Groundwater and climate change: threats and opportunities

The important role of groundwater in adaptation to climate change is explored, and the competing threats and opportunities that climate change pose to groundwater systems are evaluated. This has been achieved through a review of current thinking on the complex interactions between human activities, climate and the hydrological cycle affecting groundwater quantity and quality, across different regions and time scales

The use of photogrammetry in the conservation of painted outdoor sculpture:Adressing Jean Dubutffet’s <i>Jardin d'Email</i>

This research evaluates the use of innovative imaging technolo- gies to aid the conservation of large-scale contemporary painted outdoor sculpture. It explores photogrammetry and image- based 3D modelling as tools during the conservation of Jardin d’émail (1974) by Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), owned by the Kröller-Müller Museum.In partnership with the 4D Research Lab at the University of Amsterdam, 3D digital models of the sculpture and two scale-models were created.This research assesses the effectiveness of using 3D digital models to inform the repainting of the sculpture’s black lines on white background as part of the treatment process. The use of photogrammetry to document the patterns and forms of the sculpture and scale-models is also evaluated. The creation of 3D digital models from the photogrammetric data allows for devi- ation analysis to be carried out, highlighting where areas of the scale-model and sculpture deviate significantly. The 3D models were uploaded on an app for use on tablets to enable responsive access during treatment. This research showed that photogram- metry is not only useful for large scale sculpture documentation, but can also aid the treatment of outdoor sculpture by producing geometrically accurate representations of the scale-model to be used as a reference during repainting

The use of photogrammetry in the conservation of painted outdoor sculpture:Adressing Jean Dubutffet’s <i>Jardin d'Email</i>

This research evaluates the use of innovative imaging technolo- gies to aid the conservation of large-scale contemporary painted outdoor sculpture. It explores photogrammetry and image- based 3D modelling as tools during the conservation of Jardin d’émail (1974) by Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), owned by the Kröller-Müller Museum.In partnership with the 4D Research Lab at the University of Amsterdam, 3D digital models of the sculpture and two scale-models were created.This research assesses the effectiveness of using 3D digital models to inform the repainting of the sculpture’s black lines on white background as part of the treatment process. The use of photogrammetry to document the patterns and forms of the sculpture and scale-models is also evaluated. The creation of 3D digital models from the photogrammetric data allows for devi- ation analysis to be carried out, highlighting where areas of the scale-model and sculpture deviate significantly. The 3D models were uploaded on an app for use on tablets to enable responsive access during treatment. This research showed that photogram- metry is not only useful for large scale sculpture documentation, but can also aid the treatment of outdoor sculpture by producing geometrically accurate representations of the scale-model to be used as a reference during repainting

OPTEXPLOR – new application for water resources management for private water supply utilities

This article presents the steps made for the development of a new water management system (WMS) for a private water utility in the south of Portugal, and its main results. The WMS is composed of a set of models representing the water resources, surface and groundwater, water quality models, economic models, and water allocation optimization models. The system was developed at the request of the regional water utility (Águas do Algarve, S.A.), which is responsible for distributing water to the entire Algarve region (most touristic area in Portugal, with about ten million tourists per year, and a local population of about four hundred thousand). Results clearly show that independently of the amount of water available, inter-annual exploration is always the best solution, if possible. When water scarcity is high, as in consecutive dry years, the water utility will need to call municipalities to use their systems to complement supply. The level of supply deficit is higher, in any case, for annual exploration management, and so are exploration costs. These results clearly show that water resources management needs careful inter-annual planning, even for a private water supply utility with very limited control over water exploration by other competing users

Seasonal carbon cycling in a Greenlandic fjord: an integrated pelagic and benthic study

Climate change is expected to have a pronounced effect on biogeochemical cycling in Arctic fjords, but current insight on the biogeochemical functioning of these systems is limited. Here, we present seasonal data on primary production, export of particulate organic carbon (POC), and the coupling to benthic biogeochemistry in Kobbefjord (SW Greenland). Primary production and associated POC export from the photic zone showed marked seasonality, with annual integrated values of 7.2 and 19.9 mol C m-2 yr-1, respectively. This discrepancy, the isotopic signature, and C:N ratio of the sedimentating material suggested substantial import of marine POC from outside the fjord. At least 52% of the POC export reached the sediment, but the seasonality in pelagic productivity was not reflected in the sediment biogeochemistry, showing only moderate variation. Benthic mineralization and burial of organic carbon amounted to 3.2 and 5.3 mol C m-2 yr-1, respectively. Sulfate reduction was the most prominent mineralization pathway, accounting for 69% of the benthic mineralization, while denitrification accounted for 2%. Overall, the carbon mineralization and burial in Kobbefjord were significantly higher than previously observed in other more northerly Arctic fjords. Data compilation from Arctic fjords suggests proportional increases in surface production, POC export, benthic mineralization and burial of organic material with increasing duration of the ice-free period. Thus, the projected decline in ice coverage in higher Arctic Greenlandic fjords will, as a first approximation, entail proportional increases in productivity, mineralization, and burial of organic carbon in the fjords, which will thus become similar to present-day southerly systems

Detecting host-parasitoid interactions in an invasive Lepidopteran using nested tagging DNA metabarcoding

Determining the host-parasitoid interactions and parasitism rates for invasive species entering novel environments is an important first step in assessing potential routes for biocontrol and integrated pest management. Conventional insect rearing techniques followed by taxonomic identification are widely used to obtain such data, but this can be time consuming and prone to biases. Here we present a Next Generation Sequencing approach for use in ecological studies which allows for individual level metadata tracking of large numbers of invertebrate samples through the use of hierarchically organised molecular identification tags. We demonstrate its utility using a sample data set examining both species identity and levels of parasitism in late larval stages of the Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea - Linn. 1758), an invasive species recently established in the UK. Overall we find that there are two main species exploiting the late larval stages of Oak Processionary Moth in the UK with the main parasitoid (Carcelia iliaca - Ratzeburg, 1840) parasitising 45.7% of caterpillars, while a rare secondary parasitoid (Compsilura conccinata - Meigen, 1824) was also detected in 0.4% of caterpillars. Using this approach on all life stages of the Oak Processionary Moth may demonstrate additional parasitoid diversity. We discuss the wider potential of nested tagging DNA-metabarcoding for constructing large, highly-resolved species interaction networks

Screening of sustainable groundwater sources for integration into a regional drought-prone water supply system

This paper reports on the qualitative and quantitative screening of groundwater sources for integration into the public water supply system of the Algarve, Portugal. The results are employed in a decision support system currently under development for an integrated water resources management scheme in the region. Such a scheme is crucial for several reasons, including the extreme seasonal and annual variations in rainfall, the effect of climate change on more frequent and long-lasting droughts, the continuously increasing water demand and the high risk of a single-source water supply policy. The latter was revealed during the severe drought of 2004 and 2005, when surface reservoirs were depleted and the regional water demand could not be met, despite the drilling of emergency wells. For screening and selection, quantitative criteria are based on aquifer properties and well yields, whereas qualitative criteria are defined by water quality indices. These reflect the well’s degree of violation of drinking water standards for different sets of variables, including toxicity parameters, nitrate and chloride, iron and manganese and microbiological parameters. Results indicate the current availability of at least 1100 l s−1 of high quality groundwater (55% of the regional demand), requiring only disinfection (900 l s−1) or basic treatment, prior to human consumption. These groundwater withdrawals are sustainable when compared to mean annual recharge, considering that at least 40% is preserved for ecological demands. A more accurate and comprehensive analysis of sustainability is performed with the help of steady-state and transient groundwater flow simulations, which account for aquifer geometry, boundary conditions, recharge and discharge rates, pumping activity and season. ([email protected]) ality. They permit an advanced analysis of present and future scenarios and show that increasing water demands and decreasing rainfall will make the water supply system extremely vulnerable, with a high risk of groundwater salinization and ecosystem degradation