Local ecological knowledge and incremental adaptation to changing flood patterns in the Amazon delta

The need for understanding the factors that trigger human responses to climate change has opened inquiries on the role of indigenous and local ecological knowledge (ILK) in facilitating or constraining social adaptation processes. Answers to the question of how ILK is helping or limiting smallholders to cope with increasing disturbances to the local hydro-climatic regime remain very limited in adaptation and mitigation studies and interventions. Herein, we discuss a case study on ILK as a resource used by expert farmer-fishers (locally known as Caboclos) to cope with the increasing threats on their livelihoods and environments generated by changing flood patterns in the Amazon delta region. While expert farmer-fishers are increasingly exposed to shocks and stresses, their ILK plays a key role in mitigating impacts and in strengthening their adaptive responses that are leading to a process of incremental adaptation (PIA). We argue that ILK is the most valuable resource used by expert farmer-fishers to adapt the spatial configuration and composition of their land-/resource-use systems (agrodiversity) and their produced and managed resources (agrobiodiversity) at landscape, community and household levels. We based our findings on ILK on data recorded for over the last 30 years using detailed ethnographic methodologies and multitemporal landscape mapping. We found that the ILK of expert farmer-fishers and their “tradition of change” have facilitated the PIA to intensify a particular production system to optimize production across a broad range of flood conditions and at the same time to manage or conserve forests to produce resources and services.     

Seize the Opportunity and Meet the Challenge to Push China''s Sustainable Development Strategy to a New Stage

Since China set the sustainable development strategy, positive progress has been made in implementing the strategy, and active contributions have been made to the sustainable development of mankind. Currently, profound changes are taking place in China's internal and external situation. A new era has begun in the implementation of the sustainable development strategy. We should take full advantage of this opportunity and make use of all favorable conditions and chances to further promote the implementation of the sustainable development strategy.     

Seize the Opportunity and Meet the Challenge to Push China's Sustainable Development Strategy to a New Stage

Abstract

ADMS-Urban is the most widely used advanced dispersion model for urban areas, being used extensively in China and worldwide, providing a practical tool for assessing and managing urban air quality. In this paper we briefly describe the ADMS dispersion models and give an overview of their use in China. And it describes in more detail the use of ADMS-Urban in Fushun in Liaoning province and in Jinan in Shangdong province respectively, for studies of urban air quality. Finally the conclusions are presented.     

Recent socio-economic changes in relation to environmental quality of the Pearl River delta

Due to the favorable weather, abundant water resources and fertile soil, the area has been known as the homeland for crops and fish. However, being one of the most developed regions in China, the environmental quality of the Pearl River delta has deteriorated due to recent socio-economic changes during the past two decades. The drivers are industrialization and economic growth, population growth and agricultural development; and the pressures are water pollution which include nutrients and suspended solids, pesticides, other persistent toxic substances (PAHs and PCBs) and oil. These have imposed various impacts such as eutrophication, formation of red tides and biomagnification of organic contaminants through food chains. In response to these, regulatory measures have been established by the Environmental Protection Bureau of Guangdong Province, joining forces with environmental protection authorities in all urban cities and most counties, in addition to the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, to control pollution in order to prevent further environmental deterioration and economic loss. The present paper is an attempt by following the DPSIR approach promoted by the OECD in the early 1990s and further developed by IGBP LOICZ to review the environmental quality of Pearl River with emphasis on water quality and the impact of rapid socio-economic changes.     

Population of birds in the boreal mountain-valley landscape disturbed by gold mining

The article characterizes the changes in the species composition and population of birds of the boreal mountain-valley landscape in connection with disturbances caused by extraction of gold (based on researched material in the Bureya Mountains, Far East). It displays the ratio of faunal assemblages and layered bird groupings in the technogenic habitats (lixiviation and open-pit dump sites of 1–5 years of age and 35–40 years of age) and undisturbed sites of river valleys. On the basis of coefficient of inclusion and similarity, we compared the populations of birds of different habitats either on species composition or taking into account the density of species.     

中国实施生态旅游认证的机遇与挑战

在界定生态旅游认证、分析建立生态旅游认证体系意义的基础上．对绿色环球21、澳大利亚的NEAP、厄瓜多尔的Smart Voyager等目前国际知名的认证体系进行了介绍．重点分析了中国实施生态旅游认证的机遇和面临的挑战，并对我国建立生态旅游认证体系的必要性及相关问题提出了建议。     

Assessment of environmental changes in the Orinoco River delta

Major anthropogenic driven changes in the hydrologic and sedimentation patterns of the Orinoco River have had an impact on environmental conditions in the delta. The abrupt water flow reduction from 3,600 to 200 m³ s^–1 in one of its major distributaries resulting from dam construction forced its transformation from a fresh-water body into a tidal channel with an increase in salinity level (as far as 100 km upstream) and with well-mixed water at the mouth and estuarine connection to the Paria Gulf. Three different sectors along this distributary can be identified (indicated by the Na/Cl ratio in the water). As a result, noticeable changes have occurred in the mangrove community which moved about 60 km further upstream. The changes have also promoted the formation of new islands of sediment progradation at the mouth of this distributary, where successional colonization and species replacement by different species of grasses and mangroves take place. Electronic Publication     

Arbuscular mycorrhizas contribute to phytostabilization of uranium in uranium mining tailings

Uranium (U) tailings pose environmental risks and call for proper remediation. In this paper medic and ryegrass plants were used as host plants to examine whether inoculation with an AM fungus, Glomus intraradices, would help phytostabilization of U tailings. The need of amending with uncontaminated soil for supporting plant survival was also examined by mixing soil with U tailing at different mixing ratios. Soil amendment increased plant growth and P uptake. Ryegrass produced a more extensive root system and a greater biomass than medic plants at all mixing ratios. Medic roots were extensively colonized by G. intraradices whereas ryegrass were more sparsely colonized. Plant growth was not improved by mycorrhizas, which, however, improved P nutrition of medic plants. Medic plants contained higher U concentrations and showed higher specific U uptake efficiency compared to ryegrass. In the presence of U tailing, most U had been retained in plant roots, and this distribution pattern was further enhanced by mycorrhizal colonization. The results suggest a role for AM fungi in phytostabilization of U tailings.     

Sources of air pollution due to coal mining and their impacts in Jharia coalfield

Indian coal consumption is about 5.5% of the world and the share of coal as energy went up to 66%. The increasing trend of opencast coal mining lead to release of dust and gaseous pollutants. The Indian reserve of coking coal is mainly located in Jharia coalfield and having reserves upto a depth of 1219m are 19339 Mt. The coalfield is subjected to intensive mining activities and accounts for 30% of the total Indian coal production. Coal mining in Jharia coalfield and the sources of air pollution along with the production of air pollutants have been described. The dust particles act as centres of catalysis for many of the chemical reactions taking place in the atmosphere. Characteristics and effects of the pollutants have been discussed. An estimate of the dust generated and discharged into the atmosphere can be made by using emission factor or prediction type equations. It is disirable that this exercise is to be undertaken in planning stage so that adequate and appropriate mitigating measures can be incorporated into the project at least cost.     

Environmental characteristics and land-use pattern changes of the Old Huanghe River delta,eastern China,in the sixteenth to twentieth centuries

The interaction between human and land in estuarine–coastal areas has become a focus of the global change research. Since the sixteenth century, the Old Huanghe River delta has experienced rapid accretion, the formation of rich ecological resources and diverse land use pattern changes; such information, in combination with a large number of historical documents, provides a unique research area for revealing the processes for ecosystem–human changes. We use historical documents and adopt multidisciplinary methods, to identify the relationship between ecosystem changes and human activities, on the basis of spatial and temporal analysis, for in the Old Huanghe River delta region. The results indicate that, in the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, the long-term monopolistic development pattern under the government leadership, which occupied large quantities of ecological resources, controlled the coastal salt industry and marsh land exploitation. However, along with the delta ecosystem change and population growth, the development pattern became gradually unsustainable, i.e., the salt industry migrated toward the north, while the farming activities migrated toward the south with enhanced intensity of marsh reclamation. The government monopoly collapsed in the late nineteenth century, which enlarged the independent development space for the local residents, which, to a large extent, improved the land-use efficiency and reduced the population pressure.     

Heavy metal accumulation by freshwater hydrobionts in a mining area in the south of the Russian Far East

The contents of heavy metals (HMs) were studied in freshwater hydrobionts from the south of the Russian Far East, including the area of wastewater discharge from a lead smelter (the village of Rudnaya Pristan, Primorye). The results showed that most invertebrates disappeared from the ecosystem as the toxicity of the aquatic environment increased. Mollusks of the genus Lymnaea proved to be most tolerant of HM pollution. As the contents of Pb, Mn, Cd, and Zn in bottom sediments increased, the amounts of these metals in mollusk bodies increased as well but to a much lesser extent, with the intensity of HM accumulation decreasing at their higher concentrations in the environment. The range of HM concentrations accumulated in the bodies of limneids noticeably broadened with an increase in technogenic impact. This is evidence for differences in the efficiency of mechanisms regulating the contents of trace elements in individuals of the same species under conditions of extreme pollution.     

Environmental fate of Ra in cation-exchange regeneration brine waste disposed to septic tanks, New Jersey Coastal Plain, USA: migration to the water table

Fate of radium (Ra) in liquid regeneration brine wastes from water softeners disposed to septic tanks in the New Jersey Coastal Plain was studied. Before treatment, combined Ra (²²⁶Ra plus ²²⁸Ra) concentrations (maximum, 1.54 Bq L⁻¹) exceeded the 0.185 Bq L⁻¹ Maximum Contaminant Level in 4 of 10 studied domestic-well waters (median pH, 4.90). At the water table downgradient from leachfields, combined Ra concentrations were low (commonly ≤0.019 Bq L⁻¹) when pH was >5.3, indicating sequestration; when pH was ≤5.3 (acidic), concentrations were elevated (maximum, 0.985 Bq L⁻¹ - greater than concentrations in corresponding discharged septic-tank effluents (maximum, 0.243 Bq L⁻¹)), indicating Ra mobilization from leachfield sediments. Confidence in quantification of Ra mass balance was reduced by study design limitations, including synoptic sampling of effluents and ground waters, and large uncertainties associated with analytical methods. The trend of Ra mobilization in acidic environments does match observations from regional water-quality assessments.     

Viruses in wastewater sludges and in effluents used for irrigation

Disposal of sewage wastes is a problem of increasing magnitude in the United States. New control measures enacted by Congress require consideration of land disposal of sludges and effluents. The volume of wastes involved and the possibility of contaminating ground water supplies and vegetation has great public health significance. The effectiveness of the sewage treatment process to remove chemical and biological contaminants and the operational efficiency of many sewage treatment plants are factors that must be given careful consideration before final selection of disposal methodology. The quality of our future water and food supplies will be affected either beneficially or adversely by current management decisions.     

Residues of organochlorine pesticides in fish from the Egyptian delta lakes

The distribution and residue levels of BHC, Lindane, Endrin, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE, and p,p′-DDD in Mugil and Tilapia species collected from Egyptian Delta lakes were evaluated. Residues of BHC and p,p′-DDT were found in most fish samples obtained from El-Manzala, El-Burullus, Edku, and Maryut lakes. Fish samples from Lake Edku showed the highest residue levels of the studied compounds. Residues of BHC and p,p′-DDT in Mugil and Tilapia species are within the range found in fish from the northwest Atlantic but lower than the levels reported for other fish species the United States. Mugil and Tilapia species could be used as indicator organisms for monitoring the residue levels of organochlorine pesticides and their distribution.     

Numerical and artificial intelligence models for predicting the water advance in border irrigation

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The water advance time (Ta) is needed for designing and evaluating surface irrigation systems. This study employed artificial neural networks (ANNs)...     

Concentrations and environmental fate of Ra in cation-exchange regeneration brine waste disposed to septic tanks and accumulation in sludge, New Jersey Coastal Plain, USA

Concentrations of Ra in liquid and solid wastes generated from 15 softeners treating domestic well waters from New Jersey Coastal Plain aquifers (where combined Ra ((226)Ra plus (228)Ra) concentrations commonly exceed 0.185 Bq L(-1)) were determined. Softeners, when maintained, reduced combined Ra about 10-fold (<0.024 Bq L(-1)). Combined Ra exceeded 0.185 Bq L(-1) at 1 non-maintained system. Combined Ra was enriched in regeneration brine waste (maximum, 81.2 Bq L(-1)), but concentrations in septic-tank effluents receiving brine waste were less than in the untreated ground waters. The maximum combined Ra concentration in aquifer sands (40.7 Bq kg(-1) dry weight) was less than that in sludge from the septic tanks (range, 84-363 Bq kg(-1)), indicating Ra accumulation in sludge from effluent. The combined Ra concentration in sludge from the homeowners' septic systems falls within the range reported for sludge samples from publicly owned treatment works within the region.