Journal articles: 'Water Damage trends' – Grafiati (2024)

Abstract:

The research carried out in Serbia so far revealed an increase in forest damages from natural hazards, as well as increased share in total forest damages with their territorial inequality. This research aims to determine the trend in the number and area of damages, the area of damages per one harmful event, and the prognosis of damages caused by the harmful effects of water, wind and fire in selected forest regions of Serbia. A modelling method was used as a basic scientific method, with an application of trend regression and correlation analysis and other specific methods. The results of the research indicate that there are differences in the trends per harmful factor. An increasing trend is visible with the damages caused by the effects of water and wind but also in the extent of damages caused by all three detrimental factors. A decreasing trend is noticeable only for the damages caused by fire.

Abstract:

We review water-related issues in Central Asia's Syr Darya and Amu Darya River basins as seen in changes in water management and climatic trends. We start by clarifying these problems in basins that are basically in an arid region where water circumstances as a source is unstable and water rights and use among riparian countries are highly discrepant. Results of the examinations on water management clarified 4 major issues: (1) problems affecting countries downstream, such as water shortages in summer and artificial flood damage in winter; (2) problem of irrigation water distribution in the Fergana Valley; (3) the salinization of farmland in middle and lower riparian reaches; and (4) deterioration in Aral Sea and neighboring ecosystems due to drastically lowered water levels. An analysis of the impact of climate change on local hydrological systems pointed up potential new indications: (5) trends in global warming triggering earlier snow melts and floods; and (6) trend in the warming prompting earlier vegetative activity. We conclude by recommending concrete measures for appropriate irrigation and better water management.

Abstract:

The Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake on January 17, 1995, inflicted severe damage to the water distribution system, not only disrupting daily life activities and industrial operations but also causing major problems in fighting fires which destroyed 7377 homes. Disruption of water service is largely due to abundant water main breaks rather than failures of treatment plants, pumping stations, or the reservoirs. The total number (3300) of pipe breaks of the seven cities within 40 km east of the epicentre is one of the largest recorded among the strong earthquakes that occurred in the past 20 years. The major damage that led to the lack of water in Kobe City is described, and damage trends of water mains are compared with those found in past earthquakes. Important factors identified from these trends are noted for the study of estimation and mitigation methods of water main damage for the Greater Vancouver area. Key words: earthquake, Hyogo-ken Nanbu, water mains, transmission line, reservoirs, fires, restoration.

Abstract:

Property damages caused by hydrometeorological disasters in Texas during the period 1960–2016 totaled $54.2 billion with hurricanes, tropical storms, and hail accounting for 56%, followed by flooding and severe thunderstorms responsible for 24% of the total damages. The current study provides normalized trends to support the assertion that the increase in property damage is a combined contribution of stronger disasters as predicted by climate change models and increases in urban development in risk prone regions such as the Texas Gulf Coast. A comparison of the temporal distribution of damages normalized by population and GDP resulted in a less statistically significant increasing trend per capita. Seasonal distribution highlights spring as the costliest season (March, April and May) while the hurricane season (June through November) is well aligned with the months of highest property damage. Normalization of property damage by GDP during 2001–2016 showed Dallas as the only metropolitan statistical area (MSA) with a significant increasing trend of the 25 MSAs in Texas. Spatial analysis of property damage per capita highlighted the regions that are at greater risk during and after a major disaster given their limited economic resources compared to more urbanized regions. Variation in the causes of damage (wind or water) and types of damage that a “Hurricane” can produce was investigated using Hazus model simulation. A comparison of published damage estimates at time of occurrence with simulation outputs for Hurricanes Carla, 1961; Alicia, 1983; and Ike, 2008 based on 2010 building exposure highlighted the impact of economic growth, susceptibility of wood building types, and the predominant cause of damage. Carla and Ike simulation models captured less than 50% of their respective estimates reported by other sources suggesting a broad geographical zone of damage with flood damage making a significant contribution. Conversely, the model damage estimates for Alicia are 50% higher than total damage estimates that were reported at the time of occurrence suggesting a substantial increase in building exposure susceptible to wind damage in the modeled region from 1983 – 2010.

Abstract:

Abstract Surface water flooding can be a significant source of damage and disruption in urban areas. The complexity of urban surfaces, the need for spatially disaggregated approaches and the multiplicity of interventions makes management challenging from a number of perspectives. This research responds to the challenge of selecting appropriate surface water management interventions by applying a fast assessment framework to generate evidence for comparing strategies at low resource cost during initial design. This is demonstrated by simulating flood dynamics and comparing damage costs in 144 flood scenarios. The main finding of this work is that a high-level quantitative assessment of large numbers of scenarios is capable of providing evidence to identify performance trends and consider resilience to extreme events at an early stage of planning.

Abstract:

On Arctic coasts, erosion is limited by the presence of nearshore sea ice, which creates a protective barrier from storms. In Kivalina, an Alaskan Inupiaq Inuit community, decreasing seasonal sea ice extent and a lengthening of the open-water season may be resulting in fall storms that (1) generate higher, longer, and more destructive waves and (2) cause damage later in the year, resulting in increased flooding and erosion. We assess trends in the duration of nearshore sea ice and their relationship with storm occurrence over the period 1979–2015 in Kivalina. Analysis of passive microwave sea ice concentration data indicates that the open-water season has increased by 5.6 ± 1.2 days/decade over the last 37 years, with moderate evidence that it is extending further into the fall than into the spring. This is correlated with an increased reporting frequency of high-damage storms; 80% of reported storms since 1970 occurred in the last 15 years. Each high-damage storm event occurred during the open-water season for that year. Our findings support Kivalina villagers’ assertions that climate change increases storm exposure and associated damages from flooding and erosion.

Abstract:

In order to investigate the influence of water content on the damage and degradation characteristics of Hutubi sandstone, different saturation experiments and laboratory mechanical experiments were carried out on Hutubi sandstone. The experimental results show that under uniaxial and triaxial conditions, with the increase in water content, the axial, lateral, and volume deformations gradually increase, and the deformation shows obvious dilatancy characteristics. The deviator stress and elasticity modulus of the sandstone decreased exponentially with the increasing water content. Confining pressure has a significant effect on the strength improvement of sandstone under the constant water content. Based on lognormal distribution, the damage constitutive model of sandstone which can reflect both uniaxial and triaxial condition with different water contents was proposed. The theoretical curves were compared with the experimental curves, and it was found that the theoretical curves and the experimental curves have similar changing trends. It shows the rationality of the statistical damage constitutive model.

Abstract:

Lake water aluminum concentrations have a significant influence on the composition of microfossil assemblages of diatoms and chrysophytes deposited in lake sediments. With the paleolimnological approach of multilake datasets in the Adirondack region of New York, USA, we use canonical correspondence analysis to describe past trends in lake water Al. Four lakes, previously investigated regarding acidification and fishery trends, are used to demonstrate that paleolimnological assessment can also provide direction, timing, and magnitude of trends for both toxic metals and fish resources. Additionally, we use weighted averaging regression and calibration to obtain quantitative reconstructions of past lake water Al concentrations. Such reconstructions provide further insight into fishery resource damage and can be compared with modelling results. According to paleolimnological reconstructions, some (albeit few) of the naturally most acidic lakes in the Adirondack region had preindustrial lake water concentrations of inorganic monomeric Al near 4 μmol∙L−1. Although these high concentrations are surprising from a geochemical point of view, they may partially explain the preindustrial absence of fish, as has been independently determined by paleolimnological analysis of phantom midges (Chaoborus). Fishery resource deterioration in acidified Adirondack lakes was coincident with major increases in lake water Al concentrations.

Abstract:

Our study area is one of the semiarid region of the China with under water stress condition that causes economic damage. The main objective of this study is to apply standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and to use linear regression to calculate drought conditions in the study area. For this purpose, data from 1980 to 2010 was analyzed at different (1, 6, 12, and 24 months) time scales. Results depicted both dry and wet periods in the study area; occurrence of dry span with different frequency and magnitude was increased over last decades (2000–2010) at most of the stations. Statistical results demonstrated that temperature was decreased in the 1st decade in most of stations but in two decades from 1990 to 2000 and 2001 to 2010, temperature was increased except in Changzhi station. These results could be a future reference for developing information programs about monitoring and early drought information, planning of existing reservoirs, and management of water resources under climate conditions.

Abstract:

Multiple studies have been carried out on the correct estimation of the damages (direct tangible losses) associated with floods. However, the complex analysis and the multitude of variables conditioning the damage estimation, as well as the uncertainty in their estimation, make it difficult, even today, to reach one single, complete solution to this problem. In no case has the influence that the topographic relationship between the main floor of a residential building and the surrounding land have in the estimation of flood economic damage been analysed. To carry out this analysis, up to a total of 28 magnitude–damage functions (with different characteristics and application scales) were selected on which the effect of over-elevation and under-elevation of the main floor of the houses was simulated (at intervals of 20 cm, between −0.6 and +1 metre). According to each of the two trends, an overestimation or underestimation of flood damage was observed. This pattern was conditioned by the specific characteristics of each magnitude–damage function, meaning that the percentage of damage became asymptotic from a certain flow depth value. In a real scenario, the consideration of this variable (as opposed to its non-consideration) causes an average variation in the damage estimation around 30%. Based on these results, the analysed variable can be considered as (1) another main source of uncertainty in the correct estimation of flood damage, and (2) an essential variable to take into account in a flood damage analysis for the correct estimation of loss.

Abstract:

In order to examine temperature changes and extremes in the Beijing-Tianjin Sand Source Region (BTSSR), ten extreme temperature indices were selected, categorized, and calculated spanning the period 1960–2014, and the spatiotemporal variability and trends of temperature and extremes on multitimescales in the BTSSR were investigated using the Mann-Kendall (M-K) test, Sen’s slope estimator, and linear regression. Results show that mean temperatures have increased and extreme temperature events have become more frequent. Annual temperature has recorded a significant increasing trend over the BTSSR, in which 51 stations exhibited significant increasing trends (p<0.05); winter temperature recorded the most significant increasing trend in the northwest subregion. All extreme temperature indices showed warming trends at most stations; a higher warming slope in extreme temperature mainly occurred along the northeast border and northwest border and in the central-southern mountain area. As extreme low temperature events decrease, vegetation damage due to freezing temperatures will reduce and low cold-tolerant plants may expand their distribution range northward to revegetate barren areas in the BTSSR. However, in water-limited areas of the BTSSR, increasing temperatures in the growing season may exacerbate stress associated with plants relying on precipitation due to higher temperatures combining with decreasing precipitation.

Abstract:

A multiscale local effect model (LEM)-based framework was implemented to study the cell damage caused by the irradiation of clusters of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) under clinically relevant conditions. The results were compared with those obtained by a homogeneous mixture of water and gold (MixNP) irradiated under similar conditions. To that end, Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the irradiation of GNP clusters of different sizes and MixNPs with a 6 MV Linac spectrum to calculate the dose enhancement factor in water. The capabilities of our framework for the prediction of cell damage trends are examined and discussed. We found that the difference of the main parameter driving the cell damage between a cluster of GNPs and the MixNP was less than 1.6% for all cluster sizes. Our results demonstrate for the first time a simple route to intuit the radiobiological effects of clusters of nanoparticles through the consideration of an equivalent homogenous gold/water mixture. Furthermore, the negligible difference on cell damage between a cluster of GNPs and MixNP simplifies the modelling for the complex geometries of nanoparticle aggregations and saves computational resources.

Abstract:

Water quality indexes are a tool used to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of a water body according to its use. The present study proposes the inclusion of oil and grease (OG) as a new water quality index (ICAMPFF-GA) parameter for the preservation of marine biota in tropical areas, since it is a typical pollutant found and measured in water bodies, causing damage to the aquatic environment. The normalized curve for OG was defined based on the percentage of surviving microorganism under a lethal concentration exposure of OG. The ICAMPFF-GA suitability was evaluated by its application to analyze marine water quality in the area of the sea outfall in the city of Cartagena, Colombia and comparing the trends of the outfall flow and the rainfall for 2017. Physical chemical data analyzed for the year 2017 shows that OG varies from 0.0 to 3.8 mg/L. The results show that the water quality index increases when rainfall and flow values increase for the rainy season. The ICAMPFF-GA can be a tool to evaluate the water quality of marine waters affected by the discharge of waters with oil and grease.

Abstract:

Drought–flood abrupt alternation (DFAA) is one of the remarkable manifestations of the summer monsoon anomaly at the subseasonal scale and can result in severe damage. This study identified and analyzed DFAA in terms of streamflow in the Poyang Lake catchment over the last 50 years based on a DFAA index (DFAAI). The study also investigated the intra-annual distribution characteristics and long-term tendencies associated with DFAA, as well as the relationship with precipitation patterns. A statistical analysis showed that drought-to-flood events in the Poyang Lake catchment generally occur in March and April, while flood-to-drought events occur in July and August. A Mann–Kendall test indicated a long-term decreasing trend in DFAAI in March and April and a slight increasing trend in July and August; however, the trends were not statistically significant. Flood-to-drought events occurred more frequently than did drought-to-flood events at the decadal scale, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. The particular distribution of precipitation in the Poyang Lake catchment mainly determined the occurrence patterns of DFAA events, but intensive human activities are also significant factors that have decreased and mitigated DFAA disasters since the 1980s in the Poyang Lake catchment.

Abstract:

Global warming intensifies the water cycle. The intensified water cycle is considered to be among the reasons for the increment of floods in several regions on Earth. The floods and the ensuing disaster situations, which have increased over the past year, have caused massive material damage and economic losses to the Bulgarian population. The occurrence of floods was directly associated with the amount of rainfall in a given period. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the trends in rainfall changes in Bulgaria and their correlation with the floods over 8 years: from 2010 to 2017.

Abstract:

The research was carried out to know the abundance and damage severity of mealybug on sarupkathi variety of guava and to evaluate the efficacy of jet powder and Fighter 2.5EC for suppressing populations of mealybug during January to October 2014. Results revealed that the highest number of guava mealybug was observed on middle leaf (42/leaf) while the lowest number was on lower leaf (13/leaf). The highest percent leaf area covered by mealybug was found on middle leaf (78%) while the lowest was on fruit (18%). Maximum temperature and relative humidity had a positive correlation on the mealybug population while the rainfall showed a negative correlation. The highest percent mortality was observed in T2 treatment (Jet powder applied @ 5.0 g L-1 of water) at 24 HAT (hours after treatment) (86.05%) and 48 HAT (93.83%), respectively. At 72 HAT, the highest percent mortality was observed T3 treatment (Jet powder applied @ 7.5 g L-1 of water). In case of insecticidal control, the highest percent mortality was observed in T2 (100%) and T3 (100%) treatments, respectively followed by T1 (98.03%) at 24 HAT. Similar trends were also observed among all treatments at 48 HAT and 72 HAT, respectively. No significant differences were found among three doses of Fighter 2.5EC. The lowest percent mortality of mealybug population was found in T4 (Water spray forcibly) at 24 HAT, 48 HAT and 72 HAT, respectively. No mortality was recorded in untreated control at different HAT in both application of soap solution and insecticides. SAARC J. Agri., 16(2): 73-82 (2018)

Abstract:

Abstract. The main trends expected for the change of Norwegian climate for this century are increasing temperatures, precipitation and wind. This indicates a probable increase of climate-related risks to the Norwegian built environment. Through co-operation between the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, building and climate information have been combined to estimate changes in strain to the built environment due to climate change. The results show that the risk of wood decay will increase for the whole country. Almost two million buildings will be subject to an increase in risk of wood decay from medium to high level. Similar analyses have been performed for other climate indices, demonstrating a clear increase in potential damages due to water and humidity, while frost damage probably will decrease.

Abstract:

Nitrogen pollution is a growing problem in many rivers and estuaries of the Southern Gulf of Mexico. In Costa Esmeralda, a tourist destination in Veracruz, the increasing nitrogen pollution is causing severe environmental damage. However, very few studies addressed nitrogen pollution and its consequences for beaches and mangroves. In this study, a spatiotemporal evaluation of nitrogen concentrations was performed along two rivers discharging into Costa Esmeralda and the associated mangrove and coastal areas. The data used was obtained from the local government, which measured ammonium, nitrate and organic nitrogen concentrations between 2013 and 2016 with four annual measurements. Clustering analysis was used to detect the nitrogen concentration differences between riverine and coastal sites. Additionally, Mann-Kendall test was used to detect the trends throughout the study period. The Mann-Whitney W-test determined the difference in the median concentrations between the dry and the wet season. The results indicate that organic nitrogen concentrations are increasing in river mouths and coastal waters. Nitrogen pollution caused an intrusion of water hyacinths in touristic beaches and completely covered mangroves. The decomposition of these plants in saline waters was identified as the main potential source of increasing organic concentrations, driven by nitrogen pollution from wastewater, deforestation and fertilizers, and causing many environmental and socio-economic damage to the area. The results shed light on the prevailing water pollution problems in the Southern Gulf of Mexico.

Abstract:

Abstract Densely populated urban areas, which have developed over the last century, depend heavily on centralized water supply, sewage treatment plants, and hydroelectric or thermal power generation with vast demand of cooling water. Considerable areas have been drained or sealed, and the short-circuited water cycle has been distorted. Large rivers have been converted to shipping canals with the permanent risk of accidental pollution. Technical means such as sewage treatment, air filters, emission control and lake and soil restoration measures have contributed to correct the environmental damage. However, a balance sheet for irreversible matter losses (mainly base cation charges) from the urbanized areas and the surrounding landscape into the sea shows ever-increasing trends. These losses are destabilizing the ecosystems. In this paper, management of the water cycle in urban areas, together with the coupled matter cycles, is discussed. Particular reference is given to Metropolitan Berlin, with a network of shipping canals, which move biologically treated waste, containing base cations and nutrients to the surrounding rural areas. This could create manageable productive wetlands and re-establish soil fertility. At the same time, the natural cooling system close to the urban areas will be improved by providing more areas with permanent vegetation. In addition, reduction of the present large oscillations of the groundwater table, resulting from groundwater pumping and its recharge with less polluted surface water, is contemplated. The widely used shoreline infiltration of the Havel River should then be eliminated and the severe damage of the littoral vegetation in large sections of the Havel River system be avoided.

Abstract:

The use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in the aircraft and automotive industries exponentially. Reinforced fibers which are abrasive in nature make it hard to machine by the traditional machining. Dissipation of heat into workpiece which in turn results in enhanced cutting tool wear and damage to the workpiece is the common problems faced in traditional machining of FRPs. Nontraditional machining is favorable to reduce these issues. Abrasive waterjet machining (AWJM) is one of the best choices for machining FRPs. Development in AWJM of FRPs and the current research in this field will be discussed in details. Machining process of FRPs, quality dependents such as surface finish and variable cutting parameters will be addressed. One of main issues in AWJM noise due to high flow rate of water jet will be addressed. The importance of human safety aspects when AWJM is employed will be highlighted. Limitations and challenges in AWJM are presented elaborately.

Abstract:

The first thing most visitors to Quail Creek State Park notice, apart from the improbably blue and refreshing waters of the reservoir itself, are the brightly colored, layered rocks of the surrounding cliffs. In fact, Quail Creek State Park lies astride one of the most remarkable geologic features in southwestern Utah. The park lies cradled in the eroded core of the Virgin anticline, a long upwarp of folded rock that trends northeast through south-central Washington County. The fold is breached by erosion along its crest, creating a window into the geologic past. Famous for its geology, the park is also infamous for the 1989 catastrophic collapse of the Quail Creek south dike, which unleashed a torrent of water and caused millions of dollars of damage.

Abstract:

Since prehistoric times, water conflicts have occurred as a result of a wide range of tensions and/or violence, which have rarely taken the form of traditional warfare waged over water resources alone. Instead, water has historically been a (re)source of tension and a factor in conflicts that start for other reasons. In some cases, water was used directly as a weapon through its ability to cause damage through deprivation or erosion or water resources of enemy populations and their armies. However, water conflicts, both past and present, arise for several reasons; including territorial disputes, fight for resources, and strategic advantage. The main reasons of water conflicts are usually delimitation of boundaries, waterlogging (e.g., dams and lakes), diversion of rivers flow, running water, food, and political distresses. In recent decades, the number of human casualties caused by water conflicts is more than that of natural disasters, indicating the importance of emerging trends on water wars in the world. This paper presents arguments, fights, discourses, and conflicts around water from ancient times to the present. This diachronic survey attempts to provide water governance alternatives for the current and future.

Abstract:

Running waters are perhaps the most impacted ecosystem on the planet as they have been the focus for human settlement and are heavily exploited for water supplies, irrigation, electricity generation, and waste disposal. Lotic systems also have an intimate contact with their catchments and so land-use alterations affect them directly. Here long-term trends in the factors that currently impact running waters are reviewed with the aim of predicting what the main threats to rivers will be in the year 2025. The main ultimate factors forcing change in running waters (ecosystem destruction, physical habitat and water chemistry alteration, and the direct addition or removal of species) stem from proximate influences from urbanization, industry, land-use change and water-course alterations. Any one river is likely to be subjected to several types of impact, and the management of impacts on lotic systems is complicated by numerous links between different forms of anthropogenic effect. Long-term trends for different impacts vary. Concentrations of chemical pollutants such as toxins and nutrients have increased in rivers in developed countries over the past century, with recent reductions for some pollutants (e.g. metals, organic toxicants, acidification), and continued increases in others (e.g. nutrients); there are no long-term chemical data for developing countries. Dam construction increased rapidly during the twentieth century, peaking in the 1970s, and the number of reservoirs has stabilized since this time, whereas the transfer of exotic species between lotic systems continues to increase. Hence, there have been some success stories in the attempts to reduce the impacts from anthropogenic impacts in developed nations. Improvements in the pH status of running waters should continue with lower sulphurous emissions, although emissions of nitrous oxides are set to continue under current legislation and will continue to contribute to acidification and nutrient loadings. Climate change also will impact running waters through alterations in hydrology and thermal regimes, although precise predictions are problematic; effects are likely to vary between regions and to operate alongside rather than override those from other impacts. Effects from climate change may be more extreme over longer time scales (>50 years). The overriding pressure on running water ecosystems up to 2025 will stem from the predicted increase in the human population, with concomitant increases in urban development, industry, agricultural activities and water abstraction, diversion and damming. Future degradation could be substantial and rapid (c. 10 years) and will be concentrated in those areas of the world where resources for conservation are most limited and knowledge of lotic ecosystems most incomplete; damage will centre on lowland rivers, which are also relatively poorly studied. Changes in management practices and public awareness do appear to be benefiting running water ecosystems in developed countries, and could underpin conservation strategies in developing countries if they were implemented in a relevant way.

Abstract:

The growing severe damage and sustained nature of the recent drought in some parts of the globe have resulted in the need to conduct studies relating to rainfall forecasting and effective integrated water resources management. This research examines and analyzes the use and ability of artificial neural networks (ANNs) in forecasting future trends of rainfall indices for Mkomazi Basin, South Africa. The approach used the theory of back propagation neural networks, after which a model was developed to predict the future rainfall occurrence using an environmental fed variable for closing up. Once this was accomplished, the ANNs’ accuracy was compared against a traditional forecasting method called multiple linear regression. The probability of an accurate forecast was calculated using conditional probabilities for the two models. Given the accuracy of the forecast, the benefits of the ANNs as a vital tool for decision makers in mitigating drought related concerns was enunciated. Keywords: artificial neural networks, drought, rainfall case forecast, multiple linear regression. JEL Classification: C53, C45

Abstract:

Опыт и компетенции на рынке водоснабжения и водоотведения, накопленные компанией ЭКОС Групп за более чем 30 лет развития и профессионального роста, бесценны. Опираясь на многолетнюю историю реализованных проектов, собственный научно-технический, проектный и производственный потенциал, ЭКОС Групп предлагает сегодня инновационные решения актуальных и сложных задач, оперативно реагирует на быстро изменяющиеся условия на рынке очистки и повторного использования сточных вод, следует новым тенденциям профессиональной среды, учитывает кризисные процессы в экономике и конкретные нужды клиентов с заботой о планете, о людях, о будущем, о профессии. Комплексный подход в реализации проектов обеспечивает на каждом этапе выполнение своих обязательств, исключая риски неоправданных затрат и сокращая вред, наносимый окружающей среде. The experience and competencies in the water supply and wastewater disposal market gained by ECOS Group over more than 30 years of development and professional growth, are invaluable. Based on the long history of implemented projects, scientific, technical, design and production and production experience, ECOS Group today offers innovative solutions to urgent and challenging tasks, quickly responds to rapidly changing conditions in the wastewater treatment and effluent reuse market, follows new trends in the professional environment. Ecos Group takes into account crisis processes in the economy and the specific needs of clients with care for the planet, people, the future, and the profession. A comprehensive approach to the implementation of projects ensures at every stage the fulfillment of the commitments eliminating the risks of unjustified costs and reducing damage to the environment.

Abstract:

The relevance of globally environmental issues gains importance since the last years with still rising trends. Especially disastrous floods may cause in serious damage within very short times. Although conventional gauging stations provide reliable information about prevailing water levels, they are highly cost-intensive and thus just sparsely installed. Smartphones with inbuilt cameras, powerful processing units and low-cost positioning systems seem to be very suitable wide-spread measurement devices that could be used for geo-crowdsourcing purposes. Thus, we aim for the development of a versatile mobile water level measurement system to establish a densified hydrological network of water levels with high spatial and temporal resolution. This paper addresses a key issue of the entire system: the detection of running water shore lines in smartphone images. Flowing water never appears equally in close-range images even if the extrinsics remain unchanged. Its non-rigid behavior impedes the use of good practices for image segmentation as a prerequisite for water line detection. Consequently, we use a hand-held time lapse image sequence instead of a single image that provides the time component to determine a spatio-temporal texture image. Using a region growing concept, the texture is analyzed for immutable shore and dynamic water areas. Finally, the prevalent shore line is examined by the resultant shapes. For method validation, various study areas are observed from several distances covering urban and rural flowing waters with different characteristics. Future work provides a transformation of the water line into object space by image-to-geometry intersection.

Abstract:

Abstract. The SAFE model has been applied to an acid grassland site, located on base-poor stagnopodzol soils derived from Lower Palaeozoic greywackes. The model predicts that acidification of the soil has occurred in response to increased acid deposition following the industrial revolution. Limited recovery is predicted following the decline in sulphur deposition during the mid to late 1970s. Reducing excess sulphur and NOx deposition in 1998 to 40% and 70% of 1980 levels results in further recovery but soil chemical conditions (base saturation, soil water pH and ANC) do not return to values predicted in pre-industrial times. The SAFE model predicts that critical loads (expressed in terms of the (Ca+Mg+K):Alcrit ratio) for six vegetation species found in acid grassland communities are not exceeded despite the increase in deposited acidity following the industrial revolution. The relative growth response of selected vegetation species characteristic of acid grassland swards has been predicted using a damage function linking growth to soil solution base cation to aluminium ratio. The results show that very small growth reductions can be expected for "acid tolerant" plants growing in acid upland soils. For more sensitive species such as Holcus lanatus, SAFE predicts that growth would have been reduced by about 20% between 1951 and 1983, when acid inputs were greatest. Recovery to c. 90% of normal growth (under laboratory conditions) is predicted as acidic inputs decline.

Abstract:

The paper deals with chemical contamination monitoring in phosphate-ester-based hydraulic fluids using nondispersive infrared (NDIR) optical absorption. Our results show that NDIR monitoring allows detecting the take-up of water into such fluids and their hydrolytic disintegration as these become additionally stressed by Joule heating. Observations on the O–H stretching vibration band (3200–3800 ) are used for determining the free water content (0–1.5%) and the Total Acid Number (0–1 mgKOH/g). Both quantities can be assessed by monitoring the strength and the asymmetry of the O–H vibration band with regard to the free water absorption band centred around 3500 . As such optical parameters can be assessed without taking fluid samples from a pressurised hydraulic system, fluid degradation trends can be established based on regular measurements, before irreversible damage to the fluid has occurred. Therefore maintenance actions can be planned accordingly, which is very important for the airline, as unscheduled maintenance disturbs the flights organisation and often generates money loss.

Abstract:

Abstract. Spain is one of the world's countries with a large number of reservoirs per inhabitant. This intense regulation of the fluvial network during the 20th century has resulted in a decrease in flood events, a higher availability of water resources, and a high development of the irrigated crop area, even in the drier regions. For decades, flood perception was reduced since the development of reservoirs protected the floodplains of river; this resulted in later occupation of soil by urban, agricultural and industrial uses. In recent years, an increasing perception of flood events is observed, associated to the higher damage associated to extreme events in the now occupied areas, especially in coastal watersheds. This work shows the change on flood risk in the coastal areas of three hydrographic basins in Andalusia (South Spain) during the reservoir expansion period: the Guadalete, Guadalquivir and Guadalhorce river basins. The results differentiate the impact of the regulation level on both the cumulative distribution functions of the fluvial discharge near the river mouth, for different time scales, and the associated damage related to the enhanced soil occupation during this period. The different impact on the final medium and long term flood risk is also assessed in terms of the storage capacity per unit area throughout the basins, the effective annual runoff/precipitation index, the frequency of sea storms, and the human factor (change in social perception of floods), for different intervals in the flood extreme regime. The implications for adaptation actions is also assessed.

Abstract:

Most natural disasters that occur frequently may be classified into four main categories: floods, earthquakes, cyclones and famine. Other catastrophic events, such as land slides, avalanches, snow storms, fires occur at rarer occasions and threaten smaller proportions of the populated world. The destructive agents in the above categories are wind, water (a lack or excess thereof) and tectonic force. While all of these cause structural damage, their mortality and morbidity effects are varied both between them and over time. The disaster cycle can be differentiated into five main phases, extending from one disaster to the next. The phases are: the warning phase indicating the possible occurrence of a catastrophe and the threat period during which the disaster is pending; the impact phase when the disaster strikes; the emergency phase when rescue, treatment and salvage activities commence; the rehabilitation phase when essential services are provided on a temporary basis; the reconstruction phase when a permanent return to normality is achieved. The disaster-induced mortality and morbidity differ between these phases and are also a function of the prevailing health and socioeconomic conditions of the affected community. As a result of this, global statistics on disasters seem to indicate a significantly higher frequency of natural disasters in the developing countries than in the industrialized world.

Abstract:

The high northern latitudes (>50°) experienced a pronounced surface stilling (i.e., decline in winds) with climate change. As a drying factor, the influences of changes in winds on the date of autumn foliar senescence (DFS) remain largely unknown and are potentially important as a mechanism explaining the interannual variability of autumn phenology. Using 183,448 phenological observations at 2,405 sites, long-term site-scale water vapor and carbon dioxide flux measurements, and 34 y of satellite greenness data, here we show that the decline in winds is significantly associated with extended DFS and could have a relative importance comparable with temperature and precipitation effects in contributing to the DFS trends. We further demonstrate that decline in winds reduces evapotranspiration, which results in less soil water losses and consequently more favorable growth conditions in late autumn. In addition, declining winds also lead to less leaf abscission damage which could delay leaf senescence and to a decreased cooling effect and therefore less frost damage. Our results are potentially useful for carbon flux modeling because an improved algorithm based on these findings projected overall widespread earlier DFS than currently expected by the end of this century, contributing potentially to a positive feedback to climate.

Abstract:

In this study, we explore the long-term trends of floodplain population dynamics at different spatial scales in the contiguous United States (U.S.). We exploit different types of datasets from 1790–2010—i.e., decadal spatial distribution for the population density in the US, global floodplains dataset, large-scale data of flood occurrence and damage, and structural and nonstructural flood protection measures for the US. At the national level, we found that the population initially settled down within the floodplains and then spread across its territory over time. At the state level, we observed that flood damages and national protection measures might have contributed to a learning effect, which in turn, shaped the floodplain population dynamics over time. Finally, at the county level, other socio-economic factors such as local flood insurances, economic activities, and socio-political context may predominantly influence the dynamics. Our study shows that different influencing factors affect floodplain population dynamics at different spatial scales. These facts are crucial for a reliable development and implementation of flood risk management planning.

Abstract:

In this study, we explore the long-term trends of floodplain population dynamics at different spatial scales in the contiguous United States (U.S.). We exploit different types of datasets from 1790–2010—i.e., decadal spatial distribution for the population density in the US, global floodplains dataset, large-scale data of flood occurrence and damage, and structural and nonstructural flood protection measures for the US. At the national level, we found that the population initially settled down within the floodplains and then spread across its territory over time. At the state level, we observed that flood damages and national protection measures might have contributed to a learning effect, which in turn, shaped the floodplain population dynamics over time. Finally, at the county level, other socio-economic factors such as local flood insurances, economic activities, and socio-political context may predominantly influence the dynamics. Our study shows that different influencing factors affect floodplain population dynamics at different spatial scales. These facts are crucial for a reliable development and implementation of flood risk management planning.

Abstract:

Israel's environmental problems have grown increasingly severe over the past decade, bringing contamination of the air and water to crisis levels and scarring a landscape that has particular historic and religious value internationally. A comprehensive report prepared by over 100 leading scientists and professionals about present environmental trends in the country was particularly discouraging. Israel's former Minister of Environment Rafael Eitan also began an international report about the country's environment with an unusually frank appraisal of the situation: Damage to natural and landscape resources, deteriorating air and groundwater contamination have reached a level where it “threatens to rob us and our children of our right to quality of life and the environment.”

Abstract:

AbstractThe interactions between water content and temperature on freezing and desiccation damage were examined for Zizania (wild rice) embryos at several stages of maturity. The water content of excised embryos was manipulated by flash drying at 35°C or room temperature to between 2.5 g H2O/g dw and 0.05 g/g. Embryos were then exposed to temperatures ranging from 5 to −50°C. Viability following the drying and cooling treatments was assayed by leakage of electrolytes and germination in culture. Viability of embryos decreased when embryos were dried below a critical water content. The critical water content was greatest for the least mature embryos. Critical water contents were also temperature dependent and increased with decreasing temperature. Even though the critical water content varied with developmental status and temperature, the water activity corresponding to the critical water content appeared to be constant at 0.90. The most mature embryos survived temperatures as low as −50°C while the least mature embryos survived only to −18°C. These trends were predicted by ‘phase diagrams’ based on the physical properties of water in embryos at different stages of maturity (Vertucci et al., 1994a). Our results confirm the earlier prediction that long term preservation of Zizania grains is possible at −20°C and the degree of success will be related to the maturity status of the embryos.

Abstract:

The stability of panel floor, which is above confined water, is the key to determine the water inrush from the panel floor. Based on the characteristics of “lower three zones” of the panel floor, the mechanics analysis model of a floor water-resisting rock beam is established. Then, by the principle of virtual work and energy functional variational conditions, the trends of deflection and internal stress are researched in the effective water-resisting rock beam under the combined action of mining stress and water pressure. And how to determine its stability is acquired. According to the geological and mining conditions of A3 coal seam in Panxie mining area of Huainan Mining Group, three factors influencing on the stability of the floor rock beam are analyzed, such as elastic modulus, coefficient of viscosity, and water pressure. It is shown that the elastic modulus plays the most important role on the deformation of the rock beam. So, for improving the mechanical properties of the rock beam, the reinforcing floor technique has been proposed. On the one hand, it is contributed to improve the ability for resisting floor deformation. On the other hand, it can increase the coefficient of rock viscosity in water damage zones and reduce the speeds of loading and deformation in the whole rock beam. Hydrophobic decompression can effectively reduce the stress on the boundary of the rock beam, and the stability is enhanced. The research results have a guiding significance for determining whether there are water inrush risks in the panel above the confined aquifer.

Abstract:

This paper proposes a hybrid method integrating case-based reasoning (CBR) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methods to reinforce the sustainable performance of an environmental management system. The CBR–AHP method aims to support the decision-making process to select environmental management actions (EMAs) aimed at reducing risky trends of the environmental state of a region. The CBR methods takes advantage of a set of situation–solution pairs called cases, which are stored in a memory and then retrieved as candidates to solve new problems. Situations in this work are represented by a set of risky trends of key environmental pathways (KEPs) related to CO2 emissions, air quality, loss of vegetation cover, water availability, and solid waste, the combination of which damage the environmental state quality of a region. Meanwhile, solutions are represented by a set of EMAs. Similar situations to a given current situation are retrieved from the memory of cases, and then their solutions are combined through an adaptation mechanism, until the solution of the current problem is obtained. The AHP method is used to assign weights to environmental variables and to alternative solutions represented by EMAs. We used risky trends derived from real data related to the environmental states of a Mexican region to test the proposed CBR–AHP hybrid method. The results obtained provided insights into the potential of the CBR–AHP hybrid method to support the decision-making process to select EMAs aimed at reducing risky trends of current environmental states.

Abstract:

Eucalyptus species often show marked differences in morphology and ecophysiology between adult and juvenile leaves. Given these differences, it was hypothesised that juvenile and adult leaves would present different levels of resources to a herbivore, and potentially different levels of putative anti-herbivore defences. This hypothesis was tested in some eucalypts growing in native forest in south-eastern Australia. There were no significant differences in levels of water, protein or carbohydrates (per unit dry weight) between mature adult and juvenile leaves. No difference was recorded in concentration of total phenolics between leaf forms, but more protein was precipitated (an estimate of tannin activity) in extracts from juvenile leaves. Cyanogenic glycosides were absent from mature leaves, but present in young leaves of both leaf forms in E. polyanthemos. No significant difference in concentration of any terpene was recorded between adult and juvenile leaves in E. nitens and E. regnans. Specific leaf area was lower in adult leaves, and fibre concentration was higher in adult leaves of some species, suggesting that resources in the adult leaf may be less accessible to a herbivore. However, there was no difference in leaf toughness between leaf forms, even though toughness per unit leaf thickness was higher in juvenile leaves. Hence, no major trends in resource concentration were apparent between the leaf forms, and of the defences investigated, only tannin activity varied significantly between the leaf forms.

Abstract:

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that contaminate agriculture products. Their release in the environment can cause severe damage to human health. Aptasensors are compact analytical devices that are intended for the fast and reliable detection of various species able to specifically interact with aptamers attached to the transducer surface. In this review, assembly of electrochemical and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) aptasensors are considered with emphasis on the mechanism of signal generation. Moreover, the properties of mycotoxins and the aptamers selected for their recognition are briefly considered. The analytical performance of biosensors developed within last three years makes it possible to determine mycotoxin residues in water and agriculture/food products on the levels below their maximal admissible concentrations. Requirements for the development of sample treatment and future trends in aptasensors are also discussed.

Abstract:

<p>This study is a comprehensive-descriptive analysis elaboration to seismic hazards on Sermo Dam, while in terms of microtremor characteristic (PGA model), its regional geology and observation of instrumentation on it. Sermo Dam is the only one water resources infrastructure which lies in The Yogyakarta Province at time of earthquake disaster happened on May 2006. Basic theories used in this case are HVSR methods, determining sediment thickness, and Kanai Method for Maximum Ground Acceleration, Then, based on these we can analyze characteristics of responsiveness damin the form of local spatial region focused by amplitude (A), dominance frequency (fo), time period (T), sediment thickness (H) and Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) based on microtremor approarch with seismograph TDS 303S. Besides, by an analysis on regional geology that can be obtainable the characteristic of Sermo Dam foundation which lies on the Old Andesite (Kebo Butak) Formation. They are relatively robust when subjected to seismic vibration of middle class to below (less than 7 Richter scale on design). Also it has some declining periodic trends by main dam whereas there is still in the initial stage of design tolerance. The final result is zoning classification of damage<br />potential with: (1) region by PGA values of 0.04≤ a &lt;0.15g which they are minor impact damage on their buildings; (2) region by PGA values of 0.15≤ a &lt;0.34g which they are medium impact damage on their buildings. The damage level is comparable by inclining of filler material thickness at dam<br />site.</p>

Abstract:

In Australia, household rainwater tanks have come to be considered as one of the broad potential supply options for meeting household water demands. It has been viewed as an effective way of reducing the supply requirements by water businesses and can potentially defer future capital supply investments. With likely variability of future supplies and demands due to climate change impacts, rainwater tanks also have an important role in building future resilience to shifts in historical trends, and also can potentially play a role in mitigating stormwater damage. The substitution of mains supplied water by rainwater can vary significantly, with the major factors influencing yields being the roof size to capture the rain, water usage regime (having some level of internal water use) and tank size. Tank performance, with respect to reduced substitution as a result of functionality failure, is seldom included in yield calculations however. A review of a number of studies in Australia has illustrated that the vast majority of field studies have produced qualitative responses on the perceptions of the use of rainwater, the structural integrity of their rainwater capture infrastructure and the end-uses connected to the system. It was found that the data required to inform the impact of functionality on substitution is currently largely limited to qualitative responses on the perceptions of the use of rainwater tanks, the structural integrity of their rainwater capture infrastructure and the end-uses connected to the system. There is very little in the way of quantitative assessments. This paper offers an interim approach for overcoming this quantitative information gap on the role and extent of functionality failure.

Abstract:

The growth, survival, damage and provenance × environment interactions of 30 provenances of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) from Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, were analyzed at the age of 26 years. Significant effects of altitude and site quality but no geographic trends were dectected in the series of 5 provenance plots. Correlation of growth and survival appeared to be insignificant at individual plots and their series. The highest differentiation among provenances was revealed on the plots at the minimum and maximum altitudes (350 and 950 m). Several Slovak (Western-Carpathian) provenances proved to grow significantly better than the average at nearly all plots, and also exhibited insignificant provenance × site interaction. Indigenous provenances from the southern part of the Western Carpathians showed higher adaptability to sites in lower altitudes with longer vegetation but seasonal water deficiency.

Abstract:

This study examined the effects of cold-water immersion (CWI) and cold air therapy (CAT) on maximal cycling performance (i.e. anaerobic power) and markers of muscle damage following a strength training session. Twenty endurance-trained but strength-untrained male (n = 10) and female (n = 10) participants were randomised into either: CWI (15 min in 14 °C water to iliac crest) or CAT (15 min in 14 °C air) immediately following strength training (i.e. 3 sets of leg press, leg extensions and leg curls at 6 repetition maximum, respectively). Creatine kinase, muscle soreness and fatigue, isometric knee extensor and flexor torque and cycling anaerobic power were measured prior to, immediately after and at 24 (T24), 48 (T48) and 72 (T72) h post-strength exercises. No significant differences were found between treatments for any of the measured variables (p > 0.05). However, trends suggested recovery was greater in CWI than CAT for cycling anaerobic power at T24 (10% ± 2%, ES = 0.90), T48 (8% ± 2%, ES = 0.64) and T72 (8% ± 7%, ES = 0.76). The findings suggest the combination of hydrostatic pressure and cold temperature may be favourable for recovery from strength training rather than cold temperature alone.

Abstract:

The thermal shock behavior of alumina ceramics tested by two different approaches, water and air quenching, using an automatic experimental set was investigated. The changes of the flexural strength before and after the thermal shock was measured and used as an indicator of thermal shock resistance. The study reveals that air quenching test has limited impact on the changes of flexural strength, whereas the water quenching yields considerable decreases of the strength. The alumina ceramics was quenched in water at various temperature differences for five cycles. It is shown that the retained strength of the quenched specimens decreases abruptly at the temperature difference of 300°C, which indicates a great severity of thermal shock in this point. The thermal shock behavior of the specimens is evaluated by quenching in water as three different temperature differences, ΔT, setting at 300°C, 600°C and 800°C, respectively. The results show, for three different ΔT quenches, the strength reductions caused by the quenching exhibit similar trends: After a sharp drop, the residual strength remains almost unchanged at a certain level for each given quenching temperature difference, and the turning points all fall in the very first five to ten thermal cycles range. And the rank of the damage severity of alumina ceramics among the three different temperature differences is: ΔT800°C > ΔT600°C > ΔT300°C

Abstract:

Currently, there exists growing evidence that warming is amplified with elevation resulting in rapid changes in temperature, humidity and water in mountainous areas. The latter might result in considerable damage to forest and agricultural land cover, affecting all the ecosystem services and the socio-economic development that these mountain areas provide. The Mediterranean mountains, moreover, which host a high diversity of natural species, are more vulnerable to global change than other European ecosystems. The protected areas of the mountain ranges of peninsular Spain could help preserve natural resources and landscapes, as well as promote scientific research and the sustainable development of local populations. The temporal statistical trends (2001–2016) of the MODIS13Q1 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) interannual dynamics are analyzed to explore whether the NDVI trends are found uniformly within the mountain ranges of mainland Spain (altitude > 1000 m), as well as in the protected or non-protected mountain areas. Second, to determine if there exists a statistical association between finding an NDVI trend and the specific mountain ranges, protected or unprotected areas are studied. Third, a possible association between cover types in pure pixels using CORINE (Co-ordination of Information on the Environment) land cover cartography is studied and land cover changes between 2000 and 2006 and between 2006 and 2012 are calculated for each mountainous area. Higher areas are observed to have more positive NDVI trends than negative in mountain areas located in mainland Spain during the 2001–2016 period. The growing of vegetation, therefore, was greater than its decrease in the study area. Moreover, differences in the size of the area between growth and depletion of vegetation patterns along the different mountains are found. Notably, more negatives than expected are found, and fewer positives are found than anticipated in the mountains, such as the Cordillera Cantábrica (C.Cant.) or Montes de Murcia y Alicante (M.M.A). Quite the reverse happened in Pirineos (Pir.) and Montes de Cádiz y Málaga (M.C.M.), among others. The statistical association between the trends found and the land cover types is also observed. The differences observed can be explained since the mountain ranges in this study are defined by climate, land cover, human usage and, to a small degree, by land cover changes, but further detailed research is needed to get in-depth detailed conclusions. Conversely, it is found that, in protected mountain areas, a lower NDVI pixels trend than expected (>20%) occurs, whereas it is less than anticipated in unprotected mountain areas. This could be caused by management and the land cover type.

Abstract:

The pursuit of development has had a major impact on the environment and on existing social structures. During the 1950s and 1960s, most nations were preoccupied with economic growth and energy consumption, which led to social and environmental issues being overlooked. Thus, traditional societies have been devastated and extreme environmental damage occurring such as pollution and inadequate water supply, transportation and sewer infrastructure problems amongst others. If environmental damage remains unchecked, the achievements of development and even essential ecosystems would be undermined. This paper reviewed the link between growth trends and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thereafter, the impact of environmental degradation was discussed including strategies for sustainable energy production and consumption. These were based on evidence from South Africa and India and provided the benchmark for discussing ways in which energy production and consumption can take place sustainably. The paper notes that in developing and implementing strategies, emerging countries do not necessarily have to be western in their sustainable development policies. Rather, each country has to have sustainable development policies that are peculiar to its own circumstance. The paper recommends community participation and accountability of institutions as necessary for ensuring that social development is integrated into the economic and environmental elements of sustainable development.

Abstract:

The deformation and fracture characteristics of shale in the Changning-Xingwen region were experimentally studied under triaxial cyclic loading with a controlled pore-water pressure. An RLW-2000M microcomputer-controlled coal-rock rheometer was used in the State key Laboratory of coal mine disaster dynamics and control in Chongqing University. These experimental results have indicated the following. (i) The shale softened after being saturated with water, while its failure strength decreased with the increase of axial strain. (ii) A complete cyclic loading–unloading process can be divided into four stages under the coupling action of axial cyclic loading and pore-water pressure; namely the slow or accelerated increasing of strain in the loading stage, and the slow or accelerated decreasing of strain in the unloading stage. (iii) The axial plastic deformation characteristics were similar when pore-water pressures were set to 2, 6 and 10 MPa. Nevertheless, the shale softened ostensibly and fatigue damage occurred during the circulation process when the pore-water pressure was set to 14 MPa. (iv) It has been observed that the mean strain and strain amplitude under axial cyclic are positively correlated with pore-water pressure, while the elastic modulus is negatively correlated with pore-water pressure. As the cycle progresses, the trends in these parameters vary, which indicates that the deformation and elastic characteristics of shale are controlled by pore-water pressure and cyclic loading conditions. (v) Evidenced via triaxial compression tests, it was predominantly shear failure that occurred in the shale specimens. In addition, axial cyclic loading caused the shale to generate complex secondary fractures, resulting in the specimens cracking along the bedding plane due to the effect of pore-water pressure. This study provides valuable insight into the understanding of the deformation and failure mechanisms of shale under complicated stress conditions.

Abstract:

Ethiopia is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and often signifies higher probabilities of droughts that have historically affected millions of farmers. The variability in rainfall patterns and drought have disrupted crop production and exacerbated food insecurity in many parts of Ethiopia. This study aimed to investigate seasonal and annual temperature and rainfall trends and their association to the global CO₂ emission. Temperature and rainfall data obtained from the Masha meteorological station and CO₂ from EDGAR 4.3.2 dataset recorded for 36 years. The Linear regression model was used to analyse seasonal temperature and rainfall trends. Pearson’s correlation coefficient employed to measure the relationship between temperature and rainfall and global CO₂ emission. The results showed that there were significant warming trends of seasonal and annual mean temperatures while summer season and annual rainfall significantly declined. The prediction results showed that the summer and annual mean temperatures would be significantly increased while the rainfall decreased for the next 35 years. The cumulative global CO₂ and annual mean temperature and rainfall were correlated significantly at P = 0.0004 and 0.006 for temperature and rainfall, respectively. The results demonstrated clearly that the increasing of temperature and the decreasing of rainfall had a direct relationship with the global CO₂ emissions and suggested that there should be a sound soil and water management, short season seed supply and pipe irrigation practices to reduce the future crop damage in the area.

Abstract:

The development of web-GIS for operational visualization and analysis of the hydrological threats is one of the main ways to improve the monitoring and forecasting of hazardous hydrological events (HHE). This paper considers the structure and content of the online web map service for monitoring snow cover and HHE in the Kama river basin (http://hydromonitor.maps.psu.ru/). The regional departments of the Russian hydro-meteorological service, Kama Basin Water Administration and other institutions interested in operational obtaining of the hydrological information can successfully use the developed web map service. Basic and thematic layers are distinguished in the structure of the web map service. Thematic layers include daily updated monitoring and modelling outputs and other data (that does not require regular updating). The layers of river basins and observational network (weather stations and gauging stations) of the Russian hydro-meteorological service are the information basis of the service. The GIS layers of flooded settlements, locations of ice jams formation on the rivers, HHE and flood zones in floodplains have been created on the basis of the analysis of scientific publications, hydrological gauges, flood damage reports in media and satellite images. The database of HHE includes 97 records (75 HHE), which happened in 63 settlements. Most of HHE causing significant damage were occurred in the Belaya river basin, and the largest areas of flooded floodplain are also located in the same basin. Also, the simulated characteristics of snow cover (snow water equivalent, meltwater outflow and snow-covered area) are published on the web map service. The input data for calculations are daily forecasts of the air temperature, humidity, wind speed and precipitation by numerical weather prediction models ICON (Germany) and GFS (USA), as well as weather station data. The data are updated daily, and their spatial resolution is 3 km.

Abstract:

Desiccation is one of the extremely stressful situations experienced by aquatic animals, and sea cucumber usually suffers from desiccation stress during transportation without water. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of desiccation and subsequent resubmersion on physiological stress, oxidative damage, antioxidant status and non-specific immune response of Apostichopus japonicus, providing valuable information on the health management of sea cucumber culturing. Control and desiccation groups were set up, and each group has three replicates. After 1, 3 and 6 h of desiccation, individuals were resubmersed in aerated seawater for a 24 h recovery in three batches, which were represented as D1, D3 and D6, respectively. The results showed that glucose level in coelomic fluid of sea cucumber significantly decreased after desiccation, whereas lactate, cortisol and osmolality showed remarkable ascending trends. Thereafter, all stress parameters gently recovered towards normal levels as control group during 24 h resubmersion. The prolonged desiccation at D6 treatment induced the significant increases of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, as well as relatively lower superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. During the period of desiccation and subsequent resubmersion, sea cucumber adjusted antioxidant defense to reduce the concentrations of MDA and ROS as a strategy for protecting against oxidative damage. Desiccation also had significant effects on non-specific immune parameters (total coelomocytes counts, TCC; complement C3; total nitric oxide synthase, T-NOS; lysozyme, LSZ; alkaline phosphatase, AKP) of A. japonicus, which could be recovered to some extent during resubmersion. In conclusion, less than 6 h of desiccation did not induce irreparable damage to sea cucumber, and was recommended for handling and shipping live sea cucumbers.