Modeling potential herbicide loss to surface waters on the Swiss plateau

Lack of sufficiently detailed data often limits the applicability of complex transport-reaction models for estimating potential herbicide loss to surface waters. Therefore, there is also a need for simple models that are easy to apply but still capture the main features of the underlying processes.In this study, a simple regression model was developed to assess the vulnerability of catchments in the Swiss Plateau to diffuse herbicide loss to surface waters. The model is designed as a screening tool to rank the catchments in a relative sense and not to calculate Predicted Environmental Concentrations (PEC) of pesticides. The main goal is to capture two dominating factors controlling diffuse herbicide transport into streams and rivers. These factors are herbicide application and fast flow processes that are mainly responsible for herbicide transport. In a first step vulnerability of sites to herbicide loss is estimated based on site-specific conditions irrespective of actual herbicide application. In the second step, this vulnerability assessment is combined with actual herbicide application data to estimate the potential herbicide loss.The fast flow index (FFI), derived from discharge data using a base flow separation method, was applied as a proxy for the amount of fast flow occurring. The influence of catchment attributes (including topographic, climatic and soil data) on the FFI was analyzed using a multiple regression approach based on data from 57 catchments of the Swiss Plateau. By combining regression analysis with mechanistic knowledge, a two factor non-linear model based on river density and soil permeability as dominant input factors was selected as the best model for FFI prediction given the available data. Higher dimensional models had to be excluded because the strong correlation between the potential input factors led to unrealistic dependences while only minimally improving the quality of the fit.The spatial pattern of the predicted FFI as a measure for the vulnerability to diffuse herbicide losses shows a clearly increasing trend from the western to the eastern part of the Swiss Plateau and towards the pre-alpine/alpine regions in the south.In general the pattern of herbicide use corresponds to site conditions typical of a low FFI. However, the spatial analysis revealed exceptions, namely areas in which high actual herbicide use coincides with a high FFI.Despite the uncertainties in the model, this simple approach seems to be useful for supporting site-adapted agricultural practice whenever the higher accuracy of more detailed models is not required or too expensive to achieve. In addition, in combination with data on actual herbicide application, it can support the design of monitoring strategies by identifying critical areas of actual herbicide loss.     

Influence of organic waste type and soil structure on the bacterial filtration rates in unsaturated intact soil columns

Organic wastes are considered to be a source for the potentially pathogenic microorganisms found in surface and sub-surface water resources. Following their release from the organic waste matrix, bacteria often infiltrate into soil and may be transported to significant depths contaminating aquifers. We investigated the influence of soil texture and structure and most importantly the organic waste properties on the transport and filtration coefficients of Escherichia coli and total bacteria in undisturbed soil columns. Intact soil columns (diameter 16 cm and height 25 cm) were collected from two soils: sandy clay loam (SCL) and loamy sand (LS) in Hamadan, western Iran. The cores were amended with cow manure, poultry manure and sewage sludge at a rate of 10 Mg ha(-1) (dry basis). The amended soil cores were leached at a steady-state flux of 4.8 cm h(-1) (i.e. 0.12 of saturated hydraulic conductivity of the SCL) to a total volume of up to 4 times the pore volume of the columns. The influent (C(0)) and effluent (C) were sampled at similar time intervals during the experiments and bacterial concentrations were measured by the plate count method. Cumulative numbers of the leached bacteria, filtration coefficient (lambda(f)), and relative adsorption index (S(R)) were calculated. The preferential pathways and stable structure of the SCL facilitated the rapid transport and early appearance of the bacteria in the effluent. The LS filtered more bacteria when compared with the SCL. The effluent contamination of poultry manure-treated columns was greater than the cow manure- and sewage sludge-treated ones. The difference between cow manure and sewage sludge was negligible. The lambda(f) and S(R) values for E. coli and total bacteria were greater in the LS than in the SCL. This indicates a predominant role for the physical pore-obstruction filtration mechanisms as present in the poorly structured LS vs. the retention at adsorptive sites (chemical filtration) more likely in the better structured SCL. While the results confirmed the significant role of soil structure and preferential (macroporous) pathways, manure type was proven to have a major role in determining the maximum penetration risk of bacteria by governing filtration of bacteria. Thus while the numbers of bacteria in waste may be of significance for shallow aquifers, the type of waste may determine the risk for microbial contamination of deep aquifers.     

Hydrogeochemical Indicators of Groundwater Flow Systems in the Yangwu River Alluvial Fan,Xinzhou Basin,Shanxi, China

Based on analysis of groundwater hydrochemical and isotopic indicators, this article aims to identify the groundwater flow systems in the Yangwu River alluvial fan, in the Xinzhou Basin, China. Groundwater δ²H and δ¹⁸O values indicate that the origin of groundwater is mainly from precipitation, with local evaporative influence. d-excess values lower than 10% in most groundwaters suggest a cold climate during recharge in the area. Major ion chemistry, including rCa/rMg and rNa/rCl ratios, show that groundwater salinization is probably dominated by water–rock interaction (e.g., silicate mineral weathering, dissolution of calcite and dolomite and cation exchange) in the Yangwu River alluvial fan, and locally by intensive evapotranspiration in the Hutuo River valley. Cl and Sr concentrations follow an increasing trend in shallow groundwater affected by evaporation, and a decreasing trend in deep groundwater. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios reflect the variety of lithologies encountered during throughflow. The groundwater flow systems (GFS) of the Yangwu River alluvial fan include local and intermediate flow systems. Hydrogeochemical modeling results, simulated using PHREEQC, reveal water–rock interaction processes along different flow paths. This modeling method is more effective for characterizing flow paths in the intermediate system than in the local system. Artificial exploitation on groundwater in the alluvial fan enhances mixing between different groundwater flow systems.     

A scenario-based study on information flow and collaboration patterns in disaster management

Disaster management (DM) is a continuous, highly collaborative process involving governments, DM organisations, responders, the construction sector, and the general public. Most research approaches to DM include the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support the collaboration process rather than the creation of a collaboration process to provide information flows and patterns. An Intelligent Disaster Collaboration System (IDCS) is introduced in this paper as a conceptual model to integrate ICT into DM and the mitigation process and to enhance collaboration. The framework is applicable to the collaboration process at the local, regional and national levels. Within this context, the deployment of ICT tools in DM is explored and scenario-based case studies on flooding and terrorism—examples of natural and human-induced disasters, respectively—are presented. Conclusions are drawn regarding the differences found in collaboration patterns and ICT used during natural and human-induced disasters and the differences between currently available ICT and proposed ICT.     

泥石流危险度的改进集对分析模型

泥石流危险度的正确评估是泥石流灾害治理和工程措施的基础,但泥石流危险度评价是一个极其复杂的不确定性问题.基于集对分析理论,探讨了泥石流危险度的集对分析改进新方法,即基于样本评价指标实测值与讨论泥石流标准危险度类别间的接近程度,判别集对同异反,进而应用模糊联系度的概念挖掘样本与讨论类别相邻类别的集对同异反有效信息,以综合定量分析样本的危险度,从而提高评价结果的町靠性和准确性.实例应用及与其他方法对比结果表明,基于改进的集对分析方法来评价泥石流危险度是有效可行的,町以取得理想的结果,且操作简单.     

沟谷泥石流运动过程模型试验

泥石流运动过程是泥石流运动力学核心内容之一.以新疆天山公路K630泥石流为原型,选取几何相似比1:650,推导了泥石流质量、固液两相流速和泥石流冲击力相似比,以流通区为核心,建造了沟谷泥石流试验模型.试验结果表明,泥石流运动具有显著的阵流特性,阵流间隔时间为10s左右,其间嵌套2~3次弱阵现象;阵流期间,泥石流流速和冲击力均较大;从流通区的源头至沟口,流速呈现非线性增大趋势,且泥石流体中固液两相流速变化趋势相似,弯道处泥石流超高现象显著;泥石流运动初期由于泥石流体中固相和液相混和搅拌不均匀而呈现稀性泥石流特征,随后粘性特性增强.这些现象与现场观测结果基本一致.     

滑坡泥石流的多源遥感提取方法

针对汶川地震灾区内滑坡泥石流多发的现象,分析了基于光学遥感数据和SAR数据的滑坡泥石流提取方法.光学遥感数据使用多期影像变化检测和灾后SAR数据使用特征提取的方法,可以分别有效地对滑坡泥石流信息进行提取.结果显示,文中使用的方法可为滑坡泥石流多源遥感监,测提供方法参考.     

基于震后低压变化的供水管网功能可靠度分析

供水管网的抗震功能是指供水管网在地震作用下能够满足震后城市特定用水需要(需水量和水压)的能力。地震发生后,供水管网一般处于低压供水状态,使得管网中部分用户的水压和水量不能得到全部满足,导致管网部分节点的实际配水量小于需水量。为此,在传统的管网水力分析基础上考虑节点流量随节点水压的动态变化,通过求解非线性水力方程组,得到管网节点实际流量和水压;同时,借鉴结构可靠度分析方法,引入供水管网系统随机水力模型,给出了震后供水管网功能可靠度分析的一次二阶矩方法。以一实际管网为例,演示了震后低压供水时管网功能可靠度分析的应用方法。     

VIC模型与SWAT模型在中小流域径流模拟中的对比研究

结合GIS与RS技术的分布式水文模型已成为当今水文界研究的重点。从气象与水文水资源学科交叉的角度对分布式水文模型VIC模型与SWAT模型进行研究,并将其应用于白莲河流域,以此探讨该模型在中小流域的适用性。模拟结果表明,VIC模型与SWAT模型在白莲河流域率定期与检验期的模拟效果相差很小。SWAT模型的效率系数与相关系数略高一些,SWAT模型的模拟效果比较平均,每年相差不大;但VIC模型在1995年和1999年模拟效果明显好于其它年份,尤其在2002年,VIC模型模拟的洪峰与实测的相差较大,从而影响总体的效率系数偏低,而SWAT模型模拟的更接近实测值。研究结果表明两种模型对于我国中小流域的径流模拟具有一定的适用性.     

On causes of gigantism in herbaceous plants

Landscape-geochemical features providing for manifestation of gigantism in herbaceous plants have been revealed in natural habitats in the south of Sakhalin and Kunashir islands. Tall herb assemblages have proved to be associated with geochemical landscapes characterized by reducing (gley or hydrogen sulfide) conditions and increased contents of petroleum hydrocarbons and some trace elements (total and movable forms). A hypothesis is put forward that gigantism in herbaceous plants is manifested in zones of active faults, which serve as a kind of conduits supplying endogenous heat, matter, and water to the root systems.