scholarly journals Implementation of the EU ecological flow policy in Italy with a focus on Sardinia

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Moccia ◽  
Luca Salvadori ◽  
Simone Ferrari ◽  
Alessandra Carucci ◽  
Antonio Pusceddu

River ecosystems are characterised by a naturally high level of hydrodynamic perturbations which create aquatic-terrestrial habitats indispensable for many species, as well as for the human beings' welfare. Environmental degradation and habitat loss caused by increasing anthropogenic pressures and global change affect freshwater aquatic ecosystems worldwide and have caused changes in water flow regimes and channels morphologies. These, in turn, decreased the natural flow capacity and reduced habitat availability, thus causing severe degradation of rivers' ecological integrity. The ecological flow (e-flow) is commonly intended as the quantity, timing, duration, frequency and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater, estuarine and near‐shore ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well‐being. Maintaining the e-flow represents a potential tool for restoring and managing river ecosystems, to preserve the autochthonous living communities, along with environmental services and cultural/societal values. In the last decade, methods for the determination of the e-flow in European rivers moved from a simply hydrological approach towards establishing a linkage between the hydrological regime and the good ecological status (GES) of the water bodies, as identified by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC). Each Member State is required to implement and integrate into the River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) a methodology for the determination of the e-flow, ensuring that rivers can achieve and maintain the GES. The competent river basin authorities have thus to ascertain whether national methodologies to can be applied to different river typologies and basin environment characteristics. In this context, we narratively review the e-flow assessments in the heterogeneous Italian territory, in particular on a water scant region such as Sardinia, by analysing laws, guidelines and focusing on study cases conducted with micro and meso-scale hydraulic-habitat approaches. In the sight of a more ecological-based application of national e-flow policy, we suggest that meso-habitat methods provide a valuable tool to overcome several limitations of current e-flow implementation in the Italian territory. However, to face future challenges, such as climate change adaptation, we stress the need for further experimental studies to update water management plans with greater attention for nature conservation.

Author(s):  
Andrius Litvinaitis ◽  
Lina Bagdžiūnaitė-Litvinaitienė ◽  
Laurynas Šaučiūnas

On preparing of the first management plans of River Basin Districts have been found that diffuse agricultural pol-lution is one of the most important causing factor and the most significant impact on the quality of water bodies. Diffuse agricultural pollution can be from 45% to 80% of nitrate nitrogen pollution load of water bodies. Pollution is transported by water surface and subsurface runoff through sediments from agricultural territories. This article aims at evaluating of relation between the Quaternary sediments and Land use dissemination. The lithological factor (sandy, loamy, argillaceous) of the basin was calculated based on Quaternary map of Lithuania M 1:200000 and Lithuanian river map M 1:50000. The land-use factor of the basin was calculated based on Corine Land cover M 1:100000 using ArcGis software. In order to carry out more thorough analysis of the determination of relation between the Quaternary sediments and Land use dissemination in given territories, sections of 0–50 m, 50–200 m, 200–500 m, 500–800 m, 800–1000 m and >1000 m were established, calculating the distance in meters from the riverbank.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e042667
Author(s):  
Carla Betina Andreucci ◽  
Veronique Filippi ◽  
Jose Guilherme Cecatti

IntroductionThe 2016 WHO antenatal guidelines propose evidence-based recommendations to improve maternal outcomes. We aim to complement these recommendations by describing and estimating the effects of the interventions recommended by WHO on maternal well-being or functioning.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a systematic review of experimental and quasi-experimental studies evaluating women’s well-being or functioning following the implementation of evidence-based antenatal interventions, published in peer-reviewed journals through a 15-year interval (2005–2020). The lead reviewer will screen all records identified at MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, LILACS and SciELO. Two other reviewers will control screening strategy quality. Quality and risk of bias will be assessed using a specially designed instrument. Data synthesis will consider the instruments applied, how often they were used, conditions/interventions for positive or negative effects documented, statistical measures used to document effectiveness and how results were presented. A random-effects meta-analysis comparing frequently used instruments may be conducted.Ethics and disseminationThe study will be a systematic review with no human beings’ involvement, therefore not requiring ethical approval. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and scientific events.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019143436.


2005 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 69-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Blind ◽  
J. B. Gregersen

Abstract. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) poses an immense challenge to water management in Europe. Aiming at a "good ecological status" of surface waters in 2015, integrated river basin management plans need to be in place by 2009, and broadly supported by stakeholders. Information & Communication Technology (ICT) tools, such as computational models, are very helpful in designing river basin management plans (rbmp-s). However, many scientists believe that a single integrated modelling system to support the WFD cannot be developed, and integrated systems need to be quite tailored to the local situation and evolve during a collaborative planning process. As a consequence there is an urgent need to increase the flexibility of modelling systems, such that dedicated model systems can be developed from available building blocks. In the recent past a number of initiatives have been started to develop an IT framework for modelling to meet the required flexibility. In Europe the international project HarmonIT, which is sponsored by the European Commission, is developing and implementing a standard interface for modelling components and other relevant tools: The Open Modelling Interface (OpenMI). This paper describes the HarmonIT project and objectives in general. The current progress is described. It describes the roles for different types of stakeholders in modelling, varying from software coders to non-specialized users of decision support systems. It will provide insight in the requirements imposed when using the OpenMI.


Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Xinru Wang ◽  
Huijuan Cui

Due to both anthropogenic and climate change impacts, precipitation and runoff in the Yellow River basin have decreased in the past 50 years, leading to more pressure in sustaining human beings and ecosystem needs. It is essential to evaluate the flow condition in the Yellow River basin and see whether it may satisfy its ecological flow in the future. Therefore, this study applied an entropy-based method to calculate the flow duration curves from both observed and simulated data to evaluate the impact of climate change on ecological flow in the Yellow River basin. The simulated FDCs from H08 and DBH models show good agreement with each other and fit observation well. Results show that the decadal FDC at each station is generally predicted to be higher or stay in the higher range under both RCP 2.6 and 8.5 scenarios, suggesting an increase in water amount in the future. It is found that the high flows increase much faster than the low flows, resulting in larger slopes than the references ones, which is due to the larger entropy and M values in the future. At most of the stations, the future values of Q95 and Q90 will safely exceed the threshold. It is found that at the Lanzhou, Wubao, Longmen, and Huayuankou stations, there will be no or little threat to future ecological flow. Still, at the Toudaoguai and Sanmanxia stations, the ecological requirement is not always satisfied. The water stress at the Tangnaihai station from the upper stream of the Yellow River may be threatened in the future.


Gerontology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Bertozzi ◽  
Valeria Tosti ◽  
Luigi Fontana

In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity'. Detractors claim that this definition of health is utopian and unrealistic. However, accumulating evidence from experimental studies suggests that aging is not inevitably linked with the development of chronic diseases, and the age-associated accumulation of molecular damage can be prevented or greatly delayed by dietary and genetic manipulations that downregulate key cellular nutrient-sensing pathways. Nonetheless, to obtain a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, we as human beings need to go beyond nutrition or pharmacological treatments and implement a combination of interventions that enhance not only our metabolic health but also our psychological, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development, our social relationships and cultural well-being. This perspective highlights a range of scientific research-based interventions that can potentially be used to promote human health and longevity. We will also briefly address the importance of environmental health in achieving this goal.


2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Riera ◽  
Alicia Sacramento ◽  
Óscar Perez ◽  
Óscar Monterroso ◽  
Eva Ramos ◽  
...  

The determination of the resilience of benthic assemblages is a capital issue for the off-shore aquaculture industry in its attempts to minimize environmental disturbances. Experimental studies are an important tool for the establishment of thresholds for macrofaunal assemblages inhabiting sandy seabeds. An experiment was conducted with three treatments (Control, 1x and 3x),in which organic load (fish pellets) was added (1x (10 g of fish pellets) and 3x (30 g)). A reduction in abundance of individuals and species richness was found as between the control and organic-enriched treatments. Significant changes in assemblage structure were also found, mainly due to the decrease of the sensitive tanaid Apseudes talpa in organically-enriched treatments. AMBI and M-AMBI indices were calculated and a decrease of ecological status was observed in treatment 3x.


Introduction. To restore and preserve the optimal ecological status of the Western Bug river basin, it is necessary to adhere to the strategic principles of environmental management, and since the river is transboundary and tributary basins are located in Ukraine and Poland, it is important to determine the ecological status of small rivers. In the territory of the Volyn region, the rivers-tributaries Luha and Studyanka are most affected by anthropogenic impact. An ecological assessment of water quality based on the condition of macrophytes is given, as macrophytes llow to determine the degree of surface water degradation, first of all, in terms of their trophic status. The purpose of article. The purpose of article aims to assess the ecological status of the rivers of the Western Bug river basin using bioindication methods and determination of the Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR). Methods. Research methods are expeditionary, methods of mathematical statistics end bioindication methods and determination of the Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR). Results. To determine the ecological status of the rivers of the Western Bug basin and to conduct research, three test sites with a length of at least 100 m were laid on two tributaries of the first order - the rivers Luha and Studyanka. To determine the MIR (Macrophyte Index for Rivers) in the test riverbed areas, 42 indicator species of macrophytes were selected, of which 1 species belongs to the division Polipodiophyta and Equisetophyta, 40 species to the division Magnoliophyta, of which 15 belong to the class Magnoliopsida, and 25 belong to the class Liliopsida. According to the classification of the MIR indicator, to determine the ecological status, the rivers Luha and Studyanka belong to lowland watercourses, with the type of macrophytes - M-VIII (organic rivers). As a result of the calculated Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR), it was established (Table 4) that the water quality in the Luha river in test site 1 (Zavydiv village) has a good ecological status, MIR is 39,0; and test site 2 (Volodymyr-Volynskyi city) has a satisfactory or moderate ecological status, MIR is 31,56; in the river Studyanka, the test site 3 (Ustyluh town) has a satisfactory or moderate ecological condition, MIR is 28,31. Conclusions. According to the ecological status of rivers determined by the Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR), it is established that the waters of the Luha and Studyanka rivers have a satisfactory or moderate ecological condition. This suggests that the research conducted on test sites and calculations of the Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR) are identical and fully reflect the ecological status of the rivers Luha and Studyanka determined by hydrochemical parameters, which allows the use of this research algorithm for other rivers in the Western Bug river basin and is promising during research on other rivers of Ukraine.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (30) ◽  
pp. 27-34
Author(s):  
L. S. ROSA JUNIOR ◽  
H. S. ALMEIDA ◽  
S. C. S. A. BRASIL ◽  
A. B. P. DE MORAIS ◽  
J. B. SARAIVA ◽  
...  

The elaboration of a study on methods for the determination of ecological flow for the management of the water resources of the Maracaçumé River Basin is very important for the proposed use and conservation of these resources insofar as the uses of water, especially the advisory uses, have changed the flow regimes and the existing water availability. In this context, this work aims to discuss about the applicability of hydrological methods that help in the correct and sustainable management of the water resources. In this way, were applied theQ7,10 Method; the 90% and 95% Method, beyond the Tennant Method with ecological flow corresponding to 30% of the average annual flow. The main results obtained were the characterization of the Maracaçumé River Basin and the flow values obtained in each method (0.541 m3/s, 1,075 m3/s, 0,459 m3/s and 19,50 m3/s for the Q7,10; Q90%; Q95% and Tennant (30%) methods, respectively). The work indicates that for the management of water resources in the Maracaçumé river basin, the ecological flow obtained through the Q90 methodology should continue to be adopted, evaluating the possibility of adapting the maximum percentage of use.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raka Maulana ◽  
Yulianti Pratama ◽  
Lina Apriyanti

<p>Some areas in the city of Bandung is an area that dilitasi by the flow of the river, to prevent the introduction of garbage into the river basin is necessary to note the waste management systems in residential areas along the river. Cidurian river has a length of 24.86 Km along the river flow. Consists of the city of Bandung and Bandung regency. Administrative regions Cidurian River past eight (8) districts, from the region in the District Kiaracondong precisely Village Babakan Babakan Sari and Surabaya populous and the most densely populated. Thus, there should be community-based waste management in the form of a reduction in resources to prevent potential entry of waste into the river basin. Planning waste reduction will be divided into two, namely the reduction of inorganic waste with waste bank then the reduction of organic waste with absorption holes biopori, and bio reactor mini determination of the reduction is determined by the results of the analysis of the sampling covers the composition and garbage, then the result of the measurement characteristics test and analysis results questionnaire.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-20
Author(s):  
Inna Yeung

Choice of profession is a social phenomenon that every person has to face in life. Numerous studies convince us that not only the well-being of a person depends on the chosen work, but also his attitude to himself and life in general, therefore, the right and timely professional choice is very important. Research about factors of career self-determination of students of higher education institutions in Ukraine shows that self-determination is an important factor in the socialization of young person, and the factors that determine students' career choices become an actual problem of nowadays. The present study involved full-time and part-time students of Institute of Philology and Mass Communications of Open International University of Human Development "Ukraine" in order to examine the factors of career self-determination of students of higher education institutions (N=189). Diagnostic factors of career self-determination of students studying in the third and fourth year were carried out using the author's questionnaire. Processing of obtained data was carried out using the Excel 2010 program; factorial and comparative analysis were applied. Results of the study showed that initial stage of career self-determination falls down on the third and fourth studying year at the university, when an image of future career and career orientations begin to form. At the same time, the content of career self-determination in this period is contradictory and uncertain, therefore, the implementation of pedagogical support of this process among students is effective.


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