The study presents the spatio-temporal assessment of groundwater-surface water (GW-SW) interaction aspects in the Schoonspruit River catchment, North West of South Africa. The research study aimed at improving understanding of groundwater and surface water interaction through assessing its location and time when such interaction occurs. GW-SW interaction sites were identified using principal aquifer type characterization methods. The occurrence of the interaction was established using hydrochemistry methods and the effectiveness of the existing monitoring methods were evaluated in their consideration of GW-SW interaction within the study area. The main results from the study showed that there was GW-SW interaction in the Schoonspruit River catchment which was not affected by seasonal changes. The result further showed that existing monitoring methods in the study catchment were not effective in addressing GW-SW interaction. The study concluded that qualitative methods are essential in studying GW-SW interaction and that monitoring methods for such interactions are required / Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

The Matlabas mire, an actively peat accumulating wetland, is located in the headwaters of the Matlabas River, Marakele National Park, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Various seepage zones and artesian peat domes are contained in this peatland that consists of two tributaries of which the western one is partially channelled. The occurrence of decaying peat domes and desiccated areas with terrestrial vegetation, as well as the apparent erosion on the western tributary, have raised concerns on the health of this wetland. A network of piezometers was installed in the mire and results confirm that the system is fed primarily from seepage from the slopes of the catchment. Chemical analysis and temperature recorded indicate an isolated groundwater source of which the water does not mix with surface water. This is linked with isotope analysis of the age of peat in various sections of the mire. Erosion was attributed to anthropogenic changes in the catchment. Management recommendations include rehabilitation and reinstating the driving forces that support the mire. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

The plantation forestry is economically a very important industry in South Africa because it promotes the upliftment of many rural South African communities. However, afforestation has significant impacts on water use and biodiversity in a catchment. Thus, understanding the effects of afforestation on water resources at the catchment level is fundamental for optimal water resource allocation, long-term sustainable use, development and conservation. Much of the Limpopo Province is climatically and physiographically suitable for plantation forestry but it only contains approximately 4.7 % of the total existing plantation area in South Africa. For example, the size of the Letaba Catchment of the Limpopo Province is 13 669 km² but only approximately 484 km² of it is currently afforested. This study aims to identify potential areas for further afforestation in the Letaba Catchment using the Water Resources Modelling Platform (WReMP) model to determine if afforestation can be expanded here to promote development in South Africa‟s poorest Province. / Geography / M. Sc. (Geography)

Surface water pollution is prevalent in numerous areas of central Roodepoort mainly due to gold mining activities. The surface water quality for the Bosmontspruit, Russell’s Stream and the New Canada Dam was assessed from October 2010 to March 2011. Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water were determined for 8 monitoring points and the results obtained were compared with the In-stream water quality guidelines for the Klip River catchment and the South African Water Quality Guidelines. A trend noticed throughout the sampling period was the non-compliance in the levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) and dissolved oxygen. The results indicated that concentrations of iron, aluminium, nickel, manganese and potassium were above the limit across the Bosmontspruit and Russell’s stream. There was also significant evidence of excessive faecal coliform and ammonium pollution in the Bosmontspruit. During the monitoring period it was noted that water from these streams were utilised for crop irrigation, bathing, livestock and human consumption and may pose a health hazard due to poor water quality. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Science)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / O presente trabalho teve o objetivo testar se a composição isotópica de carbono e nitrogênio (δ13C e δ15N) do perifíton, do material orgânico particulado e das algas filamentosas acompanha o gradiente de impacto antropogênico presente na Bacia Hidrográfica Guapi-Macacu, no estado do Rio de Janeiro. O gradiente de impacto nesta área é formado pelo desmatamento da vegetação ripária, atividades agropecuárias e urbanização. Os valores de δ13C dos componentes estudados não acompanharam o impacto presente nas microbacias dos pontos estudados. Apenas o δ15N do perifíton e das algas filamentosas acompanharam o impacto. Seus valores aumentam com o aumento do impacto mostrando que assimilam o material proveniente de fontes antropogênicas como esgoto e fertilizantes. O δ15N do perifíton mostrou-se muito sensível às mudanças da paisagem do entorno do rio presentes na região. Assim, a composição isotópica do nitrogênio do perifíton pode ser uma importante ferramenta para aplicação de monitoramento e recuperação da integridade de sistemas aquáticos da região / We investigate if isotopic composition of streams system components can respond to anthropogenic alterations in a river landscape. In recent years environmental managers have sought biomonitoring tools that reflect ecosystem functioning as well as correlating sensitively with impacts. Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen relate to food webs and nutrient cycling as well as to potential sources of pollution. In this study we tested if the stable isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) of periphyton, fine particulate organic matter and filamentous algae responded to anthropogenic impacts in the Hydrologic Basin of Guapi-Macacu, close to Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. The anthropogenic impacts were riparian deforestation, agriculture, pasture and urban occupation. We quantified these using satellite imagery and measurement of water chemistry. The δ13C values of periphyton, FPOM and algae did not respond to anthropogenic alteration. δ15N values of periphyton and of filamentous algae increased with landscape alteration. This is probably because these compnents assimilate enriched anthropogenic inputs such as sewage and fertilizers. δ15N of periphyton was very sensitive to small changes in landuse and was linearly related to percent alteration. We suggest that it can be a powerful tool for monitoring and restoration programs of this region.

Areas at steep slopes in the catchments with high occupation by family farmers in Southern Brazil, even with a high surface covered with regenerated forests, are characterized by the persistence of sources of rural and urban pollution that are undermining the quality of aquatic systems. The unfair use of soil outside its capability, the adoption of inadequate soil tillage systems, the integrated system of animal production (poultry and swine) in quantities environmentally intolerable and the untreated domestic sewage from small villages are the main factors responsible for the input of high amounts of phosphorus into watercourses. In this context, the present doctoral thesis aims (i) monitoring the temporal variation in sediment-bound phosphorus in sub-catchments under different land-use and soil tillage systems and (ii) assessment of the potential of sediments from rural and urban sources to behave as source or sink of phosphorus for aquatic systems. In the Guaporé River catchment, six representative headwater sub-catchments with contrasting land-use and soil management were monitored. The selected sub-catchments were characterized by: (i) predominance of native forest (control); (ii) predominance of areas transformed to agriculture recently, but under conventional tillage CT (sub1); (iii) areas under CT, but with predominance of Ilex plantations (sub2); (iv) predominance of tobacco cultivation of long term under CT (sub3); (v) intensive agriculture under no-tillage NT (sub4); and (vi) intensive agriculture under NT and receiving untreated sewage of a twenty thousand inhabitant town (sub5). In addition, five points of the main river (P1 to P5) were monitored: the first one is located near to the junction of the sub-catchments 4 and 5, and the last one at the outlet of the watershed. Suspended and bed sediments were collected, comprising ten field campaigns performed in the monitoring period of 24 months (October 2012 to October 2014). The different fractions of phosphorus (P) of sediment were analyzed considering the bioavailability. The P sorption-desorption parameters in the sediments were estimated. The conversion of native forest for annual crops production areas promotes the production of sediments with higher amounts of total, inorganic and labile phosphorus. The values of maxima phosphorus adsorption capacity, instantaneous available and potentially available phosphorus forms, desorption rate and mobility index of phosphorus in sediments collected in the different sub-catchments in the following order: native forest < CT < CT with the intensive production of tobacco < NT < NT in the rural area plus urban sewage. A highly positive correlation was observed between different phosphorus fractions (especially the labile phosphorus), as well as different parameters of sorption/desorption, and amounts of iron and aluminum in sediments. It was found the highest amount of labile phosphorus in sediments collected at the end of winter and beginning of spring, particularly in the areas where tobacco is cultivated under CT. / As áreas de bacias hidrográficas declivosas e densamente ocupadas pela agricultura familiar no Sul do Brasil, apesar de apresentarem grande superfície com florestas regeneradas, caracterizam-se pela persistência de fontes de poluição rurais e urbanas que vêm comprometendo a qualidade dos sistemas aquáticos. O uso do solo fora de sua aptidão, a adoção de sistemas de manejo inadequados, o sistema integrado de produção animal (aves e suínos) em quantidades ambientalmente intoleráveis e o não tratamento dos esgotos domésticos das pequenas cidades são fatores responsáveis pelo aporte de grandes quantidades de fósforo aos cursos d água. Nesse contexto, a presente tese de doutorado visa (i) monitorar a variação temporal do fósforo ligado aos sedimentos em sub-bacias com diferentes usos e manejo do solo e (ii) avaliar o potencial dos sedimentos de fontes rurais e urbana em atuarem como fonte ou dreno de fósforo aos sistemas aquáticos.Na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Guaporé RS/Brasil foram monitoradas seis sub-bacias de cabeceira representativas de uso da terra e de sistemas de manejo do solo contrastantes. As sub-bacias selecionadas caracterizavam-se por:i) predomínio demata nativa (controle); (ii) predomínio de áreas transformadas em agricultura recentemente, mas sob sistema de cultivo convencional SCC (sub1); (iii) áreas emSCC, mas com predomínio de produção de erva-mate (sub2); (iv) predomínio de áreas emSCC há longa data para cultivo do tabaco (sub3 ); (v) predomínio de agricultura intensiva, mas sob o sistema plantio direto SPD (sub4); e (vi) predomínio de agricultura intensiva sobSPD e recebendo esgoto não tratada de uma cidade com 20 mil habitantes (sub5). Adicionalmente, monitoraram-se cinco pontos no rio principal (P1 a P5), sendo que o primeiro está localizado na junção das sub-bacias 4 e 5 e o último é o exutório da bacia.Coletaram-se sedimentos de fundo e em suspensão, em dez campanhas de campo, durante 24 meses (10/2012 a 10/2014). Foram analisadas as diferentes frações de fósforo no sedimento, de acordo com a biodisponibilidade e estimaram-se os parâmetros de adsortividade e dessortividade do fósforo no sedimento. A conversão da mata nativa para implantação de culturas anuais induz a produção de sedimentos com maiores teores de fósforo total, fósforo inorgânico e fósforo lábil. Os valores da capacidade máxima de adsorção, fósforo instantaneamente disponível, fósforo potencialmente disponível, taxa de dessorção e índice de mobilidade de fósforo dos sedimentos coletados nas diferentes sub-bacias aumentaram na seguinte ordem: mata nativa < SCC < SCC intenso com produção de tabaco < SPD < SPD no meio rural mais esgoto urbano. Foram observadas correlações positivas dasdiferentes frações de fósforo (em especial aquela relacionada ao P lábil), bem como dos diferentes parâmetros de sorção/dessorção, com os teores de ferro e alumínio do sedimento.Foi encontrado maior teor de fósforo lábil nos sedimentos coletados no final do inverno e início da primavera,particularmente naqueles correspondentes aos locais onde se cultiva tabaco em SCC.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / O presente trabalho teve o objetivo testar se a composição isotópica de carbono e nitrogênio (&#948;13C e &#948;15N) do perifíton, do material orgânico particulado e das algas filamentosas acompanha o gradiente de impacto antropogênico presente na Bacia Hidrográfica Guapi-Macacu, no estado do Rio de Janeiro. O gradiente de impacto nesta área é formado pelo desmatamento da vegetação ripária, atividades agropecuárias e urbanização. Os valores de &#948;13C dos componentes estudados não acompanharam o impacto presente nas microbacias dos pontos estudados. Apenas o &#948;15N do perifíton e das algas filamentosas acompanharam o impacto. Seus valores aumentam com o aumento do impacto mostrando que assimilam o material proveniente de fontes antropogênicas como esgoto e fertilizantes. O &#948;15N do perifíton mostrou-se muito sensível às mudanças da paisagem do entorno do rio presentes na região. Assim, a composição isotópica do nitrogênio do perifíton pode ser uma importante ferramenta para aplicação de monitoramento e recuperação da integridade de sistemas aquáticos da região / We investigate if isotopic composition of streams system components can respond to anthropogenic alterations in a river landscape. In recent years environmental managers have sought biomonitoring tools that reflect ecosystem functioning as well as correlating sensitively with impacts. Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen relate to food webs and nutrient cycling as well as to potential sources of pollution. In this study we tested if the stable isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen (&#948;13C and &#948;15N) of periphyton, fine particulate organic matter and filamentous algae responded to anthropogenic impacts in the Hydrologic Basin of Guapi-Macacu, close to Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. The anthropogenic impacts were riparian deforestation, agriculture, pasture and urban occupation. We quantified these using satellite imagery and measurement of water chemistry. The &#948;13C values of periphyton, FPOM and algae did not respond to anthropogenic alteration. &#948;15N values of periphyton and of filamentous algae increased with landscape alteration. This is probably because these compnents assimilate enriched anthropogenic inputs such as sewage and fertilizers. &#948;15N of periphyton was very sensitive to small changes in landuse and was linearly related to percent alteration. We suggest that it can be a powerful tool for monitoring and restoration programs of this region.

ANNOTATION Hana Beranová University of south Bohemia in České Budějovice {--} Faculty of education {--} department of biology Course: M7504 Teacher for grammar schools Fields of study: Teaching of biology, Teaching of chemistry Floristic research of catchment area of Pozdeň stream and Bílichov stream round Slaný Diploma thesis 2008 The study deals with a description of vegetation of catchment area of Bakov stream and Zlonice stream. In title of study are used the names Pozdeň stream and Bílichov stream, but it{\crq}s only local description. The search had been realised during the vegetation seasons of the years 2006 and 2007. There are characterised geological-petrographical, soil, climatic, hydrographic ratios and basic phytogeographical characteristics of this area in the form of a search. Selected genera of the observed plants are characterised and their incidence is figured in the schematic map of the area. There were found out 299 genera of plants, from which there are 48 stated in the Červený a černý seznam cévnatých rostlin České republiky (stav v roce 2000) (Procházka F. (ed.), 2001). There are described locations of important genera of plants. In discussion of the thesis are described factors, which influence the incidence of some genera of plants. In the annex there are attached schematic maps with places of occurence of the plant genera and photographic documentation. Head of the diploma thesis: Mgr. Rostislav Černý, CSc.

Annotation Erosion is a chronic problem in both agricultural and nonagricultural land. Its has an inconsiderable effect on overall stability of landscape. In the case of farming management on agricultural soils the risk of erosive processes increases severalfold. In foothill and mountain areas with dominance of slopes and hills the soil loss during higher maximum 24hrs N-rainfalls can reach up to several tons per hectare. This work deals with the evaluation of soil erosion vulnerability in selected catchment {--} Ostrice catchment {--} in the Lipno reservoir area. The CN method was used for calculations and following evaluation of soil loss.

The contents of this thesis is an examination and assessment of erosion processes in the catchment Budského stream. The area of interest falls into three cadastral territory, Malče, Besednice a Soběnov. Catchment area is 7.1 km2. Integral part of work is the pedological and hydrological research. It was evaluated the impact of waste in the surrounding villages. In the catchment basin, has a significant influence Besednice reservoir. It was assessing its impact on the environment and erosion control functions. Using the acquired information has been calculated N-year water and the amount of drifted soil by Wischmeier and Smith. Another goal is to process this data using software modeling and evaluate output. Against this background and the results are recommended measures to reduce soil loss from these plots.