Sedimentation and Resuspension in Earthen Fish Ponds

Resuspension of particles from pond sediment into the water column may be an important nutrient transfer mechanism in aquaculture ponds. However, the magnitude of sediment re-suspension cannot be determined directly because sediment traps collect particles settling from the water column as well as those re-suspended from the pond bottom. We developed a dilution analysis method to differentiate the magnitude of the two particle source fluxes based upon the concentration of soil-derived elements (Si, Al, and Fe) and water-derived elements (C, N) in material collected by sediment traps placed in earthen ponds. Estimated organic C sedimentation from feed residues and algae was compared with trapped organic C as an independent and approximate measure of resuspension. Resuspension fluxes based independently on analyses of three soil-derived elements and on the estimation of expected C sedimentation were similar and accounted for 60–90% of the total solids flux (121–2,676 g/m² per d) in most ponds sampled. The proportion of total flux that was derived from resuspension in ponds stocked with common carp Cyprinus carpio and tilapia Oreochromis spp . was modeled as a hyperbolic function of fish size and density, with a threshold fish size of 200–300 g. Resuspension flux was conservatively estimated to be equivalent to the daily suspension of a few mm of the pond bottom. These results indicate that sediment resuspension is a major process in carp and tilapia ponds, suggesting that the exchange of nutrients between the sediment and overlying water is intensive.     

Studies on Lake Kinneret (sea of galilee) watershed

The river along the Jordan canyon reach consists of a series of small cascades inducing turbulent flow of water in contact with stones covered by algal and microbial mat. Ammonia disappearance, organic N and P oxidation were studied in a laboratory model system and in the river. The processes studied can be described using first order kinetics, the rate constants of which are about 0.15, 0.015 and 0.065 h^?1 for ammonium, organic N and organic P, respectively.     

The Use of Compost for the Reclamation of Saline and Alkaline Soils

? The results of a two year field experiment verified hypotheses concerning use of compost to improve saline and alkaline soils. The addition of compost to such soils was expected to release acids which would ultimately lead to the replacement of exchangeable sodium by calcium. The addition of compost would also stabilize soil structure and enhance plant growth. It was shown that the addition of municipal solid waste compost is equivalent, or even superior to the addition of gypsum, the common amendment used to reclaim alkaline soils. The overall effect of treatments on soil fertility was evident from yields of crops. The combined application of compost and gypsum raised yields to levels expected in good commercial fields.     

Electron acceleration by a wake field forced by an intense ultrashort laser pulse

Plasmas are an attractive medium for the next generation of particle accelerators because they can support electric fields greater than several hundred gigavolts per meter. These accelerating fields are generated by relativistic plasma waves-space-charge oscillations-that can be excited when a high-intensity laser propagates through a plasma. Large currents of background electrons can then be trapped and subsequently accelerated by these relativistic waves. In the forced laser wake field regime, where the laser pulse length is of the order of the plasma wavelength, we show that a gain in maximum electron energy of up to 200 megaelectronvolts can be achieved, along with an improvement in the quality of the ultrashort electron beam.