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Tal-Maon M, Portman ME, Broitman D, Housh M. Identifying the optimal type and locations of natural water retention measures using spatial modeling and cost-benefit analysis. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 368:122229. [PMID: 39186854 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Water management has shifted from solely technical and engineering approaches towards nature-based solutions (NBS), like natural water retention measures (NWRM), offering benefits beyond hydrology, such as improved well-being and biodiversity conservation. Determining the best type and location of these measures is challenging due to diverse options with varying benefits and effects depending on measure type and location characteristics. While most studies regarding the optimal allocation and implementation of NBS focus on the urban environment, this study presents a methodology for decision-makers focusing on inter-urban regions with limited data on NWRM implementation. Through hydrological modeling and cost-benefit analysis (CBA), we identify Pareto optimal NWRM sites and types, considering water quantity and quality alongside economic, environmental, and social objectives. We defined optimal locations that seek the most significant reduction of runoff, sediment, and pollutants, whilst optimal NWRM types are defined to seek the most cost-effective measures based on hydrological, ecological, and social criteria. Using the Open Non-point Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (OpenNSPECT), we simulated increased infiltration in different inter-urban areas and identified the optimal placement. The criteria for selecting suitable NWRM types for the identified areas are derived from the EU Directorate General for the Environment (DG-ENV) NWRM database. The results show different effective areas for reducing runoff, sediment, and pollutants. While one NWRM (natural bank stabilization) was identified as most beneficial for reducing sediment, several measures were selected for runoff reduction. Interestingly, measures with high potential for pollutant reduction seem to offer limited social and biodiversity benefits, suggesting conflicting objectives and highlighting the importance of accounting for multiple criteria. By employing simplified models and qualitative benefit assessments, this paper presents a practical decision-making approach to facilitate NWRM implementation in data-scarce areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merav Tal-Maon
- Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| | - Michelle E Portman
- Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| | - Dani Broitman
- Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| | - Mashor Housh
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Haifa, 199 Abba Hushi Blvd, Mount Carmel, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
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2
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Gutiérrez-Barral A, Teira E, Díaz-Alonso A, Justel-Díez M, Kaal J, Fernández E. Impact of wildfire ash on bacterioplankton abundance and community composition in a coastal embayment (Ría de Vigo, NW Spain). MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 194:106317. [PMID: 38160575 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Wildfire ash can have an impact on coastal prokaryotic plankton. To understand the extent to which community composition and abundance of coastal prokaryotes are affected by ash, two ash addition experiments were performed. Ash from a massive wildfire that took place in the Ría de Vigo watershed in October 2017 was added to natural surface water samples collected in the middle sector of the ría during the summer of 2019 and winter of 2020, and incubated for 72 h, under natural water temperature and irradiance conditions. Plankton responses were assessed through chlorophyll a and bacterial abundance measurements. Prokaryotic DNA was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene partial sequencing. In summer, when nutrient concentrations were low in the ría, the addition of ash led to an increase in phytoplankton and bacterial abundance, increasing the proportions of Alteromonadales, Flavobacteriales, and the potentially pathogenic Vibrio, among other taxa. After the winter runoff events, nutrient concentrations in the Ría de Vigo were high, and only minor changes in bacterial abundance were detected. Our findings suggest that the compounds associated with wildfire ash can alter the composition of bacterioplanktonic communities, which is relevant information for the management of coastal ecosystems in fire-prone areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Gutiérrez-Barral
- Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Galicia, Spain.
| | - Eva Teira
- Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Galicia, Spain
| | - Alexandra Díaz-Alonso
- Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Galicia, Spain
| | - Maider Justel-Díez
- Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Galicia, Spain
| | - Joeri Kaal
- Pyrolyscience, 15707, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Emilio Fernández
- Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Galicia, Spain
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3
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Vieira DCS, Borrelli P, Jahanianfard D, Benali A, Scarpa S, Panagos P. Wildfires in Europe: Burned soils require attention. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114936. [PMID: 36442524 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Annually, millions of hectares of land are affected by wildfires worldwide, disrupting ecosystems functioning by affecting on-site vegetation, soil, and above- and belowground biodiversity, but also triggering erosive off-site impacts such as water-bodies contamination or mudflows. Here, we present a soil erosion assessment following the 2017's wildfires at the European scale, including an analysis of vegetation recovery and soil erosion mitigation potential. Results indicate a sharp increase in soil losses with 19.4 million Mg additional erosion in the first post-fire year when compared to unburned conditions. Over five years, 44 million Mg additional soil losses were estimated, and 46% of the burned area presented no signs of full recovery. Post-fire mitigation could attenuate these impacts by 63-77%, reducing soil erosion to background levels by the 4th post-fire year. Our insights may help identifying target policies to reduce land degradation, as identified in the European Union Soil, Forest, and Biodiversity strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C S Vieira
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
| | - P Borrelli
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - D Jahanianfard
- Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - A Benali
- Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - S Scarpa
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - P Panagos
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
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Bracewell SA, Barros TL, Mayer-Pinto M, Dafforn KA, Simpson SL, Johnston EL. Contaminant pulse following wildfire is associated with shifts in estuarine benthic communities. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120533. [PMID: 36341829 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Novel combinations of climatic conditions due to climate change and prolonged fire seasons have contributed to an increased occurrence of "megafires". Such large-scale fires pose an unknown threat to biodiversity due to the increased extent and severity of burn. Assessments of wildfires often focus on terrestrial ecosystems and effects on aquatic habitats are less documented, particularly in coastal environments. In a novel application of eDNA techniques, we assessed the impacts of the 2019-2020 Australian wildfires on the diversity of estuarine benthic sediment communities in six estuaries in NSW, Australia, before and after the fires. Estuaries differed in area of catchment burnt (0-92%) and amount of vegetative buffer that remained post-fire between burnt areas and waterways. We found greater dissimilarities in the composition and abundance of eukaryotic and bacterial sediment communities in estuaries from burnt catchments with no buffer compared to those with an intact buffer or from unburnt catchments. Shifts in composition in highly burnt catchments were associated with increased concentrations of nutrients, carbon, including fire-derived pyrogenic carbon, and copper, which was representative of multiple highly correlated trace metals. Changes in the relative abundances of certain taxonomic groups, such as sulfate-reducing and nitrifying bacterial groups, in the most impacted estuaries indicate potential consequences for the functioning of sediment communities. These results provide a unique demonstration of the use of eDNA to identify wildfire impacts on ecological communities and emphasize the importance of vegetative buffers in limiting wildfire-associated impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Bracewell
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Thayanne L Barros
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mariana Mayer-Pinto
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine A Dafforn
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Stuart L Simpson
- CSIRO Land and Water, Tharawal Country, Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, NSW, 2232, Australia
| | - Emma L Johnston
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Barros TL, Bracewell SA, Mayer-Pinto M, Dafforn KA, Simpson SL, Farrell M, Johnston EL. Wildfires cause rapid changes to estuarine benthic habitat. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 308:119571. [PMID: 35661807 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Estuaries are one of the most valuable biomes on earth. Although humans are highly dependent on these ecosystems, anthropogenic activities have impacted estuaries worldwide, altering their ecological functions and ability to provide a variety of important ecosystem services. Many anthropogenic stressors combine to affect the soft sedimentary habitats that dominate estuarine ecosystems. Now, due to climate change, estuaries and other marine areas might be increasingly exposed to the emerging threat of megafires. Here, by sampling estuaries before and after a megafire, we describe impacts of wildfires on estuarine benthic habitats and justify why megafires are a new and concerning threat to coastal ecosystems. We (1) show that wildfires change the fundamental characteristics of estuarine benthic habitat, (2) identify the factors (burnt intensity and proximity to water's edge) that influence the consequences of fires on estuaries, and (3) identify relevant indicators of wildfire impact: metals, nutrients, and pyrogenic carbon. We then discuss how fires can impact estuaries globally, regardless of local variability and differences in catchment. In the first empirical assessment of the impact of wildfires on estuarine condition, our results highlight indicators that may assist waterway managers to empirically detect wildfire impacts in estuaries and identify catchment factors that should be included in fire risk assessments for estuaries. Overall, this study highlights the importance of considering fire threats in current and future estuarine and coastal management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thayanne L Barros
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Bedegal Country, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Sally A Bracewell
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Bedegal Country, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Mariana Mayer-Pinto
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Bedegal Country, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Katherine A Dafforn
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Wallamattagal Country, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Stuart L Simpson
- CSIRO Land and Water, Tharawal Country, Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, NSW, 2234, Australia
| | - Mark Farrell
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Kaurna Country, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond, South Australia, 5064, Australia
| | - Emma L Johnston
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Bedegal Country, NSW, 2052, Australia
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El-Nakib S, Alameddine I, Massoud M, Abou Najm M. Nutrient pollutant loading and source apportionment along a Mediterranean river. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:274. [PMID: 32266479 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-8220-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are increasingly being subjected to increased anthropogenic pollution stresses that undermine their designated uses and negatively affect sensitive coastal regions. The degradation of river water quality is attributed to both point and nonpoint sources of pollution. In this study, we determine the relative contribution of point and nonpoint pollutant loads in the Beirut River basin, a poorly monitored seasonal Mediterranean river. Water quality samples were collected on a weekly basis over 2 consecutive years (2016 and 2017) from four sampling sites that represent a gradient of increasing urbanization. Flow-concentration models were first developed to estimate total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and total suspended solids (TSS) loads reaching the different sub-basins. The performance of the regression models varied by location and by pollutant, with improved performance in the downstream sections (adjusted R2 66% for TP and 59% for TN). Loads were also determined using the Beale's ratio method, which generally underestimated the loads as compared with the regression-based models. The relative contribution of the nonpoint source loads were then quantified using the Open Nonpoint Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (OpenNSPECT). The results showed that point sources were the main cause of water quality impairment across the entire basin, with load contributions varying between 75% in the headwaters and 98% in the urbanized downstream sections. The adopted modeling approach in this study provides an opportunity to better understand pollutant load dynamics in poorly monitored basins and a mechanism to apportion pollution loads between point and nonpoint sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sania El-Nakib
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad el Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
| | - Ibrahim Alameddine
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad el Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon.
| | - May Massoud
- Department of Environmental Health, American University of Beirut, Bliss Street, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Majdi Abou Najm
- Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, USA
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Burke TA, Cascio WE, Costa DL, Deener K, Fontaine TD, Fulk FA, Jackson LE, Munns WR, Orme-Zavaleta J, Slimak MW, Zartarian VG. Rethinking Environmental Protection: Meeting the Challenges of a Changing World. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:A43-A49. [PMID: 28248180 PMCID: PMC5332174 DOI: 10.1289/ehp1465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
From climate change to hydraulic fracturing, and from drinking water safety to wildfires, environmental challenges are changing. The United States has made substantial environmental protection progress based on media-specific and single pollutant risk-based frameworks. However, today’s environmental problems are increasingly complex and new scientific approaches and tools are needed to achieve sustainable solutions to protect the environment and public health. In this article, we present examples of today’s environmental challenges and offer an integrated systems approach to address them. We provide a strategic framework and recommendations for advancing the application of science for protecting the environment and public health. We posit that addressing 21st century challenges requires transdisciplinary and systems approaches, new data sources, and stakeholder partnerships. To address these challenges, we outline a process driven by problem formulation with the following steps: a) formulate the problem holistically, b) gather and synthesize diverse information, c) develop and assess options, and d) implement sustainable solutions. This process will require new skills and education in systems science, with an emphasis on science translation. A systems-based approach can transcend media- and receptor-specific bounds, integrate diverse information, and recognize the inextricable link between ecology and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kacee Deener
- Address correspondence to K. Deener, Ronald Reagan Bldg., 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Room 41207, Washington, DC 20004 USA. Telephone: (202) 564-1990. E-mail:
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