Background concentrations of elements in surface soils and their changes as affected by agriculture use in the desert-oasis ecotone in the middle of Heihe River Basin,North-west China

The concentrations of twenty four chemical elements in the surface layer of natural desert soils and the cultivated farmland soils were measured at a desert-oasis ecotone in the middle of Heihe river basin, north-west China. Background values were estimated for (a) major elements (Si 335.3 g kg^− 1, Al 49.4 g kg^− 1, Fe 19.1 g kg^− 1, Ca 29.4 g kg^− 1, Mg 8.9 g kg^− 1, K 20.1 g kg^− 1, Na 17.5 g kg^− 1 and P 0.338 g kg^− 1), (b) heavy metals and non-metals (Cr 55.8 mg kg^− 1, Mn 404.8 mg kg^− 1, Ni 17.7 mg kg^− 1, Cu 5.1 mg kg^− 1, Zn 33.7 mg kg^− 1, Pb 15.5 mg kg^− 1 and As 5.2 mg kg^− 1) and (c) other trace elements (Ti 2.0 mg kg^− 1, V 55.3 mg kg^− 1, Co 5.7 mg kg^− 1, Rb 82.4 mg kg^− 1, Sr 232.9 mg kg^− 1, Y 14.7 mg kg^− 1, Zr 194.9 mg kg^− 1, Nb 7.8 mg kg^− 1 and Ba 720.6 mg kg^− 1). After natural desert soil was cultivated for agricultural use, significant changes in element concentrations occurred under tillage, irrigation and fertilisation management. Compared to natural soil, the for the levels of Si, K, Na, Sr, Zr and Ba decreased, and no changes were observed for Rb, while the values of the other 17 elements increase in agricultural soil from 1.2 to 3.5 times. However, their absolute concentrations are still low, suggesting that the arable soil in this region remains comparatively a clean soil. The increased silt, clay and organic carbon content, under long-term irrigation, enriched the fine-grained materials, and application of fertilisers and manure contributed to the accumulation of most elements in arable soil. The accumulation of elements in agricultural soil increased with increasing cultivation years and extent of soil development.     

Methodology for preliminary assessment of Natech risk in urban areas

Concern for natural hazard-triggered technological disasters (Natech disasters) in densely populated and industrialized areas is growing. Residents living in urban areas subject to high natural hazard risk are often unaware of the potential for secondary disasters such as hazardous materials releases from neighboring industrial facilities, chemical storage warehouses or other establishments housing hazardous materials. Lessons from previous disasters, such as the Natech disaster during the Kocaeli earthquake in Turkey in 1999 call for the need to manage low frequency/high consequence events, particularly in today’s densely populated areas. However, there is little guidance available on how local governments and communities can assess Natech risk. To add to the problem, local governments often do not have the human or economic resources or expertise to carry out detailed risk assessments. In this article, we propose a methodology for preliminary assessment of Natech risk in urban areas. The proposed methodology is intended for use by local government officials in consultation with the public. The methodology considers possible interactions between the various systems in the urban environment: the physical infrastructure (e.g., industrial plants, lifeline systems, critical facilities), the community (e.g., population exposed), the natural environment (e.g., delicate ecosystems, river basins), and the risk and emergency management systems (e.g., structural and nonstructural measures). Factors related to vulnerability and hazard are analyzed and qualitative measures are recommended. Data from hazardous materials releases during the Kocaeli, Turkey earthquake of August 17, 1999 are used as a case study to demonstrate the applicability of the methodology. Limitations of the proposed methodology are discussed as well as future research needs.

Simulating a heavy metal spill under estuarine conditions: Effects on the clam Scrobicularia plana

We describe the effect of heavy metals Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu on the induction of methallothioneins on the clam Scrobicularia plana along a salinity gradient simulated under laboratory conditions. The clams were exposed to constant heavy metal concentrations in a dynamic estuary simulator during a 15-day assay to investigate possible induction of metal-binding proteins in them. The concentration of heavy metals in water was analysed. Clams were analysed for methallothionein concentrations. The speciation of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu along the salinity gradient was modelled. Zn showed the highest concentrations and its prevalent species was the free ion. Intersite differences have been observed in methallothionein concentration and related to the salinity gradient. It seems that synthesis of methallothioneins is the result of physiological forces acting in concert with the changes in the chemical speciation of metals, owing to the trace metals uptake is controlled by means of an interaction of physiology and physicochemistry.     

大窑湾海域水化要素分布及相关关系的探讨

本文依据大窑湾的环境调查资料为基础，系统地阐述了水体中化学要素ｐＨ、盐度、透明度、ＤＯ、ＣＯＤ、ＴＯＣ、浊度、悬浮物、ＮＨ４－Ｎ、ＮＯ２－Ｎ、ＮＯ３－Ｎ、ＰＯ４－Ｐ、ＳｉＯ３－Ｓｉ、Ｃｕ、Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ、Ｃｄ、Ａｓ、Ｈｇ、Ｃｒ、硫化物、六六六、石油等分布规律。诸要素主要是在潮流水动力支配下，形成扩散带。各要素中仅有无机氮和ＰＯ４－Ｐ两项含量超标，其余要素含量范围都是处于海水正常浓度水平，属于一类海水水质。文章并对各要素进行相关关系分析。     

藻体海水培养液中铜的化学存在形式

采用金属络合物通式模型,在IBM-PC计算机上计算了不同pH(7.5～9.5)、碱度(2.3～2.5mmol dm~(-3))和加入不同浓度的铜离子(1.0×10~(-4)～1.0mg dm~(-3))条件下,海水培养液中铜的主要化学存在形式分配的百分数。还给出了计算机程序框图和主要化学存在形式含量的百分数随pH、碱度和铜浓度变化图。     

Effects of chemical ecological adjustment and control experiment on phytoplankton community in the Aoshan Bay

There is a low nutrient level in the Aoshan Bay. In June 1999, the chemical adjustmentand control experiment was made in the Aoshan Bay. Following tracts investigation was carried out before the experiment and on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 45th day/after the experiment. While the variance of amount of phytoplankton, the replacement of superior species and the species composition of phytoplankton were researched. The results show that the amount of phytoplankton in the Aoshan Bay rises gradually after the experiment. Ceratium macroceros Cleve of pyrophyta was the dominant species before the experiment, its dominant index was 37.7％. Six days after the experiment, its dominant index dropped to 17.6％ . Meanwhile the dominant index of Asterionella japanics Cleve rose from 7.1％ to 39.2％ , it became the first dominant species. Forty-five days after the experiment, the amount of phytoplankton in the Aoshan Bay was 5.15 to 137.32 times more than that in 1997.     

Variability in the nutritional value of the major copepods in Cape Cod Bay (Massachusetts, USA) with implications for right whales

The North Atlantic right whale, a seriously endangered species, is found in Cape Cod Bay (Massachusetts, USA) during the winter and early spring. During their residency in these waters, these whales are frequently observed feeding. This study evaluated spatial and temporal changes in the chemical composition (carbon weight and C/N ratio) of the food resource targeted by the right whales in Cape Cod Bay. The three taxa measured (Centropages typicus, Pseudocalanus spp., and Calanus finmarchicus) had highly variable chemical compositions resulting from the different life strategies and from fluctuations in their surrounding environment. The impact of seasonal variability in the energy densities of the food resource of right whales was calculated and compared to the energetic requirements of these whales. Calculations indicated that differences in the nutritional content of the zooplankton prey in Cape Cod Bay could have a considerable effect on the nutrition available to the right whales. Therefore, it is likely that using more precise estimates of the energetic densities of the prey of right whales would lead to a re‐evaluation of the adequacy of the food resource available to these whales in the North Atlantic.     

翅碱蓬(Suaeda heteroptera)根际与非根际沉积物常见重金属总量及化学形态变化

原子吸收光谱法和等离子光谱法分别研究了潮滩盐沼植物翅碱蓬(Suaedaheterop-tera)根际与非根际(根上部和根下部)沉积物中Cu、Zn、Pb和Cd的总量和化学形态。结果表明,从总量来看,不同潮滩沉积物中4种重金属次序均为Zn>Pb>Cu>Cd,但同一元素随潮滩位置变化明显,尤以中潮滩差异最显著,重金属总量明显大于其他两个潮滩(低潮滩和高潮滩),特别是根际沉积物中的重金属总量远高于非根际沉积物总量,其比值分别为Cu3·4—4·2倍,Zn2·2—2·7倍,Pb3·2—3·3倍。同一潮滩均表现为根际沉积物>根上部>根下部。Cd含量相对较低,其变化不明显。从化学形态看,沉积物重金属表现为环境直接影响态(交换态和有机结合态)、环境间接影响态(碳酸盐态和铁锰氧化物态)和稳定态(残渣态)。与非根际沉积物相比,根际沉积物中重金属的化学形态发生了显著的变化,Cu和Pb以稳定态为主,其次为环境间接影响态,环境直接影响态最低;Zn与上述2种金属不同,以环境直接影响态含量最高(可交换态是有机结合态的7倍),其次分别为环境间接影响态(主要是碳酸盐结合态)和稳定态。实验结果表明,由于特异根圈效应,一方面该植物使可迁移形态的Cu和Pb在根际逐步得到矿化,使其生物可利用性降低;另一方面使Zn的生物可利用性提高,促进了植物对Zn的吸收利用。     

Analysis, synthesis and modelling of high-resolution observations of salt-marsh eco-geomorphological patterns in the Venice lagoon

The present paper describes observations, analyses and models of salt-marsh channel network and vegetation patterns with the aim of contributing to the development of predictive models of ecological and morphological co-evolution. Existing and new observations are described, with particular emphasis on remote sensing and ancillary field surveys, which are shown to allow reliable, accurate and repeatable quantitative characterizations of landform and vegetation properties over the spatial scales of interest. The observed channel network morphological characters are then used as the basis and validation of models describing the emergence of channel network and vegetation spatial patterns. In particular, with reference to observations performed in the Venice Lagoon, the note describes: (i) new, 2-cm resolution, characterizations of channel network geometry obtained from “proximal sensing” photographic observations; (ii) the reliable quantitative maps of salt-marsh vegetation which may be retrieved from hyperspectral remote sensing data and field ancillary observations; (iii) a synthesis of recent and new analyses of the statistical properties of vegetation and landform spatial organization, that may be inferred from the maps so derived; (iv) recent and new conceptual and quantitative ecological and geomorphic models developed and validated by remote-sensing and field observations. A coherent observational and theoretical eco-morphodynamic framework is then proposed.     

海桑属红树植物遗传多样性和引种关系研究

以海南东寨港红树林自然保护区内无瓣海桑(Sonneratia apetala)、海南海桑(S.hainanensis)、拟海桑(S.paracaseolaris)、杯萼海桑(S.abla)、大叶海桑(S.ovata)、海桑(S.caseolaris)等6种海桑属红树植物为材料,对15个有效引物进行RAPD分析,共扩增出512条带,其中多态性条带为297,占总扩增条带的58.01%.Nei指数法分析和UPGMA统计分析表明,6种海桑属红树植物分为A,B,C3个组,平均遗传距离为0.38.A组包括无瓣海桑、海南海桑、大叶海桑、怀萼海桑,其中无瓣海桑、海南海桑、大叶海桑处于同一个亚组.B组包括拟海桑.C组包括海桑.对海南和福建无瓣海桑种群进行RAPD分析.对Shannon表型多样性指数统计结果表明,福建种群为0.669,海南种群为0.671,各种群遗传变异较大,这与无瓣海桑种群广泛的适应性相一致.对种群间的Shannon表型多样性指数分析表明,种群内的遗传变异占整个遗传变异的93.3%,而种群间的遗传变异仅占6.7%.这表明无瓣海桑种群的大部分遗传变异存在于种群内,而种群间的遗传变异较小.由此可见,无瓣海桑基因组丰富的多样性,是使其由海南成功引种到福建的重要因素.