Analysis and assessment of heavy metals pollution in soils around a Pb and Zn smelter in Baoji City,Northwest China

Soil heavy metal pollution from mining activities is potentially harmful to human health through the food chain. In this study, a total of 43 soil samples were collected from a depth of 0–20 cm from fields close to a Pb and Zn smelter. The samples were used to: 1) analyze the pollution level of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cr, and Cu) and spatial distribution pattern; 2) evaluate the degree of accumulation and enrichment, potential ecological risk, and human health risk; and 3) perform source apportionment in Fengxiang County, Shaanxi Province of China. The results showed that the concentration ranged from 43.67 to 189.55, 131.43 to 239.53, 74.77 to 112.25, and 24.69 to 37.71 mg·kg^?1 for Pb, Zn, Cr, and Cu, respectively, and the mean concentration for Pb, Zn, Cr, and Cu was 129.46, 192.85, 91.98 and 31.67 mg·kg^?1, respectively. The concentrations were greater than the Shaanxi Province background values, while they were lower than the second-level limits of Environmental Quality Standard for Soils of China (EQSS). The spatial distribution of heavy metal contents showed a banded in soil except Cu. The spatial distribution pattern and pollution assessment indexes (I_geo, EF) indicated that the investigated metals had been accumulated in the study areas, and implied significant influences from anthropogenic activities, local meteorological situation, and soil properties. The ecological risk assessment showed that the risks were relatively low (RI<150). Compared with the exposure risk for adults, that for children was significantly greater. The ingestion of heavy metals in the soils by humans was the main exposure pathway compared with the dermal exposure. There may be a risk of noncarcinogenic adverse health effects (HQ < 1, 0.377 ≤ HI≤1.553) on children, but the adults were unlikely to experience obvious adverse health effects (HQ < 1, HI < 1). The carcinogenic risk of Cr for adults and children was at an unacceptable level. The carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks were in the order of children > adults. The correlation analysis showed that Pb, Cr, and Cu have identical anthropogenic and natural sources, while Zn has another identical source. This study could provide a basis for the sustainable management of this region by reducing metal inputs and to protect soils from long-term heavy metal accumulation.     

Automatic detection of pulmonary nodules in CT images by incorporating 3D tensor filtering with local image feature analysis

Computer-aided detection (CAD) technology has been developed and demonstrated its potential to assist radiologists in detecting pulmonary nodules especially at an early stage. In this paper, we present a novel scheme for automatic detection of pulmonary nodules in CT images based on a 3D tensor filtering algorithm and local image feature analysis. We first apply a series of preprocessing steps to segment the lung volume and generate the isotropic volumetric CT data. Next, a unique 3D tensor filtering approach and local image feature analysis are used to detect nodule candidates. A 3D level set segmentation method is used to correct and refine the boundaries of nodule candidates subsequently. Then, we extract the features of the detected candidates and select the optimal features by using a CFS (Correlation Feature Selection) subset evaluator attribute selection method. Finally, a random forest classifier is trained to classify the detected candidates. The performance of this CAD scheme is validated using two datasets namely, the LUNA16 (Lung Nodule Analysis 2016) database and the ANODE09 (Automatic Nodule Detection 2009) database. By applying a 10-fold cross-validation method, the CAD scheme yielded a sensitivity of 79.3% at an average of 4 false positive detections per scan (FP/Scan) for the former dataset, and a sensitivity of 84.62% and 2.8 FP/Scan for the latter dataset, respectively. Our detection results show that the use of 3D tensor filtering algorithm combined with local image feature analysis constitutes an effective approach to detect pulmonary nodules.     

基于指标自动筛选的新疆开孔河流域生态健康评价

生态健康评价对了解区域生态健康状况和促进区域可持续发展具有重要意义,如何自动筛选出能反映生态系统特性的重要指标,是生态健康定量评估的关键问题。基于压力-状态-响应(PSR,Press-State-Response)框架和生态等级网络框架(EHN,Ecological Hierarchy Network),通过文献调研和因果分析建立要素层与指标层之间的交叉联系,构建了生态健康评价"网状"指标体系;在保证指标体系完备性基础上,通过结合主成分分析和熵权法的候选指标权重的客观计算,基于目标优化理论构建了评价指标的自动筛选模型,并基于中选指标计算了新疆开孔河流域2001—2017年生态健康指数(EHCI,Ecological Health Comprehensive Indexes),分析其空间分异和时间变化特征。结果表明:利用所建立的评价指标自动筛选模型,开孔河流域生态健康评价指标由31个候选指标自动筛选出了17个中选指标,用54.8%的指标表达了85.98%的信息,中选的17个指标在干旱/半干旱区域有关文献中应用较多,使用频次比例都在20%以上,其中归一化植被指数(NDVI,Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)、年降水量和植被覆盖度(FVC,Fractional Vegetation Coverage)3个指标的使用频次百分比均超过了50%,说明指标自动筛选模型的合理性;开孔河流域空间分布差异显著,总体上西北高、东南低,东南部和中部绿洲区外围生态健康状况较差,西北部河谷地带和中部两大绿洲区生态健康状况较好;17年来,流域生态质量整体趋于改善,显著改善区域占10.26%,远高于显著退化的1.61%,显著改善区域以孔雀河绿洲最为明显。开孔河流域生态健康的总体好转趋势说明区域生态综合治理取得一定成效。     

Biodiversity assessment in ecological restoration above the timberline

Ecological restoration trials in high-alpine sites require sampling of indigenous plant populations. This problem is discussed briefly in relation to initial genetic diversity in the restoration material. The further part of the paper deals with restoration trials in the Swiss Alps and their assessment.The plots, set in machine-graded downhill ski runs, were revegetated with transplants of alpine species used in various combinations. Safe-site conditions were simulated with biodegradable wood-fibre mats. Surveys carried out in plots aged four to seven years focused on plant species inventory and age-state structure of mixed stands. The alpha diversity assessment included speices number and the associated aspects. The consistent increase in species number, the number of plant families represented, and range of life-forms was apparently independent of the restoration timing. The age-state structure of the mixed stands was characterized by a considerable increase in the range of age-state classes and, in particular, a regular appearance of younger variants. These changes clearly indicate development of self-sustaining plant communities influenced by reproduction of the transplants and extensive immigration. It is proposed that age-state structure be called delta diversity and included in a routine assessment of post-restoration status of both single plant populations and mixed stands.     

Responses of nitrogen and phosphorus resorption from leaves and branches to long-term nitrogen deposition in a Chinese fir plantation

为了解森林养分内循环对全球变化的响应, 基于长期模拟氮沉降试验, 研究了杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)人工林不同龄级(一年生、二年生和衰老)叶和枝的氮(N)、磷(P)养分分配及其再吸收特征, 并分析了不同模拟N沉降处理时间(7年和14年)杉木叶N、P养分再吸收差异。在12年生杉木中开展模拟N沉降试验, 以尿素(CO(NH₂)₂)为N源, 设N0、N1、N2和N3 4个处理水平, 施氮量分别为0、60、120和240 kg·hm ^-2·a ^-1, 每个处理重复3次。结果表明: (1)叶和枝在衰老过程中碳(C)、N和P含量逐渐降低, 且叶的C、N和P含量比枝高; N含量大小依次为一年生叶>二年生叶>衰老叶>一年生枝>二年生枝>衰老枝, 且N3 > N2 > N1 > N0, 而C:N则呈现相反的趋势; 衰老器官的C:N、C:P、N:P比新鲜器官高; N沉降增加了不同龄级叶和枝(除二年生叶外)的N、N:P和C:P, 但降低了P和C:N。(2)叶和枝的N、P养分再吸收率(RE_N、RE_P)随龄级的增加至衰老有规律地递减, 且RE_P > RE_N; 受长期N沉降的影响, RE_N叶(28.12%) <枝(30.00%), 而RE_P则为叶(45.82%) >枝(30.42%); 杉木叶和枝N:P与RE_N:RE_P之间存在极显著的线性相关关系。(3)随N沉降处理时间的增加, 叶RE_N呈降低态势, 各处理(N1、N2和N3)分别降低了9.85%、3.17%和11.71%; 而RE_P则明显上升, 分别增加了71.98%、42.25%和9.60%。研究结果表明: 不同器官、不同龄级的养分再吸收率随氮沉降处理的水平、处理时间而所有不同; RE_N:RE_P与N:P之间存在紧密关系。     

基于多尺度协同的长沙市生态网络构建与层级优化

城市化背景下人类与自然环境的矛盾呈现出多尺度、层级化特征，而传统生态网络的构建方式较少考虑不同尺度下生态要素的关系，无法从区域落实到中心城区，难以形成系统性的解决方案。研究在综合梳理各尺度生态网络构建方法的基础上，以长沙市为例，基于形态学空间格局分析（Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis，MSPA）、景观连通性原理和生态斑块重要性评价识别生态源地，并通过多层级生态阻力面的确定，综合运用最小费用路径（Least-cost path method，LCP）、电路理论、层级传导理论、尺度嵌套等方法对市域、都市区、中心城区的生态网络进行了协同构建和层级优化，最后基于不同尺度生态网络的特点应用并落实到多层级的国土空间规划体系中。研究结果表明：（1）长沙市域生态网络和都市区生态网络具有较好的层级嵌套特征；共识别两尺度生态叠合源地14个、生态叠合廊道15条，主要通过中心城区内的湘江、浏阳河和捞刀河部分河段与外围生态绿圈相衔接，形成"外环内楔"的空间格局。（2）确定市域重要廊道、市域潜在廊道、生态叠合廊道、都市区重要廊道、都市区潜在廊道的核心保护面积共501.14 km²，并提取位于生态廊道核心保护区范围内的生态夹点和生态障碍点，以进一步落实生态保护修复策略。（3）得到具有重要生态连通功能的中心城区生态绿道长度441.2 km，生态修复单元56个，并结合生态阻力值划分为5级进行针对性修复。（4）基于不同尺度生态网络的衔接、嵌套，最终构建"市域总体生态安全格局-都市区城市生态空间发展格局-以城市绿道为基础的中心城区生态修复单元"，并与不同层级的国土空间规划体系相对应。研究结果将为以大城市为中心的跨尺度生态系统修复和生态安全格局构建提供科学参考。