Spatial Variability of Nitrate Concentrations Under Diverse Conditions in Tributaries to a Lake Watershed1

Abstract: Nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) concentrations in stream water often respond uniquely to changes in inter‐annual conditions (e.g., biological N uptake and precipitation) in individual catchments. In this paper, we assess (1) how the spatial distribution of NO₃‐N concentrations varies across a dense network of nonnested catchments and (2) how relationships between multiple landscape factors [within whole catchments and hydrologically sensitive areas (HSAs) of the catchments] and stream NO₃‐N are expressed under a variety of annual conditions. Stream NO₃‐N data were collected during two synoptic sampling events across >55 tributaries and two synoptic sampling periods with >11 tributaries during summer low flow periods. Sample tributaries drain mixed land cover watersheds ranging in size from 0.150 to 312 km² and outlet directly to Cayuga Lake, New York. Changes in NO₃‐N concentration ratios between each sampling event suggest a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in catchment response across the Cayuga Lake Watershed, ranging from 0.230 to 61.4. Variations in NO₃‐N concentrations within each of the large synoptic sampling events were also high, ranging from 0.040 to 8.7 mg NO₃‐N/l (March) and 0.090 to 15.5 mg NO₃‐N/l (October). Although Pearson correlation coefficients suggest that this variability is related to multiple landscape factors during all four sampling events, partial correlations suggest percentage of row crops in the catchments as the only similar factor in March and October and catchment area as the only factor during summer low flows. Further, the strength of the relationships is typically lower in the HSAs of catchment. Advancing current understanding of such variations and relationships to landscape factors across multiple catchments – and under a variety of biogeochemical and hydrological conditions – is important, as (1) nitrate continues to be employed as an indicator of regional aquatic ecosystem health and services and (2) a unified framework approach for understanding individual catchment processes is a rapidly evolving focus for catchment‐based science and management.     

The South‐to‐North Water Transfer Project of China: Environmental Implications and Monitoring Strategy1

Abstract: In 2002, China launched the South‐to‐North Water Transfer Project after completing a 50‐year feasibility study. By 2050, the three‐route (i.e., East, Middle, and West) project will be capable of transferring 44.8 billion m³/year of water from the water rich Yangtze River to the arid north to alleviate water shortage and help secure a balanced social and economic development across the nation. However, diversion of such a large quantity of water could profoundly change the riverine environment of the upper Yellow River and the lower reach of the Han River, a tributary of the Yangtze River and the water supplying area of the project’s Middle Route, because of changes in the annual discharge. Secondary salinization seems inevitable in the water receiving areas of the North China Plain, and decrease in the discharge of the Yangtze River will result in seawater intrusion into the Yangtze Delta. This paper describes the project and discusses its environmental implications. Additionally, a long‐term monitoring strategy under the umbrella of the Chinese Ecological Research Network is proposed for environmental monitoring.     

新疆艾比湖流域平原区景观土壤属性特征研究

以新疆艾比湖流域平原区为对象,在对研究区进行景观生态分类及野外调查验证的基础上,利用＂3S＂技术将1∶100×104的新疆土壤类型图与研究区景观类型图叠加,从土壤属性层次上对研究区各类景观的生态土壤类型进行确认,并分析其在研究区内分布的特征。结果表明：研究区主要土壤类型为26类,以石膏灰棕漠土所占比例最大,占研究区总面积的19.03%,棕钙土、荒漠风沙土、草甸盐土、盐化草甸土、和灌耕灰漠土等面积也较大。     

新疆干旱区流域生态需水问题研究

通过对新疆平原区荒漠和绿洲两种生态系统的分析,特别是对天然绿洲生态系统中人工绿洲水资源利用方式及过程的分析,尝试性提出生态需水量在流域规划和水资源管理中的定位、不同生态系统的保护方式和基本生态水量的确定方式,并简述了新疆奎屯河流域以生态退水作为恢复流域生态水量的实例。     

巢湖入湖河流沉积物中有机磷的形态分级研究简

为识别巢湖流域污染物的特征、来源及其沉积物有机磷各形态分布与富营养化的关系,测定了7条巢湖入湖河流沉积物中有机磷各形态的含量,分析不同污染类型入湖河流沉积物中有机磷各形态分布的差异及与其他因素间的相关性。研究发现,不同污染类型入湖河流沉积物中水土保持控制型河流沉积物中有机磷各组分的相对含量顺序为残渣态P_o >富里酸-P_o >HCl-P_o >胡敏酸-P_o >NaHCO₃-P_o,平均的相对比例为7.5：3.1：1.9：1.5：1.0,而城市污染控制型和面源污染控制型河流沉积物中有机磷各组分的相对含量顺序恰好相同,面源污染控制型河流沉积物P_o各形态含量低于城市污染控制型和水土保持控制型河流。中活性P_o和OM、TP、P_i、P_o、TN、NaHCO₃-P_i、NaOH-P_i呈正相关,非活性P_o与P_o、NaOH-P_i呈显著正相关关系,反映了中活性P_o很容易转化为生物可利用磷和非活性P_o,且非活性P_o仍然具有潜在的生物活性。     

基于DEA模型的太湖流域企业污水治理效率

运用数据包络分析DEA方法,建立了太湖殷村港流域工业园区企业污水治理效率评价体系,并利用该体系对园区内企业污水治理效率进行了实证研究。利用效率评价函数对园区内20家企业进行评价,结果表明,其中4家企业达到环境治理效率相对高效;20家企业的废水排放量、COD和NH3-N排放削减总量分别为3 691 860、217.53和14.64 t/a,削减潜力较大。实证研究结果表明,该环境绩效评价系统可为园区企业污水治理调控提出定量化的调整建议。     

The sea–air exchange of mercury (Hg) in the marine boundary layer of the Augusta basin (southern Italy): Concentrations and evasion flux

The first attempt to systematically investigate the atmospheric mercury (Hg) in the MBL of the Augusta basin (SE Sicily, Italy) has been undertaken. In the past the basin was the receptor for Hg from an intense industrial activity which contaminated the bottom sediments of the Bay, making this area a potential source of pollution for the surrounding Mediterranean. Three oceanographic cruises have been thus performed in the basin during the winter and summer 2011/2012, where we estimated averaged Hg_atm concentrations of about 1.5 ± 0.4 (range 0.9–3.1) and 2.1 ± 0.98 (range 1.1–3.1) ng m⁻³ for the two seasons, respectively. These data are somewhat higher than the background Hg_atm value measured over the land (range 1.1 ± 0.3 ng m⁻³) at downtown Augusta, while are similar to those detected in other polluted regions elsewhere. Hg evasion fluxes estimated at the sea/air interface over the Bay range from 3.6 ± 0.3 (unpolluted site) to 72 ± 0.1 (polluted site of the basin) ng m⁻² h⁻¹. By extending these measurements to the entire area of the Augusta basin (∼23.5 km²), we calculated a total sea–air Hg evasion flux of about 9.7 ± 0.1 g d⁻¹ (∼0.004 t yr⁻¹), accounting for ∼0.0002% of the global Hg oceanic evasion (2000 t yr⁻¹). The new proposed data set offers a unique and original study on the potential outflow of Hg from the sea–air interface at the basin, and it represents an important step for a better comprehension of the processes occurring in the marine biogeochemical cycle of this element.     

太湖零点行动前后水质状况对比分析

根据 1 998年 1 1月和 1 999年 1 0月的监测数据 ,对零点行动前后太湖各监测点位的水质状况及DO、CODMn、TP、TN、Chla等主要指标的空间分布进行了对比 ,发现污染状况并未得到明显改善 ,除了人为因素外 ,非点源污染的贡献和底泥营养物质的释放是影响水质改善的 2个重要因素     

Temporal Trends of Young-of-Year Fishes in Lake Erie and Comparison of Diel Sampling Periods

We explored temporal trends of young-of-year (YOY) fishes caught in bottom trawl hauls at an established offshore monitoring site in Lake Erie in fall during 1961–2001. Sampling was conducted during morning, afternoon, and night in each year. Catches per hour (CPH) of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) YOY were relatively low and exhibited no temporal trend. This result was consistent with the species’ intolerance to Lake Erie’s adverse winter water temperatures. Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) YOY decreased sharply after 1991, which was consistent with recent oligotrophication of the lake. Following the establishment in 1979 and rapid increase of white perch (Morone americana) YOY, white bass (Morone chrysops) and freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) YOY decreased. Trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus) YOY decreased during 1986–1991, but recovered to previous levels during 1991–2001. The recovery coincided with the resurgence of mayflies (Ephemoptera) in the lake. CPH of spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius) and emerald shiner (N. atherinoides) YOY exhibited no temporal trend between 1961 and the late 1970s to early 1980s. CPH of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) YOY decreased during 1961–1988, and walleye (Sander vitreum) YOY increased overall during the time series. These observations were consistent with published studies of adults in the region. CPH of 4 of the 10 species of YOY considered were greatest during night. CPH for walleye YOY was higher in the morning than in the afternoon, but there was no significant difference between night and morning abundances. The results suggest that (1) CPH of YOY fishes may be a useful monitoring tool for Lake Erie, and (2) offshore monitoring programs that do not include night sampling periods may underestimate recruitment for several common species.     

Assessment of the Quality Characteristics of Two Lakes (Koronia and Volvi) of N. Greece

Quality parameters from 17 sampling stations from Lake Koronia and 18 from Lake Volvi were determined during sampling period of one year. Physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, DO) did not show remarkable differences neither between sampling sites nor between sampling periods. Nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorus compounds) were higher in lake Koronia than in Volvi showing relatively small temporal and spatial variations. As far as heavy metals in sediments, lake Koronia is considerably more polluted than Volvi lake especially with the metals Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb and Cd. The mean total concentrations of metals in lake Koronia decrease in the order Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Fe > Cd. The mean total concentrations of metals in lake Volvi decrease in the order Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Fe $>$ Cd.