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Pascual-Benito M, Nadal-Sala D, Tobella M, Ballesté E, García-Aljaro C, Sabaté S, Sabater F, Martí E, Gracia CA, Blanch AR, Lucena F. Modelling the seasonal impacts of a wastewater treatment plant on water quality in a Mediterranean stream using microbial indicators. J Environ Manage 2020; 261:110220. [PMID: 32148290 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Faecal pollution modelling is a valuable tool to evaluate and improve water management strategies, especially in a context of water scarcity. The reduction dynamics of five faecal indicator organisms (E. coli, spores of sulphite-reducing clostridia, somatic coliphages, GA17 bacteriophages and a human-specific Bifidobacterium molecular marker) were assessed in an intermittent Mediterranean stream affected by a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Using Bayesian inverse modelling, the decay rates of each indicator were correlated with two environmental drivers (temperature and streamflow downstream of the WWTP) and the generated model was used to evaluate the self-depuration distance (SDD) of the stream. A consistent increase of 1-2 log10 in the concentration of all indicators was detected after the discharge of the WWTP effluent. The decay rates showed seasonal variation, reaching a maximum in the dry season, when SDDs were also shorter and the stream had a higher capacity to self-depurate. High seasonality was observed for all faecal indicators except for the spores of sulphite-reducing clostridia. The maximum SDD ranged from 3 km for the spores of sulphite-reducing clostridia during the dry season and 15 km for the human-specific Bifidobacterium molecular marker during the wet season. The SDD provides a single standardized metric that integrates and compares different contamination indicators. It could be extended to other Mediterranean drainage basins and has the potential to integrate changes in land use and catchment water balance, a feature that will be especially useful in the transient climate conditions expected in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pascual-Benito
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; The Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Montalegre 6, 08001, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - D Nadal-Sala
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; IMK-IFU (Karlsruhe Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research-Atmospheric Environmental Research), Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - M Tobella
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Ballesté
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; The Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Montalegre 6, 08001, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C García-Aljaro
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; The Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Montalegre 6, 08001, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Sabaté
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications), 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - F Sabater
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications), 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - E Martí
- Integrative Freshwater Ecology Group, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), 17300, Blanes, Spain
| | - C A Gracia
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications), 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - A R Blanch
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; The Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Montalegre 6, 08001, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Lucena
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; The Water Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Montalegre 6, 08001, Barcelona, Spain
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López BC, Gracia CA, Sabaté S, Keenan T. Assessing the resilience of Mediterranean holm oaks to disturbances using selective thinning. Acta Oecologica 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2009.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Morales P, Sykes MT, Prentice IC, Smith P, Smith B, Bugmann H, Zierl B, Friedlingstein P, Viovy N, Sabaté S, Sánchez A, Pla E, Gracia CA, Sitch S, Arneth A, Ogee J. Comparing and evaluating process-based ecosystem model predictions of carbon and water fluxes in major European forest biomes. Glob Chang Biol 2005; 11:2211-2233. [PMID: 34991276 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2005.01036.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Process-based models can be classified into: (a) terrestrial biogeochemical models (TBMs), which simulate fluxes of carbon, water and nitrogen coupled within terrestrial ecosystems, and (b) dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs), which further couple these processes interactively with changes in slow ecosystem processes depending on resource competition, establishment, growth and mortality of different vegetation types. In this study, four models - RHESSys, GOTILWA+, LPJ-GUESS and ORCHIDEE - representing both modelling approaches were compared and evaluated against benchmarks provided by eddy-covariance measurements of carbon and water fluxes at 15 forest sites within the EUROFLUX project. Overall, model-measurement agreement varied greatly among sites. Both modelling approaches have somewhat different strengths, but there was no model among those tested that universally performed well on the two variables evaluated. Small biases and errors suggest that ORCHIDEE and GOTILWA+ performed better in simulating carbon fluxes while LPJ-GUESS and RHESSys did a better job in simulating water fluxes. In general, the models can be considered as useful tools for studies of climate change impacts on carbon and water cycling in forests. However, the various sources of variation among models simulations and between models simulations and observed data described in this study place some constraints on the results and to some extent reduce their reliability. For example, at most sites in the Mediterranean region all models generally performed poorly most likely because of problems in the representation of water stress effects on both carbon uptake by photosynthesis and carbon release by heterotrophic respiration (Rh ). The use of flux data as a means of assessing key processes in models of this type is an important approach to improving model performance. Our results show that the models have value but that further model development is necessary with regard to the representation of the some of the key ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Morales
- Centre for Geobiosphere Science, Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin T Sykes
- Centre for Geobiosphere Science, Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - I Colin Prentice
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Pete Smith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Building, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
| | - Benjamin Smith
- Centre for Geobiosphere Science, Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Harald Bugmann
- Forest Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bärbel Zierl
- Forest Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicolas Viovy
- LSCE Unitè mixte CEA-CNRS, CE-Saclay, Bat 701, 91191, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Santi Sabaté
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Belaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anabel Sánchez
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Belaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduard Pla
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Belaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos A Gracia
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Belaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stephen Sitch
- Department of Global Change and Natural Systems, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), PO Box 60 1203, D-14412, Potsdam, Germany
- Met Office (JCHMR), Maclean Building, Crowmarsh-Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Almut Arneth
- Centre for Geobiosphere Science, Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jerome Ogee
- LSCE Unitè mixte CEA-CNRS, CE-Saclay, Bat 701, 91191, Gif sur Yvette, France
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Schröter D, Cramer W, Leemans R, Prentice IC, Araújo MB, Arnell NW, Bondeau A, Bugmann H, Carter TR, Gracia CA, de la Vega-Leinert AC, Erhard M, Ewert F, Glendining M, House JI, Kankaanpää S, Klein RJT, Lavorel S, Lindner M, Metzger MJ, Meyer J, Mitchell TD, Reginster I, Rounsevell M, Sabaté S, Sitch S, Smith B, Smith J, Smith P, Sykes MT, Thonicke K, Thuiller W, Tuck G, Zaehle S, Zierl B. Ecosystem service supply and vulnerability to global change in Europe. Science 2005; 310:1333-7. [PMID: 16254151 DOI: 10.1126/science.1115233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1142] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Global change will alter the supply of ecosystem services that are vital for human well-being. To investigate ecosystem service supply during the 21st century, we used a range of ecosystem models and scenarios of climate and land-use change to conduct a Europe-wide assessment. Large changes in climate and land use typically resulted in large changes in ecosystem service supply. Some of these trends may be positive (for example, increases in forest area and productivity) or offer opportunities (for example, "surplus land" for agricultural extensification and bioenergy production). However, many changes increase vulnerability as a result of a decreasing supply of ecosystem services (for example, declining soil fertility, declining water availability, increasing risk of forest fires), especially in the Mediterranean and mountain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Schröter
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.
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Gracia CA, Gómez-Barreiro S, González-Pérez A, Nimo J, Rodríguez JR. Static and dynamic light-scattering studies on micellar solutions of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chlorides. J Colloid Interface Sci 2004; 276:408-13. [PMID: 15271569 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2004.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2003] [Accepted: 04/01/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Static (SLS) and dynamic (DLS) light-scattering techniques were applied to the study of the aggregation of dodecyl- (C12DBACl), tetradecyl- (C14DBACl), and hexadecyldimethylbenzylammonium (C16DBACl) chlorides in water and in 0.01 and 0.05 m NaCl aqueous solutions at 25 degrees C. Results of SLS measurements yielded critical micelle concentration (cmc) values for aqueous and NaCl solutions. The aggregation numbers of the micelles for the homologous surfactants are low but increase with chain length and ionic strength of the solution. Various patterns of changes of the diffusion coefficient, D, as a function of chain length, molality, and with ionic strength were found for the studied surfactants. Transformations in the structure of micelles of C14DBACl in 0.01 m NaCl occur at a concentration of surfactant of about 0.01 m. Such transformations, presumably due to rodlike structure, are the more extensive the higher the concentration of NaCl. The concentration of C16DBACl in 0.05 m NaCl covers the range where already repulsive interactions between micelles occur, as judged by the strongly negative slope of the D versus molality plot. To provide additional information on the suggested transformations, complementary viscosity measurements for C14DBACl in 0.01 m of NaCl have been performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Gracia
- Facultad de Física, Departamento de Física de la Materia, Condensada, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, E-15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Abstract
The dynamics of the fine root system are relevant to calculations of the carbon balance of the ecosystem, and there is also a need to quantify changes in this component caused by disturbances. Mediterranean forest systems have historically been coppiced to obtain charcoal. As a result of the resprouting capacity of holm oaks (Quercus ilex L.), these forests present more than 50% of their biomass below ground (stump + roots > 1 cm in diameter), but the effects of thinning on the fine root system are unknown. Fine root biomass, production, mortality and longevity were studied in a control and a thinned Mediterranean holm oak forest by minirhizotron methodology. Observations of fine roots started 2 years after thinning and continued for almost 3 years. Extraction of 80% of the former basal area of the forest greatly affected carbon allocation patterns. Biomass increased by more than 100%, production increased by 76%, mortality increased by 32% and longevity decreased by around 2 weeks. The greatest differences between treatments were associated with differences in growth during autumn months in the top 40 cm of soil, particularly between 10 and 20 cm depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- B C López
- Departament d'Ecologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avgda. Diagonal, 645 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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López B, Sabaté S, Gracia CA. Vertical distribution of fine root density, length density, area index and mean diameter in a Quercus ilex forest. Tree Physiol 2001; 21:555-560. [PMID: 11359714 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/21.8.555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We used minirhizotrons to determine the vertical distribution of fine roots in a holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) forest in a typical Mediterranean area over a 3-year period (June 1994-March 1997). We measured fine root density (number of roots per unit area), fine root length density (length of roots per unit area), fine root area index (area of roots per unit area) and fine root mean diameter. Variables were pooled for each 10-cm depth interval to a depth of 60 cm. Fine roots tended to decrease with increasing depth except between 0 and 10 cm, where the values of all fine root variables were less than in the 10-cm stratum below. Fine root vertical distribution was compared with soil water content and soil temperature at different depths in the soil profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- B López
- Departament d' Ecologia, Facultat de Biololgia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
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Canadell J, Djema A, López B, Lloret F, Sabaté S, Siscart D, Gracia CA. Structure and Dynamics of the Root System. Ecological Studies 1999. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-58618-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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