Flush Period Research Articles

Precipitants transport during post-flush and its impacts

Wellbore stimulation is often needed for different situations in the field ranging from deepwater frac-packs to enhanced geothermal systems. Acidizing is commonly designed for cleaning perforation, recovering perforation functions, and improving injectivity during completion operations such as frac-pack, aiming to reduce the fracturing pressure and enhance productivity. However, some field observations have shown unexpected breakdown pressure increases after the post-flush period of acid treatment in sandstone reservoirs. To understand this problem, a 3D model has been established in this paper to simulate the acidizing process through a perforation hole, and then the subsequent post-flush resulting in precipitant transport. Finally, the breakdown process where fluid is injected into the rock is modeled to compare breakdown pressures in different cases. Our numerical results reveal that although minerals can be effectively dissolved by chemical reactions during the main flush period, the generated precipitants transported during the post-flush period may affect the rock breakdown process. The precipitant transport might develop high-porosity channels, potentially leading to the breakthrough along the precipitant deposits and establishing a string hydraulic communication between the perforation hole and the surrounding rock. The existence of these high-porosity channels enables fluids to flow swiftly into the surroundings, impeding enough pressure accumulation to crack the rock. The formation of high-porosity channels in the post-flush period and its potential impact on the breakdown pressure is influenced by several factors such as post-flush fluid injection rate, acid concentration and viscosity, and the initial rock permeability.

Uptake of biocrust nitrogen by tree crops in a sandy soil agroecosystem

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are widespread in dryland ecosystems worldwide and were only recently discovered in agroecosystems. As agroecosystem biocrusts complete biological nitrogen (N) fixation, this research investigated if biocrust N could be released to biocrust subsoil and assimilated by a perennial tree crop. Biocrust was pulse labeled with 15NH4Cl (15N) in the greenhouse for eight weeks prior to application in a citrus (Citrus spp.) orchard in Southwest Florida, USA. Patches of labeled biocrust were applied to twelve citrus trees in September, with twelve trees in the same orchard not receiving biocrust (controls). The 15N in the biocrust, subsoil, crop fibrous roots, and crop leaves was quantified at seven dates leading up to fruit harvest 158 days after application. Sampling dates overlapped with citrus root (September–October) and shoot (March) flush periods. Isotopically labeled biocrust N was present in subsoil and crop roots one day after biocrust application and in leaves after three days. Results revealed that N was released from biocrust at a rate of 0.63% 15N released per day leading up to fruit harvest when 91.7% of 15N had been released. The amount of biocrust 15N in the fibrous roots increased during a root flush period (September–October) until 28 days after biocrust application and then decreased leading up to a leaf flush period and fruit harvest. Approximately 23.8% of total biocrust 15N was in the crop tissue at fruit harvest. Overall, these results indicate agroecosystem biocrusts have the potential to support tree crop growth during N demanding growth stages.

The storm runoff management strategy based on agricultural ditch nutrient loss characteristics in Erhai Lake, China

Initial flush management is an effective measure to control non-point source pollution (NPSP) in storm runoff. However, determining the parameter of the initial flush in different areas may pose challenges in storm runoff management strategies. To address this issue, Erhai Lake in China, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, was selected as an example for the study. Erhai Lake is a typical mesotrophic lake with the profound influence of NPSP. The NPSP control strategy in this area will provide a valuable reference for other lakes. In 2021, 289 storm events and 190 ditchwater samples were detected around Erhai Lake. The average flow in the ditches ranged from 0.004 to 0.147 m3/s, the instant total nitrogen (TN) concentration ranged from 0.28 to 91.43 mg/L, and the instant total phosphorus (TP) concentration ranged from 0.26 to 7.35 mg/L in the storm events. It was found that the concentration of pollutants was lower than expected in the initial flush period. Instead, the event mean concentrations of TN and TP were 9.3 and 2.1 times higher than in the wet seasons, showing high nutrient concentration levels throughout the entire rainfall period. To manage storm runoff effectively, a flow-processes-division method was proposed to analyze the inflow condition and pollutant removal rate in different runoff periods. The peak flow interception strategy was recommended as the optimal stormwater management plan, as it showed the highest inflow conditions and 50% pollutant removal rate.Considering the need to reduce the constant flush of stormwater runoff, it is essential to establish a healthy water cycle system to alleviate NPSP and raise the Erhai water level. The storm runoff management method can serve as a practical tool for lake areas that do not exhibit initial flush characteristics.

Flushing newly built residential buildings with outdoor air for reducing formaldehyde and VOCs concentrations

ABSTRACT New building construction is often counted as a source of indoor air pollution because of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from new building materials, such as furnishings, wood, and finishings. The high levels of formaldehyde and VOCs in the early stage of new buildings could be linked to the negative health effects on occupants. The aim of this study is to examine the impacts of flush-out air flow rate and flush period in reducing formaldehyde and VOCs produced by building materials or furnishing of newly built residential buildings. Field measurements were conducted from September 2016 to August 2018 in nineteen newly built apartments to verify the effectiveness of the flush-out procedure. The field measurements showed that after the flush-out, the indoor concentrations of formaldehyde and VOCs in the newly built samples significantly decreased. The indoor concentrations of formaldehyde and TVOCs were reduced to about 61% and 41% of the initial concentration when the samples were flushed at 0.7ACH for nine days. The results of this study showed that the flush-out for a short term of below two weeks was more effective reducing the emission potential of VOCs than of formaldehyde. When the samples were flushed for more than seven days, the air change rates of the flushing did not significantly influence the reduction of indoor pollutants.

Soil Solarization as an Alternative Weed Control Method for Archaeological Sites in the Mediterranean Region

Weed species commonly colonize archaeological sites in the Mediterranean region, which poses many issues for the sites’ function and the state of preservation of the monuments. Soil solarization was investigated as an alternative environmentally friendly weed control strategy following legislative limits on the use of herbicides at archaeological sites in Greece. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of solarization applied during: (a) summer (the hottest season, as applied in organic and integrated agriculture) and (b) autumn (a season of low tourist activity in archaeological sites), testing two types of plastic mulching: (a) clear and (b) opaque black, and two types of soil preparation: (a) with tillage (as in the agricultural practice of the method) and (b) without tillage. Visual evaluation of the weed control rate suggested that the application of soil solarization during summer resulted in excellent weed control, 100% the following October to December period and over 90% until February. The application of soil solarization during autumn also provided excellent weed control and treatments with clear plastic and tillage resulted in complete (100%) weed control from October to December, while the following month weed control was over 90%. In late March, dry weight of weed biomass was significantly affected by the solarization treatments and it was significantly reduced by treatments with clear plastic. Thus, soil solarization is a sustainable method that has the potential to be used effectively for weed management in archaeological sites of the Mediterranean region. Even treatments without tillage generated excellent weed control during the winter weed flush period and are recommended to protect unexcavated, fragile artifacts. Also, the results of autumn treatments encourage the application of the method during the season of low tourist activity at archaeological sites.

Water consumption during a leafless period in a dry season in three deciduous tropical timber species

Besides mechanical protection and sugar transport through phloem, barks also transpire some amount of water. Bark transpiration may be a driving force to keep water flux during the leafless period among tropical deciduous trees, but has been hardly investigated. In the current investigation we used the sap flow data to assess the water consumption during leaf loss initiation, total leaf loss period, and leaf flush period in three economically important tropical deciduous timber species i.e, Anogeissus acuminata, Dipterocarpus tuberculatus and Tectona grandis. Eight trees of each species were measured using Granier’s heat dissipation sensors, with the circumference ranging from 59 cm to 172 cm (mean 59.84 cm) across the three species. The phenological observation for canopy leaves was also carried out on weekly basis. During the completely leafless period, a significant amount of water flux was detected in all three species, which was correlated with vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and light intensity. The whole tree daily mean water consumption during this leaf-less, flower-less and fruit-less period, mainly due to bark transpiration was around 8–14 kg across the three species. It was about 7 to 18 % of the mean whole-tree daily transpiration in the fully foliated canopies during a typical wet-season period. This water flux was supported by sufficient soil moisture as indicated by the pre-dawn leaf water potential higher than –0.4 MPa in the three species. Further, a significant and positive relationship (R2 = 0.32, P < 0.005) was found between tree circumference and whole-tree water consumption during the leaf-less period. The total stand-level water consumption during the leaf-less period ranged from 13 mm to 26.8 mm on a 30 days basis across the three species. Such water flux mainly driven by bark transpiration could have a significant role in maintaining the hydraulic integrity of trees in the dry season, although it could reduce xylem water potential to a risky level of hydraulic dysfunction during a prolonged drought or on dry sites. The study is the first report on bark transpiration in intact trees, scaled to the stand-level, which should be included in the modeling of hydraulic function of plant and ecosystem hydrology.

Distribution patterns of four Termitomyces species cultivated by a fungus-growing termite, Odontotermes formosanus, in Taiwan

Fungus-growing termites inoculate the obligate symbiotic fungus Termitomyces into the fungus comb in their colonies. In this study, Taiwanese Termitomyces species were determined by diagnostic PCR using the metagenome of the body of Odontotermes formosanus (the only host termite living in Taiwan) as a template. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that four different Termitomyces species are cultivated by O. formosanus in Taiwan. Three have previously been registered in the DNA database, but one was first recorded in Taiwan. Only Termitomyces sp. Type C was distributed in all areas investigated in Taiwan, whereas the other three species were distributed regionally. Field observations indicated that the flush period and the number of fruit bodies in each colony varied between species. The distribution patterns of Termitomyces spp. in Taiwan may be related to the Taiwanese climate and/or the fruiting pattern. • Four Termitomyces species establish symbiosis with a fungus-growing termite in Taiwan. • One Termitomyces is first recorded in Taiwan. • Only one species inhabits all of Taiwan, whereas the other is regionally distributed. • Flush period and size of fruit body may affect Termitomyces distribution pattern.

'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus'-Encoded BCP Peroxiredoxin Suppresses Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Defense Signaling and Nitrosative Stress In Planta.

The lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria trigger a nitrosative and oxidative burst in both animals and plants during pathogen invasion. Liberibacter crescens strain BT-1 is a surrogate for functional genomic studies of the uncultured pathogenic 'Candidatus Liberibacter' spp. that are associated with severe diseases such as citrus greening and potato zebra chip. Structural determination of L. crescens LPS revealed the presence of a very long chain fatty acid modification. L. crescens LPS pretreatment suppressed growth of Xanthomonas perforans on nonhost tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) and X. citri subsp. citri on host orange (Citrus sinensis), confirming bioactivity of L. crescens LPS in activation of systemic acquired resistance (SAR). L. crescens LPS elicited a rapid burst of nitric oxide (NO) in suspension cultured tobacco cells. Pharmacological inhibitor assays confirmed that arginine-utilizing NO synthase (NOS) activity was the primary source of NO generation elicited by L. crescens LPS. LPS treatment also resulted in biological markers of NO-mediated SAR activation, including an increase in the glutathione pool, callose deposition, and activation of the salicylic acid and azelaic acid (AzA) signaling networks. Transient expression of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' bacterioferritin comigratory protein (BCP) peroxiredoxin in tobacco compromised AzA signaling, a prerequisite for LPS-triggered SAR. Western blot analyses revealed that 'Ca. L. asiaticus' BCP peroxiredoxin prevented peroxynitrite-mediated tyrosine nitration in tobacco. 'Ca. L. asiaticus' BCP peroxiredoxin (i) attenuates NO-mediated SAR signaling and (ii) scavenges peroxynitrite radicals, which would facilitate repetitive cycles of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' acquisition and transmission by fecund psyllids throughout the limited flush period in citrus.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Field Evaluation of Chemotherapy on HLB-Affected Citrus Trees With Emphasis on Fruit Yield and Quality.

Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most devastating diseases of citrus, which is associated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las) in the United States. To date, no effective antimicrobial compound is commercially available to control the disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of different antimicrobial chemicals with suitable surfactants on HLB-affected matured citrus trees with emphasis on the fruit yield and quality. Each treatment was applied three times in a 2-week interval during the spring flush period, one time in summer and three times during the autumn flushing period. We extensively examined different parameters such as pathogenic index, disease index, tree canopy, fruit yield, quality, and nutritional status. The results showed that among the treatments, penicillin (PEN) with surfactant was most effective in suppressing Las titer in infected citrus trees, followed by Fosetyl-Al (ALI), Carvacrol (CARV), and Validamycin (VA). Fruit quality analysis revealed that PEN treatment increased the soluble solids content (SSC), whereas Oxytetracycline (OXY) treatment significantly reduced titratable acidity (TA) level and increased the SSC/TA ratio compared to the control. Nutrient analysis showed increased N and Zn levels in ALI and PEN treatments, and OXY treatment increased leaf P, K, S, and Mg levels compared to untreated control. Furthermore, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, and Mn in leaves were reduced in all chemical treatments than that of the untreated control. These findings revealed that some of the chemical treatments were able to suppress Las pathogen, enhance nutritional status in leaves, and improve tree growth and fruit quality of HLB-affected trees.

Functional differences in seasonally absorbed nitrogen in a winter-green perennial herb.

Nitrogen (N) uptake in response to its availability and effective N-use are important for determining plant fitness, as N is a major limiting resource and its availability changes both seasonally and annually. Storage organs such as bulbs are considered an adaptive trait with respect to plant N-use strategies. It is well known that N is remobilized from storage organs to satisfy the high demand for new growth that is not completely satisfied by external uptake alone. However, little is known about how this N absorbed during different seasons contributes to plant performance. By manipulating seasonal N availability in potted Lycoris radiata var. radiata (Amaryllidaceae), a winter-green perennial, we found that the N absorbed during different seasons had different effects on leaf growth and leaf N concentrations, effectively increasing the growth and survival of the plants. N absorbed during the summer (leafless period; N was thus stored in the bulb) enhanced plant growth by increasing leaf growth. Compared with the plants supplied with N during autumn (leaf flush period), the leafy plants also showed greater growth per unit leaf area despite the lower area-based photosynthetic capacity of the latter. By contrast, N absorbed during the autumn increased the leaf N concentration and thus the photosynthetic capacity, which was considered to enhance survival and growth of the plant during winter by reducing the potentially fatal risk caused by the absorption of photons under low temperature. Our findings have important implications for estimating plant responses to environmental changes. We predict that changes in seasonal N availability impact the performance of plants, even that of perennials that have large storage organs, via an altered relative investment of N into different functions.

High rate filtration for local treatment of combined sewer overflow.

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) pollute receiving waters and have a negative impact on ecosystem services. In urban areas rehabilitation of the sewer system to avoid CSOs is associated with high investment costs. Furthermore, not all CSOs can be closed due to the need for hydraulic reliability of the system. Local treatment of CSO with high rate filtration offers an alternative to rehabilitation of the sewer system that is flexible with respect to design and has lower investment cost than separating sewage and storm water runoff. Results from DESSIN, a 4-year EU demonstration project, are presented. The results showed on average 50% removal of particulate matter during CSO events, with higher removal (80%) in the initial first flush period. Other constituents, for example heavy metals, were removed through their association with particles. Potential impacts on ecosystem services in the catchment and the sustainability of the solution were assessed.

Efficacy of occupancy-based smart ventilation control strategies in energy-efficient homes in the United States

Proper ventilation of residences is essential for occupant health and comfort, and is responsible for a significant portion of energy consumption in homes. This study examines a method for providing adequate ventilation in homes while reducing energy consumption and peak demand: “smart” control of ventilation through sensing of occupancy and modulation of ventilation fans. We first conducted a detailed simulation study of advanced California homes with several occupancy-based ventilation control strategies. We then look at how general these results are nationally through a second simulation campaign in 15 ASHRAE climate zones. All simulations compared equivalent indoor air quality situations and assessed energy savings benefits. A key difference from previous demand-controlled ventilation strategies is that our study includes the effects of building related contaminants that are continuously emitted, irrespective of occupancy status, consistent with the requirements in ASHRAE Standard 62.2–2016. Under this new assumption, it is very difficult to extract substantial energy savings using only occupancy sensing. For the baseline strategy, savings were less than 10% of ventilation energy and sometimes negative in all cases analyzed other than leakier 2-story homes. Addition of a pre-occupancy flush period increases savings somewhat, but savings are still less than 15% other than in 2-story leakier homes.

Pestiferous Red Slug Caterpillars of Eterusia aedea (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae): Status, Bioecology and Management in Tea Plantations of India

The red slug caterpillar of the colourful moth, Eterusia aedea (Linnaeus, 1763) (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae) has earned considerable importance as a defoliator of tea during the last decade in major tea-producing countries like China, India, Sri Lanka, Japan and Taiwan. The damage is caused by all stages of larvae which feed mainly on mature tea leaves. In severe infestations bushes can become completely defoliated and sometimes the bark is also damaged. The pest is found sporadically throughout the plucking season or the flush period and even in winter. Under optimal conditions there may be 3–4 generations in a year. For control of this pest, synthetic pesticides are widely used. There are several reports related to the excessive application of insecticides resulting in the development of high tolerance in this pest to some of the insecticides. Quinalphos, emamectin benzoate and flubendamide were found to be effective in controlling population surge of red slug. At present, integrated management is being emphasized in protection of tea crop, where cultural, mechanical, physical, biological and chemical methods are in use. Works related to bio-ecology of E. aedea along with different management measures adopted for this pest are reviewed and discussed with special emphasis to Indian tea plantation. Further, future directions for better management of this emerging pest have been suggested.

Field Efficacy of Newer Insecticides for Management of Annual Moringa Leaf Webber, Noorda blitealis Walker (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

The young larvae of moringa leaf-webber (Noorda blitealis Walker) feed voraciously on the foliage and strip the branches completely during rainy and new flush formation period, resulting in 100 per cent defoliation. The performance of six newer insecticides is reported under field condition at annual moringa garden, situated in two different locations of Madurai district, Tamil Nadu during 2016 to manage Noorda blitealis. Analysis of pooled data from the two locations indicated that two rounds of foliar application of spinosad 45 SC @ 56 g ai ha−1 at fortnightly interval, starting from new flush period was effective in reducing the leaf damage to 8.57 per cent which was significantly superior over profenophos 50 EC @ 250 g ai ha−1 (11.23% leaf damage) and flubendiamide 20 WG @ 250 g ai ha−1 (11.42% leaf damage), all the treatments being significantly superior over the untreated control (38.28% leaf damage).

Treatment on oil/water gel deposition behavior in non-heating gathering and transporting process with polymer flooding wells

Against a background of crude oil shortage and low-carbon economy, optimization and simplification of oil–gas gathering and transporting play an indispensable role in efficient development of oilfield. Profit from the high efficient utilization of the produced liquid self-energy, single-pipe non-heating gathering and transporting process has been recognized in polymer flooding wells of Daqing oilfield (China). However, it is also facing the challenges of deposition, partial blockage, high wellhead pressure, production fluctuation and environment management. A field investigation of the application for the non-heating process and the variation of polymer flooding wellhead pressure were recently carried out. The flow patterns of the oil, water and gas mixture in single-pipe process were identified, and the locations where the gel deposition was most likely to occur were estimated. Deposition inhibitions and removal processes were practiced, and the operation parameters under different working conditions were optimized. The results indicated that single-pipe non-heating process could reduce 20% of the investment and 30% of the running cost and could also make the wellhead pressure of some wells exceed the maximum allowable operating pressure of oil gathering pipelines. There appears to be a proportional relationship among water content, flow rate, residual polymer concentration and gel deposition behavior in a certain range of gathering radius. The gel deposition rate of the produced liquid with polymer concentration of higher than 600 mg/L and the water content of 90.5% reached 0.1154 mm/h in the coldest climate under the normal flow rate of 85 t/d, and the theoretical pigging period was <10 days. Gelation nucleation which was related to emulsification was induced by the transition and coexistence of separated flow and dispersed flow in non-heating gathering pipelines. The main deposition located on the beginning of pipelines, manifold, valve and elbow, and wellhead pressure of 350 psi was created in the test period of 20 days. Although using chemical inhibition method could still obtain a drag reduction rate of more than 25% under crude oil gelation temperature, the fact of the centralization disability of wellhead dosing facilities and the potential threat of chemical inhibitors to the environment could not be ignored. The noticeable energy consumption and potential risks of pipeline restarting may be encountered using facilities improvement and sphere pigging operation in gel deposition behavior treatment. A relation schema which could be used to predict deposition rate and extract thermal flush period according to the actual working condition was established. The successful application of the non-heating gathering and transporting process combated the traditional view that heat tracing is essential for maintaining the surface process in extremely cold area. Furthermore, the results contributed to the existing literature in establishing subsurface and surface parts integration idea for a green field development and accelerate further application of non-heating gathering and transporting process.

Cardiac repolarization in recently postmenopausal women with or without hot flushes.

Menopausal hot flushes are associated with elevated activity of the sympathetic nervous system and may be related to increased risk for cardiovascular events. Sympathetic activation may trigger severe arrhythmias by modulating cardiac repolarization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of hot flushes on cardiac repolarization in postmenopausal women with and without hot flushes. We assessed 150 recently postmenopausal healthy women-72 with hot flushes and 78 without hot flushes. They underwent 24-hour electrocardiographic recording, comprising a total of over 10,000,000 QT-interval measurements. The cardiac repolarization was assessed by measuring QT-intervals, heat rate dependence of QT-end intervals, and T-waves. The maximal QT-end interval was shorter in women with hot flushes compared with those without hot flushes (481 ± 64 ms vs 493 ± 50 ms; P = 0.046). There were no differences between the rate dependence of QT-end intervals and T-wave measures between the groups. During the night-time hot flush period, we detected a steeper rate-dependence of QT-end intervals and a longer maximal T-peak-T-end interval (117 ± 54 ms vs 111 ± 56 ms; P < 0.001) compared with the control period. Women with hot flushes did not have clinically significant differences in ambulatory cardiac repolarization measurements compared with asymptomatic women. However, a sudden sympathetic surge occurring during the night-time hot flush may have direct effects on cardiac repolarization.

Groundwater dynamics under water-saving irrigation and implications for sustainable water management in an oasis: Tarim River basin of western China

Abstract. Water is essential for life. Specifically in the oases of inland arid basins, water is a critically limited resource, essential for the development of the socio-economy and the sustainability of eco-environmental systems. Due to the unique hydrological regime present in arid oases, a moderate groundwater table is the goal of sustainable water management. A shallow water table induces serious secondary salinization and collapse of agriculture, while a deep water table causes deterioration of natural vegetation. From the hydrological perspective, the exchange flux between the unsaturated vadose zone and groundwater reservoir is a critical link to understanding regional water table dynamics. This flux is substantially influenced by anthropogenic activities. In the Tarim River basin of western China, where agriculture consumes over 90% of available water resources, the exchange flux between the unsaturated vadose zone and groundwater reservoir is influenced strongly by irrigation. Recently, mulched drip irrigation, a sophisticated water-saving irrigation method, was widely applied in the Tarim River basin, which greatly impacted the exchange flux and thus the regional groundwater dynamics. Capitalizing on recent progress in evaporation measurement techniques, we can now close the water balance and directly quantify the exchange flux at the field scale, thus gaining a better understanding of regional groundwater dynamics. In this study, comprehensive observations of water balance components in an irrigated cropland were implemented in 2012 and 2013 in a typical oasis within the Tarim River basin. The water balance analysis showed that the exchange flux and groundwater dynamics were significantly altered by the application of water-saving irrigation. The exchange flux at the groundwater table is mostly downward (310.5 mm year−1), especially during drip irrigation period and spring flush period, while the upward flux is trivial (16.1 mm year−1) due to the moderate groundwater table depth (annual average depth 2.9 m). Traditional secondary salinization caused by intense phreatic evaporation (fed by upward exchange flux) is alleviated. However, a new form of secondary salinization may be introduced unwittingly if there is lack of water for periodic flushing, especially when brackish water is used in the irrigation. Furthermore, the water saved via drip irrigation has been used in further growth of irrigated lands instead of supporting the ecological system. This could lead to an increased risk of eco-environmental degradation and calls for improved governance schemes. The insights gained from this study can be potentially applied to other arid inland areas (e.g., central Asia) which face similar water shortages and human development problems.

Changes in carotenoids and ABA content in Citrus leaves in response to girdling

The effect of girdling on abscisic acid, carotenoids content, xanthophylls cycle and non-photoquemical quenching was studied in leaves from different shoot types of containerized two-year-old ‘Loretina’ mandarin during spring flush period. Girdling increased abscisic acid in young leaves and decreased it in mature leaves. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in leaf carotenoids, carotenoids:chlorophylls ratio, xanthophylls and xanthophylls cycle pool size and its de-epoxidation state in vegetative and multiflowered young leafy shoots. However, changes in de-epoxidation state did not correlate with the energy-dependent non-photochemical quenching. The role of carotenoids and abscisic acid as photoprotecting agents during the oxidative stress caused by girdling is discussed. In conclusion, this study provides evidence linking carotenoids-based photoprotecting mechanisms in the response to the stress induced by girdling in Citrus trees.

Estimating Catchment Vulnerability to Diffuse Herbicide Losses from Hydrograph Statistics

The prediction of diffuse herbicide losses to surface waters using process-based models is data and time demanding. There is a need for simpler and more efficient catchment screening tools. We developed and tested a new proxy for screening catchments for their vulnerability to diffuse herbicide losses relying on widely available river flow data only. The proxy combines the fast flow index (FFI) (i.e., the long-term average proportion of fast flow to total discharge) and the fast flow volume (FFVs) (i.e., the stormflow component of the hydrograph during the spring flush period). We tested the proxy and the underlying hypotheses by regression analyses of existing high-frequency, multiannual monitoring datasets of atrazine, metolachlor, alachlor, and acetochlor concentrations from six US and European catchments. The percentages of applied amounts of three of the four herbicides lost to surface water were positively correlated with the FFV, and the slope of the correlation was positively correlated with the FFI. Based on the empirical data, we derived quantitative proxies to estimate atrazine and metolachlor losses based on the measured FFI and FFV values. The application to 65 European catchments revealed that many of them had a lower vulnerability than the six test catchments. The observed FFI dependency of the slope seems reasonable because with increasing FFI less rain is needed to trigger fast flow and more herbicide is available in the topsoil. The proposed FFI-FFVs proxy can guide researchers and authorities in selecting monitoring areas, setting monitoring results into context, and prioritizing mitigation strategies according to catchment vulnerability.

Effect of free chlorine application on microbial quality of drinking water in chloraminated distribution systems

The potential for bacterial regrowth and the formation of disinfection by‐products in distribution systems are issues of concern for many drinking water utilities. The principal objective of this study was to examine bacterial growth/regrowth in two chloraminated distribution systems before, during, and after a free chlorine flush. Raw water for both systems was of similar quality, but treatment trains differed, primarily in their use of ozone. To avoid culture‐based technique biases, cell counts were measured directly by nucleic acid staining and subsequent analysis by flow cytometry. During the free chlorine flush period, lower cell counts were obtained at all sampled locations in one distribution system, but only at long detention times in the second distribution system. Assimilable organic carbon levels were generally greater in the second distribution system, where ozonation was used in the treatment train. At an intermittent‐use facility, nitrification was mitigated after hydrant flushing led to the appearance of a free chlorine residual. However, without additional hydrant flushing, the free chlorine residual decayed and led to elevated levels of chloroform. In comparing tap water from both distribution systems with several commercially available bottled waters, bacteria levels were found to be higher in more than half of the bottled waters tested.