Tests of the fidelity of lake sediment core records of mercury deposition to known histories of mercury contamination

There has been recent controversy over the discrimination between natural and anthropogenic loadings of mercury to lakes. Sediment core profiles have been interpreted as evidence that inputs to lakes have increased. Some investigators have argued, however, that mercury may be sufficiently mobile in sediments to generate profiles that are misinterpreted as historical records. This argument can be tested where the histories of inputs of mercury are known independently from other kinds of information. We have such cases in Canadian lakes and we have been able to assemble sediment core records for comparison with known source histories. Three cases are represented by Clay Lake in Ontario where the source was a chlor-alkali plant with a known history of mercury discharges, Giauque Lake in the Northwest Territories where mercury was used at a gold mine to extract gold from ore, and Stuart Lake in British Columbia where a mercury mine operated for a known period at Pinchi Lake, the lake immediately upstream from Stuart Lake. In these cases lake sediment cores were dated using lead-210 and cesium-137 and then slices were analysed for mercury. The histories of mercury deposition derived from the cores agreed well with the known histories of inputs.     

Modeling toxaphene behavior in the Great Lakes

Chlorinated camphenes, toxaphene, are persistent organic pollutants of concern in the Great Lakes since elevated concentrations are found in various media throughout the system. While concentrations have decreased since their peak values in the 1970s and 80s, recent measurements have shown that the rate of this decline in Lake Superior has decreased significantly. This modeling study focused on toxaphene cycling in the Great Lakes and was performed primarily to determine if elevated water and fish concentrations in Lake Superior can be explained by physical differences among the lakes. Specifically, the coastal zone model for persistent organic pollutants (CoZMo-POP), a fugacity-based multimedia fate model, was used to calculate toxaphene concentrations in the atmosphere, water, soil, sediment, and biota. The performance of the model was evaluated by comparing calculated and reported concentrations in these compartments. In general, simulated and observed concentrations agree within one order of magnitude. Both model results and observed values indicate that toxaphene concentrations have declined in water and biota since the 1980s primarily as the result of decreased atmospheric deposition rates. Overall the model results suggest that the CoZMo-POP2 model does a reasonable job in simulating toxaphene variations in the Great Lakes basin. The results suggest that the recent findings of higher toxaphene concentrations in Lake Superior can be explained by differences in the physical properties of the lake (primarily large volume, large residence time and cold temperatures) compared to the lower lakes and increased recent inputs are not needed to explain the measured values.     

Modelling the dynamics of design error induced rework in construction: comment

The bridging of different research disciplines such as computer modelling and design practice requires full understanding of both. Privileging one area of investigation while simplifying the other is not a feasible option. This approach is likely to produce work that scarcely reflects the actual complexity of the phenomena discussed.     

运算化设计：知识时代的新设计

运算化时代的理论有必要通过运算化形式表达。今天大多数的数学问题是基于机器的处理。然而对于设计,我们更倾向于把电脑当作一种工具,而不是一个形成概念的媒介。关于设计的运算化理论,有必要是关于人类行动的理论。行动改变现状。设计是我们各种活动中固有的一个部分。关于设计的运算化概念有必要不成为过去某种理论的延续;它对立于那些受制于已有工具的思想。驾驭运算化设计的是意识到未来变数的希冀。设计不再被动地响应期待,而是以更积极的热情面对变化。信息处理已经构成了一种新的生态。设计正在变成一种变化的力量。     

当下设计研究的方法论概述

对"设计研究"进行了介绍,就其背景、概念、内容、发展历程和学术意义进行了综述.科学知识结构和知识生产模式发生变化促成设计学对科学范式研究方法论进行反思.依赖设计专长和设计思维的"设计学范式"研究方法论因此受到重视并得以发展.这种发展态势值得国内风景园林学的研究人员关注.     

作为研究的设计教学及其对中国建筑教育发展的意义

设计教师的日常工作——设计教学——是不是可以被看作为一种学术研究的特殊方式?这个问题的解答取决于设计教学是不是具有发展设计观念和方法的潜能。我国建筑设计教学的发展在“布扎”之后正面临着一个教什么和怎么教的学术真空,其解决之道就在于从学术研究的角度来重新界定设计教学,把设计教学当作为设计研究的重要工具。     

Variability in phosphorus binding by aluminum in alum treated lakes explained by lake morphology and aluminum dose

Sediment cores from six aluminum sulfate treated lakes in Minneapolis, MN were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of phosphorus (P) binding by aluminum (Al). Two of the study lakes are polymictic and the remaining four are dimictic. Above background concentrations of Al and Al-bound-P (P_Al) were detected in all six lakes at varying sediment depths. In contrast to previous studies, however, the binding relationship between Al and P was not consistent between lakes and substantial variation was also detected within each sediment profile. Average lake sediment Al:P_Al ratios ranged from 5.6 to 15 (molar) with higher ratios, or less efficient P binding, generally being detected in deep, dimictic lakes with high sediment Al content due to treatment. Multiple linear regression was used to explain the variability among average Al:P_Al ratios detected in each core and a lake morphometry index (Al Depth Index, core collection depth divided by the square root of lake area) along with Al dose described most of the variation (92%). Even though P bound to the added Al appears to be permanently removed from the internal P cycle in each lake (as evidenced by burial with new sediment), the differences in binding efficiency may indicate lower P inactivation, on a per unit Al basis, when elevated amounts of Al are added to the sediment, especially in deeper areas of lakes where sediment focusing may cause elevated Al accumulation to occur.     

德国市民花园设计导则研究

介绍了德国市民花园设计导则研究的背景、方法和研究结果,对其采用的＂通过设计的研究＂的路线图进行了总结和评论,并辨析了研究路线图中的设计行为与普通意义上的设计行为之间＂概念化＂和＂背景化＂的区别。在介绍德国设计研究案例之后,提出基于我国风景园林设计实践开展设计研究有自身的优势和特点,可以为设计研究的发展进一步提出问题和讨论余地。     

长城文化景观研究的方法探索与框架构建

长城国家文化公园建设既是国家文化战略,也是区域发展战略。借助文化景观理论,可将人群、文化、历史、地理和环境等诸多与长城有密切关系却常被忽视的要素纳入到同一“区域”空间下进行整体考察,有助于长城遗产价值的系统阐释和区域的可持续发展。然而,目前关于文化景观的研究多偏向于应用研究,在方法论层面的研究和探讨仅有为数不多的国外学者。长城作为超大尺度的文化景观,具有突出的“历史复杂性”,构建一个多维度的长城文化景观研究框架十分必要。通过梳理国外文化景观的研究方法、框架和模型,结合长城自身特点,提出以人类活动、文化传统、景观形态 3 个要素为核心,以时间与空间为轴,构建长城文化景观的研究框架。在北京长城文化景观的研究中,使用此研究框架有助于探寻其形成、发展和变迁的机制与驱动力,对于区域规划具有重要指导意义。     

人工湿地技术在居住小区景观中的应用以碧湖云溪别墅区水体景观为例

我国部分大中城市的居住小区水体容量普遍偏小,水体缺乏流动和净化的过程,水质富营养化现象比较突出,通常采用的物理、化学方法难以去除水中有机污染物。碧湖云溪居住小区以雨水作为景观水源,利用人工湿地的生物净化原理,将人工湿地潜流净化技术应用于小范围、低污染城市居住小区景观水环境设计,提高水体整体抗污染荷载能力,并结合景观园建、水、电、植物等相关专业设计,营造了水清、水美的宜人居住环境。     

基于交通研究的城市设计初探

通过某城市经济技术开发区中心区的城市设计实践。阐述交通分析与研究在城市设计中的运用,并试图探索出既能解决城市交通问题又能创造关好城市生活的规划方法。     

从“嗅”到“景”：嗅觉景观研究方法与设计理论综述

人、气味和建筑环境之间的相互关系,成为过去十多年来嗅觉景观研究的焦点。本文从气体测量与扩散模拟、嗅觉感知评估、嗅觉的交叉模式研究、模拟和复制嗅觉环境、人工智能与大数据研究等五个方面系统性地回顾了嗅觉景观的研究方法。结合案例,作者提出了从宏观（城市）、中观（街道）、微观（人）尺度营造城市嗅觉景观的设计方法,并指出嗅景设计中应当考虑包容性。最后展望了未来嗅觉景观的研究方向。     

现代科研实验建筑的创意设计与技术设计浅析

本文针对现代科研实验建筑类型的特点,从创意设计、技术设计两个方面来阐述,对相关的设计问题和设计策略进行了剖析,对科研建筑类型的建筑设计进行了理论和实践的概括和总结。     

关于设计理论研究方法的思考

本文从研究性质(描述型和指导型)和研究角度(数据资料的非专业性来源和专业性来源)两个方面,对设计理论的研究方法进行了概念性分析,并指出了我们科研中存在的一些问题。目的是促进对设计理论的系统理解与深入思考,提倡把描述型和非专业角度的设计理论纳入到当前的研究中来,为建筑与城市设计的工作及研究生的论文选题开拓思路,拓展方向。     

Using Simple,Decision-Centered,Scenario-Based Planning to Improve Local Coastal Management

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Scenario-based planning offers the promise of enhancing local coastal management given uncertainties from shoreline dynamics and climate change. Deploying it can require substantial capacity, however, or can obscure the key policy choices a community faces. We set out to develop and test a simple, decision-centered approach to scenario-based planning as a way to improve local management of coastal shorelands through master plans, focusing on coastal hazard mitigation. We also looked for ways to use basic spatial analysis techniques and off-the-shelf data sources that could be manipulated to generate meaningful and reasonably accurate analyses. We find the simplified and decision-centered methods we have developed can provide useful information for local decision makers. We also find the quality of the master plans adopted by two partner localities that used our scenario-based planning methods substantially exceeds the quality of comparison plans with regard to coastal management.

Takeaway for practice: Using simplified, decision-centered, scenario-based planning methods can facilitate enhanced hazard mitigation analysis and policy adoption in local master plans. Those methods necessarily will and should be tailored to the unique political and physical conditions of the community, as demonstrated by the leadership provided in the localities studied here.     

Le monde de la pratiques

The last 30 years have seen significant changes in UK national policies for building research and in their implementation. Each change has led to a new balance in the relative priorities of the needs of industry and those of the citizen. Quality-of-life issues have progressively given way to those of industrial efficiency, although more recently a concern for the long term implications of the built environment for the quality-of-life of the individual citizen, has re-emerged. An illustration is given by the EQUAL (Extend Quality Life) initiative which seeks to improve the experience of buildings and the environment of older people and of those with physical and mental impairments. Analysis of the nature of the research tasks underlying the two themes of competitiveness and quality-of-life raises questions about the future development of building research. Further issues are the future balance of priorities, the appropriateness of various approaches to prioritization and organization of research, quality and standards, and the need to broaden university courses to accommodate a better appreciation of quality-of-life issues.

Au cours des 30 dernières années, les politiques nationales conduites par le Royaume-Uni en matière de recherchedans le secteur du b^acirc;timent et de mise en oeuvre des résultats obtenus ont considérablement évolué. Tous leschangements ont débouché sur un nouvel équilibre entre les priorités relatives des besoins de l'industrie et ceux ducitoyen. Les questions de qualité de vie ont peu à peu laissé la place à celles de l'efficacité industrielle. Il convient toutefois de remarquer que, depuis peu, on se préoccupe de nouveau des incidences à long terme du cadre bâti sur la qualité de vie de chacun. L'initiative EQUAL (Extend Quality Life), qui illustre cette tendance, vise à améliorer l'expérience acquise en matière de bâtiments ainsi que l'environnement des personnes âgées et des personnes souffrant d'infirmités physiques ou de déficience intellectuelle. L'analyse de la nature des activités de recherche dans les domaines de la compétitivé et de la qualité de vie suscite des questions quant à l'évolution de la recherche dans le secteur du bâtiment. Le futur équilibre des priorités, le bien-fondé des diverses méthodes d'établissement des priorités et d'organisation de la recherche, les questions de qualité et de normes tout comme la nécessité d'élargir le contenu des cours universitaires afin d'y inclure un enseignement permettant de mieux apprécier les problèmes de qualité de vie sont autant de questionnements nouveaux.     

Linking non-culturable (qPCR) and culturable enterococci densities with hydrometeorological conditions

Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) measurement of enterococci has been proposed as a rapid technique for assessment of beach water quality, but the response of qPCR results to environmental conditions has not been fully explored. Culture-based E. coli and enterococci have been used in empirical predictive models to characterize their responses to environmental conditions and to increase monitoring frequency and efficiency. This approach has been attempted with qPCR results only in few studies. During the summer of 2006, water samples were collected from two southern Lake Michigan beaches and the nearby river outfall (Burns Ditch) and were analyzed for enterococci by culture-based and non-culture-based (i.e., qPCR) methods, as well as culture-based E. coli. Culturable enterococci densities (log CFU/100 ml) for the beaches were significantly correlated with enterococci qPCR cell equivalents (CE) (R = 0.650, P < 0.0001, N = 32). Enterococci CE and CFU densities were highest in Burns Ditch relative to the beach sites; however, only CFUs were significantly higher (P < 0.0001). Culturable enterococci densities at Burns Ditch and the beaches were significantly correlated (R = 0.565, P < 0.0001, N = 32). Culturable E. coli and enterococci densities were significantly correlated (R = 0.682, P < 0.0001, N = 32). Regression analyses suggested that enterococci CFU could be predicted by lake turbidity, Burns Ditch discharge, and wind direction (adjusted R² = 0.608); enterococci CE was best predicted by Burns Ditch discharge and log-transformed lake turbidity × wave height (adjusted R² = 0.40). In summary, our results show that analytically, the qPCR method compares well to the non-culture-based method for measuring enterococci densities in beach water and that both these approaches can be predicted by hydrometeorological conditions. Selected predictors and model results highlight the differences between the environmental responses of the two method endpoints and the potentially high variance in qPCR results.