Assessment of deep aquifer groundwater quality in a geographically unique climatic region of Southern Western Ghats,India using water quality indices

Water quality index (WQI) models are generally used in hydrochemical studies to simplify complex data into single values to reflect the overall quality. In this study, deep groundwater quality in the Chittur and Palakkad Taluks of the Bharathapuzha river basin of Kerala, India, was assessed by employing the WQI method developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). The assessment of overall water quality is indispensable due to the specific characteristics of the study area, such as geography, climate, over-drafting, and prevalent agricultural practices. Forty representative samples were collected from the study area for monsoon (MON) and pre-monsoon (PRM) seasons. The results showed a general increase of contents from MON to PRM. The major cations were spread in the order Ca²⁺>Na+>Mg²⁺>K⁺ and the anions HCO₃⁻>Cl⁻>CO₃²⁻ based on their relative abundance. Among various parameters analysed, alkalinity and bicarbonate levels during MON were comparatively high, which is indicative of carbonate weathering, and 90% of the samples failed to meet the World Health Organization (WHO, 2017)/Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS, 2012) drinking water guidelines. The CCME WQI analysis revealed that nearly 50% of the samples during each season represented good and excellent categories. The samples in the poor category comprised 10% in MON and 15% in PRM. The overall WQI exhibited 15% of poor category samples as well. The spatial depiction of CCME WQI classes helped to expose zones of degraded quality in the centre to eastward parts. The spatial and temporal variations of CCME WQI classes and different physicochemical attributes indicated the influence of common factors attributing to the deep groundwater quality. The study also revealed inland salinity at Kolluparamba and Peruvamba stations, where agricultural activities were rampant with poor surface water irrigation.     

Diverging response patterns of terrestrial and aquatic species to hydromorphological restoration

Although experiences with ecological restoration continue to accumulate, the effectiveness of restoration for biota remains debated. We complemented a traditional taxonomic analysis approach with information on 56 species traits to uncover the responses of 3 aquatic (fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes) and 2 terrestrial (carabid beetles, floodplain vegetation) biotic groups to 43 hydromorphological river restoration projects in Germany. All taxonomic groups responded positively to restoration, as shown by increased taxonomic richness (10–164%) and trait diversity (habitat, dispersal and mobility, size, form, life history, and feeding groups) (15–120%). Responses, however, were stronger for terrestrial than aquatic biota, and, contrary to our expectation, taxonomic responses were stronger than those of traits. Nevertheless, trait analysis provided mechanistic insights into the drivers of community change following restoration. Trait analysis for terrestrial biota indicated restoration success was likely enhanced by lateral connectivity and reestablishment of dynamic processes in the floodplain. The weaker response of aquatic biota suggests recovery was hindered by the persistence of stressors in the aquatic environment, such as degraded water quality, dispersal constraints, and insufficient hydromorphological change. Therefore, river restoration requires combined local- and regional-scale approaches to maximize the response of both aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Due to the contrasting responses of aquatic and terrestrial biota, the planning and assessment of river restoration outcomes should consider effects on both components of riverine landscapes.     

松花江流域水生态环境质量评价研究

采用生物完整性指数(IBI)法评价松花江流域的水生态环境质量。对25个候选生物参数进行敏感度分析、Pearson相关性分析,最终筛选出由总分类单元数、EPT分类单元数、EPT密度、敏感种分类单元比例、敏感物种数量、Hilsenhoff生物指数(HBI)6个核心参数构成的IBI评价指标。采用95%分位数法建立了IBI评价标准,将IBI评价结果划分为5个等级:大于35.84为优,26.88~35.84为良好,17.92~26.88为一般,8.96~17.92为较差,小于8.96为很差。结果表明,建立的IBI评价方法适用于松花江流域水生态环境质量评价,松花江流域各位点30.0%生物状况为优和良好,23.3%为一般;46.7%为较差和很差,说明流域内近一半区域的水生态质量存在不同程度的受损。流域生境质量主要处于一般-良好的状态;水质处于轻度污染。     

水生态环境质量评价体系研究

流域水生态环境质量评价体系是为流域环境管理提供基础数据,协助管理者开展流域保护措施的重要技术支持。该文深入剖析了发达国家典型水生态环境质量评价体系,归纳分析了其体系框架、构成特点、方法适用性和借鉴意义。结合前期研究基础,对评价体系的技术内容进行了完善和补充,明确了参照点位的选择原则,补充了评价方法选择的技术路线,提出了增设和实施不同监测计划的方案,最终提出生态环境质量评价技术体系框架。     

江苏省太湖流域水生态健康评估的初步实践及展望

阐述了水生态健康的内涵与意义,从江苏省率先在太湖流域开展水生态环境功能分区管理的顶层设计,构建以水生态健康指标为核心的水生态健康评估技术体系,地方对照水生态环境功能区划的水生态分级管控目标开展的应用与实践结果等3个方面,回顾了江苏省太湖流域水生态健康评估工作的主要进展,提出了完善水生态健康评估技术体系和推进流域水生态健康评估工作的建议。     

基于EFDC的长江常州段污水排江浓度场数值模拟

长江感潮河段水流与污染排放引起的浓度场复杂多变,基于EFDC(Environmental Fluid Dynamic Code)模型,采用正交曲线网格拟合自然河道边界,建立了长江常州段的水动力和水质模型。采用现场同步实测资料,与计算结果比对,证明该模型在水动力和水质两个方面都与实测数据吻合较好,满足了实际工程的需要;同时由于长江水流运动较快,一阶降解动力学已经满足了化学需氧量(COD)、氨氮(NH3-N)和总磷(TP)浓度计算要求,可以不考虑它们复杂的生化反应过程。     

太原汾河景区跨桥断面水体污染的时空变化模式研究

选取太原汾河景区跨桥断面8个监测点,在2012年3月—2013年10月期间对河流8项水质参数进行监测,并结合派生的水体综合污染指数及主成分分析方法分析和评价景区水污染时空变化特征。结果表明,景区水质污染变化时空差异明显,上游污染相对较小,下游污染较重;春季溶解氧和p H值变化幅度最大,夏季除总氮和氨氮外,其他各污染物均有显著变化特征,秋季则以氨氮、总氮和总磷变化最为显著。主成分分析结果显示,虽然各监测点水体污染的关键影响因子不同,但总磷是太原市河流水体污染的共同解释因子。     

Prioritizing sites for conservation based on similarity to historical baselines and feasibility of protection

The concept of shifting baselines in conservation science implies advocacy for the use of historical knowledge to inform these baselines but does not address the feasibility of restoring sites to those baselines. In many regions, conservation feasibility varies among sites due to differences in resource availability, statutory power, and land‐owner participation. We used zooarchaeological records to identify a historical baseline of the freshwater mussel community's composition before Euro‐American influence at a river‐reach scale (i.e., a kilometer stretch of river that is abiotically similar) in the Leon River of central Texas (U.S.A.). We evaluated how the community reference position and the feasibility of conservation might enable identification of sites where conservation actions would preserve historically representative communities and be likely to succeed. We devised a conceptual model that incorporated community information and landscape factors to link the best conservation areas to potential cost and conservation benefits. Using fuzzy ordination, we identified modern mussel beds that were most like the historical baseline. We then quantified housing density and land use near each river reach identified to estimate feasibility of habitat restoration. Using our conceptual framework, we identified reaches of high conservation value (i.e., contain the best mussel beds) and where restoration actions would be most likely to succeed. Reaches above Lake Belton were most similar in species composition and relative abundance to zooarchaeological sites. A subset of these mussel beds occurred in locations where conservation actions appeared most feasible. Our results show how to use zooarchaeological data (biodiversity data often readily available) and estimates of conservation feasibility to inform conservation priorities at a local spatial scale.     

应用鱼类生物完整性指数评价荔浦河河流健康

生物完整性指数是河流生态系统健康评价主要方法之一。为评价荔浦河河流健康状况,选择鱼类作为指示生物,构建了基于鱼类生物完整性指标体系。2017年1月、4月、7月和10月对荔浦河4次采样共采集到鱼类21 192尾,经鉴定共计94种,隶属于6目17科62属。以S1(修仁镇)、S10(马岭镇)、S11(双江镇)作为参考点,经过分布范围分析、箱体图判别能力分析及相关性分析等指标筛选过程从25个候选指标筛选出5个指标,即鱼类总物种数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、肉食性鱼类数量百分比、敏感性鱼类数量百分比、产漂浮型卵鱼类数量百分比。将荔浦河河流健康等级分为"健康"、"一般"、"较差"、"极差"和"无鱼"5个等级。结果表明,荔浦河青山镇、荔浦县及蒲芦乡河段健康状态为"一般"水平,东昌镇、龙怀乡、杜莫镇及新坪镇河段健康状态为"较差"水平,茶城乡河段健康状态为"极差"水平。筑坝工程、架桥工程和修路工程等人类活动导致荔浦河支流上的健康状况比干流更差。上述研究结果可为荔浦河的河流管理和保护提供理论依据和技术支持。     

Boosting large-scale river connectivity restoration by planning for the presence of unrecorded barriers

Conservation decisions are invariably made with incomplete data on species’ distributions, habitats, and threats, but frameworks for allocating conservation investments rarely account for missing data. We examined how explicit consideration of missing data can boost return on investment in ecosystem restoration, focusing on the challenge of restoring aquatic ecosystem connectivity by removing dams and road crossings from rivers. A novel way of integrating the presence of unmapped barriers into a barrier optimization model was developed and applied to the U.S. state of Maine to maximize expected habitat gain for migratory fish. Failing to account for unmapped barriers during prioritization led to nearly 50% lower habitat gain than was anticipated using a conventional barrier optimization approach. Explicitly acknowledging that data are incomplete during project selection, however, boosted expected habitat gains by 20–273% on average, depending on the true number of unmapped barriers. Importantly, these gains occurred without additional data. Simply acknowledging that some barriers were unmapped, regardless of their precise number and location, improved conservation outcomes. Given incomplete data on ecosystems worldwide, our results demonstrate the value of accounting for data shortcomings during project selection.