Ecologically Tolerable Levels of Abiotic Factors. Study of Freshwater Bodies in Asiatic Part of Russia and Uzbekistan

Ecologically tolerable levels (ETL) of environmental factors have been determined for freshwater ecosystems in Asiatic part of Russia and neighboring countries (basins of Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, and Syr-Darya rivers). Inobservance of ecologically tolerable levels degrades ecological status of the ecosystems manifested as deviation from normal saprobic indices of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and periphyton as well as biotic indices of zoobenthos. The basins were compared by the calculated ETL values for over 40 physicochemical indices. The revealed ecologically tolerable levels were compared with the standard maximum allowable concentrations.     

A Multicompartment Approach - Diatoms,Macrophytes, Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Fish - To Assess the Impact of Toxic Industrial Releases on a Small French River

The River Luzou flows through a sandy substrate in the South West of France. According to the results of two assessment surveys, the Water Agency appraised that this river may not achieve the good ecological status by 2015 as required by the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). This ecosystem is impacted by industrial effluents (organic matter, metals and aromatic compounds). In order to assess and characterize the impact, this study aimed to combine a set of taxonomic and non-taxonomic metrics for diatoms, macrophytes, macroinvertebrates and fish along the up- to downstream gradient of the river. Diversity metrics, biological indices, biological and ecological traits were determined for the four biological quality elements (BQE). Various quantitative metrics (biomass estimates) were also calculated for diatom communities. The results were compared to physicochemical analysis. Biological measurements were more informative than physicochemical analysis, in the context of the study. Biological responses indicated both the contamination of water and its intensity. Diversity metrics and biological indices strongly decreased with pollution for all BQE but diatoms. Convergent trait selection with pollution was observed among BQE: reproduction, colonization strategies, or trophic regime were clearly modified at impaired sites. Taxon size and relation to the substrate diverged among biological compartments. Multiple anthropogenic pollution calls for alternate assessment methods of rivers'' health. Our study exemplifies the fact that, in the case of complex contaminations, biological indicators can be more informative for environmental risk, than a wide screening of contaminants by chemical analysis alone. The combination of diverse biological compartments provided a refined diagnostic about the nature (general mode of action) and intensity of the contamination.     

青弋江流域大型底栖动物群落结构及水质评价

研究河流大型底栖动物群落结构特征及水环境质量对水生态的保护与修复具有重要意义。以青弋江流域为研究对象,于2020年9月进行了大型底栖动物及水体理化因子的调查,采用相对重要性指数、生物多样性指数及Jaccard相似性系数分析了大型底栖动物群落结构特征,运用丰度/生物量比较曲线法及冗余分析法探究了底栖动物群落受到的干扰程度及其主要影响环境因子,最后利用水生态环境质量综合指数对河流水质进行评价。研究结果表明：(1)共采集鉴定大型底栖动物61种,隶属于3门6纲17目,平均丰度为265.9个/m~2,平均生物量41.6 g/m~2。相对重要性指数分析显示,日本沼虾(Macrobrachium nipponensis)、中国圆田螺(Cipangopaludina chinensis)、羽摇蚊(Chironomus plumosus)及扁蜉(Ecdyrus)为群落中的主要优势种。(2)由群落相似性分析知,Jaccard相似性系数较低,调查点位之间存在较强的空间异质性。(3)冗余分析表明,电导率、氨氮浓度及流速是影响底栖动物群落结构的主要环境因子。(4)生物指数分析结果显示该流域水质为轻度污染或中度污...     

Nonequilibrium state of electrochemically activated water and its biological activity]

Changes in the physicochemical parameters (pH, redox potential and electroconductivity) of catholyte and anolyte produced by membrane electrolysis of distilled water and dilute (c < 10(-3) M) sodium chloride solutions were studied. The relaxation of these parameters after electrolysis and the influence of catholyte and anolyte on the growth of roots of Tradescantia viridis grafts, the development of duckweed, and the motive activity of infusoria Spirostomum ambiguum were investigated. It was found that the anolyte of distilled water stimulated development of these biological objects. The direction of shift of physicochemical parameters of catholyte and anolyte from equilibrium values and the type of their biological activity (stimulation or inhibition) depend on salt concentration in initial solution. Barbotage of initial distilled water with argon or nitrogen leads to a greater decrease in the redox potential of catholyte during electrolysis. The physicochemical parameters relax to equilibrium values, and the biological activity of catholite and anolyte decreases with time and practically disappears by the end of the day. It was found that the oxidation of reducing agent by atmospheric oxygen is not the sole cause of the relaxation of catalyte redox potential. The increase in the ionic strength of catholite and anolyte by the addition of concentrated sodium chloride after electrolysis decreases the rate of redox potential relaxation several times. The redox potential can be maintained for long periods by freezing.     

黄河三角洲石油生产对东营湿地底栖动物群落结构和水质生物评价的影响

为了解石油开采对湿地生态系统的影响,2009年10月调查了黄河三角洲东营湿地34个样点的水体物理化学属性和大型底栖无脊椎动物群落结构。共获得3门6纲12目41科70属84个大型底栖无脊椎动物分类单元。Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(r=-0.446,P=0.02)和TN显著负相关,BI指数与理化指标无显著相关性;软体动物分类单元数与盐度(r=-0.422,P=0.028)显著负相关,与pH值(r=0.435,P=0.023)显著正相关;软体动物个体百分数同样与盐度(r=-0.395,P=0.041)呈显著负相关,与pH值(r=0.565,P=0.002)呈极显著正相关;寡毛类分类单元数与TN(r=0.524,P=0.005)极显著正相关。水体石油含量与生物指数无显著相关性。典范对应分析(CCA)显示,TN、pH、盐度是影响东营湿地底栖动物群落结构的主要环境变量,水体石油污染并不是主要的胁迫因子。寡毛类和软体动物是该地区对环境变化的主要指示生物类群。Shannon-Wiener多样性指数水质生物评价结果显示,溢洪河支流、广利河上游、挑河上游、东张水库属于清洁;轻污点位有9个,其余点位为中污或重污。     

Perspectives for the use of diatom assemblages in the water management policy of Overijssel (The Netherlands)

Diatoms have been sampled in several types of water bodies in the province of Overijssel for a period of five years. Samples from 333 sites were examined both in spring and autumn. Extensive analysis of physico-chemical variables was carried out.Data were processed by multivariate analysis for detecting correlations between species and environmental factors. Both ordination and clustering techniques were used. Statistical tests were performed to evaluate environmental relationships.The main factors in this study appear to be pH, nutrient pollution (saprobity and trophic degree) and alkalinity. Within the group of waters which is not influenced by extreme conditions of pH or pollution, there is a discrepancy between waters with low and high alkalinity.The present study confirms that diatoms are useful indicators of pollution and pH, as well documented by several authors. Diatoms are also suitable as biological indicators for alkalinity at least on a regional scale. This offers possibilities for the use of diatoms in monitoring studies, especially in waters that are still under relatively low environmental stress. It also offers opportunities for setting ecological standards, based on the characteristics of non-polluted water bodies. This aspect will be of interest to the water management policy in the province of Overijssel.     

Multidimensional modeling and analysis of large and complex watercourse data: an OLAP-based solution

This paper presents the application of Data Warehouse (DW) and On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) technologies to the field of water quality assessment. The European Water Framework Directive (DCE, 2000) underlined the necessity of having operational tools to help in the interpretation of the complex and abundant information regarding running waters and their functioning. Several studies have exemplified the interest in DWs for integrating large volumes of data and in OLAP tools for data exploration and analysis.Based on free software tools, we propose an extensible relational OLAP system for the analysis of physicochemical and hydrobiological watercourse data. This system includes: (i) two data cubes; (ii) an Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) tool for data integration; and (iii) tools for OLAP exploration. Many examples of OLAP analysis (thematic, temporal, spatiotemporal, and multiscale) are provided. We have extended an existing framework with complex aggregate functions that are used to define complex analysis indicators. Additional analysis dimensions are also introduced to allow their calculation and also for purposes of rendering information. Finally, we propose two strategies to address the problem of summarizing heterogeneous measurement units by: (i) transforming source data at the ETL tier, and (ii) introducing an additional analysis dimension at the OLAP server tier.     

The study of the multifactorial anthropogenic effect on the ecosystems of the industrial reservoirs of "Maiak" industrial complex

The analysis of the ecological situation of the Southern Urals industrial water reservoirs of the nuclear fuel cycle enterprise, "Mayak" PA is represented. The study was held in the 80s - early 90s. The subjects of the study were: a cooling water reservoir--Kysyl-Tash Lake (R-2) as well as a radioactive waste storage reservoir (R-10). Irtyash Lake, which is a drinking water reservoir for the city of Ozyorsk and Alabuga and Kazhakul Lakes, located on the boundary of the Eastern Urals Radioactive Trace (EURT), were taken as control ones. Such water reservoirs as Irtyash, Kysyl-Tash and the waste storage reservoir (R-10) are incorporated into the Techa River basin; while Alabuga and Kazhakul Lakes are related to the interfluve between the Techa River and the Sinara River. The complex effect from such man--caused factors as radiation, chemical and thermal to water reservoirs' ecosystems was studied. Radionuclide specific activities of the major reservoir components (water, bottom sediments, and biological objects), cumulative stock and radiation doses to the biota were determined. Assessment of the condition of biological structures of individual reservoirs was performed. It was found that the long-term complex influence of radiation, thermal and chemical factors resulted in the formation of the unique technology-induced ecosystems being a part of "Mayak" PA process cycle. Radiation doses to the fish of the cooling water reservoir and the radioactive waste storage reservoir were experimentally estimated. These doses from the incorporated beta-emitters were not less then 2-3 Gy/year. The long-term complex influence of radiation and chemical factors didn't cause any irreversible changes either in the fish population or in the ecosystem. Water purity indicators like crayfish (Astacus leptodactilus Esch) and mollusk (Anodonta cygnea L.) were found in the cooling water reservoir. The comparative analysis of the ecological situation of the reservoirs carried out on the basis of several qualitative indicators and with the help of the formalized scoring system allowed determining that the optimum ecological conditions can be observed in Irtyash Lake. The quality of the environment of Alabuga Lake is slightly lower. The ecological conditions in Kysyl-Tash Lake are up to the standard, while in Kazhakul Lake they are lower than the standard. This is the result of the natural salinization of the ecosystem. The lowest indicator was obtained for the radioactive waste storage reservoir.     

Chemometric discrimination between streams based on chemical, limnological and biological data taken from freshwater fishes and their interrelationships

The VALIMAR project aims at identifyingbiomarkers in fish that are suitable to detectand predict environmental stress from chemicalpollution or from limnological parameters inthe field. For two small streams in SouthernGermany, concentration values of 31contaminants in water and sediment and 12 limnological parameters as well as 27 biomarkersmeasured in brown trout and stone loach werecollected. All these physicochemical andbiological parameters have been analysed forpatterns that discriminate between the streams,using discriminant analysis (DA), analysis ofvariance (ANOVA) and of covariance (ANCOVA), and principal component analysis (PCA) asmultivariate statistical techniques. Moreover,the biological data were analyzed with respectto species-specific patterns, and the partialleast-squares regression method (PLS) was usedto study the impact of chemical and limnological data on the health status of the targetspecies as characterized by the biomarker data.Abiotic as well as biotic data yielded goodseparations between the streams, with theultrastructure of gill (US-gill) being thestrongest discriminator variable among all 27biomarkers tested. With regard to the two fishspecies, the biomarker data from brown troutshow significantly greater differences betweenthe two streams than the biological responsesin stone loach. Application of PLS yieldssignificant regression models for only fewbiomarkers including US-Gill, which can bepartly traced back to significant noise levelsin the data set as quantified by permutationtests.     

北京市妫水河浮游动物群落结构与水质评价

由于浮游动物对水体环境变化敏感,可表征水体污染程度,因此在2017年对妫水河浮游动物群落结构进行调查研究,分析了浮游动物群落结构时空变化特征及其与环境因子的关系,并利用生物学评价方法对水质进行评价。结果表明:妫水河浮游动物有4门22属88种,其中原生动物种类最多,为42种,主要以轮虫和原生动物为主,浮游动物平均细胞密度和生物量分别为5041.58个/L和2.88 mg/L。浮游动物群落结构与环境因子的CCA分析显示,水温、pH、DO和氨氮是影响妫水河浮游动物群落结构变化的重要因素,其中裂痕龟纹轮虫、冠饰异尾轮虫和螺形龟甲轮虫等对水体中氮磷的相关性极为显著,具有富营养化指示作用,可作为监测水质的指示生物。妫水河浮游动物多样性指数H、均匀度指数J和丰富度指数D全年平均值分别为0.43、0.31和0.41,整体评价结果显示,妫水河水体处于中到富营养型水平,尤其是下段城区段污染严重,表明妫水河水体生态功能遭到破坏,水质还需进一步改善和治理。本研究结果可为妫水河水质评价、水环境监测及水污染治理提供基础数据资料和理论依据。     

Differentiated macrophyte types as a habitat for rotifers in small mid-forest water bodies

The rotifer community structure may be shaped by a variety of environmental factors, including biological parameters, such as predation or competition, as well as by physical-chemical factors, among which the kind of macrophyte substratum and parameters relating to the trophic state and to the catchment area conditions are of great importance. Another impact on rotifer composition, abundance and frequency may be expected when considering differentiated macrophyte types (including helophytes, nymphaeids and elodeids) within a group of eight ponds located within a mid-forest catchment area, which was the main aim of the present study. Detailed analysis on the participation of indicator eutrophic rotifer species provided an additional goal of this investigation in order to qualify the trophic state of this kind of water body located within the Wielkopolska region, in the central western part of Poland. The presence of 117 taxa, including 7 species that are rare or infrequently distributed in the Polish fauna was recorded. The number of taxa and rotifer abundance differed greatly in respect to the specific water body and to the type of substratum. The vegetated zones dominated by elodeids were characterised by the most various and most abundant rotifer communities as well as by the highest values of the Shannon-Weaver index. This reflects a positive relationship between the heterogeneity of habitat and the structure of rotifer communities. It was also found that helophytes and the open water zone possessed the highest, while elodeids the lowest percentage of eutrophic species.     

Studies on the hydrochemistry of Kangimi reservoir, Kaduna State, Nigeria

The physicochemical characteristics of Kangimi reservoir were investigated monthly at two stations of the reservoir between July 1998 and September 1999. This was done to determine if acceptable water quality standards are being maintained in the reservoir and to assess if the water could maintain a thriving fishery. All the physicochemical parameters investigated fell within the range of allowable standards for potable waters according to the World Health Organization ( WHO, 1993 ). Alkalinity, conductivity, nitrate‐nitrogen and phosphate phosphorus showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) values during the rains, which was associated with surface runoff, whereas dissolved oxygen, hardness, transparency and chlorophyll‐a showed significantly higher values (P < 0.05) during the dry season. The reservoir was indicated to be oligotrophic. The biological significance of these findings are discussed.     

Lipid biodynamics: new perspectives [published errtum appears in Biochimie 1987 May;69(5):558

Active biological systems can be divided into five phases: the aqueous polar phase, the monolayer and/or bilayer interfacial phase, the apolar or hydrophobic phase, the solid or insoluble phase and the gaseous phase. The micellar phase is a special dispersed state of an interfacial phase. Molecules are distributed among these five phases according to their physicochemical properties. Herein is proposed a standardization in strict compliance with the CGS (cm, g, s) unit system and uses the mass/volume, mole per cm3 (mol X cm-3) chemical unit. This standardization requires a new set of symbols to clearly distinguish the concentrations in the different phases. The numerous implications of this standardization are discussed with respect to the quantitative classification of lipids based upon interphase partition coefficients, a new definition of micelles, simple models for the study of lipid biodynamic behavior and sites of action of lipid metabolism enzymes as well as determination of the physicochemical parameters of circulating lipoproteins. By compartmentalization in an aqueous polar phase, an interfacial phase comprising phospholipids and free cholesterol and an apolar phase comprising triglycerides and esterified cholesterol, this standardization will greatly simplify quantitative research on the factors regulating and disturbing cholesterol homeostasis. The notion of total cholesterol must be foresaken, since the biodynamic behavior of free cholesterol and esterified cholesterol are fundamentally different. Free cholesterol shares the fate of the interfacial phase of which it is a part, this fate being hinged on enzymatic biotransformations and/or ligand--receptor interactions. The proposed standardization gives rise to a new rationale using simple calculations and its advantage will be 2-fold: first, in the design of experimental protocols; and second, in allowing immediate and unambiguous comparison of experimental data based upon strictly defined parameters.     

基于因子分析的南湾水库水源地浮游植物生物完整性评价

于2016年在淮河流域饮用水源地水库-南湾水库,开展了3次浮游植物调查,在分析南湾水库浮游植物群落结构的基础上,依据生物完整性理论,采用因子分析方法对南湾水库开展了生态完整性评价。研究结果显示:3次调查中浮游植物种类数变化较小,但所属种类存在明显的季节差异;浮游植物密度9月份最高,3月密度最低,而生物量则正好相反,3月最高而9月最低。进一步采用因子分析对群落数据进行分析,筛选确定了4个公因子。其中,因子1反映了群落的耐污特征与能力;因子2表征了群落的多样性特征;因子3表征了群落丰富度状况;因子4表征了水体富营养状况。因子分析得分表明:从时间上来看,南湾水库9月水生态状况最差,从空间上看,则人口密度大的库湾区域水生态状况较差。因子得分较好地反映了水库不同时间与地点水生态状况的相对大小,表明基于因子分析生物完整性评价能够较地应用于南湾水库,也适合推广应用于其他水体的生态评价工作中。     

Biotesting of water in regions of oil extraction

Correlations between the data on the ecological state of water bodies and results of their biological testing has been analyzed using test objects from different groups (Paramecium caudatum and Chlorella vulgaris). It has been shown that statistically significant relationships exist between the results of biotesting and physicochemical data on the pollution of surface water in the regions of hydrocarbon extraction.     

Spatial-temporal characteristics of epilithic algae succession on artificial substrata in relation to water quality in Erhai Lake,Yunnan Province,China

In this study, two sites with different nutritional levels at Erhai Lake were selected to perform an epilithic succession experiment in order to better understand the successional dynamic process and associated controlling factors, providing important insights into the role of epilithon in ecological functions and facilitating eutrophic lake recovery planning. The environmental parameters, epilithic biomass and epilithic diversity were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed. Our results showed that faster biomasses peaks (40–50 days colonization) were achieved at Gusheng where nutrient level was higher, comparing with that of Xiahe. A 10-day incubation period is a dividing line from an initial successional stage to the following stage during epilithon succession. The epilithic biomass and biodiversity exhibited distinctly spatial-temporal characteristics, showing higher values at the site being affected by human activities than that being under the natural condition. The spatial characteristic was associated with nitrate enrichment (the most important), and the positively biological responses of the epilithon (higher biomass and diversity) to nitrate enrichment highlight the occurrence of non-point-source pollution on the west bank of Erhai Lake. The temporal characteristic was associated with water temperature (the second important), exhibiting a high biomass accumulation in winter compared with that in summer. This may be caused by other biotic factors not measured in this study, therefore, a detailed investigation regarding the interactions among biotic components in Erhai Lake is essentially needed.     

Robustness of the biotic indicators used for classification of ecological status of lotic water bodies: A testing method when the data series are short

Successful implementation of the Water Framework Directive and achieving its objective of good ecological status of all water bodies depend on the power of the set of monitoring indicators to capture the change in the ecological status of aquatic systems. In this context, testing the robustness and sensitivity of ecological indicators currently used for assessing the status of lotic water bodies is instrumental for the adaptation and further development of assessment methods. This is also a prerequisite for an effective, context-based monitoring system and for improving the quality of the decision making for water bodies. This is particularly challenging in regions where the sets of indicators are under development, the data series are relatively short and data which addresses the individual error sources are lacking. Here we show that hierarchical clusters and ordination analysis provide appropriate tools with which the validity of the ecological status of water bodies set up based on biological multimetric monitoring indices in a small water basin could be tested. We hypothesize that robust and informative monitoring methods classify all water bodies belonging to a single ordination grouping in the same quality class (high, good, moderate, poor or bad). In our case study multimetric biological indicators failed to discriminate between the good and moderate ecological status. Community structure as well as water conductivity and nitrate load were primarily responsible for the observed difference between ordination groupings. Inconsistencies shown in our case study are likely to be induced by insufficient refinement of monitoring schemes and by the constraints existing in the data series and available metadata. We show that multiplication of indicators leads to discrepant interpretation and problematic application. Proposed ordination analysis proves to be a simple and useful tool to detect such discrepancies and support further progress in indicator development. Integrated and longer data and metadata series are needed to refine context-based monitoring methods.     

中国水生态足迹广度、深度评价及空间格局

运用生态足迹方法对水资源进行流量资本和存量资本区分,测算分析了中国31个省市1997—2014年的水生态足迹广度与深度。结果显示:(1)中国的水生态足迹广度受年际水资源量丰枯影响,总体呈波动趋势;各省市的水生态足迹广度存在着明显差异,南方地区水生态足迹广度普遍大于北方地区;(2)研究期内,中国的水生态足迹深度只有1998年为1,其余年份的水资源流量资本已不能满足人类生产生活的需求,需要消耗水资源存量资本;各省市之间水生态足迹深度相差较大,整体上北方高南方低,其中14个省份18年的平均水生态足迹深度为1,平均水生态足迹深度最高的地区是宁夏的308.12;(3)运用空间自相关方法对31个省市的水生态足迹广度和深度进行分析得出,中国省际水生态足迹广度与深度均存在明显的空间集聚现象。水生态足迹广度H-H集聚地区主要集中在中国南方地区,水生态足迹深度H-H集聚地区主要集中在中国北方地区。通过对全国水生态足迹广度与深度的测度分析为水生态足迹分析提供新的研究方法,同时也为区域水资源可持续利用提供理论依据。     

生态需水在输水工程生态影响评价中的应用

以南水北调工程为例的输水管道工程在解决我国水资源供需矛盾和地域分配不均的问题中发挥着重要作用,输水管道工程的建设在产生巨大社会、经济、生态效益的同时,也给工程建设区域、调水相关区域脆弱的生态环境带来新的问题。工程建设的环境影响评价往往关心工程建设、运行时期对相关区域内主要环境要素的影响、响应及评价,而对工程建设相关的关键生态系统的影响关注较小。而南水北调等输水管道工程是与水密切相关的国家级大型工程,对工程建设区域、影响区域的水生生态系统产生较大的影响,如何科学、定量地评价输水工程对关键生态系统的影响是输水工程建设管理人员关注的热点之一。基于对生态需水评价理论与方法的总结及输水工程生态影响定量评价难点的分析,对生态需水与水生生态系统健康之间相辅相成的关系进行研究,提出了将生态需水引入输水工程生态影响评价的技术路径与评价模型。以南水北调中线工程为例,对其影响范围内的生态需水量进行评价,进而判断工程建设运行对相关区域关键生态系统的影响。