scholarly journals Ant assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from areas under the direct influence of two small hydropower plants in Brazil

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Junir Antônio Lutinski ◽  
Milton Carlos De Filtro ◽  
Leandro Baucke ◽  
Fernanda Emanuela Dorneles ◽  
Cladis Juliana Lutinski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Direct Influence ◽  
Bioindicator Species ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Rarefaction Analysis ◽  
Ant Assemblages ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Current Energy

Current energy production has been the subject of studies on environmental impacts and the need to adequately understand that the relationship to biodiversity loss is growing. One of the ways of assessing environmental changes is the use of bioindicator species, and ants represent an alternative in this regard. This study aimed to evaluate ant assemblages occurring in different environments in areas under the direct influence of two small hydropower plants (SHPP). Sampling was carried out using pitfall traps in forest and agricultural fragments, as well as pasture areas, along the Andrada River, municipality of Cascavel, state of Paraná, in July 2016 and March 2017. The sampled ant assemblages were evaluated for richness, abundance, and composition. The rarefaction analysis was used to compare the richness sampled in the two areas under direct influence. Abundance was analyzed based on the number of occurrences. The nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was applied to test whether the abundance and composition of ant assemblages differ at the same site when sampled in both seasons. In total, 63 species belonging to 23 genera and 6 subfamilies were identified. The subfamily Myrmicinae was the most speciesrich (S = 25), followed by the subfamily Formicinae (S = 21). The most species-rich genus was Camponotus (S = 15) followed by Pheidole (S =11). A total of 41.3% richness was registered concurrently in the two assemblages. The study contributes to the expansion of knowledge of the ant fauna occurring in the state of Paraná and serves as a basis for monitoring impacts caused by the implementation of SHPP and other developments.

scholarly journals Changes in the Dynamics and Nature of Sedimentation in Mill Ponds as an Indicator of Environmental Changes in a Selected Lake Catchment (Chełmińskie Lake District, Poland)

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 268
Author(s):  
Zbigniew Podgórski ◽  
Dawid Szatten
Keyword(s):  
Water Retention ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Water Retention Capacity ◽  
Lake District ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
14C Dating ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Lake Catchment

The article presents the changes in a hydrographic network resulting from the construction and functioning of nine water mills located in the Struga Rychnowska catchment (Poland). Two ponds (Bierzgieł and Oleszek) have been chosen for a detailed study—both with similar basin origins and morphological settings, but different morphometries, paths of water delivery and discharges from the mill, and water retention times. An attempt was made to restore the course of the deposit sedimentation process in mill pond basins on the basis of historical sources, archived cartographic materials, fieldwork, and laboratory analyses (sedimentology, palynology, and 14C dating). The studies allowed determining the scope of anthropogenic impact on the environment on the example of small river catchment, both when the ponds were in use, and afterwards. Decommissioning of water mills induced a number of serious changes in water resources. The most important of them include: the loss of water retention capacity in the Struga Rychnowska catchment, and decreased ground water level in immediate vicinity of former water reservoirs. Currently, a renewed interest in the old locations of water mills is present, in order to restore retention, and use them for the purposes of modern small hydropower plants (SHP).

scholarly journals Karstic Microrefugia Host Functionally Specific Ant Assemblages

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoltán Bátori ◽  
Gábor Lőrinczi ◽  
Csaba Tölgyesi ◽  
Gábor Módra ◽  
Orsolya Juhász ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Stepping Stones ◽  
Ant Assemblages ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Karst Landscapes ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

Karst landscapes are among the topographically most complex systems with various microhabitats, where species can persist despite unfavourable macro-environmental changes. These microhabitats can also function as stepping stones during range shifts. Although the enclosed depressions (dolines, sinkholes or tiankengs) of karst landscapes may act as such safe havens, data on the functional diversity of their animal assemblages are scarce. Here, we investigate the functional diversity (i.e., certain functional groups and functional traits) of ant assemblages in dolines and study whether dolines surrounded by resource-poor environments (i.e., Fagus sylvatica forests) may function as safe havens for different kinds of ants. We found that dolines have the potential to maintain distinctive ant assemblages characterised by specific functional groups and traits that are rare in the surrounding habitats. Although continuous Fagus sylvatica cover in dolines had a detrimental impact on ant assemblages, grassland dolines surrounded by grasslands or Fagus sylvatica forests supported the presence of some specific functional groups and traits. These results suggest that conservation management needs to consider the influence of vegetation characteristics not only in dolines but also on the surrounding plateau. Moderate grazing and/or mowing would be desirable in order to prevent shrub encroachment into grasslands to ensure optimal vegetation structure for ants in the long run. Therefore, proper management and conservation of these safe havens may mitigate the rate of biodiversity loss under global warming. There is a need to explore a wide variety of taxonomic groups and taxon-specific traits in parallel with the quality of the surrounding habitats when evaluating current and potential microrefugia.

scholarly journals Retention basin with Golesti SHPP downstream dam for mitigating hydropeaking and producing green electricity

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 ◽  
pp. 06011
Author(s):  
Bogdan Popa ◽  
Florica Popa ◽  
Eliza Isabela Tică ◽  
Angela Neagoe ◽  
Mihaela Amalia Diminescu
Keyword(s):  
Peak Load ◽  
Hydropower Plant ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Green Electricity ◽  
Flow Fluctuations ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Retention Basin ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Maximum Flows ◽  
Positive Effect

Hydropeaking is due to the intermittent operation of peak hydropower plants and leads to various and complex problems downstream. A solution to solve part of them is to provide the development scheme with a retention basin downstream the hydropower plant (HPP). The water used intermittently during the day / week to produce electricity at peak load, which leads to sudden variation of flows into the riverbed will be regulated in this reservoir. Irrespective of the program that the HPP has during the day, the retention basin gathers the water and evacuates it downstream as much as possible constantly during the day or, at least, attenuates the sudden variation, increase or decrease, of levels downstream. Thus, the maximum flows evacuated by the HPP can be dramatically reduced as well as the flow fluctuations and the river levels accordingly. If the flow downstream the retention basin is almost constant during the day and it is released through a small hydropower plant, the positive effect of this reservoir on hydropeaking is combined with the production of green electricity. The subject of this paper is to roughly analyse the possibility to build a retention basin downstream Golesti HPP by means of weir and contour dams, if the case may be, and to release the water constantly or with smooth fluctuations, via one or two turbines, a small hydropower plant, producing green electricity without further harming the riverbed and the ecosystem downstream the weir.

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 Assessment of the Impact of Small Hydropower Plants on the Ecological Status Indicators of Water Bodies: A Case Study in Lithuania

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 433
Author(s):  
Laima Česonienė ◽  
Midona Dapkienė ◽  
Petras Punys
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Fish Abundance ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
The Impact

Hydropower plants produce renewable and sustainable energy but affect the river’s physico-chemical characteristics and change the abundance and composition of the aquatic organisms. The impact of large HPPs on the ecological conditions of surface water bodies have been extensively studied, but less attention has been paid to environmental impact studies of small hydropower plants (SHPs). The impact of hydropeaking on both the river flow regime and ecosystems has been well-studied for peaking mode plants, mainly medium to large-sized ones. However, for small hydroelectric power plants, and especially for those in lowland rivers, the available information on water quality, benthic macroinvertebrates communities and fish abundance, and biomass is not sufficient. Ten small hydropower plants were selected, and the ecological status of water bodies was assessed in different parts of Lithuania. The studies were performed at the riverbed upstream from the SHPs, where the hydrological regime has not changed, and downstream from the SHPs. It was found that the small hydropower plants do not affect the physico-chemical values of the water quality indicators. This study demonstrated that the total number of benthic macroinvertebrates taxa (TS) is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids, the water flow, the river area, and the current speed; the number of EPT (Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies)) taxa is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids. The studied indicators do not have a significant impact on biomass. The SHPs affect the fish abundance and biomass. The Lithuanian fish index (LFI) is influenced by the average depth and area of the river. Some SHPs operating in lowland areas may yield somewhat significant hydrograph ramping but more detailed investigation is needed to support the significance of this impact on the biological indices.

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 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.

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