Temporal variability in water quality of agricultural tailwaters: Implications for water quality monitoring

Accurate assessments of non-point source pollution and the associated evaluation of mitigation strategies depend on effective water quality monitoring programs. Intensive irrigation season water quality monitoring was conducted on three agricultural drains (6 h to daily sampling) along with analysis of decade long records from two larger agricultural drains (biweekly to monthly sampling) in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Analyses revealed significant temporal variability in concentrations of nutrients, salts, and turbidity over short time-scales (<1 day), as well as significant differences in monthly and annual mean concentrations. Statistical techniques were used to evaluate the sampling intensity required to meet rigorous confidence and accuracy criteria, as well as to evaluate the efficacy of different sampling strategies (e.g. grab samples versus composite samples). The number of samples required to determine mean constituent concentrations within 20% of the mean at a 95% confidence level ranged from 2 to 39 samples per month (SPM) for total phosphorus, 1-16 SPM for total nitrogen, 5-25 SPM for turbidity, and 1-3 SPM for electrical conductivity. Using a daily composite sample (4 subsamples per composite) instead of discrete samples was shown to maintain the same accuracy and confidence standards, while reducing the required sample number by up to 50%. This study emphasizes the value of a statistical approach for evaluating water quality monitoring strategies, and provides a framework through which cost-benefit analysis can be implemented in the development of monitoring plans.     

Combined use of optical and radar satellite data for the detection of tillage and irrigation operations: Case study in Central Morocco

The objective of this study is to present a new application of optical and radar remote sensing with high spatial (∼10 m) and temporal (a few days) resolutions for the detection of tillage and irrigation operations. The analysis was performed for irrigated wheat crops in the semi-arid Tensift/Marrakech plain (Central Morocco) using three FORMOSAT-2 images and two ASAR images acquired within one week at the beginning of the 2005/2006 agricultural season.The approach we developed uses simple mapping algorithms (band thresholding and decision tree) for the characterisation of soil surface states. The first images acquired by FORMOSAT and ASAR were processed to classify fields into three main categories: ploughed (in depth), prepared to be sown (harrowed), and not ploughed-not harrowed. This information was combined with a change detection analysis based on multitemporal images to identify harrowing and irrigation operations which occurred between two satellite observations.The performance of the algorithm was evaluated using data related to land use and agricultural practices collected on 124 fields. The analysis shows that drastic changes of surface states caused by ploughing or irrigation are detected without ambiguity (consistency index of 96%). This study provided evidence that optical and radar data contain complementary information for the detection of agricultural operations at the beginning of agricultural season. This information could be useful in regional decision support systems to refine crop calendars and to improve prediction of crop water needs over large areas.     

Information technology and innovative drainage management practices for selenium load reduction from irrigated agriculture to provide stakeholder assurances and meet contaminant mass loading policy objectives

Many perceive the implementation of environmental regulatory policy, especially concerning non-point source pollution from irrigated agriculture, as being less efficient in the United States than in many other countries. This is partly a result of the stakeholder involvement process but is also a reflection of the inability to make effective use of Environmental Decision Support Systems (EDSS) to facilitate technical information exchange with stakeholders and to provide a forum for innovative ideas for controlling non-point source pollutant loading. This paper describes one of the success stories where a standardized Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methodology was modified to better suit regulation of a trace element in agricultural subsurface drainage and information technology was developed to help guide stakeholders, provide assurances to the public and encourage innovation while improving compliance with State water quality objectives. The geographic focus of the paper is the western San Joaquin Valley where, in 1985, evapo-concentration of selenium in agricultural subsurface drainage water, diverted into large ponds within a federal wildlife refuge, caused teratogenecity in waterfowl embryos and in other sensitive wildlife species. The fallout from this environmental disaster was a concerted attempt by State and Federal water agencies to regulate non-point source loads of the trace element selenium. The complexity of selenium hydrogeochemistry, the difficulty and expense of selenium concentration monitoring and political discord between agricultural and environmental interests created challenges to the regulation process. Innovative policy and institutional constructs, supported by environmental monitoring and the web-based data management and dissemination systems, provided essential decision support, created opportunities for adaptive management and ultimately contributed to project success. The paper provides a retrospective on the contentious planning process and offers suggestions as to how the technical and institutional issues could have been resolved faster through early adoption of some of the core principles of sound EDSS design.     

Irrigation management practices of cabbage farmers in Botswana using saline groundwater

All horticultural production in Botswana is irrigated, as average rainfall is less than average reference evapotranspiration in all parts of the country for all of the year, and most of the irrigation in the country is used for horticultural crops. In the main, the water used for irrigation comes from groundwater, and much of this can be classified as moderately saline. A survey was carried out of 60 cabbage farmers in five regions of the country to identify the level of salinity of irrigation water and the irrigation practices used. It was concluded that there was no relationship between the irrigation rate (average irrigation depth divided by average irrigation interval) and the salinity of the water used or the salinity of the soil, such that some farmers were over-irrigating and others under-irrigating. This means that water is being wasted and yields are likely to be reduced. In addition, there is a risk of long-term build-up of salinity and soil degradation.     

Nutrients removed by Kappaphycus alvarezii (Rhodophyta, Solieriaceae) in integrated cultivation with fishes in re-circulating water

The potential of the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii to remove nutrients was tested to treat effluents of Trachinotus carolinus fish cultivation, and the production of carrageenan in this condition was analyzed. Experiments were conducted in four tanks of 8000 L with approximately 1200 fishes of 30 g each integrated with three tanks of 100 L with 700 g of K. alvarezii, as initial biomass per tank. Seawater was re-circulated between tanks with seaweed and with fish. As a control, three tanks with seawater circulating in an open system were utilized. Seawater samples were collected daily for 10 days and concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, ammonium and phosphate were determined in the inflow and outflow water of the tanks. Significant differences between both collecting points were considered as nutrient removal by the seaweed. Growth rates and carrageenan yields were also analyzed in seaweed cultivated in seawater and in effluents. Growth rates of seaweed cultivated in tanks were lower than those obtained in open sea and in laboratory cultivation. Effluents had concentrations of nitrate and nitrite ca. 100 times higher than in the control. Maximum values of nutrient removal on effluents were: nitrate = 18.2%; nitrite = 50.8%; ammonium = 70.5% and phosphate = 26.8%. All plants survived throughout the experimental period, but some developed “ice–ice”, a disease associated with physiological stress. After the experimental period, some plants selected and cultivated in open sea presented higher growth rates in 40 days, indicating nutrient storage. No significant differences between carrageenan yields of K. alvarezii cultivated in seawater and in the effluents were observed. Our results show that K. alvarezii can be utilized as a biofilter for fish cultivation effluents, reducing the eutrophication process and can also be processed for carrageenan production, which provides an additional benefit to the fisheries.     

Immune responses and enhanced disease resistance in Chinese drum, Miichthys miiuy (Basilewsky), after oral administration of live or dead cells of Clostridium butyrium CB2

Clostridium butyrium CB2 isolated from chickens was tested as a potential fish probiotic in the Chinese drum, Miichthys miiuy . Fish were fed live (CB), dead CB2 (D-CB) cells (10⁸ cells g⁻¹) or spent culture supernatant (SCS), for 30 days and challenged with Vibrio anguillarum or Aeromonas hydrophila . Survival was higher in both the CB and the CB-D fed groups, but the SCS group was not significantly different from the control. After feeding live or dead CB2 cells, there was increase in phagocytic activity of the head kidney macrophages, the lysozyme activity of serum and gut mucosa and immunoglobulin (Ig) level. The SCS group showed no obvious change in immune parameters. The results suggest that live or dead Clostridium butyrium CB2 has an immunomodulatory effect on fish.     

Purification and characterization of a 630 kDa bacterial killing metalloprotease (KilC) isolated from plaice Pleuronectes platessa (L.), epidermal mucus

Antibacterial chemicals in the mucus of fish such as lysozyme, lectins, peptides and proteases provide an efficient first line of defence against pathogens. This study shows that there are at least three antibacterial proteins in plaice skin mucus in addition to lysozyme. One of these proteins is responsible for approximately 74% of the antibacterial activity and is a 630 kDa protease complex designated KilC (bacterial killing metalloprotease C). Purified KilC kills the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa efficiently. The protease activity of KilC is dependent upon the divalent cation Mg(2+) and shows pH dual optima of 5.0 and 8.0. The enzyme has a temperature optimum of 25 degrees C and is made up of at least five different sized peptides. Studies with protease inhibitors show that the catalytic site of KilC may be cysteine- or serine protease-like. KilC may kill bacterial cells by acting directly upon the bacteria or by producing low molecular weight bioactive compounds such as peptides.     

Allometric and ontogenetic patterns related to feeding of a neotropical fish, Satanoperca pappaterra (Perciformes, Cichlidae)

Abstract –  This study aims to analyse whether Satanoperca pappaterra changes its feeding habit throughout ontogenetic development, and whether morphological ontogenetic patterns are related to its feeding habit and food capture. We collected 258 individuals in the Cuiabá river basin (Brazil) for analyses. There was a weak relationship between diet and body size, as evidenced by size class and multivariate analyses, and niche breadth did not vary strongly during ontogenetic development. Eight morphometric variables were measured in each individual. We found an isometric relationship for mouth height and width, and for head length. We found positive allometry for snout length and body height in relation to body length, whereas this relationship for intestine length and eye diameter showed negative allometry. These results suggest that morphology and consequently diet vary weakly during ontogenetic development of S. pappaterra .     

Increasing experimental approaches in stream trout research – 1987–2006

Abstract –  This review of stream trout research literature for the 1987–2006 period covered >1300 papers dealing with 22 relevant topics, when compared with <400 papers on 18 topics in the previous one (1967–1986). The percentage of experimental approaches here quantified for both research reviews was 18% in the 1967–1976 period, increased to 21% in 1977–1986, to 39% in 1987–1996, and up to 43% in 1997–2006. Particular journals in the recent two decadal period published high percentages of experimental papers ( The Journal of Animal Ecology and Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ; 62.9% and 62.4%, respectively), others, intermediate percentages ( Nordic Journal of Fisheries Research , Transactions of the American Fisheries Society , North American Journal of Fisheries Management and Ecology of Freshwater Fish : 44.1%, 42.4%, 40.5%, and 35.6%, respectively); the remainder covered ≤33%. Research papers on stream 'trouts' published over the last two decades were classified into 22 subject areas for nine major journals separately and combined for 55 other journals. Subject areas dealing with the biology and ecology of trout redds, egg development, alevin emergence and onto fry and parr were the most heavily reported in nine major journals, as well as in all other journals combined. Habitat characteristics and cover use by trout were the next. Atlantic salmon and brown trout were the species with highest publication coverage in nearly all subject areas, with low coverage for all salvelinid (charr) species except brook charr. Research on Atlantic salmon in the UK used experimental approaches in nearly 60% of publications and in mid to high 30% for those on Atlantic salmon and brown trout in Scandinavian countries. Consideration is given to future research needs for stream trouts.     

Anti-allergic effects of the brown alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eisenia arborea</Emphasis> on Brown Norway rats

To investigate the anti-allergic effects of the brown alga Eisenia arborea. A strain of Brown Norway rats know to strongly respond to immunoglobulin E (IgE) were used as an allergy model animal. The rats were immunized with ovalbumin by oral administration. The levels of serum IgE and histamine were suppressed in the rats fed a diet supplemented with dried E. arborea powder. As for the cytokine pattern, the interferon-γ production in the spleens and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) was enhanced, and the interleukin-4 (IL-4) production in the spleens and/or IL-10 production in the spleens and MLN were suppressed. These results, together with the change in the Th1/Th2 balance, indicate that the rats fed with E. arborea became more anti-allergic, suggesting that E. arborea might possess anti-allergic effects.