Managing erosion and water quality in agricultural watersheds by small detention ponds

Terrace-contouring systems with on-site water detention cannot be installed in areas of complex topography, small parceling and multi-blade moldboard plow use. However, field borders at the downslope end may be raised at the deepest part where runoff overtops to create detention ponds, which can be drained by subsurface tile outlets and act similar to terrace-contouring systems. Four of such detention ponds were monitored over 8 years. Monitored effects included the prevention of linear erosion down slope, the sediment trapping from upslope, the enrichment of major nutrients in the trapped and delivered sediments, the amount of runoff retained temporarily, the amount of runoff reduced by infiltration, the decrease in peak runoff rate and the decrease in peak concentrations of agrochemicals due to the mixing of different volumes of water within the detention ponds. The detention ponds had a volume of 30–260 m³ ha⁻¹ and trapped 54–85% of the incoming sediment, which was insignificantly to slightly depleted (5–25%) in organic carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen and clay as compared to the eroding topsoil, while the delivered sediment was strongly enriched (+70–270%) but part of this enrichment already resulted from the enrichment of soil loss. The detention ponds temporarily stored 200–500 m³ of runoff. A failure was never experienced. Due to the siltation of the pond bottom, the short filled time (1–5 days) and the small water covered area, infiltration and evaporation reduced runoff by less than 10% for large events. Peak runoff during heavy rains was lowered by a factor of three. Peak concentrations of agrochemicals (Terbutylazin) were lowered by a factor of two. The detention ponds created by raising the downslope field borders at the pour point efficiently reduced adverse erosion effects downslope the eroding site. They are cheap and can easily be created with on-farm machinery. Their efficiency is improved where they are combined with an on-site erosion control like mulch tillage because sediment and runoff input are reduced. Ponds had to be dredged only after the first year when on-site erosion control was not fully effective.     

Behavioral aspects of sperm competition in cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Sepioidea: Cephalopoda)

Sexual selection studies in cephalopods indicate that sperm competition is a central feature of their mating systems, yet this has not been studied experimentally in any detail. In 1998 we staged 20 matings of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis L., in the laboratory. Males rapidly initiated mating in the “head-to-head” position, with no apparent courtship. Mating lasted an average of 10 min (range 7 to 14 min). For the first 6 min (on average 63% of the mating duration), the male flushed strong jets of water directly at the female's buccal membrane, which sometimes resulted in the expulsion of parts of spermatangia placed there in recent matings. Then, in a single discrete movement that lasted an average of only 14 s, the male's modified fourth left arm – the hectocotylus – wrapped around a single large bundle of spermatophores (ca. 150 to 300) and transferred them to the female's buccal membrane. For the remainder of the mating (average 3 min, range 1.5 to 5.0 min), the hectocotylus repeatedly broke the spermatophores open, and manipulated them, so that sperm were released and many spermatangia were attached along the ventral buccal membrane, near the paired seminal receptacles. Approximately 140 spermatangia were attached in rows 3 to 5 deep around the ventral buccal membrane in a single mating; the rest were usually discarded during mating. Histology revealed that each of the seminal receptacles consists of a series of sperm storage bulbs connected by a central duct, which leads to a single pore at the surface of the buccal membrane. Baseline data on sperm motility were obtained, but the mechanism by which sperm enter the seminal receptacle remains unknown. Females seemed to initiate termination of mating, then males guarded their mates temporarily. These results, combined with other recent laboratory experiments, provide evidence that sperm competition may be a major feature of the mating system of S. officinalis. Received: 4 January 1999 / Accepted: 18 May 1999     

The fate of metal contaminated sediments in Foundry Cove, New York

The distribution of heavy metal contaminated sediments in Foundry Cove, a freshwater embayment of the Hudson River, was examined twelve years after the discharging of wastes from a battery factory had ceased. Concentrations of Cd, Ni and Co were measured in surficial sediments (top 5 cm) and seven detailed depth profiles. Comparison with earlier surveys showed that metal levels of surficial sediments have been considerably reduced throughout the cove. Evidence suggests that this reduction may be largely due to burial rather than transport of metals out of the cove or a redistribution (via sediment resuspension and redeposition) within the cove. This is suggested by the presence of a peak in metal concentrations at a depth of several centimetres in depositional environments, a calculation showing the loss of waterborne cadmium to be much less than the amount of cadmium lost from the surficial sediment, and the absence of increased pollution in the cleaner parts of the cove. Despite improvement, metal levels remain extremely high, including a persistent 'hot-spot' with levels higher than 10 000 ppm Cd.     

Electrochemical oxidation of bisphenol A. Application to the removal of bisphenol A using a carbon fiber electrode

Leachate samples with a high strength of ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+-N) were collected from a local landfill site in Hong Kong. Two experiments were carried out to study (1) the inhibition of microbial activity of activated sludge by NH4+-N and (2) the chemical precipitation of NH4+-N from leachate as a preliminary treatment prior to the activated sludge process. The experimental results demonstrated that the efficiency of COD removal decreased from 97.7% to 78.1%, and the dehydrogenase activity of activated sludge decreased from 9.29 to 4.93 microg TF/mg MLSS, respectively, when the NH4+-N concentration increased from 53 to 800 mg/l. The experiment also demonstrated that the NH4+-N in the leachate can be quickly precipitated as MgNH4PO4 x 6H2O after addition of MgCl2 x 6H2O + Na2HPO4 x 12H2O. The NH4+-N concentration was reduced from 5618 to 112 mg/l within 15 min when a molar ratio of Mg2+:NH+:PO4(3-) = 1:1:1 was used. The optimum pH to reach the minimum solubility of MgNH4PO4 x 6H2O was found to be in the range of 8.5-9.0. Attention should be given to the high salinity formed in the treated leachate by using MgCl2 x 6H2O + Na2HPO4 x 12H2O, which may affect microbial activity in the following biological treatment processes. Using two other combinations of chemicals [MgO + 85%H3PO4 and Ca(H2PO4)2 x H2O + MgSO4 x 7H2O] could minimise salinity generation after precipitation, while they were less efficient for NH4+-N removal.     

The sensitivity of surface waters of Great Britain to acidification predicted from catchment characteristics

Using a combination of soil, land use and geological information, a map of Great Britain has been derived which indicates the sensitivity of surface waters to acidification. For the geological information, a slightly modified version of an available map was used which indicated the sensitivity of groundwaters to acidification. For soils, 1-km databases of soil information for England and Wales and for Scotland were employed to map the soil sensitivity as determined by buffering capacity. The derived soils map was modified to take account of agricultural liming in arable and managed grassland areas using the ITE Land Classification. The final map of surface water sensitivity was obtained by using a geographic information system overlay procedure which enabled each combination of soil and geology sensitivity to be uniquely defined. The final sensitivity classification was based upon expert knowledge and the experience of a similar sensitivity mapping exercise for Wales.     

基于损伤检测的腐蚀疲劳寿命预测概率模型

建立了飞机结构腐蚀疲劳寿命预测的4阶段概率模型,结合腐蚀疲劳损伤检测结果,通过检测的灵敏度和准确度2个随机变量来描述检测技术的可靠性;建立了检测后的修正腐蚀疲劳寿命预测概率模型,通过对比分析修正前后的腐蚀疲劳寿命分布,得出腐蚀损伤尺寸的检测结果。对腐蚀疲劳寿命的评估影响很大,并且检测技术越可靠,寿命评估越准确。     

外生菌根对欧洲赤松苗(Pinussylvestris)Cu、Zn积累和分配的影响

通过测定２种不同施锌和施铜水平下苗木和离体菌丝中铜锌含量研究了接种外生菌根（Ｓｕｉｌｌｕｓｂｏｖｉｎｕｓ）对欧洲赤松（Ｐｉ－ｎｕｓｓｙｌｖｅｓｔｒｉｓ）苗生长和微量元素积累和分配的影响． 结果表明菌丝的侵染增加了苗木生长同时也增加了植物体内重金属的含量．然而菌根植物中的重金属大部分分布在根部在铜处理中菌根植物地下部分的铜含量是无菌根植物的２．６倍在锌处理中锌是无菌根植物的１．３ 倍． 说明菌丝侵染使植物将过量的重金属滞留在根部从而增加了植物对过量重金属的抗性．通过进一步测定培养在过量重金属中的离体菌丝的重金属含量结果显示随着外界重金属浓度的增加菌丝分泌物内重金属含量比菌丝内重金属含量增加快说明滞留在根部的重金属可能并没有进入根系而是以某种形态滞留在菌丝分泌物和菌丝内．     

滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质及其主要组分的紫外-可见与三维荧光光学特性

利用紫外-可见光谱和三维荧光光谱技术,结合土壤腐殖质及腐殖质组分(胡敏酸、富里酸)中的有机碳含量,研究了滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质及其组分胡敏酸和富里酸的光谱特征.结果表明,滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质中富里酸含量高于胡敏酸,流域范围内土壤活性腐殖质及其组分含量分布不均匀,活性腐殖质、胡敏酸和富里酸含量的变异系数分别达37.7%、36.4%、40.9%.土壤活性腐殖质及其组分胡敏酸和富里酸的碳含量均表现为菜地荒地草地湿地.光谱特征结果表明,滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质主要由自生源物质和经一定程度降解后的外源物质共同组成.此外,自生源性与光化学及生物活性具有正相关关系.因此,具有弱自生源性的滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质所具有的光化学和生物活性较弱.     

新疆环境功能区划与相关区划的关系及衔接

环境功能区划与主体功能区规划、生态功能区划之间既有区别又有联系,同时省级环境功能区划与国家级、县(市)级环境功能区划之间还存在上下衔接的关系.生态功能区划是环境功能区划的基础;主体功能区规划是环境功能区划的上位规划;新疆环境功能区划是从环境功能的角度对主体功能区进行空间上的细化.科学认识省级环境功能区划与多个区划之间的关系,对明确省级环境功能区划的定位、类型划分以及管理要求的深度具有重要作用.     

河南省节能环保产业发展对策研究

节能环保产业是跨行业、涵盖面宽的综合性产业,其产业关联度大,带动力强,是国家确定的战略性新兴产业。河南省是新兴工业大省和资源消费大省,经济发展与资源环境承载力之间的矛盾日益突出,发展节能环保产业势在必行。本文分析了河南省节能环保产业的发展现状和存在的突出问题,提出了发展河南省节能环保产业的重点领域和推进路径。