Green exercise in the UK countryside: Effects on health and psychological well-being,and implications for policy and planning

There is evidence that contact with the natural environment and green space promotes good health. It is also well known that participation in regular physical activity generates physical and psychological health benefits. The authors have hypothesised that ‘green exercise’ will improve health and psychological well-being, yet few studies have quantified these effects. This study measured the effects of 10 green exercise case studies (including walking, cycling, horse-riding, fishing, canal-boating and conservation activities) in four regions of the UK on 263 participants. Even though these participants were generally an active and healthy group, it was found that green exercise led to a significant improvement in self-esteem and total mood disturbance (with anger-hostility, confusion-bewilderment, depression-dejection and tension-anxiety all improving post-activity). Self-esteem and mood were found not to be affected by the type, intensity or duration of the green exercise, as the results were similar for all 10 case studies. Thus all these activities generated mental health benefits, indicating the potential for a wider health and well-being dividend from green exercise. Green exercise thus has important implications for public and environmental health, and for a wide range of policy sectors.     

Measuring bed shear stress along vegetated river beds using FST-hemispheres

The measurement of the bed shear stress along vegetated river beds is essential for accurately predicting the water level, velocity and solute and sediment transport fluxes in computational hydroenvironmental models. Details are given herein of an experimental and theoretical study to determine the bed boundary shear stress along vegetated river beds introducing a novel field measuring method, namely the FliessWasserStammtisch (FST)-hemispheres. Although investigations have been conducted previously for sedimentary channels using the FST-hemispheres, this preliminary study is thought to be the first time that such hemispheres have been used to investigate the bed shear stresses in vegetated channels. FST-hemispheres were first developed by Statzner and Müller [1989. Standard hemispheres as indicators of flow characteristics in lotic benthos research. Freshwater Biology 21, 445-459] to act as an integrated indicator of the gross hydrodynamic stresses present near the bed. Test and validation data were found to be at least of the same order of magnitude for the stresses predicted from literature for sedimentary channels, with this study establishing the commencement of a database of calibrated FST-hemisphere laboratory data for vegetated channel beds. In a series of experiments, depths ranging from 0.1 to 0.28m were considered, equating directly to comparable conditions in small rivers or streams. The results of this study provide a basis for enabling the FST-hemispheres to be used to evaluate the boundary shear stress for a wider range of applications in the future, including vegetated river beds.     

Particulate matter concentration in ambient air and its effects on lung functions among residents in the National Capital Region, India

The World Health Organization has estimated that air pollution is responsible for 1.4 % of all deaths and 0.8 % of disability-adjusted life years. NOIDA, located at the National Capital Region, India, was declared as one of the critically air-polluted areas by the Central Pollution Control Board of the Government of India. Studies on the relationship of reduction in lung functions of residents living in areas with higher concentrations of particulate matter (PM) in ambient air were inconclusive since the subjects of most of the studies are hospital admission cases. Very few studies, including one from India, have shown the relationship of PM concentration and its effects of lung functions in the same location. Hence, a cross-sectional study was undertaken to study the effect of particulate matter concentration in ambient air on the lung functions of residents living in a critically air-polluted area in India. PM concentrations in ambient air (PM_1, PM_2.5) were monitored at residential locations and identified locations with higher (NOIDA) and lower concentrations (Gurgaon). Lung function tests (FEV₁, PEFR) were conducted using a spirometer in 757 residents. Both air monitoring and lung function tests were conducted on the same day. Significant negative linear relationship exists between higher concentrations of PM₁ with reduced FEV₁ and increased concentrations of PM_2.5 with reduced PEFR and FEV₁. The study shows that reductions in lung functions (PEFR and FEV₁) can be attributed to higher particulate matter concentrations in ambient air. Decline in airflow obstruction in subjects exposed to high PM concentrations can be attributed to the fibrogenic response and associated airway wall remodeling. The study suggests the intervention of policy makers and stake holders to take necessary steps to reduce the emissions of PM concentrations, especially PM_1, PM_2.5, which can lead to serious respiratory health concerns in residents.     

Seasonal variation in heavy metal contamination in water and sediments of river Sabarmati and Kharicut canal at Ahmedabad, Gujarat

The objective of the study is to reveal the seasonal variations in the river water and sediment quality with respect to heavy metal contamination. To get the extent of trace metals contamination, water and sediment samples were collected from five different sites along the course of Sabarmati River and its tributary Kharicut canal in pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The concentration of trace metals such as chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc was determined using inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. The concentrations of heavy metals were found to be higher in the pre-monsoon season than in the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in water samples. The pollution load index, contamination factor and degree of contamination (C _d) in sediments were calculated to know the extent of anthropogenic pressures. The values of C _d clearly indicated very high degree of contamination at Kharicut canal (S-4: 32.25 and S-5: 54.52) and considerable degree of contamination at three sites of Sabarmati river viz; S-1, S-2 and S-3 with values 14.30, 14.42 and 17.21, respectively. Lead and nickel could not be traced in any of the river water samples.     

Biophysical and socioeconomic characterization of a water-stressed area and simulating agri-production estimates and land use planning under normal and extreme climatic events: a case study

This study aims in linking the biophysical and socioeconomic data base layers with the technical coefficients or simulation models for agri-production estimates and land use planning under normal and extreme climatic events, and exploring the resource and inputs management options in village Shikohpur, Gurgaon district located in the northwest part of India. The socioeconomic profile of Shikohpur is highly skewed with mostly small and marginal farmers. Though the areas under wheat in Shikohpur are increasing, the productivity is declining or remaining stagnant over the years. Most of the area during kharif season (June-September) remains fallow. Pearl millet based cropping systems (pearl millet-mustard and pearl millet-wheat) are predominant. Soils are mostly loamy sand to sandy loam with average of 70-80% sand content. Organic C content in soil is less than 0.3%, due to high prevailing temperature with little rainfall and also intensive agriculture followed in this region. Though the annual average seasonal rainfall in Gurgaon did not have much variation over the years, occurrence of extreme climate events has increased in the last two decades. The crop intensity is low and the water table is declining. Water and nitrogen production functions were developed for the important crops of the region, for their subsequent use in scheduling of the inputs. InfoCrop, WTGROWS and technical coefficients were used for crop planning and resource management under climate change and its variability, extreme events, limited resource availability and crop intensification. These will help in disseminating necessary agro-advisories to the farmers so that they will be able to manipulate the inputs and agronomic management practices for sustained agricultural production under normal as well as extreme climatic conditions.     

Impact assessment of subsurface drainage on waterlogged and saline lands

Waterlogging and salinity due to seepage from canals have polluted land and environment in various parts of Pakistan. A sustainable environment requires urgent remedial measures for this problem. The research in this paper presents the impacts of the Fourth Drainage Project, Faisalabad on the twin problem of waterlogging and salinity. Monitoring of the project was made on regular basis. The key performance indicators for the project include the lowering of water table, improvement of water quality and soil salinity, increase in area under cultivation, cropping intensity, and socioeconomic status of the project population. Data regarding water levels and discharge from the drain pipes were collected to monitor the impact on waterlogging. Soil samples were tested to evaluate the impact of drainage on land. It has been found that the percentage of the contaminated land in the project area has considerably been decreased, while the cropping intensities have been increased.     

Ions species size distribution in particulate matter associated with VOCs and meteorological conditions over an urban region

Airborne particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1) and volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, m,p-xylene, o-xylene) samples were collected during winter and summer seasons of 2005 at two sites, representing an urban and a suburban region of the Greater Athens Area. Urban site traffic emissions were the major contributor to the concentration of PM2.5, PM10, toluene, and xylenes, while benzene and PM1 concentrations were presented in significant spatial variations. K+, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NO3-, Cl- and SO42- ions were analyzed for the chemical characterization of the collected PM samples. The results showed that Na+ cations and SO42- anions were the dominant species, during winter and summer, respectively, in both sites. The analysis of the synoptic scale and mesoscale atmospheric circulation during the experimental periods demonstrated that the meteorological conditions play a key role, not only in the variation but also in the distribution of the ionic concentrations at the three fractions of particulates and the dominant character (alkaline/acidic/neutral) of the particulates at the two sampling sites.