The source and fate of sediment and mercury in Hunza River basin,Northern Areas,Pakistan

This article presents results of mercury in surface waters from Hunza River basin, Northern Areas, Pakistan. Small‐scale gold mining activities along the Hunza and Gilgit rivers are long known to be discharging mercury in the amalgamation and roasting processes. Previous studies reported high mercury concentrations in soils close to mining operations as well as serious health problems for miners. However, none of the studies have focused on the level of contamination in aqueous environments. This is the first study on the investigation of source and fate of sediment and river‐borne mercury in the Hunza River. The samples collected near gold panning sites showed higher mercury concentrations than critical levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The observed dissolved mercury concentrations ranged from 5.10 to 25.25 ng/l, whereas particulate‐bound mercury ranged from 4.85 to 154.62 ng/l. Particulate‐phase mercury corresponded to more than 75% of the total observed mercury concentrations for all of the sampled rivers. Thus, suspended sediments represented the major pathway of the riverine mercury transport. A mass balance calculation suggested an annual mercury flux of 48.6 g/km² into the Hunza River basin. The samples collected from the most affected river, the Shimsal River, averaged to have 108 ng/l total mercury. This amount was close to the average soil mercury data of 151 ng/l as reported by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation in 2001. The dominant source of contamination was shown to be the leaching of large quantities of mercury from the mercury‐rich sediment and flood plain soil into the rivers, rather than the direct release from mining activities. Significant decrease in both dissolved and particulate‐bound mercury concentration downstream of Attabad Lake suggested that mercury is being accumulated or consumed in the lake. Although minimization or elimination of mercury loses from the mining process seems important for the well‐being of the miners, preventing the remobilization of accumulated mercury is equally important in mercury control in this region. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agro-Ecosystems and Their Contribution to Environmental Change in the Indus Basin of Pakistan

There is growing concern that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have been responsible for global warming through their effect on radiation balance and temperature. The magnitude of emissions and the relative importance of different sources vary widely, regionally and locally. The Indus Basin of Pakistan is the food basket of the country and agricultural activities are vulnerable to the effects of global warming due to accelerated emissions of GHGs. Many developments have taken place in the agricultural sector of Pakistan in recent decades in the background of the changing role of the government and the encouragement of the private sector for investment in new ventures. These interventions have considerable GHG emission potential. Unfortunately, no published information is currently available on GHG concentrations in the Indus Basin to assess their magnitude and emission trends. The present study is an attempt to estimate GHG （CO2, CH4 and N2O） emissions arising from different agro-ecosystems of Indus Basin. The GHGs were estimated mostly using the IPCC Guidelines and data from the published literature. The results showed that CH4 emissions were the highest （4.126 Tg yr^-1） followed by N20 （0.265 Tg yr^-1） and CO2 （52.6 Tg yr^-1）. The sources of CH4 are enteric fermentation, rice cultivation and cultivation of other crops. N2O is formed by microbial denitrification of NO3 produced from applied fertilizer-N on cropped soils or by mineralization of native organic matter on fallow soils. CO2 is formed by the burning of plant residue and by soil respiration due to the decomposition of soil organic matter.     

A new technique to estimate net groundwater use across large irrigated areas by combining remote sensing and water balance approaches, Rechna Doab, Pakistan

Over-exploitation of groundwater resources threatens the future of irrigated agriculture, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In order to reverse this trend, and to ensure future food security, the achievement of sustainable groundwater use is ranking high on the agenda of water policy makers. Spatio-temporally distributed information on net groundwater use—i.e. the difference between tubewell withdrawals for irrigation and net recharge—is often unknown at the river basin scale. Conventionally, groundwater use is estimated from tubewell inventories or phreatic surface fluctuations. There are shortcomings related to the application of these approaches. An alternative methodology for computing the various water balance components of the unsaturated zone by using geo-information techniques is provided in this paper. With this approach, groundwater recharge will not be quantified explicitly, but is part of net groundwater use, and the spatial variation can be quantitatively described. Records of routine climatic data, canal discharges at major offtakes, phreatic surface depth fluctuations, and simplified information on soil textural properties are required as input data into this new Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing tool. The Rechna Doab region (approximately 2.97 million ha), located in the Indus basin irrigation system of Pakistan, has been used as a case study. On an annual basis, an areal average net groundwater use of 82 mm year^–1 was estimated. The current result deviates 65% from the specific yield method. The deviation from estimates using tubewell withdrawal related data is even higher.

---

Resumen La sobre-explotación de recursos de agua subterránea amenaza el futuro de la agricultura de riego, especialmente en las regiones áridas y semi-áridas del mundo. Para revertir esta tendencia, y para garantizar seguridad alimentaria futura, la meta del uso sostenible del agua subterránea se encuentra alto en la agenda de los políticos. Información espacial y temporal en cuanto al uso neto de agua subterránea- i.e. la diferencia entre las extracciones de agua de pozos entubados para riego y recarga neta- se desconoce frecuentemente a la escala de cuenca hidrográfica. Generalmente, el uso de agua subterránea se estima a partir de inventarios de pozos o fluctuaciones de superficies freáticas. Existen deficiencias en relación con las aplicaciones de estos enfoques. En este artículo se aporta una metodología alternativa para calcular los diferentes componentes del balance hídrico de la zona no saturada utilizando técnicas geoinformativas. Aunque con este enfoque no se cuantifica de manera explícita la recarga de agua subterránea, la cual es parte del uso neto de agua subterránea, puede describirse cuantitativamente la variación espacial. Para esta nueva herramienta de Sistemas de Información Geográfica y Sensores Remotos se requieren datos de entrada como registros rutinarios de datos climáticos, descargas de canales en salidas principales, fluctuaciones de profundidades de superficies freáticas, e información simplificada de las propiedades texturales de los suelos. Se ha utilizado como estudio de caso la región Rechna Doab (aproximadamente 2.97 millones ha), localizada en el sistema de riego de la cuenca Indus de Pakistán. Se ha estimado un uso promedio areal anual de agua subterránea de 82 mm año^–1. El resultado obtenido difiere en un 65% del método de productividad específica. La diferencia en relación a estimados provenientes de extracciones en pozos entubados es aún mucho más alta.

---

Résumé La surexploitation des ressources en eau souterraine menace le futur de lagriculture irrigué, spécialement dans les zones arides et semi-arides du monde. De manière à renverser la tendance, et dassurer la sécurité alimentaire, lutilisation durable des eaux souterraines est devenue une priorité dans lagenda des politiques de leau. La distribution spatio-temporelle de lusage net de leau souterraine (la différence entre l ‹eau pompée et la recharge nette) est rarement connue à léchelle dun bassin versant. Conventionnellement, lutilisation des eaux souterraines est estimée à partir des données de rabattement ou les données de fluctuation du niveau de la nappe phréatique. Il y a des défauts dans ces approches. Une méthodologie alternative pour calculer les différents composants de la balance hydrologique est présentée dans cet article. Avec cette approche, la recharge des eaux souterraines ne sera pas quantifiée de manière explicite, mais sera considérée comme une part de lutilisation nette en eau souterraine, et la variation spatiale peut être décrite quantitativement. Les chroniques des données climatiques, les débits du réseau hydrographique majeur, les fluctuations de la surface de la nappe phréatique, et des données basiques sur la texture du sol sont nécessaires et sont rentrées dans un nouveau Système dInformation Géographique et outil de télédétection. La région de Rechna Doab au Pakistan, environ 2.97 millions dhectare, localisée dans le bassin irrigué de lIndus, a été utilisé comme cas détude. Sur base annuelle, lutilisation nette de leau souterraine est estimée à 82 mm. en moyenne. Le résultat obtenu diffère de 65% du résultat de la méthode du débit spécifique. La différence avec le résultat obtenu en observant le rabattement des puits est encore plus élevée.

     

Heavy metal pollution assessment in various industries of Pakistan

Water pollution is a source of danger to the health of people living in developing countries such as Pakistan. The main industries located at various industrial zones of Pakistan cause water pollution, which ultimately result in various diseases. The aim of the present study was to study the concentrations of essential and toxic metals (Na, K, Cu, Zn, Fe, Ca, Pb and As) in the drained water of three main industrial estates of Pakistan, i.e., Industrial Estate No. 1 Peshawar, Small Industrial Estate No. 2 Gujranwala, Industrial Estate Hattar Haripur, and in Warsak Canal (industrially pure water) with the help of atomic absorption spectroscopy and flame emission spectroscopy. The study showed high Pb and As levels originating from industries. The concentrations of Pb and As ranged from 0.04 to 0.942 mg/L in all the samples. These have been extensively used for irrigation since the last five decades. The elevated concentrations of heavy metals are continuously entering into the food chain through agriculture leading to serious health hazards and a threat to the sustainability of local ecosystem.     

Urban space and (the limits of) middle class hegemony in Pakistan

This paper aims to explore the emergence of reconstituted political subjectivities in urban Pakistan. Specifically, the paper will focus on an emerging hegemonic project which centers the socio-political articulations and aspirations of middle class fractions that have emerged in the country in the wake of post-1980s economic liberalisation. Detailed light will be shed upon the (proto-)hegemonic aspirations of a distinct fraction of the middle class and its spatial articulations most eminently expressed through measures towards and longings for the “world class city”. As such, claims over space, urbanity and nation/citizenship which serve to mediate this proto-hegemonic project will be investigated. The paper will conclude with a brief consideration of the limits of such an hegemonic project, especially with regards to subordinate classes in Pakistan.     

巴基斯坦雷克迪克斑岩型Cu Au矿集区典型矿床闪长岩Pb、Sr、Nd同位素组成特征及其示踪意义

雷克迪克斑岩型Cu-Au矿集区是巴基斯坦最重要的斑岩型Cu-Au矿产地之一,发育20个斑岩型Cu-Au矿床(点),其中包括世界级的H14、H15矿床。本文在前人研究基础上重新分析探讨了Pb、Sr、Nd同位素的组成特征,计算了铅同位素的H-H单阶段演化模式年龄,以及Pb、Sr、Nd同位素的μ、ω、Th/U、△α、△β、εSr、εNd等重要参数。研究结果表明,雷克迪克矿集区成矿物质主要来源于受岩浆作用控制的壳幔混合物质,是新特提斯洋岩石圈俯冲及再循环或幔源岩浆注入地壳的结果。该矿集区的含矿斑岩可能是在岛弧碰撞造山带演化过程中伴随着特提斯构造域的演化而形成的,属于洋壳俯冲消减和大陆碰撞过程中导致地壳增生加厚的结果,它们与扬子地块具有亲缘关系,属于特提斯构造区,构成了特提斯构造域多岛洋体系的组成部分之一。该矿集区的铅主要为混入了放射性成因Pb的混合铅,具有典型DUPAL异常的特征。其中,异常铅(放射性铅)来源于富含U、Th的上地壳物质,而DUPAL异常可能直接产生于欧亚大陆南缘EMII与DM的混合源区,并以异常铅的形式表现出来。     

Sustainable conjunctive use of groundwater for additional irrigation

The key to ‘sustainable conjunctive use of groundwater for additional irrigation’ is the salt balance of groundwater below an irrigated field. This paper aims to develop a mathematical tool to study the accumulation of salt in the groundwater below an irrigated field as caused by irrigation recirculation. This study derives a salt balance of groundwater to ensure that the additional irrigation from groundwater remains possible in the future. The water and salt budgets by themselves do neither provide information concerning farmers' options nor on the limits of the individual terms in the budget equations. It is presumed that farmers will intuitively aim for (1) an optimal value of the actual evapotranspiration, and (2) a return flow as a feasible low fraction of the available water. We, therefore, derive the irrigation from groundwater Q as a consequence of the predefined farmers' aims to achieve a high actual evapotranspiration in combination with a given optimally used irrigation system. Our model concludes that the required amount of drainage is only dependent on the ratio of the salinity in the surface irrigation water and the acceptable salinity of the groundwater. The final salinity in the saturated zone only depends on salt‐carrying inflows and outflows. From the aforesaid model, it is further concluded that sustainable conjunctive use of groundwater for additional irrigation requires long‐term salt management, which should be founded on the essential controlling factors as derived in this paper. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

巴基斯坦重要金属成矿带遥感战略选区研究

巴基斯坦位于全球成矿区划的特提斯成矿域东段,与我国的班公湖—怒江、冈底斯铜多金属矿带同处一个成矿带上,矿产资源丰富。本次研究充分利用遥感技术优势,采用多平台卫星遥感数据,对巴基斯坦重要金属成矿带开展遥感地质解译、蚀变信息提取及综合分析,优选出了7个战略选区,圈定了可供优先开展地质工作的4处找矿有利地段,为我国企业"走出去"开展境外矿产资源勘查提供技术支撑和基础地质矿产信息。     

巴基斯坦瓜达尔港气象要素特征分析

利用克拉玛依-瓜达尔友好城市气象站2018年1月1日至2019年12月31日逐日及逐小时气温、气压、降水、相对湿度、水汽压、风向风速观测资料,对瓜达尔港的气象要素特征进行分析。结果表明：1）瓜达尔港属热带沙漠气候,年平均气温为26.9 ℃,最热月为5—7月,最冷月为1月。瓜达尔港气温年较差、日较差分别为12.5 ℃和6.5 ℃,各季节间气温差异较小。其极端高温达42.7 ℃,极端低温为11.9 ℃。2）瓜达尔港年平均气压为1 009.1 hPa,气压最大值出现在12月和1月,最小值出现在7月,季节差异明显。3）瓜达尔港受制于副热带高压,常年干旱少雨,降水年季之间分布不均,差异明显。2018年年降水量为0.3 mm,集中于冬季;2019年年降水量为67.6 mm,主要集中于秋冬两季。相对湿度和水汽压年均值分别是67.3%和24.3 hPa。4）瓜达尔港年平均风速为2.4 m·s-1,白天风速大于夜晚风速。四季中春季风速偏大,夏季、秋季次之,冬季偏小。风向季节性变化明显,盛行风向除东北风外,还包括西南风。出现频率最高的是2级风,其次是1级风和3级风,6级以上大风出现频率为0。     

Temporal variations of mesozooplankton abundance and biomass in the mangrove creek area along the Karachi coast, Pakistan

The temporal variations of mesozooplankton abundance and biomass （1-Volumetric method by settling volume and displacement volume and 2- Gravimetric method through wet weight, dry weight and ash-free dry weight） with relation to environmental parameters were studied in the mangrove creek area of Karachi coast, Pakistan. The data of mesozooplankton samples along with environmental parameters （temperature, salinity, pH, etc.） were collected during January 1998 to December 1998 from two creek stations. The abun-dance of mesozooplankton also exhibited seasonal trends at both stations. At Sta. S2, the highest and low-est abundance values were observed during post-monsoon and southwest monsoon respectively whereas, at Sta. S1, a clear trend of high abundance in pre-monsoon to low abundance in southwest monsoon was observed. Mesozooplankton abundance was also positively correlated with settling volume, displacement volume, wet weight and dry weight. The highest biomass value was observed in the northeast monsoon and pre-monsoon periods. The results of the canonical analysis of the output from the discriminate function was tested. Out of fifteen variables, only one was significantly different in single character ratios dry weight/ash free-dry weight （F3,23=4.78,P＆lt;0.005）. The mesozooplankton community was collectively composed of 28 taxa. Among these groups, copepoda （66.3%）, gastropod larvae （9.94%）, evadne （4.60%）, zoea （3.60%）, cypris nauplii （2.56%）, lemellibranch larvae （1.87%）, chaetognaths （1.81%）, ostracods （1.73%）, lucifer （1.15%） and barnacles nauplii （1.35%） contributed the most to the similarities within Sta. S1, while copepoda （74.68%）, cypris nauplii （5.29%）, gastropods （4.87%）, barnacles nauplii （4.81%）, evadne （1.72%）, zoea （1.53%） and ca-ridean larvae （1.18%） at Sta. S2. The remaining mesozooplanktonic group were accounted for less than 5% and 6% at Sta. S1 and Sta. S2 respectively, of the total organisms. Similarity perce