Reducing Nitrogen Export from the Corn Belt to the Gulf of Mexico: Agricultural Strategies for Remediating Hypoxia

SPAtially Referenced Regression on Watershed models developed for the Upper Midwest were used to help evaluate the nitrogen‐load reductions likely to be achieved by a variety of agricultural conservation practices in the Upper Mississippi‐Ohio River Basin (UMORB) and to compare these reductions to the 45% nitrogen‐load reduction proposed to remediate hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Our results indicate that nitrogen‐management practices (improved fertilizer management and cover crops) fall short of achieving this goal, even if adopted on all cropland in the region. The goal of a 45% decrease in loads to the GoM can only be achieved through the coupling of nitrogen‐management practices with innovative nitrogen‐removal practices such as tile‐drainage treatment wetlands, drainage–ditch enhancements, stream‐channel restoration, and floodplain reconnection. Combining nitrogen‐management practices with nitrogen‐removal practices can dramatically reduce nutrient export from agricultural landscapes while minimizing impacts to agricultural production. With this approach, it may be possible to meet the 45% nutrient reduction goal while converting less than 1% of cropland in the UMORB to nitrogen‐removal practices. Conservationists, policy makers, and agricultural producers seeking a workable strategy to reduce nitrogen export from the Corn Belt will need to consider a combination of nitrogen‐management practices at the field scale and diverse nitrogen‐removal practices at the landscape scale.     

山东寿光沿海湿地生态系统健康诊断

以寿光沿海湿地为例，运用二级模糊综合评判模型对湿地生态系统的健康进行了综合评价。首先从湿地生态特征、整体功能特征及外部社会环境三方面选取23项评价指标，构建了寿光沿海湿地生态系统健康的综合评价体系，整个指标体系分为单项指标、亚类指标和综合指标三个层次：然后进一步把评价指标划分为很健康、健康、亚健康、疾病4个等级，运用定量、半定量与定性相结合、定性描述等多种手法界定了等级划分标准，确定了各指标的等级隶一度，构造了隶属评判矩阵；通过专家咨询法．确定了各指标的权重，构造了权重向量；最后，运用加权平均型二级模糊综合评判模型对寿光沿海湿地生态系统健康逐级进行评价。评价结果显示，该温地系统在最大隶属程度上处于亚健康状态。     

洱海流域生态塘湿地氮截留特征及其影响因素

为考察生态塘湿地对农村面源污染水体氮截留效果及其影响因素,以洱海子流域生态塘湿地为例,对其基本设计参数和水质进行调查分析,评估生态塘湿地对氮的截留效果,识别不同形态氮在湿地中的迁移转化特征,剖析生态塘湿地中氮截留的主控因子.结果表明:①污水经生态塘湿地净化处理后,出水水质显著改善.出水氮达GB 3838—2002《地表水环境质量标准》Ⅲ类标准的比例为37.5%. ②Spearman相关分析表明,湿地净化效率与湿地氮输入密切相关,生态塘湿地可以有效实现氮的截留,η（TN）（η为去除率）分别与ρ（NH₄+-N）（R=0.226,n=84）、ρ（TN）（R=0.215,n=84）呈显著正相关,与ρ（NO₃--N）（R=-0.201,n=84）相关性不强,硝酸盐氮截留是其效率提高的主要制约因素. ③丰水期、枯水期高低水位交替运行有助于氮截留效率的稳定,枯水期生态塘几乎可以截蓄汇水分区内全部农村面源污水,实现污水的收集消纳及净化.丰水期和枯水期平均η（NH₄+-N）分别为57.72%和55.30%;平均η（NO₃--N）分别为49.45%和46.73%;平均η（TN）分别为54.41%和54.20%. ④单因素分析法有助于识别影响湿地氮净化效率的主控因子.研究显示,当生态塘湿地面积（< 8 000 m2）、库容（< 15 000 m3）、水深（< 2.0 m）在一定范围内时,氮净化效率与面积、库容、水深响应关系不显著,但合适的水深（< 0.4 m和>1.5 m）有利于氮的截留.      

泸沽湖和邛海湿地的生态系统服务功能价值评估及保护建议

生态系统服务是人类生存和可持续发展的物质基础和自然资本,对其进行量化评估可以为管理者当局保护和管理湿地提供重要的参考依据.以泸沽湖湿地和邛海湿地为研究对象,通过实地调查,综合运用生态经济学、环境经济学和资源经济学方法,对2个湿地的生态系统服务功能价值进行了评估.结果表明:泸沽湖的间接使用价值为153 214.60万元,占总价值的82.785％,远大于直接使用价值,而邛海的直接使用价值为94 050万元,占总价值的75.250％,远大于间接使用价值;湿地的主要服务功能价值是水调节功能、科考旅游功能和水质净化功能的价值.最后对2个湿地的生态系统服务功能的价值构成进行了分析,并提出了相应的保护管理策略.     

The effect of environmental conditions on the ability of a constructed wetland to disinfect municipal wastewaters

Constructed wetlands are widely used all over the world for the treatment of municipal wastewaters, which are characterized by high concentrations of pathogens. The objectives of this study were (1) to study the effect of solar radiation and temperature on the ability of a constructed wetland to reduce the concentration of total coliforms (TC), and (2) to evaluate the relationship between the presence of Salmonella spp. in the outflow and the concentration of TC. The results of this study showed that under Mediterranean environmental conditions, the percentage reduction in coliforms was lower during winter compared to all other seasons. Maximum removal of coliforms was achieved under conditions of high solar radiation and temperature. In addition, solar radiation was found to play a greater role in coliform die-off at low temperatures than at high temperatures. Finally, it was found that the probability of Salmonella spp. appearance in the outflow of the wetland was related to the concentration of TC. The increase in coliform bacteria in the effluents also increased the chances of Salmonella appearance. The risk of Salmonella spp. appearance in the outflow is minimized when the concentration of TC is below 10²/100 mL.     

HYDROLOGICAL EFFECTS OF AN UNCONTROLLED FLOWING WELL,RED RIVER VALLEY,NORTH DAKOTA,USA1

ABSTRACT: In areas of the Red River Valley that overlie permeable Paleozoic sediments, wetlands and salinization have developed where unregulated flowing wells discharge brackish water. Field data were collected to assess the fate of water and salt from a well 25 km northwest of Grand Forks. Drilled during the drought of the 1930s, discharge was used to replenish water in a small oxbow pond used by livestock. The unregulated well discharges about 56 m³/day, measured since 1993. This discharge exceeds ground water flow from the site, thereby forming a ground water mound with a maximum height of 1 m and a diameter of about 300 m. Most soil and underlying sediments near the well have a hydraulic conductivity of 0.3 m³/day. Flow net analysis suggests that less than 25 percent infiltrates, with the remaining water lost to surface flow and evapotranspiration (ET). Evapotranspiration and slow infiltration has led to increased salinization, with shallow soils exhibiting EC to 500 milliSiemens/m. The most pronounced soil salinization occurs along the margins of the oxbow pond and meander scars. Wetland vegetation with low diversity comprises three zones, with species associations similar to those of closed basin prairie potholes to the west.     

PROFILE: Risk Assessment as an Environmental Management Tool: Considerations for Freshwater Wetlands

/ This paper presents a foundation for improving the risk assessmentprocess for freshwater wetlands. Integrating wetland science, i.e., use of anecosystem-based approach, is the key concept. Each biotic and abiotic wetlandcomponent should be identified and its contribution to ecosystem functionsand societal values determined when deciding whether a stressor poses anunreasonable risk to the sustainability of a particular wetland.Understanding the major external and internal factors that regulate theoperational conditions of wetlands is critical to risk characterization.Determining the linkages between these factors, and how they influence theway stressors affect wetlands, is the basis for an ecosystem approach.Adequate consideration of wetland ecology, hydrology, geomorphology, andsoils can greatly reduce the level of uncertainty associated with riskassessment and lead to more effective risk management. In order to formulateeffective solutions, wetland problems must be considered at watershed,landscape, and ecosystem scales. Application of an ecosystem approach can begreatly facilitated if wetland scientists and risk assessors work together todevelop a common understanding of the principles of both disciplines.KEY WORDS: Ecological risk assessment; Freshwater wetlands;Environmental pollution; Chemical stressors; Physical stressors; Biologicalstressors     

Vegetation Type Conversion in Los Peñasquitos Lagoon,California: An Examination of the Role of Watershed Urbanization

Environmental Management - The objective of this study was to examine the role that watershed urbanization has played in changes to the vegetation types within Los Peñasquitos Lagoon, San...     

进水方式对序批式深床人工湿地硝化效能的影响

针对现有人工湿地硝化效能低、占地面积大的问题,研究污水处理厂尾水人工湿地高效硝化深度处理技术,采用序批式深床人工湿地反应器(DSCW),考察进水方式及其运行工况对硝化效能的影响。结果表明,进水方式、进水时间和闲置时间对湿地硝化效能影响显著。进水方式采用"连续进水-间歇出水"较连续进出水运行工况NH_4~+-N去除率高39.69%。连续进水时间为5.5 h、7.5 h、11.5 h时,NH_4~+-N去除率分别为81.82%、88.12%、89.91%;闲置时间为0、2 h、4 h时,NH_4~+-N去除率分别为88.12%、94.46%、92.60%。反应器在水温(20±3)℃、负荷35.56 g NH_4~+-N/(m2·d)、连续进水7.5 h-间歇出水0.5 h-排空闲置2 h运行工况下,出水NH_4~+-N为0.91 mg/L,去除率为94.46%,系统NH_4~+-N去除效能大幅提高。