How EU policies could reduce nutrient pollution in European inland and coastal waters

Intensive agriculture and densely populated areas represent major sources of nutrient pollution for European inland and coastal waters, altering the aquatic ecosystems and affecting their capacity to provide ecosystem services and support economic activities. Ambitious water policies are in place in the European Union (EU) for protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems under the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. This research quantified the current pressures of point and diffuse nitrogen and phosphorus emissions to European fresh and coastal waters (2005–2012), and analysed the effects of three policy scenarios of nutrient reduction: 1) the application of measures currently planned in the Rural Development Programmes and under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD); 2) the full implementation of the UWWTD and the absence of derogations in the Nitrates Directive; 3) high reduction of nutrient, using best technologies in wastewaters treatment and optimal fertilisation in agriculture. The results of the study show that for the period 2005–2012, the nitrogen load to European seas was 3.3–4.1 TgN/y and the phosphorus load was 0.26–0.30 TgP/y. Policy measures supporting technological improvements (third scenario) could decrease the nutrient export to the seas up to 14% for nitrogen and 20% for phosphorus, improving the ecological status of rivers and lakes, but widening the nutrient imbalance in coastal ecosystems (i.e. increasing nitrogen availability with respect to phosphorus), affecting eutrophication. Further nutrient reductions could be possible by a combination of measures especially in the agricultural sector. However, without tackling current agricultural production and consumption system, the reduction might not be sufficient for achieving the goals of EU water policy in some regions. The study analysed the expected changes and the source contribution in different European regional seas, and highlights the advantages of addressing the land-sea dynamics, checking the coherence of measures taken under different policies.     

Impact of episodic herbivory by the tamarisk leaf beetle on leaf litter nitrogen and stem starch content: A short communication

Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) has in recent decades come to dominate riparian corridors throughout much of the western U.S. The implementation of biological control, utilizing the tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp., particularly Diorhabda carinulata), has focused attention and research on this method for Tamarix suppression. Researchers are just beginning to understand how herbivory by Diorhabda affects Tamarix physiology and nutritional dynamics. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether herbivory by D. carinulata altered leaf litter nitrogen and stem starch content, and if so, how such alteration varied across a gradient of herbivory chronosequence. Leaf litter and stem analysis showed significantly higher levels of both nitrogen and stem starch content in trees that had experienced herbivory by the leaf beetle. However, there were no significant differences in nitrogen or stem starch content based on years of beetle herbivory. Higher levels of nitrogen in leaf litter from beetle-affected trees may be a result of herbivory-induced desiccation and foliar mortality prior to the translocation of nitrogen back into plant reserves. Additionally, higher stem starch may be a result of either phloem damage reducing the translocation of photoassimilates, or an increase in the shunting of carbohydrates to the site of new leaf growth. Finally, the lack of correlation between years of herbivory and both leaf litter nitrogen and stem starch may indicate that as of yet there have not been sufficient defoliation events to yield anticipated host plant impact.     

Estuarine macrofauna responses to continuous in situ nutrient addition on a tropical mudflat

A field experiment to assess the effects of continuous nutrient addition on the macrobenthic community was carried out on an estuarine mudflat on the northeast coast of Brazil. The experiment began on 5 October 2005 and ended on 8 February 2006. Macrofauna was compared at approximately four-week intervals in triplicate plots with three levels (Control – C, Low Dose – LD and High Dose – HD) of weekly fertilizer additions for 17 weeks. Inorganic fertilizer (N–P–K) was applied on nine randomly defined quadrangular plots (4 m² each). All measurements were calculated from species abundances. Multivariate analyses as well as the univariate indices (richness, abundance and Shannon–Wiener index) showed statistically significant differences between the enriched and control areas during the period of the experiment. The expected gradual response based on the succession model of Pearson and Rosenberg was not observed. The nutrient doses used were high enough to cause severe decreases in abundance, richness and evenness, and an increase in dominance.     

Nutrient distributions over the Southwestern South Atlantic continental shelf from Mar del Plata (Argentina) to Itajaí (Brazil): Winter–summer aspects

Nutrient distributions observed at some depths along the continental shelf from 27°05′S (Brazil) to 39°31′S (Argentina) in winter, 2003 and summer, 2004 related to salinity and dissolved oxygen (mL L⁻¹) and saturation (%) data showed remarkable influences of fresh water discharge over the coastal region and in front of the La Plata estuary. In the southern portion of the study area different processes were verified. Upwelling processes caused by ocean dynamics typical of shelf break areas, eddies related to surface dynamics and regeneration processes confirmed by the increase of nutrients and the decrease of dissolved and saturation oxygen data were verified. High silicate concentrations in the surface waters were identified related to low salinities (minimum of 21.22 in winter and 21.96 in summer), confirming the importance of freshwater inputs in this region, especially in winter. Silicate concentration range showed values between 0.00 and 83.52 μM during winter and from 0.00 to 41.16 μM during summer. Phosphate concentrations worked as a secondary trace of terrestrial input and their values varied from 0.00 to 3.30 μM in winter and from 0.03 to 2.26 μM in summer; however, in shallow waters, phosphate indicated more clearly the fresh water influence. The most important information given by nitrate concentrations was the presence of water from SACW upwelling that represents a new source of nutrients for marine primary production. Nitrate maximum values reached 41.96 μM in winter and 33.10 μM in summer. At a depth ∼800 m, high nitrate, phosphate and silicate concentrations were related to Malvinas Current Waters, Subantarctic Shallow Waters and Antarctic Atlantic Intermediate Waters (AAIW). Dissolved oxygen varied from 3.41 to 7.06 mL L⁻¹ in winter and from 2.65 to 6.85 mL L⁻¹ in summer. The percentage of dissolved oxygen saturation in the waters showed values between 48% and 113% in winter and from 46% to135% in summer. The most important primary production was verified in the summer, and situations of undersaturation were mainly observed below 50 m depth and at some points near the coast. The anti-correlation between nutrients and dissolved oxygen which showed evident undersaturation also revealed important potential sites of remineralization processes. The nutrient behaviours showed some aspects of the processes that occur over the Southwestern South Atlantic continental shelf and in their land–sea interfaces between Mar del Plata and Itajaí.     

贵州省贞丰县耕地表层土壤养分元素有效量和有效度分析

通过在贞丰县域开展全面1∶50000耕地质量地球化学调查工作,获得了区内耕地表层土壤元素含量或指标的高精度分析数据。为分析区内营养元素有效量和有效度的影响因素,选用了N、P、K、B、Mo、Zn元素及pH值、有机质含量、CEC数据进行分析。贞丰县表层土壤元素全量是其有效量的重要控制因素;pH值与K元素有效度呈正相关关系,与N、Mo、Zn元素有效度呈负相关关系;有机质与K、B元素有效度呈正相关关系,与Mo元素呈负相关关系;阳离子交换量与K、B元素有效度呈正相关关系,与P、Mo元素呈负相关关系。     

A comparative study of nutrient transfer via surface runoff from two small agricultural catchments in north China

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of landscape spatial pattern and micro-topography on nutrient transfer via runoff from two catchments into Yuqiao Reservoir in north China. The surface runoff discharge was measured during rainfall events and water samples were analyzed in 2004 and 2005. The mean annual total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) exports per unit area from Caogezhuang catchment (C catchment) were 1.048 and 0.561 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively, while the TN and TP exports from Taohuasi catchment (T catchment) were 0.158 and 0.027 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. In both catchments, village and vineyard shared the highest nutrient export ability due to the accumulated animal waste and heavy application of fertilizer and manure. In T catchment, the distance of village and vineyard was about 1,500 m away from the receiving water and in between were woodland and cropland. In the hydrological pathway, there were sink landscape structures of small stone dams, roadside swale, vegetated filter strip and dry ponds, which could detain water and nutrients. In C catchment, the distance between the village and the receiving water was about 200 m, and the hydrological pathway was compacted roads and ditches with no sink structures. It is suggested that the distance between the pollution source area and the receiving water and the micro-topographical features were the main factors to control the great difference in nutrient export rates.     

海水硅酸盐现场自动监测技术化学工艺优化研究

阐述了硅酸盐测量时试剂的不稳定性，介绍了还原剂配出时间与吸光值之间的关系、化学反应时间的确定及温度对化学反应的影响和盐度效应问题，给出了硅酸盐现场自动化学分析工艺优化流程图。     

Simulation of upper-ocean biogeochemistry with a flexible-composition phytoplankton model: C, N and Si cycling in the western Sargasso Sea

We report the first application of a biogeochemical model in which the major elemental composition of the phytoplankton is flexible, and responds to changing light and nutrient conditions. The model includes two phytoplankton groups: diatoms and non-siliceous picoplankton. Both fix C in accordance with photosynthesis-irradiance relationships used in other models and take up NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ (and Si(OH)₄ for diatoms) following Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The model allows for light dependence of photosynthesis and NO₃⁻ uptake, and for the observed near-total light independence of NH₄⁺ uptake and Si(OH)₄ uptake. It tracks the resulting C/N ratios of both phytoplankton groups and Si/N ratio of diatoms, and permits uptake of C, N and Si to proceed independently of one another when those ratios are close to those of nutrient-replete phytoplankton. When the C/N or Si/N ratio of either phytoplankton group indicates that its growth is limited by N, Si or light, uptake of non-limiting elements is controlled by the content of the limiting element in accordance with the cell-quota formulation of Droop (J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K 54 (1974) 825).We applied this model to the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site in the western Sargasso Sea. The model was tuned to produce vertical profiles and time courses of [NO₃⁻], [NH₄⁺] and [Si(OH)₄] that are consistent with the data, by adjusting the kinetic parameters for N and Si uptake and the rate of nitrification. The model then reproduces the observed time courses of chlorophyll-a, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, biogenic silica, primary productivity, biogenic silica production and POC export with no further tuning. Simulated C/N and Si/N ratios of the phytoplankton indicate that N is the main growth-limiting nutrient throughout the thermally stratified period and that [Si(OH)₄], although always limiting to the rate of Si uptake by diatoms, seldom limits their growth rate. The model requires significant nitrification in the upper 200 m to yield realistic time courses and vertical profiles of [NH₄⁺] and [NO₃⁻], suggesting that NO₃⁻ is not supplied to the upper water column entirely by physical processes. A nitrification-corrected f-ratio (f_NC), calculated for the upper 200 m as: (NO₃⁻ uptake—nitrification)/(NO₃⁻ uptake+NH₄⁺ uptake) has annual values ranging from only 0.05–0.09, implying that 90–95% of the N taken up annually by phytoplankton is supplied by biological regeneration (including nitrification) in the upper 200 m. Reported discrepancies between estimates of organic C export based on seasonal chemical changes and POC export measured at the BATS site can be almost completely resolved if there is significant regeneration of NO₃⁻ via organic-matter decomposition in the upper 200 m.