The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning ... more The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning alerts being 11 successfully delivered to the public in some regions. We examined the performance of the EEWS in China’s Sichuan 12 Province during the 2019 Changning Earthquake. Although its technical effectiveness was tested with the first alert released 13 10 s after the earthquake, we found that a big gap existed between the EEWS’s message and the public’s response. We 14 highlight the importance of EEWS alert effectiveness and public participation for long-term resiliency, such as delivering 15 useful alert messages through appropriate communication channels and training people to understand and properly respond. 16
The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning ... more The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning alerts being successfully delivered to the public in some regions. We examined the performance of the EEWS in China's Sichuan Province during the 2019 Changning Earthquake. Although its technical effectiveness was tested with the first alert released 10 s after the earthquake, we found that a big gap existed between the EEWS's message and the public's response. We highlight the importance of EEWS alert effectiveness and public participation for long-term resiliency, such as delivering useful alert messages through appropriate communication channels and training people to understand and properly respond.
Influence pathway of iron ions with different valences for methane fermentation of vegetable waste
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising approach for vegetable waste (VW) recycling and energy re... more Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising approach for vegetable waste (VW) recycling and energy recovery but methanogenesis is always inhibited by acid accumulation. The addition of a mixture of iron and other elements has proved effective on reducing acid inhibition during AD of VW, but the effect of use of iron alone has rarely been assessed. In the present study, we compared the effects of Fe0 and Fe2+ on methane fermentation from VW at an organic loading rate of 1.5 gVS/L/d. The results indicated that Fe0 maintained a pH > 7.7, oxidation reduction potential <−520, and methane production rate (MPR) at 250–300 mL/gVS/d. Partial least squares path modeling and correlation analysis revealed Fe0 maintained pH for high MPR mainly through enhancing the conversion of propionic and butyric acids to acetic acid, causing the total acid decreasing to 1500 mg/L. In contrast, Fe2+ caused an accumulation of all volatile fatty acids up to 4000 mg/L and aggravated acid inhibition, resulting...
The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning ... more The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning alerts being 10 successfully delivered to the public in some regions. We examined the performance of the EEWS in China’s Sichuan 11 Province during the 2019 Changning Earthquake. Although its technical effectiveness was tested with the first alert released 12 10 s after the earthquake, we found that a big gap existed between the EEWS’s message and the public’s response. We 13 highlight the importance of EEWS alert effectiveness and public participation for long-term resiliency, such as delivering 14 useful alert messages through appropriate communication channels and training people to understand and properly respond. 15 1 Why are earthquake early warnings important? 16 An earthquake is an intense shaking of the Earth’s surface, caused by the sudden movement of a plate in the Earth’s crust. 17 Destructive earthquakes, such as the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in China, the 2010 Haiti...
Environmental science and pollution research international, Jan 20, 2018
After publication of this study (Wang et al. 2018), we noticed a major mistake in the Fig. 7 that... more After publication of this study (Wang et al. 2018), we noticed a major mistake in the Fig. 7 that the Fig. 7a and the Fig. 7b were published with a same picture. The correct Fig. 7 was labeled here. We sincerely regret for the error, and sorry for the inconveniences!
Urbanization has resulted in children in many cities being separated from contact with nature, de... more Urbanization has resulted in children in many cities being separated from contact with nature, despite the many benefits that this can provide for play and learning. Influenced by research and practice from the 'west' there is increasing evidence that in recent years these benefits for young children are being acknowledged and expressed in policy and practice in China. Chengdu, a rapidly expanding city in the southwest of China, has playgrounds in public spaces dominated by the Kit, Fence, Carpet approach but also has some kindergartens with a more natural approach, which supports a higher play and educational value. Nothing is known of parents' perceptions of different approaches to the provision of playgrounds and this paper seeks to begin to fill this gap. It reports on research with parents and young children at two kindergartens in Chengdu that sought to understand parents' perceptions of different playground styles, aesthetics and play risk associated with the different styles and children's perceptions of different playground styles. The results of an on-line questionnaire revealed that over 87% of the parents understood and recognized the benefits of natural elements within a playground. Vegetation and water were the most popular elements followed by sand and stone, landform and then insects and small animals. Physical and creative developments were the two most recognized development functions of natural elements acknowledged by the parents. Images of different playground styles were used with both adults and children and revealed that both groups tended to select a natural style with parents more inclined to select a higher degree of nature than children. Parents also considered that more natural playgrounds to be of low risk and attractive to look at. Two policy changes in China make this work of great significance: the change from one to two-child policy and the introduction of a natural education approach. The resultant increased numbers of children in future will benefit if the positive findings of this research inform policy and practice.
Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 2013
As one of the largest economical hubs in southwestern China, Chengdu is witnessing fast urbanizat... more As one of the largest economical hubs in southwestern China, Chengdu is witnessing fast urbanization characterized by rapid urban sprawl, population growth, infrastructural construction, and motorization. However, this rapid urbanization may lead to environmental degradation, placing human health at risk. In this study, toxic metals in road dust and roadside soil are used as proxies to illustrate environmental changes of Chengdu. In August 2009, 133 dust and 132 soil samples were collected from the first, second and third ring roads, along which areas have urbanized for different times. By means of a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cu in the samples were determined. The results indicate that the concentrations and contamination levels of Pb, Zn and Cu in dust declined significantly from the first to the third ring roads, paralleling the decreasing trends in traffic and building densities from the first to the third ring roads. However, concentrations of the three elements in roadside soil were relatively stable among the roads. These data may suggest that the metals in road dust can be used as proxies to demonstrate environmental degradation during the urbanization of Chengdu, while concentrations of the metals in roadside soil are affected more by natural factors (e.g., background concentrations, precipitation, and distance to road) than by anthropogenic factors (e.g., traffic and building densities). Furthermore, compared to Pb concentrations measured in the 1990s, Pb concentrations in road dust have been reduced most likely owing to the exclusion of leaded petrol since 2000. Similar situations may be found in many other cities that are experiencing fast urbanization. Keywords Urban pollution Á Toxic metal Á Road dust Á Roadside soil Á Urbanization Á Traffic 1 Introduction Currently half of the Chinese population lives in cities, a proportion that is projected to rise to 60.3 % by 2030 and 72.9 % by 2050 [United Nations Economic and Social Affair (UNESA) 2006]. Thus, urban environments are becoming increasingly important with regard to human health and wellbeing. Although urbanization can offer opportunities for improvements in human health (e.g., better access to health care), it may also result in environmental degradation (Gong et al. 2012), which dominates most of China's large cities nowadays (Chen 2007; Chan and Yao 2008; Gong et al. 2012; Zhao et al. 2012). Roads play a major role in stimulating social and economic processes (Bai et al. 2009). Concentrations of toxic metals in road dust and roadside soil can be used as useful indicators of urban environmental pollution (Manta et al. 2002) and have been studied in many cities (Fergusson and
Radionuclide dating techniques characterized by 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex have recently been applied i... more Radionuclide dating techniques characterized by 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex have recently been applied in the study of lake sediments around the world. In this study, a chronological series of sediment cores was established based on 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex analyses along with the evaluation of sediment properties, such as particle size distribution, total organic carbon (TOC), carbonate content, and acid-insoluble residue, to study sediment accumulation rates, sediment sources, and responses to human activities in the Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve in southwestern China. In terms of the particle size distribution of sediments, silt content was the highest, and clay and sand contents were relatively low. The sediments displayed high TOC contents because of the significant amounts of vegetation grown in the lakes. The carbonate content was also high due to the overall geological background of carbonates in Jiuzhaigou. Carbonate content tended to decline from top to bottom in the sediment cores, whereas the acid-insoluble residue tended to increase. These results suggested that the depth variation of the environmental parameters of the sediments in two lakes in Jiuzhaigou would correspond to each other. The results indicated that the sediment rate of Jiuzhaigou was generally high with strong siltation, indicating that serious soil loss was induced by intensive human activities in the basin over the past decades. The increases in the mass accumulation rate, contents of acid-insoluble residue, and mean particle size during the periods of 1840-1900s, late 1930s-early 1950s, 1966-1978, and 2003-2006 revealed the occurrence of severe soil and water loss as a result of extensive agricultural expansion, large-scale deforestation, and road construction in Jiuzhaigou. The deposition rate and the properties of lacustrine sediments could reflect the significant impact of human activities on lake sedimentation during Jiuzhaigou′s history.
Water is essential for a sustainable economic prosperity, but rapid economic growth and intensive... more Water is essential for a sustainable economic prosperity, but rapid economic growth and intensive agricultural activities usually cause water pollution. The middle and lower reaches of China's Yangtze River Basin were urbanized and industrialized much earlier than the upper reach and have been suffering from water pollution. In the past two decades, economic growth accelerated in the upper reach due to several national economic initiatives. Based on analyzing water quality changes from 2000 to 2019 and during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 for Chengdu in the upper reach, we hope to provide some water governance suggestions. In 2019, water at 66% of 93 sites in Chengdu did not achieve the national III standards using measurements of 23 water quality parameters. The top two pollutants were total nitrogen (TN) and fecal coliform (FC). From 2000 to 2019, water quality was not significantly improved at the non-background sites of Chengdu's Min Basin, and the pollution in this basin was mainly from local pollutants release. During the same period, water quality deteriorated in Chengdu's Tuo Basin, where pollution was the result of pollutant discharges in Chengdu in addition to inter-city pollutant transport. During the COVID-19 lockdown, water quality generally improved in the Min Basin but not in the Tuo Basin. A further investigation on which pollution sources were shut down or not during the lockdown can help make pollution reduction targets. Based on the results, we provide suggestions to strengthen inter-jurisdictional and inter-institutional cooperation, water quality monitoring and evaluation, and ecological engineering application.
This study provides a new record of nitrogen (N) deposition and ecological response at a remote, ... more This study provides a new record of nitrogen (N) deposition and ecological response at a remote, high-elevation lake within the ecologically fragile Three River Headwaters Region, northwest China, from the early 20thCentury to the past decade. A multi-proxy investigation of a lake sediment core including analyses of chironomids (non-biting midge), lake sediment geochemistry (δ15N, δ13C, TN, TOC, OC:TN), pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and 210Pb-dating. Results were compared with regional pollution forcings, including fertiliser application, atmospheric nitrate and dust deposition, and a localised multiscale air quality modelling system for N-deposition. Our data reflect a mesotrophic lake for the majority of the 20th Century with minimal anthropogenic impact. A shift in the lake conditions is evident after 1985 with increased nutrient enrichment. Low δ15N, OC:TN and increasing TN values, together with an increase in chironomid taxa associated with eutrophic conditions and macrophyte...
IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2019
Indoor air pollution is of a growing concern in China. The nation's growing urban work force spen... more Indoor air pollution is of a growing concern in China. The nation's growing urban work force spends prolonged periods in office, thus office indoor air quality (IAQ) can be a key determinant of worker's wellbeing, yet, IAQ literature on China's office space remains scarce. To address such knowledge gap, this study conducted continuous monitoring in six office towers in Chengdu, China to investigate two major indoor pollutants: PM2.5 and CO2. The participating office buildings were Grade-A certified and fully occupied. Indoor concentration for PM2.5 and CO2 ranged between 1-459 μg/m 3 and 375-1102 ppm respectively, with considerable intra-building and inter-building variability. Time-series analysis suggests diurnal and weekly pattern for indoor CO2, and temporal association between indoor and ambient PM2.5. Filtration and ventilation efficiencies varied across buildings, and these buildings experienced various degrees of penetration by outdoor PM2.5 and indoor accumulation of CO2 on a daily basis. On days with ambient pollution, indoor pollution persisted. Multivariate model predicts an average of 0.6 μg/m 3 increase in indoor PM2.5 for every 1 μg/m 3 increase in ambient PM2.5. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic study of office buildings in China with findings potentially inform future IAQ management strategies.
Chinese liquors come from a variety of different regions in China. This diversity can be attribut... more Chinese liquors come from a variety of different regions in China. This diversity can be attributed to the difference in microorganisms, but also to the biophysical environment. The latter constitutes a significant basis for the fermentation of products, but has not been adequately understood. Using spatial statistics analysis, we studied the causes of regional differences of Chinese liquors in the perspective of climatic and socioeconomic environment. Temporal changes in the density of Chinese liquor manufacturers in each prefecture-level administrative unit from1995 to 2004 revealed no changes in spatio-temporal distribution patterns of Chinese liquors. Most manufacturers were distributed in moderate climatic regions in both developed areas and less developed areas. Socioeconomic factors had a significantly positive impact on the development of the Chinese liquor industry, while the climatic environment plays a crucial role in determining their difference a regional scale. Overall, this study provided scientific evidence for the importance of the biophysical environments, especially climate, to determine the geographical patterns of fermentation products.
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
Safeguarding the world's largest lake Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia is listed as a World Heritag... more Safeguarding the world's largest lake Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia is listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations because of its exceptional endemic biodiversity. Its ecological and environmental health is now under threat from a government funding cut of almost 30% to the lake's long-term monitoring programme. Biologists at Irkutsk State University have been sampling water temperature, transparency, and plankton abundance and species composition at weekly intervals, year-round, since 1945. Lake Baikal remained largely pristine in the twentieth century, but its ecosystems are changing fast as surface waters warm and winter ice cover lessens (M. V.
Reforestation is a critical means of addressing the environmental and social problems of deforest... more Reforestation is a critical means of addressing the environmental and social problems of deforestation. China's Grain-for-Green Program (GFGP) is the world's largest reforestation scheme. Here we provide the first nationwide assessment of the tree composition of GFGP forests and the first combined ecological and economic study aimed at understanding GFGP's biodiversity implications. Across China, GFGP forests are overwhelmingly monocultures or compositionally simple mixed forests. Focusing on birds and bees in Sichuan Province, we find that GFGP reforestation results in modest gains (via mixed forest) and losses (via monocultures) of bird diversity, along with major losses of bee diversity. Moreover, all current modes of GFGP reforestation fall short of restoring biodiversity to levels approximating native forests. However, even within existing modes of reforestation, GFGP can achieve greater biodiversity gains by promoting mixed forests over monocultures; doing so is un...
The Science of the total environment, Aug 22, 2016
Massive deposition of calcium carbonate in ambient temperature waters (tufa) can form magnificent... more Massive deposition of calcium carbonate in ambient temperature waters (tufa) can form magnificent tufa landscapes, many of which are designated as protected areas. However, tufa landscapes in many areas are threatened by both local anthropogenic activities and climate change. This study, for the first time, posed the question whether the tufa landscape degradation (characterized by tufa degradation and increased biomass of green algae) in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve of China is partially caused by regional air pollution and climate warming. The results indicate that wet deposition (including rain and snow) polluted by anthropogenic SO2, NOx, and NH3 emissions dissolves exposed tufa and may considerably reduce tufa deposition rate and even cause tufa dissolution within shallow waters. These effects of wet deposition on tufa enhanced as pH of wet deposition decreased from 8.01 to 5.06. Annual Volume Weighted Mean concentration of reactive nitrogen (including NH4(+) and NO3(-)) ...
Fish farming has seriously influenced the aquatic environment in Sancha reservoir in SW China sin... more Fish farming has seriously influenced the aquatic environment in Sancha reservoir in SW China since 1985 and has been strongly restricted since 2005. Thus, phosphorus speciation in a sediment core dated between 1945 and 2010 at cm-resolution and in surface sediments from Sancha reservoir may allow us track how fish farming impacts phosphorus dynamics in lake sediments. Fish farming shifts the major binding forms of phosphorus in sediments from organic to residual phosphorus, which mostly originated from fish feed. Sorption to metal oxides and association with organic matters are important mechanisms for phosphorus immobilisation with low fish farming activities, whereas calcium-bound phosphorous had an essential contribution to sediment phosphorus increases under intensive fish framing. Notwithstanding the shifting, the aforementioned phosphorus fractions are usually inert in the lake environment, therefore changing phosphorus mobility little. The use of fish feed and water-purifica...
Phenological background information for alpine species is limited from extremely high altitudes. ... more Phenological background information for alpine species is limited from extremely high altitudes. Flowering and fruiting phenology was monitored for 24 plant species at 5,180 m a.s.l. near the base camp area on the north slope of Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest) in Tibet, western China. The dates of first flowering, peak flowering, end of flowering, first fruiting, peak fruiting and flowering period were recorded. There was a wide variation in onset of flowering, long flowering duration, a relative synchrony between the onset of flowering and fruiting, and one species was exclusively vegetative. These results suggest that the species have evolved various phenological strategies as adaptations to the short growing season with limited resources and pollinators in this harsh alpine environment at extremely high elevations. With a background of global warming, local plant species will represent an advancing trend in onset of flowering.
The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning ... more The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning alerts being 11 successfully delivered to the public in some regions. We examined the performance of the EEWS in China’s Sichuan 12 Province during the 2019 Changning Earthquake. Although its technical effectiveness was tested with the first alert released 13 10 s after the earthquake, we found that a big gap existed between the EEWS’s message and the public’s response. We 14 highlight the importance of EEWS alert effectiveness and public participation for long-term resiliency, such as delivering 15 useful alert messages through appropriate communication channels and training people to understand and properly respond. 16
The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning ... more The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning alerts being successfully delivered to the public in some regions. We examined the performance of the EEWS in China's Sichuan Province during the 2019 Changning Earthquake. Although its technical effectiveness was tested with the first alert released 10 s after the earthquake, we found that a big gap existed between the EEWS's message and the public's response. We highlight the importance of EEWS alert effectiveness and public participation for long-term resiliency, such as delivering useful alert messages through appropriate communication channels and training people to understand and properly respond.
Influence pathway of iron ions with different valences for methane fermentation of vegetable waste
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising approach for vegetable waste (VW) recycling and energy re... more Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising approach for vegetable waste (VW) recycling and energy recovery but methanogenesis is always inhibited by acid accumulation. The addition of a mixture of iron and other elements has proved effective on reducing acid inhibition during AD of VW, but the effect of use of iron alone has rarely been assessed. In the present study, we compared the effects of Fe0 and Fe2+ on methane fermentation from VW at an organic loading rate of 1.5 gVS/L/d. The results indicated that Fe0 maintained a pH > 7.7, oxidation reduction potential <−520, and methane production rate (MPR) at 250–300 mL/gVS/d. Partial least squares path modeling and correlation analysis revealed Fe0 maintained pH for high MPR mainly through enhancing the conversion of propionic and butyric acids to acetic acid, causing the total acid decreasing to 1500 mg/L. In contrast, Fe2+ caused an accumulation of all volatile fatty acids up to 4000 mg/L and aggravated acid inhibition, resulting...
The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning ... more The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning alerts being 10 successfully delivered to the public in some regions. We examined the performance of the EEWS in China’s Sichuan 11 Province during the 2019 Changning Earthquake. Although its technical effectiveness was tested with the first alert released 12 10 s after the earthquake, we found that a big gap existed between the EEWS’s message and the public’s response. We 13 highlight the importance of EEWS alert effectiveness and public participation for long-term resiliency, such as delivering 14 useful alert messages through appropriate communication channels and training people to understand and properly respond. 15 1 Why are earthquake early warnings important? 16 An earthquake is an intense shaking of the Earth’s surface, caused by the sudden movement of a plate in the Earth’s crust. 17 Destructive earthquakes, such as the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in China, the 2010 Haiti...
Environmental science and pollution research international, Jan 20, 2018
After publication of this study (Wang et al. 2018), we noticed a major mistake in the Fig. 7 that... more After publication of this study (Wang et al. 2018), we noticed a major mistake in the Fig. 7 that the Fig. 7a and the Fig. 7b were published with a same picture. The correct Fig. 7 was labeled here. We sincerely regret for the error, and sorry for the inconveniences!
Urbanization has resulted in children in many cities being separated from contact with nature, de... more Urbanization has resulted in children in many cities being separated from contact with nature, despite the many benefits that this can provide for play and learning. Influenced by research and practice from the 'west' there is increasing evidence that in recent years these benefits for young children are being acknowledged and expressed in policy and practice in China. Chengdu, a rapidly expanding city in the southwest of China, has playgrounds in public spaces dominated by the Kit, Fence, Carpet approach but also has some kindergartens with a more natural approach, which supports a higher play and educational value. Nothing is known of parents' perceptions of different approaches to the provision of playgrounds and this paper seeks to begin to fill this gap. It reports on research with parents and young children at two kindergartens in Chengdu that sought to understand parents' perceptions of different playground styles, aesthetics and play risk associated with the different styles and children's perceptions of different playground styles. The results of an on-line questionnaire revealed that over 87% of the parents understood and recognized the benefits of natural elements within a playground. Vegetation and water were the most popular elements followed by sand and stone, landform and then insects and small animals. Physical and creative developments were the two most recognized development functions of natural elements acknowledged by the parents. Images of different playground styles were used with both adults and children and revealed that both groups tended to select a natural style with parents more inclined to select a higher degree of nature than children. Parents also considered that more natural playgrounds to be of low risk and attractive to look at. Two policy changes in China make this work of great significance: the change from one to two-child policy and the introduction of a natural education approach. The resultant increased numbers of children in future will benefit if the positive findings of this research inform policy and practice.
Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 2013
As one of the largest economical hubs in southwestern China, Chengdu is witnessing fast urbanizat... more As one of the largest economical hubs in southwestern China, Chengdu is witnessing fast urbanization characterized by rapid urban sprawl, population growth, infrastructural construction, and motorization. However, this rapid urbanization may lead to environmental degradation, placing human health at risk. In this study, toxic metals in road dust and roadside soil are used as proxies to illustrate environmental changes of Chengdu. In August 2009, 133 dust and 132 soil samples were collected from the first, second and third ring roads, along which areas have urbanized for different times. By means of a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cu in the samples were determined. The results indicate that the concentrations and contamination levels of Pb, Zn and Cu in dust declined significantly from the first to the third ring roads, paralleling the decreasing trends in traffic and building densities from the first to the third ring roads. However, concentrations of the three elements in roadside soil were relatively stable among the roads. These data may suggest that the metals in road dust can be used as proxies to demonstrate environmental degradation during the urbanization of Chengdu, while concentrations of the metals in roadside soil are affected more by natural factors (e.g., background concentrations, precipitation, and distance to road) than by anthropogenic factors (e.g., traffic and building densities). Furthermore, compared to Pb concentrations measured in the 1990s, Pb concentrations in road dust have been reduced most likely owing to the exclusion of leaded petrol since 2000. Similar situations may be found in many other cities that are experiencing fast urbanization. Keywords Urban pollution Á Toxic metal Á Road dust Á Roadside soil Á Urbanization Á Traffic 1 Introduction Currently half of the Chinese population lives in cities, a proportion that is projected to rise to 60.3 % by 2030 and 72.9 % by 2050 [United Nations Economic and Social Affair (UNESA) 2006]. Thus, urban environments are becoming increasingly important with regard to human health and wellbeing. Although urbanization can offer opportunities for improvements in human health (e.g., better access to health care), it may also result in environmental degradation (Gong et al. 2012), which dominates most of China's large cities nowadays (Chen 2007; Chan and Yao 2008; Gong et al. 2012; Zhao et al. 2012). Roads play a major role in stimulating social and economic processes (Bai et al. 2009). Concentrations of toxic metals in road dust and roadside soil can be used as useful indicators of urban environmental pollution (Manta et al. 2002) and have been studied in many cities (Fergusson and
Radionuclide dating techniques characterized by 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex have recently been applied i... more Radionuclide dating techniques characterized by 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex have recently been applied in the study of lake sediments around the world. In this study, a chronological series of sediment cores was established based on 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex analyses along with the evaluation of sediment properties, such as particle size distribution, total organic carbon (TOC), carbonate content, and acid-insoluble residue, to study sediment accumulation rates, sediment sources, and responses to human activities in the Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve in southwestern China. In terms of the particle size distribution of sediments, silt content was the highest, and clay and sand contents were relatively low. The sediments displayed high TOC contents because of the significant amounts of vegetation grown in the lakes. The carbonate content was also high due to the overall geological background of carbonates in Jiuzhaigou. Carbonate content tended to decline from top to bottom in the sediment cores, whereas the acid-insoluble residue tended to increase. These results suggested that the depth variation of the environmental parameters of the sediments in two lakes in Jiuzhaigou would correspond to each other. The results indicated that the sediment rate of Jiuzhaigou was generally high with strong siltation, indicating that serious soil loss was induced by intensive human activities in the basin over the past decades. The increases in the mass accumulation rate, contents of acid-insoluble residue, and mean particle size during the periods of 1840-1900s, late 1930s-early 1950s, 1966-1978, and 2003-2006 revealed the occurrence of severe soil and water loss as a result of extensive agricultural expansion, large-scale deforestation, and road construction in Jiuzhaigou. The deposition rate and the properties of lacustrine sediments could reflect the significant impact of human activities on lake sedimentation during Jiuzhaigou′s history.
Water is essential for a sustainable economic prosperity, but rapid economic growth and intensive... more Water is essential for a sustainable economic prosperity, but rapid economic growth and intensive agricultural activities usually cause water pollution. The middle and lower reaches of China's Yangtze River Basin were urbanized and industrialized much earlier than the upper reach and have been suffering from water pollution. In the past two decades, economic growth accelerated in the upper reach due to several national economic initiatives. Based on analyzing water quality changes from 2000 to 2019 and during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 for Chengdu in the upper reach, we hope to provide some water governance suggestions. In 2019, water at 66% of 93 sites in Chengdu did not achieve the national III standards using measurements of 23 water quality parameters. The top two pollutants were total nitrogen (TN) and fecal coliform (FC). From 2000 to 2019, water quality was not significantly improved at the non-background sites of Chengdu's Min Basin, and the pollution in this basin was mainly from local pollutants release. During the same period, water quality deteriorated in Chengdu's Tuo Basin, where pollution was the result of pollutant discharges in Chengdu in addition to inter-city pollutant transport. During the COVID-19 lockdown, water quality generally improved in the Min Basin but not in the Tuo Basin. A further investigation on which pollution sources were shut down or not during the lockdown can help make pollution reduction targets. Based on the results, we provide suggestions to strengthen inter-jurisdictional and inter-institutional cooperation, water quality monitoring and evaluation, and ecological engineering application.
This study provides a new record of nitrogen (N) deposition and ecological response at a remote, ... more This study provides a new record of nitrogen (N) deposition and ecological response at a remote, high-elevation lake within the ecologically fragile Three River Headwaters Region, northwest China, from the early 20thCentury to the past decade. A multi-proxy investigation of a lake sediment core including analyses of chironomids (non-biting midge), lake sediment geochemistry (δ15N, δ13C, TN, TOC, OC:TN), pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and 210Pb-dating. Results were compared with regional pollution forcings, including fertiliser application, atmospheric nitrate and dust deposition, and a localised multiscale air quality modelling system for N-deposition. Our data reflect a mesotrophic lake for the majority of the 20th Century with minimal anthropogenic impact. A shift in the lake conditions is evident after 1985 with increased nutrient enrichment. Low δ15N, OC:TN and increasing TN values, together with an increase in chironomid taxa associated with eutrophic conditions and macrophyte...
IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2019
Indoor air pollution is of a growing concern in China. The nation's growing urban work force spen... more Indoor air pollution is of a growing concern in China. The nation's growing urban work force spends prolonged periods in office, thus office indoor air quality (IAQ) can be a key determinant of worker's wellbeing, yet, IAQ literature on China's office space remains scarce. To address such knowledge gap, this study conducted continuous monitoring in six office towers in Chengdu, China to investigate two major indoor pollutants: PM2.5 and CO2. The participating office buildings were Grade-A certified and fully occupied. Indoor concentration for PM2.5 and CO2 ranged between 1-459 μg/m 3 and 375-1102 ppm respectively, with considerable intra-building and inter-building variability. Time-series analysis suggests diurnal and weekly pattern for indoor CO2, and temporal association between indoor and ambient PM2.5. Filtration and ventilation efficiencies varied across buildings, and these buildings experienced various degrees of penetration by outdoor PM2.5 and indoor accumulation of CO2 on a daily basis. On days with ambient pollution, indoor pollution persisted. Multivariate model predicts an average of 0.6 μg/m 3 increase in indoor PM2.5 for every 1 μg/m 3 increase in ambient PM2.5. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic study of office buildings in China with findings potentially inform future IAQ management strategies.
Chinese liquors come from a variety of different regions in China. This diversity can be attribut... more Chinese liquors come from a variety of different regions in China. This diversity can be attributed to the difference in microorganisms, but also to the biophysical environment. The latter constitutes a significant basis for the fermentation of products, but has not been adequately understood. Using spatial statistics analysis, we studied the causes of regional differences of Chinese liquors in the perspective of climatic and socioeconomic environment. Temporal changes in the density of Chinese liquor manufacturers in each prefecture-level administrative unit from1995 to 2004 revealed no changes in spatio-temporal distribution patterns of Chinese liquors. Most manufacturers were distributed in moderate climatic regions in both developed areas and less developed areas. Socioeconomic factors had a significantly positive impact on the development of the Chinese liquor industry, while the climatic environment plays a crucial role in determining their difference a regional scale. Overall, this study provided scientific evidence for the importance of the biophysical environments, especially climate, to determine the geographical patterns of fermentation products.
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
Safeguarding the world's largest lake Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia is listed as a World Heritag... more Safeguarding the world's largest lake Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia is listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations because of its exceptional endemic biodiversity. Its ecological and environmental health is now under threat from a government funding cut of almost 30% to the lake's long-term monitoring programme. Biologists at Irkutsk State University have been sampling water temperature, transparency, and plankton abundance and species composition at weekly intervals, year-round, since 1945. Lake Baikal remained largely pristine in the twentieth century, but its ecosystems are changing fast as surface waters warm and winter ice cover lessens (M. V.
Reforestation is a critical means of addressing the environmental and social problems of deforest... more Reforestation is a critical means of addressing the environmental and social problems of deforestation. China's Grain-for-Green Program (GFGP) is the world's largest reforestation scheme. Here we provide the first nationwide assessment of the tree composition of GFGP forests and the first combined ecological and economic study aimed at understanding GFGP's biodiversity implications. Across China, GFGP forests are overwhelmingly monocultures or compositionally simple mixed forests. Focusing on birds and bees in Sichuan Province, we find that GFGP reforestation results in modest gains (via mixed forest) and losses (via monocultures) of bird diversity, along with major losses of bee diversity. Moreover, all current modes of GFGP reforestation fall short of restoring biodiversity to levels approximating native forests. However, even within existing modes of reforestation, GFGP can achieve greater biodiversity gains by promoting mixed forests over monocultures; doing so is un...
The Science of the total environment, Aug 22, 2016
Massive deposition of calcium carbonate in ambient temperature waters (tufa) can form magnificent... more Massive deposition of calcium carbonate in ambient temperature waters (tufa) can form magnificent tufa landscapes, many of which are designated as protected areas. However, tufa landscapes in many areas are threatened by both local anthropogenic activities and climate change. This study, for the first time, posed the question whether the tufa landscape degradation (characterized by tufa degradation and increased biomass of green algae) in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve of China is partially caused by regional air pollution and climate warming. The results indicate that wet deposition (including rain and snow) polluted by anthropogenic SO2, NOx, and NH3 emissions dissolves exposed tufa and may considerably reduce tufa deposition rate and even cause tufa dissolution within shallow waters. These effects of wet deposition on tufa enhanced as pH of wet deposition decreased from 8.01 to 5.06. Annual Volume Weighted Mean concentration of reactive nitrogen (including NH4(+) and NO3(-)) ...
Fish farming has seriously influenced the aquatic environment in Sancha reservoir in SW China sin... more Fish farming has seriously influenced the aquatic environment in Sancha reservoir in SW China since 1985 and has been strongly restricted since 2005. Thus, phosphorus speciation in a sediment core dated between 1945 and 2010 at cm-resolution and in surface sediments from Sancha reservoir may allow us track how fish farming impacts phosphorus dynamics in lake sediments. Fish farming shifts the major binding forms of phosphorus in sediments from organic to residual phosphorus, which mostly originated from fish feed. Sorption to metal oxides and association with organic matters are important mechanisms for phosphorus immobilisation with low fish farming activities, whereas calcium-bound phosphorous had an essential contribution to sediment phosphorus increases under intensive fish framing. Notwithstanding the shifting, the aforementioned phosphorus fractions are usually inert in the lake environment, therefore changing phosphorus mobility little. The use of fish feed and water-purifica...
Phenological background information for alpine species is limited from extremely high altitudes. ... more Phenological background information for alpine species is limited from extremely high altitudes. Flowering and fruiting phenology was monitored for 24 plant species at 5,180 m a.s.l. near the base camp area on the north slope of Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest) in Tibet, western China. The dates of first flowering, peak flowering, end of flowering, first fruiting, peak fruiting and flowering period were recorded. There was a wide variation in onset of flowering, long flowering duration, a relative synchrony between the onset of flowering and fruiting, and one species was exclusively vegetative. These results suggest that the species have evolved various phenological strategies as adaptations to the short growing season with limited resources and pollinators in this harsh alpine environment at extremely high elevations. With a background of global warming, local plant species will represent an advancing trend in onset of flowering.
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