Hypolimnetic withdrawal coupled with oxygenation as lake restoration measures : the successful case of Lake Varese (Italy)

Lake Varese is a relatively small lake, belonging to the drainage basin of lake Maggiore (northern Italy). It has had a long history (since 1960s) of water quality deterioration as the result of cultural eutrophication. In 1967 a restoration project was designed, including a sewerage network, an O-ring sewage diversion system, and a centralised wastewater treatment plant with phosphorus and nitrogen control. Since the 1990's, the lake has been the object of a cooperative research program supported by the European Commission, the Italian Ministry of the Environment, the Lombardy Region, and the Varese Province. The subsequent studies revealed that the lake responded to the decreased external nutrient loads. Besides, mathematical models predicted a rather long period (30 years) to attain the restoration goal, recognising the importance of internal P loading from sediments. Also, it was predicted that the application of in-lake measures would be beneficial in accelerating lake recovery. Recently, two measures have been suggested, i.e. hypolimnetic withdrawal in the deepest section (maximum depth: 26 m) and oxygenation in the shallower section, during summer stratification. Lake Varese constitutes the first case in Italy where in-lake methods are used to counteract the problems caused by excessive nutrient enrichment in a relative large system (lake surface: 14.52 km2). In this paper, preliminary results of the first two years of operation (2000/2001) are summarised. The results are greatly encouraging. Lake water quality characteristics are as follows: Secchi transparency increased from 3.2 m to 4.9 m; annual mean total P concentrations decreased from 180 mg/m3 to 70 mg/m3; average chlorophyll values decreased from 40 mg/m3 to 17 mg/m3; the frequency of nuisance algal blooms declined to half in comparison to the 1990's and the algal density declined by a factor of 4, and anoxia periods decreased in time and space. Moreover, it has been evaluated that nutrient loads from lake Varese, due to the selected water discharges, did not affect the total nutrient budget of lake Maggiore and the downstream water quality.El lago Varese es un lago relativamente pequeño, situado en la cuenca de drenaje del lago Maggiore (norte de Italia). Presenta una larga historia (desde los años 60) de degradación de la calidad del agua como resultado de una eutrofización cultural. En 1967 se diseñó un proyecto de restauración, incluyendo una red de alcantarillado, un sistema en anillo de desvío de aguas residuales, y una planta centralizada de tratamiento de aguas residuales con control de fósforo y nitrógeno. Desde los años 90, el lago ha sido objeto de un programa de cooperación científica financiado por la Comisión Europea, el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente de Italia, la Región de Lombardy y la provincia de Varese. Los estudios resultantes mostraron la respuesta del lago a la disminución de la carga de nutrientes externa. Además, los modelos matemáticos predijeron un período bastante largo (30 años) para lograr el objetivo de restauración, reconociendo la importancia de la carga interna de P de los sedimentos. También, se predijo que la aplicación de medidas en el propio lago sería beneficiosa en la aceleración de la recuperación del lago. Recientemente, se han propuesto dos medidas, i.e. drenaje hipolimnético en la cubeta más profunda (profundidad máxima: 26 m) y oxigenación en la zona más somera, durante la estratificación estival. El lago Varese constituye el primer caso en Italia donde se han adoptado medidas en el propio lago para contrarrestar los problemas causados por un enriquecimiento excesivo de nutrientes en un sistema relativamente grande (superficie del lago: 14.52 km2). En este artículo se resumen los resultados preliminares de los dos primeros años de actuación (2000/2001). Los resultados son enormemente alentadores. Las características de la calidad del agua del lago son las siguientes: la transparencia del Secchi aumentó de 3.2 a 4.9 m; las concentraciones medias anuales de P total disminuyeron de 180 mg/m3 a 70 mg/m3; los valores medios de clorofila disminuyeron de 40 mg/m3 a 17 mg/m3; la frecuencia de florecimiento de algas se redujo a la mitad en comparación con los años 90 y la densidad de algas se dividió por un factor de 4, y los períodos de anoxia disminuyeron en el tiempo y en el espacio. Además, se ha comprobado que la carga de nutrientes procedente del lago Varese, a causa de las descargas de agua selectivas, no afectó al balance total de nutrientes del lago Maggiore ni a la calidad del agua del río aguas abajo

Indicators for the Assessment of Thresholds and Points of Non-Return

Ecological indicators are used increasingly to assess the conditions and/or status of ecosystems. Historically, the first approach was to develop indices based on a particular species or components, e.g. macrophytes, zooplankton, etc. In general, such indices are not broad enough to reflect the complexity of the ecosystem, as they do not include information at the structural, functional and system levels. To cope with these aspects new indices have been develop (for recent reviews see Rapport, 1995; Jørgensen et al., 2005) that try to synthesyze information at all ecosystem levels. In this project we are interested in evaluating indicators in terms of their potential to detect thresholds and point of non-return in coastal ecosystem.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Biological survey of lakes and reservoirs from Sardinia and Piedmont (Italy), a georeferenced dataset from the project LIFE INHABIT

We report a georeferenced dataset of a biological survey carried out in lakes and reservoirs in Piedmont and Sardinia regions (Italy), that includes fish fauna, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, and phytoplankton. This survey was carried out to test the standardised protocols adopted with the National Decree 260/210 by the Italian Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea for the assessment of the ecological status of lakes and the ecological potential of reservoirs for satisfying the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC. Occurrence data have been uploaded to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

The synaptic vesicle-associated protein amphiphysin is the 128-kD autoantigen of stiff-man syndrome with breast cancer

Stiff-Man syndrome (SMS) is a rare disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by progressive rigidity of the body musculature with superimposed painful spasms. An autoimmune origin of the disease has been proposed. In a caseload of more than 100 SMS patients, 60% were found positive for autoantibodies directed against the GABA-synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). Few patients, all women affected by breast cancer, were negative for GAD autoantibodies but positive for autoantibodies directed against a 128-kD synaptic protein. We report here that this antigen is amphiphysin. GAD and amphiphysin are nonintrinsic membrane proteins that are concentrated in nerve terminals, where a pool of both proteins is associated with the cytoplasmic surface of synaptic vesicles. GAD and amphiphysin are the only two known targets of CNS autoimmunity with this distribution. This finding suggests a possible link between autoimmunity directed against cytoplasmic proteins associated with synaptic vesicles and SMS

A multi-element psychosocial intervention for early psychosis (GET UP PIANO TRIAL) conducted in a catchment area of 10 million inhabitants: study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial

Multi-element interventions for first-episode psychosis (FEP) are promising, but have mostly been conducted in non-epidemiologically representative samples, thereby raising the risk of underestimating the complexities involved in treating FEP in 'real-world' services