The goal of this thesis was to adopt a reverse flow injection analysis (rFIA) technique to the fluorometric analysis of the reaction o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) with ammonium, allowing accurate measurements of ammonium concentrations lower than the detection limit of the widely used indophenol blue (IPB) colorimetric method while accounting for the background fluorescence of seawater. Ammonium is considered an essential nutrient for primary productivity, especially in the nutrient depleted surface ocean where as the most reduced form of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, it is readily assimilated via metabolic pathways. Challenges in the quantification of ammonium require more sensitive analytical techniques for a greater understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of ammonium in the oligotrophic ocean. On-line and automated flow analysis techniques are capable of mitigating some of the challenges. Fluorescent-based methods out-perform colorimetric methods in terms of detection limits and sensitivity. Presented here is the development of an rFIA technique paired with an OPA-sulfite chemistry. For this method, a sulfite-formaldehyde reagent is mixed with the sample stream and then injected with the OPA reagent before being heated. Fluorescence is measured before and at the peak of the OPA injection, differentiating the background fluorescence from the analyte signal. Experiments to optimize reaction parameters and characterize the effects of salinity and potentially interfering species were conducted. The newly developed method offers a reasonable throughput (18 samples per hour), low limit of detection (1.1 nM) ammonium analysis technique with automatic background fluorescence correction suitable for oligotrophic seawater as a preferable alternative to the low sensitivity and high limit of detection IPB colorimetric method.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Swine production in southern Brazil is concentrated on small farms, seeking the recovery of waste as a source of nutrients crops of economic interest. The interaction between applications of pig slurry and soil management is common on small farms, however scarce information was found about the main responses of agricultural crops under this condition. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate the use of pig slurry, associated with soil management in succession oat / maize and double purpose wheat / soybean. The experimental design was a factorial in a randomized complete block design, with four replications. The treatments consisted of doses of pig slurry (without manure, 20, 40, 80 m3 ha-1), and mineral fertilizer in three different soil management: no tillage, chiseling and chiseling + disking. The application of pig slurry was held before oat/maize and wheat crops sowing, and the soil management employed only before the establishment of winter crops. The application of pig slurry in succession oat / maize showed increases in dry matter yield, and in the accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and in the grain yield. As for soil management, no-tillage favored the production of oat dry matter yield and soybean grain yield. However, the dual-purpose wheat proved to be low responsive to soil management employed. As for maize, the interaction between higher doses of pig slurry and with tillage managements promotes increases in grain yield. The application of pig slurry before the dual purpose wheat sowing promoted increases in dry matter production and grain yield. The residual effect of five applications of pig slurry does not alter the soybean grain yield. / A produção de suínos no Sul do Brasil concentra-se em pequenas propriedades rurais, que buscam o aproveitamento dos resíduos como fonte de nutrientes as culturas agrícolas de interesse econômico. Aplicação de dejeto líquido de suínos e manejos de solo diferenciados é comum em pequenas propriedades rurais, no entanto são escassas informações sob as repostas das principais culturas agrícolas frente a esta condição. Nesse sentido, o trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a influência do uso de dejeto líquido de suínos, associado a manejos de solo na sucessão aveia/milho e trigo duplo propósito/soja. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos constaram da interação de doses de dejeto líquido de suínos (sem dejeto, 20, 40, 80 m3 ha-1), e adubação mineral, em três diferentes manejos de solo: plantio direto, escarificado e escarificação + gradagem. A aplicação do dejeto líquido de suínos foi realizada antes da semeadura das culturas aveia, milho e trigo, os manejos de solo realizados antes do estabelecimento das culturas de inverno. A aplicação de dejeto líquido de suínos na sucessão aveia/milho promoveu incrementos na produção de matéria seca, no acúmulo de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio, e na produtividade de grãos. Quanto aos manejos de solo, o plantio direto favoreceu a produção de matéria seca da aveia e a produtividade de grãos de soja. Já para o milho, a interação entre maiores doses de dejeto líquido de suínos e manejos com revolvimento do solo promove incrementos na produtividade de grãos. A aplicação do dejeto líquido de suínos antes da semeadura do trigo duplo propósito promove incrementos na produção de matéria seca e na produtividade de grãos. O efeito residual de cinco aplicações de dejeto líquido de suínos não altera a produtividade de grãos de soja.

The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes major losses in the production of beans. Because it is a soil fungus, it is difficult to control and the biological control with Trichoderma sp. is a viable alternative. There are many factors that can interfere with the performance of the antagonist in biological control, such as pH, amount of water in the soil, soil type and nutrients. The latter are present in abundance in the soil by fertilization performed to meet the needs of the crop, but little is known about their interference in the performance of biological control of S. sclerotiorum by the antagonist Trichoderma sp. Thus, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) on the growth of different isolates of Trichoderma sp. and S. sclerotiorum in vitro, as well as the performance of Trichoderma sp. on the in vitro and in vivo control of Sclerotinia sp. and to verify the effect of Trichoderma sp. in the NPK uptake by bean plants. The study was conducted in laboratory and greenhouse in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. The parameters measured were mycelial growth, sporulation of Trichoderma sp. and percentage of control of the pathogen in vitro. In vivo the incidence of white mold, plant height, root length, leaf number, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root and stem diameter of bean plants were evaluated. The population of Trichoderma sp. in soil and NPK content in plant tissue of the shoot bean were also evaluated. The highest micelial growth was achieved by Trichoderma sp. UFSMT16 for all doses of NPK in vitro, differing from the isolate UFSMT17 only at rates of 75 to 125% of NPK. In the quantification of spores of Trichoderma sp., the isolate UFSMT17 had the highest sporulation in the majority of the different doses of NPK. The isolate UFSMT16 obtained better results in the test of paired cultures, with the highest performance at doses of 50, 75 and 100% NPK (notes 1.00, 1.25 and 1.00, respectively). In the final population, Trichoderma sp. UFSMT15.1 obtained higher CFU g-1 soil (1.3 x 104), differing significantly from the isolate UFSMT16 and the control treatment. For the variable content of phosphorus in plant tissue of the shoot, the interaction between Trichoderma sp. in the absence and presence of S. sclerotiorum associated with doses of NPK, there was statistical difference between the isolates of Trichoderma spp. UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16 and the control treatment at the doses of 25 and 125% of NPK, in the presence and at the dose of 25% in the absence of S. sclerotiorum. It was concluded that the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) in the Elad medium influence growth and reproduction of the genus Trichoderma in vitro; isolates of Trichoderma sp. (UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16, and UFSMT17) have higher growth of colonies in vitro than isolates of S. sclerotiorum, regardless of the dose of NPK; the levels of 25, 50, 75,100 NPK and 125% of the growth medium Elad interfere with effective control of S. sclerotiorum by isolates UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16, and UFSMT17 of Trichoderma sp.; the population of Trichoderma sp. is not affected by varying the application of different doses of NPK in soil and the presence of S. sclerotiorum reduced the height of the aerial parts of beans, even without visible symptoms of the disease, while Trichoderma sp. UFSMT15.1 UFSMT16 and increased in soil with low application of NPK; and UFSMT16 and UFSMT15.1 isolates in the presence and absence of S. sclerotiorum in different levels of NPK interfere with the amount of phosphorus in the shoots of beans, but have no significant effect on the content of nitrogen and potassium. / O fungo Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causa grandes perdas na produção de grãos de feijão. Por ser um fungo de solo, é de difícil manejo sendo o controle biológico com Trichoderma sp. uma alternativa viável. Existem muitos fatores que podem interferir no desempenho do antagonista no controle biológico, como pH, quantidade de água no solo, tipo de solo e nutrientes. Estes estão presentes em abundância no solo pela adubação realizada para suprir as necessidades da cultura, porém pouco se sabe sobre a interferência no desempenho do controle biológico de S. sclerotiorum pelo antagonista Trichoderma sp. Dessa forma, os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar a influência de doses de NPK (nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio) no crescimento de diferentes isolados de Trichoderma sp. e S. sclerotiorum in vitro, assim como o desempenho de Trichoderma sp. no controle in vitro e in vivo de Sclerotinia sp. e verificar a ação de Trichoderma sp. na absorção de NPK pelo feijoeiro. O trabalho foi realizado em laboratório e casa de vegetação em Santa Maria, RS, Brasil. Os parâmetros avaliados foram crescimento micelial, esporulação de Trichoderma sp. e porcentagem de controle do patógeno in vitro. In vivo foram avaliadas a incidência de mofo branco, altura de planta, comprimento de raízes, número de folhas, massa fresca e seca de parte aérea e raiz e diâmetro de colo de plantas de feijoeiro. Também se avaliou a população de Trichoderma sp. no solo e o teor de NPK em tecido vegetal da parte aérea do feijoeiro. O maior crescimento micelial foi obtido pelo isolado de Trichoderma sp. UFSMT16 para todas as doses de NPK in vitro, diferindo do isolado UFSMT17 somente nas doses de 75 a 125% de NPK. Na quantificação de esporos de Trichoderma sp., o isolado UFSMT17 apresentou a maior esporulação na maioria das diferentes doses de NPK. O isolado UFSMT16 obteve melhor resultado no teste de pareamento de culturas, apresentando o maior desempenho nas doses de 50, 75 e 100% de NPK (notas de 1,00, 1,25 e 1,00, respectivamente). Na população final o isolado de Trichoderma spp. UFSMT15.1 obteve maior média de UFCs g-1 de solo (1,3 x 104), diferindo estatisticamente do isolado UFSMT16 e da testemunha. Para a variável teor de fósforo na parte aérea, na interação entre isolados de Trichoderma sp. na ausência e presença de S. sclerotiorum associados a doses de NPK, observou-se diferença estatística entre os isolados de Trichoderma spp. UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16 e tratamento testemunha nas doses de 25 e 125% de NPK, na presença e na dose de 25% na ausência de S. sclerotiorum. Concluiu-se que as doses de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio (NPK) no meio de cultura Elad interferem no crescimento e reprodução do gênero Trichoderma in vitro; os isolados de Trichoderma sp. (UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16 e UFSMT17) têm maior crescimento de colônias in vitro, do que os isolados de S. sclerotiorum, independente da dose de NPK; as doses de 25, 50, 75,100 e 125% NPK da estabelecida para o meio de cultura Elad interferem na eficácia de controle de S. sclerotiorum pelos isolados UFSMT15.1, UFSMT16 e UFSMT17 de Trichoderma sp.; a população de Trichoderma sp. não é afetada pela variação da aplicação de diferentes doses de NPK em solo; a presença de S. sclerotiorum diminuiu a altura de parte aérea do feijoeiro, mesmo na ausência de sintomas visíveis da doença, enquanto que os isolados de Trichoderma sp. UFSMT15.1 e UFSMT16 aumentaram em solo com baixa aplicação de NPK; os isolados UFSMT15.1 e UFSMT16 na presença e ausência de S. sclerotiorum em diferentes doses de NPK interferem na quantidade de fósforo na parte aérea do feijoeiro, porém não apresentam efeito significativo no teor de nitrogênio e potássio.

Fruit and vegetable residue (FVR) can be used for the production of organic compost, which when mineralized may provide nutrients to fruit trees, such as the Pecan (Carya illinoinensis (Wang) K.). The objective of the study was to produce an organic compound from the mixture of different ratios of fruit and vegetable residue (FVR), rice husk (RH) and poultry manure (PM) that meets the minimum quality requirements demanded by legislation, as well as to evaluate the N mineralization of the organic compound used in the composition of the substrates to be used in the production of Pecan (Carya illinoinensis (Wang) K.) rootstock cultivar. This study was divided into two studies: Study 1 (Composition and mineralization of organic compounds derived from the composting of fruit and vegetable residues) and Study 2 (Growth and nutritional status of Pecan rootstock cultivar subjected to the application of an organic compound-based substrate). In Study 1, four treatments (piles) were assembled with different ratios of mixtures of FVR:RH:PM (v:v): 2:1:0, 1:1:1, 1.5:1:0 and 1.2:1:0. The treatments were submitted to the composting process for a period of 95 days. Four organic compounds were obtained (C1, C2, C3 and C4) and analyzed using the following parameters: TOC Nt, C/N CEC/C, EC, pH, moisture content, N-NH4+, N-NO3-, and contents of P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, S, Mn and Zn. The second stage of this study was to perform the N mineralization test of the organic compound (C2) produced in the first stage of the study, used together with agricultural peat (AP) and carbonized rice husk (CRH) in the composition of the following treatments: 40%AP+60%CRH (control), 20%AP+80%C2, 30%AP+70%C2, 40%AP+60%C2, 50%AP+50%C2, 60%AP+40%C2, 70%AP+30%C2 and 80%AP+20%C2. The contents of N-NH4+, N-NO3-, mineral N and mineralized N were analyzed in relation to the total added at each time (0, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 112 days). In Study 2, the 40%AP+60% CRH (control), 20%AP+80%C2, 30%AP+70%C2, 40%AP+60%C2, 50%AP+50%C2, 60%AP+40%C2, 70%AP+30%C2 and 80%AP+20%C2 treatments were analyzed in relation to the development and nutritional status of Pecan rootstock cultivar in the period of 112 days. In Study 1, the constant additions of fruit and vegetable residues showed no significant difference in the temperature pattern developed in the compost piles. The composting of fruit and vegetable residues and rice husk requires an external source of nutrients to produce an organic compound within the minimum standards of quality required by organic fertilizer legislation. The compost (C2) exhibited excellent performance and the results were within the standards required by legislation in the following maturation and quality parameters: C/N ratio, TOC, N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Mn, CEC/C, pH, and moisture%. The use of organic compound in substrate composition favored N mineralization in comparison to the control treatment, especially the 40%AP+60%C2 mixture, which exhibited the highest NH4+ value at all the evaluated times, and the 60%AP+40%C2 mixture with the highest NO3-, mineral N and mineralized N at 28 days after incubation, as well as the highest N mineralization during the evaluation period. In Study 2, rootstocks grown in the 80%AP+20%C2 and 60%AP+40%C2 treatments exhibited greater accumulation of dry shoot mass (DSM). The 50%AP+50%C2, 40%AP+60%C2 and 30%AP+70%C2 treatments showed a greater increase in height and in the accumulation of total dry matter (TDM). The 40%AP+60%C2 treatment promoted the highest accumulation of dry root mass (DRM) and Dickson quality index (DQI) in the Pecan rootstock cultivar. The doses of organic compound (C2) did not affect the concentration of nutrients in the leaves of pecan, except N, which exhibited a lower concentration in the leaves in all the treatments. Thus, the organic compound produced from residues of fruits and vegetables, rice husk and poultry manure is efficient in the production of pecan rootstock cultivar. / Resíduos de frutas e hortaliças (RFH) podem ser utilizados para a produção de composto orgânico que quando mineralizado pode disponibilizar nutrientes às plantas frutíferas como a Nogueira-Pecã (Carya illinoinensis (Wang) K.). O objetivo do estudo foi produzir um composto orgânico a partir da mistura de diferentes proporções de resíduo de frutas e hortaliças (RFH), casca de arroz (CA) e dejeto de aves (DA), que atenda aos requisitos mínimos de qualidade exigidos pela legislação de fertilizantes orgânicos, avaliar a mineralização de N do composto orgânico utilizado na composição de substratos para ser utilizado na produção de cultivar de porta-enxerto de Nogueira-Pecã (Carya illinoinensis (Wang) K). O presente trabalho foi dividido em dois estudos: Estudo 1(Composição e mineralização de compostos orgânicos derivados da compostagem de resíduos de frutas e hortaliças) e Estudo 2 (Crescimento e estado nutricional de cultivar de porta-enxerto de Nogueira-Pecã submetido a aplicação de substrato à base de composto orgânico). No Estudo 1, foram montados quatro tratamentos (pilhas), com diferentes proporções de misturas de RFH:CA:DA (v:v): 2:1:0, 1:1:1, 1,5:1:0 e 1,2:1:0. Os tratamentos foram submetidos ao processo de compostagem por um período de 95 dias. Foram obtidos 4 compostos orgânicos (C1, C2, C3 e C4), que foram analisados nos seguintes parâmetros: COT, Nt, C/N, CTC/C, CE, pH, teor de umidade, N-NH4+, N-NO3-, teor de P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, S, Mn e Zn. A segunda etapa deste estudo foi a realização de teste de mineralização de N do composto orgânico (C2), produzido na primeira etapa do estudo, utilizado juntamente com a turfa agrícola (TA) e casca de arroz carbonizada (CC) na composição dos seguintes tratamentos: 40%TA+60%CC (controle), 20%TA+80%C2, 30%TA+70%C2, 40%TA+60%C2, 50%TA+50%C2, 60%TA+ 40%C2, 70%TA+30%C2 e 80%TA+20%C2. Foram analisados os teores de N-NH4+, N-NO3-, N mineral e N mineralizado em relação ao total adicionado nos tempos (0, 7, 14, 28, 56 e 112 dias). No Estudo 2, foram avaliados os tratamentos 40%TA+60%CC (controle), 20%TA+80%C2, 30%TA+70%C2, 40%TA+60%C2, 50%TA+50%C2, 60%TA+ 40%C2, 70%TA+30%C2 e 80%TA+20%C2 no desenvolvimento e estado nutricional de cultivar de porta-enxerto de Nogueira-Pecã no período de 112 dias. No Estudo 1, as constantes adições de resíduos de frutas e hortaliças não demonstraram diferença significativa no padrão de temperatura desenvolvido nas pilhas de compostagem. A compostagem de resíduos de frutas e hortaliças e casca de arroz, necessita de uma fonte externa de nutrientes para produzir um composto orgânico dentro dos padrões mínimos de qualidade exigidos pela legislação de fertilizantes orgânicos. O composto (C2) apresentou desempenho superior com resultados conforme exige a legislação nos seguintes parâmetros de maturação e qualidade: relação C/N, COT, teores de N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Mn, CTC/C, pH e umidade%. A utilização de composto orgânico na composição do substrato, favoreceu a mineralização de N em relação ao tratamento controle, com destaque para a mistura 40%TA+60%C2 que apresentou a maior valor de NH4+ em todas as datas avaliadas, 60%TA+40%C2 com maior valor de NO3- , N mineral e N mineralizado aos 28 dias após a incubação, assim como também apresentou a maior mineralização do N no período avaliado. No Estudo 2, os porta-enxertos cultivados nos tratamentos 80%TA+20%C2 e 60%TA+40%C2 apresentaram maior acúmulo de massa seca da parte aérea (MSPA). Os tratamentos 50%TA+50%C2, 40%TA+60%C2 e 30%TA+70%C2, apresentaram maior incremento em altura e acúmulo de massa seca total (MST). O tratamento 40%TA+60%C2 favoreceu o maior acúmulo de massa seca de raiz (MSR) e o índice de qualidade de Dickson (IQD) em cultivar de porta-enxerto de Nogueira-Pecã. As doses de composto orgânico (C2) não afetaram a concentração de nutrientes nas folhas de nogueira-pecã, exceto o N que apresentou menor concentração nas folhas em todos os tratamentos avaliados. Assim, o composto orgânico produzido a partir de resíduos de frutas e hortaliças, casca de arroz e dejeto de aves é eficiente na produção de cultivar de porta-enxerto de nogueira-pecã.

L'objectif de cette thèse a été d'évaluer l'effet biogéochimique de deux forçages : l'acidification de l'océan et les dépôts de poussières sahariennes. Dans un premier temps, nous avons montré que dans une région dite Low Nutrient Low Chlorophyll (LNLC) l'effet de l'acidification de l'océan sur les cycles marins de l'azote (N), du phosphore (P) et du fer (Fe) sera surement négligeable. L'acidification des eaux de surface appauvries en N et P n'affecterait pas la spéciation de ces éléments, et la composition de la communauté planctonique, n'étant pas significativement modifiée, n'induirait pas de changement dans la dynamique des nutriments inorganiques. Dans un deuxième temps, les expériences menées pendant cette thèse nous ont permis de mieux paramétriser les processus post-dépôts des nutriments atmosphériques à la surface de l'eau de mer lors d'un évènement saharien. Les échanges dissous/particulaire ont lieu sur une courte échelle de temps. Ils sont à la fois contrôlés par la dynamique verticale des particules et la nature de la matière organique dissoute (DOM) pouvant s'agréger sur les particules lithogéniques. Dans des conditions d'acidification de l'océan, alors que la dissolution des éléments anthropiques adsorbés sur les poussières sahariennes, tels que l'azote inorganique, ne sera pas affectée, celle des éléments d'origine crustale (P et Fe) pourrait être accrue ou accélérée selon les agrégats organique-minéral formés. Le rôle majeur du processus d'agrégation dans la mise à disposition des nutriments atmosphériques a été mis en évidence par une rapide et importante formation abiotique de particules exopolymériques transparentes juste après le dépôt de poussières. / The objective of this thesis was to assess the biogeochemical effect of two forcings: the ocean acidification and the dust deposition. Firstly, we showed that in the Low Nutrient Low Chlorophyll (LNLC) area the effect of the ocean acidification on the marine cycle of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) will be likely negligible. The pH decrease of the surface waters depleted in N and P would not affect the speciation of these elements, and the absence of effect on the composition of the plankton community would not lead to a shift in the dynamic of inorganic nutrients. Secondly, the experiments performed during this thesis allowed a better parametrization of the post-depositional processes of atmospheric nutrients in the surface seawater after a Saharan event. The exchanges dissolved/particulate occurred in the short timescale. They were controlled by both the particles dynamic and the nature of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) that can aggregate with the lithogenic particles. Under ocean acidification conditions, while the dissolution of anthropogenic elements adsorbed onto dust, such as the inorganic nitrogen, will not be affected, the dissolution of the crustal elements (P and Fe) could be higher and faster according the formation of organic-dust aggregates. The major role of the aggregation process on the availability of atmospheric nutrients was highlighted by the rapid and large abiotic formation of transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) following the dust deposition to the surface waters.

Abstract Treatment wetlands (TW) constructed on natural wetlands potentially perform efficient purification of wastewater, but the longevity of TWs at northern latitudes is not well known. This thesis examined processes affecting nutrient and suspended solids (SS) retention in TWs during their lifetime. In total, 15 TWs were studied using water and peat quality and gas flux data for different TW life lengths, the longest period being 18 years. The TWs commonly retained nutrients and suspended solids efficiently, even after 18 years of wastewater loading. For nitrogen (N) removal, sedimentation, nitrification-denitrification and plant uptake were efficient processes in the wetlands studied. However, emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) from TWs are not a major contributor to climate change due to the small total surface area of TWs. The significance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and other newly discovered nitrogen processes in TWs remains to be clarified. Phosphorus (P) adsorption capacity in TWs remained efficient over a 12-year study period, the process being continuous when surfaces for adsorption were available or freed up through alternating absorption/desorption/adsorption. Phosphorus accumulation by peat accretion was low, but has not been well assessed in northern TWs receiving nutrient-rich waters. Iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) in peat extraction runoff and purified wastewater from sewage treatment plants were of great importance for precipitation of P in TWs. Filtration and sedimentation of organic humic substances with Fe- or Al-bound P were other probable P retention pathways. In peat extraction runoff, Fe was more significant than Al for P retention, but Fe-bound P is susceptible to desorption in anaerobic environments, whereas Al-bound P is more strongly retained. Suspended solids were generally retained well, although there was great variation in percentage retention in individual TWs in different years and different seasons. Changes in discharge affected SS transportation and retention. SS were retained by sedimentation, the rate of which was affected by particle size. It is plausible that smaller particles from old peat extraction areas where the extracted peat has a high humification degree erode more easily than poorly humified particles in surface peat. Weakened SS retention may also have been caused by development of preferential flow areas (PFA) in TWs, changes in sediment delivery characteristics and sampling involving too few samples to show SS transportation sufficiently accurately for estimating SS retention. Thus TWs are potentially ideal for purification of wastewater and can have high purification efficiency even after long-term use in northern regions. They are also more widely applicable as long as their limitations are understood. / Tiivistelmä Kosteikkopuhdistamot, jotka on rakennettu luonnonkosteikoille, voivat tehokkaasti vähentää erilaisten maankäyttömuotojen ja pistekuormituslähteiden vesistökuormitusta. Niiden käyttöikää pohjoisilla alueilla ei kuitenkaan tunneta hyvin. Tässä väitöskirjassa tarkastellaan kosteikkopuhdistamoissa tapahtuvia biologisia, kemiallisia ja fysikaalisia prosesseja, joilla on vaikutusta ravinteiden ja kiintoaineen pidättymiseen. Yhteensä 15 eri-ikäisen kosteikkopuhdistamon toimintaa tutkittiin veden ja turpeen laadun sekä kasvihuonekaasumittausten avulla. Näistä vanhinta kosteikkoa oli tutkimusta tehdessä käytetty 18 vuotta turvetuotannon valumavesien puhdistukseen. Tyypillisesti kosteikkopuhdistamot pidättivät ravinteita ja kiintoaineita tehokkaasti jopa 18 vuoden käytön jälkeen. Typenpoistossa sedimentaatio, nitrifikaatio-denitrifikaatio ja kasvien ravinteidenotto olivat tutkituilla kosteikoilla tehokkaita prosesseja. Kosteikkopuhdistamoiden typpioksiduulipäästöt (N2O) ilmaan eivät kuitenkaan ole merkittäviä ilmastonmuutoksen aiheuttajia, koska tällaisten kosteikkopuhdistamoiden kokonaispinta-ala on pieni. Anammox- (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) ja muiden viimeaikoina muissa tutkimuksissa havaittujen typpiprosessien merkitys kosteikoilla tulisi vielä selvittää. Fosforin adsorptiokyky kosteikkopuhdistamoilla pysyi tehokkaana 12 vuoden tutkimusjaksolla, koska niissä adsorptiopintoja oli joko vapaana tai niitä vapautui absorptio- ja desorptioprosessien seurauksena. Kosteikkopuhdistamolla fosforin kertyminen turpeen muodostuksessa arvioitiin vähäiseksi, tosin kertymistä ei ole tarkkaan määritetty pohjoisilla kosteikkopuhdistamoilla, joihin tulee ravinteikasta vettä. Turvetuotannon valumavesissä ja jätevedenpuhdistamoilta tulleissa vesissä orgaanisten humusaineiden rautaan ja alumiiniin sitoutuneen fosforin suodattuminen ja sedimentoituminen olivat muita todennäköisiä fosforin pidättymismekanismeja kosteikoilla. Turvetuotannon valumavesissä rauta oli alumiinia merkittävämpi tekijä fosforin pidättymisessä. Rautaan sitoutunut fosfori on kuitenkin altis desorptiolle hapettomissa olosuhteissa, kun taas alumiiniin sitoutunut fosfori pidättyy pysyvämmin. Kiintoaines pidättyi kosteikkopuhdistamoissa yleensä hyvin, vaikka pidättyneen aineen osuudessa kokonaiskuormituksesta oli suurta vaihtelua yksittäisissä kosteikkopuhdistamoissa eri vuosina ja eri vuodenaikoina. Muutokset virtaamissa vaikuttivat kiintoaineksen kulkeutumiseen ja pidättymiseen. Kiintoaines pidättyy sedimentaatiossa, jonka suuruuteen vaikuttaa kiintoaineen partikkelikoko. On todennäköistä, että vanhojen turvetuotantoalueiden korkean humusasteen pienikokoiset turvepartikkelit erodoituvat helpommin kuin pintaturpeen vähemmän hajonneet partikkelit. Heikentynyt kiintoaineen pidättyminen saattaa aiheutua myös kosteikkopuhdistamoiden oikovirtauksien kehittymisestä, muutoksista sedimentin kulkeutumistavoissa ja liian harvoista näytteenotoista, jolloin ei pystytä riittävän tarkasti arvioimaan kiintoaineksen pidättymistä. Kosteikkopuhdistamot voivat olla ideaalisia jätevesien puhdistamiseen ja ovat osoittaneet hyvää puhdistustehokkuutta myös pitkäaikaisessa käytössä pohjoisissa olosuhteissa. Siten ne ovat laajasti sovellettavissa, kunhan niiden käyttömahdollisuuksien rajoitteet on otettu huomioon.

No description available.

It is well established that converting wastewater, a point-source of pollution, into reclaimed water makes management of nutrients more difficult. Not all service lines measure the volume of reclaimed water used by a customer, and frequently there are no restrictions on the amount of reclaimed water that is used. Nutrients applied in excess have the potential to runoff or leach through soils and contaminate surface and groundwater resources. This research attempted to determine if corresponding surface water quality monitoring sites in reclaimed service areas reflect elevated total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP) concentrations. The Joe’s Creek Watershed in Pinellas County, FL is a highly urbanized watershed with one wastewater plant providing tertiary treatment for reclaimed water (Pinellas County Utilities Dept.) and another wastewater plant providing secondary treatment (City of St. Petersburg Water Resources Dept.). This research reviewed concentrations of TN and TP in the reclaimed water effluent for each wastewater treatment plant and at four tributary sites in the Joe’s Creek Watershed. One tributary site, Bonn Creek, is in the tertiary treated service area, another tributary site, Miles Creek, is in the secondary treated service area, and a third tributary, Joe’s Creek, provides two control sites which are both outside of reclaimed service areas. Based on the results of comparisons and statistical analyses of the 6-year period, the TN and TP concentrations of reclaimed water from the City of St. Pete Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) far exceed those of the Pinellas County WWTP. The TN concentration in the reclaimed effluent from St. Pete was nine times higher than that of Pinellas County. The TP concentration was almost five times higher at St. Pete than Pinellas County. The sites within reclaimed service areas had higher concentrations of TN and TP when compared to the control sites for the same period. Miles Creek recorded the highest mean concentrations of TN and TP of the four monitoring sites. Bonn Creek recorded the second highest mean concentrations of TN and TP. Rainfall data were reviewed and results show that several monitoring dates for Miles Creek and Bonn Creek had elevated TN and TP concentrations which coincided with periods of rainfall deficit. These and other results of this research indicate a need to reconsider minimum wastewater treatment levels in urban environments in an effort to reduce nutrient pollution, as well as a need to expand watering restrictions and enforcement, and expand education of consumers about reclaimed water.

The study evaluated the effects of herbivory pressure, nutrient availability and potential propagule supply on recruitment and succession of coral reef macroalgal communities. Recruitment and succession tiles were placed in a nutrient-herbivory factorial experiment and macroalgal abundances were evaluated through time. Proportional abundances of macroalgal form-functional groups on recruitment and succession tiles were similar to field established communities within treatments, evidencing possible effects of adult macroalgae as propagule supply. Macroalgal abundance of recruitment tiles increased with nutrient loading and herbivory reduction combined whereas on succession tiles nutrient loading increased abundance of articulated-calcareous only when herbivores were excluded. Macroalgal field established communities were only affected by herbivory reduction.

The overall objective of this dissertation research is to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of water quality parameters in different water bodies of South Florida. Two major approaches (multivariate statistical techniques and remote sensing) were used in this study. Multivariate statistical techniques include cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis (FA), discriminant analysis (DA), absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) and PMF receptor modeling techniques were used to assess the water quality and identify and quantify the potential pollution sources affecting the water quality of three major rivers of South Florida. For this purpose, a 15-year (2000–2014) data set of 12 water quality variables, and about 35,000 observations were used. Agglomerative hierarchical CA grouped 16 monitoring sites into three groups (low pollution, moderate pollution, and high pollution) based on their similarity of water quality characteristics. DA, as an important data reduction method, was used to assess the water pollution status and analysis of its spatiotemporal variation. PCA/FA identified potential pollution sources in wet and dry seasons, respectively, and the effective mechanisms, rules, and causes were explained. The APCS-MLR and PMF models apportioned their contributions to each water quality variable. Also, the bio-physical parameters associated with the water quality of the two important water bodies of Lake Okeechobee and Florida Bay were investigated based on remotely sensed data. The principal objective of this part of the study is to monitor and assess the spatial and temporal changes of water quality using the application of integrated remote sensing, GIS data, and statistical techniques. The optical bands in the region from blue to near infrared and all the possible band ratios were used to explore the relation between the reflectance of a waterbody and observed data. The developed MLR models appeared to be promising for monitoring and predicting the spatiotemporal dynamics of optically active and inactive water quality characteristics in Lake Okeechobee and Florida Bay. It is believed that the results of this study could be very useful to local authorities for the control and management of pollution and better protection of water quality in the most important water bodies of South Florida.