Influence of Riparian Seepage Zones on Nitrate Variability in Two Agricultural Headwater Streams

Riparian seeps have been recognized for their contributions to stream flow in headwater catchments, but there is limited data on how seeps affect stream water quality. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of seeps on the variability of stream NO₃‐N concentrations in FD36 and RS, two agricultural catchments in Pennsylvania. Stream samples were collected at 10‐m intervals over reaches of 550 (FD36) and 490 m (RS) on 21 occasions between April 2009 and January 2012. Semi‐variogram analysis was used to quantify longitudinal patterns in stream NO₃‐N concentration. Seep water was collected at 14 sites in FD36 and 7 in RS, but the number of flowing seeps depended on antecedent conditions. Seep NO₃‐N concentrations were variable (0.1‐29.5 mg/l) and were often greater downslope of cropped fields compared to other land uses. During base flow, longitudinal variability in stream NO₃‐N concentrations increased as the number of flowing seeps increased. The influence of seeps on the variability of stream NO₃‐N concentrations was less during storm flow compared to the variability of base flow NO₃‐N concentrations. However, 24 h after a storm in FD36, an increase in the number of flowing seeps and decreasing streamflow resulted in the greatest longitudinal variability in stream NO₃‐N concentrations recorded. Results indicate seeps are important areas of NO₃‐N delivery to streams where targeted adoption of mitigation measures may substantially improve stream water quality.     

Streamside Management Zones Compromised by Stream Crossings,Legacy Gullies,and Over‐Harvest in the Piedmont

Streamside management zone (SMZ) breakthroughs were identified and characterized to determine frequency and potential causes, in order to provide enhanced guidance for future water quality protection. Ten kilometers of SMZs were carefully examined for partial or complete breakthroughs. With partial breakthroughs the SMZ trapped sediment before it reached the stream, while complete breakthroughs appeared to have allowed sediment to have passed through with minimal restriction. A total of 41 breakthroughs occurred (33 complete, 8 partial) across 16 sites, averaging 1 complete breakthrough per 0.3 km of SMZ length. The most common complete breakthroughs were caused by stream crossings (42%), reactivation of legacy agricultural gullies (27%), and harvest related soil disturbances near/within SMZs (24%). Pearson correlations of site characteristics at breakthroughs indicated no strong relationships between breakthrough sites, representing the variable nature of these unique circumstances. Stream crossings are an intentional breakthrough for access purposes, but resulting environmental impacts can be reduced with best management practice implementation. Current recommendations for SMZs tend to work in most situations, yet further research is needed to identify causal factors and quantify breakthrough severity.     

“In common nature”: an ethnography of climate adaptation in the Lesotho Highlands

In Lesotho, climate change adaptation funding is being managed and distributed by the same mechanisms which have traditionally operationalised humanitarian aid and international development assistance in the country. Lessons from the HIV/AIDS disaster, along with insights into the value of participatory approaches foregrounding the expertise of indigenous communities, must be heeded in order to ensure that those most affected by climate change have a say in how adaptation is carried out. This paper proposes that indigenous people have developed and actively maintained resilience strategies, encoded in social practices and farming techniques, designed out of long experience with climatic variability. Through case studies, indigenous resilience strategies are explored, with emphasis on the anarchistic, improvisational nature of traditional ecological knowledge. Future directions for policy-makers and practitioners dealing with climate change adaptation are suggested, namely the need to foreground indigenous knowledge and the experiences of frontlines experts in key policy arenas.     

2014年春节期间北京市空气质量分析

对2014年1月30日(除夕)13时到1月31日(初一)12时期间北京市官园、怀柔和良乡监测站的CO、SO2、NOx、PM10、PM2.5浓度及PM2.5化学组分和能见度等监测数据进行分析,探讨了污染源减排和烟花爆竹燃放对北京市空气质量的叠加影响.研究发现,烟花爆竹的集中燃放会在短时间内造成严重的大气污染,其中,对PM10、PM2.5和SO2的影响最为显著.官园、怀柔和良乡监测站在1月31日凌晨1时的PM10浓度值分别为377.8、253.2和627.0μg·m-3,分别为1、2月份平均值的2.4、2.0和3.6倍;PM2.5浓度值分别为292.0、184.7和522.4μg·m-3,分别为1、2月份平均值的2.1、1.5和3.2倍.烟花爆竹的燃放对PM2.5化学组分中的K+、SO2-4、Cl-、Mg2+和Na+等影响最大,1月31日凌晨1时这5种离子在PM2.5浓度中占的比例高达92.1%.烟花爆竹的燃放造成1月31日凌晨1时监测中心和良乡的能见度分别降至2422 m和3591 m,是1、2月份能见度均值的22.9%和32.8%.2010—2014年"春节半月"期间官园、怀柔和良乡PM10平均浓度大多低于冬季均值和年均值,2014年"春节半月"这3个监测站的PM2.5浓度相比于冬季均值分别下降了33.3%、20.6%和39.2%,表明污染源减排对空气质量的正影响非常明显.     

应用概率物种敏感度分布法研究太湖重金属水生生物水质基准

目前广泛使用的水质基准推导方法—物种敏感度分布法存在曲线拟合模型不确定、曲线拟合效果不佳、种内差异欠考虑、基准值不准确等诸多问题,概率物种敏感度分布法可有效解决上述问题。应用概率物种敏感度分布法构建了太湖水体中5种重金属Ag、Pb、Cd、Hg和Zn的概率物种敏感度分布曲线,在此基础上得到了保护水生生物的急性水质基准分别为1.079μg·L~(-1)、637.973μg·L~(-1)、19.465μg·L~(-1)、8.729μg·L~(-1)和105.506μg·L~(-1),慢性水质基准分别为0.108μg·L~(-1)、63.797μg·L~(-1)、1.947μg·L~(-1)、2.340μg·L~(-1)和52.753μg·L~(-1);不同类群间生物对重金属的敏感度存在差异,不同重金属对同一类群生物的毒性也存在差异;通过与国内外已有的重金属水质基准值比较,发现水质基准具有明显的区域性,目前基于国外水质基准或我国整体水域特点来制定的太湖水质标准,往往造成对太湖水生生物欠保护或过保护的状况。     

Risk assessment of Giardia from a full scale MBR sewage treatment plant caused by membrane integrity failure

Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are highly efficient at intercepting particles and microbes and have become an important technology for wastewater reclamation. However, many pathogens can accumulate in activated sludge due to the long residence time usually adopted in MBR, and thus may pose health risks when membrane integrity problems occur. This study presents data from a survey on the occurrence of water-borne Giardia pathogens in reclaimed water from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant with MBR experiencing membrane integrity failure, and assessed the associated risk for green space irrigation. Due to membrane integrity failure, the MBR effluent turbidity varied between 0.23 and 1.90 NTU over a period of eight months. Though this turbidity level still met reclaimed water quality standards (≤5 NTU), Giardia were detected at concentrations of 0.3 to 95 cysts/10 L, with a close correlation between effluent turbidity and Giardia concentration. All β-giardin gene sequences of Giardia in the WWTP influents were genotyped as Assemblages A and B, both of which are known to infect humans. An exponential dose-response model was applied to assess the risk of infection by Giardia. The risk in the MBR effluent with chlorination was 9.83 × 10^-3, higher than the acceptable annual risk of 1.0 × 10^-4. This study suggested that membrane integrity is very important for keeping a low pathogen level, and multiple barriers are needed to ensure the biological safety of MBR effluent.     

底栖动物在水质评价中应用的中文文献统计和分析研究

底栖动物长期生活在水体底部,水质的变化会直接影响到它们的生长和繁殖,因此底栖动物可以准确的反映水体的质量.利用底栖动物对水质进行生物评价,在国内已较多采用,并取得了一定的成果.在收集、整理了126篇底栖动物在水质评价中的应用的相关中文文献的基础上,统计出了这些文献的年度发表量及在各期刊的分布情况,其中核心期刊占有较大的比例.此外,还统计了文献的研究机构,主要是以高校为主体,以及文献所用的评价水质的方法,共计14种.     

阜新市空气监测点位优化的聚类分析

基于聚类分析法利用数据之间距离系数进行分类的原理,建立空气监测点位聚类分析优化模型,结合阜新市地形、气象及历史监测数据,进行阜新市空气监测点位布设优化应用,优化结果表明:距离相似水平取d=0.3时,环保局(B点)与人民公园(C点)监测点空气污染物浓度分布相似性最高,合并为1点,增设气象台监测点位作为清洁背景点,4个点位构成阜新市空气监测新网络;利用CALPUFF模型模拟对优化后监测点位进行相关性检验。检验结果表明:监测点位优化后SO2浓度与实测值相关系数为0.984,PM10相关系数为0.968,NO2相关系数为0.973。CALPUFF模型模拟值与实际监测值之间相关系数均大于0.75,表明优化后的阜新市空气监测点位具有客观环境代表性;监测点位优化与检验方法具有一定应用价值。     

木兰县饮用水源地水质状况分析研究

2012年木兰县监测站对木兰县饮用水源地水质状况进行了监测,监测了六项常规的监测项目,其中包括:pH、总硬度、铁、锰、浑浊度、总大肠菌群.通过这些监测数据可知,木兰县饮用水源地中pH、总硬度、浑浊度均能达到中国《生活饮用水卫生标准》和国家《地下水质量标准》(GB 14848-93)规定,总大肠菌群四个季度均未检出,但铁的含量在第三季度出现超标情况,锰的含量在第一、二、三季度出现超标,本文分析了超标的成因及处理的方法,并提出建议.