松嫩草地牛粪中大型节肢动物种类组成及种群动态变化

研究并分析了松嫩草地牛粪中大型节肢动物种类组成及动态变化.结果表明,在草地牛粪中共调查到大型节肢动物7目20科43种,以鞘翅目、膜翅目和双翅目为主.依其食性不同,分为粪食性型(8科19种)、腐食性型(4科4种)、植食性型(4科6种)、捕食性型(5科11种)、杂食性型(2科5种)、尸食性型(1科1种)和寄生性型(1科1种).根据鞘翅目金龟总科中营粪食性型生活的粪甲虫对牛粪利用方式的不同,分为外生粪甲虫(6种)、内生粪甲虫(5种)、远生粪甲虫(2种)和偷窃寄生粪甲虫(1种).除了双顶嗡蜣螂,牛粪中大型节肢动物数量与鲜牛粪重量具有显著正相关关系(p＜0.01).粪食性型种类数和个体数量随鲜牛粪堆置时间的延长而迅速减少,7d后消失,其个体总数量与鲜牛粪堆积时间呈显著的负相关关系(p＜0.01),而与牛粪含水量呈显著正相关关系(p＜0.01),各种大型节肢动物因其食性不同在鲜牛粪中占据不同的生态位.鲜牛粪中大型节肢动物以粪食性型占绝对优势,而干牛粪中则以捕食性型和杂食性型为主.牛粪中大型节肢动物种群季节动态变化受温度、降水量与牛粪含水量影响,鲜牛粪中大型节肢动物优势种为直蜉金龟(69.25%)和肖秋家蝇与东方角蝇幼虫(25.12%).4、5、6月份和9月份,优势种为直蜉金龟,7月和8月份,优势种为蝇幼虫.     

Some effects of rearing the yellow dung fly Scatophaga stercoraria in cattle dung containing invermectin

Invermectin was added to cattle dung in controlled concentrations like those found in the pats of injected cattle, and the medium was used to rear larvae of the dung fly Scatophaga stercoraria. Ivermectin at 0.036 ppm (wt/wet weight) debilitates 50% of the larvae within 48 h. At 0.015 ppm, 50% of the larvae are unable to pupariate, while at 0.001 ppm, 50% of the larvae fail to reach the adult stage. Adults produced from larvae reared in pats containing 0.0005 ppm invermectin show high levels of fluctuating asymmetry in wing characteristics as well as deformities in the wing veins themselves. The data are discussed in relation to the effects of excreted ivermectin on pastureland biology.     

Environmental assessment of products

The evaluation of product alternatives in Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is a critical step on the basis of results as related to their impact category data. Decisions involving several environmental issues are hardly ever straightforward, since one alternative only seldom clearly dominates the others in all aspects. More often, one alternative scores better on some environmental issues and worse on others. A combination of impact data and preferences is then required for evaluation. This can be done using evaluation methods based on fixed societal preferences. However, by applying different evaluation methods to the same data, different “best” alternatives may be chosen. This reduces the credibility of LCA results. Instead of fixed societal preferences an approach has been developed which uses consensus-oriented ranges of societal values for specifying the ranking of the overall environmental attractiveness of alternatives. These ranges may indicate both the uncertainty of decision-makers and the shifting of societal values, e.g. as related to the dynamics of knowledge of environmental problem areas. In this article, an approach is proposed which combines environmental data and uncertain societal values to form a clear statement on alternatives regarding their overall damage. By using a full set of potentially relevant societal preferences, a merely coincidental selection of the best product alternative is ruled out. A step-by-step procedure, narrowing down the feasible range of societal preferences, has been developed. The approach is illustrated using a case study of TV-housing concepts and a survey.     

Environmental impact assessment: the growing importance of science in government decision making

The broad acceptance of the conclusions and recommendations contained in the Brundtland Report with its emphasis on environmentally sustainable development is a good indication that this concept is gaining world-wide recognition. Science and the ensuing technology must be credited for creating and sustaining our modern society and we must now apply our expertise to minimize the adverse impacts of industrial growth and preserve our environment.Real progress towards the reconciliation of economic and environmental goals will require effective incorporation of environmental impact assessment (EIA) into the planning process and this paper describes the steps taken to improve the concept and practice of EIA in Canada. Public trust and participation in the process are key ingredients for its success as well as good science and meaningful dialogue between the scientists, the public and the decision makers. The availability of standard and reliable bioassessment techniques, which is the theme of this conference, should be helpful in strengthening the scientific basis for biophysical aspects of EIA.     

Field effects of faecal residues from ivermectin slow‐release boluses on the attractiveness of cattle dung to dung beetles

A 2‐year study was performed in two sites in southern France to assess the effect of ivermectin residues on the attractiveness of cattle dung to colonizing insects. Insect captures were compared between pitfall traps baited with dung from untreated cattle and dung from cattle that had been treated with a slow‐release (SR) bolus of ivermectin. Cattle dung was collected at different times after treatment (4, 14, 42, 70 and 98 days). Excretion showed a plateau, with levels ranging between 0.688 µg and 1.123 µg ivermectin per gram of wet dung. Faecal residues affected insect captures at both sites. Effects were independent of the time dung was collected after treatment, except for one result subsequent to a severe drought during the baiting period. Ivermectin‐contaminated dung showed a significant attractive effect, with increased captures regardless of the guild to which beetles belonged. This study demonstrates the attractiveness of ivermectin residues over a long period after the treatment of animals. It draws attention to the danger of widespread use of this endectocide‐based SR bolus, which is attributable to the preferential attraction of insects to treated dung, which potentially puts at risk the survival of their offspring.     

Environmental risk assessment of transgenic miraculin-accumulating tomato in a confined field trial in Japan

The commercial use of genetically modified (GM) crops requires prior assessment of the risks to the environment when these crops are grown in the field or distributed. Assessments protocols vary across countries and GM crop events, but there is a common need to assess environmental biosafety. In this study, we conducted an environmental risk assessment in a confined field of GM tomato plants that can produce miraculin, a taste-altering protein that causes sour tastes to be perceived as sweet, for practical use in Japan. The evaluation was conducted for 1) competitiveness (the ability to compete with wild plants for nutrients, sunlight, and growing areas and prevent their growth) and 2) the production of toxic substances (the ability to produce substances that interfere with the habitat and growth of wild plants, animals, and microorganisms). Investigations of plant morphology and growth characteristics as well as tolerance to low temperature during early growth and overwintering for assessment endpoints related to competitiveness showed no biologically meaningful difference between GM tomato and non-GM tomato. In addition, harmful substances in plant residues and root secretions were assessed by the plow-in method, succeeding crop test and soil microflora tests, and it was determined that GM tomato does not exhibit an increase in harmful substances. Based on these results, it was concluded that GM miraculin-accumulating tomato is comparable to conventional tomato and is unlikely to have unintended adverse effects in the natural environment of Japan.     

Effects of ivermectin and doramectin faecal residues on the invertebrate colonization of cattle dung

Abstract: The effects of avermectin [ivermectin (IVM) and doramectin (DRM)] faecal residues on dung colonization and degradation by invertebrates were evaluated during late spring in the east of La Pampa province, Argentina. The study was conducted after collection of faecal material from animals (10 steers per group) allocated to the following groups: untreated control group (CG) and groups treated subcutaneously (200 μg/kg) with either DRM (DG) or a long‐acting formulation of IVM (IG). Fifty pats (550 g each) per group were collected, prepared and deposited on the field on days 3, 7, 16 and 29 post‐treatment (pt). Eight pats per group were recovered after 7, 14, 21, 42, 100 and 180 days post‐deposition (pd) on the field. The weight, percentage of dry matter, number of arthropods and nematodes from faeces were determined. The faecal concentrations of IVM and DRM were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) throughout the trial period to correlate the pattern of drug degradation in dung with pd time. The total number of arthropods in dungs from CG was higher (P < 0.05) than those counted between days 3 and 29 pt in IG and DG. A decrease in the number of Coleoptera larvae (P < 0.05) between days 21 and 42 days pd was observed in both treated groups. Diptera larvae counts in CG pats were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those obtained in treated groups in the 7‐ and 14‐day‐old pats. A lower number (P < 0.05) of Collembola, compared with pats from CG, was recovered from IG and DG pats deposited at days 3 and 7 pt and exposed from day 42. The counts of Acari in pats from treated animals were lower (P < 0.05) than those observed in CG pats at 3, 8 and 16 days pt. There were no differences neither in adult Scarabaeidae recovered nor in the proportions of dung buried and destroyed by great dung beetles. Dung specific nematodes were reduced (P < 0.05) in IG and DG pats from 3 and 7 days pt compared with those of CG pats. The comparative results shown here demonstrate that the negative effects of both IVM and DRM on dung colonization are similar. The pattern of drug degradation in the environment was very slow. High residual concentrations of both active parent compounds were recovered in dungs exposed in the field for up to 180 days pd. Concentrations as high as 13 ng/g (IVM) and 101 ng/g (DRM) were measured in faeces obtained from pats deposited on day 27 pt and exposed to the environment during 180 days. The results show a decrease in invertebrate colonization of dung recovered from IVM‐ and DRM‐treated cattle, which is in agreement with the large drug residual concentrations measured in faeces.     

Environmental risk assessment of releases of transgenic plants containing virus-derived inserts

Sequences derived from the genomes of plant viruses are being used to provide virus resistance in transgenic crop plants. Although the environmental hazards associated with the release of such plants have been discussed widely, it has not been possible to reach generally acceptable conclusions about their safety. A case-by-case approach to the risk assessment of real examples is recommended as a means of building up confidence and of indicating areas of uncertainty. A logical framework for risk assessment is suggested, a key feature of which is identification of the viruses in the release environment that may infect the transgenic plants. Each of these is considered in relation to each of the three main classes of hazard (transcapsidation, recombination and synergism), and the risk associated with each event is analysed.     

Is floristic quality assessment reliable in human-managed ecosystems?

The Floristic Quality Analysis (FQA) is a method to assess the quality of a flora based on the assignment of scores to plant species and subsequent calculation of indices. This method is widely applied, but inadequate investigation has been devoted to test its potential problems due to human factors. This work is aimed to specifically test how the human factor can affect the calculation of the FQA indices, by addressing three questions: (i) Are the scores given to plant species consistent among different experts?; (ii) Are the floristic quality indices calculated by different experts consistent in ordering individual sites?; and (iii) Does the use of an appropriate statistics change the ordering of individual sites? To answer these questions, a list of species obtained in 136 plots in central Italy was submitted to nine experts, who scored each species. The FQA indices were then calculated from the scores of each of the experts. The results showed that: (i) the scores given to the species by the experts were not consistent and the derived floristic quality indices were statistically different; (ii) the floristic quality indices calculated for each plot were significantly different among experts, but the ranking of these plots based on their floristic quality was rather consistent; and (iii) the use of ordinal statistics, which is more adequate for this type of data, did not change the results. This study demonstrated that the Floristic Quality Analysis does not provide reliable and objective tools to assess the quality of the flora in a human-managed ecosystem. The application of these indices should be preceded with resolution of the methodological problems associated with the use of inappropriate statistics, and by procedures to reduce the degree of subjectivity in assigning the CC scores.     

Asymmetric competition in cattle dung between two species of Onthophagus dung beetle and the bush fly, Musca vetustissima

Abstract.

• 1 Competition in cattle dung pads between two dung beetles, Onthophagus ferox Harold and Onthophagus binodis Thunberg, and the bush fly, Musca vetustissima Walker, was investigated in laboratory experiments, to determine why spring fly abundance in the field did not fall following the introduction of O. binodis.
• 2 At low beetle densities, the number of eggs laid by each species was reduced by the second species. A similar amount of dung was buried by each species alone or by both together.
• 3 At high beetle densities O. binodis egg production was substantially affected by each additional O.ferox, but O.ferox egg production was not affected by each additional O.binodis. Asymmetric competition occurred because O.ferox buried more dung than O.binodis, and a greater proportion in day 1 (pre-emptive dung burial).
• 4 O.ferox caused greater M. vetustissima egg-puparia mortality than O. binodis. Mortality mostly occurred in young M. vetustissima larvae less than 1 day old. Total egg-puparia fly mortality was correlated better with the dung buried on day 1 than dung buried on day 8 (pre-emptive dung burial). O.binodis did not add to fly mortality by O.ferox at high densities because of asymmetric competition between the beetles.

     

不同人工林生态系统林地土壤质量评价

利用定位研究方法,综合比较了第2代连栽杉木纯林、杉木与阔叶树混交林以及阔叶纯林3种人工林生态系统对林地土壤质量的影响．结果表明,与连栽杉木纯林相比,在杉阔混交和阔叶树轮栽两种经营模式下,土壤养分含量增加,物理性状改善,土壤生物活性提高．利用土壤质量评价体系在对土壤功能评价的基础上,直观评价了3种经营模式的土壤质量状况．在研究区内,杉木与阔叶树混交以及阔叶树轮栽的水分有效性、养分有效性和根系适宜性以及最终的土壤质量指数均处于中等水平,而连栽杉木林的水分有效性、养分有效性和根系适宜性较差,土壤质量指数处于较低水平．总有机C、阳离子交换量和微生物生物量C与其它土壤理化性质和生物学性质之间明显相关,可将其作为研究区土壤质量的指示指标;土壤微生物生物量C、N、P与土壤总有机C、土壤全N、土壤全P含量之间也存在较好的相关性。     

重大工程建设项目竣工验收工作中的环境监测

以辽宁省环境监测中心站配合国家环境保护总局评估中心进行的金哨水利枢纽工程竣工环境保护验收调查为例,论述了环境监测在重大工程建设项目验收调查中的重要作用,提出了项目验收监测工作的程序,认为重大工程建设项目的监测从项目开始就应列入计划,通过监测与监督,使施工期的环境污染问题降至最低限度,这样才能更好地保护生态环境及周围公众的安全健康.     

北方草地畜牧业生态系统健康综合评价与诊断

鉴于畜牧业生态系统健康与人类、社会、经济、环境等具有密切的关系,从活力、组织结构和恢复力三方面,提出区域畜牧业生态系统健康评价指标体系及等级评价模型.其中,适宜载畜量、人均养畜量、畜群结构、草地退化沙化率、良种畜比重、舍饲、半舍饲比例是我国北方牧区草地畜牧业生态系统健康状况的主要控制因子.选取内蒙古牧区、新疆牧区、青海牧区、甘肃牧区、西藏牧区五个区域,对区域内畜牧业生态系统健康分别进行评价及诊断,评价结果为:健康状况处于"中"级的牧区是内蒙古(2.7730)、新疆(2.5641)以及青海牧区(2.4673);健康状况处于"低"级的牧区是甘肃(2.2335)和西藏牧区(1.8884).针对评价过程中暴露的活力、组织结构和恢复力问题,对5个牧区草地畜牧业生态系统健康进行了诊断,认为在中国北方牧区气候暖干化背景下,只有调整草地畜牧业发展战略,重视和确定草地资源在提供生态公共产品中的重要作用和地位,从生态效益和经济效益的要求出发,优化牧场整体生产结构,增草增畜,使草地资源得到恢复性演替,才能实现生态畜牧业的建设目标.     

Environmental and human health impacts of growing genetically modified herbicide-tolerant sugar beet: a life-cycle assessment

There is ongoing debate concerning the possible environmental and human health impacts of growing genetically modified (GM) crops. Here, we report the results of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) comparing the environmental and human health impacts of conventional sugar beet growing regimes in the UK and Germany with those that might be expected if GM herbicide-tolerant (to glyphosate) sugar beet is commercialized. The results presented for a number of environmental and human health impact categories suggest that growing the GM herbicide-tolerant crop would be less harmful to the environment and human health than growing the conventional crop, largely due to lower emissions from herbicide manufacture, transport and field operations. Emissions contributing to negative environmental impacts, such as global warming, ozone depletion, ecotoxicity of water and acidification and nutrification of soil and water, were much lower for the herbicide-tolerant crop than for the conventional crop. Emissions contributing to summer smog, toxic particulate matter and carcinogenicity, which have negative human health impacts, were also substantially lower for the herbicide-tolerant crop. The environmental and human health impacts of growing GM crops need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis using a holistic approach. LCA is a valuable technique for helping to undertake such assessments.     

Environmental risk assessment of exotic natural enemies used in inundative biological control

In the past 100 years many exotic naturalenemies have been imported, mass reared andreleased as biological control agents. Negativeenvironmental effects of these releases haverarely been reported. The current popularity ofinundative biological control may, however,result in problems, as an increasing number ofactivities will be executed by persons nottrained in identification, evaluation andrelease of biological control agents.Therefore, a methodology for risk assessmenthas been developed within the EU-financedproject `Evaluating Environmental Risks ofBiological Control Introductions into Europe[ERBIC]' as a basis for regulation of importand release of exotic natural enemies used ininundative forms of biological control (i.e.not in `classical biological control' thoughsome of the same principles and approachesapply). This paper proposes a general frameworkof a risk assessment methodology for biologicalcontrol agents, integrating information on thepotential of an agent to establish, itsabilities to disperse, its host range, and itsdirect and indirect effects on non-targets. Ofthese parameters, estimating indirect effectson non-targets will be most difficult, asmyriads of indirect effects may occur whengeneralist natural enemies are introduced. Theparameter `host range' forms a central elementin the whole risk evaluation process, becauselack of host specificity might lead tounacceptable risk if the agent establishes anddisperses widely, whereas, in contrast, amonophagous biological control agent is notexpected to create serious risk even when itestablishes and disperses well. Drawing onpublished information and expert opinion, theproposed risk assessment methodology is appliedto a number of biological control agentscurrently in use. These illustrative casehistories indicate that the risk assessmentmethodology can discriminate between agents,with some species attaining low `risk indices'and others scoring moderate or high. Riskindices should, however, not be seen asabsolute values, but as indicators to which ajudgement can be connected by biologicalcontrol experts for granting permission torelease or not.     

Approaches to valuation in LCA impact assessment

One of the major problems with the future development of lifecycle assessment is the difficulty in converting lifecycle inventory results into environmental impacts, owing to problems associated with the interpretation and weighting of the data. The four main valuation approaches: distance-to-target, environmental control costs, environmental damage costs and scoring approaches are assessed and the individual methodologies evaluated. In conclusion it is considered that in a country which has clear, up-to-date, politically acceptable emission standards, a distance-to-target valuation system maybe acceptable. However, these circumstances are likely to be rare, and the choice of standards arbitrary and not scientifically based. Therefore a better choice is probably environmental damage costs, provided suitable economic damage figures are available.     

生态能质(eco-exergy)在水生生态系统建模和评价中的应用

生态能质(eco-exergy)是指系统从给定状态达到热力学平衡状态所做的功,可以度量生态系统的复杂生物化学组分及生态结构。系统具有的能质越大,有序化程度越高,稳定性也越强。生态能质和比生态能质(specific eco-exergy)指标能够评价水生生态系统健康状况,对水生生态系统演替阶段具有指示作用。本文阐述了生态能质的定义、生态学意义以及生态能质值和权重因子fi值的计算方法。对生态能质作为功能函数在水生生态系统结构动力学模型(structural dynamic models,SDMs)中以及作为生态指标在生态系统健康评价、生态恢复研究中的实际应用进行了总结。最后探讨了生态能质指标的局限性以及未来的发展。此外,文中建议将eco-exergy和specific eco-exergy统一翻译为生态能质和比生态能质。     

胶州湾湿地海域水体和表层沉积物环境质量评价

基于2009年对胶州湾湿地48个站点的调查数据,采用内梅罗(Nemerow)指数、富营养指数(EI)和Hakanson潜在生态危害指数法对胶州湾湿地水体和表层沉积物环境质量现状进行了评价.结果表明:对参与评价的pH值、溶解氧、无机氮、活性磷酸盐、CODMn、石油类、Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、Hg、As、六六六、滴滴涕、大肠菌群、粪大肠菌群等16项指标而言,各调查月份大沽河感潮河段水质处于中污染-重污染水平,潮间带区域水质处于轻污染-中污染水平,浅海区域水质处于轻污染水平.胶州湾湿地不同区域富营养化程度差异明显,其中大沽河感潮河段水体EI值在58.13 ～327.89,富营养化程度严重;潮间带区域水体EI值在1.34 ～19.96,富营养化程度较为严重;浅海区域水体EI值在0.65 ～ 2.10,富营养化程度较轻.胶州湾湿地海域表层沉积物质量基本处于轻污染水平,其中大沽河感潮河段处于轻污染水平,潮间带区域处于轻污染-中污染水平,浅海区域处于较清洁-轻污染水平.胶州湾湿地海域表层沉积物中重金属单项污染参数(Cfi)和污染程度指数(Cd)较低,污染程度处于低级水平,Cu、Zn是表层沉积物中的主要污染因子;重金属潜在的生态危害系数(Eir)和潜在生态危害指数(RI)较小,污染程度属于低生态危害范畴.