Effects of copper fungicide residues on the microbial function of vineyard soils

The use of copper-based fungicides leads to an accumulation of copper (Cu) in vineyard soils, potentially causing adverse effects to the microbial function and fertility of the soil. This study used a soil microcosm approach to assess the effects of Cu accumulation on microbial function in vineyard soils. Surface soil samples were collected from 10 vineyards and a number of un-impacted reference sites in each of three different viticultural regions of Australia. The field-collected soils were transferred to microcosms and maintained for up to 93 days in the laboratory at 20–22 °C and 60 % of their maximum water-holding capacity. The microbial function of the soils was indicated by measuring phosphomonoesterase, arylsulfatase, urease, and phenol oxidase activities. In general, the vineyard soils had greater concentrations of Cu and lower enzyme activities than in the reference soils, although a weak negative relationship between Cu and enzyme activity could only be found for phosphomonoesterase activity. The results show that soil physical–chemical properties (i.e., organic carbon, pH) are greater determinants of soil enzyme activity than increased soil Cu concentration at the Cu concentrations present in vineyard soils.     

Snapshot of Vibrio parahaemolyticus densities in open and closed shellfish beds in Coastal South Carolina and Mississippi

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram negative, halophilic bacterium that is ubiquitous in warm, tropical waters throughout the world. It is a major cause of seafood-associated gastroenteritis and is generally associated with consumption of raw or undercooked seafood, especially oysters. This study presents a snapshot of total V. parahaemolyticus densities in surface waters and shellstock American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from open and closed shellfish harvesting areas, as well as “more rural areas” on two different US coasts, the Atlantic and the Gulf. Sampling was conducted from 2001 to 2003 at five sites near Charleston/Georgetown, SC and at four locations in the Gulfport/Pascagoula, MS area. V. parahaemolyticus numbers were determined by a direct plating method using an alkaline-phosphatase-labeled DNA probe targeting the species-specific thermolabile hemolysin gene (tlh) that was used for identification of bacterial isolates. The greatest difference between the two coasts was salinity; mean salinity in SC surface waters was 32.9 ppt, whereas the mean salinity in MS waters was 19.2 ppt, indicating more freshwater input into MS shellfish harvesting areas during the study period. The mean V. parahaemolyticus numbers in oysters were almost identical between the two states (567.4 vs. 560.1 CFU/g). Bacterial numbers in the majority of surface water samples from both states were at or below the limit of detection (LOD?=?<10 CFU/mL). The bacterial concentrations determined during this study predict a low public health risk from consumption of oysters in shellfish growing areas on either the Gulf or the Atlantic US coast.     

Application of a Sediment Quality Index to the Lower Laurentian Great Lakes

A sediment quality index (SQI) was developed using an equation incorporating three elements; scope--the % of variables that did not meet guidelines; area frequency--the % of failed tests divided by the total number of tests in a group of sites; and amplitude - the magnitude by which failed variables exceeded guidelines. The SQI calculation produces a numerical score with a maximum value of 100 representing the highest sediment quality. A modified SQI was also developed using only the scope and amplitude elements, which computed a score per site with no grouping. The SQI was applied to assessment of sediment quality in Lakes Erie and Ontario using Canadian Federal and Ontario Provincial guidelines for 34 compounds, Spatial trends in sediment quality in both lakes reflected overall trends for most individual contaminant classes, including mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls. In Lake Erie, there was a trend toward lower SQI values from the eastern basin to the western basin, and from the northern area to the southern area of the central basin. Sediment quality in the eastern basin and the northern area of the central basin was classified as excellent (>95); sediments in other areas of Lake Erie ranged from fair to good. In Lake Ontario, the poorest sediment quality was associated with the three major depositional basins; sediment quality among the three basins was quite consistent. The SQI values based on all three elements (scope, frequency and amplitude) for the Niagara basin. Mississauga Basin and Rochester Basin were 67 (fair), 65 (fair) and 70 (fair), respectively. Comparison of SQI values for all lower lake basins showed generally poorer sediment quality in Lake Ontario, compared to Lake Erie.     

Biotic Diversity of Natchez Trace State Forest, Western Tennessee

We carried out a multiple-scale assessment of biotic resources within Natchez Trace State Forest (NTSF) in western Tennessee, focusing on the relation between biotic communities and seven previously developed ecological land types (ELT, based on topography and soils). We wanted to test the functional ability of ELTs for biodiversity stewardship. Woody and herbaceous flora as well as herpetofauna and avifauna communities had substantial differences between upland and lowland forests. However, none of the faunal communities distinguished among upland ELTs. In addition, herbaceous taxa also failed to distinguish upland ELTs. The results suggest the present use of ELTs at NTSF will not be a helpful guide to land stewardship focusing on biodiversity. The disturbance history of the Forest and the mobility of animals are given as potential explanations for a poor relationship between abiotic ELTs and the resident biota.     

Saturated and Unsaturated Water Flow in Inclined Porous Media

This paper considers the two-dimensional saturated and unsaturated flow of water through inclined porous media, namely a waste dump or hill slope. Since the partial differential equation governing this water flow transforms from being parabolic to elliptic as the water flow varies from unsaturated to saturated, an iterative, finite differencing scheme is used to develop a numerical solution. The model can be used to investigate the effects that hill slope angle, depth of soil cover and hilltop width have on water accumulation in the dump and the time required for saturation to occur at different areas in the dump domain. The accuracy and reliability of the computer based solution is tested for two different boundary conditions – (1) no flow on all boundaries (i.e., the internal redistribution of soil moisture to steady state) and (2) a constant rainfall flux on the dump surface. Numerical studies then show the effects of changing the hill slope angle, depth of layer, and dump geometry on the flow characteristics in the dump.     

Featured Collection Introduction: Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters

Connectivity is a fundamental but highly dynamic property of watersheds. Variability in the types and degrees of aquatic ecosystem connectivity presents challenges for researchers and managers seeking to accurately quantify its effects on critical hydrologic, biogeochemical, and biological processes. However, protecting natural gradients of connectivity is key to protecting the range of ecosystem services that aquatic ecosystems provide. In this featured collection, we review the available evidence on connections and functions by which streams and wetlands affect the integrity of downstream waters such as large rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. The reviews in this collection focus on the types of waters whose protections under the U.S. Clean Water Act have been called into question by U.S. Supreme Court cases. We synthesize 40+ years of research on longitudinal, lateral, and vertical fluxes of energy, material, and biota between aquatic ecosystems included within the Act's frame of reference. Many questions about the roles of streams and wetlands in sustaining downstream water integrity can be answered from currently available literature, and emerging research is rapidly closing data gaps with exciting new insights into aquatic connectivity and function at local, watershed, and regional scales. Synthesis of foundational and emerging research is needed to support science‐based efforts to provide safe, reliable sources of fresh water for present and future generations.     

Positive perceptions of green and open space as predictors of neighbourhood quality of life: implications for urban planning across the city region

The provision of green and open space in the face of wider development pressure is a key urban challenge. Despite this, few studies have critically investigated the quality of life implications of such provision. This paper focuses on perceptions of built environment factors and their influence on neighbourhood quality of life. Data are drawn from a household survey questionnaire completed by 483 residents living in three neighbourhoods in Dublin, Ireland – an inner city neighbourhood, a suburb and a peri-urban settlement. Positive perceptions of green and open space were identified as important predictors of high levels of neighbourhood satisfaction, surpassed only by dwelling characteristics. This suggests that development strategies which fail to provide for properly planned green and open spaces may be detrimental to neighbourhood quality of life. Furthermore, the results suggest a need for design solutions which consider neighbourhood typology in achieving improved neighbourhood quality of life.     

Assessing Calibration Uncertainty and Automation for Estimating Evapotranspiration from Agricultural Areas Using METRIC

Agricultural irrigation accounts for a large fraction of the total water use in the western United States. The Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) remote sensing energy balance model is being used to estimate historical agricultural water use in western Nevada to evaluate basin‐wide water budgets. Each METRIC evapotranspiration (ET) estimate must be calibrated by a trained user, which requires some iterative time investment and results in variation in ET estimates between users. An automated calibration algorithm for the METRIC model was designed to generate ET estimates comparable to those from trained users by mimicking the manual calibration process. Automated calibration allows for rapid generation of METRIC ET estimates with minimal manual intervention, as well as uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of the model. The variation in ET estimates generated by the automated calibration algorithm was found to be similar to the variation in manual ET estimates. Results indicate that uncertainty was highest for fields with low ET levels and lowest for fields with high ET levels, with a seasonal mean uncertainty of approximately 5% for all fields. In addition, in a blind comparison, automated daily and seasonal ET estimates compared well with flux tower measurement ET data at multiple sites. Automated methods can generate first‐order ET estimates that are similar to time intensive manual efforts with less time investment.     

Dam Design can Impede Adaptive Management of Environmental Flows: A Case Study from the Opuha Dam, New Zealand

The Opuha Dam was designed for water storage, hydropower, and to augment summer low flows. Following its commissioning in 1999, algal blooms (dominated first by Phormidium and later Didymosphenia geminata) downstream of the dam were attributed to the reduced frequency and magnitude of high-flow events. In this study, we used a 20-year monitoring dataset to quantify changes associated with the dam. We also studied the effectiveness of flushing flows to remove periphyton from the river bed. Following the completion of the dam, daily maximum flows downstream have exceeded 100 m³ s^?1 only three times; two of these floods exceeded the pre-dam mean annual flood of 203 m³ s^?1 (compared to 19 times >100 m³ s^?1 and 6 times >203 m³ s^?1 in the 8 years of record before the dam). Other changes downstream included increases in water temperature, bed armoring, frequency of algal blooms, and changes to the aquatic invertebrate community. Seven experimental flushing flows resulted in limited periphyton reductions. Flood wave attenuation, bed armoring, and a shortage of surface sand and gravel, likely limited the effectiveness of these moderate floods. Floods similar to pre-dam levels may be effective for control of periphyton downstream; however, flushing flows of that magnitude are not possible with the existing dam infrastructure. These results highlight the need for dams to be planned and built with the capacity to provide the natural range of flows for adaptive management, particularly high flows.