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Simple Summary: Seaweed aquaculture plays an important role in global food supply, but single-species intensive seaweed aquaculture has problems related to simple industrial structure and risk susceptibility. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish a series of large-scale seaweed rotational culture models to address the current industrial challenges in algae culture. The culture of macroalgae is mainly affected by environmental factors such as water temperature and light. In this study, we constructed a rotational culture model by carrying out experiments with three species of macroalgae, observing in situ their photosynthetic activity responses to different temperature and light conditions. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the establishment of large-scale rotational aquaculture, which can effectively improve the ecological and economic value of macroalgae aquaculture. Seaweed farming has made outstanding contributions to food supply and the restoration of the ecological environment despite the limitations in production and ecological effects due to the current intensive farming of single algae species. These limitations can be overcome by selecting suitable algal species based on their physiological characteristics and by constructing a large-scale seaweed rotation model. This study carried out a trial culture in aquaculture sea areas, and performed in situ monitoring of the environmental conditions and physiological characteristics of Saccharina japonica, Hizikia fusiformis, and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the three macroalgae at different times was conducted to determine their response characteristics to environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) The three macroalgae had varying light tolerance. The effective quantum yield of Hizikia fusiformis and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis remained unchanged during the changes in light environment, while that of Saccharina japonica first decreased and then recovered. (2) The relative electron transport rates of the three macroalgae were significantly different under different temperature conditions. Hizikia fusiformis and Saccharina japonica exhibited the highest relative electron transport rates (70.45 and 106.75, respectively) in May (20.3 °C). Notably, Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis demonstrated good growth and exhibited the highest relative electron transport rate (93.07) in September (27.5 °C). These findings collectively support the feasibility of establishing a macroalgae rotation model. Based on the combined environmental conditions of the seas in Shandong, Zhejiang, and Fujian, a macroalgae rotation model was proposed. The application of this model in the construction of artificial seaweed farms in marine ranches can provide a stable output of large-scale seaweed production and ecological benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since industrialization, global temperatures have continued to rise. Human activities have resulted in heavy metals being freed from their original, fixed locations. Because of global warming, glaciers are melting, carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing, weather patterns are shifting, and various environmental forces are at play, resulting in the movement of heavy metals and alteration of their forms. In this general context, the impact of heavy metals on ecosystems and organisms has changed accordingly. For most ecosystems, the levels of heavy metals are on the rise, and this rise can have a negative impact on the ecosystem as a whole. Numerous studies have been conducted to analyze the combined impacts of climate change and heavy metals. However, the summary of the current studies is not perfect. Therefore, this review discusses how heavy metals affect ecosystems during the process of climate change from multiple perspectives, providing some references for addressing the impact of climate warming on environmental heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of fixed nitrogen per decare was studied in the experimental field of Research Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture-Troyan of bird'sfoottrefoil cultivars, such as Targovishte 1, Alvena, Lotanova and Frilo (Italy), Polom (Slovakia), Bonnie (France), Bull (Canada). The Lotanova and Polom varieties have increased nitrogen-fixing capacity and level of tuber formation, as well as fixed nitrogen per decare (17.40 and 17.17 N fix, kg/da), which is a prerequisite for increasing soil fertility and the ecological effect. These two varieties could be recommended as suitable for implementation in production from an economic and ecological point of view. The correlation analysis proved a high positive correlation dependence of gross revenue with yield (r=0.9999), production costs (r=0.9982), and the amount of fixed nitrogen (r=0.9998). Plant nitrogen storage through symbiotic nitrogen fixation of bird'sfoottrefoil, as a suitable meadow legume species for mountain conditions, determines its ecological effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The ecological effect of urban spatial expansion is the key problem of human-environment relationship in the process of urbanization. It is of great significance to explore the complex scientific problem of ecological effect caused by urban spatial expansion from multiple angles to promote the sustainable and high-quality development of urban and ecological space. [Methods] Taking the main urban area of Lanzhou City in China as an example, this study calculated the scale, intensity, and landscape pattern indices of urban spatial expansion in 1995, 2005, 2015, and 2020 to reflect the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of urban spatial expansion in the city from 1995 to 2020, and divided the research area into 12184 grids. Using the spatial principal component analysis method, atmospheric radiation transfer equation method, and revised ecosystem service value estimation model, this study analyzed the ecological risk effect, heat island effect, and ecosystem service effect of urban spatial expansion from various angles, and discussed the impact of natural environment conditions on the ecological effect of urban spatial expansion of cities in river valleys. [Results] The results show that from 1995 to 2020, the scale and intensity of urban expansion in Lanzhou City have increased, the fragmentation of urban landscape has decreased, urban expansion has mainly occurred in the western and northern parts of the city, and the urban expansion mode has changed from group expansion to leaping expansion. The overall ecological risk effect and heat island effect in the city have shown a weakening trend, but a rising trend was observed in the river valley, and the overall pattern of effects has been characterized by high in the valley and low at the peripheries. There is a slight improvement in the ecosystem service effect, which mainly shows that the ecosystem service value in the surrounding areas of the river valley has improved significantly, and some areas in the built-up area have changed from low-value area to medium-value area. Urban expansion negatively affects the natural substrates of the region, while the natural substrates also affects the scale, direction, and mode of urban expansion. Coordinating the relationship between the two is essential for the sustainable and harmonious development of human beings and nature. [Conclusion] The research framework of ecological effects of urban spatial expansion was constructed from multiple perspectives. Urban spatial expansion has a significant impact on ecological risk, heat island, and ecosystem service effects at the grid scale, which provides a new way of quantitative visualization of the dynamic relationships between urban evolution and ecological environment.

With the intensification of global environmental changes, the changes of water environment and ecosystem have brought profound impacts on human society and natural ecology. In order to monitor and evaluate these changes more accurately and in real time, this study explored the application of remote sensing technology in the analysis of water environment changes and ecological effects and compared it with traditional ground observation technology. The results showed that remote sensing technology had obvious advantages in spatial and temporal resolution, large-scale continuous monitoring, and so on, and could provide more comprehensive and timely information for decision makers and researchers. Especially in the monitoring of water area, water quality, ecosystem structure and ecological service function, remote sensing data and ground observation data were highly consistent. On the whole, remote sensing technology would play an increasingly important role in the study of water environment and ecological effects in the future and was expected to provide strong support for global environmental protection and ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed farming has made outstanding contributions to food supply and the restoration of the ecological environment despite the limitations in production and ecological effects due to the current intensive farming of single algae species. These limitations can be overcome by selecting suitable algal species based on their physiological characteristics and by constructing a large-scale seaweed rotation model. This study carried out a trial culture in aquaculture sea areas, and performed in situ monitoring of the environmental conditions and physiological characteristics of Saccharina japonica, Hizikia fusiformis, and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the three macroalgae at different times was conducted to determine their response characteristics to environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) The three macroalgae had varying light tolerance. The effective quantum yield of Hizikia fusiformis and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis remained unchanged during the changes in light environment, while that of Saccharina japonica first decreased and then recovered. (2) The relative electron transport rates of the three macroalgae were significantly different under different temperature conditions. Hizikia fusiformis and Saccharina japonica exhibited the highest relative electron transport rates (70.45 and 106.75, respectively) in May (20.3 °C). Notably, Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis demonstrated good growth and exhibited the highest relative electron transport rate (93.07) in September (27.5 °C). These findings collectively support the feasibility of establishing a macroalgae rotation model. Based on the combined environmental conditions of the seas in Shandong, Zhejiang, and Fujian, a macroalgae rotation model was proposed. The application of this model in the construction of artificial seaweed farms in marine ranches can provide a stable output of large-scale seaweed production and ecological benefits.

Since industrialization, global temperatures have continued to rise. Human activities have resulted in heavy metals being freed from their original, fixed locations. Because of global warming, glaciers are melting, carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing, weather patterns are shifting, and various environmental forces are at play, resulting in the movement of heavy metals and alteration of their forms. In this general context, the impact of heavy metals on ecosystems and organisms has changed accordingly. For most ecosystems, the levels of heavy metals are on the rise, and this rise can have a negative impact on the ecosystem as a whole. Numerous studies have been conducted to analyze the combined impacts of climate change and heavy metals. However, the summary of the current studies is not perfect. Therefore, this review discusses how heavy metals affect ecosystems during the process of climate change from multiple perspectives, providing some references for addressing the impact of climate warming on environmental heavy metals.

Human interventions mobilize massive nitrogen (N) emissions to freshwater and result in serious eutrophication impacts. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) provides a reliable quantitative tool to address the challenges of potential ecological impact induced by increasing nutrient inputs. However, characterization procedures that relate N emissions to ecological damage in freshwater ecosystems in LCIA methodology are still lacking. This study aims to propose a spatially explicit characterization model (1 km × 1 km) for N-induced freshwater eutrophication. A complete cause-effect chains linking the N emission with species loss endpoint impact was constructed, in which the site-specific fate factor modelling contained transfer and removal processes in terrestrial and freshwater compartments, and the mechanistic modelling of ecosystem exposure and damage effect were quantified with species loss. The eutrophication characterization was conducted with a case study in Guangzhou, China, and 1 km × 1 km spatial differentiation of eutrophication susceptibility was intuitively demonstrated, with higher values in the Pearl River Estuary area. Method comparisons and further improvements were discussed in support of model generalization and further application.

Venoms produced by arthropods act as chemical weapons to paralyze prey or deter competitors. The utilization of venom is an essential feature in the biology and ecology of venomous arthropods. Solenopsis fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are medically important venomous ants. They have acquired different patterns of venom use to maximize their competitive advantages rendered by the venom when facing different challenges. The major components of fire ant venom are piperidine alkaloids, which have strong insecticidal and antibiotic activities. The alkaloids protect fire ants from pathogens over the course of their lives and can be used to defend them from predators and competitors. They are also utilized by some of the fire ants' natural enemies, such as phorid flies to locate host ants. Collectively, these ants' diverse alkaloid compositions and functions have ecological significance for their survival, successful invasion, and rapid range expansion. The venom alkaloids with powerful biological activities may have played an important role in shaping the assembly of communities in both native and introduced ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Coal Geology & Exploration is the property of Xian Research Institute of China Coal Research Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microplastics (MPs) are receiving increasing attention because of their potential harm to the environment and human health. This research aims to summarize the abundance, toxicological effects, and analysis methods of MPs, as well as present their current status and trends in scientific research. Bibliometric analysis confirmed a substantial rise in annual research papers on MPs, predominantly over the previous nine years. The central research areas relating to MPs include distribution, sources, toxic effects, analytical approaches, and adsorption of MPs with other pollutants. Airborne MPs are a primary source of microplastic pollution in remote areas. Humans may inhale and ingest MPs, leading to the accumulation of these particles in their bodies. Additionally, microplastics can have biological toxicity that poses a potential threat to human health. Standard procedures for sampling and both qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastics in various environmental media must be established urgently to enable effective comparison of experimental conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the period 2013-2015, boron, molybdenum and phosphorohumate and their impact on the economic analysis and ecological efficiency of the obtained fodder production were tested on natural grassland of Chrysopogon gryllus type. Based on a comparative evaluation of the main economic indicators of different types of fertilizers and dry matter yield per decare, it was found that foliar treatment of natural grassland of Chrysopogon gryllus type with boron and molybdenum humate had a positive effect on dry matter productivity. The imported molybdenum humate realized the highest revenues and gross profit and determined these two bioproducts as the most economically efficient for obtaining high yield and quality of fodder. The ecological effect of foliar treatment with biofertilizers significantly affects the floristic composition of the grassland, reducing the share of the main species Chrysopogon gryllus and motley grasses in the formed aboveground mass and increased the share of Agrostis capillaris and legume meadow grasses, such as Trifolium campestre and Lotus corniculatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing emphasis on the ecology and environment of rivers, the construction of ecological waterway projects has become a development trend in China. In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the ecological effects of ecological waterway construction. Based on pressure-state-response (PSR) and driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) logical frameworks, this paper established a state-pressure-impact-response (SPIR) conceptual model. The model took the river ecology and environment state as the main line, and described the disturbance pressure of the engineering construction on the river state, the impacts of the project on the river comprehensive function, and the positive responses taken in the full lifetime cycle of the project. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation model were used to study the changes of the river ecosystem status after suffering from the construction pressure and taking positive responses. Taking the 12.5 m deep water waterway project in the Taicang-Nantong section of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River as an example, the disturbance on the ecology and environment at different stages of the project construction and the effort of relieving the negative impacts of the project on the ecology and environment were evaluated by the health level of the ecosystem. The paper can provide a scientific method for the evaluation of ecological projects in river ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, transportation-induced carbon footprint values before and after the consolidation projects in two areas with similar agricultural characteristics were calculated. The IPCC Tier 1 method recommended by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) was used to calculate the carbon footprint. Furthermore, the effects of changes in road lengths and routes in these areas after Land Consolidation (LC) on the fuel consumption of tractors and, accordingly, the carbon dioxide (CO2) emission values were also determined. As a result of the study, the carbon footprint value (GgCO2) decreased by 10% in the Fatih neighborhood and 33% in the Selimiye neighborhood after the land consolidation project. Carbon equivalent (CE) is used to measure the effects on greenhouse gas emissions and global warming and corresponds to the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In total, 490.21 kg CO2·ha−1 of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were mitigated. In light of these results, it can be concluded that LC can be considered a useful process in greenhouse gas mitigation strategy. Based on the values obtained from the study results, it was concluded that land consolidation contributed to reducing carbon footprint and increasing agricultural production and productivity in rural areas. The reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions in rural areas will contribute to reducing the adverse effects of air pollution and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative approaches are frequently used in communication research, especially journalism studies. The purpose of this article is to argue that Bayesian multilevel regression is the most justifiable option for analyzing comparative data. We argue that it is the only approach that can simultaneously account for the non-atomicity (nested nature) and non-stochasticity (nonrandom sampling) of comparative data. Using the openly available Worlds of Journalism Study and useNews data sets, we demonstrate how to apply the Bayesian approach for the analysis of comparative data. We address the common challenges when using the Bayesian approach and highlight the advantages of posterior predictive checks for modeling checking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are often present in mining waters. In this research, comparative studies of Ni2+ adsorption were made on natural red and white kaolins from the Murzyntski quarry in Ukraine. Red kaolin showed a higher adsorption capacity of Ni2+ and was more effective than white kaolin at pH 3.5 and pH 7.5, total dissolved solids (TDS) 0.01, 1.5, and 2.5 g/L. This was since red and white kaolins had different percentages of minerals in their composition, that is, kaolinite, quartz, and hematite, as well as different pHpzc values. The adsorption capacity of saline water was tested for potential environmental applications of such materials in the purification of mining waters. To ensure the ecological and economic effect of applying the kaolins studied, it was proposed to introduce them into the Svistunova accumulation lake located about 150-200 km from the kaolin quarry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A courtyard is a traditional and popular construction feature found in China's urban buildings. This case study evaluates the performance of the traditional courtyard design of the Jiangnan Museum, located in Jiangsu Province. In the evaluation, the spatial layout of courtyards is adjusted, the aspect ratio is changed, and an ecological buffer space is created. To model and evaluate the performance of the courtyard design, this study applied the Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, Parabolic Hyperbolic Or Elliptic Numerical Integration Code Series (PHOENICS), for wind environment simulation, and the EnergyPlus-based software, DesignBuilder, for energy simulation. Results show that a good combination of courtyard layout and aspect ratio can improve the use of natural ventilation by increasing free cooling during hot summers and reducing cold wind in winters. The results also show that ecological buffer areas of a courtyard can reduce cooling loads in summer by approximately 19.6% and heating loads in winter by approximately 22.3%. The study provides insights into the optimal design of a courtyard to maximize its benefit in regulating the microclimate during both winter and summer.

Copyright of Therya is the property of Asociacion Mexicana de Mastozoologia, A. C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microplastics (MPs) are receiving increasing attention because of their potential harm to the environment and human health. This research aims to summarize the abundance, toxicological effects, and analysis methods of MPs, as well as present their current status and trends in scientific research. Bibliometric analysis confirmed a substantial rise in annual research papers on MPs, predominantly over the previous nine years. The central research areas relating to MPs include distribution, sources, toxic effects, analytical approaches, and adsorption of MPs with other pollutants. Airborne MPs are a primary source of microplastic pollution in remote areas. Humans may inhale and ingest MPs, leading to the accumulation of these particles in their bodies. Additionally, microplastics can have biological toxicity that poses a potential threat to human health. Standard procedures for sampling and both qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastics in various environmental media must be established urgently to enable effective comparison of experimental conclusions.

The conceptual dynamic ecosystem model was developed to evaluate the self-organization of trophic structure in ecosystems during the course of biogenic succession. This model was applied to analyze the possible changes in the ecosystem under impact of the anthropogenic physical stressor – chronic exposure to ionizing irradiation. The model predicts that amount of the limiting biogenic nutrient in the environment can modify the ecological effects of ionizing radiation. Negative effects of the chronic exposure are less significant in ecosystems with high food supply. The model does not show presence of any ecological effect of radiation at the exposure rates less than the derived consideration reference levels, obtained by International Commission on Radiological Protection for individual nature organisms. If the dose rates are higher than those levels, radiation exposure can affect ecological interactions between species. The model shows that environmental hormesis can exist in the ecosystems, impacted by the chronic radiation exposure. The reason of this effect is change of the ecological coefficients (for example, decrease of the predation rate), which in the certain range of parameters leads to the increase of biomasses of all species at the same amount of the limiting biogenic nutrient in ecosystem. Trigger regimes exist in the model ecosystem with mixed-feeding consumers. Within the trigger area, the realization of a particular trophic structure depends on initial species biomasses. A hysteresis phenomenon exists in such ecosystems, which means that the successive changes in the trophic structures realized following the increase of the influencing factor are not reproduced in the same order if the influencing factor was gradually decreased back to its previous values. The model predicts for this case, that the radioactively contaminated ecosystem does not necessarily return to its initial trophic structure, despite the dose rate decreases to the initial levels. • Amount of limiting nutrient in the environment modifies ecological effects of radiation. • Ecological interactions affect the impact of chronic radiation exposure. • Environmental hormesis can exist in ecosystems, impacted by the chronic radiation. • Trigger regimes exist in the model ecosystem with mixed-feeding consumers. • Ecosystem does not necessarily return to its initial structure after decrease of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of more people and less land and the shortage of cultivated land resources have been a long-term and difficult challenge in China. Comprehensive land consolidation and rehabilitation is an important means to optimize the spatial layout of the land, promote rural revitalization and urban renewal, and realize the integration of urban and rural development. China will promote green development and harmonious coexistence between man and nature in 2021-2025, and the ecological effect evaluation of land consolidation has become one of the hot topics at home and abroad. For a long time, land consolidation and rehabilitation had focused on improving the quality of cultivated land and supporting farmland infrastructure and paid less attention to the impact on ecosystem service value. The research object of this study is Shazai Island, Xinhui District, Jiangmen City, which was the first demonstration project of comprehensive land consolidation and rehabilitation in Guangdong Province. The study employed the ecosystem service value method to explore the impact of comprehensive land consolidation and rehabilitation on the ecosystem service value of the study area. The results showed that the adjustment of land use type and structure before and after comprehensive land consolidation and rehabilitation and the implementation of ecological restoration measures were the key factors in enhancing the ecosystem service value of Shazai Island. After comprehensive land consolidation and rehabilitation, the overall ecosystem service value, economic production, soil protection, wave dissipation and revetment, biodiversity, and habitat protection value of Shazai Island improved by 250%, 587%, 20.2%, and 182%, respectively, while the ecosystem service value of flood regulation and storage decreased by 87%. In terms of spatial distribution, the ecosystem service value and its increase showed the following order: North Island > South Island > periphery of dam area. This study demonstrated that the combination of land consolidation and rehabilitation and ecological protection and restoration could help to improve the ecosystem service function and provide a reference for the evaluation of land consolidation and rehabilitation and ecological restoration.

The degree of industrial agglomeration in China has contributed to the reduction of nitrogen dioxide pollution because of financial support, the allocation of environmental governance efficiency, and technological advantages. However, the intensity and scope of the spatial effect of this contribution needs to be studied in depth. Based on the influence mechanism and intermediate mechanism of the spatial pattern, this paper uses the panel data of 282 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2015 to 2018, draws on the STIRPAT model, and uses the Spatial Panel Durbin and Panel Threshold models to investigate the effects of industrial agglomeration on nitrogen dioxide. The study finds that 1) industrial agglomeration has a significant spatial spillover effect on the reduction of nitrogen dioxide pollution, and the increase in the level of local industrial agglomeration can greatly reduce the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the surrounding area. 2) This kind of spatial overflow has a threshold boundary. Within 100 km, it is a dense area of overflow and reaches the threshold boundary beyond 150 km. 3) Under the influence of the three intermediate mechanisms of industrial agglomeration, the increase in car ownership, and the level of economic development, the impact of industrial agglomeration on the reduction of nitrogen dioxide pollution has gradually increased. The above conclusion is still valid after various robustness tests.

Successful stock enhancement refers to the maintenance of economic profit, whilst minimizing negative genetic and ecological effects. As hatchery environments differ from natural habitats, post-release identification of hatchery-reared juveniles, and estimation of their adaptability are essential steps in conducting responsible stock enhancement. The black rockfish is an important fishery species in Japan, South Korea and China. Overfishing has dramatically decreased natural resources and a stock enhancement program was first initiated in the Liaodong peninsula in 2019. We traced this program and used nine microsatellite markers to identify 279 individuals as being hatchery-reared, out of 710 captured fish, with a resource contribution rate of 39.30%. These results indicated that stock enhancement of this species is likely to maintain a positive economic performance. To understand the potential genetic impacts on the local wild population, the genetic patterns of S. schlegelii stocks (wild controls from 2017, wild controls from 2018, female broodstock from 2019, recaptured hatchery-reared fish from 2019 and recaptured non-hatchery-reared fish from 2019 stocks) from the same habitat were evaluated before and after artificial stocking. We found that the S. schlegelii population was able to maintain high genetic diversity and showed weak genetic differentiation, but potential genetic introgression derived from stock enhancement should be concerned. The hatchery-reared individuals showed good adaptability, as shown by feeding condition and growth status. There was no obvious morphology difference between hatchery-reared fish and their wild counterparts, but hatchery-reared fish seemed to be bigger in size (significantly higher in MDB and BW), had a larger head (significantly larger in PRL/HL and ID/HL) and smaller paired fins (significantly smaller PCFL/BL), when compared with wild individuals across all investigation months. Our results provided insights into management of black rockfish enhancement in the future.

BACKGROUND The ecological risk of heavy metal anomaly in soil is widespread due to human activities and natural processes. Hg anomaly in urban soil and Cd anomaly along rivers are the typical cases. Recently, the chemical sequential extraction method is widely used for Hg, Cd and other heavy metals to analyze the content of water-soluble fraction, exchangeable fraction, organic bound fraction, and ferric-manganese oxidation in soil. Normally the contents of different heavy metals at the above different chemical extraction forms constitute the basis for ecological effect evaluation. However, no further discussion has been conducted on the natural occurrences of Hg and Cd in soil. OBJECTIVES To provide basis for studies on the key factors of ecological risk assessment. METHODS The content of Hg was determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) after dissolution by aqua regia. The content of Cd was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after digestion by hydrochloric acid-nitric acid-hydrofluoric acid-perchloric acid complexes. The existence forms of Hg were determined by chemical analysis, pyrolytic Hg method, heavy mineral identification, electronic probe and Raman spectrum. The existing forms of Cd were determined by AB-DTPA extraction, X-ray diffractometer and laser particle sizer analyzer. The ecological effects of Hg and Cd were evaluated based on the content of these elements in rice. RESULTS The results show that sulfide was the main natural existence form of Hg in Hg anomaly soil around Changchun, Nanjing, Zhangzhou and Guangzhou. At least a part of Hg was in the form of cinnabar, which resulted in the relatively low percentage of bio-availability content to total content of Hg in soil. The proportion of rice grain with Hg content exceeding the standard of pollution-free food was only 3.4% when the average total content of Hg in soil was up to 500μg/kg. Cd in Cd anomaly area along the Yangtze River and the Pearl River presented as clay adsorption, resulting in about 50% Cd was bio-availability. The ratio of rice grain with Cd content exceeding the standard of pollution-free food was up to 43% when the average content of Cd in soil was 1000μg/kg. CONCLUSIONS This reveals that the sensitivity of the ecological effects of heavy metal elements such as Hg and Cd in soil is more directly affected by naturally occurring forms. Hg in the form of cinnabar is 'inert' and is not easily absorbed by crops, so it is not sensitive to ecological effects. Cd in the form of clay mineral adsorption is more active and easily absorbed by crops, resulting in sensitive ecological effects. After the heavy metal elements such as Hg and Cd are absorbed by crops and even the human, their existence forms and their transformation characteristics are the keys to assess whether there is an ecological risk.

Understanding the ecological effects of bivalve farming on the ecosystem is needed to develop a responsible approach to marine management. The variations in the functional and trophic structure of the macrofaunal assemblage could be ideal indicators of these potential ecological effects. In this study, macrofaunal assemblage were investigated the in a bottom-based Manila clam farm located in Laizhou Bay, China before and after farming for one year, in order to identify the functional and trophic responses of the macrofauna and their feeding relationships to Manila clam farming. Stable isotope (SI) based trophic responses and trait-based functional responses of macrofauna were used to evaluate the ecological effects of the farming activity. After farming for one year, macrofaunal δ15N increased from 4.93 to 6.09‰, which was mostly caused by the presence of higher trophic-level carnivores. The standard ellipse area (SEAc) of detritivores shifted mainly through a decrease in δ13C range from 7.07 to 4.23‰, indicating the diet of this feeding group relied more on the biodeposits generated from farmed clams. Additionally, the diet of the carnivores after one year of clam farming mostly relied on detritivores (62.97%) rather than on farmed clams. Our study illustrated that clam farming could benefit the macrofaunal assemblage by providing biodeposits as additional food sources, consequently enhancing functional and trophic diversity. Moreover, the enhanced diversity occurred mainly in high trophic levels, leading to more complete utilization of resources. Therefore, our study suggested positive ecological effects of the bottom-based Manila clam farm on the macrofaunal assemblage after the first year of the activity.

In this study, transportation-induced carbon footprint values before and after the consolidation projects in two areas with similar agricultural characteristics were calculated. The IPCC Tier 1 method recommended by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) was used to calculate the carbon footprint. Furthermore, the effects of changes in road lengths and routes in these areas after Land Consolidation (LC) on the fuel consumption of tractors and, accordingly, the carbon dioxide (CO2) emission values were also determined. As a result of the study, the carbon footprint value (GgCO2) decreased by 10% in the Fatih neighborhood and 33% in the Selimiye neighborhood after the land consolidation project. Carbon equivalent (CE) is used to measure the effects on greenhouse gas emissions and global warming and corresponds to the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In total, 490.21 kg CO2·ha−1 of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were mitigated. In light of these results, it can be concluded that LC can be considered a useful process in greenhouse gas mitigation strategy. Based on the values obtained from the study results, it was concluded that land consolidation contributed to reducing carbon footprint and increasing agricultural production and productivity in rural areas. The reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions in rural areas will contribute to reducing the adverse effects of air pollution and climate change.

With the increasing emphasis on the ecology and environment of rivers, the construction of ecological waterway projects has become a development trend in China. In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the ecological effects of ecological waterway construction. Based on pressure-state-response (PSR) and driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) logical frameworks, this paper established a state-pressure-impact-response (SPIR) conceptual model. The model took the river ecology and environment state as the main line, and described the disturbance pressure of the engineering construction on the river state, the impacts of the project on the river comprehensive function, and the positive responses taken in the full lifetime cycle of the project. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation model were used to study the changes of the river ecosystem status after suffering from the construction pressure and taking positive responses. Taking the 12.5 m deep water waterway project in the Taicang-Nantong section of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River as an example, the disturbance on the ecology and environment at different stages of the project construction and the effort of relieving the negative impacts of the project on the ecology and environment were evaluated by the health level of the ecosystem. The paper can provide a scientific method for the evaluation of ecological projects in river ecosystems.

Soil erosion by wind is a serious problem that threatens ecological security and damages the ecological environment, thereby hindering the sustainable development of agriculture and animal husbandry in arid and semiarid areas. Using the northern piedmont of the Yinshan Mountains in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China as a study area, this study explores the spatiotemporal variation in soil loss by wind erosion and its impact on soil nutrients from 1990 to 2015. Various approaches, including remote sensing technology, the revised wind erosion equation model, the fallout cesium-137 tracing technique, and the geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis technique, were jointly used in the present study. From 1990 to 2015, the soil loss by wind erosion obviously decreased, with a slope of −0.59 t/ha/a, in the study area. Affected by factors such as regional topography and wind direction, the wind erosion modulus is high in the northwest and low in the south and southeast of the northern piedmont of the Yinshan Mountains. The soil nutrient content decreased overall from 1990 to 2015, including a severe loss from 1990 to 2005 and a relatively low nutrient enrichment from 2005 to 2015. The decline in the sand-dust storm frequency and wind speed protected the soil from wind erosion. Implementing ecological management projects has played an important role in slowing wind erosion and enhancing the regional ability to resist wind erosion and fix sand. To improve soil quality and the regional ecological environment, ecological restoration projects should be further promoted in the study area.

Abstract Background The long-term ecological effects on the emergence of antimicrobial resistance at the ICU level during selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) are unknown. We determined the incidence of newly acquired antimicrobial resistance of aerobic gram-negative potentially pathogenic bacteria (AGNB) during SDD. Methods In a single-centre observational cohort study over a 21-year period, all consecutive patients, treated with or without SDD, admitted to the ICU were included. The antibiotic regime was unchanged over the study period. Incidence rates for ICU-acquired AGNB’s resistance for third-generation cephalosporins, colistin/polymyxin B, tobramycin/gentamicin or ciprofloxacin were calculated per year. Changes over time were tested by negative binomial regression in a generalized linear model. Results Eighty-six percent of 14,015 patients were treated with SDD. Most cultures were taken from the digestive tract (41.9%) and sputum (21.1%). A total of 20,593 isolates of AGNB were identified. The two most often found bacteria were Escherichia coli (N = 6409) and Pseudomonas (N = 5269). The incidence rate per 1000 patient-day for ICU-acquired resistance to cephalosporins was 2.03, for polymyxin B/colistin 0.51, for tobramycin 2.59 and for ciprofloxacin 2.2. The incidence rates for ICU-acquired resistant microbes per year ranged from 0 to 4.94 per 1000 patient-days, and no significant time-trend in incidence rates were found for any of the antimicrobials. The background prevalence rates of resistant strains measured on admission for cephalosporins, polymyxin B/colistin and ciprofloxacin rose over time with 7.9%, 3.5% and 8.0% respectively. Conclusions During more than 21-year SDD, the incidence rates of resistant microbes at the ICU level did not significantly increase over time but the background resistance rates increased. An overall ecological effect of prolonged application of SDD by counting resistant microorganisms in the ICU was not shown in a country with relatively low rates of resistant microorganisms.

Since 2016, the Chinese government has invoked some policies to make Jing-Jin-Ji (JJJ) a new urban agglomeration. However, there has been no research to study the effect of these new policies on future urban growth. This study assessed part of these new policies on JJJ urban growth in 2020–2050 using SLEUTH model. Then the ecological effects of the urban growth are evaluated. Results showed the policies had nearly no obvious impact on the whole JJJ urban growth, but affected sub-regional (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, respectively) urban growth. Under ecological protection in future, the value of ecological service in JJJ would increase to a maximum of 31.7×108 Yuan/km2 in 2031. The ecological elasticity also increased and the ecological risk was strongly reduced around the present urban area. This ecologically sustainable development is critical to the future urban growth, and should be considered more carefully by urban planners and managers. More policies should be evaluated for JJJ urban growth in future work.

Abstract 1. Due to globalisation, trade and transport, the spread of alien species is increasing dramatically. Some alien species become ecologically harmful by threatening native biota. This can lead to irreversible changes in local biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and, ultimately, to biotic homogenisation. 2. We risk‐assessed all alien plants, animals, fungi and algae, within certain delimitations, that are known to reproduce in Norway. Mainland Norway and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard plus Jan Mayen were treated as separate assessment areas. Assessments followed the Generic Ecological Impact Assessment of Alien Species (GEIAA) protocol, which uses a fully quantitative set of criteria. 3. A total of 1,519 species were risk‐assessed, of which 1,183 were species reproducing in mainland Norway. Among these, 9% were assessed to have a severe impact, 7% high impact, 7% potentially high impact, and 49% low impact, whereas 29% had no known impact. In Svalbard, 16 alien species were reproducing, one of which with a severe impact. 4. The impact assessments also covered 319 so‐called door‐knockers, that is, species that are likely to establish in Norway within 50 years, and 12 regionally alien species. Of the door‐knockers, 8% and 10% were assessed to have a severe and high impact, respectively. 5. The impact category of most species was driven by negative interactions with native species, transformation of threatened ecosystems, or genetic contamination. The proportion of alien species with high or severe impact varied significantly across the different pathways of introduction, taxonomic groups, time of introduction and the environments colonised, but not across continents of origin. 6. Given the large number of alien species reproducing in Norway and the preponderance of species with low impact, it is neither realistic nor necessary to eradicate all of them. Our results can guide management authorities in two ways. First, the use of quantitative assessment criteria facilitates the prioritisation of management resources across species. Second, the background information collected for each species, such as introduction pathways, area of occupancy and ecosystems affected, helps designing appropriate management measures.

The terrestrial ecosystem productivity (hereafter, TEP) is a key index of global carbon cycles and a fundamental constraint of carbon sequestration capacity, and also an important measure of ecosystem services and food security. However, the TEP has been significantly affected by the long-lasting droughts. Identifying the spatial relationship between droughts and the TEP is crucial for enhancing ecosystem services in China. Here the net primary production (hereafter, NPP) derived from the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model (CASA-NPP) and two drought indices, namely the Standard Precipitation Index (hereafter, SPI) and the Standard Precipitation Evaporation Index (hereafter, SPEI), are used to examine the spatial relationship between droughts and the NPP in China for the period of 1982–2012. Our main results have shown that: (1) China’s annual NPP has increased slowly from 3.82 to 4.35 PgC per year (hereafter, PgC/yr), while droughts have become much severer from 1982 to 2012; (2) on the 3-month timescale, the NPP in arid and semi-arid ecosystems has decreased at a rate of 1.28 TgC per month with per “unit” decrease in the drought index (indicating drier conditions). (3) Overall, the NPP in China has increased 5.71 TgC per month with per “unit” increase in the drought index (indicating wetter conditions); the contribution of this NPP increase is mainly from forests and farmlands; (4) the SPEI is a relatively more effective and sensitive index in representing China’s droughts. In southern China, the lagging period for the NPP response to droughts is about 3-month, while a 6-month lagging period is found in the arid and semi-arid ecosystems in northern China.

A large area of soil in China is deficient in selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn)，meanwhile, Se and Zn are essential trace elements for human body, so it is of great significance to find Se and Zn rich soil to cultivate crops. Based on the data of Se and Zn in topsoil, crops and root soil obtained from 1:50000 land quality geochemical survey, this paper taking the western area of Fuling in Chongqing as the research area, studies the content and spatial distribution characteristics of Se and Zn in soil and crops, and analyzes the enrichment law of Se and Zn in agricultural crops. The results show that the average values of Se and Zn in the topsoil of the study area are 0.265mg/kg and 77.56mg/kg respectively. There are some differences in the contents of Se and Zn in different geological backgrounds, soil parent materials and soil types. The high value areas of Se and Zn are mainly distributed in the exposed areas of Triassic carbonate; in the study area, the average contents of Se and Zn in maize seeds are 0.029mg/kg and 20.752mg/kg respectively, and the enrichment rates are 96% and 82% respectively. The average contents of Se and Zn in rice seeds are 0.032mg/kg and 11.463mg/kg respectively, and the enrichment rates are 13.3% and 5% respectively. The bioaccumulation coefficients of Se and Zn in maize are higher than that in rice, and the availability of Se and Zn elements in maize root soil is higher.The results can provide geochemical basis for developing characteristic land resources, functional agriculture and promoting rural revitalization in Fuling District.

Systematic assessments on the effects of skidding systems on features of forest blueberry pine soil were conducted as part of this study. Assessing the ecological efficiency of forest skidding machines showed that the most significant impact (by 2.0–2.2 times) on soil compaction was observed at loading sites rather than during transportation. Lightweight loam density and sand density increased by 25% and 2%, respectively, after more than two passages of the skidding system. Pressure in 33L-32 tires of forestry machinery in operation on a solid surface varied from 46.5 kPa to 196 kPa at maximum load. Studying the impact of tires on soil compaction showed that the environmental efficiency of forestry equipment can be enhanced if the optimal tire pressure at average loads does not exceed 70 kPa for tracked vehicles and 150 kPa for wheeled vehicles in summer seasons. When ground grips were fully immersed, the pressure of forwarders on soil was reduced. These study results can be used to establish organizational and technological measures in order to manage the negative impact of skidding systems and to increase the environmental effects of their performance.

Despite the established relationship between adverse health outcomes and low socioeconomic status, researchers rarely test the link between health improvements and poverty-alleviating economic policies. New research, however, links individual-level health improvements to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a broad-based income support policy. We build on these findings by examining whether the EITC has ecological, neighborhood-level health effects. We use a difference-in-difference analysis to measure child health outcomes in 90 low- and middle- income neighborhoods before and after the expansion of New York State and New York City’s EITC policy between 1997-2010. Our study takes advantage of the relatively exogenous source of income variation supplied by the EITC—legislative changes to EITC policy parameters. This feature minimizes the endogeneity problem in studying the relationship between income and health. Our estimates link a 15-percentage-point increase in EITC benefit rates to a 0.45 percentage-point reduction in the low birthweight rate. We do not observe any measurable link between EITC benefits and prenatal health or asthma-related pediatric hospitalization. The magnitude of the EITC’s impact on low birthweight rates suggests ecological effects, and an additional channel through which anti-poverty measures can serve as public health interventions.

The main goal of the article is the efficiency justification of energy-efficient house (EEH) from the different points of view: economic, ecological and social. In this case, the EEH under the green economy context was considered by the authors. In addition, according to the Ukrainian ongoing condition, the key preconditions of EEH implementation among the Ukrainian households were allocated. Besides, the main approaches to define EEH are analyzed and systematized by the authors. On this basis, the main bullet points and features of EEH were indicated. The authors determined the EEH opportunities for spreading among the Ukrainian households. It should be noted, that the lack of awareness among the civil society provokes the slow temp of the EEH enlarging in Ukraine. At the same time, the European experience showed that the huge part of their households can be characterized as energy-effective. With the purpose of understand the efficiency of EEH, the authors had estimated the economic benefits of installed solar collector in the household as one of the parts of EEH. According to the results, the authors allocate the restraining factors of the EEH spreading in Ukraine. Thus, the great payback period is one of them. In addition, the high level of the currency rate has negative impact on the payback period. From the other side the continuously increasing of the utility bills have been indicated as a negative stimulate factor. In order to increase the awareness of the EEH benefits under the Ukrainian civil society, the main economic, ecological and social benefits of EEH were systematized by the authors.

The use of modern vehicles may contribute to limiting the adverse impact of urban transport on the environment. Evaluation of options for choosing new means of transport in terms of economic and ecological benefits allows for the identification of the most advantageous variants. The solution is to consider replacing a bus compliant with a Euro III norm (base variant) with a bus compliant with Euro VI (option 1) or with an electric bus (option 2). The evaluation of the solutions was based on the calculated parameters: a monetary value reflecting the energy cost of the analyzed buses and the ecological effect of the reduced emissions from the Euro VI bus and the electric bus compared with the Euro III vehicle. The ecological effect resulting from the use of the electric bus was determined taking into account emissions from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas) and biomass. The method of cost analysis was used to evaluate the solution of replacing older buses with new ones (with different types of propulsion). It is based on calculating the unit cost of achieving the ecological effect of the solution.

The ecological effects of intermittent water supplement in Lake Baiyangdian were analyzed with an NDVI time series based on the data from 1 April 1998 to 31 July 2008. Four NDVI categories were extracted, and twelve stages were grouped based on the specific replenishment time of water allocation. STR (a seasonal-trend decomposition procedure based on regression) and its corresponding linear regression and abrupt change detection were used to highlight the temporal variations in vegetation under the effects of water allocation. ANOVA was used to identify the response quality of the vegetation in each stage. The results showed that the significant increasing trend of each NDVI category was detected by linear regression (p < 0.001). The 95% abrupt change intervals showed uncertainty and complexity in the immediate vegetation response to water division times. The most abrupt changes were detected in the growing seasons. The extremely significant differences in NDVI variation before and after water allocations were detected by ANOVA (p < 0.001, t-test). The longer the duration of water allocation was maintained, the higher the detection of vegetation coverage was relatively. The increased vegetation coverage benefited from the constant water supply. Our results provide evidence of vegetation responses to intermittent water divisions. The positive effects of water allocation on regional ecological restoration were confirmed. This study strengthened the water division effects of regional vegetation restoration and provided a practical strategy for an effective implementation of water allocation.

Air pollution is one of the important environmental problems in Poland. The main cause of its occurrence is emissions associated with individual heating of buildings. The reduction of the primary energy demand in a building is influenced by its proper thermal modernization, including in particular insulating. In view of the above, this article presents the results of studies on the possible environmental benefits of thermal modernization of single-family houses for the area of Southern Poland. The analysis was limited to determining the impact of measures to reduce air pollution emissions by insulating the building envelope of single-family houses. The research was conducted for two voivodeships: Śląskie and Małopolskie. Its aim is to identify the financial costs and achievable ecological effects of the thermal modernization of single-family buildings. The geographical selection of the research area was based on the fact that it covers the most polluted region in Poland. This region is characterized by many features that influence poor air quality. Among these features, the most important are: diversified building structure, a diverse topography, and very high population density. To limit multiple variables, we have selected a scenario method that has already been used in similar research. Four scenarios were established to show the relationship between the value of emission reductions and the level of funding for thermal modernization. The analysis allows a comparison of the effectiveness of individual variants and the transposition of their results into the possibilities of action in the region. This research will help to supplement the knowledge of the impact of insulating building envelopes on reducing pollutant emissions by reducing the energy demand of a building. They also identify a possible link between the level of this reduction and the grant amount for thermal modernization. As a result, it was found that a high share of external funding—stimulating the tendency of the inhabitants of the analyzed voivodeships to effective thermal modernization, and thus reducing the buildings’ energy consumption—has a significant impact on the improvement of air quality.

China's Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) is aimed at improving the fragile and unstable ecological environment and has become one of the largest ecological restoration programs in the world because of its enormous investment and effects. It is important to work out and strengthen new measures to overcome difficulties to promote more ecosystem services and human well‐being in the NFCP. This study focused on how to evaluate the ecosystem services change brought about by implementing the NFCP. Taking the key state‐owned forest areas in the Northeast and Inner Mongolia as the study area, we provide a basic overview of development and construct an evaluation index system and a distributed calculation method for the NFCP to analyze the implications of the NFCP on ecosystem services combined with multi‐source data coupling. An evaluation index system for NFCP ecosystem services was constructed. The system includes five ecological service functions and 12 evaluation indices. The trade‐off and/or synergistic analysis of ecosystem services were carried out. The regional characteristics and changes in the NFCP ecosystem services were emphasized. Although it has not been implemented for a long time, the NFCP has had a great impact on ecosystem services because it reduces soil and water losses, increases soil fertility, strengthens the forest carbon sink and helped the forest accumulate nutrients and purify the atmosphere. Socioeconomic factors affect the NFCP ecosystem services, such as the implementation area of NFCP, investment amount of NFCP, area ratio of nature reserves, and yield of tree stock volume. Policy drivers of the NFCP, changes in the economic structure and reductions in forest yield are the main factors affecting the change in NFCP ecosystem services. Although the NFCP has positively affected the society, the economy, and the ecological environment, it has also generated some problems, such as the improper management of forest resources, shortage of capital investment, staff transfer, etc. The social and economic problems will be transient with implementation of the NFCP, and the structural changes in forestry and agriculture may eventually benefit the forestry workers and other stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SWMM stands as a dynamic rainfall-runoff urban hydrological model, crafted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It adeptly replicates urban rainfall production and ground runoff, and the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) theory artfully reflects human-environment interactions. Urban Water System Connectivity (UWSC) fortifies connections among regional rivers, transforming them into an intricate, dense network. To study the improvement of the regional water environment by the UWSC project, this study takes the UWSC project in Runan County, Zhumadian, China as the research object, constructs a hydrodynamic and water quality model based on SWMM, and simulates it under different rainfall situations. At the same time, the ecological service value theory and PSR theory are used to establish an ecological effect index system to analyze the ecological effect before and after the UWSC project. This paper evaluates the urban water system connectivity project from three aspects: hydrodynamic, water quality, and ecological effects. Results underscore that the post-UWSC era witnesses decreased river flood flows in varied design rainfalls, accompanied by delayed flood peaks. Under P = 10a and P = 20a rainfalls, peak flow reductions of 6.6% and 4.96% respectively, manifest with peak time lags of 0.17h. Flow rate adjustments align with flow behavior, exhibiting decreased peak flow rates accompanied by temporal lags. Initial river flow increases by about 30%, amplifying river water body exchange capacity. Following the UWSC implementation, the study area's five primary rivers display TSS reductions ranging from 46% to 86.94%, COD from 36.98% to 92.43%, TN from 45.9% to 92.96%, TP from 35.71% to 84.78%, and NH3–N from 38.52% to 92.19%. Simulated point source pollution, under comparable initial conditions, indicates pollutant decay rates escalating from 3.2%–20%–35.71%–92.43%. Ecological impact ascends from 6.33 × 108 RMB to 9.65 × 108 RMB, reflecting a 52.5% escalation. The UWSC initiative enriches urban river flood resilience and water quality, emblematic of urban water ecological civilization progress. [Display omitted] • Improvement of water environment by urban water system connection project. • The hydrological model of the study area was established. • The hydrodynamic model and ecological effect index were established. • The water environment and ecological effect have been significantly improved. • Provide guidance and reference for other cities of the same type to build. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Spatially explicit characterization of N emissions for freshwater eutrophication. • Build cause-effect chains to link N emission sources and species loss endpoint. • Fate factor modelling contains transfer and removal processes of N in land and water. • Mechanistic effect factor modelling at the damage level. Human interventions mobilize massive nitrogen (N) emissions to freshwater and result in serious eutrophication impacts. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) provides a reliable quantitative tool to address the challenges of potential ecological impact induced by increasing nutrient inputs. However, characterization procedures that relate N emissions to ecological damage in freshwater ecosystems in LCIA methodology are still lacking. This study aims to propose a spatially explicit characterization model (1 km × 1 km) for N-induced freshwater eutrophication. A complete cause-effect chains linking the N emission with species loss endpoint impact was constructed, in which the site-specific fate factor modelling contained transfer and removal processes in terrestrial and freshwater compartments, and the mechanistic modelling of ecosystem exposure and damage effect were quantified with species loss. The eutrophication characterization was conducted with a case study in Guangzhou, China, and 1 km × 1 km spatial differentiation of eutrophication susceptibility was intuitively demonstrated, with higher values in the Pearl River Estuary area. Method comparisons and further improvements were discussed in support of model generalization and further application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 80% of wood extraction operations have been performed by conventional methods in Turkey. Conventional methods include skidding or sliding of logs mainly by man and animal power, which poses problems in terms of technical, economical, environmental, and ergonomic aspects. Skidding wood on plastic chutes has been implemented in limited numbers of logging applications in recent years, and provides important advantages such as reducing environmental damages and minimizing the value and volume loss of transported wood products. In this study, a chute system integrated with a mobile winch was developed for controlled sliding of large diameter logs downhill. In addition, synthetic ropes rather than steel cables were used to pull log products, resulting in a lower weight and more efficient extraction system. The system was tested on a sample wood production operation in Çınarpınar Forest Enterprise Chief of Kahramanmaraş Forest Enterprise Directorate. In the study, productivity analysis of chute system was performed and its ecological impacts were evaluated. During controlled sliding of logs downhill, the highest productivity (10.01 m3/hour) was reached in the fourth chute system characterized as 36 m in length and 70% ground slope. One of the main factors that affected the productivity of chute system was the controlled sliding time of the logs. It was found that residual stand damage was very limited during controlled sliding operations.

Environmental pollution, in particular atmospheric pollution, is largely associated with the production of thermal energy. Suspended dusts and chemically aggressive gases generate a significant danger for as well human health as biosphere. In recent years there has been a growing conviction about decisive impact of greenhouse gasses emission generated by the economic and civilizational activity of humanity on global climate changes. Hopes of breaking these adverse trends is connected with the mass use of renewable energy sources or rather so called ecological energy sources, that are relatively less environmentally aggressive. The quantitative comparative assessment of their negative impact on the environment is important in the proper classification of energy sources. Comparing of quantities of emitted suspended dusts and aggressive gases including greenhouse gases is good parameter for evaluation of air pollution. In Polish conditions, atmospheric pollutions are predominated by products of coal combustion. A good indicator of the ecological quality of energy sources is therefore the reduction of emitted harmful substances as a result of coal substitution. In this work examples of ecological effects of geothermal installations have been presented. Geothermal energy is generally considered to be renewable and ecological, while the substitution of coal fuels by hydrocarbons, including natural gas, is more problematic. The comparative analysis performed for a single-family house shows a radical reduction in the emission of suspended dust and chemically aggressive gases associated with replacing the coal furnace by natural gas-fired boiler and reducing the emission of carbon dioxide by half.

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The synthesis of an effective composite fuel from industrial wastes almost always requires mixing several components with different properties. Features of certain components can effectively compensate for the limitations of others, eventually improving the fuel as whole. We propose the optimization of the waste-derived coal-water slurry (CWS) by doping it with a small amount (2–5 wt%) of non-hydrocarbon dopants (metal-bearing powders with aluminium, iron, copper and chalk). It allows the stabilization of the combustion temperature (or even its increase), while keeping the ignition delays at the reasonable level ( ∼ 2 s at 1000 K). Doping the CWS by 2–5 wt% of chalk powder allows a radical decrease in the production of harmful exhausts (up to an order of magnitude regarding the SO 2 and 2–5 times regarding NO x ). A strong ecological effect was observed when the fuel is doped by iron powder, too. Therefore, the usage of non-organic dopants is a very promising way to prepare environmentally friendly fuel compositions with high power efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the economic and ecological effect of Kostkowice Agricultural biogas plant based on a four year study carried out on the prototype installation. Agricultural biogas plant is part of the nature of the research conducted for twenty years at the National Research Institute of Animal PIB Experimental Station. Prof. Mieczyslaw Czaja relates to various aspects of environmental protection. It describes the economic justification for the production of energy from waste biomass (manure, slurry, wastes from feeding table), by the characteristics of substrates and products. It was found that agricultural biogas plant in rural areas are an important link in energy security, mainly due to the very high availability. Ecological effect is presented as effect of the installation solutions for the reduction of pollution of water, soil and air. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the recycling of environmentally harmful by-products of animal production of electricity and thermal energy, which is a substitute for environmentally harmful fossil fuels. The advantage of substances digestate is odorless, which is important both in an effort to improve the work culture in agriculture and improving living conditions in rural communities and it is an indisputable argument for the use of biomass for energy purposes.