Exposure Times to the Spring Atrazine Flush Along a Stream-Reservoir System1

Stoeckel, James A., Jade Morris, Elizabeth Ames, David C. Glover, Michael J. Vanni, William Renwick, and María J. González, 2012. Exposure Times to the Spring Atrazine Flush Along a Stream-Reservoir System. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 616-634. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00633.x Abstract: We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to examine reservoir-mediated shifts in spring to fall exposure of aquatic organisms to the spring atrazine pulse over four years in a Midwestern stream-reservoir system. Peak atrazine concentrations in the major inflowing stream exceeded 10 μg/l in all four years. The reservoir had a beneficial effect in two of four years by diluting atrazine below the 10 μg/l threshold. However, during the other two years, exposure times above 10 μg/l were approximately doubled in the reservoir compared to the major inflowing stream. Thresholds of 3 and 5 μg/l were exceeded during all four years in the reservoir. The uplake and downlake reservoir sites were four to five times more likely to exceed these thresholds and aquatic organisms were subjected to longer exposure times above these thresholds compared to the inflowing stream. Release of elevated atrazine concentrations from the reservoir extended exposure times in the outflowing stream. This effect was most pronounced just below the dam. Aquatic organisms upstream of the reservoir were most likely to experience acute exposures whereas organisms within and immediately downstream of the reservoir were more likely to experience chronic exposures. The ubiquity of reservoirs and the annual spring herbicide flush highlight the importance of considering the presence and relative location of reservoirs when assessing risk to aquatic communities as well as locations of drinking water intakes.     

Robustness of Meteorological Droughts in Dynamically Downscaled Climate Simulations

We examine the robustness of a suite of regional climate models (RCMs) in simulating meteorological droughts and associated metrics in present‐day climate (1971‐2003) over the conterminous United States (U.S.). The RCMs that are part of North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) simulations are compared with multiple observations over the climatologically homogeneous regions of the U.S. The seasonal precipitation, climatology, drought attributes, and trends have been assessed. The reanalysis‐based multi‐model median RCM reasonably simulates observed statistical attributes of drought and the regional detail due to topographic forcing. However, models fail to simulate significant drying trend over the Southwest and West. Further, reanalysis‐based NARCCAP runs underestimate the observed drought frequency overall, with the exception of the Southwest; whereas they underestimate persistence in the drought‐affected areas over the Southwest and West‐North Central regions. However, global climate model‐driven NARCCAP ensembles tend to overestimate regional drought frequencies. Models exhibit considerable uncertainties while reproducing meteorological drought statistics, as evidenced by a general lack of agreement in the Hurst exponent, which in turn controls drought persistence. Water resources managers need to be aware of the limitations of current climate models, while regional climate modelers may want to fine‐tune their parameters to address impact‐relevant metrics.     

Characterizing Drought in Irrigated Agricultural Systems: The Surface Water Delivery Index (SWDI)

Quantifying surface water shortages in arid and semiarid agricultural regions is challenging because limited water supplies are distributed over long distances based on complex water management systems constrained by legal, economic, and social frameworks that evolve with time. In such regions, the water supply is often derived in a climate dramatically different from where the water is diverted to meet agricultural demand. The existing drought indices which rely on local climate do not portray the complexities of the economic and legal constraints on water delivery. Nor do these indices quantify the shortages that occur in drought. Therefore, this research proposes a methodological approach to define surface water shortages in irrigated agricultural systems using a newly developed index termed the Surface Water Delivery Index (SWDI). The SWDI can be used to uniformly quantify surface water deficits/shortages at the end of the irrigation season. Results from the SWDI clearly illustrate how water shortages in droughts identified by the existing indices (e.g., SPI and PDSI) vary strongly both within and between basins. Some surface water entities are much more prone to water shortages than other entities based both on their source of water supply and water right portfolios.     

我国防灾减灾领域学科发展及其专业设置——从学位管理制度谈起

我国高校在防灾减灾类人才培养中存在一些现实困境,如:灾害学的学科地位较低、防灾减灾类学科及专业设置不灵活、学校管理制度及其相关条例的约束等。从我国学位管理制度谈起,通过比较分析国内外高校专业设置与交叉学科发展情况,探讨我国防灾减灾领域学科发展及专业设置对防灾减灾人才培养造成的影响,并提出三点建议:一是加大我国学位管理制度的改革,确保落实高校办学自主权;二是对灾害科学的研究走向系统化、社会化,发展国内高等学校防灾减灾类专业本科教育;三是防灾减灾类专业课程设置从横向和纵向上都要体现综合和交叉的学科属性。     

树木水分胁迫和抗旱性机理研究进展

本文从植物对干旱胁迫的反应和抗旱指标、光合作用和蒸腾作用和水分利用效率等研究途径,以及人工采取的抗旱措施等方面阐述了森林植物的抗旱性机理研究现状,并提出了今后研究的重点方向。     

Environmental disasters,migration and displacement. Insights and developments from L’Aquila's case

This paper analyses the environmentally-induced migration and displacement resulting from L’Aquila's earthquake of 2009. After a general critical overview of the social science literature on this topic, the main changes in the migration system are analysed looking at the roots and trajectories of the forced human displacement that followed the earthquake, and reflecting on the challenges related to post-earthquake demographic movements and post-disaster resettlement. Through the analysis of the pre disaster (2002–2008) and recovery period (2009–2013) data, this paper offers a general model of how environmental disaster might affect migration and displacement and suggests the main challenges related to the post-disaster governance. Relying on ISTAT data on internal migration in Italy this paper argues that the post-seismic recovery period is characterized by a strong increase of out-flows from L’Aquila to other provinces, within the Abruzzo region and outside it, in particular toward the closest regions (Latium, Campania).     

森林火灾分区分类施治理论的灾害学基础

森林火灾是当今世界上八大自然灾害之一,不仅具有灾害学中所描述的关于自然灾害的一般特性,而且具有自身的特点.本文从自然灾害的属性、特点、基本研究内容和方法等几个方面,论述了灾害学为森林火灾分区分类施治理论提供的理论依据.     

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     

西藏尼玛5.6级地震房屋震害特征分析

2009年7月24日西藏尼玛发生了5.6级地震,该地震的宏观震中位于那曲地区尼玛县西南军仓乡与阿里地区错勤县磁石乡之间,极震区烈度为7度。本文对该地震进行了现场考察,分析了灾区各类房屋建筑的震害特征及其破坏原因,并对该地区房屋的防震减灾研究提出了建议。     

基于农业自然风险综合评价的高标准基本农田建设区划定方法研究

大规模建设高产稳产、旱涝保收的高标准基本农田是当前土地整治的重要任务,论文从分析区域防灾减灾能力入手,将农业生产自然风险综合评价引入高标准基本农田建设区划定,在识别区域主要风险类型的基础上,应用可变模糊集理论,借助GIS 方法,划分综合风险等级,根据风险强度和整治可行性划定高标准基本农田建设区。结合对关中地区的实例分析,研究表明：①使用可变模糊集理论,综合考虑各单因子风险差异,可减少风险定量化的模糊不确定性;②综合风险由致灾因子危险性和承灾体脆弱性共同决定,风险评价结果可为筛选高标准基本农田建设适宜区提供依据;③综合风险等级、集中连片程度和整治潜力共同确定土地整治时序,可为划定高标准基本农田建设区和确定整治规划提供参考。