scholarly journals Fine-scale multiannual survey of benthic invertebrates in a glacier-fed stream used for hydropower generation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Scotti ◽  
Roberta Bottarin
Keyword(s):  
Research Programme ◽  
Eastern Alps ◽  
Hydropower Plant ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Long Term Ecological Research ◽  
Research Facilities

AbstractThe present dataset contains information about aquatic macroinvertebrates and environmental variables collected before and after the implementation of a small “run-of-river” hydropower plant on the Saldur stream, a glacier-fed stream located in the Italian Central-Eastern Alps. Between 2015 and 2019, with two sampling events per year, we collected and identified 34,836 organisms in 6 sampling sites located within a 6 km stretch of the stream. Given the current boom of the hydropower sector worldwide, and the growing contribution of small hydropower plants to energy production, data here included may represent an important – and long advocated – baseline to assess the effects that these kinds of powerplants have on the riverine ecosystem. Moreover, since the Saldur stream is part of the International Long Term Ecological Research network, this dataset also constitutes part of the data gathered within this research programme. All samples are preserved at Eurac Research facilities.

scholarly journals Connectivity: insights from the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network

Ecosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Iwaniec ◽  
Michael Gooseff ◽  
Katharine N. Suding ◽  
David Samuel Johnson ◽  
Daniel C. Reed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Network ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
Long Term Ecological Research ◽  
The U.S

scholarly journals Development of a Hydropower Turbine Using Seawater from a Fish Farm

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 266
Author(s):  
Md Rakibuzzaman ◽  
Sang-Ho Suh ◽  
Hyoung-Ho Kim ◽  
Youngtae Ryu ◽  
Kyung Yup Kim
Keyword(s):  
Power Plants ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Synchronous Generator ◽  
Fish Farm ◽  
Hydropower Plant ◽  
Fish Farms ◽  
Data Simulation ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Hydropower Plants

Discharge water from fish farms is a clean, renewable, and abundant energy source that has been used to obtain renewable energy via small hydropower plants. Small hydropower plants may be installed at offshore fish farms where suitable water is obtained throughout the year. It is necessary to meet the challenges of developing small hydropower systems, including sustainability and turbine efficiency. The main objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of constructing a small hydropower plant and develop 100 kW class propeller-type turbines in a fish farm with a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG). The turbine was optimized using a computer simulation, and an experiment was conducted to obtain performance data. Simulation results were then validated with experimental results. Results revealed that streamlining the designed shape of the guide vane reduced the flow separation and improved the efficiency of the turbine. Optimizing the shape of the runner vane decreased the flow rate, reducing the water power and increasing the efficiency by about 5.57%. Also, results revealed that tubular or cross-flow turbines could be suitable for use in fish farm power plants, and the generator used should be waterproofed to avoid exposure to seawater.

scholarly journals Fishways as Downstream Routes in Small Hydropower Plants: Experiences with a Potamodromous Cyprinid

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1041
Author(s):  
Francisco Javier Sanz-Ronda ◽  
Juan Francisco Fuentes-Pérez ◽  
Ana García-Vega ◽  
Francisco Javier Bravo-Córdoba
Keyword(s):  
General Assumption ◽  
Downstream Migration ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Hydropower Plant ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Pit Tag ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Longitudinal Connectivity ◽  
Alternative Routes

Fish need to move upstream and downstream through rivers to complete their life cycles. Despite the fact that fishways are the most commonly applied solution to recover longitudinal connectivity, they are not considered viable for downstream migration. Therefore, alternative facilities are recommended to facilitate downstream migration. However, a few recent studies have disagreed with this general assumption, showing the potential for bidirectional movements. This study advances our understanding of the potential of fishways for downstream migration by studying their efficiency in a run-of-the-river hydropower plant in the Duero River (Spain). To achieve this, downstream movements of the Iberian barbel (n = 299) were monitored in a stepped fishway for two years with passive integrated transponder (PIT)-tag technology, considering the effect of fish origin and release zone. The results showed that 24.9% of barbels descended through the fishway, with the origin and release zone affecting the fishway location. In addition, downstream movements were observed throughout the whole year, except in winter. The study concludes that, under specific scenarios, fishways could act as safe alternative routes for downstream migration.

scholarly journals Patterns and trends of organic matter processing and transport: Insights from the US Long-Term Ecological Research network

2021 ◽  
pp. 100025
Author(s):  
Tamara K. Harms ◽  
Peter M. Groffman ◽  
Lihini Aluwihare ◽  
Chris Craft ◽  
William R Wieder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
The Us ◽  
Long Term Ecological Research ◽  
Organic Matter Processing

scholarly journals Macroinvertebrate Recovery to Varying Hydropeaking Frequency: A Small Hydropower Plant Experiment

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Kathryn Aksamit ◽  
Mauro Carolli ◽  
Davide Vanzo ◽  
Christine Weber ◽  
Martin Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Power Production ◽  
Hydropower Plant ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Recovery Times ◽  
Plant Experiment ◽  
Specific Reactions ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Drift

As the demand for hydroelectricity progresses worldwide, small hydropower operators are increasingly examining the feasibility of using existing infrastructure (e.g., settling basins) in run-of-the-river schemes for intermittent power production. Such flexible production causes short-term discharge fluctuations (hydropeaking) in downstream reaches with potential adverse effects for the sensitive fauna and flora in alpine streams. In an experimental field study on a previously unregulated section of the upper Rhone River (Switzerland), we measured density and composition of macroinvertebrate drift in two habitats (riffle, pool) following a 15-minute hydropeaking wave. The experimental hydropeaking was replicated five times over 14 days with decreasing recovery times between peaks (8, 3, 2 days, and 24 h), and drift measurements were compared with kick samples for the benthic community. Results from the kick sampling showed that benthic macroinvertebrate abundance and composition did not significantly change between the experimental peaks. There were habitat specific reactions in macroinvertebrate drift to hydropeaking, with the pool experiencing more pronounced drift abundances than the riffle. Overall, drift abundance was not significantly correlated with recovery time, but results indicate taxa-specific differences. This research advocates for the importance of completing more in-situ field experiments in order to better understand the ecological impact of flexible power production in small hydropower plants.

scholarly journals Making monitoring work: insights and lessons from Australia's Long Term Ecological Research Network

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 755-768
Author(s):  
Emma L. Burns ◽  
Philip Tennant ◽  
Chris R. Dickman ◽  
Graeme Gillespie ◽  
Peter T. Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Network ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
Long Term Ecological Research

Born and Bred in the Long-Term Ecological Research Network: Perspectives on Network Science and Global Collaborations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda D. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
State University ◽  
Multidisciplinary Research ◽  
Long Term Ecological Research ◽  
Kansas State University

I am a plant community and ecosystem ecologist who has conducted research within the context of the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network from the beginning of my scientific career, now almost two decades ago. My research has benefited greatly from site-based research at the Konza Prairie (KNZ) LTER site, as well as from network-level syntheses utilizing data sets and knowledge produced by the collective of LTER sites. My involvement in the KNZ LTER site, in particular, has shown me the strength of conducting site-based research, yet my involvement in synthesis activities within the LTER network and beyond has illuminated the limitations of site-based research for addressing cross-site comparative research. To this end, I have been and continue to be a strong proponent of highly coordinated, multisite experiments, and much of my research is comparative in nature. Being involved in the LTER network from the start of my research career has made me a scientist who is well aware of the benefits and power of collaborative, multidisciplinary research. Because of the benefits and breadth of experiences that I have received from such research endeavors, I encourage my graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to also become involved in such research, and I recognize the positive impact collaborative, multidisciplinary research can have on beginning investigators. I believe that individuals outside of the LTER network (ranging from established principal investigators, to young investigators, to graduate students) are often not fully aware of the benefits of being involved in the LTER network or of the advances in ecological understanding that it has made possible. Thus, there is a need for the LTER network to be more proactive and creative in the ways that it attracts new researchers to get involved in the site-based or network-level research. Ultimately, the LTER network will only benefit from increased involvement by new investigators, who also could serve the role of leading the LTER network in the future. I have been affiliated with the LTER program since beginning as a graduate student at Kansas State University.

scholarly journals ILTER – The International Long-Term Ecological Research Network as a Platform for Global Coastal and Ocean Observation

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
José H. Muelbert ◽  
Nicholas J. Nidzieko ◽  
Alicia T. R. Acosta ◽  
Stace E. Beaulieu ◽  
Angelo F. Bernardino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Network ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
Long Term Ecological Research
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document