AN EVALUATION OF PHYSICAL STREAM HABITAT ATTRIBUTES USED TO MONITOR STREAMS1

ABSTRACT: The last few decades have seen an increased reliance on the use of stream attributes to monitor stream conditions. The use of stream attributes has been criticized because of variation in how observers evaluate them, inconsistent protocol application, lack of consistent training, and the difficulty in using them to detect change caused by management activity. In this paper, we evaluate the effect of environmental heterogeneity and observer variation on the use of physical stream attributes as monitoring tools. For most stream habitat attributes evaluated, difference among streams accounted for greater than 80 percent of the total survey variation. To minimize the effect that variation among streams has on evaluating stream conditions, it may be necessary to design survey protocols and analysis that include stratification, permanent sites, and/or analysis of covariance. Although total variation was primarily due to differences among streams, observers also differed in their evaluation of stream attributes. This study suggests that if trained observers conducting a study that is designed to account for environmental heterogeneity can objectively evaluate defined stream attributes, results should prove valuable in monitoring differences in reach scale stream conditions. The failure to address any of these factors will likely lead to the failure of stream attributes as effective monitoring tools.     

PRIESTLEY‐TAYLOR ALPHA COEFFICIENT: VARIABILITY AND RELATIONSHIP TO NDVI IN ARCTIC TUNDRA LANDSCAPES1

ABSTRACT: Average daily values of the Priestley‐Taylor coefficient (a) were calculated for two eddy covariance (flux) tower sites with contrasting vegetation, soil moisture, and temperature characteristics on the North Slope of Alaska over the 1994 and 1995 growing seasons. Because variations in a have been shown to be associated with changes in vegetation, soil moisture, and meteorological conditions in Arctic ecosystems, we hypothesized that a values would be significantly different between sites. Since variations in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) follow patterns of vegetation community composition and state that are largely controlled by moisture and temperature gradients on the North Slope of Alaska, we hypothesized that temporal variations in a respond to these same conditions and thus co‐vary with NDVI. Significant differences in a values were found between the two sites in 1994 under average precipitation conditions. However, in 1995, when precipitation conditions were above average, no significant difference was found. Overall, the variations in a over the two growing seasons showed little relationship to the seasonal progression of the regional NDVI. The only significant relationship was found at the drier, upland study site.     

Securing water for people, crops, and ecosystems: New mindset and new priorities

A fundamentally new approach to water and human development will be needed during this new century if we are to secure sufficient freshwater to meet the needs of some 9 billion people while at the same time protecting the critical ecosystem services upon which the human economy depends. Signs of unsustainable water use — including falling water tables, shrinking lakes, and the drying up of rivers and streams — are widespread and spreading. In many regions, greater modification and appropriation of freshwater systems for human purposes will yield greater costs than benefits and create the risk of irreversible losses of species and ecosystem services. A new mindset is needed to guide water use and management in this new century, one that views the human water economy as a subset of nature's water economy. Living within nature's limits will require that societies satisfy the basic needs of people and ecosystems before non-essential water demands are met. It will require on the order of a doubling of water productivity. And it will require stronger institutions to encourage equitable sharing of water to alleviate tensions within and between countries.     

Residential environmental evaluation of local cities considering regional characteristic and personal residential preference-a case study of Saga City, Japan

Questionnaire surveys and subjective evaluations on residential environment were performed in order to grasp the main factors of residential environment of small local cities. The suitable evaluation index system was established, and the regional residential environment characteristics and personal residential preference types were analyzed, so that their influence on residential environment evaluation could be grasped. The results can be applied to the residential environment planning, construction and monitoring of local cities.     

流域保护区域协同立法的功能定位与规范进路

《长江保护法》《黄河保护法》为长江、黄河流域的区域协同立法提供了法律依据,在流域保护区域协同立法“入法”后,需要明晰其权力空间与运行规则,提升其科学化、规范化水平。流域保护区域协同立法在本质上仍属于地方立法,是功能主义进路下解决跨行政区域流域保护难题的一种选择,是流域整体性保护的立法回应。就其功能而言,具有落实国家立法确立的流域保护整体目标的实施性功能,以地方合作为中心,解决那些通过单独地方立法难以解决的跨行政区域地方性流域保护问题的协调性、自主性、创新性功能。在此基础上,应当通过明晰其立法层级,建立地方立法规划协同机制,改、废、释的协同机制,交叉备案与后评估机制,深化公众参与机制,完善流域保护区域协同立法的运行规则。     

基于EEMs和DOM分离的荧光特征及DBPsFP研究 ——以南方某市水源水为例

以南方某市饮用水源地源水为研究对象,利用三维荧光-区域积分法(3D-EEMs-FRI)和DAX-8树脂富集分离技术,研究了水样各组分的溶解性有机物(DOM)组成特征、三维荧光光谱(3D-EEMs)特征;采用生成潜能测试,考察了典型消毒副产物三卤甲烷(THMs)和卤代乙酰胺(HAcAms)生成势以及其与水质指标和荧光强度...     

Historical pollution trends in coastal environments of India

Seventeen sediment cores were collected from different coastalecosystems of Tamil Nadu, India that include coastal lagoon (Pulicat), polluted rivers in Chennai (Adyar and Cooum), Coral reef (Gulf of Mannar) and a perennial river (Tamiraparani).Radiometric dating has been used to determine the modern sedimentation rates in these ecosystems. The Pulicat Lake and thepolluted rivers (Adyar and Cooum) yield an average sediment accumulation rate of 12.34 and 7.85 mm yr^-1, respectively. Inthe Gulf of Mannar coral reef, the sedimentation rate averages 17.37 mm yr^-1, while the rate in Tamiraparani River is 11.00 mm yr^-1. In the Tamiraparani River basin, the deposition rates were an order of magnitude higher when compared to the erosion rates, which may be due to bank erosion and the intense human activity. In general high rates of sedimentation observed in the coastal ecosystems not only reflect the capacity of the coastal regions as sinks for trace metals but also denoteincreased input of pollutants into the coastal environments in the recent past. The deposition rates of heavy metals – Fe, Mn,Zn, Cu, Cr and Ni in the depth profiles have been computed using sedimentation rates and their distribution is discussed. It can be seen that the mean deposition rates of all the measured elements in the Tamil Nadu coastal ecosystems are high compared with rates determined for the sediments of the deltaic regions ofIndia and the Bay of Bengal.     

区域大气污染防治管理系统建设需求分析

区域大气污染防治管理系统是生态环境保护信息化工程(《"十二五"国家政务信息化工程建设规划》中规划的国家级信息系统之一)项目建设的重要内容之一.本文对区域大气污染防治管理系统的建设需求进行了分析,系统针对大尺度的区域性大气环境质量问题,紧密结合国务院"大气污染防治行动计划"的目标任务要求,开展数据调度与综合分析等功能的建设,旨在通过数据分析提高重点区域大气环境质量状况与污染成因的评估能力,通过情景模拟与模型运算为区域大气污染治理措施的制定与动态调整提供定量化数据支持.系统的建设与实施将有望成为国家大气污染防治领域跨部门数据共享与交换的基础工程,为区域大气污染防治工作提供有力的信息化技术支撑.     

长江三角洲地区春季臭氧异常高值的数值模拟研究

已有的观测与研究表明,长江三角洲地区春季的臭氧浓度为全年最高,且高浓度臭氧出现的频率也最高.采用美国环境保护局(USEPA)的区域大气质量模式(CMAQ)研究长江三角洲地区2000年5月一次臭氧异常高值事件.与地面观测资料的对比分析表明,该模式基本再现了臭氧及其前体物的变化趋势.通过个例分析,从物理和化学两方面解释了2000年5月11日佘山、嘉兴和临安均观测到高浓度臭氧的原因.模拟结果表明,气象场对区域空气污染分布形式起着至关重要的作用,同时也反应了在适当的风场作用下,上海地区的污染源可以对长江三角洲地区的空气质量造成很大影响.      

区域电网火电厂对水环境影响评价指标研究

区域电网内所有火电厂对区域水环境影响评价指标是进行区域火电厂规划环评的基础.通过对区域电网内火电厂对区域水环境影响的共性研究,提出了区域电网内火电厂取水影响、排水影响和水污染物影响3项评价指标;在此基础上利用和积法计算各指标的权重,依据权重求得区域水环境综合影响评价指标.评价指标在华东电网火电厂区域水环境影响评价中进行了应用,结果表明,华东电网火电厂对区域水环境的影响程度由大到小依次为黄浦江、太湖、巢湖、淮河、长江和钱塘江.