Application of SWAT with and without Variable Source Area Hydrology to a Large Watershed

In this study, two different versions of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model were used to simulate the hydrology and biogeochemical response of the Cannonsville Reservoir watershed, in New York. The first version distributes overland flow in ways that are consistent with variable source area (VSA) hydrology driven by saturation excess runoff, whereas the second version is the standard version of SWAT. These two models were each calibrated for streamflow (Flow), particulate phosphorus (PP), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), and sediment (Sed) against measured data from the 1,200 km² Cannonsville watershed. The standard version of the model yielded an r² between the measured and simulated data of 0.85, 0.73, 0.70, and 0.72 for Flow, Sed, TDP, and PP, respectively. The VSA version yielded an r² of 0.84, 0.69, 0.72, and 0.53 for Flow, Sed, TDP, and PP, respectively. The two models were then used to determine the maximum upper bound on the reduction in phosphorus loading by removing all of the corn in the watershed. The average reductions between the two models were 65 and 37% for PP and TDP, respectively. The VSA version was also used to estimate the effect of moving corn land in the watershed from the wettest, most runoff prone areas to the driest, least runoff prone areas, which cannot be done directly with the standard SWAT model.     

Agroecosystem energy transitions in the old and new worlds: trajectories and determinants at the regional scale

Energy efficiency in biomass production is a major challenge for a future transition to sustainable food and energy provision. This study uses methodologically consistent data on agroecosystem energy flows and different metrics of energetic efficiency from seven regional case studies in North America (USA and Canada) and Europe (Spain and Austria) to investigate energy transitions in Western agroecosystems from the late nineteenth to the late twentieth centuries. We quantify indicators such as external final energy return on investment (EFEROI, i.e., final produce per unit of external energy input), internal final EROI (IFEROI, final produce per unit of biomass reused locally), and final EROI (FEROI, final produce per unit of total inputs consumed). The transition is characterized by increasing final produce accompanied by increasing external energy inputs and stable local biomass reused. External inputs did not replace internal biomass reinvestments, but added to them. The results were declining EFEROI, stable or increasing IFEROI, and diverging trends in FEROI. The factors shaping agroecosystem energy profiles changed in the course of the transition: Under advanced organic and frontier agriculture of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, population density and biogeographic conditions explained both agroecosystem productivity and energy inputs. In industrialized agroecosystems, biogeographic conditions and specific socio-economic factors influenced trends towards increased agroecosystem specialization. The share of livestock products in a region’s final produce was the most important factor determining energy returns on investment.

     

Latitudinal patterns of shell thickness and metabolism in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica along the east coast of North America

The goal of this study was to quantify growth and metabolic responses of oysters to increased temperatures like those that will occur due to global warming. Impact of temperature on eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) shell growth and metabolism was investigated by sampling 24 sites along the eastern North American seaboard ranging from New Brunswick, Canada, to Florida, USA, in March and August 2013. There was a positive correlation between oyster shell thickness and site temperature. At southern sites, shells were up to 65 % thicker than at the northernmost site, likely due to higher precipitation of CaCO₃ in warmer water. This was supported by laboratory experiments showing that thicker shells were produced in response to temperatures 2, 4, and 6 °C above ambient seawater temperatures (8–14 °C) in Connecticut, USA. Field experiments with oyster respiration were conducted during winter and summer at 13 sites to compare responses to thermal stress with latitude. Respiration rates were much higher during summer than winter, but the combination of summer and winter data fell along the same exponential curve with respect to temperature. At all sites, temperature-specific metabolic rates at elevated temperatures were lower than predicted, indicating significant seasonal acclimatization by C. virginica.     

Assessment of trace metals using lichen transplant from automobile mechanic workshop in Ile-Ife metropolis,Nigeria

The level of air pollution around the automobile mechanic workshops has been generally overlooked. This study, examined the level of trace metals in automobile mechanic workshops and the suitability of using transplanted lichen thalli of Lepraria incana for measuring air pollution in such areas. Samples of the lichen thalli were transplanted into seven different sites and were attached to the bark of trees at each site. The samples were harvested from the sites after 3-month exposure. Concentrations of Pb, Cu, Cd, Fe, Zn, and S content were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results showed that there was a significant difference in the trace metals concentrations across the sites (p?<?0.05). The analyzed lichen samples showed a range of 91.26–119.35 ppm for Fe, 30.23–61.32 ppm for Zn, 1.25–2.45 ppm for Cu, 0.017–0.043 ppm for Cd, 0.018–0.051 ppm, and 0.37–0.42 ppm for S. From the study, sites 6 and 7 presented higher concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn than other sites. The enrichment factor calculated showed that Zn, Cd, and Pb were greatly enriched from the workshops. The trend in the concentration of these heavy metals suggests that activities in these workshops might become a major source of certain heavy metals in the environment and if the pollution activities persist, it might become worrisome over time.     

Monitoring seasonal bat activity on a coastal barrier island in Maryland, USA

Research on effects of wind turbines on bats has increased dramatically in recent years because of significant numbers of bats killed by rotating wind turbine blades. Whereas most research has focused on the Midwest and inland portions of eastern North America, bat activity and migration on the Atlantic Coast has largely been unexamined. We used three long-term acoustic monitoring stations to determine seasonal bat activity patterns on the Assateague Island National Seashore, a barrier island off the coast of Maryland, from 2005 to 2006. We recorded five species, including eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis), big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus), tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus), and silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans). Seasonal bat activity (number of bat passes recorded) followed a cosine function and gradually increased beginning in April, peaked in August, and declined gradually until cessation in December. Based on autoregressive models, inter-night bat activity was autocorrelated for lags of seven nights or fewer but varied among acoustic monitoring stations. Higher nightly temperatures and lower wind speeds positively affected bat activity. When autoregressive model predictions were fitted to the observed nightly bat pass totals, model residuals >2 standard deviations from the mean existed only during migration periods, indicating that periodic increases in bat activity could not be accounted for by seasonal trends and weather variables alone. Rather, the additional bat passes were attributable to migrating bats. We conclude that bats, specifically eastern red, hoary, and silver-haired bats, use this barrier island during migration and that this phenomenon may have implications for the development of near and offshore wind energy.     

Nutrient transport within three vegetative treatment areas receiving silage bunker runoff

Silage bunker runoff can be a very polluting substance and is increasingly being treated by vegetative treatment areas (VTAs), but little information exists regarding nutrient removal performance of systems receiving this wastewater. Nutrient transport through the shallow subsurface of three VTAs (i.e. one VTA at Farm WNY and two VTAs at Farm CNY) in glaciated soils containing a restrictive layer (i.e., fragipan) was assessed using a mass balance approach. At Farm WNY, the mass removal of ammonium was 63%, nitrate was 0%, and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) was 39%. At Farm CNY, the mass removal of ammonium was 79% in the West VTA, but nitrate and SRP increased by 200% and 533%, respectively. Mass removal of ammonium was 67% in the East VTA at Farm CNY; nitrate removal was 86% and SRP removal was 88%. The East VTA received a much higher nutrient loading, which was attributed to a malfunctioning low-flow collection apparatus within the settling basin. Results demonstrate that nutrient reduction mechanisms other than vegetative uptake can be significant within VTAs. Even though increases in nitrate mass were observed, concentrations in 1.65m deep wells indicated that groundwater impairment from leaching of nitrate was not likely. These results offer one of the first evaluations of VTAs treating silage bunker runoff, and highlight the importance of capturing concentrated low flows in VTA systems.     

CH4 emission model from the waste of Sus Domesticus and Gallus Domesticus in Nigerian local farms: environmental implications and prospects

The potential of CH₄ (methane) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based on a model of prevailing behavioural pattern of livestock waste management in Nigerian local farms was investigated in this paper. Livestock waste, from Sus domesticus, pig, and Gallus domesticus, poultry, were employed as substrates in the study which uses water from a fish rearing farm as the matrix medium to simulate wastewater pool/river environment. A substrate to fish-water ratio of 1:3 by mass was used in developed laboratory-size digesting reactor system with U-tube water displacement, to facilitate volumetric readings of gas production, for each mix of the livestock waste. Volumetric readings from these, at ambient temperature conditions in the retention time of 32 days, follow the Normal probability density function, in accordance with Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit criteria. These readings showed that CH₄-containing gas as high as 67.3?×?10^?3 dm³ was produced on the 14th day from the pig and 86.8?×?10^?3 dm³ on the 13th day from the poultry substrates. The overall CH₄-containing gas productions of 255.4?×?10^?3 dm³/kg and 323.58?×?10^?3 dm³/kg were observed for the pig and the poultry substrates, respectively. A 70% scale-up analysis, modelled from these results, for the nation yield potential emission of about 4 kg CH₄ (that could be as potent as 84 kg CO₂-equivalent) annually. The environmental implications on global warming and possible prospects of recoverable domestic benefits from the waste through the adoption of sustainable policy of livestock waste managements for mitigating the CH₄ emissions in Nigerian local farms are presented.     

NLRP3 inflammasome activation determines the fibrogenic potential of PM2.5 air pollution particles in the lung

Airborne fine particulate matter(PM_2.5) is known to cause respiratory inflammation such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung fibrosis. NLRP3 inflammasome activation has been implicated in these diseases; however, due to the complexity in PM_2.5compositions, it is difficult to differentiate the roles of the components in triggering this pathway. We collected eight real-life PM_2.5samples for a comparative analysis of their effects on NLRP3 inflammasome ...     

SOIL MOISTURE SENSORS FOR URBAN LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION: EFFECTIVENESS AND RELIABILITY1

ABSTRACT: Granular matrix soil moisture sensors were used to control urban landscape irrigation in Boulder, Colorado, during 1997. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of the technology for water conservation. The 23 test sites included a traffic median, a small city park, and 21 residential sites. The results were very good. The system limited actual applications to an average of 73 percent of the theoretical requirement. This resulted in an average saving of $331 per installed sensor. The sensors were highly reliable. All 23 sensors were placed in service at least three years prior to the 1997 study during earlier studies. Of these, only two had failed by the beginning of the 1997 study, both due to external factors. Including replacement of these failed sensors, the total repair cost for the 1997 irrigation season was less than $270. The effort required to maintain each system was small, only about 6–7 minutes per visit. Each site was visited weekly for this study, but less frequent visits could be made in practice. The sensors observed in this study performed well, significantly reduced water consumption, and were easy to monitor and maintain. Soil moisture sensors appear to be a useful and economical tool for urban water conservation.