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Jia B, Mao H, Liang Y, Chen J, Jia L, Zhang M, Li XG. Salinity decreases the contribution of microbial necromass to soil organic carbon pool in arid regions. Sci Total Environ 2024; 930:172786. [PMID: 38677417 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Saline soils are widely distributed in arid areas but there is a lack of mechanistic understanding on the effect of salinity on the formation and biochemical composition of soil organic carbon (SOC). We investigated the effects of salinity on the accumulation of microbial necromass under natural vegetation and in cropland in salt-affected arid areas stretching over a 1200-km transect in northwest China. Under both natural vegetation and cropland, microbial physiological activity (indicated by microbial biomass carbon normalized enzymatic activity) decreased sharply where the electrical conductivity approached 4 ds m-1 (a threshold to distinguish between saline and non-saline soils), but microbial biomass was only slightly affected by salinity. These indicated that a larger proportion of microbes could be inactive or dormant in saline soils. The contribution of fungal necromass C to SOC decreased but the contribution of bacterial necromass C to the SOC increased with increasing soil salinity. Adding fungal and bacterial necromass C together, the contribution of microbial necromass C to SOC in saline soils was 32-39 % smaller compared with non-saline soils. Fungal necromass C took up 85-86 % of microbial necromass C in non-saline soils but this proportion dropped to 60-66 % in saline soils. We suggested that the activity, growth, and turnover rate of microbes slowed by salinity was responsible for the decreased accumulation of fungal necromass in saline compared with non-saline soils, while the increased accumulation of bacterial residue in saline soils could be induced mainly by its slower decomposition. Soil microbial biomass was a poor predictor for the accumulation of microbial necromass in saline soils. We demonstrated a reduced contribution of microbial necromass to SOC and a shift in its composition towards the increase in bacterial origin in saline relative to non-saline soils. We concluded that salinity profoundly changes the biochemistry of SOC in arid regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Jia
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Han Mao
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yanmei Liang
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jie Chen
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Li Jia
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Meilan Zhang
- General Station of Gansu Cultivated Land Quality Construction and Protection, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Xiao Gang Li
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Zhou Y, Meng F, Zhang J, Zhang H, Han K, Liu C, Gao J, Chen F. Transcriptomic analysis revealing the molecular response to arsenic stress in desert Eremostachys moluccelloides Bunge. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2023; 266:115608. [PMID: 37856981 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
The saline, alkaline environment of arid soils is conducive to the diffusion of the metalloid arsenic (As). Desert plants in this area are of great ecological importance and practical value. However, there are few studies on the mechanism of arsenic action in desert plants. Therefore, in this study, Eremostachys moluccelloides Bunge was treated with different concentrations of As2O5 [As(V)] to analyze the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic changes of its roots and leaves and to explore the molecular mechanism of its response to As(Ⅴ) stress. The activities of catalase, superoxidase, peroxidase, and the contents of malondialdehyde and proline in roots and leaves first increased and then decreased under the As(Ⅴ) stress of different concentrations. The content of As was higher in roots than in leaves, and the As content was positively correlated with As(Ⅴ) stress concentration. In the differentially expressed gene analysis, the key enzymes of the oxidative stress response in roots and leaves were significantly enriched in the GO classification. In the KEGG pathway, genes related to the abscisic acid signal transduction pathway were co-enriched and up-regulated in roots and leaves. The related genes in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway were significantly enriched and down-regulated only in roots. In addition, the transcription factors NAC, HB-HD-ZIP, and NF-Y were up-regulated in roots and leaves. These results suggest that the higher the As(V) stress concentration, the more As is taken up by roots and leaves of E. molucelloides Bunge. In addition to causing greater oxidative damage, this may interfere with the production of secondary metabolites. Moreover, it may improve As(V) tolerance by regulating abscisic acid and transcription factors. The results will deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanism of As(Ⅴ) response in E. moluccelloides Bunge, lay the foundation for developing and applying desert plants, and provide new ideas for the phytoremediation of As pollution in arid areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongshun Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, People's Republic of China
| | - Fanze Meng
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinling Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, People's Republic of China
| | - Haonan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Han
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, People's Republic of China
| | - Changyong Liu
- Green Food Testing Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832003, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianfeng Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fulong Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, People's Republic of China.
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Mramba RP, Kahindi EJ. Pond water quality and its relation to fish yield and disease occurrence in small-scale aquaculture in arid areas. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16753. [PMID: 37274696 PMCID: PMC10238929 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The study was conducted to determine the associations between water availability and management practises with pond water parameters in small-scale aquaculture in arid areas. Further, the study determined the associations between fish yield and disease incidence with the pond water parameters. We visited 36 tilapia farmers in Dodoma, a semi-arid region in Tanzania, for interviews and measurements of pond water parameters. The interviews collected information about pond type, pond age, water sources, feed type, pond fertilisation, stocking density, and disease incidences. The sources of water for the aquaculture activities were tap water, boreholes, and shallow wells. The source of water and management practises were linked to the parameters of the pond water. On the other hand, the parameters of the pond water were associated with fish yield and the likelihood of disease occurrence. Fish yield had a non-linear relationship with DO, turbidity, salinity, and stocking density and a linear association with pH. To expand aquaculture development in arid areas, efficient use of water through integrated aquaculture is recommended. Training farmers in good management practises and integration is necessary to ensure sustainable aquaculture development in arid areas.
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Shomar B, Sankaran R, Solano JR. Mapping of trace elements in topsoil of arid areas and assessment of ecological and human health risks in Qatar. Environ Res 2023; 225:115456. [PMID: 36796603 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Soil is the incubator of human activities. Mapping of soil contaminants needs to be constantly updated. It is fragile in arid regions, especially if it accompanies dramatic and successive industrial and urban activities in addition to the climate change. Contaminants affecting soil are changing due to natural and anthropogenic influences. Sources, transport and impacts of trace elements including toxic heavy metals need continuous investigations. We sampled soil in accessible sites in the State of Qatar. An inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to determine the concentrations of Ag, Al, As, Ba, C, Ca, Ce, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Gd, Ho, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, S, Se, Sm, Sr, Tb, Tm, U, V, Yb and Zn. The study also presents new maps for the spatial distribution of these elements using the World Geodetic System 1984 (projected on UTM Zone 39N) which is based on socio-economic development and land use planning. The study assessed the ecological risks and human health risks of these elements in soil. The calculations showed no ecological risks associated with the tested elements in soil. However, the contamination factor (CF) for Sr (CF > 6) in two sampling locations calls for further investigations. More important, human health risks were not detected for population living in Qatar and the results were within the acceptable range of the international standards (hazard quotient HQ < 1 and Cancer risk between 10-5 and 10-6). Soil remains a critical component with water and food nexus. In Qatar and arid regions, fresh water is absent and soil is very poor. Our findings enhance the establishment of scientific strategies for investigating soil pollution and potential risks to achieve food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basem Shomar
- Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Rajendran Sankaran
- Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Joaquim Rovira Solano
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Paisos Catalans Avenue 26, 43007, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain; Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
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Vicente-Vicente JL, Piorr A. Can a shift to regional and organic diets reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the food system? A case study from Qatar. Carbon Balance Manag 2021; 16:2. [PMID: 33420974 PMCID: PMC7796384 DOI: 10.1186/s13021-020-00167-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Qatar is one of the countries with the highest carbon (C) footprints per capita in the world with an increasing population and food demand. Furthermore, the international blockade by some countries that is affecting Qatar-which has been traditionally a highly-dependent country on food imports-since 2017 has led the authorities to take the decision of increasing food self-sufficiency. In this study we have assessed the effect on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of shifting diets from conventional to organic products and from import-based diets to more regionalized diets for the first time in a Gulf country. RESULTS We found that considering the production system, the majority of the emissions come from the animal products, but the differences between conventional and organic diets are very small (738 and 722 kg CO2-eq capita-1 year-1, of total emissions, respectively). Conversely, total emissions from plant-based products consumption might be around one order of magnitude smaller, but the differences in the emissions between the organic and conventional systems were higher than those estimated for animal products, leading to a decrease in 44 kg CO2-eq capita-1 year-1 when changing from 100% conventional to 50% of organic consumption of plant-based products. Regarding the shift to regionalized diets, we found that packaging has a small influence on the total amount of GHG emissions, whereas emissions from transportation would be reduced in around 450 kg CO2 capita-1 year-1 when reducing imports from 100 to 50%. CONCLUSIONS However, these results must be read carefully. Due to the extreme adverse pedoclimatic conditions of the country, commercial organic regional livestock would not be possible without emitting very high GHG emissions and just only some traditional livestock species may be farmed in a climate-friendly way. On the other hand, organic and regional low-CO2 emission systems of plant-based products would be possible by implementing innovations in irrigation or other innovations whose GHG emissions must be further studied in the future. Therefore, we conclude that shifting towards more plant-based organic regional consumption by using climate-friendly irrigation is a suitable solution to both increasing self-sufficiency and reducing C footprint. We encourage national authorities to including these outcomes into their environmental and food security policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Vicente-Vicente
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße, 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany.
| | - Annette Piorr
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße, 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany
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Gallego-Hernández AL, Meza-Figueroa D, Tanori J, Acosta-Elías M, González-Grijalva B, Maldonado-Escalante JF, Rochín-Wong S, Soto-Puebla D, Navarro-Espinoza S, Ochoa-Contreras R, Pedroza-Montero M. Identification of inhalable rutile and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) nanoparticles in the atmospheric dust. Environ Pollut 2020; 260:114006. [PMID: 32000024 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Addressing the presence of rutile nanoparticles (NPs) in the air is a work in progress, and the development of methodologies for the identification of NPs in atmospheric dust is essential for the assessment of its toxicological effects. To address this issue, we selected the fast growing desertic city of Hermosillo in northern Mexico. Road dust (n = 266) and soils (n = 10) were sampled and bulk Ti-contents were tested by portable X-ray fluorescence. NPs were extracted from atmospheric dust by PM1.0-PTFE filters and further characterized by Confocal Raman Microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) coupled to Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Results showed (i) the average concentration of Ti in road dust (3447 mg kg-1) was similar to natural values and worldwide urban dusts; (ii) the bulk geochemistry was not satisfactory for Ti-NPs identification; (iii) 76% of the total extracted PM1.0 sample corresponded to NPs; (iv) mono-microaggregates of rutile NPs were identified; (v) ubiquitous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were linked to NPs. The genotoxicity of rutile and PAHs, in connection with NPs content, make us aware of a crucial emerging environmental issue of significant health concern, justifying further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L Gallego-Hernández
- Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Diana Meza-Figueroa
- Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Judith Tanori
- Departamento de Investigación en Polímeros y Materiales, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Mónica Acosta-Elías
- Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Belem González-Grijalva
- Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | | | - Sarai Rochín-Wong
- Departamento de Investigación en Polímeros y Materiales, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Diego Soto-Puebla
- Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Sofia Navarro-Espinoza
- Posgrado en Nanotecnología, Departamento de Física, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Mexico
| | | | - Martín Pedroza-Montero
- Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Sonora, Mexico.
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Clemens M, Khurelbaatar G, Merz R, Siebert C, van Afferden M, Rödiger T. Groundwater protection under water scarcity; from regional risk assessment to local wastewater treatment solutions in Jordan. Sci Total Environ 2020; 706:136066. [PMID: 31864136 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The infiltration of untreated wastewater into aquifers highly endangers the availability of fresh-water for human consumption in semi-arid areas. This growing problem of potable water scarcity urgently requires solutions for groundwater protection. Decision support systems for local wastewater treatments in settlements already exist. However, the main challenge of implementing these for regional groundwater protection is to identify where wastewater treatments are most efficient for the whole region. In this paper, we addressed this scale-crossing problem with an interdisciplinary approach that combines regional risk assessment and assessment of local wastewater treatment scenarios. We analysed the impact of polluting the groundwater using vulnerability, hazard, and risk assessments. Thus, we identified the need for semi-arid and karst-related adjustments, defined more suitable standards for wastewater hazard values, and accounted for the groundwater dynamics beyond the vertical flow paths. Using a lateral groundwater flow model, we analysed the impact of the pollution sources and linked the regional and local scale successfully. Furthermore, we combined the geoscientific results with the urban water engineering methods of area and cost assessments for local wastewater scenarios. Based on the example of the Wadi al Arab aquifer in Jordan, we showed that implementing an adapted treatment solution in one of the heavily polluted suburban settlements could reduce 12% of the aquifer pollution, which affects 93% of the potential aquifer users. This novel method helps to identify settlements with significant pollution impact on the groundwater, as well as the users, and also gives specific guidelines to establish the most efficient locally tailored treatment solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Clemens
- Department of Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Halle, Germany; Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Ganbaatar Khurelbaatar
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Merz
- Department of Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Halle, Germany
| | - Christian Siebert
- Department of Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Halle, Germany
| | - Manfred van Afferden
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tino Rödiger
- Department of Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Halle, Germany
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Li X, Zhang Y, Wu T, Sun X, Yang T, Wang L, Li X, Wang J, Wang Y, Yu H. Major ions in drinking and surface waters from five cities in arid and semi- arid areas, NW China: spatial occurrence, water chemistry, and potential anthropogenic inputs. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2020; 27:5456-5468. [PMID: 31848972 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07149-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A total of 161 water samples were collected from five large and medium-sized city rivers and residential tap waters, Xi'an and Yan'an in Shaanxi province, Xining in Qinghai province, Lanzhou in Gansu, and Urumqi in Xinjiang province, within arid and semi-arid area (NW China). The pH, EC parameters, and concentrations of 10 major ions (F-, Cl-, HCO3-, NO3-, SO42-, NH4+, K+, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+) in the drinking waters (DWs) and surface waters (SWs) were analyzed to determine the ion chemistry, geochemical process, and potential anthropogenic input sources and to assess the water quality for drinking, domestic, and irrigation purposes. Durove diagrams and Gibbs diagram indicated that the ions Ca2+ and HCO3- dominant in DWs from Xi'an and Xining were of Ca2+-(HCO3- + SO42-) type, while sulfate and Na+ dominant in SWs, and Na+/K+-SO42- type was for Yan River in Yan'an and Peaceful Canal in Urumqi, their water chemistry influenced by evaporation and rock dominance, and evaporation and fractional crystallization, respectively. Meanwhile, Na+/K+/Ca2+-HCO3-/SO42- type dominated in Huang River in Xining and Yellow River in Lanzhou, which dominated by rock weathering. The quality assessments showed that in general the drinking waters were suitable for domestic purposes. However, the high values of NO3- at some sites influenced by agricultural and industrial inputs made it unsafe for drinking and demand detailed regional drinking water investigations. The assessment of SWs showed that the waters from Yan River in Yan'an and Yellow River in Lanzhou and Huang River in Xining would be used for irrigation. However, high values of SAR, Na%, RSC, and EC at sites in Peaceful Canal restricted suitability for irrigation, and not recommended for drinking water sources. It was noted that for the sustainable development of surface water, a reduction of discharge water from human activities and/or an increase in the fresh water inflow to the surface were needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Li
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Wu
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuemeng Sun
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijun Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingzhi Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhua Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongtao Yu
- International Joint Research Centre of Shaanxi Province for Pollutant Exposure and Eco-Environmental Health, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, 21251, USA
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Hao S, Li F, Li Y, Gu C, Zhang Q, Qiao Y, Jiao L, Zhu N. Stable isotope evidence for identifying the recharge mechanisms of precipitation, surface water, and groundwater in the Ebinur Lake basin. Sci Total Environ 2019; 657:1041-1050. [PMID: 30677872 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [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] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Arid areas cover more than one third of global land, and as such, water resources are vital for this fragile ecosystem. In order to reveal the recharge mechanisms among different water bodies in arid areas, precipitation, surface water, and groundwater were sampled in the Ebinur Lake basin, Xinjiang, China, and the isotopic values for hydrogen and oxygen were measured. The stable isotope values of precipitation showed significant seasonal variation, with minimum values in the winter, medium values in the spring and autumn, and maximum values in the summer. The slope and intercept of local meteoric water line were both lower than that of global meteoric water line, indicating subcloud evaporation effect. The vapor source of precipitation was dominated by the westerlies, but the regional re-evaporation vapor accounted for some proportions as well. In the Bortala River and Jinghe River, the stable isotopic values varied spatially, tending to be enriched with the river flow. The stable isotopic values for lake water were significantly higher than those of river water, which reflected a stronger evaporation and concentration effect of the lake water. The stable isotopic values of groundwater featured similar spatial variation compared to the river, and phreatic water evaporated to some extent. In the Bortala River, owing to its specific hydrogeological structure, the exchange rates between the groundwater and the river water were higher upstream than in the middle and lower reaches. In the Jinghe River, the deep groundwater aquifer received recharge from the shallow groundwater layers and from the river. At the edge of the Ebinur Lake, the interaction of groundwater and surface water was low and springs became the important recharge source for the lake. The results of this study provide insights into the determination of river hydrological processes and the management of water resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Hao
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; Xinjiang Arid Area Lake Environment and Resources Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830054, China
| | - Fadong Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; Xinjiang Arid Area Lake Environment and Resources Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830054, China.
| | - Yanhong Li
- Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; Xinjiang Arid Area Lake Environment and Resources Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830054, China
| | - Congke Gu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Qiuying Zhang
- Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; Xinjiang Arid Area Lake Environment and Resources Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830054, China; Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Yunfeng Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Li Jiao
- Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; Xinjiang Arid Area Lake Environment and Resources Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830054, China
| | - Nong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Randrianarivony TN, Ramarosandratana AV, Andriamihajarivo TH, Rakotoarivony F, Jeannoda VH, Randrianasolo A, Bussmann RW. The most used medicinal plants by communities in Mahaboboka, Amboronabo, Mikoboka, Southwestern Madagascar. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2017; 13:19. [PMID: 28279184 PMCID: PMC5345199 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-017-0147-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper reports a study undertaken in three remote communities (Mahaboboka, Amboronabo, Mikoboka), located in Sakaraha, Southwestern Madagascar. Not only villages are far away from sanitary infrastructures and doctors but drugs and consulting fees are unaffordable to villagers. They rely essentially on natural resources for health care as for most of rural areas in Madagascar. This paper aims to document medicinal plants used by communities in Sakaraha and to present the most important plant species used in traditional medicine. METHODS Semi - structured interview was conducted within 214 informants in 34 villages of the study area. Different ailments encountered in the site study were classified in various categories. For data analysis, frequency of citation (Fq), Informant Consensus Factor (Fic), Fidelity Level (FL) and Use Value (UV) were assessed to find agreement among informants about the use of plants as remedies. Mann-Whitney, Kruskall-Wallis and Spearman correlation tests were performed to determine use of medicinal plants following social status of informants. RESULTS A total of 235 medicinal plant species belonging to 198 genera and 75 families were inventoried. The richest families in species used for medicinal purposes were: Fabaceae, Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae. Plant species cited by informants were used to treat 76 various ailments classified in 13 categories. Leaves and leafy twigs were the most used plant parts and decoction was the mostly cited way of preparation of these medicinal plants species. In average, local people cited 6.7 ± 6.03 medicinal taxa among them, Cedrelopsis grevei is the most cited medicinal plants (Fq. 0.28). With Cedrelopsis grevei (UV = 0.48), Henonia scoparia (UV = 0.43) are mostly used species. Leonotis nepetifolia (FL = 96%) and Strychnos henningsii (FL = 92%) are plant species claimed by high percentage of informants to treat the Digestive System Disorder. CONCLUSIONS This study highlighted that medicinal plants used by people from three communities in the Southwestern Madagascar are diverse. These plants species ensure care to all family members including babies, children, mothers and adult people. Through this study, newly reported medicinal plants were identified for further work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabita N. Randrianarivony
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Madagascar Research and Conservation Program, BP 3391, Antananarivo, 101 Madagascar
| | | | - Tefy H. Andriamihajarivo
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Madagascar Research and Conservation Program, BP 3391, Antananarivo, 101 Madagascar
| | - Fortunat Rakotoarivony
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Madagascar Research and Conservation Program, BP 3391, Antananarivo, 101 Madagascar
| | | | - Armand Randrianasolo
- William L. Brown Center, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA
| | - Rainer W. Bussmann
- William L. Brown Center, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA
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11
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El Alfy M, Faraj T. Spatial distribution and health risk assessment for groundwater contamination from intensive pesticide use in arid areas. Environ Geochem Health 2017; 39:231-253. [PMID: 27052311 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-016-9825-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [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: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Arid and semiarid areas face major challenges in the management of scarce groundwater. This valuable resource is under pressures of population, economic expansion, contamination and over-exploitation. This research investigates groundwater vulnerability to pesticide contamination in the Al-Kharj area of Saudi Arabia. It explores the spatial distribution of pesticide concentrations in groundwater and other relevant factors. Thin permeable soils, permeable aquifers and shallow water tables, which are prevalent in the area, are especially vulnerable to pesticides. Analyses of 40 groundwater samples were performed using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer with a GC column. The analysis was conducted to detect 32 pesticides from different chemical families, and a total of 22 pesticides were detected. All 40 water samples were positive for at least one of the pesticides studied. In total, 21 compounds were above the quantification limit and 10 of them exceeded the legal limit. Total pesticide levels ranged from 0.18 to 2.21 μg/L, and 68 % of the analyzed samples exceeded the maximum allowable pesticide concentrations established by the European Community. Comparison of the daily intake peak (DIP) and daily intake mean (DIM) relative to the acceptable daily intake (ADI) shows that groundwater contamination with pesticides is a serious problem. Prolonged exposure to pesticides can cause adverse effects to human health and the ecosystem. Spatial distribution maps of groundwater contamination were developed using GIS. These maps will help risk managers identify vulnerable sources and provide a relative assessment of pesticide hazards to human health and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed El Alfy
- PSIPW Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Geology Department, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Turki Faraj
- PSIPW Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Soil Science, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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12
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Cao S, Wang W, Wang F, Zhang J, Wang Z, Yang S, Xue Q. Drought-tolerant Streptomyces pactum Act12 assist phytoremediation of cadmium-contaminated soil by Amaranthus hypochondriacus: great potential application in arid/semi- arid areas. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2016; 23:14898-14907. [PMID: 27072036 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6636-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbe-assisted phytoremediation provides an effective approach to clean up heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, severe drought may affect the function of microbes in arid/semi-arid areas. Streptomyces pactum Act12 is a drought-tolerant soil actinomycete strain isolated from an extreme environment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to assess the effect of Act12 on Cd tolerance, uptake, and accumulation in amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) under water deficit. Inoculated plants had higher Cd concentrations (root 8.7-33.9 %; shoot 53.2-102.1 %) and uptake (root 19.9-95.3 %; shoot 110.6-170.1 %) than non-inoculated controls in Cd-treated soil. The translocation factor of Cd from roots to shoots was increased by 14.2-75 % in inoculated plants, while the bioconcentration factor of Cd in roots and shoots was increased by 10.2-64.4 and 53.9-114.8 %, respectively. Moreover, inoculation with Act12 increased plant height, root length, and shoot biomass of amaranth in Cd-treated soil compared to non-inoculated controls. Physiochemical analysis revealed that Act12 enhanced Cd tolerance in the plants by increasing glutathione, elevating superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, as well as reducing malondialdehyde content in the leaves. The drought-tolerant actinomycete strain Act12 can enhance the phytoremediation efficiency of amaranth for Cd-contaminated soils under water deficit, exhibiting potential for application in arid and semi-arid areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumiao Cao
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Chang'an University, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, 710054, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenke Wang
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Chang'an University, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, 710054, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fei Wang
- College of Science, Air Force Engineering University, Xi'an, 710054, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Chang'an University, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, 710054, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhoufeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Chang'an University, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, 710054, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenke Yang
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Chang'an University, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, 710054, People's Republic of China
| | - Quanhong Xue
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, People's Republic of China
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Guerrero JL, Vallejos Á, Cerón JC, Sánchez-Martos F, Pulido-Bosch A, Bolívar JP. U-isotopes and (226)Ra as tracers of hydrogeochemical processes in carbonated karst aquifers from arid areas. J Environ Radioact 2016; 158-159:9-20. [PMID: 27058409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 01/11/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Sierra de Gádor is a karst macrosystem with a highly complex geometry, located in southeastern Spain. In this arid environment, the main economic activities, agriculture and tourism, are supported by water resources from the Sierra de Gádor aquifer system. The aim of this work was to study the levels and behaviour of some of the most significant natural radionuclides in order to improve the knowledge of the hydrogeochemical processes involved in this groundwater system. For this study, 28 groundwater and 7 surface water samples were collected, and the activity concentrations of the natural U-isotopes ((238)U, (235)U and (234)U) and (226)Ra by alpha spectrometry were determined. The activity concentration of (238)U presented a large variation from around 1.1 to 65 mBq L(-1). Elevated groundwater U concentrations were the result of oxidising conditions that likely promoted U dissolution. The PHREEQC modelling code showed that dissolved U mainly existed as uranyl carbonate complexes. The (234)U/(238)U activity ratios were higher than unity for all samples (1.1-3.8). Additionally, these ratios were in greater disequilibrium in groundwater than surface water samples, the likely result of greater water-rock contact time. (226)Ra presented a wide range of activity concentrations, (0.8 up to about 4 × 10(2) mBq L(-1)); greatest concentrations were detected in the thermal area of Alhama. Most of the samples showed (226)Ra/(234)U activity ratios lower than unity (median = 0.3), likely the result of the greater mobility of U than Ra in the aquifer system. The natural U-isotopes concentrations were strongly correlated with dissolution of sulphate evaporites (mainly gypsum). (226)Ra had a more complex behaviour, showing a strong correlation with water salinity, which was particularly evident in locations where thermal anomalies were detected. The most saline samples showed the lowest (234)U/(238)U activity ratios, probably due to fast uniform bulk mineral dissolution, which would minimize the impact of solubility-controlled fractionation processes. Furthermore, the high bulk dissolution rates promoted greater groundwater (226)Ra/(234)U ratios because the Ra has a comparatively much greater mobility than U in saline conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Guerrero
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Huelva, Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR), 21071 Huelva, Spain.
| | - Ángela Vallejos
- Water Resources and Environmental Geology Research Group (RNM-189), Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR) University of Almería, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Juan Carlos Cerón
- Centro de Investigación para la Ingeniería en Minería Sostenible, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Huelva. Ctra. Palos de la Frontera. s/n. 21819, Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain.
| | - Francisco Sánchez-Martos
- Water Resources and Environmental Geology Research Group (RNM-189), Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR) University of Almería, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Antonio Pulido-Bosch
- Water Resources and Environmental Geology Research Group (RNM-189), Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR) University of Almería, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Juan Pedro Bolívar
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Huelva, Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR), 21071 Huelva, Spain.
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