Hydrogeochemical considerations about the origin of groundwater salinization in some coastal plains of Elba Island (Tuscany,Italy)

Several coastal plains of the Elba Island (Marina di Campo, Portoferraio, Schiopparello, Mola, Porto Azzurro and Barbarossa plains) in Tuscany (Italy) were studied to determine the causes of decline in groundwater quality, using major ion chemistry to establish the causes of groundwater salinization. The study demonstrates that salinization of coastal plain alluvial aquifers is not simply linked to seawater intrusion but is also intimately related to inflows from adjacent aquifers. Ionic ratios, correlation graphs and distribution value maps were employed as the means to understand the hydrochemistry of the study areas. The Mg/Cl ratio in particular can be considered a good tracer to distinguish the main salinization processes that control groundwater chemistry. Seawater intrusion only partly determines the chemistry of some groundwaters, which generally belong to a chloride facies where the salinity is derived principally from freshwater–seawater mixing and the participation of cation exchange. Proceeding inland groundwater quality seems to be principally determined by the inflow of Mg, Ca-HCO₃ or Ca, Na-HCO₃ waters formed from the weathering of silicate minerals in adjoining aquifers. Hydrolysis of these minerals is of prime importance in controlling groundwater chemistry in adjacent alluvial plains. The lateral recharge flows introduce water with a different chemical composition and this variable of freshwater recharge changes the hydrochemistry as a result of mixing between two or more waters types. This situation is further complicated when seawater and base exchange reactions participate, due to seawater intrusion.     

Evaluation of a fast response pressure solver for flow around an isolated cube

This work describes and evaluates a pressure solver that has been incorporated into a fast response three-dimensional building-resolving diagnostic wind modeling system. The solver computes the three-dimensional pressure field around buildings and on exterior walls in terms of a coefficient of pressure by solving a simplified pressure Poisson equation (that neglects turbulence stresses in the Navier-Stokes) for incompressible flow. The input to the solver is the three-dimensional mean wind field obtained from a fast response empirical-diagnostic urban wind model. The present study is an evaluation of the pressure solver using wind-tunnel data for flow normal to and at a 45° angle to an isolated cubical building. Results for the normal incident wind angle case indicate that the model satisfactorily reproduces the general spatial patterns and the magnitude of the pressure difference around much of the cube. Details of the flow field that are not satisfactorily predicted include the spatial distribution of pressure on the roof and the lower half of the front side of the building and the magnitude along the sidewalls where pressures are over predicted. The results for the 45° case show reasonable agreement between the model and experiments on the front and the back walls, but over predict pressures on the leading edge of the rooftop. Regions with poor pressure predictions appear to be a result of unsatisfactory mean wind modeling.     

Spatial extremes of wildfire sizes: Bayesian hierarchical models for extremes

In Portugal, due to the combination of climatological and ecological factors, large wildfires are a constant threat and due to their economic impact, a big policy issue. In order to organize efficient fire fighting capacity and resource management, correct quantification of the risk of large wildfires are needed. In this paper, we quantify the regional risk of large wildfire sizes, by fitting a Generalized Pareto distribution to excesses over a suitably chosen high threshold. Spatio-temporal variations are introduced into the model through model parameters with suitably chosen link functions. The inference on these models are carried using Bayesian Hierarchical Models and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.     

Tracing the sources of gaseous components (<Superscript>222</Superscript>Rn,CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and its carbon isotopes) in soil air under a cool-deciduous stand in Sapporo,Japan

Radon (²²²Rn) and carbon dioxide were monitored simultaneously in soil air under a cool-temperate deciduous stand on the campus of Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. Both ²²²Rn and CO₂ concentrations in soil air varied with atmospheric (soil) temperature in three seasons, except for winter when the temperature in soil air remained constant at 2–3°C at depth of 80 cm. In winter, the gaseous components were influenced by low-pressure region passing through the observation site when the ground surface was covered with snow of ~1 m thickness. Carbon isotopic analyses of CO₂ suggested that CO₂ in soil air may result from mixing of atmospheric air and soil components of different origins, i.e. CO₂ from contemporary soil organic matter and old carbon from deeper source, to varying degrees, depending on seasonal meteorological and thus biological conditions.     

Toward an ecosystem approach to ICM: assessing ecological provinces at sea by remote sensing

The ecosystem approach requires that all elements of an ecosystem, and their mutual interactions, be taken into consideration in any management effort. The selection of suitable geographical units, where this approach can be taken, requires the assessment of ecological provinces, characterized by a coherent set of environmental traits. The marine side of coastal zones, where the interaction between atmosphere, land and sea is not bounded by evident geographic markers, represents a critical factor in this assessment. A coastal province can be defined by physical setting, but also by its bio-geo-chemical features, ideally on the basis of synoptic remote sensing data, collected at space/time scales not accessible by other means. Classifications based on indicators such as temperature, wind speed and chlorophyll-like pigments, demonstrate the identification of potential ecological provinces in the Mediterranean Sea. The results suggest remote sensing as the ideal tool to set up the basis for an ecosystem approach to the management of each province.     

The three-dimensionality of obstructed shear flows

Obstructed shear flows (i.e. those over permeable media) are common in the environment. An archetypal example, flow over a submerged vegetation canopy, is investigated here. Like any flow through complex geometry, canopy flows are characterised by strong spatial gradients. The focus of this experimental study is the three-dimensionality of aquatic canopy flow, in particular that of the coherent interfacial vortices that govern mixing into and out of the canopy. It is shown here that the vortices have a finite lateral scale that is comparable to their vertical scale; both are of the order of the drag length scale of the canopy, (C _D a)⁻¹, where a is the frontal area density and C _D is a bulk drag coefficient. The finite lateral extent of the vortices generates strong lateral hydrodynamic gradients, both instantaneously and in the long-term. The instantaneous gradients, which can contribute greatly to the dispersion of dissolved and particulate species, are far more pronounced. Finally, the potential for canopies to generate differential roughness secondary circulation is examined. In the consideration of vertical scalar transport, this circulation can be of the same order as turbulent diffusion.     

Persistence models for mark-recapture

The stable of models available for analyzing mark-recapture data (Otis et al. Wild Momogr 66:135, 1978) includes those having behavioral characteristics, time variation, heterogeneity, along with combinations of those characteristics. This paper proposes use of a series of models based on the persistence model of Ramsey and Usner (Biometrics 59:331–339, 2003). We show that persistence can be modeled in combination with behavior and with time variation. We apply the persistence model to situations in which capture occasions are not equally-spaced in time. Two case studies illustrate the use of these extended persistence models.     

Geochemical and microbial effects on the mobilization of arsenic in mine tailing soils

Arsenic (As) contamination has become a serious environmental problem in many countries. We have performed batch-type leaching experiments on mine tailing soils collected from three abandoned mine areas in South Korea with the objective of evaluating the effect of indigenous bacterial activity on As mobilization. The analysis of physicochemical properties and mineralogical compositions of the samples indicated that the secondary minerals or phases formed as a result of the oxidation or alteration of primary minerals were associated with the labile and bioleachable fractions of As. Compared to simulated abiotic processes using sterilization, the indigenous bacteria activated using a carbon source were able to enhance the dissolution of As under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The bacterial dissolution of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) was found to occur simultaneously with the dissolution of As, suggesting that the main bacterial mechanism was via the dissimilatory reduction of Fe(III), Mn(IV), and As(V). An anaerobic environment was more favorable for the prominent dissolution of As in the tailing soils. These results indicate that the mobilization of As can be enhanced in the oxygen-depleted part of the tailing dump, particularly with the infiltration of organic substrates. The difference in the degree of As lixiviation between the three tailing soils was found to be related to the bioavailability of As as well as the original biomass in the tailing soils.     

The potential impacts of sea level rise along the coastal zone of Kanyakumari District in Tamilnadu,India

Climate change associated with sea level rise (SLR) is one of the major environmental concerns of today. This paper presents an assessment of the impacts of sea level rise on the coastal zone of Kanyakumari District in Tamilnadu, India. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) combined with overlay techniques in GIS are used in determining the inundation zones along the coastal region. The analysis evaluated the impact on coastal fishing villages, landuse, tourist spots and sensitive areas under threat. The vulnerability of the coastal areas in Kanyakumari to inundation was quantified, based on the projected sea level rise scenarios of 0.5 and 1 m. Our findings reveal that approximately 13 km² of the land area of Kanyakumari would be permanently inundated due to SLR. This would result in loss of land, alteration of the coastal zone and affects coastal ecosystem. From the study, the mitigation measures (engineering measures) and Coastal Zone Management practices that can be taken to protect human life and property from sea level rise are suggested.     

Analytical survey of arsenic in geothermal waters from sites in Kyushu,Japan, and a method for removing arsenic using magnetite

The objective of this study was to survey the cation and anion contents of geothermal waters to gather fundamental information on geographical variations. Sixteen sites in hot spring areas on the island of Kyushu in Japan were studied. The study focused on the arsenic content of the samples. Very high arsenic concentrations (more than 0.1 mg/l) were detected in most of the geothermal waters sampled. High contents of boron and fluoride (more than 1.0 mg/l) were also detected in some samples. Arsenic removal was performed on a laboratory scale using columns packed with a magnetite-type adsorbent. The reduction of arsenic contamination to a concentration of less than 0.01 mg/l could be achieved in the early stages of adsorption (bed volume = 200).