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van Dijk J, Dekker SC, Kools SAE, van Wezel AP. European-wide spatial analysis of sewage treatment plants and the possible benefits to nature of advanced treatment to reduce pharmaceutical emissions. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 241:120157. [PMID: 37300966 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals are known to widely occur in the environment and to affect the health of ecosystems. Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are main emission pathways for pharmaceuticals, which are often not sufficiently removed during wastewater treatment. In Europe, STP treatment requirements are specified under the Urban WasteWater Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The introduction of advanced treatment techniques, such as ozonation and activated carbon, under the UWWTD is expected to be an important option to reduce pharmaceutical emissions. In this study, we present a European-wide analysis of STPs reported under the UWWTD, their current treatment level and potential to remove a set of 58 prioritised pharmaceuticals. Three different scenarios were analysed to show 1) UWWTD present effectiveness, 2) the effectiveness at full UWWTD compliance, and 3) the effectiveness when advanced treatment is implemented at STPs with a treatment capacity of >100.000 person equivalents. Based on a literature study, the potential of individual STPs to reduce pharmaceutical emissions ranged from an average of 9% for STPs with primary treatment to 84% for STPs applying advanced treatment. Results of our calculations show that European-wide emission of pharmaceuticals can be reduced with 68% when large STPs are updated with advanced treatment, but spatial differences exist. We argue that adequate attention should also be paid with regards to preventing environmental impacts of STPs with a capacity <100.000 p.e. Circa 44% of total STP effluent is emitted near Natura2000 sites (EU nature protection areas). Of all surface waters receiving STP effluent for which the ecological status has been assessed under the Water Framework Directive, 77% have a status of less than good. Relatively often only primary treatment is applied to wastewater emitted into coastal waters. This analysis can be used to further model pharmaceutical concentrations in European surface waters, to identify STPs for which more advanced treatment might be required and to protect EU aquatic biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanke van Dijk
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, 3584, CB, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94240, GE, 1090, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Stefan C Dekker
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, 3584, CB, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Annemarie P van Wezel
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94240, GE, 1090, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Souliotis I, Voulvoulis N. Incorporating Ecosystem Services in the Assessment of Water Framework Directive Programmes of Measures. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 68:38-52. [PMID: 33978824 PMCID: PMC8172509 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-021-01478-7] [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: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The EU Water Framework Directive requires the development of management responses aimed towards improving water quality as a result of improving ecosystem health (system state). Ecosystems have potential to supply a range of services that are of fundamental importance to human well-being, health, livelihoods and survival, and their capacity to supply these services depends on the ecosystem condition (its structure and processes). According to the WFD, Programmes of Measures should be developed to improve overall water status by reducing anthropogenic catchment pressures to levels compatible with the achievement of the ecological objectives of the directive, and when designed and implemented properly should improve the ecological condition of aquatic ecosystems that the delivery of ecosystem services depends on. Monitoring and evaluation of implemented measures are crucial for assessing their effectiveness and creating the agenda for consecutive planning cycles. Considering the challenges of achieving water status improvements, and the difficulties of communicating these to the wider public, we develop a framework for the evaluation of measures cost-effectiveness that considers ecosystem services as the benefits from the reduction of pressures on water bodies. We demonstrate its application through a case study and discuss its potential to facilitate the economic analysis required by the directive, and that most European water authorities had problems with. Findings demonstrate the potential of the methodology to effectively incorporate ecosystem services in the assessment of costs and benefits of proposed actions, as well as its potential to engage stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Souliotis
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
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3
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Socioeconomic Risks and Their Impacts on Ecological River Health in South Korea: An Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13116287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
It is imperative to develop a methodology to identify river impairment sources, particularly the relative impact of socioeconomic sources, to enhance the efficiency of various river restoration schemes and policies and to have an internal diagnosis system in place. This study, therefore, aims to identify and analyze the relative importance of the socioeconomic factors affecting river ecosystem impairment in South Korea. To achieve this goal, we applied the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate expert judgement of the relative importance of different socioeconomic factors influencing river ecosystem impairment. Based on a list of socioeconomic factors influencing stream health, an AHP questionnaire was prepared and administered to experts in aquatic ecology. Our analysis reveals that secondary industries form the most significant source of stream ecosystem impairment. Moreover, the most critical socioeconomic factors affecting stream impairment are direct inflow pollution, policy implementation, and industrial wastewater. The results also suggest that the AHP is a rapid and robust approach to assessing the relative importance of different socioeconomic factors that affect river ecosystem health. The results can be used to assist decision makers in focusing on actions to improve river ecosystem health.
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4
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Alric B, Dézerald O, Meyer A, Billoir E, Coulaud R, Larras F, Mondy CP, Usseglio-Polatera P. How diatom-, invertebrate- and fish-based diagnostic tools can support the ecological assessment of rivers in a multi-pressure context: Temporal trends over the past two decades in France. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 762:143915. [PMID: 33360450 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The degradation of aquatic ecosystems, induced by worldwide intensification in the use of both land and aquatic resources, has highlighted the critical need for innovative methods allowing an objective quantification and ranking of anthropogenic pressure effects on aquatic organisms. Such diagnostic tools have a great potential for defining robust management responses to anthropogenic pressures. Our objective was to explore how the outputs of three diagnostic tools (based on benthic diatoms, macroinvertebrates and fishes) could be combined to (i) disentangle the temporal effects of multiple pressures over two decades and (ii) provide policy-relevant information for stream managers and decision makers. The diagnostic tools estimated, using taxonomy- and trait-based metrics, the impairment probabilities of biotic assemblages over time by different pressure categories, describing the alteration of water quality, hydromorphology and land use related to anthropogenic activities, in French streams (number of sites = 312). The main result shows that a large proportion of the time series exhibited no significant temporal patterns over the two decades (61.5% to 87.8%, depending on the used tests). Among time series exhibiting significant change, positive trends in impairment probabilities (i.e., degradation) were less frequent than negative ones, indicating a modest improvement in water quality at national scale over the study period. However, trends can be substantially different according to hydroecoregion and pressure category. The three biological compartments displayed convergent temporal responses according to the pressure category and regional context (e.g., lowland plains vs. mountains, pristine vs. agricultural regions). Altogether, this study proposes a unifying approach to integrate a vast amount of information in a single ecological diagnosis using an unparalleled database on natural and anthropized environments. Strengthening the synthesis of biological information provided by various biological compartments should be a priority before implementing evidence-based sustainable conservation and restoration actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Alric
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, F-57000 Metz, France
| | - Olivier Dézerald
- ESE, Ecology and Ecosystems Health, INRAE, Agrocampus Ouest, F-35042 Rennes, France
| | - Albin Meyer
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, F-57000 Metz, France
| | - Elise Billoir
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, F-57000 Metz, France
| | - Romain Coulaud
- Université Le Havre Normandie, UMR-I 02, SEBIO, F-76063 Le Havre, France
| | - Floriane Larras
- Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cédric P Mondy
- Office Français de la Biodiversité, Direction Régionale Ile-de-France, F-94300 Vincennes, France
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5
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Sabater S, Elosegi A, Ludwig R. Framing biophysical and societal implications of multiple stressor effects on river networks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 753:141973. [PMID: 32906045 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization, agriculture, and the manipulation of the hydrological cycle are the main drivers of multiple stressors affecting river ecosystems across the world. Physical, chemical, and biological stressors follow characteristic patterns of occurrence, intensity, and frequency, linked to human pressure and socio-economic settings. The societal perception of stressor effects changes when moving from broad geographic regions to narrower basin or waterbody scales, as political and ecologically based perspectives change across scales. Current approaches relating the stressor effects on river networks and human societies fail to incorporate complexities associated to their co-occurrence, such as: i) the evidence that drivers can be associated to different stressors; ii) their intensity and frequency may differ across spatial and temporal scales; iii) their differential effects on biophysical receptors may be related to their order of occurrence; iv) current and legacy stressors may produce unexpected outcomes; v) the potentially different response of different biological variables to stressor combinations; vi) the conflicting effects of multiple stressors on ecosystem services; and, vii) management of stressor effects should consider multiple occurrence scales. We discuss how to incorporate these aspects to present frameworks considering biophysical and societal consequences of multiple stressors, to better understand and manage the effects being caused on river networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Sabater
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain; Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Universitat de Girona (UdG), Girona, Spain.
| | - Arturo Elosegi
- University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Ralf Ludwig
- Ludwig Maximilians Universitaet Muenchen (LMU), Munich, Germany
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6
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Udias A, Pistocchi A, Vigiak O, Grizzetti B, Bouraoui F, Alfaro C. ESPRES: A web application for interactive analysis of multiple pressures in aquatic ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140792. [PMID: 32712417 PMCID: PMC7511691 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ESPRES (Efficient Strategies for anthropogenic Pressure Reduction in European waterSheds) is a web-based Decision Support System (DSS) designed to explore management options for achieving environmental targets in European freshwaters. The tool integrates multi-objective optimization (MOO) algorithms for selecting the best management options in a river basin and models assessing the consequent changes in the water quantity (water flow) and quality (nutrient concentration). The MOO engine identifies Pareto front strategies that are trade-offs between environmental objectives for water bodies and the effort required for reducing the pressures. The web interface provides tools to set the effort perceived by different river basin stakeholders considering technical feasibility, political difficulty, and social acceptability of the alternative options. The environmental impact of management options (scenarios) is assessed with models developed at the European scale. ESPRES enables comparison of management solutions and allows quantifying environmental and socio-economic trade-offs inherent to the decision making process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Udias
- European Commission - Joint Research Center, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy.
| | - Alberto Pistocchi
- European Commission - Joint Research Center, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Olga Vigiak
- European Commission - Joint Research Center, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Bruna Grizzetti
- European Commission - Joint Research Center, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Faycal Bouraoui
- European Commission - Joint Research Center, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Cesar Alfaro
- Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Mostoles, Madrid, Spain
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7
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Teichert N, Tétard S, Trancart T, de Oliveira E, Acou A, Carpentier A, Bourillon B, Feunteun E. Towards transferability in fish migration models: A generic operational tool for predicting silver eel migration in rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 739:140069. [PMID: 32544695 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In the global context of river fragmentation, predicting fish migration is urgent to implement management actions aimed at protecting and promoting the free movement of diadromous fish. However, large-scale applicability of conservation measures requires transferable models that enable prediction of migration even in data-poor regions. Here, we surveyed 12 contrasted European river sites to predict the activity peaks of silver eels (Anguilla anguilla) during river migration towards spawning areas through an ensemble modelling approach. Site-specific Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) models were adjusted using standardized hydrological variables to predict migration probability, which were aggregated in consensus predictions. Results of independent cross-validations demonstrated that silver eel migration runs were accurately predicted in response to changes in river discharge. Transferability and predictive performance were improved by considering catchment-size dissimilarity between river sites (85 to 109,930 km2) when combining the site-specific predictions. Nevertheless, we provided two examples for which the effects of human actions on flow conditions were so high that they prevented reliable predictions of migration runs. Further contributions should thus take advantage of the flexibility of our approach for updating model collection with new sites to extend the predictive performance under a larger range of ecological conditions. Our transferable hydrological-based modelling framework offers an opportunity to implement large-scale management strategies for eel conservation, even in rivers where eel monitoring data lack. The BRT models and prediction functions were compiled in an R package named 'silvRpeak' to facilitate operational implementation by end-user managers, which can determine when mitigation measures should be implemented to improve river continuity (e.g. turbine shutdown and sluice gate opening) and balance their economic activity towards eel conservation. The only input required is discharge records that are widely available across European hydrological stations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Teichert
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Paris, France; MNHN, Station Marine de Dinard, CRESCO, Dinard, France.
| | - Stéphane Tétard
- EDF R&D LNHE - Laboratoire National d'Hydraulique et Environnement, Chatou, France
| | - Thomas Trancart
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Paris, France; MNHN, Station Marine de Dinard, CRESCO, Dinard, France
| | - Eric de Oliveira
- EDF R&D LNHE - Laboratoire National d'Hydraulique et Environnement, Chatou, France
| | - Anthony Acou
- Office Français pour la Biodiversité - UMS OFB-CNRS-MNHN PatriNat, Station marine du MNHN, Dinard, France; Pôle R&D OFB-INRAE-Agrocampus Ouest-UPPA pour la gestion des migrateurs amphihalins dans leur environnement, Rennes, France
| | - Alexandre Carpentier
- Université de Rennes 1 - Unité BOREA (Museum national d'histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UCN, IRD, UA), Rennes, France
| | - Bastien Bourillon
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Paris, France; MNHN, Station Marine de Dinard, CRESCO, Dinard, France
| | - Eric Feunteun
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Paris, France; MNHN, Station Marine de Dinard, CRESCO, Dinard, France
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8
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Elliott AH, Snelder TH, Muirhead RW, Monaghan RM, Whitehead AL, Bermeo-Alvear SA, Howarth CJ. A Heuristic Method for Determining Changes of Source Loads to Comply with Water Quality Limits in Catchments. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 65:272-285. [PMID: 31834426 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-019-01235-x] [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: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A common land and water management task is to determine where and by how much source loadings need to change to meet water quality limits in receiving environments. This paper addresses the problem of quantifying changes in loading when limits are specified in many locations in a large and spatially heterogeneous catchment, accounting for cumulative downstream impacts. Current approaches to this problem tend to use either scenario analysis or optimization, which suffer from difficulties of generating scenarios that meet the limits, or high complexity of optimization approaches. In contrast, we present a novel method in which simple catchment models, load limits, upstream/downstream spatial relationships and spatial allocation rules are combined to arrive at source load changes. The process iteratively establishes the critical location (river segment or lake) where the limits are most constraining, and then adjusts sources upstream of the critical location to meet the limit at that location. The method is demonstrated with application to New Zealand (268,000 km2) for nutrients and the microbial indicator E. coli, which was conducted to support policy development regarding water quality limits. The model provided useful insights, such as a source load excess (the need for source load reduction) even after mitigation measures are introduced in order to comply with E. coli limits. On the other hand, there was headroom (ability to increase source loading) for nutrients. The method enables assessment of the necessary source load reductions to achieve water quality limits over broad areas such as large catchments or whole regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander H Elliott
- Christchurch office of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand.
| | | | | | | | - Amy L Whitehead
- Christchurch office of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | | | - Carl J Howarth
- New Zealand Ministry for the Environment, Wellington, New Zealand
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9
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Zhang X, Chen N, Sheng H, Ip C, Yang L, Chen Y, Sang Z, Tadesse T, Lim TPY, Rajabifard A, Bueti C, Zeng L, Wardlow B, Wang S, Tang S, Xiong Z, Li D, Niyogi D. Urban drought challenge to 2030 sustainable development goals. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 693:133536. [PMID: 31374498 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In the first two decades of the 21st century, 79 global big cities have suffered extensively from drought disaster. Meanwhile, climate change has magnified urban drought in both frequency and severity, putting tremendous pressure on a city's water supply. Therefore, tackling the challenges of urban drought is an integral part of achieving the targets set in at least 5 different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, the current literatures on drought have not placed sufficient emphasis on urban drought challenge in achieving the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This review is intended to fill this knowledge gap by identifying the key concepts behind urban drought, including the definition, occurrence, characteristics, formation, and impacts. Then, four sub-categories of urban drought are proposed, including precipitation-induced, runoff-induced, pollution-induced, and demand-induced urban droughts. These sub-categories can support city stakeholders in taking drought mitigation actions and advancing the following SDGs: SDG 6 "Clean water and sanitation", SDG 11 "Sustainable cities and communities", SDG 12 "Responsible production and consumption", SDG 13 "Climate actions", and SDG 15 "Life on land". To further support cities in taking concrete actions in reaching the listed SDGs, this perspective proposes five actions that city stakeholders can undertake in enhancing drought resilience and preparedness:1) Raising public awareness on water right and water saving; 2) Fostering flexible reliable, and integrated urban water supply; 3) Improving efficiency of urban water management; 4) Investing in sustainability science research for urban drought; and 5) Strengthening resilience efforts via international cooperation. In short, this review contains a wealth of insights on urban drought and highlights the intrinsic connections between drought resilience and the 2030 SDGs. It also proposes five action steps for policymakers and city stakeholders that would support them in taking the first step to combat and mitigate the impacts of urban droughts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Nengcheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Hao Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Software Development Environment, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Chris Ip
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
| | - Long Yang
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yiqun Chen
- Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Centre for SDIs and Land Administration (CSDILA), Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ziqin Sang
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Communication Technologies and Networks, China Information Communication Technologies Group Corporation, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Tsegaye Tadesse
- National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Tania Pei Yee Lim
- United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Abbas Rajabifard
- Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Centre for SDIs and Land Administration (CSDILA), Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Cristina Bueti
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
| | - Linglin Zeng
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Brian Wardlow
- National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Siqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Shiyi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Zhang Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Software Development Environment, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Deren Li
- State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Geospatial Technology, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Dev Niyogi
- Department of Agronomy-Crops, Soil, Environmental Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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10
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WECANet: The First Open Pan-European Network for Marine Renewable Energy with a Focus on Wave Energy-COST Action CA17105. WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w11061249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Growing energy demand has increased interest in marine renewable energy resources (i.e., wave energy, which is harvested through wave energy converter (WEC) arrays. However, the wave energy industry is currently at a significant juncture in its development, facing a number of challenges which require that research re-focuses on a holistic techno-economic perspective, where the economics considers the full life cycle costs of the technology. It also requires development of WECs suitable for niche markets, because in Europe there are inequalities regarding wave energy resources, wave energy companies, national programs and investments. As a result, in Europe there are leading and non-leading countries in wave energy technology. The sector also needs to increase confidence of potential investors by reducing (non-)technological risks. This can be achieved through an interdisciplinary approach by involving engineers, economists, environmental scientists, lawyers, regulators and policy experts. Consequently, the wave energy sector needs to receive the necessary attention compared to other more advanced and commercial offshore energy technologies (e.g., offshore wind). The formation of the first open pan-European network with an interdisciplinary approach will contribute to large-scale WEC array deployment by dealing with the current bottlenecks. The WECANet (Wave Energy Converter Array Network) European COST Action, introduced in September 2018 and presented in this paper, aims at a collaborative and inclusive approach, as it provides a strong networking and collaboration platform that also creates the space for dialogue between all stakeholders in wave energy. An important characteristic of the Action is that participation is open to all parties interested and active in the development of wave energy. Previous activities organised by WECANet core group members have resulted in a number of joint European projects and scientific publications. WECANet’s main target is the equal research, training, networking, collaboration and funding opportunities for all researchers and professionals, regardless of age, gender and country in order to obtain understanding of the main challenges governing the development of the wave energy sector.
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11
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Giakoumis T, Voulvoulis N. Water Framework Directive programmes of measures: Lessons from the 1st planning cycle of a catchment in England. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 668:903-916. [PMID: 30870756 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The European Union's Water Framework Directive (WFD) required Member States to establish programmes of measures to achieve good water status formally by 2015, but on postponing the deadline by two six-year periods, by 2027 at the latest. With many Member States facing problems with developing such measures in the first planning cycle, and limited change in ecological status since the first river basin management plans were reported, we look at the implementation of the Directive in England, where only 17% of the surface water bodies were found at good status in 2015, a reduction of 4% since 2009. Using as a case study the Broadland Rivers catchment, we examine the measures taken for Cycle 1 and changes in the classifications of water body status, to investigate whether the way the measures were developed could have limited their potential to deliver WFD objectives. While the WFD was adopted to succeed and replace management practices targeting individually non-compliant element, findings indicate that little had changed in the way measures were developed. Although considerable progress has been made on the implementation of these measures, the limited progress in improving classifications demonstrates the limits of this approach and further makes the case for what the WFD was introduced for: the harmonised transposition of the Integrated River Basin Management paradigm, as the key for delivering good ecological status.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Giakoumis
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - N Voulvoulis
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
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12
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Arriagada L, Rojas O, Arumí JL, Munizaga J, Rojas C, Farias L, Vega C. A new method to evaluate the vulnerability of watersheds facing several stressors: A case study in mediterranean Chile. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 651:1517-1533. [PMID: 30360281 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater systems are subjected to multiple anthropogenic stressors and natural disturbances that act as debilitating agents and modifiers of river systems, causing cumulative and synergistic effects that deteriorate their health and result in watershed vulnerability. This study proposes an easy-to-apply spatial method of watershed vulnerability evaluation using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Andalién River watershed, located in the Chilean mediterranean. A watershed vulnerability index (WVI) based on three sub-indices - anthropogenic stressors, environmental fragility and natural disturbances - was developed. To determine the index grouping weights, expert surveys were carried out using the Delphi method. We subsequently normalized and integrated the factors of each sub-index with relative weights. The ranges of each thematic layer were re-classified to establish vulnerability scores. The watershed was divided into three sections: headwaters zone, transfer zone and depositional zone. The watershed vulnerability index showed that 41% of the watershed had very low vulnerability and 42% had medium vulnerability, while only 1% - in the depositional zone - had high vulnerability. A one-way ANOVA was carried out to analyze the vulnerability differences among the three sections of the watershed; it showed significant differences (F (2, 16) = 8.15: p < 0.05). The a posteriori test showed differences between the headwaters and depositional zones (Tukey test, p = 0.005) and between the transfer and depositional zones (Tukey test, p = 0.014). To validate the WVI, water quality was measured at 16 stations in the watershed; there was a significant correlation between vulnerability level and NO2- levels (r = 0.8; p = 0.87; α = 0.05) and pH (r = 0.8; p = 0.80; α = 0.05). The WVI showed the cumulative effects of multiple stressors in the depositional zone of the watershed. This is the first study to evaluate and validate non-regulated watershed vulnerability with GIS using multiple anthropogenic and natural stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loretto Arriagada
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and EULA Chile Center, Department of Territorial Planning, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Octavio Rojas
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and EULA Chile Center, Department of Territorial Planning, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - José Luis Arumí
- Department of Water Resources, CHRIAM Water Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Juan Munizaga
- School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Geography, Department of Geography, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Carolina Rojas
- School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Geography, Department of Geography, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Laura Farias
- Department of Oceanography, University of Concepción and Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)(2), Chile.
| | - Claudio Vega
- School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Geography, Department of Geography, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
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Udias A, Pastori M, Dondeynaz C, Carmona Moreno C, Ali A, Cattaneo L, Cano J. A decision support tool to enhance agricultural growth in the Mékrou river basin (West Africa). COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS IN AGRICULTURE 2018; 154:467-481. [PMID: 30739969 PMCID: PMC6358152 DOI: 10.1016/j.compag.2018.09.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We describe in this paper the implementation of E-Water, an open software Decision Support System (DSS), designed to help local managers assess the Water Energy Food Environment (WEFE) nexus. E-Water aims at providing optimal management solutions to enhance food crop production at river basin level. The DSS was applied in the transboundary Mékrou river basin, shared among Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The primary sector for local economy in the region is agriculture, contributing significantly to income generation and job creation. Fostering the productivity of regional agricultural requires the intensification of farming practices, promoting additional inputs (mainly nutrient fertilizers and water irrigation) but, also, a more efficient allocation of cropland. In order to cope with the heterogeneity of data, and the analyses and issues required by the WEFE nexus approach, our DSS integrates the following modules: (1) the EPIC biophysical agricultural model; (2) a simplified regression metamodel, linking crop production with external inputs; (3) a linear programming and a multiobjective genetic algorithm optimization routines for finding efficient agricultural strategies; and (4) a user-friendly interface for input/output analysis and visualization. To test the main features of the DSS, we apply it to various real and hypothetical scenarios in the Mékrou river basin. The results obtained show how food unavailability due to insufficient local production could be reduced by, approximately, one third by enhancing the application and optimal distribution of fertilizers and irrigation. That would also affect the total income of the farming sector, eventually doubling it in the best case scenario. Furthermore, the combination of optimal agricultural strategies and modified optimal cropland allocation across the basin would bring additional moderate increases in food self-sufficiency, and more substantial gains in the total agricultural income. The proposed software framework proves to be effective, enabling decision makers to identify efficient and site-specific agronomic management strategies for nutrients and water. Such practices would augment crop productivity, which, in turn, would allow to cope with increasing future food demands, and find a balanced use of natural resources, also taking other economic sectors-like livestock, urban or energy-into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Udias
- European Commission–Joint Research Centre, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Marco Pastori
- European Commission–Joint Research Centre, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Céline Dondeynaz
- European Commission–Joint Research Centre, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Cesar Carmona Moreno
- European Commission–Joint Research Centre, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Abdou Ali
- AGRHYMET Regional Centre, Niamey, Niger
| | - Luigi Cattaneo
- European Commission–Joint Research Centre, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Javier Cano
- Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
- University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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14
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Li M, Fan J, Zhang Y, Guo F, Liu L, Xia R, Xu Z, Wu F. A systematic approach for watershed ecological restoration strategy making: An application in the Taizi River Basin in northern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 637-638:1321-1332. [PMID: 29801224 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Aiming to protect freshwater ecosystems, river ecological restoration has been brought into the research spotlight. However, it is challenging for decision makers to set appropriate objectives and select a combination of rehabilitation acts from numerous possible solutions to meet ecological, economic, and social demands. In this study, we developed a systematic approach to help make an optimal strategy for watershed restoration, which incorporated ecological security assessment and multi-objectives optimization (MOO) into the planning process to enhance restoration efficiency and effectiveness. The river ecological security status was evaluated by using a pressure-state-function-response (PSFR) assessment framework, and MOO was achieved by searching for the Pareto optimal solutions via Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) to balance tradeoffs between different objectives. Further, we clustered the searched solutions into three types in terms of different optimized objective function values in order to provide insightful information for decision makers. The proposed method was applied in an example rehabilitation project in the Taizi River Basin in northern China. The MOO result in the Taizi River presented a set of Pareto optimal solutions that were classified into three types: I - high ecological improvement, high cost and high benefits solution; II - medial ecological improvement, medial cost and medial economic benefits solution; III - low ecological improvement, low cost and low economic benefits solution. The proposed systematic approach in our study can enhance the effectiveness of riverine ecological restoration project and could provide valuable reference for other ecological restoration planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Juntao Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
| | - Yuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Fen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Lusan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Rui Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Zongxue Xu
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Fengchang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
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Vigiak O, Lutz S, Mentzafou A, Chiogna G, Tuo Y, Majone B, Beck H, de Roo A, Malagó A, Bouraoui F, Kumar R, Samaniego L, Merz R, Gamvroudis C, Skoulikidis N, Nikolaidis NP, Bellin A, Acuňa V, Mori N, Ludwig R, Pistocchi A. Uncertainty of modelled flow regime for flow-ecological assessment in Southern Europe. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 615:1028-1047. [PMID: 29751407 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable water basin management requires characterization of flow regime in river networks impacted by anthropogenic pressures. Flow regime in ungauged catchments under current, future, or natural conditions can be assessed with hydrological models. Developing hydrological models is, however, resource demanding such that decision makers might revert to models that have been developed for other purposes and are made available to them ('off-the-shelf' models). In this study, the impact of epistemic uncertainty of flow regime indicators on flow-ecological assessment was assessed at selected stations with drainage areas ranging from about 400 to almost 90,000km2 in four South European basins (Adige, Ebro, Evrotas and Sava). For each basin, at least two models were employed. Models differed in structure, data input, spatio-temporal resolution, and calibration strategy, reflecting the variety of conditions and purposes for which they were initially developed. The uncertainty of modelled flow regime was assessed by comparing the modelled hydrologic indicators of magnitude, timing, duration, frequency and rate of change to those obtained from observed flow. The results showed that modelled flow magnitude indicators at medium and high flows were generally reliable, whereas indicators for flow timing, duration, and rate of change were affected by large uncertainties, with correlation coefficients mostly below 0.50. These findings mirror uncertainty in flow regime indicators assessed with other methods, including from measured streamflow. The large indicator uncertainty may significantly affect assessment of ecological status in freshwater systems, particularly in ungauged catchments. Finally, flow-ecological assessments proved very sensitive to reference flow regime (i.e., without anthropogenic pressures). Model simulations could not adequately capture flow regime in the reference sites comprised in this study. The lack of reliable reference conditions may seriously hamper flow-ecological assessments. This study shows the pressing need for improving assessment of natural flow regime at pan-European scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Vigiak
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate D - Sustainable Resources, Ispra, Italy; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Department of Geography, Munich, Germany.
| | - Stefanie Lutz
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department Catchment Hydrology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Angeliki Mentzafou
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavyssos Attica, Greece
| | - Gabriele Chiogna
- Technical University of Munich, Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management, Munich, Germany; University of Innsbruck, Institute of Geography, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ye Tuo
- Technical University of Munich, Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management, Munich, Germany
| | - Bruno Majone
- University of Trento, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Trento, Italy
| | - Hylke Beck
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate D - Sustainable Resources, Ispra, Italy
| | - Ad de Roo
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate D - Sustainable Resources, Ispra, Italy
| | - Anna Malagó
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate D - Sustainable Resources, Ispra, Italy
| | - Fayçal Bouraoui
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate D - Sustainable Resources, Ispra, Italy
| | - Rohini Kumar
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Computational Hydrosystems, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Luis Samaniego
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Computational Hydrosystems, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Merz
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department Catchment Hydrology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Christos Gamvroudis
- School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Skoulikidis
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavyssos Attica, Greece
| | | | - Alberto Bellin
- University of Trento, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Trento, Italy
| | - Vicenç Acuňa
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain
| | - Nataša Mori
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ralf Ludwig
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Department of Geography, Munich, Germany
| | - Alberto Pistocchi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate D - Sustainable Resources, Ispra, Italy
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