Simulating the impacts of land-use changes on non-point source pollution in Lugu Lake watershed

Protection of the water quality of Lugu Lake is important because it is a unique geographic and cultural resource. Not only point source pollution but also non-point source pollution contribute to degradation of water quality. A GIS-NPS model, with long-term hydrologic impact assessment (L-THIA), was used to evaluate long-term implications of land-use change impacts on non-point source (NPS) pollution. The land-use patterns of 1995 and 2005 were analysed to determine the changes in Lugu Lake watershed. A 30-year (1974–2003) precipitation dataset was used to estimate mean annual surface runoff and NPS pollutant loads. The contributions of different land-use categories to average annual runoff and NPS pollutant production were assessed with a unit contribution index (UCI). Results show loss of agricultural land (by 44.9%), while forest, grass/pasture and residential land increased to different degrees from 1995 to 2005. At the same time, annual average NPS pollutants, TN, TP, TSS and BOD loads all decreased, while heavy metal lead increased by 6.87%. The UCI formulated in this research was a more useful method to assess land-use impact on NPS pollutants than simple investigations of the percentage land-use change. Agricultural and residential land changes had more impact on NPS pollutants and were identified as the main source types. Suggestions on regulating land uses and management proposals for protecting lake water quality in Lugu Lake watershed are made.     

Flows, droughts, and aliens: factors affecting the fish assemblage in a Sierra Nevada, California, stream

The fishes of Martis Creek, in the Sierra Nevada of California (USA), were sampled at four sites annually over 30 years, 1979-2008. This long-term data set was used to examine (1) the persistence and stability of the Martis Creek fish assemblage in the face of environmental stochasticity; (2) whether native and alien fishes responded differently to a natural hydrologic regime (e.g., timing and magnitude of high and low flows); and (3) the importance of various hydrologic and physical habitat variables in explaining the abundances of native and alien fish species through time. Our results showed that fish assemblages were persistent at all sample sites, but individual species exhibited marked interannual variability in density, biomass, and relative abundance. The density and biomass of native fishes generally declined over the period of study, whereas most alien species showed no significant long-term trends. Only alien rainbow trout increased in both density and biomass at all sites over time. Redundancy analysis identified three hydrologic variables (annual 7-day minimum discharge, maximum winter discharge, and number of distinct winter floods) and two habitat variables (percentage of pool habitat and percentage of gravel substrate) that each explained a significant portion of the annual variation in fish assemblage structure. For alien taxa, their proportional contribution to the total fish assemblage was inversely related to mean annual streamflow, one-day maximum discharge in both winter and spring, and the frequency of springtime floods. Results of this study highlight the need for continuous annual monitoring of streams with highly variable flow regimes to evaluate shifts in fish community structure. Apparent successes or failures in stream management may appear differently depending on the time series of available data.     

城市路面径流污染负荷及采样次数对其估算准确性的影响

在西安市城市主干道南二环路建立路面径流原位采样站,利用自制流量等比例采样装置,采集2009年3月-2010年2月的36场降雨径流,测试各场次径流SS、COD、溶解性COD、NH4-N、Pb、Zn和溶解态Pb、Zn的事件平均浓度(EMC),计算径流年污染负荷,并采用随机抽样方法研究采样次数对污染负荷估算准确性的影响.结果...     

城市路面降雨径流污染特征及源解析的研究进展

城市路面径流是城市地表径流的重要组成部分,因其污染强度大、对地表水体的影响严重而被予以格外的关注。通过对国内外关于路面径流水质的研究进行总结发现：我国城市道路径流中COD、TP、TN和Pb的平均质量浓度分别为239.59、0.46、6.29和0.14 mg·L-1,超过了国家地表水环境质量Ⅴ类标准,TSS的质量浓度高达552.86 mg·L-1。因此,COD、TP、TN、Pb和TSS是我国路面径流的主要污染物。高速路径流污染物Pb、Cu和Zn的浓度明显高于普通道路,而普通道路径流污染物中COD和TSS要高于高速路。与其他国家相比,我国城市道路雨水径流污染物浓度偏高。多数研究表明：污染物的质量浓度与降雨量呈负相关关系,路面坡度增加了车辆与路面的摩擦力和燃料的消耗,进而导致路面径流污染物的浓度较高,路面清扫或许对污染物的浓度有不利的影响,主要由于道路清扫将路面中部分大颗粒破碎,释放出了细小的颗粒物（粒径〈43μm）并且不能将其清除的缘故。但是,降雨强度、干期、降雨历时和车流量对径流水质的影响存在一定的争议。通过对现有的研究总结发现：车流量≥30000的路面径流中COD、TSS、Pb和Cu的浓度是车流量〈30000的路面径流中的2.5、4.3、1.4和5.1倍;路面径流中的重金属主要来源于车辆的交通损耗,有机污染物来源于车辆的交通活动和路面材质,营养污染物来源于大气干湿沉降。今后应从以下几方面开展研究：将多环芳烃、大肠杆菌等水质指标列入研究计划;深入分析影响降雨径流水质的因素及各影响因子间的交互作用;运用同位素溯源技术识别道路径流污染物来源。     

Flow and mass balance analysis of eco-bio infiltration system

A structured stormwater infiltration system was developed and constructed at a university campus and monitoring of storm events was performed during a one-year operation period. The flow and pollutant mass balances were analyzed and the overall efficiency of the system was assessed. While significant positive correlations were observed among rainfall, runoff and discharge volume (R²= 0.93-0.99; p<0.05), there was no significant correlations existed between rainfall, runoff, discharge volume and pollutant load. The system was more effective in reducing the runoff volume by more than 50% for small storm events but the difference between the runoff and discharge volume was significant even with rainfall greater than 10 mm. Results showed that the pollutant reduction rates were higher compared to the runoff volume reduction. Average pollutant reduction rates were in the range of 72% to 90% with coefficient of variation between 0.10 and 0.46. Comparable with runoff reduction, the system was more effective in reducing the pollutant load for small storm events, in the range of 80% to 100% for rainfall between 0 and 10 mm; while 65% to 80% for rainfall between 10 and 20 mm. Among the pollutant parameters, particulate matters was highly reduced by the system achieving only a maximum of 25% discharge load even after the entire runoff was completely discharged. The findings have proven the capability of the system as a tool in stormwater management achieving both flow reduction and water quality improvement.     

生物安全法设计流量在赣江流域水污染物总量控制中的应用

利用生物安全法计算设计流量,并以赣江为例,利用赣江干流的峡山、栋背、樟树、峡江、吉安和外洲站6个水文站1990-2004年15年(其中外洲站为1954-2004年共51年)的水文数据,用不同方法计算各水文站的设计流量,通过对比可知生物安全法设计流量更加科学合理。     

公路路面径流重金属污染特征

对广州地区市内,城乡结合部和郊区的3条不同的公路路面雨水径流的降雨、径流流量同步监测以及径流瞬时样品中Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、Ni和Cr 6种重金属的测试表明,在路面重金属被雨水径流的冲洗过程中,基于浓度的初期冲洗现象明显,即在径流发生的初始阶段浓度最高,随着降雨和径流过程的进行,重金属浓度持续降低,在径流流量峰值部分,重金属的浓度达到最低值,随后随着流量的减小略有上升;路面雨水径流中的重金属彼此相关性强且都与径流中悬浮固体存在明显相关,绝大部分的重金属都以悬浮固体吸附或直接的颗粒态形式存在;公路路面雨水径流的重金属污染程度与公路周围的环境关系密切,市内道路的重金属次径流平均浓度最高,城乡结合部和郊区公路路面径流的次径流平均浓度相差不大,Pb是路面径流中主要的重金属污染元素。     

Threats to Imperiled Freshwater Fauna

Threats to imperiled freshwater fauna in the U.S. were assessed through an experts survey addressing anthropogenic stressors and their sources. Specifically, causes of historic declines and current limits to recovery were identified for 135 imperiled freshwater species of fishes, crayfishes, dragonflies and damselflies, mussels, and amphibians. The survey was designed to identify threats with sufficient specificity to inform resource managers and regulators faced with translating information about predominant biological threats into specific, responsive actions. The findings point to altered sediment loads and nutrient inputs from agricultural nonpoint pollution; interference from exotic species; and altered hydrologic regimes associated with impoundment operations as the three leading threats nationwide, accompanied by many lesser but still significant threats. Variations in threats among regions and among taxa were also evident. Eastern species are most commonly affected by altered sediment loads from agricultural activities, whereas exotic species, habitat removal/damage, and altered hydrologic regimes predominate in the West. Altered sediment loading from agricultural activities and exotic species are dominant problems for both eastern mussels and fishes. However, eastern fishes also appear to be suffering from municipal nonpoint pollution (nutrients and sediments), whereas eastern mussels appear to be more severely affected by altered nutrient impacts from hydroelectric impoundments and agricultural runoff. Our findings suggest that control of nonpoint source pollution associated with agriculture activities should be a very high priority for agricultural producers and governmental support programs. Additonally, the large number of hydropower dams in the U.S. subject to federal re-licensing in coming years suggests a significant opportunity to restore natural hydrologic regimes in the affected rivers.     

尾巨桉人工林小流域降水产流特征分析

研究尾巨桉(E.urophylla×E.grandis)生长阶段(林龄3.5—5.5 a)所处小流域的降水产流特征,有助于了解桉树生长过程的生态水文效应,对修订桉树人工林经营方案中注重提高生态系统的水源涵养能力有重要参考意义.以广西南宁桉树森林生态系统定位观测研究站(南宁桉树生态站)的闭合尾巨桉林小流域为试验区,在小流...     

Sources and risk assessment of metal contamination in soils at the international airport of Shanghai,China

Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cu, and Ni in soils at the Pudong International Airport (PIA) of Shanghai, China, were determined to assess the sources and potential ecological risks. Compared to the soil background values of Shanghai, 31 soil samples out of 33 were highly contaminated with Cd, and 76% were moderately contaminated by Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Principal component analysis and clustering analysis indicated that Pb and Cd mainly originated from anthropogenic sources, while Zn, Cr, Ni, and Cu were mainly from natural sources. Relatively high concentrations of Cd and Pb were observed at sampling points near the landing or take-off sites or a close-by highway. Both air and highway traffic affected the quality of the soils at PIA.     

Applied carrying capacity concept for integrating stormwater management and land use planning,a case study: The Kuantu plain of Taipei,Taiwan

The carrying capacity of land resources in terms of hydrologic consequences of land development is the basis of a proposed method for integrating the land planning process with stormwater management. Concepts of natural drainage such as soil moisture storage capacity for rainwater infiltration, and vegetated depressed surface for collecting storm runoff are used as criteria of performance control for ensuring balance between land development and hydrologic processes. A stormwater management model is developed which includes a land program, hydrologic process, and stormwater management techniques to simulate the hydrologic effects of various land development programs, and to estimate their land use performance standards. The model uses the Soil Cover Complex Method developed by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service to compute the hydrologic effects. The land use performance standards incorporated in this research include: pervious areas required, swale area required, and average depth of retention pond. The land characteristics of Kuantu Plain, Taipei, Taiwan are used as a case study to estimate land use performance standards of natural drainage. The model outputs provide useful guidance to help land use planners utilize land resources more efficiently.     

Community response patterns: evaluating benthic invertebrate composition in metal-polluted streams.

Human activities are modifying the condition and character of ecosystems at a rapid rate. Because of these rapid changes, questions concerning how ecosystems and their assemblages respond to anthropogenic stressors have been of general interest. Accurate prediction of assemblage composition in ecosystems with anthropogenic degradation requires that we assess both how assemblages respond to stressors and the generality of the responses. We ask whether assemblage composition among stream sites becomes more similar after exposure to a common stressor. Using data from biological monitoring programs in the southern Rocky Mountain ecoregion of Colorado and in West Virginia, we compare benthic invertebrate similarity and assemblage composition among sites having different levels (background, low, medium, and high) of heavy-metal pollution. Invertebrate assemblages were most similar within the background metal category, and similarity was progressively lower in low, medium, and high metal categories. An analysis of the frequency of occurrence of genera within metal categories reveals taxonomic shifts that conform to expectations based on metal tolerance of benthic invertebrates. However, different metal-tolerant genera were found at different metal-impacted sites, suggesting that local abiotic and biotic processes may influence the identity of the metal-tolerant genera that become established in polluted sites. Low community similarity in the medium and high-metal categories suggests that accurate prediction of assemblage composition at impacted sites may be challenging.     

Particulate matter and metals partitioning in highway rainfall-runoff

This study investigated the particulate matter (PM) and metals in highway dry deposition and rainfall-runoff as a function of hydrologic transport and settling on an event basis. Events were differentiated as mass-limited (ML) and flow-limited (FL). Results indicate that unique and separate suspended sediment concentration (SSC) relationships with turbidity occurred for ML and FL events. Sixty minutes of quiescent settling produced a single SSC-turbidity relationship for all events. ML events transport higher proportions of settleable and sediment PM while FL events transported relatively higher suspended PM. For batch clarification with one hour of settling, ML events had generally higher treatment efficiencies compared to FL events for the same settling conditions. Highway dry deposition PM was hetero-disperse and coarse (d _{50 m} = 304 μm). Results indicate that the acidic rainfall is not a significant contributor to metals in runoff but is capable of leaching metals from dry deposition PM into runoff. Partitioning in retained runoff resulted in a particulate-bound predominance for most metals except Ca and Mg. While the finer fraction of dry deposition PM (< 75 μm) generates the highest metal concentrations, the highest metal mass is associated with the coarser fraction (> 75 μm).     

太湖浮游植物群落结构及其与水质指标间的关系

为了探讨太湖浮游植物群落结构时空分布特征、以及太湖浮游植物群落指标与水质指标间的关系,于2013年1月─2013年12月对太湖7个点位浮游植物群落结构和水质指标（水温、透明度、pH、溶解氧、电导率、总氮、总磷、氨氮、高锰酸盐指数、化学需氧量、氟化物、生化需氧量、硝酸盐氮、亚硝酸盐氮、溶解性磷酸盐和叶绿素a）进行月度调查,研究其浮游植物群落结构和湖泊水质的时空分布;并利用Pearson相关性分析浮游植物密度、浮游植物多样性与水质指标间的关系;找出影响太湖浮游植物群落结构的主要水质指标。结果表明：太湖7个点位共获得124种浮游植物物种,其中蓝藻门（Cyanophyta）30种、绿藻门（Bacillariophyta）47种、硅藻门（Chlorophyta）34种、隐藻门（Cryptophyta）3种、裸藻门（Euglenophyta）6种和甲藻门（Dinoflagellate）4种;其中蓝藻门的微囊藻属（Microcystis spp.）为绝对优势种群,优势度为80.8%;太湖浮游植物总密度与蓝藻门密度呈极显著正相关（r=1.000,P＜0.0001）;绿藻门和硅藻门占浮游植物总密度百分比分别和蓝藻门占浮游植物总密度百分比呈极显著负相关（r=-0.497,P＜0.0001;r=-0.814,P＜0.0001）。太湖7个点位水质首要污染物为总氮,其次是总磷和化学需氧量;西太湖污染物浓度最高。从空间上看,太湖浮游植物总密度最高值出现在贡湖湾（远离其入湖口处）,且贡湖湾浮游植物群落多样性相对低于太湖其他点位,同时贡湖湾微囊藻属密度百分比达90.1%,远高于太湖其他点位;从时间上看,太湖浮游植物总密度最高值出现在12月份、其次是6月份;通过浮游植物群落指标与水质指标相关性分析,水温、透明度、总氮、化学需氧量、叶绿素a是影响太湖浮游植物群落结构的主要水质指标。控制太湖入湖口水质污染物浓度排放和修?     

A dispersion model for traffic produced turbulence in a two-way traffic scenario

Low wind speed conditions are often associated with poor air quality in urban areas, especially near roadways. Predictions of pollutant concentration under such conditions, i.e. low wind-speeds and near road locations, are, however, complicated by the role of traffic produced turbulence (TPT) on pollutant mixing and dilution. Existing dispersion models consider the effect of TPT on pollutant concentrations near roadways, accounting for parameters such as vehicle intensity, vehicle speeds, etc, but do not explicitly account for the contribution of two-way traffic interaction on the pollutant dispersion parameter. The turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) resulting from a two-way traffic condition will be higher than that with a one-way traffic pattern. Here, we obtain a simple formulation for TKE under a two-way traffic pattern from the balance of production and dissipation of turbulence. Considering the vorticity generated by the two-way traffic and determining the equivalent drag coefficient, an expression for TKE due to the two-way traffic interaction was obtained for three different traffic density regimes: light, intermediate, and heavy. The model predictions are validated by comparison with published data from a field study. An improved parameterization of the TPT considering the two-way traffic interaction effect is seen to significantly improve predictions of near roadway pollutant concentrations.     

Influence of temperature on the heavy metals accumulation of five vegetable species in semiarid area of northwest China

The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects of temperature on cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) accumulation in five vegetable species collected at different sites (Shuichuan, Beiwan, Dongwan and Wufe) in northwest China. The meteorological data of air and soil temperatures were recorded daily during the period from sowing to harvest for the five vegetables. The air and soil temperatures affected the capacity of pumpkin, cabbage, brassica napus and Chinese cabbage to accumulate Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb. Principal component analysis showed that temperature, photosynthetic and physiological factors all contributed to the soil–plant transfer properties of DTPA-extractable heavy metals. Temperature played a more important role in Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn accumulation in four vegetables in this semiarid area. However, the enormous surface area of spinach was likely to elevate heavy metal loads owing to atmospheric deposits. For most vegetables studied, there was a striking dissimilarity in the uptake and translocation ability of Cd, Zn and Cu in soil, but similar accumulation to translocation for Pb in soil.     

Current Trends in Plant and Animal Population Monitoring

Abstract:  Animal and plant population monitoring programs are critical for identifying species at risk, evaluating the effects of management or harvest, and tracking invasive and pest species. Nevertheless, monitoring activities are highly decentralized, which makes it difficult for researchers or conservation planners to get a good general picture of what real-world monitoring programs actually entail. We used a Web-based survey to collect information on population monitoring programs. The survey focused on basic questions about each program, including motivations for monitoring, types of data being collected, spatiotemporal design of the program, and reasons for choosing that design. We received responses from 311 people involved in monitoring of various species and used these responses to summarize ongoing monitoring efforts. We also used responses to determine whether monitoring strategies have changed over time and whether they differed among monitoring agencies. Most commonly, monitoring entailed collection of count data at multiple sites with the primary goal of detecting trends. But we also found that goals and strategies for monitoring appeared to be diversifying, that area-occupied and presence–absence approaches appeared to be gaining in popularity, and that several other promising approaches (monitoring to reduce parameter uncertainty, risk-based monitoring, and directly linking monitoring data to management decisions) have yet to become widely established. We suggest that improved communication between researchers studying monitoring designs and those who are charged with putting these designs into practice could further improve monitoring programs and better match sampling designs to the objectives of monitoring programs.     

Suspended particulates in the Jamaican atmosphere

The results of a survey of air particulates at 23 sites across Jamaica for total suspended particulates (TSP), Al, Br, Cl, Na, Pb, and V, by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) are reported. The geometric mean of TSP values, 35 g m-3, is well within the World Health Organisation's standard of 60 g m-3 for TSP, but in areas of high vehicular traffic density the TSP values exceeded this limit. The correlation coefficient between Br and Pb concentrations in the particulates was 0.92 and the Br/Pb ratio of 0.38 compares well with a ratio of 0.39 found in commercial petrol indicating that the exhaust from vehicular traffic is the major source of Pb in atmospheric particulate matter in Jamaica.     

SWAT parameterization for the identification of critical diffuse pollution source areas under data limitations

For lowering sediment, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollution of surface water bodies at the catchment scale, environmental legislation require programs of pollution abatement measures. To be able to ensure the cost-effectiveness of such programs we first need to identify high risk areas, which give rise to increased pollutant runoff. Process-based GIS models provide the opportunity to identify such critical areas and hence better target diffuse pollution abatement actions. However, these models are data intensive and their spatially-distributed parameterization in poorly monitored catchments is not feasible without extensive input data pre-processing and significant simplifying assumptions. This study implements the widely-used SWAT river basin model (Soil Water Assessment Tool) to study a medium-sized Greek catchment with the typical data limitations met at the national level, in order to identify critical diffuse pollution source areas that may serve as the key areas for meeting the objective of ‘good ecological status’ of water bodies set by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Model parameterization and evaluation are presented along with the decisions made to overcome problems related to data representation in the catchment, in an effort to provide guidance on SWAT modeling in areas with similar characteristics. The results show that sediments and nutrients could be adequately reproduced in large time steps (monthly or seasonal) and that even with the current data limitations, the seasonal variation and the most critical areas of pollutant losses to waters could be adequately identified. The study proposes a transparent modeling approach under data limitations without neglecting possible deficiencies; however, it maintains that the SWAT model, if appropriately parameterized with respect to the land-use and soil differentiation within a limited-gauged catchment, can still facilitate the selection and placement of suitable practices across the landscape for a cost-effective diffused pollution management.     

广州市区大气污染特征与影响因子分析

以2000—2004年广州市国控测点的空气环境质量自动监测结果为基础数据,以我国《大气环境质量标准》的日平均质量浓度二级标准为依据计算广州市2000—2004年的各大气污染物的指数及污染负荷率,阐明广州市区主要大气污染物SO2、NO2、PM10、CO的地域分布特征、季节变化特征、年际变化特征以及由于大气中的酸性物质而形成的酸雨的变化特征并提出研究对策。结果表明:各污染物质量浓度存在明显的季节变化规律,除SO2春夏秋季污染最严重,其余几项污染程度由高到低的顺序均为冬季,春季,秋季,夏季。近5年来空气中的一氧化碳呈显著下降趋势,但二氧化硫、二氧化氮和可吸入颗粒物则呈显著上升趋势,综合污染指数也呈明显上升趋势;酸雨频率呈不显著上升且夏秋季污染大于春冬两季。广州市大气污染分布规律与风向频率以北和东北偏北方向较大,东和东南方向次之的分布基本一致。