Selection of Bioindicators of Pollution for Marine Monitoring Programmes

The ultimate management concerns related to toxic chemicals in the marine environment are for the magnitude and extent of biological effects, including those on human health, that may result. Over the past several years, the National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has supported the development and application of a number of bioeffects measurements, including biochemical indicators of contaminant exposure and of reproductive status in fish, prevalence of histopathological lesions, toxicity bioassays of sediments and water, and benthic community structural features. Some of these measurements have been applied as part of regular sampling at the nationwide network of NS&T sites, while others have been assessed in more intensive, regional studies. Our experience with different indicators is summarized and discussed in relation to a set of monitoring objectives and evaluation criteria. Current conclusions are: (a) iterative application of controlled laboratory experiments and field validation tests are required to verify causality and mechanisms of biological responses to contaminants; (b) contaminant concentrations, indicator species, and local conditions vary considerably in different areas and at different times, requiring the use of different effects measurements oriented toward specific objectives and hypotheses; and (c) tiered, sequential application of a mix of indicators, including direct measurements on indigenous organisms and indirect bioassay approaches, is useful and effective for estimating the magnitude and spatial extent of contaminant bioeffects.     

Development of an integrated chemical,biological and ecological approach for impact assessment of Mediterranean offshore gas platforms

The pressure for more energy demand is a strong driver for the construction of offshore oil and gas platforms. This also applies to the Adriatic Sea where, since 1960, several gas fields have been commissioned. The continuous expansion of the gas industry may potentially have detrimental effects on marine communities. This may become particularly clear in such a peculiar semi-enclosed basin as the Adriatic Sea, which contains ecosystems that are subject to intensive anthropic pressures, such as unsustainable fishing and inputs of environmental pollutants. To date, still scant information is available on the environmental effects of gas platforms. Thus, to comply with the national Italian legislation and to support the development of protocols for the monitoring of offshore activities, multidisciplinary studies have been conducted and performed by CNR-ISMAR in cooperation with some private and public research institutes. A multidisciplinary approach based on chemical, biological and ecological investigations was performed to evaluate both the water column and the sediment quality near a gas platform. The overall results indicate moderate effects of platform-related environmental stress.     

双酚A对稻田土壤细菌群落特征及土壤酶活的影响

采用FQ-PCR(实时荧光定量PCR)、PCR-DGGE(PCR扩增和变性梯度凝胶电泳)技术和土壤酶学研究法对不同浓度双酚A污染的稻田土壤细菌群落特征及土壤酶活性进行了研究.结果表明:经双酚A高浓度处理〔即w(双酚A)分别为200和1 000 mg/kg〕的稻田土壤细菌数量显著低于未受污染的对照(CK)和低浓度处理〔w(双酚A)为50 mg/kg〕,并且高浓度处理分别较CK处理(3.64×109 g-1)下降90.44%和99.83%.细菌16S rDNA V3可变区DGGE图谱表明,受双酚A污染的土壤明显产生了数条特征性条带.UPGMA(非加权组平均法)聚类分析进一步表明,双酚A污染明显改变了稻田土壤的细菌群落组成.2次采样土壤总体酶活性参数均为CK>w(双酚A)为50 mg/kg处理>w(双酚A)为200 mg/kg处理>w(双酚A)为1 000 mg/kg处理.可见,高浓度的双酚A污染明显影响稻田土壤细菌数量以及细菌优势菌群,使农田土壤细菌群落多样性发生变化.      

分子技术在湿地微生物群落解析中的应用

人工湿地的研究和应用近年来受到了广泛重视。微生物是人工湿地系统的重要组成部分,其群落结构对于湿地的净化功能的发挥具有重要影响。与传统的微生物分析技术相比,分子生物学技术在解析人工湿地微生物群落结构时无需纯培养,具有高效、快速、简便的特点,使其广泛应用于环境微生物的研究。文章综述了近年来在聚合酶链反应技术（Polymerase Chain Reaction,PCR）基础上发展起来的几种新的分子生物技术,包括PCR-DGGE、LH-PCR、T-RFLP、PCR-SSCP和ARDRA,以及其在人工湿地微生物研究中的应用现状。通过这些分子技术,可以分析湿地处理特定废水过程中微生物的数量、丰度、多样性及优势种;鉴定湿地中特定功能菌群（如氨氧化细菌、反硝化细菌、除硫菌等）的数量、活动分布、空间变更及与污染物去除的关系;判断各种系统条件（如不同基质、植物、水力负荷等）的设置对微生物多样性和稳定性的影响。最后,对分子技术在湿地领域的未来发展进行了展望。     

Basic principles and ecological consequences of changing water regimes: riparian plant communities

Recent research has emphasized the importance of riparian ecosystems as centers of biodiversity and links between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Riparian ecosystems also belong among the environments that are most disturbed by humans and are in need of restoration to maintain biodiversity and ecological integrity. To facilitate the completion of this task, researchers have an important function to communicate their knowledge to policy-makers and managers. This article presents some fundamental qualities of riparian systems, articulated as three basic principles. The basic principles proposed are: (1) The flow regime determines the successional evolution of riparian plant communities and ecological processes. (2) The riparian corridor serves as a pathway for redistribution of organic and inorganic material that influences plant communities along rivers. (3) The riparian system is a transition zone between land and water ecosystems and is disproportionately plant species-rich when compared to surrounding ecosystems. Translating these principles into management directives requires more information about how much water a river needs and when and how, i.e., flow variables described by magnitude, frequency, timing, duration, and rate of change. It also requires information about how various groups of organisms are affected by habitat fragmentation, especially in terms of their dispersal. Finally, it requires information about how effects of hydrologic alterations vary between different types of riparian systems and with the location within the watershed.     

Evaluation of Microbial Communities Colonizing Stone Ballasts at Diesel Depots

In this study, we evaluated the heterotrophic microbial communities colonising stone ballasts at diesel depots. The number of bacteria (both total culturable heterotrophic bacteria and hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria) was proportional to the level of hydrocarbon contamination. However, there was no significant difference in the level of total culturable heterotrophs (TCHs) and the hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. Addition of nutrients to the ballast stimulated the biological activity and possibly the removal of hydrocarbons. However, this was only evident in the highly contaminated stone ballasts samples. The biological activity was evaluated using CO₂ production. The production of CO₂ was higher in nutrient amended treatments in which high numbers of TCHs were present. Characterisation of heterotrophic communities using Biolog revealed differences in the microbial metabolic profiles for the different sites. The results suggest that the heterotrophic microbial communities at different diesel depots are different.     

State interventions and natural resource management: A study on social interfaces in a riverine fisheries setting in Kerala, India

This article attempts to analyse the social interface between formal institutions and local fishing communities along the Pamba‐Achankovil River Basin in Kerala, India. It examines primarily the nature of the relationship between state agencies and traditional fishing communities in the context of (i) enforcing certain formal regulations of resource use and (ii) implementing resource enhancement programmes. The article also analyses the nature of social interfaces that emerge when local level formal organizations, such as cooperatives and gram panchayats, take up resource management or community welfare schemes on behalf of the traditional fisherfolk in the study region. Social interfaces can be understood in terms of social processes, such as cooperation, accommodation and conflicts between various actors involved in fisheries management. The article is based on ethnographic fieldwork. Interview guides and focus group discussions were the primary tools of data collection. The findings show that the relationships between formal institutions and traditional riverine fishing communities lack mutual trust. Conflicts between fishing communities and state agencies emerge when the formal institutions threaten or contradict those elements of local culture that sustain livelihood needs. Conflicts and discontent with a particular formal institution can also lead to the modification or violation of coexisting institutional arrangements.     

生活污水汞的排放及对市政污水中汞的贡献

对经市政管网排入北京某市政污水处理厂的生活污水进行了汞来源的调查研究。根据抽样定律确定了生活小区采样点的数量和位置,利用原子荧光光度计测定采样点的汞含量,并根据采样点的排水量计算采样点的汞排放量。结果表明：该区域生活小区污水中汞浓度与所处区域没有线性关系,且相关性不明显,汞污染呈面源污染的特点,该区域生活小区汞排放总量为376.8 g/d,对所属污水处理厂进水汞的贡献率为39.4%,表明生活小区是市政污水处理厂进水汞的主要来源,因此,从技术、管理、政策三方面对生活污水中汞的减排提出了对策和建议。     

Monitoring bioaccumulation and toxic e ects of hexachlorobenzene using the polyurethane foam unit method in the microbial communities of the Fuhe River,Wuhan

Hexachlorobenzene （HCB） is a chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbon that was widely used for seed dressing in prevention of fungal growth on crops, and also as a component of fireworks, ammunition, and synthetic rubbers. Because of its resistance to degradation and mobility, HCB is widely distributed throughout the environment and is accumulated through food chains in different ecosystems. In this study, a preliminary investigation was carried out on the bioaccumulation and the toxic effects of HCB in the microbial （protozoan in particular） communities in the Fuhe River, Wuhan, a water body receiving industrial wastewaters containing HCB and other pollutants, using the standardized polyurethane foam units （PFU） method. Field samples were taken from eight stations established along the Fuhe River in January and August 2006. The concentration ratios of HCB in microbial communities and in water were 9.66-18.64, and the microbial communities accumulated 13.29-56.88 μg/L of HCB in January and 0.82-10.25 μg/L HCB in August. Correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between the HCB contents in the microbial assemblage, and the number of species and the diversity index of the protozoan communities. This study demonstrated the applicability of the PFU method in monitoring the effects of HCB on the level of microbial communities.