Ecological water quality analysis of the Guayas river basin (Ecuador) based on macroinvertebrates indices

The Guayas river basin is one of the major watersheds in Ecuador, where increasing human activities are affecting water quality and related ecosystem services. The aims of this study were (1) to assess the ecological water quality based on macroinvertebrate indices and (2) to determine the major environmental variables affecting these macroinvertebrate indices. To do so, we performed an integrated water quality assessment at 120 locations within the river basin. Biological and physical–chemical data were collected to analyze the water quality. Two biotic indices were calculated to assess the water quality with an ecological approach: the Biological Monitoring Working Party Colombia (BMWP-Col) and the Neotropical Low-land Stream Multimetric Index (NLSMI). Both the BMWP-Col and NLSMI indicated good water quality at the (upstream) forested locations, lower water quality for sites situated at arable land and bad water quality at residential areas. Both indices gave relevant assessment outcomes and can be considered valuable for supporting the local water management. A correspondence analysis (CA) applied on both indices suggested that flow velocity, chlorophyll concentration, conductivity, land use, sludge layer and sediment type were the major environmental variables determining the ecological water quality. We also suggested that nutrient and pesticide measurements are important to study water quality in the area where intensive agriculture activities take place. The nutrient levels detected in agricultural areas were relatively low and illustrated that the types of crops and the current cultivation methods were not leading to eutrophication. The applied methods and results of this study can be used to support the future water management of the Guayas river basin and similar basins situated in the tropics.     

Can recently-hatched crayfish cling to moving ducks and be transported during flight?

The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is a freshwater invasive species which has become a worldwide problem. Recent work on ectozoochory of freshwater macrocrustacean species indicated that there might be a possibility of transport of recently-hatched crayfish by birds. In this context, we applied a new set of methods to quantify the probability of transport of recently-hatched crayfish, namely with moving animal vectors. First, we tested the desiccation resistance of crayfish and the capacity of crayfish to cling to mallard's feet, depending on the standing time of the feet. We also determined the ability of recently-hatched crayfish to cling to an artificially moving freshly dead mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and finally, we determined the time required for the death of 50% and 90% of the individuals of recently-hatched crayfish under conditions similar to those of mallard flight.Recently-hatched crayfish were able to survive up to 225 min out of water, withstanding longer at a lower temperature and therefore transport does not seem to be limited by desiccation survival. The duration of the standing period of duck's feet positively affected the probability of transport of crayfish. Recently-hatched crayfish were able to cling to a moving duck and the probability of clinging was significantly affected by the water depth, being lower at greater depths. Moreover, when transported on a freshly dead duck under flight simulation conditions the time required for the death of 50% and 90% of the individuals were 2 min 14 s and 4 min 53 s, respectively. These flight durations correspond to transport distances of 2.8 km and 6.1 km, respectively, which is enough for transport to another aquatic system. The results demonstrate that passive transport of recently hatched P. clarkii by actively moving waterbirds is possible, and therefore it will likely enhance the local process of invasion.     

碳酸盐生物沉积作用的研究现状与展望

碳酸盐矿物是地球上最丰富的矿物之一,碳酸盐沉积在许多地质过程中起着非常重要的作用.生物沉积碳酸盐的现象在自然界普遍存在,其中又以生物沉积碳酸钙(CaCO3)为主.生物从周围环境中选择性地吸取元素,在严格的生物控制下,组装成功能化的碳酸盐结构;生物也可以通过改变周围的环境诱导碳酸盐的沉积或自身参与碳酸盐的沉积.不同生物对碳酸盐沉积的作用扣机理不同,综述了海洋动植物、藻类生物、菌类生物对碳酸盐的沉积作用及其机理以及实验室模拟调控CaCO3生物矿化方面的一些研究成果和研究现状,提出未来亟待解决的一些重要问题,并指出生物沉积碳酸盐研究所具有的巨大应用前景.     

Bio(in)security,scientific expertise,and the politics of post-disarmament in the biological weapons regime

The increasing focus on new biological risks and threats together with unsatisfactory progress in international negotiations about biological disarmament have opened up new questions about the further development of the biological weapons regime. The present paper focuses on the politics of biological (post-)disarmament from the perspective of critical security studies and scrutinizes the changing role of scientific experts in relation to the shifting understanding of the threat of bioweapons. Specifically, it argues that the move toward a networked approach to biosecurity governance relying on an increasing role of experts and nonstate actors may be read in the context of a broader insecuritization of biological risks and threats and the evolution of new techniques of government. Drawing on sociological approaches in security studies, the paper unfolds the connections between the construction of biosecurity and the politics of expertise and explores the changing role of scientific experts in biological disarmament. The paper also finds that the attempts to manage bio-insecurity create demand for new types of expertise and empower actors with a specific form of knowledge who can navigate in the changed structural environment, and enable new forms of governing security.     

Using δN values in algal tissue to map locations and potential sources of anthropogenic nutrient inputs on the island of Maui, Hawai‘i, USA

Macroalgal blooms of Hypnea musciformis and Ulvafasciata in coastal waters of Maui only occur in areas of substantial anthropogenic nutrient input, sources of which include wastewater effluent via injection wells, leaking cesspools and agricultural fertilizers. Algal δ¹⁵N signatures were used to map anthropogenic nitrogen through coastal surveys (island-wide and fine-scale) and algal deployments along nearshore and offshore gradients. Algal δ¹⁵N values of 9.8‰ and 2.0-3.5‰ in Waiehu and across the north-central coast, respectively, suggest that cesspool and agricultural nitrogen reached the respective adjacent coastlines. Effluent was detected in areas proximal to the Wastewater Reclamation Facilities (WWRF) operating Class V injection wells in Lahaina, Kihei and Kahului through elevated algal δ¹⁵N values (17.8-50.1‰). From 1997 to 2008, the three WWRFs injected an estimated total volume of 193 million cubic meters (51 billion gallons) of effluent with a nitrogen mass of 1.74 million kilograms (3.84 million pounds).     

除砷技术现状与展望

随着除砷技术的发展,生物法和硫化法等除砷技术已应用于工业除砷,混凝法、离子交换法和直接沉淀法等除砷技术在废水除砷中也已广泛应用。在综述了近年来除砷技术在工业中和含砷废水处理上的应用后,对其中各种技术进行了分析,并对我国除砷技术的发展方向进行了展望。     

极端降雨事件对不同类型生物土壤结皮覆盖土壤碳释放的影响

于2011年5-8月,选择腾格里沙漠东南缘人工固沙植被区藻类、藓类和混生结皮覆盖的土壤为对象,研究了极端降雨量(降雨量44.7 mm、强度0.04 mm,min-1)、极端降雨强度(降雨量8.3 mm、强度0.55 mm·min-1)及普通降雨(降雨量16.3 mm、强度0.02 mm·min-1)条件下的碳释放过程.碳释放量的测定采用Li-6400-09土壤呼吸室,降雨结束后立即开始观测,直到呼吸速率恢复到降雨前水平时停止观测.结果表明:极端降雨(降雨量和降雨强度)结束初期藻类和混生结皮覆盖土壤的呼吸速率受到明显抑制,藻类结皮覆盖土壤呼吸速率分别为0.12 μmol·m-2·s-1和0.41 μmol·m-2·s-1,混生结皮覆盖土壤呼吸速率分别为0.10 μmol·m-2·s-1和0.45μmol·m-2·s-1;而极端降雨对藓类结皮覆盖土壤的影响不明显,呼吸速率分别为0.83 μmol·m-2·s-1和1.69μmol·m-2·s-1.这说明处于演替高级阶段的藓类结皮能够很好地应对短期的极端降雨事件.     

抑螺防病林建设中生物材料的筛选及抑螺机理研究进展

血吸虫病是一种严重危害人们身体健康的重大传染病,林业血防生态工程建设是防治血吸虫病的有效手段,生物材料的筛选是林业血防建设的重要环节。阐述了抑螺防病林建设中生物(植物、微生物)材料筛选及研究进展,并从钉螺生理响应和解剖结构等方面系统分析了生物材料抑螺机理。     

Status of Macrobenthic Community and Its Relationships to Trace Metals and Natural Sediment Characteristics

Laizhou Bay, located in the northwest of Shandong Peninsula, has complex transitional environments between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. In the present study, a total of 122, 131, and 139 species were collected in spring, summer, and autumn 2011, respectively. Species constitutions of macrobenthos were grouped into four phyla, of which annelida were the most abundant phylum, the average biomass proportion of echinodermata was the lowest, and the proportion of important species for mollusca was the highest. The structure of the macrobenthic community showed significant differences between sites, and greater divergence was observed between the third site (S03) and other stations. The ABC plots showed that the biomass curve lay below the abundance curve, and the W‐statistic value was negative. The result of the BOPA index showed that two stations had moderate ecological status in spring and that there were two heavily polluted sites and one moderately polluted site in summer. The BIO‐ENV analyses indicated that the grain‐size fractions together with trace metals (Hg, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cr) could be considered as the major environmental variables influencing the macrobenthic patterns. The results together demonstrated that the macrobenthic communities in Laizhou Bay were negatively affected, perhaps by the tremendous impact of heavy metals in the sediments.