Evaluation of the california environmental quality act

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has evolved from a mini-NEPA, first enacted in 1970, into a procedural act that affects the approval process of all large developments in California. In 1990, California local governments produced over 1600 environmental impact reports and 30,000 initial studies under CEQA. Because of its widespread use, CEQA has periodically drawn the attention of the state legislature, most recently in 1993, when over 60 CEQA reform bills were introduced. This paper describes the CEQA process and evaluates its success at meeting its explicit and implicit goals. The research includes a statewide survey of CEQA practice, sent to the planning departments of all 513 local governments in California in 1991. Survey respondents agreed that CEQA helps in evaluating environmental impacts, reducing impacts, informing the public, and coordinating public agency review. It is effective in reducing the environmental impacts of individual projects, but is not as effective in improving environmental quality on an areawide scale. This research concludes that CEQA has led to positive outcomes and is not as deeply flawed as many of its critics claim. Still, CEQA as currently designed may not be the optimal vehicle for ensuring environmental quality.     

Rapid amino acid cycling in arctic and antarctic soils

Amino acids constitute one of the largest inputs of organic nitrogen (N) to most polar soils and have been hypothesized to be important in regulating vegetational succession and productivity in Arctic ecosystems. Our understanding of amino acid cycling in these soils, however, is poor. The aim of this study was to investigate the size and rate of turnover of the amino acid pool in a range of Arctic and Antarctic soils. Our results indicate that in polar soils with either high or low ornithogenic inputs the amino acid pool is small in comparison to the inorganic N pool (NO^–₃ and NH⁺₄). The free amino acid pool constituted only a small proportion of the total dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) pool in these soils. Here we show that these low concentrations may be due to rapid use by the soil microbial community in both Arctic and Antarctic soils. The turnover of the amino acid pool in soil was extremely rapid, with a half-life ranging from 2 to 24 h, indicating that this N pool can be turned over many hundred times each summer when polar soils are frequently unfrozen. The implications of amino acids in N cycling and plant and microbial nutrition are discussed.     

Rapid amino acid cycling in arctic and antarctic soils

Amino acids constitute one of the largest inputs of organic nitrogen (N) to most polar soils and have been hypothesized to be important in regulating vegetational succession and productivity in Arctic ecosystems. Our understanding of amino acid cycling in these soils, however, is poor. The aim of this study was to investigate the size and rate of turnover of the amino acid pool in a range of Arctic and Antarctic soils. Our results indicate that in polar soils with either high or low ornithogenic inputs the amino acid pool is small in comparison to the inorganic N pool (NO^? ₃ and NH⁺ ₄). The free amino acid pool constituted only a small proportion of the total dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) pool in these soils. Here we show that these low concentrations may be due to rapid use by the soil microbial community in both Arctic and Antarctic soils. The turnover of the amino acid pool in soil was extremely rapid, with a half-life ranging from 2 to 24 h, indicating that this N pool can be turned over many hundred times each summer when polar soils are frequently unfrozen. The implications of amino acids in N cycling and plant and microbial nutrition are discussed.     

Application of a health promotion model to community-based sustainability planning

The future of human health and that of all other species depends on the viability and sustainability of a host of environments and ecosystems. Human behaviours have profound effects (both positive and negative) on such ecosystems. Despite the obviousness of these statements, there remains a lack of clarity around the mechanisms for altering specific behaviours related to sustainability and their impact on environments. This paper offers a conceptual framework for identifying relations between human behaviour and ecosystem health and sustainability. We also discuss strategies for changing target behaviours in the context of a programme or policy planning. Finally, we draw on research that applies this adaptation to a small island community near Vancouver, Canada.     

Nitrogen removal in laboratory model leachfields with organic-rich layers

Septic system leachfields can release dissolved nitrogen in the form of nitrate into ground water, presenting a significant source of pollution. Low cost, passive modifications, which increase N removal in traditional leachfields, could substantially reduce the overall impact on ground water resources. Bench-scale laboratory models were constructed to evaluate the effect of placing an organic layer below the leachfield on total N removal. The organic layer provides a carbon source for denitrification. Column units representing septic leachfields were constructed with sawdust-native soil organic layers placed 0.45 m below the influent line and with thicknesses of 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 m. Using a synthetic septic tank effluent, NO(3)-N concentrations at 3.8 m below the influent line were consistently below 1 mg L(-1) during 10 months of operation compared with a NO(3)-N concentration of nearly 12 mg L(-1) in the control column. The average total N removal increased from 31% without the organic layer to 67% with the organic layer. Total N removal appeared limited by the extent of organic N oxidation and nitrification in the 0.45-m aerobic zone. Design modifications targeted at improving nitrification above the organic layer may further increase total N removal. Increased organic layer thicknesses from 0.3 m to 0.9 m did not significantly improve average total N removal, but caused a shift in residual nitrogen from organic N to ammonia N. Results indicate that addition of a layer of carbon source material at least 0.3 m thick below a standard leachfield substantially improves total N removal.     

BASIN SCALE WATER MANAGEMENT AND FORECASTING USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS1

ABSTRACT: Water scarcity in the Sevier River Basin in south‐central Utah has led water managers to seek advanced techniques for identifying optimal forecasting and management measures. To more efficiently use the limited quantity of water in the basin, better methods for control and forecasting are imperative. Basin scale management requires advanced forecasts of the availability of water. Information about long term water availability is important for decision making in terms of how much land to plant and what crops to grow; advanced daily predictions of streamflows and hydraulic characteristics of irrigation canals are of importance for managing water delivery and reservoir releases; and hourly forecasts of flows in tributary streams to account for diurnal fluctuations are vital to more precisely meet the day‐to‐day expectations of downstream farmers. A priori streamflow information and exogenous climate data have been used to predict future streamflows and required reservoir releases at different timescales. Data on snow water equivalent, sea surface temperatures, temperature, total solar radiation, and precipitation are fused by applying artificial neural networks to enhance long term and real time basin scale water management information. This approach has not previously been used in water resources management at the basin‐scale and could be valuable to water users in semi‐arid areas to more efficiently utilize and manage scarce water resources.     

丹江口水库浮游细菌和氮磷循环基因垂直分布特征及其驱动因素

丹江口水库作为南水北调中线工程水源地,不同深度浮游细菌群落组成、 氮磷循环功能及其驱动因素尚未清晰. 选取丹江口水库5个生态点位,采用宏基因组学研究表层、 中层和底层垂直分布浮游细菌群落组成,分析预测氮磷循环功能及其驱动因素. 结果表明,丹江口水库主要由变形菌门、 放线菌门和浮霉菌门等优势种群组成,不同深度来源的浮游细菌群落结构具有显著差异,水温（T）、 氧化还原电位（ORP）、 溶解氧（DO）和Chla是影响浮游细菌群落组成的主要因素. 氮循环功能基因分析表明,主要涉及生物固氮过程、 硝化作用、 反硝化作用和异化硝酸盐还原作用等7个主要途径的gltB、 glnA、 gltD、 gdhA和NRT等39个氮循环功能基因. 磷循环功能基因分析表明,主要涉及有机磷矿化、 无机磷溶解、 调节等6个主要途径的pstS、 ppx-gppA、 glpQ和ppk1等54个磷循环功能基因. 聚类分析表明不同深度是影响氮磷循环功能基因组成和丰度的主要因素,表层和底层氮磷循环功能基因丰度高于中层样品. 奇异球菌属、 嗜氢菌属、 Limnohabitans和棍状杆菌属等是氮磷循环的关键物种. DO、 pH、 T、 总溶解性固体（TDS）、 电导率（EC）和Chla与氮磷循环功能基因显著相关,以上环境因子随丹江口水库深度增加浓度降低或升高,导致浮游细菌氮磷循环功能基因呈明显的垂直分布特征. 通过揭示丹江口水库不同深度浮游细菌群落组成、 氮磷循环功能及其影响因素,可为丹江口浮游细菌生态功能和多样性保护发挥潜在的作用.