability index.