Streambank Soil and Phosphorus Losses Under Different Riparian Land‐Uses in Iowa1

Abstract: Phosphorus and sediment are major nonpoint source pollutants that degrade water quality. Streambank erosion can contribute a significant percentage of the phosphorus and sediment load in streams. Riparian land‐uses can heavily influence streambank erosion. The objective of this study was to compare streambank erosion along reaches of row‐cropped fields, continuous, rotational and intensive rotational grazed pastures, pastures where cattle were fenced out of the stream, grass filters and riparian forest buffers, in three physiographic regions of Iowa. Streambank erosion was measured by surveying the extent of severely eroding banks within each riparian land‐use reach and randomly establishing pin plots on subsets of those eroding banks. Based on these measurements, streambank erosion rate, erosion activity, maximum pin plot erosion rate, percentage of streambank length with severely eroding banks, and soil and phosphorus losses per unit length of stream reach were compared among the riparian land‐uses. Riparian forest buffers had the lowest streambank erosion rate (15‐46 mm/year) and contributed the least soil (5‐18 tonne/km/year) and phosphorus (2‐6 kg/km/year) to stream channels. Riparian forest buffers were followed by grass filters (erosion rates 41‐106 mm/year, soil losses 22‐47 tonne/km/year, phosphorus losses 9‐14 kg/km/year) and pastures where cattle were fenced out of the stream (erosion rates 22‐58 mm/year, soil losses 6‐61 tonne/km/year, phosphorus losses 3‐34 kg/km/year). The streambank erosion rates for the continuous, rotational, and intensive rotational pastures were 101‐171, 104‐122, and 94‐170 mm/year, respectively. The soil losses for the continuous, rotational, and intensive rotational pastures were 197‐264, 94‐266, and 124‐153 tonne/km/year, respectively, while the phosphorus losses were 71‐123, 37‐122, and 66 kg/km/year, respectively. The only significant differences for these pasture practices were found among the percentage of severely eroding bank lengths with intensive rotational grazed pastures having the least compared to the continuous and rotational grazed pastures. Row‐cropped fields had the highest streambank erosion rates (239 mm/year) and soil losses (304 tonne/km/year) and very high phosphorus losses (108 kg/km/year).     

Human Instability in Flood Flows1

Abstract: Loss of human stability in flood flows and consequent drowning are a high personal hazard. In this paper, we review past experimental work on human instability. The results of new experiments by the Flood Hazard Research Centre (FHRC) are also reported. These new results show that low depth/high velocity flood waters are more dangerous than suggested based on previous experimental work. It is discussed how human instability can be related to two physical mechanisms: moment instability (toppling) and friction instability (sliding). Comparison of the test results with these physical mechanisms suggests that the occurrence of instability in the tests by FHRC is related to friction instability. This mechanism appears to occur earlier than moment instability for the combination of shallow depth and high flow velocity. Those concerned to identify locations where high flood flows could be a threat to human life need to modify their hazard assessments accordingly.     

The use of physiological characteristics for comparison of organic compounds phytotoxicity

The influence of intact (FLT) and photomodified (phFLT) fluoranthene (0.05, 0.5 and 5 μmol l⁻¹) and herbicide Basagran (5, 20, 35 and 50 nmol l⁻¹) on the germination, growth of seedlings and photosynthetic processes in pea plants (Pisum sativum L., cv. Garde) was investigated. The germination was significantly inhibited already by the lowest concentration (0.05 μmol l⁻¹) of FLT and phFLT, while Basagran caused inhibition only in higher concentrations (35 and 50 nmol l⁻¹). The growth of roots was significantly inhibited by higher concentration 5 μmol l⁻¹ of both FLT and phFLT and the shoot of seedlings was significantly influenced only by photomodified form. The length of root and shoot was inhibited already by concentration 5 nmol l⁻¹ of Basagran. Organic compounds applied on chloroplasts suspension influenced primary photochemical processes of photosynthesis. In chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, the significant increase of F₀ values and the decrease of F_V/F_M and Φ_II values by application of FLT (0.5 and 5 μmol l⁻¹) and phFLT (0.05, 0.5 and 5 μmol l⁻¹) was recorded. The maximum capacity of PSII (F_V/F_M) was influenced by the highest (50 nmol l⁻¹) and the effective quantum yield of PSII (Φ_II) already by the lowest (5 nmol l⁻¹) concentration of Basagran. Hill reaction activity decreased and was significantly inhibited by higher concentration (0.5 and 5 μmol l⁻¹) of FLT and phFLT and already by the lowest concentration (5 nmol l⁻¹) of Basagran.     

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme: identifying chemical risks to top predators in Britain

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) is a long term (>40 y), UK-wide, exposure monitoring scheme that determines the concentration of selected pesticides and pollutants in the livers and eggs of predatory birds. This paper describes how the PBMS works, and in particular highlights some of the key scientific and policy drivers for monitoring contaminants in predatory birds and describes the specific aims, scope, and methods of the PBMS. We also present previously unpublished data that illustrates how the PBMS has been used to demonstrate the success of mitigation measures in reversing chemical-mediated impacts; identify and evaluate chemical threats to species of high conservation value; and finally to inform and refine monitoring methodologies. In addition, we discuss how such schemes can also address wider conservation needs.     

Growth performance of planted mangroves in the Philippines: revisiting forest management strategies

The effort toward restoring lost mangroves in the Philippines has been commendably immense, specifically during the past two decades. In light of such, it is important to evaluate outcomes and, where appropriate, apply the lessons learned to the current strategies in mangrove forest management. This article synthesizes the results from several research projects assessing the performance of planted mangroves across the country. Overall, there is a widespread tendency to plant mangroves in areas that are not the natural habitat of mangroves, converting mudflats, sandflats, and seagrass meadows into often monospecific Rhizophora mangrove forests. In these nonmangrove areas, the Rhizophora seedlings experienced high mortality. Of the few that survived (often through persistent and redundant replanting), the young Rhizophora individuals planted in these nonmangrove and often low intertidal zones had dismally stunted growth relative to the corresponding growth performance of individuals thriving at the high intertidal position and natural mangrove sites. From this evidence, this article argues that a more rational focus of the restoration effort should be the replanting of mangroves in the brackish-water aquaculture pond environments, the original habitat of mangroves. For such, a number of management options can be explored, the implementation of which will ultimately depend on the political will of local and national governments.     

Warming and drought change trace element bioaccumulation patterns in a Mediterranean shrubland

A field experiment consisting of drought and warming manipulation was conducted in a Mediterranean shrubland dominated by the shrubs Erica multiflora and Globularia alypum. The aim was to investigate the effects of the climatic changes predicted by IPCC models for the coming decades on trace element concentration and accumulation in aboveground biomass, plant litter, and soil. Warming increased concentrations and aboveground accumulation of some trace elements related to plant root uptake, such as Al, As, Cr, Cu, and partially Pb. This effect was more general in E. multiflora than in G. alypum. The stronger effects were increases in Al leaf concentrations (42%) and aboveground accumulation (500gha(-1)) in E. multiflora, in As stem biomass accumulation (0.2gha(-1)) in E. multiflora, and in Cr leaf concentrations (51%) in G. alypum and stem aboveground accumulation in E. multiflora (1.1gha(-1)). These species-specific increases were related to greater retranslocation, photosynthetic capacity and growth in E. multiflora than in G. alypum. Warming decreased the concentrations of some trace elements in leaf litter, implying the existence of an increased leaf retranslocation. Drought increased As (40%) and Cd (55%) in E. multiflora stems, whereas it decreased Cu (50%) in leaves, Ni (28%) in stems and Pb (32%) in leaf litter of G. alypum. The increasing concentrations of some trace elements in E. multiflora and not in G. alypum were related to a greater growth reduction in E. multiflora than in G. alypum. Warming increased As soil solubility (67%) and decreased total soil As (21%). Those changes were related to a greater Fe mobilization in warming plot and to a greater plant capture. Drought increased Hg (350%) concentrations in soils but had no significant effects on trace element accumulation in aboveground biomass. The different response to warming and drought in the two dominant species implies uneven changes in the quality of the plant tissues that may have implications for herbivores. This may be specially important for the performance of the studied Mediterranean ecosystems under the warmer and drier conditions predicted by the next decades by the GCM and ecophysiological models.     

Complexation-flocculation of organic contaminants by the application of oxyhumolite-based humic organic matter

Control of hazardous organic micropollutants is a challenging water quality issue. Dissolved humic organic matter (DOM) isolated from oxyhumolite coal mined in Bohemia was investigated as a complexation agent to remove polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and functionalized phenols from water by a two-stage process involving complexation and flocculation. After the formation of humic-contaminant complexes, ferric salts were added resulting in the precipitation and flocculation of the DOM and the associated pollutants. Flocculation experiments with ferric ion coagulants indicated that precipitation of oxyhumolite DOM together with the complexed contaminants occurred at lower ferric ion concentrations than with the reference DOM in acidic environments (pH approximately 3.5). The complexation-flocculation removal rates for non-reactive PAHs characterized by small localization energies of pi-electrons correlated well with the complexation constants. On the other hand, the combined complexation-flocculation removal rates for activated PAHs including trans-stilbene, anthracene and 9-methyl anthracene, as well as functionalized polar phenols, were higher than predicted from the complexation coefficients. Methodological studies revealed for the first time that the ferric ion coagulant contributed to enhanced removal rates, most probably due to ferric ion-catalyzed pollutant degradation resulting in oxidized products.     

Role of blue green algae biofertilizer in ameliorating the nitrogen demand and fly-ash stress to the growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants

Rice is a major food crop throughout the world; however, accumulation of toxic metals and metalloids in grains in contaminated environments is a matter of growing concern. Field experiments were conducted to analyze the growth performance, elemental composition (Fe, Si, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd and As) and yield of the rice plants (Oryza sativa L. cv. Saryu-52) grown under different doses of fly-ash (FA; applied @ 10 and 100 tha(-1) denoted as FA(10) and FA(100), respectively) mixed with garden soil (GS) in combination with nitrogen fertilizer (NF; applied @ 90 and 120 kg ha(-1) denoted as NF(90) and NF(120), respectively) and blue green algae biofertilizer (BGA; applied @ 12.5 kg ha(-1) denoted as BGA(12.5)). Significant enhancement of growth was observed in the plants growing on amended soils as compared to GS and best response was obtained in amendment of FA(10)+NF(90)+BGA(12.5). Accumulation of Si, Fe, Zn and Mn was higher than Cu, Cd, Ni and As. Arsenic accumulation was detected only in FA(100) and its amendments. Inoculation of BGA(12.5) caused slight reduction in Cd, Ni and As content of plants as compared to NF(120) amendment. The high levels of stress inducible non-protein thiols (NP-SH) and cysteine in FA(100) were decreased by application of NF and BGA indicating stress amelioration. Study suggests integrated use of FA, BGA and NF for improved growth, yield and mineral composition of the rice plants besides reducing the high demand of nitrogen fertilizers.     

Enhancement of the CO(2) retention capacity of X zeolites by Na- and Cs-treatments

Adsorption of carbon dioxide on alkaline modified X zeolites was investigated by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) analysis of these materials previously saturated with CO(2) at 50, 100 and 200 degrees C. Parent X zeolite (in its sodium form) was treated with different sodium and cesium aqueous solutions, using both carbonates and hydroxides as precursors. The resulting materials were characterised by nitrogen physisorption, XRD, and NH(3)-TPD, in order to determine their morphological, crystallographic and chemical properties. Slight desilication phenomena were observed using hydroxides as precursors, whereas the treatment with Cs salts lead to higher crystallinity losses. Several successive adsorption-desorption cycles were carried out in order to check the regenerability of the adsorbents. Cesium-treated zeolites present higher carbon dioxide retention capacities than the sodium treated and than the parent material. When working with these Cs-modified materials, the desorption takes place mainly at temperatures between 250 and 400 degrees C, results of great practical interest, since it allows the use these kinds of materials for adsorption-desorption cycles. The evolution of the retention capacity with temperature is also markedly more positive for Cs-treated zeolite, especially when carbonate is used as the precursor. These materials maintain high retention capacities at 100 degrees C (10mg g(-1)) and even at 200 degrees C (3mg g(-1)), temperatures at which the most of the adsorbents are inactive.     

Multiscale analysis of heavy metal contents in Spanish agricultural topsoils

This study characterized and mapped the spatial variability patterns of seven topsoil heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg and Cd) within the Ebro river basin (9.3 million ha) by Multivariate Factorial Kriging. The variograms and cross-variograms of heavy metal concentrations showed the presence of multiscale variation that was modeled using three variogram models with ranges of 20km (short-range), 100km (medium-range) and 225km (long-range). Our results indicate that the heavy metal concentration is influenced by bedrock composition and dynamics at all the spatial scales, while human activities have a notorious effect only at the short- and medium-range scale of variation. Sources of Cu, Pb and Zn (and secondary Cd) are associated with agricultural practices (at the short-range scale of variation), whereas Hg variation at the short- and medium-range scale of variation is related to atmospheric deposition.