Additional gene data and increased sampling give new insights into the phylogenetic relationships of Neogastropoda, within the caenogastropod phylogenetic framework

Neogastropoda, a highly diversified group of predatory marine snails, has often been contradicted in molecular phylogenetic studies. This is partly the consequence of limited neogastropod taxa or outgroups analyzed or insufficient gene sequences employed. This paper reports the most extensive molecular study of the group published to date with increased neogastropod taxa, multiple representatives of caenogastropod outgroups, and additional gene sequences. Data were collected from the entire 18S rRNA, histone H3, and three partial mitochondrial genes. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses were conducted. In the caenogastropod phylogenetic framework, Hypsogastropoda was contradicted owing to the inclusion of Cerithioidea. Contrary to previous molecular studies, all the results recovered Neogastropoda as a monophyletic group, which confirms the monophyly of Neogastropoda and the validity of morphological synapomorphies that usually define Neogastropoda as monophyletic. Tonnoidea was shown to be paraphyletic with respect to Ficidae, and together this group formed a monophyletic clade as the sister group to Neogastropoda, which supported the “high mesogastropod” hypothesis of the origin of Neogastropoda. All neogastropod families were strongly supported except Buccinidae, Turridae and Cancellariidae. Our results shed light on the status of Neogastropoda, a controversial group, within Caenogastropoda.     

中国药用植物可持续利用战略框架简述

China is the birth-place of Traditional Chines Medicine (TCM) and has a rich diversity of medicinal plant resources. With the rapid increase in consumer demands for crude drugs and natural health products, many medicinal plant species are threatened with extinction from overexploitation and habitat destruction. To ensure the sustainable use of medicinal plant resources, we discuss in this article, a conservation framework consisting of conservation strategies, cultivation practices and various technologies. Conservation strategies include establishing in-situ and ex-situ conservation centers, setting up government policies and regulations, establishing methods for resource surveying and trade monitoring and establishing and enforcing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). In terms of technologies, we use a remote multi-level sensing system and DNA barcoding technologies as examples to demonstrate their roles in the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plant resources in China.     

Bottom-up derivation of population models for competition involving multiple resources

This paper provides first-principles derivations of population models for competition involving multiple resources with different competition types, based on resource partitioning between individuals. The following two cases are investigated. The first is the case in which the resource competed for and its competition type change depending on life stages from scramble to contest competition, or from contest to scramble competition. The second is the case in which individuals compete for two resources simultaneously with scramble and contest types, respectively. In both cases, population models are derived analytically, and in particular, the Hassell model is derived in the second case. The nature of reproduction curves and the stability properties of three population models derived are compared with each other. These models provide three representative models for competition involving both scramble and contest types.     

Energy Intensity of the Catalan Construction Sector

We used a thermodynamic framework to characterize the resource consumption of the construction sector in 2001 in Catalonia, the northeast region of Spain. The analysis was done with a cradle‐to‐product life cycle approach using material flow analysis (MFA) and exergy accounting methodologies to quantify the total material and energy inputs in the sector. The aim was to identify the limitations of resource metabolism in the sector and to pinpoint the opportunities for improved material selection criteria, processing, reuse, and recycling for sustainable resource use. The results obtained from MFA showed that nonrenewables such as minerals and natural rocks, cement and derivatives, ceramics, glass, metals, plastics, paints and other chemicals, electric and lighting products, and bituminous mix products accounted for more than 98% of the input materials in the construction sector. The exergy analysis quantified a total 113.1 petajoules (PJ) of exergy inputs in the sector; utilities accounted for 57% of this exergy. Besides exergy inputs, a total of 6.85 million metric tons of construction and demolition waste was generated in 2001. With a recycling rate of 6.5%, the sector recovered 1.3 PJ of exergy. If the sector were able to recycle 80% of construction and demolition waste, then exergy recovery would be 10.3 PJ. Hence the results of this analysis indicate that improvements are required in manufacturing processes and recycling activities, especially of energy‐intensive materials, in order to reduce the inputs of utilities and the extraction of primary materials from the environment.     

Abatement cost of wood‐based energy products at the production level on afforested and reforested lands

We combined economic and life‐cycle analyses in an integrated framework to ascertain greenhouse gas (GHG) intensities, production costs, and abatement costs of GHG emissions for ethanol and electricity derived from three woody feedstocks (logging residues only, pulpwood only, and pulpwood and logging residues combined) across two forest management choices (intensive and nonintensive) and 31 harvest ages (year 10–year 40 in steps of 1 year) on reforested and afforested lands at the production level for slash pine (Pinus elliottii) in the Southern United States. We assumed that wood chips and wood pellets will be used to produce ethanol and generate electricity, respectively. Production costs and GHG intensities of ethanol and electricity were lowest for logging residues at the optimal rotation age for both forest management choices. Opportunity cost related with the change in rotation age was a significant determinant of the variability in the overall production cost. GHG intensity of feedstocks obtained from afforested land was lower than reforested land. Relative savings in GHG emissions were higher for ethanol than electricity. Abatement cost of GHG emissions for ethanol was lower than electricity, especially when feedstocks were obtained from a plantation whose rotation age was close to the optimal rotation age. A carbon tax of at least $25 and $38 Mg^?1 CO₂e will be needed to promote production of ethanol from wood chips and electricity from wood pellets in the US, respectively.     

基于因果网络模型的城市生态安全空间分异——以大连市为例

城市生态系统是一个脆弱而不稳定的生态系统,与自然系统相比较具有高能耗物耗、高环境污染、低自然资源储备的特点.同时,其生态安全评价也存在特有的空间特性、非线性和随机性.城市化进程的快速推进引发了众多生态环境问题,而且问题发展日趋严重.生态环境安全在城市中的空间分异现象也日益彰显.分析了PSR、DSR、DPSIR因果链结构模型的利弊,提出了一种新的生态安全评价模型-因果网络模型DPSRC模型,结合地理信息系统空间分析的方法,研究大连市生态系统健康状况,得到如下结论:①根据城市生态系统的复杂性,分析了以往链式模型的弊端,提出了网络分析模型,并且拟定"驱动力-压力-状态-响应-控制"DPSRC模型指标体系,运用模糊层次分析法(Fuzzy AHP)和综合比较法赋权并量化计算;②实地调查、收集了关于城市生态安全的数据资料,并将其数字化建立大连市生态安全指数的矢量网格数据库;③运用地理信息系统空间分析方法,揭示了大连城市生态健康状况和城市生态安全空间分异格局.     

A dual functional turn off florescence sensor using metal–organic framework for sensitive detection of aluminum(III) in aqueous solution

Aluminum, classified as one of the toxic heavy metals, has a recommended daily consumption limit of 3–10 mg, as specified by the World Health Organization (WHO). Herein, the selective and sensitive aluminum(III) fluorescence sensor based on TMU-16 metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in aqueous medium, is reported. A sensing pathway was found via the cation exchange between aluminum(III) and zinc(II) ions, and caused selectivity and sensitivity detection of aluminum(III) with a 5–100 ppm linear range and 1.99 ppm limit of detection (LOD). This sensor offers the advantage of accurately determining the concentration range of aluminum(III) ions. At low concentrations, only fluorescence quenching was observed, while at higher concentrations, fluorescence emission not only undergoes quenching but also exhibits a blue shift in wavelength. Notably, the sensor demonstrates no interference from cation solutions of mercury(II), zinc(II), nickel(II), lead(II), cobalt(II), cadmium(II), silver(I), chromium(III), and iron(III). Another significant feature of this sensor is its selectivity toward copper(II) and aluminum(III) ions, due to quenching fluorescence in the presence of copper(II) ion. The results presented the sensor's selectivity toward copper(II) at low concentrations and aluminum(III) at high concentrations.     

An In situ Proton Filter Covalent Organic Framework Catalyst for Highly Efficient Aqueous Electrochemical Ammonia Production

The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) driven by renewable electricity provides a green synthesis route for ammonia (NH₃) production under ambient conditions but suffers from a low conversion yield and poor Faradaic efficiency (F.E.) because of strong competition from hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the poor solubility of N₂ in aqueous systems. Herein, an in situ proton filter covalent organic framework catalyst ( Ru-Tta-Dfp ) is reported with inherent Ruthenium (Ru) sites where the framework controls reactant diffusion by suppressing proton supply and enhancing N₂ flux, causing highly selective and efficient catalysis. The smart catalyst design results in a remarkable ammonia production yield rate of 2.03 mg h⁻¹ mg_cat⁻¹ with an excellent F.E. of ≈52.9%. The findings are further endorsed with the help of molecular dynamics simulations and control COF systems without in situ proton filter feasibility. The results point to a paradigm shift in engineering high-performance NRR electrocatalysts for more feasible green NH₃ production.     

青海祁连山区山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程生态成效评估

生态成效作为判定山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程有效性的重要途径,对加强工程总体布局和顶层设计、确保工程取得显著成效具有非常重要的意义。青海省祁连山区具有极其典型的"山水林田湖草"生命共同体特征,是中国第一批山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程试点之一。通过构建"生态干扰变化-生态系统格局变化-生态系统质量变化-生态系统功能变化-生态成效变化"逻辑框架,运用时空对比分析方法,对青海祁连山区山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程的生态成效进行了评估。结果表明:工程实施后,重要生态用地面积增长了0.1%、生态连通度降低了0.5%、植被覆盖度指数提升了10.1%、单位面积水源涵养量提高了31.5%,土壤保持量增加了3.1%,固碳量增加了2.8%,表明工程实施以来,生态干扰增加,部分类型生态系统破碎化有所加剧,但总体生态系统格局相对稳定,生态系统质量和各生态功能均有提升,修复成效显现。研究结果对青海祁连山区山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程的实施有一定的指导性作用,能为未来山水林田湖草生态保护修复工作提供先进经验,对科学指导中国更好地开展生态修复工作具有重要意义。     

Noise assessment in LCA - a methodology attempt: A case study with various means of transportation on a set trip

The present work focuses on impact assessment of noise disturbance in the framework of LCA studies. A number of difficulties arose in the course of the study, namely expressing noise measurements in an easy-to-handle unit, imputing disturbance engendered by several simultaneous sources to every single source, handling additive quantities non-linearly, taking into account the space and time dependence of potential impacts associated with noise, It is shown how all these issues were tackled in a I.CA study that assessed different modes of transportation. The methodology developed takes into account the disturbance to noise level exceeding a set threshold and no other kinds of noise effects. It is obvious that disturbance due to noise emissions depends on people density in the neighborhood of the emission source. In this context, a “site-dependent approach” was taken, meaning that we did include local factors into the valuation. The methodology developed in this article may be extended to other types of emissions when it is necessary to integrate local factors in the assessment phase of LCA. This document is the property of Ecobilan and can not be reproduced without its prior authorization