Metal leaching and toxicity of denitrifying woodchip bioreactor outflow—Potential reuse application

The denitrifying woodchip bioreactor is designed to remediate nitrate-rich water, including those produced from aquaculture effluents. Reuse of treated bioreactor outflows in recirculating aquaculture would offer considerable water savings and valuable alkalinity recuperation. However, such bioreactors may leach detrimental wood-bound contaminants, preventing outflow reuse. To determine water reuse potential, woodchip media from two hardwood species (white ash, Fraxinus americana; Norway maple, Acer platanoides) were evaluated for 206 d under a range of operating conditions (start-up, steady-state, reducing conditions, and drying-rewetting cycles) for a spectrum of potentially harmful dissolved contaminants. Aerated outflows also were evaluated for acute and chronic toxicity to the biologically sensitive invertebrate Ceriodaphnia dubia. Dissolved metal leaching subsided within the first few weeks of operation, though initial concentrations of copper and zinc were detected at concentrations of concern. Elevated concentrations of tannins-lignin and total ammonia nitrogen were detected throughout the study and were influenced by operational phase. Acute toxicity was not generally detected, though chronic toxicity was observed during drying-rewetting cycles in the maple outflows. The measured toxicity was not correlated with water chemistry, indicating an additive effect of several toxicants. Overall, significant differences in outflow water quality between ash and maple wood species were negligible. Results indicated that bioreactor outflows may be applicable for aquacultural reuse, though reusing outflows immediately following start-up or restarting after a dry period would not be recommended.     

不同施肥处理对马铃薯农田土壤理化性状及产量的影响

为了探究不同施肥处理对马铃薯农田土壤理化性状及产量的影响,试验地采用马铃薯连作模式,设置3个施肥处理,即：单施化肥(T)、有机肥配施化肥(YTF 1/2)、全量有机肥(YTF)。结果表明：在不同施肥处理下马铃薯农田土壤的理化性质和马铃薯产量发生了变化,其中变化最为明显的土壤指标有土壤容重、孔隙度、饱和导水率、有效磷。YTF处理较T处理可分别显著(P<0.05)降低土壤容重16.8%,增加土壤孔隙度12.7%,提升饱和导水率25.3%。YTF处理可显著提升土壤有效磷含量43.0%,但各处理间土壤pH、有机碳、全氮、全磷、碱解氮、速效钾之间差异并未达到显著水平。同时,较之T处理,YTF处理亦可显著提升土壤团聚体含量。YTF和YTF 1/2处理可分别较T处理提升马铃薯产量24.6%和12.8%。因此,施用有机肥不仅可以改善土壤结构,改良土壤物理性状,亦能促产增收。     

黑果枸杞茎叶生长及其生态化学计量特征对灌水施肥的响应

在石羊河中游田间条件下,通过灌水和施肥调节黑果枸杞生长。测定不同时期黑果枸杞茎、叶生长量及其化学计量学特征变化,分析器官水平生长速率与化学计量学特征的关系,验证生态化学计量学理论"生长速率假说"。灌水施肥显著促进了茎长、基径和叶片长、宽及叶干重的生长(P<0.05),而茎长、基径、叶面积和叶干重的相对生长速率与对照之间无显著差异。各处理下黑果枸杞新梢C含量及C∶N、C∶P随生育期进程呈增加趋势,而N、P及N∶P呈降低趋势;灌水和施肥处理后茎C含量及C∶N、C∶P、N∶P低于对照,茎N、P含量高于对照。各处理叶片C、N、P含量在生育期内呈降低趋势,而C∶N、C∶P及N∶P呈增加趋势;灌水和施肥后叶片C含量及C∶N、C∶P、N∶P低于对照,叶片N、P含量高于对照。茎C含量及C∶N、C∶P显著高于叶片(P<0.05),而N、P含量及N∶P显著低于叶片(P<0.05)。生长速率假说认为,生物个体的生长速率与体内的N∶P、C∶P具有负相关关系,与N、P含量呈显著的正相关关系。各处理黑果枸杞茎、叶的生长速率与其N、P含量及C∶P、N∶P总体相关性不显著。表明施肥灌水调节下黑果枸杞茎叶生长及化学计量学特征不支持生长速率假说。     

Prediction of baking results from farinograph measurements by using stepwise linear regression and artificial neuronal networks

In an effort to extract additional data from farinograph experiments a model was developed to simulate the measurements and correlate the parameters of the model with results from baking tests. This additional information can be used in bakeries to predict the baking properties of the flours and adjust the recipes to maintain a constant product quality. For this eight different flours were characterized with a farinograph and 13 different results from baking experiments. An approach with five nonlinear differential equations was able to model the farinograph measurements very well (average R² = 0.995 ± 0.005). While a stepwise multilinear regression only showed weak correlations in cross validation between a single parameter of the model and the baking volume (R² = 0.745) and the volume yield (R² = 0.796) respectively, the artificial neuronal network was more successful. For the baking weight (R² = 0.926), the dough yield gross (R² = 0.909) and net (R² = 0.913) strong correlations were found. A good correlation for the baking volume (R² = 0.853) was also determined, while the volume yield showed comparable results to the linear regression (R² = 0.792).     

Factors driving natural regeneration beneath a planted urban forest

Cities around the world are investing in urban forest plantings as a form of green infrastructure. The aim is that these plantations will develop into naturally-regenerating native forest stands. However, woody plant recruitment is often cited as the most limiting factor to creating self-sustaining urban forests. As such, there is interest in site treatments that promote recruitment of native woody species and simultaneously suppress woody non-native recruitment. We tested how three, common site treatments—compost, nurse shrubs, and tree species composition (six-species vs. two-species)—affected woody plant recruitment in 54 experimental plots beneath a large-scale tree planting within a high-traffic urban park. We identified naturally regenerating seedling and sapling species and measured their abundance six-years after the site was planted. This enabled us to examine initial recruitment dynamics (i.e. seedlings) and gain a better understanding of seedling success as they transition to the midstory (i.e. saplings). Seedling and sapling recruitment (native and total) was greater in areas with higher canopy cover. The combination of the nurse shrub treatment with compost and species composition (six-species) treatments increased seedling recruitment by 47% and 156%, respectively; however, the nurse shrub treatment by itself decreased seedling recruitment by 5% and native seedling recruitment by 35%. The compost treatment alone had no effect on the total number of recruits but resulted in 76% more non-native seedlings. The sizes of these treatment effects were strongly dependent on whether the forest plantings were in open areas, versus areas with existing tree canopy, the latter condition facilitating recruitment. Our findings therefore suggest that combinations of site treatments, paired with broad canopy tree species, may be most effective for promoting regeneration of native species resulting in more self-sustaining urban forests.     

Remote sensing to estimate ET-fluxes and the performance of an irrigation district in southern Italy

Satellite remote sensed data on canopy biophysical properties, ground data and agro-meteorological information were combined to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) fluxes of orange orchards using a modified Penman–Monteith equation. The study was carried out during the irrigation season 2004 in an irrigation district, cover for about 95% with orange groves, of 1550 ha located in eastern Sicily (Italy). The spatial pattern in ET-fluxes have been analysed using IKONOS high-resolution satellite and hyper-spectral ground data acquired and processed for the study-area. The remote estimates of ET-fluxes varied between 1.3 and 5.7 mm/day, with a daily average value of about 4.2 mm, showing a good agreement with crop ET values determined as residual of soil water balance of selected ground control sites. Crop coefficient estimates ranged between 0.22 and 1.08 showing positive correlations with percentages of ground cover (C_g) increasing from 30 to 80% ground shading and with LAI values. By comparing ET estimates with water volumes supplied in each sub-district of the study-area, the performance indicator “IP” was evaluated, allowing to rank the conditions of un-fulfilment of crop water requirements by public and private water distribution systems. Generally, out of 29 sub-districts, 14 had “IP” values less than 50%, revealing a sub-optimal water supply for the study-area.     

降水格局对科尔沁沙地三种草本植物凋落物分解的影响

基于研究区多年降水特征,设置高频低量、中频中量和低频高量3种降水格局,采用凋落物分解袋法,对科尔沁沙地3种常见一年生草本植物一个生长季地上和地下凋落物分解特征进行了研究。结果表明,降水格局和凋落物埋深均是影响分解率的关键因素。其中地表凋落物的分解率显著低于地下凋落物,随埋深增加地下凋落物的分解率有增加的趋势,10~20 cm层狗尾草地下凋落物分解率显著高于0~10 cm层(P<0.01)。低频高量降水状况下地上凋落物的分解率显著降低(P<0.01)。降水格局与凋落物埋深存在显著的耦合关系(F=3.60, P=0.008),随土壤深度增加,降水格局对凋落物分解率的影响减少,且物种间存在差异性,不同降水格局下狗尾草和黄蒿地上凋落物和0~10 cm埋深地下凋落物分解率均存在显著差异性(P<0.05),而尖头叶藜仅地上凋落物在不同降水格局下的分解率表现出显著差异性(F=48.42, P<0.001)。     

铅胁迫对金丝草生长及生理生化的影响

采用土培方法,探究不同梯度铅胁迫(0、1000、2000和3000 mg·kg^-1)对金丝草生长形态、体内抗氧化系统和渗透调节物质的影响。结果表明:低浓度(1000 mg·kg^-1)处理会诱导金丝草叶片过氧化物酶(POD)活性、可溶性蛋白(SP)含量和根系抗超氧阴离子自由基活力(ASAFR)、可溶性糖(SS)及脯氨酸(Pro)含量增加,使得金丝草植株总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)处于较高水平,促进了金丝草株高、叶长和生物量的增加。随胁迫浓度增加,高浓度(2000~3000 mg·kg^-1)处理下,金丝草叶片和根系丙二醛(MDA)含量迅速增加,株高、叶长、叶面积和生物量下降,生长受到抑制。但金丝草通过增强叶片和根系POD、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性来抵御过氧化作用,提高可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖含量维持细胞正常运作,增加根系生物量占比来加强根系发育,一定程度适应了高浓度铅胁迫。综上表明,金丝草主要通过叶片和根系不同抗氧化酶差异化响应、提高渗透调节物质含量,提升金丝草植株总抗氧化能力等途径来提高Pb耐性,对Pb污染矿区植物修复有较大潜力。