Eco‐hydraulic Evaluation of a Whitewater Park as a Fish Passage Barrier

Whitewater parks (WWPs) typically consist of instream structures that enhance recreational boating by constricting flow into a steep chute that generates a hydraulic jump in a downstream pool. Concerns have been raised that high velocities resulting from WWPs may be inhibiting fish movement during critical life stages. We evaluated the effects of WWPs on upstream fish passage by concurrently monitoring fish movement and hydraulic conditions at three WWP structures and three adjacent natural control (CR) sites in a wadeable river in northern Colorado. Fish movement was tracked with a network of Passive Integrated Transponder antennas over a 14‐month period. Individual fishes (n = 1,639), including brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), were tagged and released within WWP and CR sites. Detailed hydraulic conditions occurring during the study period were evaluated with a fully 3D model. Results reveal the WWPs monitored in this study are not a complete barrier to upstream salmonid movement, but differences in passage efficiency from release location range from 29 to 44% in WWP sites and 37 to 63% for CR sites and the suppression of movement is related to body length. Small numbers of monitored nonsalmonids were inadequate to directly observe effects on their movement; however, it is highly probable that movement of smaller native fishes is also suppressed. Hydraulic modeling helps in the design of WWP structures that protect fish passage.     

Column studies to investigate the fate of veterinary antibiotics in clay soils following slurry application to agricultural land

The environment may be exposed to veterinary medicines administered to livestock due to the application of organic fertilisers to land. For other groups of substances that are applied to agricultural land (e.g. pesticides), preferential flow in underdrained clay soils has been identified as an extremely important pathway by which pollution of surface waters can occur. Three soil column leaching experiments have therefore been carried out using a clay soil to investigate the fate of a range of antibiotics from the sulphonamide, tetracycline and macrolide groups. These column studies complemented a range of other experiments at the field and semi-field scales, as well as modelling studies which are being reported in separate papers. Each column study had a different objective. The first examined the effect of pig slurry on the mobility of antibiotics in clay loam soil. The second experiment investigated changes in soil water pH due to the application of slurry. The final experiment quantified the extent to which soil tillage prior to slurry application can reduce the leaching of antibiotic residues found in slurry. It was found that slurry had no impact on the leaching of oxytetracycline although soil water pH was affected significantly by slurry application. It was also shown that pre-tillage can substantially reduce the leaching of antibiotic residues through macroporous clay soils.     

The impact of Local Authorities’ interventions on household waste collection: A case study approach using time series modelling

At a local Government level there have been many interventions and changes made to household waste collection services to meet new regulatory requirements. These changes include separate collection of recyclable and organic materials. This paper has used a time series model to quantify the success of interventions introduced by a LA.The case study was a medium sized UK LA, Charnwood Borough Council (CBC), the research analyses monthly data of quantities of recyclates, garden waste for composting and residual waste for landfill disposal. The time series model was validated with a five year data set and used to measure the impacts of the various changes to identify which intervention was the most successful, while controlling for season and number of working days. The results show the interventions analysed both had abrupt and permanent positive impacts on the yield of recyclable materials, and a corresponding negative impact on the residual waste.The model could be added to the National data base to help LAs to compare interventions and to understand which schemes encourage householder participation and improve recycling performance.     

Lipids in atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) eggs from planktonic samples in Northern Norway

Fertilized Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) eggs in different developmental stages (Days 0 to 18) were sampled from plankton in North Norway in February 1986 and analysed for lipid classes and fatty acid content. In unfertilized ovulated eggs taken from ripe fish caught in 1983/1984, polar and neutral lipids comprised ca. 71 and 30% of the total lipids, respectively, decreasing and increasing to 67 and 33%, respectively, in Stage III (11 to 18 d old) fertilized eggs. Of the polar lipids, phosphatidylcholine decreased markedly from 62% in unfertilized ovulated eggs to ca. 40% in Stage I (0 to 3 d old) fertilized eggs, while phosphatidylethanolamine increased from ca. 7 to 33%. Triacylglycerols, the major neutral lipids, increased from ca. 13% in unfertilized ovulated eggs to 16% in Stage III fertilized eggs. The total lipid in Stage I fertilized eggs had relatively low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), with (n-3) PUFA accounting for only ca. 25% of the total fatty acids. The (n-3) PUFA increased to ca. 40% of the total fatty acids in Stage III, while the (n-3): (n-6) ratio increased from 4.1 to 7.0.     

Mapping Conflicts Between Biodiversity and Human Needs in Langtang National Park, Nepal

We mapped areas of congruence and conflict between the objectives of protecting red pandas ( Ailurus fulgens ) and meeting the claims and needs of people who live in and around Langtang National Park, Nepal. Semi-structured interviews were used to solicit information on land-use practices, and spatial information technology (sketch maps, satellite images, geographical information systems) was used to place these practices in a spatial context and to model the effects of grazing. Spatial information technology was useful for delineating areas where conflicts occur between the objectives of preserving biodiversity and meeting the needs of local residents. Despite the fact that villagers recognize pasture boundaries, rules and regulations govern pasture management, and sanctions are imposed on violators, over 60% of the red panda's habitat is heavily grazed, and all available land within the study site suitable for grazing is already being used. The study suggests that common property management of natural resources to protect biodiversity (i.e., red pandas) and meet the needs of local people at the same time will be difficult.     

Prenatal diagnosis of Pompe's disease (type ii glycogenosis) in chorionic villus biopsy using maltose as a substrate

Uncultured trophoblasts obtained from chorionic villus biopsy during the gestation period of 8–12 weeks were assayed for alpha-glucosidase activity using maltose as the substrate. Only one major form of maltase activity with a pH optimum at 4.0 was demonstrated. Using this method, we performed prenatal diagnosis on three pregnancies at risk for the infantile form of type II glycogen storage disease. Two affected fetuses and one unaffected fetus were predicted and the diagnosis was subsequently confirmed. The maltose assay offered a direct, simple, and sensitive method for prenatal diagnosis of Pompe's disease in the first trimester.