Caratterizzazione dell’agroecosistema altipianico del bacino del fiume Isluga e ipotesi di ottimizzazione dell’utilizzo delle risorse irrigue

La scarsezza di risorse idriche nelle zone aride altipianiche del nord del Cile determina un arretramento nello sviluppo delle comunità residenti, prevalentemente di etnia Aymàra e dedite all’agricoltura e all’allevamento dei camelidi -lama e alpaca-. L’unica fonte di risorsa idrica è costituita dalle zone umide d’altura, o bofedales, attualmente sotto regime di tutela da parte dello stato cileno. Per proporre un’alternativa di sviluppo sostenibile nell’area è necessario avanzare nella conoscenza degli agroecosistemi altipianici, attualmente poco studiati, considerando le interazioni tra la componente antropica e l’ecosistema bofedal, da sempre utilizzato per il pascolo estensivo dei camelidi., oltre che come fonte di risorsa idrica per l’agricoltura. Nel presente studio è stata effettuata una caratterizzazione del agroecosistema del bofedal di Isluga, considerando acqua, suolo, vegetazione naturale e specie coltivate. Sono stati inoltre confrontati vari modelli per il calcolo dell’evapotraspirazione di riferimento, tra i quali è stato scelto il modello di Penman-Monteith che ha dato i risultati migliori per questo tipo di clima. Infine è stata elaborata un’ipotesi di ottimizzazione nell’utilizzo delle risorse irrigue, in base a criteri di sostenibilità. Lo studio ha evidenziato la necessità di una migliore conoscenza dell’ecologia del bofedal, al fine di valutare gli effetti di possibili aumenti nell’utilizzo della risorsa idrica

A GIS model-based assessment of the environmental distribution of g-hexachlorocyclohexane in European soils and waters

The MAPPE GIS based multimedia model is used to produce a quantitative description of the behaviour of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) in Europe, with emphasis on continental surface waters. The model is found to reasonably reproduce γ-HCH distributions and variations along the years in atmosphere and soil; for continental surface waters, concentrations were reasonably well predicted for year 1995, when lindane was still used in agriculture, while for 2005, assuming severe restrictions in use, yields to substantial underestimation. Much better results were yielded when same mode of release as in 1995 was considered, supporting the conjecture that for γ-HCH, emission data rather that model structure and parameterization can be responsible for wrong estimation of concentrations. Future research should be directed to improve the quality of emission data. Joint interpretation of monitoring and modelling results, highlights that lindane emissions in Europe, despite the marked decreasing trend, persist beyond the provisions of existing legislation. An spatially-explicit multimedia modelling strategy was applied to describe the historical distribution of γ-HCH in European soils and surface waters

Use of a Simple GIS-Based Model in Mapping the Atmospheric Concentration of γ-HCH in Europe

The state-of-the-art of atmospheric contaminant transport modeling provides accurate estimation of chemical concentrations. However, existing complex models, sophisticated in terms of process description and potentially highly accurate, may entail expensive setups and require very detailed input data. In contexts where detailed predictions are not needed (e.g., for regulatory risk assessment or life cycle impact assessment of chemicals), simple models allowing quick evaluation of contaminants may be preferable. The goal of this paper is to illustrate and critically discuss the use of a simple equation proposed by Pistocchi and Galmarini (2010), which can be implemented through basic GIS functions, to predict atmospheric concentrations of lindane (γ-HCH) in Europe from both local and remote sources. Concentrations were computed for 1995 and 2005 assuming different modes of use of lindane and consequently different spatial patterns of emissions. Results were compared with those from the well-established MSCE-POP model (2005) developed within EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme), and with available monitoring data, showing acceptable correspondence in terms of the orders of magnitude and spatial distribution of concentrations, especially when the background effect of emissions from extracontinental sources, estimated using the same equation, is added to European emissions.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

An Assessment of Three Priority Hazardous Substances at the European Scale

In this report we present a survey of existing information for the assessment of loads of hazardous substances to the European coastal waters. Based on the information available, we select three example substances (PFOS, trifluralin and lindane) for which we perform an assessment of the baseline conditions and (limited) retrospective analysis using direct and inverse modeling. We also suggest criteria and methods to assess future scenarios of chemical loads in response to legislative provisions and accounting for the physico-chemical properties of the substances, based on the use of lumped models but accounting for the spatial variability of environmental processes and emissions.JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Using Decision Tree Analysis and GIS in Modelling (semi)VOC Emissions at the European Scale

Risk assessment of semi Volatile Organic Compounds (semi-VOCs) is a fundamental part in the regulation of production and use in industries and households. Emission inventories are a natural starting point in risk assessments and, given the complex use and emission patterns of the many thousands VOCs, emission estimates are often one of the most uncertain and problematic parts in risk assessments. Some critical issues are quantifying production and use amounts of chemicals and chemical containing products, assigning amounts to industrial activities and household products, identifying use and emission patterns, identifying receiving environmental compartment and quantifying the emission to these, which depend on production volumes, chemical properties, and their mode of use, in a non-trivial way. To ensure reliable risk assessments, emission estimates are sought which need to be realistic and, at the same time, do not require excessive effort in the modeling of emission inventories. The report proposes a method to capitalize on the information in the European Chemicals Bureau risk assessment reports (RARs), available for a limited number of chemicals, to train decision trees that allow estimating emissions of chemicals to different environmental compartments. The report also illustrates how these estimates can be used in conjunction with geographic information system (GIS) processing of spatial data to map emissions. Examples are drawn with reference to the case of the European Union. It is shown how quick, spatially distributed estimates of emissions to specific environmental compartments can be obtained to be used in screening level assessment. The method outlined in the report allows a quick and reliable estimation of the fraction of total chemical production that results in emission to a specific environmental medium, using data mining techniques and GIS. This can result helpful within the new procedures for risk assessments guided by REACH, as a way to exploit data from existing risk assessments for predicting and mapping emissions of chemicals that have not yet been assessed.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Global Atlas of Environmental Parameters for Chemical Fate and Transport Assessment

The report describes datasets forming an atlas of global landscape and climate parameters which were collected, homogenized and processed in order to provide input to a global model of chemical fate. The datasets can be used to parameterize the main land and ocean compartments usually considered in fate and transport models, and provide meaningful geographic patterns of the drivers of the environmental fate of contaminants. The maps were specifically designed to be used for a multimedia assessment of pollutant pathways in the environment (MAPPE Global), described in a companion report. The data can be downloaded from the JRC FATE Web sites http://fate.jrc.ec.europa.eu/JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Multimedia Assessment of Pollutant Pathways in the Environment, European Scale Model (MAPPE-EUROPE)

The report documents the structure, functions and algorithms used for the modeling of pollutant pathways in air, soil sediments and surface and sea water at the European continental scale. The algorithms are implemented in an extension for ESRI ArcGIS 9.2 a popular geographic information system (GIS) software widely used within the European Commission and in the research, environmental assessment, planning communities. The software is called MAPPE after Multimedia Assessment of Pollutant Pathways in Environment of Europe; the acronym is also the Italian word to denote maps. The purpose of the software is to provide a user-friendly way to convey the wealth of geographic data available to model the fluxes and concentrations of chemical pollutants emitted by industrial activities and other point emissions, and widespread use within households, urban environments or agriculture. The intended use is for organic contaminants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, VOCs, and other industrial chemicals. The output of the model, i.e. maps of concentration and chemical fluxes, can be used for the screening of hot spots at continental scale, the assessment of risk for human health and ecosystems, the evaluation of policies and scenarios with reference to the ¿big picture¿ of the continental scale. However this does not avoid the need to use more detailed, site specific assessment procedures for single problems, but provides a tool for decision support in contexts such as the management of priority substances of concern for soil, water and air quality, the control of effects of environmental pollution on human health and ecosystems, and the sustainable management of agro-chemicals, etc. by making available a geographic representation available of the consequences of emissions to air, soil and water compartments.JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource