Factors affecting seasonal patterns in epilimnion zooplankton community in one of the largest man-made lakes in Africa (Lake Nasser, Egypt)

The objective of the study was to determine which factors regulate zooplankton organisms along Lake Nasser. Temperature, pH, DO, conductivity, turbidity, nutrients, and zooplankton abundance were measured. Twenty-three species of zooplankton were recorded in Lake Nasser included in Copepoda, Cladocera and Rotifera. Copepoda represented the main bulk of the community. The lowest standing stock of zooplankton was noticed during spring due to the highest fish predation during this season associated with the lowest turbidity. Big difference in temperature in Lake Nasser along the year round is considered as a controlling factor related to range of tolerance of species. The oscillation of the lake water level and the different factors affect the standing stock of zooplankton in the lake. Thus, continuous monitoring of Lake Nasser biota should be undertaken to follow the changes in the ecosystem.     

Discussion of “Interfacing the geographic information system,remote sensing,and the soil conservation service-curve number method to estimate curve number and runoff volume in the ASIR region of Saudi Arabia” by Fawzi S. Mohammad,Jan Adamowski

The soil conservation service curve number (SCS-CN) method is one of the most commonly used methods to compute the direct runoff from a rainfall event. Since the method was established, numerous researches were undertaken to improve the method through accurate estimation of its parameter and especially the curve number (CN). However, the essence of the SCS method, as an event-based Hortonian mechanism method, remained unchanged. The main assumption of the method related to the rainfall input is that the rainfall is continuous in time and uniform over the watershed. Mohammad and Adamowski (2015) paper apparently used the SCS method to estimate the annual runoff using the annual rainfall as one cumulative rainfall input value, which is a violation of the event-based principle of the method and of the assumption of the continuity of the rainfall event.To re-estimate the average annual runoff more realistically for the Asir region, Saudi Arabia, daily rainfall data from 14 rainfall stations are used for calculating the resulting runoff depths, on a daily event-by-event rainfall basis, throughout the whole simulation period. The resulting runoff depths are added for each year, and the total cumulative annual runoff values for each year are averaged to get the average annual runoff. The runoff values based on the previously mentioned procedure are an upper limit of the actual average annual runoff as the underlying SCS equations discard evaporation and similar long-term losses. Nevertheless, the average runoff values obtained in the discussion paper are an order of magnitude (at least five to tenfold) lower than the ones of the original paper. An equation is proposed to obtain a more realistic estimate of the average annual runoff, to be used with the average annual rainfall as an input, if the annual value is the only available rainfall information.     

The concept of ecological succession applied to phytoplankton over four consecutive years in five ponds featuring a salinity gradient

The distribution of phytoplankton abundance, biomass and species composition coupled with environmental factors and metazooplankton was studied relatively intensively and over a period of four consecutive years in five ponds featuring a gradient of increasing salinity from near to that of sea water to a nine-fold concentration from 2000 to 2003. The results indicate that the physical characteristics of the water (temperature and salinity) were quite similar over the years. Nutrients, which were concentrated in pond A1, decreased with increases in salt concentration. The composition of the phytoplankton community showed strong seasonality. Diatoms dominated in the first ponds A1, A16 and C2-1, followed by dinoflagellates. Chlorophyceae dominated the phytoplankton community in the hypersaline ponds M2 and TS. Cyanobacteriae were relatively abundant in ponds M2 and TS. The highest phytoplankton density and biomass were found in the ponds with the highest salinity due to the proliferation of Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyta: Volvocales). The inter-annual study of phytoplankton succession in the Sfax solar salterns showed slight differences among the years of study due to the stability of the environmental conditions. Phytoplankton communities were permanently primitive, stage 1 – structured as they failed to build complexity because of salt stress which operates for longer and above any other variables. This reduced frequency of disturbance to the existing course of regulation, allowed the community to “mature” from its “primitive” state, rather than experience frequent structural setbacks.     

Short-term variations of some UV-ceti type flare stars

Sinusoidal variations in bothV - andB-bands were detected in some flare stars of the UV Ceti type outside of flares. This detection has confirmed the light variation detection in Johnson'sV -band in EV Lac at quiet-state luminosity by Pettersen (1980) with a cyclic period equals about 4 _. ^d 378 and an amplitude of about 0 _. ^m 07. An interpretation of these short cyclic periods is that they are due to intensity modulations from a photospheric spot group as a result of stellar equatorial rotations. A short period of 14 days with an amplitude of 0 _. ^m 099 was detected inB-band in AD Leo. For the two flare stars, BD+55° 1823 and DO Cep in bothV- andB-bands, cyclic periods of more than 3 days and less than 17 days with amplitudes more than 0 _. ^m 090 and less than 0 _. ^m 250 have been registered. A significant contribution has been found in the flare star EV Lac in bothV- andB-bands at its quiescent-state luminosity where the detected cyclic periods are agreed with that which was detected by Pettersen (1980) in the same flare star in Johnson'sV-band, about 4 days. Furthermore, we found the same cyclic period in the colour index,B - V (about 4 days) which strengthens starspot phenomenon. This colour index period could not be detected by Pettersen (1980).     

Interaction of ion beam with dust grains produces dust-acoustic solitary waves in Herbig-Haro objects

Properties of dust-acoustic solitary waves in a warm dusty plasma are analyzed by using the hydrodynamic model for massive dust grains, electrons, ions, and streaming ion beam. For this purpose, Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation for the first-order perturbed potential and linear inhomogeneous KdV-type equation for the second-order perturbed potential have been derived and their analytical solutions are presented. In order to show the characteristics of the dust-acoustic solitary waves are influenced by the plasma parameters, the relevant numerical analysis of the KdV and linear inhomogeneous KdV-type equations are obtained. The dust-acoustic solitary waves, as predicted here, may be associated with the nonlinear structures caused by the interaction of polar jets with the interstellar medium, which is known as Herbig-Haro objects.     

The seismic hazard assessment of the Dead Sea rift, Jordan

The Dead Sea fault system and its branching faults represent one of the most tectonically active regions in the Middle East. The aim of this study is to highlight the degree of hazards related to the earthquake activities associated with the Dead Sea rift, in terms of speculating the possible future earthquakes. The present investigation mainly is based on available data and vertical crustal modeling of Jordan and the Dead Sea model for the Dead Sea basin with particular emphasis of the recent earthquake activities, which occurred on December 31st, 2003 (Mc = 3.7), February 11th, 2004 (strongest Mc = 4.9 R), and March 15th, 2004 (Mc = 4). The present research examines the location of the strong events and correlates them with the various tectonic elements in the area. The source mechanism of the main shock and the aftershock events is also examined. The analyses were based on the available short period seismogram data, which was recorded at the Natural Resources Authority of Jordan, Seismological Observatory. The seismic energy appears to have migrated from the south to the north during the period from December 31st up to March 12th, where the released seismic energy showed a migration character to the southern block of the eastern side of the Dead Sea, which led the seismic event to occur on March 15th.     

Flood risk perception and its determinants among rural households in two communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan

Natural Hazards - Risk perception plays a vital part in flood risk management and mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aims at first to measure the risk perception of the vulnerable...     

Application of two fuzzy models using knowledge-based and linear aggregation approaches to identifying flooding-prone areas in Tehran

Flooding is one of the most problematic natural events affecting urban areas. In this regard, developing flooding models plays a crucial role in reducing flood-induced losses and assists city managers to determine flooding-prone areas (FPAs). The aim of this study is to investigate on the prediction capability of fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) and Mamdani fuzzy inference system (MFIS) methods as two completely and semi-knowledge-based models to identify FPAs in Tehran, Iran. Six flooding conditioning factors including density of channel, distance from channel, land use, elevation, slope, and water discharge were extracted from various geo-spatial datasets. A total of 62 flooding locations were identified in the study area based on the existing reports and field surveys. Of these, 44 (70%) floods were randomly selected as training data and the remaining 18 (30%) cases were used for the validation purposes. After the data preparation step, data were processed by means of two statistical (FAHP) and soft computing (MFIS) methods. Unlike most statistical and soft computing approaches which use flooding inventory data for both training and evaluation of models, only conditioning factor was involved in data processing and inventory data were used in the current study to assess models prediction accuracy. Also, the efficiency of two approaches was evaluated by pixel matching (PM) and area under curve to validate the prediction capability of models. The prediction rate for MFIS and FAHP was 89% and 84%, respectively. Moreover, according to the results obtained from PM, it was found out that about 90% of known flooding locations fell in high-risk areas, whereas it was 83% for FAHP, indicating that flooding susceptibility map of MFIS has higher performance.

     

Mid-Paleocene event at Gabal Nezzazat,Sinai, Egypt: planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy,mineralogy and geochemistry

The Qreiya Beds that record the ‘mid-Paleocene event’ at Gabal Nezzazat occur within the Igorina albeari (P3b) Zone and constitute part of a 14-m thick shale succession that ranges in age from Early to Late Paleocene. They are composed of four alternating dark grey and brown shale beds, which are thinly laminated, phosphatic, organic-rich and extremely sulphidic. They are characterized by distinct enrichment and high peak anomalies in chalcophiles (Zn, Co, Ni, Cu and Pb) and organic association elements (V and Cr), especially within the brown organic-rich beds. It is concluded that these elements are incorporated into the phosphatic debris, sulphides and organic matter. In contrast, the grey beds are enriched in clay minerals and quartz. Clay mineral assemblages indicate alternating periods of warm/humid climate (high kaolinite) and dry climate (low kaolinite) during the formation of the grey and brown beds, respectively. The sediments of the Qreiya Beds yield lithological, biotic, geochemical and mineralogical data indicative of suboxic/anoxic marine environments as a result of high productivity and/or upwelling. The top metre of the succession below the Qreiya Beds is characterized by a progressive change from faunas dominated by praemurcurids to faunas dominated by Morozovilids, and by a progressive upward decrease in δ¹³C_carb and δ¹⁸O_carb values. The foraminiferal faunal change may reflect shallowing and warming preceding deposition of the Qreiya Beds. The change in isotopic values is inferred to be the result of surface weathering, fluvial input and diagenesis with no evidence of any primary change that could support presence of a hyperthermal event.     

Crop evapotranspiration in the Nile Delta under different irrigation methods

Eddy correlation measurements within the Nile Delta allowed the determination of evapotranspiration (E) for seven crops (rice, maize, cotton, sugar beet, berseem, wheat and fava beans) using basin irrigation (BI), furrow irrigation (FI), BI with increased intervals (BI_i), FI with increased intervals (FI_i), strip irrigation (SI) and drip irrigation (DI). Total E values over the cropping season for rice (BI, BI_i) were the highest (>600 mm), while those for sugar beet (DI), maize (SI and DI) and berseem (BI_i) were the lowest (<250 mm). The differences were due to a combination of atmospheric demand, soil moisture, the presence of surface standing water, root depth, and the length and timing of the cropping season. The DI and SI methods had the advantage for water saving, while the FI_i and BI_i methods were effective for crops with shallow root lengths. Estimated annual E was 566–828 mm/year (water-saving irrigation) and 875–1225 mm/year (conventional irrigation).