Investigation of environmental and land use impacts in forested permafrost headwaters of the Selenga-Baikal river system,Mongolia - Effects on discharge,water quality and macroinvertebrate diversity

Headwater streams play a major role for provision of ecosystem services, e.g. drinking water. We investigated a high-altitude headwater catchment of the Kharaa River (including 41 1st-order rivers) to understand the impact of land cover (especially forest cover), environment and human usage on runoff, chemical water quality and macroinvertebrate fauna in a river basin under discontinuous permafrost conditions in an arid, sparsely populated region of Mongolia. To verify our hypotheses that different landuses and environmental impacts in permafrost headwaters influence water quality, we investigated 105 sampling sites, 37 of them at intermittent stream sections without water flow. Discharge was positively impacted by land cover types steppe, grassland and forest and negatively by shrubland, forest burnt by wild fires (indicating a reduction of permafrost) and slope. Water quality was affected by altitude, longitude and latitude, shrub growth and water temperature. Shannon diversity of macroinvertebrates was driven by water temperature, iron content of the water, flow velocity, and subbasin size (adjusted R² = 0.54). Sample plots clustered in three groups that differed in water chemistry, macroinvertebrate diversity, species composition and bio-indicators. Our study confirms that steppes and grasslands have a higher contribution to runoff than forests, forest cover has a positive impact on water quality, and diversity of macroinvertebrates is higher in sites with less nutrients and pollutants. The excellent ecological status of the upper reaches of the Kharaa is severely threatened by forest fires and human-induced climate change and urgently needs to be conserved.     

Effects of natural pyrethrum and synthetic pyrethroids on the tiger mosquito,Aedes albopictus (skuse) and non-target flower-visiting insects in urban green areas of Padua,Italy

Abstract

The tiger mosquito is a key vector of several human diseases and is considered a public health concern worldwide. The implementation of strategies aimed at maximizing mosquito control without affecting non-target insect groups is of major importance. In a field trial, we tested the efficiency of a natural pyrethrum-based vs. a synthetic pyrethroid-based insecticide in reducing tiger mosquito population and how they affect the diversity of non-target flower-visiting insects in green urban areas. Only the pyrethroid insecticide was effective in reducing mosquito abundance, although its effects disappeared nine days after application. The two adulticides did not significantly affect the diversity of flower-visiting insects, probably because of their large body size and the difference in flying and foraging activity. To effectively control mosquito populations while preventing intoxication of non-target flower-visiting insects, adulticide applications should be applied early in the morning and only on bushes and trees. Results from our small-scale applications cannot be extrapolate when larger areas are treated.     

Cutting the lawn − Natural burial and its contribution to the delivery of ecosystem services in urban cemeteries

This article investigates the impact of natural burial on the delivery of ecosystem services (ESs) in urban cemeteries in England that are owned and managed by local authorities. Local authority natural burial sites have received far less attention from researchers than independent sites developed by farmers, charitable trusts, funeral directors and land owners. Here we argue that the local authority hybrid cemeteries that combine natural burial with traditional graves may have a far greater impact in delivering regulatory and cultural ecosystem services than the much larger and frequently more environmentally ambitious natural burial grounds developed by the independent sector. The article presents three case studies of cemeteries, each of which represents a different interpretation of natural burial. Two have retrofitted natural burial into an existing cemetery landscape. The third is a new cemetery where natural burial was included with traditional burial in the original design brief and planning application. The research reveals how natural burial is transforming the traditional cemetery, with its focus on an intensively managed lawn aesthetic, towards a more habitat rich and spatially complex landscape with its own distinctive identity. The research also reveals how natural burial (within the unique constraints of UK burial culture that does not permit the recycling of burial space) is increasing the burial capacity of urban cemeteries by accessing land and grave space that might not be suitable or appropriate for more traditional forms of burial.     

Tree vibrations: Determining oscillatory properties by using infra-red marker-tracking system

A state-of-the-art infrared marker-tracking system that consists of eight cameras outfitted with infra-red optical filters and an array of infra-red light-emitting diodes as well as a set of reflective markers, is used to record the motion of a set of markers arranged along a trunk-dominated potted tree, which was pulled and released to perform free vibrations. The time-history diagrams of these markers are numerically fitted to the corresponding analytical mathematical model for each marker, in which the markers are treated as particles performing in-plane oscillations. This combination of experimental, analytical and numerical results yields the main vibration properties of the markers, i.e. the points on the tree: natural frequencies, damping ratios and the position of principal axes in two cases: for the in-leaf and out-of-leaf tree under consideration. The shape of the time history diagrams for the motion along one direction indicates the initial increase of the amplitude, and this property is found to be associated with two closed-valued natural frequencies. These two natural frequencies decreased after the removal of leaves, but stayed closed-valued. Two natural frequencies correspond to two principal axes, whose change along the height of the tree is also determined in both cases. The change of the damping ratios associated with two principal axes is also obtained: only one of them changed after the removal of leaves. Besides providing a proof of concept for the use of the high-tech marker-tracking system for obtaining certain oscillatory characteristics, this study also points out the possibilities for future work in which this system can be beneficial for investigating tree vibrations and deflections under different loads.     

西藏日喀则地区牧草供需研究

本研究采用供需计算公式分析日喀则地区牧草供给量和需求量，用供需差值计算法计算牧草供给缺口，同时据此预测未来10年日喀则地区的牧草需求量及缺口，以期为促进该地区牧草产业发展提出建议。结果表明：2000-2019年，日喀则地区牧草供不应求，缺口较大，最大为222.87万t，最小为132.88万t。未来10年的牧草需求和缺口预测数据表明：日喀则牧草需求量维持在300~400万t之间，缺口虽呈逐年减小的趋势，但数值依然较大。因此，本研究从自然环境、制度政策、经济发展三个方面提出建议，为解决牧草供需矛盾提供有效依据。     

Phytophthora oleae,a new root pathogen of wild olives

Wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) is an important component of Mediterranean forests and a key genetic source for olive improvement programmes. Since 2009, a severe decline caused by Phytophthora cryptogea and P. megasperma has been detected in a protected wild olive forest of high ecological value (Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Spain). In this natural forest, sampling of roots and soil was carried out on 25 wild olives with symptoms in 2014 and 2015. Apart from the already known P. cryptogea A1 and P. megasperma, a third Phytophthora species was consistently isolated from wild olive rootlets with symptoms. These isolates conformed morphologically with the newly described species P. oleae and were confirmed by analysis of their ITS regions and cox1 sequences. Temperature–growth relationships showed a maximum growth at 19.9 °C on carrot agar medium, making it the lowest temperature Phytophthora species infecting wild olive roots. Pathogenicity was confirmed on 1-year-old healthy wild olive seedlings and was similar to the previously known pathogenic phytophthoras. As temperature requirements are quite different, the three Phytophthora species may be active against wild olive roots in different seasons. However, the prevalence of P. oleae infecting wild olives in recent years could be due to its introduction as a new invasive pathogen. The probable invasive nature of P. oleae, together with increasing rain episodes concentrated in short periods frequent in southern Spain, would allow the outbreak of infections in wild olive forests, and also put cultivated olive orchards at risk.     

解决聚丙烯芯钢丝绳生产过程中钢丝“塌陷”（或间隙不均）及绳径超差问题

本文从生产制造角度来分析解决聚丙烯芯钢丝绳生产过程中易出现的钢丝塌陷、钢丝间隙不均及绳径超差等问题。与天然纤维芯相比，聚丙烯芯是一种合成纤维芯，除具有质轻、弹性好、不怕霉蛀等特性外，同时还具有较好的抗挤压性，因此，生产过程中，对聚丙烯芯直径公差的控制比对天然纤维芯直径公差的控制更为严格，如聚丙烯芯直径选择不当，易会出现股中钢丝塌陷(或钢丝间隙不均)、绳径超差等问题。笔者结合生产实际情况，从控制聚丙烯绳芯(股芯)直径公差入手，找出聚丙烯芯直径的计算值与其实测值之间合适的比例范围，对正确选择聚丙烯绳芯(股芯)直径大小，满足钢丝绳生产工艺要求，优化工艺参数，提高钢丝绳结构的稳定性和机台生产作业率有着重要的作用。     

pH 值与金属离子浓度对多种果蔬植物色素的影响

从植物中提取的天然色素对pH值与金属离子浓度的敏感度不同,所受影响也不同。主要选取黄皮果皮色素、赤豆皮色素、柑桔皮色素、勾儿茶果、红雪茶色素,来测定pH值对它们的影响。选取,黄皮果皮色素、赤豆皮色素、勾儿茶果色素、红雪茶色素来测定金属离子浓度对他们的影响,从而探讨这些色素对pH值与金属离子的稳定性。     

鸭坦布苏病毒自然感染病例的诊断与病理学观察

为探究鸭坦布苏病毒(DTMUV)在贵州省鸭群的流行,对疑似DTMUV感染肉种鸭进行剖检,观察发病鸭内脏器官病变。取病鸭内脏组织进行RT-PCR检测确诊为DTMUV感染,将病料处理后接种BHK-21细胞,进行RT-PCR鉴定和透射电镜观察,确定分离到DTMUV,并将病料组织制作病理切片。结果显示,接种BHK-21出现明显CPE,电镜观察见病毒颗粒。将分离毒株的E基因经PCR扩增后测序,分析E基因氨基酸序列的同源性,发现所分离毒株与中国北京鸭源参考株同源性最高达99.39%,而与我国早期分离参考株(FX2010)同源性较低,将病料制作切片并进行HE染色,可见脑组织非化脓性脑炎,脾脏淋巴细胞减少,肝细胞变性坏死。本研究成功在贵州省分离到一株DTMUV,对其遗传进化进行分析,为探究贵州省养鸭地区DTMUV的感染和致病提供参考。