Assessing the Potential Effects of Fungicides on Nontarget Gut Fungi (Trichomycetes) and Their Associated Larval Black Fly Hosts

Fungicides are moderately hydrophobic and have been detected in water and sediment, particularly in agricultural watersheds, but typically are not included in routine water quality monitoring efforts. This is despite their widespread use and frequent application to combat fungal pathogens. Although the efficacy of these compounds on fungal pathogens is well documented, little is known about their effects on nontarget fungi. This pilot study, a field survey in southwestern Idaho from April to December 2010 on four streams with varying pesticide inputs (two agricultural and two reference sites), was conducted to assess nontarget impact of fungicides on gut fungi, or trichomycetes. Tissues of larval black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae), hosts of gut fungi, were analyzed for pesticide accumulation. Fungicides were detected in hosts from streams within agricultural watersheds but were not detected in hosts from reference streams. Gut fungi from agricultural sites exhibited decreased percent infestation, density and sporulation within the gut, and black fly tissues had elevated pesticide concentrations. Differences observed between the sites demonstrate a potential effect on this symbiotic system. Future research is needed to parse out the details of the complex biotic and abiotic relationships; however, these preliminary results indicate that impacts to nontarget organisms could have far‐reaching consequences within aquatic ecosystems.     

Freshwater Mussel Population Status and Habitat Quality in the Clinch River,Virginia and Tennessee,USA: A Featured Collection

The Clinch River of southwestern Virginia and northeastern Tennessee is arguably the most important river for freshwater mussel conservation in the United States. This featured collection presents investigations of mussel population status and habitat quality in the Clinch River. Analyses of historic water‐ and sediment‐quality data suggest that water column ammonia and water column and sediment metals, including Cu and Zn, may have contributed historically to declining densities and extirpations of mussels in the river's Virginia sections. These studies also reveal increasing temporal trends for dissolved solids concentrations throughout much of the river's extent. Current mussel abundance patterns do not correspond spatially with physical habitat quality, but they do correspond with specific conductance, dissolved major ions, and water column metals, suggesting these and/or associated constituents as factors contributing to mussel declines. Mussels are sensitive to metals. Native mussels and hatchery‐raised mussels held in cages in situ accumulated metals in their body tissues in river sections where mussels are declining. Organic compound and bed‐sediment contaminant analyses did not reveal spatial correspondences with mussel status metrics, although potentially toxic levels were found. Collectively, these studies identify major ions and metals as water‐ and sediment‐quality concerns for mussel conservation in the Clinch River.     

Influences of Water and Sediment Quality and Hydrologic Processes on Mussels in the Clinch River

Segments of the Clinch River in Virginia have experienced declining freshwater mussel populations during the past 40 years, while other segments of the river continue to support some of the richest mussel communities in the country. The close proximity of these contrasting reaches provides a study area where differences in climate, hydrology, and historic mussel distribution are minimal. The USGS conducted a study between 2009 and 2011 to evaluate possible causes of the mussel declines. Evaluation of mussel habitat showed no differences in physical habitat quality, leaving water and sediment quality as possible causes for declines. Three years of continuous water‐quality data showed higher turbidity and specific conductance in the reaches with low‐quality mussel assemblages compared to reaches with high‐quality mussel assemblages. Discrete water‐quality samples showed higher major ions and metals concentrations in the low‐quality reach. Base‐flow samples contained high major ion and metal concentrations coincident to low‐quality mussel populations. These results support a conceptual model of dilution and augmentation where increased concentrations of major ions and other dissolved constituents from mined tributaries result in reaches with declining mussel populations. Tributaries from unmined basins provide water with low concentrations of dissolved constituents, diluting reaches of the Clinch River where high‐quality mussel populations occur.     

太湖沉水和浮叶植被及其水环境效应研究

运用GPS定位技术和常规采样方法,于2004年5月和9月对太湖沉水植物与浮叶植物的种类、群落类型、生物量及其水质状况进行了调查。结果表明:沉水植物与浮叶植物是太湖水生植被的主要类型,沉水植物群落类型主要有6个:微齿眼子菜群落;马来眼子菜群落;伊乐藻群落,穗花狐尾藻群落,金鱼藻群落,苦草群落;浮叶植物群落类型主要有3个:莕菜群落,金银莲花群落,菱群落。在春季,沉水植物占绝对优势,在夏秋季,浮叶植物则逐渐发展,尤其以莕菜生长最快。通过对有草区和无草区水质的比较,发现水生植被能显著提高水体的透明度、降低营养盐浓度和叶绿素含量,改善水质。     

水环境中耐热大肠菌群的抗生素耐药性与质粒谱研究

用滤膜法、mFC培养基从5种水体中分离出疑似耐热大肠菌162株,用API微生物分析系统鉴定到种,以Kirby-Bauer法分析其对人畜常用10种抗生素的耐药性,碱裂解法小量制备各菌株质粒DNA做质粒谱分析.结果表明,埃希氏大肠杆菌为优势菌,占分离菌总数的96.3%.除分离自泉水的3株外,其它菌株都对3种及3种以上抗生素耐药,多重耐药率为98.1%.不同水体分离菌株对氧氟沙星、诺氟沙星、庆大霉素、丁胺卡那霉素、链霉素的耐药率有显著性差异(P<0.005).92株菌(56.8%)提取到大小为0.90～158.83kb、数量为1～6个的质粒,有81种质粒谱型.70株(43.2%)未提取到质粒的细菌中有67株为多重耐药.具有相同质粒谱型的菌株耐药谱都不相同.未发现质粒谱与抗生素耐药性间有明显相关性.图1表3参15     

黄河(兰州段)水生生态系统中壬基酚的分布研究

壬基酚(NP)及壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚(NPnEO)是一类具有环境雌激素效应的有机污染物。研究了黄河兰州段水体中NP及NPnEO(n=1,2)的分布,测定了NP及NPnEO在河水和浮游植物、浮游动物、鱼类体中及沉积物中的含量。初步研究了黄河兰州段NP在水生生物体内的分布规律。结果表明在黄河兰州段水生生态系统中,水中NP2EO含量大于NP和NP1EO,各级生物体内的NP含量普遍高于NP1EO和NP2EO,并比水中高103~105倍,浮游动物及鱼体单位质量脂肪中的NP含量低于浮游植物单位脂肪中NP含量,沉积物中的NP浓度比水中高56.6~1 849.3倍。可见黄河兰州段水生生物对NP类污染物有生物积累作用,没有生物放大作用,NP类污染物会从水中转移到沉积物中,并在沉积物中积累。     

沉水植物苦草的营养成分分析与综合利用

沉水植物苦草的营养成分分析结果表明,其蛋白质含量为218.4 g.kg-1,脂肪含量为51.4 g.kg-1,多糖含量为37.6 g.kg-1,灰分含量为265.7 g.kg-1;氨基酸总量为147.6 g.kg-1(色氨酸未测),必需氨基酸为55.0g.kg-1;含有K、Ca、Cu、Fe、Zn、Mn、Na、A l、Ba等多种矿质元素,其中K、Ca、Fe、Na含量分别高达60.5、10.9、16.3、12.7 g.kg-1。可见苦草是一种优质的营养资源,具有很高的开发价值。在此基础上,进一步探讨了苦草的资源化利用方式和应用前景。     

Modeling Streams and Hydrogeomorphic Attributes in Oregon From Digital and Field Data1

Abstract: Managers, regulators, and researchers of aquatic ecosystems are increasingly pressed to consider large areas. However, accurate stream maps with geo‐referenced attributes are uncommon over relevant spatial extents. Field inventories provide high‐quality data, particularly for habitat characteristics at fine spatial resolutions (e.g., large wood), but are costly and so cover relatively small areas. Recent availability of regional digital data and Geographic Information Systems software has advanced capabilities to delineate stream networks and estimate coarse‐resolution hydrogeomorphic attributes (e.g., gradient). A spatially comprehensive coverage results, but types of modeled outputs may be limited and their accuracy is typically unknown. Capitalizing on strengths in both field and regional digital data, we modeled a synthetic stream network and a variety of hydrogeomorphic attributes for the Oregon Coastal Province. The synthetic network, encompassing 96,000 km of stream, was derived from digital elevation data. We used high‐resolution but spatially restricted data from field inventories and streamflow gauges to evaluate, calibrate, and interpret hydrogeomorphic attributes modeled from digital elevation and precipitation data. The attributes we chose to model (drainage area, mean annual precipitation, mean annual flow, probability of perennial flow, channel gradient, active‐channel width and depth, valley‐floor width, valley‐width index, and valley constraint) have demonstrated value for stream research and management. For most of these attributes, field‐measured, and modeled values were highly correlated, yielding confidence in the modeled outputs. The modeled stream network and attributes have been used for a variety of purposes, including mapping riparian areas, identifying headwater streams likely to transport debris flows, and characterizing the potential of streams to provide high‐quality habitat for salmonids. Our framework and models can be adapted and applied to areas where the necessary field and digital data exist or can be obtained.     

人工湿地中植物的修复作用原理与应用实例

植物修复在水污染防治中具有重要作用,有着广泛的应用前景。本文阐述了水生植物在湿地污水净化过程中的物理、化学、生物等方面的作用及原理,例举了植物修复在不同水质条件下的应用实例,提出应针对植物复氧能力、植物种类选择和收割植物后续处理等方面进行深入研究。     

Effect-Directed Analysis of Key Toxicants in European River Basins. A Review (9 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope Extensive monitoring programs on chemical contamination are run in many European river basins. With respect to the implementation of the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD), these programs are increasingly accompanied by monitoring the ecological status of the river basins. Assuming an impact of chemical contamination on the ecological status, the assignment of effects in aquatic ecosystems to those stressors that cause the effects is a prerequisite for taking political or technical measures to achieve the goals of the WFD. Thus, one focus of present European research is on toxicant identification in European river basins in order to allow for a reduction of toxic pressure on aquatic ecosystems according to the WFD. Main Features: An overview is presented on studies that were performed to link chemical pollution in European river basins to measurable ecotoxic effects. This includes correlation-based approaches as well as investigations that apply effect-directed analysis (EDA) integrating toxicity testing, fractionation and non-target chemical analysis. Effect-based key toxicants that were identified in European surface waters are compiled and compared to EU priority pollutants. Further needs for research are identified. Results: Studies on the identification of effect-based key toxicants focused on mutagenicity, aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated effects, endocrine disruption, green algae, and invertebrates. The identified pollutants include priority pollutants and other well-known environmental pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, furans, and biphenyls, nonylphenol, some pesticides and tributyltin, but also other compounds that were neither considered as environmental pollutants before nor regulated such as substituted phenols, natural or synthetic estrogens and androgens, dinaphthofurans, 2-(2-naphthalenyl)benzothiophene, and N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine. Discussion: Individual studies at specific sites in a European river basin demonstrated the power of combined biological and chemical analytical approaches and, particularly, of effect-directed analysis. However, the available information on effect-based key toxicants is very limited with respect to the entirety of rivers possibly at risk due to chemical contamination and with respect to toxicological endpoints considered at a specific site. A relatively broad basis of information exists only for estrogenicity and aryl hydrocarbon, receptor-mediated effects. Conclusions: The development of tools and strategies for an identification of key toxicants on a broader scale are a challenging task for the next years. Since investigations dealing with toxicant identification are too labor and cost-intensive for monitoring purposes, they have to be focused on the key sites in a river basin. These should include hot spots of contamination, particularly if there is evidence that they might pose a risk for downstream areas, but may also involve accumulation zones in the lower reach of a river in order to get an integrated picture on the contamination of the basin. Perspectives: While EDA is almost exclusively based on measurable effects in in vitro and in vivo biotests to date, an increasing focus in the future should be on the integration of EDA into Ecological Risk Assessment and on the development of tools to confirm EDA-determined key toxicants as stressors in populations, communities and ecosystems. Considering these requirements and applied in a focused way, toxicant identification may significantly help to implement the Water Framework Directive by providing evidence on the main stressors and possible mitigation measures in order to improve the ecological status of a river ecosystem.