North Lake Research Articles

Multidimensional occurrence and diet risk of emerging contaminants in freshwater with urban agglomerations

Freshwater systems near highly urbanized areas are extremely susceptible to emerging contaminants (ECs), yet their stereoscopic persistence in aquatic ecosystems and related risks remain largely unknown. Herein, we characterized the multi-mediums distribution of 63 ECs in Baiyangdian Lake, the biggest urban lake in the North of China. We identified variations in the seasonal patterns of aquatic EC levels, which decreased in water and increased in sediment from wet to dry seasons. Surprisingly, higher concentrations and a greater variety of ECs were detected in reeds than in aquatic animals, indicating that plants may contribute to the transferring of ECs. Source analysis indicated that human activity considerably affected the distribution and risk of ECs. The dietary risk of ECs is most pronounced among children following the intake of aquatic products, especially with a relatively higher risk associated with fish consumption. Besides, a comprehensive scoring ranking method was proposed, and 9 ECs, including BPS and macrolide antibiotics, are identified as prioritized control pollutants. These findings highlight the risks associated with aquatic ECs and can facilitate the development of effective management strategies.

Characterization and Risk Assessment of Nutrient and Heavy Metal Pollution in Surface Sediments of Representative Lakes in Yangxin County, China

Increased urbanization and industrialization globally have led to the widespread pollution of water bodies (e.g., lakes) by heavy metals (HMs) and nutrients. These pollutants accumulate in water and surface sediments, posing risks to both aquatic organisms and human health. In November 2022, surface sediment samples from three lakes—Lianhua Lake, Mati Lake, and North Lake—were collected to assess nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) and HM content. Total N (TN), total P (TP), and HM concentrations were analyzed. The pollution status was evaluated using comprehensive pollution index (FF) methods and the potential ecological risk index (RI) (Eri). The results were as follows: (1) Variations in nutrient and HM contents were observed among the three lakes. Lianhua Lake exhibited the highest average TN content (1600 mg/kg), while North Lake had the highest average TP content (2230 mg/kg). The average concentrations of Cd, Hg, and As in the surface sediment surpassed the soil background values of Hubei Province, reaching 1.41, 2.74, and 1.76 times the background values, respectively. Notably, Hg exceeded the standard in Lianhua Lake by 3.39 times, followed by North Lake (2.52 times) and Mati Lake (2.24 times). (2) The FF and potential Eri revealed that the average RI values for Mati Lake, North Lake, and Lianhua Lake were 106.88, 126.63, and 162.18, respectively. These indices categorized the ecological risk levels as moderate, while nutrient salts in the surface water reached a severe pollution level. (3) Correlation and PCA indicated that Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ni were linked to mineral smelting, aquaculture feed, and agricultural fertilizers. Hg and nutrient salts originated from atmospheric deposition of surrounding domestic waste water and traffic exhaust gases. Agricultural activities seemed to contribute to As concentration in the lakes, while Cr has its main origin in the weathering of the rock matrix.

Onset of climate‐change impact on the renowned Oncorhynchus metapopulation of Yellowstone Lake revealed by Leslie modeling of annual gill‐net catches

AbstractThe native Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri; YCT) of Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, comprise a metapopulation that inhabits an ecologically simple and uniquely pristine environment. A recent study Bayesian fit an age‐structured Leslie model that had a local climate index (total annual mean‐daily air temperatures >0°C at the lake's north shore) as its only driver (regulating age‐0 YCT survival) to data for a key YCT spawning stock (median fish age, 5 years) from 1977 to 1992, before predation from an illegally introduced and growing lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population (1994 discovery) measurably affected YCT population dynamics. Results showed the new climate regime that began in the late 1970s had an overarching effect and largely explained declining spawning runs, although a growing predation effect became evident near lake trout discovery and quickly became the major YCT population driver. In the present study, that model was likewise fitted to estimated abundances of age‐5 YCT (~75% mature) that had been annually (also 1977–1992) gill‐netted from Yellowstone Lake and thus characterized the metapopulation. Results showed age‐0 YCT survival declined when a climate index of 1440 was reached and exceeded. Metapopulation recovery to historically high levels requires that the climate index decline to and remain near or below 1440 and—as shown by another recent study—that the lake trout population be reduced to its mid‐1990s levels. The most recent time of evident YCT metapopulation persistence at historically high levels and broadest spatial extent occurred under those simultaneous conditions.

Concentration and correlation analysis of hydro-meteorological factors in the northern sub-basin of Lake Issyk-Kul in Central Asia

This paper, based on the non-parametric tests and wavelet analysis, analyzed monthly precipitation and runoff data of the small basin in the northern part of the Lake Issyk-Kull basin over the nearly 62-year period, the concentration and correlation of precipitation and runoff in the small bowl of the north Lake Issyk-Kull basin. The results indicated that (1) the Cholpon-Ata River runoff (runoff 1) and the Chong-Ak-Suu River runoff (runoff 2) in the small watershed in the northern part of Lake Issyk-Kull basin are from June to April, January, and from September to November showed a significant increasing trend. The significant abrupt growth change occurred in 1983, while the precipitation at the Cholpon-Ata station showed a significant increasing trend in February, with a sharp point around 1980. (2) The concentration degree (Cd) index of runoff 1 in the small watershed in the northern part of the Lake Issyk-Kull basin has increased but not significantly, and the Cd index of precipitation and runoff 2 showed an insignificant decrease. (3) The Cd index of runoff 1 in the small watershed in the northern part of Lake Issyk-Kull basin existed for 10 years and 18 years, and the Cd index of River 2 existed for 9 years and 13 years. In contrast, the precipitation Cd index was significant at 4- and 15-year cycles. (4) On multiple time scales, they have a significant negative correlation between the runoff and precipitation in the small watershed in the northern part of the Lake Issyk-Kul basin from May to September.

Influence of Denitrification on Cyanobacterial Blooms Trends in Lake Taihu, China

Denitrification is a major process in aquatic ecosystems, and it competes with cyanobacterial growth for nitrogen. However, the effect of denitrification on cyanobacterial blooms under the background of climate change remains unclear. This study explored the interaction between lake denitrification and formation of cyanobacterial blooms, using the historical water quality monitoring data of North Lake Taihu over five years from 2017 to 2021 and via incubation experiments of cyanobacteria and sediment denitrification. The monitoring data showed that algal biomass (Chla as a proxy) primarily peaked during summer and autumn. The seasonal variations in total N concentration showed a completely opposite trend than that of algal biomass, which peaked in winter and spring. Nitrate was the major component of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and the nitrate concentration was approximately zero in summer and autumn. The total phosphorus concentration varied in the same way as the Chla concentration. The experimental results showed that Cyanobacteria did not grow when the temperature was below 20℃. In comparison, denitrification showed a significant linear relationship with temperatures between 10-25℃ (R2=0.99) and reached the maximum value of (62.98±21.36) μmol·(kg·h)-1 in Lake Taihu at 25℃. Additionally, the nitrate concentration threshold at the maximum denitrification rate was 4 mg·L-1. Cyanobacteria assimilate nitrate for growth, thereby reducing the concentration of nitrate required for denitrification. This study indicated that the advance in lake temperature warming due to climate change may result in earlier growth of cyanobacteria, thereby leading to large amounts of N being assimilated by algae before denitrification, further affecting the dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms. The present results are scientifically important for explaining the mechanism of cyanobacterial bloom rebound in Lake Taihu under the background of recent climate changes.

Mercury at the top of the world: A 31-year record of mercury in Arctic char in the largest High Arctic lake, linked to atmospheric mercury concentrations and climate oscillations

Lake Hazen, the largest lake north of the Arctic circle, is being impacted by mercury (Hg) pollution and climate change. The lake is inhabited by two morphotypes of land-locked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), a sensitive indicator species for pollution and climatic impacts. The objectives of this study were to describe the trends in Hg concentration over time and to determine the relationship of climate to length-at-age and Hg concentrations in each char morphotype, as well as the relationship to atmospheric Hg measurements at a nearby monitoring station. Results for Hg in char muscle were available from 20 sampling years over the period 1990 to 2021. We found significant declines in Hg concentrations for both morphotypes during the 31-year study period. Increased rain and earlier freeze-up of lake ice during the summer growing season was linked to increased length-at-age in both char morphotypes. For the large morphotype, higher total gaseous Hg in the fall and winter seasons was related to higher concentrations of Hg in char, while increased glacial runoff was related to decreases in char Hg. For the small morphotype char, increased snow and snow accumulation in the fall season were linked to declines in char Hg concentration. The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation were positively related to the large char Hg trend and Arctic Oscillation was positively related to the small char Hg trend. Significant trend relationships between atmospheric Hg and Hg in biota in remote regions are rare and uniquely valuable for evaluation of the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention and related monitoring efforts.

Transport model simulation prediction and environmental risk assessment of pyrethroid insecticides in urban artificial lakes caused by rainfall: A case study of Cloud Mountain Park in subhumid climate zone

Pyrethroid insecticides are among urban parks' most widely used and harmful insecticides. The advanced prediction method is the key to studying the pollution and diffusion risk of plant conservation insecticides in parks. A two-dimensional advection-dispersion model was established for the North Lake of Cloud Mountain Park in the subhumid area of Hebei Province. The temporal and spatial distribution of lambda-cyhalothrin pollution required by plant growth in artificial lakes under different rainfall intensities and the time of water renewal after rainfall was simulated and predicted. According to the model efficiency (E: 0.98), mean absolute error (MAE: 0.016–0.064 cm), and root mean square error (RMSE: 0.014–0.041 cm), the prediction results showed that the model fits well. The results showed that the concentration of lambda-cyhalothrin in the artificial lake was positively correlated with the increase in rainfall intensity. Under the three scenarios of moderate rain, heavy rain, and rainstorm, the variation of total pollutants into the lake over time conformed to the first-order dynamic equation (R2＞0.97), and the cumulative rates were 0.013 min−1, 0.019 min−1 and 0.022 min−1, respectively. Under light rain, the accumulation rate of lambda-cyhalothrin showed a double-linear relationship, which was in accordance with the second-order kinetic equation (R2＞0.97). The rapid accumulation rate of early-stage rainfall was 0.0024 min−1, and the slow accumulation rate of late-stage rainfall was 0.0019 min−1. The human health risk assessment predicted by the simulation was lower than the hazard value (Rtgn(a-1): 9.65 E−11–1.12 E−10 a-1). However, the potential risk value to aquatic species was higher (RQ: 0.33–23.05). In addition, the increase in rainfall intensity has no significant effect on the acceleration of water renewal time. The two-dimensional dispersion model of pollutants driven by water dynamics provided relevant examples for evaluating the impact of runoff on pesticide scour in parks and supplied scientific support for improving the management of artificial lakes in urban parks.

Conceptual design of a novel partially floating photovoltaic integrated with smart energy storage and management system for Egyptian North Lakes

With the recent increase in energy demand due to social, development and economic reasons in Egypt, solar energy is one of the most abundant renewable energy resources which can be utilized to meet these needs. Although Photovoltaic (PV) technology has been used with large scale in Egypt in different applications, it's still suffering from losing its efficiency due to high temperature, dust accumulation which is common in Egypt especially in spring and summer seasons, besides the intense land requirements and power intermittency. Therefore, a novel partially floating modular PV system is proposed in this study to supply rural areas around the Egyptian North Lakes with green electricity. The PV system is integrated with a hybrid compressed air energy storage system and managed with a smart energy management strategy to extend its operating hours and enables its day and night continuous operation. The smart system also enables different operational modes of the PV system which includes sun tracking, cleaning, cooling, and surviving modes. The aim of this study is to introduce the conceptual design of the proposed concept and the smart controlling system, its different operational modes, the supporting platform and its hydrodynamics performance.

Physicochemical Properties and Environmental Effects of Suspended Sediment Particles in the Largest Freshwater Lake, China

Suspended sediment particles (SSPs) act as a potential source of and sink for aquatic pollution. This study sampled six sites in Poyang Lake in August and November 2019. Changes in the physicochemical properties of SSPs were analyzed using scanning electron microscope energy-dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The results showed that SSPs consisted mainly of clay and chalk, with an average content of 39.71% and 57.52%, respectively. The average particle size distribution of SSPs in the study area ranged from 5.54 to 15.97 μm and the spatial distribution pattern showed the north lake area (I) > west lake area (II) > east lake area (III). The angle (K) of morphological indicators varied widely, with coefficients of variation between 0.25 and 1.23. Water-flow velocity was negatively correlated with SSP size, while suspended-solid concentration was positively correlated with SSP surface roughness. Morphological parameters, chemical composition, and correlation between each SSP form were analyzed to identify morphological distribution characteristics. Linear regression equations estimated endogenous phosphorus load in zones I, II, and III as 1027.202 mg/kg, 1265.343 mg/kg, and 1013.111 mg/kg respectively. Therefore, we conclude that the morphological differences in particulate matter, the interaction between chemical fractions, and the aqueous environment affecting the distribution of phosphorus fugitive forms, may contribute to endogenous lake pollution. These results are essential for revealing the intrinsic relationship between SSP physicochemical properties and lake eutrophication and studying other water–sediment interface processes of lake pollutants.

Distribution characteristics and potential release risk of nitrogen in sediments in Lake Daihai, China.

Nitrogen (N) in sediments was a key element of lake eutrophication. The spatial distribution characteristics of four parts N in surface sediments were investigated by sequential extraction method, including free nitrogen (FN), exchangeable nitrogen (EN), hydrolyzable nitrogen (HN), and residual nitrogen (RN). Modified models were utilized to describe the adsorption isotherms of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) in sediments and thus predict the risk of N release. The correlation between environmental factors and N concentration was discussed, as well as the migration or transformation and release risk of N between different mediums. The results showed that spatial variations characteristics of N fractions were influenced by the lake topography and surrounding human activities. The content of total nitrogen (TN) in the sediments was 933.4 ~ 3006.8mg/kg, with an average of 1835mg/kg. The HN, RN, FN, and EN in sediments accounted for 66.85%, 21.35%, 6.82%, and 4.92% of TN, respectively. There was a significant correlation between each fraction of N and TN and also between different fractions of N (p < 0.01). Fitting by modified Langmuir model indicated that the adsorbed amounts of N in the sediments at maximum (Qmax) was, from greatest to least, southeast lake (2905.3mg/kg) > southwest lake (1415.4mg/kg) ≈ north lake (1424.6mg/kg). Environmental parameters (pH, DO, C/N, etc.) affected the occurrence fraction of nitrogen, which could cause the persistent and increased risk of sustained release of high concentrations of endogenous N. N pollution in sediment and interstitial water is severe, and the risk of endogenous N release will gradually increase in the future.

Assessment of Water Quality and Quantity in the Lakes of Dhaka Metropolitan City - Remote Sensing, Field and Laboratory Analyses

Lakes in the Dhaka city have been facing extreme deterioration both by quantity and quality due to rapid urban and population growth for several decades. The prime objective is to assess the spatiotemporal changes of water quality and water quantity of the Dhaka city lakes respectively using Sentinel 2B and Landsat satellite images. The study covers the major twelve lakes of the Dhaka city. The four seasonal water qualities such as chlorophyll-a concentration, trophic state index (TSI), Secchi disk depth (SDD) and turbidity were retrieved with the conventional algorithms using Sentinel 2B images. The results showed that the Uttara Park Lake reduced its area dramatically from 1972 to 2020 due to the rapid urbanization in this region. Although the Zoo Lakes areas increased more than three times but the Banani, Hatirjheel and Dhanmondi lakes reduced to about 60-75% from 1972 to 2020 due to the urbanization and filling up the lake’s area. On the other hand, Gulshan, Crescent and Ramna Lakes reduced their area slightly about 10-20% during the study period. The chlorophyll-a concentration from post to pre-monsoon, increased in six lakes (Uttara Park, Zoo North, Gulshan, Old Airport, Dhanmondi and Hatirjheel), declined in six lakes (Zoo South, Banani, Ramna, Uttara, Uttara South and Crescent) of Dhaka city. Although the TSI illustrated all lakes in the eutrophic states from post to pre-monsoon but the value of TSI increased in six lakes and declined six lakes of the twelve point samples within the retrieved spatial distribution of TSI using satellite images of Dhaka city. In case of Secchi depth, the SDD values declined from post-monsoon to pre-monsoon in all of the lakes, indicating the deteriorating water quality of the lakes. On the other hand, the turbidity values increased in all lakes of Dhaka city from post-monsoon to pre-monsoon. We observed pH values ranges from 7-9 in the lakes during the field works early March and May of 2021. The observed EC values of the lakes ranges from 148-730μs/cm and 130-690μs/cm respectively in winter and pre-monsoon seasons. None of the samples of the lakes meets the standard of dissolved oxygen (DO) collected in March, 2021, but Dhanmondi and Uttara Lake samples collected in May, 2021 meet the standard. Biological oxygen demand (BOD) value is extremely high and none of the samples meets the acceptable limit of BOD. Among the cations, only Hatirjheel, Gulshan, Uttara, Uttara South/W, Zoo South and North Lake exceeded the acceptable limit for K⁺. Among the anions, Hatirjheel, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara, Uttara South/W Lake exceed the standard for HCO3− and Hatirjheel, Gulshan, Banani, Old Airport, Uttara Park, Uttara South/W Lake exceed the standard limit for NO3−. Uttara Lake shows the maximum concentration of PO43− and does not meet the standard limit. All the samples meet the standard for Fe and Mn. The outputs of this study could be used to minimize the degradation of Dhaka city lakes both in terms of quantity and quality and will help take necessary measures for healthy and sustainable lake environment.&#x0D; The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 11(1), 2022, P 27-42

Using geographical random forest models to explore spatial patterns in the neighborhood determinants of hypertension prevalence across chicago, illinois, USA

In the United States, the rise in hypertension prevalence has been connected to neighborhood characteristics. While various studies have found a link between neighborhood and health, they do not evaluate the relative dependence of each component in the growth of hypertension and, more significantly, how this value differs geographically (i.e., across different neighborhoods). This study ranks the contribution of ten socioeconomic neighborhood factors to hypertension prevalence in Chicago, Illinois, using multiple global and local machine learning models at the census tract level. First, we use Geographical Random Forest, a recently proposed non-linear machine learning regression method, to assess each predictive factor’s spatial variation and contribution to hypertension prevalence. Then we compare GRF performance to Geographically Weighted Regression (local model), Random Forest (global model), and OLS (global model). The results indicate that GRF outperforms all models and that the importance of variables varies by census tract. Household composition is the most important factor in the Chicago tracts, while on the other hand, Housing type and Transportation is the least important factor. While the household composition is the most important determinant around north Lake Michigan, the socioeconomic condition of the neighborhood in Chicago’s mid-north has the most importance on hypertension prevalence. Understanding how the importance of socioeconomic factors associated with hypertension prevalence varies spatially aids in the design and implementation of health policies based on the most critical factors identified at the local level (i.e., tract), rather than relying on broad city-level guidelines (i.e., for entire Chicago and other large cities).

High aquatic macrophyte diversity in Norwegian lakes north of the Arctic Circle

Abstract Aquatic macrophytes recolonised inland waters following the last glacial retreat. The resulting diversity and the variables influencing it remain largely unexplored north of the Arctic Circle, including possible effects of past colonisation routes. Our understanding of species diversity north of the Arctic Circle has also been hampered by a lack of control in sampling effort. Here we use a newly assembled set of lake surveys from Norway to test: (1) whether regional richness (γ diversity) as well as turnover, net gain and loss (β diversity) of species differ between bioclimatic zones, latitudinal bands, and geographical regions; (2) how the environment and the spatial structure (e.g. dispersal constraints) may predict lake species richness (α diversity); and (3) how the changes in species β diversity between lakes are related to these environmental and spatial gradients. We expected high species turnover with longitude, net species loss with latitude and higher species richness in north‐east compared to mid Norway due to geographical dispersal barriers and past recolonisation routes. However, the regional species richness was similar across all geographical regions after correcting for sampling effort and spatial extent, with slightly lower richness in north Norway (−4%) and north‐east Norway (−11%) than expected by the species area relationship. Species β diversity (both turnover and loss) was also surprisingly low between most areas. Species richness per lake increased with lake area and temperature, showed a preferential peak at 10 μg/L total phosphorus, was sensitive to spatial structure, and largely indifferent to calcium (or alkalinity). In contrast, β diversity (mostly turnover) increased with differences in calcium, total phosphorus, and latitude, while not responding much to temperature and lake area. Species loss and gain between lakes were hardly related to any of the selected variables. Overall, species richness (α, γ) was higher than expected north of the Arctic Circle mostly due to species turnover with little net loss. These patterns suggested good dispersal abilities by aquatic plants, after controlling for sampling efforts and spatial extent. Conservation of aquatic plants should not be driven by the delineation of terrestrial vegetation zones, but through an understanding of the variables affecting aquatic plant diversity. Finally, northern lakes may be increasingly important as reservoirs of macrophyte diversity under global warming.

Remote sensing inversion of the Zabuye Salt Lake in Tibet, China using LightGBM algorithm

The Zabuye Salt Lake in Tibet, China is the only salt lake in the world that contains natural crystalline lithium carbonate. The grade and spatial distribution of mineral resources are of great importance to the development and utilization of salt lake mineral resources. The use of remote sensing technology for salt lakes observations can overcome the disadvantages of traditional station observations, such as spatial discontinuity, high time consumption, and high labor costs. In addition, machine learning algorithms can efficiently analyze the information from remote sensing data. In this study, Landsat-8 remote sensing image data and the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) algorithm were used to perform inversions of the depth, salinity, and lithium concentration of the Zabuye Salt Lake. Moreover, the water volume, total salinity, and total lithium content of Zabuye Salt Lake in 2000 and 2017 were estimated, and the distribution of mineral resources and changes during the study period were analyzed. The results show that the water depth and volume of the entire lake increased sharply in 2017, resulting in a decrease in salinity and lithium concentration in the lake. Due to the inflow from the surrounding dry salterns, the South Lake experienced a relatively small change. Furthermore, the amount of lithium resources in North Lake decreased significantly in 2017 compared to 2000, possibly due to higher temperatures during the month of observation, which led to precipitation of lithium carbonate. Our study proves the feasibility and accuracy of the LightGBM machine learning algorithm for rapid inversion of salt lakes, which provides technical insight into remote sensing inversion of other mineral resources in salt lakes. Thus, the development of remote sensing technology in recent years can provide increasingly detailed assessments of salt lake resources in the future.

Орлы в государственном национальном природном парке «Бурабай»

From August 20 to September 17, 2022 and in the spring of 2023, the authors conducted ornithological research in the State National Natural Park “Burabay”. In the course of the research, information was obtained on encounters with eagles in the territory of the park. Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca) were observed throughout the area on a daily basis. A total of 44 observations were recorded during the research period, some of which were definitely migrants rather than local breeding birds. Only four out of 44 individuals observed were this year's birds. To the northeast of Big Chebachee Lake on 14/09/2022, adult birds were feeding a nestling, indicating the presence of a breeding territory of eagles here. In April 2023, a nest with two eggs was found. A large eagle nest, presumably of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), was found in the forest north of Zhukey Lake in the 40th district on September 6, 2022. The nest was located on an old pine tree and was approximately 1.5 m in diameter. Bone remains of prey and feathers of various birds of prey (e.g. Buzzards Buteo buteo) were found under the nest. Shortly afterwards, an eagle, identified by us as this year's Golden Eagle, wasseen in the vicinity of the nest, and on 13/09/2022 an adult bird was observed between the lakes Maloye Chebacheeand Bolshoye Chebachee, north of Lake Maibalyk. An adult Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila [Clanga] clanga) was observed near the Kairaktin Forest District on 26/08/2022. The bird was carrying food in its beak to a juvenile bird calling from the forest (Becker/ebird.org; Wassink, 2023). This is the first case of breeding of the Greater Spotted Eagle in the State National Natural Park «Burabay». Another juvenile bird, uncertainly identified as the Great Spotted Eagle, was seen a few hours later about 12 km south of the previous encounter site. The Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) was observed twice, once on 25/08/2022 in Saule aul and once on 05/09/2022 over Ulkensor Lake. Steppe eagles are likely to be migrants or nomads within the Park after the breeding season, but do not breed in the Park. The Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) was observed four times, on August 22 and 23 in the territory of Barmashinskoye Forestry, and on September 8 and 15, 2022 in the vicinity of Borovskoye Forestry, with birds of both light and dark morphs (Becker/ebird.org). In addition, on 21/07/2021, the Booted Eagle was recorded by a trap camera set up in the forest between Burabay and Sarybulak (Wassink, 2023). The nearest known breeding territory is located approximately 430 km to the southeast in Bayanaul National Park (Reznichenko, 2012; 2020). Proposed measures for the conservation of the considered bird species on the territory of the State National Natural Park «Burabay»: – introduce a ban on any logging within a radius of 1.5 km from eagle breeding territories; – sanitation cutting, with mandatory reforestation of native tree species, only after nestlings have learned to fly; – limit the presence of livestock and people within 500 m of eagle nests during the breeding season; – during the incubation period and before fledglings take wing, inspectors should conduct daily rounds of the breeding areas (within 500 meters of the nests) to prevent possible violations by park visitors; – restrict watering of livestock on the banks of water bodies near eagles' nests.

The Karabakh Conflict, and its Geopolitical and Economic Impacts on Georgia

Georgia has been a land hub between Europe and Asia since ancient times, when trade began in the second century BC. The Great Silk Road trailheaded in Sian, and, in Dunghuan, it split into two branches heading westward: north of the first Lobnor Lake, and Turfan, to the south of the same lake - Khotani and st. Via Yarkend - St. Kashgar. From there, the northern road connected with the Caspian Sea and the Transcaucasus, and crossed Georgia to reach the Byzantine and Roman Black Sea via the Phasis. The second road went from Kashgar to Balkh and northern Iran, and from there to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In 1998, on the initiative of Senator Brownbeck, the United States Senate passed a resolution to support the development of a New Silk Road. The TRACECA, as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan “Great Oil Pipeline” and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum “Great Gas Pipeline” are already operating under the auspices of the New Silk Road, significantly changing the economic reality in the Caspian-Black Sea region, creating new conditions for development, and strengthening that region - not only regarding the energy security of the countries there, but the energy security of Europe as a whole (The Silk Road History, 2021; Elisseeff, 2001; Li & Taube, 2018). Considering this, the resumption of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (the so-called Third Karabakh War) has affected Georgia more than it may seem at first glance. The results of this war in reality present huge threats and challenges to the geopolitical and economic environment of Georgia, and a naïve understanding of the status quo could be very unfortunate for the country. In this paper, we will explain why the new Karabakh status quo is more threatening to the Georgian economy than the current situation, what challenges it poses to the country, and what we can do to either completely circumvent these threats or, at worst, minimize them

Insurance Payers Should Cover Selective Coronary Artery Calcium Testing in Intermediate Risk Primary Prevention Patients.

HomeCirculationVol. 146, No. 8Insurance Payers Should Cover Selective Coronary Artery Calcium Testing in Intermediate Risk Primary Prevention Patients No AccessArticle CommentaryRequest AccessFull TextAboutView Full TextView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toNo AccessArticle CommentaryRequest AccessFull TextInsurance Payers Should Cover Selective Coronary Artery Calcium Testing in Intermediate Risk Primary Prevention Patients Philip Greenland, MD, David J. Maron, MD and Matthew J. Budoff, MD Philip GreenlandPhilip Greenland Correspondence to: Philip Greenland, MD, Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 North Lake Shore Dr, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60611. Email E-mail Address: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6327-2439 Departments of Preventive Medicine and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (P.G.). Search for more papers by this author , David J. MaronDavid J. Maron https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4867-8588 Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (D.J.M.). Search for more papers by this author and Matthew J. BudoffMatthew J. Budoff https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9616-1946 Lundquist Institute, Torrance, CA (M.J.B.). Search for more papers by this author Originally published22 Aug 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.061193Circulation. 2022;146:585–586"Insurance Payers Should Cover Selective Coronary Artery Calcium Testing in Intermediate Risk Primary Prevention Patients." Circulation, 146(8), pp. 585–586FootnotesCirculation is available at www.ahajournals.org/journal/circThe opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the editors or of the American Heart Association.For Sources of Funding and Disclosures, see page 586.Correspondence to: Philip Greenland, MD, Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 North Lake Shore Dr, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60611. Email [email protected]edu

Stable isotopes reveal the lake shrinkage and groundwater recharge to lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert, NW China

The evolutionary stages of the different lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD) are unknown, and there is a need to elucidate the hydrological implications of the hydrodynamic environmental differences among these lakes. In this study, a stable isotope mass balance model incorporating the effect of evaporation from the lake basins was developed, and the model was used to calculate the remaining water fraction f of 94 lakes relative to the high lake levels in the Middle Holocene, as well as the groundwater recharge rate χG to the lakes. The results show that only 10–20 % (average of 15 %) of the original lake water remains. One-third of the lakes have become terminal lakes, and half are still gradually drying. If the climatic conditions remain unchanged, the water levels of these lakes will drop by an average of 11 mm per year. χG has a certain degree of correlation with elevation, suggesting the likely presence of more water recharge sources for the north lakes, which may include the Beida Mountains and the Zongnai Mountains. The total annual groundwater recharge to all of the lakes in the BJD is 1.63 × 107 m3/yr. The δ18O evolution model of a typical lake (Cherigele Lake) reveals that humidity h and atmospheric vapor δa18O play the leading role in the evolution of the lake δ18O, suggesting that this model may serve as a tool for estimating lake evaporation and for reconstructing the paleoclimate. The findings of this study provide support for analyzing the evolution and future trends of lakes in arid desert areas, as well as deeper insights into the water cycle in the BJD.

Distribution feature of heavy metals in the system of sediment-submerged plant-water in Xuanwu Lake

Abstract In view of the distribution of heavy metal pollutants in Xuanwu Lake after the comprehensive dredging, contents of Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in 4 dominant submerged plants and their corresponding sediments in the lake and in surface water were determined, so as to reveal the pollution and distribution of the heavy metals in the system of sediments-submerged plants-water in Xuanwu Lake. Results showed that the average mass concentration of Cr and Ni in the surface water of Xuanwu Lake exceeded the national standard Grade II of the quality of surface water which were 1.79 and 1.56 times, respectively; The content of Cd and Pd in sediments was respectively 3.31 and 1.17 times of the background value of Nanjing soil, and the North Lake, the contents of Mn, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pd in surface water and Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pd in sediments were higher than other lake areas. The average value Igeo of each element was ranked by size as Cd &amp;gt; Pb &amp;gt; Zn &amp;gt; Cr &amp;gt; Cu &amp;gt; Mn &amp;gt; Ni, except that Cd was slight pollution (Igeo value is 0.20–0.47), the other heavy metal elements were at a clean level. In the four submerged plants, Mn was significantly positively correlated with Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd (p &amp;lt; 0.01). Ni was significantly positively correlated with Cu, Zn and Cd. Cr in the submerged plants was significantly positively correlated with Cr and Ni in the surface water; The contents of Cd and Pd were significantly positively correlated with Pd and Cu in the surface water (p &amp;lt; 0.05).

Editor’s Comments

Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center (NUPOC) Chicago, IL Disclosure: The author declares no conflict of interest. Correspondence to: Steven A. Gard, PhD, Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center 680 North Lake Shore Dr, Suite 1100 Chicago, IL 60611 email: [email protected]