MODELING THE EFFECT OF BRUSH CONTROL ON RANGELAND WATER YIELD1

ABSTRACT: With the increase in water demand in Texas, attention has turned to improving water yield by brush control on rangeland watersheds. Several hydrologic models have been developed for either farmland or rangeland. However, none of the models were specifically developed to assess the impact of brush control on rangeland water yield. Yet, modeling the impact of brush control on water yield needs to be considered if alternative techniques are to be compared. Two models, Ekalaka Rangeland Hydrology and Yield Model (ERHYM-II) and Simulator for Water Resources on Rural Basins (SWRRB) were selected. The Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) method is used in both models to predict surface runoff from each rainfall event. The major differences between the ERHYM-II and SWRRB models are the evapotranspiration, soil water routing, and plant growth components. The models were evaluated on brush-dominated and chemically and mechanically brush-controlled range watersheds in Texas. Results indicated that both models were capable of simulating soil water and water yield from brush dominated and chemically brush-controlled range watersheds. The models were not able to predict water yield from the mechanically brush-controlled (root plowed) watershed with acceptable accuracy. The depressions that were caused by root plowing stored surface runoff and reduced water yield from the watershed. Information about the size of depressions was not available for further model evaluation.     

Estimation of Emissions of γ-Hexachlorcyclohexane from the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Ecosystem Using a Coupled Efficient Kalman Filter–Atmospheric Transport–Soil Model

An efficient linear Kalman filter has been combined with a coupled atmospheric transport and soil–air exchange model to determine organochlorine pesticides emissions on the regional scale. In this study, results of -HCH emissions from the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence ecosystem, estimated from the coupled model, are presented and discussed. A source receptor technique is used to identify a priori the locations of emission sources of -HCH, the emissions are then updated through a Kalman filtering procedure which minimizes the weighted difference between the predicted mixing ratios from the coupled model and the measured concentrations over the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence river region. Two experiments using the inverse algorithm are carried out. In the first experiment, the coupled atmospheric transport and soil–air exchange model is implemented to predict -HCH air and soil concentrations. Emissions are then updated every 12 days using the updated soil concentrations and emission factors. However, the updated emissions are not input into the coupled atmospheric transport and soil–air exchange model. On the other hand, in the second experiment the updated emissions are fed back to the coupled model, so that the model is reinitialized in each 12 days. The results from the inverse technique for the year 1995 have been compared with grided -HCH emission inventory in Canada, generated by emission factors. It is shown that the estimated emissions of -HCH are consistent with the measured emissions. It is found that the St. Lawrence valley has larger emissions of -HCH than the Great Lakes region, indicating an opposite distribution to the emission usage inventory, but in agreement with the measured -HCH concentration.     

Heavy metal concentration in the moss Pleurozium schreberi in the Niepołomice Forest,Poland: changes during 20 years

The Niepoomice Forest is a large forestcomplex (110 km²) situated in southern Poland 10 to 30 kmto the east of the urban industrial Kraków agglomeration andsteelworks, which was built up on the outskirts of the city in1950. Due to prevailing westerly winds, the forest is affectedby pollutants emitted by both the steelworks and the city. Thelevel of heavy metal contamination in the Niepoomice Forestwas described using a sensitive bioindicator – the moss Pleurozium schreberi. Mean concentrations of metals in mosscollected in the Niepoomice Forest were Cd – 0.71, Cr – 2.4,Cu – 8.6, Fe – 673, Pb – 12.7, and Zn – 61 mg/kg.Concentrations of heavy metals in moss in the NiepoomiceForest decreased in time. As compared with the relatively cleanarea in north-eastern Poland (Puszcza Biaowieska), the concentration of Fe was 2–9 fold and Pb 4–6 fold higher in theNiepoomice Forest in 1975, while in 1998 4 fold and 2 fold,respectively. In both 1975 and 1998 the most polluted by heavymetals was the western part of the Niepoomice Forest (closestto the pollution sources) and the area along the roads insidethe forest complex.     

The Quality of Water in the Buško Blato Reservoir

The article presents the results of chemical andmicrobiological measurements of the water quality in theBuko Blato reservoir, the largest in Europe, in the period 1989 to 1998.The aim was to observe possiblechanges in water quality during the past decade and itsinfluence on the downstream section of the Cetina River andits numerous tributaries and reservoirs, where there are twolarge regional water supply systems. This reservoir wasbuilt in order to exploit the high hydro-electric potentialof small streamflows in the karst fields of south-westernBosnia. It has strongly influenced the hydrologicconditions of the downstream section of the Cetina River.Buko Blato is a relatively shallow reservoir with the meandepth of 5 m. It covers an area of 57 km². The waterexchange in the reservoir is slow, occurring from one toseveral years. When the water inflow exceeds the hydroelectric plant demands the excess water is delivered by a reversible channel and pre-pumped into the Buko Blato reservoir. The total and carbonate water hardness in thereservoir is lower than in the Cetina River and in typicalkarst streamflows, since the water in this reservoir comesmainly from surface sources including numerous springs withhigh capacity oscillations, torrents and rainfall.Measurements, carried out during the past years, showed asignificant increase in nitrate content as well as in thecoli bacteria and a less significant increase in totalphosphorus content. The water quality was evaluated asmezotrophic according to the total phosphorus content basedon the Carlson index of trophic level, a lower quality thanin the Perua reservoir, upstream on the Cetina River. Thelatter contains a smaller phosphorus content and wasclassed between oligotrophic and mezotrophic. According tothese data, employing the Vollenweider equation, the totalphosphorus content in this water should not exceed the meanof 20 mg m^-3 P. The results indicate that the water inthe Buko Blato reservoir did not deteriorate the waterquality on the downstream section of the Cetina River.     

Degradation of poly(β-hydroxyalkanoates) and polyolefin blends in a municipal wastewater treatment facility

Six types of plastics and plastic blends, the latter composed at least partially of biodegradable material, were exposed to aerobically treated wastewater (activated sludge) to ascertain their biodegradability. In one study, duplicate samples of 6% starch in polypropylene, 12% starch in linear low-density polyethylene, 30% polycaprolactone in linear low-density polyethylene, and poly(-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB/V), a microbially produced polyester, were exposed to activated sludge for 5 months, and changes in mass, molecular weight average, and tensile properties were measured. None of the blended material showed any sign of degradation. PHB/V, however, showed a considerable loss of mass and a significant loss of tensile strength. In a second study, PHB/V degraded rapidly, but another type of microbial polymer which forms a thermoplastic elastomer, poly(-hydroxyoctanoate), did not degrade. These results illustrate the potential for disposal and degradation of PHB/V in municipal wastewater.     

丁二酮肟分光光度法测定硝酸镍生产废水中的镍

将丁二酮肟分光光度法应用于硝酸镍生产废水中镍的测定,以过硫酸铵作氧化剂,丁二酮肟为显色剂,在波长465nm处测定硝酸镍生产废水中的镍.     

The Effects of Three Thermo Electric Power Plants on Yerkesik-Denizova Forests in Mugla Province (Turkey)

Mugla is a city that is located in the southwest part of Turkey. Three thermo-electric power plants called Yatagan (3 × 210 MW) and Yenikoy (2 × 210 MW)and Kemerkoy (Gokova, 3 × 210 MW) havebeen constructed in this region and also have begun operation in 1982 – 1983 – 1984 (three units), in 1988 and in 1995, respectively. The Pinus brutia forests in Yerkesik–Denizova region have been under the common effects of Yenikoy and Yatagan thermo-electric power plants. Therefore, these Pinus brutia forests have startedto dry in groups since 1988. In addition, Kemerkoy thermo-electric power plant, began operation in 1995.Polluting gases arrived in Denizova-Yerkesik throughKoca Stream Valley Forests.Increasing quantities of polluting gases and especially SO₂ have dried the trees in large amounts in this 1650 ha forestland area. YataganThermo-electric power plant has caused drying of Pinus brutia in Bencik Mountain, which was on the south in 1984–1985. The same phenomenon was seen in Denizova-Yerkesik Forest in 1999–2000. It was observed that sulphur content was varying between 4218–6676 ppm at the Pinus brutia needle samples taken in this region on 16 December 2000. Sulphur contents were correlated with the age of needle (1–2 yr old), density of yellow stains on the needles and amount of drying needles. Particularly in 1996–2000 period, the destruction of chlorophyll in needles due to the impacts of SO₂ was also correlated with narrowing of the annual rings from one year to another. The narrowing ratio of yearly rings reached 60–504% for 94–95 yr old, and 375–661% for 58–63 yr old Pinus brutia trees during the 1986–1990, 1991–1995 and 1996–2000 periods.All these results clearly showed that the decrease in the chlorophyll content in needles under the effect of air pollution caused important reduction in the raw timber production and its inputs to the economy. In other words, drying due to increased ecological sensitivity or direct hazard of pollutants emitted by the power plants and cutting of trees have been notably increased in the region. This has created serious economic losses.     

利用含油碳酸钙污泥制备橡胶填充剂

本文以中原油田含油碳酸钙污泥为研究对象,根据高分子理论化学和橡胶工程理论,论证了油田含油碳酸钙污泥开发含油橡胶填充剂的理论基础。经粉体加工,将含油碳酸钙污泥制备成实验用橡胶填充剂。通过橡胶工程实验及产品测试,结果表明,与正在使用的普通碳酸钙和纳米碳酸钙填充剂相比,含油碳酸钙污泥制备的填充剂对橡胶制品的性能没有明显的影响;在分散性、橡胶网状分子的交联性、磨耗、回弹性等方面,较普通碳酸钙和纳米碳酸钙的填充效果稍优。     

冻融对污水河道沉积物特性及脱水性能的影响

为了降低污水河道治理过程中污染沉积物的含水率以减少其对环境的二次污染,对污水河道沉积物在自然条件下和人为条件下进行冻融实验研究,通过冻融前后沉积物比阻抗、含水率、颗粒分布及渗出液中污染物含量等实验说明冻融对污染沉积物脱水性能及其特性有影响.研究表明,冻融过程使沉积物的比表面积变小,体均粒径变大,泥水明显分离,含水率从冻前83%～85%降到融后的50%～60%;大量间隙水、毛细结合水和表面粘附水游离出来,提高了沉积物的脱水性能;比阻值由(1.2～4.1)×10⁹s²/g降为(3.8～5.2)×10⁷s²/g;同时渗出液的SS含量由1 000～1 200mg/kg降到340～380 mg/kg、氨氮含量由150～170 mg/kg降到100～120 mg/kg、BOD含量由300～310 mg/kg降到50～60 mg/kg,但渗出液中油类物质含量由1～2mg/kg提高到11～12 mg/kg,即如果沉积物不是被油类物质污染,冻融可使渗出液污染程度小于冻前沉积物的渗出液.     

基于因子-聚类分析的地下水中阳离子来源研究

于2020—2021年对某市20个监测井80份地下水样本进行了调查。采用因子分析和聚类分析法以地下水中阳离子浓度为研究对象进行溯源分析。结果表明,地下水中阳离子浓度会受到不同程度、不同类别的人类活动影响,其阳离子的来源呈现多样化的特点,其中铅、铜、铝、锰为农业面源来源,铵、钠、总硬度是工业来源,另外,砷、铁及锌等为自然来源,而在自然来源中出现的砷、铁阳离子的富集现象,很明显是受到了城镇化及工业化的影响。锌与氢离子可能是地下水中pH值受到人类活动的影响,或者是地表水的侧向补给带来的影响。