Associations between Water Physicochemistry and Prymnesium parvum Presence,Abundance, and Toxicity in West Texas Reservoirs

Toxic blooms of golden alga (Prymnesium parvum) have caused substantial ecological and economic harm in freshwater and marine systems throughout the world. In North America, toxic blooms have impacted freshwater systems including large reservoirs. Management of water chemistry is one proposed option for golden alga control in these systems. The main objective of this study was to assess physicochemical characteristics of water that influence golden alga presence, abundance, and toxicity in the Upper Colorado River basin (UCR) in Texas. The UCR contains reservoirs that have experienced repeated blooms and other reservoirs where golden alga is present but has not been toxic. We quantified golden alga abundance (hemocytometer counts), ichthyotoxicity (bioassay), and water chemistry (surface grab samples) at three impacted reservoirs on the Colorado River; two reference reservoirs on the Concho River; and three sites at the confluence of these rivers. Sampling occurred monthly from January 2010 to July 2011. Impacted sites were characterized by higher specific conductance, calcium and magnesium hardness, and fluoride than reference and confluence sites. At impacted sites, golden alga abundance and toxicity were positively associated with salinity‐related variables and blooms peaked at ~10°C and generally did not occur above 20°C. Overall, these findings suggest management of land and water use to reduce hardness or salinity could produce unfavorable conditions for golden alga.     

Three-dimensional unstructured-mesh eutrophication model and its application to the Xiangxi River, China

The Xiangxi River is one of the main tributaries in the Three Gorges reservoir, with the shortest distance to the Three Gorges Project Dam. Severe and frequent algal bloom events have occurred frequently in the Xiangxi River in recent years. Therefore, the current study develops a three-dimensional unstructured-mesh model to investigate the dynamic process of algal bloom. The developed model comprises three modules, namely, hydrodynamics, nutrient cycles, and phytoplankton ecological dynamics. A number of factors, including hydrodynamic condition, nutrient concentration, temperature, and light illumination, that would affect the evolution of phytoplankton were considered. Moreover, the wave equation was used to solve the free surface fluctuations and vertical Z-coordinates with adjustable layered thicknesses. These values, in turn, are suitable for solving the algal bloom problems that occurred in the river style reservoir that has a complex boundary and dramatically changing hydrodynamic conditions. The comparisons between the modeling results and field data of years 2007 and 2008 indicate that the developed model is capable of simulating the algal bloom process in the Xiangxi River with reasonable accuracy. However, hydrodynamic force and external pollution loads affect the concentrations of nutrients, which, along with the underwater light intensity, could consequently affect phytoplankton evolution. Thus, flow velocity cannot be ignored in the analysis of river algal bloom. Based on the modeling results, building an impounding reservoir and increasing the releasing discharge at appropriate times are effective ways for controlling algal bloom.     

Tiny Stowaways: Analyzing the Economic Benefits of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Permit Regulating Ballast Water Discharges

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed permitting ballast water discharges—a benefit of which would be to reduce the economic damages associated with the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species. Research on ship-borne aquatic invasive species has been conducted in earnest for decades, but determining the economic damages they cause remains troublesome. Furthermore, with the exception of harmful algal blooms, the economic consequences of microscopic invaders have not been studied, despite their potentially great negative effects. In this paper, we show how to estimate the economic benefits of preventing the introduction and spread of harmful bacteria, microalgae, and viruses delivered in U.S. waters. Our calculations of net social welfare show the damages from a localized incident, cholera-causing bacteria found in shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico, to be approximately $706,000 (2006$). On a larger scale, harmful algal species have the potential to be transported in ships’ ballast tanks, and their effects in the United States have been to reduce commercial fisheries landings and impair water quality. We examine the economic repercussions of one bloom-forming species. Finally, we consider the possible translocation within the Great Lakes of a virus that has the potential to harm commercial and recreational fisheries. These calculations illustrate an approach to quantifying the benefits of preventing invasive aquatic microorganisms from controls on ballast water discharges. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.     

Current Status of Mathematical Models for Population Dynamics of Prymnesium parvum in a Texas Reservoir1

Grover, James P., Jason W. Baker, Daniel L. Roelke, and Bryan W. Brooks, 2010. Current Status of Mathematical Models for Population Dynamics of Prymnesium parvum in a Texas Reservoir. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(1):92-107. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00393.x Abstract: Blooms of the harmful alga Prymnesium parvum have apparently increased in frequency in inland waters of the United States, especially in western Texas. A suite of mathematical models was developed based on a chemostat (or continuously stirred tank reactor) framework, and calibrated with data from Lake Granbury, Texas. Inputs included data on flows, salinity, irradiance, temperature, zooplankton grazing, and nutrients. Parameterization incorporated recent laboratory studies relating the specific growth rate of P. parvum to such factors. Models differed in the number of algal populations competing with P. parvum, and whether competition occurred only by consumption of shared nutrients, or additionally through production of an allelopathic chemical by one of the populations, parameterized as cyanobacteria. Uncalibrated models did not reproduce the observed seasonal dynamics of P. parvum in Lake Granbury, which displayed a maximum population in late February during a prolonged bloom in cooler weather, and reduced abundance in summer. Sensitivity analyses suggested two modifications leading to predictions that better resembled observations. The first modification greatly reduces the optimal temperature for growth of P. parvum, an approach that disagrees with laboratory experiments indicating a strong potential for growth at temperatures above 20°C. The second modification increases the growth rate of P. parvum at all temperatures, in models including cyanobacterial allelopathy. Despite these adjustments, calibrated models did not faithfully simulate all features of the seasonal dynamics of P. parvum.     

固定化小球藻与活性污泥的共生系统处理含锌废水

研究固定化小球藻与活性污泥的共生系统对含锌废水中Zn2+的去除效果,分析菌藻状态、初始Zn2+浓度、pH、固定化菌藻小球投加量和菌藻体积比等5个因素对固定化菌藻共生系统去除Zn2+的影响。结果表明,固定化活性污泥、固定化小球藻和固定化菌藻对Zn2+的去除效果均优于悬浮小球藻,其中固定化菌藻对Zn2+的去除效果最好;废水中初始Zn2+浓度小于100 mg/L时,固定化菌藻系统对废水中Zn2+的去除率达到90.5%;固定化菌藻系统去除废水中Zn2+的最佳条件是:初始Zn2+浓度为80 mg/L,pH=7,固定化小球投加量为80 mL,菌藻体积比为1∶2。     

赤泥复合剂絮凝处理太湖水华藻与海洋赤潮藻

研究了一种新型赤泥复合剂对太湖夏季水华原水、实验室培养海洋赤潮藻及模拟海水的絮凝除藻降浊性能。结果表明,赤泥复合剂具有良好的除藻降浊效果,对太湖水华藻去除率为97.3%,原水浊度去除率为95%;对海洋小球藻和三角褐指藻2种赤潮藻去除率分别高达99.1%和98.9%;对2种模拟海水的最高除浊率分别为96.3%和95.3%,其剩余浊度均低于4 NTU,从而为治理淡水水华与海洋赤潮提供一种新技术,同时为赤泥综合利用提供一种新途径。     

底泥悬浮对营养盐释放和水华生长影响的模拟

通过室内模拟实验研究了扰动引起的太湖底泥悬浮对水体氮磷营养盐和蓝藻水华的影响,其中底泥和上覆水均来自太湖,扰动强度以悬浮物浓度表示。实验监测了底泥扰动过程中以及扰动停止后48 h之内水体氮磷营养盐和叶绿素a的变化,采样间隔为6 h。实验结果表明,扰动明显增加了水体中总氮、总磷、活性磷等含量,但是可溶性无机氮的增加不明显,叶绿素a含量没有出现明显的增长。水华没有出现明显增长很可能是氮限制的原因。由此推测太湖一次风浪扰动过程引起的底泥营养盐释放不一定就能够加剧蓝藻水华的暴发。底泥中释放的营养盐对蓝藻水华的影响需要进一步研究     

斜生栅藻与单甲脒的相互作用

为研究斜生栅藻与单甲脒的相互作用,采用评价化学品对藻类毒性的标准实验方法出了单甲凶制斜生栅藻生长的９６ｈ－ＥＣ５０为６．５ｍｇ／Ｌ。实验结果表明,在单甲脒浓度分别为２,４和８ｍｇ／Ｌ下,斜生栅藻都不具备降解单甲 能力。     

麻痹性贝毒的表面等离子体共振快速检测方法研究

采用表面等离子体共振(SPR)技术研究了赤潮毒素麻痹性贝毒(PSP)的快速检测方法,分别采取固定化PSP抗体分子和PSP分子的方法,进行直接和间接检测溶液中PSP的含量,检测下限分别为70.2μg.L-1(~235 nmol.L-1)和0.5μg.L-1(~1.67 nmol.L-1),相对标准偏差(RSD)为4.2%~7.7%,回收率为101%~105%。检测方法的选择性好,样品、标准物和抗体的用量少,检测成本低,单个样品的测试时间不到10 min,能够满足赤潮毒素的快速检测需求。     

Embarking on the Second Green Revolution for Sustainable Agriculture in India: A Judicious Mix of Traditional Wisdom and Modern Knowledge in Ecological Farming

The Green Revolution in India which was heralded in the 1960‘s was a mixed blessing. Ambitious use of agro-chemicals boosted food production but also destroyed the agricultural ecosystem. Of late Indian farmers and agricultural scientists have realized this and are anxious to find alternatives – perhaps a non-chemical agriculture – and have even revived their age-old traditional techniques of natural farming. Scientists are working to find economically cheaper and ecologically safer alternatives to agro-chemicals. Blue-Green Algae Biofertilizers, Earthworm Vermicomposts (Vermiculture), biological control of pests and herbal biopesticides are showing promise. Saline agriculture and sewage farming are also being promoted in India to augment food production in the face of water scarcity. There is a move to search for alternative foods, which are more nutritious, cheaper and have shorter harvest cycles. Farm and food policy in India has to change its outlook before there can be a second green revolution. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.