‘Water war’ in the Mekong Basin?

The Mekong River system provides a crucial source of natural resources for riparian nations. However, the increasingly rapid pace of hydro‐development in the Mekong Basin is threatening the integrity of the river system, posing a real concern for Lower Basin states, which are particularly dependent on the basin. This scenario has led to warnings of armed conflict, or even ‘water war’, between riparian states. Certainly, the expanding scale of hydro‐development can be expected to continue increasing interstate tensions in the Mekong region; but are these tensions really likely to escalate to armed conflict? This paper explores this question by drawing on the water and conflict theory of Aaron Wolf. Ultimately, this paper concludes that interstate tensions over Mekong hydro‐development are unlikely to generate armed conflict. This is in part due to the strategic impracticality of such a conflict as well as the presence of a river basin management institution. Most compellingly, though, armed conflict is unlikely because the economic imperative shared by Mekong states is better served by cooperation – or at least non‐interference – than conflict, over regional hydro‐development. In closing, the paper urges that the study of water and conflict in the Mekong Basin be refocused at the intrastate level.     

海南岛三大流域农业土壤源污染物流失特征研究

采用径流场结合人工模拟降雨方式,研究了海南岛万泉河、南渡江和昌化江三大流域土壤中氮、磷、有机质等营养物质的流失特征。结果表明,三大流域土壤径流系数和泥沙流失速率的大小顺序为：暴雨〉大雨〉中雨;相同雨强条件下,万泉河的径流系数与南渡江相近,昌化江最小;泥沙流失速率大小顺序为：万泉河〉南渡江〉昌化江;雨强对总磷（TP）流失速率的影响达到极显著水平,磷随径流流失以颗粒磷（PP）为主;氮在雨强较小时以可溶氮（DN）流失为主,当达到暴雨时则以颗粒氮（PN）流失为主;雨强越大,地表径流中COD、TN、DN和PN流失速率越高。三大流域区土壤养分随泥沙流失特征相似,不同雨强条件下,三大流域的总氮、总磷和有机质流失速率的规律一致,雨强越大,流失速率越高;在同一雨强条件下,三流域区总氮、总磷和有机质随泥沙流失速率为：昌化江〉万泉河〉南渡江。影响面源流失的主要因素为坡度、雨强、土质等。     

城市河道生态修复技术研究——以无锡市亲水河生态修复为例

亲水河为无锡市太湖岸线一条景观河道,水质较差.通过探讨生物绳、重建生物群落联合修复技术对城市河道的修复效果对其进行了为期半年多的生态修复效果研究.结果表明,上述工程措施能够有效去除水体中的有机物、总氮、总磷等污染物,增加水体透明度.     

Dynamics of arsenic-containing compounds sorption on sediments

Background  River and lake sediments constitute complex and difficult analytical samples. On the other hand, sediments play a fundamental role in the distribution of toxic compounds in aquatic systems and in the evaluation of the current state and the course of changes taking place in the environment. Among elements present in the environment in trace concentrations, but having well-elaborated toxic properties, one of most dangerous is arsenic. The element occurs in the environment in several chemical forms, predominant are inorganic forms of As(V) and As(III), and methylated forms such as monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA). Objectives  Reported herein are experiments, which were undertaken with the aim of examining the dynamics of arsenic sorption in sediments and its dependence on speciation of the element and the pH in the environment. Simultaneously, influence of organic matter content and chemical composition of the sediments on As sorption, were investigated. Methods  Sediment samples (upper 10 cm layer) were collected from three sites located in the vicinity of Cracow:

Expanding protected areas beyond their terrestrial comfort zone: Identifying spatial options for river conservation

There has been very little consideration of freshwater ecosystems in identifying and designing protected areas. Recent studies suggest that protected areas hold enormous potential to conserve freshwater biodiversity if augmented with appropriate planning and management strategies. Recognizing this need, South Africa’s relevant government authority commissioned a spatial assessment to inform their national protected area expansion strategy. This study presents the freshwater component of the spatial assessment, aimed at identifying focus areas for expanding the national protected area system for the benefit of river biodiversity. Conservation objectives to guide the assessment aimed to improve representation of river biodiversity pattern and processes in both new and existing protected areas. Data to address these objectives were collated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and a conservation planning algorithm was used as a means of integrating the multiple objectives in a spatially efficient manner. Representation of biodiversity pattern was based on achieving conservation targets for 222 river types and 47 freshwater fish endemic to South Africa. Options were also identified for representing coarse-scale biodiversity processes associated with free-flowing rivers and catchment-estuarine linkages. River reaches that, with only minor expansion of existing protected area boundaries, could be fully incorporated into the national protected area system were also identified. Based on this study, generic recommendations are made on how to locate, design and manage protected areas for river biodiversity: use appropriate planning units, incorporate both biodiversity pattern and process, improve planning and management of individual protected areas, incorporate a mixture of protection strategies, and embed planning into an ongoing research and implementation process.     

Epilithic biofilm as a key factor for small‐scale river fisheries on Caribbean islands

Abstract Numerous freshwater species are consumed or exploited through artisanal fisheries in the rivers of the islands of Guadeloupe, French West Indies. Autochthonous production of organic matter is limited in these flowing rivers and is mainly represented by scarce filamentous green algae and an abundant epilithic biofilm growing on wet stones in the river bed. Stable isotope analysis was used to quantify the relative importance of biofilm and other riverine allochthonous and autochthonous food sources in the diet of tropical shrimps (Palaemonidae, Atyidae and Xiphocarididae) and fishes (Gobiidae and Eleotridae) consumed by the local people. The epilithic biofilm was exploited by most species, constituted an important source of autochthonous carbon and was an important source of organic matter production at the base of freshwater food webs in Caribbean rivers. Biofilm percentages in the diet reached 32% for molluscs, 85% for atyid shrimps, 29% for xiphocaridid shrimps, 14% for palaemonid shrimps and 13% for fish. Assessment of biofilm in nine rivers showed that blue and red cyanobacteria were quantitatively dominant with a moderately rich diatom flora. These results address the interactions between river biofilm and Caribbean freshwater fauna where trophic links between consumers and their potential resources have poorly been documented.     

国内河流反应器的水质净化情况研究进展

运用河流反应器的概念,将河流反应器划分为水环境、水建筑物和河流生态系统3个部分,讨论了河流反应器各组成部分在污染河流治理中的作用和研究进展,阐明了各治理方法的现有理论成果和取得的实际效果,也指出了各理论亟待解决的问题,对未来受污染河流的治理工作有一定的借鉴意义。