Review of the effects of in-stream pipeline crossing construction on aquatic ecosystems and examination of Canadian methodologies for impact assessment

Pipeline crossing construction alters river and stream channels, hence may have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems. This review examines the effects of crossing construction on fish and fish habitat in rivers and streams, and recommends an approach to monitoring and assessment of impacts associated with these activities. Pipeline crossing construction is shown to not only compromise the integrity of the physical and chemical nature of fish habitat, but also to affect biological habitat (e.g., benthic invertebrates and invertebrate drift), and fish behavior and physiology. Indicators of effect include: water quality (total suspended solids TSS), physical habitat (substrate particle size, channel morphology), benthic invertebrate community structure and drift (abundance, species composition, diversity, standing crop), and fish behavior and physiology (hierarchy, feeding, respiration rate, loss of equilibrium, blood hematocrit and leukocrit levels, heart rate and stroke volume). The Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) approach, which is often applied in Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM), is recommended as a basis for impact assessment, as is consideration of site-specific sensitivities, assessment of significance, and cumulative effects.     

The Distribution and Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments Along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast

Coastal marine sediment samples were collected from 31 sampling stations along the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea coast. All sediment samples were analyzed to determine aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as total organic carbon (TOC) contents and grain size analysis. Total concentrations of 16 EPA-PAHs in the sediments were varied from 88 to 6338 ng g⁻¹ with an average value of 154 ng g⁻¹ (dry weight). However, the concentrations of total aliphatic were varied from 1.3 to 69.9 ng g⁻¹ with an average value of 15.6 ng g⁻¹ (dry weight). The highest contents of PAHs were found in the Eastern harbor (6338 ng g⁻¹), Manzala (5206 ng g⁻¹) and El-Jamil East (4895 ng g⁻¹) locations. Good correlations observed between a certain numbers of PAH concentrations allowed to identify its origin. The average total organic carbon (TOC) percent was varied from 0.91 to 4.54%. Higher concentration of total pyrolytic hydrocarbons (∑COMB) than total fossil hydrocarbons (∑PHE) declared that atmospheric fall-out is the significant source of PAHs to marine sediments of the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. The selected marked compounds, a principal component analysis (PCA) and special PAHs compound ratios (phenanthrene/anthracene vs fluoranthene/pyrene; ∑COMB/∑EPA-PAHs) suggest the pyrogenic origins, especially traffic exhausts, are the dominant sources of PAHs in most locations. Interferences of rather petrogenic and pyrolytic PAH contaminations were noticed in the harbors due to petroleum products deliveries and fuel combustion emissions from the ships staying alongside the quays.     

Using Spatial Pattern to Quantify Relationship Between Samples, Surroundings, and Populations

The need for accurate carbon budgeting, climate change modelling, and sustainable resource management has lead to an increase in the number of large area forest monitoring programs. Large area forest monitoring programs often utilize field and remotely sensed data sources. Sampling, via field or photo plots, enables the collection of data with the desired level of categorical detail in a timely and efficient manner. When sampling, the aim is to collect representative detailed data enabling the statistical reporting upon the characteristics of larger areas. As a consequence, approaches for investigating how well sample data represent larger areas (i.e., the sample neighbourhood and the population) are desired. Presented in this communication is a quantitative approach for assessing the nature of sampled areas in relation to surrounding areas and the overall population of interest. Classified Landsat data is converted to forest/non-forest categories to provide a consistent and uniform data set over a 130,000 km² study region in central British Columbia, Canada. From this larger study area 322 2 × 2 km photo plots on a 20 × 20 km systematic grid are populated with composition and configuration information for comparison to non-sampled areas. Results indicate that typically, within the study area, the spatial pattern of forest within a photo plot is representative of the forest patterns found within primary and secondary neighbourhoods and over the entire population of the study. These methods have implications for understanding the nature of data used in monitoring programs worldwide. The ability to audit photo and field plot information promotes an increased understanding of the results developed from sampling and provides tools identifying locations of possible bias.     

Influence of urbanization and tourist activities on the water quality of the Potrero de los Funes River (San Luis – Argentina)

A study of the water quality of the Potrero de los Funes River (San Luis – Argentina) was carried out in order to evaluate the possible effect of the anthropogenic activities on the river developed in the homonymous town. Samples were collected during the period March 2000–November 2005 at three selected sampling sites (RP₁, RP₂ and RP₃). Different physicochemical and bacteriological parameters (turbidity, pH, conductivity, suspended solids, alkalinity, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chlorides, nitrates, phosphates, sulphates, chemical oxygen demand (COD), 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), dissolved oxygen, total coliforms, Escherichia coli and total heterotrophic bacteria) were analysed according to the Standard Method for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. When comparing the values of total coliforms, E. coli, total heterotrophic bacteria, COD, BOD₅ and phosphates from the zone without anthropogenic influence (RP₁) and the urban zones (RP₂ and RP₃) an important variation in the parameters was observed. These results indicate that the urban activity produces a serious and negative effect on the water quality, thus constituting a sanitary risk and may have a major impact on the trophic status of the Potrero de los Funes dam. As case study, we report on the use of General Quality Index (GQI) to evaluate spatial and seasonal changes in the water quality of Potrero de los Funes River. Results revealed a significant degradation of the water quality at RP₂ and RP₃.     

Optical Resilience of the Paraíba do Sul River (Brazil) during a Toxic Spill of a Wood-Pulping Factory: The Cataguazes Accident

This study investigates the inherent optical properties (IOP) of a Brazilian river during a non-natural, anthropogenically mediated, toxic spill of a wood-pulping factory (the ‘Cataguazes accident’). The results indicated an outstanding transformation in the river water chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) pools. For instance, increases in CDOM absorption coefficients, a _CDOM (λ), which were averaged at specific spectral intervals, , ranged from 58-fold at the UV-B and UV-A ranges to 95-fold at the PAR range. As a result, the water color expressed as CDOM absorption at 440 nm, a _CDOM (440), varied from 4.16 to 365.03 m^-1. For S-coefficient, the variations ranged from ∼1.1 to 5.6-fold, respectively, at the 300–650 nm and UV-B range. The variability of S as a proxy of dissolved chromophores was thus clearly influenced by the spectral range used. Optical proportions were also investigated through the use of and S ratios at the UV-B, UV-A, and PAR ranges and, in the case of , also at the NIR range. This approach also showed clear variations between the water samples, likely reflecting changes in the composition of optically active substances in the river system. As a whole, the findings obtained here indicated that both the quantity and quality of the chromophoric material dissolved in the river water were greatly altered by the toxic spill. The changes in the optical properties of the river water, although extreme and likely with no parallel in the literature, were quite rapid as indicated by the optical resilience of the system. Overall, this study indicates that IOP might be thought, and possibly used, as a metric tool for monitoring the state of waters and aquatic ecosystems.     

天津市环境监测元数据模式

元数据技术是目前环境监测信息管理的发展趋势 ,文章对基于元数据的天津市环境监测信息共享模式进行了探索与研究 ,提出了元数据系统功能及内容框架的解决方案。     

旱地长期定位施肥对土壤剖面硝态氮分布与累积的影响

在 １５ ａ长期定位试验基础上研究了黄土高原旱地长期施用不同用量和配比的氮、磷肥对土壤剖面中硝态氮分布和累积的影响。结果表明：长期大量施用氮肥,在土壤剖面 １００～１８０ ｃｍ之间形成硝态氮累积层,峰值出现在 １４０ ｃｍ处,最大值为 ６７．９２ｍｇ／ｋｇ（单施 Ｎ １８０ ｋｇ／ｈｍ~２）; 配合施用磷肥可以降低土壤剖面硝态氮质量分数,根据试验,提出了旱地合理施肥的氮磷肥用量。     

耕作改制对土壤肥力的影响

在长期定位监测的基础上,研究了耕作改制对土壤肥力的影响,结果表明,耕作改制后,肥料投入明显增加,养分平衡朝着有利于提高肥力的方向发展;因土、因作物进行配方施肥,并实行秸秆还田,则改制后土壤肥力能得到提高;合理耕作轮作,有利于解决地力矛盾和季节矛盾,实现高产、稳产、低成本。     

Potential fluorosis problems around Chandidongri, Madhya Pradesh, India

The area around Chandidongri (latitude 21 deg 02 prime N and longitude 80 deg 37 prime E) is covered by granitic gneisses and amphibolites of the Amgaon Group and granites and rhyolites of the Dongargarh super group. The granites which cover the major portion of the area have been intruded into by a number of dolerite and epidiorite dykes and traversed by a few N–S trending shear zones. A well-known fluorite deposit is located along the Lamtidongri–Kotnapani shear zone. Besides this deposit, the authors have located a few occurrences of fluorite along other shear zones where epidiorite dykes are in association with granites. A number of cases of fluorosis have been reported from those parts of Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh which are covered by granitic rocks and also from the eastern parts of Bhandara district which are adjacent to the area described here. The Chandidongri area is mainly covered by granitic rocks, which at places show the presence of fluorite mineralisation. Taking into consideration these facts, the authors have investigated the area to study the cases of fluorosis if any, and the impact of geology and fluorite mining on the water quality in this region. During the survey, we have not come across any cases of fluorosis in this region. The pH is more than 7 and the fluoride concentration is within the permissible limit.