Distribution of the Amphipod Diporeia in Lake Superior: The Ring of Fire

Diporeia, formerly the dominant benthic macroinvertebrate in the Great Lakes, remains a keystone species in Lake Superior. Little is known, however, about fine scale amphipod distributions, especially as influenced by the production, transport and transformation of energy resources. Here, we document the distribution and abundance of Diporeia along 19 transects around the lake's perimeter. Regions of elevated density, averaging 958 ± 408 Diporeia/m² (mean ± S.D.) were observed along all transects, typically within slope habitat (depth of 30–125 m). Waters shoreward (shelf habitat, < 30 m) and lakeward (profundal habitat, > 125 m) of these regions supported significantly lower densities, averaging 239 ± 178/m² and 106 ± 59/m², respectively. Amphipods within regions of elevated density, termed here the Ring of Fire, account for two-thirds of the lakewide population while occupying only one-quarter of the benthic habitat. The Ring of Fire, observed lakewide as a band averaging 14.2 ± 9.4 km in width, is characterized as a region of transitional sediment deposition with gentle slope, proximate to nearshore locations of elevated primary production. Within the Ring of Fire exceptionally high densities are found in the south central region, where the Keweenaw Current and slope bathymetries serve to funnel production from adjoining regions of high production. Density measurements for the 173 stations sampled here are used to estimate lakewide Diporeia standing stock (22.5–37.7 trillion individuals, 4.4–7.4 Gg dry weight, 2.1–3.5 Gg C), individual and biomass density (274–460/m², 0.05–0.09 g DW/m², 0.03–0.04 gC/m²) and areal (0.02–0.03 g C/m²/yr) and total (1.6–2.6 Gg C/yr) production.     

Spatial distribution and habitat characterization of schistosomiasis host snails in lake and land habitats of western Kenya

Intermediate host snails of schistosomiasis were surveyed in this study to determine their abundance and distribution in the lake and land aquatic habitats of Lake Victoria basin of Kenya. Several sites were sampled at eight locations, both in the lake and on the land. The habitat and/or vegetation type (i.e. open water, hippo grass, hyacinth, ambatch trees, other vegetation, stream, swamp, pond, dam) of the sampled aquatic sites within the locations were also differentiated, water physicochemical parameters were determined, and the abundance of different species or taxa of phytoplankton and zooplankton were enumerated and correlated with the abundance of schistosomiasis snails in the sites. The results indicated significantly more Biomphalaria sudanica snails than Bulinus africanus snails in different physical habitats on land (Student's t‐test, P < 0.05), as well as in different locations on land (Student's t‐test, P = 0.026). Regression analyses revealed that several physicochemical parameters, including dissolved oxygen (R² = ?0.659; n = 8; P = 0.014), pH (R² = 0.728; n = 8; P = 0.007) and turbulence (R² = ?0.616; n = 8; P = 0.02), were predictive of Biomphalaria spp. abundance, while pH (R² = 0.610; n = 8; P = 0.02) and turbulence (R² = ?0.578; n = 8; P = 0.028) were predictive of Bulinus spp. abundance in different locations in the lake. Cyanobacteria (R² = 0.638; n = 8; P = 0.02) and chlorophyceae (R² = ?0.50; n = 8; P = 0.05) were shown to be predictive of both Biomphalaria spp. and Bulinus spp. abundance in different locations in the lake. Zooplankton abundance varied significantly between different locations in the lake (One‐way anova , P < 0.001). Bosmina spp. were found to be predictive of both Biomphalaria spp. (R² = ?0.627; n = 8; P = 0.01) and Bulinus spp. (R² = ?0.50; n = 8; P = 0.05) in different locations in the lake. The results from this study will help inform policy regarding control measures for schistosomias and intermediate snail hosts in Lake Victoria waters, as well as in adjacent terrestrial aquatic habitats and even beyond.     

Use of hydraulicking for clearing small rivers

Conclusions  

Distribution characteristics and controlling factors of typical antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in river networks in western area of Wangyu River,China

Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pose health risks in aquatic environments because of their persistence and mobility. River networks can provide a perfect opportunity for exploring the occurrence and enrichment of ARGs and antibiotics in freshwater environments. On this basis, the abundances of four types of antibiotics (sulfonamides, quinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides) and 13 ARGs (sulⅠ, sulⅡ, tetA, tetB, tetO, tetW, qnrA, qnrS, qnrD, ermB, ermF, ermC, and ereA) were measured in the river networks of the west bank of the Wangyu River in China. The spatial distribution and temporal variation of these antibiotics and ARGs were characterized, and their controlling factors were analyzed. All four types of antibiotics were detected with high frequencies between 41% and 100%. Quinolone antibiotics exhibited the highest average concentration (286.53 ng/L). The concentrations of quinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides were significantly higher in the winter than in the summer, whereas the concentration of sulfonamides was higher in wet periods than in dry periods. Of the 13 ARGs, sulI was the most abundant (1.28 ×10₅ copies per milliliter), followed by sulII and tetO (5.41×10⁴ and 4.45×10⁴ copies per milliliter, respectively). The canonical correspondence analysis showed that environmental factors, including dissolved oxygen, water temperature, total nitrogen, pH, and total phosphorus, had significant effects on the abundance of ARGs. sulⅠ, sulⅡ, tetA, and tetB were significantly correlated with 16S ribosomal RNA sequences, indicating that the bacterioplankton community might affect the distribution of ARGs. The correlation heat map analysis showed that the spread of ARGs was influenced by specific bacterial groups, such as Acidobacteria and Cyanobacteria, indicating that these bacterioplankton may be the hosts of environmental ARGs.     

Technical developments to prevent fouling of generator parts with oil

Thus, taking the following measures can be recommended for effective solution of the problem of preventing fouling of generator parts with oil:

Accumulation of Contaminant Metals in the Amphipod Diporeia spp. in Western Lake Ontario

Sediment and amphipods (Diporeia spp.) were collected in areas in western Lake Ontario suspected of containing a range of sediment metal contents. The total metal contents (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Fe, V, and Zn) of depurated Diporeia tissues were measured and compared to the total metal contents of the surrounding sediment. The fractional bioavailability of As, Cu, Fe, and Zn was determined in those same sediments using a sequential chemical extraction (SCE) procedure and correlated with depurated Diporeia tissue metal contents. Results of these analyses were then used to assess the ability of Diporeia to accumulate sediment metal contamination. A comparison of metal biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) and sediment metal enrichment factors (EFs) for each metal yielded separate metal groups showing different behavior for tissue accumulation. Aluminum, Cr, Fe, Ni, and V were not enriched in the sediments and were not accumulated in Diporeia tissues, while As, Cd, Cu, and Zn were enriched in the sediments and accumulated in Diporeia tissues. SCE results showed that Cu (3.2 to 8.4 %) and Zn (13 to 19 %) contents in the easily extractable sediment fractions (MgCl₂ and Na-acetate) were significantly correlated with Cu (r = 0.86; P<0.01) and Zn (r = 0.69; P<0.05) contents in depurated Diporeia tissue. In addition, Cu and Zn in Diporeia tissues are also correlated to the total sediment metal content for each respective metal (Cu: r = 0.67, P < 0.05; Zn: r = 0.66, P < 0.05). The high BSAFs for Cu and Zn, in combination with the association of tissue metal contents with easily extracted sediment metal fractions, suggest that Diporeia may be a potential bioindicator for Cu and Zn contamination in sediments.     

Settlements of the channel earth dam of the dneprodzerzhinsk hydroelectric station

Conclusions  

Investigation of Pb(II) bioremediation potential of algae and cyanobacteria strains isolated from polluted water

Algae and cyanobacteria are known to be able to remove a variety of pollutants from water, including toxic metal ions. In this study, algal and cyanobacterial species growing in two polluted water bodies were identified, and the Pb(II) removal ability of these isolated species was investigated. Based on microscopic observations, 27 species were identified, and nine species were isolated as pure cultures. Pb(II) bioremediation of five selected species (Anacystis sp., Chlorella sp. 1, Monoraphidium sp., Phormidium sp., and Uronema sp.) was studied in detail. The mean Pb(II) removal abilities varied among these five species: Phormidium sp. > Monoraphidium sp. > Uronema sp. > Chlorella sp. 1 > Anacystis sp. The Pb(II) tolerance of each species was determined based on the live cell percentage and biofilm formation capacity. Within a period of 3 d, Phormidium sp., Monoraphidium sp., and Uronema sp. showed nearly 90% of survival, and all five species demonstrated biofilm formation capacities exceeding 50%. Furthermore, the Pb(II) removal ability of the five species exhibited a strong positive correlation with the live cell percentage and showed a strong negative correlation with the biofilm formation capacity. In conclusion, Phormidium sp., Monoraphidium sp., and Uronema sp. exhibited high tolerances towards Pb(II) and presented high removal abilities. Thus, these species can be identified as potential sorbents for development of suitable adsorption systems to remove Pb(II) from aqueous solutions.     

Modern conveyor transportation and prospects for its use in hydraulic construction

An analysis of the experience in the Soviet Union and in foreign countries with conveyor transportation in the mining industry, as well as with use of conveyors in hydraulic construction shows that the introduction of conveyor transportation in the field of construction of embankment dams in this country, for delivery of earth-rock material from quarries, as well as for carrying raw materials to concentrating plants processing nonmetallic minerals, will make it possible.

Improvement of measuring devices for monitoring dredge operation

Conclusions  

Modern trends in the design of anti-filtration screens for special water-development works

Conclusions  

Light-absorbing components in Lake Superior

Features of light absorption are critical to optical aspects of water quality and in regulating the signal available for remote sensing. Spectral characteristics and spatial patterns of light-absorbing components, and their relationships with optically active constituents, are documented for the Sturgeon River, Keweenaw Bay, and Lake Superior based on analyses of samples collected on two cruises (2006 and 2007, 20 sites). The absorption coefficient, a (m^− 1), is partitioned according to the additive components (a_x) of colored dissolved organic matter (a_CDOM), non-algal particles (a_NAP), phytoplankton (a_?), and water itself (a_w; known). The role of minerogenic particles and their iron content in regulating a_NAP is evaluated based on paired measurements by an individual particle analysis technique (Peng et al., 2009), through empirical analyses and Mie theory calculations of absorption by these particles (a_m). Spectral characteristics of a_NAP and a_? were consistent with those reported for other case 2 (i.e., phytoplankton not dominant) systems. However, the slope values that describe a_CDOM spectra for the bay and the lake were unusually low, suggesting an atypical composition for the lake's CDOM. The dominant absorbing component in the blue wavelengths was CDOM, representing ≥ 75% of a at a wavelength of 440 nm at all sites in the 2006 survey. A general gradient in both a_CDOM and a_NAP extended from the Sturgeon River, through the bay, into eastern Lake Superior in that survey. Relationships between a_x and optically active constituents were within the broad ranges reported for other case 2 systems. Minerogenic particles, related to their iron content, are demonstrated to be an important component of a_NAP.     

Spatial and temporal variations of persistent organic pollutants impacted by episodic sediment resuspension in southern Lake Michigan

The impacts of large-scale, episodic sediment resuspension on the cycling of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) were examined using a spatially coordinated air and water sampling strategy conducted in southern Lake Michigan in the late winters of 1998, 1999, and 2000. We found no significant temporal changes in gas phase, dissolved phase, or suspended sediment PCB concentrations despite large-scale seasonal storms occurring before and after sampling campaigns. Only gas phase and suspended sediment PCBs varied spatially. Higher total suspended material (TSM) concentrations and fraction organic carbon (f_oc) were measured at sampling stations located in the near-shore region of southern Lake Michigan than at open-water sampling stations. Gas phase concentrations (ΣPCB_g) were higher in the west (0.436 ± 0.200 ng/m³, n = 11) and south (0.408 ± 0.286 ng/m³, n = 5) than the east (0.214 ± 0.082 ng/m³, n = 10) and central (0.253 ± 0.145 ng/m³, n = 8) regions of southern Lake Michigan. Dissolved phase concentrations (ΣPCB_d) averaged 0.18 ± 0.024 ng/L (n = 52); suspended sediment concentrations (ΣPCB_s) accounted for between 4% and 72% (23 ± 4%, n = 52) of the total ΣPCB concentrations (ΣPCB_T = ΣPCB_d + ΣPCB_s). Despite no consistent temporal variations in both dissolved phase or suspended sediment ΣPCB concentrations, there were temporal and spatial variations in the distribution shift between phases that can be linked to sediment resuspension, not a state of equilibrium. Specifically, our analysis suggests sediment resuspension results in preferential sorption of heavier, more chlorinated PCB congeners.     

Effect of side slope of main channels on formation and penetration of scour hole in confluences

In an open‐channel confluence, deep scour holes and depositional point bars are usually formed due to high bed‐shear stresses and secondary circulations. In the present study, presuming the effectiveness of channel geometry on the flow dynamics at the confluence, some variables including different side slope angles of the main channel (θ = 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°), lateral to downstream discharge ratio (Q_r), and downstream densimetric Froude number (Fr_g3) were experimentally studied under clear‐water condition for the confluence angle α = 90°. According to the results, the increase of θ led to a greater penetration of scour hole across the main and tributary channels, whereas a little scour development was observed along those channels. Meanwhile, an increase in Q_r and Fr_g3 caused further scouring, but their effects on the dimensions of scour hole diminished with increase of θ. Thus, with increase of Q_r from 0.194 to 0.552, the mean penetration rate of scour hole to all directions for θ = 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90° was obtained 42.8%, 32.4%, 25%, and 20.5%, respectively. In addition, considering the effect of θ, Q_r, and Fr_g3, some empirical relationships were obtained for estimating the penetration length of scour hole. The derived relationships show that Fr_g3 plays more important role on the dimensions of scour hole than θ.     

Principles for selecting a system of construction machines and evaluating their productivity

Conclusions  

Special works during construction of the Zagorsk pumped-storage station

Conclusions  

Main stages in the construction and formation of the team at the Zagorsk pumped-storage station

Conclusions  The Zagorsk PSS—the first pumped storage stations with a capacity of 1200 MW—was constructed slowly, for a long time. The main reasons for this were: