Panama City Fisheries Resources Office: FY 2006 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 2006 1. Captured and tagged 475 Gulf sturgeons in five Florida rivers and one bay. 2. Documented Gulf sturgeon marine movement and habitat use in the Gulf of Mexico. 3. Assisted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with the collection of Gulf sturgeon, implantation of acoustic tags, and monitoring of fish in a study to examine movement patterns and habitat use in Pensacola and Choctawhatchee bays post-Hurricane Ivan. 4. Provided technical assistance to Jon “Bo” Sawyer in completing a study – Summer Resting Areas of the Gulf Sturgeon in the Conecuh/Escambia River System, Alabama-Florida – for acquiring a Degree of Master of Science at Troy University, Alabama. 5. Coordinated tagging and data collection with NOAA observers aboard trawlers while collecting Gulf sturgeon during dredging operations in the coastal Gulf of Mexico. 6. Hosted the 7th Annual Gulf Sturgeon Workshop. 7. Implemented Gulf Striped Bass Restoration Plan by coordinating the 23rd Annual Morone Workshop, leading the technical committee, transporting broodfish, coordinating the stocking on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system, and evaluating post-stocking success. 8. Continued updating and managing the Freshwater Mussel Survey Database, a Geographic Information System (GIS) database, for over 800 unique sites in the Northeast Gulf (NEG) drainages in Alabama (AL), Georgia (GA), and Florida (FL). 9. Formed a recovery implementation team for listed mussels in the ACF river basin and oversaw grant cooperative agreements for 14 listed and candidate freshwater mussels in the NEG watersheds. 10. Initiated a project in the Apalachicola River to relocate mussels stranded as a result of drought conditions, and calculate river flows at which mussels would be exposed. 11. Initiated a project in Sawhatchee Creek, Georgia to determine the status of threatened and endangered (T&E) freshwater mussels and target restoration projects, population assessments, and potential population augmentation to lead toward recovery of the listed species. 12. Initiated a study to determine the age and growth of the endangered fat threeridge mussel (Amblema neislerii). 13. Provided technical assistance to the Panama City Ecological Services office for a biological opinion on the operations of Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam and its effects on the listed species and designated and proposed critical habitat in the Apalachicola River, Florida. 14. Assisted with a multi-State, inter-agency team to develop a management plan to restore the Alabama shad in the ACF river system. 15. Conducted fishery surveys on Tyndall AFB, Florida and Ft. Benning, Georgia and completed a report with recommendations for future recreational fishery needs. 16. Provided fishery technical assistance to four National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) (i.e., Okefenokee NWR, Banks Lake NWR, St. Vincent NWR, and St. Marks NWR). 17. Initiated an Aquatic Resources and Recreation Fishing Survey on Department of Defense facilities located in Region 4. 18. Identified 130 road-stream crossings on Eglin AFB for rehabilitation and elimination of sediment imputs. 19. Continued the Aquatics Monitoring Program at Eglin AFB to assess techniques that determine current status and sustainability of aquatic habitat and develop a measure to determine quality or degradation of habitat. 20. Assisted Eglin AFB Natural Resource managers in revising the installation’s Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and its associated component plans. 21. Coordinated recovery efforts for the endangered Okaloosa darter including population/life history surveys, stream restoration, and outreach activities. 22. Initiated a comprehensive status review of the Okaloosa darter with analyses performed to assess available habitat, preferred habitats, range expansions/reductions/fragmentations, population size, and probability of extinction. 23. Assisted the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under a Memorandum of Agreement to develop conservation strategies, implement monitoring and assessment programs, and secure funds for aquatic management programs in six watersheds in northwest Florida and southeast Alabama. 24. Entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Air Force to encourage the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources at Hurlburt Field, Florida. 25. Multiple outreach projects were completed to detail aquatic resources’ conservation needs and opportunities; including National Fishing Week, Earth Day, several festivals, and school outreach.

Panama City Fisheries Resources Office: FY 2005 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 2005 1. Assisted with a study to assess hurricane impacts to Gulf sturgeon critical foraging habitat. 2. Documented Gulf sturgeon marine movement and habitat use in the Gulf of Mexico. 3. Documented Gulf sturgeon spawning with the collection of fertilized eggs in the Apalachicola River, Florida. 4. Documented Gulf sturgeon spawning with the collection of fertilized eggs in the Yellow River, Florida. 5. Assisted with benthic invertebrate survey at Gulf sturgeon marine foraging grounds. 6. Implemented Gulf Striped Bass Restoration Plan by coordinating the 22nd Annual Morone Workshop, leading the technical committee, transporting broodfish, and coordinating the stocking on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system. 7. Over 87,000 Phase II Gulf striped bass were marked with sequential coded wire tags and stocked in the Apalachicola River. Post-stocking evaluations were conducted at 45 sites in the fall and spring and 8 thermal refuges in the summer. 8. Completed fishery surveys on 4 ponds on Eglin AFB totaling 53 acres, and completed a report with recommendations for future recreational fishery needs. 9. Completed final report for aquatic monitoring at Eglin AFB from 1999 to 2004. 10. Completed a field collection of the endangered Okaloosa darter to be incorporated into a status review to be completed in FY06. 11. Provided technical assistance to the Region 4 National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) program on changes to the fishery conservation targets for the region. Also provided technical assistance to four NWRs (i.e., Okefenokee NWR, Banks Lake NWR, St. Vincent NWR, and St. Marks NWR) relative to hurricanes and recreational fishing. 12. A draft mussel sampling protocol was tested in wadeable streams in Northwest Florida and southwest Georgia, and an associated field guide, poster, and Freshwater Mussel Survey Protocol and Identification workshop were completed in FY05. 13. Implemented recovery plan and candidate conservation actions for 14 listed and candidate freshwater mussels in the Northeast Gulf Watersheds. 14. Initiated or completed multiple stream restoration and watershed management projects. A total of 7.5 stream miles were restored for stream fishes, and 11 miles of coastline were enhanced for sea turtle lighting. A total of 630 acres of wetlands and 2,401 acres of understory habitat were restored. 15. Conducted a watershed assessment to develop a threats analysis for prioritizing restoration, protection, and enhancement to natural resources of Spring Creek, Georgia and Canoe Creek, Florida. 16. Continued the formation of an Unpaved Road Interagency Team of Federal, State, and local agencies in Northwest Florida to promote stream protection and restoration from unpaved road sediment runoff. Began the development of a technical committee agreement. 17. Conducted Alabama Unpaved Road Inventory within the Northeast Gulf Ecosystem. Data collection will be completed during FY06. 18. Finalized the development of two North Florida hydrophysiographic regional curves for use by the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) and others involved with stream restoration and protection. Initiated the development of the Alabama Coastal Plain Riparian Reference Reach and Regional Curves for use by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). 19. Provided technical assistance in collecting data, analysis, and thesis formulation with Troy University, Alabama, to identify the influence of large woody debris in southeastern coastal plain streams. 20. Completed pre- and post-restoration fish community monitoring at several restoration projects including Big Escambia Creek, Magnolia Creek, and Oyster Lake, Florida. 21. Established a watershed partnership for the Chipola River in Alabama and Florida and expanded development and participation in the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership, Georgia. 22. Continued to identify barriers which inhibit the movement of aquatic species within the Northeast Gulf Ecoregion. 23. Completed a report on road crossing structures in Okaloosa darter streams to guide the closure/repair/maintenance of roads to contribute to recovery of the endangered species. In cooperation with Three Rivers RC&D Council, fish passage sites identified in the report were prioritized for restoration. 24. Monitored Aquatic Nuisance Species in the Apalachicola River and tested the sterility of exotic grass carp. 25. Multiple outreach projects were completed to detail aquatic resources conservation needs and opportunities. Participated in National Fishing Week event, several festivals, and school outreach.

Panama City Fisheries Resources Office: FY 2004 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 2004 1. Completed the second of a 3-year Gulf sturgeon population estimate on the Escambia River, Florida. 2. Completed the first of a 2-year Gulf sturgeon population estimate on the Apalachicola River, Florida. 3. Conducted Gulf sturgeon presence-absence surveys in three other Florida river systems. 4. Documented Gulf sturgeon marine habitat use in the near shore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 5. Identified environmental threats to Gulf sturgeon spawning habitat in the Choctawhatchee River, Florida. 6. Initiated a study to document Gulf sturgeon spawning with the collection of fertilized eggs in the Yellow River, Florida. 7. Implemented Gulf Striped Bass Restoration Plan by coordinating the 21st Annual Morone Workshop, leading the technical committee, transporting broodfish, and coordinating the stocking on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system. 8. Over 86,000 Phase II Gulf striped bass were marked with sequential coded wire tags and stocked in Lake Seminole and the Apalachicola River. Post-stocking evaluations were conducted at 31 sites. 9. Drafted updates to Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Striped Bass Restoration and Evaluation Five-Year Plan with partners. 10. Fishery surveys were conducted on Tyndall Air Force Base and St. Marks and St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuges. 11. Habitat evaluations and population surveys were completed at 153 Okaloosa darter stream sites. 12. Aquatic insect biomonitoring and identification of over 39,000 individual aquatic macroinvertebrates was completed and provided to Eglin Air Force Base. 13. Ten years of fishery data from Okefenokee and Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuges was analyzed with recommendations incorporated into the refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan. 14. A draft mussel sampling protocol was tested in wadeable streams in northwest Florida and southwest Georgia. 15. Implemented recovery plan and candidate conservation actions for 14 listed and candidate freshwater mussels in the Northeast Gulf Watersheds. 16. Worked with partners in developing the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership in the Flint River basin, Georgia. 17. Multiple stream restoration and watershed management projects were initiated or completed. A total of 6.8 stream miles were restored for stream fishes, along with 56.4 miles of coastline were enhanced for sea turtle lighting. A total of 135 acres of wetlands and 58 acres of understory habitat were restored. 18. Multiple outreach projects were completed to detail aquatic resources conservation needs and opportunities. Participated in National Fishing Week event, BASS ProShops event, several festivals, and school outreach.

Panama City Fisheries Resources Office: FY 2003 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 2003 1. Continued a 3-year threatened Gulf sturgeon population estimate in the Escambia River, Florida and conducted presence-absence surveys in 4 other Florida river systems and 1 bay. 2. Five juvenile Gulf sturgeon collected, near the mouth of the Choctawhatchee River, Florida, were equipped with sonic tags and monitored while over-wintering in Choctawhatchee Bay. 3. Continued to examine Gulf sturgeon marine habitat use. 4. Implemented Gulf Striped Bass Restoration Plan by coordinating the 20th Annual Morone Workshop, leading the technical committee, transporting broodfish, and coordinating the stocking on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system. 5. Over 73,000 Phase II Gulf striped bass were marked with sequential coded wire tags and stocked in the Apalachicola River. Post-stocking evaluations were conducted at 31 sites. 6. Three stream fisheries assessment s were completed to evaluate the fish community at sites slated for habitat restoration by the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (PFW). 7. PFW program identified restoration needs and opportunities for 10 areas. 8. Developed an Unpaved Road Evaluation Handbook. 9. Completed restoration of Chipola River Greenway, Seibenhener Streambank Restoration, Blackwater River State Forest, and Anderson Property. 10. Assessments for fluvial geomorphic conditions for design criteria were completed for 3 projects. 11. Geomorphology in Florida streams initiated development of Rosgen regional curves for Northwest Florida for use by the Florida Department of Transportation. 12. Developed a Memorandum of Understanding between partners for enhancing, protecting, and restoring stream, wetland, and upland habitat in northwest Florida 13. Completed aquatic fauna and fish surveys with new emphasis on integration of data from reach level into watershed and landscape scale and keeping database current. 14. Compliance based sampling of impaired waterbodies on Eglin Air Force Base in conjunction with Florida Department of Environmental Protection for Total Maximum Daily Load development support. 15. Surveyed 20 sites for the federally endangered Okaloosa darter, provided habitat descriptions, worked with partners to implement key recovery tasks and set priorities for restoration. 16. Worked with partners to develop a freshwater mussel survey protocol to provide standard operating procedures for establishing the presence/absence of federally listed mussel species within a Federal project area. 17. GIS database was created to identify all known freshwater mussel records from the northeast Gulf ecosystem. 18. Completed recovery plan for seven freshwater mussels and drafted candidate elevation package for seven additional mussels. Developed proposals to implement recovery plan. 19. Worked with Corps of Engineers and State partners to develop improved reservoir operating policies to benefit both riverine and reservoir fisheries for the ACF river system. 20. Multiple outreach projects were completed to detail aquatic resources conservation opportunities. 21. Multiple stream restoration and watershed management projects initiated or completed (see Appendix A).

Panama City Fisheries Resources Office: FY 2002 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 2002 1. United States Senator Bob Graham assisted with a Gulf sturgeon survey. 2. Completed 3-year Gulf sturgeon population study in the Choctawhatchee River drainage. 3. Completed Gulf sturgeon potential spawning habitat survey for Northwest Florida and Southeast Alabama river systems. 4. Initiated Gulf sturgeon marine habitat and food resources study. 5. Completed Gulf sturgeon sentinel fish study. 6. Coordinated and conducted tagging of over 110,000 Phase II striped bass at Welaka and Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery. 7. Completed Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge fishery sampling. 8. Developed a manuscript regarding the fishery of Banks Lake NWR. 9. Initiated development of a fish Index of Biotic Integrity for Florida panhandle streams. 10. Coordinated Okaloosa darter workshop. 11. Continued examining insect communities on Eglin AFB. 12. Sponsored and coordinated stream restoration workshop. 13. Provided technical assistance via Partners for Fish and Wildlife for stream restoration within the Northeast Gulf Ecosystem. 14. Finalized regional curve development in the Northern Region of Florida and secured significant funds for FY03 to expand to other regions in Florida. 15. Initiated freshwater mussel conservation in the Northeastern Gulf Ecosystem.

Ecology and settlement of marine fouling in the Suez Bay, Egypt

This study deals with seasonal variations, natural correlations and similarities of fouling assemblages on exposure panels in the Suez Bay during January 1992 to January 1993. Three main sources of pollutions flow into the bay; industrial waste products, domestic drainage of Suez city and ships' oil and refuse.The fouling assemblages on the test pan els after various periods (1, 2 and 3 months) belonged mainly to the algae (Ulva rigida), polychaetes (Hydroides elegans), Cirripedes (Balanus amphitrite) and amphipods. The fouling at the lst station was relatively more dense than at the 2nd station during the summer and autumn seasons. The lowest productivity was achieved at the 3rd station which was considered less polluted being offshore water. The overall paucity of fouling in the bay is because of the silt covering the submerged surfaces, particularly at the 2nd station, leading to the prevention of the settlements or establishment of fouling organisms. The seasonal changes in the intensity of fouling assemblages on submerged surfaces in seawater seems to be closely related to seasonal variations in water temperature. The great fouling communities on the buoys and long exposure panels showed a remarkable variety of species and density rather than on short term exposures, which were more dense during warmer months.

Bio-port Free Energy City

In an age of depleting oil reserves and increasing energy demand, humanity faces a stalemate between environmentalism and politics, where crude oil is traded at record highs yet the spotlight on being ‘green’ and sustainable is stronger than ever. A key theme on today’s political agenda is energy independence from foreign nations, and the United Kingdom is bracing itself for nuclear renaissance which is hoped will feed the rapacious centralised system that the UK is structured upon. But what if this centralised system was dissembled, and in its place stood dozens of cities which grow and monopolise from their own energy? Rather than one dominant network, would a series of autonomous city-based energy systems not offer a mutually profitable alternative? Bio-Port is a utopian vision of a ‘Free Energy City’ set in Liverpool, where the old dockyards, redundant space, and the Mersey Estuary have been transformed into bio-productive algae farms. Bio-Port Free Energy City is a utopian ideal, where energy is superfluous; in fact so abundant that meters are obsolete. The city functions as an energy generator and thrives from its own product with minimal impact upon the planet it inhabits. Algaculture is the fundamental energy source, where a matrix of algae reactors swamp the abandoned dockyards; which themselves have been further expanded and reclaimed from the River Mersey. Each year, the algae farm is capable of producing over 200 million gallons of bio-fuel, which in-turn can produce enough electricity to power almost 2 million homes. The metabolism of Free-Energy City is circular and holistic, where the waste products of one process are simply the inputs of a new one. Livestock farming – once traditionally a high-carbon countryside exercise has become urbanised. Cattle are located alongside the algae matrix, and waste gases emitted by farmyards and livestock are largely sequestered by algal blooms or anaerobically converted to natural gas. Bio-Port Free Energy City mitigates the imbalances between ecology and urbanity, and exemplifies an environment where nature and the human machine can function productively and in harmony with one another. According to James Lovelock, our population has grown in number to the point where our presence is perceptibly disabling the planet, but in order to reverse the effects of our humanist flaws, it is vital that new eco-urban utopias are realised.

Sounds of the City

“Sounds of the City” is a large-scale community project and exhibition commissioned by the Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC) and led by artists from the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC), Queen’s University Belfast. Over a four-month period, the artists worked together with two intergenerational groups in Belfast with the aim of addressing specific sound qualities of places, events and stories. Themes that surfaced from this process constitute the basis for the exhibition which promotes listening as a form of intersecting daily life, identity and memory. Five installations address aural contexts ranging from Belfast’s industrial heritage to the local family home. These are shaped by present and past experiences of workshop participants at Dee Street Community Centre in East Belfast and Tar Isteach in North Belfast. The themes and contents of these installations center upon the relationship between sound and memory, sound and place, and the documentation of everyday personal auditory experience.
All materials exhibited have emerged through workshops, interviews and field-recording sessions. Workshops acted as a basis from which to inform each group about the project’s aims, methods of listening, methods of documenting sound and the wider areas of soundscape studies and acoustic ecology. They also provided a central point allowing participants to organize outside activities and share material for exhibition.
“Sounds of the City” explores the relationship between sound and community through everyday life and presents a dynamic and ever-changing soundscape that shapes Belfast’s identity.

Sounds of the City has been exhibited at the MAC, Belfast 2012 and at Espaço Ecco, Brasilia 2013.

Feeding ecology, density and biomass of the freshwater turtle, Phrynops geoffroanus, inhabiting a polluted urban river in south-eastern Brazil

This study examines the ecology of a population of Geoffroy's side-necked turtle Phrynops geoffroanus inhabiting a polluted urban river in Ribeirão Preto city, São Paulo state, south-eastern Brazil. Adult turtles fed mainly on Chironomidae larvae and pupae (Chironomus cf. plumosus, 100% of occurrence frequency) and domestic waste, but they also consumed terrestrial items (cockroach, snails) and carrion. Juvenile turtles showed more feeding diversity than the adults and exhibited a trend for predation on Chironomidae pupae, but this is not reflected in resource partitioning. The elevated number of turtles (170-230 turtles/ha of river) and biomass (255-345 kg/ha of river) inhabiting this urban river is probably the result of the abundance of sewage and organic waste produced by humans, the absence of predators, and increased availability of nesting areas. Such factors convert this area into an environment highly advantageous for the survival of Geoffroy's side-necked turtle.

Diversity of vascular plants growing on walls of a Brazilian city

City walls are very specialized environments, conditioned by human activities. There is little information about plants that invade human-made habitats, and no study done in Brazil with plants growing up on walls. The aim of the present study was to survey the wall vascular flora of a Brazilian city, comparing the diversity found in its downtown and neighborhoods. Fieldwork was done in Jundiaí, São Paulo State, where data was collected in downtown and in five neighborhoods. In each place, three transects of 1 km were established and every plant individual was registered. Twenty-eight species were identified, all of them on the downtown transect and most also on the neighborhood transects. Five species were the most frequent, although none were dominant. The diversity indicies of the six transects were not significantly different, with an overall diversity of H′ = 2.93. © Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2006.

Hydrochemical evaluation of bottled mineral waters and spring at Corumbataí city, São Paulo State, Brazil

This investigation was carried out within São Paulo State, Brazil, and involved the sampling of well-known mineral bottled waters for performing a comparative hydrochemical study and of a spring occurring at Corumbataí city, in order to evaluate its suitability for bottling. Several methods were utilized for acquiring the hydrochemical data like the methyl orange end-point titration, potentiometry, ion selective electrode, colorimetry, flame photometry and inductively-coupled plasma spectrometry. The results obtained for the analyzed samples were compared with the guideline values established by the National Commission of Rules and Standards for Food of the Brazilian Health Ministry published in 1976. The Brazilian Code for Mineral Waters that was established by Register 7841 published on 8 August 1945 was also taken into account for verifying if the spring waters are mineralized. The hydrochemical data allowed identify some constituents impoverishing the water quality, thus, implying on its nonutilization for commercial purposes (bottling). In one specific case, the spring water only can become appropriate for human consumption after previous chemical treatment. © 201 WIT Press.

Evaluation of metals in water and sediments of micro-basins in the city of Americana, São Paulo state, Brazil

Water pollution found in major rivers in Brazil has its origin from urban sewage discharges and industrial effluent, carried out by small streams and rivers crossing cities. Therefore, studies related to hydrographic micro-basins offer the opportunity to establish environmental management strategies for restoring water resources, based on diagnosis of the water quality. Despite this understanding, few studies in urban and rural areas have been performed in a systematic manner in Brazilian micro-basins. The main goal of this research was to diagnose the water resources in micro-basins in the region of the district of Americana, São Paulo state, Brazil, through the quantification of metals in water and sediment. The methodology was based on the investigation of metals (Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn), in four micro-basins, determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The most significant result showed high concentration levels of chromium (969 μg L-1), downstream of the discharge of sewage from the city of Nova Odessa. This concentration in the river was above the allowed limit of Brazilian regulation agency (50 μg L-1 for Cr). Also high levels of Cr were found in the sediment (98.9 μg g-1) collected at the same monitored site. These results are important indicators of environmental performance and anthropogenic activities to help the government establish environmental management strategies aimed at the reduction of water pollution. © 2013 WIT Press.

Socio-eco-efficiency of integrated and non-integrated systems of crop, forestry and livestock in the Ipameri city, at brazilian Cerrado

Pós-graduação em Ciências Ambientais - Sorocaba

Emerging contaminants in agricultural ecosystems: impact of selected pharmaceutical on water and soil ecology and pratical implications

Pharmaceuticals are useful tools to prevent and treat human and animal diseases. Following administration, a significant fraction of pharmaceuticals is excreted unaltered into faeces and urine and may enter the aquatic ecosystem and agricultural soil through irrigation with recycled water, constituting a significant source of emerging contaminants into the environment. Understanding major factors influencing their environmental fate is consequently needed to value the risk, reduce contamination, and set up bioremediation technologies. The antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir carboxylate, OC) has received recent attention due to the potential use as a first line defence against H5N1 and H1N1 influenza viruses. Research has shown that OC is not removed during conventional wastewater treatments, thus having the potential to enter surface water bodies. A series of laboratory experiments investigated the fate and the removal of OC in surface water systems in Italy and Japan and in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. A preliminary laboratory study investigated the persistence of the active antiviral drug in water samples from an irrigation canal in northern Italy (Canale Emiliano Romagnolo). After an initial rapid decrease, OC concentration slowly decreased during the remaining incubation period. Approximately 65% of the initial OC amount remained in water at the end of the 36-day incubation period. A negligible amount of OC was lost both from sterilized water and from sterilized water/sediment samples, suggesting a significant role of microbial degradation. Stimulating microbial processes by the addition of sediments resulted in reduced OC persistence. Presence of OC (1.5 μg mL-1) did not significantly affect the metabolic potential of the water microbial population, that was estimated by glyphosate and metolachlor mineralization. In contrast, OC caused an initial transient decrease in the size of the indigenous microbial population of water samples. A second laboratory study focused on basic processes governing the environmental fate of OC in surface water from two contrasting aquatic ecosystems of northern Italy, the River Po and the Venice Lagoon. Results of this study confirmed the potential of OC to persist in surface water. However, the addition of 5% of sediments resulted in rapid OC degradation. The estimated half-life of OC in water/sediment of the River Po was 15 days. After three weeks of incubation at 20 °C, more than 8% of 14C-OC evolved as 14CO2 from water/sediment samples of the River Po and Venice Lagoon. OC was moderately retained onto coarse sediments from the two sites. In water/sediment samples of the River Po and Venice Lagoon treated with 14C-OC, more than 30% of the 14C-residues remained water-extractable after three weeks of incubation. The low affinity of OC to sediments suggests that the presence of sediments would not reduce its bioavailability to microbial degradation. Another series of laboratory experiments investigated the fate and the removal of OC in two surface water ecosystems of Japan and in the municipal wastewater treatment plant of the city of Bologna, in Northern Italy. The persistence of OC in surface water ranged from non-detectable degradation to a half-life of 53 days. After 40 days, less than 3% of radiolabeled OC evolved as 14CO2. The presence of sediments (5%) led to a significant increase of OC degradation and of mineralization rates. A more intense mineralization was observed in samples of the wastewater treatment plant when applying a long incubation period (40 days). More precisely, 76% and 37% of the initial radioactivity applied as 14C-OC was recovered as 14CO2 from samples of the biological tank and effluent water, respectively. Two bacterial strains growing on OC as sole carbon source were isolated and used for its removal from synthetic medium and environmental samples, including surface water and wastewater. Inoculation of water and wastewater samples with the two OC-degrading strains showed that mineralization of OC was significantly higher in both inoculated water and wastewater, than in uninoculated controls. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and quantitative PCR analysis showed that OC would not affect the microbial population of surface water and wastewater. The capacity of the ligninolytic fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium to degrade a wide variety of environmentally persistent xenobiotics has been largely reported in literature. In a series of laboratory experiments, the efficiency of a formulation using P. chrysosporium was evaluated for the removal of selected pharmaceuticals from wastewater samples. Addition of the fungus to samples of the wastewater treatment plant of Bologna significantly increased (P < 0.05) the removal of OC and three antibiotics, erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin. Similar effects were also observed in effluent water. OC was the most persistent of the four pharmaceuticals. After 30 days of incubation, approximately two times more OC was removed in bioremediated samples than in controls. The highest removal efficiency of the formulation was observed with the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The studies included environmental aspects of soil contamination with two emerging veterinary contaminants, such as doramectin and oxibendazole, wich are common parasitic treatments in cattle farms.

Public libraries and the right to the [smart] city

The future of public libraries has been threatened by funding cuts and new digital technologies which have led many people to question their traditional role and purpose. However, freedom of information, ready access to knowledge and information literacy in all its digital and analog guises are more important than ever. Thus, public libraries remain significant spaces and places where people can socially interact and learn. In many countries public libraries are reinventing themselves and part of this process has been the redesign of library services and the design and construction of new library building and facilities that articulate the values, purpose and role of what has been termed 'the next library'. Following discussion of new library developments in London, Birmingham and Worcester in the UK, Aarhus in Denmark and Helsinki in Finland, the article concludes that public libraries are now both social and media spaces as well as being important physical places that can help city dwellers decide what type of urban world they want to see.