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Table of Content

Volume 32 Issue 6
25 November 2016
Framework of Eco-Environment Standard System
CAO Xue-zhang, GAO Ji-xi, XU Hai-gen, LI Wei-xin, GE Feng
2016, 32(6):  863-869.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.001
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Designing of a system framework is the basis for construction of an eco-environment standard system. In line with the basic principles for designing of a standard system, and in reference to the practice of eco-environment management in China, a framework is brought forth for a two-dimension eco-environment standard system consisting of domain of eco-environment management and categories of technical contents. Within this framework, the dimension of domain of eco-environment management encompasses 17 categories, that is, protected area management, bio-diversity conservation, soil and water conservation, sandy and rocky desertification control, eco-environment protection for development and construction projects, environmental risk management of alien species, bio-environmental safety of GMO (genetically modified organisms), rural eco-environment protection, unban eco-environment protection, forest ecological protection, grassland ecological protection, desert ecological protection, wetland ecological protection, inland waters ecological protection, marine ecological protection, basin/region ecological protection and miscellany, while the dimension of categories of technical contents 8 categories:terminonlogy, classification and information, zoning, quality, protection and rehabilitation, monitoring/testing, evaluation and summarization. For each category, related contents and standards are specified in detail.

Review of Researches on Factors Affecting Emission of Ammonia From Agriculture
WANG Wen-lin, LIU Bo, HAN Rui-ming, WANG Ye, LIU Xiao, XU Qiao, LI Wen-jing, TANG Xiao-yan
2016, 32(6):  870-878.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.002
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Ammonia (NH3) as an alkaline gas in the atmosphere plays a key role in the formation of haze. Control of NH3 emission at source is hence particularly important to reduction of the concentrations of secondary inorganic salts and PM2.5 in the atmosphere, control of haze pollution, and improvement of air environment quality. Agriculture is a major source of anthropogenic NH3 emitted into the atmosphere, and farmland fertilization and livestock and poultry breeding are the two major sources in agriculture. Therefore, the review summarized the researches at home and abroad on NH3 emissions from agriculture and analyzed factors affecting NH3 emissions, which is of fundamental significance to the understanding of the process and characteristics of NH3 emission and designing corresponding control measures. It has been found that fertilizer type, soil physic-chemical properties, field meteorological elements and fertilization practice are the main factors affecting NH3 emission from farmland fertilization. Nature of feed, barn environment and dung disposal mode are the main factors affecting NH3 emission from livestock and poultry breeding. However, currently the researches on NH3 emission from farmland fertilization proceed from the aspects of geochemical recycling of N in farmlands and N demand for higher grain yield, while the researches on NH3 emission from livestock and poultry breeding do from the aspects of occupation alhygiene and health, both lacking the concerns about the target of controlling the risk of environmental exposure of NH3 emission. Hence, it is proposed to unfold studies on emission coefficient of NH3 from agricultural sources with the ambient air as emission interface, determination of priority control zones of NH3 emissions from agricultural sources, and in the end provision of theoretical basis for formulation of a technical system, strategies, route maps and standards for sub-zonal control of agricultural NH3 emission, and formation of relevant policies and regulations for environmental management authorities.

Comprehensive Assessment of the Agricultural Eco-Economic System in Heilongjiang Province Based on GIS and Energy Analysis Theory
LU Sha-sha, CHEN Ni, GUAN Xing-liang, CHEN Guan-xiao
2016, 32(6):  879-886.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.003
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Based on energy analysis theory, GIS spatial analysis technology and the socio-economic statistic data available of the 77 counties of Heilongjiang Province, comprehensive assessment was done, from the angle of spatio-temporal dynamics, of structures and overall development levels of the agro-eco-economic systems of Heilongjiang and its 77 counties. Results show that both the input and output in energy value of the agro-eco-economic system of the province displayed obvious growing trends, especially that of the energy output of the forestry during 1996-2012. Moreover, the agro-eco-environment of the studied region was exposed to an increasing pressure. For example, the environmental loading factor increased from 6.61 to 10.21, the net energy output decreased from 5.37 to 4.79, and the energy sustainable development index declined from 7.47 to 5.43, all demonstrating that the system was gradually weakening in sustainable development performance. Spatially, the economic development level in the southern part of the province was significantly higher than that in the northern part. However, a reverse trend was found in agricultural ecological environment and sustainable development capacity. In order to bring the agricultural eco-economic system onto the track of sustainable and stable development, it is essential in future to further readjust the agricultural structure, optimize resources allocation, improve resources utilization efficiency, and reduce the environmental load.

Surface Relief Degree and Its Effects on Ecosystem Service Value in the Chongqing Section of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China
GUO Xiao-na, SU Wei-ci, LI Qiang, PAN Zhen-zhen
2016, 32(6):  887-894.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.004
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Relief degree of ground surface (RDGS) is closely related to magnitude of the ground surface and hence to land use patterns, which consequently affects service value of the ecosystem in the region. The objective of the study is to examine effect of RDGS on ecosystem service value in the Chongqing Section of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China. The ASTER GDEM V2 dataset was used to extract RDGS of the region by means of window analysis. Based on the land use data available, ecosystem service value in the section was worked out using Costanza's method and the modified ecosystem service value coefficients. Then correlation between the RDGS and land ecosystem services value was quantitatively analyzed. Results show that:(1) The landform is complicated and the RDGS varies sharply in the region. As a whole, RDGS is higher in the east than that in the west, and the highest in Wuxi (1.360 3),and the lowest in Yuzhong(0.289 0). (2) Per capita ecosystem service value distributed unevenly in space. The value is high in the eastern part, for it is composed of natural forest reserves and water conservation and low in the western part, for it consists mainly of key development zones of cities and new urban development areas. (3) A positive relationship is observed between RDGS and per capita ecosystem service values. In terms of effect of RDGS on ecosystem service values, the services display a decreasing order of raw material production >food production >gas regulation >climate regulation >total value >hydrological regulation >soil conservation >provision of aesthetic landscape >maintenance of biodiversity >waste disposal. The study reveals that strengthening the protection of natural forest reserves and water conservation zones in the areas high in RDGS is an effective way to protect and improve the ecosystem service values in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region.

Willingness of Farm Households in National Nature Reserves to Participate in Ecological Compensation and Its Affecting Factors
WANG Yi-chao, HAO Hai-guang, ZHANG Hui-yuan, ZHAI Rui-xue, LÜ Hai-liang, ZHOU Mei-hua
2016, 32(6):  895-900.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.005
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Ecological compensation policies often layer emphases mainly on the goal of ecological protection, and little on their impacts on livelihood of the farm households involved and their willingness to participate, which ultimately affect efficiency and sustainability of the ecological compensation policies. Based on the surveys of the farm households in the Haba Lake National Nature Reserve (HLNNR) and the Liupanshan Mountain National Nature Reserve (LMNNR), a study was performed to analyze willingness of the farm households to participate in ecological compensation and its affecting factors, using the comparative analysis method and binary Logistic regression analysis method. Results show as follows:(1) About 57.7% and 67.6% of the farm households interviewed in HLNNR and NNRLM respectively were satisfied with the prevailing ecological compensation policies and about 63.3% and 57.8% willing to continue participating in ecological compensation, which indicate that though a majority of the farm households were positive about the policies, there was still quite a number who held negative attitudes; and (2) Livelihood was the major factor affecting willingness of the farm households to participate in ecological compensation in HLNNR and NNRLM. It varied significantly from region to region. The farm households in HLNNR lived mostly on agriculture and animal husbandry, and those who had a high portion of their income coming from agriculture and/or animal husbandry were readily willing to keep on participating in the ecological compensation project, meanwhile the farm households in NNRLM had more and more turned to non-farming employment to earn their living and those who had their income coming more and more from non-farming employment, and less and less from agriculture and animal husbandry were apparently willing to stay in the ecological compensation project; It is, therefore, suggested that in formulating and implementing ecological compensation policies, more concerns be placed on type and level of livelihood of the farm households, the ecological compensation policies be combined with precise poverty alleviation policies, and compensation be diversified in mode specific to farm households different in livelihood, so as to achieve a "win-win" effect in transforming livelihood of the farm households and protecting the ecology.

Estimation and Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Evapotranspiration in Small-Scaled Catchments in Subtropics of China Based on Landsat 8 Data
MA Qiu-mei, LIU Xin-liang, LI Yong, WANG Yi, WU Jin-shui
2016, 32(6):  901-907.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.006
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Based on the Landsat 8 remote-sensing data of the Jinjing Catchment, typical of the subtropics of China, evapotranspiration (ET) in the catchment on 4 days, typical of the four seasons, was estimated separately, using the SEBS model. Results show that the mean and the upper bound of 90% quantile of ET was estimated to be 2.69 and 4.14 mm on the spring day (May 12, 2013), 2.73 and 5.41 mm on the summer day (July 31, 2013), 2.75 and 5.78 mm on the autumn day (September 17, 2013), and 1.33 and 3.25 mm on the winter day (January 23, 2014), respectively. To study variation of the distribution of ET as affected by land use, statistics were done of ETs varying with type of land use, exhibiting a decreasing order of water body[(4.21±2.63) mm·d-1]> paddy field[(2.67±1.49) mm·d-1] >wood land and tea garden[(2.06±1.35) mm·d-1] >highway and residential land[(1.17±1.14) mm·d-1]. Pearson correlation analysis shows that ET was significantly related (r=0.34-0.63, P<0.05) to normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) on the four typical days. Besides, remote-sensing based estimation of ET was quite consistent with that using the Penman-Monteith equation or the eddy correlation method, and the values acquired in field observation, which suggests that the SEBS model is applicable to estimation of ET in the Jinjing Catchment.

Content and Distribution of Black Carbon in Surface Soil of the Urban Area of Wuhu
ZHU Zhe, FANG Feng-man, DENG Zheng-wei
2016, 32(6):  908-913.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.007
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In order to investigate effects of human activities in the process of urbanization on accumulation of black carbon in the soil, a total of 154 soil samples were collected from the surface soil of the urban area of Wuhu, including five different function zones, for analysis of contents of organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC). Results show that the content of black carbon in the soil of Wuhu varied in the range of 0.02-26.16 g·kg-1, being 5.87 g·kg-1 on average and 62.98% in variation coefficient. The five function zones followed a decreasing order of Jinghu >Jiujiang >Sanshan >Yijiang >the development zone in terms of mean BC content. About 50% of the samples were found to have black carbon >5-10 g·kg-1 in content. The BC/OC ratio in the urban soil varied in the range of 0.01-0.88, being 0.58 on average, which indicates that the BC in the soil of Wuhu City originates mainly from combustion of fossil fuel. BC content varied sharply with function zone in spatial distribution, which is held to be closely related to human activities in the city of Wuhu.

Impacts of Agricultural Policies on Non-Point Source Pollution in Planting
ZHANG Hai-tao, REN Jing-ming
2016, 32(6):  914-922.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.008
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Based on the externality theory of public policies, the side-effect model for policy evaluation was adopted as the basic model for strategic environmental assessment of agricultural policies and used in combination with the multivariate linear regression analysis method to identify factors of the agricultural policies affecting agricultural non-point source pollution in different regions of China and to study how the prevailing agricultural policies affect agricultural non-point source pollution by regulating fertilizer application rate per unit area. Results indicate that the prevailing agricultural policies for land use, agricultural structure, finance and human resources all have some significant impacts, which are either positive or negative, varying with combination of the agricultural policy indices and the region, as well. The side-effect model, in combination with the multivariate linear regression analysis method is found applicable to strategic environmental assessment of agricultural policy. The analysis of impacts of the agricultural policies on agricultural non-point source pollution may provide some theoretical references for management and control of agricultural non-point source pollution risks at the policy level.

Survey of the Jiangsu, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai Area for Rural Domestic Wastewater Pollution
LI Xin-yan, LI Heng-peng, YANG Gui-shan, HE Bin, HUA Meng-fei, WANG Liang, JI Cheng, YU Shi-yun, PANG Ye, CHEN Jian
2016, 32(6):  923-932.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.009
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To provide a scientific basis for accurate calculation of pollutant load of rural domestic wastewater, a survey was unfolded by means of questionnaire in the Taihu Lake watershed to investigate consumption of water and wastewater generation in daily life and spatial distribution and fate of the wastewater in the rural areas. It is found that daily water consumption per capita of farm households is significantly and positively related to income level of the households and the highest in the plain of Shanghai. As influenced by factors such as water source and water price, it is higher in the hilly areas than in the plain areas in Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. Spatial variation of annual domestic water consumption and wastewater generation is related to terrain, resident population, farmer's income level and economic development of the towns or villages. Although septic tanks are quite popularized in rural areas of the Taihu Lake Valley, they are used to pool toilet sewage and some bathroom wastewater and kitchen sewage only for primary treatment. About 30%-50% of the toilet wastewater is discharged directly into rivers after being treated in septic tanks. The pollution it brings about to the surface water environment cannot be ignored. Obviously the existing sewage treatment facilities can hardly effectively reduce the pressure of the discharge of rural domestic sewage on the surface water environment.

Fluorescence Features of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter in Dongping Lake and Their Environmental Significance
LIU Xue-li, YAO Xin, DONG Jie, LIU Yan-long, ZHANG Ju
2016, 32(6):  933-939.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.010
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The Dongping Lake holds a crucial position as the last water-staging lake of the east line of the Project of "Diverting Water from South to North" of the country and the water source of the project diverting water from west to east in Shandong Province. Its water quality is directly related to water safety of the beneficiaries of the water diversion project. The water in the lake was sampled for analysis in August 2013 and all the water quality parameters indicate that the Lake was moderately or highly eutrophied and its water on the whole was close to Grade IV in quality set in the "Standard for Quality of Surface Water Environment" of the country and failed to meet the requirement of the water diversion project. All the water quality parameters show strong extraneousness. Fluorescent features of the chromophoric dissolved organic matters in the water were analyzed with EEMS and PARAFAC, and feasibility of using fluorescent components of the organic matters as indicators of environment pollution of the lake. PARAFAC analysis detected two classes and four types of fluorescent components, that is, C1 and C3 of the class of humic-like fluorescent components at <225/305,386 nm and 260,432 nm, respectively, and C2 and C4 of the class of protein-like fluorescent components at 240,360 nm and <225/275,304 nm, respectively. Terrigenous humic-like fluorescent component C1 was significantly related to DOC and COD, which may indirectly reflect degree of the organic pollution of the water, while protein-like fluorescent component C2 was significantly and positively related to TN. Therefore, the two components, C1 and C2 can be used as indicators for rapid determination and long-term monitoring of water eutrophication in the Dongping Lake.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sedimentsat Estuaries of Major Inlets of the Qinghai Lake Basin
LI Shao-hua, WANG Xue-quan, LAN Lan, GAO Qi, YANG Zhan-wu
2016, 32(6):  940-945.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.011
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In order to investigate the status of heavy metal pollution of Qinghai Lake Basin, samples of sediments were collected from 0-5 cm sediment layers at 11 sampling sites around the inlet estuaries of the lake for analysis of contents of 8 heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, As, Cd and Cr) in an attempt to determine their sources, ecological risks and pollution statuses. Results show:(1) The total contents of the 8 heavy metals in the samples varied in the range of 151.61-277.31 mg·kg-1 and averaged 209.65 mg·kg-1, which was slightly higher than the environmental background values of the surface soil in the Qinghai Lake Basin. In terms of concentration, the 8 elements followed an order of As >Zn >Cr >Ni >Cu >Pb >Cd >Hg, and As, Cr and Zn accounted for 73.63% of the total of the 8. The heavy metals in the sediment brought in by human activities came from similar sources, that are agriculture and transportation. In terms of geo-accumulation coefficient (Igeo) the heavy metal displayed an order of As >Hg >Cd >Cu >Cr >Ni >Zn >Pb. Among the 8, As tended to be moderate in pollution level, with an mean Igeo being 1.67. In terms of potential ecological risk, the 8 heavy metals followed an order of Hg >Cd >As >Cu >Ni >Pb >Cr >Zn. Hg, Cd and As were the major contributors of the integrated potential ecological risk index (IR), contributing 40.76%, 25.56% and 25.53% respectively. And (2) In recent years, the problem of heavy metal pollution has emerged as a result of intensified human activities, such as transportation, discharge of waste water from agriculture, urbanization (or townization) and development of tourism in the basin. The ecosystem of the basin is not so capable of purifying all the heavy metal pollutions down to a low-risk level. Therefore, it is essential to intensify monitoring and early-warning of heavy metal pollution in the medium and small inlets and seasonal inlets of the Qinghai Lake Basin, and work out case-specific control and remediation measures, so as to ensure the basin free from heavy metal pollution.

Management of Rural Domestic Waste Based on Investigations of Informal Waste Recycling: A Case Study of Guangdong Province
ZENG Chao, HUANG Chang-ji, NIU Dong-jie, ZHOU Meng, ZHAO You-cai
2016, 32(6):  946-950.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.012
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By means of questionnaire and face-to-face interview, investigations were made of the status quo of informal waste recycling in 91 towns and villages under 10 municipals in Guangdong in an attempt to formulate proper strategies for management of rural domestic waste (RDW) by sort at source in China. Results show that most of the towns and villages had started the practice of unified retrieval and transportation of RDW, however, the management was still quite low in de-hazardization level. The informal recycling sector was small in scale, but more than 70% of the interviewees had been in this business for over five years, showing that the informal sector was quite stable in Guangdong Province. Based on the behavioral investigations of the informal sector about mode, scope and tool collection and storage, a recycling model was worked out in summarization. As the prices for recyclable waste varied from region to region, and kept falling, making the profit of the business meager, which may pose a great impact on stability and chronicity of the informal recycling sector and eventually lower the recycling rate of RDW. Three specific scenarios were designed in the study on willingness of the waste recycling dealers to participate in the program of by-sort collection, and only 72.4%, 56.3% and 51.3%, of the dealers responded positively, respectively. It is, therefore, necessary to pay more attention to the characteristics of the recycling business and dealers, and appropriate preferential policies and/or economic subsidies could be adopted so as to boost their working enthusiasm.

Research on Dynamics of Human Disturbance in Upper Streams of Miyun Reservoir Watershed Based on Land Use and Land Cover Change
LIU Xiao-na, ZHANG Wei-wei, LI Hong
2016, 32(6):  951-957.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.013
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As the impacts of human activities on environment and nature through disturbance of the global surface have been getting more and more intensive each passing day, it is of great significance to evaluate accurately extent of the human impacts on the present and future environmental changes and superposed influences on variability of the nature. Based on the 2005 and 2013 SPOT 5 remote sensing images of the upper streams of the Miyun Reservoir Watershed, prominent in ecosystem services and fierce in man-vs-land contradictory, with the aid of hemeroby index (human disturbance index) and GIS spatial analysis method, differentiation and characteristics of the spatio-temporal variation of human disturbance in the region were explored from the perspectives of structure, landscape type, spatial distribution and human disturbance. Results show that:(1) During the period of 2005-2013, the landscape in the upper streams of the Miyun Reservoir Watershed was dominated with forest-farm-orchard, which changed rapidly, showing that human activities in intensive utilization of land resources were enhanced; (2) Agricultural structural readjustment, land development and management, economic development, construction and implementation of ecological rehabilitation projects were the main factors driving changes in land use/cover, which were demonstrated in steady reduction of upland, orchard, woods and shrubbery in area, steady expansion of vegetable land, grassland, sparse woodlands, construction land and bottom land in area, that leading to the degradation of forest ecosystems, and on the other hand conversion of industrial and mining lands and wastelands into orchards, forestlands and grasslands as achievements of the implementation of some ecological rehabilitation projects; (3) Partially disturbed landscapes were the dominant type in the region, displaying an increasing tendency from mountain area to hill area in disturbance intensity, especially along the traffic roads and around human activity centers.

Dynamics of Vegetation in the Wuliangsuhai Basin Under Climate Change During the Years From 1999 to 2013
YAN Shou-guang, LI Hai-dong, FANG Ying, WANG Guang
2016, 32(6):  958-963.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.014
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Based on the SPOT-VGT normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) dataset, SRTM digital elevation model (DEM), and metrological data accumulated during the years from 1999 to 2013 in four observatory stations in the Wuliangsuhai Basin, Inner Mongolia, analyses were performed for inter-annual changes in vegetation coverage in the region and their elevation effect, and at the mean time exploration was done of responses of the vegetation to climate changes through comparing changes in annual mean temperature and annual precipitation. Results show that (1) on the whole, the basin was quite low in vegetation coverage, with a multi-year mean of NDVI being 0.213; however, vegetation coverage in 94.8% areas of the basin exhibited an apparent rising trend, and the trend in 51.8% areas of the region passed the 99% confidence level (a statistical variable calculated by the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test of Z>2.32); and the annual mean NDVI was 22.4% areas in 2013 than in 1999; (2) vegetation coverage in the region declined with rising elevation and annual NDVI change rate also varied significantly with elevation, exhibiting a declining trend around 1 000 m in elevation and rising trends in all the others; and (3) variation of annual mean NDVI in the region was significantly and positively related to annual mean precipitation (P<0.05), but negatively to annual mean temperature (P>0.05).

Analysis of Changes in Wintering Habitat of Red-Crowned Cranes Based on MAXENT Model: A Case Study of Yancheng Nature Reserve
CAO Ming-chang, SUN Xiao-ping, LE Zhi-fang, CUI Peng, GONG Xi, XU Hai-gen
2016, 32(6):  964-970.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.015
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The Yancheng Nature Reserve (YNR) is an important wintering ground for wild red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) in the world on their migration route. Recently, the wintering ground of YNR has undergone significant changes. An analysis was done of changes in the wintering habitat of red-crowned cranes in YNR during the period of 2000-2013 and their major causes, using the MAXENT Model, data of field surveys, and environmental characteristic variables extracted from Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 images of 2000 and 2013. The analysis reveals that the distance to roads, fishponds and smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), and the distance to reed shoals and seepweed shoals, as well, were the main factors that influenced selection of wintering habitat by red-crowned cranes in 2000 and 2013, respectively. During the period of 2000-2013, suitable habitats for red-crowned cranes decreased from 94 571 to 22 365 hm2 in area, and were getting more and more fragmented. The distribution of red crowned crane habitats changed in pattern, from a continuous one to one concentrated around the core area of YNR. The loss of suitable habitats may be related to drastic reduction of seepweed tidal flats, mudflats and salt pans in area, and rapid expansion of fish ponds. It is, therefore, recommended that more efforts be devoted to the following aspects of work in protecting red-crowned crane habitats in YNR:(1) strengthen protection and restoration of the wetland habitats in the core area; (2) intensify management and conservation of the artificial wetlands in the buffer area and the experimental area; and (3) enforce supervision and management of human disturbance activities in YNR.

Soil Nutrients and Soil Microbial Community Diversity as Affected by Land Use in the Minjiang River Valley, Sichuan
HU Yao, LI Yi, HOU Yu-le
2016, 32(6):  971-977.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.016
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The Minjiang River Valley in Sichuan is a region diversified in type of land use (shrub-grassland, slope farmland, planted forest and secondary forest). Soil microbial community diversity and distribution of different types of land use in the region was studied using the Biolog plate and phospholipid fatty acid methyl ester (FAMEs) methods, separately. Results show that the soils regardless of whatever type of land use were undertended to be slightly acidic, following an order of slope farmland >shrub-grassland >planted forest >secondary forest in soil pH, fluctuated somewhat in soil electric conductivity, bulk density and total porosity, and followed an order of secondary forest> planted forest>shrub-grassland >slope farmland in content of soil nutrients and available nutrients. The soils varied significantly in functional diversity of microbial community relative to land use. Average well color development (AWCD) is an index that directly reflects soil microbial activity and functional diversity. It increased with the usage going on time. The soils displayed an order of secondary forest >planted forest >shrub-grassland >slope farmland in soil microbial community activity. Soil microbes' use of carbon sources varied in intensity relative to type of the source. Carboxylic acids and carbohydrates were the major ones and followed by amino acids, phenolic acids, polymers, and amines. The soils also displayed the order of secondary forest >planted forest >shrub-grassland >slope farmland in Simpson index (H), Shannon-Wiener index (E), richness index (DS) and McIntosh index (S), but the differences between the four types of land use in DS were not big enough to be rated as significant. Principal component analysis (PCA) shows that principal components No. 1 and No. 2 out of 31 affecting factors related to carbon source utilization explained 63.89% and 18.55% of the variation, respectively. Among the principal components, carboxylic acids and carbohydrates were the two major contributors. Correlation analysis shows that soil microbial diversity index was in significantly or very significantly positive relationship with the content of soil organic matter and of total nitrogen, but in negative one with pH, that is to say, the content of soil organic matter and the content of total nitrogen are the two major factors affecting soil microbial diversity. All findings mentioned above suggest that the soil under secondary forest is the highest in nutrient content and more favorable for survival of microorganisms, which play a very important role in maintaining stability of the ecosystem in this area.

Characteristics of Degradation Tetracyclines and Sulfonamides During Wastewater Treating Processes in an Intensive Swine Farm
JIN Hong-mei, HUANG Hong-ying, GUAN Yong-xiang, XU Cai-yun, CHANG Zhi-zhou, QIAN Yu-ting
2016, 32(6):  978-985.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.017
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Antibiotics and their metabolites are emerging contaminants posing a potential worldwide human health risk. Intensive animal husbandry is believed to be a major contributor to the increasing environmental burden of antibiotics. As to the antibiotics in animal manure in China, little information is available regarding characteristics of the degradation of antibiotics during wastewater treating processes in intensive animal husbandry. The aim of this study was to investigate concentrations of tetracyclines (TCs) and sulfonamides (SAs) types of antibiotics in wastewater and to explore their degradation characteristics during the processes of treating the wastewater in an intensive swine farm typical of the region of South Jiangsu in winter and summer. Results show that in wastewater treatment using the prevailing biogas digesters, as the incoming wastewater was high in pollutant concentration,and its hydraulic retention time was short, the treatment was only able to remove 12.9%-69.3%, 20.4%-60.9%, 25.3%-55.0%, 13.8%-18.2%, 46.8%-61.8% and 18.1%-48.7%, of the oxytetracycline (OTC), chlorotetracycline (CTC), doxycycline (DOX), sulfadiazine (SD), sulfadimidine (SM) and sulfachlorpyridazine (SCP) in the wastewater, respectively. Besides, residual concentrations of TCs and SAs in the treated wastewater were much higher in winter than in summer, especially that of CTC, SD and SCP being 0.887, 0.492 and 10.160 μg·L-1, respectively, on average. Direct discharge of such wastewater from digesters into farm fields would pose high risks to biological safety. Post-treatment of the biogas slurry through a sedimentation tank and/or a pond with hydrophyte pond, had some positive effects on removals of TCs an SAs, especially in summer, when the residual removal rate could reach up to over 90%. So it is a critical measure to dehazardize biogas slurry for its safe use in farmlands. All the findings in this study demonstrate that the technology combining anaerobic and aerobic bio-treatment processes in removing antibiotics, SAs in particular, in wastewater from animal farms is a major and effective one.

Effects of Attapulgite and Sepiolite Adsorbing Cadmium in Aqueous Solution
WANG Jian, LI Ren-yin, HE Yue, WU Yun-jin, JIAO Shao-jun, ZHAO Li
2016, 32(6):  986-991.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.018
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Effects of attapulgite and sepiolite adsorbing Cd2+ in aqueous solutions relative to initial concentration, solid-liquid ratio, exposure duration, and pH were investigated through a static batch experiment under a set NaNO3 ionic strength (0.01 mol·L-1). Results show that, under the set NaNO3 ionic strength, Cd2+ adsorption of sepiolite and attapulgite of high grade and attapulgite of low grade is positively related to initial concentration of Cd2+ in the solution, but negatively to solid-liquid ratio of the solution. Fitting with the Langmuir isothermal adsorption equation reveals an order of high grade attapulgite (33.67 mg·g-1) >high grade sepiolite (25.55 mg·g-1) >low grade attapulgite(11.52 mg·g-1) >low grade sepiolite (5.24 mg·g-1) in terms of theoretical saturated Cd2+adsorption; Cd2+ adsorption on sepiolite and attapulgite is strongly influenced by pH of the solution, and peaks when pH is 2-4; Cd2+ adsorption on attapulgite is relatively stable and reaches equilibrium basically in 3 h; in solutions 0.01 mol·L-1 NaNO3 in ionic strength, 625 mg·L-1 in initial Cd2+ concentration, 15 g·L-1 in clay mineral addition amount and 2-4 in pH, the minerals display an order of high grade sepiolite >high grade attapulgite >low grade attapulgite >low grade sepiolite in terms of Cd removal efficiency.

Characteristics and Kinetics of Modified Corncob Adsorbing Reactive Brilliant Red K-2BP
XU Mao-dong, FAN Jin-wei, WU Zhi-chuan
2016, 32(6):  992-996.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.019
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A study was carried to explore characteristics of corncobs pretreated with ammonia, adsorbing reactive brilliant red K-2BP in wastewater. In the study structure of the modified corncob was characterized with the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Effects of pH, exposure duration, temperature and initial dye concentration on the corncob adsorbing the dye were determined and kinetics of the adsorption analyzed. Results show that the corncob displayed its optimal adsorption efficiency in wastewater 1.61 in pH and 30℃ in temperature for 10 hour, and reached up to 22.936 mg·g-1 in saturated adsorption. Besides, its adsorption behavior fitted the Langmuir isotherm and the reaction order fitted the quasi-second order reaction kinetics, and activation energy being 17.655 kJ·mol-1.

Absorption, Translocation and Transformation of Arsenic in Medicinal Herb Panax notoginseng-Soil System
DU Li-juan, MI Yan-hua, CHEN Lu, YIN Ben-lin, MA Jie, HE Li-zhong, YE Yan-ping
2016, 32(6):  997-1002.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.020
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In the present study, arsenic in soil and Panax notoginseng was analyzed with the high performance liquid chromatography-atomic fluorescence (HPLC-HG-AFS), for total and species arsenic in an attempt to determine how the plant adsorbs, translocates and transforms arsenic. Results show that inorganic arsenate[As(Ⅴ)] and arsenite[As(Ⅲ)] were the main forms in P. notoginseng growing soil, and As (Ⅴ) was much higher than As (Ⅲ) in content, accounts for about 95% of the total. Arsenic distributed unevenly in the plant and the tissues of a plant displayed an order of branch root >rhizome >taproot >leaves >stems in terms of content of total arsenic, showing that roots is the main pathway of arsenic flowing from soil to P. notoginseng plant. The distribution of arsenic also varied with species[As (Ⅴ), As (Ⅲ) and MMA] and plant tissue. For As (Ⅲ), an order of leaves >branch root >rhizome >stems >taproot; for As (Ⅴ), an order of rhizome >branch root >taproot >leaves >stems and for MMA an order of root >stems >rhizome >leaves >taproot was found. Therefore, to reduce bioavailability of the arsenic in soil and to study in depth how to regulate transformation of arsenic between species[As (Ⅴ), As (Ⅲ) and MMA] in different parts of P. notoginseng are the important ways to mitigate the hazard on safety caused by arsenic in P. notoginseng.

Degradation Dynamics of Spirotetramat Residue in Citrus
WU Wen-zhu, LI Ju-ying, HE Jian, CHEN Quan-bo, SHAN Zheng-jun
2016, 32(6):  1003-1007.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.021
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Spirotetramat is commonly used in citrus orchards for pest control. A study was performed on residues of the pesticide and its metabolites in citrus and soil, their degradation dynamics and their fates in citrus orchards located at Suzhou, Fuzhou and Chongqing, using acetonitrile in extraction, N-propyl ethylenediamine (PSA) and anhydrous magnesium sulfate in purification, and the LC-MS/MS in determination. Results show that half-life of spirotetramat was in the range of 6.7-9.6, 4.7-9.5 and 7.8-9.5 d in the fruits from Suzhou, Fuzhou, and Chongqing, respectively, and in the range of 1.4-2.3,1.3-4.9 and 2.3-3.6 d in the soils from the orchards at Suzhou, Fuzhou, and Chongqing, respectively. On such a basis, it is suggested that spirotetramat be applied at a rate of the highest recommended dosage (60 mg·kg-1 in active ingredient) and a rate, 1.5 times the highest recommended dosage (90 mg·kg-1, in active ingredient) twice and three times a season to keep residue of the substance in citrus below the upper limit of MRL (1.0 mg·kg-1).

Application of Pesticide Risk Assessment Techniques to Pesticide Pollution Control
HE Jian, WU Wen-zhu, KONG De-yang, ZHOU Yan, JIAO Shao-jun, SHAN Zheng-jun
2016, 32(6):  1008-1011.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.022
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In order to reduce pesticide use in the Tiaoxi Watershed and lower environmental risk of the pesticides on aquatic organisms, a field survey was carried out of types and rates of the pesticides used to control leaf borers, planthoppers and rice sheath blight in the watershed; environmental risks of the pesticides assessed using the technique for pesticide risk assessment, and simulated shells for exposure of pesticides; and optimal types and optimal application rates of pesticides determined according to their risks, separately. Results show that the use of pymetrozine to replace buprofezin reduced the application rate of pesticide by 765 g·hm-2; the use of avermectin to replace Jiaozi did by 0.75 L·hm-2; and the use of Armure to replace Jinggangmycin did by 4.27 L·hm-2. In total, the replacements of the conventional pesticides reduced the use of pesticides by 5.79 L·hm-2. Meanwhile, the replacements improved crop yield and pest control effect in the experiment field over their respective ones in paddy fields of local farmers using conventional pesticide. Thanks to its lowered frequency and rates, the use of the replacement pesticides lowered pest control cost and in turn raised economic profit of the crop. Therefore, it could be concluded that this technology can reduce not only the total amount of pesticides to be used, but also their toxic impacts on aquatic bio-environment, thus controlling the non-point source chemical pollution at the source.

Endocrine Disrupting Effects of TBBPA and TBP on Pelteobagrus fulvidraco
ZHANG Sheng-xin, LIU Ji-ning, WANG Lei, YANG Xian-hai, SHI Li-li, LIU Dan
2016, 32(6):  1012-1017.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.023
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Based on an acute toxicity test on fish, an experiment was conducted on toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and its degradation product of 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) to growing young Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, especially their endocrine-disrupting effects. During the experiment, growth rate of the juveniles was measured and the minimum observable response concentration (MORC) and unobservable response concentration (URC) of TBBPA and TBP in the juveniles exposed to the chemicals for 28 days. Contents of vitellogenin (VTG) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) content in viscera of the fish were also measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits for significant difference analysis. Results show that concentrations of TBBPA and TBP and growth rate of the fish in weight displayed an obvious does-effect relationship with MORC and URC of TBBPA being 0.32 and 0.16 mg·L-1 and MORC and URC of TBP being 0.64 and 0.32 mg·L-1, respectively, which indicates that TBBPA was more toxic than TBP. With rising TBBPA concentration, VTG and ACTH in the fish significantly increased in content, but VTG did not show any significant response to change in concentration of TBP and ACTH declined by a large margin in content when TBP reached 0.64 mg·L-1 in concentration. It is, therefore, presumed that TBBPA and TBP are potential environmental endocrine disruptors.

Isolation, Immobilization and Characterization of Quinclorac-Degrading Strain Pseudomonas stutzeri PFS-4
ZHANG Ke, WU Yi-qi, CHEN Wei, GE Sang, CHEN Jia, LUO Hong-bing
2016, 32(6):  1018-1023.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.024
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Using quinclorac as carbon source, one strain, named PFS-4, was isolated from long-term contaminated soil. Strain PFS-4 was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri based on physiological and biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. PFS-4 immobilization condition was optimized by orthogonal experiment, and then the effects of different temperature, initial pH, carbon and nitrogen sources on the degradation of quinclorac by the immobilized bacteria were examined. The performance of free bacteria and immobilized bacteria in actual wastewater were also detected. The results show that the optimal conditions for immobilization were as follows:alginate concentration 5%, calcium chloride 4%, bacteria cement ratio 1:2, crosslinking time 5 h. The immobilized bacteria could effectively degrad 92.3% of quinclorac (500 mg·L-1) after 5 d inoculation at the condition of 30℃ and pH 7.0. The results also revealed that the degradation rate decreased when treating actual wastewater. The degradation rate of free bacteria was significantly inhibited (P<0.01)when treating wastewater, on the contrary,immobilized bacteria were less affected and the removal rate remained above 64%. Therefore, wheat-straw adsorption-sodium alginate immobilized bacteria can be applied in quinclorac biodegradation treatment because of its good buffering to adverse circumstances.

Identification of Hyperspectra Characteristic Bands of Grassland Degradation Indicator Plant Species in Bashang Region of Hebei Province
HAO Fang-fang, CHEN Yan-mei, GAO Ji-xi, LÜ Guo-xu, TIAN Mei-rong
2016, 32(6):  1024-1029.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.025
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Grassland ecosystem plays an important role in the development of animal husbandry, soil and water conservation, and maintenance of the ecological balance. Therefore, it is of great significance to perform real-time monitoring of degradation of grasslands. The technology of hyperspectral remote sensing can greatly improve precision of the identification of degraded vegetation structure in the process of grassland degeneration, and opens up a new field in the study of grassland degradation. In using the technology to identify degraded vegetation structure, it is very important to choose and extract characteristic bands. To that end, based on the hyperspectral data measured in field, spectral reflection curves of three species of degradation indicator plants and two dominant species in Bashang Region were processed with the logarithmic transformation method. Then bands were selected out of the original spectra and transformed logarithmic spectra with the confidence interval of mean for extraction of spectral characteristics of the degradation indicator species. And the selected bands were identified and validated with the Manhattan distance method. Results of the study show as follows:(1) Compared with the two dominant species, namely Carex pediformis and Leymus chinensis, the degradation indicator species Stellera chamaejasme featured at 402-412 nm, Artemisia frigid at 627-689, 715-929 and 929-1 033 nm and Potentilla acaulis at 705-721 nm; (2) In the above characteristic bands, the Manhattan distance of the vegetation homogeneous in plant species was obviously smaller than that of the vegetation heterogeneous in plant species. And the Manhattan distance of Stellera chamaejasme, Artemisia frigida and Potentilla acaulis was 0.006 6, 0.310 1 and 0.385 5, respectively; (3) No big difference was found, in the visible band between degraded vegetation and vegetation of dominant species. After logarithmic transformation, the difference was amplified and made easy the extraction of characteristic bands. The use of the original spectral curve in combination with its logarithmic spectral curve based on the confidence interval of mean made the extraction of characteristic bands more accurate. The eventually defined characteristics band for Stellera chamaejasme is 402-412 nm, for Artemisia frigid 627-689, 758-924 and 940-1 033 nm and for Potentilla acaulis 705-721 nm.

Environmental Quality Criteria for Lead in Soil Based on Ecological Risk
ZHENG Li-ping, LONG Tao, FENG Yan-hong, ZHANG Ya, LIN Yu-suo, WANG Guo-qing
2016, 32(6):  1030-1035.  doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2016.06.026
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Environmental criteria (ECs) are threshold concentrations for toxic and hazardous substances in environmental media to be harmless to given receptors. ECs are the scientific basis for formulation of environmental standards. Literature research was carried out to collect data of eco-toxicity of lead in soil. The species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method was adopted to perform modeling analysis of the data. Ecological risk-based threshold concentration for Pb in soil was figured out to be 80.5 mg·kg-1 on the basis of protection of 95% of the species. Compared with similar soil environmental criteria of other countries and regions, the threshold concentration derived by the authors for Pb in soil is at a level moderate on the conservative side. All the findings of this study may serve as a scientific basis for formulation of soil Pb environmental standards for protection of terrestrial ecological species.