Hydromorphological and socio-cultural assessment of urban rivers to promote nature-based solutions in Jarabacoa,Dominican Republic

In Latin America and the Caribbean, river restoration projects are increasing, but many lack strategic planning and monitoring. We tested the applicability of a rapid visual social–ecological stream assessment method for restoration planning, complemented by a citizen survey on perceptions and uses of blue and green infrastructure. We applied the method at three urban streams in Jarabacoa (Dominican Republic) to identify and prioritize preferred areas for nature-based solutions. The method provides spatially explicit information for strategic river restoration planning, and its efficiency makes it suitable for use in data-poor contexts. It identifies well-preserved, moderately altered, and critically impaired areas regarding their hydromorphological and socio-cultural conditions, as well as demands on green and blue infrastructure. The transferability of the method can be improved by defining reference states for assessing the hydromorphology of tropical rivers, refining socio-cultural parameters to better address river services and widespread urban challenges, and balancing trade-offs between ecological and social restoration goals.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01565-3.     

Business for ocean sustainability: Early responses of ocean governance in the private sector

A large sample of 1664 companies—69 directly working in the ocean economy—distributed across 19 industrial sectors was investigated to explore awareness and activation regarding direct and indirect pressures on the ocean, their responses to these pressures, and the disclosure tools used. We examined their accountability and disclosure practices on sustainable development goals (SDGs) using the drivers, pressures, state, welfare, and response accounting framework. Based on their 2019 sustainability reports, just 7% of the companies assessed disclosed on SDG14. However, 51% of these companies can be considered as aware, albeit to varying degrees, of the pressures their industries place on the oceans, 44% deploy mitigating activities, and 26% are aware and actively lead business responses to ocean challenges. Although we have seen just early responses in addressing ocean challenges, companies’ awareness and activation must converge to achieve ocean sustainability and move businesses into a truly blue economy.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01784-2.     

Modeling of adsorption kinetics and equilibria of acid dyes onto activated carbon in single- and binary-component systems

Adsorptive removal of Acid Blue 127 and Acid Yellow 17 from their single and binary solutions has been studied using powdered activated carbon (PAC). The dyes used extensively for dying of nylon fiber in textile industry are known as Nylomine Blue P-B (NB) and Nylomine Yellow P-4G (NY), respectively. Time-dependent results obtained from single-component system have been better predicted by two resistance diffusion model rather than homogeneous surface diffusion. The magnitudes of film- and intraparticle diffusion coefficients calculated from McKay equation are ～10^?9 and ～10^?15 m² s^?1, whereas surface diffusion coefficients have been estimated as ～10^?13 m² s^?1 using Vermeulen approximation. Experimental equilibrium isotherms have been evaluated by changing initial dye concentrations in the range of 0.02–1.00 of mmol L^?1. Freundlich isotherm parameters for individual solutions of the dyes have been used to predict their equilibrium behaviors in binary solutions by applying extended Freundlich model. Langmuir isotherm model and its extended form have also been fitted to the data for single- and binary-dye solutions, respectively. Thermodynamic functions derived from the temperature dependence of adsorption equilibrium constants in 298–318 K range show that adsorption processes are endothermic but spontaneous.     

Effects of Exurban Development and Temperature on Bird Species in the Southern Appalachians

Land‐use dynamics and climatic gradients have large effects on many terrestrial systems. Exurban development, one of the fastest growing forms of land use in the United States, may affect wildlife through habitat fragmentation and building presence may alter habitat quality. We studied the effects of residential development and temperature gradients on bird species occurrence at 140 study sites in the southern Appalachian Mountains (North Carolina, U.S.A.) that varied with respect to building density and elevation. We used occupancy models to determine 36 bird species’ associations with building density, forest canopy cover, average daily mean temperature, and an interaction between building density and mean temperature. Responses varied with habitat requirement, breeding range, and migration distance. Building density and mean temperature were both included in the top occupancy models for 19 of 36 species and a building density by temperature interaction was included in models for 8 bird species. As exurban development expands in the southern Appalachians, interior forest species and Neotropical migrants are likely to decline, but shrubland or edge species are not likely to benefit. Overall, effects of building density were greater than those of forest canopy cover. Exurban development had a greater effect on birds at high elevations due to a greater abundance of sensitive forest‐interior species and Neotropical migrants. A warming climate may exacerbate these negative effects. Efectos del Desarrollo Exurbano y de la Temperatura sobre Especies de Aves en las Apalaches del Sur     

应用生态动力学模型评价上海淀山湖富营养化控制方案

近年来,由于淀山湖入湖河流和环湖污水排放,淀山湖水质严重富营养化,夏季高温季节蓝藻水华时有发生。基于最近开展的比较系统的大规模水文、水质、生物同步监测和底质氮磷营养盐释放通量实验,进行入湖氮磷营养盐通量计算分析。通过建立淀山湖水动力一生态动力学耦合模型,利用同步实测和历史资料进行水动力模型和生态动力学模型的率定验证,模拟典型风场作用下的淀山湖三维流场特征;利用生态动力学模型系统研究淀山湖氮磷营养盐和藻类的时空变化和演替规律,初步掌握淀山湖的富营养化过程;综合评价了污染负荷削减、水力调度（水体停留时间）等措施对控制淀山湖富营养化的作用,明确磷是淀山湖藻类生长的关键营养盐限制因子。模型预测结果表明,磷负荷削减50％以上才能使淀山湖夏季蓝藻生物量开始下降;削减90％以上的营养盐负荷才能有效抑制蓝藻水华;水体停留时间的长短是藻类是否过度繁殖的重要条件,加大引水流量,减少淀山湖水体停留时间是有效控制蓝藻水华的重要途径;目前阶段,与控制营养盐负荷（50％）相比,增大引水流量可以更有效地降低蓝藻暴发时的生物量。     

Generation of Monthly Precipitation Under Climate Change for the Upper Blue Nile River Basin,Ethiopia1

Abstract: This work develops a methodology to project the future precipitation in large river basins under limited data and climate change while preserving the historical temporal and spatial characteristics. The computationally simple and reliable conditional generation method (CGM) is presented and applied to generate reliable monthly precipitation data in the upper Blue Nile River Basin of Ethiopia where rain‐fed agriculture is prevalent. The results showed that the temporal analysis with the CGM performs better to reproduce the historical long‐term characteristics than other methods, and the spatial analysis with the CGM reproduced the historical spatial structure accurately. A 100‐year time series analysis using the outcomes of the six general circulation models showed that precipitation changes by the 2050s (2040 through 2069) can be ?7 to 28% with a mean increase of about 11%. The seasonal results showed increasing wet conditions in all seasons with changes of mean precipitation of 5, 47, and 6% for wet, dry, and mild seasons, respectively.     

灵芝漆酶对直接蓝86的催化脱色性能

利用灵芝菌Ganoderma lucidum U-281漆酶对直接蓝86进行酶促氧化脱色,并对其降解机理进行了探讨。结果表明,染料-漆酶共反应体系在20～50℃及pH小于5.0范围内,直接蓝86均可脱色50%以上;漆酶对直接蓝86具有宽泛的浓度适应性,对300 mg/L的该染料仍具有耐受性。最优脱色工艺参数为温度40℃、pH 5.0、染料初始浓度200 mg/L、漆酶用量1 U/mL。在优化条件下,直接蓝863 h的脱色率达到54.54%,48 h脱色率达到91.54%。紫外-可见吸收光谱分析表明,漆酶的酶促氧化导致染料的分子结构产生了变化,是造成直接蓝86脱色的主要发生机制。     

Holocene fire history from the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, New South Wales, Australia: the climate, humans and fire nexus

This study presents a reconstruction of the fire activity of the last ~14,200 cal. years BP (before AD 1950) from Gooches Crater Right, located on the Newnes Plateau, approximately 150 km to the west of Sydney (~33°27′S, 150°16′E) within the Blue Mountains National Park. Charcoal analysis and palynology were undertaken with the aim of untangling any inter-relationship between climate, humans and fire. A chronology of the site was provided by radiocarbon dating. The dominant control on fire in this environment during the Holocene appears to be climate. Periods of climate change, identified in previous studies, are associated with higher levels of fire activity. Fire was less ubiquitous between ~9,000 and 6,000 years BP, a period normally described as having a higher effective moisture in south-eastern Australia. The mid-Holocene fluctuations in charcoal may reflect anthropogenic fire, climate forcing or alternatively human responses to any climate change. Coeval changes in palaeoclimatic sequences elsewhere and palynology at the site support a climatic explanation or that Aboriginal people used fire within a climatic framework.     

HYDROLOGIC EFFECTS FROM CHANGES IN GROUND WATER PUMPAGE1

ABSTRACT: Simulation of a large stream-aquifer system in Nebraska has been accomplished for the period from 1975 to 2020 to determine effects of controls on ground water pumpage. Three scenarios tested consisted of average annual withdrawals of 15.2 ac-in/ac (FUTURE 1), 14.8 ac-in/ac (FUTURE 2), and 9.8 ac-in/ac (FUTURE 3). The highest quantity represents the historical tendency; while the 14.8 in. figure represents a slight reduction and also represents an equalization of irrigation application efficiencies throughout the area. The lowest figure represents a substantial increase in application efficiency. Comparisons between simulated ground water elevations indicate maximum savings of FUTURE 2 over FUTURE 1 of less than 8 ft. FUTURE 3 ft. FUTURE 3 levels are projected to be a maximum of approximately 13 ft. higher than FUTURE 1's. The relatively small savings from reductions in pumpage result primarily from recirculation effects. Differences between ground water contributions to stream flow are small for all scenarios. These contributions decrease with time and increasing pumpage amounts. Base flow rates at the end of the simulation are approximately 25 percent of those at the beginning.     

混凝法在滇池蓝藻暴发期净水除藻的可行性研究

采用精制硫酸铝为混凝剂,L93^4正交法安排滇池蓝藻暴发期混凝沉降除藻除净水工艺实验。结果表明,混凝剂种类、水样pH值对蓝藻去除率有很大影响。研究确定了混凝剂除藻最佳操作条件,为混凝法去除蓝藻的工业化提供了理论和实际操作依据。