Trends of Superoxide Dismutase and Soluble Protein of Aquatic Plants in Lakes of Different Trophic Levels in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, China

A limnological study was carried out to determine the responses of superoxide dismutase （SOD） activities and soluble protein （SP） contents of 11 common aquatic plants to eutrophication stress. Field investigation in 12 lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River was carried out from March to September 2004. Our results indicated that non- submersed （emergent and floating-leafed） plants and submersed plants showed different responses to eutrophication stress. Both SOD activities of the non-submersed and submersed plants were negatively correlated with their SP contents （P 〈 0.000 1）. SP contents of non-submersed plants were significantly correlated with all nitrogen variables in the water （P 〈 0.05）, whereas SP contents of submersed plants were only significantly correlated with carbon variables as well as ammonium and Secchi depth （SD） in water （P 〈 0.05）. Only SOD activities of submersed plants were decreased with decline of SD in water （P 〈 0.001）. Our results indicate that the decline of SOD activities of submersed plants were mainly caused by light limitation, this showed a coincidence with the decline of macrophytes in eutrophic lakes, which might imply that the antioxidant system of the submersed plants were impaired under eutrophication stress.

Thermomechanical properties of an energy micro pile-raft foundation in silty clay

Micro steel pipe pile was used for existing foundation reinforcement and renovation.An energy micro pile-raft foundation equipped with heat exchange tube was constructed in silty clay.The diameter and the length of the energy micro pile are 160 mm and 13.0 m,respectively.A series of in situ thermal performance tests were carried out by controlling cycle heating,in which the inlet and outlet water temperatures,flow rate,and thermomechanical properties of the energy micro pile were measured.Combined with a numerical simulation method,the thermomechanical stresses and displacement of the raft were also analyzed and discussed.The energy micro pile-raft foundation was also analyzed for different combinations of energy piles and nonenergy piles in the group.Results show that the micro pile-raft foundation can provide sufficient heat exchange compared with other types of ground heat exchangers.Differential settlement at both the pile top and tip were observed for the groups that contained both energy piles and nonenergy piles.