Transport of three herbicides in ground water at Twin Lake test site,Chalk River,Ontario, Canada

A field tracer test performed under natural flow conditions at the Twin Lake test site, Chalk River Laboratories of the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. in Chalk River, Ontario, Canada, using tritium and three herbicides (Chlortoluron, Terbuthylazine, and Pendimethalin) was interpreted using the dispersion equation with a combined reaction model. The reaction model couples an instantaneous equilibrium reaction governed by a linear adsorption isotherm with a reversible or irreversible kinetic reaction of the first order, and decay. An improved interpretation method consists of a simultaneous fitting of theoretical concentration and mass-recovery curves to the experimental data, which leads to a more reliable determining of reaction models and improves the accuracy of fitting. Tritium served as the reference tracer to determine the flow velocity, dispersivity, and the recovery of the herbicides. Chlortoluron was slightly delayed by equilibrium exchange with strongly reduced concentration due to an irreversible kinetic reaction and/or decay. Terbuthilazine was slightly delayed by equilibrium exchange, with strongly reduced concentration due to a reversible kinetic reaction with some influence of decay. A strong equilibrium reaction and a strong reversible kinetic reaction without degradation governed the transport of Pendimethalin, reducing considerably its concentration. The results obtained show that simulations based only on Kd and decay constant, especially if these parameters are found in the laboratory, may considerably differ from those performed with reaction parameters determined in properly performed field tests. The dominant reaction types, and the values of parameters found in the study, supply useful information on the transport of the investigated herbicides in sandy aquifers under natural flow conditions.     

Flow prediction in high altitude ungauged catchments: A case study in the Italian Alps (Pantano Basin,Adamello Group)

We develop a simple model to evaluate the daily flow discharges in the ablation season for the 11 km² Pantano basin in the Retiche Italian Alps, based upon the data gathered during a three years field campaign. The Pantano basin embeds the Venerocolo debris covered and the Avio debris free glaciers, covering 2.14 km² in the Adamello Group, where the widest Italian glacier Adamello is located. First, degree-day models based upon air temperature are tuned to calculate snow and ice melt at daily scale. Glaciers’ meteorological data are collected from an automatic weather station (AWS), operating on the glacier during summer 2007. The melt factors in the debris covered areas of the glacier are estimated against debris thickness, using a data driven parameterization. The flow discharge from the catchment is estimated using semi distributed flow routing for the ablation seasons of four years, from 2006 to 2009. The predicted discharges are compared to those derived from inverse reservoir's routing at the Benedetto lake, catching the basin outflow. The proposed approach is valuable as a tool to investigate the hydrology of poorly gauged glacierized areas, including those with debris covered ice, widely diffused and yet poorly understood. Pending accurate parameterization the approach is usable for water resources evaluation and for long term assessment of the climate change impact on the glacierized areas within the Alps.     

Land use and disturbance effects on the dynamics of natural ecosystems of the Monte Desert: Implications for their management

The complex interactions between human activity and natural processes determine non-linear dynamics in ecosystems that can difficult their management. Human settlements in arid lands contribute to the modification of disturbance regimes, including the introduction of new disturbances and the elimination of others. In consequence, they can alter the functional mechanisms that allow systems to overcome limiting factors, leading to desertification. In this revision, we evaluated the effects of the changes on disturbance regimes produced by the different forms of land transformation on the structure and function of ecosystems of the Monte Biogeographical Province, in Argentinean arid west. Two approaches were used: the analysis of land use history and the analysis of the effects of the main disturbances on the dynamics of different communities. We concluded that throughout the history of the Monte Desert, the joint action of natural and anthropic agents has resulted in complex dynamics that lead most area of the Monte to a moderate to severe status of desertification. The modification of the disturbance regime had strong consequences for several aspects of the dynamics of communities, such as species composition and diversity, water dynamics, soil conditions, trophic structure and productivity of Monte Desert ecosystems. However, disturbance regimes could be managed to promote favorable transitions in ecosystems and, therefore, could be a tool for optimizing productivity of agro-ecosystems, and recovering and conserving natural ecosystems.     

The water-ecological problems of territorial development

The resolution of the issues related to the prevention of ecological problems having a technogenic as well as a natural character relies on a knowledge of the formation patterns of hydrological processes, which makes it possible to rationally manage water resources, ecologically transform landscapes, and minimize the consequences of socio-economic development of the territory. The theoretical foundations of landscape-hydrological analysis, combined with the principles of instrumental landscape planning, determine the system of basin management, and some methods for tackling the water-ecological problems.     

Neural network modelling of planform geometry of headland-bay beaches

The shoreline of beaches in the lee of coastal salients or man-made structures, usually known as headland-bay beaches, has a distinctive curvature; wave fronts curve as a result of wave diffraction at the headland and in turn cause the shoreline to bend. The ensuing curved planform is of great interest both as a peculiar landform and in the context of engineering projects in which it is necessary to predict how a coastal structure will affect the sandy shoreline in its lee. A number of empirical models have been put forward, each based on a specific equation. A novel approach, based on the application of artificial neural networks, is presented in this work. Unlike the conventional method, no particular equation of the planform is embedded in the model. Instead, it is the model itself that learns about the problem from a series of examples of headland-bay beaches (the training set) and thereafter applies this self-acquired knowledge to other cases (the test set) for validation. Twenty-three headland-bay beaches from around the world were selected, of which sixteen and seven make up the training and test sets, respectively. As there is no well-developed theory for deciding upon the most convenient neural network architecture to deal with a particular data set, an experimental study was conducted in which ten different architectures with one and two hidden neuron layers and five training algorithms – 50 different options combining network architecture and training algorithm – were compared. Each of these options was implemented, trained and tested in order to find the best-performing approach for modelling the planform of headland-bay beaches. Finally, the selected neural network model was compared with a state-of-the-art planform model and was shown to outperform it.     

Einfluß der Gezeitenstromturbulenz auf die hydrographische Schichtung der Nordsee

Zusammenfassung Es wird das kritische vertikale Dichtegefälle ermittelt, das die Gezeitenstromturbulenz, die vom Meeresboden ausgeht, zum Erliegen bringt (Abb. 2). Ihm wird jenes vertikale Dichtegefälle gegenübergestellt, das der tägliche Wärmestrom durch die Turbulenz der winderzeugten Oberflächenströmungen bewirkt (Abb. 3). In derjeningen Tiefe, in der beide Gefällswerte gleich werden, liegt die Obergrenze der bodennahen Mischungsschicht, deren Verteilung in der Nordsee auf zwei ozeanographischen Schnitten verfolgt wird, die mit dem Vermessungs- und Forschungsschiff Gauss im August 1953 ausgeführt wurden (Abb. 1). Der eine Schnitt verläuft vom Nordausgang der Nordsee zu den westfriesischen Inseln, der andere von der schottischen zur norwegischen Küste (Abb. 4). Durch diese Anordnung konnten alle charakteristischen sommerlichen Lagen in der Nordsee erfaßt werden: der Übergang von der unbedeutenden bodennahen Mischungsschicht in der nördlichen Nordsee zur mächtigen Mischungsschicht der mittleren Nordsee, die dort in den Gebieten mit höheren Gezeitenströmen die normale sommerliche Sprungschicht zu einer wenige Dezimeter dicken Schicht zusammendrängt und die in den Gebieten mit starken Gezeitenströmen in die oberflächennahe Mischungsschicht übergreift. Als Folge davon wird in ausgedehnten Gebieten Schichtungslosigkeit während des ganzen Jahres aufrechterhalten. Die weitreichenden, verschiedenartigen Einflüsse dieser Mischungsvorgänge machen sich unter anderem auf den Jahresgang der Oberflächentemperatur der Nordsee deutlich bemerkbar (Abb. 5 und 6).

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Summary The critical vertical density gradient for suppressing the tidal current turbulence which originates from the bottom of the sea is determined (fig. 2). It is compared with the vertical density gradient caused by the daily heat transport in consequence of the turbulence of the wind-produced surface currents (fig. 3). At the depth where the two gradients become equal there lies the upper limit of the mixed ground layer. Its distribution in the North Sea is shown by two oceanographic profiles on the basis of measurements carried out by the survey and research ship Gauss in April 1953 (fig. 1). One profile extends from the northern exit of the North Sea to the West-Frisian islands, the other one from the Scotch to the Norwegian coast (fig. 4). By this arrangement all characteristic summer situations in the North Sea could be included: the change from the small mixed ground layer in the northern North Sea to the mighty mixed ground layer of the central North Sea compressing there, in regions with higher tidal currents, the normal summer discontinuity layer to a few decimeters and, in regions with strong tidal currents, reaching into the mixed surface layer. As a consequence in vast regions a state without stratification is maintained during the whole year. The far-reaching and various influences of these mixing processes, e. g. on the annual variation of the surface temperature of the North Sea, are evident (fig. 5 and 6).

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Résumé On recherche le gradient vertical critique de densité capable d'annuller le remous dû à la marée au fond de la mer (fig. 2) et on le compare au même gradient produit par le réchauffement diurne combiné avec la turbulence des courants de surface dûs au vent (fig. 3). La profondeur à laquelle ces deux gradients sont identiques fixe la limite supérieure de la couche de mélange voisine du fond. La distribution de cette couche dans la Mer du Nord ressort de deux profils relevés par le navire océanographique Gauss en août 1953 (fig. 1). L'un des profils va de l'extrémité septentrionale de cette mer jusqu'aux îles occidentales de la Frise; l'autre s'étend de la côte écossaise à celle de la Norvège (fig. 4). De cette façon une étude de tous les caractères estivaux de la Mer du Nord met en évidence le passage de la faible couche de mélange dans le Nord à la couche très importante dans la région moyenne; cette dernière couche a pour effet de réduire à quelques décimètres la couche de transition estivale normale dans les régions à courants de marée profonds tandis qu'elle pénètre dans la couche de mélange de surface dans les régions à forts courants de marée. En vertu de ces processus, l'absence de stratification se maintient pendant toute l'année dans de vastes régions. Les effets variés et lointains de ces phénomènes de mélange se font nettement sentir, entre autres, sur la variation annuelle de la température de surface dans la Mer du Nord (fig. 5 et 6).

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Mit 6 Textabbildungen.     

The ethnocultural component of tourism development in the Altai Republic

A characterization is provided for the recreation resources of the Altai Republic. The diversity of the national-ethnical composition of the population of the Altai Republic is determined as well as analyzing the spatial distribution of the ethnoses on its territory. The coefficients of ethnical diversity are calculated for all administrative districts. The territories with a different level of ethnical diversity and a different combination of ethnical groups are determined. The study revealed a connection of ethnical diversity and natural conditions of the territory and the concentration of separate ethnoses in definite landscapes. A characterization is provided for the ethnocultural tourism and recreation resources of the Altai Republic within the context of administrative districts. Information is provided concerning the territorial distribution of separate ethnical groups, traditional kinds of their nature management, religion, main national dishes, elements of national costume, national festivities and rites, etc. An analysis of the spatial distribution of the ethnocultural recreation resources identified promising clusters (nodes) or destinations for the arrangement of special ethnocultural tourist routes. Schematic maps are provided, which display the ethnical diversity in the districts of the region, and promising districts for the organization of ethnocultural tourist routes.