Ecological-breaking zone originates and its ecosystems reconstruction in arid area

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ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS AND POLLUTION EFFECTS IN AN OZARK CAVE STREAM1

ABSTRACT: Subterranean ecosystems harbor globally rare fauna and important water resources, but ecological processes are poorly understood and are threatened by anthropogenic stresses. Ecosystem analyses were conducted from 1997 to 2000 in Cave Springs Cave, Arkansas, situated in a region of intensive land use, to determine the degree of habitat degradation and viability of endangered fauna. Organic matter budgeting quantified energy flux and documented the dominant input as dissolved organic matter and not gray bat guano (Myotis grisescens). Carbon/nitrogen stable isotope analyses described a trophic web of Ozark cavefish (Amblyopsis rosae) that primarily consumed cave isopods (Caecidotea stiladactyla), which in turn appeared to consume benthic matter originating from a complex mixture of soil, leaf litter, and anthropogenic wastes. Septic leachate, sewage sludge, and cow manure were suspected to augment the food web and were implicated in environmental degradation. Water, sediment, and animal tissue analyses detected excess nutrients, fecal bacteria, and toxic concentrations of metals. Community assemblage may have been altered: sensitive species‐grotto salamanders (Typhlotriton spelaeus) and stygobro‐mid amphipods—were not detected, while more resilient isopods flourished. Reduction of septic and agricultural waste inputs may be necessary to restore ecosystem dynamics in this cave ecosystem to its former undisturbed condition.     

Denitrification Distributions in Four Valley and Ridge Riparian Ecosystems

/ Denitrification in riparian ecosystems can reduce the amount ofnitrogen transported from farm fields to streams. In this study, we examinedenitrification in four riparian ecosystems common to the Valley and Ridgephysiographic province in Pennsylvania, USA. The sites exhibit differentvegetation, are underlain by different rock types, and are downgradient offarm fields. Mean site denitrification rates ranging from 0.6 to 1.9 &mgr;gN/kg soil/day were measured using intact core incubation techniques. Thethree riparian sites covered with grass each exhibited greaterdenitrification rates than the wooded site. Denitrification rate wascorrelated with moisture content but not with nitrate-N or organic carboncontents. Denitrification rates were greatest near the soil surface and atpositions nearest the stream. Rates decreased uniformly with distance awayfrom the stream and also with depth in the soil for each site. While patternsof nitrate-N, moisture, and organic carbon content differ among the sites,their combined effects on denitrification support the observed, consistentdenitrification rate pattern.KEY WORDS: Denitrification; Riparian ecosystems     

DEVELOPMENT OF EMPIRICAL,GEOGRAPHICALLY SPECIFIC WATER QUALITY CRITERIA: A CONDITIONAL PROBABILITY ANALYSIS APPROACH1

The need for scientifically defensible water quality standards for nonpoint source pollution control continues to be a pressing environmental issue. The probability of impact at differing levels of nonpoint source pollution was determined using the biological response of instream organisms empirically obtained from a statistical survey. A conditional probability analysis was used to calculate a biological threshold of impact as a function of the likelihood of exceeding a given value of pollution metric for a specified geographic area. Uncertainty and natural variability were inherently incorporated into the analysis through the use of data from a probabilistic survey. Data from wadable streams in the mid‐Atlantic area of the U.S. were used to demonstrate the approach. Benthic macroinvertebrate community index values (EPT taxa richness) were used to identify impacted stream communities. Percent fines in substrate (silt/clay fraction, > 0.06 mm) were used as a surrogate indicator for sedimentation. Thresholds of impact due to sedimentation were identified by three different techniques, and were in the range of 12 to 15 percent fines. These values were consistent with existing literature from laboratory and field studies on the impact of sediments on aquatic life in freshwater streams. All results were different from values determined from current regulatory guidance. Finally, it was illustrated how these thresholds could be used to develop criterion for protection of aquatic life in streams.     

Geochemical distribution,bioavailability and potential toxicity of some trace metals in a complex micro-tidal estuary,Southwest India

The spatial and temporal variations of some trace metals in the surface sediments of Cochin Estuary were analyzed along with their geochemical associations to identify the possible sources, bioavailability and the health risks posed by them. The dominance of kaolinite and suggested that clay minerals distribution is influenced by sediment sorting. Total metal analysis revealed enrichment for Cd, Pb and Zn due to anthropogenic activities. The speciation analysis established that notwithstanding the large availability, carbonate as well as organic and sulfides bound fractions showed negligible associations with most of the metals. Hydrous Fe–Mn oxides appeared to play a major role in controlling the fate and transport of these metals in the sediments of Cochin Estuary. Lower contribution of the residual fractions for Cd (21%–26%), Pb (<60%) and Zn (24%–42%) indicated an obvious increase of other geochemical fractions. Risk assessment analysis revealed that regardless of total concentration, none of the analyzed metals were at safe levels in the estuary as appreciable percentages were found to be associated with mobile geochemical forms. The speciation study conspicuously established that the metals originating from non-geogenic sources are largely associated with the labile fractions and hence are more detrimental to the aquatic biota.     

Beyond ‘trees are good’: Disservices,management costs,and tradeoffs in urban forestry

The provision of ecosystem services is a prominent rationale for urban greening, and there is a prevailing mantra that ‘trees are good’. However, understanding how urban trees contribute to sustainability must also consider disservices. In this perspective article, we discuss recent research on ecosystem disservices of urban trees, including infrastructure conflicts, health and safety impacts, aesthetic issues, and environmentally detrimental consequences, as well as management costs related to ecological disturbances and risk management. We also discuss tradeoffs regarding species selection and local conservation concerns, as well as the central role of human perception in the interpretation of ecosystem services and disservices, particularly the uncritical assertion that ‘everybody loves trees’. Urban forestry decision-making that fails to account for disservices can have unintended negative consequences for communities. Further research is needed regarding life cycle assessments, stakeholder decision-making, return-on-investment, and framings of services and disservices in urban forestry.     

三峡水库三期蓄水前后长江口硅酸盐分布及其比值变化

河口SiO2--Si浓度的变化直接影响到水体的营养盐结构和生态系统.根据2010年8月、11月和2011年5月的现场调查资料,对长江口区域一个水文年(跨三峡水库三期蓄水)硅酸盐的分布特征和变化趋势进行了分析.结果表明,长江口及其邻近海域硅酸盐分布与盐度分布极其相似,整体呈现近岸高、外海低的特点;截取一断面分析发现存在上升流,硅酸盐等值线有抬升趋势.3个季节硅酸盐平面分布各有其季节性特点,但总体浓度夏季高于秋季,秋季高于翌年春季;在整个调查区域SiO32--Si/DIN值是10月＞8月＞5月,而SiO32--Si/PO43--P值是5月＞8月＞10月;3个季节SiO32--Si浓度与盐度都呈显著负相关关系.与历史资料比较得出,2010-2011年长江口海域营养盐比值小于2004年,也小于1985-1986年,可见三峡工程蓄水对长江口SiO32--Si/DIN、SiO32--Si/PO43--P降低的影响.     

Waste oyster shell as a kind of active filler to treat the combined wastewater at an estuary

Estuaries have been described as one of the most difficult environments on Earth. It is difficult to know how to treat the combined wastewater in tidal rivers at the estuary, where the situation is very different from ordinary fresh water rivers. Waste oyster shell was used as the active filler in this study in a bio-contact oxidation tank to treat the combined wastewater at the Fengtang Tidal River. With a middle-experimental scale of 360 ma/day, the average removal efficiency of COD, BOD, NH3-N, TP and TSS was 80.05%, 85.02%, 86.59%, 50.58% and 85.32%, respectively, in this bio-contact oxidation process. The living microbes in the biofilms on the waste oyster shell in this bio-contact oxidation tank, which were mainly composed of zoogloea, protozoa and micro-metazoa species, revealed that waste oyster shell as the filler was suitable material for combined wastewater degradation. This treatment method using waste oyster shell as active filler was then applied in a mangrove demonstration area for water quality improvement near the experiment area, with a treatment volume of 5 × 10^3 m^3/day. Another project was also successfully applied in a constructed wetland, with a wastewater treatment volume of 1 ×10^3 m^3/day. This technology is therefore feasible and can easily be applied on a larger scale,     

辽河口湿地沉积物硝化细菌及硝化作用研究

2009年6月和8月,采用现场培养和实验室模拟培养相结合的方法对辽河口湿地表层沉积物硝化细菌数量、硝化速率及影响因素进行了研究.结果表明,辽河口湿地表层沉积物氨氧化细菌(ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)数量6月在0.54×104～5.69×104个.g-1之间,平均值为(2.21±2.32)×104个.g-1,8月在1.90×104～7.90×104个.g-1之间,平均值为(3.61±2.87)×104个.g-1;沉积物潜在硝化速率6月在9.72～16.45 mmol.(m2.h)-1之间,平均值为(12.54±3.14)mmol.(m2.h)-1,8月在14.66～24.62 mmol.(m2.h)-1之间,平均值为(18.71±4.21)mmol.(m2.h)-1;净硝化作用速率6月(S1站)为0.41 mmol.(m2.h)-1,8月在0.20～0.53 mmol.(m2.h)-1之间,平均值为(0.35±0.16)mmol.(m2.h)-1.潜在硝化速率显著高于净硝化速率,AOB数量、净硝化作用速率和潜在硝化作用速率均表现为8月高于6月,芦苇根际效应对硝化作用有促进作用.通过SPSS 13.0软件统计分析,表明影响辽河口湿地表层沉积物硝化作用的主要环境因子有上覆水NH 4+-N浓度和沉积物pH、有机质、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、NH 4+-N含量以及AOB数量(p0.05),其中上覆水NH 4+-N浓度和沉积物总磷(TP)、NH 4+-N含量对硝化作用影响较大,是辽河口湿地硝化作用影响的关键因素.根据研究结果估算辽河口湿地沉积物硝化作用每天可以将1.14×105kg的NH 4+-N转化为NO 3--N,对河口湿地氮的循环具有重要意义.