Dec 2009, Volume 3 Issue 4
    

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  • Research articles
    An evaluation on performance of rural eco-environment public expenditure of Chinese local governments : theoretical and empirical analysis
    Sheng WANG, Guanghe RAN, Lin WANG, Biao SHI,
    2009, 3(4): 431-436. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-009-0059-8
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    This paper presents an empirical analysis on Chinese local government rural eco-environment public expenditure performance in 2003―2006 with the method of non-parametric data envelope analysis-malmquist (DEA-Malmquist). The basic conclusion is: first of all, Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hainan, Tibet, Shanxi, Ningxia and Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Shandong and Gansu are the benchmark units, while Guangdong, Jilin, Liaoning, Guangxi, and Guizhou provinces are far from the frontier and inefficient in fund allocation and management. Secondly, in the entire Chinese local government, the technical efficiency of fiscal support to rural eco-environment investment during 2003/2004 and 2005/2006 was improved and stable, while it degenerated in 2004/2005. Finally, there are 23 provinces in China that have growing and stable technical efficiencies in rural eco-environment public expenditure.
  • Research articles
    n -alkanol ratios as proxies of paleovegetation and paleoclimate in a peat-lacustrine core in southern China since the last deglaciation
    Yanhong ZHENG, Shucheng XIE, Xiaomin LIU, Weijian ZHOU, Philip A. MEYERS,
    2009, 3(4): 445-451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-009-0052-2
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    High resolution records of long chain n-alkanol biomarkers were obtained from a peat-lacustrine core from the Dingnan profile in southern China. The n-alkanol distributions are characterized by the predominance of even-over-odd carbon number and maximize at C24 or C26. On the basis of the reported n-alkanol records in the literature and the n-alkane record in our samples, we concluded that the n-alkanol ratio of C26/C30 varying from 1.25 to 6.48, together with the n-alkanol ratio C22/C24 less than unity, is indicative of the presence of a dominant forest paleovegetation. A 2000-year cycling in the variation of the n-alkanol ratio C26/C30 is identifiable in our profile, and probably results from the change in the abundance of the grass relative to trees induced by a cyclic paleoclimate. The n-alkanol ratio C24/C26 appears to be more sensitive to change in precipitation than in temperature, and may be a potential indicator of precipitation/humidity, with increased values being associated with relatively dry conditions. The paleovegetation and the paleoclimate reconstructed on the basis of the n-alkanol records for the recent 18000 cal a BP in general accord with the pollen data and other lipid evidence recorded in the Dingnan region in southern China. In particular, both the n-alkanol records and the pollen data infer the different paleoclimate conditions for the two peat sequences, with a cool and wet climate dominating in the lower peat deposition formed during the latest Pleistocene and a change to a drier and cooler climate occurring in the upper peat sequence in mid-Holocene.
  • Research articles
    Paleofire indicated by triterpenes and charcoal in a culture bed in eastern Kunlun Mountain, Northwest China
    Dan JIAO, Huan YANG, Xinjun WANG, Shucheng XIE, Shuyuan XIANG,
    2009, 3(4): 452-456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-009-0053-1
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    A series of biomarkers were analyzed in the 4000 a B.P. loess sediments in Balong, Dulan County at the north of the eastern Kunlun Mountain in Northwest China using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Olean-2,13(18)-ene, olean-2,12-ene, urs-2,12-ene and 5a14a17a20R-stigmasterane identified in an ancient culture bed were observed in association with charcoal grains, believed to be the products of paleofire due to the anthropogenic activity in Qijia culture. These triterpenes were proposed to be derived from dehydration of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid present in angiosperms, and 5a14 a17a20R-stigmasterane was derived from stenols; they both were formed during incomplete combustion. The n-alkane distributions show a shift in the dominant carbon from C27 or C29 to C31, indicative of the abrupt change in paleovegetation from woody to herbaceous plants driven by the changing paleoclimate at 4000 a B.P. after the Holocene Optimum. Coincidently, the Qjijia agriculture culture began to collapse during the 200-year cooling and dryness, and was replaced by nomadism in the mountainous area. The paleofire identified is such a record as to document the change of ancient culture induced by paleoclimate change.
  • Research articles
    Thin layer molecularly imprinted composite membranes for selective separation of erythromycin from water
    Jinyang YU, Xiaoling HU, Dapeng LI, Cuicui JIAO,
    2009, 3(4): 480-489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-009-0055-z
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    Molecularly imprinted composite membranes for selective binding of erythromycin were synthesized by UV initiated photo-copolymerization using polysulfone ultrafiltration (PSF) membranes as porous supports. The thin imprinted layers deposited on the surface of the support membranes were formed by copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA) as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linker in the presence of erythromycin as template molecule in acetonitrile solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to study the binding mechanism between the imprinted sites and the template. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was utilized to visualize surface and cross-sections of membranes to gain better understanding in the analysis of imprinted layers deposited on PSF support membranes. The modification degrees for imprinted and nonimprinted membranes are 2.04 and 2.15mg/cm2, respectively. Static equilibrium binding and recognition properties of the imprinted and nonimprinted membranes to erythromycin (EM) and its analogue roxithromycin (RM) in aqueous system were tested. The results showed that saturated binding capacity of imprinted membranes to erythromycin was about 0.185mg/cm2, nearly eight times that of nonimprinted ones, and the selectivity factor of αEM/RM was 3.24. The results of this study implied that the synthesized molecularly imprinted composite membranes could be used as selective separation materials for erythromycin enrichment from water.
  • Research articles
    Relationship between soil physiochemistry and land degradation in the lower Heihe River basin of northwestern China
    Qi FENG, Haiyang XI, Wei LIU,
    2009, 3(4): 490-499. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-009-0061-1
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    Monitoring of soil-water physiochemistry (pH, total salt content, ion types, and ion ratios) across the lower Heihe River basin of northwestern China indicated that the distribution of different soil hydrochemical types typically correlated with that of different levels of soil desertification, specifically: 1) lands with the potential for desertification showed a "Graphic" soil-water ion complement, 2) those under on-going desertification a "Graphic" ion complement, 3) those under severe desertification a "Graphic" ion complement, and 4) those under very severe desertification a "Graphic" ion complement. The total soil N, P, and K, pH and organic matter of desertified lands tend to be relatively spatially concentrated, whereas available N, P and K are scattered. Based on an analysis of the main nutrients, the cumulative percent contribution of total N, total P, organic matter, and available N reached 76.24% of ecosystem needs and basically reflect the level of soil fertility. According to a low-dimensional cluster analysis of principal components and the differentiation and alikeness of integrated nutrient gradients, the soils in the study region were classified into four types, which coincided spatially with the four desertification land types. With a decrease in the quantity of water exiting the upper and middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, the salinity of surface waters and shallow water table depth (WTD) in the lower reaches have significantly increased through evaporation. The changes in the hydrological process have caused an imbalance in water distribution across the basin, and altered the state of oasis-supporting water resources. The deterioration of soil water and expansion of desertification progress from non-salinized soils in the oasis, to soils slightly salinized through periodic salt accumulation, salinized Chao soils, and salinized forest shrub meadow soils along the riverbanks and on lake shores. These can then evolve into moderately to heavily salinized soils and eventually into alkali lands. All together, these degradative processes constitute the complex dynamics of oasis desertification, whereby the natural oases’ surface biotic productivity system is degraded, leading to oasis shrinkage, ecosystem deterioration, and land desertification. Consequently, there is an urgent need to extend the study of soil and surface water chemistry in the region.