A quantitative study of the degradation of whale bone lipids: Implications for the preservation of fatty acids in marine sediments

The degradation and preservation affecting the biomarker record of ancient metazoa are not fully understood. We report on a five month experiment on the fate of fatty acids (FAs) during the degradation of recent whale vertebrae (Phocoena phocoena). Whale bones were analysed for extractable FAs and macromolecularly bound n-acyl compounds. Fresh bone showed extractable FAs dominated by 16:1ω7c, 16:0, 18:1ω9c and 18:0. Calculated degradation rate constant (k) values showed a rapid decrease in FA concentration, with k values higher for unsaturated than for saturated compounds (0.08/day for 18:1ω9c, 0.05/day for 16:0). The appearance or increased abundance of distinctive methyl branched (e.g. i/ai-15:0 and -17:0, 10Me-16:0) and hydroxy FAs (e.g. 10OH-16:0 and 10OH-18:0) were observed, providing clear evidence for the microbial degradation of bone organic matter and an input of lipids from specialised bacteria. Catalytic hydropyrolysis (HyPy) of demineralised extraction residues released up to 0.13% of the total n-C₁₆ and n-C₁₈ moieties in the degraded bones. This revealed that only a small, yet sizeable, portion of bone-derived fatty acyl units was sequestered into (proto)kerogen during the earliest stages of degradation.     

Macroalgae in the coral reefs of Eilat (Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea) as a possible indicator of reef degradation

The current state of health of the coral reefs in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), notably the Eilat reefs, is under debate regarding both their exact condition and the causes of degradation. A dearth of earlier data and unequivocal reliable indices are the major problems hinder a clear understanding of the reef state. Our research objective was to examine coral-algal dynamics as a potential cause and an indication of reef degradation. The community structure of stony corals and algae along the northern Gulf of Aqaba reveal non-seasonal turf algae dominancy in the shallow Eilat reefs (up to 72%), while the proximate Aqaba reefs present negligible turf cover (<6%). We believe that turf dominancy can indicate degradation in these reefs, based on the reduction in essential reef components followed by proliferation of perennial turf algae. Our findings provide further evidence for the severe state of the Eilat coral reefs.     

Assessment of climate change adaptation costs for the U.S. road network

The U.S. road network is one of the nation's most important capital assets and is vital to the functioning of the U.S. economy. Maintaining this asset involves approximately $134 billion of government funds annually from Federal, State, and local agencies. Climate change may represent a risk or an opportunity to this network, as changes in climate stress will affect the resources necessary for both road maintenance and construction projects. This paper develops an approach for estimating climate-related changes in road maintenance and construction costs such that the current level of service provided by roads is maintained over time. We estimate these costs under a baseline scenario in which annual mean global temperature increases by 1.5 °C in 2050 relative to the historical average and a mitigation scenario under which this increase in mean temperature is limited to 1.0 °C. Depending on the nature of the changes in climate that occur in a given area, our analysis suggests that climate change may lead to a reduction in road maintenance and/or construction costs or an increase in costs. Overall, however, our analysis shows that climate change, if unchecked, will increase the annual costs of keeping paved and unpaved roads in service by $785 million in present value terms by 2050. When not discounted, this figure increases to $2.8 billion. Policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to reduce these costs by approximately $280 million in present value terms and by $885 million when not discounted. These costs vary substantially by region and time period, information that should be important for transportation planners at the national, state, and local levels.     

A landcover change study of takyr surfaces in Turkmenistan

The shortage of fresh water in Turkmenistan may be partially alleviated by runoff water from takyrs. However, anthropogenic degradation of takyrs over the past few decades has reduced their efficacy as catchment areas. The main goal of this study was to map the spatial extent of takyrs and their change over time. Digital image processing of Landsat MSS and Landsat 7 ETM+ images were used to identify, map and classify the takyrs and estimate their overall area and degradation rates. Thereafter, a change detection procedure was applied. Results retrieved from Landsat MSS images of southern Turkmenistan (1972-1975) showed a total area of non-degraded takyr surfaces of ∼20,000 km², whereas those from Landsat 7 ETM+ images (2002-2003) showed a total non-degraded takyr area of ∼16,000 km². These include ∼8000 km² which were degraded and ∼4000 km² that were only detected by the ETM+ due to its improved spectral resolution. Accuracy was assessed by comparing the Landsat results with higher spatial resolution images of QuickBird. Additional ground points located with GPS measurements validated the classification results. We were thus able to assess the takyr areas degraded over the past decades, and find ∼16,000 km² of non-degraded takyrs suitable for water harvesting.     

Fe-TiO2的制备及在可见光下催化降解对硝基苯胺

采用水热法自制了铁掺杂的锐钛矿型铁二氧化钛光催化剂Fe-TiO2。通过分析对硝基苯胺溶液的初始浓度、二氧化钛掺铁量、TiO2用量和溶液的pH值对光催化速率的影响,研究了Fe-TiO2光催化对硝基苯胺动力学行为。结果表明,在对硝基苯胺的初始浓度为25mg／L,Fe-TiO2掺铁量为0．2％（摩尔分数）,TiO2用量为0．1g／L,溶液pH=6,室温下可见光照反应10h,对硝基苯胺的降解率D和表观反应速率常数k达到最大。光催化反应符合L-H动力学规律,对硝基苯胺的降解过程为拟一级反应,k为0．0314h^-1。     

From Objective Environmental Problems to Subjective Environmental Concern: A Multilevel Analysis Using 30 Indicators of Environmental Quality

This article analyzes the effect of environmental degradation, the affluence hypothesis, and postmaterialist theory to assess the environmental concern of individuals in 51 countries. The hypotheses are tested using a multilevel analysis that employs an unprecedented number of objective indicators of environmental degradation, using the World Values Survey 6th wave (2010–2014). The results support the degradation hypotheses, where the importance of water scarcity in a country and national biodiversity are the major variables that explain individual environmental concern among all the indicators of environmental degradation. The affluence hypothesis is rejected and the postmaterialist theory is supported only at the individual level.     

Index test for the degradation potential of carbonate sands during hydraulic transportation

Carbonate sands undergo degradation when transported hydraulically from a dredging vessel to the reclamation site. Risks involved in the production of fines during hydraulic transport are a deterioration of the mechanical properties of the fill in certain areas of the reclamation area where these fines concentrate. In order to assess sand degradation in the concrete and road construction industry, the Micro-Deval test for fine aggregates was developed in France and Canada. During Micro-Deval testing, aggregates degrade when tumbled in a rotating steel drum with water and steel balls. In the Canadian standard, the steel charge is lower than in the French standard and balls have the diameter of the smallest balls used in the French test. During testing, the quantity of fines produced is measured. This makes the Micro-Deval test an option for assessing the degradation of sand during hydraulic transportation of slurries in the dredging industry. Three sands are tested: two shelly carbonate sands and one quartzic river sand for comparison. The carbonate sands were sampled on reclaimed land and had been subjected to hydraulic transportation in pipeline before artificial deposition. Due to differences in particle shape, the carbonate sands and the quartz sand have a different number of contacts with the steel charge in the drum of the Micro-Deval and are not exposed to the same degradation forces during testing. It was found that the quartzic sand suffers relatively much degradation as compared to the carbonate sands, despite its greater hardness and resistance to crushability. The French test appears to create turbulence that promotes floatation of the curved shells of the carbonate sands instead of shell grinding at the bottom of the drum by contact with the steel balls. Microscopic observations of sand samples before and after testing showed that the French Micro-Deval test is too destructive. The test leads to the fragmentation by impact of the quartz sands and the destruction of certain particle types that had survived hydraulic transportation. With respect to the Canadian test, microscopic examination of sand grains before and after testing shows there is still much fragmentation of quartz grains. A lower rotational speed combined with a limited steel charge made of uniform balls of a smaller diameter, reduces turbulence, shell floatability and last but not the least, impact forces. It produces the desired result: a high Micro-Deval loss for the carbonate sands in comparison to that for the quartz sands and a very limited fragmentation of the quartz grains. Once the slurry reaches its destination, the grain size distribution of the fines fraction will influence the mechanical behaviour of mixed sands. A procedure is proposed to measure the particle size distribution of the fines fraction produced during Micro-Deval testing.Field validation is needed to validate preliminary laboratory results.     

A Consistent Soil Fatigue Framework Based on the Number of Equivalent Cycles

Cyclic soil degradation and hardening affects soil stiffness and strength, and is linked to an increase or decrease in the mean effective confining stress due to void ratio or pore pressure changes. This change of state can be explicitly modeled by using effective stress methods, or implicitly modeled using total stress methods. In the latter, this is achieved by using empirical functions based on the number of loading cycles that are derived from constant-amplitude stress or strain laboratory tests. To suite generalized loading conditions, these functions must be extrapolated to variable-amplitude loading. This falls under the general class of a fatigue-based problem. The main focus of this paper is to present a generalized consistent soil fatigue formulation for soils under cyclic loading. The paper then goes on to discuss the implementation of various cyclic soil degradation and hardening models reported in the literature, and highlights their important underlying assumptions, capabilities and limitations.     

恢复生态学及其发展

简述了国内外恢复生态学的发展概况,分析了我国在生态系统退化的原因、生态学过程以及退化生态系统恢复重建的方法和生态学机理等方面的研究进展。针对我国在恢复生态学研究和退化生态系统恢复实践中存在的问题,提出了加强我国恢复生态学研究的建议。     

冀西北水晶屯金矿床剥蚀程度的判别方法

从冀西北水晶屯金矿近矿围岩蚀变的空间组合、金的指示元素的空间特征、黄铁矿标型特征等多方面地质数据资料入手，来判别矿床的剥蚀程度，认为该金矿床剥蚀程度正处在矿体的中上部。