Four decades of glacier mass balance observations in the Indian Himalaya

Understanding the glacier mass balance is necessary to explain the rate of shrinkage and to infer the impact of climate change. The present study provides an overview of the glacier mass balance records by glaciological, geodetic, hydrological and accumulation-area ratio (AAR) and specific mass balance relationship methods in the Indian Himalaya since 1970s. It suggests that the mass balance measurements by glaciological methods have been conducted for ten glaciers in the western Himalaya, four glaciers in the central Himalaya and one in the eastern Himalaya. Hydrological mass balance has been conducted only on Siachen Glacier from 1987 to 1991. Geodetic method has been attempted for the Lahaul–Spiti region for a short time span during 1999–2011 and Hindu Kush–Karakoram–Himalaya region from 2003 to 2008. We compared in situ specific balance data series with specific mass balance derived from AAR and specific mass balance relationship. The results derived from existing and newly presented regression model based on AAR and specific mass balance relationship induced unrealistic specific mass balance for several glaciers. We also revised AAR0 and ELA0 based on available in situ AAR and specific mass balance data series of Indian Himalayan glaciers. In general, in situ specific and cumulative specific mass balance observed over different regions of the Indian Himalayan glaciers shows mostly negative mass balance years with a few positive ones during 1974–2012. On a regional level, the geodetic studies suggest that on the whole western, the central and the eastern Himalaya experienced vast thinning during the last decade (2000s). Conversely, Karakoram region showed slight mass gain during almost similar period. However, the glaciological, hydrological and geodetic mass balance data appear to exhibit short time series bias. We therefore recommend creation of benchmark glaciers network for future research to determine the impact of climate change on the Himalayan cryosphere.     

Temporal and spatial patterns of micropollutants in urban receiving waters

Based on a monitoring program over the course of a year, we characterize the temporal and spatial distribution of selected micropollutants in an urban watershed within the city of Leipzig, Germany. Micropollutants revealed a ubiquitous presence in untreated and treated wastewater, surface water and groundwater. The loads of 4-nonylphenol in the effluents of the municipal wastewater treatment plant followed a seasonal trend, whereas the loads of all other micropollutants were highly variable and not correlated to seasons. In the surface water, load seasonality of caffeine, galaxolide and tonalide resulted from a rapid removal with increased water temperature. The loads of 4-nonylphenol and of caffeine in the colder months increased when rainfall occurred. In the groundwater, complex spatial and temporal patterns were apparent and were related to varying input, retardation and removal processes. As a consequence, an assessment of micropollutants in urban waters should consider different micropollutants' temporal and spatial variability.     

Long-Term Changes in Game Species Over a Long Period of Transformation in the Iberian Mediterranean Landscape

Agricultural change has transformed large areas of traditional farming landscapes, leading to important changes in the species community assemblages in most European countries. We suspect that the drastic changes in land-use that have occurred in Andalusia (southern Spain) over recent decades, may have affected the distribution and abundance of game species in this region. This article compares the distribution of the main game species in Andalusia during the 1960s and 1990s, using data from maps available from the Mainland Spanish Fish, Game and National Parks Service and from recent datasets on hunting yield distributions, respectively. Big-game and small-game species were significantly segregated in southern Spain during the 1990s, as two clearly independent chorotypes (groups of species whose abundances are similarly distributed) were obtained from the classification analysis. In contrast, big-game and small-game species were not significantly segregated several decades ago, when there was only one chorotype consisting of small-game species and wild boar. The other three ungulates did not constitute a significant chorotype, as they showed positive correlations with some species in the group mentioned above. These changes seem to be a consequence of the transformations that have occurred in the Iberian Mediterranean landscape over the last few decades. The abandoning of traditional activities, and the consequent formation of dense scrubland and woodland, has led to an expansion of big-game species, and a decrease of small-game species in mountain areas. Moreover, agricultural intensification has apparently depleted small-game species populations in some agricultural areas. On the other hand, the increasingly intensive hunting management could be artificially boosting this segregation between small-game and big-game species. Our results suggest that the conservation and regeneration of traditional agricultural landscapes (like those predominating in the 1960s) should be a priority for the conservation of small-game species.     

Collective work and resilience of complex systems

This article aims to describe the characteristics of collective working situations in complex systems – especially those in nuclear power plants – related to common forms of cooperation, in order to improve systems resilience. In addition, we will try to detail some aspects of collective working situations, emphasizing the differences between various forms of control. The similarities between work activities (multi-addressed messages, linkage to regulation, central and peripheral information) are nonetheless exposed. We conclude by proposing a contribution to support systems design, thus facilitating cooperation in teamwork activities.     

PAH removal from spiked municipal wastewater sewage sludge using biological, chemical and electrochemical treatments

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been widely studied due to their presence in all the environmental media and toxicity to life. These molecules are strongly adsorbed on the particulate matters of soils, sludges or sediments because of their strong hydrophobicity which makes them less bioavailability, thus limiting their bioremediation. Different sludge treatment processes were tested to evaluate their performances for PAH removal from sludge prealably doped with 11 PAHs (5.5mg each PAH kg(-1) of dry matter (DM)): two biological processes (mesophilic aerobic digestion (MAD) and simultaneous sewage sludge digestion and metal leaching (METIX-BS)) were tested to evaluate PAH biodegradation in sewage sludge. In parallel, two chemical processes (quite similar Fenton processes: chemical metal leaching (METIX-AC) and chemical stabilization (STABIOX)) and one electrochemical process (electrochemical stabilization (ELECSTAB)) were tested to measure PAH removal by these oxidative processes. Moreover, PAH solubilisation from sludge by addition of a nonionic surfactant Tween 80 (Tw80) was also tested. The best yields of PAH removal were obtained by MAD and METIX-BS with more than 95% 3-ring PAH removal after a 21-day treatment period. Tw80 addition during MAD treatment increased 4-ring PAHs removal rate. In addition, more than 45% of 3-ring PAHs were removed from sludge by METIX-AC and during ELECSTAB process were quiet good with approximately 62% of 3-ring PAHs removal. However, little weaker removal of 3-ring PAHs (<35%) by STABIOX. None of the tested processes were efficient for the elimination of high molecular weight (> or = 5-ring) PAHs from sludge.     

The presence of vanadium in groundwater of southeastern extreme the pampean region Argentina Relationship with other chemical elements

Changes in the quality of groundwater resources are related to the presence and concentration of contaminants, especially trace elements such as arsenic, boron, fluoride and vanadium. Vanadium is a rare element naturally abundant, generally found in combination with other elements. Vanadium pentoxide is known to have aneugenic effects. Thus, a study was carried out to assess the presence of vanadium in the groundwater of the southeastern pampean region of Argentina, which constitutes the main water supply for the local population. Statistical and correlational analyses were applied to identify possible interrelationships between vanadium and another chemical elements. Vanadium was found in all groundwater samples. The minimum and maximum vanadium concentrations found were 0.05 mg/l and 2.47 mg/l, respectively. Vanadium is significantly correlated with other trace elements such as arsenic, fluoride and boron. The interrelationship between vanadium and the presence of volcanic glass in sediments is not significant as expected.     

Vegetable and synthetic tannins induce hormesis/toxicity in sea urchin early development and in algal growth

Mimosa tannin and phenol-based synthetic tannin (syntan) were tested for toxicity to sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus and Sphaerechinus granularis) early development and to marine algal growth (Dunaliella tertiolecta). Sea urchin embryogenesis was affected by vegetable tannin and syntan water extracts (VTWE and STWE) at levels >or=1mg/L. Developmental defects were significantly decreased at VTWE and STWE levels of 0.1 and 0.3mg/L when control cultures displayed suboptimal quality, i.e. <70% "viable" (normal or retarded) larvae. Fertilization success of sea urchin sperm was increased up to 0.3 mg/L STWE or VTWE, then was inhibited by increasing tannin levels (1-30 mg/L). Offspring abnormalities, following sperm exposure to VTWE or STWE, showed the same shift from hormesis to toxicity. Cell growth bioassays in D. tertiolecta exposed to VTWE or STWE (0.1-30 mg/L) showed non-linear concentration-related toxicity. Novel criteria are suggested in defining control quality that should reveal hormetic effects.