Variation of soil-plant-atmosphere continuum stable isotope and water source in Qinghai spruce forest of the eastern Qilian Mountains

Understanding the hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope composition and characteristics of different water bodies in soil-plant-atmosphere continuum is of significance for revealing regional hydrological processes and water cycle mechanisms.In this study,we analyzed the stable isotopic composition,relationship and indicative significance of precipitation,soil water(0~100 cm depth)and xylem water of Qinghai spruce(Picea crassifolia)forest in the eastern Qilian Mountains,and explored the circulation process among different water bodies.The results show that the stable isotopes of precipitation vary greatly during the entire observation period.The values ofδ2H andδ^(18)O in the precipitation in the warm season are richer than those in the cold season,and the slope and intercept of local meteoric water line(LMWL,δ2H=6.79δ18O+7.13)are both smaller than global meteoric water line(GMWL,δ2H=8.17δ18O+10.56).The stable isotopes of soil water at different depths underwent different degrees of evaporative fractionation,and theδ18O andδ2H of shallow soil water varied greatly,while the deep soil water tended to be similar.The topsoil(0~10 cm)can respond quickly to precipitation,and the response of the deep soil has a time lag.In the whole growing season,0~30 cm and 60~100 cm soil water are the main water sources of Qinghai spruce.The water source of Qinghai spruce was from all soil layers in May and September,mainly from the shallow soil layer(0~30 cm)in August and October,and mainly from the deep soil layer(60~100 cm)in June and July.

Assessment of Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) on Plant Available Water (PAW) in Dry Lands

One of the ways of overcoming the cost of irrigation is through in-situ water harvesting at the plant roots. Super absorbent polymer (SAP) can facilitate water harvesting at the plant roots. This study attempted to assess the effect of SAP on plant available water (PAW) of different soils. In this study, SAP was sequentially added at the rate of 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.5% of the soil weight and its impact assessed in clay, sandy clay and sandy loam soils. The moisture retention characteristics of the original and SAP treated soils were studied using soil water retention curves (SWRC) and results modelled using Gardner model. PAW was estimated from SWRC as the difference between moisture content at 1.5 and 3 bar in all soils. The difference in PAW between original and treated soils was assessed at 5% level of significance. The WRC of all the samples was adequately found to be described by the Gardner model (Coefficient of determination R2 ≥ 98% and residual standard error (RSE) ≤ 0.04). SWRC changed with increase in SAP percentage in clay, sandy clay and sandy loam soils. Clay had a higher change in water retention then sandy clay and lastly sandy loam. Plant available water content (PAW) in all soils increased. In clay soil it increased with increase in SAP from 0.3291 at zero SAP to 0.6223 at 0.5% SAP. Sandy clay soil increased in PAW from 0.2721 at zero SAP to 0.5335 at 0.5% SAP and Sandy loam soils from 0.1691 at zero SAP to 0.3461 at 0.5% SAP. Hence, from the study SAP can be used to conserve irrigation water in the plant roots and therefore reducing the cost since PAW has been increased.

Soil water deficit and vegetation restoration in the refuse dumps of the Heidaigou open-pit coal mine,Inner Mongolia,China

The sustainability of ecosystem restoration of refuse dumps in open-pit coal mines depends on plant species selection, their configuration, and the optimal usage of water resources. This study is based on field experiments in the northern refuse dump of the Heidaigou open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia of China established in 1995. Eight plant configurations, including trees, shrubs, grasses, and their combinations, as well as the adjacent community of natural vegetation, were selected. The succession of the revegetated plants, soil water storage, the spatiotemporal distribution of plant water deficits degree and its compensation degree were also studied. Results indicated that the vegetation cover （shrubs and herbaceous cover）, richness, abundance, soil nutrients （soil organic matter, N and P）, and biological soil crust coverage on the soil surface are significantly influenced by the vegetation configurations. The average soil water storage values in the shrub ＋ grass and grass communities throughout the growing season are 208.69 mm and 206.55 mm, which are the closest to that of in the natural vegetation community （215.87 mm）. Plant water deficits degree in the grass and shrub ＋ grass communities were the lowest, but the degrees of water deficit compensation in these configuration were larger than those of the other vegetation configurations. Differences in plant water deficit degree and water compensation among the different config- urations were significant （P 〈0.05）. Plant water deficit degrees were predominantly minimal on the surface, increased with increasing soil depth, and remained stable at 80 cm soil depth. The soil moisture compensation in the natural vegetation, shrub ＋ grass, and grass communities changed at 10%, while that in other vegetation communities changed between 20% and 40%. Overall, we conclude that the shrub ＋ grass and grass configuration modes are the optimal vegetation restoration models in terms of ecohydrology for future ecological engineering projects.

Development and Application of Maintenance Template in Pressurized Water Reactor Nuclear Power Plant

Good practices of maintenance optimization in nuclear power field need to be effectively consolidated and inherited,and maintenance optimization can provide technology support to create a long-term reliable and economic operation for nuclear power plants( NPPs) especially for a large number of nuclear powers under construction. Based on the development and application of maintenance template in developed countries,and combining with reliability-centered maintenance( RCM) analysis results and maintenance experience data over the past ten years in domestic NPPs, the development process of maintenance template was presented for Chinese pressurized water reactor( PWR) NPP,and the application of maintenance template to maintenance program development and maintenance optimization combined with cases were demonstrated. A shortcut was provided for improving the efficiency of maintenance optimization in domestic PWR NPP,and help to realize a safe,reliable,and economic operation for domestic NPPs.

Overview coking plant & Lurgi gasifier plant waste water treatment

The paper described the coking plant and Lurgi gasifier plant waste water types and characteristics , comparing the COD and ammonia-N level in different source of waste water in the plant.The currently maturity coking plant waste water treatment method was statement in the paper and analyzed the pros and cons of each method.The primary cost analysis of each type of waste water treatment was also completed in the paper.According to these analyses , recommendation was prepared for coking plant and Lurgi gasifier plant waste water treatment.

Response of plant physiological parameters to soil water availability during prolonged drought is affected by soil texture

Soil water deficit is increasingly threatening the sustainable vegetation restoration and ecological construction on the Loess Plateau of China due to the climate warming and human activities.To determine the response thresholds of Amygdalus pedunculata(AP)and Salix psammophila(SP)to soil water availability under different textural soils,we measured the changes in net photosynthetic rate(Pn),stomatal conductance(Gs),intercellular CO2 concentration(Ci),leaf water potential(ψw),water use efficiency(WUE)and daily transpiration rate(Td)of the two plant species during soil water content(SWC)decreased from 100%field capacity(FC)to 20%FC in the sandy and loamy soils on the Loess Plateau in the growing season from June to August in 2018.Results showed that Pn,Gs,WUE and Td of AP and SP remained relatively constant at the beginning of soil water deficit but decreased rapidly as plant available soil water content(PASWC)fell below the threshold values in both the sandy and loamy soils.The PASWC thresholds corresponding to Pn,Gs and Ci of AP in the loamy soil(0.61,0.62 and 0.70,respectively)were lower than those in the sandy soil(0.70,0.63 and 0.75,respectively),whereas the PASWC thresholds corresponding to Pn,Gs and Ci of SP in the loamy soil(0.63,0.68 and 0.78,respectively)were higher than those in the sandy soil(0.58,0.62 and 0.66,respectively).In addition,the PASWC thresholds in relation to Td and WUE of AP(0.60 and 0.58,respectively)and SP(0.62 and 0.60,respectively)in the loamy soil were higher than the corresponding PASWC thresholds of AP(0.58 and 0.52,respectively)and SP(0.55 and 0.56,respectively)in the sandy soil.Furthermore,the PASWC thresholds for the instantaneous gas exchange parameters(e.g.,Pn and Gs)at the transient scale were higher than the thresholds for the parameters(e.g.,Td)at the daily scale.Our study demonstrates that different plant species and/or different physiological parameters exhibit different thresholds of PASWC and that the thresholds are affected by soil texture.The result can provide guidance for the rational allocation and sustainable management of reforestation species under different soil conditions in the loess regions.

Water sources of plants and groundwater in typical ecosystems in the lower reaches of the Heihe River Basin

Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions （δ18O and δD） of soil water and shallow groundwater of a riparian forest, an artificial shrub forest, and Gobi of the lower reaches of the Heihe River Basin are used to study the recharge water sources of those ecosystems. IsoSource software is used to determine the δ180 values for root water of Populous euphratica and Tamarix ramosissima in the riparian forest ecosystem, Haloxylon ammodendron in the artificial shrub forest, and Reaumuria soongorica in the Gobi, as well as for local soil water and groundwater, and precipitation in the upper reaches of the Heihe River Basin. Our results showed that soil water and shallow groundwater of the riparian forest and the artificial shrub forest were recharged by river water which originated from precipitation in the upper reaches, and strong evaporation occurred in the artificial shrub forest. Soil water of the Gobi was not affected by Heihe River water due to this area being far away from the river channel. The main water sources of Populous euphratica were from 40-60-cm soil water and groundwater, and of Tamarix ramosissima were from 40-80-cm soil water in the riparian forest ecosystem. In the artificial forest, Haloxylon ammodendron used 200-cm saturated-layer soil water and shallow groundwater. The Reaumuria soongorica mainly used soil water from the 175-200-cm depth in the Gobi. Therefore, soil water and groundwater are the main water sources which maintain survival and growth of the plants in the extremely arid regions of the lower reaches of the Heihe River Basin.

Free proline accumulation in rice plants under different leaf water potential

Seedlings of drought-tolerance rice varieties Han 501and Han A03,and the drought sensitive varietiesNanjing 11 and Yanjing 2 were raised in a paddyfield and transplanted into pots at the age of 8leaves.Water stress started at the tillering stage byholding water from 0 MPa of the soil water potentialin pots till the leaves showed seriously wilting.

Natural and Anthropic Sources of Arsenic in the Groundwater and Soils of the Mekong Delta

Human exposure to arsenic (As) is primarily through drinking water and food ingestion. Arsenic is naturally present in the environment and has been known as “the king of poisons” since the Middle Ages. It is mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic and approximately 70% comes from ingested food and 29% from water. Once ingested, arsenic can bio-accumulate in the human body or be excreted. Arsenic in groundwater is a main source of As in humans and the two arsenicals most abundant in water are arsenite (+3 oxidation state) and arsenate (+5 oxidation state). In order of toxicity from the most toxic to least toxic are arsines, arsenites, arsenoxides, arsenates, pentavalent arsenicals, Arsenic compounds, and metallic arsenic. Arsenic accumulates in the body when ingested in small doses. It often takes decades before physical symptoms of As poisoning show. While As is element normally found in the human body, it is highly toxic in excess amounts. The lethal dose for rates is 48 μg/L which translates to 125 mg for a middle-aged male. The maximum safe limit for As ingestion for an average Vietnamese middle-aged male is 220 μg per day. This lethal dosage puts As in a highly toxic category in food and toxicology. Most of the As in the Mekong Delta groundwater is from natural alluvial sediment sources. Other anthropic sources include the burial of millions of Vietnamese with elevated As levels since 1962, industrial sources, smelting by-products, water treatment plants, sewage and wastewater treatment discharges into waterways have added to the Mekong Delta As levels in the soil and groundwater. However, Agent Blue, the As-based herbicide, used during the Vietnam War, did contribute a significant amount (over 1,132,400 kg of manufactured (anthropic) As) to Southern Vietnam landscape. The As spikes and levels in the Mekong Delta soils and groundwater need restoration. The uptake of trace amounts of As in rice is indeed a critical food security and human health issue and requires mitigation.

Shenzhen Yinle Aerated Water Plant

The Shenzhen Yinle AeratedWater Plant,set up in 1981 jointly byPepsi Cola Inc.of the US and theShenbao Company of Shenzhen,wasPepsi Cola’s first bottling plant inChina's Mainland.Through the jointefforts of the two sides over a dozenyears,the plant’s production has beenconstantly expanded,with growingoutput and improved quality andefficiency.By the end of June,it hadretained an accumulative total of pre-tax profits of RMB233 million.Takinginto account the profits earned by theAmerican side from the sale of cola,the total profits earned by both sideshave exceeded the initial investmentover 20 times.

Patterns and drivers of seasonal water sources for artificial sand-fixing plants in the northeastern Mu Us sandy land,Northwest China

Understanding plant water-use patterns is important for improving water-use efficiency and for sustainable vegetation restoration in arid and semi-arid regions. However, seasonal variations in water sources and their control by different sand-fixing plants in water-limited desert ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this study, stable isotopic ratios of hydrogen(δ^(2)H) and oxygen(δ^(18)O) in precipitation, soil water, groundwater, and xylem water were determined to document seasonal changes in water uptake by three representative plant species(Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv., Amygdalus pedunculata Pall., and Salix psammophila) in the northeastern Mu Us sandy land, Northwest China. Based on the depth distribution and temporal variation of measured gravimetric soil water content(SWC), the soil water profile of the three species stands was divided into active(0.01 g g^(-1)< SWC < 0.08 g g^(-1), 20%< coefficient of variation(CV) < 45%), stable(0.02 g g^(-1)< SWC < 0.05 g g^(-1), CV < 20%), and moist(0.08 g g^(-1)< SWC < 0.20 g g^(-1), CV >45%) layers. Annually, P. sylvestris, A. pedunculata, and S. psammophila obtained most water from deep(59.2%±9.7%, moist layer and groundwater),intermediate(57.4%±9.8%, stable and moist layers), and shallow(54.4%±10.5%, active and stable layers) sources, respectively. Seasonally, the three plant species absorbed more than 60% of their total water uptake from the moist layer and groundwater in the early(June) dry season;then, they switched to the active and stable layers in the rainy season(July–September) for water resources(50.1%–62.5%). In the late(October–November) dry season, P. sylvestris(54.5%–66.2%) and A. pedunculata(52.9%–63.6%) mainly used water from stable and moist layers, whereas S. psammophila(52.6%–70.7%) still extracted water predominantly from active and stable layers. Variations in the soil water profile induced by seasonal fluctuations in precipitation and groundwater levels and discrepancies in plant phenology, root distribution, and water demand are the main factors affecting the seasonal water-use patterns of artificial sand-fixing plants. Our study addresses the issue of plant water uptake with knowledge of proportional source-water use and reveals important implications for future vegetation restoration and water management in the Mu Us sandy land and similar desert regions around the world.

Responses of Dobera glabra and Eight Co-Occurring Species to Drought and Salinity Stress at a Savanna-Scrub Ecotone:Implications in the Face of Climate Change

To quantify the resistance of different co-occurring species to drought and osmotic stress (salinity stress), plant water (Ψ) and osmotic (Ψp) potentials were measured during the dry season. We applied a pressure chamber and cryoscopy to measure Ψ and Ψp, respectively. The species revealed a wide range of responses to water stress (-0.83 to -5.8 MPa) and osmotic stress (-1.3 to -3.2 MPa) and not all plants fit closely into one or the other category. Evergreen species tended to have lower Ψ than deciduous species. Notably, Dobera glabra, well known as drought indicator tree in the region, showed the lowest Ψ (up to -5.8 MPa) and Ψp (-3.2 MPa). This indicates its outstanding drought and osmotic stress tolerance and explains its ability to thrive in drought prone areas and years. The recent expansion of A. oerfota and A. mellifera in the study area could be related to their tolerance of osmotic stress, which may imply a trend of soil salinization. The division of plant responses into categories or strategies can be valuable aid to understanding long-term plant survival and distribution, monitor site condition and predict the direction of future changes.

Sensitivity Analysis of the ALMANAC Model's Input Variables

Crop models often require extensive input data sets to realistically simulate crop growth. Development of such input data sets can be difficult for some model users. The objective of this study was to evaluate the importance of variables in input data sets for crop modeling. Based on published hybrid performance trials in eight Texas counties, we developed standard data sets of 10-year simulations of maize and sorghum for these eight counties with the ALMANAC (Agricultural Land Management Alternatives with Numerical Assessment Criteria) model. The simulation results were close to the measured county yields with relative error only 2.6% for maize, and - 0.6% for sorghum. We then analyzed the sensitivity of grain yield to solar radiation, rainfall, soil depth, soil plant available water, and runoff curve number, comparing simulated yields to those with the original, standard data sets. Runoff curve number changes had the greatest impact on simulated maize and sorghum yields for all the counties. The next most critical input was rainfall, and then solar radiation for both maize and sorghum, especially for the dryland condition. For irrigated sorghum, solar radiation was the second most critical input instead of rainfall. The degree of sensitivity of yield to all variables for maize was larger than for sorghum except for solar radiation. Many models use a USDA curve number approach to represent soil water redistribution, so it will be important to have accurate curve numbers, rainfall, and soil depth to realistically simulate yields.

Research on Monitoring and Earlywarning System of Marine Organisms for the Intake of Nuclear PowerPlants

An monitoring and earlywarning system is proposed for marine organisms and the cause of water intake blockage is analyzed. Based onthe intelligent sensing technology, computer software and hardware technology and digital signal processing technology, the buoy monitoring platformsystem is developed by internet of things technology, cloud computing and the application of large data. Remote realtime monitoring of aquatic organisms and foreign bodies is realized based on underwater acoustic detection and low light imaging technology. Data processing center is established to store, analyze and process monitoring information and display it in real time, and provide emergency decision support. Through development and test of relevant key equipments, the reliability of cold source system of nuclear power plants is improved, which effectively reduces theinfluence of marine biological invasion on security and economic operation of the units.

Biological Waste Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Plant Powder Particle with Eggshell Filler-reinforced Epoxy Polymer Composite Material Property Analysis

In this study, water hyacinth powder-reinforced polymer composites with eggshell filler material are investigated for their mechanical, absorption, morphological, thermal, and characterization properties. Hyacinth powder particles have not been extensively studied in polymer composites. This study investigates the use of eggshell powder for composites made from hyacinth powder. The use of hyacinth powder improves the mechanical properties of composites. With the help of the powder particles, composite samples are produced by compression moulding using an epoxy polymer matrix. 5% eggshell filler varied from 18.25 to 33.64 MPa for tensile strength, 40.28–49.66 MPa for flexural strength, and 2.45–4.75 J for impact strength. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transforms can be used to determine chemical groups, function groups, and crystallinity indexes. Powder particles can be observed by scanning electron microscopes in terms of their bonding behavior, eggshell powder combinations, and primary- and secondary-phase material absorption. According to the research presented in this paper, commercial particleboard applications can benefit substantially from hyacinth powder particles reinforced with eggshell fillers.

Ecohydrological advances and applications in plant–water relations research:a review

Aims The field of ecohydrology is providing new theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches for understanding the complex interactions and feedbacks between vegetation and hydrologic flows at multiple scales.Here we review some of the major scientific and technological advances in ecohydrology as related to understanding the mechanisms by which plant–water relations influence water fluxes at ecosystem,watershed and landscape scales.Important Findings We identify several cross-cutting themes related to the role of plant–water relations in the ecohydrological literature,including the contrasting dynamics of water-limited and water-abundant ecosystems,transferring information about water fluxes across scales,understanding spatiotemporal heterogeneity and complexity,ecohydrological triggers associated with threshold behavior and shifts between alternative stable states and the need for long-term data sets at multiple scales.We then show how these themes are embedded within three key research areas where improved understanding of the linkages between plant–water relations and the hydrologic cycle have led to important advances in the field of ecohydrology:upscaling water fluxes from the leaf to the watershed and landscape,effects of plant–soil interactions on soil moisture dynamics and controls exerted by plant water use patterns and mechanisms on streamflow regime.In particular,we highlight several pressing environmental challenges facing society today where ecohydrology can contribute to the scientific knowledge for developing sound management and policy solutions.We conclude by identifying key challenges and opportunities for advancing contributions of plant–water relations research to ecohydrology in the future.

Detecting N-nitrosamines in water treatment plants and distribution systems in China using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

N-nitrosodimethylamine （NDMA） and several other N-nitrosamines have been detected as disinfection by-products in drinking waters in many countries around the world. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry method with solid phase extraction sample preparation was developed to study the occurrence of N-nitrosamines in several water treatment plants and distribution systems in China. Isotope labeled N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine-dl4 （NDPA-dl4） was selected as the internal standard for quantification. The solid phase extraction procedures including pH, enrichment process and MS/MS parameters including capillary voltage, cone gas flow, cone voltage, collision energy were optimized to give average recoveries of 26% to 112% for nine N- nitrosamine species. The instrument detection limits were estimated to range from 0.5 to 5μg.L-1 for the nine N- nitrosamine species. NDMA and several other N-nitrosa- mines were found at fairly high concentrations in several water treatment plants and distribution systems. NDMA was found in all locations, and the highest concentrations in cities B, G, T, and W were 3.0, 35.7, 21.3, and 19.7 ng. L 1, respectively. A wide range of N-nitrosamines concentrations and species were observed in different locations. Higher concentrations of N-nitrosamines were detected in distribution systems that were further away from the treatment plants, suggesting that the contact time between the residual disinfectant and natural organic matter may play an important role in the formation of these compounds.

Generalizing plant–water relations to landscapes

Aims Changing climate and land use patterns make it increasingly important that the hydrology of catchments and ecosystems can be reliably characterized.The aim of this paper is to identify the biophysical factors that determine the rates of water vapor loss from different types of vegetation,and to seek,from an array of currently available satelliteborne sensors,those that might be used to initialize and drive landscape-level hydrologic models.Important Findings Spatial variation in the mean heights,crowd widths,and leaf area indices(LAI)of plant communities are important structural variables that affect the hydrology of landscapes.Canopy stomatal conductance(G)imposes physiological limitation on transpiration by vegetation.The maximum value of G(Gmax)is closely linked to canopy photosynthetic capacity,which can be estimated via remote sensing of foliar chlorophyll or nitrogen contents.Gcan be modeled as a nonlinear multipliable function of:(i)leaf–air vapor pressure deficit,(ii)water potential gradient between soil and leaves,(iii)photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by the canopy,(iv)plant nutrition,(v)temperature and(vi)the CO_(2) concentration of the air.Periodic surveys with Light Detection and Ranging(LiDAR)and interferometric RADAR,along with high-resolution spectral coverage in the visible,near-infrared,and thermal infrared bands,provide,along with meteorological data gathered from weather satellites,the kind of information required to model seasonal and interannual variation in transpiration and evaporation from landscapes with diverse and dynamic vegetation.