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Lake levels fluctuations are conditioned by seasonal variability, water resources management and climate change. Recent studies have shown that global warming potentially affects the risk of flooding and that the decisive factor for flood events is not temperature, but precipitation characteristics and hydrological conditions. Flood events have numerous impacts on social, economic and environmental aspects depending on how humans have altered lands, natural rivers and lake dynamics. Flood protection measures can cause conflicts with conservation measures and with ecosystem services because natural capital is not considered able to control floods and to contribute control floods and that it can contribute to human health and safety. In this paper we analysed the flood events in Lake Maggiore for return time periods of 3 – 5 – 10 – 25 – 50 – 100 – 250 – 500 years, considering the flood frequency in the last ten years using 1868-2021 as a reference period. We discussed the probability distribution of flood peaks, the correlation and linear regression between the lake level fluctuations and macroinvertebrates occurrence. We also presented lake coasts flood hazard mapping. The probability distribution that better describes the annual peak level is the Gumbel function, while for spring and autumn flood events the better distribution is the Log-Pearson type III. One of the historical flood events in terms of magnitude was in 2000, characterized by a return time of about 50 years. The last flood event in 2020, was characterized by a return period of about 10 years. Considering the seasonal frequency of flood, the autumn magnitude was higher than the spring one, and the differences between seasonal flood events progressively increased. The results suggested a high probability of a flood event every three years and also a forecast of a flood of about 197 m asl (3.14 m above the average lake level) every 10 years. Raising the lake level will affect the reed bed area from 193 m asl, and it will be more effective at 194.5 m (up to a 10% reduction). During flood events, the whole reed bed area is submerged. As regard macroinvertebrates composition and abundance, the first results show significant negative relationships between all sampling stations altogether vs the abundance of Cladotanytarsus sp. (Chironominae) and nearly significant positive relationships between water levels at Magadino vs Pscectrocladius sordidellus (Orthocladiinae) abundances. These few results are perhaps due to the current limited data availability.

The rapid coastal development in the Andaman Islands has resulted in littoral habitat degradation. Understanding the performances of marine biotic indices and the interpretation and translation of those results into coastal health assessment could become an integral tool in future monitoring and management policies. In this line of efforts, the ecological quality status of three sandy beaches, two urban and one nonurban, was evaluated by using three marine biotic indices. The faunal community belonged to moderately well-sorted fine sand biocenosis. The relatively high species richness (15.9 ± 0.80 taxa sample −1 ) and moderate abundance (563 ± 38.8 ind.m −2 ) were features of the benthic fauna. The urban beaches (Aberdeen Bay and Carbyn’s Cove) corresponded to tolerant benthic communities. Malacoceros indicus , Grandidierella megnae and Scolelepis squamata (tolerant species), and Ampelisca diadema (indifferent species) were the major constituents of urban beaches, while Scoloplos capensis , Urothoe grimaldii , and Urothoe platydactyla (sensitive species) were important at the nonurban beach (Wandoor). The high–good quality status prevailed across the spatial and temporal scales except for Carbyn’s cove beach, where good–poor status was noticed. The M-AMBI appeared to be the most robust measure in distinguishing the impact between the urban and nonurban beaches. The constrained ordinations revealed a gradient of disturbance across the beaches. The distinct patterns of sample segregation were the result of the ecological response. This attempt should be considered a comprehensive measure of quality assessment of beaches under human pressure and draw a parallel line of evidence to global studies on sandy beaches. Graphical Abstract

Waste engine oils are hazardous waste oils originating from the transportation sector and industrial heavy-duty machinery operations. Improper handling, disposal, and miscellaneous misuses cause significant air, soil, sediments, surface water, and groundwater pollution. Occupational exposure by prolonged and repeated contact poses direct or indirect health risks, resulting in short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic) toxicities. Soil pollution causes geotoxicity by disrupting the biocenosis and physicochemical properties of the soil, and phytotoxicity by impairing plant growth, physiology and metabolism. Surface water pollution impacts aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. Air pollution from incineration causes the release of greenhouse gases creating global warming, noxious gases and particulate matter eliciting pulmonary disorders. The toxicity of waste engine oil is due to the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) composition, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (BTEX), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners, organometallic compounds, and toxic chemical additives. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the ecotoxicological effects, human and animal health toxicology and exposure to waste engine oils. It highlights the properties and functions of engine oil and describes waste engine oil generation, disposal and recycling. It provides intensive evaluations and descriptions of the toxicokinetics, metabolism, routes of exposure and toxicosis in human and animal studies based on toxicological, epidemiological and experimental studies. It emphasises the preventive measures in occupational exposure and recommends risk-based remediation techniques to mitigate environmental pollution. The review will assist in understanding the potential risks of waste engine oil with significant consideration of the public health benefits and importance.

Although bioaugmentation is known as effective and environmentally friendly method increasing removal of hydrocarbons from oil-contaminated soil, it sometimes fails in soil restoration and disturbs the ecological state of soil. We studied possible scenarios of the introduction of oil-degrading bacteria into oil-contaminated podzolic soil assessing the environmental safety of different bacterial preparations in a long-term field experiment. Integral indicators characterizing the state of biocenosis included biological activity of soil and aboveground biomass of grasses. It has been established that bacterial preparations can have both positive and negative effects on the ecological state of soil and oil biodegradation. Of the five bacterial preparations studied, one had a pronounced positive effect on soil biological activity and oil mineralization processes. Two preparations did not accelerate oil biodegradation and were characterized by a weaker positive effect or even a lack of influence. Two more bacterial preparations had a significant negative impact on soil biological properties. These preparations slowed oil mineralization in soil. Both positive and negative effects of bacterial preparations were observed only during the first two years after their application. All preparations were not effective during the latter stages of long-term remediation processes. The results indicate that successful application of bioaugmentation for the restoration of oil-contaminated soil requires testing of environmental safety of bacterial preparations in a long-term field experiments prior to any treatment processes.

The project DemO3AC (demonstration of large-scale wastewater ozonation at the Aachen-Soers wastewater treatment plant, Germany) of the Eifel-Rur Waterboard contains the construction of a large-scale ozonation plant for advanced treatment of the entire 25 million m³/yr of wastewater passing through its largest wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In dry periods, up to 70% of the receiving water consists of treated wastewater. Thus, it is expected that effects of ozonation on downstream water biocoenosis will become observable. Extensive monitoring of receiving water and the WWTP shows a severe pollution with micropollutants (already prior to WWTP inlet). (Eco-)Toxicological investigations showed increased toxicity at the inlet of the WWTP for all assays. However, endocrine-disrupting potential was also present at other sampling points at the WWTP and in the river and could not be eliminated sufficiently by the WWTP. Total cell counts at the WWTP are slightly below average. Investigations of antibiotic resistances show no increase after the WWTP outlet in the river. However, cells carrying antibiotic-resistant genes seem to be more stress resistant in general. Comparing investigations after implementation of ozonation should lead to an approximation of the correlation between micropollutants and water quality/biocoenosis and the effects that ozonation has on this matter.

Cappucci, S.; Valentini, E.; Del Monte, M.; Paci, M.; Filipponi, F., and Taramelli, A., 2017. Detection of natural and anthropic features on small islands. In: Martinez, M.L.; Taramelli, A., and Silva, R. (eds.), Coastal Resilience: Exploring the Many Challenges from Different Viewpoints. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 77, pp. 73–87. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Mapping the distribution of seabed habitats, and estimating the spatial distribution of features and biocenosis over land and the seafloor, is particularly important for the analysis of human impacts. The present paper uses an innovative image analysis method that integrates different data sources from airborne remote sensing and in situ measurements for different features, allowing the detection of ecological ‘tipping points’ both in emerged and submerged coastal environments. Results show that it is possible to differentiate between the respective roles of: first, the internal variability of the natural morphological system and second, of external forcing factors. The final evidence, however, identifies a clear signature of external forcing, but whether of anthropogenic or natural origin, is unclear. The spatial pattern of the response to anthropogenic forcing may be indistinguishable from patterns of natural variability. It is argued that this novel approach to define tipping points following anthropogenic impacts could be most valuable in the management of natural resources and the economic development of coastal areas worldwide.

In this study conducted in Granada province in southern Spain, we analysed the flying activity and sex-ratio variability of the invasive pest (the spotted wing drosophila) in the context of environmental factors and compared it with co-occurring Drosophilidae in a village garden. The studied population showed overwintering capabilities and successful maintenance in village garden with non-crop plants. Its flight period showed two peaks: female-biased, in November, and male-biased, in May. The sex ratio varied throughout the year and was mostly female-biased. We observed the effect of temperature on Drosophilidae and rainfall and temperature on the . . Catches of the studied species were minimal at the minimal temperatures below 0 °C, and absent or near absent when the maximal temperature exceeded 30 °C. Moreover, we did not observe in samples when the minimum temperature below 0 °C was combined with heavy rainfall. The spotted wing drosophila seems to be more sensitive to precipitation than native Drosophilidae, as its proportion in the samples decreased with increasing rainfall. This pest also shows more pronounced short peaks in which it makes an important proportion of the biocoenosis of in comparison with other Drosophilidae.

Restoring lakes with hypolimnetic withdrawal can severely threaten water quality and biocenosis downstream. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of lake restoration on riverine zooplankton during a period of intense hypolimnion water inflow. Zooplankton density and biomass were determined in water samples. The water samples were also analyzed to determine the following physicochemical parameters: flow rate, dissolved oxygen, hydrogen sulphide, sulphate, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorous, soluble reactive phosphorus, total organic carbon, and temperature. The results of multiple regression indicated that water flow was the most significant variable and was the best predictor of total zooplankton and rotifer density. Soluble reactive phosphorous was the main predictor of copepod biomass and density. Our study showed that hypolimnetic withdrawal disturbed the natural process of planktic community transformation, which was linked to the environmental shift from lacustrine to riverine. During the study, zooplankton density and biomass were low, but not as low as when the pipeline was operating at maximum output. At present, this lake restoration method has become more sustainable, because the adverse effects of hypolimnetic withdrawal on the recipient river have been minimized and limited to several weeks. La restauration des lacs par prélèvement hypolimnique peut gravement menacer la qualité de l'eau et la biocénose en aval. L'objectif de cette étude était d'évaluer l'effet de la restauration d'un lac sur le zooplancton aval pendant une période d'apport d'eau hypolimnique intense. La densité et la biomasse du zooplancton ont été déterminées dans des échantillons d'eau. Les échantillons d'eau ont également été analysés pour déterminer les paramètres physicochimiques suivants : débit, oxygène dissous, sulfure d'hydrogène, sulfate, azote d'ammonium, azote de nitrate, phosphore total, phosphore réactif soluble, carbone organique total et température. Les résultats d'une régression multiple ont indiqué que le débit était la variable la plus significative et était le meilleur prédicteur de la densité totale du zooplancton et des rotifères. Le phosphore réactif soluble était le principal prédicteur de la biomasse et de la densité des copépodes. Notre étude a montré que le retrait hypolimnique perturbait le processus naturel de transformation des communautés planctoniques, qui était lié au passage de l'environnement lacustre à l'environnement fluvial. Au cours de l'étude, la densité et la biomasse de zooplancton étaient faibles, mais pas autant que lorsque le pipeline fonctionnait à son rendement maximum. À l'heure actuelle, cette méthode de restauration des lacs est devenue plus supportable, car les effets néfastes du prélèvement hypolimnique sur la rivière réceptrice ont été minimisés et limités à plusieurs semaines.

This study concerns the effects on microbial populations and treatment plant performance on the presence of Chromium and surfactants in incoming wastewater. The study considers two actual treatment plants in a northern Italian City, one treating mostly urban sewage, the second a mixture of urban and industrial wastewater. A comparative assessment of the two plants was performed in laboratory conditions, in order to understand the effects of these exogenous contaminants on the biological processes, and possibly define management and operational criteria for process recovery in the case of renewed actual contamination. Pilot processes of the two plants were run at first, considering the actual design and normal influent conditions of the facilities, then, under stress conditions, by adding the external contaminants at known concentrations to the feed, performing process functionality observations and toxicity tests, and determining the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the activated sludge biomass. Considerations on processes performance and biocenosis modifications due to pollutants contents are drawn. A discussion on possible effects mitigation strategies is included.

The sustainable fisheries and aquaculture have a positive effect on species and the environment and brings real benefits to consumers. To ensure bio resources for future generations, scientific research of carp culture have shown that it can realize high production, if it respects certain conditions of growth medium and breed performance. The study is to highlight the separate and combined action of environmental factors on the growth performance of juveniles of Ropsa carp breed. The experiment was performed in the water basins of Fisheries and Aquaculture Laboratory, Animal Science Faculty of Bucharest and consisted in reproducing the concrete situations of variation of feed quantity, water temperature and pH. Justification of carp breed chosen is that it is appreciated by local consumers and it has a good resistance to environmental and feeding conditions. The experiment lasted 180 days/year and consisted in monitoring the weight gain of 270 individuals. The statistical processing of the results was performed based on a three factorial biometric model, including temperature, pH and feed quantity, each factor having three levels of implementation. Thus, the feed quantity was 71.5 g/individual; 310 g/individual, 330 g/individual; water temperature: 15 Celsius degree, 25 Celsius degree and 20 Celsius degree; water pH: 6.5, 7 and 8. Analysis of variance showed that the interaction between temperature and pH has a significant influence on the growth of individuals (F=2.6496·) and feeding conditions are decisive to achieving economic and biological efficiency (F=1196.2486···). Monitoring and controlling of these factors contribute to the welfare of individuals and food safety. The control of these factors has a positive impact on the entire biocoenosis by maintaining integrity of trophic network.