Trait‐based prediction of extinction risk of small‐bodied freshwater fishes

Small body size is generally correlated with r‐selected life‐history traits, including early maturation, short‐generation times, and rapid growth rates, that result in high population turnover and a reduced risk of extinction. Unlike other classes of vertebrates, however, small freshwater fishes appear to have an equal or greater risk of extinction than large fishes. We explored whether particular traits explain the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List conservation status of small‐bodied freshwater fishes from 4 temperate river basins: Murray‐Darling, Australia; Danube, Europe; Mississippi‐Missouri, North America; and the Rio Grande, North America. Twenty‐three ecological and life‐history traits were collated for all 171 freshwater fishes of ≤120 mm total length. We used generalized linear mixed‐effects models to assess which combination of the 23 traits best explained whether a species was threatened or not threatened. We used the best models to predict the probability of 29 unclassified species being listed as threatened. With and without controlling for phylogeny at the family level, small body size—among small‐bodied species—was the most influential trait correlated with threatened species listings. The k‐folds cross‐validation demonstrated that body size and a random effect structure that included family predicted the threat status with an accuracy of 78% (SE 0.5). We identified 10 species likely to be threatened that are not listed as such on the IUCN Red List. Small body size is not a trait that provides universal resistance to extinction, particularly for vertebrates inhabiting environments affected by extreme habitat loss and fragmentation. We hypothesize that this is because small‐bodied species have smaller home ranges, lower dispersal capabilities, and heightened ecological specialization relative to larger vertebrates. Trait data and further model development are needed to predict the IUCN conservation status of the over 11,000 unclassified freshwater fishes, especially those under threat from proposed dam construction in the world's most biodiverse river basins.     

Evolving Expectations of Dam Removal Outcomes: Downstream Geomorphic Effects Following Removal of a Small,Gravel‐Filled Dam1

Kibler, Kelly, Desiree Tullos, and Mathias Kondolf, 2011. Evolving Expectations of Dam Removal Outcomes: Downstream Geomorphic Effects Following Removal of a Small, Gravel‐Filled Dam. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐16. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00523.x Abstract: Dam removal is a promising river restoration technique, particularly for the vast number of rivers impounded by small dams that no longer fulfill their intended function. As the decommissioning of small dams becomes increasingly commonplace in the future, it is essential that decisions regarding how and when to remove these structures are informed by appropriate conceptual ideas outlining potential outcomes. To refine predictions, it is necessary to utilize information from ongoing dam removal monitoring to evolve predictive tools, including conceptual models. Following removal of the Brownsville Dam from the Calapooia River, Oregon, aquatic habitats directly below the dam became more heterogeneous over the short term, whereas changes further downstream were virtually undetectable. One year after dam removal, substrates of bars and riffles within 400 m downstream of the dam coarsened and a dominance of gravel and cobble sediments replaced previously hardpan substrate. New bars formed and existing bars grew such that bar area and volume increased substantially, and a pool‐riffle structure formed where plane‐bed glide formations had previously dominated. As the Brownsville Dam stored coarse rather than fine sediments, outcomes following removal differ from results of many prior dam removal studies. Therefore, we propose a refined conceptual model describing downstream geomorphic processes following small dam removal when upstream fill is dominated by coarse sediments.     

基于三维荧光及平行因子分析的川西高原河流水体CDOM特征

川西高原草甸和高寒湿地是青藏高原重要土壤碳库之一,高原河流水体溶解性有机碳特征及其与土壤碳库关系研究,对于理解高寒区域土壤碳输出通量及强度具有重要意义.本文对川西高原高山峡谷区河流(岷江上游、杂谷脑河、抚边河)和高原夷平面河流(白河)水体有色溶解性有机质(CDOM)采用三维荧光及平行因子法(EEM-PARAFAC)进行了分析.结果表明:(1)高原河流中CDOM主要有3种组分,即C_1(260/480,UVC类腐殖质)、C_2[310/420(570),UVA类腐殖质]和C_3(280/370,类色氨酸);(2)河流沿程变化特征显示,高山峡谷区河流总荧光强度值较低,变化范围窄,高原夷平面河流(白河)与其相反;同时白河类腐殖质(C_1、C_2)荧光强度远高于其他3条河流,表明白河中源于沿岸草甸和湿地的陆源腐殖质高,而其余高山峡谷区3条河流陆源腐殖质输入相对低;(3)水体荧光特征参数(荧光指数FI、自生源指数BIX、腐殖化系数HIXb、新鲜度指数β:α)表明,高山峡谷区河流CDOM来源具有外源兼内源双重特征,腐殖化程度低;高原夷平面河流CDOM腐殖化程度相对较高且降解程度低;(4)相关性分析发现4条河流中C_1、C_2极显著正相关,且白河C_1、C_2、C_3呈极显著正相关;所有河流β:α与BIX呈极显著正相关,溶解性有机碳(DOC)与355 nm处吸收系数[a(355)]相关性不显著.     

中国淡水生态系统甲烷排放基本特征及研究进展

本文基于中国境内的湖泊、水库、河流等淡水系统CH₄排放研究的相关成果,对203个湖泊（595个样点）、46个水库（221个样点）、112条河流（441个样点）,总计1257个样点的CH₄通量数据进行统计分析,探讨了中国淡水系统（湖泊、水库、河流）CH₄排放的一般特征,总结了当前研究进展,并进一步估算和评估了中国淡水系统CH₄排放总量水平.结果表明：1）中国湖泊CH₄排放通量平均为（1.17±1.87） mg/（m²·h）,蒙新湖区（（3.84±0.57） mg/（m²·h））和东北湖区（（2.62±3.54） mg/（m²·h））较高,青藏湖区（（1.94±4.13） mg/（m²·h））次之,东部湖区（（0.81±0.90） mg/（m²·h））较低,云贵湖区（（0.19±0.26） mg/（m²·h））最低;湖泊CH₄排放通量呈显著的纬度模式,高纬度地区湖泊CH₄排放高于低纬度地区;2）水库CH₄排放通量（（1.25±1.78） mg/（m²·h））与湖泊相似,水库消落带较高的排放通量（（4.34±4.45）mg/（m²·h））对水库CH₄排放具有重要贡献;3）河流CH₄排放（（0.82±1.14） mg/（m²·h））略低于湖库,长江水系CH₄排放通量（（0.98±2.38） mg/（m²·h））和黄河水系（（0.85±0.75） mg/（m²·h））相近,高于海河水系（（0.54±0.93） mg/（m²·h））,辽河、珠江水系研究较少,数据变异性极大;4）受降水、温度、径流稀释等影响,淡水系统CH₄排放呈显著的季节变化,其中湖库排放夏季高于秋季,冬春季较低,而河流则春秋季高于夏冬季;5）基于外推法估算全国湖泊、水库、河流CH₄排放总量分别约为0.96,0.29,0.76Tg/a,相当于全国湿地系统排放的75%.由于较大的时空变异性以及监测数据分布的不均匀性,目前估算存在较大的不确定性,但淡水系统CH₄排放在全球气候变化中的贡献仍不容小觑.     

苏南快速城镇化区域典型河道入河污染物调查分析与估算

针对快速城镇化区域产业快速发展、人口高度密集与排水设施建设滞后间的突出矛盾,以苏州官渎里区域的典型重污染河道——官渎花园内河为研究对象,在分析区域排污特征的基础上,系统总结点污染源、面污染源和内污染源在该类区域的具体表现形式和影响因素,对各类污染物入河量进行调查测算.根据测算结果,官渎花园内河的CODcr、NH3-N、TN和TP年入河量分别为222.54、11.16、16.63和2.56t·a-1.对各污染源贡献率的分析结果表明,工业污染和生活污染为主要污染源,其次为降雨径流污染.在上述测算分析的基础上,结合苏南快速城镇化区域发展特点,提出了若干河道污染控制的对策与建议.     

PREDICTING FECAL COLIFORM BACTERIA LEVELS IN THE CHARLES RIVER,MASSACHUSETTS, USA1

In Massachusetts, the Charles River Watershed Association conducts a regular water quality monitoring and public notification program in the Charles River Basin during the recreational season to inform users of the river's health. This program has relied on laboratory analyses of river samples for fecal coliform bacteria levels, however, results are not available until at least 24 hours after sampling. To avoid the need for laboratory analyses, ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regression models were developed to predict fecal coliform bacteria concentrations and the probabilities of exceeding the Massachusetts secondary contact recreation standard for bacteria based on meteorological conditions and streamflow. The OLS models resulted in adjusted R²s ranging from 50 to 60 percent. An uncertainty analysis reveals that of the total variability of fecal coliform bacteria concentrations, 45 percent is explained by the OLS regression model, 15 percent is explained by both measurement and space sampling error, and 40 percent is explained by time sampling error. Higher accuracy in future bacteria forecasting models would likely result from reductions in laboratory measurement errors and improved sampling designs.     

近50年三江源地表湿润指数变化特征及其影响因素

基于三江源区1959—2008年月平均气温、最高气温、最低气温、相对湿度、降水量、风速和日照百分率等气候要素资料,应用修订的Penman-Monteith（P-M）模型计算了最大潜在蒸散量和地表湿润指数,分析其空间分布、年际和年代际变化特征及其主要气象因子的影响。结果表明：1959—2008年间,研究区年降水量呈增加趋势,降水量变化曲线线性拟合倾向率为5.316~13.047 mm.（10a）-1,春夏季增幅较大;最大潜在蒸散量呈增加趋势,年最大潜在蒸散量变化曲线线性拟合倾向率在5.073~10.712 mm.（10a）-1,夏季增幅最大;地表湿润指数变化也呈增加趋势,年地表湿润指数变化曲线线性拟合倾向率0.011~0.026（10a）-1,冬季增幅最大,在15年周期附近,出现了3~5个干湿交替期,1984年之后为偏湿期,在中高频区,1998—2006年有偏干振荡;影响三江源区地表湿润指数的主要因子是降水量、相对湿度和平均最高气温。     

Application of a systemic approach to the study of pollution of the Tinto and Odiel rivers (Spain)

The province of Huelva in the SW of Spain presents high environmental contrasts: together with the great abundance of natural spaces, it shows the impacts of historical natural resources exploitation processes. In the Ria of Huelva, the effluents of the chemical industries must be added to the contaminating inputs of the Tinto and Odiel rivers, coming from the acid drainage of the mines located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. This forced the Environmental Agency (AMA) to elaborate in 1987 an Effluent Remediation Plan in order to negate unacceptable environmental impacts. The application of a grey box systemic analysis to the AMD pollution, undergone by the Tinto and Odiel rivers has allowed to set a conclusive explanation of the sampling results observed for a period of 11 years, thus making available an overall view of the polluting process and, above all, an explanation of its partial aspects.     

The occurrence of antihistamines in sewage waters and in recipient rivers

Background, aim and scope  Each year, large quantities of pharmaceuticals are consumed worldwide for the treatment and prevention of human and animal diseases. Although the drugs and the metabolites observed in the wastewaters and in the environment are present at concentrations several orders of magnitude lower than the concentrations required to exert their effects in humans or animals, their long-term impact on the environment is commonly not known. In this study, the occurrence of six antihistamines, which are used for the relief of allergic reactions such as hay fever, was determined in sewage treatment plants wastewaters and in recipient river waters. Materials and methods  The occurrence of the antihistamines cetirizine, acrivastine, fexofenadine, loratadine, desloratadine and ebastine in sewage treatment plants wastewaters and in recipient river waters was studied. The analytical procedure consisted of solid-phase extraction of the water samples followed by liquid chromatography separation and detection by a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer in the multiple reaction mode. Results  Cetirizine, acrivastine and fexofenadine were detected in both influent and effluent wastewater samples at concentration levels ranging from about 80 to 220 ng/L, while loratadine, desloratadine and ebastine could not be detected in any samples. During sewage treatment, the concentration of the antihistamines dropped by an average of 16–36%. Furthermore, elevated concentrations of antihistamines were observed in samples collected during the season of most intensive plant pollen production, i.e. in May. In the river water samples, the relative pattern of occurrence of cetirizine, acrivastine and fexofenadine was similar to that in the wastewater samples; although the concentration of the compounds was substantially lower (4–11 ng/L). The highest concentrations of the studied drugs were observed near the discharging point of the sewage treatment plant. Discussion  The highest concentrations of antihistamines in STP wastewaters correlate with the outbreak of allergic reaction caused by high amounts of plant pollens in the air. The analysis results of the river water samples show that the antihistamines are carried far away from the effluent discharge points. They may account for a part of the mix of pharmaceuticals and of pharmaceutical metabolites that occur downstream of STPs. Conclusions  Antihistamines are poorly degraded/eliminated under the biological treatment processes applied in the wastewater treatment plants and, consequently, they are continuously being discharged along with other drugs to the aquatic environment. Recommendations and perspectives  As a huge quantity and variety of drugs and their metabolites are continuously discharged to rivers and the sea, the compounds should be considered as contaminants that may possess risks to the aquatic ecosystem. Further studies are urgently needed on the environmental fate of the antihistamines and other pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. These studies should be concerned with the stability of the compounds, their transformation reactions and the identity of the transformation products, the distribution of drugs and their uptake and effects in organisms. On the basis of these studies, the possible environmental hazards of pharmaceuticals may be assessed.     

Air‐Water Temperature Relationships in the Trout Streams of Southeastern Minnesota's Carbonate‐Sandstone Landscape

Carbonate‐sandstone geology in southeastern Minnesota creates a heterogeneous landscape of springs, seeps, and sinkholes that supply groundwater into streams. Air temperatures are effective predictors of water temperature in surface‐water dominated streams. However, no published work investigates the relationship between air and water temperatures in groundwater‐fed streams (GWFS) across watersheds. We used simple linear regressions to examine weekly air‐water temperature relationships for 40 GWFS in southeastern Minnesota. A 40‐stream, composite linear regression model has a slope of 0.38, an intercept of 6.63, and R² of 0.83. The regression models for GWFS have lower slopes and higher intercepts in comparison to surface‐water dominated streams. Regression models for streams with high R² values offer promise for use as predictive tools for future climate conditions. Climate change is expected to alter the thermal regime of groundwater‐fed systems, but will do so at a slower rate than surface‐water dominated systems. A regression model of intercept vs. slope can be used to identify streams for which water temperatures are more meteorologically than groundwater controlled, and thus more vulnerable to climate change. Such relationships can be used to guide restoration vs. management strategies to protect trout streams.