profiling areas of ground water contamination by pesticides in california: phase ii – evaluation and modification of a statistical model

A well sampling study was conducted to evaluate anempirical approach to classifying areasof land in California as vulnerable to ground watercontamination by pesticides (Troiano et al., 1994). Wells were sampled from sections of land that had noprevious detections of pesticideresidues. The sections had been classified into vulnerablesoil clusters or into a not-classified groupusing a procedure based on Principal Components Analysis(PCA). Grape, citrus, and olive growingareas of Fresno and Tulare Counties were targeted, areas wherepre-emergence herbicide residues hadbeen detected in well water. Overall, herbicide residues weredetected in 75 of 176 sampled wells, ahigh frequency of detection in relation to results fromprevious targeted well sampling studies. Sinceresidues were also detected in the not-classified group, theclassification procedure was modified usingan approach based on Canonical Variates Analysis (CVA). Moresections were classified intovulnerable soil clusters with the CVA approach than with thePCA method. Data from two otherexplanatory variables, depth to ground water and amount ofpesticide used per section, were includedto illustrate how additional information can be incorporatedinto this approach of identifying vulnerable areas.     

Monitoring of diazinon concentrations and loadings,and identification of geographic origins consequent to stormwater runoff from orchards in the Sacramento River watershed,U.S.A

Diazinon contamination of California's rivers has resulted in placing several rivers on the federal Clean Water Act § 303d list of impaired waterways. Impaired water body listing requiresthe development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). Previous studies identified stormwater related diazinon pulses in California rivers. This study was conducted to monitor diazinonconcentrations in the Sacramento River watershed after rainfallevents, to ascertain whether pulses could be identified and, ifconcentrations of concern were observed, to estimate loadings anddetermine geographic origins of the insecticide. TMDL developmentrequires knowledge of contaminant sources, loadings, and geographic origins. Flow and diazinon concentrations peaked in the Sacramento River at Sacramento after the three largest stormsduring January and February 1994. Diazinon concentrations peakedconsequent to each of three storms. Diazinon concentrationsmeasured in the Sacramento River at Sacramento exceeded theCalifornia Department of Fish and Game acute and chroniccriteria for protection of aquatic life during January andFebruary for nine and nineteen days, respectively. Multipleexceedances were observed throughout the watershed. Diazinon loading and geographic origin differed with each of the three storms. The design of this study provides a useful template for others attempting to identify loadings and sources of contaminants in surface waters and to rectify aquatic ecosystemcontamination from various land use practices.     

Biological complexity confounds the separation of point- and non-point sources of human impact on the natural world

Identifying process from pattern is one of the most vexing tasks inenvironmental monitoring. Given information on the distribution of speciesin a pre-defined area, together with comprehensive data on how environmentalconditions in that area have altered through time, is it possible toidentify the factors controlling the species‘ layout? Here, the practicalsignificance of this quandary is demonstrated using a series ofenvironmentally-degraded coastal lagoons in New South Wales. The TuggerahLakes (33°17′S,151°30′E) have over the last 50 yearsexperienced significant changes in species‘ distributions. Seagrasses,macroalgae, phytoplankton, molluscs, prawns and the jellyfish Catostylus mosaicus have altered in spatial pattern. Two human activitieshave been blamed for these perturbations: (1) agricultural clearance ofnative vegetation from the catchment, with associated input of top-soil andnutrients; (2) the commissioning of a coal-fired power station in 1967, withmassive uptake and recirculation of lake water for cooling purposes. In thispaper, spatial changes in macrophyte distributions over the last 50 yearsare reviewed in an attempt to identify the true source(s) of perturbation.The model adopted assumes that the power station is a point source of impactwhile nutrient inputs from the catchment are a diffuse source of impact;changes in species distributions can hypothetically be related back to thesesources according to whether they are localised or widespread. However,after a comprehensive analysis of available macrophyte data derived frominterviews, aerial photography and line transect methodologyies theconclusion is reached that changes in biogeographical pattern around theTuggerah Lakes cannot be attributed to specific anthropogenic pressures atanything beyond the coarsest of levels. This is considered to be the normfor most coastal management situations where natural background variation(’noise‘) and the complexity of linkages between physical, chemical andbiological components confounds the identification of causal relationships.The practical implications of this conclusion are discussed in the contextof litigation and remedial management design. Emphasis is placed on theneed to adopt an adaptive approach to estuarine management, incorporatingexplicit recognition of the limitations of available data, and to developnew techniques for identifying cause-effect relationships.     

我国城市降雨径流污染控制模式探讨

随着城市的发展与点源污染控制的不断完善,城市降雨径流污染日益突出,对城市水体构成严重威胁,必须得到有效的控制。对国内外城市降雨径流污染控制模式进行了比较,并结合我国的实际情况,首次提出了双重控制模式,以期为我国城市降雨径流污染的控制与决策提供参考和借鉴。     

长白山西坡风灾干扰区的恢复和保护

长白山西坡发生的灾害性风灾干扰,一方面给长白山自然保护区的森林资源造成巨大损失,同时也提出了如何加强保护和加速恢复的新课题。文中分析了风灾干扰区的更新格局和过程以及干扰后处理的有关问题,提出了从立地和景观水平促进更新恢复的保护措施     

干旱地区森林对流域径流的影响

森林对流域径流的影响包括森林对流域径流形成机制的影响、森林对流域径流量的调节以及森林对流域径流水质的影响3个方面。论文根据作者在黄土高原和北京土石山区多年研究的结果，并结合国内同行在森林水文方面的研究成果，就干旱地区森林对流域年总径流量、洪峰流量、枯水径流以及径流水质等方面的影响作了概括。结果表明，在干旱地区随着森林植被覆盖率的增加，流域年总径流量减少；森林植被可以大幅度地减小小流域的暴雨洪峰流量；森林植被覆盖率越高，枯水径流量随之增加；森林可以在很大程度上改善流域径流水质。根据干旱地区森林植被可以减少流域年径流总量的研究结果，初步估算目前我国干旱地区林业生态工程建设（包括天然林）的生态用水量为160亿m3左右。由于森林植被对流域径流影响的复杂性和尺度依赖性，森林在区域（或大流域）尺度的水文功能评价仍有待于进一步深入研究。     

我国海洋灾害经济损失评估模型研究

针对目前我国海洋灾害给海洋环境及造成损害的实际情况，运用环境经济学及系统动力学的理论和方法，并在溢油模型及ＧＩＳ的支持下，首次建立了用一系列密切相关的子模块来评估经济损失的数学模型。它对于促进我国海洋灾害经济损失评估的定量化进程将起到一定的作用。     

西南地区水资源及其评价

西南是我国水资源最丰富的地区,但供需矛盾十分突出:旱灾频繁不少城市供水不足中小河流污染较重径流式电站出力显著下降内河航运不断萎缩。分析其原因,与水资源的特点和演变规律分不开。① 来水与用水不协调:坝区地多水少、山区水多地少城市和工业集中区水量偏小、偏僻地区来水偏大用水季节来水少、非用水季节来水多岩溶分布广泛,水资源利用困难。② 枯季径流不断减少:西南水资源70％以上分布在雨季。旱季水很少,且在不断下降。如不改变径流的分配方式,用水危机将会到来。③ 水质不断恶化:西南水质是好的。随着城市化的发展,农药化肥的大量使用,水质变差。重视保护、防止污染是重要的战略措施。④ 水资源的开发必须因地制宜,重视蓄水和跨流域调水的作用。     

土壤重金属污染及其预防、修复研究

土壤重金属污染是一个难以解决的全球性棘手问题,不仅会直接或间接地危害人体健康,而且其污染的修复也十分困难,因此土壤重金属污染的预防与修复具有特别重要的意义.目前中国部分地区土壤重金属污染已相当严重,土壤污染防治已被提上中国环境保护工作的重要议程.文章先从自然地理环境的整体性出发说明土壤重金属污染的危害,接着介绍了由于人类活动引起的农耕区及城市土壤重金属污染来源,最后有针对性地提出土壤重金属污染的预防及其修复措施.     

洞庭湖区湿地资源可持续利用途径研究

湿地具有特殊的生态功能和社会经济价值。洞庭湖区湿地垦殖强度大,造成了生态环境严重退化的恶果。研究表明:控制人口总量,退田还湖,建立湿地自然保护区,大力发展避洪耐涝型湿地特色产业是保护和合理利用湿地资源的有效途径,且已取得了良好的社会、经济、生态效益。由此认为,如何协调好人口、资源与环境的关系是实现湿地资源可持续利用的战略目标。