Anthropic Pressure Research Articles

Phosphorus Forms in Sediments as Indicators of Anthropic Pressures in an Agricultural Catchment in Southern Brazil

ABSTRACT Phosphorus (P) fractionation is a suitable procedure to ascertain P lability in sediments and is able to distinguish sources of P under different soil management practices in a catchment. Brazil is the second largest producer and the largest exporter of tobacco in the world. Inadequate management of cultivated areas exposes the soil to erosion processes, accelerating the transfer of sediment and P to water bodies, which leads to eutrophication. We evaluated the P forms in suspended sediments collected at [...]

Geochemistry of major and trace elements in sediments of Ghazaouet Bay (western Algeria): An assessment of metal pollution

Trace metals contaminations which impact littoral ecosystems result mainly from human activities (industrial, agricultural, or urban). Thus, the particles exported and accumulated in the coastal sediments are accurate anthropic pressure gauges on this kind of environment. Spatial variations of major and trace elements concentrations in the sediments of Ghazaouet Bay (Western coast of Algeria) have been monitored between July 2010 and June 2011. Contrasted gradients of trace metals concentrations are highlighted between the preserved zones and the strongly impacted areas. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and the enrichment factors (EF) show that the sediments in this coastal zone are highly polluted, especially by Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb.

Modeling the Present and Future Desertification Risk State: A Case Study in Kolli Hill, Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India

Desertification is a global land degradation problem faced both in the developed and developing countries alike. Kolli hill is one of the hills of the Eastern Ghats of India, currently undergoing conspicuous land degradation to such an extent, that it has already begun to witness an altered forest stand. Hence, the main goal of this study is to identify areas under actual and potential desertification risk by means of a modelling approach in which four indicator thematic layers (soil, climate, vegetation and anthropic pressure buffers) were overlaid in GIS environment. The cartographic data were transformed to structured numerical data (weighted layers) such that each of the layers was assigned knowledge based weightage values in relation to their influence and contribution to the process of desertification to get the final desertification risk state of the forest region. Climate models suited for the Indian condition were utilized to determine the areas under potential risk of desertification and three Representative Concentration Pathways were employed to study the pattern of desertification by the middle and the end of this century. The results of the study show the present scenario with an area of 200 km2 falling in the medium risk state and an area of 7 km2 falling in the high-risk state. On average, about 215 and 214 km2 of the forest area fall under the medium risk category, while an area of 9.5 and 8.94 km2 belong to the high risk state for the years 2050 and 2070 respectively. The areas experiencing these risk states belong to the foothills and mid slopes of the forest region and fall within the semiarid–dry sub-humid aridity zonation.

Tree bark as a bioindicator of the presence of scandium, yttrium and lanthanum in urban environments

Although rare earth elements (REEs) are important in modern industry, few processes use them, so the possibility of these elements being dispersed in the environment is small. For this reason, there are few studies on their presence in urban environments. REEs exhibit similar chemical properties, and Group 3 elements may be used as indicators of the presence of other REEs in the environment. Tree bark is a suitable collector of airborne trace elements and has been successfully used as a bioindicator. In this study, samples of holm oak bark were collected from three sampling sites subjected to different anthropic pressures (one area is far from human influence, while the other two sites are urban areas characterized by different types of human impact). The reference area is significantly different from urban areas where the concentrations measured are up to 5 times higher (Y) than the reference area. The differences between the two urban areas are also significant. The presence of industrial activities causes a 50% higher exposition of the population with respect to an urban area where only residential activities are present. In the case of La, there is no significant difference between the reference and the residential areas, while the industries are responsible for higher La concentrations (0.9 μg g−1vs. 0.4–0.6 μg g−1). The availability of samples, due to the wide distribution of trees in urban environments, makes possible the production of maps indicating the sources of these elements and highlighting areas which are critical for certain atmospheric pollutants.

Historical maps and satellite images as tools for shoreline variations and territorial changes assessment: the case study of Volturno Coastal Plain (Southern Italy)

Anthropic pressure has caused severe variations of Mediterranean coastal areas currently hosting about 480 million people. The replacement of natural land covers with crops and urban environment coupled with the reduction of sediment supply to the coast, subsidence, Relative Sea Level Rise and the high frequency of storm events, have caused severe shoreline erosion. In this paper, we stress the key role of historical maps, topographic maps and free satellite images to forecast the rates of coastline changes and to recognize the main features of past landscapes as tools for risk reduction. This data was recorded into a Geographical Information System dedicated to coastal management that allows to compare different coastal zones and elaborate maps. The analysis was applied to the case study of Volturno Coastal Plain (VCP), extending from the town of Mondragone to Patria Lake (Campania Region, Southern Italy). Indeed, the intense territorial modification that occurred between the seventies and eighties, coupled with the exposure to coastal erosion, make the VCP a good test area. The spatial analysis algorithms allowed to outline the main features of past landscapes and how they changed from roman times to present while the coastal evolution (erosion, accretion) and possible future coastal trend was assessed with the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software. Starting from the Bourbon domain, the reclamation caused the first great territorial change (e.g. wetlands were transformed into agricultural lands, regimentation of surperficial water) but the negative effects of antrophic pressure, as the intense urbanization of the coastal belt, emerged in the seventies of the last century. The shoreline position was defined for 9 time intervals (from 1817 to 2012) as the ratio of the distance between two shorelines and the relative elapsed time. Moreover, for the 1957–1998 and 1998–2012 time windows, the shoreline trends were calculated with the weighted linear regression method. The first trend pointed out an intensive erosional phase (mean value: 5 m/yr) for a wide sector close to the Volturno River mouth, the eroded sediment nourished the beaches of other coastal sectors. This phase was related to the reduction of River sediment supply mainly due to the construction of the Ponte Annibale dam on the Volturno River. The second (1998–2012) showed an alternation of erosion and accretion sectors due to a sediment starved condition to deltaic zone and to a sequence of 52 sea protection works in the Gaeta Gulf. Furthermore, the regression values of more recent time interval, was assumed as a scenario to draw the probable shoreline position in 2022. The overlay of this shoreline on the Technical Maps of Campania Region at 1:5000 scale highlighted the urban area that could be exposed to damages.

An assessment of leaf-litter and epigaeic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) living in different landscapes of the Atlantic Forest Biome in the State of Bahia, Brazil

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest has a rich biodiversity increasingly threatened by human activities. Since the colonial period, the coast of the state of Bahia is among the most affected regions of Brazil by anthropic pressure. Bahia encloses Atlantic Forest remnants distributed in an area reaching 100-200 km along the east-west axis, by 1,000 km along the north-south axis, parallel to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. We report hereafter the results of an intensive field survey of leaf litter and epigaeic ants realized in forest remnants of the Atlantic Forest landscapes within the original extension of the biome in 11 localities distributed along four degrees of latitude in the state of Bahia. In each site, 16 plots were collected using pitfall and eight using Winkler traps. We identified 391 ant species belonging to 71 genera and nine subfamilies. Among all species recorded, 21 were common to the whole 11 localities, while 98 species were recorded in a single locality. This study highlights the richness and diversity of epigaeic and leaf-litter ants living in the northern part of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and is one of the most representative soil ants’ inventories ever done in this biome for a single state of Brazil.

Geophysics From Terrestrial Time‐Variable Gravity Measurements

AbstractIn a context of global change and increasing anthropic pressure on the environment, monitoring the Earth system and its evolution has become one of the key missions of geosciences. Geodesy is the geoscience that measures the geometric shape of the Earth, its orientation in space, and gravity field. Time‐variable gravity, because of its high accuracy, can be used to build an enhanced picture and understanding of the changing Earth. Ground‐based gravimetry can determine the change in gravity related to the Earth rotation fluctuation, to celestial body and Earth attractions, to the mass in the direct vicinity of the instruments, and to vertical displacement of the instrument itself on the ground. In this paper, we review the geophysical questions that can be addressed by ground gravimeters used to monitor time‐variable gravity. This is done in relation to the instrumental characteristics, noise sources, and good practices. We also discuss the next challenges to be met by ground gravimetry, the place that terrestrial gravimetry should hold in the Earth observation system, and perspectives and recommendations about the future of ground gravity instrumentation.

Vulnerability, impacts and assessment of climate change on Jakarta and Venice

ABSTRACTIn the next future, cities located in coastal areas are likely to suffer for climatic changes more than all other human systems. The demographic growth, combined with sea-level rise and global warming related to natural causes and anthropogenic activities, endanger those systems. Thence, to effectually cope with new climate forcing, coastal cities need improvements to be sustainable, resilient and liveable, applying flexible design approaches rather than a traditional one. The paper highlights such concepts presenting two case studies of important coastal cities: Venice, in Northern Italy, and Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Although characterized by completely different climatic conditions and living habits, these two metropolises are highly impacted by humans and threatened by similar factors like subsidence and sea-level rise, which increase their exposure to future calamities principally driven by climate change but strictly related to anthropic pressures. The present situation shows that, for the future, the resilience of coastal megalopolis can be increased only using a mix of approaches at various levels, spanning from technical measures to adaptable planning instruments that consider future uncertainties.

Biomarkers employment in planktonic copepods for early management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems: The case of the ‘Capo Peloro’ lakes (southern Italy)

Transitional water ecosystems can be exposed to high levels of anthropic pressure. The main aim of this study was to present the ‘Capo Peloro’ lakes (southern Italy) case study, which highlights the advantageous use of ecotoxicological biomarkers in key copepod species, to reveal potential contamination in transitional water ecosystems. The focus was on changes that occur after the summer season, as during the summer, the surrounding human population increases significantly, with the consequent enhancement of anthropic pressures. Biomarkers were defined to monitor the zooplankton copepods Paracartia latisetosa, Acartia tonsa and Oithona brevicornis. Acetylcholinesterase, lipid peroxidation, and benzo(a)pyrene-monooxygenase activities were determined. P. latisetosa, A. tonsa and O. brevicornis show linear increases in their acetylcholinesterase activities with increasing concentrations in sample homogenates, which defines their high metabolic rates, and thus the suitability of these species as bioindicators. Biochemical alterations in these species induce changes in their biological attributes that can also lead to their disappearance, with a cascade of consequences for the higher trophic levels in the food chain. These data indicate that for the two lakes of Capo Peloro there is contamination by pesticides, carbamates and polycyclic and polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. This occurs mainly at the end of the summer season, and only affects the species of the low trophic levels. This case study shows the benefits provided by this biomarker approach as applied to zooplankton species, to monitor transitional water ecosystems and to estimate their toxicological risk, and thus to provide an early warning signal for loss of ecosystem integrity.

Analysis of Anthropic Pressure Indices in the Metropolitan Area of Braşov, Processed/Highlighted by Means of GIS

Abstract Metropolitan areas represent large urban centers, made up of a metropolis and adjacent areas of influence. In general, one or several cities are polarizing centers which inspire a name to the metropolitan area as the most important component of the city. The human pressure may be analyzed using anthropic pressure indices. They are calculated according to the relation between the surfaces with different types of occupation and the number of population overlapping such occupied areas. The data used in calculations may be found in official statistics and in international environmental monitoring programs. Such program is Copernicus which provides the Corine Land Cover data relating to use of land in Europe. To calculate and analyze anthropic pressure indices one may use GIS applications which process the Corine Land Cover data and create maps that expose changes occurred at visual level.

Déterminismes De La Dynamique De La Forêt Des Marais Tanoé-Ehy (Sud-Est, Côte d'Ivoire)v

Objective: The Tanoé-Ehy Forest (FMTE) has been identified as a top priority site for primate conservation in West Africa. Pending the completion of the measures of its final classification in protected area, anthropic pressures are constantly nibbling the types of habitat that the FMTE contains. The objective of the present study was to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution of this forest from 1986 to 2016. The study consisted in mapping and following through Landsat satellite images from 1986, 2000, and 2016 the dynamics of the land use that constitute the FMTE. To better understand the underpinnings of this evolution, based on anthropogenic threats, surveys were carried out in the five villages closest to the forest. Treatments show a 10% degradation of swamp forest area to degraded forests in 30 years. The habitats temporarily flooded forests remained intact during this 30 years period, reflecting efforts to maintain the integrity of the FMTE. Surveys have shown that the types of pressure and their intensity vary from peripheral villages. Overall, this involves wood harvesting and hunting. In view of the importance of the FMTE in terms of a particular ecosystem and the conservation of biodiversity, it is desirable and urgent that, in addition to awareness-raising campaigns for local populations, the process of its final ranking be accelerated to end its degradation.

Assessment of the trophic state of a hypersaline-carbonatic environment: Vermelha Lagoon (Brazil).

Vermelha Lagoon is a hypersaline shallow transitional ecosystem in the state of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). This lagoon is located in the protected area of Massambaba, between the cities of Araruama and Saquarema (Brazil), and displays two quite uncommon particularities: it exhibits carbonate sedimentation and displays the development of Holocene stromatolites. Due to both particularities, the salt industry and property speculation have been, increasingly, generating anthropic pressures on this ecosystem. This study aims to apply a multiproxy approach to evaluate the trophic state of Vermelha Lagoon based on physicochemical parameters and geochemical data for the quantification and qualification of organic matter (OM), namely total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur (TS), total phosphorus (TP) and biopolymeric carbon (BPC), including carbohydrates (CHO), lipids (LIP) and proteins (PTN). The CHO/TOC ratio values suggest that OM supplied to the sediment is of autochthonous origin and results, essentially, from microbial activity. The cluster analyses allowed the identification of four regions in Vermelha Lagoon. The Region I included stations located in shallow areas of the eastern sector of Vermelha lagoon affected by the impact of the artificial channel of connection with Araruama Lagoon. The Region II, under the influence of salt pans, is characterized by the highest values of BPC, namely CHO promoted by microbiological activity. The Region III include stations spread through the lagoon with high values of dissolved oxygen and lower values of TP. Stromatolites and microbial mattes growth was observed in some stations of this sector. Region IV, where the highest values of TOC and TS were found, represents depocenters of organic matter, located in general in depressed areas. Results of this work evidences that the Vermelha Lagoon is an eutrophic but alkaline and well oxygenated environment (at both water column and surface sediment) where the autotrophic activity is greater than heterotrophic one. These particular conditions make this a special and rare ecosystem.

Diversidad de insectos acuáticos en quebradas impactadas por agricultura y minería, Caldas, Colombia

Freshwater ecosystems are under severe anthropic pressure (e.g. agriculture and mining), which generates adverse effects on the diversity of aquatic insects. We evaluated the insect community in streams impacted by agriculture and mining, and determined how these activities affected the community. We studied six streams in Caldas (Colombia), two with mining and two with agriculture impact. We collected the insects using a Surber net with three replicates per substrate (fine sediment, stones, and litter). In total, 12 502 aquatic insects were collected. The most representative genera were Baetodes, Simulium, and Cricotopus (57.7 %). Streams with agricultural activity had lower aquatic insects diversity than mining impact (F2,309 = 21.82, p = 0.001). The agriculture areas presented a structure dominated by Simulium and Cricotopus (Diptera, pollution-tolerant morphospecies). Baetodes dominated in stones substrate, Cricotopus in sediment, and Simulium and Cricotopus dominated in litter (F2,309 = 2.84, p = 0.001). Therefore, both factors (impact and substrate type) are being important in determining the diversity of aquatic insects. Our results suggested that agricultural activity has a higher impact on the diversity of aquatic insects, which may be associated with the loss of riparian vegetation.

The amplification of the mitochondrial genome of the endangered buffy-tufted-ear marmoset Callithrix aurita (Primates: Cebidae) for massive parallel sequencing using the HiSeq 2500 platform

Callithrix aurita is a native small primate species from the Brazilian Southeastern Atlantic mountains. Considered as vulnerable and figuring the IUCN Red List, the species currently struggles with a reduced population size and faces several obstacles such as congeneric competition and the obvious anthropic pressure. Here we describe our amplification strategy to obtain high quality DNA of the endangered marmoset species Callithrix aurita from the South American Atlantic Rainforest, for use on massive parallel sequencing with the HiSeq 2500 platform. Two fragments of about 9Kb were successfully amplified comprising the fragments F1 165-9229 and F2 8531-639 of the mitochondrial genome of the Callithrix aurita. The quantification of the DNA was made using the Qubit fluorimeter and the fragments are now under sample preparation and sequencing using the Nextera DNA Kit within the HiSeq 2500 platform.

Uncertainties in shoreline position analysis: the role of run-up and tide in a gentle slope beach

Abstract. In recent decades in the Mediterranean Sea, high anthropic pressure from increasing economic and touristic development has affected several coastal areas. Today the erosion phenomena threaten human activities and existing structures, and interdisciplinary studies are needed to better understand actual coastal dynamics. Beach evolution analysis can be conducted using GIS methodologies, such as the well-known Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), in which error assessment based on shoreline positioning plays a significant role. In this study, a new approach is proposed to estimate the positioning errors due to tide and wave run-up influence. To improve the assessment of the wave run-up uncertainty, a spectral numerical model was used to propagate waves from deep to intermediate water and a Boussinesq-type model for intermediate water up to the swash zone. Tide effects on the uncertainty of shoreline position were evaluated using data collected by a nearby tide gauge. The proposed methodology was applied to an unprotected, dissipative Sicilian beach far from harbors and subjected to intense human activities over the last 20 years. The results show wave run-up and tide errors ranging from 0.12 to 4.5 m and from 1.20 to 1.39 m, respectively.

Brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) palaeoecology and diet in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene of the NW of the Iberian Peninsula: A study on stable isotopes

In this paper we performed stable isotope analysis on bone collagen of 81 samples from at least 39 brown bears (Ursus arctos) dating from Late Pleistocene to nowadays, that lived in the western of the Cantabrian Mountains. To interpret the data obtained we compared brown bear stable isotope signatures with those of cave bears (Ursus spelaeus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), and humans (Homo sapiens) from the same area. We observed that the diet of cave bears and brown bears in the Cantabrian Mountains was based on vegetable matter, although their different isotopic signatures suggest different ecological niches: wooded lowlands for the cave bear and steep highlands with scarce tree cover for the brown bear. In the Holocene brown bear maintains isotopic signatures similar to the Pleistocene ones in spite of the climatic tempering, which seems to be related to an even greater displacement toward the uplands due to a greater anthropic pressure in the ecosystem.

Coralligenous Bioconstructions Quality Index (CBQI): a synthetic indicator to assess the status of different types of coralligenous habitats

The global interest in the assessment of quality condition of some benthic habitats on hard bottoms, such as the coralligenous bioconstruction particularly important for the biodiversity maintenance in the Mediterranean Sea, is recently increasing. Using a synthesis of recent knowledge and ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles) imaging data acquired in the Bay of Naples (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy), the Coralligenous Bioconstruction Quality Index (CBQI) was developed.This new index can compare different types of coralligenous habitat (rocky cliffs, submerged shoals, and platform banks) located at both shallow and deep bottoms, and calculate their quality status taking into account coralligenous communities structuring, bottom abiotic factors and anthropic stress evaluation. The data analysis was relatively fast and easy to perform due to the use of morphological groups for coralligenous characterization and anthropic impact categories mainly related to fishing activities.The CBQI may provide a useful tool for the establishment of monitoring protocols and management programs to assess the quality of coralligenous bioconstructions, in different areas of Mediterranean Sea, since it takes into account and discerns the change in communities due to environmental characteristics and/or to anthropic pressure.

English

Mangroves are considered as natural nurseries and classified as permanent protected areas. The study area is the municipal ecological site of Ilha do Lameirao, covering 891.83 ha of mangrove forest. This area persistently suffers from anthropic pressure. For this reason, there is the need to study and monitor the microbiological characteristics and recognition of the main factors involved in the degradation of mangroves process. This study was done in the year 2014. Samples were taken every month during dry and rainy seasons. Two areas (Maria Ortiz and Canal dos Escravos) were chosen based on the degree of their vulnerability to anthropic pressure. The results show there is a microbiological contamination both in water and Crassostrea rhizophorae tissues, mainly in samples taken from Maria Ortiz. According to the results, the Canal dos Escravos estuary, known as Class 1 is an environment that is able to maintain aquatic communities and fishing activities. In oyster tissues, microorganism strains that indicate the pathogens which cause diseases in humans were identified. Key words: Environmental quality, microbiology, anthropic, pollution, oyster.

Ecosystem management tools to study natural habitats as wave damping structures and coastal protection mechanisms

Tropical countries have island and continental ecosystems of great value for tourism, fisheries and also for their conservation development potential. These natural habitats, including among other beaches, seagrass beds, mangrove forests and coral reefs can dissipate wave energy acting as barriers against high waves and high water levels to eventually protect coastal infrastructure and communities. However, in recent decades, they have been subject to strong anthropic pressure and extreme events due to natural causes as well as to climate change. Therefore, the global trend is to understand the eco-systemic services that these natural environments can provide and their economic value in terms of reducing damages caused by coastal erosion and flooding. A methodological framework is presented in order to quantify the impact of natural ecosystems in coastal protection and their environmental assessment based on numerical models available in the literature. In addition to the methodology, a study of a typical Caribbean fringing coral reef and its response to different sea level rise and extreme events scenarios was conducted. The contribution of these efforts from a technological and scientific point of view, lies in the integration of different disciplines required to combine the physical properties of hydrodynamic studies with biological factors as an input to provide practical socio-economic and environmental solutions in those regions in which these ecosystems predominate. Furthermore, a numerical modeling tool to study wave energy dissipation, focusing the analysis on the impact of natural ecosystems (coral reefs) on coastal erosion and flooding was implemented. This information will help coastal managers and decision-makers understand the coastal protection services provided by nearshore habitats in order to improve and design new coastal development strategies under global change scenarios.

Morphological changes in Alpine rivers following the end of the Little Ice Age

This work investigates the channel changes of Alpine rivers from the end of the Little Ice Age (1850s) to the 1950s, with the aim to determine the possible role of climatic variations occurred in this period before the onset of anthropic pressures (i.e., dams, check-dams, bank protections, and gravel mining). The research was conducted on 17 river catchments of South Tyrol (northern Italy), glaciated and unglaciated. A multitemporal GIS analysis approach was adopted to assess the morphological changes (in terms of channel width and pattern) from three different sources: (i) Austrian cadastral map (1858), (ii) maps from the Italian Institute of Military Geography (1917–1925), and (iii) two aerial photo sets taken in 1945 and 1954. The analysed river network (a total of 480km) was subdivided into 162 morphologically homogeneous reaches (76 confined, 81 partly confined, and 5 unconfined), with lengths ranging from 630 to 5500m, slope from 0.3 to 24%, and drained area from 20 to ~4000km2. The statistical relationships among morphological changes and reach- and basin-scale factors were analysed by univariate and multivariate methods, and the relationships between width changes and 36 controlling factors were explored using Principal Component Analysis.The variability in width and morphological pattern changes were very pronounced between and within single rivers, highlighting the value of such a large data set. Overall, the analysed rivers varied their morphological pattern, mostly exhibiting a shift from multithread/transitional to single-thread patterns, but unchanged planform types were also common. Variations in channel width varied substantially among the analysed rivers, which featured narrowing (slightly prevailing) and widening (the least common) as well as many cases of very limited changes. Channel width variations appear statistically, although weakly, related to some morphometric variables; and significant differences emerge comparing glaciated vs. unglaciated basins. Climate-related variations (glacier dynamics and channel disturbance frequency) are argued to be the dominant factors that affected channel variations.