Improved reliability in the interpretation of geochemical measurements by the quantification of uncertainty from sampling

All geochemical measurements require the taking of field samples, but the uncertainty that this process causes is often ignored when assessing the reliability of the interpretation, of the geochemistry or the health implications. Recently devised methods for the estimation, optimisation and reduction of this uncertainty have been evaluated by their application to the investigation of contaminated land. Uncertainty of measurement caused by primary sampling has been estimated for a range of six different contaminated land site investigations, using an increasingly recognized procedure. These site investigations were selected to reflect a wide range of different sizes, contaminants （organic and metals）, previous land uses （e.g. tin mining, railway sidings and gas works）, intended future use （housing to nature reserves） and routinely applied sampling methods. The results showed that the uncertainty on measurements was substantial, ranging from 25% to 186% of the concentration values at the different sites. Sampling was identified as the dominant source of the uncertainty （〉70% of measurement uncertainty） in most cases. The fitness-for-purpose of the measurements was judged using the optimized contaminated land investigation （OCLI） method. This identifies the optimal level of uncertainty that reduces to overall financial loss caused by the measurement procedures and the misclassification of the contamination, caused by the uncertainty. Generally the uncertainty of the actual measurements made in these different site investigations was found to be sub-optimal, and too large by a factor of approximately two. The uncertainty is usually limited by the sampling, but this can be reduced by increasing the sample mass by a factor of 4 （predicted by sampling theory）. It is concluded that knowing the value of the uncertainty enables the interpretation to be made more reliable, and that sampling is the main factor limiting most investigations. This new approach quantifies this problem for the first time, and allows sampling procedures to be critically evaluated, and modified, to improve the reliability of the geochemical assessment.     

Characterization of microbial communities associated with African desert dust and their implications for human and ecosystem health

Desert winds aerosolize several billion tons of soil-derived dust each year, including concentrated seasonal pulses from Africa and Asia. Huge dust events create an atmospheric bridge over continents and oceans, and eject a large pulse of soil-associated microorganisms into the atmosphere. These dust events might therefore have a role in expanding the biogeographical range of some microorganisms by facilitating rare long-distance dispersal events. The goal of this study is to characterize the microbes associated with African dust events and determine if they pose a risk to humans or downwind ecosystems. Air samples were collected by vacuum filtration in a source region （Mali, West Africa） during dust events and plated on R2A media to culture microorganisms. These organisms were compared to those in similar samples collected in the Caribbean during Saharan/Sahelian dust events. A high-volume liquid impinger is currently being tested in Barbados, collecting aerosol samples during African dust events. Over 100 bacteria and fungi （19 genera of bacteria and three genera of fungi） have been characterized from source region dust events.     

Study on Kailyard soil amendment by adding compost of sludge

Mixture of municipal sewage sludge and organic garbage, which was alternatively treated by aerobic and anaerobic composting technologies for 60 days. The characteristics of the compost are as follows： the total nitrogen （TN）, total phosphors （TP） and total potassium （TK） are 1.40%, 0.101% and 1908.32 mg/kg on dry weight basis, the contents of Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn are 131.23, 21.49, 1.31, 35.49, 72.50 and 616.76 mg/kg on dry weight basis. A basin-scale experiment was carded out by planting watercress with kailyard soil fertilizing with the compost, the results showed that the municipal sewage sludge and organic garbage compost could promote the production of watercress to different degrees, the crop biomass increased from 74.46% to 312.00% with the amount of compost fertilizing on the kaliyard soil while the amount of compost fertilizing on the kaliyard soil below 150 g per 3.75 kg kaliyard soil and decreased from 312.00% to 102.29% while the amount of compost fertilizing on it over 150 g per 3.75 kg kaliyard soil, so the optimal addition of compost in the watercress and soil was 150 g compost per 3.75 kg kailyard soil. Furthermore,     

山丘平原过渡区土壤重金属污染特征及评价——以四川省五通桥区为例

采集和分析了五通桥区不同功能区和乡镇73个土壤样品，以了解山丘平原过渡区土壤重金属的含量和污染特征。结果表明，重金属的平均含量为Pb32．18mg／kg、Cd0．82mg／kg、Cu28．61mg／kg、Zn108．08mg／kg、Ni32．66mg／kg、Cr72．44mg／kg；与四川土壤背景值相比，Cu、Ni、Cr的含量与之持平，Pb增加了0．11倍，Zn增加了0．32倍，Cd的积累较为严重，比背景值增加了10倍。污染评价结果显示该过渡区存在一定程度的重金属污染问题，不同功能区的污染程度排序为工业区〉生活区〉农业区。Cd在六种元素的土壤污染分担率中占55．46％，是最主要的污染元素；土壤Cd含量与Pb和Zn存在较高的相关性（相关系数为0．525和0．500），表明存在Pb—Cd和Zn—Cd的复合污染。     

川中丘陵区土壤颗粒分形特征

分析了27个紫色土丘陵区土壤样品的机械组成，运用分形模型计算出土壤颗粒分形维数D（D=2．817—3．030），探讨了分形维数D与土壤粒度组成、土壤抗蚀性之间的关系，并分析了不同土地利用方式下土壤颗粒分形维数D与土壤有机质含量（O．M）、土壤容重（B.D）的相关关系。研究表明：土壤颗粒分形维数D能够很好的表征土壤质地，重点反映〈0．05mm的细颗粒物质，尤其是粘粒，其次是粉粒；与土壤有机质含量（O．M）、土壤容重（B．D）均达到极显著水平；其次分形维数D还能作为评价土壤水土流失和土壤生态恢复的指标。     

福建省山仔水库浮游植物特征与水体富营养状况分析

采用浮游植物指示法评价了福州省山仔水库2005年不同季节水体的富营养状况,结果表明:冬、春季库区水体处于中—富营养水平,夏季发生水华微囊藻(Microcystis flos-aquae)“水华”,水体处于富营养水平,秋季水体处于中营养水平.由于浮游植物的生长状况受到多因素的影响,有必要进一步结合其他评价方法对整个水体的富营养状态做出综合判断.     

湿地生态系统碳循环过程及碳动态模型

从地上、地下有机物质生产对湿地碳输入的贡献,湿地土壤碳库以及土地利用变化对湿地土壤碳库和碳排放的影响,甲烷排放和可溶性有机碳输出以及影响因子,湿地生态系统碳循环动态模型4个方面对湿地生态系统碳循环国内外研究进展和研究成果进行综述、分析,提出了我国亚热带区域天然湿地碳循环研究的主要热点和方向:⑴沿海湿地碳库估算及土地利用转化对土壤碳库和温室气体排放的影响;⑵酸沉降对于我国东南沿海低纬度地区湿地甲烷排放的影响;⑶沿海湿地生态系统碳循环动态模型的应用与开发;⑷湿地系统可溶性有机碳的输出机理探讨.