Climate change and variability have great impact on the hydrological cycle and consequently on the availability of water resources. Variations in temperature and precipitation trends that are occurring are a consequent of the increase in the concentrations of greenhouse gases, which are subsequently affecting the hydrological cycle. This in turn affects water quantity and quality, which is essential for agriculture, domestic and industrial uses. This study, done in Elliot Town and the surrounding areas of Sakhisizwe Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, evaluates how climate change and variability is affecting water availability and its quality in the town. The impact climate change and variability on agricultural production is also assessed. Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), databases and some statistical packages have been used to collect, analyse and create spatial maps used to derive concrete conclusions. The methods used aided in spatially analysing the changes in temperature and rainfall along the years and make a comparative analysis. The study has shown that the spatial changes in the amount, intensity and frequency of rainfall affects the magnitude and frequency of stream flows; consequently, increasing the intensity of floods and droughts that have been recurring in the last few decades. The municipality is more affected by climate variability than change, and the resultant extreme climate events are affecting the water resources resulting in domestic water cuts, poor water quality and low agriculture productivity. This study recommends the importance of an awareness campaigns on climate change and variability and their effect directed towards the community, especially on novel water harvesting technologies. The study also highlights the importance of a robust early warning system to prepare the community in case of a climate shock, which is an area that needs further research. / Environmental Sciences

Die Bedingungen für die Vermarktung von Fischereierzeugnissen sind streng geregelt. Die Deutsche Fisch-Hygiene-Verordnung (VO) schreibt in den §§ 4 (1) und 6 vor, dass alle Fische unverzüglich nach dem Fang und der Tötung ausgenommen werden müssen. In diesem Punkt ist die deutsche VO strenger als das europäische Gemeinschaftsrecht (RL 91/493/EWG). Sowohl durch die in einzelnen Bundesländern unterschiedliche Auslegung des Begriffes "unverzüglich" als auch durch die in anderen EU-Ländern erlassenen Vorschriften ergibt sich eine gewisse Rechtsunsicherheit bei der Vermarktung von Ganzfischen. Im Gegensatz zu Seefischen gibt es bei Süßwasserfischen nur wenige Untersuchungen zum Vergleich der sensorischen und hygienischen Parameter von ausgenommen und unausgenommen gelagerten Fischen. Ziel der Untersuchungen war es daher, an den zwei Modellfischarten Regenbogenforelle (Oncorhynchus mykiss) und Ostsee-Zander (Sander lucioperca) gesundheitlich-hygienische als auch qualitative Gründe für bzw. gegen das Ausnehmen von Süßwasserfischen zu ermitteln. Zum einen wurde während der Lagerung bis zum Verderb wiederholt der Keimstatus der Fische bestimmt, wobei sowohl die Verderbsorganismen als auch potentiell humanpathogene Keime (Vibrio spp., Aeromonas spp., Clostridium spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria spp.) im Fischgewebe erfasst wurden. Zum anderen wurden fischartspezifische Frischegrad- und Kochprobenschemata entwickelt, die den Verderbsprozessen der beiden Süßwasserfischarten während der Lagerung angepasst sind und für eine Bestimmung der sensorischen Eigenschaften angewendet werden können. Darüber hinaus erfolgte bei den Zandern eine Untersuchung der Muskulatur und der Eingeweide auf einen Befall mit humapathogenen Nematoden und eine Bestimmung von flüchtigen Basenstickstoff (TVB-N) in der Filetmuskulatur. Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse lassen den Schluss zu, dass unausgenommene Fische, sofern eine optimale Lagerung gewährleistet ist, hygienisch unbedenklich sind und für einen Zeitraum von einigen Tagen qualitativ gleichwertig mit ausgenommenen Fischen bleiben, bevor autolytische Bauchhöhlenprozesse die Qualität des Ganzfisches beeinträchtigen. Dabei hängt der Zeitraum unter anderem von der Fischart und dem Nüchterungsgrad ab. Mikrobiologische Gründe sprechen eher gegen ein frühzeitiges Ausnehmen, da die bakterielle Belastung der Bauchhöhle durch die Schlachtung höher ausfällt als bei unausgenommen gelagerten Fischen. Demnach kann durch ein spätes Ausnehmen zwar ein schnellerer Qualitätsverlust bei Ganzfischen auftreten, aber aus hygienischer Sicht, auch im Zusammenhang mit humanpathogenen Keimen, ist eine erhöhte Gesundheitsgefährdung des Verbrauchers nicht zu erwarten. / Conditions for the marketing of fishery products are strictly regulated. In Germany, the fish hygiene regulations (§§ 4(1) and 6) demand the gutting of all fishes immediately after the catch. This regulation is more restrictive than the corresponding EU-legislation (RL 91/493/EWG). But several German counties interprete the term "immediately" differently, and most other EU-countries have more permitting regulations, thus creating legal ambiguities in the marketing of whole fishes. Unlike the situation in seafish there are only few surveys in fresh water fish comparing possible sensoric and hygienic effects of gutted and ungutted storage. The aim of this study therefore was to examine health and hygiene related as well as qualitative reasons for or against an immediate gutting of freshwater fish, using aquaculture rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) from the Baltic Sea as model fish species. The bacterial load in several tissues of gutted and ungutted fish, spoilage organisms as well as potentially pathogenic bacteria (Vibrio spp., Aeromonas spp., Clostridium spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria spp), were determined repeatedly throughout the storage period and statistically compared. Furthermore, species-specific grading schemes for the whole fish as well as for steamed fillets were developed that allowed the assessment of spoilage and of the sensoric characteristics of gutted and ungutted fishes. In pike-perch, muscle tissue and guts were examined for pathogenic nematode larvae and the fillet content of total volatile basic nitrogen was determined. The results of this study lead to the conclusion that ungutted fish, as long as optimal storage conditions are guaranteed, bear no special hygienic risks and keep a quality comparable to gutted fish for at least some days before autolytic processes in the body cavity compromise the quality of the whole fish. The length of this storage period depends mainly on the fish species and the filling of the digestive tract. From a microbiological point of view early gutting is not advisable because the gutting process itself results in a higher bacterial contamination of the body cavity than that found in fish stored ungutted. Therefore, a later gutting may lead to a faster loss of quality in whole fish but a higher hygienic risk for the consumer, even in connection with bacteria pathogenic for humans, can not be stated.

The teratogenic potential of commercial formulations of atrazine (40.8%) and 2,4-D was evaluated using FETAX (frog embryo teratogenic assay--Xenopus). Because these herbicides have been detected in ground and surface water, this study was designed to determine the adverse effects in buffer and natural water for both herbicides. All treatments showed a significant concentration-response effect on exposed embryos, except for the 2,4-D natural water sample. Atrazine (solubility of the commercial formula used 70 mg/L at 20 degrees C), compared to 2,4-D (solubility = 311 mg/L at pH = 1 and 25 degrees C), had a significantly greater teratogenic effect in both the buffer (atrazine EC50 = 33 mg/L, LC50 = 100 mg/L, TI = 3.03; 2,4-D EC50 = 245 mg/L, LC50 = 254 mg/L, TI = 1.04) and natural water samples (atrazine EC50 < 8 mg/L, LC50 = 126 mg/L; 2,4-D EC50 and LC50 > 270 mg/L). The 2,4-D EC50 and LC50 values for the buffer were similar at 245 mg/L and 254 mg/L. These similar values and the teratogenic index (TI) of 1.04 suggested that 2,4-D was more embryotoxic than teratogenic to frog embryos at high concentrations. Atrazine in natural water demonstrated a significantly greater EC50 (100% abnormality at 8 mg/L, the lowest test concentration) to frog embryos than the buffer experiment (EC50 = 33 mg/L). The extrapolated lowest observable adverse effect concentration (LOAEC) for the natural water experiment was 1.1 mg/L. These results suggest that atrazine toxicity is enhanced by the synergistic or additive effects of some component of the water or atrazine was already present in the sample. In contrast to atrazine, 2,4-D was less toxic in natural water than buffer. These results suggest that both atrazine and 2,4-D pose little threat, since their embryotoxicity and teratogenicity to frog embryos occur at high concentrations approaching their maximum solubility levels in water.

This study assessed the influence of landscape development on stream-associated amphibians in forested riparian areas within the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region. Human alteration of landscapes may dramatically affect the ecology of neighboring aquatic systems. It was hypothesized that lotic amphibians would be negatively associated with greater amounts of landscape development and positively associated with forested area within the surrounding watershed. Thirty-seven 1st-3rd order streams were sampled between June 21st and September 21st in 2011. Streams potentially providing adequate habitat for stream-obligate amphibians were randomly selected. Amphibians were surveyed along 30-meter stream transects using an active-cover search (ACS). Environmental variables associated with development in surrounding landscapes were measured in situ. GIS delineation was conducted to define landscape-scale variables at stratified distances from riparian networks up-stream of each site via the utilization of the 2006 NLCD dataset and a finer-scale, regional dataset compiled by the Institute for Natural Resources (INR). Amphibians were detected at seventeen of the thirty-seven sampled streams. The most commonly detected species were Dicamptadon tenebrosus, Plethadon vehiculum and Plethadon dunni. Streams where amphibians were observed had lower average water temperature and conductivity, coarser stream substrate and were located on public property more often than streams where no amphibians were detected. Landscape variables were most significant to amphibians within 100 and 200 meters of the upstream stream network. Occupancy of a site by facultative species was best explained by the proportion of mixed forest in the surrounding watershed (R2=0.343, p<0.001). Occupancy of a stream by obligate species was best predicted by measurements of water quality and in-stream cover (Water Temperature: R2=0.275, p<0.001; Water Conductivity: R2=0.248, p<0.001; Cover: R2=0.323, p<0.001). Occupancy of stream refugia by all observed amphibians was positively influenced by higher percentages of forest cover and lower percentages of urban development and herbaceous vegetation in the surrounding watershed. Results of this study indicate that urban refugia must contain adequate riparian forest area, coarse stream substrate and clean, cool water to sustain stream-amphibian communities. Protection of remnant forested headwater stream networks is essential to the conservation of lotic amphibians in this urbanized region.

Surface transient storage (STS) in stream ecosystems serve an important function in retaining nutrients and refugia for aquatic communities. Unfortunately, they can retain contaminants as well. Therefore, it is of importance to determine the residence time distribution (RTD). A RTD of a particular STS zone encompasses the time it takes for the first pulse of water to leave the STS zone, and for the mean residence time of water in that zone, among other things. The RTD of STS is also useful to subtract from the RTD of the total transient storage in streams in order to determine the hyporheic transient storage (HTS) of streams, which is difficult to measure. Currently, there is no definitive method of determining the RTD of STS. They have been determined with tracer injection alone, though this is time consuming and subject to interference from HTS. A relationship between STS physical characteristics and a RTD would be desirable, as this would characterize the time of entrainment of STS based upon a few easily measured physical parameters. This exists for groyne fields and flumes, which both have artificial STS. However, direct application of these equations to natural STS leads to errors due to simplistic geometries. The focus of this study determines RTDs in lateral STS, which is adjacent to the main channel of a stream and a significant proportion of STS, and its relationship to physically measurable parameters of lateral STS. Twenty sites throughout Oregon were each injected with NaCl to determine four residence timescales: Langmuir time (��[subscript L]), negative inverse slope of the normalized concentration curve of the primary gyre (��[subscript 1]), negative inverse slope of the normalized concentration curve of the entire STS zone (��[subscript 2]), and the mean residence time (��[subscript STS]). The RTDs of these sites were then compared to the length, width, and depth of each lateral STS zone, as well as the velocity of the adjacent main channel. This data also was used to calculate dimensionless parameters submergence, a measure of bed roughness, and k, a measure of exchange that relates ��STS to lateral STS and associated parameters. ��[subscript 1] was found to be identical to ��[subscript STS], and ��[subscript 2] could not be defined. ��[subscript STS] was found to be approximately 1.35 times ��[subscript L], the ratio of which (��[subscript L]/��[subscript STS]) is positively correlated with lateral STS submergence. ��[subscript L] and ��[subscript STS] are positively correlated with lateral STS parameters, and inversely correlated with main channel velocity. The value of k from this study was comparable to the value of k from other studies in flumes, and so there is a relationship between RTDs and lateral STS parameters. / Graduation date: 2013

Thesis; Thesis information not provided; 17 Jul 2003. / Published through the Information Bridge: DOE Scientific and Technical Information. "UCRL-LR-154423" Maxwell, R M; Tompson, A F B; Richardson, J H; El-Naser, H; Rihani, J. F F; Subah, A.; El Sha'r, W A; Al-Hadidi, Khair; Al-Awamleh, M; Al-Foqaha, M; Abu-Eid, O; Hayyaneh, R A. 07/17/2003. Report is also available in paper and microfiche from NTIS.

Thesis (Master').

Climate change and variability have great impact on the hydrological cycle and consequently on the availability of water resources. Variations in temperature and precipitation trends that are occurring are a consequent of the increase in the concentrations of greenhouse gases, which are subsequently affecting the hydrological cycle. This in turn affects water quantity and quality, which is essential for agriculture, domestic and industrial uses. This study, done in Elliot Town and the surrounding areas of Sakhisizwe Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, evaluates how climate change and variability is affecting water availability and its quality in the town. The impact climate change and variability on agricultural production is also assessed. Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), databases and some statistical packages have been used to collect, analyse and create spatial maps used to derive concrete conclusions. The methods used aided in spatially analysing the changes in temperature and rainfall along the years and make a comparative analysis. The study has shown that the spatial changes in the amount, intensity and frequency of rainfall affects the magnitude and frequency of stream flows; consequently, increasing the intensity of floods and droughts that have been recurring in the last few decades. The municipality is more affected by climate variability than change, and the resultant extreme climate events are affecting the water resources resulting in domestic water cuts, poor water quality and low agriculture productivity. This study recommends the importance of an awareness campaigns on climate change and variability and their effect directed towards the community, especially on novel water harvesting technologies. The study also highlights the importance of a robust early warning system to prepare the community in case of a climate shock, which is an area that needs further research. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:25:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_leandro_clavico.pdf: 1159675 bytes, checksum: 7d1fdc415c1f532540696f8afdeac2c4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-01-21 / In this study the south area of the State of Rio Grande do Sul was chosen, to study the possible relationship of climatological variables with the fish disembarkation, seeking to explore the possibility to include contributions of these varied in the models of administration of the stocks of fish of fresh water of the area included by the Pond of the Ducks and Little Pond. For this, it was used the data of fish disembarkation in the city of Rio Grande, during the years of 1987 and 2006 originating from of embarkations of the cities of São Lourenço do Sul, Pelotas, Rio Grande, São José do Norte and Santa Vitória do Palmar, systematically they are organized for IBAMA / CEPERG (Center of Research and Administration of the Fishing Resources Lagunares and Estuarinos ). The climatological data were obtained in the site http//www.cdc.noaa.gov/cdc (NOAA). Starting from the analysis of the data of fish disembarkation it was observed that the fish specimens Jundiá and Traíra act more of the half of all the captured production and disembarked in Porto of Rio Grande/RS city inside of the period study. It was calculated the averages trimestrais of disembarkation of fish of the specimens Jundiá and Traíra for the four quarters of every year. Starting from the analysis of the data, identified that the third quarter is the most significant in the requirement amount (kg) of disembarkation for the specimen jundiá , while for the specimen Traíra was the second quarter. Starting from the statistical analyses correlating fish disembarkation and climatological variables was verified that for the specimen Jundiá the more significant climatological variables for it quarter of larger importance were: for the month of component July V of the wind, rain and long wave radiation (LWR), for the month of August already, component U of the wind, temperature and (LWR) and, consequently, for the month of September the most significant variables are component U and V of the wind and speed of the wind. And for the specimen Traíra the climatological variables that obtained larger significance indexes for more expressive quarter were: for the month of component April V of the wind and temperature, for the month of May already, all the variables present important values for analysis, in other words, component variable U and V of the wind, speed, temperature, rain and long wave radiation (LWR) and, consequently, for the month of June the more significant climatological variables are component U of the wind, speed of the wind and rain. / No presente projeto elegeu-se a região sul do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, para estudar-se as possíveis relações de variáveis climatológicas com o desembarque de pescado, visando explorar a possibilidade de incluir contribuições destas variáveis nos modelos de gerenciamento dos estoques de pescado de água doce da região abrangida pela Lagoa dos Patos e Lagoa Mirim. Para isto, utilizou-se os dados de desembarque de pescado na cidade do Rio Grande, entre os anos de 1987 e 2006 oriundo de embarcações das cidades de São Lourenço do Sul, Pelotas, Rio Grande, São José do Norte e Santa Vitória do Palmar, sistematicamente são organizados pelo IBAMA /CEPERG (Centro de Pesquisa e Gestão dos Recursos Pesqueiros Lagunares e Estuarinos). Os dados climatológicos foram obtidos no site http//www.cdc.noaa.gov/cdc (NOAA). A partir da análise dos dados de desembarque de pescado observou-se que os espécimes de peixe Jundiá e Traíra representam mais da metade de toda a produção capturada e desembarcada no Porto da cidade do Rio Grande/RS dentro do período de estudo. Calculou-se as médias trimestrais de desembarque de pescado dos espécimes Jundiá e Traíra para os quatro trimestres de cada ano. A partir da análise dos dados, identificou-se que o terceiro trimestre é o mais significativo no quesito quantidade (kg) de desembarque para o espécime jundiá, enquanto que para o espécime Traíra foi o segundo trimestre. A partir das análises estatísticas correlacionando desembarque de pescado e variáveis climatológicas verificou-se que para o espécime Jundiá as variáveis climatológicas mais significativas para seu trimestre de maior importância foram: para o mês de julho componente V do vento, chuva e radiação de onda longa (ROL), já para o mês de agosto, componente U do vento, temperatura e (ROL) e, por conseguinte, para o mês de Setembro as variáveis mais significativas são componente U e V do vento e velocidade do vento. E para o espécime Traíra as variáveis climatológicas que obtiveram maiores índices de significância para seu trimestre mais expressivo foram: para o mês de Abril componente V do vento e temperatura, já para o mês de Maio, todas as variáveis apresentam valores importantes para análise, ou seja, variável componente U e V do vento, velocidade, temperatura, chuva e radiação de onda longa (ROL) e, por conseguinte, para o mês de Junho as variáveis climatológicas mais significativas são componente U do vento, velocidade do vento e chuva.

This thesis is focused on studies on the environmental fate and methodological improvements for determination of the global contaminants, PCBs and DDTs, and locally discharged phenolics, e.g. 4,5,6-trichloroguaiacol (4,5,6-TCG), and their transformation products. 4,5,6-TCG is released from bleached pulp mills, and was chosen as a model substance, to study its fate and effects in aquatic environments. In a brackish water model ecosystem, 4,5,6-TCG was shown to be transformed via demethylation, dechlorination, and methylation reactions. Marine periphyton exposed to 4,5,6-TCG was shown to form demethylated, brominated and dimeric metabolites. Several of these metabolites were identified and quantified. Also more tightly bound chlorophenolics were recovered from the substrate, after harsh extraction procedures had been applied. Conjugates of chlorophenols in fish bile were determined as useful tracers for monitoring effluents from bleached pulp mills, even in areas far from the discharge point. To facilitate calculations of water concentrations, bile to water bioconcentration factors (bBCF-values) were determined for several phenolics, including also alkali-labile chlorocatechols. PCBs and DDTs, were assessed in Swedish lakes with background exposure of these global contaminants. A methodological study focus on the contamination risks of airborne PCBs, during freeze-drying and storage of dry sediment samples. Eutrophication has been proposed to cause lower levels of pollutants in biota in lakes due to biomass dilution but in this thesis examples of higher levels of PCBs in sediment traps, sediment and in perch, and also in higher fluxes of PCBs to the sediment, were observed. Phytoplankton are supposed to be responsible for most of the transport of the contaminants. The composition of DDTs in soil, sediment traps and in dated sediment cores was studied in some detail. PCBs, DDTs, HCB and HCHs were measured in sediments from 100 reference lakes included in the National Swedish Environmental Program. The lakes have a large variation in lake characteristics, representative for different areas in Sweden. A gradient was observed for sPCB with decreasing levels from the south west towards the north. The results suggests that longrange transport is the dominating mechanism for distribution of the contaminants analysed. In this study the levles of PCBs and DDTs were lower in eutrophic lakes than in oligotrophic lakes, in an area with similar atmospheric exposure. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Submitted. Paper 6: Manuscript.</p>