Development-Conservation Dilemma in the NilgiriMountains of South India

The Nilgiri Mountains of south India is considered unique by anthropologists, geologists, climatologists, botanists as well as tourists. It has remained a subject of constant study and research over the last two centuries. Man-nature balance had continued undisturbed in the Nilgiris for thousands of years until the early 19th century when it became a British colony attracting, in due course, various developmental activities. Subsequently, the Nilgiris and its popular hill stations emerged as favourite places for the British population in India for rest and recuperation, game and for raising commercial plantations. In the process, the traditional indigenous crops were replaced by “English“ vegetables and the natural forests gave way to commercial plantations of coffee, tea and other exotic species of trees.     

Design of shallow foundations under tensile loading for transmission line towers: An overview

Tensioned foundations are common in civil engineering applications such as transmission towers, harbors, offshore structures, basement slabs under pressure, industrial equipment, etc. Procedures for the design of tensioned foundations are discussed in this paper, including specific recommendations for more common transmission tower foundations. Starting from a distinction between shallow and deep modes of failure, the paper presents the most common failure mechanisms for shallow failure in tension, including procedures for calculation of foundation tensile capacity under vertical and inclined loading. Emphasis is given to the influence of the strength of the compacted backfill compared to the strength of the natural soil, including presentation of results of full-scale loading tests.     

Interference of Multiple Strip Footings on Sand Using Small Scale Model Tests

By using small scale model tests, the interference effect on the vertical load-deformation behavior of a number of equally spaced strip footings, placed on the surface of dry sand, was investigated. At any stage, all the footings were assumed to (i) carry exactly equal magnitude of load, and (ii) settle to the same extent. No tilt of the footing was permitted. The effect of clear spacing (s) among footings on the results was explored. A new experimental setup was proposed in which only one footing needs to be employed rather than a number of footings. The bearing capacity increases continuously with decrease in spacing among the footings. The interference effect becomes further prominent with increase in soil friction angle. In contrast to an increase in the bearing capacity, with decrease in spacing of footings, an increase in the footing settlement associated with the ultimate state of shear failure was observed. The present experimental observations were similar to those predicted by the available theory, based on the method of characteristics. As compared to the theory, the present experimental data, however, indicates much greater effect of interference especially for larger spacing among footings.     

三角褐指藻体分泌物质对汞的络合作用

本文测定了一次培养实验和连续培养实验中三角褐指藻胞外产物的变化及其与汞的络合性能。28天的培养过程中测得胞外产物与汞的络合容量C_L为2.6×10~(-5)mol/dm~3;表观稳定常数K′为6.1×10~(10)。该结果解释了细胞培养过程中胞外有机物的释放对汞的解毒机理及对介质中汞形态的转化。     

一种基于异步串行口的IBM-PC局部网

在综合的科学考察船上以异步通讯口实现的IBM-PC局部网具有较好的性能价格比。本文介绍了该网的联网环境、网络系统的组成及其拓扑结构、网络的服务功能以及网络软、硬件的安装和配置。     

渭南市旅游资源管理评价信息系统的设计与实现

旅游资源单体作为旅游资源普查的重要成果,具有数量多、分布广、资料丰富等特点。利用计算机对旅游资源普查成果资料进行集中管理、分析、评价,对旅游资源的合理规划利用和旅游业的跨越式发展具有重要意义。本研究以组件式地理信息系统软件为基础平台,以GIS技术、数据库技术和模块设计技术为基本技术支持,设计开发了渭南市旅游资源管理评价信息系统,对其需求分析、体系结构、数据库建设及功能实现进行了详细探讨。     

地理信息产业扩张阶段及应用分析

根据产业经济学的观点,提出我国地理信息产业目前处于产业扩张阶段的观点,推动产业规模迅速扩大成为行业发展的主要目标。由于派生性特点,寻求地理信息的本源性需求是产业完成扩张的关键问题,利用地理信息反映的价格信息支持社会公众经济博弈活动将是地理信息巨大的本源性需求。本文建议在产业扩张阶段应当瞄准社会公众、探索对公众生活进行博弈支持的服务方式。     

GIS技术在旅游业中的应用——兼谈旅游地理信息系统及其研究进展与展望

本文对地理信息系统的组成与功能做了简单的概述,在此基础上介绍了GIS在旅游业发展中的主要作用及应用现状,并就旅游地理信息系统的结构与功能及其研究进展和发展趋势做了探讨。     

The acid neutralizing capacity （ANC） of South Africa＇s freshwater ecosystems

Acidification is considered the most important one of the primary chemical stress factors that impact on freshwater ecosystems. In unpolluted freshwater systems, the primary controls on the degree of acidification are factors such as the geological substrate of the catchment area, the presence of organic acids secreted by vegetation in the river system, and equilibrium exchange of carbon dioxide with the atmosphere. Anthropogenic factors that can impact on the degree of acidification of freshwater systems include agricultural, mining and industrial activities, either through direct runoff into river systems or through deposition of atmospheric pollutants from these sources. The capacity factors alkalinity and acidity, which represent the acid- and base-neutralizing capacity （ANC and BCN） of an aqueous system, have been used as more reliable measures of the acidic character of freshwater systems than pH. Unlike pH, ANC and BNC are not affected by parameters such as temperature and pressure. Therefore, ANC has been employed as a predictor of biological status in critical load assessments. Freshwater systems with ANC＇s eq/L isμeq/L are considered sensitive to acidification, ANC=0 μbelow 150 commonly used as the predictor for fish species such as trout in lakes, and an eq/L as more realistic for streams. Acid-neutralizing capacity μANC value of 40 （ANC） can be determined by titration with a strong acid to a preselected equivalence point. Alternatively, it can be calculated as the difference between base cations （[BC]） and strong acid anions （[SAA]）： ANC=[BC]- [SAA]=[Ca^2＋]＋[Mg^2＋]＋[Na^＋]＋[K^＋]-[SO4^2-]-[NO3^-]-[Cl^-] To date, there has been no attempt to establish the ANC of South Africa＇s freshwater ecosystems or variability therein, despite the fact that long-term water quality monitoring data exist for all the parameters needed to calculate it according to the above equations. As a result, the relationship between the acid neutralizing capacity of freshwater ecosystems in South Africa and biodiversity factors, such as fish status, is unknown. Results of the first comprehensive （country-wide scale） evaluation of the acid neutralizing capacity of river systems in South Africa will be presented. Long-term monitoring data obtained from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry （DWAF） from most of South Africa＇s river systems were used to establish geographic and temporal variabilities in ANC. The results show that the Berg and Breede River systems are most susceptible to acidification, and that geological substrate appears to explain most of the geographic variabilities observed.     

Nature minéralogique et rôle nutritionnel des argiles de sols céréaliers en région subhumide à semi-aride (Tunisie)

The cereal soils of the Northwest of Tunisia derive most of the time, from alluvial deposits or altered remains of carbonated and clayey rocks. Extraction of the clayey fraction permitted to reveal the presence of the following clayey minerals: kaolinite, illite, smectite, chlorite, as well as an illite–smectite interstratified layer, which is present in the deep horizons of the vertisol and in the isohumic soil. The presence of such types of clays shows that the evolution mechanism of soils is weathering of primary minerals inherited from the sedimentary rocks of the Northwest of Tunisia. These clays ensure to soils most of their cationic exchange capacity. Thanks to these clays, which have Ca⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺ and K⁺ as exchangeable cations, the chemical fertility of these soils is ensured. It may be improved by increasing contents of organic matter, which is naturally few abundant in these soils. To cite this article: H. Ben Hassine, C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).