Sampling Locations Research Articles

Assessment of the water quality pollution index and ecological risk of microplastic pollution along the Tambakoso River in Surabaya, Indonesia

Increasing human activities and improper waste disposal will cause microplastic pollution in surface water. This study analyzed the abundance and characteristics of microplastics, pollution index based on water quality and its relationship with microplastic pollution, and the potential ecological risk of microplastics along the Tambakoso River which is influenced by various land uses of housing, industry, agriculture, and ponds from 16 sampling points. The average abundance of microplastics in the river was 91.80 particles/L. The Kruskal Wallis test showed that there were significant differences between microplastic pollution at each sampling location (Pvalue <0.05). In general, microplastics were mostly found in the form of fragments (48.36 %), transparent color (73.81 %), SMP size (<1 mm) (81.6 %), and dominated by PVC and nylon polymers. However, the characteristics of microplastics at each sampling location varied. The water quality pollution index value showed a slightly polluted category at most points. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that the characteristics of the shape and color of microplastics correlated with water quality parameters. The potential ecological risk based on microplastic pollution showed minor, moderate, and high categories at points with industrial land use. This indicates that the distribution of microplastics is closely related to human activities in the area. The level of ecological risk from microplastics depends on the percentage of each plastic polymer, along with its abundance in the environment. This study offers an important basis for designing efficient countermeasures to reduce microplastic pollution and improve water quality in surface waters.

On progressive failure of sand considering fabric evolution with micropolar hypoplastic model

To study the progressive failure of sand considering the multi-scale and its fabric evolution, the fabric is used as the quantitative link from micro to macro, then the influence of fabric on the anisotropic critical state is adopted to establish a hypoplastic model, and the fabric evolution and micropolar theory are employed to describe the mesoscopic mechanism of local deformation, finally, the simulations of discrete element methods (DEM) and finite element methods (FEM) is coordinated to reproduce the progressive failure. In the DEM biaxial simulations, the distribution of the contact normal is quantitatively determined by the novel orthotropic fabric tensor, and the difference in particle shapes and sample position showed that the fabric evolution is obvious, especially inside and outside the shear band, and before or after the shear band penetration. The fabric evolution of DEM is implanted into the corresponding location of the FEM sample, the results indicate that the macro-meso incorporation hypoplastic model can effectively describe strain localization evolution and progressive failure. The internal length of micropolar theory and particle size are identified as the main factors influencing the shear band thickness. The anisotropic fabric influences the shear band patterns, with circular and elliptical particles tending to form an "X-shape" shear band, while square and triangular particles tend to form a "L-shape" shear band.

Biofilm growth Dynamics in a Micro-Irrigation with Reclaimed Wastewater in the Field scale.

The dripper clogging due to the development of biofilm can reduce the benefits of micro-irrigation technology implementation using reclaimed wastewater. The narrow cross-section and labyrinth geometry of the dripper channel enhance the fouling mechanisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the water distribution and biofouling of drip irrigation systems at the field scale during irrigation with treated wastewater. Six 100 m lines of commercial pipes with two pressure-compensating dripper types (flow rate, Q, of 0.65 L.h-1 and 1.5 L.h-1, respectively) were monitored for four months. Different zones along the pipes were selected to evaluate the influence of hydrodynamical conditions (Reynolds number = 5400 to 0) on biofouling. Destructive methods involving the biofilm extraction by mechanical means, showed little biofilm development without significant differences in dry and organic matter content in function of the sampling location along the pipe or dripper flow rate (Q0.65 and Q1.5). These results were confirmed by non-destructive methods, such as optical coherence tomography, that nevertheless showed that biofouling concerned 15-20% of the total dripper labyrinth volume. Total organic carbon monitoring and its composition (by three-dimensional excitation and emission matrix fluorescence microscopy) showed that the biofilm did not significantly influence the organic matter nature. Our results indicated that the biological activity and biofilm development in irrigation systems were more affected by the environmental conditions, particularly water temperature, rather than flow conditions. This confirmed that treated wastewater with low organic content can be used in micro-irrigation systems without significant loss of efficiency, even in conditions requiring intensive irrigation, such as the Mediterranean climate.

Microplastics Pollution in Tropical Estuary (Muttukadu Backwater), Southeast Coast of India: Occurrence, Distribution Characteristics, Potential Sources and Ecological Risk Assessment

Around the world, microplastic pollution is pervasive and is regarded as the biggest threat to all ecosystems. We conducted the present study to determine the prevalence of microplastics (MPs), their polymer hazard risk (PHI), and any potential sources of these particles in the estuary of Muttukadu Backwater, Southeast Coast of India. Microplastics were extricated from surface water and sediment by the wet peroxide method, identified by a stereo zoom microscope (SM), and characterized by ATR-FTIR and SEM-EDS analysis. The average microplastic abundance in sediment and surface water was 815±158 particles Kg−1 and 195±38 particles m−3, respectively. The most common microplastics based on shapes were fibers and fragments in both sediment and surface water, with blue and green-colored microplastics being the most frequently observed colors. Type II polymer particles (<3.00 mm–1.00 mm) are dominant particles in sediment (36%), and type I (5.00 mm–3.00 mm) particles dominate in surface water samples (49%). Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) results showed that the following chemical elements, such as O, C, Cl, Fe, Na, Al, K, Ca, and Si, as well as the order of the trace metal Pb > Cr > Ni > Co > As > Cu > Cd > Zn, are observed by microplastics of all sediment sampling location. The pollution load index (PI), polymer hazard index (PHI), and potential ecological risk (PER) index models revealed varying level of risk. The polymer hazard index (PHI) reveals that both water and sediments are moderate to highly MP contamination. The hazards of polymers such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polyester, and polyamide significantly contributed to hazard level IV. Inadequate plastic waste management, human habitation and tourism, rapid industrialization, and coastal construction are the main sources of microplastic contamination in the study area. The proper guidelines, potential policies, and technological interventions are much needed to reduce the microplastic contamination along Southeast Coast of India.

Anthracnose Disease Attack on Chili Plants in West Sumatra

This study aims to determine Colletotrichum spp's attack level. causing anthracnose disease in chili in West Sumatra. The location of plant samples is determined based on the chili plant production centers in the high and lowlands. Sampling is done by randomized multi-stage sampling. The first stage determines two districts in the highlands, namely Tanah Flat and Agam, and two districts in the lowlands, namely Padang Pariaman and Padang City. The second stage determines two sub-districts in each district, namely X koto and Batipuh districts (Tanah Datar regency), Ampek Angkek and Sungai Pua districts (Agam regency), 2 x 11 Enam Lingkung and Patamuan districts (Padang Pariaman regency) and Pauh and Kuranji districts (Padang city). The third stage determines the Nagari, and each Nagari selects two chili planting fields with the criteria of having a land area of ± 400 m2; on that land, the chili plants have borne fruit. In each field, 40 sample plants were taken systematically randomly. The parameters observed included the infested plants, the infested fruit, and the intensity of the attack. The results showed that the attack of Colletotrichum spp. causing anthracnose disease on chili plants in West Sumatra was relatively high, with the infested plants ranging from 36.32% to 62.85% (average 45.13%), the number of infested fruits 23.50%-48.00% (average 36.39%) and the intensity of attack 37.8%-73.33% (average 52.85%). There was no visible difference in attack between highlands and lowlands.

Physio-chemical and microbial assessment of the source of drinking water and the prevailing waterborne diseases in Gwagwalada Municipal Area Council of Abuja, Nigeria

Water contamination poses a serious threat to the wellbeing of people globally. In Nigeria, there have been increasing cases of waterborne diseases owing to water contamination, thus becoming public health concerns. This study investigated the physio-chemical properties, microbial loads of borehole water samples from Gwagwalada area council of Abuja and its prevailing waterborne diseases. Borehole water samples were collected from five wards of the council area (Gwagwalada central (YZTM), University of Abuja Staff quarters (YZTMB), Dobi (SBWTM), Tunga Maje (TMCBW), and Ikwa (YZBTM) in triplicate and analyzed for physiochemical properties (temperature, conductivity, pH, turbidity, salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and heavy metals) and microbial contamination using standard methods. Surveillance to determine the prevalence of waterborne diseases was also carried out in the health facilities of the area council. All samples showed variable concentrations in most of the physiochemical parameters and were within the recommended thresholds except for conductivity (596.01 ± 0.00 μS/cm) and chlorine (254.18 ± 0.00 mg/l) in TMCBW sample and total dissolved solids in TMCBW (948.01 ± 14.14 mg/l) and YZTM (GC) (1871.00 ± 55.15 mg/l) water samples. E. coli, Enterobacter spp., Shigella spp., Lactobacillus spp., Pseudomonas ssp., and Proteus ssp. were bacteria isolates of the samples. Principal component analysis of interrelationship showed a strong positive relationship between some physio-chemical parameters and sampling locations. Also, there was heavy burden of gastrointestinal (waterborne) diseases. The study concludes that the borehole samples from the area were contaminated and maybe unfit for consumption. Thus, call for interventions that provide safer portable water or treat existing water sources towards achieving SDG No. 6 and to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases that could emanate from the consumption of unsafe water.

Trends in Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition in Macedonia Studied by Using the Moss Biomonitoring Technique

This study examined the nitrogen content in moss samples collected across Macedonia over a 15-year period (2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020) from 72 consistent sampling locations. The nitrogen content was determined using the Kjeldahl method, providing insight into the trends of atmospheric nitrogen deposition across different regions. Descriptive statistical analyses, including spatial distribution maps, were used to compare the temporal variations and regional nitrogen levels. In addition, box-plots (P25–P75) and whiskers (P5–P95) were constructed to provide a comprehensive view of the variability across different tectonic units and zones, allowing for an in-depth understanding of the spatial distribution of nitrogen across the country. The study revealed that the median nitrogen content in moss samples decreased from 1.21% in 2005 to 1.04% in 2015, followed by a slight increase to 1.07% in 2020. The highest nitrogen concentrations were consistently found in areas with heavy agricultural activities and high traffic volumes, indicating the direct impact of these anthropogenic factors. The comparisons across regions and geological zones also highlighted the substantial variation in nitrogen levels, reflecting the diverse environmental pressures in different parts of Macedonia. This long-term analysis not only offers valuable insights into the trends in nitrogen pollution but also underlines the necessity for targeted policy interventions, particularly in the regions where nitrogen levels remain persistently high.

Physical and Chemical Characterization of Sustainable Green Adhesives Derived from Municipal Treatment Plant Sludges

Adhesive formulations derived from sustainable feedstocks, like waste-activated sludge and biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, are developed due to protein-based adhesives receiving attention for their low-cost, resourcefulness, and minimal ecological footprint. The protein composition and associated dynamic changes of the adhesive formulations were studied via gel permeation chromatography, which detailed a molecular size distribution of 8.72 × 105 g/mol for the adhesive formulation and 6.89 × 103 g/mol for the dewatered biosolid base fraction, which confirms the formation of multiple protein functional groups combining to form the larger adhesive molecules. Further analysis determined the types of proteins present in the dewatered biosolids as glutelin, prolamin, globulin, and albumin proteins, with the glutelin proteins as the most prevalent, as thus likely responsible for adhesive formation. The rheological properties of the novel protein adhesive were also studied to interpret the structure of the adhesives, which detailed the findings of viscoelastic properties and flow behaviors of each adhesive in relation to the wastewater treatment plant sample location, which yielded higher flow points, storage moduli, and loss moduli for the dewatered biosolids in comparison to the waste-activated sludge and biosolid adhesives, which correlates with the higher solids content of the dewatered biosolids and potentially cell rupturing when exposed to filtration stress.

The ostracod distribution in the Sea of Galilee (Levant): species distribution and post-mortem dispersal of valves and carapaces

The Sea of Galilee is a unique large freshwater or slightly oligohaline natural lake in the Levant. Therefore, it represents an important aquatic habitat in the region that also provides invaluable ecosystem services for the local communities. To improve our knowledge of the lake’s ecosystem and the use of disarticulated ostracod valves and preserved carapaces, micro-crustacean remains commonly used in palaeolimnology and palaeoceanography, as proxies for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, and to examine the post-mortem dispersal of ostracod remains, 68 surface-sediment samples were collected from the lake bottom in 2012 and analysed for the ostracod assemblages. Both, the noded and smooth, forms of Cyprideis torosa dominate in the Sea of Galilee, with the former more abundant than the latter. Relatively abundant and found at half of the 68 sampling locations or more, are also Ilyocypris hartmanni, I. cf. nitida, Darwinula stevensoni and Neglecandona angulata. In addition, ten less abundant ostracod taxa were recorded in the lake. Of all 15 taxa recorded in our study, ten were also recorded in a study of the Sea of Galilee’s ostracod fauna conducted already in the 1960s. The newly recorded five taxa are relatively rare, and they were mostly found in the region of the Jordan River delta or near the southeastern shore of the lake which were not included in the survey of the 1960s. Thus, there is no evidence for a significant change in the ostracod fauna of the lake over the last half-century. In comparison to the ostracod assemblage from a late Pleistocene archaeological excavation site at the southwestern margin of the lake, the assemblage from the recent survey is slightly less diverse, probably because of the long duration of ca. 5000 years integrated by the sedimentary section of the archaeological site and also due to nearby freshwater inflows from which valves and carapaces were probably washed to the site’s location. Our study also shows that ostracod valves and carapaces are typically relatively abundant in most of the surface-sediment samples collected from locations at 18 m or shallower. In contrast, very few valves and carapaces were recorded at depths greater than 18 m, which is a zone affected by seasonal anoxia in the Sea of Galilee. These few ostracod remains were apparently transported by currents and waves to the central, deeper part of the lake, but their low number shows that such post-mortem dispersal of ostracod remains is insignificant in the deeper part of the lake. Thus, our study provides support for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimate reconstructions based on ostracod records from single sediment cores obtained from depths unaffected by post-mortem transport and seasonal or permanent anoxia.

CO2 Emissions Estimate From Mexico City Using Ground‐ and Space‐Based Remote Sensing

AbstractThe Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) stands as one of the most densely populated urban regions globally. To quantify the urban emissions in the MCMA, we independently assimilated observations from a dense column‐integrated Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) network and OCO‐3 Snapshot Area Map observations between October 2020 and May 2021. Applying a computationally efficient analytical Bayesian inversion technique, we inverted for surface fluxes at high spatio‐temporal resolutions (1‐km and 1‐hr). The fossil fuel (FF) emission estimates of 5.08 and 6.77 Gg/hr reported by the global and local emission inventories were optimized to 4.85 and 5.51 Gg/hr based on FTIR observations over this 7 month period, highlighting a convergence of posterior estimates. The modeled biogenic flux estimate of −0.14 Gg/hr was improved to −0.33 to −0.27 Gg/hr, respectively. It is worth noting that utilizing observations from three primary sites significantly enhanced the accuracy of estimates (13.6 29.2%) around the other four. Using FTIR posterior estimates can improve simulation with the OCO‐3 data set. OCO‐3 shows a similar decreasing trend in FF emissions (from 6.37 Gg/hr to 6.36 and 5.04 Gg/hr) as FTIR, but its correction trends for biogenic sources differ, changing from 0.37 to 0.48 Gg/hr. The primary reason is OCO‐3's lower temporal sampling density. Aligning the FTIR inversion timing with that of OCO‐3 yielded comparable corrections for FF emissions, yet discrepancies in biogenic emissions persisted, which can be attributed to their different sampling locations in the rural region and discrepancy in X observations. Our findings mark a significant step toward validating OCO‐3 and FTIR inversion results in metropolitan region.

Elemental composition and health risk assessment of PM10, PM2.5, at different microenvironments: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This study was designed to evaluate the health risks faced by inhabitants living in the slum areas of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 and elemental composition of the PM10 were measured in indoors (in the kitchen and living room) and outdoors (at the roadside). A total of 75 sampling locations (45 indoor and 30 outdoor) were selected for the study. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were determined using an AROCET531S instrument, while an universal air pump was used for the sampling of PM10 for the determination of trace elements by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‒OES). The health impacts of PMs on the inhabitants of twelve microenvironments (MEs), where they spend much of their daily time, were estimated. The total amounts of PM2.5 and PM10, and trace metals in PM10 found in the nine or twelve MEs ranged from 10.6-119, 128-185, and 0.007-0.197 μg m-3, respectively. According to the United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) guidelines, ten of the twelve MEs can cause significant health problems for inhabitants (HI > 1) due to PM2.5 and PM10. Thus, special attention should be given by stakeholders/inhabitants to minimize the health impacts on long-term exposure. This study assessed the risk of levels of trace elements on the inhabitants who spend most of their daily lives. The study revealed that the lifetime cancer risk values for the individual and cumulative trace elements were within the tolerable range set by the USEPA guidelines.

Medicinal Plant Microbiomes: Factors Affecting Bacterial and Fungal Community Composition.

This exploratory study was designed to identify factors implicating microbial influence on medicinal plant metabolomes. Utilizing a whole-microbiome approach, amplicon sequencing was used to identify the makeup of fungal and bacterial assemblages from endophytic (interior) and epiphytic (external) environments in two different sets of congeneric host-plant pairs, with collection of multiple samples of two medicinal plant species (Actaea racemosa, Rhodiola rosea) and two generic analogs (Actaea rubra, Rhodiola integrifolia). Diversity analysis of microbial assemblages revealed the influence of three primary factors driving variance in microbial community composition: host-plant taxonomy, the compartmentalization of microbial communities within discrete plant parts, and the scale of distance (microhabitat heterogeneity) between sampling locations. These three factors accounted for ~ 60% of variance within and between investigated microbiomes. Across all our collections, bacterial populations were more diverse than fungi (per compartment), and microbial density in epiphytic compartments (aerial parts, rhizosphere) were higher than those of endophytes (leaf and root). These comparative data point to key loci associated with variation between congeneric pairs and plant genera, providing insight into the complex and contrasting relationships found within this multi-kingdom coevolutionary relationship. Although reflective of only a limited set of botanical source materials, these data document the richness of a relatively unexplored component of the plant world and highlight the relevance of a whole-microbiome ecology-driven approach to botanical research and directed natural product investigations.

Hydrogeochemical Insights into the Sustainable Prospects of Groundwater Resources in an Alpine Irrigation Area on Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau is the “Asia Water Tower” and is pivotal for Asia and the whole world. Groundwater is essential for sustainable development in its alpine regions, yet its chemical quality increasingly limits its usability. The present research examines the hydrochemical characteristics and origins of phreatic groundwater in alpine irrigation areas. The study probes the chemical signatures, quality, and regulatory mechanisms of phreatic groundwater in a representative alpine irrigation area of the Tibetan Plateau. The findings indicate that the phreatic groundwater maintains a slightly alkaline and fresh status, with pH values ranging from 7.07 to 8.06 and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) between 300.25 and 638.38 mg/L. The hydrochemical composition of phreatic groundwater is mainly HCO3-Ca type, with a minority of HCO3-Na·Ca types, closely mirroring the profile of river water. Nitrogen contaminants, including NO3−, NO2−, and NH4+, exhibit considerable concentration fluctuations within the phreatic aquifer. Approximately 9.09% of the sampled groundwaters exceed the NO2− threshold of 0.02 mg/L, and 28.57% surpass the NH4+ limit of 0.2 mg/L for potable water standards. All sampled groundwaters are below the permissible limit of NO3− (50 mg/L). Phreatic groundwater exhibits relatively good potability, as assessed by the entropy-weighted water quality index (EWQI), with 95.24% of groundwaters having an EWQI value below 100. However, the potential health risks associated with elevated NO3− levels, rather than NO2− and NH4+, merit attention when such water is consumed by minors at certain sporadic sampling locations. Phreatic groundwater does not present sodium hazards or soil permeability damage, yet salinity hazards require attention. The hydrochemical makeup of phreatic groundwater is primarily dictated by rock–water interactions, such as silicate weathering and cation exchange reactions, with occasional influences from the dissolution of evaporites and carbonates, as well as reverse cation-exchange processes. While agricultural activities have not caused a notable rise in salinity, they are the main contributors to nitrogen pollution in the study area’s phreatic groundwater. Agricultural-derived nitrogen pollutants require vigilant monitoring to avert extensive deterioration of groundwater quality and to ensure the sustainable management of groundwater resources in alpine areas.

Equity-centered adaptive sampling in sub-sewershed wastewater surveillance using census data.

Sub-city, or sub-sewershed, wastewater monitoring for infectious diseases offers a data-driven strategy to inform local public health response and complements city-wide data from centralized wastewater treatment plants. Developing strategies for equitable representation of diverse populations in sub-city wastewater sampling frameworks is complicated by misalignment between demographic data and sampling zones. We address this challenge by: (1) developing a geospatial analysis tool that probabilistically assigns demographic data for subgroups aggregated by race and age from census blocks to sub-city sampling zones; (2) evaluating representativeness of subgroup populations for COVID-19 wastewater-based disease surveillance in Davis, California; and (3) demonstrating scenario planning that prioritizes vulnerable populations. We monitored SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater as a proxy for COVID-19 incidence in Davis (November 2021-September 2022). Daily city-wide sampling and thrice-weekly sub-city sampling from 16 maintenance holes covered nearly the entire city population. Sub-city wastewater data, aggregated as a population-weighted mean, correlated strongly with centralized treatment plant data (Spearman's correlation 0.909). Probabilistic assignment of demographic data can inform decisions when adapting sampling locations to prioritize vulnerable groups. We considered four scenarios that reduced the number of sampling zones from baseline by 25% and 50%, chosen randomly or to prioritize coverage of >65-year-old populations. Prioritizing representation increased coverage of >65-year-olds from 51.1% to 67.2% when removing half the zones, while increasing coverage of Black or African American populations from 67.5% to 76.7%. Downscaling had little effect on correlations between sub-city and centralized data (Spearman's correlations ranged from 0.875 to 0.917), with strongest correlations observed when prioritizing coverage of >65-year-old populations.

Limited evidence for the influence of the physical structure and floristics of habitat on a boreal forest bird community

Studies conducted at regional and continental scales show that avian richness, community composition, and abundance are associated with variation in the vegetation physical structure and community composition (floristics) within broad habitat types. The relative contributions of physical structure and floristics are contested, and relationships are often taxon-specific. We used 110 microphone arrays deployed across 90 sampling locations and two breeding seasons to survey an avian community in the boreal forest in Labrador, Canada. Our objectives were (1) to describe the avian community of an underrepresented portion of the boreal forest, (2) to estimate the relationships between avian species richness and habitat characteristics, (3) to estimate if species detection at a given location was related to local habitat characteristics, and (4) to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of the avian community composition. We detected 32 species at our sampling locations; physical structure and floristics were not related to avian species richness, although estimates of richness were higher on warmer days and lower on windier days. Habitat characteristics were associated with the detection of Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus), Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata), American Robin (Turdus migratorius), and Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens). Finally, avian community composition was only moderately consistent among three categorical forest types and between audio sampling periods in two consecutive breeding seasons. Overall, we show that the structural and floristic traits measured at our study site are not related to the detection of most avian species or to species richness.

Thinking beyond the closure assumption: Designing surveys for estimating biological truth with occupancy models

Abstract Occupancy models estimate distributions of imperfectly detected species, but violations of the closure assumption can bias results. However, researchers working with mobile animals may find it impossible to eliminate such violations. Here, we tested the hypothesis that occupancy models fit to realistic sampling data can generate unbiased occupancy estimates for an itinerant Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) population. In 2013 and 2014, we tracked movements of 41 breeding Wood Thrush males. We modelled territory shift probabilities using logistic exposure models and within‐territory movements using continuous‐time stochastic process models. We then constructed an individual‐based model, simulated (1000 iterations) spatiotemporal locations for individuals and simulated sampling these populations using 162 different point count protocols with variable spatial (sampling radius and point placement method), and temporal (survey length, between‐survey intervals and number of surveys) characteristics. We compared occupancy estimates with true values of instantaneous, daily and seasonal occupancy from the simulations. We parameterized continuous time stochastic process models based on movements within 34 unique territories and estimated a daily territory shift probability of 0.0099 (95% CI: 0.0060, 0.0152). Simulated data indicated that estimates of occupancy ranged from 0.18 (0.06, 1.00) to 0.80 (0.71, 0.89) depending on protocol characteristics. Occupancy estimates increased with increasing survey radius, survey length and between‐survey interval. Protocols using shorter surveys and between‐survey intervals were good estimators for instantaneous occupancy (low bias and mean‐squared error) but poor estimators for daily and seasonal occupancy; longer surveys and intervals generated unbiased estimators of daily occupancy but underestimated seasonal occupancy. Logistic regression models that ignored imperfect detection outperformed occupancy models for estimating instantaneous occupancy but not daily or seasonal occupancy. For mobile animals, occupancy of sampling sites changes in space and time. Consequently, the spatial and temporal aspects of a sampling protocol have strong, but predictable, effects on occupancy model parameter estimates. Our results demonstrate that how these factors interact is critical for designing surveys that produce occupancy estimates representative of the biological process of interest to a researcher.

Mining and urbanization affect river chemical water quality and macroinvertebrate communities in the upper Selenga River basin, Mongolia (revised version).

Mongolia is a country with a quickly growing economy mainly based on the mining of gold, copper, coal, and other minerals. Mining, urbanization, and agriculture impact the water quality in the upper Selenga River basin in northern Mongolia, which is the center of the Mongolian economy. Previous measurements of pollution loads were alarming, but restricted to chemical measurements. Here, for the first time, we combine freshwater biomonitoring and laboratory water quality data across a broad gradient of water quality and land use intensity. We track the effects of different types of pollution on aquatic invertebrates and test their use as bioindicators. We collected water samples, environmental parameters, and macroinvertebrates at 36 sampling sites at the rivers of Tuul, Kharaa, and Orkhon and their tributaries Sugnugur, Boroo, Sharyn Gol, Gatsuurt, and Yeröö. PCA of catchment water quality distinguished three groups of pollutants prevalent at the sites, (1) nutrients, (2) salt ions(Cl-, Na+, Mg2+, So42-, Ca2+) and mining by-products (B, Sr, U, Mo), and (3) (heavy) metals, which often exceeded regulatory standards. We recorded a total of 59 macroinvertebrate taxa belonging to 31 families in seven insect orders plus Amphipoda and Gastropoda. Species diversity declined with higher impact. Five environmental factors structured macroinvertebrate community composition in RDA: elevation of sample location, site total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and water chemistry. We conclude that macroinvertebrate communities are an appropriate and inexpensive tool for monitoring water quality in Mongolia and suggest government action to establish a long-term monitoring program.

IMPROVING WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND PARTICIPATORY MONITORING OF THE AQUA PROJECT APPLICATION

Introduction Water quality monitoring plays a key role in promoting environmental sustainability. Water is a vital resource for life and its availability and quality are intrinsically linked to human well-being and health. Through constant monitoring, it is possible to identify and mitigate pollutants, the Aqua project proposes to present a solution for evaluating and monitoring water quality, using a cell phone application and a very low-cost kit, integrating everything into an online platform. line with the aim of establishing a participatory monitoring network for rivers and water bodies. Results and Discussion The initial version of the Aqua1,2 project application, which is capable of determining: nitrite, organic matter, ortho-phosphate, ammonia and iron, all contaminants of water bodies3, stored the information only on the cell phone itself, and the georeferencing was done in a manual, where the operator himself had to manually record where the sample was taken. Furthermore, it was not available on Google Play, which made it difficult for less skilled people to install it. The application was rewritten, and is no longer local, running exclusively on the cell phone and was migrated to the cloud, now the data is also stored in a public database, where other researchers, or interested entities can have access, the account is no longer be local and is now stored on the internet, georeferencing is also now more accurate, as the application reads the location through the phone's own GPS system, and installation can be done via Google Play, removing one of the difficulties for use of the application. Conclusions With these modifications, the objective of participatory monitoring has now become easier to achieve, as the data of all users can be accessed via the internet, they have become more secure as they are no longer on the device, and the location of the sample location has become much easier. more accurate, in addition to allowing data integration.

What are future doctors learning about sex? An assessment of sexual health curricula across medical schools in the Northeastern United States.

Sexual health is an imperative area of study in medical school education, yet many medical schools do not offer a comprehensive curriculum nor is it standardized across the United States (US). This study aims to assess written curriculum materials from sexual health curricula in medical schools across the northeast region of the US and compare the current teachings to suggested standards. A compilation of academic resources including lecture materials and syllabi were systematically reviewed utilizing a standardized and validated rubric with variables assessed including: biological and psychological aspects of human sexual development, anatomy and physiology of the human sexual response cycle, sexual health in relation to human reproduction, and contraceptive options. We analyzed our data from the document analysis to look at the frequency of inclusion and exclusion of the sexual health topics included in our rubric. The outcomes of our data set were in line with our hypothesis that there is significant variance between sexual health curricula across institutions as well as an overall lack in material covering sexual health topics. The data show significant sex specific differences such that male-specific topics were covered more frequently than female-specific information. Additionally, only one of the 10 schools examined taught about vulvar conditions. There was also a paucity of information about sexuality in the post-partum period. The clinical implications of this study aim to highlight the discrepancy between an ideal sexual health curriculum and what is actually being taught in medical schools and help to guide future work of creating a comprehensive and standardized sexual medicine education in US. medical schools. The validity of this study was strengthened by analyzing direct curricula materials as opposed to previous use of subjective, self-reported questionnaires. However, the sample location being restricted to the Northeast was a limitation to generalize findings across the country. Future studies would aim to analyze medical school curricula across different regions in the US. This study shows that there is a lack of comprehensive and standardized sexual health curriculum in medical schools in the Northeastern US and serves as initial evidence for further investigation of this topic across American medical schools.

Characterizing the Areal Extent of PFAS Contamination in Fish Species Downgradient of AFFF Source Zones.

Most monitoring programs next to large per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sources focus on drinking water contamination near source zones. However, less is understood about how these sources affect downgradient hydrological systems and food webs. Here, we report paired PFAS measurements in water, sediment, and aquatic biota along a hydrological gradient away from source zones contaminated by the use of legacy aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) manufactured using electrochemical fluorination. Clustering analysis indicates that the PFAS composition characteristic of AFFF is detectable in water and fishes >8 km from the source. Concentrations of 38 targeted PFAS and extractable organofluorine (EOF) decreased in fishes downgradient of the AFFF-contaminated source zones. However, PFAS concentrations remained above consumption limits at all locations within the affected watershed. Perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide precursors accounted for approximately half of targeted PFAS in fish tissues, which explain >90% of EOF across all sampling locations. Suspect screening analyses revealed the presence of a polyfluoroketone pharmaceutical in fish species, and a fluorinated agrochemical in water that likely does not accumulate in biological tissues, suggesting the presence of diffuse sources such as septic system and agrochemical inputs throughout the watershed in addition to AFFF contamination. Based on these results, monitoring programs that consider all hydrologically connected regions within watersheds affected by large PFAS sources would help ensure public health protection.