Industrialization and urbanization along the coastal population centers have brought great changes in the land cover and material fluxes from watersheds to receiving bays and estuaries. We have embarked a multiyear research project on “Watersheds Nutrient Loss and Eutrophication of Jiaozhou Bay” for the period of 2000 to 2004, funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China to examine human influence on the marine sector of ecosystem. Jiaozhou Bay, located in the southern part of Shandong Peninsula, was selected because of the existence of long-term hydrographic and meteorological records since the 1930s and recent observations on the marine ecological variables. We have made extensive and periodic measurements on the water movement, nutrients, phytoplankton, and microbe in water column and bottom sediments. Box and 3-dimensional hydrodynamic models were developed and utilized to understand the evolution of eutrophic status with time. It was found that primary productivity has suffered from silica depletion followed by phosphate, and the dominance of large phytoplankton has been replaced by small-size communities. These ecosystem changes were brought by the changes in the relative contribution among major pathways and concentrations, owing to the human activities in the watershed. Eight articles in this volume reported various aspects of the linkage between watershed human activities and ecosystem for the Jiaozhou Bay as the initial outcome of this project.

The SO₄-S and NO₃-N concentrations and pH in bulk precipitation, throughfall, stemflow and soil water for the 1994-2004 period were studied in pine forests in Latvia (Rucava and Taurene Integrated Monitoring stations). The SO₄-S and NO₃-N concentrations decreased over the study period, simultaneously with a decrease of acidity in precipitation. The changes were more evident in the western part of Latvia, probably due to declining long-range air pollution from West Europe. The trend of decreasing sulphate concentrations and increasing pH in precipitation were not followed by respective changes in soil water. In the upper soil horizon sulphate ion concentrations and acidity increased in soil water. Over the observation period, nitrate concentrations also showed an increasing trend in soil water at Rucava and Taurene, but these changes were not statistically significant.

The research concerns the Wielkopolski National Park (West Poland), which suffered a huge human impact in the 1970s and 1980s owing to the nearby location of an industrial plant. Since then, fundamental technological changes that it introduced into its production of phosphate fertilizers have radically reduced the amount of pollution emitted. A three-year study (2002-2004) of fluorides in precipitation in open terrain and under tree crowns showed their concentrations to range from levels below the detection limit (0.003 mg/l) to 0.560 mg/l. Those registered under tree crowns were several times higher and indicated substantial dry deposition of fluorides on the trees. The highest values were recorded in 2003, with 43% of samples ranging from 0.01 to 0.05 mg/l, and with 51% of throughfall ranging from 0.10 to 0.50 mg/l. A strong connection was shown to exist between fluoride and sulphate concentrations in the precipitation. An analysis was made of the available data on F concentrations in the air and the dust levels around the factory, but these figures did not show an unequivocal effect on F concentrations in precipitation. A great similarity was found to occur between the fluoride content in rainwater in the Wielkopolski National Park and in the centre of the nearby Poznań metropolitan area, which indicates that there are also other F sources besides the local factory.

Anion exchange membrane (AEM), Nafion® tubing, and strong anion exchange cartridges (SAX) were evaluated as passive sampling devices for perchlorate uptake in soybean (Glycine max). Plant uptake studies and AEM studies were conducted in three soil textures: Ottawa sand, silt loam soil, and sandy loam soil. Nafion® tubing and SAX experiments were only conducted in Ottawa sand. AEMs were sampled every hour for the first 12 h, then every 12 h until 72 h. Perchlorate concentrations in plant tissues, SAX, and water solution in Nafion® tubing were determined weekly for 4 weeks. In sand, the amount of perchlorate accumulated in AEM increased linearly with time. Perchlorate uptake by soybean plants was poorly described by linear regressions with perchlorate concentrations on membranes. The only significant relationship between soybean uptake and membrane uptake occurred for data from membranes buried 6–12 h in sand. Significant differences (p < 0.0001) were observed for the amount of perchlorate exchanged on AEM in the three soil textures. There were no differences in perchlorate concentrations in soybean leaves among the three soil textures. Regression analysis of perchlorate concentrations in water within Nafion® tubing and in sand solution indicted that there was a significant linear relationship between them (r ² = 0.5132, p = 0.0006). Perchlorate was not detected in eluent of SAX. AEM demonstrated its potential to accumulate perchlorate. Nafion® tubing is not a good surrogate for plant uptake, but may be a promising PSD for soil solution. SAX may not be used as a PSD by itself.

Groundwater contamination by leakage and spill of petroleum hydrocarbons from underground storage tanks has been a major environmental concern. Among various remediation alternatives, the vacuum-enhanced free product recovery (VFPR) is an important technology to extract light nonaqueous-phase liquids (LNAPLs) from subsurface. However, efficient design of a VFPR system was challenging to practitioners, since the process of hydrocarbon removal is costly and time consuming. To address such a problem, an integrated study system for optimizing the VFPR process was developed through coupling a numerical modeling system, a multivariate regression technique and nonlinear optimization model into a general framework. A two-dimensional multiphase flow simulation system was provided for modeling VFPR processes. An iterative stepwise-inference regression (ISIR) method was advanced for establishing a linkage between remediation actions and system responses. A nonlinear optimization model embedded with ISIR was then established for generating desired operating conditions. The results from a case study demonstrated that the established optimization model could effectively analyze tradeoffs between various environmental and economical considerations, and provide effective decision supports for site remediation practices. Compared with the conventional stepwise-cluster analysis method, the proposed ISIR method was more efficient and reliable in approximating relationships between remediation actions and system responses, and could significantly enhance the robustness of optimization solutions.

Air pollution is considered a key stress factor affecting the annual ring widths of the trees, especially living in industrialized areas. The Silesia-Krakow Upland is one of the most polluted areas in Poland. Scots pine stands living there have been under influence of air pollution for a long period of time. Dendrochronological analysis in five separated transects, which were performed in this region, showed the abrupt and usually long term reductions observed in radial increments of sampled pines. The abrupt increase of reductions started in the beginning of 1960s. Most of them occurred in the years 1960-1990, after this period the number of Scots pine trees with reduced annual increments decreased considerably. The distribution of reductions in particular sites, especially of the Olkusz transects, indicate a distinct relationship between the amount of reductions and distance from local source of pollution. On the other hand the similarity in temporal distribution of reductions in all transects indicate that the studied area was probably also under influence of air pollution of a regional type.

The representativeness of soil pore water extracted by suction lysimeters in ground-water monitoring studies is a problem that often confounds interpretation of measured data. Current soil water sampling techniques cannot delineate from which soil volume a pore water sample is extracted, neither macroscopic, microscopic, or preferential flowpath. This research was undertaken to compare δ¹⁸O and Br- values of extracted suction lysimeters samples from intact soil cores with samples obtained by the direct extraction methods of centrifugation and azeotropic distillation. Also, the study was concerned with determining what portion of soil pore water is sampled by each method and explaining differences in concentrations of the extracted water from each method to allow a determination of the accuracy and viability of the three methods of extraction. Intact soil cores (30 cm diameter by 40 cm height) were extracted from two different sites. Site 1 was rapid infiltration basin number 50, near Altamonte Springs in Seminole County, Florida. Site 2 was the Missouri Management System Evaluation Area (MSEA) near Centralia in Boone County, Missouri. Isotopically (¹⁸Oδ) labeled water and bromide concentrations within water samples taken by suction lysimeters was compared with samples obtained by methods of centrifugation and azeotropic distillation. The ¹⁸Oδ water was analyzed by mass spectrometry while bromide concentration, applied in the form of KBr was measured using standard IC procedures. Water collected by centrifugation and azeotropic distillation data were about 0.25[per thousand] more negative than that collected by suction lysimeter values from a sandy soil and about 2-7[per thousand] more negative from a well structured soil. Results indicate that the majority of soil water in well-structured soil is strongly bound to soil grain surfaces and is not easily sampled by suction lysimeters. In cases where a sufficient volume of water has passed through the soil profile and displaced previous pore water, suction lysimeters will collect a representative sample of soil pore water from the sampled depth interval. It is suggested that for stable isotope studies monitoring precipitation and soil water, suction lysimeter be installed at shallow depths (10 cm). Samples should also be coordinated with precipitation events. The data also suggest that each extraction method samples a separate component of soil-pore water. Centrifugation can be used with success, particularly for efficient sampling of large areas. Azeotropic distillation is more appropriate when strict qualitative and quantitative data on sorption desorption, and various types of kinetic studies may be needed.

The study of mineral components in respirable particles (particulate matter with diameter less than 10 μm, PM₁₀) in ambient air is important in understanding and improving air quality. In this study, PM₁₀ samples were collected in various areas around Beijing during 2002~2003, including an urban setting, a satellite city and a rural area. The mineralogical composition of these PM₁₀ samples was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), environmental scanning electron microscopy / and energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer (ESEM/EDX). The results indicated that mineral composition of PM₁₀ in different seasons and in different region varied significantly. Mineral mass concentration in Beijing PM₁₀ reached the highest percentage in the spring and fell to the lowest level in the autumn. The minerals in the spring PM₁₀ were dominated by clay minerals and quartz, followed by plagioclase, K-feldspar, calcite, dolomite, hematite, pyrite, magnesite, gypsum and laumontite as well as some unidentified materials. Fewer mineral types were collected in summer, however some new components, including K(NH₄)Ca(SO4)₂·H₂O, NH₄Cl and As₂O₃·SO₃ were noted to be present, suggesting that atmospheric chemical reaction in Beijing air were more active in summer than in other seasons. Mineral components in Beijing urban air were at a higher percentage with fewer phases than that in satellite city air. In conclusion, there was considerable variation in mineral components in PM₁₀ samples collected in different seasons and areas, which reflects the related air quality of sampling areas.

At 94 sites throughout the Gaspésie peninsula, Québec, tree growth patterns and variation in growth rate were examined to determine relationship of tree growth to specific pollutants. Canopy dominant Black Spruce (Picea mariana, (Mill.) BSP) were selected at each site. Basal area increment (BAI) values were derived from increment cores and disks taken at breast height. A sigmoid model (Gompertz) to tree basal area was fitted and used as an estimate of tree growth. The residuals were used in association with other landscape variables to test the hypothesis that the tree-growth was reduced at the vicinity of the Murdochville smelter. Results showed that residuals were well explained by smelter distance, elevation, and slope exposition to the smelter emissions. On the intense activity period, tree growth was reduced within a 25-km radius of the smelter, on slopes exposed to the contaminant flow and located at elevation lower than 580 m. With the interruption of smelting activities, growth was recovered for survival trees.

The assessment of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted to and removed from the atmosphere is high on both political and scientific agendas internationally. As increasing international concern and cooperation aim at policy-oriented solutions to the climate change problem, several issues have begun to arise regarding verification and compliance under both proposed and legislated schemes meant to reduce the human-induced global climate impact. The approaches to addressing uncertainty introduced in this article attempt to improve national inventories or to provide a basis for the standardization of inventory estimates to enable comparison of emissions and emission changes across countries. Authors of the accompanying articles use detailed uncertainty analyses to enforce the current structure of the emission trading system and attempt to internalize high levels of uncertainty by tailoring the emissions trading market rules. Assessment of uncertainty can help improve inventories and manage risk. Through recognizing the importance of, identifying and quantifying uncertainties, great strides can be made in the process of Accounting for Climate Change.