Systematic Monitoring Program Research Articles

Distribution of Aliphatic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Red Mullet (Mullus barbatus) and Annular Sea Bream (Diplodus annularis) from the Izmir Bay (Eastern Aegean)

Polycyclic aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons were analyzed in red mullet and annular sea bream from the Izmir Bay. These fishes were selected because of their multitude, wide distribution and common use in the Turkish diet; they were sampled and analyzed in 2000-2001 and 2004-2005 periods at five locations by trawling. Red mullet showed higher PAHs and aliphatics than annular sea bream. PAH levels for red mullet and annular sea bream ranged from 202 to 556 and 78.7 to 415; aliphatics ranged from 834 to 2,420 and 436 to 1,724 ng/g dw, respectively. Molecular ratios showed pyrolitic inputs for PAHs, biogenic and anthropogenic inputs for aliphatics. The carcinogenic PAH, benzo(a)pyrene, was detected in most fish samples in levels ranged between 22.2 and 64.1 ng/g dw. The average PAH contamination level was within the "moderate" category in fish from Izmir Bay. Results indicate the needing of a systematic monitoring program in order to provide accurately assessment and management of risks for the regional population.

Techniques for assessing the environmental outcomes of conservation practices applied to rangeland watersheds

G razing lands are the most dominant land cover type in the United States, with approximately 311.7 Mha being defined as rangelands (Mitchell 2000). Approximately 53% (166.2 Mha) of the nation's rangelands (USDA 2009) are owned and managed by the private sector, while approximately 43% are managed by the federal government (USDA NRCS 2011a). The remaining rangelands are owned and managed by tribal, state, and local governments. Information on the type, extent, and spatial location of land degradation on rangelands is needed to inform policy and management decisions on rangelands; however, there is no systematic or coordinated national data-set on status or condition of rangelands for the United States to make informed policy decisions (NRC 1994; Herrick et al. 2010). Rangelands in the west are sparsely populated, and assessments of rangeland conditions have historically not been uniformly conducted across all land ownership classes in any systematic monitoring program. Therefore, it is difficult to assess the current health of rangelands and which areas could benefit from targeted conservation as USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has recently done for cropland within the Upper Mississippi River Basin (USDA NRCS 2010) and the Chesapeake Bay (USDA NRCS 2011b) through the Conservation Effects Assessment Project…

Population Estimates for the Diverse Raptor Assemblage of Dadia National Park, Greece

Population estimates for the diverse raptor assemblage of Dadia National Park, Greece.Dadia National Park, which is situated in north-eastern Greece, close to the border with Bulgaria and Turkey, is characterised by one of the most diverse arrays of breeding raptorial species in Europe. The first raptor survey was undertaken in the 1970s, but until 1999 most surveys were circumstantial and nonsystematic. Considering some of these species are globally endangered and included in Annex 1 of the Birds Directive, and that raptors in general are considered key indicators of biodiversity and ecosystem health, a systematic raptor monitoring programme was established by WWF Greece in 2000. This paper presents the results of this programme including the population status, trends and breeding densities of raptors from 2001 to 2005. Some 18–19 species bred in the area regularly, at densities ranging from one pair per 100 km2 (e.g. long-legged buzzard Buteo rufïnus and peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus) to 30 pairs per 100 km2 (common buzzard Buteo buteo). The total number of raptor territories was stable with an average of 321 ± 15.5 territories (77 territories/100 km2) with no overall trend and little fluctuation. Although the population size has increased for several species since the mid 1990s, data from the first surveys in the 1970s suggest that some species are still recovering from the decline suffered in the 1980s. The populations of six species have remained stable since the 1970s, whilst five species, including the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, have shown a gradual decline. The black vulture Aegypius monachus was the only species with a confirmed increase, a further three species showing a probable increase. The long-term trend for four species, including the common buzzard, is unknown due to insufficient data from the 1970s.

Weight Gain and Metabolic Syndrome Among Young Patients on Antipsychotic Medication: What do we Know and Where do we go?

Childhood obesity and its sequelae, including metabolic syndrome, are reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. Young people treated with antipsychotic medication are particularly at risk as they experience significant weight gain as a side effect of second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) with consequent increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular morbidity and metabolic syndrome. However, surveillance for these side effects is not carried out nor intervention offered in routine clinical prctice. This paper examines the current state of evidence on this topic and suggests directions for future research and clinical practice. Systematic monitoring and preventative programs aimed at weight gain and metabolic side effects should form an integral part of the comprehensive management of adolescents on SGAs.

Blending science and public policies for remediation of a degraded ecosystem: Jackfish Bay, north shore of Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada

The Jackfish Bay Remedial Action Plan is the first of Lake Superior's Areas of Concern (AOCs) to consider recognition as an Area in Recovery (AiR). As a result of a high degree of complexity and uncertainty, ecosystem recovery in Jackfish Bay has been determined using a combination of regulatory policies and scientific evidence and extensive public and expert-based decision making. As a result, the conceptualization of the AiR status in Jackfish Bay has been developed with the adaptive management and the ecosystem approach, which provide the basic principles of assessing, monitoring, and managing the Area of Concern. To determine the status of beneficial use impairments caused by effluent from the Terrace Bay Pulp Inc., three public advisory committees—an academic panel of experts, a government technical review committee, and the Jackfish Bay Public Area in Recovery Review Committee (PARRC)—reviewed relevant scientific data and documents, including peer-reviewed publications, to assess changes in pollution levels in Jackfish Bay and improvements to aquatic, biotic, and benthic environments of the bay. The public decision-making process concluded with recommendations by the PARRC to develop a systematic monitoring program so that the ecosystem recovery process in the bay could be assessed on a continued basis, leading to its eventual delisting as an AOC. The entire process provides an example of blending science and public policies for remediation of a degraded ecosystem on the Great Lakes.

Optimization of a Groundwater Monitoring Network for a Sustainable Development of the Maheshwaram Catchment, India

Groundwater is one of the most valuable resources for drinking water and irrigation in the Maheshwaram Catchment, Central India, where most of the local population depends on it for agricultural activities. An increasing demand for irrigation and the growing concern about potential water contamination makes imperative the implementation of a systematic groundwater-quality monitoring program in the region. Nonetheless, limited funding and resources emphasize the need to achieve a representative but cost-effective sampling strategy. In this context, field observations were combined with a geostatistical analysis to define an optimized monitoring network able to provide sufficient and non-redundant information on key hydrochemical parameters. A factor analysis was used to evaluate the interrelationship among variables, and permitted to reduce the original dataset into a new configuration of monitoring points still able to capture the spatial variability in the groundwater quality of the basin. The approach is useful to maximize data collection and contributes to better manage the allocation of resources under budget constrains.

INTEGRAL observations of the GeV blazar PKS 1502+106 and the hard X-ray bright Seyfert galaxy Mkn 841

Extragalactic nuclear activity is best explored with observations at high energies, where the most extreme flux and spectral variations are expected to occur, witnessing changes in the accretion flow or in the kinematics of the plasma. In active galactic nuclei of blazar type, these variations are the most dramatic. By following blazar outbursts from their onset and by correlating the observed variations at many different wavelengths we can reconstruct the behavior of the plasma and map out the development of the flare within the jet. The advent of the Fermi satellite has allowed the start of a systematic and intensive monitoring program of blazars. Blazar outbursts are very effectively detected by the LAT instrument in the MeV-GeV domain, and these can be promptly followed up with other facilities. Based on a Fermi LAT detection of a high MeV-GeV state, we have observed the blazar PKS 1502+106 with the INTEGRAL satellite between 9 and 11 August 2008. Simultaneous Swift observations have been also accomplished, as well as optical follow-up at the Nordic Optical Telescope. The IBIS instrument onboard INTEGRAL detected a source at a position inconsistent with the optical coordinates of PKS 1502+106, but consistent with those of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mkn 841, located at 6.8 arcmin south-west from the blazar, which is therefore responsible for all the hard X-ray flux detected by IBIS. At the location of the blazar, IBIS sets an upper limit of ~10^{-11} erg/s/cm2 on the 15-60 keV flux, that turns out to be consistent with a model of inverse Compton scattering accounting for the soft X-ray and gamma-ray spectra measured by Swift XRT and Fermi LAT, respectively. The gamma-ray spectrum during the outburst indicates substantial variability of the characteristic energy of the inverse Compton component in this blazar.(abridged).

Naturally occurring aflatoxin M1 in raw bulk milk from farm cooling tanks in Argentina

The aim was to carry out a survey of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw whole milk from bulk tanks. The sample collection was performed in farms located in one the most important milk-production zones in the centre of Argentina. A total of 94 samples of milk from 47 dairy farms were analysed. AFM1 analysis involved the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with prior purification of the extracts using immunoaffinity columns. AFM1 incidence in raw milk was high as 63.8% and levels were between not detected to 0.07 µg l−1. Several contaminated samples (39%) were over the European Commission limit for infant milk (0.025 µg l−1), although none of samples were above Argentine legislation. Estimates of AFM1 intake were assessed for different age populations. The average AFM1 estimated daily intakes were 1.6, 0.5, 0.17 ng kg−1 body weight day−1 for 4-year-old babies, young children, and adults, respectively. All tested farms used pastures and silages at similar composition. Even though some farms (13) employed high-risk supplementary feeds, such as peanut pod and/or cotton seed, no statistically significant differences were observed between groups. Information from AFM1 levels in milk in Argentina is limited. A systematic AFM1 monitoring programme must be performed by means of accurate and reliable analytical techniques as a strategy for protecting milk consumers.

Presence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in Drinking Water Samples in the North of Portugal

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are 2 protozoan parasites responsible for waterborne diseases outbreaks worldwide. In order to assess the prevalence of these protozoans in drinking water samples in the northern part of Portugal and the risk of human infection, we have established a long term program aiming at pinpointing the sources of surface water, drinking water, and environmental contamination, working with the water-supply industry. Total 43 sources of drinking water samples were selected, and a total of 167 samples were analyzed using the Method 1623. Sensitivity assays regarding the genetic characterization by PCR and sequencing of the genes, 18S SSU rRNA, for Cryptosporidium spp. and beta,-giardin for G. duodenalis were set in the laboratory. According to the defined criteria, molecular analysis was performed over 4 samples. Environmental stages of the protozoa were detected in 25.7% (43 out of 167) of the water samples, 8.4% (14 out of 167) with cysts of Giardia, 10.2% (17 out of 167) with oocysts of Cryptosporidium and 7.2% (12 out of 167) for both species. The mean concentrations were 0.1-12.7 oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. per 10 L and 0.1-108.3 cysts of Giardia duodenalis per 10 L. Our results suggest that the efficiency in drinking water plants must be ameliorated in their efficiency in reducing the levels of contamination. We suggest the implementation of systematic monitoring programs for both protozoa. To authors' knowledge, this is the first report evaluating the concentration of environmental stages of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in drinking water samples in the northern part of Portugal.

A GIS model-based screening of potential contamination of soil and water by pyrethroids in Europe

The paper presents a geographic information system (GIS) model-based approach for analysis of potential contamination of soil and water by pyrethroids for the European continent. Pyrethroids are widely used pesticides and their chemical and toxicological characteristics suggest there may be concerns about human health and ecosystems, although so far there is no strong evidence indicating actual risk. However, little monitoring has been conducted and limited experimental information is available. We perform an assessment exercise that demonstrates how accessible information and GIS-based modeling allow to estimate the spatial distribution of chemical concentrations and fluxes at a screening level. The assessment highlights potential hot spots and the main environmental transport pathways, in a quick and simple way. By combining information on pesticide use, crop distribution and landscape and climate parameters we identify potential problem areas to help focusing monitoring campaigns. The approach presented here is simple and fast, and can be applied to virtually all pesticide classes used over a large domain, and is therefore suitable for the screening of large quantities of chemicals, of which the majority has not undergone any systematic environmental monitoring program. The method has been tested through benchmarking with other well-established models. However, further research is needed to evaluate it against experimental observations.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water, mussels ( Brachidontes sp., Tagelus sp.) and fish ( Odontesthes sp.) from Bahía Blanca Estuary, Argentina

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), one of the major groups of anthropogenic environmental pollutants, were firstly identified and measured in coastal waters, native mussels and fish of an industrialized South American estuary. The aim of this study was to measure the PAHs concentrations and evaluate distribution and sources in surface seawater, native mussels ( Brachidontes sp. and Tagelus sp.) and fish ( Odontesthes sp.) from various coastal sites of the Bahía Blanca Estuary, in order to put the estuary in a global context and assess it ecotoxicological risk. For this, 40 samples of surface water were collected between August 2004 and February 2006 and analyzed by GC/MS for 17 PAHs, including the 16 EPA priority PAHs. In addition, main physicochemical parameters, nutrients and pigments were simultaneously obtained as key parameters to evaluate possible relationships. Finally, several native mussel communities and fish specimens were also analyzed for PAHs contents. The area of study is located at the Argentinean coast and presents an intensive human and industrial activity at the north shoreline. Total PAHs (Σ17 PAHs) in whole surface waters ranged from undetected to more than 4 μg/l. Seasonal PAHs levels relationship with master parameters suggested a relationship between the phytoplankton microbiological cycling and the dissolved/suspended PAHs occurrence in water. In addition, Cluster Analysis was performed to identify the homogeneous groups of individual PAHs in water and Principal Component Analysis to extract underlying common factors. The result of PCA was similar to that of the cluster analysis; both could differentiate two subsets of pyrogenic sources and a petrogenic origin. PAHs levels in indigenous mussels ( Brachidontes sp. and Tagelus sp.) ranged from 348 to 1597 ng/g (dry weight). Fish specimens ( Odontesthes sp.) showed a mean concentration of 1095 ng/g d.w. in whole tissues. Mussel source ratios and PCA results were in good agreement with the dominant sources assessed for water samples and further enabled the linking of PAHs origins according to the sample location. The Bahía Blanca Estuary wide mean of the PAHs burden in mussels showed that the average PAH contamination level was within the “moderate” category. Levels appeared as ecotoxicologically risk safe for the inner stations; however, they were exceeding various safety criterions at the outer. Results indicate the needing of a systematic monitoring program for the area of study, in order to provide accurately assessment and management of risks for the regional population.

연안해역 생태계 건강성 평가의 의미와 국내 적용 방향

Coastal marine ecosystems continue to suffer unrelenting pressures from human population growth, increased development, and climate change. Moreover, these systems' capacity for self-repair is declining with such increases in anthropogenic production of various pollutants. What is the present health status or condition of the coastal ecosystem? If our coastal areas are unhealthy, which conditions are considered serious? To answer such questions, the United States, Canada, and Australia are currently assessing coastal ecosystem health using systematic monitoring programs as well as identifying and implementing management plans to improve the health of degraded coastal ecosystems. To evaluate marine environments, Korea is currently using a limited number of factors to estimate water quality. In fact, we are ill-prepared for assessing coastal ecosystem health because no biologically specific criteria are in place to measure the responses to various pollutants. We should select ecosystem-specific indicators from physicochemical stressors and evaluate the subsequent biological responses within each ecosystem. Furthermore, a set of practical indicators should be generated by considering the characteristics and uses of a local coastal area and the key issues at hand. The values of indicators should be presented as indices that allow understanding by the general public as well as by practitioners, policy makers, environmental managers and other stakeholders.

Danish integrated antimicrobial resistance monitoring and research program.

Resistance to antimicrobial agents is an emerging problem worldwide. Awareness of the undesirable consequences of its widespread occurrence has led to the initiation of antimicrobial agent resistance monitoring programs in several countries. In 1995, Denmark was the first country to establish a systematic and continuous monitoring program of antimicrobial drug consumption and antimicrobial agent resistance in animals, food, and humans, the Danish Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring and Research Program (DANMAP). Monitoring of antimicrobial drug resistance and a range of research activities related to DANMAP have contributed to restrictions or bans of use of several antimicrobial agents in food animals in Denmark and other European Union countries.

California's evolution toward integrated regional water management: a long-term view

Water resources sustainability hinges on interrelated physical, chemical, biological, and human processes, all of which may affect the quantity and quality of available water supplies. California's decades-long transition process from intensive and often unmanaged groundwater development toward more effective, sustainable integrated water resources management has resulted in important lessons. The process offers insights to other countries that seek to achieve sustainability. Long-term systematic groundwater and surface water monitoring programs and ongoing assessment of regional groundwater systems are an integral part of management. On local to global scales, the need for fundamental data, regional resources assessments, and increased support for scientific and technological advances is becoming increasingly apparent. The scientific community must enhance society's understanding of the essential links between basic data needs and the advancement and application of scientific approaches for effective water management. Correspondingly, scientific and political communities must coordinate common interests in endeavors toward sustainable management. Public outreach is a necessary complement to achieve sustainability goals and garner support for the programs needed to develop water policies based on sound science, manage water resources, and meet future water demands while avoiding unacceptable impacts.

Monitoring Water Quality and Assessment of Land-Based Nutrient Loadings and Cycling in Kavala Gulf

The results of a systematic and intensive nutrient monitoring program are reported, which took place during the period 1997-1999 in Kavala Gulf, Northern Greece, having as a general task to study the impact of the various human activities on the nutrient loadings and cycling of the aquatic environment. A nutrient budget box model was used to estimate the annual capacity of Kavala Gulf to store and transform dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, aiming at understanding the biogeochemical processes taking place in the area of interest. Point sources of nutrients from two municipal wastewater treatment plants (Kavala and Palio Seawage Treatment Works) and a phosphoric fertilizer producing industrial facility (PFP), as well as non-point sources from agricultural activities, seem responsible for the increased concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Seasonal N:P-ratios suggest that nitrogen is the limiting nutrient during the summer, autumn and winter and phosphorus during the spring. The annual nutrient budget model revealed that Kavala Gulf is presently slightly autotrophic with nitrogen fixation exceeding denitrification.

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (pmws) in pigs in Croatia: Detection and characterisation of porcine circovirus type 2 (pcv2)

The objective of this study was to characterise porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) from pigs with naturally occurring postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in Croatia, and to determine the epizootiological, clinical and pathomorphological features of the disease. During a systematic health monitoring programme conducted in the period from January 2002 to June 2003, PMWS was suspected on eight different pig-producing farms in Croatia. The diagnosis of PMWS met all three key criteria: the presence of compatible clinical signs, the presence of the characteristic microscopic lymphoid lesions, and the detection of PCV2 within the lesions by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by in situ hybridisation (ISH). Moreover, PCV2 DNA from swine tissues was extracted and sequenced. The phylogenetic analysis of 4 Croatian PCV2 strains showed close relationship to PCV2 strains isolated in Slovenia, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, China and Hungary. PCV2 was also demonstrated by electron microscopy in the lymph node of an affected animal. This is the first demonstration of PMWS in Croatia based on all scientifically accepted diagnostic criteria.

A Review of Factors Influencing Measurements of Decadal Variations in Metal Contamination in San Francisco Bay, California

This review summarizes some of the principal results of systematic measurements of trace metal concentrations throughout San Francisco Bay that began in 1989, and that have yielded insights on the factors controlling temporal and spatial variations of those concentrations on seasonal to decadal time scales. Pronounced seasonal variation in some metal concentrations is associated with gradients in the system's hydrology and the diagenetic remobilization of metals from benthic sediments. Additional temporal variation is associated with interannual differences in hydrologic flushing (e.g., ENSO cycles) and episodic storm events. While intra- and inter-annual variabilities complicate assessments of long-term variations in metal concentrations, recent analyses using stable lead isotopic composition distributions and time-series models have deconvoluted decadal changes in lead and silver concentrations in the estuary. Decadal variations in concentrations of other contaminant metals (e.g., mercury) are now being characterized, as well as projections of future concentrations of other metals of concern (e.g., copper). These historic assessments and projections of trace metal variations attest to the importance of long-term, systematic monitoring programs to quantify past and future impacts on water quality in San Francisco Bay and other complex estuarine systems.

The late-time light curve of the type Ia supernova 2000cx

We have conducted a systematic and comprehensive monitoring programme of the type Ia supernova 2000cx at late phases using the VLT and HST. The VLT observations cover phases 360 to 480 days past maximum brightness and include photometry in the BVRIJH bands, together with a single epoch in each of U and Ks. While the optical bands decay by about 1.4 mag per 100 days, we find that the near-IR magnitudes stay virtually constant during the observed period. This means that the importance of the near-IR to the bolometric light curve increases with time. The finding is also in agreement with our detailed modeling of a type Ia supernova in the nebular phase. In these models, the increased importance of the near-IR is a temperature effect. We note that this complicates late-time studies where often only the V band is well monitored. In particular, it is not correct to assume that any optical band follows the bolometric light curve at these phases, and any conclusions based on such assumptions, e.g., regarding positron-escape, must be regarded as premature. A very simple model where all positrons are trapped can reasonably well account for the observations. The nickel mass deduced from the positron tail of this light curve is lower than found from the peak brightness, providing an estimate of the fraction of late-time emission that is outside of the observed wavelength range. Our detailed models show the signature of an infrared catastrophe at these epochs, which is not supported by the observations.

Temporal changes in the physical properties and chemical composition of the municipal water supply of Shahrood, northeastern Iran

A systematic monitoring program was implemented in 1999 to evaluate the temporal changes in the physical properties and chemical composition of water from the Shahrood Qanat, which provides 30% of Shahrood’s municipal water needs. A qanat is a near-horizontal gallery which yields water by gravity. The results show that the physical properties, in contrast to the concentration of ions, are in an almost “steady state” condition and the slight variations are due to the travel time of water in the qanat gallery, the mixing of qanat water, the seasonal temperature fluctuation, and the likely unavoidable errors associated with long-term monitoring. They also show that severe drought during the past nine years has not yet affected the groundwater quality. The TDS of the qanat water is relatively low and the water is of the calcium-bicarbonate type. However, the above average concentrations of nitrate (14.9 mg/L) and phosphate (0.105 mg/L) may reflect the impact of the excessive use of fertilizers in the capture zone of the qanat. High Ca, Mg, pH, and a higher-than-recommended hardness value reflect the influence of carbonate-rock formations on the groundwater composition. The study shows that systematic monitoring is required to identify the erroneous data, to optimize the monitoring program and to characterize the water quality trend.

Eradication of feral goats Capra hircus from Pinta Island, Galápagos, Ecuador

Introduced mammals are a major driver of extinction and ecosystem change, particularly on islands. Feral goats Capra hircus have been introduced to numer- ous islands worldwide and have had wholesale impacts on ecosystems. Techniques are now available, however, to eradicate goat populations from islands, providing a powerful conservation tool. Goats were removed from Pinta Island, Galapagos, Ecuador after a 30-year eradi- cation campaign, the largest removal of an insular goat population using ground-based methods. Over 41,000 goats were removed during the initial hunting effort (1971-82). In the following decade the island was twice wrongly declared free of goats. During this period, the island was visited irregularly but no monitoring programme was implemented. A revised campaign over 1999-2003, which included improved hunting tech- niques and monitoring, removed the final goats from the island. The use of Judas goats was critical in locating the remaining goats and as a tool to confirm eradication. A systematic monitoring programme is critical for confirm- ing eradication and preventing future reintroductions. An earlier monitoring programme would probably have resulted in earlier eradication and significant financial savings. Given limited resources, island conser- vation programmes elsewhere should strive to increase eradication efficiency and learn from past campaigns.