Extended flowering and high weed resistance within two layer designed perennial “prairie-meadow” vegetation

Interactions between two canopy layers in a designed perennial herbaceous plant community were investigated over a period of four and a half years to see whether it was possible to create an urban landscape vegetation that was both flower rich for an extensive time period and resistant to weed colonization at very low levels of maintenance by sowing seed in situ. The ecologically novel plant community involved a tall over-canopy layer of 18 species of North American prairie and woodland edge forbs, and a shade tolerant under-canopy of eight European and North American, mainly woodland forbs. After 5 years the community was dominated by four over-canopy and two winter green under-canopy species. Interspecific competition generated by the sown biomass restricted weed colonization to very low levels, despite the experiment being surrounded by a weedy brownfield. The winter green canopies of the two dominant under-storey forbs closed down gaps within a winter deciduous, prairie-like vegetation, improving winter appearance and providing a major flowering display in spring. This vegetation is an attractive design model for more sustainable herbaceous planting in urban landscape space.     

广州城市道路分车带绿化调查

通过调查广州12条主要道路中央及两侧分车绿化带的树种选择、植物群落配置、景观营造、色彩搭配、绿化功能的合理性等,得出:1)每条道路平均配置5.5种植物,其中乔木2.17种,灌木2.5种,草本0.92种,平均乔灌比0.87;2)配置模式主要是乔木+灌木+地被、乔木+灌木绿篱、乔木+地被和灌木+地被4种形式。     

两型社会建设背景下生态效率评价研究——以湖南省为例

基于"两型"社会建设的目标与内涵,选取了湖南省生态效率综合评价指标,以2003—2012年湖南省数据为样本,采用DEA数据包络分析法计算各年份的生态效率,并对不同年份的能源消耗量、水资源消费量以及三废的排放量进行深入分析。结果表明,随着湖南省GDP的增长,生态效率也不断在提高。针对不同的资源产出率和环境产出率,湖南省应树立可持续发展理念,实现经济由粗放型发展向集约型发展转变;发展创新技术,推进湖南省两型社会的发展;完善法律法规体系,加大宣传力度,改变保守观念,提高人们的环保意识。     

Public perceptions and attitudes toward green infrastructure on buildings: The case of the metropolitan area of Athens,Greece

As the impact of green space shrinkage in urban centers becomes obvious, local and regional authorities must adopt environmental planning policies that can help create new green areas to ensure a good quality of life for citizens, along with the rehabilitation of the natural environment. One approach is the promotion of green infrastructure on buildings, including multi-dwelling apartment buildings. In order to effectively promote green infrastructure on buildings, it is essential to comprehend public attitudes toward green infrastructure, so that suitable and effective strategies can be implemented by policy makers. In this study, eight hundred respondents were asked to provide their views on green infrastructure on buildings, on construction that should take place on blocks of apartments in order to accommodate green infrastructure and on the related benefits that may arise from creating green spaces on buildings. A structured questionnaire and stratified sampling were used for the interviews, which were conducted with apartment owners in two regional units of Athens. The results showed that most citizens are willing to proceed with the installation of a green roof, trellis or vertical garden, in order to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the building they live in. Most of the respondents are not familiar with the energy savings that may occur from the installation of a green roof, vertical trellis or garden and wish for a subsidy from the state in order to implement green building solutions. To conclude, the participants in our study are not environmentally aware, since they are not interested in energy conservation but only about the aesthetics of their building; furthermore, they expect to receive financial support from the state in order to make any changes to their home.     

城市风景类风景名胜区建设模式初探——以广州白云山风景名胜区为例

结合对广州白云山风景名胜区规划和建设的调研和观察结果,从布局、功能、配套设施、生态结构4个方面加以分析,试图总结并归纳城市风景类风景名胜区规划建设的特点和内在规律,为相关风景区规划与建设提供参考。     

“人的城镇化”与图书馆全方位知识服务

人的城镇化是新型城镇化的核心。在此分析了"人的城镇化"的内涵、中国在"人的城镇化"中面临的问题,并结合作为全国统筹城乡综合配套改革试验区的重庆市的现状,探寻"人的城镇化"问题的根源。基于重庆市南岸区参与新型城镇化工作试点的实践基础,提出在"人的城镇化"进程中,图书馆全方位知识服务的应对策略。     

不同裂解温度的污泥生物质炭理化特性分析

研究裂解温度对污泥生物质炭基础理化性质的影响,为安全、合理、高效处置污泥提供理论依据。将干燥污泥分别在200、300、500、700℃下进行热裂解处理(SBC200、SBC300、SBC500、SBC700),获得污泥生物质炭,测定其基础理化特性。结果表明：不同温度制备的污泥生物质炭表面颗粒结构完好,孔径范围均集中在10~50 μm,其中低温生物质炭SBC200表面较光滑,最可几孔径和中值孔径最大,分别为20.1 μm和14.8 μm,高温生物质炭SBC700表面较粗糙,比表面积最大,为5.98 m²/g。随裂解温度的提高,污泥生物质炭的产率、含水量、电导率、挥发分、阳离子交换量显著下降,全碳、氧、全氮、氢含量、有效磷和铵态氮均逐渐降低,pH和灰分含量显著增加。将污泥制备成生物质炭,是安全处置污泥的有效途径,低温制得的污泥生物质炭具有更大的提高土壤肥力的潜力,而高温制得的生物质炭在改良土壤酸性的应用上具有更大的潜力。     

Impact of urban park’s tree,grass and waterbody on microclimate in hot summer days: A case study of Olympic Park in Beijing,China

Urban heat island (UHI) often cause negative impact and has been linked to heart stroke rate, morality, human comfort, energy consumption and air pollution. Fortunately, urban green spaces have been considered as an effective element to mitigate UHI through their cooling effect. However, further empirical research is necessary in order to efficiently guide the design and planning of urban green space. We observed the impacts of urban park's tree, grass and waterbody on microclimate inside the Olympic park of Beijing during summer days. The results indicated that, on average, the park was 0.48–1.12 °C cooler during the day, as well as increased air humidity 2.39–3.74% and reduced human comfort index 1.02–2.43 to generate more comfortable thermal environment. Urban park's cluster trees with short ground vegetation generated higher cooling effect than single trees, grass and waterbodies; proper irrigation regime enhanced the cooling effect of grasses, even the irrigated grass have similar cooling effect with small waterbody on sunny, windless summer days. Therefore, we advise to increase undergrowth coverage and grass irrigation management in order to take advantage of cooling effect of urban parks.     

Demographic trends in Claremont California’s street tree population

The aim of this study was to quantify street tree population dynamics in the city of Claremont, CA. A repeated measures survey (2000 and 2014) based on a stratified random sampling approach across size classes and for the most abundant 21 species was analyzed to calculate removal, growth, and replacement planting rates. Demographic rates were estimated using a hierarchical Bayesian framework. The community-level (all species) median growth rate was 1.41% per year (95% CI: 1.21–1.65%) with Pinus brutia and Pistacia chinensis growing significantly faster than the community-level median. The community-level median removal rate was 1.03% per year (95% CI: 0.66–1.68%), with no significant differences between species and the community-level medium. Once removed, only 7.2% (95% CI: 4.4–12.9%) were replaced annually. Presence of overhead utility lines influenced tree removal rates while age, diameter-at-breast-height, and prior tree condition influenced tree growth. Overall live aboveground biomass in sampled sites was 713.29 Mg in 2000 and increased to 877.36 Mg by 2014. Biomass gain from growth outweighed loss from removals nearly three-fold; replacement contributed 0.5% of the total biomass gain. We conclude that to increase the resilience of the street tree population will require 1) an increase in percent of full stocking or biomass stock and 2) a shift in the species palette to favor species less vulnerable to pests and expected disturbance from climate change and 3) ongoing monitoring to detect departures from baseline demographic rates.     

Potato absorption and phytoavailability of Cd,Ni, Cu,Zn and Pb in sierozem soils amended with municipal sludge compost

Effects of sludge utilization on the mobility and phytoavailability of heavy metals in soil-plant systems have attracted broad attention in recent years. In this study, we analyzed the effects of municipal sludge compost(MSC) on the solubility and plant uptake of Cd, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb in a soil-potato system to explore the mobility, potato plant uptake and enrichment of these five heavy metals in sierozem soils amended with MSC through a potato cultivation trial in Lanzhou University of China in 2014. Ridge regression analysis was conducted to investigate the phytoavailability of heavy metals in amended soils. Furthermore, CaCl_2, CH_3 COONH_4, CH_3COOH, diethylene triamine pentacetic acid(DTPA) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid(EDTA) were used to extract the labile fraction of heavy metals from the amended soils. The results show that the MSC could not only improve the fertility but also increase the dissolved organic carbon(DOC) content of sierozem soils. The total concentrations and labile fraction proportions of heavy metals increase with increasing MSC percentage in sierozem soils. In amended soils, Cd has the highest solubility and mobility while Ni has the lowest solubility and mobility among the five heavy metals. The MSC increases the concentrations of heavy metals in the root, stem, peel and tuber of the potato plant, with the concentrations being much higher in the stem and root than in the peel and tuber. Among the five heavy metals, the bioconcentration factor value of Cd is the highest, while that of Ni is the lowest. The complexing agent(DTPA and EDTA) extractable fractions of heavy metals are the highest in terms of phytoavailability. Soil properties(including organic matter, p H and DOC) have important impacts on the phytoavailability of heavy metals. Our results suggest that in soil-potato systems, although the MSC may improve soil fertility, it can also increase the risk of soils exposed to heavy metals.