ARCGIS‐SWAT: A GEODATA MODEL AND GIS INTERFACE FOR SWAT1

This paper presents ArcGIS‐SWAT, a geodata model and geographic information system (GIS) interface for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The ArcGIS‐SWAT data model is a system of geodatabases that store SWAT geographic, numeric, and text input data and results in an organized fashion. Thus, it is proposed that a single and comprehensive geodatabase be used as the repository of a SWAT simulation. The ArcGIS‐SWAT interface uses programming objects that conform to the Component Object Model (COM) design standard, which facilitate the use of functionality of other Windows‐based applications within ArcGIS‐SWAT. In particular, the use of MS Excel and MATLAB functionality for data analysis and visualization of results is demonstrated. Likewise, it is proposed to conduct hydrologic model integration through the sharing of information with a not‐model‐specific hub data model where information common to different models can be stored and from which it can be retrieved. As an example, it is demonstrated how the Hydrologic Modeling System (HMS) ‐ a computer application for flood analysis ‐ can use information originally developed by ArcGIS‐SWAT for SWAT. The application of ArcGIS‐SWAT to the Seco Creek watershed in Texas is presented.     

Economic evaluation of sewage treatment processes in India

This paper evaluates the total annual cost including capital and operation and maintenance (O&M) costs for the up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and waste stabilization pond (WSP) systems operated in India. It also compares UASB and WSP systems with the activated sludge process (ASP) and biological aerated filter (BAF) systems in terms of total annual cost and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal cost by assuming various annual interest rates and land prices. It was found that the relationship between capital and O&M costs per unit size of a UASB or WSP system and its treatment capacity can be established by a first-order equation. The relation between the cost of organic removal and capital or O&M cost for various sewage treatment systems at various annual interest rates revealed that, for the Indian context, UASB could be the most suitable option in terms of expenses and treatment efficiency.     

Assessing the impact of ambient ozone on growth and productivity of two cultivars of wheat in India using three rates of application of ethylenediurea (EDU)

Three rates of ethylenediurea were used to assess the impact of ambient ozone on growth and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L) cultivars "Malviya 533" (M 533) and "Malviya 234" (M 234) at a suburban site near Varanasi, India, beginning in December. Wheat plants were treated with EDU at 0, 150, 300 and 450 ppm as soil drenches at 10-day intervals. EDU treatment affected plant growth, with effects varying with cultivar, age, and EDU concentration. Seed yield was improved for M 533 at 150 ppm EDU, while yield improved for M 234 at 300 and 450 ppm EDU. M 533 appears to be more resistant to ozone than M 234. Overall results confirmed that EDU is very useful in assessing the effect of ambient ozone in India.     

A correlative study on liver glycogen and endosulfan toxicity in Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch.)

The biochemical tests were conducted to find out the relationship between liver glycogen and endosulfan toxicity on a catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch.) using 0.00075, 0.00050 and 0.000375 ppm concentrations for 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of exposure periods. The quantity of liver glycogen showed decreasing trend as concentration of toxicant increased. The depletion in glycogen contents is greatly affiliated to cellular damage in hepatic cells.     

Development of ground vegetation under exotic tree plantations on restored coal mine spoil land in a dry tropical region of India

Restoration of mine spoil is a prime need for coal industry. The study of ground cover vegetation provides essential information about the species diversity and their successional trends during the restoration. The present study was conducted to analyze the structure and biomass accumulation of ground vegetation developing in different plantation stands of an opencast coal mine spoil in a dry tropical region. Different plantation stands showed variations in species diversities. Exotic herbs were more dominant in comparison to native herbs. Pennisetum pedicillatum, an exotic herb showed maximum Importance Value Index in most of the plantation stands. Total number of species varied between 12-18 in different plantation stands. Speces richness and evenness increased with increasing age of the plantations. Variations in total biomass accumulation of ground vegetation were also significant among different plantations. These results suggest that reforestation programme with exotic species on coal mine spoil has been successful in colonization of ground vegetation under different plantations. Gravellia pteridifolia plantations showed most successful ground cover among different plantation stands.     

Response of two cultivars of Triticum aestivum L. to simulated acid rain

The present experiment was aimed at assessing the impact of simulated acidic precipitation (SAR) on growth, biomass accumulation and yield of two cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Malviya 206 and 234, varying in cuticular thickness and leaf area. Wheat cultivars were exposed to simulated rain acidified to pH 5.6 (control), 5.0, 4.5, 4.0 and 3.0 from 30 days of age, twice a week for five weeks. The plants received ambient precipitation of unknown acidity, as well as the acid rain treatments. Growth parameters such as shoot height, root length, and leaf area were reduced significantly in treated plants at different growth stages. Above and below-ground biomass also decreased significantly in the plants treated with acidic precipitation. Relative to control, the number of grains per plant and yield per m(2) declined significantly at all SAR treatments. The hypothesis that the variety with thinner cuticle and greater leaf area would be more susceptible to acidic precipitation was not supported by the present study.     

Role of ethylene diurea (EDU) in assessing impact of ozone on Vigna radiata L. plants in a suburban area of Allahabad (India)

A field study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of ethylene diurea (N-[2-(2-oxo-1-imidazolidinyl)ethyl]-N'-phenylurea; EDU) in assessing the impact of O3 on mung bean plants (Vigna radiata L. var. Malviya Jyoti) grown in suburban area of Allahabad city situated in a dry tropical region of India. EDU is a synthetic chemical having anti-ozonant property. Mean monthly O3 concentration varied between 64 and 69 microg m(-3) during the experimental period. In comparison to EDU-treated plants, non-EDU-treated plants showed significant reductions in plant growth and yield under ambient conditions. Significant favourable effects of EDU-application were observed with respect to photosynthetic pigments, soluble protein, ascorbic acid and phenol contents. EDU-treated plants maintained higher levels of pigments, protein and ascorbic acid in foliage as compared to non-EDU-treated ones. The study clearly demonstrated that EDU alleviates the unfavourable effects of O3 on mung bean plants, and therefore can be used as a tool to assess the growth and yield losses in areas having higher O3 concentrations.     

Effects of the level of dietary protein on the toxicity of hexachlorocyclohexane in rats

Male albino rats were fed for 28 days from weaning on diets containing 5% (group 1), 10% (group 2) and 21% (group 3, normal protein) protein as casein. At the end of dietary period, HCH was administered daily for 30 days to investigate the interaction between protein deficiency and pesticide toxicity. The results indicated that rats fed a lower protein diet and HCH had a higher mortality, lower rate of growth, increased liver weight and deposition of the pesticide in blood and tissues in larger amounts. Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) was significantly increased and the heart rate showed tachycardia in low protein exposed animals. A significant increase of total lipids, cholesterol, triglycirides, free fatty acids in serum and tissues of animals exposed to low protein was observed. A close correlation existed between lipid accumulation and storage of HCH in tissues and dietary protein seemed to play an important role in detoxification.