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Ecological engineering
Elsevier Science B.V.
Ecological engineering

Elsevier Science B.V.

0925-8574

Ecological engineering/Journal Ecological engineeringSCIISTPEI
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    Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes from wastewater treated in constructed wetlands

    Ma J.Cui Y.Li A.Zou X....
    9页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022With the development of technology, two new pollutants, antibiotics as well as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), have become global environmental and health problems. Various antibiotics and ARGs have been extensively detected in sewage. Compared with traditional wastewater treatment plants, constructed wetlands (CWs) show the following advantages: low energy consumption and low operation and management costs as well as being very efficient at removing antibiotics and ARGs. This study reviewed the factors affecting the efficiency of CWs in their elimination of antibiotics and ARGs from wastewater. Overall, the vertical-flow subsurface CWs showed the highest removal efficiencies for antibiotics (>60%). In addition, CWs with plants and substrate materials such as zeolite and brick pellets were highly efficient at removing antibiotics (73%–99.15%). Up-flow subsurface CWs were better at removing ARGs (63.76% to 96.83%). In addition, the presence of plants promoted the elimination of ARGs from wastewater in CWs. Moreover, microorganisms in CWs have a great impact on the removal of ARGs, that CWs remove ARGs from wastewater by directly ieliminating microorganisms. However, further research is necessary to further understand the mechanisms of the elimination of antibiotics and ARGs from wastewater within CWs.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Research on the influence of vegetation restoration in loess open-pit coal mines of China: Influencing factors and mechanism

    Wang S.Cao Y.Zhou W.Bai Z....
    14页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.The effect and quality of reclaimed mining area land in ecologically fragile areas have been the focus of the state, enterprises and academia. However, the research on the status quo and the interaction between the reconstructed topography, reconstructed soil and reconstructed vegetation in the reclaimed area needs to be further deepened, and its research value for subsequent ecological restoration and management in the mining area needs to be further expanded. In this study, the south dump of the Antianbao open-pit coal mine was taken as the research object. We used typical profile sampling methods, single-factor saliency analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and redundancy analysis to focus on exploring the influence of soil and topography on vegetation and to conduct a preliminary delineation of soil-layer functional areas. The results showed that (1) there was great heterogeneity in the quality of reclaimed land in the study area, in which the heterogeneity of vegetation status was particularly obvious, and the overall variation was medium or high. (2) In terms of topography, elevation and aspect significantly affected vegetation conditions. The soil factors that had the greatest impact on vegetation were the available potassium, total nitrogen, organic matter, gravel concentration in topsoil (0–30 cm), and the available phosphorus, organic matter, gravel concentration in deep soil (30–60 cm). (3) In the reclaimed land of the study area, the main functions of surface reconstructed soil provided nutrients for herbs and acted as a “channel” for the root system of vegetation, while the main functions of deep reconstructed soil provided nutrients for vegetation. Vegetation and soil play an important role in ecologically fragile systems. This study mainly summarizes the effects of soil and topography on vegetation in reclaimed land in the loess area, which is highly significant to improve and manage future reclamation sites at home and abroad, and to improve the homogeneity and system stability of reclamation sites.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Multivariate global agricultural drought frequency analysis using kernel density estimation

    Ji Y.Li Y.Yao N.Chen X....
    22页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022Drought frequency analysis provides valuable information for drought risk assessment. Nonparametric kernel density estimation (KDE) is applied for agricultural drought frequency analysis at the global scale. Agricultural drought over 1950–2020 is described by the standardized soil moisture index (SSMI), and drought variables (i.e., duration, severity, and peak) are extracted using run theory. The univariate and multivariate joint distributions of drought variables are established by KDE. Given that the averages for drought duration, severity, and peak are 3.10 (months), 1.59, and 0.60, respectively, the spatial distributions of multivariate return periods are mapped to determine regions with higher drought risk. The results showed that: (1) The mean values of drought duration, severity, and peak over different regions were in the ranges of 1.94–5.18 (months), 0.92–2.81, and 0.49–0.72, respectively. (2) Drought severity had higher correlations with drought duration (0.83) and peak (0.91), while the correlation coefficient between drought duration and peak was lower (0.73). (3) KDE can establish reliable joint distributions of drought variables after passing Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K–S) and Anderson-Darling (A-D) tests at the 5% significance level with an average root-mean-square error of 0.04. (4) When the univariate return period was equal to 100 years, the multivariate joint return period of the “or” case was generally less than 70 years but that of the “and” case was mainly greater than 200 years. (5) Compared with other regions, West North America, North-East Brazil, Southeastern South America, Central Asia, and the Tibetan Plateau experienced higher drought risks. Accordingly, countermeasures should be established in these regions to alleviate drought impacts.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Animal manures and plant residue-based amendments for sustainable rice-wheat production and soil fertility improvement in eastern Uttar Pradesh, North India

    Pandey K.K.Bundela A.K.Singh G.S.Abhilash P.C....
    18页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.Agroecological interventions are imperative for boosting agricultural productivity and soil fertility while increasing profitability of subsistence farmers in low-income countries by replacing synthetic fertilizers. With this context, the present study was aimed to evaluate the impact of animal manures (sheep and poultry manure) and plant residue-based organic amendments (rice husk biochar and sugarcane pressmud) on soil quality, nutrient uptake and balance, yield, and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping in alluvial (rainfed) and red lateritic soil (dryland) of middle Gangetic plains (Narayanpur) and Vindhyan region (Rajgarh) of Mirzapur district in eastern UP. The field experiments were conducted for three years at the above two sites and amendments were done at a rate by replacing 30% standard recommended doses of fertilizer (RDF) for rice-wheat cropping system. Field trials were conducted with the 100% RDF as control, and 70% RDF with sheep manure, poultry manure, rice-husk biochar and sugarcane pressmud in a randomized block design. The organic amendments were done during the rice cultivation stage and the residual effect was observed during the subsequent wheat cultivation. Though soil organic carbon (SOC) was found to show significant (p ≥ 0.05) increase in biochar amended plots, animal manures followed by pressmud showed year wise increase in both SOC and microbial biomass carbon. In rainfed areas, plant growth and yield attributes for both rice and wheat were at par in amendments than control while in dryland, the 100% RDF showed better performance during the first year, after that amended plot showed better performance. All amendments resulted in higher benefit: cost ratio except biochar addition in Narayanpur, whereas in Rajgarh, the poultry manure resulted in significant improvement in benefit: cost ratio from second year onward. Our study advocates that validation of suitable amendment packages based on organic inputs are imperative for improving the yield, soil quality and nutrient balance of rice-wheat cropping system and thereby attaining the UN-SDGs at the village/local level.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    The effect of two types of grid transplantation on coral growth and the in-situ ecological restoration in a fragmented reef of the South China Sea

    Xia J.Zhu W.Liu X.Ren Y....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.Due to climate change and human activities, coral reef ecosystems are facing a crisis of degradation globally. Some coral reefs in the northern part of Wuzhizhou Island (Southeastern Hainan Island, the South China Sea) have been fragmented because of continuous disturbance, and we systematically conducted in-situ restoration experiments to accelerate the ecological restoration in this area. In September 2019, 40 reefs with hollow structures were placed in the experimental area, and a control area was selected at the same depth. Twenty of the 40 reefs were covered by a cylindrical grid with a diameter of 0.5 cm (GFn group), and the remaining 20 were covered by a flat grid with a width of 1 cm (BFn group). A total of 1140 coral colonies, composed of Acropora hyacinthus, Acropora microphthalma, Acropora florida, Montipora truncata, and Porites lutea, were transplanted in this experiment, with an overall survival rate of 94.27% due to the coral transplant base of the carrying reefs being of sufficient weight, hollow structure, and dense grid. The survival rate and annual growth rate of Acropora in the GFn group with a narrow but large mesh and cylindrical design were significantly higher, and the fastest growth rate was found in A. hyacinthus, growing at 27.33 ± 10.37 cm2·month?1. Montipora truncata and P. lutea in the BFn group with a wide mesh and flat structure had higher survival rates and significantly greater growth rates. In the ecology of the coral community, coral coverage in the GFn group was significantly higher compared with the BFn group, which was mainly attributed to the difference in the growth of Acropora. Compared with the reef fragmentation area, the three-dimensional structure of the hollow reef and its radiation effect significantly attracted the accumulation of large invertebrates and reef fishes. Sea cucumbers and sea urchins gathered faster, forming a stable community structure. The dominant fish species gradually transformed from the large algae-eating fish Siganus fuscessens to the territorial algae-eating fish Dascyllus reticulatus due to changes in the three-dimensional structure of the grid surface caused by coral growth. Studies have shown that the three-dimensional structure of a reef can significantly affect the aggregation of benthic organisms. Among the selected corals, Acropora grew more rapidly, which established more complex three-dimensional structures to achieve a better ecological restoration effect in the reef area. The combination of tiled Montipora and lumpy Porites could increase the base coverage and reduce the impact of algae on the corals. Our results suggest that when transplanting different types of corals, we should consider the use of multiple comprehensive factors such as the type of the reef, the structure of the grid, the characteristics of the transplanted corals, and the influence of environmental factors.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Long-term impacts of afforestation on biomass production, carbon stock, and climate resilience in a degraded semi-arid ravine ecosystem of India

    Kumar R.Bhardwaj A.K.Bhatnagar P.R.Verma K....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.The ravines are considered among highly degraded ecosystems where successful afforestation strategies can provide significant economic and ecological benefits. The present investigation assessed and compared the biomass, carbon stock (CS), and climate resilience potential of tree species in both degraded and afforested ravine lands of Western India. Results revealed a better growth performance and higher (P < 0.05) economic volume of tree species in afforested ravines, compared to degraded ravines. Among different tree species, Azadirachta indica was noted to be the dominant species in terms of density at both afforested and degraded sites. Dendrocalamus strictus and Prosopis juliflora produced higher (P < 0.05) stem volume at the afforested sites and degraded sites, respectively. Acacia nilotica and A. indica accrued greater (P < 0.05) biomass as well as CS at the afforested sites and degraded sites, respectively. Overall, in afforested ravines, the tree biomass, vegetation CS, and soil CS were assessed higher by 176 Mg ha?1, 88 Mg ha?1, and 3.50 Mg ha?1, respectively, compared to degraded ravine lands. The sum rank index indicated better performance of A. indica, A. nilotica, and D. strictus in afforested sites, and A. indica, P. juliflora, and Acacia senegal in degraded sites, under the changing climatic scenarios of ravine ecosystem. The results suggested that afforestation of degraded ravines have a strong potential to accumulate biomass and CS in both vegetation and soil systems, and therefore, these lands can be utilized as a major sink for sequestering the atmospheric C to expedite national mitigation and adaption action plan.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Biotic alteration of benthic macroinvertebrate communities based on multispatial-scale environmental variables in a regulated river system of Kashmir Himalaya

    Sofi M.S.Hamid A.Bhat S.U.Rashid I....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.The Run-of-River (RoR) hydropower projects change the natural flow regime and impact the ecology of the river ecosystem. Assumptions of eco-friendliness surrounding RoR hydropower plants have been rarely tested. Keeping this knowledge gap in view, the present study was undertaken to understand the impact of ROR power plants on the macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Sindh River Basin of Kashmir Himalaya. Multivariate statistical techniques were employed to understand the relationship between dynamic patterns and variability in diversity (Alpha and Beta), abundance and pattern of macroinvertebrate assemblages and environmental factors. Non-metric multidimensional ordination plot (Bray Curtis index) revealed that taxa composition differed among sites, and to a lesser extent among seasons. β-diversity evaluation at spatial scale revealed a significant difference between sites based on abundance data, but the difference was pronounced using presence-absence data. Betadisper and Adonis's test indicated that the sites are homogeneously dispersed (distance to centroid) about taxa studied while having significantly different compositions. Alpha-diversity metrics (Shannon) along the gradient of Sindh River, is largely explained by the variations in substrate types and Total Solids (TS) while the variance in macroinvertebrate assemblage (beta diversity) to a large extent is explained by altitude (alt), discharge, and medium-large cobbles (MLC) throughout the study area. Based on relative abundance (%), the upper turbulent and unregulated sites (S1 to S6) characterized by cobble and gravel were found dominated by Deuterophlebiidae, Tipulidae, and Blephariceridae while Simulidae, Gammaridae, and Chironomidae had a greater preference for lower sites. The hydrological modifications resulting from RoR hydropower plants showed clear impact on beta-diversity and other macroinvertebrate assemblage patterns at regulated stretch (S7 and S8) and downstream reaches. Furthermore, Bray-Curtis and Jaccard's metrics results demonstrated that sites in the regulated stretch (S7 and S8) have higher similarity in terms of macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance. Regulated (S7 and S8) and downstream site had higher percentage of collector functional feeding group compared to the other sites. The present study provides valuable information on the effects of environmental factors and river regulation on macroinvertebrates assemblage patterns critical for effective management and restoration of river ecosystems.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Nitrogen removal of mine-influenced water in a hybrid bioreactor with floating hook-moss (Warnstorfia fluitans) in cold climate conditions

    Kiani S.Klove B.Ronkanen A.-K.Lehosmaa K....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 The AuthorsTo remove nitrogen in cold conditions, we studied new nature-based treatment solutions using six pilot-scale reactors. The pilots were woodchip bioreactor (WBR), aquatic floating hook-moss (Warnstorfia fluitans) (MBR), and a combined woodchip and floating hook-moss hybrid unit (HBR) with an improved hydraulic design. The experiment was run in a climate room at temperatures of 10 °C and 5 °C and using mine water from two sites located in northern Finland. Unlike traditional horizontal flow woodchip bioreactors, in this study the hydraulic efficiency was improved from poor (λ = 0.06) in the woodchip bioreactor to satisfactory (λ = 0.51) in the hybrid unit by inserting two inner plates along the water flow and adding floating hook-moss. The hybrid bioreactor revealed the highest capability of nitrogen removal in all inorganic forms at T ≤ 10 °C with a mean HRT of 70.5 h. On average, 30–78 % of dissolved inorganic nitrogen was removed in the hybrid unit, which was 2 and 3 times more than in units consisting only of woodchip or floating hook-moss. The hybrid bioreactor revealed a maximum NO?3-N removal rate of 1.0–5.2 g m?3 d?1 and a 21.8–99.7 % removal efficiency for an average incoming NO?3-N load of 40 g d?1. The maximum NH+4-N removal efficiency of 75.6 and 53 % took place in HBR and MBR, respectively, when the incoming NH+4-N load was 23.6 ± 0.7 g d?1 at 10 °C. Over the 154 days of the experiment, the hybrid unit removed a total of 2.95 kg DIN-N, which was 0.8 kg higher than the sum of the DIN-N mass removed in the individual woodchip (1.7 kg) and moss units (0.55 kg). The nitrogen content of the aquatic moss was higher in the hybrid unit compared to the moss unit, showing a higher contribution of N plant uptake. Overall, our results suggest that combining woodchips and aquatic moss in a hybrid unit with improved hydraulic efficiency using inner walls may enhance nitrogen removal in cold climate conditions.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Effects of ultramafic topsoil stockpiling during mine activities on its microbial diversity and other microbiological and physicochemical characteristics

    Amir H.Bordez L.Cavaloc Y.Jourand P....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.Nowadays, ecological restoration is considered the best solution for the rehabilitation of mining-degraded areas, particularly when it concerns valuable ecosystems. This is the case in New Caledonia, a hot spot of biodiversity, with 82% of endemic plant species in ultramafic soils. The use of topsoil to restore mined areas is an important practice. However, topsoil stockpiling can reduce soil fertility. We studied the evolution of different properties of two topsoils stored in 10 m height piles on mined areas, in order to characterize possible degradations. The effects of storage duration, depth, and topsoil origin were analyzed, focusing mainly on bacterial and fungal diversity assessed after bar-coded pyrosequencing, and expressed by operational taxonomic units (OTU). Microbial activity (carbon dioxyde production), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spore numbers, bulk density and different other physicochemical characteristics were also determined. The studied ultramafic soils were characterized by a relatively high microbial diversity with 45 bacterial phyla and 7 fungal phyla. Bacterial and fungal OTU numbers did not vary significantly after 12 months of storage, but the community structures of these groups were changed. AMF diversity was significantly reduced by the storage. Microbial activity, AMF spore numbers, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, and carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) decreased significantly starting from 3 to 9 months of topsoil storage. In contrast, soil bulk density and pH increased, and extractable concentrations of potentially toxic metals varied only slightly. All the changes induced by topsoil stockpiling in microbial population structure, AMF diversity, and other biotic and abiotic traits may negatively affect soil functions and create perturbations of the reconstructed ecosystems after revegetation. It is then necessary to reduce the storage of ultramafic topsoils as far as possible. In all cases, the stockpiling should not exceed six months before its use in ecosystem restoration. It is also recommended to reduce the height of the stockpiles, when possible, to 1 m or less to minimize the compaction and the anaerobiosis.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Development of a full-scale cost effective mango peel biochar-sand filter based wastewater treatment chamber in Patharpratima in West Bengal

    Deb Majumder S.Das A.
    13页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.Availability of fresh waterhas always been a concern in the rural parts of West Bengal in India. Although there are a limited number of available research works using biochar from various sources combined with sand media, literature specific to the use of biochar derived from mango peel in wastewater treatment is unavailable to date. A robust community survey revealed poor water quality which has led to high mortality rate among the juveniles and middle-aged demographic in Patharpratima. Considering the intensity of human centric challenges, afeasible three stage full-scale domestic wastewater treatment chamber has been developed using a septic tank, biochar and sand filter chamber and a chlorination chamber providing a one-stop solution. The experimental setup was suitably made such that various properties of the influent can be analyzed at various steps of the filtration process providing the removal percentages of each layer. Water neutrality along with sufficient COD and BOD removal i.e. 97% and 88% respectively are reported.The water quality improved in terms of reduced turbidity, improved color, odor and taste.Subsequently, the treated effluent was found to be safe for domestic, agricultural and drinking purposes as per the standards set by the World Health Organization. Additionally, statistical and economic analyses are made to study the interrelations between the parameters of the treated effluent and viability of the developed setup respectively. Lastly, a literature based comparisonhas been madeto conclude that the developed setup is more feasible and has higher pollutant removal percentages of around 97% and 99.999% of COD and E.coli respectively. Nitrate removal is however not sufficient and therefore, demands an additional post-treatment method.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier