Impact of drought on the ecological and chemical status of surface water and on the content of arsenic and fluoride pollutants of groundwater in the province of Salamanca (Western Spain)

The impact of drought on the ecological and chemical status of surface and groundwaters of the River Tormes (River Duero basin, northwestern Iberian Peninsula) was studied to evaluate the evolution of the quality of the river during its passage through the city of Salamanca (Spain). The Water Quality Index (WQI) of the river revealed that the drought period of 2005 did not significantly affect water chemical quality. However, during the study period differences were found in surface water ecological quality, using phytoplankton quality as AN indicator. These differences may be accentuated as a result of regulation of the River Tormes by the Santa Teresa reservoir. Arsenic and fluoride concentrations were measured in water wells, finding higher arsenic concentrations after the drought period and no correlation between the arsenic and fluoride contents. The results are useful for an overall understanding of potential impact of climate change on the ecological and chemical status of water in regional systems.     

29 % N2O emission reduction from a modelled low-greenhouse gas cropping system during 2009–2011

Atmospheric concentration of nitrous oxide (N₂O), a greenhouse gas (GHG), is rising largely due to agriculture. At the plot scale, N₂O emissions from crops are known to be controlled by local agricultural practices such as fertilisation, tillage and residue management. However, knowledge of greenhouse gas emissions at the scale of the cropping system is scarce, notably because N₂O monitoring is time consuming. Strategies to reduce impact of farming on climate should therefore be sought at the cropping system level. Agro-ecosystem models are simple alternative means to estimate N₂O emissions. Here, we combined ecosystem modelling and field measurements to assess the effect of agronomic management on N₂O emissions. The model was tested with series of daily to monthly N₂O emission data. It was then used to evaluate the N₂O abatement potential of a low-emission system designed to halve greenhouse gas emissions in comparison with a system with high productivity and environmental performance. We found a 29 % N₂O abatement potential for the low-emission system compared with the high-productivity system. Among N₂O abatement options, reduction in mineral fertiliser inputs was the most effective.     

Structural confirmation of the sea ice biomarker IP25 found in Arctic marine sediments

IP₂₅ is a highly branched isoprenoid and an organic geochemical biomarker that is produced by some Arctic sea ice diatoms. IP₂₅ has previously been used in Arctic palaeo sea ice reconstruction studies and as a tracer for studying Arctic food webs. Here, the molecular structure of IP₂₅ has been confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy following large-scale extraction from marine sediments obtained from the Canadian Arctic and purification using a combination of open-column and HPLC chromatographic methods. The structure of IP₂₅ was consistent between the three different sampling locations and was identical to that found previously for this biomarker following synthesis from a closely related highly branched isoprenoid diene. Since this study represents the first structural characterisation of IP₂₅ in sediments, future analysis of sedimentary IP₂₅ for palaeo Arctic sea ice reconstructions can be carried out with much greater confidence.     

The Ergonomic Program Implementation Continuum (EPIC): Integration of health and safety - A process evaluation in the healthcare sector

IntroductionThis article presents a health and safety intervention model and the use of process evaluation to assess a participatory ergonomic intervention.MethodThe effectiveness of the Ergonomic Program Implementation Continuum (EPIC) was assessed at six healthcare pilot sites in Ontario, Canada. The model provided a framework to demonstrate evaluation findings.ResultsParticipants reported that EPIC was thorough and identified improvements related to its use. Participants believed the program contributed to advancing an organizational culture of safety (COS). Main barriers to program uptake included resistance to change and need for adequate funding and resources. The dedication of organizational leaders and consultant coaches was identified as essential to the program's success.Impact on IndustryIn terms of impact on industry, findings contribute to the evidence-based knowledge of health and safety interventions and support use of the framework for creating a robust infrastructure to advance organizational COS and link staff safety and wellness with patient safety in healthcare.     

Trace element retention and release on minerals and soil in a constructed wetland

Constructed wetlands are one method under investigation for the remediation of trace element-contaminated agricultural drainwater. A greater understanding of the retention of trace elements by the bulk soil and soil constituents is necessary for their safe and effective use. To determine the capacity of soil, calcite, and goethite-coated quartz sand for retention of As, Mo, and V under field conditions, an in situ method was used whereby permeable bags containing those minerals were placed near the sediment surface of a flow-through constructed wetland for 3 or 12 mo. Accumulations of As, Mo, and V occurred on goethite-coated sand. Concentrations of Mo on goethite-coated sand were much higher in samples from a wetland cell with a water depth of 15 cm (38.23 +/- 7.27 mg kg(-1)) compared with those from a cell with a water depth of 3 cm (8.30 +/- 1.45 mg kg(-1)). Calcite sorbed no As and low amounts of Mo and V, indicating that it is not an important sink for those elements under these conditions. In soil bags, total As and V concentrations showed little change over 12 mo. Molybdenum accumulated in the soil bags, resulting in total concentrations (12 mo) of 27.22 +/- 2.69 mg kg(-1) and 11.42 +/- 1.35 mg kg(-1) at water depths of 15 and 3 cm, respectively. Nearly half of the Mo accumulation on soil became water soluble after air-drying. This has important implications for systems that may undergo changes in redox status, possibly resulting in large fluxes of water-soluble Mo.     

Protection of biota on nonpark public lands: Examples from the US Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation

Security buffers of Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DOE) reservations provide long-term habitat protection for many rare and endangered species. The importance of these government-owned reservations as nationally valuable resources has been relatively unrecognized. During the last 50 years, the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) has been a relatively protected island in a region of rapidly expanding urbanization and land clearing. Consisting of the Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park and associated lands surrounding DOE facilities at Oak Ridge Tennessee, the unique nature of the ORR in the surrounding landscape is clearly visible from the air and has been documented using remote sensing data. Although forests dominate much of other regions of eastern Tennessee, this 15,000-ha tract of mostly natural forest habitat is unique in the southern Ridge and Valley physiographic province, which is otherwise widely developed for pasture, marginal cropland, woodlot, and urban uses. Twenty state-listed and federal-candidate plant species are known to be present on the ORR. This richness of species, which are provided protection by state and federal laws, exceeds that of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a species area basis and is an index of the value of the ORR both regionally and nationally in conserving biodiversity. With the end of the Cold War, changing DoD and DOE missions combined with increasing development pressure contribute to uncertainty in the future management of security reservations.     

THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP: MANAGEMENT OF A HYDROLOGIC RESOURCE WITH THE AID OF REMOTE SÉNSING1

ABSTRACT: Both color infrared aerial photography and Landsat data are being used to provide information to meet present and future management goals for the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. High and low altitude color infrared photographs are being used to study the hydrology and map the present vegetation of the swamp. A variety of significant ecologic units have been identified using these photographs. The completed maps will be used to evaluate analyses of landsat digital data. Once the present data base is compiled, it is hoped that routine analysis of Landsat data can be used for updating or to indicate areas where low altitude coverage or ground checking is desirable. The data base will also aid in identifying and evaluating trends that may provide guidelines for wetland management.