The handbook for standardised field and laboratory measurements in terrestrial climate-change experiments and observational studies

Climate change is a worldwide threat to biodiversity and ecosystem structure, functioning, and services. To understand the underlying drivers and mechanisms, and to predict the consequences for nature and people, we urgently need better understanding of the direction and magnitude of climate‐change impacts across the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. An increasing number of climate‐change studies is creating new opportunities for meaningful and high‐quality generalisations and improved process understanding. However, significant challenges exist related to data availability and/or compatibility across studies, compromising opportunities for data re‐use, synthesis, and upscaling. Many of these challenges relate to a lack of an established “best practice” for measuring key impacts and responses. This restrains our current understanding of complex processes and mechanisms in terrestrial ecosystems related to climate change

Using the Kaban Lakes Integrated Assessment Model for Investigating Potential Levels of Antibiotic Pollution of the Nizhniy Kaban and Sredniy Kaban Lakes

© 2020, The Author(s). The Kaban Lakes Integrated Assessment Model (KLIAM) was enhanced in order to assess the possible content of antibiotics in the Kaban lakes, located within the city borders of Kazan City, Tatarstan Republic in the Russian Federation, and potential for adverse environmental effects. The Kaban Lakes Integrated Assessment Model simulations suggest that the concentrations in the Nizhniy Kaban lake and Sredniy Kaban lake may exceed the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) and low-risk limits set by EU and the WHO. Many missing data could be assumed or approximated, and simulation runs were conducted. The results are consistent with other global studies in terms of average concentrations observed elsewhere in rivers and lakes. The results suggest that the study should be followed up with lake water analysis and an assessment of antibiotic loads to the Kaban lakes. It is concluded that the results are too uncertain to initiate any policy action at the present moment and that an assessment supported by measurements would be warranted

Developing a System Dynamics Model for the Nizhniy Kaban and Sredniy Kaban Lakes, Kazan, Russia, Assessing the Impacts of Phosphorus and Nitrogen Inputs on Lake Ecology

The Kaban Lakes Integrated Assessment Model (KLIAM) was developed for the lake hydrology, chemistry, and plankton dynamics of the Nizhniy Kaban and Sredniy Kaban lakes, Kazan, Russia. KLIAM is able to describe the variations seen in the Kaban lakes chemical and biological states as far seen through measurements available at the moment. KLIAM is able to reconstruct the lake history as it is approximately known from the data and written narratives. KLIAM was used to assess the measures to return the lakes to their original pre-urban status as alkaline and semi-oligotrophic lakes. The Kaban Lakes periodically goes through plankton blooms, as seen in the lake in the last decades since before World War II, which are caused by plankton growth promoted by phosphorus and nitrogen coming to the lakes as pollution from the human environment. In the new plans for development of the area surrounding the Nizhniy Kaban and Sredniy Kaban lakes, we suggest that attention is paid to reducing phosphorus and nitrogen flows to the lakes, as the best way to improve their ecological status. This is based on simulations with KLIAM. We recommend that the monitoring of lake chemistry and lake ecology is improved with reoccurring analysis of samples from the Kaban Lakes

Using a System Dynamics Model for Investigating Potential Levels of Antibiotics Pollution in the Volga River

© 2020, The Author(s). We have modelled the possible antibiotics concentrations at different nodes along the Volga River using a system dynamics model developed for the purpose. The antibiotics concentrations in the river estimated using the model are far above the proposed no effect concentrations (PNEC) limits suggested by the WHO and EU European Environmental Agency at 0.1 μg/l total antibiotics water content. Concentrations in the range of 0.1 to more than 4 μg/l have been simulated with the model. A part of this comes from use in the agricultural sector. The simulations were done with a system dynamics model built for the purpose. The Volga model simulations are uncertain because of lack of measurements in the river and lack of accurate estimates of antibiotics loads from medical and agricultural use. The picture is consistent with observations in earlier international studies from various rivers in the world. To comply with the suggested PNEC limit, the medical pollution to Volga needs to be reduced by 90%

Mobilization of aluminium in soil by acid deposition and its uptake by grass cut for hay-a Chemical Time Bomb

Analyses of soil and hay samples collected from the Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted during the last 137 years indicate slow but significant increases in KCl- and EDTA-extractable aluminium in soil and a sudden and very large recent increase in the concentration of aluminium in the herbage. The latter is associated with a sudden increase in the rate of acidification of the soil over the last 10-15 years and the mobilization of aluminium as the soil enters the aluminium buffer range - a Chemical Time Bomb. Such severe acidification from atmospheric inputs on a well-buffered soil illustrates how quickly an apparently stable situation can change as a result of acid deposition. It highlights the need to protect soils and plants from the effects of acidification by decreasing acid inputs or by liming