Relationships between recruits of abalone Haliotis midae,encrusting corallines and the sea urchin Parechinus angulosus

In kelp beds of the South-Western Cape, South Africa, a strong positive relationship exists between the sea urchin Parechinus angulosus and juveniles of the abalone Haliotis midae. Field surveys reported here revealed a positive, but weak, association between this urchin and H. midae recruits (i.e. individuals <3 mm shell length). Selectivity indices showed that recruits occurred exclusively on encrusting coralline algae and showed preferences for strongly textured corallines, rather than those with smooth texture. On smooth corallines, around 80% of recruits were under urchins, compared with about 25% on textured corallines, suggesting that any need for shelter beneath urchins is greatest on smooth surfaces.     

Phylogeny of the Sepia officinalis species complex in the eastern Atlantic extends the known distribution of Sepia vermiculata across the Benguela upwelling region

Accurate species identification and biogeographic characterisation are fundamental for appropriate management of expanding cephalopod fisheries. This study addresses this topic within the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis species complex (S. officinalis, S. hierredda and S. vermiculata), with an emphasis on occurrence in African waters. Tissue samples from the currently presumed distributions of S. vermiculata and S. hierredda (from South Africa and Ghana/Angola, respectively) were sequenced for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the cytochrome b (cytb) genes of the mitochondrial genome and then compared to existing S. officinalis sequences. Three highly divergent and reciprocally monophyletic clades, corresponding to S. officinalis, S. hierredda and S. vermiculata, were resolved, representing the first molecular confirmation of the distinct species status of S. hierredda and S. vermiculata. The sequences also revealed that, contrary to expectations based on presently published information, all samples from southern Angola were S. vermiculata. These results indicate that the range of S. vermiculata extends beyond the currently described northern limit and that S. hierredda and S. vermiculata may be indiscriminately harvested in Angolan waters. Finer-scale patterns within S. vermiculata phylogeography also indicate that the Benguela Current System and/or other environmental factors serve to isolate northern and southern stocks.     

ppb-PIXE analysis of the trace-element content in precipitation

PIXE is a well established and valuable method for quantitative and qualitative aerosol elemental analysis. Using this method, we have developed a technique to simultaneously analyse the trace-element content in precipitation for elements with Z> 12. Freeze-drying and leaching was used as a nonselective preconcentration technique. A special backing foil to take up the sample liquid to be dried was developed for these experiments. By careful adjustment of the experimental parameters, we reached a detection limit lower than 1 ppb for most detected elements. Thus, it will be possible to analyze precipitation at low concentrations of trace elements which are important for air chemistry and environmental studies.Supported by DFG/Bonn under Sonderforschungsbereich 233.     

TRMM/PR资料在中尺度模式MM5中的应用(英)

将中尺度非静力模式MM5中的积云参数化Grell方案作了改进,使它含有降水云的云水,即雨水含量,并用该模式对1998年6月29日08时-30日08时(北京时)和1998年7月1日08时-2日08时(北京时)发生在淮河流域的两次特大暴雨进行数值模拟研究,同时通过采用R-qr关系将TRMM/PR(Tropical Rainfall MeasuringMission/Precipition Radar)得到的降水强度资料R计算出比含水量qr,然后用q'v=qv+qr取代原模式中的比湿qv。结果表明将TRMM/PR资料加入模式后,由于PR雷达具有较高的空间分辨率,能够很好地反映中小尺度系统的空间结构,能够使湿度值接近实际,缩短了中尺度系统的发展时间,使得模拟出来的降雨强度、雨量中心位置以及雨带形状更接近实况。     

甘肃砂田西瓜覆膜补灌效应研究

为证明集雨补灌对砂田西瓜是否有效,在甘肃省皋兰县进行了集雨补灌效应研究,结果表明:在西瓜全生育期,各处理的土壤水分呈波动性下降,0～120cm土层含水量下降幅度在2.59%～4.13%之间,补灌量愈大,土壤含水量的下降幅度愈小。砂田西瓜全生育期耗水较少,不同补灌量处理的耗水量在175.9～218.9mm之间,比小麦等大田作物低100mm以上。灌水量对结瓜期的耗水量影响很大,灌水量增加,结瓜期耗水量增大。不同补灌量处理的西瓜产量差异达显著水平,随灌水量的增加,产量、单瓜重和采收瓜数相应增加。补灌量对西瓜的含糖量也有影响,补灌量低于45mm,各处理之间含糖量的差异不大,补灌量为67.5mm,西瓜含糖量降低4.4%以上。适量补灌可以提高西瓜水分利用效率,其中滴灌67.5mm处理水分利用率最高,达到267.2kg·hm-2·mm-1,比不补灌处理提高17.0%。但随灌水量的增加,灌水效率降低,单方水产值减少。由于补灌对西瓜的产量、含糖量和水分利用率都有影响,只有适时适量补灌,才能即提高产量和水分利用率,又不降低品质。研究结果证明,砂田集雨补灌栽培西瓜是集雨水利用的一种较经济高效的方式,但最佳补灌量应控制在45mm左右为宜。     

Quality issues in harvested rainwater in arid and semi-arid Loess Plateau of northern China

Loess soils cover vast areas in the arid and semi-arid regions of northern China. Due to the lack of reliable surface water and ground-water, rainwater harvesting has played a prominent role in farmers’ domestic usage and agricultural irrigation. An economical and valid type of water storage cistern with optimum design of components has been introduced to rural areas in the Loess Plateau. Different collection alternatives showed apparent variations in rainwater quality. By using different catchments, such as mortar roofs and cement-paved courtyards, compacted land or road surfaces, rainwater can be effectively collected for storage in cisterns. This study focused mainly on the quality of rainwater harvested from the different catchment systems and stored for different periods of time. By analysis of the water samples stored in these cisterns, it was evident that rainwater quality could be improved significantly by self-purification during the storage. With emphasis on rainwater quality affected by the different catchment systems, it was found that the measured inorganic compounds in the rainwater harvested from roof-yard catchment systems generally matched the WHO standards for drinking water, while the concentrations of some inorganic compounds in the rainwater collected from land and road surfaces appeared to be higher than the guideline values for drinking water, but generally not beyond the maximum permissible concentrations. However, Fecal Coliform, which is an important bacteriological parameter for the three catchment systems, exceeded the limits of drinking water to a greater extend. Trace amounts of 55 organic pollutants were identified, including aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds and phthalate esters, etc. The analytical results indicated that roof-yard catchments that included the “first flush” usually provided safe drinking water with low organic contents, even for rainwater collected immediately after rainfall. In contrast, rainwater harvested from road surfaces had poor quality with respect to the organic constituents, regardless of stored time.     

Some observations on the acidity and composition of rainwater in Sydney,Australia, during the summer of 1980–81

During the summer of 1980–81, a rudimentary form of wet-only event sampling was employed to collect a total of 294 rainwater samples at 12 sites spread across the metropolitan region of Sydney, Australia's largest city. From the samples were determined conductivity, pH, ammonium, chloride and nitrate ion concentrations as well as deposited water volume. Supplementary data consisting of city-wide averaged SO₂, NO₂, NO, and O₃ concentrations and 950 mb wind speed and direction were obtained for times coinciding with the period during which each event occurred.The pH of rainwater upwind of the city and unaffected by urban/industrial emissions was found to be usually 5, whereas the volume-weighted mean pH of all the metropolitan samples was 4.4, indicating that local emissions significantly increased rainwater acidity in the near field. Time available for conversion of precursors to acids averaged 1–2 h only.Considerable day-to-day variability in rainwater composition was observed. Factors identified as contributing to this variability included precursor gas concentration, wind speed, wind direction, amount of water deposited per event and possibly time of day. These results show that physical/meteorological factors cannot be excluded from consideration if variance in rainwater composition data is to be explained.     

Groundwater modelling to quantify the effect of water harvesting structures in Wagarwadi watershed,Parbhani district,Maharashtra, India

Marathwada Agricultural University, Pharbani, has developed about 560 hectares of Wagarwadi watershed in Pharbani district since 1987. Groundwater monitoring on 16 observations wells at weekly intervals commenced in January 1992, and rainfall and pan evaporation has been measured daily at a hydrometeorological station situated in the nearby university campus. Aquifer parameters, namely, transmissivity and specific yield, have been estimated by carrying out a pumping test on a large diameter well. Groundwater recharge resulting from rainfall has been estimated using a water balance model of the soil moisture zone considering soil zone thickness and crops grown. The SCS (Soil Conservation Service) curve number method was used for surface runoff estimation. The groundwater flow model has been constructed using the nested squares, finite difference method. Nested square meshes of sizes 160 m×160 m and 80 m×80 m have been used and the steady-state condition of aquifer system was simulated in the model assuming the June 1992 water level configuration under equilibrium conditions. The model has been calibrated for transient conditions incorporating additional seepage from the water harvesting structures and their contribution to the groundwater regime has been assessed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

叙利亚沙漠(Badia盆地)的雨水收获技术

叙利亚阿拉伯共和国地处地中海东岸,北炜32-37.5,东经35.5-42,属于干旱、半干旱地区,是水资源最缺乏的国家之冬季时短多雨,夏季时长干旱.沿海与内陆降雨分布差别很大.按降雨量分,叙利亚可以分为5个农业区.第五个区(Badia盆地）面积占全国的55%,年降雨约150mm,在五个区中最小,被称为叙利亚沙漠.该地区以平原为主,另有一些山脉,土壤特性为含砂粘性土,长年少雨,夏季多风,蒸发率大,相对湿度随着温度的变化而变化.叙利亚沙漠地区的环境适合草地生长,正因为如此, 这里一直是主要的畜牧场所.为了解决该地区雨水不足的问题,政府兴建了很多重大基础工程来改善这里的植被状况.通过雨水收集工程来解决某些地区的饮用水,牲畜用水和灌溉用水.在不同区域建立了 37 座不同规模的大坝、50座小型水库和在平原谷地、梯田地区修建7个拦水坝,还挖掘了很多水井来储存冬季径流,因地制宜种植植物.所有这些工程都是为了最大限度的利用该地区的降水来发展植被、畜牧业和保证沙漠里牧民生活的基本稳定.这篇论文研究了叙利亚沙漠的多种要素(自然因素,气候因素,植被,牲畜,居民……）,以及该地区水资源管理方法鹤和关于雨水收集的技术、条件、方法选择及管理等.     

Evaluation of water resource management in Salt Lake City,West Bengal,India

The tenets of sustainable development are often ignored by growing cities in developing countries. Salt Lake City, located on the eastern fringes of Kolkata, despite being a planned township, has failed to manage its water resources in a sustainable way. Results from the study show that the water supplied at the households is hard in nature, saline, and replete with dissolved solids. The problem is further aggravated due to over-extraction of groundwater resources, resulting in an intense fall of the groundwater level in the area. This paper attempts to suggest measures for sustainable water resource management, with particular emphasis on rainwater harvesting.