Late Quaternary palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from Lakes Ohrid and Prespa (Macedonia/Albania border) using stable isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, M. J.; Baneschi, I.; Zanchetta, G.; Jex, C. N.; Wagner, B.; Vogel, H.

2010-10-01

Here we present stable isotope data from three sediment records from lakes that lie along the Macedonian-Albanian border (Lake Prespa: 1 core, and Lake Ohrid: 2 cores). The records only overlap for the last 40 kyr, although the longest record contains the MIS 5/6 transition (Lake Ohrid). The sedimentary characteristics of both lakes differ significantly between the glacial and interglacial phases. At the end of MIS 6 Lake Ohrid's water level was low (high δ18Ocalcite) and, although productivity was increasing (high calcite content), the carbon supply was mainly from inorganic catchment rock sources (high δ13Ccarb). During the last interglacial, calcite and TOC production and preservation increased, progressively lower δ18Ocalcite suggest increase in humidity and lake levels until around 115 ka. During ca. 80 ka to 11 ka the lake records suggest cold conditions as indicated by negligible calcite precipitation and low organic matter content. In Lake Ohrid, δ13Corg are complacent; in contrast, Lake Prespa shows consistently higher δ13Corg suggesting a low oxidation of 13C-depleted organic matter in agreement with a general deterioration of climate conditions during the glacial. From 15 ka to the onset of the Holocene, calcite and TOC begin to increase, suggesting lake levels were probably low (high δ18Ocalcite). In the Holocene (11 ka to present) enhanced productivity is manifested by high calcite and organic matter content. All three cores show an early Holocene characterised by low δ18Ocalcite, apart from the very early Holocene phase in Prespa where the lowest δ18Ocalcite occurs at ca. 7.5 ka, suggesting a phase of higher lake level only in (the more sensitive) Lake Prespa. From 6 ka, δ18Ocalcite suggest progressive aridification, in agreement with many other records in the Mediterranean, although the uppermost sediments in one core records low δ18Ocalcite which we interpret as a result of human activity. Overall, the isotope data present here confirm that these two big lakes have captured the large scale, low frequency palaeoclimate variation that is seen in Mediterranean lakes, although in detail there is much palaeoclimate information that could be gained, especially small scale, high frequency differences between this region and the Mediterranean.

The Lake Ohrid Drilling Project: initial interpretations of stable isotope data over the last 640 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacey, J. H.; Leng, M. J.; Francke, A.; Sloane, H. J.; Milodowski, A. E.; Vogel, H.; Baumgarten, H.; Wagner, B.

2015-12-01

Lake Ohrid (Macedonia/Albania) is an ancient European lake with a unique biodiversity and a site of global significance to study the influence of climate, geological and tectonic events on the biological evolution of taxa. Here, we present oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13C) isotope data on carbonate from sediment cores spanning 640 ka recovered as part of the Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid (SCOPSCO) project. Previous work on cores from the lake (up to 15 m, <140 ka) indicated that the Total Inorganic Carbon (TIC) content of sediments was highly sensitive to climate change during the last glacial-interglacial cycle, comprising abundant endogenic calcite through interglacials and being almost absent in glacials, apart from discrete bands of early diagenetic authigenic siderite. Isotope measurements on calcite (δ18Oc and δ13Cc) reveal variations both between and within interglacials that suggest the lake has been subject to hydroclimate fluctuations on orbital and millennial timescales. We also measured isotopes on authigenic siderite (δ18Os and δ13Cs) and, with the δ18Oc and δ18Os, reconstruct δ18O of lakewater (δ18Olw). Glacials are observed to have lower δ18Olw when compared to interglacials, most likely due to cooler summer temperatures, a higher proportion of winter precipitation (snowfall), and a reduced inflow from neighbouring Lake Prespa. The isotope data suggest Lake Ohrid experienced a period of overall stability through Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 15 to 13, highlighting MIS 14 as a particularly warm glacial, and MIS 9 was isotopically freshest. Following MIS 9, the variability between glacial and interglacial δ18Olw is enhanced and the lake became increasingly evaporated through to present day with MIS 5 having the highest average δ18Olw. These findings provide new evidence for long-term climate change in the northern Mediterranean region, which will form the basis to better understand the influence of major environmental events on endemic speciation within the lake.

Tephrostratigraphy the DEEP site record, Lake Ohrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leicher, N.; Zanchetta, G.; Sulpizio, R.; Giaccio, B.; Wagner, B.; Francke, A.

2016-12-01

In the central Mediterranean region, tephrostratigraphy has been proofed to be a suitable and powerful tool for dating and correlating marine and terrestrial records. However, for the period older 200 ka, tephrostratigraphy is incomplete and restricted to some Italian continental basins (e.g. Sulmona, Acerno, Mercure), and continuous records downwind of the Italian volcanoes are rare. Lake Ohrid (Macedonia/Albania) in the eastern Mediterranean region fits this requisite and is assumed to be the oldest continuously existing lake of Europe. A continous record (DEEP) was recovered within the scope of the ICDP deep-drilling campaign SCOPSCO (Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid). In the uppermost 450 meters of the record, covering more than 1.2 Myrs of Italian volcanism, 54 tephra layers were identified during core-opening and description. A first tephrostratigraphic record was established for the uppermost 248 m ( 637 ka). Major element analyses (EDS/WDS) were carried out on juvenile glass fragments and 15 out of 35 tephra layers have been identified and correlated with known and dated eruptions of Italian volcanoes. Existing 40Ar/39Ar ages were re-calculated by using the same flux standard and used as first order tie points to develop a robust chronology for the DEEP site succession. Between 248 and 450 m of the DEEP site record, another 19 tephra horizons were identified and are subject of ongoing work. These deposits, once correlated with known and dated tephra, will hopefully enable dating this part of the succession, likely supported by major paleomagnetic events, such as the Brunhes-Matuyama boundary, or the Cobb-Mountain or the Jaramillo excursions. This makes the Lake Ohrid record a unique continuous, distal record of Italian volcanic activity, which is candidate to become the template for the central Mediterranean tephrostratigraphy, especially for the hitherto poorly known and explored lower Middle Pleistocene period.

A review on anthropogenic impact to the Micro Prespa lake and its damages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frasheri, N.; Pano, N.; Frasheri, A.; Beqiraj, G.; Bushati, S.; Taska, E.

2012-04-01

Paper presents the results of the integrated and multidisciplinary studies for investigation of the anthropogenic damages to Albanian part of the transborder Micro Prespa Lake. Remote sensing with Landsat images was used for identification of environmental changes in time for the period 1970 - 2010. Micro Prespa Lake is lake with international status, as Ramsar Convection, International Park and Special Protection Area-79/409/EEC. According to the studies, investigations and analyses, the following were concluded: Devolli River- Micro Prespa Lake irrigation system was not scientifically supported by environmental engineering, hydroeconomy and International Rights principles. It does work according to the projected parameters, and also, doesn't supply the agricultural needs. About of 10 % of the water volume, discharges by Devolli River in Micro Prespa Lake during the winter, is taken from this lake for the irrigation in summer. Great surface of Albanian part of Micro Prespa Lake is destroyed. The other part of the lake is atrophied and the habitat and biodiversity are damaged. Important and unique species of fish, birds and plants of national and international values are risked. The underground karstic connection ways for water circulation are blocked. There are ruining the historic values of the area, such the encient Treni cave from the Bronze Age. The Albanian part of the Micro Prespa Lake has been damaged by the human activities. A huge amount of 1,2 million cubic meters alluvium has been deposited on the lake bottom and lakeshore, which was transported by the Devolli River waters, since 1974. This river waters, rich in alluvium and organic coal material from outcropped geological formations, also absorbed free chemical toxic remains by the drainage of Devolli farm ground, which have changed the chemical features of the lake water and degrading it. Micro Prespa Lake communicates with Macro Prespa Lake, and together with Ohrid Lake. Blockage of underground karstic connection ways has diminished not only the components of the lake water balance, but also the decreasing yield of the underground springs, that supply the Ohrid lake and drinkable water springs. The Albanian part of the Micro Prespa Lake plays the role of a gigantic decanter. This is an unprecedented case, not only in Albanian but also in Balkan and World hydrography. Devolli river alluvium deposited in Micro Prespa Lake caused the otherwise of territory of Republic of Albania in this area. Albania will not have any part in this lake after some years. The social and public opinion in Albania, must be conscious for the otherwise of Albanian territory, which in the case of Micro Prespa Lake has a national and international negative effect on destructions of a transborder lake, defendey by Europian Convents.

Initial Geochemistry Data of the Lake Ohrid (Macedonia, Albania) DEEP -Site Sediment Record: The ICDP Scopsco Drilling Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francke, A.; Wagner, B.; Sulpizio, R.; Zanchetta, G.; Leicher, N.; Gromig, R.; Krastel, S.; Lindhorst, K.; Wilke, T.

2014-12-01

Ancient lakes, with sediment records spanning >1 million years, are very rare. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Lake Ohrid on the Balkans is thought to be the oldest lake in Europe. With 212 endemic species described to date, it is also a hotspot of evolution. In order to unravel the geological and evolutionary history of the lake, an international group of scientists, conducted a deep drilling campaign in spring 2013 under the umbrella of the ICDP SCOPSCO project (Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid). Overall, about 2,100 m of sediments were recovered from four drill sites. At the main drill site (DEEP-site) in central parts of the lake where seismic data indicated a maximum sediment fill of ca. 700 m, a total of more than 1,500 m of sediments were recovered until a penetration depth of 569 m. Currently, core opening, core description, XRF and MSCL scanning, sub-sampling (16 cm resolution), and inorganic and organic geochemical as well as sedimentological analyses of the sediment cores from the DEEP site are in progress at the University of Cologne. Previous studies at Lake Ohrid have shown that interglacial periods are characterized by high TIC and TOC contents, likely associated with high contents of calcite and organic matter in the sediments. In contrast, during glacial periods negligible TIC and low TOC contents correspond to high K counts indicating enhanced supply of clastic material. Similar patterns can be observed in the biogeochemical analyses of the subsamples and in the XRF data of the DEEP site record. Following these variations on a glacial-interglacial time scale, TIC and TOC data obtained from the subsamples and from core catcher samples indicate that the DEEP site sequence provides a 1.2 million year old continuous record of environmental and climatological variability in the Balkan Region. The age control can be further improved by first findings of macroscopic tephra horizons. Peaks in K, Sr, Zr, and magnetic susceptibility might indicate the occurrence of additional cryptotephra layers in the sediment sequence.

Palynology of the Last Interglacial Complex at Lake Ohrid: palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic inferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinopoli, Gaia; Masi, Alessia; Regattieri, Eleonora; Wagner, Bernd; Francke, Alexander; Peyron, Odile; Sadori, Laura

2018-01-01

In this article, we present new, high-resolution, pollen results obtained from the DEEP site sequence recovered from Lake Ohrid (Albania/FYROM) for the Last Interglacial Complex (LIC), corresponding to Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5) of the marine isotope stratigraphy. LIC covers the period between 130 and 70 ka and includes the Eemian (Last Interglacial, LI) and the succession of stadial and interstadial phases of the Early Last Glacial. During the LIC, the pollen record shows an alternation of periods characterized by forest and open vegetation, clearly resembling the well-known vegetational succession of other European records. Our results reveal three key phases for the LI: a first period (128-125 ka) with a rapid increase in temperature and precipitation, a central phase (125-118.5 ka) characterized by a slight cooling, and a late phase (118.5-112 ka), with a decline both in temperatures and precipitation. Besides the LI, we identify four more forested periods dominated by mesophilous trees and intercalated by colder and drier steppe phases, during which, however, most arboreal taxa never disappear. During the Early Last Glacial we also identify several abrupt events that can be correlated to the succession of cold events recorded in the Greenland ice core records, associated to a weakening of the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. The new high-resolution record indicates that Lake Ohrid is an important site to understand the response of vegetation to fluctuations in regional moisture availability and temperature changes, and thus provides new evidence for the connection between the Mediterranean Region and Northern Hemisphere climate oscillations.

Sedimentology, tephrostratigraphy, and chronology of the DEEP site sediment record, Lake Ohrid (Albania, FYROM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leicher, Niklas; Wagner, Bernd; Francke, Alexander; Just, Janna; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Sulpizio, Roberto; Giaccio, Biagio; Nomade, Sebastien

2017-04-01

Lake Ohrid, located on the Balkan Peninsula, is one of the very few lakes in the world that provides a continuous and high-resolution record of environmental change of >1.3 Ma. The sedimentary archive was drilled in spring 2013 within the scope of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) and the Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid (SCOPSCO) project in order to investigate local and regional geological and paleoclimatic processes, as well as triggers of evolutionary patterns and endemic biodiversity. The continuous composite profile (584 m) of the main drill site DEEP was logged (XRF, MSCL) and subsampled for biogeochemical (TIC, TOC, TN, TS) and sedimentological (grain size) analyses. The lithology of the DEEP site indicates that the history of Lake Ohrid can roughly be separated into two parts, with the older section between 584 and 450 m depth being characterised by a sedimentary facies indicating shallow water conditions, which is likely younger than ca. 1.9 Ma. In the lowermost few meters of the succession gravels and pebbles hampered a deeper drilling penetration and indicate that fluvial conditions existed during the onset of lake formation. Together with geotectonic, seismic, and biological information, the data imply that the Ohrid basin formed by transtension during the Miocene, opened during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and that the lake established between 1.9 and 1.3 Ma ago. The sediments of the younger part (< 450 m sediment depth) indicate that deeper water conditions established in Lake Ohrid after 1.3 Ma ago. Since then, biogeochemical proxy data respond to global glacial/interglacial variability, with warm periods being characterized by high TIC and TOC concentrations and cold periods by negligible TIC and low TOC contents, respectively. To date, 56 tephra horizons have been identified in the upper 450 m of the DEEP site sequence and are subject of ongoing investigations aimed at identifying their specific volcanic sources and equivalent known tephra by using geochemical fingerprinting of glass fragments. This was already successfully approved for tephra horizons in the upper 247.8 m of the sequence, obtaining important chronological information from 11 well dated tephra layers. These tephrochronological constraints were complemented by ages obtained from tuning the consistent pattern of the biogeochemical proxy data to orbital parameters in order to develop an age depth model for the last 637 kyr. This dating approach for the upper part will be further extended for the lower sequence below 247.8 m and combined with paleomagnetic information. The Brunhes/Matuyama boundary and the Jaramillo subchron are evident in the DEEP site sequence and will be further confined by higher resolution paleomagnetic measurements. The high-resolution data will also enable the reconstruction of the dynamic of the Earth's Magnetic Field during polarity transitions. This mulit-method dating approach will provide a robust chronology of the core, which is the backbone to fulfil the major aims of the SCOPSCO project.

Sedimentological imprints of environmental variability at the Balkan Peninsula on the sediment sequence of Lake Ohrid (Macedonia, Albania) between the Mid Pleistocene Transition and present days: The ICDP SCOPSCO project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francke, Alexander; Wagner, Bernd; Leicher, Niklas; Raphael, Gromig; Leng, Melanie; Lacey, Jack; Vogel, Hendrik; Baumgarten, Henrike; Thomas, Wonik; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Roberto, Sulpizio; Krastel, Sebastian; Lindhorst, Katja

2015-04-01

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Lake Ohrid in the Balkans is thought to be the oldest, continuously existing lake in Europe. In order to unravel the geological and evolutionary history of the lake, a deep drilling campaign was conducted in spring 2013 under the umbrella of the ICDP SCOPSCO project. At the coring site "DEEP" in central parts of the lake, more than 1,500 m of sediments were recovered down to a penetration depth of 569 m blf. This sediment sequence is assumed to be more than 1.2 Ma old and likely covers the entire lacustrine deposits of the Lake Ohrid Basin. Currently, an age model for the upper 260m of the DEEP- site sequence is available. This age model is based on chronological tie points (tephrochronology), and wiggle matching of down hole logging data and (bio-)geochemistry data (XRF, TIC, TOC) from the core sequence to the global benthic stack LR04 and local insolation patterns. The data suggests that the upper 260 m of the DEEP-site sequence corresponds to the time period between the Mid Pleistocene Transition (MPT) and present days. During this period, the sedimentological properties of the sediments show a strong dependency on environmental variability in the area. Interglacial deposits appear massive or marbled, contain up to 80 % of CaCO3 (high TIC), high amounts of organic matter (high TOC) and biogenic silica (high BSi), and low contents of clastic material. Glacial deposits are predominantly marbled and calcite is generally absent. Similarly, the amounts of organic matter and biogenic silica are low, and glacial sediments predominately consist of clastic matter. Distinct layers of siderite and uniformly distributed Fe- or Mn- oxides occur in the glacial deposits, vivianite concretions occur in both the glacial and interglacial periods. High CaCO3 contents in deposits formed during warm (interglacial) periods are also known from studies on short pilot cores from Lake Ohrid and are triggered by increased productivity in the lake, such as also indicated by enhanced contents of organic matter and biogenic silica. Thereby, CaCO3 precipitation is caused by photosynthesis induced calcite precipitation during algae blooms in spring and early summer. Negligible contents of TIC in deposits formed during glacial periods can be explained by an overall low productivity (low TOC and BSi) and, in addition, by dilution of CaCO3. Dilution of CaCO3 might be a result of more acid bottom water conditions, triggered by improved mixing conditions (less thermal stratification), oxidation of OM and CO2 release from the surface sediments. Oxygenated surface sediments and degradation of organic matter are indicated by the marbled structure of the glacial sediments implying intensive bioturbation, and by TOC/TN ratios around 4, respectively. The high amount of clastic material in deposits from cold (glacial) periods can be a result of mutual dilution with calcite, organic matter and biogenic silica, but might also indicate more intensive erosion in the catchment due to a less dense vegetation cover.

Linear and non-linear responses of vegetation and soils to glacial-interglacial climate change in a Mediterranean refuge.

PubMed

Holtvoeth, Jens; Vogel, Hendrik; Valsecchi, Verushka; Lindhorst, Katja; Schouten, Stefan; Wagner, Bernd; Wolff, George A

2017-08-14

The impact of past global climate change on local terrestrial ecosystems and their vegetation and soil organic matter (OM) pools is often non-linear and poorly constrained. To address this, we investigated the response of a temperate habitat influenced by global climate change in a key glacial refuge, Lake Ohrid (Albania, Macedonia). We applied independent geochemical and palynological proxies to a sedimentary archive from the lake over the penultimate glacial-interglacial transition (MIS 6-5) and the following interglacial (MIS 5e-c), targeting lake surface temperature as an indicator of regional climatic development and the supply of pollen and biomarkers from the vegetation and soil OM pools to determine local habitat response. Climate fluctuations strongly influenced the ecosystem, however, lake level controls the extent of terrace surfaces between the shoreline and mountain slopes and hence local vegetation, soil development and OM export to the lake sediments. There were two phases of transgressional soil erosion from terrace surfaces during lake-level rise in the MIS 6-5 transition that led to habitat loss for the locally dominant pine vegetation as the terraces drowned. Our observations confirm that catchment morphology plays a key role in providing refuges with low groundwater depth and stable soils during variable climate.

Spatially explicit analysis of gastropod biodiversity in ancient Lake Ohrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauffe, T.; Albrecht, C.; Schreiber, K.; Birkhofer, K.; Trajanovski, S.; Wilke, T.

2011-01-01

The quality of spatial analyses of biodiversity is improved by (i) utilizing study areas with well defined physiogeographical boundaries, (ii) limiting the impact of widespread species, and (iii) using taxa with heterogeneous distributions. These conditions are typically met by ecosystems such as oceanic islands or ancient lakes and their biota. While research on ancient lakes has contributed significantly to our understanding of evolutionary processes, statistically sound studies of spatial variation of extant biodiversity have been hampered by the frequently vast size of ancient lakes, their limited accessibility, and the lack of scientific infrastructure. The European ancient Lake Ohrid provides a rare opportunity for such a reliable spatial study. The comprehensive horizontal and vertical sampling of a species-rich taxon, the Gastropoda, presented here, revealed interesting patterns of biodiversity, which, in part, have not been shown before for other ancient lakes. In a total of 284 samples from 224 different locations throughout the Ohrid Basin, 68 gastropod species, with 50 of them (= 73.5%) being endemic, could be reported. The spatial distribution of these species shows the following characteristics: (i) within Lake Ohrid, the most frequent species are endemic taxa with a wide depth range, (ii) widespread species (i.e. those occurring throughout the Balkans or beyond) are rare and mainly occur in the upper layer of the lake, (iii) while the total number of species decreases with water depth, the proportion of endemics increases, and (iv) the deeper layers of Lake Ohrid appear to have a higher spatial homogeneity of biodiversity. Moreover, gastropod communities of Lake Ohrid and its feeder springs are both distinct from each other and from the surrounding waters. The analysis also shows that community similarity of Lake Ohrid is mainly driven by niche processes (e.g. environmental factors), but also by neutral processes (e.g. dispersal limitation and evolutionary histories of species). For niche-based mechanisms it is shown that large scale effects such as type of water body or water depth are mainly responsible for the similarity of gastropod communities, whereas small scale effects like environmental gradients affect gastropod compositions only marginally. In fact, neutral processes appear to be more important than the small scale environmental factors, thus emphasizing the importance of dispersal capacities and evolutionary histories of species.

Assembly processes of gastropod community change with horizontal and vertical zonation in ancient Lake Ohrid: a metacommunity speciation perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauffe, Torsten; Albrecht, Christian; Wilke, Thomas

2016-05-01

The Balkan Lake Ohrid is the oldest and most diverse freshwater lacustrine system in Europe. However, it remains unclear whether species community composition, as well as the diversification of its endemic taxa, is mainly driven by dispersal limitation, environmental filtering, or species interaction. This calls for a holistic perspective involving both evolutionary processes and ecological dynamics, as provided by the unifying framework of the "metacommunity speciation model".The current study used the species-rich model taxon Gastropoda to assess how extant communities in Lake Ohrid are structured by performing process-based metacommunity analyses. Specifically, the study aimed (1) to identifying the relative importance of the three community assembly processes and (2) to test whether the importance of these individual processes changes gradually with lake depth or discontinuously with eco-zone shifts.Based on automated eco-zone detection and process-specific simulation steps, we demonstrated that dispersal limitation had the strongest influence on gastropod community composition. However, it was not the exclusive assembly process, but acted together with the other two processes - environmental filtering and species interaction. The relative importance of the community assembly processes varied both with lake depth and eco-zones, though the processes were better predicted by the latter.This suggests that environmental characteristics have a pronounced effect on shaping gastropod communities via assembly processes. Moreover, the study corroborated the high importance of dispersal limitation for both maintaining species richness in Lake Ohrid (through its impact on community composition) and generating endemic biodiversity (via its influence on diversification processes). However, according to the metacommunity speciation model, the inferred importance of environmental filtering and biotic interaction also suggests a small but significant influence of ecological speciation. These findings contribute to the main goal of the Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid (SCOPSCO) deep drilling initiative - inferring the drivers of biotic evolution - and might provide an integrative perspective on biological and limnological dynamics in ancient Lake Ohrid.

Gastropod diversification and community structuring processes in ancient Lake Ohrid: a metacommunity speciation perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauffe, T.; Albrecht, C.; Wilke, T.

2015-09-01

The Balkan Lake Ohrid is the oldest and most speciose freshwater lacustrine system in Europe. However, it remains unclear whether the diversification of its endemic taxa is mainly driven by neutral processes, environmental factors, or species interactions. This calls for a holistic perspective involving both evolutionary processes and ecological dynamics. Such a unifying framework - the metacommunity speciation model - considers how community assembly affects diversification and vice versa by assessing the relative contribution of the three main community assembly processes, dispersal limitation, environmental filtering, and species interaction. The current study therefore used the species-rich model taxon Gastropoda to assess how extant communities in Lake Ohrid are structured by performing process based metacommunity analyses. Specifically, the study aimed at (i) identifying the relative importance of the three community assembly processes and (ii) to test whether the importance of these individual processes changes gradually with lake depth or whether they are distinctively related to eco-zones. Based on specific simulation steps for each of the three processes, it could be demonstrated that dispersal limitation had the strongest influence on gastropod community structures in Lake Ohrid. However, it was not the exclusive assembly process but acted together with the other two processes - environmental filtering, and species interaction. In fact, the relative importance of the three community assembly processes varied both with lake depth and eco-zones, though the processes were better predicted by the latter. The study thus corroborated the high importance of dispersal limitation for both maintaining species richness in Lake Ohrid (through its impact on community structure) and generating endemic biodiversity (via its influence on diversification processes). However, according to the metacommunity speciation model, the inferred importance of environmental filtering and biotic interaction also suggests a small but significant influence of ecological speciation. These findings contribute to the main goal of the SCOPSCO initiative - inferring the drivers of biotic evolution - and might provide an integrative perspective on biological and limnological dynamics in ancient Lake Ohrid.

A freshwater biodiversity hotspot under pressure - assessing threats and identifying conservation needs for ancient Lake Ohrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostoski, G.; Albrecht, C.; Trajanovski, S.; Wilke, T.

2010-07-01

Freshwater habitats and species living in freshwater are generally more prone to extinction than terrestrial or marine ones. Immediate conservation measures for world-wide freshwater resources are thus of eminent importance. This is particularly true for so called ancient lakes. While these lakes are famous for being evolutionary theatres, often displaying an extraordinarily high degree of biodiversity and endemism, in many cases these biota are also experiencing extreme anthropogenic impact. Lake Ohrid, the European biodiversity hotspot, is a prime example for a lake with a magnitude of narrow range endemic taxa that are under increasing anthropogenic pressure. Unfortunately, evidence for a "creeping biodiversity crisis" has accumulated over the last decades, and major socio-political changes have gone along with human-mediated environmental changes. Based on field surveys, monitoring data, published records, and expert interviews, we aimed to (1) assess threats to Lake Ohrids' (endemic) biodiversity, (2) summarize existing conservation activities and strategies, and (3) outline future conservation needs for Lake Ohrid. We compiled threats to both specific taxa (and in cases to particular species) as well as to the lake ecosystems itself. Major conservation concerns identified for Lake Ohrid are: (1) watershed impacts, (2) agriculture and forestry, (3) tourism and population growth, (4) non-indigenous species, (5) habitat alteration or loss, (6) unsustainable exploitation of fisheries, and (7) global climate change. Of the 11 IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) threat classes scored, seven have moderate and three severe impacts. These latter threat classes are energy production and mining, biological resource use, and pollution. We review and discuss institutional responsibilities, environmental monitoring and ecosystem management, existing parks and reserves, biodiversity and species measures, international conservation activities, and ongoing research on conservation and raising of public awareness. Following this summary, we evaluate the status quo and future of Lake Ohrid and its biota. Given the number of identified threats, it is clear that only concerted international action can stop or at least slow down further degradation of Lake Ohrid and the creeping biodiversity crisis already evident. A comprehensive conservation strategy should include measures that result in an immediate reduction of pollution, particularly with phosphorous, in order to slow down the ongoing eutrophication process. The existing watershed management should become more effective. Implementation and particularly with a view to the enforcement of national laws should be enhanced. Increased research on the lakes' limnology, biodiversity, and conservation management practices are necessary. The latter research should identify conservation priorities. Public awareness should be enhanced. Facing these parallel needs to protect the unique biodiversity of Lake Ohrid, we suggest urging (a) implementation and enforcement of the General Management Plan that would ensure long-term integrated and sustainable use of the lake and its watershed, (b) scientific studies on ecology, biodiversity and effects of human impact, (c) the establishment of Core Conservation areas (CCA), including underwater reserves, and (d) Coastal Zone Management (CZM) areas that would constitute buffer zones for the CCA around the lake. These activities should, among others, ultimately lead to a trans-boundary major conservation area of the Ohrid-Prespa region that would allow long-term integration of both humans and nature.

A freshwater biodiversity hotspot under pressure - assessing threats and identifying conservation needs for ancient Lake Ohrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostoski, G.; Albrecht, C.; Trajanovski, S.; Wilke, T.

2010-12-01

Immediate conservation measures for world-wide freshwater resources are of eminent importance. This is particularly true for so-called ancient lakes. While these lakes are famous for being evolutionary theatres, often displaying an extraordinarily high degree of biodiversity and endemism, in many cases these biota are also experiencing extreme anthropogenic impact. Lake Ohrid, a major European biodiversity hotspot situated in a trans-frontier setting on the Balkans, is a prime example for a lake with a magnitude of narrow range endemic taxa that are under increasing anthropogenic pressure. Unfortunately, evidence for a "creeping biodiversity crisis" has accumulated over the last decades, and major socio-political changes have gone along with human-mediated environmental changes. Based on field surveys, monitoring data, published records, and expert interviews, we aimed to (1) assess threats to Lake Ohrids' (endemic) biodiversity, (2) summarize existing conservation activities and strategies, and (3) outline future conservation needs for Lake Ohrid. We compiled threats to both specific taxa (and in cases to particular species) as well as to the lake ecosystems itself. Major conservation concerns identified for Lake Ohrid are: (1) watershed impacts, (2) agriculture and forestry, (3) tourism and population growth, (4) non-indigenous species, (5) habitat alteration or loss, (6) unsustainable exploitation of fisheries, and (7) global climate change. Among the major (well-known) threats with high impact are nutrient input (particularly of phosphorus), habitat conversion and silt load. Other threats are potentially of high impact but less well known. Such threats include pollution with hazardous substances (from sources such as mines, former industries, agriculture) or climate change. We review and discuss institutional responsibilities, environmental monitoring and ecosystem management, existing parks and reserves, biodiversity and species measures, international conservation activities, and ongoing research on conservation and raising of public awareness. Following this summary, we evaluate the status quo and future of Lake Ohrid and its biota. A comprehensive conservation strategy should include measures that result in an immediate reduction of nutrient input, particularly with phosphorus, in order to slow down the ongoing eutrophication process. The existing watershed management should become more effective. Implementation and particularly with a view to the enforcement of national laws should be enhanced. Increased research on the lakes' limnology, biodiversity, and conservation management practices are necessary. The latter research should identify conservation priorities. Public awareness should be enhanced. Facing these parallel needs to protect the unique biodiversity of Lake Ohrid, we suggest urging (a) implementation and enforcement of the General Management Plan that would ensure long-term integrated and sustainable use of the lake and its watershed, (b) scientific studies on ecology, biodiversity and effects of human impact, (c) the establishment of Core Conservation areas (CCA), including underwater reserves, and (d) Coastal Zone Management (CZM) areas that would constitute buffer zones for the CCAs around the lake. Given the number of identified threats, it is clear that only concerted international action can stop or at least slow down further degradation of Lake Ohrid and the creeping biodiversity crisis already evident. All conservation activities should, among others, ultimately lead to a trans-boundary major conservation area of the Ohrid-Prespa region that would allow long-term integration of both humans and nature.

Spatially explicit analyses of gastropod biodiversity in ancient Lake Ohrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauffe, T.; Albrecht, C.; Schreiber, K.; Birkhofer, K.; Trajanovski, S.; Wilke, T.

2010-07-01

Spatial heterogeneity of biodiversity arises from evolutionary processes, constraints of environmental factors and the interaction of communities. The quality of such spatial analyses of biodiversity is improved by (i) utilizing study areas with well defined physiogeographical boundaries, (ii) limiting the impact of widespread species, and (iii) using taxa with heterogeneous distributions. These conditions are typically met by ecosystems such as oceanic islands or ancient lakes and their biota. While research on ancient lakes has contributed significantly to our understanding of evolutionary processes, statistically sound studies of spatial variation of extant biodiversity have been hampered by the frequently vast size of ancient lakes, their limited accessibility, and the lack of infrastructure around them. The small European ancient Lake Ohrid provides a rare opportunity for such a reliable spatial study. The comprehensive horizontal and vertical sampling of a species-rich taxon, the Gastropoda, presented here, revealed interesting patterns of biodiversity, which, in part, have not been shown before for other ancient lakes. In a total of 224 locations throughout the Ohrid Basin, representatives of 68 gastropod species with 50 of them being endemic (=73.5%) could be reported. The spatial distribution of these species shows the following characteristics: (i) within Lake Ohrid, the most frequent species are endemic taxa with a wide depth range, (ii) widespread species (i.e. those occurring throughout the Balkans or beyond) are rare and mainly occur in the upper layer of the lake, (iii) while the total number of species decreases with water depth, the share of endemics increases, (iv) the deeper layers of Lake Ohrid appear to have a higher spatial homogeneity of biodiversity and related environmental factors, (v) biotic interaction due to possible spillover effects may contribute to the establishment of hotspots, and (vi) eco-insularity within the Ohrid Basin occurs at two levels, at the level of the lake proper and at the level of the feeder-springs. It is also shown that large scale effects such as type of water body or water depth are mainly responsible for the distribution of biodiversity. In addition, small scale effects like environmental gradients or biotic interaction affect gastropod composition within a particular depth zone.

The Water Level Fall of Lake Megali Prespa (N Greece): an Indicator of Regional Water Stress Driven by Climate Change and Amplified by Water Extraction?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Schriek, Tim; Giannakopoulos, Christos

2014-05-01

The Mediterranean stands out globally due to its sensitivity to (future) climate change, with future projections predicting an increase in excessive drought events and declining rainfall. Regional freshwater ecosystems are particularly threatened: precipitation decreases, while extreme droughts increase and human impacts intensify (e.g. water extraction, drainage, pollution and dam-building). Many Mediterranean lake-wetland systems have shrunk or disappeared over the past two decades. Protecting the remaining systems is extremely important for supporting global biodiversity and for ensuring sustainable water availability. This protection should be based on a clear understanding of lake-wetland hydrological responses to natural and human-induced changes, which is currently lacking in many parts of the Mediterranean. The interconnected Prespa-Ohrid Lake system is a global hotspot of biodiversity and endemism. The unprecedented fall in water level (~8m) of Lake Megali Prespa threatens this system, but causes remain debated. Modelling suggests that the S Balkan will experience rainfall and runoff decreases of ~30% by 2050. However, projections revealing the potential impact of these changes on future lake level are unavailable as lake regime is not understood. A further drop in lake level may have serious consequences. The Prespa Lakes contribute ~25% of the total inflow into Lake Ohrid through underground karst channels; falling lake levels decrease this discharge. Lake Ohrid, in turn, feeds the Drim River. This entire catchment may therefore be affected by falling lake levels; its water resources are of great importance for Greece, Albania, FYROM and Montenegro (e.g. tourism, agriculture, hydro-energy, urban & industrial use). This new work proves that annual water level fluctuations of Lake Megali Prespa are predominantly related to precipitation during the first 7 months (Oct-Apr) of the hydrological year (Oct-Sep). Lake level is very sensitive to regional and Mediterranean wet-dry events during this period. There are robust indications for a link between lake level and the North Atlantic Oscillation, which is known to strongly influence Mediterranean winter precipitation. Hydro-climatic records show a complicated picture, but tentatively support the conclusion that the unprecedented lake level fall is principally related to climate change. The available fluvial discharge record and most existing snowfall records show statistically significant decreases in annual averages. Annual rainfall only shows a statistically significant decrease of the 25th percentile; 7-month rainfall (Oct-Apr) additionally shows a statistically significant but non-robust decrease of the mean. The modest amount of water extraction (annually: ~14*103m3, ~0.004% of total lake volume) exerts a progressive and significant impact on lake level over the longer term, accounting for ~25% of the observed fall. Lake level lowering ends when lake-surface area shrinkage has led to a decrease in lake-surface evaporation that is equivalent to the amount of water extracted. The adjustment of lake level to stable extraction rates requires two to three decades. This work aims to steer adaptation and mitigation strategies by informing on lake response under different climate change and extraction scenarios. Lake protection is a cost effective solution for supporting global biodiversity and for providing sustainable water resources.

Evolution of alkaline lakes - Lake Van case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tillman Meyer, Felix; Viehberg, Finn; Bahroun, Sonya; Wolf, Annabel; Immenhauser, Adrian; Kwiecien, Ola

2017-04-01

Lake Van in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey) is the largest terminal soda lake on Earth. The lake sedimentary profile covers ca. 600 ka (Stockhecke et al. 2014) Based on lithological changes, the presence of freshwater microfossils and close-to-freshwater pH value in the pore water, members of ICDP PALEOVAN concluded that Lake Van might have started as an open lake. Here we show paleontological and geochemical evidence in favour of this idea and constrain the time, when Lake Van likely transformed into a closed lake. Additionally we provide the first conceptual model of how this closure may have happened. Our archives of choice are inorganic and biogenic carbonates, separated by wet sieving. We identified microfossil assemblages (fraction > 125 µm) and performed high-resolution oxygen isotope (delta18O) and elemental (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca) analyses of the fraction < 63 µm assuming that it represents only carbonates precipitating in the water column. Microfossil assemblage consists of three different species of ostracods (Candona spp, Loxoconcha sp, Amnicythere spp.), diatoms, gastropods and bivalves. Brakish-water ostracods, Loxoconcha sp and Amnicythere sp occur more often after 530 ka. Additionaly, Loxoconcha sp is a shallow-water species relaying on plants growing in the photic zone as food supply. These two aspects point to an increasing salinity in a shallowing lake. The delta18O values of inorganic carbonates are relatively low during the initial phase of Lake Van and increase abruptly (ca. 7‰) after 530 ka BP. At approximately the same time combination of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca data suggest first occurrence of aragonite. Again, these findings suggest geochemical changes of the lake water concurrent with transition documented by microfossils. Comparison between Lake Van and Lake Ohrid (Lacey et al. 2016) delta18O data, precludes regional climate change (e.g.: increased evaporation) as the main driver of observed changes. With no evidence for increased volcanic or tectonic activity (e.g.: tephra layers, deformation structures, slumping) in the Lake Van sedimentary profile around 530 ka, it seems unlikely that a pyroclastic flow blocked the outflow of the lake. Alternatively, a portion of inflow has been diverged which might have caused a change in the hydrological balance and lake level falling below its outlet. However, as no geomorphological data confirming this scenario yet exist, it is only a tentative explanation. Lacey et al. 2016. Northern Mediterranean climate since the Middle Pleistocene: a 637 ka stable isotope record from Lake Ohrid (Albania/Macedonia). Biogeosciences 13 Stockhecke et al. 2014. Sedimentary evolution and environmental history of Lake Van (Turkey) over the past 600 000 years. Sedimentology

The SCOPSCO deep drilling program in ancient Lake Ohrid: Unravelling the driving forces of speciation in Europe's oldest and most biodiverse lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilke, Thomas; Wagner, Bernd; Albrecht, Christian; Levkov, Zlatko; Francke, Alexander; Hauffe, Torsten; Cvetkoska, Aleksandra; Jovanovska, Elena; Zhang, Xiaosen; Reed, Jane M.; Wagner-Cremer, Friederike; Stelbrink, Björn; Viehberg, Finn

2015-04-01

Ancient Lake Ohrid on the Balkan Peninsula constitutes the oldest and most biodiverse lake in Europe. The processes generating this extraordinary species richness with a high share of endemic taxa, however, are poorly understood. In order to unravel the geological and biological history of the lake and to study, among others, the influence of major geological and environmental events on the evolution of endemic taxa, an international research initiative - the SCOPSCO project - was launched. The project combines sedimentological, tephro-stratigraphical, seismic and paleontological (diatoms, mollusks, ostracods) studies of lake sediment cores with molecular-dating and empirical modelling approaches applied to extant taxa. Preliminary analyses of sediment core and borehole logging data from drill sites with a maximum penetration depth of 569 m below lake floor and an overall recovery of > 95 % indicate that Lake Ohrid is roughly 1.3 to 1.5 My old. Intriguingly, these data fully reinforce the results of molecular clock analyses conducted prior to the drilling operation. Moreover, the combined geological and biological studies suggest that the extraordinary biodiversity in Lake Ohrid is largely driven by 1) the long and continuous existence of the lake, 2) the lack of catastrophic events (e.g., desiccation, full glaciation or salinization) during its lifetime potentially causing massive extinctions, 3) the high buffer capacity of the lake to environmental change and/or the high resilience of its taxa, and 4) distinct turnovers in species composition over time promoting frequency dependent selection. The cumulative effect of these factors, in turn, resulted in overall low extinction rates and continuous speciation and radiation events. These findings not only shed new light on patterns and processes of evolution in Europe's oldest lake, they also show that data from sediment cores can contribute to a better understanding of the driving forces of biotic evolution. Moreover, Lake Ohrid appears to be a first class example for studying the link between geological and biological evolution in highly isolated ecosystems over comparatively long time scales.

Native Dreissena freshwater mussels in the Balkans: in and out of ancient lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilke, T.; Schultheiß, R.; Albrecht, C.; Bornmann, N.; Trajanovski, S.; Kevrekidis, T.

2010-10-01

The Balkans is a biogeographically highly diverse region and a worldwide hotspot of endemic freshwater diversity. A substantial part of this diversity is attributed to well recognized and potential ancient lakes in its southwestern part. However, despite considerable research efforts, faunal relationships among those lakes are not well understood. Therefore, genetic information from native representatives of the mussel genus Dreissena is here used to test the biogeographical zonation of the southwestern Balkans, to relate demographic changes to environmental changes, to assess the degree of eco-insularity, to reconstruct their evolutionary history, and to explore the potential of native taxa for becoming invasive. Phylogeographical and population genetic analyses indicate that most studied populations belong to two native species: D. presbensis (including the distinct genetic subgroup from Lake Ohrid, "D. stankovici") and D. blanci. In addition, the first confirmed record of invasive D. polymorpha in the southwestern Balkan is presented. The distribution of native Dreissena spp. generally coincides with the biogeographical zonations previously suggested based on fish data. However, there is disagreement on the assignment of the ancient lakes in the area to respective biogeographical regions. The data for Lake Ohrid are not conclusive. A closer biogeographical connection to lakes of the Vardar region and possibly the northern Ionian region is, however, suggested for Lake Prespa. The reconstruction of the evolutionary history of Dreissena spp. suggests that populations underwent demographic and spatial expansions in the recent past. Expansions started around 320 000-300 000 years ago in "D. stankovici", 160 000-140 000 years ago in D. blanci, and 110 000-70 000 years ago in D. presbensis. These time frames are discussed within the context of available paleogeological data for lakes Ohrid and Prespa. It is suggested that regional environmental changes may have had pronounced effects on the population histories of native Dreissena spp., though the high buffer capacity of Lake Ohrid may have lessened these effects in "D. stankovici". In addition, local events influencing individual lakes had very likely considerable effects on the demographic histories of Dreissena spp. as well. The observed patterns of immigration and emigration in and out of ancient lakes may suggest that limited gene flow enabled the survival of few isolated subpopulations and that later on eco-insularity (selective advantages of locally adopted groups) may have prevented excessive hybridization and sympatry of closely related taxa. As for the potential invasiveness of native Dreissena spp., the inferred spatial expansions are not human-mediated and all taxa still appear to be restricted to their native ranges. A concern, however, is that today D. presbensis and D. blanci also occur in artificial water bodies, and that invasive D. polymorpha has reached the area.

Centennial-scale vegetation dynamics and climate variability in SE Europe during Marine Isotope Stage 11 based on a pollen record from Lake Ohrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kousis, Ilias; Koutsodendris, Andreas; Peyron, Odile; Leicher, Niklas; Francke, Alexander; Wagner, Bernd; Giaccio, Biagio; Knipping, Maria; Pross, Jörg

2018-06-01

To better understand climate variability during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11, we here present a new, centennial-scale-resolution pollen record from Lake Ohrid (Balkan Peninsula) derived from sediment cores retrieved during an International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) campaign. Our palynological data, augmented by quantitative pollen-based climate reconstructions, provide insight into the vegetation dynamics and thus also climate variability in SE Europe during one of the best orbital analogues for the Holocene. Comparison of our palynological results with other proxy data from Lake Ohrid as well as with regional and global climate records shows that the vegetation in SE Europe responded sensitively both to long- and short-term climate change during MIS 11. The chronology of our palynological record is based on orbital tuning, and is further supported by the detection of a new tephra from the Vico volcano, central Italy, dated to 410 ± 2 ka. Our study indicates that MIS 11c (∼424-398 ka) was the warmest interval of MIS 11. The younger part of the interglacial (i.e., MIS 11b-11a; ∼398-367 ka) exhibits a gradual cooling trend passing over into MIS 10. It is characterized by considerable millennial-scale variability as inferred by six abrupt forest-contraction events. Interestingly, the first forest contraction occurred during full interglacial conditions of MIS 11c; this event lasted for ∼1.7 kyrs (406.2-404.5 ka) and was characterized by substantial reductions in winter temperature and annual precipitation. Most notably, it occurred ∼7 ka before the end of MIS 11c and ∼15 ka before the first strong ice-rafted debris event in the North Atlantic. Our findings suggest that millennial-scale climate variability during MIS 11 was established in Southern Europe already during MIS 11c, which is earlier than in the North Atlantic where it is registered only from MIS 11b onwards.

Focal mechanism and stress analyses for main tectonic zones in Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dushi, Edmond; Koçi, Rexhep; Begu, Enkela; Bozo, Rrezart

2017-04-01

In this study, a number of 33 moderate earthquakes for the period 2013-2015, ranging in magnitude within 2.2 ≤ MW ≤ 4.9 and located within the Albanian territory, have been analyzed. As an earthquake prone country, situated at the frontal collision boundary between Adria microplate and Eurasian tectonic plate, Albania is characterized frequently by micro earthquakes, many moderate and seldom by strong ones. It is evidenced that the whole territory is divided in two different tectonic domains, correspondingly the outer and the inner domain, showing different stress regime as clearly evidenced based on earthquake focal mechanism and geodetic studies. Although strong earthquakes are clearly related to faults in tectonically active areas, moderate events are more frequent revealing valuable information on this purpose. All the studied events are selected to be well-recorded by a maximum possible number of the local broadband (BB) seismological stations of Albanian Seismological Network (ASN), although regional stations have been used as well to constrain the solution. Earthquakes are grouped according to their location, within three well-defined tectonic zones, namely: Adriatic-Ionian (AI), Lushnja-Elbasani-Dibra (LED) and Ohrid-Korça (OK). For each event, the seismic moment M0is determined, through spectral analyses. Moment values vary ranging 1012 - 1015 Nm, for the Adriatic-Ionian (AI) outer zone; 1013 - 1016 Nm, for the Lushnja-Elbasani-Dibra (LED) transversal zone, which cuts through both the outer and the inner domains and 1012 - 1014 Nm, for the Ohrid-Korça (OK), north-south trending inner zone. Focal mechanism solutions (FMS) have been determined for each earthquake, based on the robust first motion polarities method, as applied in the FOCMEC (Seisan 10.1) routine. Using the Michael's linear bootstrap invertion on FMS, a stress analysis is applied. Results show the minimum compressional stress directions variation: σ1 370/270, σ23030/80 and σ31980/620 (μ = 0.4) for AI zone; σ1830/90, σ22040/730and σ33500/140 (μ = 0.4) for LED zone and σ13060/430, σ21860/280 and σ3750/340 (μ = 0.65) for OK zone. Based on final results, according to Zoback (1992), the Adriatic-Ionian (AI) zone is characterized mainly by thrust (TF) faulting, although normal and oblique ones take place as well. This outer zone is under a compressive stress regime, where the maximum horizontal stress lies in the direction of P axes. Meanwhile, the Lushnja-Elbasani-Dibra (LED) transversal zone, is characterized by normal-oblique faulting (NF-NS), undergoing an oblique transform to extensional stress regime, where the maximum horizontal stress extends at the (T + 900) direction. The Ohrid-Korça (OK) zone is characterized by oblique-normal faults, undergoing and extensional stress regime, where the maximum horizontal stress lies in the of T axes direction. Keywords: moderate earthquakes, focal mechanism, stress

The attack of Aesculus hippocastanum L. by Cameraria ohridella Deschka and Dimic (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Greece

Treesearch

Nikolaos Avtzis; Dimitrios Avtzis

2003-01-01

The horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella is a relatively new insect in Europe, which was first observed at Lake Ohrid in 1984. Within the framework of the European Community Project "Controcam", in which Greece participates through the TEI of Kavala, Department of Forestry in Drama, we attempted for the first time to study the bio-...

Aligning MIS5 proxy records from Lake Ohrid (FYROM) with independently dated Mediterranean archives: implications for core chronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanchetta, G.; Regattieri, E.; Giaccio, B.; Wagner, B.; Sulpizio, R.; Francke, A.; Vogel, L. H.; Sadori, L.; Masi, A.; Sinopoli, G.; Lacey, J. H.; Leng, M. L.; Leicher, N.

2015-10-01

The DEEP site sediment sequence obtained during the ICDP SCOPSCO project at Lake Ohrid was dated using tephrostratigraphic information, cyclostratigraphy, and orbital tuning through marine isotope record. Although this approach is suitable for the generation of a general chronological framework of the long succession, it is insufficient to resolve more detailed paleoclimatological questions, such as leads and lags of climate events between marine and terrestrial records or between different regions. In this paper, we demonstrate how the use of different tie points can affect cyclostratigraphy and orbital tuning for the period between ca. 140 and 70 ka and how the results can be correlated with directly/indirectly radiometrically-dated Mediterranean marine and continental proxy records. The alternative age model obtained shows consistent differences with that proposed by Francke et al. (2015) for the same interval, in particular at the level of the MIS6-5e transition. According to this age model, different proxies from the DEEP site sediment record support an increase of temperatures between glacial to interglacial conditions, which is almost synchronous with a rapid increase in sea surface temperature observed in the western Mediterranean. The results show how important a detailed study of independent chronological tie points is for synchronizing different records and to highlight asynchronisms of climate events.

Application of Remote Sensing for the Analysis of Environmental Changes in Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frasheri, N.; Beqiraj, G.; Bushati, S.; Frasheri, A.

2016-08-01

In the paper there is presented a review of remote sensing studies carried out for investigation of environmental changes in Albania. Using, often simple methodologies and general purpose image processing software, and exploiting free Internet archives of satellite imagery, significant results were obtained for hot areas of environmental changes. Such areas include sea coasts experiencing sea transgression, temporal variations of vegetation and aerosols, lakes, landslides and regional tectonics. Internet archives of European Space Agency ESA and USA Geological Service USGS are used.

Onoufrios, the famous XVI's century iconographer, creator of the ``Berati School'': studying the technique and materials used in wall paintings of inscribed churches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlidou, E.; Arapi, M.; Zorba, T.; Anastasiou, M.; Civici, N.; Stamati, F.; Paraskevopoulos, K. M.

2006-06-01

The study of the materials and techniques employed for wall painting, complementing the information from historical and aesthetic data, contributes to the integrated knowledge of the iconographer and his period. In the 16th century, regarding the iconography in the former Byzantine area, besides the School of Crete and Francos Catelanos and his school, a third artistic personality who also created his own school, Onoufrios, appeared in central Albania and expanded his activity as a painter to northern Greece as well as nearby areas, such as Ohrid. Inscriptions documenting the works of Onoufrios are found in some of the churches that he decorated with wall paintings: “St. Apostles” (1547) Kastoria Greece, “St. Nicolas” Shelcan Albania, “St. Paraskevi” (1554), Valsh Albania, while are attributed to him the church of “St. Theodores” in Berati, Albania (before 1547) and others. He is one of the best icon painters of the whole Balkan region, and the best painter that has ever worked in Albanian territory. Onoufrios managed to combine the local painting tradition with the best tradition of the eastern (Paleologian) and western (Italian) schools, resulting in a realistic and natural depiction. He is the creator of the “Berati School” that expanded to other parts of the peninsula. His individual character can be distinguished in the work of his students: his son Nikolaos (who inherited his style in painting), Onoufrios from Cyprus, etc. Based on careful observations, we extracted number of paint samples from wall paintings of three of the above mentioned churches. Ground and paint layers were examined using micro-FTIR, Optical Microscopy, TXRF and SEM-EDS, to characterize materials and methods used by the artist to create these works. Our findings in each church are discussed and compared with the others in order to understand how and with what material and resources the painter worked and how he developed his technique. The presence of calcium carbonate as the main component in all FTIR measurements points to a fresco technique. Pigments like red and yellow ochre, carbon black, green earth, calcium carbonate are used in all cases. The use of gypsum in the plaster construction is characteristic. The deterioration of the wall paintings due to environmental effects different in every church is also examined.

Small terrestrial mammals of Albania: distribution and diversity (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Rodentia)

PubMed Central

Bego, Ferdinand; Saçdanaku, Enerit; Pacifici, Michela; Rondinini, Carlo

2018-01-01

Abstract In this paper new records are reported for 23 species of small terrestrial mammals (STM) of Albania collected during the field work campaigns organised in the framework of the project “Strengthening capacity in National Nature Protection – preparation for Natura 2000 network” (NaturAL) in Albania during the summer and autumn of 2016 and 2017 Data on small mammals were primarily collected through Sherman live-trapping campaigns in six high priority protected areas of Albania: Korab-Koritnik, Bredhi i Hotovës, Tomorri, Llogara-Karaburun, Divjakë-Karavasta, Liqeni i Shkodrës (Skadar lake), Lëpushë-Vermosh. Other data were obtained by analysis of owl pellets or by direct observation of individuals (dead or alive) in the field. For 21 species Erinaceus roumanicus, Neomys anomalus, Crocidura suaveolens, Crocidura leucodon, Suncus etruscus, Talpa stankovici/caeca, Myocastor coypus, Sciurus vulgaris, Glis glis, Dryomys nitedula, Muscardinus avellanarius, Microtus levis/arvalis, Microtus subterraneus, Microtus thomasi, Microtus felteni, Myodes glareolus, Apodemus sylvaticus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus epimelas, Mus musculus, and Mus macedonicus additional records are provide and their distributions reviewed, while the presence of two new species of shrews (Sorex araneus and Sorex minutus) for Albania is reported for the first time. A comprehensive review of the published and unpublished distribution records of STM species of the country is made, together with an updated checklist and distribution maps of the species. PMID:29670434

Aligning and synchronization of MIS5 proxy records from Lake Ohrid (FYROM) with independently dated Mediterranean archives: implications for DEEP core chronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanchetta, Giovanni; Regattieri, Eleonora; Giaccio, Biagio; Wagner, Bernd; Sulpizio, Roberto; Francke, Alex; Vogel, Hendrik; Sadori, Laura; Masi, Alessia; Sinopoli, Gaia; Lacey, Jack H.; Leng, Melanie J.; Leicher, Niklas

2016-05-01

The DEEP site sediment sequence obtained during the ICDP SCOPSCO project at Lake Ohrid was dated using tephrostratigraphic information, cyclostratigraphy, and orbital tuning through the marine isotope stages (MIS) 15-1. Although this approach is suitable for the generation of a general chronological framework of the long succession, it is insufficient to resolve more detailed palaeoclimatological questions, such as leads and lags of climate events between marine and terrestrial records or between different regions. Here, we demonstrate how the use of different tie points can affect cyclostratigraphy and orbital tuning for the period between ca. 140 and 70 ka and how the results can be correlated with directly/indirectly radiometrically dated Mediterranean marine and continental proxy records. The alternative age model presented here shows consistent differences with that initially proposed by Francke et al. (2015) for the same interval, in particular at the level of the MIS6-5e transition. According to this new age model, different proxies from the DEEP site sediment record support an increase of temperatures between glacial to interglacial conditions, which is almost synchronous with a rapid increase in sea surface temperature observed in the western Mediterranean. The results show how a detailed study of independent chronological tie points is important to align different records and to highlight asynchronisms of climate events. Moreover, Francke et al. (2016) have incorporated the new chronology proposed for tephra OH-DP-0499 in the final DEEP age model. This has reduced substantially the chronological discrepancies between the DEEP site age model and the model proposed here for the last glacial-interglacial transition.

Tectonics, climate, and the rise and demise of continental aquatic species richness hotspots.

PubMed

Neubauer, Thomas A; Harzhauser, Mathias; Georgopoulou, Elisavet; Kroh, Andreas; Mandic, Oleg

2015-09-15

Continental aquatic species richness hotspots are unevenly distributed across the planet. In present-day Europe, only two centers of biodiversity exist (Lake Ohrid on the Balkans and the Caspian Sea). During the Neogene, a wide variety of hotspots developed in a series of long-lived lakes. The mechanisms underlying the presence of richness hotspots in different geological periods have not been properly examined thus far. Based on Miocene to Recent gastropod distributions, we show that the existence and evolution of such hotspots in inland-water systems are tightly linked to the geodynamic history of the European continent. Both past and present hotspots are related to the formation and persistence of long-lived lake systems in geological basins or to isolation of existing inland basins and embayments from the marine realm. The faunal evolution within hotspots highly depends on warm climates and surface area. During the Quaternary icehouse climate and extensive glaciations, limnic biodiversity sustained a severe decline across the continent and most former hotspots disappeared. The Recent gastropod distribution is mainly a geologically young pattern formed after the Last Glacial Maximum (19 ky) and subsequent formation of postglacial lakes. The major hotspots today are related to long-lived lakes in preglacially formed, permanently subsiding geological basins.

Tectonics, climate, and the rise and demise of continental aquatic species richness hotspots

PubMed Central

Neubauer, Thomas A.; Harzhauser, Mathias; Georgopoulou, Elisavet; Kroh, Andreas; Mandic, Oleg

2015-01-01

Continental aquatic species richness hotspots are unevenly distributed across the planet. In present-day Europe, only two centers of biodiversity exist (Lake Ohrid on the Balkans and the Caspian Sea). During the Neogene, a wide variety of hotspots developed in a series of long-lived lakes. The mechanisms underlying the presence of richness hotspots in different geological periods have not been properly examined thus far. Based on Miocene to Recent gastropod distributions, we show that the existence and evolution of such hotspots in inland-water systems are tightly linked to the geodynamic history of the European continent. Both past and present hotspots are related to the formation and persistence of long-lived lake systems in geological basins or to isolation of existing inland basins and embayments from the marine realm. The faunal evolution within hotspots highly depends on warm climates and surface area. During the Quaternary icehouse climate and extensive glaciations, limnic biodiversity sustained a severe decline across the continent and most former hotspots disappeared. The Recent gastropod distribution is mainly a geologically young pattern formed after the Last Glacial Maximum (19 ky) and subsequent formation of postglacial lakes. The major hotspots today are related to long-lived lakes in preglacially formed, permanently subsiding geological basins. PMID:26305934

A new freshwater snail genus (Hydrobiidae, Gastropoda) from Montenegro, with a discussion on gastropod diversity and endemism in Skadar Lake

PubMed Central

Pešić, Vladimir; Glöer, Peter

2013-01-01

Abstract Karucia sublacustrina a new species of freshwater snails (Hydrobiidae, Gastropoda) is described based on material collected from Skadar Lake (Montenegro, Albania). The new species belongs to monotypic genus Karucia gen. n. The shell morphology and body shape of the new genus resembles Radomaniola Szarowska, 2006 and Grossuana Radoman, 1973, from which it differs in the larger shells with relatively slim and a slightly, but clearly shouldered body whorl. The number of gastropods from Skadar Lake basin tallies now 50 species. The adjusted rate of gastropod endemicity for Skadar Lake basin is estimated to be 38%. By compiling faunal and taxonomic data we also aim to provide information of relevance as to conservation efforts. PMID:23794834

Exploring Holocene climate fluctuations registered in Bosnian stalagmites adopting a multiproxy approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiarini, Veronica; Couchoud, Isabelle; Drysdale, Russell; Bajo, Petra; Milanolo, Simone; Hellstrom, John; De Waele, Jo

2016-04-01

The central Mediterranean area, a crucial region for present day and future climate change, has been characterised by contrasting patterns between northern and southern climate influences over the Holocene (e.g. Magny et al., 2012; Peyron et al., 2013). Several records from the Italian Peninsula identify this phenomenon: relatively dry conditions experienced during the first half of the Holocene are followed by an increase in moisture in the northern regions, while in the southern portion of the Peninsula the opposite trend occurs. On the Balkan side of the Adriatic Sea, this contrasting pattern is less well documented. The available studies focused on lake sediments show a more gradual and less warm early Holocene and more stable conditions during the early-mid Holocene compared to Italy (Bordon et al., 2009; Vogel et al., 2010). Several speleothems have been collected from Banja Stijena and Govještica Caves (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Preliminary U-Th dating allowed to choose the five most promising samples for further study. Stable oxygen and carbon isotopes have been analysed along the stalagmite growth axes and trace elements of one sample have been investigated. Air-mass back-trajectory analyses of present day precipitation in the area have been performed in association with GNIP rainfall isotope data analyses, with the aim of understanding the parameters driving rainfall stable oxygen isotope composition variations. Considering the impossibility of having a detailed monitoring of cave conditions due to the practical difficulties of identifying the original location of the samples collected, petrographic observations have been coupled with δ13C and δ18O in order to improve the understanding of the environmental processes recorded by these samples, as suggested in Frisia (2015) and Borsato et al. (2015). Here we will present the results of these multiproxy analyses, exploring the potential of these samples in recording regional climate fluctuations and discussing their implications for a better understanding of Holocene climate dynamics in the Balkans. References Bordon A. et al. (2009). Pollen-inferred Late-Glacial and Holocene climate in southern Balkans (Lake Maliq). Quat. Int. 200, 19-30. Borsato A. et al. (2015). Carbon dioxide concentration in temperate climate caves and parent soils over an altitudinal gradient and its influence on speleothem growth and fabrics. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms 40(9), 1158-1170. Frisia S. (2015). Microstratigrahic logging of calcite fabrics in speleothems as tool for palaeoclimate studies. Int. J. Spel. 44(1), 1-16. Magny M. et al. (2012). Contrasting patterns of precipitation seasonality during the Holocene in the south- and north-central Mediterranean. J. Quat. Sci. 27, 290-296. Peyron O. et al. (2013). Contrasting patters of climatic changes during the Holocene across the Italian Peninsula reconstructed from pollen data. Clim. Past 9, 1233-1252. Vogel H. et al. (2010). A paleoclimate record with tephrochronological age control for the last glacial-interglacial cycle from Lake Ohrid, Albania and Macedonia. J. Paleolimnol. 44, 295-310.

Holocene evolution of Lake Shkodra: Multidisciplinary evidence for diachronic landscape change in northern Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzini, Ilaria; Gliozzi, Elsa; Galaty, Michael; Bejko, Lorenc; Sadori, Laura; Soulié-Märsche, Ingeborg; Koçi, Rexhep; Van Welden, Aurelien; Bushati, Salvatore

2016-03-01

A multidisciplinary micro-paleontological study of a sediment core (SK19) drilled in the coastal area of Lake Shkodra, northern Albania, integrated with archaeological data from the Projekti Arkeologjikë i Shkodrës (PASH), provides compelling evidence for a long-term relationship between Shkodra's natural environment and its inhabitants. Charophyte and ostracod data recovered from SK19 combined with those already studied from the distal core SK13 (Mazzini et al., 2015), reveal important information concerning the changing characteristics of the water body through time. In particular, the ostracod fauna display a truly Balkanic character with eight taxa endemic to the area. Palaeoenvironmental analysis of the two cores indicates that a wide marshland extended towards the present eastern coast of the lake, fed discontinuously both by surface- and ground-water, beginning sometime before 12,140 cal yrs BP. For about 7000 years ostracods do not record any significant changes, whereas the Characeae record in the proximal zone displays important variations. Those variations do not match any of the climatic oscillations revealed in previous studies by δ18O or pollen data, thereby implicating human activities. Ostracods and charophytes indicate that permanent shallow waters occurred in the Shkodra basin only around 5800 cal yrs BP. Historical sources of the Roman Empire indicate a swamp (the Palus labeatis), crossed by the River Morača, which flowed into the River Buna. Evidence for local fires, whether natural or anthropogenic, is recorded in SK13, scattered between 4400 and 1200 yrs BP. From 4400 to 2000 yrs BP, during the Bronze and Iron Age, hill forts ringed the marsh and burial mounds marked its edges. But around 2000 cal yrs BP, a dramatic change in the water body occurred: the disappearance of Characeae. Possibly fires were used for the elimination of natural vegetation and the subsequent cultivation of olive and walnut trees, causing an increase on organic matter input into the lake and thus, resulting on the disappearance of the Characeae due to higher turbidity in lake waters. This change occurred shortly after the arrival of the Romans. At 1200 cal yrs BP the marshland evolved into the large shallow lake we know today. This change is marked in the ostracod assemblages of both cores and agrees with trends in aquatic and riparian plants and may have allowed or encouraged exponential population growth beginning in the early-middle Medieval period and peaking in the late Medieval, as indicated in PASH settlement data. The use of different but complementary methods, drawn from palaeontology and archaeology, allowed reconstruction of Shkodra's past landscapes, linking the natural evolution of a Mediterranean lacustrine basin to regional population and settlement dynamics. This is the first research project to explore the relationship between natural and cultural landscapes and environmental change in northern Albania, forming the basis for further, more detailed studies.

Seasonal changes in hepatocytic lipid droplets, glycogen deposits, and rough endoplasmic reticulum along the natural breeding cycle of female ohrid trout (Salmo letnica Kar.)-A semiquantitative ultrastructural study.

PubMed

Jordanova, Maja; Rebok, Katerina; Malhão, Fernanda; Rocha, Maria J; Rocha, Eduardo

2016-08-01

This study on wild female Ohrid trout was primarily designed to provide a general overview of the breeding cycle influence upon selected aspects of hepatocytes. According with a semiquantitatively evaluation, some of these cell's structural compartments change during the breeding cycle. Structural modifications were disclosed in the relative occurrence of lipid, glycogen, and RER content during breeding cycle. The relative amount of lipid deposits in the hepatocytes was much greater in previtellogenesis, and decreased postspawning. So, while the seasonal changes in RER were positively related with the ovary maturation status, those of the lipid droplets followed an opposite trend. The hepatocytic glycogen occurred rarely, mainly in late-vitellogenesis and spawning, suggesting that in this species such kind of energy storage is comparatively unimportant. Lipid accumulation and later usage is, probably, the relevant biochemical pathway for Ohrid trout in the wild. While glycogen and RER contents were positively correlated with the gonadosomatic index, lipids were negatively correlated. Additionally, glycogen inclusions were positively correlated with the plasma estradiol levels. When comparing seasonal patterns from wild Ohrid trout with those from well-studied rainbow and brown trout (specimens studied were from aquaculture), there are contradicting results as to lipid and glycogen reserves, and also as to RER loads. The differences among the mentioned trout can result from intrinsic interspecies differences or may be associated with natural feeding conditions versus feeding with commercially prepared diets, or other factors. This study offers new data useful as standard to access liver pathology in wild and aquacultured Ohrid trout. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:700-706, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Alburnus benthopelagic fish species of the Western Balkan Peninsula: An assessment of their sustainable use.

PubMed

Simić, Vladica; Simić, Snežana; Paunović, Momir; Radojković, Nataša; Petrović, Ana; Talevski, Trajče; Milošević, Djuradj

2016-01-01

In this study, we aimed to assess the population status of bleak (Alburnus spp.) over the Western Balkan Peninsula in terms of its sustainable use. A second objective was to determine key factors important for fishery management planning. Two different basins, continental (the Danube Basin and the Sava River sub-basin) and marine (the Adriatic and the Aegean Sea Basins) were examined. A sustainability assessment and factor analysis were conducted using the adjusted ESHIPPOfishing model, extended with additional socio-economic sub-elements, and the categorical principal components analysis (CATPCA), respectively. The results of the assessment revealed the bleak populations in the Danube Basin and the Sava River sub-basin to be highly sustainable. The population characteristics with abiotic and biotic factors were responsible for this status, while the influence of socio-economic factors was insignificant. The sustainability status of the bleak populations of the Mediterranean basin varied, with the populations from Ohrid and Skadar Lakes showing a high and those from Prespa and Dojran Lakes a medium status. Socio-economic factors with traditional fishing were the most important for the Mediterranean bleak populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Indigenous West Nile virus infections in horses in Albania.

PubMed

Berxholi, K; Ziegler, U; Rexhepi, A; Schmidt, K; Mertens, M; Korro, K; Cuko, A; Angenvoort, J; Groschup, M H

2013-11-01

Serum samples collected from 167 equines of 12 districts in Albania were tested for West Nile virus-specific antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and virus neutralization assay, using WNV lineage 1 and 2. In addition, 95 bird serum samples from Albania and 29 horse samples from Kosovo were tested in ELISA. An overall seroprevalence rate of 22% was found in horses from Albania, whereas no specific antibodies were found in the equine samples from Kosovo and the bird samples. This is the first report indicating WNV infections in animals in Albania, and the first reported seroprevalence study conducted for Kosovo. These results provide evidence for widespread infections of WNV in Albania. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The Priorities of English for Business in Albania and the Intercultural Communicative Competences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyso, Kozeta; Alimema, Zamira

2015-01-01

New developments in the years of democracy in Albania enabled the English out of business in the first plan as the need for businessmen and students studying for business. Albania is rapidly changing with the aim of being part of the process of development and globalization. The higher education in Albania is facing challenges posed by…

Effects of climate change on deep-water oxygen and winter mixing in a deep lake (Lake Geneva)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwefel, Robert; Alfred, Wüest; Damien, Bouffard

2016-04-01

Oxygen is the most important dissolved gas for lake ecosystems. Because low oxygen concentrations are an ongoing problem in many parts of the oceans and numerous lakes, oxygen depletion processes have been intensively studied over the last decades and were mainly attributed to high nutrient loads. Recently, climate-induced changes in stratification and mixing behavior were recognized as additional thread to hypolimnetic oxygen budgets in lakes and reservoirs [Matzinger et al., 2007; Zhang et al., 2015]. Observational data of Lake Geneva, a deep perialpine lake situated between France and Switzerland showed no decreasing trend in hypoxia over the last 43 years, despite an impressive reduction in nutrient input during this period. Instead, hypoxic conditions were predominantly controlled by deep mixing end of winter and in turn by winter temperatures. To test the sensitivity of Lake Geneva on future climate change and changes in water transparency, we simulated the hydrodynamics and temperature of Lake Geneva under varying conditions for atmospheric temperature and water clarity performed with the one-dimensional model SIMSTRAT [Goudsmit, 2002]. The results show, that the stratification in lakes is only weakly affected by changes in light absorption due to varying water quality. For conditions expected for the end of the century, a decrease in the annual mean deep convective mixing of up to 45 m is predicted. Also complete mixing events over the whole lake are less likely to occur. A change in the hypolimnetic oxygen concentration of up to 20% can thus be expected in the future. These results show, that changes in deep mixing have an equally strong impact as eutrophication on the deep-water oxygen development of oligomictic lakes and have to be considered in the prediction of the future development of lakes. References: Goudsmit, G. H., H. Burchard, F. Peeters, and A. Wüest (2002), Application of k-ɛ turbulence models to enclosed basins: The role of internal seiches, J. Geophys. Res., 107(C12), 3230. Matzinger, A., M. Schmid, E. Veljanoska-Sarafiloska, S. Patceva, D. Guseska, B. Wagner, B. Müller, M. Sturm, and A. Wüest (2007), Eutrophication of ancient Lake Ohrid: Global warming amplifies detrimental effects of increased nutrient inputs, Limnol. Oceanogr., 52(1), 338-353. Zhang, Y., Z. Wu, M. Liu, J. He, K. Shi, Y. Zhou, M. Wang, and X. Liu (2015), Dissolved oxygen stratification and response to thermal structure and long-term climate change in a large and deep subtropical reservoir (Lake Qiandaohu, China), Water Res., 75, 249-258.

Women in physics in Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deda, Antoneta

2013-03-01

A study is presented about women physicists in Albania, their problems, their achievements, the work done by the Women in Physics Group in Albania, the difficulties of attracting more girls to the field of physics, and plans and projects for the future to improve the situation.

A MIS 9/MIS 8 speleothem record of hydrological variability from Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regattieri, Eleonora; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Isola, Ilaria; Bajo, Petra; Perchiazzi, Natale; Drysdale, Russell N.; Boschi, Chiara; Hellstrom, John C.; Francke, Alexander; Wagner, Bernd

2018-03-01

The period corresponding to Marine Isotope Stages 9 (MIS 9) offers the opportunity to study orbital and sub-orbital scale climate variability under boundary conditions different from those of better studied intervals such as the Holocene and the Last Interglacial. Yet, it is poorly represented in independently-dated continental archives around the Mediterranean Region. Here, we present a speleothem stable isotope record (δ18O and δ13C) from the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M., southern Balkans), which consists of two periods of growth broadly covering the ca. 332 to 292 ka and the ca. 264 to 248 ka intervals (MIS 9e-b and late MIS 8). We interpret the speleothem δ18O as mostly related to regional hydrology, with variations that can be interpreted as due to changes in rainfall amount, with higher/lower values associated to drier/wetter condition. This interpretation is corroborated by a change in mineralogical composition between aragonite and calcite at ca. 328 ka, which marks increasing precipitation at the onset of MIS 9 and occurs within a trend of decreasing δ18O values. Also the comparison with the multiproxy climate record available from the nearby Lake Ohrid seems to support the proposed interpretation. The MIS 9e interglacial appears to be characterized by wettest conditions between ca. 326 and 321 ka, i.e. lasting ca. 5 kyr. Decreasing precipitation and enhanced millennial scale variability matches the glacial inception (MIS9 d to b), with drier events at ca. 319 ka (ca. 2 kyr long) and 310 ka (ca. 1 kyr long), and a major rainfall reduction between 306 and 298 ka. The latter is followed by a prominent wetter period between 298 and 295 ka, for which carbon data values suggest high infiltration rate. Rainfall decreases again after 295 ka, and remain low until the growth interruption at ca. 292 ka. Resumption of the growth and progressive soil development, expressed by the carbon isotope record, occurred during the late part of MIS 8. Despite the rather high temporal uncertainty (average 6 ka), the speleothem hydrological record complements the environmental information provided by the Lake Ohrid record and also fits well to the framework of regional and extra-regional variability, showing similarities with pollen records from southern and western Europe, both at orbital and at sub-orbital time scale.

Albania.

PubMed

1986-11-01

Background notes on Albania, by the U.S. State Department, are brief because of scarce information from this tightly controlled communist nation. Albania is on the Adriatic coast between Greece and Yugoslavia. Albania has about 3 million people. Literacy is reported to be 75%; life expectancy 72 years. Per capita income is $900, the poorest and most agricultural of all Europe, but nevertheless, they are not self-sufficient in food. There are 2 ethnic groups, and 70% were formerly Muslim, although religious practice is banned. Albania has been under the domination of some other power for virtually all of its history, notably the Turks for centuries, and its own puppet communist regime since 1941. The communist government was aligned with Yugoslavia until 1948, then with Russia until 1961, then with China until 1978, and now is on its own. Albania has no relations or aid from any major power, and attempts to export goods to Western European countries in exchange for imported needs, largely machinery and equipment. Exports include electric power, metal ores, copper, petroleum, coal, tobacco, and textiles.

Entrepreneurial Learning in Vocational Education and Training in Albania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldroyd, David; Nikolovska, Margareta; Xhillari, Lindita

2011-01-01

This report follows an exploratory investigation of the situation and policies relating to entrepreneurial learning in Albania, as part of ETF 2009 country activities. A research project on entrepreneurial learning has been set up in Albania, aiming to help the key country stakeholders to comprehend the challenges that the country is facing,…

Medical education in Albania: Challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Turkeshi, Eralda

2011-01-01

Albania is a small south-eastern European country still recovering from almost half a century of a fierce communist regime. While major reform and support have focused on healthcare and higher education (HE) in the past decade, there have not been major attempts to improve medical education. The time is now ready for medical education improvements created by increasing internal and external pressures as Albania aims to align its HE with the European Union standards and adapts the Bologna system. This article presents a summary of the current status of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuous medical education in Albania and suggests opportunities for development and partnerships that would help the country's medical education reform.

Molecular characterization of wild-type polioviruses isolated in Greece during the 1996 outbreak in Albania.

PubMed

Kyriakopoulou, Zaharoula; Kottaridi, Christine; Dedepsidis, Evaggelos; Bolanaki, Eugenia; Levidiotou-Stefanou, Stamatina; Markoulatos, Panayotis

2006-03-01

During the present study three type 1 poliovirus strains isolated in Greece during the 1996 poliomyelitis outbreak in Albania were retrospectively investigated and determination of their relationship with other epidemic strains isolated in Albania or elsewhere during previous epidemics was attempted. SimPlot analysis revealed that the three Greek strains are the result of a recombination event in the VP2 coding region.

New records for Albania based on taxa from the Prespa National Park

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Twelve taxa are enumerated as new and three taxa confirmed for the flora of Albania. They were collected between 2007 and 2012 in the Prespa National Park of Albania which is part of the Prespa International Park, a biological protected area at the borders with F.Y.R. Macedonia and Greece. Four taxa, viz., Centaurea galicicae, Festuca galicicae, Laserpitium ochridanum and Micromeria cristata subsp. kosaninii are restricted to Dry and Galičica Mountains. Centaurea decora, a recently described species, is treated as a synonym of Centaurea soskae thus extending the known localities of the latter to the southeast. Detailed information on distribution, occurrence and habitats in Albania are provided for each taxon. PMID:24723753

Democratization in Albania: The OSCE, NATO and the European Union

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

html? maca =en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf (accessed 4 March 2010). 263 Manuel Montobbio de Balanzo, Spanish Ambassador to Albania, http://www.dw- world.de/dw...article/0,,5259561,00.html? maca =en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf (accessed 4 March 2010). 264 Reinhard Priebe, The Western Balkan European Perspective, http...world.de/dw/article/0,,5259561,00.html? maca =en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf (accessed 4 March 2010). European Commission Enlargement, Albania – Questions

Human-climate interactions in the central Mediterranean region during the last millennia: The laminated record of Lake Butrint (Albania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morellón, Mario; Anselmetti, Flavio S.; Ariztegui, Daniel; Brushulli, Brunhilda; Sinopoli, Gaia; Wagner, Bernd; Sadori, Laura; Gilli, Adrian; Pambuku, Arben

2016-03-01

Lake Butrint (39°47 N, 20°1 E) is a ca. 21 m deep, coastal lagoon located in SW Albania where finely-laminated sediments have been continuously deposited during the last millennia. The multi-proxy analysis (sedimentology, high-resolution elemental geochemistry and pollen) of a 12 m long sediment core, supported by seven AMS radiocarbon dates and 137Cs dating, enable a precise reconstruction of the environmental change that occurred in the central Mediterranean region during the last ∼4.5 cal kyrs BP. Sediments consist of triplets of authigenic carbonates, organic matter and clayey laminae. Fluctuations in the thickness and/or presence of these different types of seasonal laminae indicate variations in water salinity, organic productivity and runoff in the lake's catchment, as a result of the complex interplay of tectonics, anthropogenic forcing and climate variability. The progradation of the Pavllo river delta, favoured by variable human activity from the nearby ancient city of Butrint, led to the progressive isolation of this hydrological system from the Ionian Sea. The system evolved from an open bay to a restricted lagoon, which is consistent with archaeological data. An abrupt increase in mass-wasting activity between 1515 and 1450 BC, likely caused by nearby seismic activity, led to the accumulation of 24 homogenites, up to 17 cm thick. They have been deposited during the onset of finely laminated sedimentation, which indicates restricted, anoxic bottom water conditions and higher salinity. Periods of maximum water salinity, biological productivity, and carbonate precipitation coincide with warmer intervals, such as the early Roman Warm Period (RWP) (500 BC-0 AD), the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) (800-1400 AD) and recent times (after 1800 AD). Conversely, lower salinity and more oxic conditions, with higher clastic input were recorded during 1400-500 BC, the Late Roman and the Early Medieval periods (0-800 AD) and during the Little Ice Age (1400-1800 AD). Hydrological fluctuations recorded in Butrint are in phase with most central and western Mediterranean records and correlate with NAO variability. In contrast, opposite hydrological patterns have been recorded in the Eastern Balkans and the Levant during the last millennium, emphasizing a complex spatial variability in the region. Phases of maximum settlement intensity in Butrint (Roman-Late Antique) coincide with warmer and/or stable climate periods (0-800 AD and MCA, respectively), indicating a long-term influence of climatic conditions on human activities. The Late Holocene sedimentary record of Lake Butrint demonstrates the complex interplay of climate variability, tectonics and human impact in the recent evolution of coastal Mediterranean regions.

75 FR 63242 - Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Junior Faculty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-14

... the early stages of their careers from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia... sciences from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo...

Bulletin of Forest Fire risk in Albania- The experience of the Albania National Centre for forecast and Monitoring of Natural Risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berdufi, I.; Jaupaj, O.; Marku, M.; Deda, M.; Fiori, E.; D'Andrea, M.; Biondi, G.; Fioruci, P.; Massabò, M.; Zorba, P.; Gjonaj, M.

2012-04-01

In the territory of Albania usually every year around 1000 ha are affected by forest fires, from which about 500 ha are completely destroyed. The number of forest fires (nf), with the burning surface (bs) in years has been like this: during the years 1988-1998: nf / bs = 2.19, 1998-2001: nf / bs = 5.66, year 2002 -2005: nf / bs = 8.2, and during the years 2005-2006: nf / bs = 11.9, while economic losses in a year by forest fires is about 2 million of Euro. The increase in years of these figures and the last floods which happened in the last two years in Shkoder, led to an international cooperation, that between the Italian Civil Protection Department and the Albania General Directorate of Civil Emergency. The focus of this cooperation was the building capacity of the Albanian National System of Civil Protection in forecasting, monitoring and prevention forest fires and floods risks. As a result of this collaboration the "National Center for the Forecast and Monitoring of Natural Risks", was set up at the Institute of Geosciences, Energy, Water and Environment. The Center is the first of its kind in Albania. The mission of the Center is the prediction and monitoring of the forest fire and flood risk in the Albanian territory, as a tools for risk reduction and mitigation. The first step to achieve this strategy was the implementation of the forest fires risk forecast model "RISICO". RISICO was adapted for whole Albania territory by CIMA Research Foundation. The Center, in the summer season, issues a daily bulletin. The bulletin reports the potential risk scenarios related with the ignition and propagation of fires in Albania. The bulletin is broadcasted through email or fax within 12.00 AM of each working day. It highlights where and when severe risk conditions may occur within the next 48 hours

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in ticks collected from livestock in Albania.

PubMed

Papa, Anna; Velo, Enkeleda; Kadiaj, Perparim; Tsioka, Katerina; Kontana, Anastasia; Kota, Majlinda; Bino, Silvia

2017-10-01

Albania is a Balkan country endemic for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF). It was shown previously that CCHF virus (CCHFV) sequences from Albanian patients cluster into Europe 1 clade. Aim of the present study was to test for CCHFV ticks collected in several regions of Albania, and to determine the genetic lineage(s) of the CCHFV strains in relation with their geographic distribution. A total of 726 ticks (366 Hyalomma marginatum, 349 Rhipicephalus bursa and 11 Rhipicephalus sanguineus) collected from livestock during 2007-2014 were included in the study. Thirty of 215 (13.9%) tick pools were positive for CCHFV. Lineage Europe 1 was detected in H. marginatum ticks collected in the endemic region of Albania, while lineage Europe 2 was detected mainly in R. bursa ticks in various regions of the country. Both genetic lineages were detected in the CCHF endemic area (northeastern Albania), while only Europe 2 lineage was detected in the south of the country. A higher genetic diversity was seen among Europe 2 than Europe 1 Albanian sequences (mean distance 3.7% versus 1%), suggesting a longer evolution of AP92-like strains (Europe 2) in their tick hosts. The present study shows that besides CCHFV lineage Europe 1, lineage Europe 2 is also present in Albania. Combined with results from recent studies, it is concluded that lineage Europe 2 is widely spread in the Balkans and Turkey, and is associated mainly with R. bursa ticks (at least in this region). Its pathogenicity and impact to the public health remain to be elucidated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Kosovo Conflict: Emerging Relationships and Implications for Greece

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-01

geographic and political peace-maker. Unofficial recommendations include: integrate Slovenia, Romania , Bulgaria, Albania, and Former Yugoslav Republic of...integrate Slovenia, Romania , Bulgaria, Albania, and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) into the EU to facilitate a common Balkan and

Epidemiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Southern Albania.

PubMed

Koko, Vjollca; Ndrepepa, Ana; Skenderaj, Skender

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, incidence and the burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Southern Albania. This is an epidemiologic observational study with cross-sectional analyses of all patients with RA who lived in Southern Albania during the 1995-2011 years. The RA prevalence, incidence and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) were assessed. During the 1995-2011 years, 194 patients (154 females and 40 males) with RA living in Southern Albania were identified. The prevalence of RA in 2011 was 0.25% in general population and 0.34% in adult (>14 years) population. The incidence of RA in 2011 was 0.012% (12 new cases per 100000 inhabitants) and 0.016% (16 new cases per 100000 adults). The prevalence increased (from 0.036% in 1996 to 0.25% in 2011) and the incidence did not change over the study period. The mortality was 3.2% (n=7 deaths). The DALY due to RA was 823 years per 100000 inhabitants during 1995-2011 years. RA in Southern Albania has a prevalence of 0.25 % and an annual incidence of 0.012% in the general population in 2011. RA was responsible for a considerable burden on the health of population during the 1995-2011 years.

Epidemiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Southern Albania

PubMed Central

Koko, Vjollca; Ndrepepa, Ana; Skenderaj, Skender

2015-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, incidence and the burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Southern Albania. Material and Methods: This is an epidemiologic observational study with cross-sectional analyses of all patients with RA who lived in Southern Albania during the 1995-2011 years. The RA prevalence, incidence and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) were assessed. Results: During the 1995-2011 years, 194 patients (154 females and 40 males) with RA living in Southern Albania were identified. The prevalence of RA in 2011 was 0.25% in general population and 0.34% in adult (>14 years) population. The incidence of RA in 2011 was 0.012% (12 new cases per 100000 inhabitants) and 0.016% (16 new cases per 100000 adults). The prevalence increased (from 0.036% in 1996 to 0.25% in 2011) and the incidence did not change over the study period. The mortality was 3.2% (n=7 deaths). The DALY due to RA was 823 years per 100000 inhabitants during 1995-2011 years. Conclusion: RA in Southern Albania has a prevalence of 0.25 % and an annual incidence of 0.012% in the general population in 2011. RA was responsible for a considerable burden on the health of population during the 1995-2011 years. PMID:26236163

Religious Education after Conflicts: Promoting Social Cohesion or Entrenching Existing Cleavages?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontana, Giuditta

2016-01-01

This article considers initiatives to reform religious education after violent identity-based conflicts in Lebanon, Northern Ireland and Macedonia. The Taif Agreement, the Belfast Agreement and the Ohrid Agreement mapped extensive education reforms and established consociational power-sharing in the three jurisdictions, altering state identity and…

The Introduction of Agility into Albania.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Stevens, Eileen J.; Shkurti, Drita

1998-01-01

Describes a plan to introduce and achieve a national awareness of agility (and easy entry into the world market) for Albania through the relatively stable higher-education order. Agility's four strategic principles are enriching the customer, cooperating to enhance competitiveness, organizing to master change and uncertainty, and leveraging the…

Albania: Vortices of Imbalance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mema, Fatmir

2004-01-01

The transition to a market economy in Albania is a relatively long and complex process. It is characterized by the demolition of old structures and the establishment of new ones, often in parallel, until a new, completely different economic system emerges. During this difficult and innovative process, a myriad of interconnected problems have…

History Teaching in Albania Following Educational Reform in 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vuka, Denis

2015-01-01

This article explores history teaching in Albania, with particular emphasis on educational and methodological aspects of new history textbooks published after the liberalization of the school textbook market in 2008. National history textbooks serve as a basis for the assessment of changing educational principles and methodologies in history…

Training Sessions Fostering Transdisciplinary Collaboration for Sustainable Development: Albania and Kosovo Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Jonas; Mader, Marlene; Zimmermann, Friedrich; Çabiri, Ketrina

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine sustainability-related challenges in the two Western Balkan countries--Albania and Kosovo. It discusses the opportunities of local higher education institutions (HEIs) taking responsibility to tackle these challenges by providing professional development through science-society collaboration in…

Ash leachates from some recent eruptions of Mount Etna (Italy) and Popocatépetl (Mexico) volcanoes and their impact on amphibian living freshwater organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Addabbo, M.; Sulpizio, R.; Guidi, M.; Capitani, G.; Mantecca, P.; Zanchetta, G.

2015-12-01

Leaching experiments were carried out on fresh ash samples from Popocatépetl 2012, Etna 2011, and Etna 2012 eruptions, in order to investigate the release of compounds in both double-deionized and lake (Lake Ohrid, FYR of Macedonia) waters. The experiments were carried out using different grain sizes and variable stirring times (from 30 min to 7 days). Results were discussed in the light of changing pH and release of compounds for the different leachates. In particular, Etna samples induced alkalinization, and Popocatépetl samples induced acidification of the corresponding leachates. The release of different elements does not show correlation with the stirring time, with the measured maximum concentrations reached in the first hours of washing. General inverse correlation with grain size was observed only for Na+, K+, Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42-, and Mn2+, while the other analysed elements show a complex, scattering relationship with grain size. Geochemical modelling highlights leachates' saturation only for F and Si, with Popocatépetl samples sometimes showing saturation in Fe. The analysed leachates are classified as undrinkable for humans on the basis of European laws, due to excess in F-, Mn2+, Fe, and SO42- (the latter only for Popocatépetl samples). Finally, the Etna 2012 and Popocatépetl leachates were used for toxicity experiments on living biota (Xenopus laevis). They are mildly toxic, and no significant differences exist between the toxic profiles of the two leachates. In particular, no significant embryo mortality was observed; while even at high dilutions, the leachates produced more than 20 % of malformed larvae.

Vulnerability of European freshwater catchments to climate change.

PubMed

Markovic, Danijela; Carrizo, Savrina F; Kärcher, Oskar; Walz, Ariane; David, Jonathan N W

2017-09-01

Climate change is expected to exacerbate the current threats to freshwater ecosystems, yet multifaceted studies on the potential impacts of climate change on freshwater biodiversity at scales that inform management planning are lacking. The aim of this study was to fill this void through the development of a novel framework for assessing climate change vulnerability tailored to freshwater ecosystems. The three dimensions of climate change vulnerability are as follows: (i) exposure to climate change, (ii) sensitivity to altered environmental conditions and (iii) resilience potential. Our vulnerability framework includes 1685 freshwater species of plants, fishes, molluscs, odonates, amphibians, crayfish and turtles alongside key features within and between catchments, such as topography and connectivity. Several methodologies were used to combine these dimensions across a variety of future climate change models and scenarios. The resulting indices were overlaid to assess the vulnerability of European freshwater ecosystems at the catchment scale (18 783 catchments). The Balkan Lakes Ohrid and Prespa and Mediterranean islands emerge as most vulnerable to climate change. For the 2030s, we showed a consensus among the applied methods whereby up to 573 lake and river catchments are highly vulnerable to climate change. The anthropogenic disruption of hydrological habitat connectivity by dams is the major factor reducing climate change resilience. A gap analysis demonstrated that the current European protected area network covers <25% of the most vulnerable catchments. Practical steps need to be taken to ensure the persistence of freshwater biodiversity under climate change. Priority should be placed on enhancing stakeholder cooperation at the major basin scale towards preventing further degradation of freshwater ecosystems and maintaining connectivity among catchments. The catchments identified as most vulnerable to climate change provide preliminary targets for development of climate change conservation management and mitigation strategies. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trafficking of Children in Albania: Patterns of Recruitment and Reintegration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gjermeni, Eglantina; Van Hook, Mary P.; Gjipali, Saemira; Xhillari, Lindita; Lungu, Fatjon; Hazizi, Anila

2008-01-01

Problem: Many children in Albania and other countries of Eastern Europe are being trafficked as part of the global business of human trafficking. Objectives: The study sought to identify the patterns of child trafficking involving Albanian children, and especially children's views of the role of family issues and the nature of the trafficking…

Vocational Education and Training Against Social Exclusion: Albania. Country Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haxhiymeri, Edlira; Shala, Zef; Muca, Mirela

The main causes of social exclusion in Albania were studied along with ways in which vocational education and training could help combat it. The study identified target groups, analyzed existing policies and the role of education and training for target groups, and pilot tested projects to support the identified groups. The following policy…

Contraceptive social marketing in Albania - the NESMARK story.

PubMed

Paravani, Ardian; Orgocka, Aida

2013-06-01

To present the history of social marketing of modern contraceptives in Albania. We review documentation and activity of NESMARK, an Albanian non-governmental social marketing organisation, and national data on adoption of modern contraception. During 15 years of awareness raising, sales of affordable products, and provider training, NESMARK has impacted the introduction and adoption of modern contraception in Albania. NESMARK is the country's main distributor of emergency contraception (EC) and complements the public sector in the distribution of condoms and oral contraceptives. NESMARK has made major efforts to overcome prevalent taboos and misinformation held by medical and nursing personnel, pharmacists and the general public, regarding the effectiveness and safety of condoms, oral contraceptives, and EC. NESMARK has contributed to increasing the choices for modern contraception methods in Albania by providing affordable contraceptives, training providers, and educating the general population. However, widespread use of withdrawal coupled with the belief that it is as or more effective than modern contraception, continues to limit uptake of new methods and is a significant challenge to comprehensive and sustained social marketing programmes.

Emergency contraception in Albania: a multimethods qualitative study of awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices.

PubMed

Doci, Florida; Thaci, Jonida; Foster, Angel M

2018-04-11

Contraceptive prevalence is relatively low in Albania, and abortion is the mainstay of family planning. Although levonorgestrel-only emergency contraceptive pills are available, uptake of this method is minimal. Emergency contraception (EC) could play a significant role in addressing women's need for an effective and discreet pregnancy prevention method. However, information about the dynamics surrounding EC is limited. In 2016-2017, we conducted a multimethods qualitative study that aimed to explore awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices toward EC in Albania. This project comprised four components: a community-based survey with 115 respondents, six focus group discussions with women of reproductive age, 19 semistructured key informant interviews, and 16 structured interviews with retail pharmacists. We analyzed our data using descriptive statistics and for content and themes. Our findings suggest that EC is widely available in pharmacies in Albania. However, a quarter of our survey participants did not know whether EC was available, and more than a third did not think EC was safe to use. Women face numerous barriers to accessing this form of contraception. Misconceptions about hormonal contraceptives, in general, and about progestin-only EC in particular, lack of training among providers, and stigma and fear of judgment were common obstacles identified by participants. Misinformation and lack of knowledge about EC among women and providers in Albania appears common. Training health service providers, raising awareness among women, and developing linguistically and culturally resonant materials for distribution could be keys to improving access to and use of EC. Although the availability of progestin-only EC is widespread in Albania, our findings suggest that more work needs to be done to align national regulatory policies with international standards, facilitate evidence-based service delivery, and increase access to medically accurate information in Albanian. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parasites and vector-borne pathogens in client-owned dogs in Albania. Blood pathogens and seroprevalences of parasitic and other infectious agents.

PubMed

Hamel, Dietmar; Shukullari, Enstela; Rapti, Dhimitër; Silaghi, Cornelia; Pfister, Kurt; Rehbein, Steffen

2016-02-01

Knowledge on the epidemiology of parasitic and vector-borne infections is still very limited for Albania, a country located in the Balkan Peninsula in southeast Europe. Recent publications indicated prevalence rates of up to 52% for vector-borne infections in less-cared dogs in Albania. To provide data on the epidemiological situation in dogs under veterinary care, a total of 602 client-owned dogs presented to four small animal clinics between March 2010 and April 2011 in Tirana, Albania, were screened by examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears, PCR, and serological methods for the presence of arthropod-borne infections, as well as Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii. Eight different pathogens, namely Babesia vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, Leishmania infantum, Dirofilaria immitis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Ehrlichia canis, and Mycoplasma haemocanis, were detected by direct methods with prevalence rates ranging from 1 to 9%. Seroprevalence for Babesia spp., L. infantum, Anaplasma spp., and E. canis were 6.6, 5.1, 24.1, and 20.8%, respectively. Dogs >1 year of age were positive for vector-borne infections significantly more often than younger dogs (p = 0.003). More than half (51.7%) of the dogs were seroreactive to T. gondii and 18.3% to N. caninum. This is the first report on the detection of A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, E. canis, and M. haemocanis by PCR as well as the serological confirmation of exposure of dogs to N. caninum and T. gondii in Albania. The spectrum of pathogens and the seroprevalences for N. caninum and T. gondii in client-owned dogs from Tirana, Albania, are comparable to that reported in other countries in the Mediterranean Basin. The prevalence rates of vector-borne pathogens are at the lower range of that reported in studies from this geographical region. This is probably due to increased awareness of the owners of pet dogs, including better husbandry conditions and ectoparasiticidal treatment, thus limiting exposure of dogs to vectors.

The Evoluation Impact of the Geological Environment in Expansion of Ancient Civilization at Butrint - Foenike Region, Southern Albania.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavaja, V. S.; Durmishi, S.; Vincani, F. N.

2003-12-01

The rise, creation and decline of the ancient civilization depended on paleo-geographic development changing at the geological environmental.This region is a worldknown archaeological site protected by UNESCO. The area under investigation occupies about 80 km2 and encompassing a large expanse of land at southern and northern side of the Butrinti lake, which is with oval shape and 21.5 depth. Throughout its long history, Butrint had an interactive relationship with its hinterland and the even-changing coastline. Preliminary research suggests that in the Holocene the Lake of Butrint was a sea inlet that stretched 20 km to north of Butrint, as far as the city of Foenike, later Epirot capital. Today the Butrint Lake is just 7.5 km long, being the result of gradual silting up this inlet with soils brought down by Bistrica River in the north side and Pavllo River in the South from surrounding mountain ranges. The goal of this study is investigation of the link between the evolution of Butrinti lake and hydrologicacal systems of the lake, its silting history and how this has impacted and interacted with land and human activity. Histories of terrestrial erosion, near-shore sediment redistribution, times, subsidence and compaction, land-sea interaction are obvious now. Geophysical observation consist of vertical electric soundings (V.E.S.) and magnetic measurements inside a layout of 80 km2. The soundings data, particularly resistivity variations are the base for sedimentologic studies due to the lack of boreholes. For a gravel deposition, in addition to the usual parameter maps as resistivity and thickness maps, combined multiparametric characterization maps have been plotted. Based on the sedimentologic and structural factors studied and geophysical maps and cross-sections, plenty of geomorphic problems are resolve. The evaluations of the regional water bearing are estimated, separating salty waters area.

Prospects for Inclusive Education in European Countries Emerging from Economic and Other Trauma: Serbia and Albania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radoman, Vesna; Nano, Virxhil; Closs, Alison

2006-01-01

This paper examines recent historical, social and economic factors in Albania and Serbia, identifying similarities and differences that have a bearing on the provision of education. The focus is on the education of children with difficulties in learning and/or disabilities (the term "special needs" is used for brevity). The paper…

A Comparison Study of 9th Graders in the U.S. and Albania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garo, Sofokli

2008-01-01

The purpose of this research is to compare American and Albanian students' achievement in Algebra 1 and to identify the educational practices that influence students' achievement in each country. The study compared algebraic solving abilities of 242 ninth-grade American students in Grand Forks (U.S.) and 219 students in Durres (Albania). The data…

[Population trends in Albania].

PubMed

Sivignon, M

1983-01-01

Recent demographic trends in Albania are reviewed. The author notes that rapid population growth persists due to continuing fertility, although the fertility rate has begun to decline during the past 20 years. Controls placed on internal migration have succeeded in restricting the growth of the urban population and have contributed to the sustained growth of the population in rural areas. (summary in ENG)

The Reforms in Mathematics Education for Grades 1 through 12 in Albania from 1945 to 2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mernacaj, Marash

2011-01-01

Between 1945 and 2000, the Communist government of Albania enacted a series of educational reforms focused upon increasing the academic quality and student access to the nation's educational system. While the country succeeded in enacting considerable reform efforts, there continues to be room for improvement. This dissertation considers the…

Poverty in Albania: A Qualitative Assessment. World Bank Technical Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Soto, Hermine; Gordon, Peter; Gedeshi, Ilir; Sinoimeri, Zamira

This World Bank qualitative assessment of poverty in Albania outlines five objectives: (1) it seeks to develop the understanding of poverty in the country by involving poor Albanians in a process of exploring the causes, nature, extent of poverty and its effects; (2) it is intended to support the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (GPRS),…

Women, marriage and family--traditionalism vs. modernity in Albania.

PubMed

Danermark, B; Soydan, H; Pashko, G; Vejsiu, Y

1989-01-01

"The aim of the article is to illustrate how the transition from traditionalism to modernity in Albanian society is reflected in the fields of decision-making in choosing the marriage partner, arena of choosing the marriage partner, and factors of importance for harmony in the marital relationship. We also outline the changes in women's participation in productive work, in social and policy life, and in education. The empirical material stems from a survey conducted in Albania [in] 1984. The number of respondents was 1,303. We conclude that there is a strong modernistic tendency both with regard to choosing marriage partner and factors important for harmony. The main feature of the development in Albania is the rapidity and explicitness of changes in attitudes towards marriage and family and in women's position." excerpt

Failure and Success of Jihadi Information Operations on the Internet

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

governmental organizations, some financial organizations, like the Islamic Development Bank amongst others, motivated by the proclaimed Islamic...Islamic financial institutions in Albania, the Arab-Albanian Bank and the Malaysian Bank of Albania, along with several private companies having Arab...Peshkopi, all tiny towns with high unemployment rates. Yasin Al-Qadi, Saudi, and Abdul Latif Saleh, indicted in the early 2000s for terrorism financing

The Future of NATO Enlargement

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

Baltic states, Estoma , Latvia and Llthuama, as well as Albania and states of the former Yugoslatla are also generally consldered to be part of...Rornama, Slovema. Slovakia, Bulgaria. Macedoma Albania, Estoma , Latvia and Llthuama) decided to participate. The exceptions were the three states...reforms. Estoma 1s already a strong candidate for NATO member&up Latvia and Lrthuama are havmg greater drfficulties in implementing reforms, but then

Hepatitis B markers and vaccination-induced protection rate among Albanian pregnant women in Greece

PubMed Central

Elefsiniotis, Ioannis S; Vezali, Elena; Brokalaki, Hero; Tsoumakas, Konstantinos

2009-01-01

Hepatitis B has long been a serious public health problem both in Greece and in Albania. In the February 2009 issue of World Journal of Gastroenterology, Resuli et al presented the interesting epidemiological data concerning hepatitis B virus infection in Albania. The results of this study were discussed and several data from our similar research were provided. PMID:19916183

A Comparison of Free Time Activity Choices of Third Culture Kids in Albania and Children in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purdon, Anne

2018-01-01

This study aims to consider children's perspectives about free time activity choices. Through the use of drawings, favourite free time activities of third culture kids in Albania are compared with those of children in the UK. The sample comprises four boys and three girls from four to eight years from each country. Further conversations reveal…

A resolution recognizing the democratic accomplishments of the people of Albania and expressing the hope that the parliamentary elections on June 28, 2009, maintain and improve the transparency and fairness of democracy in Albania.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA

2009-06-10

Senate - 06/19/2009 Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Agreed to in SenateHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Genetic Diversity of Sheep Breeds from Albania, Greece, and Italy Assessed by Mitochondrial DNA and Nuclear Polymorphisms (SNPs)

PubMed Central

Pariset, Lorraine; Mariotti, Marco; Gargani, Maria; Joost, Stephane; Negrini, Riccardo; Perez, Trinidad; Bruford, Michael; Ajmone Marsan, Paolo; Valentini, Alessio

2011-01-01

We employed mtDNA and nuclear SNPs to investigate the genetic diversity of sheep breeds of three countries of the Mediterranean basin: Albania, Greece, and Italy. In total, 154 unique mtDNA haplotypes were detected by means of D-loop sequence analysis. The major nucleotide diversity was observed in Albania. We identified haplogroups, A, B, and C in Albanian and Greek samples, while Italian individuals clustered in groups A and B. In general, the data show a pattern reflecting old migrations that occurred in postneolithic and historical times. PCA analysis on SNP data differentiated breeds with good correspondence to geographical locations. This could reflect geographical isolation, selection operated by local sheep farmers, and different flock management and breed admixture that occurred in the last centuries. PMID:22125424

Translations on Eastern Europe, Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs, Number 1443

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-08

and Document Analysis. 17a. Descriptors International Affairs X Albania Bulgaria Czechoslovakia _X East Germany X... Hungary X...No. 1443 CONTENTS PAGE ALBANIA Comments of Foreign Delegates To Trade Union Congress (PUNA, various dates) 1 EAST GERMANY SED Drive Against...delegation, for the revolutionary workers and revolutionary trade unions of Germany , it has been a great honor to be able to take part in the Eighth

Translations on Eastern Europe Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs, Number 1479

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-11-30

13 Nov 77) 1 ALBANIA Marxist-Leninist Parties Send AWP Anniversary Greetings (Tirana Domestic Service, 10 Nov 77) . 4 German Party Message to...Hoxha Italian Party Message to Hoxha Canadian Party Message to Central Committee Giving Names With Religious Significance Denounced (Sabah Sinani...2600 ALBANIA MARXIST-LENINIST PARTIES SEND AWP ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS German Party Message to Hoxha Tirana Domestic Service in Albanian 1900 GMT 10

Transformation of Rural Areas, Proceedings of the Polish-Yugoslav Geographical Seminar (1st, Ohrid, 24-29 May, 1975).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostrowicki, Jerzy, Ed.; Tyszkiewicz, Wieslawa, Ed.

Transformations of rural areas was the topic of the first Polish-Yugoslav Geographical Seminar as documented in these proceedings from the six-day meeting. Twenty of the 25 papers presented are contained here, three in French and the remainder in English, and are categorized under these major topics: influence of big urban centers on the…

East Europe Report, Political, Sociological and Military Affairs, No. 2220.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-25

SOCIOLOGICAL AND MILITARY AFFAIRS No.. 2220 CONTENTS ALBANIA Importance of Free Military Schools Stressed (Lili Bullari; ZERI I POPULLIT, 7 Jun 83...17-18 Sep 83) 50 BORBA Reports Education Policy Discussion (E. Bogdanovic; BORBA, 23 Sep 83) 52 - b - ALBANIA IMPORTANCE OF FREE MILITARY...SCHOOLS STRESSED Tirane ZERI I POPULLIT in Albanian 7 Jun 83 p 3 [Article by Lili Bullari: " Free Military Schools: Improtant Centers for Training

Six new subterranean freshwater gastropod species from northern Albania and some new records from Albania and Kosovo (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Moitessieriidae and Hydrobiidae)

PubMed Central

Grego, Jozef; Glöer, Peter; Erőss, Zoltán Péter; Fehér, Zoltán

2018-01-01

During a field trip to the western part of the Balkan Peninsula in 2016, investigations of several caves and karstic springs revealed six new gastropod species living in subterranean waters and resulted in some note-worthy faunistic records. Five of the new species are assigned to the genus Paladilhiopsis Pavlović, 1913, namely P. prekalensis sp. n., P. lozeki sp. n., P. szekeresi sp. n., P. wohlberedti sp. n., P. falniowskii sp. n. and one to the genus Plagigeyeria Tomlin, 1930, namely P. steffeki sp. n. New Albania and Kosovo distribution records are given for Iglica illyrica Schütt, 1975, Plagigeyeria zetaprotogona Schütt, 1960, Vinodolia matjasici (Bole, 1961), and the first georeferenced record is given for Saxurinator schlickumi Schütt, 1960. The most important environmental factors influencing habitat selection of these subterranean freshwater gastropods are briefly discussed. PMID:29755592

Transitional challenges of Medicine and Surgery in Albania.

PubMed

Rulli, Francesco; Cenko, Fabian; Buonomo, Ersilia; Dibra, Arvin

2016-01-01

Data on the State of Art of Medicine and Surgery in Albania, are given in this short survey. From recent epidemiological data, conditioned by high rate of migration and territory problems, to problems arising from lack of technological supports and important changes in medical education. An analysis that we could do from the observatory of our Medical School, and international one, based on a strict collaboration among an international professor staff, mostly coming from Italian Universities, particularly the University of Rome, "Tor Vergata", co-founder of the "Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel" (UCNSBC). The integration between academics in UCNSBC and health personnel in health care offers some interesting opportunities in research. The recognized limited technological supports create the possibilities to adjust and ameliorate health care services, with the aim of a more convenient distribution of the available resources. Academic education, Albania, Epidemiology, Health education.

Intelligence Reform in Albania: Its Relation to Democratization and Integration into the EU and NATO

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

pdf (accessed December 20, 2007) 22 Owen Greene , “International Standards and Obligations: Norms and Criteria for DCAF in EU, OSCE, and OECD...History of Albania from Its Origins to the Present Day (London and Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1981), 197-222. 15 B. INTELLIGENCE SERVICES...February 2006.” http://www.mdlpl.ro/ _documente/engleza/dialog_ro_ue/2006/Annual_Extensive_Report.pdf (accessed December 29, 2007). Greene , Owen

Albania’s Counter-Terrorism Policy Options: Finding a Strategy of Common Sense

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

OSCE, February 2004. http://www.osce.org/documents/pia/2004/02/2117_en.pdf ( accessed 20 March 2004). Luarasi, Aleks. Historia e Institucioneve...Terrorism 1999, http://www.state.gov/www/global/terrorism/1999report/europe.html#Albania ( accessed 20 January 2004). 2 terrorism threat, review the...Balkan Stability? Balkan Report, no.153 (Brussels: ICG 25 February 2004). http://www.crisisweb.org/home/index.cfm?id=1239&l=1 ( accessed 10 January

Surnames in Albania: a study of the population of Albania through isonymy.

PubMed

Mikerezi, Ilia; Xhina, Endrit; Scapoli, Chiara; Barbujani, Guido; Mamolini, Elisabetta; Sandri, Massimo; Carrieri, Alberto; Rodriguez-Larralde, Alvaro; Barrai, Italo

2013-05-01

In order to describe the isonymic structure of Albania, the distribution of 3,068,447 surnames was studied in the 12 prefectures and their administrative subdivisions: the 36 districts and 321 communes. The number of different surnames found was 37,184. Effective surname number for the entire country was 1327, the average for prefectures was 653.3 ± 84.3, for districts 365.9 ± 42.0 and for communes 122.6 ± 8.7. These values display a variation of inbreeding between administrative levels in the Albanian population, which can be attributed to the previously published "Prefecture effect". Matrices of isonymic distances between units within administrative levels were tested for correlation with geographic distances. The correlations were highest for prefectures (r = 0.71 ± 0.06 for Euclidean distance) and lowest for communes (r = 0.37 ± 0.011 for Nei's distance). The multivariate analyses (Principal component analysis and Multidimensional Scaling) of prefectures identify three main clusters, one toward the North, the second in Central Albania, and the third in the South. This pattern is consistent with important subclusters from districts and communes, which point out that the country may have been colonised by diffusion of groups in the North-South direction, and from Macedonia in the East, over a pre-existing Illiryan population. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/University College London.

Palliative Care-Albania.

PubMed

Rama, Rudina; Çarçani, Valbona; Prifti, Fatmir; Huta, Kristo; Xhixha, Ali; Connor, Stephen R

2018-02-01

Sixty percent of cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced stages of disease and those diagnosed in early stages face challenges to receive adequate treatment. Palliative care has had significant developments in recent years in Albania because of a close partnership with the Ministry of Health, local nonprofit organizations, and the Open Society Foundation Albania. In 2011, a five-year action plan for palliative care as one of four parts of the National Cancer Control Plan was approved. At the end of 2014, the first palliative care law was approved by Parliament. Palliative care by-laws, documents, standards, clinical protocols, and guidelines for adults and children have been developed. Training and education are being provided to primary care professionals. Curricula on palliative care have been developed for the faculty of medicine, nursing high schools, and social work. About 80% of essential medications used in palliative care are available in Albania, 50% of these are paid for and have some access restrictions, and meanwhile the opiophobia still remains an enormous barrier. In the last three years, significant progress has been made in service provision. From only one public palliative care service in 2013, there are now eight palliative care services in eight of the 11 regional hospitals. By the end of 2016, it is expected that palliative care services will be available in all regional hospitals in the country. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Republic of Macedonia: Implementing the Ohrid Framework Agreement and Reforming the State

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

that included members of the goverment . • The “capacity building/weakening’ school. Argument is the organized crime elements united and recruited...115 Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office, Tourism in the Republic of Macedonia, http://www.stat.gov.mk/english/statistiki_eng.asp?ss...essential for improving the economy. The ROM must invest wisely the funds received by the EU towards infrastructure, business development and tourism

The role of tobacco control policies in reducing smoking and deaths caused by smoking in an Eastern European nation: results from the Albania SimSmoke simulation model.

PubMed

Levy, David T; Ross, Hana; Zaloshnja, Eduard; Shuperka, Roland; Rusta, Meriglena

2008-12-01

The Albania SimSmoke simulation model is used to examine the effects of tobacco control policies. The model is used to consider the projected trends in smoking prevalence and associated smoking-attributable deaths in the absence of new policies, and then to examine the effect of new policies that are consistent with the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) on these outcomes. The model shows that significant inroads to reducing smoking prevalence and premature mortality can be achieved through tax increases. Acomprehensive strategy to further reduce smoking rates should include a media campaign complete with programs to publicize and enforce clean air laws, a comprehensive cessation treatment program, strong health warnings, advertising bans, and youth access laws. Besides presenting the benefits of a comprehensive tobacco control strategy, the model helps to identify important information needed for both modeling and policymaking. The effectiveness of future tobacco control policy will require proper surveillance and evaluation schemes for Albania.

Late Palaeozoic-Cenozoic assembly of the Tethyan orogen in the light of evidence from Greece and Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, A. H. F.

2012-04-01

The objective here is to use the geology and tectonics of a critical part of the Tethyan orogen, represented by Greece and Albania, to shed light on the tectonic development of Tethys on a regional, to global scale, particularly the history of convergence during Late Palaeozoic to Cenozoic time. For Carboniferous time much evidence suggests that the Korabi-Pelagonian crustal unit as exposed in Albania and Greece formed above a northward-dipping subduction zone along the Eurasia continental margin, with Palaeotethys to the south. However, there is also some evidence of southward subduction beneath Gondwana especially from southern Greece and central southern Turkey. Palaeotethys is inferred to have closed in Europe as far to the east as the longitude of Libya, while remaining open beyond this. There is still uncertainty about the Pangea A-type reconstruction that would restore all of the present units in the area to within the E Mediterranean region, versus the Pangea B-type reconstruction that would require right-lateral displacement of exotic terranes, by up to 3,500 km eastwards. In either reconstruction, fragments of the Variscan collisional orogen are likely to have been displaced eastwards (variable distances) in the Balkan region prior to Late Permian-Early Triassic time. From ~Late Permian, the Greece-Albania crustal units were located in their present relative position within Tethys as a whole. From the mid-Permian, onwards the northern margin of Gondwana was affected by crustal extension. A Mesozoic ocean (Pindos-Mirdita ocean) then rifted during Early-Middle Triassic time, culminating in final continental break-up and seafloor spreading during the Late Triassic (Carnian-Norian). Subduction-influenced volcanics of mainly Early-Middle Triassic age probably reflect the extraction of magma from sub-continental lithosphere that was enriched in subduction-related fluids and volatiles during an earlier, ?Variscan subduction event. The existence of Upper Triassic mid-ocean ridge-type igneous rocks, known locally in Albania and Greece, points to rifting of a Red Sea-type oceanic basin rather than a back-arc basin related to contemporaneous subduction. After initial, inferred slow spreading at an Upper Triassic, rifted ocean ridge and spreading during the Early Jurassic, the ocean basin underwent regional convergence. Subduction was initiated at, or near, a spreading axis perhaps adjacent to an oceanic fracture zone. The Jurassic supra-subduction zone-type ophiolites of both Greece and Albania largely relate to melting of rising asthenosphere in the presence of volatiles (water) that originated from subducting oceanic lithosphere. High-magnesian boninite-type magmas that are present in both the Albanian and Greece ophiolites and some underlying melanges reflect remelting of previously depleted oceanic upper mantle. Localised MOR-type ophiolites of Late Middle Jurassic age, mainly exposed in NE Albania, were created at a rifted spreading axis. The amphibolite-facies metamorphic sole of the ophiolites was mainly derived from oceanic crust (including within-plate type seamounts), whereas the underlying lower-grade, greenschist facies sole was mainly sourced from the rifted continental margin. The melange, dismembered thrust sheets and polymict debris flows ("olistostromes") beneath the ophiolites formed by accretion and gravity reworking of continental margin units. The in situ radiolarian chert cover of the ophiolites in northern Albania is overlain by polymict debris flows ("olistostromes"). Pelagic carbonate deposition followed during Tithonian-Berriasian time and then restoration of a regional carbonate platform during the Cretaceous. Exhumation of deeply buried parts of the over-ridden continental margin probably took place during the Early Cretaceous. Structural evidence, mainly from northern Greece (Vourinos, Pindos and Othris areas), indicates that the ophiolites, the metamorphic sole, the accretionary melange, and the underlying continental margin units were all deformed by top-to-the-northeast thrusting during Late Middle-Early Late Jurassic time. However, such kinematic evidence is not obviously replicated in Albania, where there are reports of ~southwest-directed (or variable) emplacement. Remaining Pindos-Mirdita oceanic crust subducted ~southwestwards during Late Cretaceous-Eocene time, while oceanic crust continued to form in the south-Aegean region at least locally during Late Cretaceous time. During Early Cenozoic time the Pindos-Mirdita ocean closed progressively southwards, triggering mainly southward progradation of turbidites derived from the over-riding Korabi-Pelagonian microcontinent. Smaller volumes of sediment were also derived from the Apulia (Adria) continent. The Mesohellenic Trough of Greece and its counterpart in Albania evolved from an Eocene fore-arc-type basin above subducting oceanic lithosphere to a thrust-top basin as continental crust continued to underthrust during the Oligocene after final closure of the Pindos-Mirdita ocean. Miocene and Plio-Quaternary successor flexural foredeeps developed in response to continuing regional plate convergence. The preferred tectonic alternatives are assembled into a new overall tectonic model, which in turn needs to be tested and developed in the light of future studies. Reference: Robertson, A.H.F. Tectonic development of Greece and Albania in the context of alternative reconstructions of Tethys in the Eastern Mediterranean region during Late Palaeozoic-Cenozoic time. International Geological Review, in press.

Serological markers of Hepatitis B and C among juvenile immigrants from Albania settled in Greece.

PubMed

Milionis, Charalampos

2010-12-01

Greece is a place of settlement for a large number of immigrants, particularly from Albania, which constitute special community groups for public health policies. This study was designed to assess the seroprevalence of serological markers for Hepatitis B and C among juvenile immigrants from Albania settled in Greece. The study population included 504 subjects, 418 males and 86 females, aged 10-23 years old who have emigrated from Albania to Pogoniani-Greece and participated voluntarily in vaccination programmes against Hepatitis B. The serum samples were examined with enzyme immune assays for the immunological markers HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs and anti-HCV. HBsAg positive samples were further tested for IgM anti-HBc, HBeAg and anti-HBe. Among the examined subjects, 40.5% were found positive for anti-HBc, indicating an HBV contamination. Specifically, 11.7% were carriers of HBsAg, whereas 28.8% were negative for HBsAg but positive for anti-HBc. Only 6.5% was positive exclusively for anti-HBs. The rest (53.0%) presented no positive serological markers. Among the HBsAg positive patients, 8.5% were found positive for HBeAg, while 5.1% was positive for IgM anti-HBc. Finally, only 0.6% of the sample presented antibodies against HCV. The examined migratory population is described by a high prevalence of Hepatitis B. Therefore, specific public health measures are necessary. However, no data was found that indicate potential public health dangers regarding hepatitis C.

First systematic evaluation of the potency of Cannabis sativa plants grown in Albania.

PubMed

Bruci, Zana; Papoutsis, Ioannis; Athanaselis, Sotirios; Nikolaou, Panagiota; Pazari, Ermira; Spiliopoulou, Chara; Vyshka, Gentian

2012-10-10

Cannabis products (marijuana, hashish, cannabis oil) are the most frequently abused illegal substances worldwide. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa plant, whereas cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN) are other major but no psychoactive constituents. Many studies have already been carried out on these compounds and chemical research was encouraged due to the legal implications concerning the misuse of marijuana. The aim of this study was to determine THC, CBD and CBN in a significant number of cannabis samples of Albanian origin, where cannabis is the most frequently used drug of abuse, in order to evaluate and classify them according to their cannabinoid composition. A GC-MS method was used, in order to assay cannabinoid content of hemp samples harvested at different maturation degree levels during the summer months and grown in different areas of Albania. This method can also be used for the determination of plant phenotype, the evaluation of psychoactive potency and the control of material quality. The highest cannabinoid concentrations were found in the flowers of cannabis. The THC concentrations in different locations of Albania ranged from 1.07 to 12.13%. The influence of environmental conditions on cannabinoid content is discussed. The cannabinoid content of cannabis plants were used for their profiling, and it was used for their classification, according to their geographical origin. The determined concentrations justify the fact that Albania is an area where cannabis is extensively cultivated for illegal purposes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of women's empowerment on maternal health care utilization: evidence from Albania.

PubMed

Sado, Lantona; Spaho, Alma; Hotchkiss, David R

2014-08-01

Women in Albania receive antenatal care and postnatal care at lower levels than in other countries in Europe. Moreover, there are large socio-economic and regional disparities in maternal health care use. Previous research in low- and middle-income countries has found that women's status within the household can be a powerful force for improving the health, longevity, and mental and physical capacity of mothers and the well-being of children, but there is very little research on this issue in the Balkans. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of women's empowerment within the household on antenatal and postnatal care utilization in Albania. The research questions are explored through the use of bivariate and multivariate analyses based on nationally representative data from the 2008-09 Albania Demographic and Health Survey. The linkages between women's empowerment and maternal health care utilization are analyzed using two types of indicators of women's empowerment: decision making power and attitudes toward domestic violence. The outcome variables are indicators of the utilization of antenatal care and postnatal care. The findings suggest that use of maternal health care services is influenced by women's roles in decision-making and the attitudes of women towards domestic violence, after controlling for a number of socio-economic and demographic factors which are organized at individual, household, and community level. The study results suggest that policy actions that increase women's empowerment at home could be effective in helping assure good maternal health. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Access to Specialized Care Through Telemedicine in Limited-Resource Country: Initial 1,065 Teleconsultations in Albania.

PubMed

Latifi, Rifat; Gunn, Jayleen K L; Bakiu, Evis; Boci, Arian; Dasho, Erion; Olldashi, Fatos; Pipero, Pellumb; Stroster, John A; Qesteri, Orland; Kucani, Julian; Sulo, Ardi; Oshafi, Manjola; Osmani, Kalterina L; Dogjani, Agron; Doarn, Charles R; Shatri, Zhaneta; Kociraj, Agim; Merrell, Ronald C

2016-12-01

To analyze the initial experience of the nationwide clinical telemedicine program of Albania, as a model of implementation of telemedicine using "Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer" strategy. This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from teleconsultations in Albania between January 1, 2014 and August 26, 2015, delivered synchronously, asynchronously, or a combination of both methods. Patient's demographics, mode of consultation, clinical specialty, hospitals providing referral and consultation, time from initial call to completion of consultation, and patient disposition following teleconsultation were analyzed. Challenges of the newly created program have been identified and analyzed as well. There were 1,065 teleconsultations performed altogether during the study period. Ninety-one patients with autism managed via telemedicine were not included in this analysis and will be reported separately. Of 974 teleconsults, the majority were for radiology, neurotrauma, and stroke (55%, 16%, and 10% respectively). Asynchronous technology accounted for nearly two-thirds of all teleconsultations (63.7%), followed by combined (24.3%), and then synchronous (12.0%). Of 974 cases, only 20.0% of patients in 2014 and 22.72% of patients in 2015 were transferred to a tertiary hospital. A majority (98.5%) of all teleconsultations were conducted within the country itself. The Integrated Telemedicine and e-Health program of Albania has become a useful tool to improve access to high-quality healthcare, particularly in high demanding specialty disciplines. A number of challenges were identified and these should serve as lessons for other countries in their quest to establish nationwide telemedicine programs.

An Epidemiological Study on Ankylosing Spondylitis in Southern Albania

PubMed Central

Koko, Vjollca; Ndrepepa, Ana; Skënderaj, Skënder; Ploumis, Avraam; Backa, Teuta; Tafaj, Argjend

2014-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence and prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in southern Albania and to assess the association of various demographic risk factors with the severity of disease. Material and methods: This is an observational study with cross-sectional analyses, conducted in the region of Gjirokaster, between 1995 until 2011. The diagnosis of AS was based on the modified New York criteria. Data on population are obtained from the reports of the National Institute of Statistics. Results: Between 1995 and 2011, there were 54 patients diagnosed with AS. Of them, 48 subjects were males (88.9%) and 6 subjects females (11.1%). The AS prevalence in adult population (≥14 years of age), in December 2010, was 0.061%. The 5-year incidence (2006–2010) in adult population was 0.006 %. The mean age at the onset of disease was 29.7±8.4 years. The mean age in 2011 (n=50 subjects) was 51.6±12.7 years. The duration of the disease was 22.7±11.2 years. More than two thirds of the patients (70.3%) were in the advanced radiological stages of the disease. A younger age at the onset of the disease, longer delay in diagnosis, lower educational level and smoking were significant independent factors associated with the advanced forms of the disease. Conclusion: In southern Albania, the AS prevalence in 2010 was 0.061% and the 5-year incidence (2006-2010) was 6 new cases per 105 adults. The incidence and prevalence of AS in Southern Albania are close to the respective regional epidemiological data. PMID:24757397

An epidemiological study on ankylosing spondylitis in southern Albania.

PubMed

Koko, Vjollca; Ndrepepa, Ana; Skënderaj, Skënder; Ploumis, Avraam; Backa, Teuta; Tafaj, Argjend

2014-02-01

To evaluate the incidence and prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in southern Albania and to assess the association of various demographic risk factors with the severity of disease. This is an observational study with cross-sectional analyses, conducted in the region of Gjirokaster, between 1995 until 2011. The diagnosis of AS was based on the modified New York criteria. Data on population are obtained from the reports of the National Institute of Statistics. Between 1995 and 2011, there were 54 patients diagnosed with AS. Of them, 48 subjects were males (88.9%) and 6 subjects females (11.1%). The AS prevalence in adult population (≥14 years of age), in December 2010, was 0.061%. The 5-year incidence (2006-2010) in adult population was 0.006 %. The mean age at the onset of disease was 29.7±8.4 years. The mean age in 2011 (n=50 subjects) was 51.6±12.7 years. The duration of the disease was 22.7±11.2 years. More than two thirds of the patients (70.3%) were in the advanced radiological stages of the disease. A younger age at the onset of the disease, longer delay in diagnosis, lower educational level and smoking were significant independent factors associated with the advanced forms of the disease. In southern Albania, the AS prevalence in 2010 was 0.061% and the 5-year incidence (2006-2010) was 6 new cases per 105 adults. The incidence and prevalence of AS in Southern Albania are close to the respective regional epidemiological data.

Mental health system and services in Albania.

PubMed

Keste, Dévora; Lazeri, Ledia; Demi, Neli; Severoni, Santino; Lora, Antonio; Saxena, Shekhar

2006-01-01

To describe the mental health system in Albania. Data were gathered in 2003 and in 2004 using a new WHO instrument, World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental health Systems (WHO-AIMS), designed for collecting essential information on the mental health system of low and middle income countries. It consists of 6 domains, 28 facets and 156 items. The information collected through WHO AIMS covered the key aspects of mental health system in Albania: the mental health policy and the legislative framework, the network of mental health services and the characteristics of the users, the role of the primary health care, the human resources, the public education and the links with other governmental sectors, monitoring and research. The data collection through WHO AIMS represented a needed step for a better in-depth knowledge of the system and for implementing actions to strengthen the system. Examples of planned actions were the improvement of the mental health component in primary care, a clear shift of resources from mental hospitals to community facilities, an increase of the outpatient care and an expansion of the mental health information system.

Costs of performance based maintenance for local roads: Case study Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jokanović, Igor; Grujić, Bojana; Zeljić, Dragana; Grujić, Žarko; Svilar, Mila

2017-12-01

The provision and maintenance of road infrastructure is a major global business, consequently it is essential that road maintenance services are provided in the most cost effective manner. Without regular maintenance, roads can rapidly fall into disrepair, preventing realization of the longer term impacts of road improvements on development, such as increased agricultural production and growth in school enrollment, which is of particular importance for a network of local (access) roads. Inadequate local roads maintenance in Albania is proposed to be solved by implementing performance based maintenance approach for which the costing exercise is presented within the paper.

Are pharmacists' good knowledge and awareness on antibiotics taken for granted? The situation in Albania and future implications across countries.

PubMed

Hoxha, Iris; Malaj, Admir; Kraja, Besmira; Bino, Silvia; Oluka, Margaret; Marković-Peković, Vanda; Godman, Brian

2018-06-01

Irrational use of antibiotics is a major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), exacerbated by dispensing of antibiotics without a prescription especially for typically viral infections. Such dispensing is common despite legislation. Pharmacists play a key role in advising on medicines, especially in countries where most patients seek pharmacist help as they cannot afford both physician fees and medicines. Consequently, our objective was to ascertain pharmacists' skills and knowledge regarding antibiotics when patients present to them with typically viral infections. This was a qualitative cross-sectional survey among 370 community pharmacists in Albania, with carefully selected and validated topics. The main outcome measure was knowledge of antibiotics and current legislation. Variable knowledge regarding antibiotics among community pharmacists. 55% knew colds are caused by viruses and 93% that antibiotics are ineffective against influenza. However, 18% believed if colds last >4 days an antibiotic can bring a patient back to work, and only 13% stated antibiotics are ineffective against viruses. Encouragingly, 93% knew penicillins can cause anaphylactic shock, 74% that antibiotics kill bacteria causing infections, and only 7% that antibiotic misuse cannot cause AMR. However, 13% stated the main disadvantage of antibiotics is that they are ineffective against viruses and 93% admitted they had no treatment protocols to consult in their daily work to direct patient care. Encouraging signs regarding pharmacists' knowledge of antibiotics in Albania; however, concerns. Instigating educational programmes among patients and pharmacists and greater enforcement of legislation should reduce AMR rates in Albania and across countries. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pricing Policies And Control of Tobacco in Europe (PPACTE) project: cross-national comparison of smoking prevalence in 18 European countries.

PubMed

Gallus, Silvano; Lugo, Alessandra; La Vecchia, Carlo; Boffetta, Paolo; Chaloupka, Frank J; Colombo, Paolo; Currie, Laura; Fernandez, Esteve; Fischbacher, Colin; Gilmore, Anna; Godfrey, Fiona; Joossens, Luk; Leon, Maria E; Levy, David T; Nguyen, Lien; Rosenqvist, Gunnar; Ross, Hana; Townsend, Joy; Clancy, Luke

2014-05-01

Limited data on smoking prevalence allowing valid between-country comparison are available in Europe. The aim of this study is to provide data on smoking prevalence and its determinants in 18 European countries. In 2010, within the Pricing Policies And Control of Tobacco in Europe (PPACTE) project, we conducted a face-to-face survey on smoking in 18 European countries (Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, England, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden) on a total of 18 056 participants, representative for each country of the population aged 15 years or older. Overall, 27.2% of the participants were current smokers (30.6% of men and 24.1% of women). Smoking prevalence was highest in Bulgaria (40.9%) and Greece (38.9%) and lowest in Italy (22.0%) and Sweden (16.3%). Smoking prevalence ranged between 15.7% (Sweden) and 44.3% (Bulgaria) for men and between 11.6% (Albania) and 38.1% (Ireland) for women. Multivariate analysis showed a significant inverse trend between smoking prevalence and the level of education in both sexes. Male-to-female smoking prevalence ratios ranged from 0.85 in Spain to 3.47 in Albania and current-to-ex prevalence ratios ranged from 0.68 in Sweden to 4.28 in Albania. There are considerable differences across Europe in smoking prevalence, and male-to-female and current-to-ex smoking prevalence ratios. Eastern European countries, lower income countries and those with less advanced tobacco control policies have less favourable smoking patterns and are at an earlier stage of the tobacco epidemic.

Public and private schoolteachers' differences in terms of job attitudes in Albania.

PubMed

Buka, Migena; Bilgiç, Reyhan

2010-06-01

In the present study, the attitudinal differences between public and private schoolteachers in Albania were investigated. Since the type of the organization varies, one would expect different climates for the emergence of job attitudes--mainly job satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational commitment, the most frequently studied job attitudes in the industrial and organizational psychology literature. It was hypothesized that the private schoolteachers would be more satisfied than public schoolteachers, especially due to high levels of payment and other desirable conditions. However, the public schoolteachers will be more involved than the private schoolteachers since they have to justify their continued work under the undesirable conditions. The commitment level of the private schoolteachers will be higher than the public schoolteachers since there is usually high correlation between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Data were gathered from a total of 429 teachers working in public (n = 254) and private (n = 175) schools in Albania, in high and middle schools. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance with age as a covariate. The results indicated that the private schoolteachers were more satisfied, as expected, revealed a weaker job involvement and were more committed to their school than their colleagues in the public sector. The results were found to be in line with previous studies conducted in the west. However, this study is believed to have a potential contribution to the literature in general, and to the Albanian local literature in particular. To the knowledge of the authors, there has been no similar study in Albania. Discussion is provided along with the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.

Isoperla vjosae sp. n., a new species of the Isoperla tripartita group from Albania (Plecoptera: Perlodidae).

PubMed

Graf, Wolfram; Pauls, Steffen U; Vitecek, Simon

2018-01-09

In this contribution, we describe Isoperla vjosae sp. nov. from Albania. We characterize males, females, and larvae of the new species collected at the Vjosa River using morphological and molecular approaches. Isoperla vjosae sp.nov. is a member of the I. tripartita group, which is widely distributed in the Balkans. This new endemic species is being threatened by a proposed hydroelectric power dam on the Vjosa River impacting the type locality - a large, shifting gravel, low altitude River - an atypical habitat for larvae of the I. tripartita group. For the first time we use molecular tools to delineate Isoperla species from the Balkans.

How do patient characteristics influence informal payments for inpatient and outpatient health care in Albania: Results of logit and OLS models using Albanian LSMS 2005

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Informal payments for health care are common in most former communist countries. This paper explores the demand side of these payments in Albania. By using data from the Living Standard Measurement Survey 2005 we control for individual determinants of informal payments in inpatient and outpatient health care. We use these results to explain the main factors contributing to the occurrence and extent of informal payments in Albania. Methods Using multivariate methods (logit and OLS) we test three models to explain informal payments: the cultural, economic and governance model. The results of logit models are presented here as odds ratios (OR) and results from OLS models as regression coefficients (RC). Results Our findings suggest differences in determinants of informal payments in inpatient and outpatient care. Generally our results show that informal payments are dependent on certain characteristics of patients, including age, area of residence, education, health status and health insurance. However, they are less dependent on income, suggesting homogeneity of payments across income categories. Conclusions We have found more evidence for the validity of governance and economic models than for the cultural model. PMID:21605459

Key barriers to the use of modern contraceptives among women in Albania: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Kragelund Nielsen, Karoline; Nielsen, Siff Malue; Butler, Robb; Lazarus, Jeffrey V

2012-12-01

In spite of a number of communication campaigns since 1999 promoting modern contraceptives in Albania, their use remains low. In this paper we identify and analyse key barriers to the use of modern contraception among women in Albania. Semi-structured interviews with 11 stakeholders from organisations involved in promoting modern contraception, and four focus group discussions with 40 women from Tirana and a rural village in the periphery of Tirana, divided according to age and residence, were also conducted. Content analysis was used to analyse both the interviews and focus group discussions. Barriers identified included socio-cultural issues such as status of the relationship with partners and the importance of virginity, problems talking about sexual issues and contraception being taboo, health care issues--especially cost and availability--and individual issues such as unfavourable social attitudes towards contraceptives and a lack of knowledge about the use and benefits of modern contraception. To promote contraceptive use in the future, campaigns should address these barriers and expand from a focus on women of reproductive age only to target youth, men, health care providers, parents and schoolteachers as well. Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the resilience of local communities threated by natural disaster: the experience of the Project "Shkoder", (Albania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pazzi, Veronica; Morelli, Stefano; Fidolini, Francesco; Fanti, Riccardo; Vannocci, Pietro; Krymbi, Ervis; Centoducati, Carlo; Ghini, Alessandro

2013-04-01

The vulnerability of Albanian population to natural disasters is due to poverty, inadequate infrastructures (e.g. communication network, basic public facilities and works of soil protection), an uncontrollable building boom and a range of environmental factors, both geomorphological and geological. The greatest disaster threats in Albania are those related to severe earthquakes and large-scale riverine floods. Geohazards assessment is a crucial point for Albania, which has been subject to a rapid development after the recent political changes, resulting in a general land degradation. Also the rate of migration from rural areas to the most urbanized areas currently represents a major problem for the National Civil Protection, since the urban sprawl in the suburbs are often located in high-risk areas, particularly vulnerable to natural hazards. The National Civil Protection system, in terms of subsidiary institutional and volunteer components, is relatively young in Albania. The progressive decentralization of the administrative competences triggered by the recent political changes is accompanied by the acquisition of new territorial information and the development of specific protocols for the emergency management, as well as the risk reduction. The management of natural disasters demands not only an early response to the criticalities, but also a correct mapping of the damage and the development of emergency plans for future events in order to protect lives, properties and the environment and moreover to spread the risk awareness in the population and to prepare it for such circumstances. The main purposes of the Pilot Project "Shkoder" is to enhance the resilience of a little community, located 9 kilometers south-west of Shkodra (Northern Albania), to flooding and earthquakes and to promote the subsidiarity principle by means of: a) demonstrating how basic information for the disaster planning (collected with a real demonstrative field survey) and the risk scenarios can be obtained using relatively simple and low-cost technologies and methods, whose easy accessibility is fundamental for government and academic institutions of poorly developed countries; b) training of the local community (public administrations and volunteers) on the themes of natural risk, disaster prevention and emergency management; c) creating an efficient Civil Protection volunteer system, able to cooperate with the local governmental and scientific institutions in case of natural disasters. The evaluation of the flooding risk in the study area has been carried out by means of HEC-RAS software, while the seismic vulnerability of strategic buildings has been estimated by microtremors analysis. A two-days course has been performed to expose the main results of the field survey and to train the beneficiaries on local vulnerabilities, emergency behaviours and roles. Finally the local authorities and the volunteers, by working together under the supervision of the Italian institutions (National Civil Protection Department and University of Firenze), promoted and realized the first national civil protection relief drill in Albania.

Cross-cultural and socio-demographic correlates of homophobic attitude among university students in three European countries.

PubMed

Ciocca, G; Niolu, C; Déttore, D; Antonelli, P; Conte, S; Tuziak, B; Limoncin, E; Mollaioli, D; Carosa, E; Gravina, G L; Di Sante, S; Di Lorenzo, G; Fisher, A D; Maggi, M; Lenzi, A; Siracusano, A; Jannini, E A

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate homophobic attitudes in three European countries: Italy, Albania, and Ukraine. One thousand and forty-eight students were recruited in Italian (n = 766), Albanian (n = 180), and Ukrainian (n = 102) university centers. A socio-demographic questionnaire and Homophobia Scale (HS) were administered by our staff. Cross-cultural and significant differences among Italian, Albanian, and Ukrainian students were found on the Homophobia Scale (HS; Italy: mean = 22.26 ± 16.73; Albania: mean = 38.15 ± 17.28; Ukraine: mean = 59.18 ± 16.23). The analysis of socio-demographic characteristics revealed that the male gender emerged as main predictor of homophobic attitude in all the three countries, although also a conservative political orientation and the religious belief predict higher homophobia levels in Italy and Albania, particularly. This study revealed that in these European countries assessed, attitudes toward homosexuality are different. Ukrainians display higher levels of homophobia than Albanians and Italians, confirming the central role of cultural differences in homophobic attitudes. Nevertheless, some socio-demographic aspects such as identification as male have a similar influence on homophobic attitudes in all assessed populations.

A family report of Crohn's disease in three children immigrating from Albania to Greece and review of the literature.

PubMed

Katsanos, Konstantinos H; Karetsos, Vasileios; Tsianos, Epameinondas V

2010-11-01

Cases of immigrant families affected by IBD have rarely been reported and seem to be of exceptional interest towards a better understanding of disease aetiopathogenesis. The first case of Crohn's disease in a family of immigrants from Albania to Greece with three offspring is described herein. A family with three children, one 22 year-old male and two 18-year-old twin females immigrated from southern Albania to northwest Greece ten years ago. The whole family lived in the same house and had no previous history of bowel or other chronic diseases. Two years ago the boy complained of diarrhoea, perianal pain and loss of weight. Subsequent investigation revealed ileal and perianal Crohn's disease. One year after Crohn's disease was diagnosed in the boy, one of the twins was diagnosed with ileal Crohn's disease. Six months afterwards, the second twin underwent emergency appendectomy due to acute appendicitis; four months later she was diagnosed with ileal Crohn's disease. Genetically predisposed individuals seem to be vulnerable to a continuous pressure of a still unknown environmental factor(s). In addition, lifestyle modification seems to represent a predisposing factor toward inflammatory bowel disease in immigrants. Copyright © 2010 European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Albania: STDs and youth culture.

PubMed

Legins, K; Saraci, O

1999-01-01

The exposure of Albania to the popular culture of the modern world has paved the way for the emergence of STDs that were practically unknown some 20 years ago. Ever since the first cases of HIV and syphilis were diagnosed in 1994 and 1995, respectively, physicians have had difficulty in assessing patients due to their lack of knowledge of STDs. Together with emerging health concerns, traditional stereotypes of individuals with STDs have also surfaced in Albania; these usually associate STDs with prostitutes and refugees. Lack of STD knowledge, lack of anonymity in health care centers, current myths about STD transmission, and the return of Albanian refugees are among the challenges which Albanian youth have to overcome. In response to this, the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), WHO and the Academy for Educational Development are launching a project that will educate Albanians about the risks of STDs and HIV, in addition to its maternal health projects. A recent information, education, and communication (IEC) roundtable participated in by over a hundred Albanian professionals has discussed problems and priorities that will facilitate a national IEC strategy. STDs, HIV, AIDS, maternal mortality, unwanted pregnancy, and abortion are the problems of greatest concern. The roundtable identified young people, women and service providers in rural areas as target groups with the greatest need of IEC interventions.

Cross-cultural Adaptation of a Questionnaire on Self-perceived Level of Skills, Abilities and Competencies of Family Physicians in Albania.

PubMed

Alla, Arben; Czabanowska, Katarzyna; Kijowska, Violetta; Roshi, Enver; Burazeri, Genc

2012-01-01

Our aim was to validate an international instrument measuring self-perceived competency level of family physicians in Albania. A representative sample of 57 family physicians operating in primary health care services was interviewed twice in March-April 2012 in Tirana (26 men and 31 women; median age: 46 years, inter-quartile range: 38-56 years). A structured questionnaire was administered [and subsequently re-administered after two weeks (test-retest)] to all family physicians aiming to self-assess physicians' level of abilities, skills and competencies regarding different domains of quality of health care. The questionnaire included 37 items organized into 6 subscales/domains. Answers for each item of the tool ranged from 1 ("novice" physicians) to 5 ("expert" physicians). An overall summary score (range: 37-185) and a subscale summary score for each domain were calculated for the test and retest procedures. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency for both the test and the retest procedures, whereas Spearman's rho was employed to assess the stability over time (test-retest reliability) of the instrument. Cronbach's alpha was 0.87 for the test and 0.86 for the retest procedure. Overall, Spearman's rho was 0.84 (P<0.001). The overall summary score for the 37 items of the instrument was 96.3±10.0 for the test and 97.3±10.1 for the retest. All the subscale summary scores were very similar for the test and the retest procedure. This study provides evidence on cross-cultural adaptation of an international instrument taping self-perceived level of competencies of family physicians in Albania. The questionnaire displayed a satisfactory internal consistency for both test and retest procedures in this sample of family physicians in Albania. Furthermore, the high test-retest reliability (stability over time) of the instrument suggests a good potential for wide scale application to nationally representative samples of family physicians in Albanian populations.

Detection and genetic characterization of Canine parvovirus and Canine coronavirus strains circulating in district of Tirana in Albania.

PubMed

Cavalli, Alessandra; Desario, Costantina; Kusi, Ilir; Mari, Viviana; Lorusso, Eleonora; Cirone, Francesco; Kumbe, Ilirjan; Colaianni, Maria Loredana; Buonavoglia, Domenico; Decaro, Nicola

2014-07-01

An epidemiological survey for Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) and Canine coronavirus (CCoV) was conducted in Albania. A total of 57 fecal samples were collected from diarrheic dogs in the District of Tirana during 2011-2013. The molecular assays detected 53 and 31 CPV- and CCoV-positive specimens, respectively, with mixed CPV-CCoV infections diagnosed in 28 dogs. The most frequently detected CPV type was 2a, whereas IIa was the predominant CCoV subtype. A better comprehension of the CPV-CCoV epidemiology in eastern European countries will help to assess the most appropriate vaccination strategies to prevent disease due to infections with these widespread agents of acute gastroenteritis in the dog.

MISR Looks at Yugoslavia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

These MISR nadir camera images of Yugoslavia were acquired on July 28, 2000 during Terra orbit 3248. On the left is a 'true color' (blue, green, red) image. Vegetation, which covers much of the land area, appears green because chlorophyll molecules absorb more blue and red light than green light. An independent method of detecting vegetation is to use the ratio of brightness in the near-infrared, where vegetation is typically bright as a result of reflection from the plants' cell walls, to the brightness in the red. In the middle 'false color' image, this ratio has been substituted for the green band data, resulting in a representation that accentuates the land's vegetation.

Yugoslavia is comprised of the Republics of Serbia and Montenegro. Serbia is over six times larger than Montenegro, and together they cover an area roughly comparable to the state of Kentucky. The northern part of Serbia contains fertile plains and a temperate continental climate, with gradual transitions between the seasons. Montenegro is more mountainous, and can experience heavy snowfall during the cold winters. About 10 kilometers from the Adriatic coast is Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans. Two-thirds of this lake belongs to Montenegro and one-third to Albania.

The image on the right is a higher resolution view of the region around the Yugoslavian capital city of Belgrade, highlighting some of the major rivers in the area. The international roads and railways passing through Yugoslavia's river valleys constitute the shortest link between Western and Central Europe on the one side, and the Middle East, Asia, and Africa on the other. Hence the geopolitical importance of this country's territory. The geopolitical changes throughout its history have put Yugoslavia in the worldwide spotlight, culminating most recently in a popular uprising and a newly elected government.

MISR was built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. The Terra satellite is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology.

A Comparative Assessment of Zootherapeutic Remedies From Selected Areas in Albania, Italy, Spain and Nepal

PubMed Central

Quave, Cassandra Leah; Lohani, Usha; Verde, Alonso; Fajardo, José; Rivera, Diego; Obón, Concepción; Valdes, Arturo; Pieroni, Andrea

2011-01-01

Zootherapy is the treatment of human ailments with remedies derived from animals and their products. Despite its prevalence in traditional medical practices worldwide, research on this phenomenon has often been neglected in comparison to medicinal plant research. Interviews regarding zootherapeutic traditions were conducted with informants from Albania, Italy, Nepal and Spain. We identified 80 species used in zootherapeutic remedies, representing 4 phyla in the animal kingdom: Annelida, Arthropoda, Chordata, and Mollusca. Remedies were ranked by consensus indices. Our studies show that the selection of medicinal fauna is mediated by human subsistence patterns. Concepts of health and disease differ among our study sites in the Mediterranean and Asia, and these differences also play a substantive role in the selection and use of animal-based remedies. PMID:21625340

Limits on testamentary freedom for people with dementia in Albania: Innovative Practice.

PubMed

Vyshka, Gentian; Kruja, Jera

2017-07-01

The extent to which dementia affects a person's testamentary capacity has been the subject of much litigation with some countries introducing legal tests to assess capacity. In light of substantial societal change in Albania in the last two decades and an epidemic of property litigation, Albanian legal practice is witnessing an increasing number of attempts to posthumously nullify wills. Plaintiffs are mainly relatives of the deceased testator who are unhappy with the quantity or quality of the property they have inherited. Based on plaintiffs' claims, solicitors may request expert neuropsychiatric reviews postmortem, often basing their position on prescription drug use by the testator during his/her last years of life. The authors discuss ethical issues intrinsically related to the difficult role of a potential expert witness in these litigation cases.

15 CFR 743.3 - Thermal imaging camera reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... controlled by ECCN 6A003.b.4.b to Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan...

Trafficking of children in Albania: patterns of recruitment and reintegration.

PubMed

Gjermeni, Eglantina; Van Hook, Mary P; Gjipali, Saemira; Xhillari, Lindita; Lungu, Fatjon; Hazizi, Anila

2008-10-01

Many children in Albania and other countries of Eastern Europe are being trafficked as part of the global business of human trafficking. The study sought to identify the patterns of child trafficking involving Albanian children, and especially children's views of the role of family issues and the nature of the trafficking experience. The study included verbally administered questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and use of already existing reports. Study participants included 61 children who had escaped from trafficking, 22 children from similar at-risk groups who had not been trafficked, 15 parents of currently or previously trafficked children, 10 parents from similar groups whose children had not been trafficked, and 8 key informants. Children at greatest risk of trafficking had very limited education and frequently were working on the streets. Their families were poor with many interpersonal problems, including violence. They typically belonged to the Gypsy community. Trusted community members usually recruited the children by promising that the children would work to help the family financially. Once abroad, the children were harshly treated, forced to work long hours, physically abused, and isolated from family members. Families did not receive the promised payment. Once returned, children had a difficult time reentering due to family, educational, and economic issues. Contextual issues supporting child trafficking in Albania include poverty, major internal and external migrations, discrimination, and problems in the legal system. Poverty combined with family problems and membership in the marginalized Gypsy group places children at increased risk of trafficking into harsh labor conditions. The study of Albanian children who were trafficked suggests that dealing with trafficking of children requires addressing family problems and complex social issues that perpetuate poverty as well as the legal and social structures that place children at risk and continue to marginalize certain communities. As a result, changes in social policies that protect victims and punish traffickers and the development of programs that facilitate integration and promote the economic and interpersonal welfare of families whose children are at-risk have been established in Albania.

A highly accurate absolute gravimetric network for Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ullrich, Christian; Ruess, Diethard; Butta, Hubert; Qirko, Kristaq; Pavicevic, Bozidar; Murat, Meha

2016-04-01

The objective of this project is to establish a basic gravity network in Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro to enable further investigations in geodetic and geophysical issues. Therefore the first time in history absolute gravity measurements were performed in these countries. The Norwegian mapping authority Kartverket is assisting the national mapping authorities in Kosovo (KCA) (Kosovo Cadastral Agency - Agjencia Kadastrale e Kosovës), Albania (ASIG) (Autoriteti Shtetëror i Informacionit Gjeohapësinor) and in Montenegro (REA) (Real Estate Administration of Montenegro - Uprava za nekretnine Crne Gore) in improving the geodetic frameworks. The gravity measurements are funded by Kartverket. The absolute gravimetric measurements were performed from BEV (Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying) with the absolute gravimeter FG5-242. As a national metrology institute (NMI) the Metrology Service of the BEV maintains the national standards for the realisation of the legal units of measurement and ensures their international equivalence and recognition. Laser and clock of the absolute gravimeter were calibrated before and after the measurements. The absolute gravimetric survey was carried out from September to October 2015. Finally all 8 scheduled stations were successfully measured: there are three stations located in Montenegro, two stations in Kosovo and three stations in Albania. The stations are distributed over the countries to establish a gravity network for each country. The vertical gradients were measured at all 8 stations with the relative gravimeter Scintrex CG5. The high class quality of some absolute gravity stations can be used for gravity monitoring activities in future. The measurement uncertainties of the absolute gravity measurements range around 2.5 micro Gal at all stations (1 microgal = 10-8 m/s2). In Montenegro the large gravity difference of 200 MilliGal between station Zabljak and Podgorica can be even used for calibration of relative gravimeters. The complete basic gravimetric network of these countries will be tied to these absolute stations. In this presentation all the stations and results will be presented in detail and some special results analysed.

75 FR 1020 - Amendments to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) Based Upon the Accession of Albania and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-08

...--Commerce Country Chart [Reason for control] Countries Chemical & biological Nuclear National Security Missile Regional Stability Firearms Crime control Anti-terrorism weapons nonproliferation Tech convention...

Use of the Modified Checklist for Autism, Revised with Follow up-Albanian to Screen for ASD in Albania

PubMed Central

Brennan, Laura; Fein, Deborah; Como, Ariel; Rathwell, Iris Carcani; Chen, Chi-Ming

2016-01-01

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised-Albanian screener (M-CHAT-R/-A) was used to screen 2,594 toddlers, aged 16-30 months, at well-child visits. Two hundred fifty three (9.75%) screened positive; follow up on failed items were conducted by phone with 127 (50%); the remainder were lost to follow-up. Twenty-six toddlers (21%) continued to screen positive; 19 received full evaluations, which assessed for ASD with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and developmental delays with the Parents Assessment of Developmental Status – Developmental Milestones. All evaluated children had significant delays; 17 of the 19 met criteria for Autism/ASD. Removal of three items improved performance. Although Albania and the US are quite different in culture and language, key features of autism appeared very similar. PMID:27491423

Gender and migration from Albania.

PubMed

Stecklov, Guy; Carletto, Calogero; Azzarri, Carlo; Davis, Benjamin

2010-11-01

This article examines the dynamics and causes of the shift in the gender composition of migration, and more particularly, in women's access to migration opportunities and decision-making. Our analysis focuses on Albania, a natural laboratory for studying international migration where out-migration was essentially nonexistent from the end of World War II to the end of the 1980s. Interest in the Albanian case is heightened because of the complex layers of inequality existing at the time when migration began: relatively low levels of inequality within the labor market and educational system-a product of the Communist era-while household relations remained heavily steeped in tradition and patriarchy. We use micro-level data from the Albania 2005 Living Standards Measurement Study, including migration histories for family members since migration began. Based on discrete-time hazard models, the analysis shows a dramatic increase in male migration and a gradual and uneven expansion of the female proportion of this international migration. Female migration, which is shown to be strongly associated with education, wealth, and social capital, appears responsive to economic incentives and constraints. Using information on the dependency of female migration to the household demographic structure as well as the sensitivity of female migration to household-level shocks, we show how household-level constraints and incentives affect male and female migration differently. Throughout this period, however, women's migration behavior appears more directly aligned with household-level factors, and there is little evidence to suggest that increased female migration signals rising behavioral independence among Albanian women.

Trauma system evaluation in developing countries: applicability of American College of Surgeons/Committee on Trauma (ACS/COT) basic criteria.

PubMed

Latifi, Rifat; Ziemba, Michelle; Leppäniemi, Ari; Dasho, Erion; Dogjani, Agron; Shatri, Zhaneta; Kociraj, Agim; Oldashi, Fatos; Shosha, Lida

2014-08-01

Trauma continues to be a major health problem worldwide, particularly in the developing world, with high mortality and morbidity. Yet most developing countries lack an organized trauma system. Furthermore, developing countries do not have in place any accreditation process for trauma centers; thus, no accepted standard assessment tools exist to evaluate their trauma services. The aims of this study were to evaluate the trauma system in Albania, using the basic trauma criteria of the American College of Surgeons/Committee on Trauma (ACS/COT) as assessment tools, and to provide the Government with a situational analysis relative to these criteria. We used the ACS/COT basic criteria as assessment tools to evaluate the trauma system in Albania. We conducted a series of semi-structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and focus groups with all stakeholders at the Ministry of Health, at the University Trauma Hospital (UTH) based in Tirana (the capital city), and at ten regional hospitals across the country. Albania has a dedicated national trauma center that serves as the only tertiary center, plus ten regional hospitals that provide some trauma care. However, overall, its trauma system is in need of major reforms involving all essential elements in order to meet the basic requirements of a structured trauma system. The ACS/COT basic criteria can be used as assessment tools to evaluate trauma care in developing countries. Further studies are needed in other developing countries to validate the applicability of these criteria.

Gender and Migration from Albania

PubMed Central

STECKLOV, GUY; CARLETTO, CALOGERO; AZZARRI, CARLO; DAVIS, BENJAMIN

2010-01-01

This article examines the dynamics and causes of the shift in the gender composition of migration, and more particularly, in women’s access to migration opportunities and decision-making. Our analysis focuses on Albania, a natural laboratory for studying international migration where out-migration was essentially nonexistent from the end of World War II to the end of the 1980s. Interest in the Albanian case is heightened because of the complex layers of inequality existing at the time when migration began: relatively low levels of inequality within the labor market and educational system—a product of the Communist era—while household relations remained heavily steeped in tradition and patriarchy. We use micro-level data from the Albania 2005 Living Standards Measurement Study, including migration histories for family members since migration began. Based on discrete-time hazard models, the analysis shows a dramatic increase in male migration and a gradual and uneven expansion of the female proportion of this international migration. Female migration, which is shown to be strongly associated with education, wealth, and social capital, appears responsive to economic incentives and constraints. Using information on the dependency of female migration to the household demographic structure as well as the sensitivity of female migration to household-level shocks, we show how household-level constraints and incentives affect male and female migration differently. Throughout this period, however, women’s migration behavior appears more directly aligned with household-level factors, and there is little evidence to suggest that increased female migration signals rising behavioral independence among Albanian women. PMID:21308565

76 FR 14275 - Regulations Issued Under the Export Grape and Plum Act; Revision to the Minimum Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-16

... are added to the remaining list: Bosnia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Herzegovina, Macedonia... to mean the following countries: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic...

Post flood damage data collection and assessment in Albania based on DesInventar methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toto, Emanuela; Massabo, Marco; Deda, Miranda; Rossello, Laura

2015-04-01

In 2013 in Albania was implemented a collection of disaster losses based on Desinventar. The DesInventar system consists in a methodology and software tool that lead to the systematic collection, documentation and analysis of loss data on disasters. The main sources of information about disasters used for the Albanian database were the Albanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Library and the State archive. Specifically for floods the database created contains nearly 900 datasets, for a period of 148 years (from 1865 to 2013). The data are georeferenced on the administrative units of Albania: Region, Provinces and Municipalities. The datasets describe the events by reporting the date of occurrence, the duration, the localization in administrative units and the cause. Additional information regards the effects and damage that the event caused on people (deaths, injured, missing, affected, relocated, evacuated, victims) and on houses (houses damaged or destroyed). Other quantitative indicators are the losses in local currency or US dollars, the damage on roads, the crops affected , the lost cattle and the involvement of social elements over the territory such as education and health centers. Qualitative indicators simply register the sectors (e.g. transportations, communications, relief, agriculture, water supply, sewerage, power and energy, industries, education, health sector, other sectors) that were affected. Through the queries and analysis of the data collected it was possible to identify the most affected areas, the economic loss, the damage in agriculture, the houses and people affected and many other variables. The most vulnerable Regions for the past floods in Albania were studied and individuated, as well as the rivers that cause more damage in the country. Other analysis help to estimate the damage and losses during the main flood events of the recent years, occurred in 2010 and 2011, and to recognize the most affected sectors. The database was used to find the most frequent drivers that cause floods and to identify the areas with a higher priority for intervention and the areas with a higher economic loss. In future the loss and damage database could address interventions for risk mitigation and decision making processes. Using the database is also possible to build Empirical Loss Exceedance Curves, that permit to find the average number of times for year that a certain level of loss happened. The users of the database information can be researchers, students, citizens and policy makers. The operators of the National Operative Center for Civil Emergencies (Albanian Ministry of Internal Affairs) use the database daily to insert new data. Nowadays in Albania there isn't an entity in charge for the registration of damage and consequences of floods in a systematic and organized way. In this sense, the database DesInventar provides a basis for the future and helps to identify priorities to create a national database.

76 FR 36986 - Export Controls for High Performance Computers: Wassenaar Arrangement Agreement Implementation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-24

... regimes and is working on becoming a member of the regimes. Albania and Croatia are parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Biological Weapons Convention. In...

Area Handbook Series. Albania: A Country Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

128 Population and Work Force .................... 130 Women in the Work Force ..................... 132 Trade Unions...155 RETAIL TRADE , SERVICES, AND TOURISM ......... 156 Retail Trade and Services ..................... 156 Black M arket...158 Tourism .................................... 158 FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS .................. 159 Foreign Trade

Transportation sector advisory services : part 1 : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-03-01

The report provides advisory services to the member countries of the South Balkan Initiative (SBDI) Program (Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria), which are seeking to improve their transportation infrastructure links, in addition to raising the level o...

Evaluation of hyperaccumulator plant species grown in metalliferous sites in Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babani, F.; Civici, N.; Mullaj, A.; Kongjika, E.; Ylli, A.

2007-04-01

Heavy metal contamination of soils causes serious problems to our society. A small number of interesting plant species have been identified that can grow in soils containing high levels of heavy metals, and can also accumulate these metals to high concentrations in the shoot. The heavy metal contents in root, shoot, leaves and flowers of spontaneous plants grown in metalliferous sites in Albania together with the elemental composition of the native soils were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Efficiency of photosynthetic apparatus of analyzed ecotypes was evaluated via chlorophyll fluorescence imaging during induction kinetics. Response of plant root system to the presence of metals, the available pools of metals to plants, effect of plant biomass to phytoextraction, photosynthetic pigment metabolism and chlorophyll fluorescence signature of leaves allowed to characterize hyperaccumulator properties and to detect the variation between selected ecotypes to heavy metal accumulation.

A comparative study of satellite estimation for solar insolation in Albania with ground measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitrushi, Driada, E-mail: driadamitrushi@yahoo.com; Berberi, Pëllumb, E-mail: pellumb.berberi@gmail.com; Muda, Valbona, E-mail: vmuda@hotmail.com

The main objective of this study is to compare data provided by Database of NASA with available ground data for regions covered by national meteorological net NASA estimates that their measurements of average daily solar radiation have a root-mean-square deviation RMSD error of 35 W/m{sup 2} (roughly 20% inaccuracy). Unfortunately valid data from meteorological stations for regions of interest are quite rare in Albania. In these cases, use of Solar Radiation Database of NASA would be a satisfactory solution for different case studies. Using a statistical method allows to determine most probable margins between to sources of data. Comparison of meanmore » insulation data provided by NASA with ground data of mean insulation provided by meteorological stations show that ground data for mean insolation results, in all cases, to be underestimated compared with data provided by Database of NASA. Converting factor is 1.149.« less

Adherence to a predominantly Mediterranean diet decreases the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a cross-sectional study in a South Eastern European population.

PubMed

Mone, I; Kraja, B; Bregu, A; Duraj, V; Sadiku, E; Hyska, J; Burazeri, G

2016-10-01

Our aim was to assess the association of a Mediterranean diet and gastroesophageal reflux disease among adult men and women in Albania, a former communist country in South Eastern Europe with a predominantly Muslim population. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012, which included a population-based sample of 817 individuals (≥18 years) residing in Tirana, the Albanian capital (333 men; overall mean age: 50.2 ± 18.7 years; overall response rate: 82%). Assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease was based on Montreal definition. Participants were interviewed about their dietary patterns, which in the analysis was dichotomized into: predominantly Mediterranean (frequent consumption of composite/traditional dishes, fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and fish) versus largely non-Mediterranean (frequent consumption of red meat, fried food, sweets, and junk/fast food). Logistic regression was used to assess the association of gastroesophageal reflux disease with the dietary patterns. Irrespective of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle factors including eating habits (meal regularity, eating rate, and meal-to-sleep interval), employment of a non-Mediterranean diet was positively related to gastroesophageal reflux disease risk (fully adjusted odds ratio = 2.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-4.5). Our findings point to a beneficial effect of a Mediterranean diet in the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in transitional Albania. Findings from this study should be confirmed and expanded further in prospective studies in Albania and in other Mediterranean countries. © 2015 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

Origin and spatial distribution of metals in moss samples in Albania: A hotspot of heavy metal contamination in Europe.

PubMed

Lazo, Pranvera; Steinnes, Eiliv; Qarri, Flora; Allajbeu, Shaniko; Kane, Sonila; Stafilov, Trajce; Frontasyeva, Marina V; Harmens, Harry

2018-01-01

This study presents the spatial distribution of 37 elements in 48 moss samples collected over the whole territory of Albania and provides information on sources and factors controlling the concentrations of elements in the moss. High variations of trace metals indicate that the concentrations of elements are affected by different factors. Relations between the elements in moss, geochemical interpretation of the data, and secondary effects such as redox conditions generated from local soil and/or long distance atmospheric transport of the pollutants are discussed. Zr normalized data, and the ratios of different elements are calculated to assess the origin of elements present in the current moss samples with respect to different geogenic and anthropogenic inputs. Factor analysis (FA) is used to identify the most probable sources of the elements. Four dominant factors are identified, i.e. natural contamination; dust emission from local mining operations; atmospheric transport of contaminants from local and long distance sources; and contributions from air borne marine salts. Mineral particle dust from local emission sources is classified as the most important factor affecting the atmospheric deposition of elements accumulated in the current moss samples. The open slag dumps of mining operation in Albania is probably the main factor contributing to high contents of Cr, Ni, Fe, Ti and Al in the moss. Enrichment factors (EF) were calculated to clarify whether the elements in the present moss samples mainly originate from atmospheric deposition and/or local substrate materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of sampling scheme in the survey of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Albania by using moss biomonitoring.

PubMed

Qarri, Flora; Lazo, Pranvera; Bekteshi, Lirim; Stafilov, Trajce; Frontasyeva, Marina; Harmens, Harry

2015-02-01

The atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Albania was investigated by using a carpet-forming moss species (Hypnum cupressiforme) as bioindicator. Sampling was done in the dry seasons of autumn 2010 and summer 2011. Two different sampling schemes are discussed in this paper: a random sampling scheme with 62 sampling sites distributed over the whole territory of Albania and systematic sampling scheme with 44 sampling sites distributed over the same territory. Unwashed, dried samples were totally digested by using microwave digestion, and the concentrations of metal elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and AAS (Cd and As). Twelve elements, such as conservative and trace elements (Al and Fe and As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Mn, Pb, V, Zn, and Li), were measured in moss samples. Li as typical lithogenic element is also included. The results reflect local emission points. The median concentrations and statistical parameters of elements were discussed by comparing two sampling schemes. The results of both sampling schemes are compared with the results of other European countries. Different levels of the contamination valuated by the respective contamination factor (CF) of each element are obtained for both sampling schemes, while the local emitters identified like iron-chromium metallurgy and cement industry, oil refinery, mining industry, and transport have been the same for both sampling schemes. In addition, the natural sources, from the accumulation of these metals in mosses caused by metal-enriched soil, associated with wind blowing soils were pointed as another possibility of local emitting factors.

The impact of tobacco control policies in Albania

PubMed Central

Ross, Hana; Levy, David T

2010-01-01

Objective To assess the impact of a tobacco control law adopted in Albania in 2007 and to estimate the share of illicit cigarettes on the market. Design Comparative analysis of two waves of a nationally representative household survey, one conducted before the new law went into effect and the other after 2 years. Official sales data were contrasted with the consumption estimate based on the survey. Main outcome measures Smoking prevalence, quit attempts, exposure to cigarette advertising, exposure to second-hand smoke, total cigarette consumption, share of illicit packs among packs possessed by smokers. Results Despite the adoption of strong smoke-free policies and adverting restrictions, smoking prevalence in Albania has risen. The increase in prevalence has been driven by higher smoking rates among females (18.9% in 2007 vs 29.3% in 2009) and young adults (23.2% in 2007 vs 38.5% in 2009 among 18–19 year olds). Self-reported exposure to second-hand smoke and cigarette advertising have been reduced since 2007. The majority of respondents are still exposed to second-hand smoke and more than half are exposed to tobacco advertising. Nevertheless, there are signs that the consumption of illicit cigarettes is declining. Conclusions The impacts of smoke-free policies and an advertising ban have been limited due to lack of enforcement and failure to adopt a comprehensive set of tobacco control measures. These measures should include sizeable and regular tobacco tax increases in excess of the general level of inflation and income growth. The decline in the share of illicit cigarettes should improve the effectiveness of the cigarette tax policy. PMID:20679417

Determinants of witnessed parental physical violence among university students in transitional Albania.

PubMed

Burazeri, Genc; Qirjako, Gentiana; Roshi, Enver; Brand, Helmut

2011-03-01

We aimed to assess the extent and the socioeconomic correlates of witnessed parental physical violence among university students in Albania, a country in transition from rigidly structured socialism to a market-oriented system. 2797 students (93% of all students) at the Medical Faculty, Tirana, filled out an anonymous structured questionnaire in April-June 2009. Information on witnessed father-to-mother physical violence during childhood and/or adolescence and sociodemographic and socioeconomic data were collected. The association of witnessed parental violence with socioeconomic factors was assessed with multivariable-adjusted logistic regression. 736 (26.7%) of students witnessed father-to-mother physical violence, and 36 (1.3%) reported 'very often' witnessing episodes. In multivariable-adjusted models, independent predictors of witnessed violence were: low family income [odds ratio (OR) = 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.7-3.2], rural origin (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.5-2.5), father's lower education and unemployment (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 4.1-7.1 and OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.9-3.2, respectively) and mother's educational and employment advantage compared with the spouse (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.9-3.8 and OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.6-2.8, respectively). Father's socioeconomic disadvantage and mother's socioeconomic empowerment were each independently related to increased risk for witnessed father-to-mother physical violence among university students in this transitional patriarchal society. Health professionals in post-communist Albania should be aware of the ways in which witnessed domestic violence influences physical and psychological health of young adults.

The impact of tobacco control policies in Albania.

PubMed

Zaloshnja, Eduard; Ross, Hana; Levy, David T

2010-12-01

To assess the impact of a tobacco control law adopted in Albania in 2007 and to estimate the share of illicit cigarettes on the market. Comparative analysis of two waves of a nationally representative household survey, one conducted before the new law went into effect and the other after 2 years. Official sales data were contrasted with the consumption estimate based on the survey. Smoking prevalence, quit attempts, exposure to cigarette advertising, exposure to second-hand smoke, total cigarette consumption, share of illicit packs among packs possessed by smokers. Despite the adoption of strong smoke-free policies and adverting restrictions, smoking prevalence in Albania has risen. The increase in prevalence has been driven by higher smoking rates among females (18.9% in 2007 vs 29.3% in 2009) and young adults (23.2% in 2007 vs 38.5% in 2009 among 18-19 year olds). Self-reported exposure to second-hand smoke and cigarette advertising have been reduced since 2007. The majority of respondents are still exposed to second-hand smoke and more than half are exposed to tobacco advertising. Nevertheless, there are signs that the consumption of illicit cigarettes is declining. The impacts of smoke-free policies and an advertising ban have been limited due to lack of enforcement and failure to adopt a comprehensive set of tobacco control measures. These measures should include sizeable and regular tobacco tax increases in excess of the general level of inflation and income growth. The decline in the share of illicit cigarettes should improve the effectiveness of the cigarette tax policy.

75 FR 77561 - Regulations Issued Under the Export Grape and Plum Act; Revision to the Minimum Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-13

...'' would be deleted, and the following countries would be added to the remaining list: Bosnia, Croatia..., Europe (defined to mean the following countries: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia...

Preparing Air Force Mobility Experts for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

times at Skopje , Macedonia, Tirana, 62 Albania, and Pristine , Yugoslavia. In addition in 1995, the US military assigned a permanent USAF officer on... 6 1.4 RESEARCH APPROACH...Bed-down .............................................................................................................. 42 Figure 6 -1: Swarming of

The present geodynamics of Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koçi, Rexhep; Dushi, Edmond; Begu, Enkela; Bozo, Rrezart

2017-04-01

Geological structure of Albania comprises different formations widely varying in age beginning since the Paleozoic era to Quaternary. From the tectonic stand point Albanides belongs to folded Alpine belt, representing a particular node in the geology of the Mediterranean Alps. Albanian geological environment have a long and complicated history. It is folded and dissected by many tectonic faults. During the Alpine geological evolution of Albanides, an imbricated tectonic thrusting system, with considerable amplitude, has been developed in the outer part, while a series of normal faults have been developed in the inner part. The convergence of the geological structures is southwest oriented, from inner to external tectonic area, associated by mass displacement. These displacements can be observed nowadays from geodynamic measurements, of the GPS networks in Albania, and the surrounding. GPS data for Albanian territory, recorded during a 10-years period, in reference to the Eurasia and Apulia plates, reveal an important pre-Pliocene compression of the outer Albanides, including Sazani, Ionian and Kruja zones, undergoing a major post-Pliocene shortening in the western side. The outer Albanides are structured by infringements of over-thrust and up-thrust type, by NNW-SSE oriented folds, which in some cases are dislocated by transverse faults, of NE orientation. Actual results from GPS measurements of the points located in outer Albanides show a displacement towards west and northwest in relation to Eurasia, and southwest in relation to Apulia block. From numerous focal mechanisms solutions (FMS) of shallow earthquakes it results a horizontal compression dominating along the Adriatic collision contact. Active tectonics in this area is reflected from historical and instrumental strong earthquakes. Quite often, they are generated from the activation of tectonic faults, which in turn are responsible for this seismic activity of the country. Referring to the historical data, the whole territory of Balkans and its southwest territory in particular, is characterized by a high seismicity rate. In general, Albanian seismicity is characterized by an intense micro-activity (1.0 ≤ M ≤ 3.0), by many small earthquakes (3.0 ≤ M ≤ 5.0), by medium size earthquakes (5.0 ≤ M ≤ 7.0) and very seldom by strong ones (M > 7.0). This paper aims a general representation of the geodynamics of Albania, based on recent results from earthquake and GPS instrumental data. Keywords: Albanides, frontal collision, thrusting system, normal faults

JPRS Report, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-06

1991 POLITICAL INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Foreign Ministry Criticizes Loncar Meeting [Sofia Radio... INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Norwegian Firm Expands Activity to East Europe [Oslo AFTENPOSTEN 22 Mar] ..................... 33 CZECHOSLOVAKIA Deputy Minister on...1991 POLITICAL INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ALBANIA Foreign Ministry Criticizes Loncar Meeting Former Political Prisoner’s Experiences Described A

East-West transport corridor feasibility study : phase 1, vol. 1 : existing characteristics : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-04-01

This study, conducted by Bechtel International, was funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The member countries of the South Balkan Initiative program (Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria) are seeking to improve their transportation infrastruc...

East-West transport corridor feasibility study : phase 1, vol. 2 : development plans : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-04-01

This study, conducted by Bechtel International, was funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The member countries of the South Balkan Initiative Program (Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria) are seeking to improve their transportation infrastruc...

Eastern European National Minorities, 1919-1980. A Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horak, Stephan M.; And Others

Historical summaries and annotated bibliographies are provided for chapters focusing on national minorities in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Italy and Austria, Bulgaria, and Albania between 1919 and 1980. Chapter 1, "Eastern European National Minorities, 1919-1980" (Stephen M. Horak), includes an historical…

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Albania. Focus on predictors of acute kidney injury in HFRS.

PubMed

Rista, Elvana; Pilaca, Arben; Akshija, Ilir; Rama, Ariol; Harja, Endri; Puca, Edmond; Bino, Silvia; Cadri, Vilma; Kota, Majlinda; Nestor, Thereska; Arjan, Harxhi

2017-06-01

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent borne zoonosis, caused by the members of the family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus. The main clinical features of the infection by this virus family are fever, thrombocytopenia and acute kidney injury. The aim of our study was to identify, for the first time, characteristic features of HFRS in the Albanian population. The study comprised 33 consecutive patients admitted with suspected HFRS from April 2011-April 2016 at one center. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by ELISA and real-time PCR. Statistical analysis was performed to identify prognostic markers and indicators of disease severity. The virus strain causing HFRS was Dobrava type in all 33 cases. The disease outbreaks occurred during the period June-July. Mean hospital stay was 15.7±6.9days. 29 (88%) of the patients were male. The mean age was 39.7±14.1. 16 (48.5%) patients were from Northeast Albania. 8 (24.2%) patients required dialysis. The strongest correlation was the inverse relationship of nadir platelet count with urea and creatinine, p<0.0001, p<0.0079 respectively. Creatinine and hyponatremia were inversely correlated p=0.0007, whereas hyponatremia and nadir platelet count had the highest sensitivity and specificity for development of severe AKI, 92.6%, 100%; 88.9%, 83.3% respectively. Mortality rate was 9.09%. HFRS is a severe viral disease in Albania caused by Dobrava strain. It is associated with high mortality, 9.09% in our cohort. In our study, thrombocytopenia, urinary volume, hyponatremia were indicators of more severe disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concurrent validation of two key health literacy instruments in a South Eastern European population.

PubMed

Toçi, Ervin; Burazeri, Genc; Sørensen, Kristine; Kamberi, Haxhi; Brand, Helmut

2015-06-01

Public health practice has come to increasing recognition of health promotion and the central role of knowledge, attitude, beliefs and practices in achieving health promotion. Health literacy (HL) is an under-explored topic in South Eastern European countries. There are no HL reports from Albania to date. The aim of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q) and the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) in a population-based sample of adults in Albania. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 in Tirana, Albania, including 239 individuals aged ≥ 18 years (61% women; 87% response). A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was applied twice (test and retest procedure after 2 weeks) including HLS-EU-Q and TOFHLA instruments. The internal consistency was high for both instruments (Cronbach's alpha for the test procedure was 0.92 for TOFHLA and 0.98 for HLS-EU-Q). Both tools exhibited a high stability over time (Spearman's rho: 0.88 for TOFHLA and 0.87 for HLS-EU). Mean values of both instruments were similar in men and women (mean score for TOFHLA: 76.0 vs. 76.5, P = 0.83; mean score for HLS-EU-Q: 32.2 vs. 32.6, P = 0.63). For both instruments, higher HL scores were significantly associated with younger age, higher educational and economic level and lower body mass index. Our study provides valuable novel evidence on concurrent validation of two major HL instruments in a South Eastern European population-based sample. Future studies should be conducted in order to confirm and expand our findings. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Revision of the flightless click-beetle genus Dima Charpentier, 1825 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dimini) in the Balkan Peninsula.

PubMed

Mertlik, Josef; Németh, Tamás; Kundrata, Robin

2017-01-13

The genus Dima Charpentier, 1825 in the Balkan Peninsula and surrounding areas was revised based on the adult semaphoronts. Altogether 33 species are known from the investigated area, of which nine are new for science: D. bruhai sp. nov. (Greece), D. dusaneki sp. nov. (Macedonia), D. fialai sp. nov. (Macedonia), D. kozufensis sp. nov. (Greece, Macedonia), D. orientalis sp. nov. (Bulgaria), D. pelikani sp. nov. (Albania, Montenegro), D. pelionensis sp. nov. (Greece), D. vonickai sp. nov. (Albania), and D. zbuzeki sp. nov. (Greece). Dima peloponnensis Schimmel & Platia, 2008 was synonymized under D. assingi Schimmel & Platia, 2008, D. scutellaris Platia, 2010 and D. fokidensis Schimmel & Platia, 2008 were synonymized under D. fthiotidensis Schimmel & Platia, 2008, D. pindosensis Schimmel & Platia, 2008 was synonymized under D. raineri Wurst, 1997, and D. riesei Platia, 2010 was synonymized under D. vailatii Schimmel & Platia, 2008. For the first time, a male was described for D. florinensis Platia, 2012, and females for D. neumanni Platia, 2013, D. olympica Meschnigg, 1934, and D. schimmeli Platia & Gudenzi, 2009. Dima dalmatina Küster, 1844 was recorded for the first time from Bosnia and Herzegovina, D. elateroides Charpentier, 1825 from Bulgaria and Macedonia, D. florinensis from Macedonia, and D. raineri Wurst, 1997 from Albania. For each species we provided bibliography and information on the type depositories, diagnosis, intraspecific variability and distribution, and figured the main diagnostic morphological characters. Due to the generally uniform morphology within the genus and great intraspecific variability in most diagnostic characters we were unable to construct a reliable identification key for the Dima species in the Balkan Peninsula. Our study revealed that Dima is a more speciose genus than expected and that more species may be discovered in the near future, even in Europe.

Evaluating Different Green School Building Designs for Albania: Indoor Thermal Comfort, Energy Use Analysis with Solar Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalvi, Ambalika Rajendra

Improving the conditions of schools in many parts of the world is gradually acquiring importance. The Green School movement is an integral part of this effort since it aims at improving indoor environmental conditions. This would in turn, enhance student- learning while minimizing adverse environmental impact through energy efficiency of comfort-related HVAC and lighting systems. This research, which is a part of a larger research project, aims at evaluating different school building designs in Albania in terms of energy use and indoor thermal comfort, and identify energy efficient options of existing schools. We start by identifying three different climate zones in Albania; Coastal (Durres), Hill/Pre-mountainous (Tirana), mountainous (Korca). Next, two prototypical school building designs are identified from the existing stock. Numerous scenarios are then identified for analysis which consists of combinations of climate zone, building type, building orientation, building upgrade levels, presence of renewable energy systems (solar photovoltaic and solar water heater). The existing building layouts, initially outlined in CAD software and then imported into a detailed building energy software program (eQuest) to perform annual simulations for all scenarios. The research also predicted indoor thermal comfort conditions of the various scenarios on the premise that windows could be opened to provide natural ventilation cooling when appropriate. This study also estimated the energy generated from solar photovoltaic systems and solar water heater systems when placed on the available roof area to determine the extent to which they are able to meet the required electric loads (plug and lights) and building heating loads respectively. The results showed that there is adequate indoor comfort without the need for mechanical cooling for the three climate zones, and that only heating is needed during the winter months.

Albania's students teach their peers about sexuality and safer sex.

PubMed

Iliriani, E; Asllani, P

1995-01-01

Under the previous pronatalist regime, Albania was the country with the youngest population and the highest birth rate in Europe. Nevertheless, sexuality used to be repressed, and the penalty for homosexuality was 10 years in prison. The repercussions of this period when information, education, and services in the field of sexual health were withheld are still felt. There are still thousands of young people and teenagers who lack the knowledge about sexuality and reproduction. Every day in Albania, at least one student has an abortion. The Organization for the Propagation of Sexual Education (SOPSE) was officially launched in November 1993, and it was initially based among students of the University of Tirana. After attending workshops concerned with health education, they became the first peer educators for sex, contraception and AIDS information. SOPSE has carried out about 700 sessions of counseling in student residences at the branch created at the University of Korca and has also distributed about 2000 condoms. SOPSE also organized a masked ball for students at the University of Tirana. 25 SOPSE members each invited 4 other students, and everyone received a free condom. The ball was also attended by representatives from Action Plus, an Albanian nongovernmental organization concerned with AIDS prevention, which distributed condoms and information at the ball. In addition, there were participants from the UN Development Programme, the World Health Organization, the Ministry of Health, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and the Albanian Family Planning Association, as well as a number of journalists and medical professors. Part of the evening was devoted to telling the students about SOPSE, putting across safe sex messages, introducing contraceptive methods, and discussing sexuality and the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection.

Integration through Europeanization: Ukraine’s Policy Towards the European Union

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-08

who have applied to the European Union and have been accepted in principle are: Iceland, Macedonia, Montenegro , Serbia and Turkey. See, European......the one hand, and the Contracting Parties: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro

The actuality and the historical background of covert Euthanasia in Albania.

PubMed

Boçari, Gëzim; Shaqiri, Elmaz; Vyshka, Gentian

2010-12-01

Euthanasia is not legal in Albania, yet there is strong evidence that euthanising a terminally ill patient is not an unknown concept for the Albanians. The first mentioned case of euthanasia is found in 7(th) century AD mythology and during the communist regime (1944-1989), allegations of euthanising political prisoners and possible rivals in the struggle for power have widely been formulated. There is a trend among relatives and laymen taking care of terminally ill patients to apply tranquilisers in an abusive dosage, or even against medical advice, aiming at sedating the ailing patient. These actions, the refusal to keep on consistently applying life prolonging treatment, and other data, suggest that covert euthanasia is a practice and legal interventions are needed towards formalising it. This might well improve end-of-life care standards, since the inadequacy of structures, such as hospices and residential asylums, is becoming a major drawback in the struggle for dignity and accessible socio-medical help for third age persons and terminal patients.

First characterisation of natural radioactivity in building materials manufactured in Albania.

PubMed

Xhixha, G; Ahmeti, A; Bezzon, G P; Bitri, M; Broggini, C; Buso, G P; Caciolli, A; Callegari, I; Cfarku, F; Colonna, T; Fiorentini, G; Guastaldi, E; Mantovani, F; Massa, G; Menegazzo, R; Mou, L; Prifti, D; Rossi Alvarez, C; Sadiraj Kuqi, Dh; Shyti, M; Tushe, L; Xhixha Kaçeli, M; Zyfi, A

2013-07-01

This study focuses on the radiological characterisation of building materials manufactured in Albania by using a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer. The average activity concentrations of (40)K, (226)Ra and (232)Th were, respectively, 644.1±64.2, 33.4 ± 6.4 and 42.2 ± 7.6 Bq kg(-1) in the clay brick samples and 179.7 ± 48.9, 55.0 ± 5.8 and 17.0 ± 3.3 Bq kg(-1) in the cement samples. The calculated activity concentration index (ACI), varied from 0.48±0.02 to 0.63±0.04 in the clay brick samples and from 0.29±0.03 to 0.37±0.02 in the cement samples. Based on the ACI, all of the clay brick and cement samples were categorised as A1 materials. The authors can exclude (at 3σ level) any restriction of their use as bulk materials.

Landslide and slope stability evaluation in the historical town of Kruja, Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muceku, Y.; Korini, O.

2014-03-01

This paper describes landslides and slope stability evaluation in the urban area of Kruja, Albania. Kruja is a historical and heritage center, due to the existence of many important cultural monuments, including "Skanderbeg" castle and Bazaar square, etc. The urban area of Kruja has been affected by landslide effects, in the past and also the present. From this phenomenon many engineering objects such as buildings, roads, etc., are damaged and demolished. From engineering geological mapping at scale 1:5000 it is observed that many active landslides have dramatically increased in activity since the 1980s. The landslide types found in the studied area are earthslides, debris flow, as well as rockfall and rock rolling. Also, from field works and laboratory analysis, the slope stability of the whole urban area has been determined; for this purpose the studied zone is divided into stable and unstable areas, which helps to better understand mass movement activity as one of the most harmful hazards of geodynamic phenomena.

Landslides and slope stability evaluation in the historical town of Kruja, Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muceku, Y.; Korini, O.

2013-07-01

This paper describes the landslides and slope stability evaluation in the urban area of Kruja town, Albania. Kruja is a~historical and heritage center, due to the existence of many important cultural monuments including Skanderbeg castle and Bazaar square etc. The urban area of Kruja town has been affected from the Landslides effects, in the past and also present. From this phenomenon many engineering objects such as buildings, roads etc. are damaged and demolished. From the engineering geological mapping at scale 1 : 5000 it is observed that many active landslides have dramatically increased in activity after 1980s. The landslide types found in the studied area are earth slides, debris flow, as well as rock fall and rock rolling. Also, from field works and laboratory analysis, the slope stability of whole urban areas has been determined; for this purpose the studied zone is divided into the stable and unstable areas, which helps to better understand the mass movement's activity as one of the most harmful hazards of the geodynamics' phenomena.

Telemedicine as an innovative model for rebuilding medical systems in developing countries through multipartnership collaboration: the case of Albania.

PubMed

Latifi, Rifat; Dasho, Erion; Shatri, Zhaneta; Tilley, Elizabeth; Osmani, Kalterina L; Doarn, Charles R; Dogjani, Agron; Olldashi, Fatos; Koçiraj, Agim; Merrell, Ronald C

2015-06-01

The U.S. Government and other developed nations provide billions of dollars annually in relief assistance to countries around the world. The long-term benefits of this aid, however, are often difficult to elucidate. The aim of this article is to present a model of a multipartnership collaboration among U.S. governmental, nongovernmental organizations, and academia to rebuild medical systems using telemedicine as a sustainable model of foreign aid. The International Virtual e-Hospital implemented the "initiate-build-operate-transfer" strategy to establish an effective telemedicine system in Albania that includes the National Telemedicine Center and 12 regional telemedicine centers. This nationwide telemedicine network has active clinical programs, virtual educational programs, and an electronic library that has substantially improved the access to care while advancing medical education. We propose that telemedicine is an optimal, sustainable, low-cost model for rebuilding medical systems of developing countries when implemented through a multipartnership approach.

The marine isotope stage 1-5 cryptotephra record of Tenaghi Philippon, Greece: Towards a detailed tephrostratigraphic framework for the Eastern Mediterranean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulf, Sabine; Hardiman, Mark J.; Staff, Richard A.; Koutsodendris, Andreas; Appelt, Oona; Blockley, Simon P. E.; Lowe, J. John; Manning, Christina J.; Ottolini, Luisa; Schmitt, Axel K.; Smith, Victoria C.; Tomlinson, Emma L.; Vakhrameeva, Polina; Knipping, Maria; Kotthoff, Ulrich; Milner, Alice M.; Müller, Ulrich C.; Christanis, Kimon; Kalaitzidis, Stavros; Tzedakis, Polychronis C.; Schmiedl, Gerhard; Pross, Jörg

2018-04-01

The iconic climate archive of Tenaghi Philippon (TP), NE Greece, allows the study of short-term palaeoclimatic and environmental change throughout the past 1.3 Ma. To provide high-quality age control for detailed palaeoclimate reconstructions based on the TP archive, (crypto)tephra studies of a peat core 'TP-2005' have been carried out for the 0-130 ka interval. The results show that the TP basin is ideally positioned to receive tephra fall from both the Italian and Aegean Arc volcanic provinces. Two visible tephra layers, the Santorini Cape Riva/Y-2 (c. 22 ka) and the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI)/Y-5 (c. 39.8 ka) tephras, and six primary cryptotephra layers, namely the early Holocene E1 tephra from the Aeolian Islands (c. 8.3 ka), the Campanian Y-3 (c. 29 ka) and X-6 tephras (c. 109.5 ka), as well as counterpart tephras TM-18-1d (c. 40.4 ka), TM-23-11 (c. 92.4 ka) and TM-33-1a (c. 116.7 ka) from the Lago Grande di Monticchio sequence (southern Italy), were identified along with repeatedly redeposited Y-2 and CI tephra material. Bayesian modelling of the ages of seven of the primary tephra layers, 60 radiocarbon measurements and 20 palynological control points have been applied to markedly improve the chronology of the TP archive. This revised chronology constrains the age of tephra TM-18-1d to 40.90-41.66 cal ka BP (95.4% range). Several tephra layers identified in the TP record form important isochrons for correlating this archive with other terrestrial (e.g., Lago Grande di Monticchio, Sulmona Basin and Lake Ohrid) and marine (e.g., Adriatic Sea core PRAD 1-2 and Aegean Sea core LC21) palaeoclimate records in the Mediterranean region.

36Chlorine exposure dating of a terminal moraine in the Galicica Mountains, Macedonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gromig, R.; Mechernich, S.; Ribolini, A.; Dunai, T. J.; Wagner, B.

2015-12-01

The glaciation history of the Balkan Peninsula is subject of research since the late 19th century. To date, only a few moraines on the Balkan Peninsula are dated, mainly using 10Be exposure dating applied on quartz bearing rocks. Since large parts of the Balkan Peninsula mountains are composed of carbonatic rocks, absolute age dating is restricted to 36Cl exposure dating, which, to date, was not conducted in this region yet. So far, an absolute chronological control in limestone-dominated areas is limited to U-series minimum ages of calcitic cements. In order to obtain more information about the timing of the glaciation history on the Balkan Peninsula, we investigated a terminal moraine in a NNE-facing cirque in the Galicica Mountains (40°56´N, 20°49´E) in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The cirque comprises a series of nested moraine ridges at the base of the cirque wall, with the largest one being sampled. Samples from five limestone boulders in crest position (≈ 2050 m a.s.l.) were taken and pre-treated for AMS measurement at the University of Cologne. Three preliminary ages point to a moraine formation in the course of a late Pleistocene glaciation, either Last Glacial Maximum or Younger Dryas. The data were discussed concerning corrections for topographic shielding, snow cover, inheritance, and erosion. However, five AMS re-measurements are currently in progress in order to refine the correlation of the moraine formation to a specific glacial period. The resulting ages will be compared to sediments of the adjacent Lakes Ohrid and Prespa, which represent valuable climatic and environmental archives. Several studies on these sediments were carried out in order to reconstruct relative changes in temperature and moisture availability. Moreover, the inferred moraine formation ages will be compared to glaciation reconstructions of other mountainous regions on the Balkan Peninsula to improve the knowledge on past climatic conditions.

76 FR 17152 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-28

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Foreign Claims Settlement Commission [F.C.S.C. Meeting Notice No. 1-11] Sunshine Act Meeting The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, pursuant to its regulations (45 CFR part 504... claims against Albania and Libya. Status: Open. All meetings are held at the Foreign Claims Settlement...

The Future of Workforce Development--A Global Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twigger, Anthony J.

Recent research has identified trends in the training systems of 13 countries in Africa (Egypt, Mauritius, South Africa); the Arab States (Bahrain, Jordan); Asia (Australia, Fiji, Malaysia); Eastern Europe (Albania, Slovenia); Western Europe (Ireland, Portugal); and the Mediterranean region (Malta). The trends identified are legislation;…

15 CFR 740.16 - Additional permissive reexports (APR).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... among: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark...,000 elements are to be embedded in civil products. (c) Reexports to a destination to which direct.... 25, 1996. Redesignated at 61 FR 64274, Dec. 4, 1996. Redesignated at 61 FR 68579, Dec. 30, 1996, and...

Albanian Geography and History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defense Language Inst., Washington, DC.

This volume supplements lessons 1-120 in the "Albanian Basic Course" developed by the Defense Language Institute. New words and idioms are introduced, and historical, political, cultural, and geographic information about Albania focuses on contemporary life. It is suggested that the work in this text be initiated during the final phase of the…

Albania’s Road Toward Integrated and Accession into the European Union

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-13

50 vii Regional issues and international obligations ........................................................51...88 viii ACRONYMS AI Amnesty International APL Albanian Party of Labor CARDS Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development...IMF International Monetary Fund IPA Instrument for Pre-accession assistance MEI Ministry of European Integration MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Social Structure and Social Change in Eastern Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, George; Schenkel, Walter

This specialized bibliography of scholarly writings since 1945 on Eastern Europe covers the countries of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. Distinct entries number about 700 and cover works published in English in the United States and Great Britain and also sources in French and German published…

Economic and Military on Albania (November 1959 - February 1960) (22nd in the Series).

DTIC Science & Technology

1960-07-10

Cultivation ............................ 3 F. Apiculture .... ,0.,...... .... ,..............,, 4 G. Sheep Raising r..o..e.. . ... ..... o.....,@ ! J...28 Jan 60, p i) F. Apiculture Bee raising in the collective and private farms of Shkoder Rroth is fully developed. In 1959 the rreth had 1,121

19 CFR 4.75 - Incomplete manifest; incomplete export declarations; bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 1302-A (see § 4.63) in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 91, or all required shipper's export declarations (see... declarations; bond. 4.75 Section 4.75 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND... export declarations have been filed with the port director: Albania Bulgaria Cambodia China, People's...

19 CFR 4.75 - Incomplete manifest; incomplete export declarations; bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 1302-A (see § 4.63) in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 91, or all required shipper's export declarations (see... declarations; bond. 4.75 Section 4.75 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND... export declarations have been filed with the port director: Albania Bulgaria Cambodia China, People's...

19 CFR 4.75 - Incomplete manifest; incomplete export declarations; bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 1302-A (see § 4.63) in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 91, or all required shipper's export declarations (see... declarations; bond. 4.75 Section 4.75 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND... export declarations have been filed with the port director: Albania Bulgaria Cambodia China, People's...

19 CFR 4.75 - Incomplete manifest; incomplete export declarations; bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 1302-A (see § 4.63) in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 91, or all required shipper's export declarations (see... declarations; bond. 4.75 Section 4.75 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND... export declarations have been filed with the port director: Albania Bulgaria Cambodia China, People's...

American Colleges' Missteps Raise Questions about Overseas Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Karin

2012-01-01

Several stumbles by American colleges in setting up programs with foreign partners have called attention to problems inherent in making such arrangements. State University of New York Empire State College has allowed a university in Albania to deliver diplomas in its name. In North Dakota, state auditors issued a scathing review of dual-degree…

Detection of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 7 using real-time PCR and conventional RT-PCR

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 7 (GLRaV-7) is an unassigned member in the Closteroviridae family that was first recorded in an asymptomatic white-berried grapevine cultivar from Albania. In California, the virus has been detected in several cultivars including Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Em...

40 CFR Appendix E to Subpart A of... - Article 5 Parties

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Article 5 Parties E Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82—Article 5 Parties Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Antigua & Barbuda...

40 CFR Appendix E to Subpart A of... - Article 5 Parties

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Article 5 Parties E Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82—Article 5 Parties Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Antigua & Barbuda...

40 CFR Appendix E to Subpart A of... - Article 5 Parties

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Article 5 Parties E Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82—Article 5 Parties Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua...

40 CFR Appendix E to Subpart A of... - Article 5 Parties

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Article 5 Parties E Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Appendix E to Subpart A of Part 82—Article 5 Parties Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua...

Public-Private Dynamics in Higher Education in the Western Balkans: Are Governments Leveling the Playing Field?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klemencic, Manja; Zgaga, Pavel

2014-01-01

The article analyzes the public-private dynamics in the context of eight Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia). This article examines whether and to what extent these governments "level the playing field" between private and…

Supporting Refugee Children in 21st Century Britain: A Compendium of Essential Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutter, Jill

This book provides information on the most recent groups of refugee children in British schools, including children from Albania, Eastern European Roma, the former Soviet Union, Iraq, Kurdistan, Algeria, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Kenya, Nigeria, and many other countries. Because educational provisions for students from refugee communities have…

From Policy to Practice: Roma Education in Albania and Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avery, Helen; Hoxhallari, Itena

2017-01-01

This paper aims to make a contribution to recentering practice- and practitioner-oriented issues in Roma education studies. Gaps can be observed today between conditions of educational work in practice and the ways education is understood in mainstream academic discussions, compounded by the fact that educational workers in the field have limited…

Financial Satisfaction and (In)formal Sector in a Transition Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrer-i-Carbonell, Ada; Gerxhani, Klarita

2011-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between working in the formal or informal sector and self-reported individual financial satisfaction in a country in transition. It does so by allowing for individual heterogeneity in terms of perceived financial insecurity and tax morale. The empirical analysis uses a dataset for Albania, a country in…

Educational Turning Point in Albania: No More Mechanic Parrots but Critical Thinkers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhasani, Mirela Dubali

2015-01-01

Since 2004 Albanian academics have been making efforts to establish the best Western practices of academic writing associated with critical thinking and writing skills for university students. In this article, I will shed light upon the special challenges and peculiarities the establishment of Academic Writing discipline has encountered in Albania…

22 CFR 89.1 - Prohibitions on Longshore work by U.S. nationals; listing by country.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... of sophisticated cargo-related equipment on container vessels, (2) First opening and last closing of... respect to the particular activities noted: Albania (a) Cargo loading and discharge. (b) Exceptions: (1) Operation of cargo related equipment, (2) Opening and closing of hatches, and (3) Rigging of ship's gear...

22 CFR 89.1 - Prohibitions on Longshore work by U.S. nationals; listing by country.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... of sophisticated cargo-related equipment on container vessels, (2) First opening and last closing of... respect to the particular activities noted: Albania (a) Cargo loading and discharge. (b) Exceptions: (1) Operation of cargo related equipment, (2) Opening and closing of hatches, and (3) Rigging of ship's gear...

22 CFR 89.1 - Prohibitions on Longshore work by U.S. nationals; listing by country.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... of sophisticated cargo-related equipment on container vessels, (2) First opening and last closing of... respect to the particular activities noted: Albania (a) Cargo loading and discharge. (b) Exceptions: (1) Operation of cargo related equipment, (2) Opening and closing of hatches, and (3) Rigging of ship's gear...

22 CFR 89.1 - Prohibitions on Longshore work by U.S. nationals; listing by country.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... of sophisticated cargo-related equipment on container vessels, (2) First opening and last closing of... respect to the particular activities noted: Albania (a) Cargo loading and discharge. (b) Exceptions: (1) Operation of cargo related equipment, (2) Opening and closing of hatches, and (3) Rigging of ship's gear...

The Dearth of International Baccalaureate Schools across Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunnell, Tristan

2016-01-01

The Geneva-registered International Baccalaureate (IB) celebrated its 50th anniversary as an organisational entity in 2014, having first appeared in 1964 as the International Schools Examination Syndicate. In January 2015 the 5,000th programme had appeared at a school in Albania. The IB, now offering four programmes, has moved significantly over…

FSU/Eastern Europe: Russia spearheads small upturn

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-08-01

The paper discusses the political and legal scene in Russia, domestic restructuring, exploration, drilling, development by Western companies and by Russian companies, and production. Exploration and development in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Serbia are also discussed.

The economic efficiency and equity of government policies on brucellosis: comparative insights from Albania and the United States of America.

PubMed

Peck, D; Bruce, M

2017-04-01

Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that causes recurring febrile illness in humans, as well as reproductive failure and reduced milk production in livestock. The cost of brucellosis is equal to the sum of lost productivity of humans and animals, as well as private and public expenditures on brucellosis surveillance, prevention, control and treatment. In Albania, Brucella abortus and B. melitensis affect humans, cattle and small ruminants. In the United States, B. abortus affects cattle and wild ungulates in the Greater Yellowstone Area. These two case studies illustrate the importance of place-specific context in developing sustainable and effective brucellosis mitigation policies. Government regulations and mitigation strategies should be designed with consideration of all costs and benefits, both to public agencies and private stakeholders. Policy-makers should, for example, weigh the benefits of a regulation that increases epidemiological certainty against the costs of compliance for producers and households. The distribution of costs and benefits amongst public agencies and private individuals can have important implications for a policy's economic efficiency and equity quite apart from their total magnitude.

A Population-Based Assessment of Human Rights Abuses Committed Against Ethnic Albanian Refugees From Kosovo

PubMed Central

Iacopino, Vincent; Frank, Martina W.; Bauer, Heidi M.; Keller, Allen S.; Fink, Sheri L.; Ford, Doug; Pallin, Daniel J.; Waldman, Ronald

2001-01-01

Objectives. This study assessed patterns of displacement and human rights abuses among Kosovar refugees in Macedonia and Albania. Methods. Between April 19 and May 3, 1999, 1180 ethnic Albanian refugees living in 31 refugee camps and collective centers in Macedonia and Albania were interviewed. Results. The majority (68%) of participants reported that their families were directly expelled from their homes by Serb forces. Overall, 50% of participants saw Serb police or soldiers burning the houses of others, 16% saw Serb police or soldiers burn their own home, and 14% witnessed Serb police or soldiers killing someone. Large percentages of participants saw destroyed mosques, schools, or medical facilities. Thirty-one percent of respondents reported human rights abuses committed against their household members, including beatings, killings, torture, forced separation and disappearances, gunshot wounds, and sexual assault. Conclusions. The present findings confirm that Serb forces engaged in a systematic and brutal campaign to forcibly expel the ethnic Albanian population of Kosovo. In the course of these mass deportations, Serb forces committed widespread abuses of human rights against ethnic Albanians. PMID:11726386

An analysis of respondent driven sampling with Injection Drug Users (IDU) in Albania and the Russian Federation.

PubMed

Stormer, Ame; Tun, Waimar; Guli, Lisa; Harxhi, Arjan; Bodanovskaia, Zinaida; Yakovleva, Anna; Rusakova, Maia; Levina, Olga; Bani, Roland; Rjepaj, Klodian; Bino, Silva

2006-11-01

Injection drug users in Tirana, Albania and St. Petersburg, Russia were recruited into a study assessing HIV-related behaviors and HIV serostatus using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS), a peer-driven recruitment sampling strategy that results in a probability sample. (Salganik M, Heckathorn DD. Sampling and estimation in hidden populations using respondent-driven sampling. Sociol Method. 2004;34:193-239). This paper presents a comparison of RDS implementation, findings on network and recruitment characteristics, and lessons learned. Initiated with 13 to 15 seeds, approximately 200 IDUs were recruited within 8 weeks. Information resulting from RDS indicates that social network patterns from the two studies differ greatly. Female IDUs in Tirana had smaller network sizes than male IDUs, unlike in St. Petersburg where female IDUs had larger network sizes than male IDUs. Recruitment patterns in each country also differed by demographic categories. Recruitment analyses indicate that IDUs form socially distinct groups by sex in Tirana, whereas there was a greater degree of gender mixing patterns in St. Petersburg. RDS proved to be an effective means of surveying these hard-to-reach populations.

Dynamics of Shengjini beach (Albania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gashi, Ferim; Nikolli, Pal

2015-04-01

Dynamics of Shengjini beach (Albania) Pal Nikolli , Ferim GASHI Through archaeological and historical data, presentations of ancient topographic, cartographic materials (topographic maps obtained at different periods from 1870 to 1990), aerial photographs (2007), satellite images (2014) and direct measurements, paper defines and analyzes the position of the coastline of Shengjini beach (Lezha) from century XVI until today. The coastline of the Shengjini city (port) to Drin River estuary is oriented north-south direction and is approximately 10.5 km long. This part of the coast is sandy and sediment comes mainly from the River Drin and distributed by currents along the coast. In this paper are make provision for the position of the coastline in the future and analyzed the possibilities of human intervention in the coastal environment , etc. This work forms the basis for the issuance of necessary data required for various projections at the coastal environment Shëngjini. Results of this study will have a significant impact on state policies for integrated management of the coastal zone in the study and development of tourism. Key words: GIS, Remonte Sennsing, cartography, management of coastal zone, tourism, environment.

Subgeneric division of the genus Orcula Held 1837 with remarks on Romanian orculid data (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Orculidae)

PubMed Central

Páll-Gergely, Barna; Deli, Tamás; Irikov, Atanas; Harl, Josef

2013-01-01

Abstract The genital anatomy of Orcula jetschini (Romania), Orcula zilchi (Bulgaria), and Orcula wagneri (Albania) is described. Based on anatomical features (morphology of the penial caecum) shell characters (sculpture and shape) and unpublished molecular data the genus Orcula is subdivided into three subgenera. Orcula zilchi was classified within the monotypic subgenus Orcula (Hausdorfia) subgen. n.; Orcula jetschini, Orcula wagneri, and Orcula schmidtii were classified to Orcula (Illyriobanatica) subgen. n. (type species: Pupa schmidtii) whereas the other Orcula species remain in the nominotypical subgenus. Orcula (Hausdorfia) is known from South-Eastern Bulgaria and North-Western Turkey, Orcula (Illyriobanatica) inhabits Western Romania, North-Western Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro. The nine species of Orcula (Orcula) are known mainly from the Alps and the Western Carpathians (from Eastern France to Eastern Hungary and Slovakia). The occurrence of only one Orcula species namely Orcula jetschini is verified from Romania. Available information suggests that data on the Romanian occurrence of Orcula dolium and Orcula gularis were based on wrongly identified specimens. Sphyradium dobrogicum (=Orcula dobrogica) is considered as a synonym of Sphyradium doliolum. PMID:23794893

Post-Soviet transition: improving health services delivery and management.

PubMed

Antoun, Joseph; Phillips, Frank; Johnson, Tricia

2011-01-01

During the post-Soviet transition of the last 2 decades, ex-Communist countries of the Eastern Bloc, including eastern and central Europe, the Soviet Union, and its satellite and aligned states, have undergone major health system reforms. Many health systems of those countries--previously adopting a Soviet-type Semashko model--are currently called "in transition," as reform agendas, such as shifting to a Bismarck, Beveridge, or mixed financing scheme or adopting new health delivery management policies, are still in development. In this article, we first review common characteristics of Semashko health systems (the predominant health system of Communist countries during the Soviet era) and then discuss the "new public management" principles that ex-Communist countries have recently started to adopt with various degrees of success. We then illustrate experiences with these principles using 2 case studies, from Russia and Albania, and propose health policy options for both cases. Based on a review of the literature and on the our work experience in Russia and Albania, we found that the 2 ex-Semashko systems have not fully capitalized on expected positive outcomes of new public management principles due to low local healthcare financing levels, depreciated healthcare infrastructure and operational capacities, overlapping and contradicting ideology and policies of the former and newer health systems, and finally, lack of leadership that has successful experience with these principles. In the case of pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement, and access in Russia, we show how a well-intentioned but suboptimally designed and managed pharmaceutical coverage scheme has suffered moral hazard and adverse selection and has adversely impacted the new public management promise of efficient medicine coverage. In the case of Albania, the delayed investment in human resource reform within a depreciated and underfinanced delivery system has adversely affected the implementation of new public management principles. © 2011 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in Albania.

PubMed

Ahmeti, Albana; Preza, Iria; Simaku, Artan; Nelaj, Erida; Clark, Andrew David; Felix Garcia, Ana Gabriela; Lara, Carlos; Hoestlandt, Céline; Blau, Julia; Bino, Silvia

2015-05-07

Rotavirus vaccines have been introduced in several European countries but can represent a considerable cost, particularly for countries that do not qualify for any external financial support. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of introducing rotavirus vaccination into Albania's national immunization program and to inform national decision-making by improving national capacity to conduct economic evaluations of new vaccines. The TRIVAC model was used to assess vaccine impact and cost-effectiveness. The model estimated health and economic outcomes attributed to 10 successive vaccinated birth cohorts (2013-2022) from a government and societal perspective. Epidemiological and economic data used in the model were based on national cost studies, and surveillance data, as well as estimates from the scientific literature. Cost-effectiveness was estimated for both the monovalent (RV1) and pentavalent vaccines (RV5). A multivariate scenario analysis (SA) was performed to evaluate the uncertainty around the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). With 3% discounting of costs and health benefits over the period 2013-2022, rotavirus vaccination in Albania could avert 51,172 outpatient visits, 14,200 hospitalizations, 27 deaths, 950 disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and gain 801 life-years. When both vaccines were compared to no vaccination, the discounted cost per DALY averted was US$ 2008 for RV1 and US$ 5047 for RV5 from a government perspective. From the societal perspective the values were US$ 517 and US$ 3556, respectively. From both the perspectives, the introduction of rotavirus vaccine to the Albanian immunization schedule is either cost-effective or highly cost-effective for a range of plausible scenarios. In most scenarios, including the base-case scenario, the discounted cost per DALY averted was less than three times the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. However, rotavirus vaccination was not cost-effective when rotavirus cases and deaths were based on plausible minimum estimates. Introduction of RV1 would yield similar benefits at lower cost. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study of the impacts of climate change scenarios on the plant hardiness zones of Albania

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Maps of plant hardiness zones are useful tools for determining the extreme limits for the survival of plants. Exploration of projected climate change effects on hardiness zones can help identify areas most affected by climate change. Such studies are important in areas with high risks related to cli...

Higher Education in Albania: Developing Third Mission Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mora, José-Ginés; Ferreira, Camino; Vidal, Javier; Vieira, María-José

2015-01-01

The national strategy for higher education of the Albanian government (2008--2013) stated the urgent need for universities to increase their role in the social and economic development of the local and regional environment. In order to achieve this goal, the main action proposed by the strategy was the setting up of regional development centres by…

15 CFR 742.4 - National security.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Requirements” section except those cameras in ECCN 6A003.b.4.b that have a focal plane array with 111,000 or... Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia....b.4.b that have a focal plane array with 111,000 or fewer elements and a frame rate of 60 Hz or less...

Teachers for the Future: Teacher Development for Inclusive Education in the Western Balkans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantic, Natasa; Closs, Alison; Ivosevic, Vanja

2011-01-01

Teachers for the Future is a regional report that draws together and analyses research findings from a study commissioned by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in seven countries in the Western Balkan region, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. The overall…

Teachers for the Future: Teacher Development for Inclusive Education in the Western Balkans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantic, Natasa; Closs, Alison; Ivosevic, Vanja

2011-01-01

Teachers for the Future is a regional report that draws together and analyses research findings from a study commissioned by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in seven countries in the Western Balkans region, namely, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. The overall…

Dearth of Early Education Experience: A Significant Barrier to Educational and Social Inclusion in the Western Balkans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milovanovic, Suncica Macura; Kokic, Ivana Batarelo; Kristiansen, Selma Džemidžic; Gera, Ibolya; Ikonomi, Estevan; Kafedžic, Lejla; Milic, Tamara; Rexhaj, Xhavit; Spasovski, Ognen; Closs, Alison

2014-01-01

The article summarises the socio-political, cultural, economic and educational background to the Western Balkans region and outlines the wider qualitative research study that provided the data on early and pre-school educational opportunities in the seven countries involved; Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo (under United Nations…

Europe's Second Demographic Transition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van de Kaa, Dirk J.

1987-01-01

By 1985, fertility rates in Europe were below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman in all but Albania, Ireland, Malta, Poland, and Turkey, following a steady decline from a 1965 postwar peak well above 2.5 in Northern, Western, and Southern Europe and an erratic trend from a lower level in Eastern Europe. Natural decrease (fewer births…

Opportunities for a forest energy industry in a developing country: an example from Moldova

Treesearch

Vitalie Gulca; Robert Deal

2010-01-01

Developing sustainable energy from forest biomass presents both opportunities and challenges for the future generations of Moldova. Located in the southeastern part of Europe between Ukraine and Romania, Moldova is a relatively poor country with limited natural resources compared with other developing European countries such as Albania or Bosnia. This lack of fossil...

The Visual Construction of the Myth of the Albanian National Leader

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vuka, Denis

2017-01-01

This article examines the visual construction of the myth of the Albanian national leader in history textbooks. By applying visual social semiotics, it explores the function and usefulness of this myth during the critical years of Albania's self-isolation from 1978 to 1990. Depicted in recurring episodes that were decisive for the existence of the…

(Re)Presentations of Islam in Albanian History Textbooks from 1990 to 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sulstarova, Enis

2017-01-01

This article investigates the role of Islam in representations of the self and the other in the contemporary Albanian national discourse, on the basis of an analysis of history textbooks published in postcommunist Albania between 1990 and 2013, focusing specifcally on texts used in pre-university education. Even after the dissolution of the…

Education Outcomes, School Governance and Parents' Demand for Accountability: Evidence from Albania. Policy Research Working Paper 5643

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serra, Danila; Barr, Abigail; Packard, Truman

2011-01-01

The extent to which teachers and school directors are held to account may play a central role in determining education outcomes, particularly in developing and transition countries where institutional deficiencies can distort incentives. This paper investigates the relationship between an expanded set of school inputs, including proxies for the…

Using the Copenhagen Process to Facilitate National Qualification Framework Strategies in South Eastern Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mc Bride, Vincent

2005-01-01

This article presents and discusses a perspective on the implications of the Lisbon Process for education and training in a selected group of partner countries of the European Union -- the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro). It presents the reflections of a…

Access to the Albanian VET System: Social, Individual and School-Based Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xhumari, Merita; Dibra, Sidita

2016-01-01

This article analyses the determinants of access to the VET system in Albania and its impact on the inclusion of young people and vulnerable groups. The VET system often attracts students who have completed the compulsory levels of education with weak academic results. Many come from families with a low level of income and a low education level.…

Albanian-NATO Relations in the Fight Against International Terrorism

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

conformity with international standards.258 “The law provides for the coordination among all state institutions, bank sector , insurance companies...5 US-Adriatic Charter-5 AAF Albanian Armed Forces ACT Allied Command of Transformation AII Adriatic-Ionian Initiative AIS ...reform. With the country’s membership in PfP, Albania initiated military and defense- sector reforms in accordance with the program. In 1997

Translations on Environmental Quality, Number 179

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-13

Pierre Bonhomme; LA PRESSE, 15 Aug 78) 24 EASTERN EUROPE ALBANIA More Attention to Environmental Protection Urged (Tahir Cenko; SHENDETESIA...Environmental Protection 57 Protection of the Baltic Sea 57 WESTERN EUROPE GREECE Elevsinians Determined To Clean Up Polluted Environment (Sotiris...momument, while the hydroelectric power plant Planina would destroy our most beauti- ful field in Kras which is intended to become part of the

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 745 - States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their... REGULATIONS CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REQUIREMENTS Pt. 745, Supp. 2 Supplement No. 2 to Part 745—States... Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction List of States Parties as of May 21, 2009 Afghanistan Albania...

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 745 - States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their... REGULATIONS CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REQUIREMENTS Pt. 745, Supp. 2 Supplement No. 2 to Part 745—States... Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction List of States Parties as of May 21, 2009 Afghanistan Albania...

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 745 - States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their... REGULATIONS CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REQUIREMENTS Pt. 745, Supp. 2 Supplement No. 2 to Part 745—States... Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction List of States Parties as of May 21, 2009 Afghanistan Albania...

Prevalence of Tobacco Use among Students Aged 13-15 Years in the South-Eastern Europe Health Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stojiljkovic, Djorde; Haralanova, Maria; Nikogosian, Haik; Petrea, Ionela; Chauvin, James; Warren, Charles W.; Jones, Nathan R.; Asma, Samira

2008-01-01

Objective: To examine adolescent tobacco use among members of the South-Eastern Europe (SEE) Health Network using data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Methods: Nationally representative samples were drawn from students in grades associated with youth aged 13 to 15 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former…

Analyzing Mathematics High School State Examinations in Albania in the 1970S and 2006-2015: Two Decades, Two Historical Periods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gjoci, Bukurie

2017-01-01

This dissertation is devoted to the history of the Albanian system of education in general, its mathematics education program in particular, and, specifically, the Albanian high school mathematics assessment. Historical in terms of its research methodology, and mathematical-pedagogical in terms of the objects of the study, this research explores…

Autism in Southeast Europe: A Survey of Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Amy M.; Como, Ariel; Hergüner, Sabri; Kostadinova, Krasimira; Stosic, Jasmina; Shih, Andy

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to understand the diagnostic, service and lived experiences of families affected by ASD in Southeast Europe. A total of 758 caregivers from Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey were surveyed from 2013 to 2015 about characteristics of the child with ASD; service encounters; and caregiver perceptions. The average age at…

Agents of Change and Continuity: The Pivotal Role of Teachers in Albanian Educational Reform and Democratization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardinier, Meg P.

2012-01-01

This article explores how teachers navigate and respond to the competing pressures of school change in a global policy context. In postcommunist Albania, national policies reflecting global norms for the teacher's role overshadowed complex and cultural aspects of teaching and learning and, as a result, led to gaps in implementation. On the basis…

NATO’s Small States: Albania as a Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

worth of marijuana per 158 Ibid. 159 Spahlu, “Ethnic Albanian Foreign Fighters and the Islamic State...strongly to regional stabilization efforts. 164 Jill Reilly, “The Day Europe’s ‘ Marijuana Mecca...Went up in Smoke,” Mail, June 16, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2658903/Albanian-police-storm-lawless- marijuana -village.html. 165

Occurrence and spread in Italy of Aedes albopictus, with implications for its introduction into other parts of Europe.

PubMed

Knudsen, A B; Romi, R; Majori, G

1996-06-01

Aedes albopictus is considered second only to Ae. aegypti in its importance to man as a disease vector of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever. The first sighting in 1979 of the vector species in Europe came from Albania; however, it was only when Ae. albopictus was introduced into Italy in 1990, through the importation of used tires, followed by its subsequent spread, that the species was considered as a threat to public health. At the close of 1995, Ae. albopictus infestations have been reported from 10 Italian regions and 19 provinces. The risk for greater distribution of Ae. albopictus in Europe can potentially be projected, based on well-established criteria such as: where the winter monthly mean temperature is 0 degree C, where at least 50 cm of mean annual rainfall occurs, and where the mean summer temperature is approximately 20 degrees C. Those countries where climatic conditions meet such criteria and that may be vulnerable to a potential introduction of Ae. albopictus include Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, France, Albania, and the former Republic of Yugoslavia. The Italian plan of action, established for the surveillance and control of Ae. albopictus, is presented in detail.

An Analysis of Respondent Driven Sampling with Injection Drug Users (IDU) in Albania and the Russian Federation

PubMed Central

Stormer, Ame; Tun, Waimar; Harxhi, Arjan; Bodanovskaia, Zinaida; Yakovleva, Anna; Rusakova, Maia; Levina, Olga; Bani, Roland; Rjepaj, Klodian; Bino, Silva

2006-01-01

Injection drug users in Tirana, Albania and St. Petersburg, Russia were recruited into a study assessing HIV-related behaviors and HIV serostatus using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS), a peer-driven recruitment sampling strategy that results in a probability sample. (Salganik M, Heckathorn DD. Sampling and estimation in hidden populations using respondent-driven sampling. Sociol Method. 2004;34:193–239). This paper presents a comparison of RDS implementation, findings on network and recruitment characteristics, and lessons learned. Initiated with 13 to 15 seeds, approximately 200 IDUs were recruited within 8 weeks. Information resulting from RDS indicates that social network patterns from the two studies differ greatly. Female IDUs in Tirana had smaller network sizes than male IDUs, unlike in St. Petersburg where female IDUs had larger network sizes than male IDUs. Recruitment patterns in each country also differed by demographic categories. Recruitment analyses indicate that IDUs form socially distinct groups by sex in Tirana, whereas there was a greater degree of gender mixing patterns in St. Petersburg. RDS proved to be an effective means of surveying these hard-to-reach populations. PMID:17075727

Magnetic and electromagnetic prospections at the Roman city of Hadrianopolis, southern Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schettino, Antonio; Perna, Roberto; Pierantoni, Pietro Paolo; Ghezzi, Annalisa; Tassi, Luca; Sforzini, David

2017-04-01

We report on a combined magnetic-GPR survey performed in 2015-2017 at the ancient Roman city of Hadrianopolis, located in southern Albania, in the context of the project Teatri Antichi Riuniti (TAU). The collected data supplemented previous archaeological surveys performed by the University of Macerata with the aim of promoting the valley and starting the realization of an archaeological park. Hadrianopolis was founded through a reorganization of a previous Hellenistic settlement. Starting from 2015, magnetic and GPR surveys were carried out in Hadrianopolis in order to determine the urban framework. The collected data revealed the existence of structures organized along two main different patterns, which have been interpreted as due to the superposition of Roman buildings and Late Antiquity structures. In fact, the arrangement of structures in the studied area shows a regular urban organization of Roman type separated by a less regular disposition of the buildings that can be attributed to the Byzantine age. The latter arrangement is superimposed on the previous Roman structures. A stone wall, clearly identified by the combination of magnetic anomalies and GPR images, separates the Byzantine seattlement from the genuine Roman sector.

Translations on Eastern Europe, Political, Sociological and Military Affairs, Number 1591

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-29

Blazevic Discusses LC Weaknesses, Dangers of Consumer Society (Jakov Blazevic Interview; VJESNIK, 27 Jul 78) 38 Accused Croatian Terrorist... relationships with Yugo- slavia. If these great powers improved their relations with Yugoslavia, Albania immediately broke with them. This...in your view, a gradation of journalistic genres or is each genre valuable by itself? What are your personal preferences? [Answer] There should be

Teacher's Influence Scale from Their Colleagues and Principals: Its Relation with School Performance in Public Schools of the Albanian Educational System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathanaili, Valbona

2016-01-01

This article aims to evaluate the relation between school performance and the Teacher's Influence Scale on certain issues from their colleagues and principals in the public educational system of Albania. For this purpose, a questionnaire was used. The sample consisted of 428 teachers, teaching at 20 public schools in the pre-university educational…

JPRS Report, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-12

Pressure Towards the West"] [Text] Albania is stirring. Young Albanians, especially students and academicians, are absolutely consumed with curiosity...teaching themselves and by listening to foreign radio stations—also in the hope of getting out to the West some day. The young Albanians love and...Europe—the propor- tion of young people will continue to grow. Still, the young generation no longer remembers liberation and reconstruction from

Stocktaking Research on Policies for Education for Democratic Citizenship and Management of Diversity in Southeast Europe. Regional Analysis and Intervention Proposals. Regional Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Cameron; Baumgartl, Bernd

This report is a contribution to the Stocktaking Research Project on national government policies within the field of education for Education for Democratic Citizenship (EDC) and the Management of Diversity (MofD) in the countries of South East Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia). The…

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-06

Albanian Workers Party] [Text] Introduction Albania has entered into a new stage of political, eco- nomic, and social development which makes it...by the noble ideals of a free and demo- cratic society, in order to overthrow social injustice and establish justice and equality among people, in...political, and, especially, economic and social results. They are the result of deficiencies in the model of / , the economic, political, and social system

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-23

can’t tell you that. Albania indeed [Lekka I] Everything depends on the Albanian nation, remains isolated for foreigners, but Albanians can get in My...utive committee elects the organizational secretariat to accorded these rights remain members of the basic manage routine work and the party apparatus...norms of party life . It decides on the removal of party plenipotentiary meeting or conference of delegates. It members in matters of membership

[Population policies and intervention on natality in Eastern Europe. Part 2: classified bibliography].

PubMed

Hecht, J; Henripin, J; Ivanov, S; There, C

1987-06-01

This is an unannotated bibliography of literature concerning Eastern European population policies, with an emphasis on policies pertaining to fertility. The bibliography is organized into two sections: the first is devoted to population theories and policies, fertility, contraception, and abortion; the second presents citations by country. An author index is included. Eastern Europe is defined as including Albania, the USSR, and Yugoslavia.

Resilience at the border: traditional botanical knowledge among Macedonians and Albanians living in Gollobordo, Eastern Albania

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Ethnobotany in South-Eastern Europe is gaining the interest of several scholars and stakeholders, since it is increasingly considered a key point for the re-evaluation of local bio-cultural heritage. The region of Gollobordo, located in Eastern Albania and bordering the Republic of Macedonia, is of particular interest for conducting ethnobiological studies, since it remained relatively isolated for the larger part of the 20th Century and is traditionally inhabited by a majority of ethnic Macedonians and a minority of Albanians (nowadays both sharing the Muslim faith). Methods An ethnobotanical survey focused on local food, medicinal, and veterinary plant uses was conducted with 58 participants using open and semi-structured interviews and via participant observation. Results We recorded and identified 115 taxa of vascular plants, which are locally used for food, medicinal, and veterinary purposes (representing 268 total plant reports). The Macedonian Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) was greater than the Albanian TEK, especially in the herbal and ritual domains. This phenomenon may be linked to the long socio-cultural and linguistic isolation of this group during the time when the borders between Albania and the former Yugoslavia were completely closed. Moreover, the unusual current food utilisation of cooked potatoes leaves, still in use nowadays among Macedonians, could represent the side effect of an extreme adaptation that locals underwent over the past century when the introduction of the potato crop made new strategies available for establishing stable settlements around the highest pastures. Additionally, the difference in use of Helichrysum plicatum, which is popular in the local Macedonian folk medicine but absent among Albanians, confirms the particular significance of this taxon as it relates to the yellow colour of its flowers in South Slavic folklore. Conclusion Botanical studies with an ethnographic approach are crucial for understanding patterns of use of plants within given cultures. Importantly, such studies can also allow for analysis of the dynamics of change in these TEK patterns over the time. The results of this study may be important as baseline data set to be used in rural development programs in Gollobordo, aimed at fostering community-based strategies of management of natural resources. PMID:24685013

The Albanian National Question and the Myth of Greater Albania

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

This manuscript is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Strategic Studies Degree. The views expressed in this student ...accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The views expressed in this student ...school students , conducted by the Greek National Centre of Social Research, who were asked to rank nations according to their preferences showed

Translations on Eastern Europe, Economic and Industrial Affairs, Number 1659

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-08-09

attainments in agriculture, forestry, and the food industry. 1?. Key ¥o« de and Document Analysis. 17o. Descriptors x International Affairs Albania... Structure Uneven Developments in Trade Balances Chapter III. Some Forms and Methods of Economic Relations Some Aspects of Role of Foreign Trade...to the extent that a modern economic structure , in keeping with the scientific-technological revolution, is being developed according to plan in

Analysis of Venetian-type glass fragments from the ancient city of Lezha (Albania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šmit, Ž.; Stamati, F.; Civici, N.; Vevecka-Priftaj, A.; Kos, M.; Jezeršek, D.

2009-08-01

A series of glasses excavated in the Albanian city of Lezha (ancient Lissos) were analyzed by the combined PIXE-PIGE method in air and by source-excited XRF. The analysis revealed two types of glass that can be identified as façon de Venise glass and its subsequent younger phase, produced by chemically purer components and using As 2O 3 as decolorant.

Translations on Eastern Europe, Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs, Number 1460

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-10-14

attitudes of the U.S. Government. PROCUREMENT OF PUBLICATIONS JPRS publications may be ordered from the National Technical Information Service...Wooster, Ohio, 44691. Correspondence pertaining to matters other than procurement may be addressed to Joint Publications Research Service, 1000 North...exper- ience of the struggle of the Albanian poeple and we reaffirm that the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania remains for all people fighting in

European Enlargement and the Integration of the Western Balkans

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-01

Balkans 6 . AUTHOR(S) Leonard Demi 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School...7th centuries, had the greatest effect on the subsequent ethnic composition of the area. 6 Jelavich, B., History of the Balkans: 20th Century, v...republic. The people were disappointed and demonstrated [Lee, M., “Kosovo between Yugoslavia and Albania,” New Left Review, 6 map of the Balkans

JPRS Report, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-04

organizations of the party are especially concerned about the youth; they try to POLITICAL JPRS-EER-91-075 4 June 1991 increase the influence of the...Youth of Albania to be the best reserve for increasing its ranks with new members. 35. The party maintains mutual contacts with all pro- gressive...structure of the apparats, the publications of the press, and in finding different ways to increase revenues. But they do not conflict with the

ACE/AACE Inspection and Analysis Handbook. Part 2. Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-30

Albania Lek Lebanon Pound Algeria Diner Lsotho Lott Argentina New Peso Liberia Dollar Australia Dollar Libya Diner Austria Schilling Liechtenstein...Maldives Rupee Bllize Doll ar Mali Franc Benin CFA Franc Malta Pound eruda Dollar Mauritania OgutyaBolivia Peso Mauritius Rupee Botswana Pula Mx io Peso ...Canada Dollar Netherlands Guilder Central African Eap. CFA Franc New Zealand Dollar Chad CFA Franc Niceragua Cordoba Chile Peso Niger CFA Franc China Yuan

The Strategic Implications of Human Trafficking

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-18

in various forms including prostitution, forced marriages, domestic service, sweatshops , child labor, fighting in armies, factory workers, farm... sweatshop labor and domestic servitude. The rest are forced into prostitution and the sex industry, or in the case of young children, kidnapped and sold for...Beginning with the shift of the communist rule to democracy in the 1990s, human trafficking became a critical issue. Albania’s economic and social

Proselytization in Albania by Middle Eastern Islamic Organizations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) N/ A 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The...welcomed and positive, some have created problematic situations. Although, the revival of Islam was seen as a sign of freedom, it soon became an unexpected...access a small part of the population. However, Albania’s long history of religious tolerance, shallow roots in formal religion, and Western cultural

Environmental Engagement Success Utilizing Reachback Support

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-24

Georgia •Kosovo •Moldova • Montenegro •Norway •Romania •Russia •Sweden 24 May 2012 - 7 UNCLASSIFIED $0 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000...Bulgaria $770K Serbia $500K Macedonia $1.3M Kosovo $950K Montenegro $2.4M Albania $900K Bosnia $500K Lithuania $815K Latvia...treatment plants Sustainable energy Sustainable design 24 May 2012 - 14 UNCLASSIFIED BPC DOD Strategy Project Development Country

War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Military Operations, and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-06

opposition, in particular from the Northern Alliance, a loose network dominated by ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks , primarily from northern Afghanistan...announced: Albania, 125; Croatia, 40; Czech Republic, 100; Germany, 500; Italy, 1,040; Lithuania, 20; Poland , 680; Portugal, 120; Romania, 700; Slovakia...Tajiks and Uzbeks —strongly represented in the Northern Alliance—predominated in Afghanistan’s fledgling army, at the expense of ethnic Pashtuns. But as

East Europe Report Economic and Industrial Affairs No. 2390

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-22

Discussed (B-. GIilan, et al .; BORBA , 7 Mar 83) ......................... 89 -b - ALBANIA DEVELOPMENTS IN COLOR TELEVISION BROADCASTING Tirana BASHKIMI...experiment- al work was carried on with limited and irregular schedules. The beginning of regular programming coincided with the 6th party congress in...upheav- als . But the practice of permanent revolution has set back for a long time even such a huge country, with a great cultural heritage, enormous

Dental caries experience among Albanian pre-school children: a national survey.

PubMed

Hysi, D; Caglar, E; Droboniku, E; Toti, C; Kuscu, O O

2017-03-01

To determine the dental caries experience and treatment needs among 5-year-olds in Albania. This cross sectional study was conducted in 2015 by using a cluster sampling technique. The dmft was used to assess dental caries experience and caries prevalence as percentages of children with dmf⟩0. Caries treatment needs were assessed with dt/dmft x 100, missing teeth with mt/dmft x 100 and ft /dmft x 100 as the Care Index. 2,039 five-year-olds, from 17 districts of Albania were selected . Children's residency was divided into 3 main regions (South, West, Central and North). WHO 2013 diagnostic criteria were used and dental caries was recorded at cavity level d3. The mean age was 5.4 (SD 0.5) years. The caries prevalence (dmf⟩0) was 84.1%. The prevalence of children without cavitated lesions (d=0) was 20.1%. The mean dmft index was 4.41 (SD 3.83). The caries treatment needs were 84% (SD 26%). The Albanian 5-year-olds assessed in this survey had a high dental caries experience and untreated cavities in the primary dentition. The national health authorities should introduce preventive programs and improved dental care access for this age group. Copyright© 2017 Dennis Barber Ltd

Lifecourse adversity and physical performance across countries among men and women aged 65-74.

PubMed

Sousa, Ana Carolina Patrício de Albuquerque; Guerra, Ricardo Oliveira; Thanh Tu, Mai; Phillips, Susan P; Guralnik, Jack M; Zunzunegui, Maria-Victoria

2014-01-01

This study examines the associations between lifecourse adversity and physical performance in old age in different societies of North and South America and Europe. We used data from the baseline survey of the International Study of Mobility in Aging, conducted in: Kingston (Canada), Saint-Hyacinthe (Canada), Natal (Brazil), Manizales (Colombia) and Tirana (Albania). The study population was composed of community dwelling people between 65 and 74 years of age, recruiting 200 men and 200 women at each site. Physical Performance was assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Economic and social adversity was estimated from childhood adverse events, low education, semi-skilled occupations during adulthood and living alone and insufficient income in old age. A total of 1995 people were assessed. Low physical performance was associated with childhood social and economic adversity, semi-skilled occupations, living alone and insufficient income. Physical performance was lower in participants living in Colombia, Brazil and Albania than in Canada counterparts, despite adjustment for lifecourse adversity, age and sex. We show evidence of the early origins of social and economic inequalities in physical performance during old age in distinct populations and for the independent and cumulative disadvantage of low socioeconomic status during adulthood and poverty and living alone in later life.

Changing patterns of migration in the Adriatic region.

PubMed

Schatzer, P

1988-06-01

International migration in the Adriatic countries of Albania, Greece, Italy, San Marino, and Yugoslavia is briefly examined using data from official and other published sources. The main types of migratory movements identified by the author within the region are "1) economically motivated migration (legal and clandestine); 2) immigration of refugees for resettlement; 3) immigration with the scope of final resettlement in a third country (transit movements); [and] 4) return migration by former emigrants." excerpt

Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-14

pairs, models, dancers, domestic workers, etc. Traffickers advertise these “jobs” as well as marriage opportunities abroad in local newspapers and on...is no single victim stereotype , a majority of trafficked women are under the age of 25, with many in their mid- to late teens. In Latin America, for...Emirates, Uruguay, Vietnam, and Yemen. 32 The Tier 2 Watch List of countries include Argentina , Armenia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bahrain, Burundi, Cameroon

United Nations-Led Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

absorb rebel units into the national army failed to deconstruct previous personal and ideological allegiances to the former rebel movement and thus...victors our outside interveners, such as India in Sri Lanka, the U.S. in Somalia and Haiti, and UN interventions in Albania and Haiti.30 Nevertheless...Reconstructing Masculinities : The Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration of Former Combatants in Colombia.” Human Rights Quarterly, Vol.31

Translations on Eastern Europe, Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs, Number 1496.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-01-19

had to retreat with the ships to Feodosia, where we stayed until the end of March 1918 . "After this I returned to Romania and settled in Bucharest...withdrawn as a result of his release from this position by the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church . [Bucharest BULETINUL OFICIAL in Romanian Part I No...X International Affairs ■& Albania Bulgaria X Czechoslovakia X East Germany Hungary X Poland X Romania X

Translations on Eastern Europe Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs, Number 1366

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-03-18

Key Words and Document Analysis. 17a. Descriptors X X X X X X International Affairs Albania Bulgaria Czechoslovakia East Germany Hungary...TRIBUNA, 29 Dec 76) ’ 11 EAST GERMANY GDR Military Developments Reported (DIE WELT, various dates) 16 Figures on Military...34 conquered Tirgoviste and Giurgiu where "the enemy hit like turbined pigs, destroying the bridge and drowning the Moslems." The author goes on to quote from

BEDA FOMM: An Operational Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-03

Germany’s. The Italians launched their attack into Greece from Albania on 28 October. Through a combination of bad weather and unexpected Greek resistance...attacked Italian airfields at Benina and Berka . 7 1 The infantry attacked at 0540 and were able to pass the tanks through before 0700. There was...escaped to the north into the Jebel Akhdar. Bad weather and bad road conditions contributed to 7th Armoured’s failure to pursue along with the

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-13

Pashko] Thank you , but you should know the real reasons which have drawn me into Albania’s democratic opposition movement. I am 36 years old...stability to go the course with its new commitments. [Radoncic] Because you are the leader of an opposition party, it makes it all the more interesting...everything depends on us ourselves. [Radoncic] Although there is obviously room for opti- mism, it would be interesting to learn how you foresee changing

Parasites and vector-borne diseases in client-owned dogs in Albania: infestation with arthropod ectoparasites.

PubMed

Shukullari, Enstela; Rapti, Dhimitër; Visser, Martin; Pfister, Kurt; Rehbein, Steffen

2017-01-01

To establish the diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite infestation in client-owned dogs in Albania, 602 dogs visiting four small animal clinics in Tirana from March 2010 to April 2011 inclusive were examined for ectoparasites by full body search and total body comb. In addition, ear swab specimens collected from all dogs and scrapings taken from skin lesions suspicious of mite infestation were examined for parasitic mites. Overall, 93 dogs (15.4 %, 95%CI 12.6-18.6) were demonstrated to be infested, and nine species of ectoparasites were identified: Ixodes ricinus, 0.8 %; Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l., 8.1 %; Demodex canis, 0.2 %; Sarcoptes scabiei, 0.7 %; Otodectes cynotis, 2.8 %; Ctenocephalides canis, 4.8 %; Ctenocephalides felis, 3.0 %; Pulex irritans, 0.2 %; and Trichodectes canis, 0.2 %. Single and multiple infestations with up to four species of ectoparasites concurrently were recorded in 67 (11.1 %, 95%CI 8.7-13.9) and 26 dogs (4.3 %, 95%CI 2.8-6.3), respectively. On univariate analysis, the category of breed (pure breed dogs vs. mixed-breed dogs), the dog's purpose (pet, hunting dog, working dog), the housing environment (mainly indoors/indoors with regular outside walking vs. yard plus kennel/run), the history of ectoparasiticide treatment and the season of examination were identified as significant (p < 0.05) factors predisposing dogs to various ectoparasites, while the variables dog's age, gender, the dog's habitat (city, suburban, rural) and the presence/absence of other pets were not significant predictors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis for factors associated with overall ectoparasitism revealed that dogs treated with ectoparasiticides at least once per year (odds ratio [OR] = 0.24; p < 0.001) had a significantly lower risk of infestation compared with dogs not treated against ectoparasite infestation. Dogs examined during spring, summer and autumn (OR = 7.08, 7.43 and 2.48, respectively; all p < 0.001) had a significantly higher risk of infestation than dogs examined during winter. By providing basic data on the infestation with ectoparasites in client-owned, veterinary-cared-for dogs from Albania for the first time, the results of this survey should emphasize the need of an increase of attention to ectoparasites in dogs by both veterinarians and dog owners.

A contemporary decennial global Landsat sample of changing agricultural field sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Emma; Roy, David

2014-05-01

Agriculture has caused significant human induced Land Cover Land Use (LCLU) change, with dramatic cropland expansion in the last century and significant increases in productivity over the past few decades. Satellite data have been used for agricultural applications including cropland distribution mapping, crop condition monitoring, crop production assessment and yield prediction. Satellite based agricultural applications are less reliable when the sensor spatial resolution is small relative to the field size. However, to date, studies of agricultural field size distributions and their change have been limited, even though this information is needed to inform the design of agricultural satellite monitoring systems. Moreover, the size of agricultural fields is a fundamental description of rural landscapes and provides an insight into the drivers of rural LCLU change. In many parts of the world field sizes may have increased. Increasing field sizes cause a subsequent decrease in the number of fields and therefore decreased landscape spatial complexity with impacts on biodiversity, habitat, soil erosion, plant-pollinator interactions, and impacts on the diffusion of herbicides, pesticides, disease pathogens, and pests. The Landsat series of satellites provide the longest record of global land observations, with 30m observations available since 1982. Landsat data are used to examine contemporary field size changes in a period (1980 to 2010) when significant global agricultural changes have occurred. A multi-scale sampling approach is used to locate global hotspots of field size change by examination of a recent global agricultural yield map and literature review. Nine hotspots are selected where significant field size change is apparent and where change has been driven by technological advancements (Argentina and U.S.), abrupt societal changes (Albania and Zimbabwe), government land use and agricultural policy changes (China, Malaysia, Brazil), and/or constrained by historic patterns of LCLU (Albania, France and India). Landsat images sensed in two time periods, up to 25 years apart, are used to extract field object classifications at each hotspot using a multispectral image segmentation approach. The field size distributions for the two periods are compared statistically and quantify examples of significant increasing field size associated primarily with agricultural technological innovation (Argentina and U.S.) and decreasing field size associated with rapid societal changes (Albania and Zimbabwe). The implications of this research, and the potential of higher spatial resolution data from planned global coverage satellites, to provide improved agricultural monitoring are discussed.

Military Post Office Location List (MPOLL)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

ISLE OF GJ GRENADA IN INDIA GK GUERNSEY 10 BRITISH INDIAN GL GREENLAND OCEAN TERRITORY GO GLORIOSO ISLANDS IP CLIPPERTON ISLAND GP GUADELOUPE IR IRAN GQ...A) BG BANGLADESH BH BELIZE AC ANTIGUA and BARBUDA BL BOLIVIA AF AFGHANISTAN BM BURMA AG ALGERIA BN BENIN AL ALBANIA BP SOLOMON ISLANDS AN ANDORRA BQ...NAVASSA ISLAND AO ANGOLA BR BRAZIL AQ AMERICAN SAMOA BS BASSAS DA INDIA AR ARGENTINA BT BHUTAN AS AUSTRALIA BU BULGARIA AT ASHMORE AND CARTIER

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-24

I survived because my family sold every- thing they owned and sent me money and food. I could not have managed on the fixed rations. Mentally I was... money , gifts, tourism. After decades of rigid Stalinist dictatorship the people are now drifting around in a political no man’s land and practi...34and our members are impatient." How will the government find money for wage increases when nothing is being produced and Albania’s economy already

The Objective Force Soldier/Soldier Team. Volume III - Background and Context

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-11-01

last 20 years, was used by RAND to analyze operations in complex terrain (i.e., a treeline ). Since it is limited to simulation in two dimensions, it...the Blue force is inserted through Albania, fights its way into Kosovo, and must evict Serb forces from locations in treelines and cover. Additional...infantry in the treelines were no t countered well by the mounted attack. In addition, a special Blue dismount excursion with current generation equipment

The Coast Artillery Journal. Volume 68, Number 4, April 1928

DTIC Science & Technology

1928-04-01

control the finances of that country and have secured an exlusive concession for its economic development. Two years ago an Italian bank made Albania...Thus, along with finances and economic matters, l\\1ussolini has Albanian politics under his thumb, and it requires no great feat of imagination to...besides, they are more dangerous than roads of wider types.-Industriul Neu:s Bureau. Federal Services Finance Corporation At a recent meeting of the Board

Social Science Research and Literature on the Contemporary Military in Socialist States

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

In his latest book The Soldier and the Nation. The Role of the Military in Polish Politics, 1918 -1985, 1988: Westview the best-known East European...science research institutions at all (for instance, in romania , Bulgaria and Albania). Other social science research takes place as subsidiary activities at...Concerning contemporary wars Soviet authors still insist on the orthodox Marxist position according to which the root causes of all wars lie in class

Antigenic and molecular characterization of wild type 1 poliovirus causing outbreaks of poliomyelitis in Albania and neighboring countries in 1996.

PubMed

Fiore, L; Genovese, D; Diamanti, E; Catone, S; Ridolfi, B; Ibrahimi, B; Konomi, R; van der Avoort, H G; Hovi, T; Crainic, R; Simeoni, P; Amato, C

1998-07-01

Mass vaccination has led poliomyelitis to become a rare disease in a large part of the world, including Western Europe. However, in the past 20 years wild polioviruses imported from countries where polio is endemic have been responsible for outbreaks in otherwise polio-free European countries. We report on the characterization of poliovirus isolates from a large outbreak of poliomyelitis that occurred in Albania in 1996 and that also spread to the neighboring countries of Yugoslavia and Greece. The epidemics involved 145 subjects, mostly young adults, and caused persisting paralysis in 87 individuals and 16 deaths. The agent responsible for the outbreak was isolated from 74 patients and was identified as wild type 1 poliovirus by both immunological and molecular methods. Sequence analysis of the genome demonstrated the involvement of a single virus strain throughout the epidemics, and genotyping analysis showed 95% homology of the strain with a wild type 1 poliovirus strain isolated in Pakistan in 1995. Neutralization assays with both human sera and monoclonal antibodies were performed to analyze the antigenic structure of the epidemic strain, suggesting its peculiar antigenic characteristics. The presented data underline the current risks of outbreaks due to imported wild poliovirus and emphasize the need to improve vaccination efforts and also the need to implement surveillance in countries free of indigenous wild poliovirus.

Antigenic and Molecular Characterization of Wild Type 1 Poliovirus Causing Outbreaks of Poliomyelitis in Albania and Neighboring Countries in 1996

PubMed Central

Fiore, L.; Genovese, D.; Diamanti, E.; Catone, S.; Ridolfi, B.; Ibrahimi, B.; konomi, R.; van der Avoort, H. G. A. M.; Hovi, T.; Crainic, R.; Simeoni, P.; Amato, C.

1998-01-01

Mass vaccination has led poliomyelitis to become a rare disease in a large part of the world, including Western Europe. However, in the past 20 years wild polioviruses imported from countries where polio is endemic have been responsible for outbreaks in otherwise polio-free European countries. We report on the characterization of poliovirus isolates from a large outbreak of poliomyelitis that occurred in Albania in 1996 and that also spread to the neighboring countries of Yugoslavia and Greece. The epidemics involved 145 subjects, mostly young adults, and caused persisting paralysis in 87 individuals and 16 deaths. The agent responsible for the outbreak was isolated from 74 patients and was identified as wild type 1 poliovirus by both immunological and molecular methods. Sequence analysis of the genome demonstrated the involvement of a single virus strain throughout the epidemics, and genotyping analysis showed 95% homology of the strain with a wild type 1 poliovirus strain isolated in Pakistan in 1995. Neutralization assays with both human sera and monoclonal antibodies were performed to analyze the antigenic structure of the epidemic strain, suggesting its peculiar antigenic characteristics. The presented data underline the current risks of outbreaks due to imported wild poliovirus and emphasize the need to improve vaccination efforts and also the need to implement surveillance in countries free of indigenous wild poliovirus. PMID:9650935

European Security in the Balkans: The Case of Macedonia

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

for the Republic of Macedonia; it is the problem of the European Union as well, due to the historical fact that the European Great Powers had...integration of Bulgaria and Romania in the European Union was based on the short term political interests of the EU - to create a safe ring toward... Union in the Security of Europe: From Cold War to Terror War, 117. 28 Nicola Guy, The Birth of Albania, “Ethnic Nationalism, the Great Powers of World

U.S.-China Counterterrorism Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-06

rather than be confined in a camp in Albania.53 Later, they reportedly found work in a snack bar making pizzas. In February 2009, Sweden awarded asylum...Shibao, February 18, 2008; China Daily , February 19, 2008; “Terrorist Attack Prevented for Olympics: Official,” Xinhua, March 9, 2008. 85 Dan Martin...Security, and U.S. Policy, by Kenneth Katzman. 100 Matt Forney, “Uighur Fire,” Far Eastern Economic Review, February 27, 1997. 101 Daily Times (Lahore) and

U.S.-China Counterterrorism Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-03

resettled in the United States or another country, rather than be confined in a camp in Albania.53 Later, they reportedly found work in a snack bar... Daily , February 19, 2008; “Terrorist Attack Prevented for Olympics: Official,” Xinhua, March 9, 2008. 85 Dan Martin, “Residents Dispute PRC Official...Rashid, “A Taliban Comeback?”, YaleGlobal, May 23, 2006. 99 Matt Forney, “Uighur Fire,” Far Eastern Economic Review, February 27, 1997. 100 Daily

Religious Education and the Prevention of Islamic Radicalization: Albania, Britain, France and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

whether Muslim girls should wear the hijab at school is a premium example to which they refer to as a deprivation of their religious freedom. The...ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) N/ A 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11...countries, combined with the fact that a growing number of young Muslims have become members of terrorist networks, constitutes a security threat to

Civil-Military Roles of Indigenous Armed Forces (CRIAF). Volume 1. Executive Summary. Volume 2. Main Report. Volume 3. Appendixes

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-07-01

requirements. For example, the navy shipyard at Guanabara Bay has built vessels of 5,000 tons displace- ment for coimercial firms engaged in...Pakistan Argentina Mexico Brazil 10180 10230 .10300 17500 23U30 33000 35440 198 266 990 134 989 651 372 Cuba Israel Nigeria Thailand...Rep. 357 Japan 1907 Togo 141 Albania 364 Austria 1932 Kenya 141 Brazil 372 USSR 2047 P.R. China 144 Taiwan 374 Czechoslovakia 2103 Mauritania 150

Global Explosive Ordnance Disposal Conference and Exhibition Held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on April 27-30, 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-30

POLICY 24 Kagan ASP Response  21 Jul 08- ARCENT notified by Defense Attaché .  Uzbeks requested three types of equipment: land mine detectors...2 pax) on site.  21 Aug 08- the Training Team (5 pax) with equipment arrived in Uzbekistan.  28 Aug 08 all Uzbek / USEMB objectives were met...Slovakia, Spain, Poland Romania, United Kingdom, United States, Turkey Albania, Croatia Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Czech Latvia, Lithuania

Industry turns its attention south

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marhefka, D.

1997-08-01

The paper discusses the outlook for the gas and oil industries in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Significant foreign investment continues to elude Russia`s oil and gas industry, so the Caspian nations of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are picking up the slack, welcoming the flow of foreign capital to their energy projects. Separate evaluations are given for Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Serbia.

Predicting the seismic performance of typical R/C healthcare facilities: emphasis on hospitals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilgin, Huseyin; Frangu, Idlir

2017-09-01

Reinforced concrete (RC) type of buildings constitutes an important part of the current building stock in earthquake prone countries such as Albania. Seismic response of structures during a severe earthquake plays a vital role in the extent of structural damage and resulting injuries and losses. In this context, this study evaluates the expected performance of a five-story RC healthcare facility, representative of common practice in Albania, designed according to older codes. The design was based on the code requirements used in this region during the mid-1980s. Non-linear static and dynamic time history analyses were conducted on the structural model using the Zeus NL computer program. The dynamic time history analysis was conducted with a set of ground motions from real earthquakes. The building responses were estimated in global levels. FEMA 356 criteria were used to predict the seismic performance of the building. The structural response measures such as capacity curve and inter-story drift under the set of ground motions and pushover analyses results were compared and detailed seismic performance assessment was done. The main aim of this study is considering the application and methodology for the earthquake performance assessment of existing buildings. The seismic performance of the structural model varied significantly under different ground motions. Results indicate that case study building exhibit inadequate seismic performance under different seismic excitations. In addition, reasons for the poor performance of the building is discussed.

Forecasting the spatial and seasonal dynamic of Aedes albopictus oviposition activity in Albania and Balkan countries.

PubMed

Tisseuil, Clément; Velo, Enkelejda; Bino, Silvia; Kadriaj, Perparim; Mersini, Kujtim; Shukullari, Ada; Simaku, Artan; Rogozi, Elton; Caputo, Beniamino; Ducheyne, Els; Della Torre, Alessandra; Reiter, Paul; Gilbert, Marius

2018-02-01

The increasing spread of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, in Europe and US raises public health concern due to the species competence to transmit several exotic human arboviruses, among which dengue, chikungunya and Zika, and urges the development of suitable modeling approach to forecast the spatial and temporal distribution of the mosquito. Here we developed a dynamical species distribution modeling approach forecasting Ae. albopictus eggs abundance at high spatial (0.01 degree WGS84) and temporal (weekly) resolution over 10 Balkan countries, using temperature times series of Modis data products and altitude as input predictors. The model was satisfactorily calibrated and validated over Albania based observed eggs abundance data weekly monitored during three years. For a given week of the year, eggs abundance was mainly predicted by the number of eggs and the mean temperature recorded in the preceding weeks. That is, results are in agreement with the biological cycle of the mosquito, reflecting the effect temperature on eggs spawning, maturation and hatching. The model, seeded by initial egg values derived from a second model, was then used to forecast the spatial and temporal distribution of eggs abundance over the selected Balkan countries, weekly in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The present study is a baseline to develop an easy-handling forecasting model able to provide information useful for promoting active surveillance and possibly prevention of Ae. albopictus colonization in presently non-infested areas in the Balkans as well as in other temperate regions.

Parasites and vector-borne diseases in client-owned dogs in Albania. Intestinal and pulmonary endoparasite infections.

PubMed

Shukullari, Enstela; Hamel, Dietmar; Rapti, Dhimitër; Pfister, Kurt; Visser, Martin; Winter, Renate; Rehbein, Steffen

2015-12-01

From March 2010 to April 2011 inclusive, feces from 602 client-owned dogs visiting four small animal clinics in Tirana, Albania, were examined using standard coproscopical techniques including Giardia coproantigen ELISA and immunofluorescent staining of Giardia cysts. Overall, samples of 245 dogs (40.7 %, 95 % CI 36.6-45.6) tested positive for at least one type of fecal endoparasite (protozoan and/or helminth and/or pentastomid) stage, of which 180 (29.9 %, 95 % CI 26.3-33.7) and 129 (21.9 %, 95 % CI 18.2-24.9) tested positive for protozoan or nematode endoparasites, respectively. Fecal forms of at least 14 endoparasites were identified. The most frequently identified stages were those of Giardia (26.4 %), Trichuris (9.5 %), Toxocara (8.0 %), hookworms (7.1 %), Cystoisospora ohioensis (4.3 %), and Cystoisospora canis (3 %). For the first time for dogs in Albania, fecal examination indicated the occurrence of Hammondia/Neospora-like (0.2 %), Angiostrongylus lungworm (0.3 %), capillariid (2.8 %), and Linguatula (0.2 %) infections. Single and multiple infections with up to seven parasites concurrently were found in 152 (25.2 %, 95 % CI 21.8-28.9) and 93 dogs (15.4 %, 95 % CI 12.7-18.6), respectively. On univariate analysis, the dog's age, the dog's purpose (pet, hunting dog, working dog), the dog's habitat (city, suburban, rural), and environment (mainly indoors, indoors with regular outside walking, yard, kennel/run), presence/absence of other dogs and/or cats, history of anthelmintic use, and season of examination were identified as significant (p < 0.05) factors predisposing dogs to various types of endoparasitism while the variables breed (pure breed dogs vs. mixed-breed dogs), gender, and type of food were not significant predictors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis for factors associated with overall endoparasitism revealed that dogs >1 year of age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.64), dogs dewormed at least once per year (OR = 0.35), and dogs tested during spring, summer, and autumn (OR = 0.51, 0.15, and 0.20, respectively) had a significantly lower risk compared with ≤1 year old dogs, dogs not dewormed, or dogs tested during winter. The odds of a dog to be diagnosed positive for endoparasites was 1.56 times higher for dogs living together with other pets than that for a dog without other dogs or cats.

Fat Embolism Among Patients with Hip and Long Bone Fractures in Albania

PubMed Central

Hysa, Elida

2012-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and the effectiveness of treatment of fat embolism in patients with hip and long bone fractures (femur and tibia) in Albania. Methods: 229 patients (68% men) with combined hip and long bone fractures (femur and tibia) hospitalized at the Orthopedics-Traumatology Services of the University Center “Mother Teresa” during 2004-2006 were included in the study. Patients were classified into three groups based on astrupogram data: PaO2<60mmHg, 65mmHg75mmHg. Chi square test was used to compare fracture differences between men and women and the effectiveness of combined use of metilprednisolon and anticoagulants vs. anticoagulants alone. Results: Poly traumas combined with femur fracture were more frequent in 2005. These combined poly traumas combined were more frequent among men than women (P<0.001). Remarkably, femur fractures were more frequent among men than women (9:1). Coli femur fractures peaked in the age-group 76-85 years. In general, poly traumas were less frequent in the older age groups, with a peak between 36-55 years, being more frequent among men, but the difference was not statistically significant. Fractures of coli femur and those of tibia were more frequent in 2006, while in 2004 femur fractures were more frequent. In almost all age groups fractures of coli femur were more frequent, followed by fractures of femur and tibia. In general, poly traumas were more frequent among men than women, ranging from 6:1 for fractures of femur to 2:1 for tibia fractures. The incidence of fat embolism ranged from 4.9% to 8.9% for the period 2004-2006. Among fat embolism patients, 100% of them had tachycardia, 88.2% had petechia, 84% tachipnea, 23.5% cyanosis and blood sputum, and 41.2% obnubilation. In general, during 2004-2006 the frequency of combined use of metilprednisolon and anticoagulants has increased. Conclusions: Clinical diagnosis remains the most important element for the detection of fat embolism syndrome. The incidence of fat embolism was 8-9 times higher than the rates reported in literature. This finding is linked with trauma gravity in Albania. Combined use of metilprednisolon with anticoagulants seems to be more effective than use of anticoagulants alone in preventing fat embolism (P<0.05) and patients using the combined therapy have experienced milder forms of disease. Therefore, the combined treatment should be preferred over the single treatment for the prevention of fat embolism. PMID:23678329

Fat embolism among patients with hip and long bone fractures in Albania.

PubMed

Hysa, Elida

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and the effectiveness of treatment of fat embolism in patients with hip and long bone fractures (femur and tibia) in Albania. 229 patients (68% men) with combined hip and long bone fractures (femur and tibia) hospitalized at the Orthopedics-Traumatology Services of the University Center "Mother Teresa" during 2004-2006 were included in the study. Patients were classified into three groups based on astrupogram data: PaO2<60mmHg, 65mmHg75mmHg. Chi square test was used to compare fracture differences between men and women and the effectiveness of combined use of metilprednisolon and anticoagulants vs. anticoagulants alone. Poly traumas combined with femur fracture were more frequent in 2005. These combined poly traumas combined were more frequent among men than women (P<0.001). Remarkably, femur fractures were more frequent among men than women (9:1). Coli femur fractures peaked in the age-group 76-85 years. In general, poly traumas were less frequent in the older age groups, with a peak between 36-55 years, being more frequent among men, but the difference was not statistically significant. Fractures of coli femur and those of tibia were more frequent in 2006, while in 2004 femur fractures were more frequent. In almost all age groups fractures of coli femur were more frequent, followed by fractures of femur and tibia. In general, poly traumas were more frequent among men than women, ranging from 6:1 for fractures of femur to 2:1 for tibia fractures. The incidence of fat embolism ranged from 4.9% to 8.9% for the period 2004-2006. Among fat embolism patients, 100% of them had tachycardia, 88.2% had petechia, 84% tachipnea, 23.5% cyanosis and blood sputum, and 41.2% obnubilation. In general, during 2004-2006 the frequency of combined use of metilprednisolon and anticoagulants has increased. Clinical diagnosis remains the most important element for the detection of fat embolism syndrome. The incidence of fat embolism was 8-9 times higher than the rates reported in literature. This finding is linked with trauma gravity in Albania. Combined use of metilprednisolon with anticoagulants seems to be more effective than use of anticoagulants alone in preventing fat embolism (P<0.05) and patients using the combined therapy have experienced milder forms of disease. Therefore, the combined treatment should be preferred over the single treatment for the prevention of fat embolism.

Air Weather Service Master Station Catalog USAFETAC Climatic Database Users Handbook No. 6

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

PENNSYLVANIA PA INDIANA IN RHODE ISLAND RI IOWA IA SOUTH CAROLINA SC KANSAS KS SOUTH DAKOTA SD KENTUCKY KY TENNESSEE TN LOUISIANA LA TEXAS TX MAINE ME...ASSOCIATED WMO BLOCKS AB ALBANIA 13 AG ARGENTINA 87,88 AH AFGHANISTAN 40 Al ASCENSION ISLAND 61 AL ALGERIA 60 AN ANGOLA 66 AT ANTIGUA, ST.KITTS...BENIN 65 BM BURMA/MYANMAR 48 BN BAHRAIN 40,41 BO BOLIVIA 85 BR BARBADOS 78 BT’ BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 61 BU BULGARIA 15 BV BOUVET ISLAND 68 BW

Albanian women in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deda, Antoneta; Alushllari, Mirela; Mico, Silvana

2015-12-01

In this report, presented at the 5th IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics, we describe the status of women physicists in Albania and offer some statistical data illustrating the present situation. Undergraduate physics enrollment by girls is high and stable, more women are receiving financial support for doctoral studies, women are well represented in recent academic promotions, and recently women scientists have been appointed to several leadership positions. However, both women and men are challenged by the overall low levels of funding for research and by issues of availability and affordability of child care.

Atmospheric deposition of rare earth elements in Albania studied by the moss biomonitoring technique, neutron activation analysis and GIS technology.

PubMed

Allajbeu, Sh; Yushin, N S; Qarri, F; Duliu, O G; Lazo, P; Frontasyeva, M V

2016-07-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) are typically conservative elements that are scarcely derived from anthropogenic sources. The mobilization of REEs in the environment requires the monitoring of these elements in environmental matrices, in which they are present at trace level. The determination of 11 REEs in carpet-forming moss species (Hypnum cupressiforme) collected from 44 sampling sites over the whole territory of the country were done by using epithermal neutron activation analysis (ENAA) at IBR-2 fast pulsed reactor in Dubna. This paper is focused on REEs (lanthanides) and Sc. Fe as typical consistent element and Th that appeared good correlations between the elements of lanthanides are included in this paper. Th, Sc, and REEs were never previously determined in the air deposition of Albania. Descriptive statistics were used for data treatment using MINITAB 17 software package. The median values of the elements under investigation were compared with those of the neighboring countries such as Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia, as well as Norway which is selected as a clean area. Geographical distribution maps of the elements over the sampled territory were constructed using geographic information system (GIS) technology. Geochemical behavior of REEs in moss samples has been studied by using the ternary diagram of Sc-La-Th, Spider diagrams and multivariate analysis. It was revealed that the accumulation of REEs in current mosses is associated with the wind-blowing metal-enriched soils that is pointed out as the main emitting factor of the elements under investigation.

Total fats, saturated Fatty acids, processed foods and acute coronary syndrome in transitional Albania.

PubMed

Mone, Iris; Bulo, Anyla

2012-01-01

We aimed was to assess the association of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with selected food groups pertinent to non-Mediterranean prototype in Albania, a transitional post-communist country in Southeast Europe. We conducted a case-control study in Tirana in 2003-2006 including 467 non-fatal consecutive ACS patients (370 men aged 59.1±8.7 years, 97 women aged 63.3±7.1 years; 88% response) and a population-based control group (469 men aged 53.1±10.4 years, 268 women aged 54.0±10.9 years; 69% response). A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire including 105 food items was administered to all participants based on which the daily calorie intake for selected food groups (meat products, overall oils and fats, sweets, and junk food) was calculated. General linear model was used to assess the association of food groups with ACS. Mean age-adjusted values of meat products, overall oils and fats, sweets and junk food were all considerably higher in cases than controls in both sexes. Cases had significantly higher mean "non-Mediterranean" diet scores (consisting of junk food, sweets, oils and fats except olive oil) than controls (10.3% vs. 5.9% in men and 15.2% vs. 8.3% in women, P<0.01 for both). In this Albanian population, intake of total fats, in particular saturated fatty acids was associated with a higher risk of ACS in both sexes. Furthermore, the consumption of processed foods was associated with considerable excess coronary risk which points to serious health implications for the Albanian adult population.

Contingent Valuation of Residents' Attitudes and Willingness-to-Pay for Non-point Source Pollution Control: A Case Study in AL-Prespa, Southeastern Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grazhdani, Dorina

2015-07-01

Recently, local governments in Albania have begun paying attention to management of small watershed, because there are specific boundaries and people living within a watershed basin tend to be more concerned about the basin's environmental, economic, and social development. But this natural resource management and non-point source (NPS) pollution control is still facing challenges. Albanian part of Prespa Park (AL-Prespa) is a good case study, as it is a protected wetland area of high biodiversity and long human history. In this framework, this study was undertaken, the main objectives of which were to explore: (1) the attitudes of the residents toward NPS pollution control, (2) their willingness-to-pay for improving water quality, and (3) factors affecting the residents' willingness-to-pay. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance), Chi-square analysis, and multivariate data analysis techniques were used. Findings strongly suggested that the residents' attitudes toward NPS pollution control in this area were positive. With the combination of two major contingent valuation methods—dichotomous choice and open-ended formats, the survey results indicated that the average yearly respondents' WTP was €6.4. The survey revealed that residents' yearly income and education level were the main factors affecting residents' willingness-to-pay for NPS pollution control in this area, and there was no significant correlation between residents' yearly income and their education level. The current study would lay a solid foundation on decision-making in further NPS pollution control and public participation through community-based watershed management policies in AL-Prespa watershed and similar areas.

Contingent Valuation of Residents' Attitudes and Willingness-to-Pay for Non-point Source Pollution Control: A Case Study in AL-Prespa, Southeastern Albania.

PubMed

Grazhdani, Dorina

2015-07-01

Recently, local governments in Albania have begun paying attention to management of small watershed, because there are specific boundaries and people living within a watershed basin tend to be more concerned about the basin's environmental, economic, and social development. But this natural resource management and non-point source (NPS) pollution control is still facing challenges. Albanian part of Prespa Park (AL-Prespa) is a good case study, as it is a protected wetland area of high biodiversity and long human history. In this framework, this study was undertaken, the main objectives of which were to explore: (1) the attitudes of the residents toward NPS pollution control, (2) their willingness-to-pay for improving water quality, and (3) factors affecting the residents' willingness-to-pay. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance), Chi-square analysis, and multivariate data analysis techniques were used. Findings strongly suggested that the residents' attitudes toward NPS pollution control in this area were positive. With the combination of two major contingent valuation methods--dichotomous choice and open-ended formats, the survey results indicated that the average yearly respondents' WTP was 6.4. The survey revealed that residents' yearly income and education level were the main factors affecting residents' willingness-to-pay for NPS pollution control in this area, and there was no significant correlation between residents' yearly income and their education level. The current study would lay a solid foundation on decision-making in further NPS pollution control and public participation through community-based watershed management policies in AL-Prespa watershed and similar areas.

Mitochondrial DNA regionalism and historical demography in the extant populations of Chirocephalus kerkyrensis (Branchiopoda: Anostraca).

PubMed

Ketmaier, Valerio; Marrone, Federico; Alfonso, Giuseppe; Paulus, Kirsten; Wiemann, Annika; Tiedemann, Ralph; Mura, Graziella

2012-01-01

Mediterranean temporary water bodies are important reservoirs of biodiversity and host a unique assemblage of diapausing aquatic invertebrates. These environments are currently vanishing because of increasing human pressure. Chirocephalus kerkyrensis is a fairy shrimp typical of temporary water bodies in Mediterranean plain forests and has undergone a substantial decline in number of populations in recent years due to habitat loss. We assessed patterns of genetic connectivity and phylogeographic history in the seven extant populations of the species from Albania, Corfu Is. (Greece), Southern and Central Italy. We analyzed sequence variation at two mitochondrial DNA genes (Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16s rRNA) in all the known populations of C. kerkyrensis. We used multiple phylogenetic, phylogeographic and coalescence-based approaches to assess connectivity and historical demography across the whole distribution range of the species. C. kerkyrensis is genetically subdivided into three main mitochondrial lineages; two of them are geographically localized (Corfu Is. and Central Italy) and one encompasses a wide geographic area (Albania and Southern Italy). Most of the detected genetic variation (≈81%) is apportioned among the aforementioned lineages. Multiple analyses of mismatch distributions consistently supported both past demographic and spatial expansions with the former predating the latter; demographic expansions were consistently placed during interglacial warm phases of the Pleistocene while spatial expansions were restricted to cold periods. Coalescence methods revealed a scenario of past isolation with low levels of gene flow in line with what is already known for other co-distributed fairy shrimps and suggest drift as the prevailing force in promoting local divergence. We recommend that these evolutionary trajectories should be taken in proper consideration in any effort aimed at protecting Mediterranean temporary water bodies.

Mitochondrial DNA Regionalism and Historical Demography in the Extant Populations of Chirocephalus kerkyrensis (Branchiopoda: Anostraca)

PubMed Central

Ketmaier, Valerio; Marrone, Federico; Alfonso, Giuseppe; Paulus, Kirsten; Wiemann, Annika; Tiedemann, Ralph; Mura, Graziella

2012-01-01

Background Mediterranean temporary water bodies are important reservoirs of biodiversity and host a unique assemblage of diapausing aquatic invertebrates. These environments are currently vanishing because of increasing human pressure. Chirocephalus kerkyrensis is a fairy shrimp typical of temporary water bodies in Mediterranean plain forests and has undergone a substantial decline in number of populations in recent years due to habitat loss. We assessed patterns of genetic connectivity and phylogeographic history in the seven extant populations of the species from Albania, Corfu Is. (Greece), Southern and Central Italy. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed sequence variation at two mitochondrial DNA genes (Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16s rRNA) in all the known populations of C. kerkyrensis. We used multiple phylogenetic, phylogeographic and coalescence-based approaches to assess connectivity and historical demography across the whole distribution range of the species. C. kerkyrensis is genetically subdivided into three main mitochondrial lineages; two of them are geographically localized (Corfu Is. and Central Italy) and one encompasses a wide geographic area (Albania and Southern Italy). Most of the detected genetic variation (≈81%) is apportioned among the aforementioned lineages. Conclusions/Significance Multiple analyses of mismatch distributions consistently supported both past demographic and spatial expansions with the former predating the latter; demographic expansions were consistently placed during interglacial warm phases of the Pleistocene while spatial expansions were restricted to cold periods. Coalescence methods revealed a scenario of past isolation with low levels of gene flow in line with what is already known for other co-distributed fairy shrimps and suggest drift as the prevailing force in promoting local divergence. We recommend that these evolutionary trajectories should be taken in proper consideration in any effort aimed at protecting Mediterranean temporary water bodies. PMID:22363417

The Vardar zone as a suture for the Mirdita ophiolites, Albania: Constraints from the structural analysis of the Korabi-Pelagonia zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tremblay, Alain; Meshi, Avni; Deschamps, Thomas; Goulet, François; Goulet, Normand

2015-02-01

The Dinarides-Hellenides result from underthrusting of the Adriatic margin during Africa-Europe convergence. In Albania, they consist of (1) a western zone of nappes derived from Adria; (2) a central belt made up of the Mirdita ophiolites; and (3) an eastern zone, the Korabi-Pelagonia zone, of Variscan basement overlain by Permian to Mesozoic rift deposits and carbonates. Some authors interpret the Korabi-Pelagonia zone as a microcontinent between the Mirdita-Pindos oceanic basin to the west and the eastern Vardar oceanic basin to the east; other regard the Korabi-Pelagonia zone as a tectonic window below a single ophiolitic nappe. This contribution argues for a far-traveled thrust sheet. The Mirdita ophiolites are 165-160 Ma. The metamorphic sole yielded 40Ar/39Ar ages of 171 to 162 Ma. The Korabi-Pelagonia zone is subdivided into the Korabi and Gjegjan subzones. The structural analysis of these rocks supports the rooting of the Mirdita ophiolites in the Western Vardar zone. The post-Variscan cover sequence of the Korabi subzone records two phases of deformation: D1 is associated with a SE dipping to flat-lying schistosity axial planar to NW verging folds and thrust faults, related to ophiolite obduction; D2 is a postobduction NNE trending crenulation cleavage. Published zircon fission track analyses yielded 150-125 Ma, suggesting that regional metamorphism is Early Cretaceous or older. K-Ar mica ages from correlative rocks of Macedonia cluster between 148 and 130 Ma, indicating that D1 is Late Jurassic. A west directed obduction is favored, as is a rooting east of the Mirdita ophiolites because of the top-to-the-west structural polarity of obduction-related deformation.

The ecological status of Karavasta Lagoon (Albania): Closing the stable door before the horse has bolted?

PubMed

Munari, Cristina; Tessari, Umberto; Rossi, Remigio; Mistri, Michele

2010-02-01

Karavasta is the widest and most important lagoon in Albania. This study aimed to assess the ecological quality status of the lagoon, acquire knowledge of a natural environment which might be exploited for aquaculture, and give management hints on the basis of anthropogenic impact and ecological conditions. A sampling campaign was carried out in 2008: at six stations, benthic fauna, water, and sediment parameters were considered. Statistical analyses were carried out through multivariate procedures (PCA, classification-clustering, SIMPER, RDA, DISTLM, PERMANOVA). Ecological quality was assessed through the AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), the multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI) and the Benthic Index based on Taxonomic Sufficiency (BITS). Sediment characteristics (percent organic matter, %OM; redox potential discontinuity layer depth, RPDL; particle size composition) and salinity represented contributory influences on lagoon communities. It was possible to distinguish and characterise a confined area, and benthic communities, from a marine-influenced area and its biota. The number of species was quite low when compared with other open Adriatic lagoons. The M-AMBI and BITS classifications gave quite similar results, which seemed consistent with the ecological conditions of the lagoon, that is a distinction in the ecological quality between the seaward and landward stations, with higher ecological quality (EcoQ) at the seaward stations. Given the pressures and the ecological condition of Karavasta, an intensification of aquaculture activities must be considered with caution, since the lagoon seems at significant risk of serious hypereutrophication. This situation is made worse by the limited water exchange with the marine environment due to the irregular dredging of the communication channels. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fear of falling as a risk factor of mobility disability in older people at five diverse sites of the IMIAS study.

PubMed

Auais, Mohammad; Alvarado, Beatriz E; Curcio, Carmen-Lucia; Garcia, Angeles; Ylli, Alban; Deshpande, Nandini

2016-01-01

Fear of falling (FoF) is a common health problem among older adults. Although the relationship between FoF and limitation in daily activities has been reported, FoF's relationship to mobility disability, a transitional phase to end-stage disability, is not yet understood. We examined the relationship between FoF and mobility disability among community-dwelling older adults and explored the differences in this relationship among socio-culturally diverse sites. Cross-sectional study. Community. 1875 participants (65-74 years) were recruited from five sites and included in the analysis (Kingston, Canada: 394; St-Hyacinthe, Canada: 397; Tirana, Albania: 359; Manizales, Colombia: 341; and Natal, Brazil: 384). FoF was quantified using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I, range: 16-64). Mobility disability was defined as difficulty climbing a flight of stairs or walking 400m without assistance. Overall, 21.5% of participants reported high FoF (FES-I>27). The average FoF scores were significantly different between the sites (p<0.001) and higher in women (p<0.001). In general, 36.2% of participants reported mobility disability. The distribution of mobility disability was significantly different at the five study sites (ranged from 19.8% at Kingston, Canada to 50.7% at Tirana, Albania, p<0.001). After adjusting for covariates, those with high and moderate FoF had about 3 times (95% CI: 2.59-3.83) and 2.5 times (95% CI: 1.99-2.91) higher risk of mobility disability, respectively, compared to those with no/low FoF. FoF was significantly associated with risk of mobility disability across the sites. The strength of this relationship appears to be different between the five sites. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular evidence of hybridization in sympatric populations of the Enantia jethys complex (Lepidoptera: Pieridae).

PubMed

Jasso-Martínez, Jovana M; Machkour-M'Rabet, Salima; Vila, Roger; Rodríguez-Arnaiz, Rosario; Castañeda-Sortibrán, América Nitxin

2018-01-01

Hybridization events are frequently demonstrated in natural butterfly populations. One interesting butterfly complex species is the Enantia jethys complex that has been studied for over a century; many debates exist regarding the species composition of this complex. Currently, three species that live sympatrically in the Gulf slope of Mexico (Enantia jethys, E. mazai, and E. albania) are recognized in this complex (based on morphological and molecular studies). Where these species live in sympatry, some cases of interspecific mating have been observed, suggesting hybridization events. Considering this, we employed a multilocus approach (analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear sequences: COI, RpS5, and Wg; and nuclear dominant markers: inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSRs) to study hybridization in sympatric populations from Veracruz, Mexico. Genetic diversity parameters were determined for all molecular markers, and species identification was assessed by different methods such as analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA), clustering, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), gene flow, and PhiPT parameters. ISSR molecular markers were used for a more profound study of hybridization process. Although species of the Enantia jethys complex have a low dispersal capacity, we observed high genetic diversity, probably reflecting a high density of individuals locally. ISSR markers provided evidence of a contemporary hybridization process, detecting a high number of hybrids (from 17% to 53%) with significant differences in genetic diversity. Furthermore, a directional pattern of hybridization was observed from E. albania to other species. Phylogenetic study through DNA sequencing confirmed the existence of three clades corresponding to the three species previously recognized by morphological and molecular studies. This study underlines the importance of assessing hybridization in evolutionary studies, by tracing the lineage separation process that leads to the origin of new species. Our research demonstrates that hybridization processes have a high occurrence in natural populations.

Coastline planning and management through digital mapping systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hysenaj, M.

2015-11-01

Albania is a country with a coastline of 316 km. The potentiality offered turns into a determinant factor for the Albanian economy. However specific issues need a solution. One of them remains the shoreline pollution. It affects mostly foreign visitors, also local population which recently tends to avoid attending these areas, instead they frequent foreign places. The importance of GIS technology in the water sector is undisputed. This paper will present a full set of digital maps representing a complete picture of the Albanian shoreline situation. The entire coastline is divided into the major frequented areas with a spatial extension based mainly on district level.

Application of Acoustic Signal Processing Techniques to Seismic Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-06-30

Sr(U So 9RU FEND LOA SUNIT STA PLC3 LOA I STA OLC4 F A FORRE-C ;3f F’RARD I REC9; T9 3ET PAST T-4E E24F LIZE 2 0’ LC3 r ZE 0 PLC4 t~zs 0 FEND STZ 3AKSCN...0)0.4 E 4.1 33 Ŕ. 37.0 12-46-22.9 1?-34-07 .1 M VMiHM ,P1W LJ 31 wEST ER"’ %EDITEPRANFAN AqPA 301 ALBANIA P62 1220 F2 6P 2 2? 243990 al.0 N 20.4 E

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-31

ISS036-E-027014 (31 July 2013) --- One of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station, as it was passing over Eastern Europe on July 31, 2013, took this night picture looking toward the Mediterranean Sea, which almost blends into the horizon. Also visible are the Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea and Mediterranean Sea. Parts of the following countries are among those visible as well: Greece, Italy, Sicily, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Albania. The high oblique 50mm lens shot includes a number of stars in the late July sky. A solar array panel is visible in the darkness on the right side of the frame.

A survey of canine parvovirus-2 in Albania.

PubMed

Kusi, I

1997-11-01

Observations were made on 97 dogs that had clinical signs of enteritis and on another group of 68 unvaccinated clinically healthy dogs for detecting the prevalence of serum hemagglutination inhibiting antibody to CPV. Canine parvovirus antigens agglutinating cat RBC were detected in feces or rectal swabs from 72 of 97 dogs. An ELISA to detect CPV antigen in feces and virus isolation on cell culture were also performed. Thirty-one of 72 dogs died. Mortality was exclusively observed in the age group of 0- to 6-month old. Canine parvovirus hemagglutination inhibition antibodies were detected in sera from 45 of 68 unvaccinated dogs examined.

Prevalence of tobacco use among students aged 13-15 years in the South-Eastern Europe health network.

PubMed

Stojiljkovic, Djordje; Haralanova, Maria; Nikogosian, Haik; Petrea, Ionela; Chauvin, James; Warren, Charles W; Jones, Nathan R; Asma, Samira

2008-01-01

To examine adolescent tobacco use among members of the South-Eastern Europe (SEE) Health Network using data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Nationally representative samples were drawn from students in grades associated with youth aged 13 to 15 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, Romania, and Serbia. Current cigarette smoking rates among students ranged from 5.6% to 33.1%. Current use of tobacco products other than cigarettes ranged from 3.6% to 10.2%. If effective programs are not developed, implemented, and enforced, morbidity and mortality attributed to tobacco use will surely increase.

[Prenatal screening and the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women in the Marche Region (Central Italy): differences between ethnic groups].

PubMed

Ruffini, Ermanno; Gesuita, Rosaria; Compagnoni, Luigina; Tubaldi, Lucia; Infriccioli, Giovanna; Vianelli, Patrizia; Genga, Roberto; Bonifazi, Vitaliana; Dieni, Alessandra; Guerrini, Domenico; Basili, Gabriella; Salvatori, Patrizia; DeColli, Rosa; Leone, Luciano

2016-01-01

to evaluate the epidemiology of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women living in the Marche Region (Central Italy), according to the Country of origin. cross sectional observational study conducted from May 2011 to April 2012, which involved 13 of the 15 birthing centres in the Marche region. serological data of hepatitis B infection were obtained during the execution of mandatory prenatal screening. The total number of pregnant women was of 10,232 of which 7,669 were Italian (74.9%) and 2,563 were foreign (25.1%). rate of adherence to prenatal serologic screening and prevalence of hepatitis B infection in Italian and foreign pregnant women. The 95% confidence intervals were calculated using the exact method for proportions. The test for proportions was applied to make comparisons between groups (significance level: 0.05). the rate of adherence to prenatal serologic screening and the overall prevalence of hepatitis B infection in pregnancy ware 98.6% and 0.8%, respectively. In foreign women, compared to native ones, differences of adherence to screening and the prevalence of infection were significant (96.7% vs. 99.3% and 2.7% vs. 0.2%). The highest prevalence was observed in pregnant women who came from the Western Pacific Region, Eastern Europe, and Africa (7.0%, 4.0%, and 3.3%, respectively). More than half of the cases of pregnant women, positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, were originating in Albania and China (60.6%). The prevalence of hepatitis B infection was significantly higher in pregnant women from China (8.1%), Albania (7.7%), Ukraine (7.2%), and Senegal (6.1%). the study emphasises the need to organise targeted interventions to facilitate access to prenatal screening programmes to foreign women for better control of hepatitis B infection in the Marche Region.

Quality of Maternal and Neonatal Care in Albania, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan: A Systematic, Standard-Based, Participatory Assessment

PubMed Central

Tamburlini, Giorgio; Siupsinskas, Gelmius; Bacci, Alberta

2011-01-01

Background Progress in maternal and neonatal mortality has been slow in many countries despite increasing access to institutional births, suggesting deficiencies in the quality of care. We carried out a systematic assessment of the quality of maternal and newborn care in three CEE/CIS countries, using an innovative approach to identify priority issues and promote action. Methods A standard-based tool, covering over 400 items grouped in 13 main areas ranging from support services to case management, was used to assess a sample of ten maternity hospitals in Albania, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Sources of information were visit to services, medical records, observation of cases, and interviews with staff and mothers. A score (range 0 to 3) was attributed to each item and area of care. The assessment was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of international and national professionals. Local managers and staff provided the necessary information and were involved in discussing the findings and the priority actions. Results Quality of care was found to be substandard in all 13 areas. The lowest scores (between one and two) were obtained by: management of normal labour, delivery, obstetric complications and sick babies; infection prevention; use of guidelines and audits; monitoring and follow-up. Neonatal care as a whole scored better than obstetric care. Interviewed mothers identified lack of information, insufficient support during labour and lack of companionship as main issues. Actions to improve quality of care were identified at facility as well as at central level and framed according to main health system functions. Conclusions Quality of care is a key issue to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes, particularly in countries such as CEE/CIS where access to institutional births is nearly universal. Approaches that involve health professionals and managers in comprehensive, action-oriented assessments of quality of care are promising and should be further supported. PMID:22216110

Application of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) in Albanian hospitals: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Gabrani, Adriatik; Hoxha, Adrian; Simaku, Artan; Gabrani, Jonila (Cyco)

2015-01-01

Objective To establish the reliability and validity of the translated version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) by evaluating its psychometric properties and to determine possible differences among nurses and physicians regarding safety attitudes. Design A cross-sectional study utilising the Albanian version of the SAQ and a demographic questionnaire. Setting Four regional hospitals in Albania. Participants 341 healthcare providers, including 132 nurses and 209 doctors. Main outcome measure(s) The translation, construct validity and internal validity of the SAQ. The SAQ includes six scales and 30 items. Results A total of 341 valid questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 70%. The confirmatory factor analysis and its goodness-of-fit indices (standardised root mean square residual 0.075, root mean square error of approximation 0.044 and comparative fit index 0.97) showed good model fit. The Cronbach's α values for each of the scales of the SAQ ranged from 0.64 to 0.82. The percentage of hospital healthcare workers who had a positive attitude was 60.3% for the teamwork climate, 57.2% for the safety climate, 58.4% for job satisfaction, 37.4% for stress recognition, 59.3% for the perception of management and 49.5% for working conditions. Intercorrelations showed that the subscales had moderate-to-high correlations with one another. Nurses were more hesitant to admit and report errors; only 55% of physicians and 44% of nurses endorsed this statement (χ2=4.9, p=0.02). Moreover, nurses received lower scores on team work compared with doctors (N 45.7 vs D 52.3, p=0.01). Doctors denied the effects of stress and fatigue on their performance (N 46.7 vs D 39.5, p<0.01), neglecting the workload. Conclusions The SAQ is a useful tool for evaluating safety attitudes in Albanian hospitals. In light of the health workforce's poor recognition of stress, establishing patient safety programmes should be a priority among policymakers in Albania. PMID:25877270

Impact of traumatic dental injuries with unmet treatment need on daily life among Albanian adolescents: a case-control study.

PubMed

Thelen, Dorina Sula; Trovik, Tordis A; Bårdsen, Asgeir

2011-04-01

Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are common in children and adolescences. Neglected or inadequate treatment may lead to psychosocial distress during late adolescence. To investigate the potential impact of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) with unmet treatment need, on the quality of life of 16-19 year-olds in Tirana, Albania. A case-control survey (1:2) was conducted in public high schools in Albania, comprising 95 subjects affected by TDI with unmet treatment need based on objective clinical signs. Controls (n = 190) with no history of TDI were matched by age, sex and belonging to the same school class and group of friends as the respective case. The Oral Impact on Daily Performances (OIDP) index was used to measure the impacts. DMFT, Community Periodontal Index and the Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need as well as social parameters were recorded. The response rate was 98%. Overall, the impact prevalence of OIDP was 88.4% among the cases, and 58.9% among the controls (P < 0.001). The most prevalent OIDP impact was 'smiling and showing teeth without embarrassment': cases had significantly higher values than controls (78.9% vs 31.6%). Multiple conditional logistic regression analysis was used to disclose the effect of TDI with unmet treatment need on quality of life by adjusting for possible confounders. Compared to the control group, TDI cases with unmet treatment need are at greater overall risk of impacts measured as OIDP, with an odds ratio of 3.9 (95% CI: 1.6-9.1). TDI with unmet treatment need in this sample of adolescents is associated with reduced OHRQoL. Compared to adolescents with no history of TDI, those affected by TDI with unmet treatment need are at greater risk of suffering impacts on OHRQoL in the form of OIDP. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

36 CFR 293.16 - Special provisions governing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Superior National Forest...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... on Trout Lake in Saint Louis County, Fall Lake, Moose Lake, Newfound Lake, Newton Lake, Sucker Lake... of Basswood Lake. (v) The portage from Vermilion Lake to Trout Lake. (2) The Forest Service may... portages: (i) Four Mile Portage From Fall Lake to Hoist Bay of Basswood Lake. (ii) Vermilion Lake to Trout...

36 CFR 293.16 - Special provisions governing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Superior National Forest...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... on Trout Lake in Saint Louis County, Fall Lake, Moose Lake, Newfound Lake, Newton Lake, Sucker Lake... of Basswood Lake. (v) The portage from Vermilion Lake to Trout Lake. (2) The Forest Service may... portages: (i) Four Mile Portage From Fall Lake to Hoist Bay of Basswood Lake. (ii) Vermilion Lake to Trout...

Lake whitefish diet, condition, and energy density in Lake Champlain and the lower four Great Lakes following dreissenid invasions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herbst, Seth J.; Marsden, J. Ellen; Lantry, Brian F.

2013-01-01

Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis support some of the most valuable commercial freshwater fisheries in North America. Recent growth and condition decreases in Lake Whitefish populations in the Great Lakes have been attributed to the invasion of the dreissenid mussels, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha and quagga mussels D. bugensis, and the subsequent collapse of the amphipod, Diporeia, a once-abundant high energy prey source. Since 1993, Lake Champlain has also experienced the invasion and proliferation of zebra mussels, but in contrast to the Great Lakes, Diporeia were not historically abundant. We compared the diet, condition, and energy density of Lake Whitefish from Lake Champlain after the dreissenid mussel invasion to values for those of Lake Whitefish from Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Lake Whitefish were collected using gill nets and bottom trawls, and their diets were quantified seasonally. Condition was estimated using Fulton's condition factor (K) and by determining energy density. In contrast to Lake Whitefish from some of the Great Lakes, those from Lake Champlain Lake Whitefish did not show a dietary shift towards dreissenid mussels, but instead fed primarily on fish eggs in spring, Mysis diluviana in summer, and gastropods and sphaeriids in fall and winter. Along with these dietary differences, the condition and energy density of Lake Whitefish from Lake Champlain were high compared with those of Lake Whitefish from Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Ontario after the dreissenid invasion, and were similar to Lake Whitefish from Lake Erie; fish from Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Ontario consumed dreissenids, whereas fish from Lake Erie did not. Our comparisons of Lake Whitefish populations in Lake Champlain to those in the Great Lakes indicate that diet and condition of Lake Champlain Lake Whitefish were not negatively affected by the dreissenid mussel invasion.

A reservoir of ethnobotanical knowledge informs resilient food security and health strategies in the Balkans.

PubMed

Quave, Cassandra L; Pieroni, Andrea

2015-02-02

While all peoples are nested in their environments, their decisions and actions are mediated by culturally constructed values, beliefs and priorities. Ethnobotanical methods can show how different ethnic groups living within the same geographic landscape interact with environmental resources. Here, we explore the impact of culture on ethnobotanical knowledge, and practice on local food security and human health. Gora, a mountainous territory of northeastern Albania, is home to two culturally and linguistically distinct peoples: Gorani and Albanians. We investigated the divergences and convergences of ethnobotanical strategies among the groups with respect to the use of 104 plant species. Local knowledge modulated by cultural history has moulded these peoples' use of their natural environment, fostering resilience during periods of food insecurity.

A simple apparatus for measuring the blood urea, manufactured by Dr. Luigj Benusi in 1943 in Albania.

PubMed

Tartari, Flamur; Buzo, Stiliano; Vyshka, Gentian

2009-01-01

The apparatus invented by Dr. Luigj Benusi in 1943, in Tirana, was a practical application of the Kowarsky technique and Ambard laws, helping in determining blood urea levels and very important to a variety of diseases, mainly kidney disorders. The apparatus was invented and prepared from very simple laboratory materials, such as glasses, test tubes, corks and volumetric cylinders. Technologically, it was based upon the determination of blood urea through hypobromite, and, among the advantages of the apparatus of Benusi, were its extreme simplicity, the smaller amount of blood needed for producing results (2 milliliters), as well as an easiest way to clean up and to manage the apparatus from a practical point of everyday use.

Euthanasia: India's position in the global scenario.

PubMed

Shekhar, Skand; Goel, Ashish

2013-11-01

Euthanasia requests have increased as the number of debilitated patients rises in both developed and developing countries such as India due to medical, psychosocial-emotional, socioenvironmental, and existential issues amid fears of potential misuse. WORLD'S POSITION: Albania, Colombia, the Netherlands, and Switzerland permit euthanasia conditionally. Australia's legalization of euthanasia has been withdrawn. The United States permits withdrawal of life support. Mexico and Norway permit active euthanasia. INDIA'S POSITION: Following the Aruna Shanbaug case the Supreme Court granted legal sanction to passive, but not active, euthanasia that is valid till the Parliament legislates on euthanasia. HANDLING EUTHANASIA REQUESTS: Acknowledging the complexity of the problem; individualizing the palliative approach; and accepting the 'There is no alternative' or 'There is no answer' (TINA) factor.

Patterns in Benthic Biodiversity Link Lake Trophic Status to Structure and Potential Function of Three Large, Deep Lakes

PubMed Central

Hayford, Barbara L.; Caires, Andrea M.; Chandra, Sudeep; Girdner, Scott F.

2015-01-01

Relative to their scarcity, large, deep lakes support a large proportion of the world’s freshwater species. This biodiversity is threatened by human development and is in need of conservation. Direct comparison of biodiversity is the basis of biological monitoring for conservation but is difficult to conduct between large, insular ecosystems. The objective of our study was to conduct such a comparison of benthic biodiversity between three of the world’s largest lakes: Lake Tahoe, USA; Lake Hövsgöl, Mongolia; and Crater Lake, USA. We examined biodiversity of common benthic organism, the non-biting midges (Chironomidae) and determined lake trophic status using chironomid-based lake typology, tested whether community structure was similar between the three lakes despite geographic distance; and tested whether chironomid diversity would show significant variation within and between lakes. Typology analysis indicated that Lake Hövsgöl was ultra-oligotrophic, Crater Lake was oligotrophic, and Lake Tahoe was borderline oligotrophic/mesotrophic. These results were similar to traditional pelagic measures of lake trophic status for Lake Hövsgöl and Crater Lake but differed for Lake Tahoe, which has been designated as ultra-oligotrophic by traditional pelagic measures such as transparency found in the literature. Analysis of similarity showed that Lake Tahoe and Lake Hövsgöl chironomid communities were more similar to each other than either was to Crater Lake communities. Diversity varied between the three lakes and spatially within each lake. This research shows that chironomid communities from these large lakes were sensitive to trophic conditions. Chironomid communities were similar between the deep environments of Lake Hövsgöl and Lake Tahoe, indicating that chironomid communities from these lakes may be useful in comparing trophic state changes in large lakes. Spatial variation in Lake Tahoe’s diversity is indicative of differential response of chironomid communities to nutrient enrichment which may be an indication of changes in trophic state within and across habitats. PMID:25594516

Treating floodplain lakes of large rivers as study units for variables that vary within lakes; an evaluation using chlorophyll a and inorganic suspended solids data from floodplain lakes of the Upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, B.R.; Rogala, J.R.; Houser, J.N.

2013-01-01

Contiguous floodplain lakes ('lakes') have historically been used as study units for comparative studies of limnological variables that vary within lakes. The hierarchical nature of these studies implies that study variables may be correlated within lakes and that covariate associations may differ not only among lakes but also by spatial scale. We evaluated the utility of treating lakes as study units for limnological variables that vary within lakes based on the criteria of important levels of among-lake variation in study variables and the observation of covariate associations that vary among lakes. These concerns were selected, respectively, to ensure that lake signatures were distinguishable from within-lake variation and that lake-scale effects on covariate associations might provide inferences not available by ignoring those effects. Study data represented chlorophyll a (CHL) and inorganic suspended solids (ISS) data from lakes within three reaches of the Upper Mississippi River. Sampling occurred in summer from 1993 through 2005 (except 2003); numbers of lakes per reach varied from 7 to 19, and median lake area varied from 53 to 101 ha. CHL and ISS levels were modelled linearly, with lake, year and lake x year effects treated as random. For all reaches, the proportions of variation in CHL and ISS attributable to differences among lakes (including lake and lake x year effects) were substantial (range: 18%-73%). Finally, among-lake variation in CHL and ISS was strongly associated with covariates and covariate effects that varied by lakes or lake-years (including with vegetation levels and, for CHL, log(ISS)). These findings demonstrate the utility of treating floodplain lakes as study units for the study of limnological variables and the importance of addressing hierarchy within study designs when making inferences from data collected within floodplain lakes.

Comparison of the hydrogeology and water quality of a ground-water augmented lake with two non-augmented lakes in northwest Hillsborough County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Metz, Patricia A.; Sacks, Laura A.

2002-01-01

The hydrologic effects associated with augmenting a lake with ground water from the Upper Floridan aquifer were examined in northwest Hillsborough County, Florida, from June 1996 through May 1999. The hydrogeology, ground-water flow patterns, water budgets, and water-quality characteristics were compared between a lake that has been augmented for more than 30 years (Round Lake) and two nearby nonaugmented lakes (Dosson Lake and Halfmoon Lake). Compared to the other study lakes, Round Lake is in a more leakage-dominated hydrogeologic setting. The intermediate confining unit is thin or highly breached, which increases the potential for vertical ground-water flow. Round Lake has the least amount of soft, organic lake-bottom sediments and the lake bottom has been dredged deeper and more extensively than the other study lakes, which could allow more leakage from the lake bottom. The area around Round Lake has experienced more sinkhole activity than the other study lakes. During this study, three sinkholes developed around the perimeter of the lake, which may have further disrupted the intermediate confining unit.Ground-water flow patterns around Round Lake were considerably different than the nonaugmented lakes. For most of the study, groundwater augmentation artificially raised the level of Round Lake to about 2 to 3 feet higher than the adjacent water table. As a result, lake water recharged the surficial aquifer around the entire lake perimeter, except during very wet periods when ground-water inflow occurred around part of the lake perimeter. The non-augmented lakes typically had areas of ground-water inflow and areas of lake leakage around their perimeter, and during wet periods, ground-water inflow occurred around the entire lake perimeter. Therefore, the area potentially contributing ground water to the non-augmented lakes is much larger than for augmented Round Lake. Vertical head loss within the surficial aquifer was greater at Round Lake than the other study lakes, which is additional evidence of the limited confinement at Round Lake. A comparison of the water quality and lake-bottom sediments at the three lakes indicate that Round Lake is strongly influenced by the addition of large quantities of calcium-bicarbonate enriched augmentation water. Round Lake had higher alkalinity, pH, calcium and dissolved oxygen concentrations, specific conductance, and water clarity than the two non-augmented lakes. Round Lake was generally saturated to supersaturated with respect to calcite, but was undersaturated when augmentation was low and after high rainfall periods. Calcium carbonate has accumulated in the lake sediments from calcite precipitation, from macrophytes such as Nitella sp., and from the deposition of carbonate-rich mollusk shells, such as Planerbella sp., both of which thrive in the high alkalinity lake water. Lake-bottom sediments and aquatic biota at Round Lake had some of the highest radium-226 activity levels measured in a Florida lake. The high radium-226 levels (27 disintegrations per minute per dry mass) can be atrributed to augmenting the lake with ground water from the Upper Floridan aquifer. Although the ground water has relatively low levels of radium-226 (5.8 disintegrations per minute per liter), the large volumes of ground water added to the lake for more than 30 years have caused radium-226 to accumulate in the sediments and lake biota.The Round Lake basin had higher calcium and bicarbonate concentrations in the surficial aquifer than at the non-augmented lakes, which indicates the lateral leakage of calcium-bicarbonate enriched lake water into the surficial aquifer. Deuterium and oxygen-18 data indicated that water in well nests near the lake consists of as much as 100 percent lake leakage, and water from the augmentation well had a high percentage of recirculated lake water (between 59 and 73 percent lake leakage). The ground water surrounding Round Lake was undersaturated with respect to calcite, indicating that the water is capable of dissolving calcite in the underlying limestone aquifer. Annual and monthly ground-water outflow (lake leakage) was significantly higher at Round Lake than at the non-augmented lakes for the 3-year study period. Minimum estimates of the total annual ground-water inflow and outflow were made from monthly net ground-water flow values. Based on these estimates, total annual groundwater outflow from Round Lake was more than 10 times higher than for the non-augmented lakes. Local ground-water pumping, augmentation, and hydrogeologic factors are responsible for the high net ground-water outflow at Round Lake. Localized ground-water pumping causes the head difference between the lake and the Upper Floridan aquifer to increase, which increases lake leakage and results in lower lake levels. Augmenting the lake further increases the head difference between the lake, the water table, and the Upper Floridan aquifer, which results in an increase in lateral and vertical lake leakage. The lack of confinement or breaches in the intermediate confining unit facilitates the downward movement of this augmented lake water back into the Upper Floridan aquifer. The increase in ground-water circulation in the leakage-dominated hydrogeologic setting at Round Lake has made the basin more susceptible to karst activity (limestone dissolution, subsidence, and sinkhole formation)

Hydrological network and classification of lakes on the Third Pole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yang; Wang, Weicai; Yao, Tandong; Lu, Ning; Lu, Anxin

2018-05-01

The intensity and form of changes in closed lakes, upstream lakes and outflow lakes on the Third Pole (TP) differ based on their drainage mode. Researchers' insufficient understanding of the hydrological networks associated with lakes hampers studies of the relationship between lakes and climate. In this study, we establish a comprehensive hydrological network for each lake (>1 km2) on the TP using 106 Landsat images, 236 Chinese topographic maps, and SRTM DEM. Three-hundred-ninety-seven closed lakes, 488 upstream lakes and 317 outflow lakes totaling 3,5498.49 km2, 7,378.82 km2, and 3,382.29 km2, respectively, were identified on the TP using 2010 data. Two-hundred-thirty-four closed lakes were found to not be linked to upstream lakes. The remaining 163 closed lakes were connected to and fed by the 488 upstream lakes. The object-oriented analyses within this study indicated that more rapid changes occurred in the surface extent of closed lakes than in upstream lakes or outflow lakes on the TP from 1970 s to 2010. Furthermore, the water volume of the examined closed lakes was almost nine times greater than that of the upstream lakes from 2003 to 2009. All the examined closed lakes exhibited an obvious water volume change compared to the corresponding upstream lakes in the same basin. Furthermore, two case studies illustrate that the annual and seasonal dynamics associated with the changes in closed lakes may reflect climate change patterns, while the upstream lake dynamics may be more controlled by the lakeshore terrain and drainage characteristics. The lake inventory and hydrological network catalogued in this study provide a basis for developing a better understanding of lake response to climate change on the TP.

Assessment of heavy metal enrichment and its human impact in lacustrine sediments from four lakes in the mid-low reaches of the Yangtze River, China.

PubMed

Bing, Haijian; Wu, Yanhong; Liu, Enfeng; Yang, Xiangdong

2013-07-01

Sediments from four lakes in the mid-low reaches of the Yangtze River, Taibai Lake, Longgan Lake, Chaohu Lake and Xijiu Lake, were chosen to evaluate their enrichment state and history. The state of heavy metal enrichment was at a low level in the sediment of Taibai Lake and Longgan Lake. The enrichment state of Co, Cr and Ni was also low in the sediment of Chaohu Lake and Xijiu Lake, while Cu, Pb and Zn enrichment reached a higher level. Mass accumulation fluxes were calculated to quantitatively evaluate the anthropogenic contribution to heavy metals in the sediment. The anthropogenic accumulation fluxes were lower in the sediment of Taibai Lake and Longgan Lake compared with the other two lakes, where heavy metals, especially Cu, Pb and Zn, were mainly from anthropogenic sources. Heavy metal accumulation did not vary greatly in the sediment of Taibai Lake and Longgan Lake, while that in Chaohu Lake and Xijiu Lake increased since the 1950s and substantially increased since the 1980s, although a decrease occurred since 2000 AD in Xijiu Lake. Heavy metal enrichment was strongly related to human activities in the catchment. The development of urbanization and industrialization was much more rapid in the catchments of Chaohu Lake and Xijiu Lake than of the other two lakes, and thus large amounts of anthropogenically sourced heavy metals were discharged into the lakes, which resulted in a higher contamination risk. However, human activities in the Longgan Lake and Taibai Lake catchments mainly involved agriculture, which contributed a relatively small portion of heavy metals to the lakes.

77 FR 41686 - Safety Zone; Sheffield Lake Fireworks, Lake Erie, Sheffield Lake, OH

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Sheffield Lake Fireworks, Lake Erie, Sheffield Lake, OH AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Lake Erie, Sheffield Lake, OH. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Erie...

Lake whitefish and lake herring population structure and niche in ten south-central Ontario lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carl, Leon M.; McGuiness, Fiona

2006-01-01

This study compares simple fish communities of ten oligotrophic lakes in south-central Ontario. Species densities and population size structure vary significantly among these lake communities depending on fish species present beyond the littoral zone. Lake whitefish are fewer and larger in the presence of lake herring than in their absence. Diet analysis indicates that lake whitefish shift from feeding on both plankton and benthic prey when lake herring are absent to a primarily benthic feeding niche in the presence of lake herring. When benthic round whitefish are present, lake whitefish size and density decline and they move lower in the lake compared to round whitefish. Burbot are also fewer and larger in lakes with lake herring than in lakes without herring. Burbot, in turn, appear to influence the population structure of benthic coregonine species. Lower densities of benthic lake whitefish and round whitefish are found in lakes containing large benthic burbot than in lakes with either small burbot or where burbot are absent. Predation on the pelagic larvae of burbot and lake whitefish by planktivorous lake herring alters the size and age structure of these populations. As life history theory predicts, those species with poor larval survival appear to adopt a bet-hedging life history strategy of long-lived individuals as a reproductive reserve.

Water quality of Lake Austin and Town Lake, Austin, Texas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrews, F.L.; Wells, F.C.; Shelby, W.J.

1988-01-01

Lake Austin and Town Lake are impoundments on the Colorado River in Travis County, central Texas, and are a source of water for municipal industrial water supplies, electrical-power generation, and recreation for more than 500,000 people in the Austin metropolitan area. Small vertical temperature variations in both lakes were attributed to shallow depths in the lakes and short retention times of water in the lakes during the summer months. The largest areal variations in dissolved oxygen generally occur in Lake Austin during the summer as a result of releases of water from below the thermocline in Lake Travis. Except formore » iron, manganese, and mercury, dissolved concentrations of trace elements in water collected from Lake Austin and Town Lake did not exceed the primary or secondary drinking water standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Little or no effect of stormwater runoff on temperature, dissolved oxygen, or minor elements could be detected in either Lake Austin or Town Lake. Little seasonal or areal variation was noted in nitrogen concentrations in Lake Austin or Town lake. Total phosphorus concentrations generally were small in both lakes. Increased concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were detected after storm runoff inflow in Town Lake, but not in Lake Austin; densities of fecal-coliform bacteria increased in Lake Austin and Town Lake, but were substantially greater in Town Lake than in Lake Austin. 18 refs., 38 figs., 59 tabs.« less

NASA Satellite Scares Up An Eerie Image of Haunted Lakes and Ghost Ships

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-29

NASA Terra satellite presents this false color view of portions of Wisconsin and Michigan, including Devil Lake, Druid Lake, Ghost Lake, Spider Lake, and Witches Lake in Wisconsin; and Bat Lake, Corpse Pond and Witch Lake in Michigan.

Earth observations taken from shuttle orbiter Atlantis during STS-84 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-22

STS084-710-098 (15-24 May 1997) --- A rare view of the Great Lakes captured in one frame. The Great Lakes region is home to 8.5 million Canadians and 32.5 million Americans. At center is Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Above Lake Huron and towards the horizon is Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake to be located entirely within the United States. To the right of Lake Michigan, and partially under clouds, is Lake Superior the second largest lake in the world after the Caspian Sea. Lake Erie is located to the left of Lake Huron. Next to Lake Erie is Lake Ontario. According to geologists, the Great Lakes were created by glacial processes that began about 1,000,000 years ago.

Competition between larval lake herring (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) for zooplankton

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Bruce M.; Todd, Thomas N.

1998-01-01

Diet and growth of larval lake herring (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) were compared in mesocosm experiments in a small mesotrophic lake in southeastern Michigan. Fish were sampled from single-species and mixed assemblages in 2-m3 cages for 8 weeks during April and May. Both species initially ate mostly cyclopoid copepodites and small cladocerans (Bosmia spp.). Schoener's index of diet overlap showed considerable overlap (70-90%). Lake whitefish ate Daphnia spp. and adult copepods about 2 weeks earlier than did lake herring, perhaps related to their larger mean mouth gape. Lake whitefish were consistently larger than lake herring until the eighth week, especially in the sympatric treatments. Lake whitefish appeared to have a negative effect on the growth of lake herring, as lake herring in mixed-species treatments were smaller and weighed less than lake herring reared in single-species treatments. The diet similarities of lake whitefish and lake herring larvae could make them competitors for food in the Great Lakes. The greater initial size of lake whitefish could allow them to eat larger prey earlier and thereby limit availability of these prey to lake herring at a crucial period of development.

Genetic strategies for lake trout rehabilitation: a synthesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burnham-Curtis, Mary K.; Krueger, Charles C.; Schreiner, Donald R.; Johnson, James E.; Stewart, Thomas J.; Horrall, Ross M.; MacCallum, Wayne R.; Kenyon, Roger; Lange, Robert E.

1995-01-01

The goal of lake trout rehabilitation efforts in the Great Lakes has been to reestablish inshore lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) populations to self-sustaining levels. A combination of sea lamprey control, stocking of hatchery-reared lake trout, and catch restrictions were used to enhance remnant lake trout stocks in Lake Superior and reestablish lake trout in Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Genetic diversity is important for the evolution and maintenance of successful adaptive strategies critical to population restoration. The loss of genetic diversity among wild lake trout stocks in the Great Lakes imposes a severe constraint on lake trout rehabilitation. The objective of this synthesis is to address whether the particular strain used for stocking combined with the choice of stocking location affects the success or failure of lake trout rehabilitation. Poor survival, low juvenile recruitment, and inefficient habitat use are three biological impediments to lake trout rehabilitation that can be influenced by genetic traits. Evidence supports the hypothesis that the choices of appropriate lake trout strain and stocking locations enhance the survival of lake trout stocked into the Great Lakes. Genetic strategies proposed for lake trout rehabilitation include conservation of genetic diversity in remnant stocks, matching of strains with target environments, stocking a greater variety of lake trout phenotypes, and rehabilitation of diversity at all trophic levels.

77 FR 9652 - Proposed CERCLA Administrative Cost Recovery Settlement; Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

... Settlement; Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake Linden, Houghton County, MI AGENCY: Environmental Protection... concerning the Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake Linden, Houghton County, Michigan with Honeywell Specialty...-6609. Comments should reference the Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake Linden, Houghton County...

Geography of Alaska Lake Districts: Identification, Description, and Analysis of Lake-Rich Regions of a Diverse and Dynamic State

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arp, Christopher D.; Jones, Benjamin M.

2009-01-01

Lakes are abundant landforms and important ecosystems in Alaska, but are unevenly distributed on the landscape with expansive lake-poor regions and several lake-rich regions. Such lake-rich areas are termed lake districts and have landscape characteristics that can be considered distinctive in similar respects to mountain ranges. In this report, we explore the nature of lake-rich areas by quantitatively identifying Alaska's lake districts, describing and comparing their physical characteristics, and analyzing how Alaska lake districts are naturally organized and correspond to climatic and geophysical characteristics, as well as studied and managed by people. We use a digital dataset (National Hydrography Dataset) of lakes greater than 1 hectare, which includes 409,040 individual lakes and represents 3.3 percent of the land-surface area of Alaska. The selection criteria we used to identify lake districts were (1) a lake area (termed limnetic ratio, in percent) greater than the mean for the State, and (2) a lake density (number of lakes per unit area) greater than the mean for the State using a pixel size scaled to the area of interest and number of lakes in the census. Pixels meeting these criteria were grouped and delineated and all groups greater than 1,000 square kilometers were identified as Alaska's lake districts. These lake districts were described according to lake size-frequency metrics, elevation distributions, geology, climate, and ecoregions to better understand their similarities and differences. We also looked at where lake research and relevant ecological monitoring has occurred in Alaska relative to lake districts and how lake district lands and waters are currently managed. We identified and delineated 20 lake districts in Alaska representing 16 percent of the State, but including 65 percent of lakes and 75 percent of lake area. The largest lake districts identified are the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Arctic Coastal Plain, and Iliamna lake districts with high limnetic ratios of 19, 17, and 21 percent, respectively. The three smallest districts we considered were Tetlin in the eastern interior, Menhiskof on the Alaska Peninsula, and Matanuska-Susitna at the head of Cook Inlet with limnetic ratios of 14, 9, and 9 percent, respectively. Lake density and limnetic ratio were poorly related among lake districts, such that some districts had a few large lakes like Iliamna with Lakes Iliamna and Becharof - the two largest in the State, compared to other districts with many very small lakes like Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta with 111,130 lakes and 63 percent of these less than 10 hectares. Most lake districts are in regions with relatively low precipitation, but temperature regimes varied widely among lake districts. Approximately one-half of lake districts were glaciated during the Pleistocene and similar numbers occur in regions classified as having continuous, discontinuous, and sporadic permafrost, or perennially unfrozen soils. Most districts are at low elevations (less than 250 meters) with two important exceptions being Tetlin with a mean elevation of 530 meters and Ahtna with a mean elevation of 760 meters. These higher elevation districts, particularly Ahtna, had distinct characteristics from other lake districts such as continuous permafrost and Pleistocene glaciation. Several lake districts share similar boundaries to defined ecoregions with lake districts occurring in less than one-half of these 32 ecoregions of Alaska. Most lake districts are lands fully or partly managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, with other land management by the Bureau of Land Management and State and borough government. Much of the U.S. Geological Survey's lake water-quality sampling efforts has been done in the Arctic Coastal Plain, Matanuska-Susitna, and Iliamna districts but no recorded collections in nine lake districts. Similarly, most lake limnological studies in Alaska were site-specific an

Lake levels, streamflow, and surface-water quality in the Devils Lake area, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiche, Gregg J.

1996-01-01

The Devils Lake Basin is a 3,810-square-mile (mi2) closed basin (fig. 1) in the Red River of the North Basin. About 3,320 mi2 of the total 3,810 mi2 is tributary to Devils Lake; the remainder is tributary to Stump Lake.Since glaciation, the lake level of Devils Lake has fluctuated from about 1,457 feet (ft) above sea level (asl), the natural spill elevation of the lake to the Sheyenne River, to 1,400 ft asl (Aronow, 1957). Although no documented records of lake levels are available before 1867, Upham (1895, p. 595), on the basis of tree-ring chronology, indicated that the lake level was 1,441 ft asl in 1830. Lake levels were recorded sporadically from 1867 to 1901 when the U.S. Geological Survey established a gaging station on Devils Lake. From 1867 to the present (1996), the lake level has fluctuated between a maximum of 1,438.4 ft asl in 1867 and a minimum of 1,400.9 ft asl in 1940 (fig. 2). On July 31, 1996, the lake level was 1,437.8 ft asl, about 15.2 ft higher than the level recorded in February 1993 and the highest level in about 120 years.Since 1993, the lake level of Devils Lake (fig. 2) has risen rapidly in response to above-normal precipitation from the summer of 1993 to the present, and 30,000 acres of land around the lake have been flooded. The above-normal precipitation also has caused flooding elsewhere in the Devils Lake Basin. State highways near Devils Lake are being raised, and some local roads have been closed because of flooding.In response to the flooding, the Devils Lake Basin Interagency Task Force, comprised of many State and Federal agencies, was formed in 1995 to find and propose intermediate (5 years or less) solutions to reduce the effects of high lake levels. In addition to various planning studies being conducted by Federal agencies, the North Dakota State Water Commission has implemented a project to store water on small tracts of land and in the chain of lakes (Sweetwater Lake, Morrison Lake, Dry Lake, Mikes Lake, Chain Lake, Lake Alice, and Lake Irvine). Most of the planning studies include options to store water in the Devils Lake Basin and to provide an outlet to the Sheyenne River via Devils Lake or the Stump Lakes. If an outlet is constructed, water-quantity and -quality issues will be considered in designing the operating plan. Therefore, current and accurate hydrologic information is needed to assess the viability of the various options to lower the level of Devils Lake.

Lake trout in the Great Lakes: Basin-wide stock collapse and binational restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, Michael J.; Taylor, William W.; Ferreri, C. Paola

1999-01-01

The lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) was important to the human settlement of each of the Great Lakes, and underwent catastrophic collapses in each lake in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The timing of lake trout stock collapses were different in each lake, as were the causes of the collapses, and have been the subject of much scientific inquiry and debate. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize and review pertinent information relating historical changes in Great Lakes lake trout stocks, binational efforts to restore those stocks, and progress toward stock restoration. This presentation attempts to generalize patterns across the Great Lakes, rather than to focus within each lake. Lake specific analyses have been used to understand lake specific causes and effects, but there is continuing debate about some of these causes and effects. A basinwide review may suggest mechanisms for observed changes that are not evident by lake specific analysis.

Preliminary evaluation of a lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) bioenergetics model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; Pothoven, Steven A.; Schneeberger, Philip J.; O'Connor, Daniel V.; Brandt, Stephen B.

2005-01-01

We conducted a preliminary evaluation of a lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) bioenergetics model by applying the model to size-at-age data for lake whitefish from northern Lake Michigan. We then compared estimates of gross growth efficiency (GGE) from our bioenergetis model with previously published estimates of GGE for bloater (C. hoyi) in Lake Michigan and for lake whitefish in Quebec. According to our model, the GGE of Lake Michigan lake whitefish decreased from 0.075 to 0.02 as age increased from 2 to 5 years. In contrast, the GGE of lake whitefish in Quebec inland waters decreased from 0.12 to 0.05 for the same ages. When our swimming-speed submodel was replaced with a submodel that had been used for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Lake Michigan and an observed predator energy density for Lake Michigan lake whitefish was employed, our model predicted that the GGE of Lake Michigan lake whitefish decreased from 0.12 to 0.04 as age increased from 2 to 5 years.

75 FR 20920 - Safety Zone; Lake Havasu Grand Prix, Lake Havasu, AZ

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Lake Havasu Grand Prix, Lake Havasu, AZ AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary... of Lake Havasu on the Colorado River in Lake Havasu City, Arizona for the Lake Havasu Grand Prix... established in support of the Lake Havasu Grand Prix, a marine event that includes participating vessels...

Genetic variation among wild lake trout populations: the 'wanted' and the 'unwanted'

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burnham-Curtis, Mary K.; Kallemeyn, Larry W.; Bronte, Charles R.; Greswell, Robert E.; Dwyer, Pat; Hamre, R.H.

1997-01-01

In this study we examine genetic variation within and among self-sustaining lake trout populations from the Great Lakes basin, the Rainy Lake basin, and Yellowstone Lake. We used RFLP analysis and direct sequencing to examine DNA sequence variation among several mitochondrial and nuclear genes, including highly conserved loci (e.g. cytochrome b, nuclear exon regions) and highly variable loci (e.g. mitochondrial d-loop and nuclear intron regions). Native Lake Superior lake trout populations show high levels of genetic diversity, while populations from the Rainy Lake basin show little or none. The lake trout population sampled from Yellowstone Lake shows moderate genetic diversity, possibly representative of a relatively large source population closely related to lake trout from Lewis Lake, Wyoming. There has been significant social and management controversy involving these lake trout populations, particularly those that are located in National Parks. In the Great Lakes and Rainy Lake basins, the controversy involves the degree to which hatchery supplementation can contribute to or negatively impact self-sustaining populations which are highly desired by recreational and commercial fisheries. In Yellowstone Lake, the lake trout are viewed as an undesirable intruder that may interfere with resident populations of highly prized native cutthroat trout.

Introduction to the Proceedings of the 1994 International Conference on Restoration of Lake Trout in the Laurentian Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Selgeby, James H.

1995-01-01

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) restoration in the Great Lakes began in the 1950s when stocking of artificially propagated lake trout was coupled with the first attempts at sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) control. A major milestone in the restoration process was recorded when a selective sea lamprey larvicide was identified in 1958 (Applegate et al. 1958) and then applied broad scale in Lake Superior in 1958-60 (Applegate et al. 1961). Other milestones include the expansion of the sea lamprey control programs into Lakes Michigan and Huron in 1960 (sustained usage in Lake Huron began in 1966, Smith and Tibbles 1980), Lake Ontario in 1971-72 (Elrod et al. 1995), and Lake Erie in 1986 (Cornelius et al. 1995). Following the collapse of lake trout in the Great Lakes and the implementation of massive stocking of hatchery-reared fish and effective sea lamprey control, the first documented evidence of nearshore natural reproduction of lake trout was in Lake Superior in 1965 (Dryer and King 1968), in Lake Michigan in 1980 (Jude et al. 1981), in Lake Huron in 1981-82 (Nester and Poe 1984), and in Lake Ontario in 1986 (Marsden et al. 1988).

78 FR 53675 - Safety Zone; Lake Erie Heritage Foundation, Battle of Lake Erie Reenactment; Lake Erie, Put-in...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Lake Erie Heritage Foundation, Battle of Lake Erie Reenactment; Lake Erie, Put-in-Bay... temporary safety zone in the waters of Lake Erie in the vicinity of Put-In-Bay, OH. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Erie during Battle of Lake Erie Reenactment near Put-In...

Hydrology, water quality, and phosphorus loading of Kirby Lake, Barron County, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, William J.; Robertson, Dale M.

1998-01-01

In 1992, residents near Kirby Lake, located about five miles northwest of Cumberland, in Barron County, Wisconsin, formed the Kirby Lake Management District. The Lake District immediately began to gather information needed for the preparation of a comprehensive lake-management plan that would be used to protect the natural and recreational assets of the lake. The Lake District completed a land-use inventory of the watershed and an evaluation of available lake water-quality data. The land-use data were used to assess the potential contribution of nutrients to the lake from the watershed. The evaluation of lake water-quality data, which were collected as part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Self-Help Monitoring Program, indicated the lake has relatively good water quality. Before a comprehensive lake-management plan could be prepared, however, a better understanding of several aspects of the lake and its surroundings was needed. To address those aspects including the definition of the lake's hydrology and the principal sources of nutrients, and the relation of the lake's water quality to nutrient loading the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Lake District and the WDNR (through a Lake Management Planning Grant), conducted a study of Kirby Lake and its watershed. This Fact Sheet presents the results of that study.

Increasing thiamine concentrations in lake trout eggs from Lakes Huron and Michigan coincide with low alewife abundance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riley, Stephen C.; Rinchard, Jacques; Honeyfield, Dale C.; Evans, Allison N.; Begnoche, Linda

2011-01-01

Lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in the Laurentian Great Lakes suffer from thiamine deficiency as a result of adult lake trout consuming prey containing thiaminase, a thiamine-degrading enzyme. Sufficiently low egg thiamine concentrations result in direct mortality of or sublethal effects on newly hatched lake trout fry. To determine the prevalence and severity of low thiamine in lake trout eggs, we monitored thiamine concentrations in lake trout eggs from 15 sites in Lakes Huron and Michigan from 2001 to 2009. Lake trout egg thiamine concentrations at most sites in both lakes were initially low and increased over time at 11 of 15 sites, and the proportion of females with egg thiamine concentrations lower than the recommended management objective of 4 nmol/g decreased over time at eight sites. Egg thiamine concentrations at five of six sites in Lakes Huron and Michigan were significantly inversely related to site-specific estimates of mean abundance of alewives Alosa pseudoharengus, and successful natural reproduction of lake trout has been observed in Lake Huron since the alewife population crashed. These results support the hypothesis that low egg thiamine in Great Lakes lake trout is associated with increased alewife abundance and that low alewife abundance may currently be a prerequisite for successful reproduction by lake trout in the Great Lakes.

Information Mining of Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Lakes Based on Multiple Dynamic Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, W.; Chen, J.

2017-09-01

Lakes are important water resources and integral parts of the natural ecosystem, and it is of great significance to study the evolution of lakes. The area of each lake increased and decreased at the same time in natural condition, only but the net change of lakes' area is the result of the bidirectional evolution of lakes. In this paper, considering the effects of net fragmentation, net attenuation, swap change and spatial invariant part in lake evolution, a comprehensive evaluation indexes of lake dynamic evolution were defined,. Such degree contains three levels of measurement: 1) the swap dynamic degree (SDD) reflects the space activity of lakes in the study period. 2) the attenuation dynamic degree (ADD) reflects the net attenuation of lakes into non-lake areas. 3) the fragmentation dynamic degree (FDD) reflects the trend of lakes to be divided and broken into smaller lakes. Three levels of dynamic measurement constitute the three-dimensional "Swap - attenuation - fragmentation" dynamic evolution measurement system of lakes. To show its effectiveness, the dynamic measurement was applied to lakes in Jianghan Plain, the middle Yangtze region of China for a more detailed analysis of lakes from 1984 to 2014. In combination with spatial-temporal location characteristics of lakes, the hidden information in lake evolution in the past 30 years can be revealed.

A population on the rise: The origin of deepwater sculpin in Lake Ontario

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welsh, Amy B.; Scribner, Kim T.; Stott, Wendylee; Walsh, Maureen

2017-01-01

Deepwater sculpin, Myoxocephalus thompsonii, were thought to have been extirpated from Lake Ontario. However, in recent years, abundance has increased and recruitment has been documented. There are two hypotheses concerning the origin of the current Lake Ontario deepwater sculpin population. First, individuals from the upper Great Lakes may have recolonized Lake Ontario. Alternatively, the Lake Ontario population may have not been extirpated, and the remnant population has recovered naturally. To test these hypotheses, eight microsatellite loci were used to analyze samples from the current Lake Ontario population, museum specimens from the historic Lake Ontario population, and current upper Great Lakes populations. The genetic data suggest that historically throughout the Great Lakes, deepwater sculpin exhibited low levels of spatial genetic structure. Approximate Bayesian Computation analyses support the hypothesis that the current Lake Ontario population is more closely related to populations in the upper Great Lakes than to the historic Lake Ontario samples, indicating that the current Lake Ontario population likely resulted from recolonization from the Upper Great Lakes. The current Lake Ontario population has reduced allelic diversity relative to upper Great Lakes populations, indicating a possible founder effect. This study demonstrates the role life history variation can play in recolonization success. The pelagic larval phase of the deepwater sculpin allowed recolonization of Lake Ontario via passive larval drift.

Reconstructing time series water volumes of drying lakes in Central Asia with ZY-3 stereo remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J.; Warner, T.; Bao, A.

2017-12-01

Central Asia is one of the world most vulnerable areas responding to global change. Lakes in arid regions of Central Asia remain sensitive to climatic change and fluctuate with temperature and precipitation variations. Study showed that some central asian inland lakes in showed a trend of area shrinkage or extinct in the last decades. Quantitative analysis of lake volume changes in spatio-temporal processes will improve our understanding water resource utilization in arid regions and their responses to regional climate change. However, due to the lack of lake bathmetry or observation data, the volumes of these lakes remain unknown. In this paper, three lakes, such as Chaiwopu lake, Alik Lake and Selectyteniz Lake in Central Asia are used to reconstruct lake volume changes. Firstly, stereo mapping technologies derived from ZY-3 high resolution data are used to map the high-precision 3-D lake bathmetry, so as to create "Area-Level-Volume" based on contours of lake bathmetry. Secondly, time series lake areas in the last 50 years are mapped with multi-source and multi-temporal remote sensing images. Based on lake storage curves and time series lake areas, lake volumes in the last 5 decades can be reconstructed, and the spatio-temporal characteristics of lake volume changes and their mechanisms are also analyzed. The results showed that the high-precision lake hydrological elements are reconstructed on arid drying lakes through the application of stereo mapping technology in remote sensing.

Live/Dead Comparisons of Ostracodes in Temperate Lakes Reveal Evidence of Human Impact and Provides a Tool to Measure the Progress of Remediation Efforts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spergel, J.; Kimball, K. C.; Fitzpatrick, S. A.; Michelson, A. V.; Leonard-Pingel, J.

2015-12-01

Lake ecosystems face a multitude of environmental threats including: eutrophication, overfishing, and heavy metal pollution. Tools to identify lakes impacted by human activity and quantify that impact are needed to combat their environmental degradation. One such promising tool has been the comparison between living communities and associated time-averaged death assemblages of mollusks in marine environments. Here we extend the reach of such live/dead comparisons using ostracodes in temperate lakes. We sampled six lakes in Wisconsin for living communities and associated death assemblages of ostracodes: two lakes impacted by human activity, two relatively "pristine" lakes, and two remediated lakes. We took sixteen grab samples of the upper centimeter of sediment in each lake, capturing simultaneously living benthic ostracodes and discarded valves of dead ostracodes. We found that impacted lakes had lower live/dead fidelity in taxonomic composition and rank-order abundance distributions and greater within-lake variation in death assemblages than "pristine" lakes. Additionally, the living communities in the impacted lakes tended to be lower in species richness and have lower evenness than "pristine" lakes. Remediated lakes displayed similar live/dead fidelity in taxonomic composition and rank-abundance distributions to "pristine" lakes and had lower within-lake variation in death assemblages than impacted lakes. Remediated lakes also contained living communities that tended to be richer and more even than impacted lakes. The lower live/dead fidelity of ostracodes in impacted lakes indicate live/dead ostracode comparisons can provide a tool to identify lake ecosystems impacted by humans. The similar results of remediated and "pristine" lakes indicate remediation efforts in these lakes have been successful in alleviating environmental impact detrimental to ostracode communities. This result indicates live/dead comparisons of ostracodes can be a useful tool to monitor the progress of remediation efforts already underway. Further work will focus on dating the upper centimeter of sediment in these lakes to provide an estimate of how long it takes for death assemblages to accumulate and thus how long it will take to regain high live/dead fidelity in impacted lakes undergoing remediation.

The recent climatic change of subarctic zone recorded in lake sediments in Hokkaido, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seto, K.; Takata, H.; Saito, M.; Katsuki, K.; Sonoda, T.; Kawajiri, T.; Watanabe, T.

2010-12-01

In the coastal area of the Sea of Okhotsk in the east part of Hokkaido located to for subarctic zone, many brackish-water lakes are distributed. Especially, the Okhotsk brackish-water lake group around Abashiri City is constituted by major lake in Japan such as Lake Abashiri, Lake Mokoto, Lake Tofutsu, and Lake Notoro. The each lake shows a different present environment and history. Therefore, the change that is common in those lakes seems to be the change concerning the climate. In this study, recent environment change in Abashiri region (after the Little Ice Age) is discussed by sedimentologic and geochemical high-resolution analysis of the cores collected from the Okhotsk brackish-water lake group. The cores collected from four lake shows the length of 1 to 3m. In Lake Mokoto, there was the Ta-a tephra (AD 1739) at the 350cm depth. The Ta-a tephra are found at the horizon of 250 cm in Lake Abashiri, of 78 cm in Lake Notoro, and of 44 cm in Lake Tofutsu. The differences of the sedimentation rate of that lake are caused by the size of lake and catchment area. In Lake Mokoto, the catchment area is most large, and the size of lake is smallest among the four lake of Abashiri City. The cores collected from Lake Abashiri and Lake Mokoto consist of organic mud with the lamination in all cores. The core top 56 cm shows the black (N1.5/0, L value: < 5), and it seems to indicate the euxinic environment as present. The organic mud of 56-77cm-depth show black (2.5GY2/1, L values = ca 20), and it is considered that it shows the freshwater environment. In history of Lake Abashiri, the lake water changes to brackish-water from freshwater in 1930’s. It is considered that the change of the lightness in 56 cm depth is correspondent to this timing. In the observation by the soft X-ray photograph, the pattern of the lamination of Lake Abashiri is similar to the Lake Mokoto. The cyclic lamination set is observed in the core from Lake Mokoto. It is considered that this cyclic lamination set is the verve. According to the meteorological data in Abashiri region, the precipitation of every year is high in August to September. Probably, the cyclic lamination set is formed by cyclic change of precipitation. In correlation with the core in Lake Abashiri and Lake Mokoto by the pattern of the lamination, there is consistent with the counting age of cyclic lamination set in Lake Mokoto and the timing of environmental change in Lake Abashiri.

Implementing business continuity management systems and sharing best practices at a European bank.

PubMed

Aronis, Stelios; Stratopoulos, Georgios

2016-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the methodology applied by the Alpha Bank Group in order to implement a business continuity management (BCM) programme to its parent company (Alpha Bank SA), as well as to its subsidiaries in Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, UK and Ukraine. It also reviews the problems faced, how they were overcome and the lessons learned. When implementing a BCM programme in a large organisation, it is very important to follow the methodology described by BCM standard ISO 22301, otherwise the business continuity plan is unlikely to work efficiently or comply with the business recovery requirements, as well as with the requirements of other interested parties, such as customers, regulatory authorities, vendors, service providers, critical associates, etc.

Adoption of trastuzumab for breast cancer in four emerging countries in the use of health technology assessment: a case study.

PubMed

Martín-Ruiz, Eva; Espín Balbino, Jaime; Lemgruber, Alexandre; Caro-Martínez, Araceli; Lessa, Fernanda; Olry-de-Labry-Lima, Antonio; Pérez-Velasco, Roman; García-Mochón, Leticia

2016-07-01

To describe processes for the adoption of trastuzumab in four countries in the use of health technology assessment (HTA): Poland, Albania, Brazil and Colombia. Mixed methods were used for collection and triangulation of data. Data were examined following a conceptual framework connecting HTA process steps and key principles. Trastuzumab was generally assessed following well-structured HTA processes. Nonetheless, areas of improvement were detected in terms of transparency and inclusiveness, as well as in methods used. The extent to which different criteria influenced decisions was unclear. This study covers an area in which information may not always be available, and sets the example for emerging countries interested in HTA. Further studies to gain a better understanding on decision-making across settings are warranted.

Working conditions, work style, and job satisfaction among Albanian teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kloep, Marion; Tarifa, Fatos

1994-03-01

For the first time in Albania, a large-scale study investigating teachers' working conditions was conducted. 349 teachers from many parts of the country and from all school levels answered an extensive questionnaire, providing a comprehensive description of their working situation. As data for parts of the study exist from the USA, Germany, Singapore, England, and Poland, results could be discussed in comparison to the conditions in these countries, showing that self-reported job satisfaction and engagement in effective classroom practices is relatively high among Albanian teachers, while the economic and physical conditions are bad. Stepwise regression analyses reveal that the items measuring professional autonomy account for a considerable part of the variance of the job satisfaction measure; while work efficiency is mainly predicted by items measuring social support and, again, professional autonomy.

Strengthening national decision-making on immunization by building capacity for economic evaluation: Implementing ProVac in Europe.

PubMed

Blau, Julia; Hoestlandt, Céline; D Clark, Andrew; Baxter, Louise; Felix Garcia, Ana Gabriela; Mounaud, Bérénice; Mosina, Liudmila

2015-05-07

For many years, low- and middle-income countries have made efforts to strengthen national decision-making on immunization. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) ProVac Initiative was established to help expedite the use of evidence-based decision-making around new vaccine introduction. This initiative provides training in user-friendly cost-effectiveness models and supports the development of country-led economic evaluations. Due to the success of the ProVac Initiative in the Americas, and following requests from countries from outside the Americas, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded a two-year pilot effort to expand the initiative to other world regions. Called the ProVac International Working Group (IWG), this endeavor took place in 2012 and 2013. It was coordinated by PAHO and carried out in collaboration with several international partners, including the Agence de Médecine Préventive (AMP), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, Sabin Vaccine Institute, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization (WHO). In the WHO European Region, technical support was provided by AMP, in close collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe and other ProVac IWG partners. In 2012, AMP, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, and other partners held a training workshop in Dubrovnik, Croatia, for 31 participants from four countries of the WHO European Region. The aim was to train health professionals in standard methods of economic evaluation and to assess regional demand for economic studies to support decision-making on immunization. AMP and the other organizations also supported four national cost-effectiveness studies in the WHO European Region. The assistance included country visits and support over a period of six months, the establishment of multidisciplinary teams of experts, ongoing training on the TRIVAC decision-support model for new-vaccine economic analysis, review of local evidence, recommending key data inputs, and support in presenting results to national decision makers. National cost-effectiveness studies were conducted in four countries: Albania (rotavirus vaccine [RV]), Azerbaijan (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV]), Croatia (PCV), and Georgia (PCV). All four countries improved their estimates of the burden of disease preventable by the new vaccines. National advisory bodies and ministries of health obtained economic evidence that helped Albania and Croatia to make decisions on introducing the new vaccines. Azerbaijan and Georgia used economic evidence to confirm previously made preliminary decisions to introduce PCV and make corresponding financial commitments. The study helped Albania to obtain access to affordable prices for rotavirus vaccines through participation in the UNICEF procurement mechanism for middle-income countries. Croatia was able to define the PCV price that would make its introduction cost-effective, and can use this figure as a basis for price negotiations. Despite some challenges due to competing national priorities, tight budgets for immunization, and lack of available national data, the ProVac IWG helped to build capacity of national health professionals, support decision-making for the introduction of new vaccines, and promote utilization of economic evidence for making decisions on immunization. This type of strong collaboration among international partners and countries should be scaled up, given that many other countries in the WHO European Region have expressed interest in receiving assistance from the ProVac IWG. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Examining indirect effects of lake trout recovery

EPA Science Inventory

With the recovery of lake trout populations in Lake Superior, there are indications of decreased forage fish abundance and density-dependence in lake trout. In Lake Superior, lean lake trout historically occupied depths < 60 m, and siscowet lake trout occupied depths > 60 m...

The Distribution of Antarctic Subglacial Lake Environments With Implications for Their Origin and Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blankenship, D. D.; Young, D. A.; Carter, S. P.

2006-12-01

Ice-penetrating radar records across the Antarctic Ice Sheet show regions with strong flat mirror-like reflections from the subglacial interface that are interpreted to be from subglacial lakes. The majority of subglacial lakes are found in East Antarctica, primarily in topographically low areas of basins beneath the thick ice divides. Occasionally lakes are observed "perched" at higher elevations within local depressions of rough morphological regions. In addition, a correlation between the "onset" of enhanced glacial flow and subglacial lakes was identified. The greatest concentration of known lakes was found in the vicinity of Dome C. A second grouping of lakes lying near Ridge B includes Lake Vostok and several smaller lakes. Subglacial lakes were also discovered near the South Pole, within eastern Wilkes Land, west of the Transantarctic Mountains, and within West Antarctica's Whitmore Mountains. Aside from Lake Vostok, typical lengths of subglacial lakes were found to range from a few to about 20 kilometers. A recent inventory includes 145 subglacial lakes. Approximately 81% of detected lakes lie at elevations less than a few hundred meters above sea level while the majority of the remaining lakes are "perched" at higher elevations. We present the locations from the subglacial lake inventory on local "ice divides" calculated from the satellite derived surface elevations with and find the distance of each lake from these divides. Most significantly, we found that 66% of the lakes identified lie within 50 km of a local ice divide and 88% lie within 100 km of a local divide. In particular, note that lakes located far from the Dome C/Ridge B cluster and even those associated with very narrow catchments lie either on or within a few tens of kilometers of the local divide marked by the catchment boundary. The distance correlation of subglacial lakes with local ice divides leads to a fundamental question for the evolution of subglacial lake environments: Does the evolving ice sheet control the location of subglacial lakes or does the fixed lithospheric character necessary for lake formation constrain the evolution of ice sheet catchments? To begin to answer these questions, we assess the distributions of classes of lakes defined by their reflection character. These classes include bright specular ("definite") lakes, dim specular lakes and bright non-specular ("fuzzy") lakes. Interestingly, it is the fuzzy lakes that do not strongly correlate with ice divides. We show specific examples of off-divide lake system hydrology from the Byrd Glacier catchment in East Antarctica and Kamb Ice Stream in West Antarctica.

[Characterizing chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Lake Honghu, Lake Donghu and Lake Liangzihu using excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) fluorescence and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC)].

PubMed

Zhou, Yong-Qiang; Zhang, Yun-Lin; Niu, Cheng; Wang, Ming-Zhu

2013-12-01

Little is known about DOM characteristics in medium to large sized lakes located in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River, like Lake Honghu, Lake Donghu and Lake Liangzihu. Absorption, fluorescence and composition characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) are presented using the absorption spectroscopy, the excitation-emission ma trices (EEMs) fluorescence and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) model based on the data collected in Sep-Oct. 2007 including 15, 9 and 10 samplings in Lake Honghu, Lake Donghu and Lake Liangzihu, respectively. CDOM absorption coefficient at 350 nm a(350) coefficient in Lake Honghu was significantly higher than those in Lake Donghu and Lake Liangzihu (t-test, p< 0. 001). A significant negative correlation was found between CDOM spectral slope in the wavelength range of 280-500 nm (S280-500) and a(350) (R2 =0. 781, p<0. 001). The mean value of S280-500 in Lake Honghu was significantly lower than those in Lake Donghu (t-test, p

Contrasting evolution patterns between glacier-fed and non-glacier-fed lakes in the central Tibetan Plateau and driving force analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, C.; Sheng, Y.

2015-12-01

High-altitude lakes in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) showed strong spatio-temporal variability during past decades. The lake dynamics can be associated with several key factors including lake type, supply of glacial meltwater, local climate variations. It is important to differentiate these factors when analyzing the driving force of lakes dynamics. With a focus on lakes over the Tanggula Mountains of the central TP, this study investigates the temporal evolution patterns of lake area and water level of different types: glacier-fed closed lake, non-glacier-fed closed lake and upstream lake (draining into closed lakes). We collected all available Landsat archive data and quantified the inter-annual variability of lake extents. Results show accelerated expansions of both glacier-fed and non-glacier-fed lakes during 1970s-2013, and different temporal patterns of the two types of lakes: the non-glacier-fed lakes displayed a batch-wise growth pattern, with obvious growth in 2002, 2005 and 2011 and slight changes in other years, while glacier-fed lakes showed steady expanding tendency. The contrasting patterns are confirmed by the distinction of lake level change between the two groups derived from satellite altimetry during 2003-2009. The upstream lakes remained largely stable due to natural drainage regulation. The intermittent expansions for non-glacier-fed lakes were found to be related to excessive precipitation events and positive "precipitation-evaporation". In contrast, glacier-fed lake changes showed weak correlations with precipitation variations, which imply a joint contribution from glacial meltwater to water budgets. A simple estimation reveals that the increased water storage for all of examined lakes contributed from precipitation/evaporation (0.31±0.09 Gt/yr) slightly overweighed the glacial meltwater supply (0.26±0.08 Gt/yr).

Patterns of organochlorine contamination in lake trout from Wisconsin waters of the Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Michael A.; Madenjian, Charles P.; Masnado, Robert G.

1992-01-01

To investigate spatial and temporal patterns of organochlorine contamination in lake trout from Wisconsin waters of the Great Lakes, we examined laboratory contaminant analysis data of muscle tissue samples from Lake Michigan (n=317) and Lake Superior (n=53) fish. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane, and dieldrin, reported as mg/kg wet weight in 620 mm to 640 mm mean length Lake Michigan lake trout, decreased over time. Mean total PCB concentration declined exponentially from 9.7 in 1975 to 1.9 in 1990. Total chlordane concentration declined 63 percent from 0.48 in 1983 to 0.18 in 1990, and dieldrin declined 52 percent during this same period, from 0.21 to 0.10. The bioaccumulation rate of PCBs is significantly lower for lake trout inhabiting Lake Michigan's midlake reef complex, compared to lake trout from the nearshore waters of western Lake Michigan. Organochlorine compound concentrations were greater in Lake Michigan lake trout than Lake Superior fish. Lake Superior lean lake trout and siscowet exhibited similar rates of PCB bioaccumulation despite major differneces in muscle tissue lipid content between the two subspecies. The lack of a significant difference in the PCB bioaccumulation rates of lean trout and siscowet suggests that lipid content may not be an important factor influencing PCB bioaccumulation in lake trout, within the range of lipid concentrations observed. Relative concentrations of the various organochlorine contaminants found in lake trout were highly correlated, suggesting similar mass balance processes for these compounds. Evidence presented revealing spatial and temporal patterns of organochlorine contamination may be of value in reestablishing self-sustaining populations of lake trout in Lake Michigan.

Fish assemblages in borrow-pit lakes of the Lower Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.; Killgore, K. J.; Hoover, J.J.

2013-01-01

Borrow-pit lakes encompass about a third of the lentic water habitats (by area) in the active floodplain of the Lower Mississippi River, yet little is known about their fish assemblages. We investigated whether fish assemblages supported by borrow-pit lakes resembled those in oxbow lakes to help place the ecological relevance of borrow-pit lakes in context with that of natural floodplain lakes. In all, we collected 75 fish species, including 65 species in eight borrow-pit lakes, 52 species in four riverside oxbow lakes, and 44 species in eight landside oxbow lakes. Significant differences in several species richness metrics were evident between borrow-pit lakes and landside oxbow lakes but not between borrow-pit lakes and riverside oxbow lakes. All three lake types differed in fish assemblage composition. Borrow-pit lakes and riverside oxbow lakes tended to include a greater representation of fish species that require access to diverse environments, including lentic, lotic, and palustrine habitats; fish assemblages in landside oxbow lakes included a higher representation of lacustrine species. None of the fish species collected in borrow-pit lakes was federally listed as threatened or endangered, but several were listed as species of special concern by state governments in the region, suggesting that borrow-pit lakes provide habitat for sensitive riverine and wetland fish species. Differences in fish assemblages among borrow-pit lakes were linked to engineered morphologic features, suggesting that diversity in engineering can contribute to diversity in fish assemblages; however, more research is needed to match engineering designs with fish assemblage structures that best meet conservation needs.

Effects of the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens on the limnological characteristics of selected lakes in western Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Embrey, S.S.; Dion, N.P.

1988-01-01

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens provided the opportunity to study its effect on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of lakes near the volcano, and to describe two newly created lakes. Concentrations of dissolved solids and organic carbon, measured in June 1980, had increased from 2 to 30 times those observed in the 1970 's in Spirit, St. Helens, and Venus Lakes. Water in the lakes was altered from preeruption calcium-bicarbonate types to calcium-sulfate, calcium sulfate-chloride, or lake surface, as in St. Helens Lake; transparency in Venus Lake had improved to a depth of 24 ft by 1982. Spirit Lake was anoxic into fall 1980, but had reaerated to 5.2 mg/L of dissolved oxygen by May 1981. Phytoplankton communities in existing lakes in the blast zone in 1980 were primarily green and bluegreen algae; diatoms were sparse until summer 1982. Small numbers of zooplankton in Spirit, St. Helens, and Venus Lakes, compared to numbers in Walupt and Fawn Lakes, may indicate some post-eruption mortality. Rotifers were absent from lakes in the blast zone, but by 1981 were observed in all the lakes. The recovery of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the lakes will depend on stabilization of the surrounding environment and biological processes within each lake. Excluding Spirit Lake, it is estimated that St. Helens Lake would be the slowest to recover and Venus Lake the fastest. (USGS)

Survival of lake trout eggs and fry reared in water from the upper Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mac, Michael J.; Edsall, Carol Cotant; Seelye, James G.

1985-01-01

As part of continuing studies of the reproductive failure of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Lake Michigan, we measured the survival of lake trout eggs and fry of different origins and reared in different environments. Eggs and milt were stripped from spawning lake trout collected in the fall of 1980 from southeastern Lake Michigan, northwestern Lake Huron, south central Lake Superior, and from hatchery brood stock. Eggs from all sources were incubated, and the newly hatched fry were reared for 139 days in lake water from each of the three upper Great Lakes and in well water. Survival of eggs to hatching at all sites was lowest for those from Lake Michigan (70% of fertilized eggs) and highest for eggs from Lake Superior (96%). Comparisons of incubation water from the different lakes indicated that hatching success of eggs from all sources was highest in Lake Huron water, and lowest in Lake Michigan water. The most notable finding was the nearly total mortality of fry from eggs of southeastern Lake Michigan lake trout. At all sites, the mean survival of Lake Michigan fry through 139 days after hatching was only 4% compared to near 50% for fry from the other three sources. In a comparison of the rearing sites, little influence of water quality on fry survival was found. Thus, the poor survival was associated with the source of eggs and sperm, not the water in which the fry were reared.

Changes in Rongbuk lake and Imja lake in the Everest region of Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, W.; Doko, T.; Liu, C.; Ichinose, T.; Fukui, H.; Feng, Q.; Gou, P.

2014-12-01

The Himalaya holds the world record in terms of range and elevation. It is one of the most extensively glacierized regions in the world except the Polar Regions. The Himalaya is a region sensitive to climate change. Changes in the glacial regime are indicators of global climate changes. Since the second half of the last century, most Himalayan glaciers have melted due to climate change. These changes directly affected the changes of glacial lakes in the Himalayan region due to the glacier retreat. New glacial lakes are formed, and a number of them have expanded in the Everest region of the Himalayas. This paper focuses on the two glacial lakes which are Imja Lake, located at the southern slope, and Rongbuk Lake, located at the northern slope in the Mt. Everest region, Himalaya to present the spatio-temporal changes from 1976 to 2008. Topographical conditions between two lakes were different (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.05). Rongbuk Lake was located at 623 m higher than Imja Lake, and radiation of Rongbuk Lake was higher than the Imja Lake. Although size of Imja Lake was larger than the Rongbuk Lake in 2008, the growth speed of Rongbuk Lake was accelerating since 2000 and exceeds Imja Lake in 2000-2008. This trend of expansion of Rongbuk Lake is anticipated to be continued in the 21st century. Rongbuk Lake would be the biggest potential risk of glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) at the Everest region of Himalaya in the future.

Energy density of lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in Lakes Huron and Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pothoven, S.A.; Nalepa, T.F.; Madenjian, C.P.; Rediske, R.R.; Schneeberger, P.J.; He, J.X.

2006-01-01

We collected lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis off Alpena and Tawas City, Michigan, USA in Lake Huron and off Muskegon, Michigan USA in Lake Michigan during 2002–2004. We determined energy density and percent dry weight for lake whitefish from both lakes and lipid content for Lake Michigan fish. Energy density increased with increasing fish weight up to 800 g, and then remained relatively constant with further increases in fish weight. Energy density, adjusted for weight, was lower in Lake Huron than in Lake Michigan for both small (≤800 g) and large fish (>800 g). Energy density did not differ seasonally for small or large lake whitefish or between adult male and female fish. Energy density was strongly correlated with percent dry weight and percent lipid content. Based on data from commercially caught lake whitefish, body condition was lower in Lake Huron than Lake Michigan during 1981–2003, indicating that the dissimilarity in body condition between the lakes could be long standing. Energy density and lipid content in 2002–2004 in Lake Michigan were lower than data for comparable sized fish collected in 1969–1971. Differences in energy density between lakes were attributed to variation in diet and prey energy content as well as factors that affect feeding rates such as lake whitefish density and prey abundance.

Estimate of net trophic transfer efficiency of PCBs to Lake Michigan lake trout from their prey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; Hesselberg, Robert J.; DeSorcie, Timothy J.; Schmidt, Larry J.; Stedman, Ralph M.; Quintal, Richard T.; Begnoche, Linda J.; Passino-Reader, Dora R.

1998-01-01

Most of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) body burden accumulated by lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from the Laurentian Great Lakes is from their food. We used diet information, PCB determinations in both lake trout and their prey, and bioenergetics modeling to estimate the efficiency with which Lake Michigan lake trout retain PCBs from their food. Our estimates were the most reliable estimates to date because (a) the lake trout and prey fish sampled during our study were all from the same vicinity of the lake, (b) detailed measurements were made on the PCB concentrations of both lake trout and prey fish over wide ranges in fish size, and (c) lake trout diet was analyzed in detail over a wide range of lake trout size. Our estimates of net trophic transfer efficiency of PCBs to lake trout from their prey averaged from 0.73 to 0.89 for lake trout between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. There was no evidence of an upward or downward trend in our estimates of net trophic transfer efficiency for lake trout between the ages of 5 and 10 years old, and therefore this efficiency appeared to be constant over the duration of the lake trout's adult life in the lake. On the basis of our estimtes, lake trout retained 80% of the PCBs that are contained within their food.

Spatial patterns in PCB concentrations of Lake Michigan lake trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; DeSorcie, Timothy J.; Stedman, Ralph M.; Brown, Edward H.; Eck, Gary W.; Schmidt, Larry J.; Hesselberg, Robert J.; Chernyak, Sergei M.; Passino-Reader, Dora R.

1999-01-01

Most of the PCB body burden in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) of the Great Lakes is from their food. PCB concentrations were determined in lake trout from three different locations in Lake Michigan during 1994–1995, and lake trout diets were analyzed at all three locations. The PCB concentrations were also determined in alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), bloater (Coregonus hoyi), slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus), and deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsoni), five species of prey fish eaten by lake trout in Lake Michigan, at three nearshore sites in the lake. Despite the lack of significant differences in the PCB concentrations of alewife, rainbow smelt, bloater, slimy sculpin, and deepwater sculpin from the southeastern nearshore site near Saugatuck (Michigan) compared with the corresponding PCB concentrations from the northwestern nearshore site near Sturgeon Bay (Wisconsin), PCB concentrations in lake trout at Saugatuck were significantly higher than those at Sturgeon Bay. The difference in the lake trout PCB concentrations between Saugatuck and Sturgeon Bay could be explained by diet differences. The diet of lake trout at Saugatuck was more concentrated in PCBs than the diet of Sturgeon Bay lake trout, and therefore lake trout at Saugatuck were more contaminated in PCBs than Sturgeon Bay lake trout. These findings were useful in interpreting the long-term monitoring series for contaminants in lake trout at both Saugatuck and the Wisconsin side of the lake.

Water color affects the stratification, surface temperature, heat content, and mean epilimnetic irradiance of small lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houser, J.N.

2006-01-01

The effects of water color on lake stratification, mean epilimnetic irradiance, and lake temperature dynamics were examined in small, north-temperate lakes that differed widely in water color (1.5-19.8 m -1). Among these lakes, colored lakes differed from clear lakes in the following ways: (i) the epilimnia were shallower and colder, and mean epilimnetic irradiance was reduced; (ii) the diel temperature cycles were more pronounced; (iii) whole-lake heat accumulation during stratification was reduced. The depth of the epilimnion ranged from 2.5 m in the clearest lake to 0.75 m in the most colored lake, and 91% of the variation in epilimnetic depth was explained by water color. Summer mean morning epilimnetic temperature was ???2??C cooler in the most colored lake compared with the clearest lake. In clear lakes, the diel temperature range (1.4 ?? 0.7??C) was significantly (p = 0.01) less than that in the most colored lake (2.1 ?? 1.0??C). Change in whole-lake heat content was negatively correlated with water color. Increasing water color decreased light penetration more than thermocline depth, leading to reduced mean epilimnetic irradiance in the colored lakes. Thus, in these small lakes, water color significantly affected temperature, thermocline depth, and light climate. ?? 2006 NRC.

Climate-driven changes in grassland vegetation, snow cover, and lake water of the Qinghai Lake basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xuelu; Liang, Tiangang; Xie, Hongjie; Huang, Xiaodong; Lin, Huilong

2016-07-01

Qinghai Lake basin and the lake have undergone significant changes in recent decades. We examine MODIS-derived grassland vegetation and snow cover of the Qinghai Lake basin and their relations with climate parameters during 2001 to 2010. Results show: (1) temperature and precipitation of the Qinghai Lake basin increased while evaporation decreased; (2) most of the grassland areas improved due to increased temperature and growing season precipitation; (3) weak relations between snow cover and precipitation/vegetation; (4) a significantly negative correlation between lake area and temperature (r=-0.9, p<0.05) and (5) a positive relation between lake level (lake-level difference) and temperature (precipitation). Compared with Namco Lake (located in the inner Tibetan Plateau) where the primary water source of lake level increases was the accelerated melt of glacier/perennial snow cover in the lake basin, for the Qinghai Lake, however, it was the increased precipitation. Increased precipitation explained the improvement of vegetation cover in the Qinghai Lake basin, while accelerated melt of glacier/perennial snow cover was responsible for the degradation of vegetation cover in Namco Lake basin. These results suggest different responses to the similar warming climate: improved (degraded) ecological condition and productive capacity of the Qinghai Lake basin (Namco Lake basin).

33 CFR 162.220 - Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake... REGULATIONS § 162.220 Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev. (a) Lake Mead and... the axis of Hoover Dam and that portion of Lake Mohave (Colorado River) extending 4,500 feet...

33 CFR 162.220 - Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake... REGULATIONS § 162.220 Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev. (a) Lake Mead and... the axis of Hoover Dam and that portion of Lake Mohave (Colorado River) extending 4,500 feet...

33 CFR 162.220 - Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake... REGULATIONS § 162.220 Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev. (a) Lake Mead and... the axis of Hoover Dam and that portion of Lake Mohave (Colorado River) extending 4,500 feet...

33 CFR 162.220 - Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake... REGULATIONS § 162.220 Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Lake Mohave (Colorado River), Ariz.-Nev. (a) Lake Mead and... the axis of Hoover Dam and that portion of Lake Mohave (Colorado River) extending 4,500 feet...

Conservation and management of fisheries and aquatic communities in Great Lakes connecting channels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseman, Edward F.; Thompson, Patricia A.; Farrell, John M.; Mandrak, Nicholas E.; Stepien, Carol A.

2014-01-01

The North American Laurentian Great Lakes are linked by a unique series of riverine and lacustrine waters known as the Great Lakes connecting channels that are as integral to the basin's ecology and economies as the lakes themselves. The St. Marys River (SMR) is the northernmost channel and flows from Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Waters from the upper Great Lakes (Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron) empty from Lake Huron via the St. Clair–Detroit River system (SCDRS, also known as the Huron–Erie Corridor) into Lake Erie. The SCDRS is composed of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit River. The Niagara River (NR) serves as the outflow from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario. The NR above Niagara Falls is bisected by Grand Island and contains several other islands and man-made embayments whereas the NR below the falls is more linear. The outflow from Lake Ontario, representing the natural outlet of all the Great Lakes, is the St. Lawrence River (SLR) which empties into the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the northwest Atlantic Ocean.

Lake trout demographics in relation to burbot and coregonine populations in the Algonquin Highlands, Ontario

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carl, L.M.

2008-01-01

The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that lake trout populations change in relation to cisco, lake whitefish, round whitefish and burbot populations in lakes in the Algonquin Highlands region of Ontario. Lake trout population change is greatest where cisco and lake whitefish are present. Lake trout populations in lakes without either coregonine tend to have small adults and many juveniles. Where cisco or lake whitefish are present, adult lake trout are large, juvenile abundance is low, and the stock-recruit relationship appears to be uncoupled likely due to a larval bottleneck. Lake trout populations in these lakes may be sensitive to overfishing and recruitment failure. Lake trout populations do not appear to change in relation to round whitefish. There appears to be an indirect positive change on juvenile lake trout abundance through reductions in the density of benthic coregonines in the presence of large, hypolimnetic burbot. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Simulated Effects of Ground-Water Augmentation on the Hydrology of Round and Halfmoon Lakes in Northwestern Hillsborough County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Richard M.; Metz, P.A.

2004-01-01

Pumpage from the Upper Floridan aquifer in northwest Hillsborough County near Tampa, Florida, has induced downward leakage from the overlying surficial aquifer and lowered the water table in many areas. Leakage is highest where the confining layer separating the aquifers is breached, which is common beneath many of the lakes in the study area. Leakage of water to the Upper Floridan aquifer has lowered the water level in many lakes and drained many wetlands. Ground water from the Upper Floridan aquifer has been added (augmented) to some lakes in an effort to maintain lake levels, but the resulting lake-water chemistry and lake leakage patterns are substantially different from those of natural lakes. Changes in lake-water chemistry can cause changes in lake flora, fauna, and lake sediment composition, and large volumes of lake leakage are suspected to enhance the formation of sinkholes near the shoreline of augmented lakes. The leakage rate of lake water through the surficial aquifer to the Upper Floridan aquifer was estimated in this study using ground-water-flow models developed for an augmented lake (Round Lake) and non-augmented lake (Halfmoon Lake). Flow models developed with MODFLOW were calibrated through nonlinear regression with UCODE to measured water levels and monthly net ground-water-flow rates from the lakes estimated from lake-water budgets. Monthly estimates of ground-water recharge were computed using an unsaturated flow model (LEACHM) that simulated daily changes in storage of water in the soil profile, thus estimating recharge as drainage to the water table. Aquifer properties in the Round Lake model were estimated through transient-state simulations using two sets of monthly recharge rates computed during July 1996 to February 1999, which spanned both average conditions (July 1996 through October 1997), and an El Ni?o event (November 1997 through September 1998) when the recharge rate doubled. Aquifer properties in the Halfmoon Lake model were estimated through steady-state simulations of average conditions in July 1996. Simulated hydrographs computed by the Round and Halfmoon Lake models closely matched measured water-level fluctuations, except during El Ni?o, when the Halfmoon Lake model was unable to accurately reproduce water levels. Possibly, potential recharge during El Ni?o was diverted through ground-water-flow outlets that were not represented in the Halfmoon Lake model, or a large part of the rainfall was diverted into runoff before it could become recharge. Solute transport simulations with MT3D indicate that leakage of lake water extended 250 to 400 feet into the surficial aquifer around Round Lake, and from 75 to 150 feet around Halfmoon Lake before flowing to the underlying Upper Floridan aquifer. These results are in agreement with concentrations of stable isotopes of oxygen-18 (d18O) and deuterium (dD) in the surficial aquifer. Schedules of monthly augmentation rates to maintain constant stages in Round and Halfmoon Lakes were computed using an equation that accounted for changes in the Upper Floridan aquifer head and the deviation from the mean recharge rate. Resulting lake stages were nearly constant during the first half of the study, but increased above target lake stages during El Ni?o; modifying the computation of augmentation rates to account for the higher recharge rate during El Ni?o resulted in lake stages that were closer to the target lake stage. Substantially more lake leakage flows to the Upper Floridan aquifer from Round Lake than from Halfmoon Lake, because the estimated vertical hydraulic conductivities of lake and confining layer sediments and breaches in the confining layer beneath Round Lake are much greater. Augmentation rates required to maintain the low guidance stages in Round Lake (53 feet) and Halfmoon Lake (42 feet) under average Upper Floridan aquifer heads are estimated as 33,850 cubic feet per day and 1,330 to 10,000 cubic feet per day, respectively. T

Simulating Lake-Groundwater Interactions During Decadal Climate Cycles: Accounting For Variable Lake Area In The Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Virdi, M. L.; Lee, T. M.

2009-12-01

The volume and extent of a lake within the topo-bathymetry of a watershed can change substantially during wetter and drier climate cycles, altering the interaction of the lake with the groundwater flow system. Lake Starr and other seepage lakes in the permeable sandhills of central Florida are vulnerable to climate changes as they rely exclusively on rainfall and groundwater for inflows in a setting where annual rainfall and recharge vary widely. The groundwater inflow typically arrives from a small catchment area bordering the lake. The sinkhole origin of these lakes combined with groundwater pumping from underlying aquifers further complicate groundwater interactions. Understanding the lake-groundwater interactions and their effects on lake stage over multi-decadal climate cycles is needed to manage groundwater pumping and public expectation about future lake levels. The interdependence between climate, recharge, changing lake area and the groundwater catchment pose unique challenges to simulating lake-groundwater interactions. During the 10-year study period, Lake Starr stage fluctuated more than 13 feet and the lake surface area receded and expanded from 96 acres to 148 acres over drier and wetter years that included hurricanes, two El Nino events and a La Nina event. The recently developed Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF1) and Lake (LAK7) packages for MODFLOW-2005 were used to simulate the changing lake sizes and the extent of the groundwater catchment contributing flow to the lake. The lake area was discretized to occupy the largest surface area at the highest observed stage and then allowed to change size. Lake cells convert to land cells and receive infiltration as receding lake area exposes the underlying unsaturated zone to rainfall and recharge. The unique model conceptualization also made it possible to capture the dynamic size of the groundwater catchment contributing to lake inflows, as the surface area and volume of the lake changed during the study period. Groundwater flows simulated using daily time steps over a 10-year period were used to describe the relationship between climate, the size of the groundwater catchment, and the relative importance of groundwater inflow to the lake water budget. Modeling approaches used in this study should be applicable to other surface-water bodies such as wetlands and playa lakes. Lake Starr watershed (depressions from sinkholes)

Sediment deposition and selected water-quality characteristics in Cedar Lake and Lake Olathe, Northeast Kansas, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mau, D.P.

2002-01-01

The Lake Olathe watershed, located in northeast Kansas, was investigated using bathymetric survey data and reservoir bottom-sediment cores to determine sediment deposition, water-quality trends, and transport of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen species), selected trace elements, selected pesticides, and diatoms as indicators of eutrophic (organic-enriched and depleted oxygen supply) conditions. To determine sediment deposition and loads, bathymetric data from Cedar Lake and Lake Olathe, both located in the Lake Olathe watershed, were collected in 2000 and compared to historical topographic data collected when the lakes were built. Approximately 338 acre-feet of sediment deposition has occurred in Cedar Lake since dam closure in 1938, and 317 acre-feet has occurred at Lake Olathe since 1956. Mean annual sediment deposition was 5.45 acre-feet per year (0.89 acre-feet per year per square mile) for Cedar Lake and 7.0 acre-feet per year (0.42 acre-feet per year per square mile) for Lake Olathe. Mean annual sediment loads for the two reservoirs were 9.6 million pounds per year for Cedar Lake and 12.6 million pounds per year for Lake Olathe. Mean concentrations of total phosphorus in bottom-sediment samples from Cedar Lake ranged from 1,370 to 1,810 milligrams per kilogram, and concentrations in bottom-sediment samples from Lake Olathe ranged from 588 to 1,030 milligrams per kilogram. The implication of large total phosphorus concentrations in the bottom sediment of Cedar Lake is that inflow into Cedar Lake is rich in phosphorus and that adverse water-quality conditions could affect water quality in downstream Lake Olathe through discharge of water from Cedar Lake to Lake Olathe via Cedar Creek. Mean annual phosphorus loads transported from the Lake Olathe watershed were estimated to be 14,700 pounds per year for Cedar Lake and 9,720 pounds per year for Lake Olathe. The mean annual phosphorus yields were estimated to be 3.74 pounds per acre per year for Cedar Lake and 0.91 pound per acre per year for Lake Olathe. Phosphorus yields in the Cedar Lake watershed were largest of the six Kansas impoundment watersheds recently studied. Concentrations of total ammonia plus organic nitrogen as nitrogen in bottom sediment increased from upstream to downstream in both Cedar Lake and Lake Olathe. Mean concentrations of total ammonia plus organic nitrogen as nitrogen (N) ranged from 2,000 to 2,700 milligrams per kilogram in bottom-sediment samples from Cedar Lake and from 1,300 to 2,700 milligrams per kilogram in samples from Lake Olathe. There was no statistical significance between total ammonia plus organic nitrogen as nitrogen and depth of bottom sediment. Concentrations of six trace elements in bottom sediment from Cedar Lake and Lake Olathe (arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc) exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Threshold Effects Levels (TELs) sediment-quality guidelines for aquatic organisms in sediment except for one lead concentration. Probable Effects Levels (PELs) for trace elements, however, were not exceeded at either lake. Organochlorine and organophosphate insecticides were not detected in bottom-sediment samples from either Cedar Lake or Lake Olathe, but the acetanilide herbicides alachlor and metolachlor were detected in sediment from both lakes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not proposed TEL or PEL guideline concentrations for bottom sediment for any of the organophosphate, acetanilide, or triazine pesticides. The diatoms (microscopic, single-celled organisms) Cyclotella bodanica, an indicator of low organic-enriched water, and Cyclotella meneghiniana, an indicator of organic-enriched water, were both present in bottom sediment from Lake Olathe. The presence of both of these diatoms suggests varying periods of low and high eutrophication in Lake Olathe from 1956 to 2000. The concentrations of two species in bottom sediment from Cedar Lake, Aulacoseira cf alpigena and Cyclotella meneg

Palaeolimnological evidence of vulnerability of Lake Neusiedl (Austria) toward climate related changes since the last "vanished-lake" stage.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolotti, Monica; Milan, Manuela; Boscaini, Adriano; Soja, Gerhard; Herzig, Alois

2013-04-01

The palaeolimnological reconstruction of secular evolution of Euroepan Lakes with key socio-economical relevance respect to large (climate change) and local scale (land use, tourism) environmental changes, represents one of the objectives of the project EuLakes (European Lakes Under Environmental Stressors, Supporting lake governance to mitigate the impact of climate change, Reg. N. 2CE243P3), launched in 2010 within the Central European Inititiative. The project consortium comprises lakes of different morphology and prevalent human uses, including the meso-eutrophic Lake Neusiedl, the largest Austrian lake (total area 315 km2), and the westernmost shallow (mean depth 1.2 m) steppe lake of the Euro-Asiatic continent. The volume of Lake Neusiedl can potentially change over the years, in relation with changing balance between atmospheric precipitation and lake water evapotranspiration. Changing water budget, together with high lake salinity and turbidity, have important implications over the lake ecosystem. This contribution illustrates results of the multi-proxi palaeolimnological reconstruction of ecologial changes occurred in Lake Neusiedl during the last ca. 140 years, i.e. since the end of the last "vanished-lake" stage (1865-1871). Geochemical and biological proxies anticipate the increase in lake productivity of ca. 10 years (1950s) respect to what reported in the literature. Diatom species composition indicate a biological lake recovery in the late 1980s, and suggest a second increment in lake productivity since the late 1990s, possibly in relation with the progressive increase in the nitrogen input from agriculture. Abundance of diatoms typical of brackish waters indicated no significant long-term change in lake salinity, while variations in species toleranting dessiccation confirm the vulnerability of Lake Neusiedl toward climate-driven changes in the lake water balance. This fragility is aggravated by the the semi-arid climate conditions of the catchemnt area. Biodiversity changes, pollution, agricultural and touristic over-exploitation represent further risk factors.

Bathythermal habitat use by strains of Great Lakes- and Finger Lakes-origin lake trout in Lake Huron after a change in prey fish abundance and composition

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergstedt, Roger A.; Argyle, Ray L.; Krueger, Charles C.; Taylor, William W.

2012-01-01

A study conducted in Lake Huron during October 1998–June 2001 found that strains of Great Lakes-origin (GLO) lake trout Salvelinus namaycush occupied significantly higher temperatures than did Finger Lakes-origin (FLO; New York) lake trout based on data from archival (or data storage) telemetry tags that recorded only temperature. During 2002 and 2003, we implanted archival tags that recorded depth as well as temperature in GLO and FLO lake trout in Lake Huron. Data subsequently recorded by those tags spanned 2002–2005. Based on those data, we examined whether temperatures and depths occupied by GLO and FLO lake trout differed during 2002–2005. Temperatures occupied during those years were also compared with occupied temperatures reported for 1998–2001, before a substantial decline in prey fish biomass. Temperatures occupied by GLO lake trout were again significantly higher than those occupied by FLO lake trout. This result supports the conclusion of the previous study. The GLO lake trout also occupied significantly shallower depths than FLO lake trout. In 2002–2005, both GLO and FLO lake trout occupied significantly lower temperatures than they did in 1998–2001. Aside from the sharp decline in prey fish biomass between study periods, the formerly abundant pelagic alewife Alosa pseudoharengus virtually disappeared and the demersal round goby Neogobius melanostomus invaded the lake and became locally abundant. The lower temperatures occupied by lake trout in Lake Huron during 2002–2005 may be attributable to changes in the composition of the prey fish community, food scarcity (i.e., a retreat to cooler water could increase conversion efficiency), or both.

Acoustic estimates of abundance and distribution of spawning lake trout on Sheboygan Reef in Lake Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warner, D.M.; Claramunt, R.M.; Janssen, J.; Jude, D.J.; Wattrus, N.

2009-01-01

Efforts to restore self-sustaining lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes have had widespread success in Lake Superior; but in other Great Lakes, populations of lake trout are maintained by stocking. Recruitment bottlenecks may be present at a number of stages of the reproduction process. To study eggs and fry, it is necessary to identify spawning locations, which is difficult in deep water. Acoustic sampling can be used to rapidly locate aggregations of fish (like spawning lake trout), describe their distribution, and estimate their abundance. To assess these capabilities for application to lake trout, we conducted an acoustic survey covering 22 km2 at Sheboygan Reef, a deep reef (<40 m summit) in southern Lake Michigan during fall 2005. Data collected with remotely operated vehicles (ROV) confirmed that fish were large lake trout, that lake trout were 1–2 m above bottom, and that spawning took place over specific habitat. Lake trout density exhibited a high degree of spatial structure (autocorrelation) up to a range of ~190 m, and highest lake trout and egg densities occurred over rough substrates (rubble and cobble) at the shallowest depths sampled (36–42 m). Mean lake trout density in the area surveyed (~2190 ha) was 5.8 fish/ha and the area surveyed contained an estimated 9500–16,000 large lake trout. Spatial aggregation in lake trout densities, similarity of depths and substrates at which high lake trout and egg densities occurred, and relatively low uncertainty in the lake trout density estimate indicate that acoustic sampling can be a useful complement to other sampling tools used in lake trout restoration research.

Microplastic pollution in lakes and lake shoreline sediments - A case study on Lake Bolsena and Lake Chiusi (central Italy).

PubMed

Fischer, Elke Kerstin; Paglialonga, Lisa; Czech, Elisa; Tamminga, Matthias

2016-06-01

Rivers and effluents have been identified as major pathways for microplastics of terrestrial sources. Moreover, lakes of different dimensions and even in remote locations contain microplastics in striking abundances. This study investigates concentrations of microplastic particles at two lakes in central Italy (Lake Bolsena, Lake Chiusi). A total number of six Manta Trawls have been carried out, two of them one day after heavy winds occurred on Lake Bolsena showing effects on particle distribution of fragments and fibers of varying size categories. Additionally, 36 sediment samples from lakeshores were analyzed for microplastic content. In the surface waters 2.68 to 3.36 particles/m(3) (Lake Chiusi) and 0.82 to 4.42 particles/m(3) (Lake Bolsena) were detected, respectively. Main differences between the lakes are attributed to lake characteristics such as surface and catchment area, depth and the presence of local wind patterns and tide range at Lake Bolsena. An event of heavy winds and moderate rainfall prior to one sampling led to an increase of concentrations at Lake Bolsena which is most probable related to lateral land-based and sewage effluent inputs. The abundances of microplastic particles in sediments vary from mean values of 112 (Lake Bolsena) to 234 particles/kg dry weight (Lake Chiusi). Lake Chiusi results reveal elevated fiber concentrations compared to those of Lake Bolsena what might be a result of higher organic content and a shift in grain size distribution towards the silt and clay fraction at the shallow and highly eutrophic Lake Chiusi. The distribution of particles along different beach levels revealed no significant differences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the long-term balance between net precipitation and net groundwater exchange in Florida seepage lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Terrie M.; Sacks, Laura A.; Swancar, Amy

2014-01-01

The long-term balance between net precipitation and net groundwater exchange that maintains thousands of seepage lakes in Florida’s karst terrain is explored at a representative lake basin and then regionally for the State’s peninsular lake district. The 15-year water budget of Lake Starr includes El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-related extremes in rainfall, and provides the longest record of Bowen ratio energy-budget (BREB) lake evaporation and lake-groundwater exchanges in the southeastern United States. Negative net precipitation averaging -25 cm/yr at Lake Starr overturns the previously-held conclusion that lakes in this region receive surplus net precipitation. Net groundwater exchange with the lake was positive on average but too small to balance the net precipitation deficit. Groundwater pumping effects and surface-water withdrawals from the lake widened the imbalance. Satellite-based regional estimates of potential evapotranspiration at five large lakes in peninsular Florida compared well with basin-scale evaporation measurements from seven open-water sites that used BREB methods. The regional average lake evaporation estimated for Lake Starr during 1996-2011 was within 5 percent of its measured average, and regional net precipitation agreed within 10 percent. Regional net precipitation to lakes was negative throughout central peninsular Florida and the net precipitation deficit increased by about 20 cm from north to south. Results indicate that seepage lakes farther south on the peninsula receive greater net groundwater inflow than northern lakes and imply that northern lakes are in comparatively leakier hydrogeologic settings. Findings reveal the peninsular lake district to be more vulnerable than was previously realized to drier climate, surface-water withdrawals from lakes, and groundwater pumping effects.

Depth, ice thickness, and ice-out timing cause divergent hydrologic responses among Arctic lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arp, Christopher D.; Jones, Benjamin M.; Liljedahl, Anna K.; Hinkel, Kenneth M.; Welker, Jeffery A.

2015-01-01

Lakes are prevalent in the Arctic and thus play a key role in regional hydrology. Since many Arctic lakes are shallow and ice grows thick (historically 2-m or greater), seasonal ice commonly freezes to the lake bed (bedfast ice) by winter's end. Bedfast ice fundamentally alters lake energy balance and melt-out processes compared to deeper lakes that exceed the maximum ice thickness (floating ice) and maintain perennial liquid water below floating ice. Our analysis of lakes in northern Alaska indicated that ice-out of bedfast ice lakes occurred on average 17 days earlier (22-June) than ice-out on adjacent floating ice lakes (9-July). Earlier ice-free conditions in bedfast ice lakes caused higher open-water evaporation, 28% on average, relative to floating ice lakes and this divergence increased in lakes closer to the coast and in cooler summers. Water isotopes (18O and 2H) indicated similar differences in evaporation between these lake types. Our analysis suggests that ice regimes created by the combination of lake depth relative to ice thickness and associated ice-out timing currently cause a strong hydrologic divergence among Arctic lakes. Thus understanding the distribution and dynamics of lakes by ice regime is essential for predicting regional hydrology. An observed regime shift in lakes to floating ice conditions due to thinner ice growth may initially offset lake drying because of lower evaporative loss from this lake type. This potential negative feedback caused by winter processes occurs in spite of an overall projected increase in evapotranspiration as the Arctic climate warms.

Evidence of offshore lake trout reproduction in Lake Huron

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeSorcie, Timothy J.; Bowen, Charles A.

2003-01-01

Six Fathom Bank-Yankee Reef, an offshore reef complex, was an historically important spawning area believed to represent some of the best habitat for the rehabilitation of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Huron. Since 1986, lake trout have been stocked on these offshore reefs to reestablish self-sustaining populations. We sampled with beam trawls to determine the abundance of naturally reproduced age-0 lake trout on these offshore reefs during May-July in 1994-1998 and 2000-2002. In total, 123 naturally reproduced lake trout fry were caught at Six Fathom Bank, and 2 naturally reproduced lake trout fry were caught at nearby Yankee Reef. Our findings suggest that this region of Lake Huron contains suitable habitat for lake trout spawning and offers hope that lake trout rehabilitation can be achieved in the main basin of Lake Huron.

Abundance and morphometry changes across the high-mountain lake-size gradient in the tropical Andes of Southern Ecuador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosquera, Pablo V.; Hampel, Henrietta; Vázquez, Raúl F.; Alonso, Miguel; Catalan, Jordi

2017-08-01

The number, size, and shape of lakes are key determinants of the ecological functionality of a lake district. The lake area scaling relationships with lake number and volume enable upscaling biogeochemical processes and spatially considering organisms' metapopulation dynamics. These relationships vary regionally depending on the geomorphological context, particularly in the range of lake area <1 km2 and mountainous regions. The Cajas Massif (Southern Ecuador) holds a tropical mountain lake district with 5955 water bodies. The number of lakes deviates from a power law relationship with the lake area at both ends of the size range; similarly to the distributions found in temperate mountain ranges. The deviation of each distribution tail does not respond to the same cause. The marked relief limits the size of the largest lakes at high altitudes, whereas ponds are prompt to a complete infilling. A bathymetry survey of 202 lakes, selected across the full-size range, revealed a volume-area scaling coefficient larger than those found for other lake areas of glacial origin but softer relief. Water renewal time is not consistently proportional to the lake area due to the volume-area variation in midsize lakes. The 85% of the water surface is in lakes >104 m2 and 50% of the water resources are held in a few ones (˜10) deeper than 18 m. Therefore, midlakes and large lakes are by far more biogeochemically relevant than ponds and shallow lakes in this tropical mountain lake district.

Lake trout in northern Lake Huron spawn on submerged drumlins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riley, Stephen C.; Binder, Thomas; Wattrus, Nigel J.; Faust, Matthew D.; Janssen, John; Menzies, John; Marsden, J. Ellen; Ebener, Mark P.; Bronte, Charles R.; He, Ji X.; Tucker, Taaja R.; Hansen, Michael J.; Thompson, Henry T.; Muir, Andrew M.; Krueger, Charles C.

2014-01-01

Recent observations of spawning lake trout Salvelinus namaycush near Drummond Island in northern Lake Huron indicate that lake trout use drumlins, landforms created in subglacial environments by the action of ice sheets, as a primary spawning habitat. From these observations, we generated a hypothesis that may in part explain locations chosen by lake trout for spawning. Most salmonines spawn in streams where they rely on streamflows to sort and clean sediments to create good spawning habitat. Flows sufficient to sort larger sediment sizes are generally lacking in lakes, but some glacial bedforms contain large pockets of sorted sediments that can provide the interstitial spaces necessary for lake trout egg incubation, particularly if these bedforms are situated such that lake currents can penetrate these sediments. We hypothesize that sediment inclusions from glacial scavenging and sediment sorting that occurred during the creation of bedforms such as drumlins, end moraines, and eskers create suitable conditions for lake trout egg incubation, particularly where these bedforms interact with lake currents to remove fine sediments. Further, these bedforms may provide high-quality lake trout spawning habitat at many locations in the Great Lakes and may be especially important along the southern edge of the range of the species. A better understanding of the role of glacially-derived bedforms in the creation of lake trout spawning habitat may help develop powerful predictors of lake trout spawning locations, provide insight into the evolution of unique spawning behaviors by lake trout, and aid in lake trout restoration in the Great Lakes.

Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Western Australian Salt Lake Sediments: Implications for Meridiani Planum on Mars.

PubMed

Ruecker, A; Schröder, C; Byrne, J; Weigold, P; Behrens, S; Kappler, A

2016-07-01

Hypersaline lakes are characteristic for Western Australia and display a rare combination of geochemical and mineralogical properties that make these lakes potential analogues for past conditions on Mars. In our study, we focused on the geochemistry and mineralogy of Lake Orr and Lake Whurr. While both lakes are poor in organic carbon (<1%), the sediments' pH values differ and range from 3.8 to 4.8 in Lake Orr and from 5.4 to 6.3 in Lake Whurr sediments. Lake Whurr sediments were dominated by orange and red sediment zones in which the main Fe minerals were identified as hematite, goethite, and tentatively jarosite and pyrite. Lake Orr was dominated by brownish and blackish sediments where the main Fe minerals were goethite and another paramagnetic Fe(III)-phase that could not be identified. Furthermore, a likely secondary Fe(II)-phase was observed in Lake Orr sediments. The mineralogy of these two salt lakes in the sampling area is strongly influenced by events such as flooding, evaporation, and desiccation, processes that explain at least to some extent the observed differences between Lake Orr and Lake Whurr. The iron mineralogy of Lake Whurr sediments and the high salinity make this lake a suitable analogue for Meridiani Planum on Mars, and in particular the tentative identification of pyrite in Lake Whurr sediments has implications for the interpretation of the Fe mineralogy of Meridiani Planum sediments. Western Australia-Salt lakes-Jarosite-Hematite-Pyrite-Mars analogue. Astrobiology 16, 525-538.

Temporal patterns of glacial lake evolution in high-mountain environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mergili, Martin; Emmer, Adam; Viani, Cristina; Huggel, Christian

2017-04-01

Lakes forming at the front of retreating glaciers are characteristic features of high-mountain areas in a warming climate. Typically, lakes shift from the proglacial phase (lake is in direct contact with glacier) to a glacier-detached (no direct contact) and finally to a non-glacial phase (lake catchment is completely deglaciated) of lake evolution. Apart from changing glacier-lake interactions, each stage is characterized by particular features of lake growth, and by the lake's susceptibility to sudden drainage (lake outburst flood). While this concept appears to be valid globally, some mountain areas are rich in dynamically evolving proglacial lakes, while in others most lakes have already shifted to the glacier-detached or even non-glacial phase. In the present contribution we (i) explore and quantify the history of glacial lake formation and evolution over the past up to 70 years; (ii) assess the current situation of selected contrasting mountain areas (eastern and western European Alps, southern and northern Pamir, Cordillera Blanca); and (iii) link the patterns of lake evolution to the prevailing topographic and glaciological characteristics in order to improve the understanding of high-mountain geoenvironmental change. In the eastern Alps we identify only very few lakes in the proglacial stage. While many lakes appeared and dynamically evolved until the 1980s between 2550 m and 2800 m asl, most of them have lost glacier contact until the 2000s, whereas very few new proglacial lakes appeared at the same time. Even though a similar trend is observed in the higher western Alps, a more dynamic glacial lake evolution is observed there. The arid southern Pamir is characterized by a high number of proglacial lakes, mainly around 4500 m asl. There is strong evidence that glacial lake evolution is, after a highly dynamic phase between the 1970s and approx. 2000, decelerating. Few proglacial lakes exist in the higher and more humid, heavily glacierized northern Pamir, even though there is some evidence for a the recent trend of lake formation and growth. The tropical Cordillera Blanca displays a high, but gradually decreasing share of proglacial lakes. A significant shift of lake elevation was observed: tmost lakes were situated between 4250 m and 4600 m asl in 1950s, while almost half of the lakes are currently situated above 4600 m asl, confirming post-LIA climate change forcing. We attempt to explain the observed trends by investigating the relation of the timing of lake evolution with an interplay of the broad-scale elevational patterns of glaciers and topography, and the local conditions. The findings will assist in anticipating possible future patterns of lake evolution at different scales, relevant for lake outburst risks and water management issues.

Hydrologic analysis of two headwater lake basins of differing lake pH in the west-central Adirondack Mountains of New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murdoch, Peter S.; Peters, N.E.; Newton, R.M.

1987-01-01

Hydrologic analysis of two headwater lake basins in the Adirondack Mountains, New York, during 1980-81 indicates that the degree of neutralization of acid precipitation is controlled by the groundwater contribution to the lake. According to flow-duration analyses, daily mean outflow/unit area from the neutral lake (Panther Lake, pH 5-7) was more sustained and contained a higher percentage of groundwater than that of the acidic lake (Woods Lake, pH 4-5). Outflow recession rates and maximum base-flow rates, derived from individual recession curves, were 3.9 times and 1.5 times greater, respectively, in the neutral-lake basin than in the acidic-lake basin. Groundwater contribution to lake outflow was also calculated from a lake-water budget; the groundwater contribution to the neutral lake was about 10 times greater than that to the acidic lake. Thick sandy till forms the groundwater reservoir and the major recharge area in both basins but covers 8.5 times more area in the neutral-lake basin than in the acidic-lake basin. More groundwater storage within the neutral basin provides longer contact time with neutralizing minerals and more groundwater discharge. As a result, the neutral lake has relatively high pH and alkalinity, and more net cation transport. (USGS)

Hydrologic data from the integrated lake-watershed acidification study in the west-central Adirondack Mountains, New York : October 1977 through January 1982

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, N.E.; Murdoch, Peter S.; Dalton, F.N.

1987-01-01

Hydrologic data were collected from three forested headwater lake watersheds in Herkimer and Hamilton Counties from October 1977 through early January 1982 as part of the Integrated Lake-Watersheds Acidification Study (ILWAS). ILWAS was established in 1977 to determine why these lakes differ in pH when all receive equal amounts of acidic atmospheric deposition. Woods Lake is acidic (pH ranges from 4 to 5), Panther Lake is neutral (pH ranges from 5 to 7.5), and Sagamore Lake is intermediate (pH ranges from 5 to 6). The data tabulated herein include discharge at the three lake outlets and in a tributary to each lake; lake-water stage at each lake; chemical quality of lake water, including total concentrations of zinc, iron, manganese, and lead, at each lake outlet and at Lost Brook (a tributary to Sagamore Lake); groundwater stage from 29 wells; major ion concentrations of groundwater from 22 of these wells; temperature of soil from three depths at one site in each watershed; soil-moisture tension at three depths at eight sites - four in the neutral-lake basin, three in the acidic-lake basin , and one in the intermediate-lake basin; and average snowpack depths and water equivalents at approximately 20 snow-course sites in each basin for three sampling periods during the 1979-80 winter. (USGS)

Lake sturgeon population characteristics in Rainy Lake, Minnesota and Ontario

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, W.E.; Kallemeyn, L.W.; Willis, D.W.

2006-01-01

Rainy Lake contains a native population of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens that has been largely unstudied. The aims of this study were to document the population characteristics of lake sturgeon in Rainy Lake and to relate environmental factors to year-class strength for this population. Gill-netting efforts throughout the study resulted in the capture of 322 lake sturgeon, including 50 recaptures. Lake sturgeon in Rainy Lake was relatively plump and fast growing compared with a 32-population summary. Population samples were dominated by lake sturgeon between 110 and 150 cm total length. Age–structure analysis of the samples indicated few younger (<10 years) lake sturgeon, but the smallest gill net mesh size used for sampling was 102 mm (bar measure) and would not retain small sturgeon. Few lake sturgeon older than age 50 years were captured, and maximum age of sampled fish was 59 years. Few correlations existed between lake sturgeon year-class indices and both annual and monthly climate variables, except that mean June air temperature was positively correlated with year-class strength. Analysis of Rainy Lake water elevation and resulting lake sturgeon year-class strength indices across years yielded consistent but weak negative correlations between late April and early June, when spawning of lake sturgeon occurs. The baseline data collected in this study should allow Rainy Lake biologists to establish more specific research questions in the future.

Dynamics of CFCs in northern temperate lakes and adjacent groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, John F.; Saad, David A.; Hunt, Randall J.

2007-01-01

Three dimictic lakes and one meromictic lake in and near the Trout Lake, Wisconsin, watershed were sampled to determine the variation of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentrations within the lakes. The lakes were sampled during stratified conditions, during fall turnover, and during ice cover. The results demonstrate a considerable variation in CFC concentrations and corresponding atmospheric mixing ratios in the lakes sampled, both with depth and season within a given lake, and across different lakes. CFC profiles and observed degradation were not related to the groundwater inflow rate and hence are likely the result of in‐lake processes influenced by CFC degradation in the (lake) water column, CFC degradation in the lake‐bed sediments, and gas exchange rates and the duration of turnover (turnover efficiency).

Genetic diversity of lake whitefish in lakes Michigan and Huron: sampling, standardization, and research priorities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stott, Wendylee; VanDeHey, Justin A.; Sloss, Brian L.

2010-01-01

We combined data from two laboratories to increase the spatial extent of a genetic data set for lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis from lakes Huron and Michigan and saw that genetic diversity was greatest between lakes, but that there was also structuring within lakes. Low diversity among stocks may be a reflection of relatively recent colonization of the Great Lakes, but other factors such as recent population fluctuation and localized stresses such as lamprey predation or heavy exploitation may also have a homogenizing effect. Our data suggested that there is asymmetrical movement of lake whitefish between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan; more genotypes associated with Lake Michigan were observed in Lake Huron. Adding additional collections to the calibrated set will allow further examination of diversity in other Great Lakes, answer questions regarding movement among lakes, and estimate contributions of stocks to commercial yields. As the picture of genetic diversity and population structure of lake whitefish in the Great Lakes region emerges, we need to develop methods to combine data types to help identify important areas for biodiversity and thus conservation. Adding genetic data to existing models will increase the precision of predictions of the impacts of new stresses and changes in existing pressures on an ecologically and commercially important species.

Spring-summer diet of lake trout on Six Fathom Bank and Yankee Reef in Lake Huron

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, C.P.; Holuszko, J.D.; Desorcie, T.J.

2006-01-01

We examined the stomach contents of 1,045 lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) caught on Six Fathom Bank and Yankee Reef, two offshore reef complexes in Lake Huron, during late spring and early summer 1998-2003. Lake trout ranged in total length from 213 to 858 mm, and in age from 2 to 14 years. In total, 742 stomachs contained food. On a wet-weight basis, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) dominated the spring-summer diet of lake trout on both of these offshore reef complexes. Alewives accounted for 75 to 90% of lake trout diet, depending on the lake trout size category. Size of alewives found in lake trout stomachs increased with increasing lake trout size. Faster growth of juvenile lake trout on Six Fathom Bank and Yankee Reef than on Sheboygan Reef in Lake Michigan was attributed to greater availability of small alewives on the offshore reefs in Lake Huron. Our findings indicated that alewives inhabited Six Fathom Bank and Yankee Reef during spring and summer months. Thus, our study provided support for the contention that alewives may have interfered with natural reproduction by lake trout on these offshore reef complexes in Lake Huron.

78 FR 17097 - Safety Zone; Lake Havasu Triathlon; Lake Havasu City, AZ

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-20

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Lake Havasu Triathlon; Lake Havasu City, AZ AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION... waters of Lake Havasu and the London Bridge Channel for the Lake Havasu Triathlon. This temporary safety... participants. The waterside swim course consists of 1500 meters in Lake Havasu and the London Bridge Channel...

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Sediment Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation (Anammox) Bacteria in Freshwater Lakes.

PubMed

Yang, Yuyin; Dai, Yu; Li, Ningning; Li, Bingxin; Xie, Shuguang; Liu, Yong

2017-02-01

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) process can play an important role in freshwater nitrogen cycle. However, the distribution of anammox bacteria in freshwater lake and the associated environmental factors remain essentially unclear. The present study investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of sediment anammox bacterial populations in eutrotrophic Dianchi Lake and mesotrophic Erhai Lake on the Yunnan Plateau (southwestern China). The remarkable spatial change of anammox bacterial abundance was found in Dianchi Lake, while the relatively slight spatial shift occurred in Erhai Lake. Dianchi Lake had greater anammox bacterial abundance than Erhai Lake. In both Dianchi Lake and Erhai Lake, anammox bacteria were much more abundant in summer than in spring. Anammox bacterial community richness, diversity, and structure in these two freshwater lakes were subjected to temporal and spatial variations. Sediment anammox bacterial communities in Dianchi Lake and Erhai Lake were dominated by Candidatus Brocadia and a novel phylotype followed by Candidatus Kuenenia; however, these two lakes had distinct anammox bacterial community structure. In addition, trophic status determined sediment anammox bacterial community structure.

Monitoring the water balance of Lake Victoria, East Africa, from space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swenson, Sean; Wahr, John

2009-05-01

SummaryUsing satellite gravimetric and altimetric data, we examine trends in water storage and lake levels of multiple lakes in the Great Rift Valley region of East Africa for the years 2003-2008. GRACE total water storage estimates reveal that water storage declined in much of East Africa, by as much as 60 {mm}/{year}, while altimetric data show that lake levels in some large lakes dropped by as much as 1-2 m. The largest declines occurred in Lake Victoria, the Earth's second largest freshwater body. Because the discharge from the outlet of Lake Victoria is used to generate hydroelectric power, the role of human management in the lake's decline has been questioned. By comparing catchment water storage trends to lake level trends, we confirm that climatic forcing explains only about 50decline. This analysis provides an independent means of assessing the relative impacts of climate and human management on the water balance of Lake Victoria that does not depend on observations of dam discharge, which may not be publically available. In the second part of the study, the individual components of the lake water balance are estimated. Satellite estimates of changes in lake level, precipitation, and evaporation are used with observed lake discharge to develop a parameterization for estimating subsurface inflows due to changes in groundwater storage estimated from satellite gravimetry. At seasonal timescales, this approach provides closure to Lake Victoria's water balance to within 17 {mm}/{month}. The third part of this study uses the water balance of a downstream water body, Lake Kyoga, to estimate the outflow from Lake Victoria remotely. Because Lake Kyoga is roughly 20 times smaller in area than Lake Victoria, its water balance is strongly influenced by inflow from Lake Victoria. Lake Kyoga has been shown to act as a linear reservoir, where its outflow is proportional to the height of the lake. This model can be used with satellite altimetric lake levels to estimate a time series of Lake Victoria discharge with an rms error of about 134 {m}/{s}.

An inventory of glacial lakes in the Austrian Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckel, Johannes; Otto, Jan-Christoph; Keuschnig, Markus; Götz, Joachim

2016-04-01

The formation of lakes is one of the consequences of glacier retreat due to climate change in mountain areas. Numerous lakes have formed in the past few decades in many mountain regions around the globe. Some of these lakes came into focus due to catastrophic hazard events especially in the Himalayas and the Andes. Glacial lake development and lifetime is controlled by the complex interplay of glacier dynamics, geomorphological process activity and geological boundary conditions. Besides the hazard potential new lakes in formerly glaciated areas will significantly contribute to a new landscape setting and to changing geomorphologic, hydrologic and ecologic conditions at higher alpine altitudes. We present an inventory of high alpine lakes in the Austrian Alps located above an altitude of 1700 m asl. Most of these lakes are assumed to be of glacial origin, but other causes for development, like mass movements are considered as well. The inventory is a central part of the project FUTURELAKES that aims at modelling the potential development of glacial lakes in Austria (we refer to the presentation by Helfricht et al. during the conference for more details on the modelling part). Lake inventory data will serve as one basis for model validation since modelling is performed on different time steps using glacier inventory data. The purpose of the lake inventory is to get new insights into boundary conditions for lake formation and evolution by analysing existing lake settings. Based on these information the project seeks to establish a model of lake sedimentation after glacier retreat in order to assess the potential lifetime of the new lakes in Austria. Lakes with a minimum size of 1000 m² were mapped using multiple aerial imagery sources. The dataset contains information on location, geometry, dam type, and status of sedimentation for each lake. Additionally, various geologic, geomorphic and morphometric parameters describe the lake catchments. Lake data is related to glacier inventories and paleo-limnologic information to get an idea of the lake formation time. Within the Austrian Alps 1619 lakes were mapped covering an area of more than 25 km². The largest natural lake recorded has an area of 40,000 m². A majority of lakes is classified as bedrock-dammed (48%). 28% of the lakes are moraine-dammed, 21% are embedded in till and 2% landslide-dammed lakes exist. Only three lakes are dammed by existing glacier ice. About 13% of the mapped lakes are considered to be completely silted up. 262 lakes have formed since deglaciation from the maximum glacier extent of the Little Ice Age (LIA, Mid-19th century). The average annual number of lake formation increased significantly since the end of the LIA. Between the different available glacier inventories (1850, 1969, 1998, 2006) this number has grown from 1.1 lakes per year between 1850 and 1969 to 5.6 lakes per year between 2006 and 2014. However, mean lake area decreased from 15,000 m² (1850 - 1969) to 2,500 m² (2006 - 2014).

Investigation of sedimentation rates and sediment dynamics in Danube Delta lake system (Romania) by 210Pb dating method.

PubMed

Begy, R-Cs; Simon, H; Kelemen, Sz; Preoteasa, L

2018-06-14

Being a dynamic environment associated with complex costal, fluvial and marine processes, only a few studies regarding the evolution of the Danube Delta and the human impacts on its ecosystem have been carried out. Being a sensible to all processes occurring in its catchment area, information is stored in the deposited sediments, which can be used as tracers for natural and anthropogenic processes. The aim of this study is to determine a detailed reconstruction of the sedimentation rates in the last century by applying the 210 Pb dating method validated by 137 Cs profiles. Additionally, the impacts of the construction of river-regulating structures (mainly the Iron Gates Hydro-Energetic Power Plants) are investigated, along with the assessment of natural phenomena (floods, storms etc.). To achieve this, 26 sediment cores from seven lakes were collected. 210 Pb sup and 137 Cs were determined using gamma spectrometry, while 210 Pb tot was measured via alpha spectrometry ( 210 Po), using the CRS model for age determination. From the assessed lakes, the most affected was the Matița Lake with a maximum sedimentation rate of 10.93 g cm -2 yr -1 and the least affected was the Isac Lake. Average sedimentation rates are: 0.95 g cm -2 yr -1 for Cruhlig Lake, 0.70 g cm -2 yr -1 for Uzlina Lake, 0.44 g cm -2 yr -1 for Isac Lake, 0.47 g cm -2 yr -1 for Cuibida Lake, 0.51 g cm -2 yr -1 for Iacob Lake, 1.00 g cm -2 yr -1 for Matița Lake and 0.76 g cm -2 yr -1 for Merhei Lake. Physical parameters (water content, porosity and bulk density) and LOI (organic matter and inorganic carbon content) were determined for each core to differentiate organic and non-organic sedimentation. Beside the natural influences, it is difficult to track the effects of the Iron Gates and not all analysed lakes were suitable for this task. The 1940-1970 period and the following ten years were compared in means of sedimentation: a decrease in sedimentation can be observed in four of the lakes: 59% in Cruhlig Lake, 16% in Uzlina Lake, 10% in Iacob Lake and 42% in Isac Lake, leading to an average 32% for the four lakes. The other three lakes show increasing tendencies of 39% in this period: 87% in Matița Lake, 6% in Merhei Lake and 24% in Cuibida Lake. Sedimentation rates show growths of 3 times after 1989, the most affected being the two northern lakes (3 times increase in both Matița Lake and Merhei Lake) and the four central lakes (2 times in case of Cuibida Lake, 3 times in Iacob Lake, 3 times in Isac Lake and 4 times in Uzlina Lake) with an average increase of 3 times, while the southern one (Cruhlig Lake) 2 times. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical quality of surface waters in Devils Lake basin, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swenson, Herbert; Colby, Bruce R.

1955-01-01

Devils Lake basin, a closed basin in northeastern North Dakota, covers about 3,900 square miles of land, the topography of which is morainal and of glacial origin. In this basin lies a chain of waterways, which begins with the Sweetwater group and extends successively through Mauvais Coulee, Devils Lake, East Bay Devils Lake, and East Devils Lake, to Stump Lake. In former years when lake levels were high, Mauvais Coulee drained the Sweetwater group and discharged considerable water into Devils Lake. Converging coulees also transported excess water to Stump Lake. For at least 70 years prior to 1941, Mauvais Coulee flowed only intermittently, and the levels of major lakes in this region gradually declined. Devils Lake, for example, covered an area of about 90,000 acres in 1867 but had shrunk to approximately 6,500 acres by 1941. Plans to restore the recreational appeal of Devils Lake propose the dilution and eventual displacement of the brackish lake water by fresh water that would be diverted from the Missouri River. Freshening of the lake water would permit restocking Devils Lake with fish. Devils and Stump Lake have irregular outlines and numerous windings and have been described as lying in the valley of a preglacial river, the main stem and tributaries of which are partly filled with drift. Prominent morainal hills along the south shore of Devils Lake contrast sharply with level farmland to the north. The mean annual temperature of Devils Lake basin ranges between 36 ? and 42 ? F. Summer temperatures above 100 ? F and winter temperatures below -30 ? Fare not uncommon. The annual precipitation for 77 years at the city of Devils Lake averaged 17.5 inches. Usually, from 75 to 80 percent of the precipitation in the basin falls during the growing season, April to September. From 1867 to 1941 the net fall of the water surface of Devils Lake was about 38 feet. By 1951 the surface had risen fully 14 feet from its lowest altitude, 1,400.9 feet. Since 1951, the level has fallen slowly. Hydrologic changes that may have caused Devils Lake to alter from a very large, moderately deep lake of fresh water to a small, shallow body of brackish water are discussed and evaluated on the basis of scanty information. During several years of average precipitation, temperature, and evaporation, Devils Lake and lakes upstream should receive nearly a quarter of an inch of runoff annually from the drainage area of about 3,000 square miles. Approximately 55 square miles of tributary area would be required to maintain each square mile of lake surface. However, runoff, expressed as percentage of the average, differs greatly from year to year. The amount of runoff retained in upstream lakes also Varies greatly. For these two reasons, annual inflow to Devils Lake is extremely variable. Because many waterways in this basin have no surface outlets at normal stages, runoff collects in depressions, is concentrated by evaporation, and forms saline or alkaline lakes. The chemical and physical properties of the lake waters vary chiefly with changes in lake stage and volume of inflow. Scattered records from 1899 to 1923 and more comprehensive data from 1948 to 1952 show a range of salt concentration from 6,130 to 25,000 parts per million (ppm) in the water of Devils Lake. Although concentration has varied, the chemical composition of the dissolved solids has not changed appreciably. Lake waters are more concentrated in the lower part of the basin, downstream from Devils Lake. For periods of record the salt concentration ranged from 14,932 to 62,000 ppm in East Devils Lake and from 19,000 to 106,000 ppm in east Stump Lake. Current and past tonnages of dissolved solids in Devils Lake, East Bay Devils Lake, East Devils Lake, and east and west Stump Lakes were computed from concentrations and from altitude-capacity curves for each lake. Neither the average rate of diversion of water to restore Devils Lake to a higher level nor the quality of the divert

Statistical analysis of lake levels and field study of groundwater and surface-water exchanges in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2002 through 2015: Chapter A of Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2002 through 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Perry M.; Trost, Jared J.; Diekoff, Aliesha L.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; White, Eric A.; Erickson, Melinda L.; Morel, Daniel L.; Heck, Jessica M.

2016-10-19

Water levels declined from 2003 to 2011 in many lakes in Ramsey and Washington Counties in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota; however, water levels in other northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes increased during the same period. Groundwater and surface-water exchanges can be important in determining lake levels where these exchanges are an important component of the water budget of a lake. An understanding of groundwater and surface-water exchanges in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area has been limited by the lack of hydrologic data. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council and Minnesota Department of Health, completed a field and statistical study assessing lake-water levels and regional and local groundwater and surface-water exchanges near northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes. This report documents the analysis of collected hydrologic, water-quality, and geophysical data; and existing hydrologic and geologic data to (1) assess the effect of physical setting and climate on lake-level fluctuations of selected lakes, (2) estimate potential percentages of surface-water contributions to well water across the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, (3) estimate general ages for waters extracted from the wells, and (4) assess groundwater inflow to lakes and lake-water outflow to aquifers downgradient from White Bear Lake. Statistical analyses of lake levels during short-term (2002–10) and long-term (1925–2014) periods were completed to help understand lake-level changes across the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Comparison of 2002–10 lake levels to several landscape and geologic characteristics explained variability in lake-level changes for 96 northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes. Application of several statistical methods determined that (1) closed-basin lakes (without an active outlet) had larger lake-level declines than flow-through lakes with an outlet; (2) closed-basin lake-level changes reflected groundwater-level changes in the Quaternary, Prairie du Chien, and Jordan aquifers; (3) the installation of outlet-control structures, such as culverts and weirs, resulted in smaller multiyear lake-level changes than lakes without outlet-control structures; (4) water levels in lakes primarily overlying Superior Lobe deposits were significantly more variable than lakes primarily overlying Des Moines Lobe deposits; (5) lake-level declines were larger with increasing mean lake-level elevation; and (6) the frequency of some of these characteristics varies by landscape position. Flow-through lakes and lakes with outlet-control structures were more common in watersheds with more than 50 percent urban development compared to watersheds with less than 50 percent urban development. A comparison of two 35-year periods during 1925–2014 revealed that variability of annual mean lake levels in flow-through lakes increased when annual precipitation totals were more variable, whereas variability of annual mean lake levels in closed-basin lakes had the opposite pattern, being more variable when annual precipitation totals were less variable. Oxygen-18/oxygen-16 and hydrogen-2/hydrogen-1 ratios for water samples from 40 wells indicated the well water was a mixture of surface water and groundwater in 31 wells, whereas ratios from water sampled from 9 other wells indicated that water from these wells receive no surface-water contribution. Of the 31 wells with a mixture of surface water and groundwater, 11 were downgradient from White Bear Lake, likely receiving water from deeper parts of the lake. Age dating of water samples from wells indicated that the age of water in the Prairie du Chien and Jordan aquifers can vary widely across the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Estimated ages of recharge for 9 of the 40 wells sampled for chlorofluorocarbon concentrations ranged widely from the early 1940s to mid-1970s. The wide range in estimated ages of recharge may have resulted from the wide range in the open-interval lengths and depths for the wells.Results from stable isotope analyses of water samples, lake-sediment coring, continuous seismic-reflection profiling, and water-level and flow monitoring indicated that there is groundwater inflow from nearshore sites and lake-water outflow from deep-water sites in White Bear Lake. Continuous seismic-reflection profiling indicated that deep sections of White Bear, Pleasant, Turtle, and Big Marine Lakes have few trapped gases and little organic material, which indicates where groundwater and lake-water exchanges are more likely. Water-level differences between White Bear Lake and piezometer and seepage measurements in deep waters of the lake indicate that groundwater and lake-water exchange is happening in deep waters, predominantly downgradient from the lake and into the lake sediment. Seepage fluxes measured in the nearshore sites of White Bear Lake generally were higher than seepage fluxes measured in the deep-water sites, which indicates that groundwater-inflow rates at most of the nearshore sites are higher than lake-water outflow from the deep-water sites.

Simulating 2,368 temperate lakes reveals weak coherence in stratification phenology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Read, Jordan S.; Winslow, Luke A.; Hansen, Gretchen J. A.; Van Den Hoek, Jamon; Hanson, Paul C.; Bruce, Louise C; Markfort, Corey D.

2014-01-01

Changes in water temperatures resulting from climate warming can alter the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. Lake-specific physical characteristics may play a role in mediating individual lake responses to climate. Past mechanistic studies of lake-climate interactions have simulated generic lake classes at large spatial scales or performed detailed analyses of small numbers of real lakes. Understanding the diversity of lake responses to climate change across landscapes requires a hybrid approach that couples site-specific lake characteristics with broad-scale environmental drivers. This study provides a substantial advancement in lake ecosystem modeling by combining open-source tools with freely available continental-scale data to mechanistically model daily temperatures for 2,368 Wisconsin lakes over three decades (1979-2011). The model accurately predicted observed surface layer temperatures (RMSE: 1.74°C) and the presence/absence of stratification (81.1% agreement). Among-lake coherence was strong for surface temperatures and weak for the timing of stratification, suggesting individual lake characteristics mediate some - but not all - ecologically relevant lake responses to climate.

Simulation and assessment of groundwater flow and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2003 through 2013: Chapter B of Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2002 through 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Perry M.; Roth, Jason L.; Trost, Jared J.; Christenson, Catherine A.; Diekoff, Aliesha L.; Erickson, Melinda L.

2017-09-05

Water levels during 2003 through 2013 were less than mean water levels for the period 1925–2013 for several lakes in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area in Minnesota. Previous periods of low lake-water levels generally were correlated with periods with less than mean precipitation. Increases in groundwater withdrawals and land-use changes have brought into question whether or not recent (2003–13) lake-water-level declines are solely caused by decreases in precipitation. A thorough understanding of groundwater and surface-water exchanges was needed to assess the effect of water-management decisions on lake-water levels. To address this need, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Health, developed and calibrated a three-dimensional, steady-state groundwater-flow model representing 2003–13 mean hydrologic conditions to assess groundwater and lake-water exchanges, and the effects of groundwater withdrawals and precipitation on water levels of 96 lakes in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.Lake-water budgets for the calibrated groundwater-flow model indicated that groundwater is flowing into lakes in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and lakes are providing water to underlying aquifers. Lake-water outflow to the simulated groundwater system was a major outflow component for Big Marine Lake, Lake Elmo, Snail Lake, and White Bear Lake, accounting for 45 to 64 percent of the total outflows from the lakes. Evaporation and transpiration from the lake surface ranged from 19 to 52 percent of the total outflow from the four lakes. Groundwater withdrawals and precipitation were varied from the 2003‒13 mean values used in the calibrated model (30-percent changes in groundwater withdrawals and 5-percent changes in precipitation) for hypothetical scenarios to assess the effects of groundwater withdrawals and precipitation on water budgets and levels in Big Marine Lake, Snail Lake, and White Bear Lake. Simulated lake-water levels and budgets for Snail Lake and White Bear Lake were affected by 30-percent changes in groundwater withdrawals and 5-percent changes in precipitation in the area, whereas the water level in Big Marine Lake was mainly affected by 5-percent precipitation changes. The effects of groundwater withdrawals on the lake-water levels depend on the number of wells and amount of withdrawals from wells near the lakes. Although lake-water levels are sensitive to precipitation changes, increases in groundwater withdrawals during dry periods exacerbate lake-water level declines. The calibrated, groundwater-flow model is a tool that water-resources managers can use to address future water management issues in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.

New insight into defining the lakes of the southern Baltic coastal zone.

PubMed

Cieśliński, Roman; Olszewska, Alicja

2018-01-29

There exist many classification systems of hydrographic entities such as lakes found along the coastlines of seas and oceans. Each system has its advantages and can be used with some success in the area of protection and management. This paper aims to evaluate whether the studied lakes are only coastal lakes or rather bodies of water of a completely different hydrological and hydrochemical nature. The attempt to create a new classification system of Polish coastal lakes is related to the incompleteness of lake information in existing classifications. Thus far, the most frequently used are classifications based solely on lake basin morphogenesis or hydrochemical properties. The classifications in this paper are based not only on the magnitude of lake water salinity or hydrochemical analysis but also on isolation from the Baltic Sea and other sources of water. The key element of the new classification system for coastal bodies of water is a departure from the existing system used to classify lakes in Poland and the introduction of ion-"tracking" methods designed to identify anion and cation distributions in each body of water of interest. As a result of the work, a new classification of lakes of the southern Baltic Sea coastal zone was created. Featured objects such as permanently brackish lakes, brackish lakes that may turn into freshwater lakes from time to time, freshwater lakes that may turn into brackish lakes from time to time, freshwater lakes that experience low levels of salinity due to specific incidents, and permanently freshwater lakes. The authors have adopted 200 mg Cl -  dm -3 as a maximum value of lake water salinity. There are many conditions that determine the membership of a lake to a particular group, but the most important is the isolation lakes from the Baltic Sea. Changing a condition may change the classification of a lake.

Angler effort and catch within a spatially complex system of small lakes.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, Kevin L.; Chizinski, Christopher J.; Martin, Dustin R.; Barada, Tony J.; Schuckman, Jeffrey J.

2014-01-01

Spatial layout of waterbodies and waterbody size can affect a creel clerk’s ability to intercept anglers for interviews and to accurately count anglers, which will affect the accuracy and precision of estimates of effort and catch. This study aimed to quantify angling effort and catch across a spatially complex system of 19 small (<100 ha) lakes, the Fremont lakes. Total (±SE) angling effort (hours) on individual lakes ranged from 0 (0) to 7,137 (305). Bank anglers utilized 18 of the 19 lakes, and their mean (±SE) trip lengths (hours) ranged from 0.80 (0.31) to 7.75 (6.75), depending on the waterbody. In contrast, boat anglers utilized 14 of the 19 lakes, and their trip lengths ranged from 1.39 (0.24) to 4.25 (0.71), depending on the waterbody. The most sought fishes, as indexed by number of lakes on which effort was exerted, were anything (17 of 19 lakes), largemouth bassMicropterus salmoides (15 of 19 lakes), and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (13 of 19 lakes). Bluegill Lepomis machrochirus, crappie Pomoxis spp., and largemouth bass were caught most frequently across the lakes, but catch rates varied considerably by lake. Of the 1,138 parties interviewed, most parties (93%) visited a single lake but there were 77 (7%) parties that indicated that they had visited multiple lakes during a single day. The contingent of parties that visited more than one lake a day were primarily (87%) bank anglers.. The number of lake-to-lake connections made by anglers visiting more than one waterbody during a single day was related to catch rates and total angling effort. The greater resolution that was achieved with a lake specific creel survey at Fremont lakes revealed a system of lakes with a large degree of spatial variation in angler effort and catch that would be missed by a coarser, system-wide survey that did not differentiate individual lakes.

Spatiotemporal patterns of high-mountain lakes and related hazards in western Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emmer, Adam; Merkl, Sarah; Mergili, Martin

2015-10-01

Climate-induced environmental changes are triggering the dynamic evolution of high-mountain lakes worldwide, a phenomenon that has to be monitored in terms of lake outburst hazards. We analyzed the spatial distribution and recent temporal development of high-mountain lakes in a study area of 6139 km2, covering the central European Alps over most of the province of Tyrol and part of the province of Salzburg in western Austria. We identified 1024 natural lakes. While eight lakes are ice-dammed, one-third of all lakes are located in the immediate vicinity of recent glacier tongues, half of them impounded by moraines, half by bedrock. Two-thirds of all lakes are apparently related to LIA or earlier glaciations. One landslide-dammed lake was identified in the study area. The evolution of nine selected (pro)glacial lakes was analyzed in detail, using multitemporal remotely sensed images and field reconnaissance. Considerable glacier retreat led to significant lake growth at four localities, two lakes experienced stagnant or slightly negative areal trends, one lake experienced a more significant negative areal trend, and two lakes drained completely during the investigation period. We further (i) analyzed the susceptibility of selected lakes to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), using two different methods; (ii) identified potential triggers and mechanisms of GLOFs; (iii) calculated possible flood magnitudes for predefined flood scenarios for a subset of the lakes; and (iv) delineated potentially impacted areas. We distinguished three phases of development of bedrock-dammed lakes: (a) a proglacial, (b) a glacier-detached, and (c) a nonglacial phase. The dynamics - and also the susceptibility of a lake to GLOFs - decrease substantially from (a) to (c). Lakes in the stages (a) and (b) are less prominent in our study area, compared to other glacierized high-mountain regions, leading us to the conclusion that (i) the current threat to the population by GLOFs is lower but (ii) the future development of emerging lakes has to be monitored carefully.

A critical review of the development, current hotspots, and future directions of Lake Taihu research from the bibliometrics perspective.

PubMed

Zhang, Yunlin; Yao, Xiaolong; Qin, Boqiang

2016-07-01

Lake Taihu, as the important drinking water source of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and the third largest freshwater lake in China, has experienced serious lake eutrophication and water quality deterioration in the past three decades. Growing scientific, political, and public attention has been given to the water quality of Lake Taihu. This study aimed to conduct a comparative quantitative and qualitative analysis of the development, current hotspots, and future directions of Lake Taihu research using a bibliometric analysis of eight well-studied lakes (Lake Taihu, Lake Baikal, Lake Biwa, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior and Lake Victoria) around the world based on the Science Citation Index (SCI) database. A total of 1582 papers discussing Lake Taihu research were published in 322 journals in the past three decades. However, the first paper about Lake Taihu research was not found in the SCI database until 1989, and there were only zero, one, or two papers each year from 1989 to 1995. There had been rapid development in Lake Taihu research since 1996 and a sharp increase in papers since 2005. A keyword analysis showed that "sediment," "eutrophication", "Microcystis aeruginosa", "cyanobacterial blooms", and "remote sensing" were the most frequently used keywords of the study subject. Owing to its significant impact on aquatic ecosystems, a crucial emphasis has been placed on climate change recently. In addition, the future focuses of research directions, including (1) environmental effects of physical processes; (2) nutrient cycles and control and ecosystem responses; (3) cyanobacteria bloom monitoring, causes, forecast and management; (4) eutrophication and climate change interactions; and (5) ecosystem degradation mechanism and ecological practice of lake restoration, are presented based on the keyword analysis. Through multidisciplinary fields (physics, chemistry, and biology) cross and synthesis study of Lake Taihu, the development of shallow lake limnology will be largely promoted.

2016 Lake Michigan Lake Trout Working Group Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; Breidert, Brian; Boyarski, David; Bronte, Charles R.; Dickinson, Ben; Donner, Kevin; Ebener, Mark P.; Gordon, Roger; Hanson, Dale; Holey, Mark; Janssen, John; Jonas, Jory; Kornis, Matthew; Olsen, Erik; Robillard, Steve; Treska, Ted; Weldon, Barry; Wright, Greg D.

2017-01-01

This report provides a review on the progression of lake trout rehabilitation towards meeting the Salmonine Fish Community Objectives (FCOs) for Lake Michigan (Eshenroder et. al. 1995) and the interim goal and evaluation objectives articulated in A Fisheries Management Implementation Strategy for the Rehabilitation of Lake Trout in Lake Michigan (Dexter et al. 2011); we also include data describing lake trout stocking and mortality to portray the present state of progress towards lake trout rehabilitation.

Small lakes show muted climate change signal in deepwater temperatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winslow, Luke A.; Read, Jordan S.; Hansen, Gretchen J. A.; Hanson, Paul C.

2015-01-01

Water temperature observations were collected from 142 lakes across Wisconsin, USA, to examine variation in temperature of lakes exposed to similar regional climate. Whole lake water temperatures increased across the state from 1990 to 2012, with an average trend of 0.042°C yr−1 ± 0.01°C yr−1. In large (>0.5 km2) lakes, the positive temperature trend was similar across all depths. In small lakes (<0.5 km2), the warming trend was restricted to shallow waters, with no significant temperature trend observed in water >0.5 times the maximum lake depth. The differing response of small versus large lakes is potentially a result of wind-sheltering reducing turbulent mixing magnitude in small lakes. These results demonstrate that small lakes respond differently to climate change than large lakes, suggesting that current predictions of impacts to lakes from climate change may require modification.

Inventory of gate-sensing equipment at 14 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams in Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harwell, Glenn R.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is a worldwide organization that provides engineering services, environmental restoration, and construction support for a wide variety of civil and military projects. The primary civil mission of the USACE is developing and managing the Nation's water resources. USACE develops projects to reduce flood damage, improve navigation channels and harbors, protect wetlands, and preserve, safeguard, and enhance the environment. Additional missions of the Corps include managing federal real estate, assisting communities with emergency operations and recovery, and providing recreation opportunities.Accurate and timely information on reservoir gate openings is critical for managing flood pools, reducing flood damage downstream from reservoirs, delivering drinking-water supplies, and meeting an assortment of competing downstream water-use needs. Documentation, operation, and maintenance of gate sensors are needed so that reliable, timely information is available to USACE to make reservoir operation decisions.USACE requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) prepare an inventory and documentation of existing gate-sensing equipment at 14 reservoirs that will serve as a user’s manual for operating the equipment. The 14 reservoirs include Aquilla Lake, Bardwell Lake, Benbrook Lake, Canyon Lake, Georgetown Lake, Granger Lake, Grapevine Lake, Jim Chapman Lake, Joe Pool Lake, Lake O’ the Pines, Ray Roberts Lake, Somerville Lake, Stillhouse Hollow Lake, and Wright Patman Lake.This report presents the inventory and documentation of the existing gate-sensing equipment at the 14. The report is organized by lake; information in each lake section includes location of lake and intake structure, directions to each lake (road log), access, equipment description, operation and maintenance information, job hazard analysis, wiring diagrams, photographs, and datalogger programs. The report also includes a list of contact information for the different manufacturers of equipment in service at the lakes.

Use of isotopic data to estimate water residence times of the Finger Lakes, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Michel, Robert L.; Kraemer, Thomas F.

1995-01-01

Water retention times in the Finger Lakes, a group of 11 lakes in central New York with similar hydrologic and climatic characteristics, were estimated by use of a tritium-balance model. During July 1991, samples were collected from the 11 lakes and selected tributary streams and were analyzed for tritium, deuterium, and oxygen-18. Additional samples from some of the sites were collected in 1990, 1992 and 1993. Tritium concentration in lake water ranged from 24.6 Tritium Units (TU) (Otisco Lake) to 43.2 TU (Seneca Lake).The parameters in the model used to obtain water retention time (WRT) included relative humidity, evaporation rate, tritium concentrations of inflowing water and lake water, and WRT of the lake. A historical record of tritium concentrations in precipitation and runoff was obtained from rainfall data at Ottawa, Canada, analyses of local wines produced during 1977–1991, and streamflow samples collected in 1990–1991. The model was simulated in yearly steps for 1953–1991, and the WRT was varied to reproduce tritium concentrations measured in each lake in 1991. Water retention times obtained from model simulations ranged from 1 year for Otisco Lake to 12 years for Seneca Lake, and with the exception of Seneca Lake and Skaneateles Lake, were in agreement with earlier estimates obtained from runoff estimates and chloride balances. The sensitivity of the model to parameter changes was tested to determine possible reasons for the differences calculated for WRT's for Seneca Lake and Skaneateles Lake. The shorter WRT obtained from tritium data for Lake Seneca (12 years as compared to 18 years) can be explained by a yearly addition of less than 3% by lake volume of ground water to the lake, the exact percentage depending on tritium concentration in the ground water.

Basic limnology of fifty-one lakes in Costa Rica.

PubMed

Haberyan, Kurt A; Horn, Sally P; Umaña, Gerardo

2003-03-01

We visited 51 lakes in Costa Rica as part of a broad-based survey to document their physical and chemical characteristics and how these relate to the mode of formation and geographical distribution of the lakes. The four oxbow lakes were low in elevation and tended to be turbid, high in conductivity and CO2, but low in dissolved O2; one of these, L. Gandoca, had a hypolimnion essentially composed of sea water. These were similar to the four wetland lakes, but the latter instead had low conductivities and pH, and turbidity was often due to tannins rather than suspended sediments. The thirteen artificial lakes formed a very heterogenous group, whose features varied depending on local factors. The thirteen lakes dammed by landslides, lava flows, or lahars occurred in areas with steep slopes, and were more likely to be stratified than most other types of lakes. The eight lakes that occupy volcanic craters tended to be deep, stratified, clear, and cool; two of these, L. Hule and L. Río Cuarto, appeared to be oligomictic (tending toward meromictic). The nine glacial lakes, all located above 3440 m elevation near Cerro Chirripó, were clear, cold, dilute, and are probably polymictic. Cluster analysis resulted in three significant groups of lakes. Cluster 1 included four calcium-rich lakes (average 48 mg l-1), Cluster 2 included fourteen lakes with more Si than Ca+2 and higher Cl- than the other clusters, and Cluster 3 included the remaining thirty-three lakes that were generally less concentrated. Each cluster included lakes of various origins located in different geographical regions; these data indicate that, apart from the high-altitude glacial lakes and lakes in the Miravalles area, similarity in lake chemistry is independent of lake distribution.

Simulation of the shallow aquifer in the vicinity of Silver Lake, Washington County, Wisconsin, using analytic elements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunning, C.P.; Thomas, Judith Coffman; Lin, Yu-Feng

2003-01-01

A Silver Lake water budget was defined using both published hydrologic data and simulations using the calibrated model. Model simulations show that 1.08 cubic feet per second of ground water enters Silver Lake on the upgradient (primarily western) side and 0.08 cubic feet per second recharges to ground water on the downgradient (primarily eastern) side. Net precipitation (precipitation minus evaporation) on the lake is 0.04 cubic feet per second. Collectively, these water-budget terms provide a residual value of 1.04 cubic feet per second flow to Silver Creek at the north end of Silver Lake, which is a very good match to the range of measured flow (0.7 to 5.2 cubic feet per second). Ground-water recharge areas for Silver Lake are largely on the western side of the lake. The recharge area for the northern two-thirds of Silver Lake is west toward Big Cedar Lake. Assuming a porosity of 20 percent, model results indicate that the 50-year time-of-travel for recharge to Silver Lake does not extend to Big Cedar Lake. The recharge area for the southern one-third of Silver Lake is west toward Little Cedar Lake. Model results indicate that time of travel for recharge to Silver Lake from Little Cedar Lake is about 15 to 20 years. For travel times greater than 15 or 20 years, the ground-water recharge area for Little Cedar Lake and inflow from Big Cedar Lake also should be considered recharge affecting Silver Lake. Solute flux toward Silver Lake was calculated based on simulated ground-water flux and measured concentrations in the upgradient piezometers and observation wells.

Experimental evaluation of size-dependent predation by adult post-spawned rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) on larval lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zydlewski, Joseph D.; Gorsky, Dimitry

2013-01-01

Introduced landlocked Rainbow Smelt Osmerus mordax are hypothesized to be a major factor in the decline of Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis populations in many lakes. We sought to identify the size of Lake Whitefish preyed upon by adult Rainbow Smelt and how the efficiency of Rainbow Smelt predation changes Lake Whitefish ontogeny. In a laboratory setting, we exposed larval Lake Whitefish of increasing sizes to groups of seven Rainbow Smelt (>100 mm) for a 1-h period and observed predation behaviors and efficiencies. In each trial, the group of Rainbow Smelt consumed at least one larval Lake Whitefish, which were up to 45 mm in length (up to 89% of Rainbow Smelt gape width). Predation efficiency, the total number of Lake Whitefish consumed by Rainbow Smelt during trials, was 100% after Lake Whitefish hatching and followed a decreasing sigmoidal response to increasing lengths of Lake Whitefish. The apparent predatory window of Rainbow Smelt on Lake Whitefish is from Lake Whitefish size at hatch (∼12 mm) to approximately 34 mm. Rainbow Smelt generally required multiple attacks to capture a single Lake Whitefish. The capture efficiencies of Rainbow Smelt decreased from 30% as Lake Whitefish length increased and were highly variable within each Lake Whitefish size-group. The overall impact that Rainbow Smelt predation will have on Lake Whitefish populations is dependent on the growth rate of Lake Whitefish, environmental conditions that cause the Lake Whitefish hatching period to coincide with Rainbow Smelt spawning events, and the degree of overlap in habitat use between spawning Rainbow Smelt, nonspawning subadult Rainbow Smelt, and hatching Lake Whitefish.

A comparison of age, size, and fecundity of harvested and reference White Sucker populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Begley, Meg; Coghlan, Stephen M.; Zydlewski, Joseph D.

2017-01-01

White Suckers Catostomus commersonii are an important source of fresh bait for the Maine lobster fishery. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife began issuing commercial harvest permits in 1991, without reporting requirements or limits on the number of permits. There is recent concern that overfishing may be occurring. To infer impact, we investigated demographic differences between White Sucker populations in lakes open to harvest and those in lakes closed to harvest. Each of three harvested lakes was paired to a nearby closed lake as a reference based on general size, morphometry, and information on harvest pressure. In total, 976 spawning White Suckers were collected from the six lakes in 2014 (120–282 individuals/lake). Fish size, estimated age, fecundity, and mortality rates were compared between lakes. We hypothesized that we would find smaller, younger, and less-fecund individuals in harvested lakes compared to reference lakes. Size and age distributions for both sexes differed between nearly all lake pairs (except between males from one pair). White Suckers from reference lakes were larger and older and had greater gonadosomatic indices and fecundity than fish from harvested lakes. Estimated annual mortality rates were at least twofold higher in harvested lakes than in reference lakes. We detected some differences in von Bertalanffy growth parameters between lake pairs, as might occur under selective harvest pressure. The growth coefficient was smaller for reference lakes than for harvested lakes, while asymptotic length was greater for reference lakes than for harvested lakes. The data suggest that current levels of exploitation are resulting in greater age truncation in existing White Sucker populations.

Are all temperate lakes eutrophying in a warmer world?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paltsev, A.; Creed, I. F.

2017-12-01

Freshwater lakes are at risk of eutrophication due to climate change and intensification of human activities on the planet. In relatively undisturbed areas of the temperate forest biome, lakes are "sentinels" of the effects of rising temperatures. We hypothesise that rising temperatures are driving a shift from nutrient-poor oligotrophic states to nutrient-rich eutrophic states. To test this hypothesis, we examined a time series of satellite based chlorophyll-a (a proxy of algal biomass) of 12,000+ lakes over 30 years in the Canadian portion of the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. From the time series, non-stationary trends (detected by Mann-Kendall analysis) and stationary cycles (revealed through Morlet wavelet analysis) were removed, and the standard deviation (SD) of the remaining residuals was used as an indicator of lake stability. Four classes of lake stability were identified: (1) stable (SD is consistently low); (2) destabilizing (SD increases over time); (3) unstable (SD is consistently high); and (4) stabilizing lakes (SD decreases over time). Stable lakes were either oligotrophic or eutrophic indicating the presence of two stable states in the region. Destabilizing lakes were shifting from oligotrophic to lakes with a higher trophic status (indicating eutrophication), unstable lakes were mostly mesotrophic, and stabilizing lakes were shifting from eutrophic to the lakes with lower trophic status (indicating oligotrophication). In contrast to common expectations, while many lakes (2142) were shifting from oligotrophic to eutrophic states, more lakes (3199) were showing the opposite trend and shifting from eutrophic to oligotrophic states. This finding reveals a complexity of lake responses to rising temperatures and the need to improve understanding of why some lakes shift while others do not. Future work is focused on exploring the interactive effects of global, regional, and local drivers of lake trophic states.

Seasonal dynamics of groundwater-lake interactions at Doñana National Park, Spain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sacks, Laura A.; Herman, Janet S.; Konikow, Leonard F.; Vela, Antonio L.

1992-01-01

The hydrologic and solute budgets of a lake can be strongly influenced by transient groundwater flow. Several shallow interdunal lakes in southwest Spain are in close hydraulic connection with the shallow ground water. Two permanent lakes and one intermittent lake have chloride concentrations that differ by almost an order of magnitude. A two-dimensional solute-transport model, modified to simulate transient groundwater-lake interaction, suggests that the rising water table during the wet season leads to local flow reversals toward the lakes. Response of the individual lakes, however, varies depending on the lake's position in the regional flow system. The most dilute lake is a flow-through lake during the entire year; the through flow is driven by regional groundwater flow. The other permanent lake, which has a higher solute concentration, undergoes seasonal groundwater flow reversals at its downgradient end, resulting in complex seepage patterns and higher solute concentrations in the ground water near the lake. The solute concentration of the intermittent lake is influenced more strongly by the seasonal wetting and drying cycle than by the regional flow system. Although evaporation is the major process affecting the concentration of conservative solutes in the lakes, geochemical and biochemical reactions influence the concentration of nonconservative solutes. Probable reactions in the lakes include biological uptake of solutes and calcite precipitation; probable reactions as lake water seeps into the aquifer are sulfate reduction and calcite dissolution. Seepage reversals can result in water composition that appears inconsistent with predictions based on head measurements because, under transient flow conditions, the flow direction at any instant may not satisfactorily depict the source of the water. Understanding the dynamic nature of groundwater-lake interaction aids in the interpretation of hydrologic and chemical relations between the lakes and the ground water.

The study of Lake Urmia desiccation: morphometry impress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradi, Ayoub; Rasouli, Ali Akbar; Roostaei, Shahram

2017-04-01

Located in northwestern Iran, the hypersaline Lake Urmia has started a serious uninterrupted desiccation since 1995. The lake has lost about eight meters of water level and about 75% of water surface area during past 20 years. In particular, the lake water volume decrement has been accelerated in recent years. The importance of the Lake Urmia for human life in northwestern Iran, and its destructive effects on a vast region if totally dry up, demands comprehensive studies of the lake level fluctuations mechanism. According to literature review, the water volume of the lake behaves sometimes differently from the water storage of the whole basin. Our time series analysis using Land Data Assimilation Systems also confirms those differences within last decades. In other hand, many studies addressed the lake desiccation to climatic changes and/or anthropogenic influences such as excessive dam constructions in the watershed during last decades. As water leaves the lake only through evaporation, the fluctuation of evaporation has a distinctive role in the lake level variations. Dramatic decreament in the lake extent indicates of a special morphometry. The lake's morphometry has made it vulnerable to temperature and salinity changes. It strongly controls the lake's water heat capacity and water density. And, it therefore controls the rate of evaporation from water surface. We study the role of lake's morphometry on the lake desiccation. Although, the global climatic change is known as the primary reason for current droughts in the Middle East generally, our preliminary results show that the lake's morphometry is the main cause for the accelerating of water volume lost in Lake Urmia. In particular, after 2007, lake's water temperature and density show significant variations. Water heat capacity and evaporation rate are consistent with information of lake's hypsometry.

Lakes as a Source of Short-Period (0.5-2 s) Microseisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yan; Koper, Keith D.; Burlacu, Relu

2017-10-01

We identify and document microseisms produced by wave action in six lakes: The Great Slave Lake, Lake Ontario, Yellowstone Lake, Dianchi Lake, Fuxian Lake, and Erhai Lake. The lakes span more than 2 orders of magnitude in size (areas of 210-27,000 km2) and sample a range of climatic and tectonic regimes in Canada, the U.S., and China. Lake-generated microseisms create spectral peaks at periods near 1 s and are often polarized as Rayleigh waves propagating away from the lake. In contrast to ocean-generated microseisms, lake-generated microseisms are only observed within about 25-30 km of the shoreline. This is consistent with the well-known high attenuation of short-period Rayleigh waves (Rg). It is unclear if lake-generated microseisms are produced by a linear shoaling process, analogous to primary ocean microseisms, or a nonlinear wave-wave interaction process, analogous to secondary ocean microseisms. If they are mainly produced by shoaling, lake-generated microseisms might provide a spatially integrated measure of shoreline erosion. Regardless of the source mechanism, lake-generated microseisms appear to provide a record of ice phenology for lakes that freeze in the winter. Such data could contribute to assessing the effects of climate change on high-latitude lakes in remote areas. Finally, it is likely that lake-generated microseisms are useful for imaging the geological structure of the shallow crust, information that is important for quantifying seismic hazard and can be difficult to obtain in urban areas where active source imaging is not feasible.

Lakes as a Source of Short-Period (0.5-2 sec) Microseisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koper, K. D.; Xu, Y.; Burlacu, R.

2017-12-01

We identify and document microseisms produced by wave action in six lakes: The Great Slave Lake, Lake Ontario, Yellowstone Lake, Dianchi Lake, Fuxian Lake, and Erhai Lake. The lakes span more than two orders of magnitude in size (areas of 210-27,000 km2) and sample a range of climatic and tectonic regimes in Canada, the U.S., and China. Lake generated microseisms create spectral peaks at periods near 1 s and are often polarized as Rayleigh waves propagating away from the lake. In contrast to ocean generated microseisms, lake generated microseisms are only observed within about 25-30 km of the shoreline. This is consistent with the well-known high attenuation of short-period Rayleigh waves (Rg). It is unclear if lake generated microseisms are produced by a linear shoaling process, analogous to primary ocean microseisms, or a non-linear wave-wave interaction process, analogous to secondary ocean microseisms. If they are mainly produced by shoaling, lake generated microseisms might provide a spatially integrated measure of shoreline erosion. From our preliminary results, lake generated microseisms appear to provide a record of ice phenology for lakes that freeze in the winter. Such data could contribute to assessing the effects of climate change on high-latitude lakes in remote areas. Finally, it is likely that lake generated microseisms are useful for imaging the geological structure of the shallow crust—information that is important for quantifying seismic hazard and can be difficult to obtain in urban areas where active source imaging is not feasible.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ticks from Kosovo and Albania.

PubMed

Sherifi, Kurtesh; Rexhepi, Agim; Berxholi, Kristaq; Mehmedi, Blerta; Gecaj, Rreze M; Hoxha, Zamira; Joachim, Anja; Duscher, Georg G

2018-01-01

Tick-borne diseases pose a serious threat to human health in South-Eastern Europe, including Kosovo. While Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a well-known emerging infection in this area, there are no accurate data on Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Therefore, we sampled and tested 795 ticks. Ixodes ricinus ( n  = 218), Dermacentor marginatus ( n  = 98), and Haemaphysalis spp. ( n  = 24) were collected from the environment by flagging (all from Kosovo), while Hyalomma marginatum ( n  = 199 from Kosovo, all from Kosovo) and Rhipicephalus bursa ( n  = 130, 126 from Albania) could be collected only by removal from animal pasture and domestic ruminants. Ticks were collected in the years 2014/2015 and tested for viral RNA of CCHF and TBE viruses, as well as for DNA of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato by real-time PCR. In Kosovo, nine ticks were positive for RNA of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and seven for DNA of B. burgdorferi s. l. None of the ticks tested positive for TBEV. CCHF virus was detected in one H. marginatum male specimen collected while feeding on grazing cattle from the Prizren region and in eight R. bursa specimens (five females and three males collected while feeding on grazing sheep and cattle) from the Prishtina region (Kosovo). B. burgdorferi s. l. was detected in seven questing ticks (four male and one female D. marginatus , two I. ricinus one female and one male) from the Mitrovica region (Kosovo). Our study confirmed that CCHF virus is circulating in Kosovo mainly in H. marginatum and R. bursa in the central areas of the country. B. burgdorferi s. l. was found in its major European host tick, I. ricinus , but also in D. marginatus , in the north of the Kosovo. In order to prevent the spread of these diseases and better control of the tick-borne infections, an improved vector surveillance and testing of ticks for the presence of pathogens needs to be established.

Crimean–Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ticks from Kosovo and Albania

PubMed Central

Sherifi, Kurtesh; Rexhepi, Agim; Berxholi, Kristaq; Mehmedi, Blerta; Gecaj, Rreze M.; Hoxha, Zamira; Joachim, Anja; Duscher, Georg G.

2018-01-01

Tick-borne diseases pose a serious threat to human health in South-Eastern Europe, including Kosovo. While Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a well-known emerging infection in this area, there are no accurate data on Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Therefore, we sampled and tested 795 ticks. Ixodes ricinus (n = 218), Dermacentor marginatus (n = 98), and Haemaphysalis spp. (n = 24) were collected from the environment by flagging (all from Kosovo), while Hyalomma marginatum (n = 199 from Kosovo, all from Kosovo) and Rhipicephalus bursa (n = 130, 126 from Albania) could be collected only by removal from animal pasture and domestic ruminants. Ticks were collected in the years 2014/2015 and tested for viral RNA of CCHF and TBE viruses, as well as for DNA of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato by real-time PCR. In Kosovo, nine ticks were positive for RNA of Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and seven for DNA of B. burgdorferi s. l. None of the ticks tested positive for TBEV. CCHF virus was detected in one H. marginatum male specimen collected while feeding on grazing cattle from the Prizren region and in eight R. bursa specimens (five females and three males collected while feeding on grazing sheep and cattle) from the Prishtina region (Kosovo). B. burgdorferi s. l. was detected in seven questing ticks (four male and one female D. marginatus, two I. ricinus one female and one male) from the Mitrovica region (Kosovo). Our study confirmed that CCHF virus is circulating in Kosovo mainly in H. marginatum and R. bursa in the central areas of the country. B. burgdorferi s. l. was found in its major European host tick, I. ricinus, but also in D. marginatus, in the north of the Kosovo. In order to prevent the spread of these diseases and better control of the tick-borne infections, an improved vector surveillance and testing of ticks for the presence of pathogens needs to be established. PMID:29560357

Graves' disease in Albanian children.

PubMed

Gjikopulli, A; Tomori, Sonila; Kollçaku, L; Hoxha, P; Grimci, Lindita; Ylli, Zamira

2014-01-01

Graves' disease (GD) accounts for 10-15% of thyroid disorders in patients less than 18 years of age. It is the most common cause of thyrotoxicosis in children and accounts for at least 95% of cases in children. Pediatric Treatment of Graves' disease consists of anti-thyroid drugs, radioactive iodide and thyroidectomy but the optimal treatment of GD in children is still controversial. To review treatment outcome of pediatric Graves' disease in Albania. Descriptive review of 15 children with Graves' disease, diagnosed from Jan.2007 to Dec. 2013, at the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Centre "Mother Teresa", Albania was performed. All patients, mean age 10.56 ± 3.37 years, (range 2.02-16.09 years) were presented with goiter and increased serum FT4, mean 39.80 ± 16.02 ng/mL, (range 21.0-74.70 ng/mL), serum FT3, mean 12.98 ± 3.45 pg/mL, (range 6.90 -17.90 pg/mL) and suppressed TSH levels, mean 0.02 ± 0.01 mUI/L, (range 0.01-0.05 mUI/L). Anti TSH Receptor were positive in 100% of patients mean value 6.51 ± 3.61 UI/mL (range 1.63 - 14.10 UI/mL). Anti-thyroglobulin and Anti-TPO antibodies were positive in 60% and 46.6% respectively. Clinical course of 15 patients after treatment with anti-thyroid drugs mainly MMI for 3.19 ± 1.48 (range 0.60 - 6.20) years is as follows: seven (46.66%) underwent remission, five out of seven (71.41%) who underwent remission, relapsed. Three of them (20%) were treated with I(131), and two (13.3%) underwent to total thyroidectomy. MMI was the most common first line therapy in the presented patients with Graves' disease. Remission rate was 46.66% after an average 1.48 ± 0.71 years (range 0.60 - 2.70 years) of treatment with anti-thyroid drugs. Remission period was 2.70 ± 0.36 years (2.1 - 3.1 years) Relapse occurred in 71.41% of patient. I(131) and thyroidectomy were used as second line therapy in the present study.

Application of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) in Albanian hospitals: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Gabrani, Adriatik; Hoxha, Adrian; Simaku, Artan; Gabrani, Jonila Cyco

2015-04-15

To establish the reliability and validity of the translated version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) by evaluating its psychometric properties and to determine possible differences among nurses and physicians regarding safety attitudes. A cross-sectional study utilising the Albanian version of the SAQ and a demographic questionnaire. Four regional hospitals in Albania. 341 healthcare providers, including 132 nurses and 209 doctors. The translation, construct validity and internal validity of the SAQ. The SAQ includes six scales and 30 items. A total of 341 valid questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 70%. The confirmatory factor analysis and its goodness-of-fit indices (standardised root mean square residual 0.075, root mean square error of approximation 0.044 and comparative fit index 0.97) showed good model fit. The Cronbach's α values for each of the scales of the SAQ ranged from 0.64 to 0.82. The percentage of hospital healthcare workers who had a positive attitude was 60.3% for the teamwork climate, 57.2% for the safety climate, 58.4% for job satisfaction, 37.4% for stress recognition, 59.3% for the perception of management and 49.5% for working conditions. Intercorrelations showed that the subscales had moderate-to-high correlations with one another. Nurses were more hesitant to admit and report errors; only 55% of physicians and 44% of nurses endorsed this statement (χ(2)=4.9, p=0.02). Moreover, nurses received lower scores on team work compared with doctors (N 45.7 vs D 52.3, p=0.01). Doctors denied the effects of stress and fatigue on their performance (N 46.7 vs D 39.5, p<0.01), neglecting the workload. The SAQ is a useful tool for evaluating safety attitudes in Albanian hospitals. In light of the health workforce's poor recognition of stress, establishing patient safety programmes should be a priority among policymakers in Albania. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Principal intestinal parasites of dogs in Tirana, Albania.

PubMed

Xhaxhiu, Dashamir; Kusi, Ilir; Rapti, Dhimitër; Kondi, Elisabeta; Postoli, Rezart; Rinaldi, Laura; Dimitrova, Zlatka M; Visser, Martin; Knaus, Martin; Rehbein, Steffen

2011-02-01

From 2004 to 2009, the digestive tracts of 111 dogs from suburban areas around Tirana, Albania, were examined for intestinal helminths. In addition, rectal faecal samples of all dogs were examined for protozoan infections and 48 faecal samples from dogs >6 months of age were processed with the Baermann technique to test for the excretion of lungworm larvae. The heart and pulmonary arteries of 30 dogs >6 months of age also were examined for nematode parasites. The intestinal parasite fauna of the dogs included three protozoan species (Cystoisospora canis, Cystoisospora ohioensis/burrowsi, Sarcocystis spp.), three cestode species (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia hydatigena, Echinococcus granulosus), five nematode species (Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala, Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Trichuris vulpis) and one acanthocephalan (Centrorhynchus buteonis). Rates of infection were: 15.3% for C. canis, 31.5% for C. ohioensis/burrowsi, 1.8% for Sarcocystis spp., 65.8% for D. caninum, 16.2% for T. hydatigena, 2.7% for E. granulosus (genotype G1), 13.5% for A. caninum, 64.9% for U. stenocephala, 75.7% for T. canis, 0.9% for T. leonina, 21.6% for T. vulpis and 0.9% for C. buteonis. Up to six species of gastrointestinal parasites were found per dog. The 63 ≤ 6-month-old dogs harboured significantly (p<0.001) fewer gastrointestinal parasite species concurrently (mean 2.65 ± 1.25 species per animal) than the 48 older animals (mean 3.77 ± 1.45 species per animal). Dogs >6 months of age harboured significantly (p<0.05) more D. caninum, T. hydatigena, A. caninum, U. stenocephala and T. vulpis compared to younger dogs. Conversely, the younger dogs harboured significantly (p<0.001) more T. canis than the older ones. There was no difference in the male and female dogs' counts of individual intestinal helminth species apart from T. hydatigena in dogs >6 months of age: Male dogs harboured significantly (p<0.05) more tapeworms than female dogs. Based on faecal examination, there was no indication for lungworm infection; however, two adult heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) were found in the right ventricle of one dog.

Ectoparasites of dogs and cats in Albania.

PubMed

Xhaxhiu, Dashamir; Kusi, Ilir; Rapti, Dhimiter; Visser, Martin; Knaus, Martin; Lindner, Thomas; Rehbein, Steffen

2009-11-01

One hundred eighty-one dogs and 26 short-hair cats from suburban areas around Tirana, Albania were examined for ectoparasite infestation. The dogs were examined on several occasions from 2005 through 2009 representing three seasons: winter (December-February), spring (March-May), and summer (June-August); the cats were examined in late autumn (November). In addition, deep ear swab specimens of 30 dogs were examined for ear mites. The arthropod ectoparasite fauna of the dogs included two tick species (Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ixodes ricinus), three mite species (Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis, Otodectes cynotis, and Demodex canis), three flea species (Ctenocephalides canis, Ctenocephalides felis, and Pulex irritans), and one louse species (Trichodectes canis). In the dogs, rates of infestation were 23.8% for R. sanguineus, 0.6% for I. ricinus, 4.4% for S. scabiei var. canis, 6.7% for O. cynotis, 0.6% for D. canis, 75.7% for C. canis, 5.0% for C. felis, 8.3% for P. irritans, and 6.6% for T. canis. Mixed infestation with two or three species of ectoparasites was recorded on 38.1% of the dogs. Fleas infested 75.7% dogs (geometric mean, 3.96; range, 1-80) and were observed in winter, spring, and summer with increasing prevalences of 64.3%, 75.9%, and 100%. Ticks parasitized 24.3% of the dogs (geometric mean, 0.41; range, 1-331). R. sanguineus ticks were recorded on 34.2% and 50% of the dogs examined in spring and summer, respectively, but were absent on the dogs during winter except for a single I. ricinus specimen observed. Prevalence of infestation with R. sanguineus, S. scabiei var. canis, C. felis, P. irritans, and T. canis did not differ between dogs < or = 6 months and dogs > 6 months of age; however, prevalence of infestation with C. canis was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in dogs > 6 months old. There was no difference between the sexes for the prevalences of infestation with those parasites. The examination of the cats revealed infestation with only one species of ectoparasite, C. felis (prevalence, 100%; geometric mean, 2.5; range, 1-9).

Of the importance of a leaf: the ethnobotany of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans.

PubMed

Dogan, Yunus; Nedelcheva, Anely; Łuczaj, Łukasz; Drăgulescu, Constantin; Stefkov, Gjoshe; Maglajlić, Aida; Ferrier, Jonathan; Papp, Nora; Hajdari, Avni; Mustafa, Behxhet; Dajić-Stevanović, Zora; Pieroni, Andrea

2015-04-03

Sarma - cooked leaves rolled around a filling made from rice and/or minced meat, possibly vegetables and seasoning plants - represents one of the most widespread feasting dishes of the Middle Eastern and South-Eastern European cuisines. Although cabbage and grape vine sarma is well-known worldwide, the use of alternative plant leaves remains largely unexplored. The aim of this research was to document all of the botanical taxa whose leaves are used for preparing sarma in the folk cuisines of Turkey and the Balkans. Field studies were conducted during broader ethnobotanical surveys, as well as during ad-hoc investigations between the years 2011 and 2014 that included diverse rural communities in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Primary ethnobotanical and folkloric literatures in each country were also considered. Eighty-seven botanical taxa, mainly wild, belonging to 50 genera and 27 families, were found to represent the bio-cultural heritage of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans. The greatest plant biodiversity in sarma was found in Turkey and, to less extent, in Bulgaria and Romania. The most commonly used leaves for preparing sarma were those of cabbage (both fresh and lacto-fermented), grape vine, beet, dock, sorrel, horseradish, lime tree, bean, and spinach. In a few cases, the leaves of endemic species (Centaurea haradjianii, Rumex gracilescens, and R. olympicus in Turkey) were recorded. Other uncommon sarma preparations were based on lightly toxic taxa, such as potato leaves in NE Albania, leaves of Arum, Convolvulus, and Smilax species in Turkey, of Phytolacca americana in Macedonia, and of Tussilago farfara in diverse countries. Moreover, the use of leaves of the introduced species Reynoutria japonica in Romania, Colocasia esculenta in Turkey, and Phytolacca americana in Macedonia shows the dynamic nature of folk cuisines. The rich ethnobotanical diversity of sarma confirms the urgent need to record folk culinary plant knowledge. The results presented here can be implemented into initiatives aimed at re-evaluating folk cuisines and niche food markets based on local neglected ingredients, and possibly also to foster trajectories of the avant-garde cuisines inspired by ethnobotanical knowledge.

7 CFR 354.2 - Administrative instructions prescribing commuted traveltime.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... (including Port Allen) 2 Buras New Orleans 4 Burnside Baton Rouge 3 Cameron Lake Charles 3 Carlyss Lake Charles 2 Clifton Ridge Lake Charles 2 Convent Baton Rouge 3 Donaldsonville Baton Rouge 3 England Air Park... Baton Rouge 2 Hackberry Lake Charles 2 Lake Charles Baton Rouge 5 Lake Charles Port Arthur, TX 3 Lake...

75 FR 34934 - Safety Zone; Fireworks for the Virginia Lake Festival, Buggs Island Lake, Clarksville, VA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-21

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Fireworks for the Virginia Lake Festival, Buggs Island Lake, Clarksville, VA AGENCY... Fireworks for the Virginia Lake Festival event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic movement... Virginia Lake Festival, Buggs Island Lake, Clarksville, VA (a) Regulated Area. The following area is a...

78 FR 53677 - Safety Zone; Battle of Lake Erie Fireworks, Lake Erie, Put-In-Bay, OH

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Battle of Lake Erie Fireworks, Lake Erie, Put-In- Bay, OH AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... waters of Lake Erie, Put-In-Bay, Ohio. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Erie during the Battle of Lake Erie Fireworks. [[Page 53678

77 FR 39638 - Safety Zone; Barbara Harder Wedding Fireworks, Lake Erie, Lake View, NY

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Barbara Harder Wedding Fireworks, Lake Erie, Lake View, NY AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Lake Erie, Lake View, NY. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Erie...

Modern process study on Chen Co and Ranwu Lake of Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, J.

2013-12-01

Lakes are important junctions of geospheres. There are many lakes distributed on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Lake sediment is one of the important media for retrieving the past environmental changes. Because of the uniqueness of environment of the TP, sediment, water and ecological system in lakes has local characteristic inevitably. Modern process research on different lakes will benefit interpreting the proxies more accurately. The development of observation station makes the observation and sampling more convenient. Modern process of lakes can be fulfilled in two ways, spatial or seasonal variation study, with a same aim finding out the dominant factors controlling the variations. Chen Co is a closed lake locating at inland area of southern Tibet. Ranwu Lake is an open lake locating at outflow area of SE Tibet. In this study, I studied the spatial and (or) seasonal variation of lake water and sediment in the two distinct types of lakes to make clear the mechanism of modern process. Particular attention was given to the pattern and degree of influence of rivers supplied by glaciers on lakes. Preliminary conclusions are outlined as follow: (1) In the lakes with glacier melt supplying rivers, the patterns of supply of the rivers to the lake are different. In close lake Chen Co, the influence of glacier melt is mainly reflected in the south lake area. In the open lake Ranwu Lake, the influence is comprehensive and direct. This difference influencing patterns how the lake sediments reflected the glacier melt under the past environmental changes. (2) The supply of Kaluxiong Qu River, supplied mainly by glacier melt, to Chen co has North-South difference: more directly to south lake area, reflecting by lower value of conductivity and pH, finer grain size and west to east transporting trend, greater deposition rate, more allogenic fine sediments, not obvious biological and endogenic deposition there. This enlightens the site selection for lake cores and interpretation of proxies in lake sediments. (3) The nutritional status of lake water was controlled by temperature, salinity by lake level. Carbonate deposition was influenced by biological factor clearly, but also influenced by under-water terrain and depth. (4) Paleo-lacustrine sediments have certain impact to modern sediment, reflecting the finer grain size and more chemical constituents of clay minerals in the ricver mouth of the southern river. (5) For Ranwu Lake, next to the oceanic glaciers, glacier melt influenced the lake more directly, which can be illustrated by the Quchi River dominating a lot of aspects of Ranwu Lake, including the water level, seasonal and spatial water temperate, conductivity, pH value, and even the chlorophyll content. Depositional flux analysis detected by sediment traps found that the fluxes decreasing from upper lake to the lower lake and greater flux in summer than other seasons, reflecting the dominant influence of Quchi River on the lake. (6) Analysis for the dust flux detected by a dust collector found that the greatest flux happened in winter and spring, with the flux 3~4 more than other seasons.

Water-Balance Model to Simulate Historical Lake Levels for Lake Merced, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maley, M. P.; Onsoy, S.; Debroux, J.; Eagon, B.

2009-12-01

Lake Merced is a freshwater lake located in southwestern San Francisco, California. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, an extended, severe drought impacted the area that resulted in significant declines in Lake Merced lake levels that raised concerns about the long-term health of the lake. In response to these concerns, the Lake Merced Water Level Restoration Project was developed to evaluate an engineered solution to increase and maintain Lake Merced lake levels. The Lake Merced Lake-Level Model was developed to support the conceptual engineering design to restore lake levels. It is a spreadsheet-based water-balance model that performs monthly water-balance calculations based on the hydrological conceptual model. The model independently calculates each water-balance component based on available climate and hydrological data. The model objective was to develop a practical, rule-based approach for the water balance and to calibrate the model results to measured lake levels. The advantage of a rule-based approach is that once the rules are defined, they enhance the ability to then adapt the model for use in future-case simulations. The model was calibrated to historical lake levels over a 70-year period from 1939 to 2009. Calibrating the model over this long historical range tested the model over a variety of hydrological conditions including wet, normal and dry precipitation years, flood events, and periods of high and low lake levels. The historical lake level range was over 16 feet. The model calibration of historical to simulated lake levels had a residual mean of 0.02 feet and an absolute residual mean of 0.42 feet. More importantly, the model demonstrated the ability to simulate both long-term and short-term trends with a strong correlation of the magnitude for both annual and seasonal fluctuations in lake levels. The calibration results demonstrate an improved conceptual understanding of the key hydrological factors that control lake levels, reduce uncertainty in the hydrological conceptual model, and increase confidence in the model’s ability to forecast future lake conditions. The Lake Merced Lake-Level Model will help decision-makers with a straightforward, practical analysis of the major contributions to lake-level declines that can be used to support engineering, environmental and other decisions.

Lake-level history of Lake Michigan for the past 12,000 years: the record from deep lacustrine sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, Steven M.; Forester, Richard M.; Reynolds, Richard L.; Sweetkind, Donald S.; King, John W.; Gangemi, Paul; Jones, Glenn A.; Keigwin, Loyd D.; Foster, David S.

1994-01-01

Collection and analysis of an extensive set of seismic-reflection profiles and cores from southern Lake Michigan have provided new data that document the history of the lake basin for the past 12,000 years. Analyses of the seismic data, together with radiocarbon dating, magnetic, sedimentologic, isotopic, and paleontologic studies of core samples, have allowed us to reconstruct lake-level changes during this recent part of the lake's history.The post-glacial history of lake-level changes in the Lake Michigan basin begins about 11.2 ka with the fall from the high Calumet level, caused by the retreat of the Two Rivers glacier, which had blocked the northern outlet of the lake. This lake-level fall was temporarily reversed by a major influx of water from glacial Lake Agassiz (about 10.6 ka), during which deposition of the distinctive gray Wilmette Bed of the Lake Michigan Formation interrupted deposition of red glaciolacustrine sediment. Lake level then continued to fall, culminating in the opening of the North Bay outlet at about 10.3 ka. During the resulting Chippewa low phase, lake level was about 80 m lower than it is today in the southern basin of Lake Michigan.The rise of the early Holocene lake level, controlled primarily by isostatic rebound of the North Bay outlet, resulted in a prominent, planar, transgressive unconformity that eroded most of the shoreline features below present lake level. Superimposed on this overall rise in lake level, a second influx of water from Lake Agassiz temporarily raised lake levels an unknown amount about 9.1 ka. At about 7 ka, lake level may have fallen below the level of the outlet because of sharply drier climate. Sometime between 6 and 5 ka, the character of the lake changed dramatically, probably due mostly to climatic causes, becoming highly undersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate and returning primary control of lake level to the isostatically rising North Bay outlet. Post-Nipissing (about 5 ka) lake level has fallen about 6 m due to erosion of the Port Huron outlet, a trend around which occurred relatively small (± ∼2 m), short-term fluctuations controlled mainly by climatic changes. These cyclic fluctuations are reflected in the sed-imentological and sediment-magnetic properties of the sediments.

Sedimentary constraints on late Quaternary lake-level fluctuations at Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smoot, J.P.; Rosenbaum, J.G.

2009-01-01

A variety of sedimentological evidence was used to construct the lake-level history for Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho, for the past ???25,000 years. Shorelines provide evidence of precise lake levels, but they are infrequently preserved and are poorly dated. For cored sediment similar to that in the modern lake, grain-size distributions provide estimates of past lake depths. Sedimentary textures provide a highly sensitive, continuous record of lake-level changes, but the modern distribution of fabrics is poorly constrained, and many ancient features have no modern analog. Combining the three types of data yields a more robust lake-level history than can be obtained from any one type alone. When smooth age-depth models are used, lake-level curves from multiple cores contain inconsistent intervals (i.e., one record indicates a rising lake level while another record indicates a falling lake level). These discrepancies were removed and the multiple records were combined into a single lake-level curve by developing age-depth relations that contain changes in deposition rate (i.e., gaps) where indicated by sedimentological evidence. The resultant curve shows that, prior to 18 ka, lake level was stable near the modern level, probably because the lake was overflowing. Between ca. 17.5 and 15.5 ka, lake level was ???40 m below the modern level, then fluctuated rapidly throughout the post-glacial interval. Following a brief rise centered ca. 15 ka ( = Raspberry Square phase), lake level lowered again to 15-20 m below modern from ca. 14.8-11.8 ka. This regression culminated in a lowstand to 40 m below modern ca. 12.5 ka, before a rapid rise to levels above modern ca. 11.5 ka. Lake level was typically lower than present throughout the Holocene, with pronounced lowstands 15-20 m below the modern level ca. 10-9, 7.0, 6.5-4.5, 3.5, 3.0-2.5, 2.0, and 1.5 ka. High lake levels near or above the modern lake occurred ca. 8.5-8.0, 7.0-6.5, 4.5-3.5, 2.5, and 0.7 ka. This lake-level history is more similar to records from Pyramid Lake, Nevada, and Owens Lake, California, than to those from Lake Bonneville, Utah. Copyright ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Evidence of Lake Trout reproduction at Lake Michigan's mid-lake reef complex

USGS Publications Warehouse

Janssen, J.; Jude, D.J.; Edsall, T.A.; Paddock, R.W.; Wattrus, N.; Toneys, M.; McKee, P.

2006-01-01

The Mid-Lake Reef Complex (MLRC), a large area of deep (> 40 m) reefs, was a major site where indigenous lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Lake Michigan aggregated during spawning. As part of an effort to restore Lake Michigan's lake trout, which were extirpated in the 1950s, yearling lake trout have been released over the MLRC since the mid-1980s and fall gill net censuses began to show large numbers of lake trout in spawning condition beginning about 1999. We report the first evidence of viable egg deposition and successful lake trout fry production at these deep reefs. Because the area's existing bathymetry and habitat were too poorly known for a priori selection of sampling sites, we used hydroacoustics to locate concentrations of large fish in the fall; fish were congregating around slopes and ridges. Subsequent observations via unmanned submersible confirmed the large fish to be lake trout. Our technological objectives were driven by biological objectives of locating where lake trout spawn, where lake trout fry were produced, and what fishes ate lake trout eggs and fry. The unmanned submersibles were equipped with a suction sampler and electroshocker to sample eggs deposited on the reef, draw out and occasionally catch emergent fry, and collect egg predators (slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus). We observed slimy sculpin to eat unusually high numbers of lake trout eggs. Our qualitative approaches are a first step toward quantitative assessments of the importance of lake trout spawning on the MLRC.

A Dynamical Downscaling study over the Great Lakes Region Using WRF-Lake: Historical Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, C.; Lofgren, B. M.

2014-12-01

As the largest group of fresh water bodies on Earth, the Laurentian Great Lakes have significant influence on local and regional weather and climate through their unique physical features compared with the surrounding land. Due to the limited spatial resolution and computational efficiency of general circulation models (GCMs), the Great Lakes are geometrically ignored or idealized into several grid cells in GCMs. Thus, the nested regional climate modeling (RCM) technique, known as dynamical downscaling, serves as a feasible solution to fill the gap. The latest Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) is employed to dynamically downscale the historical simulation produced by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory-Coupled Model (GFDL-CM3) from 1970-2005. An updated lake scheme originated from the Community Land Model is implemented in the latest WRF version 3.6. It is a one-dimensional mass and energy balance scheme with 20-25 model layers, including up to 5 snow layers on the lake ice, 10 water layers, and 10 soil layers on the lake bottom. The lake scheme is used with actual lake points and lake depth. The preliminary results show that WRF-Lake model, with a fine horizontal resolution and realistic lake representation, provides significantly improved hydroclimates, in terms of lake surface temperature, annual cycle of precipitation, ice content, and lake-effect snowfall. Those improvements suggest that better resolution of the lakes and the mesoscale process of lake-atmosphere interaction are crucial to understanding the climate and climate change in the Great Lakes region.

Estimating the volume of Alpine glacial lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, S. J.; Quincey, D. J.

2015-12-01

Supraglacial, moraine-dammed and ice-dammed lakes represent a potential glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) threat to downstream communities in many mountain regions. This has motivated the development of empirical relationships to predict lake volume given a measurement of lake surface area obtained from satellite imagery. Such relationships are based on the notion that lake depth, area and volume scale predictably. We critically evaluate the performance of these existing empirical relationships by examining a global database of glacial lake depths, areas and volumes. Results show that lake area and depth are not always well correlated (r2 = 0.38) and that although lake volume and area are well correlated (r2 = 0.91), and indeed are auto-correlated, there are distinct outliers in the data set. These outliers represent situations where it may not be appropriate to apply existing empirical relationships to predict lake volume and include growing supraglacial lakes, glaciers that recede into basins with complex overdeepened morphologies or that have been deepened by intense erosion and lakes formed where glaciers advance across and block a main trunk valley. We use the compiled data set to develop a conceptual model of how the volumes of supraglacial ponds and lakes, moraine-dammed lakes and ice-dammed lakes should be expected to evolve with increasing area. Although a large amount of bathymetric data exist for moraine-dammed and ice-dammed lakes, we suggest that further measurements of growing supraglacial ponds and lakes are needed to better understand their development.

Estimating the volume of Alpine glacial lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, S. J.; Quincey, D. J.

2015-09-01

Supraglacial, moraine-dammed and ice-dammed lakes represent a potential glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) threat to downstream communities in many mountain regions. This has motivated the development of empirical relationships to predict lake volume given a measurement of lake surface area obtained from satellite imagery. Such relationships are based on the notion that lake depth, area and volume scale predictably. We critically evaluate the performance of these existing empirical relationships by examining a global database of measured glacial lake depths, areas and volumes. Results show that lake area and depth are not always well correlated (r2 = 0.38), and that although lake volume and area are well correlated (r2 = 0.91), there are distinct outliers in the dataset. These outliers represent situations where it may not be appropriate to apply existing empirical relationships to predict lake volume, and include growing supraglacial lakes, glaciers that recede into basins with complex overdeepened morphologies or that have been deepened by intense erosion, and lakes formed where glaciers advance across and block a main trunk valley. We use the compiled dataset to develop a conceptual model of how the volumes of supraglacial ponds and lakes, moraine-dammed lakes and ice-dammed lakes should be expected to evolve with increasing area. Although a large amount of bathymetric data exist for moraine-dammed and ice-dammed lakes, we suggest that further measurements of growing supraglacial ponds and lakes are needed to better understand their development.

Reconnaissance data on lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dethier, David P.; Heller, Paul L.; Safioles, Sally A.

1979-01-01

Sixty lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area have been sampled from rubber rafts or helicopter to obtain information on their physical setting and on present water-quality conditions. The lakes are located near the crest of the Cascade Range in Chelan and King Counties, Washington. Basic data from these lakes will be useful for planners concerned with lake and wilderness management, and of interest to hikers and other recreationists who use the lakes.

Dreissenid mussels are not a "dead end" in Great Lakes food webs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenijan, Charles P.; Pothoven, Steven A.; Schneeberger, Philip J.; Ebener, Mark P.; Mohr, Lloyd C.; Nalepa, Thomas F.; Bence, James R.

2010-01-01

Dreissenid mussels have been regarded as a “dead end” in Great Lakes food webs because the degree of predation on dreissenid mussels, on a lakewide basis, is believed to be low. Waterfowl predation on dreissenid mussels in the Great Lakes has primarily been confined to bays, and therefore its effects on the dreissenid mussel population have been localized rather than operating on a lakewide level. Based on results from a previous study, annual consumption of dreissenid mussels by the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) population in central Lake Erie averaged only 6 kilotonnes (kt; 1 kt = one thousand metric tons) during 1995–2002. In contrast, our coupling of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) population models with a lake whitefish bioenergetics model revealed that lake whitefish populations in Lakes Michigan and Huron consumed 109 and 820 kt, respectively, of dreissenid mussels each year. Our results indicated that lake whitefish can be an important predator on dreissenid mussels in the Great Lakes, and that dreissenid mussels do not represent a “dead end” in Great Lakes food webs. The Lake Michigan dreissenid mussel population has been estimated to be growing more than three times faster than the Lake Huron dreissenid mussel population during the 2000s. One plausible explanation for the higher population growth rate in Lake Michigan would be the substantially higher predation rate by lake whitefish on dreissenid mussels in Lake Huron.

Glacial lakes in South Tyrol: distribution, evolution and potential for GLOFs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schug, Marie-Claire; Mergili, Martin

2017-04-01

All over the world glaciers are currently retreating, leading to the formation or growth of glacial lakes. Some of these lakes are susceptible to sudden drainage. In order to assess the danger of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in South Tyrol in the Italian Alps, we present (i) an inventory of lakes, (ii) an analysis of the development of selected glacial lakes since 1945, and (iii) the susceptibility to and the possible impact areas of GLOFs. The inventory includes 1010 lakes that are larger than 250 m2 at an elevation above 2000 m asl, most of them of glacial origin. These lakes are mapped manually from orthophotos. Apart from collecting information on the spatial distribution of these lakes, the inventory lists dam material, glacier contact, and further parameters. 89% of the lakes in the investigation area are impounded by bedrock, whereas 93% of the lakes are detached from the associated glacier. The majority of lakes is small to medium sized (<5000 m2). Between 1999 and 2011 60% of all lakes remained stable in size. Only 16% of the lakes grew in this period of time. This is particularly true for lakes in proximity to a glacier. Ten selected lakes are analyzed in detail in the field and from multi-temporal orthophotos, including the development of lake size and surroundings in the period since 1945. The majority of the selected lakes, however, was first recorded on orthophotos from the early 1980s. Eight of ten lakes grew significantly in that period. But when the lakes detached from the glacier until the early 2000s, the growth slowed down or ceased. Based on the current development of the selected lakes we conclude that the close surroundings of these lakes have stabilised and the lakes' susceptibility to an outburst has thus decreased. We further conduct broad-scale analyses of the susceptibility of the mapped lakes to GLOFs, and of the potential reach of possible GLOFs. The tool r.glachaz is used to determine the potentially dangerous lakes. Even though some few lakes require closer attention, the overall susceptibility to GLOFs in South Tyrol is relatively low, as most lakes are impounded by bedrock. In some cases, GLOFs caused by impact waves from mass movements cannot be completely ruled out. The possible reach of potential GLOFs is estimated with the assistance of the tool r.randomwalk. GLOFs could turn into debris flows or significant flood waves which could locally interfere with people or structures. Flood waves could possibly travel for long distances to the major valleys - albeit they would likely only incur rising water levels in already existing streambeds down there.

Movement patterns of Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus during breeding and post-breeding periods at Qinghai Lake, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cui, Peng; Hou, Yuansheng; Tang, Mingjie; Zhang, Haiting; Zuohua, Yuanchun; Yin, Zuohua; Li, Tianxian; Guo, Shan; Xing, Zhi; He, Yubang; Prosser, Diann J.; Newman, Scott H.; Takekawa, John Y.; Yan, Baoping; Lei, Fumin

2011-01-01

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak at Qinghai Lake, China, in 2005 caused the death of over 6,000 migratory birds, half of which were Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus. Understanding the movements of this species may inform monitoring of outbreak risks for HPAI viruses; thus, we investigated the movement patterns of 29 Bar-headed Geese at Qinghai Lake, China during 2007 and 2008 by using high resolution GPS satellite telemetry. We described the movements and distribution of marked Bar-headed Geese during the pre-nesting, nesting, and moulting periods. Of 21 Bar-headed Geese with complete transmission records, 3 moved to other areas during the nesting period: 2 to Jianghe wetland (50 km northwest of Qinghai Lake) and 1 to Cuolongka Lake (220 km northwest of Qinghai Lake) during the nesting period. We identified nesting attempts of 7 of the marked geese at Qinghai Lake. Four completed successful nesting attempts according to our rules of judgment for the breeding status, and 2 geese lost broods soon after hatching (hereafter referred to as unsuccessful breeders). Of 18 geese present at Qinghai Lake during the nesting period, 9 (6 non-breeders, 2 successful breeders and 1 unsuccessful breeder) remained at Qinghai Lake during the moulting period; and 9 (5 non-breeders, 4 unsuccessful breeders) left Qinghai Lake for moulting. Kuhai Lake, Donggeicuona Lake, Alake Lake, Zhaling-Eling Lake area and Huangheyuan wetland area were used as moulting sites. Geese that moulted at Qinghai Lake, Cuolongka Lake, Kuhai Lake, Donggeicuona Lake and Alake Lake also moved to Zhaling-Eling Lake area or Huangheyuan wetland area and stayed there for several days prior to autumn migration. Mean home range and core area estimates did not differ significantly by sex, year and between breeders and non-breeders.

Plasma steroid concentrations and male phallus size in juvenile alligators from seven Florida lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guillette, L.J.; Woodward, A.R.; Crain, D.A.; Pickford, D.B.; Rooney, A.A.; Percival, H.F.

1999-01-01

Neonatal and juvenile alligators from contaminated Lake Apopka in central Florida exhibit abnormal plasma sex steroid concentrations as well as morphological abnormalities of the gonad and phallus. This study addresses whether similar abnormalities occur in juvenile alligators inhabiting six other lakes in Florida. For analysis, animals were partitioned into two subsets, animals 40-79 cm total length (1-3 years old) and juveniles 80-130 cm total length (3-7 years old). Plasma testosterone (T) concentrations were lower in small males from lakes Apopka, Griffin, and Jessup than from Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Similar differences were observed in the larger juveniles, with males from lakes Jessup, Apopka, and Okeechobee having lower plasma T concentrations than Lake Woodruff males. Plasma estradiol-17?? (E2) concentrations were significantly elevated in larger juvenile males from Lake Apopka compared to Lake Woodruff NWR. When compared to small juvenile females from Lake Woodruff NWR, females from lakes Griffin, Apopka, Orange, and Okeechobee had elevated plasma E2 concentrations. Phallus size was significantly smaller in males from lakes Griffin and Apopka when compared to males from Lake Woodruff NWR. An association existed between body size and phallus size on all lakes except Lake Apopka and between phallus size and plasma T concentration on all lakes except lakes Apopka and Orange. Multiple regression analysis, with body size and plasma T concentration as independent covariables, explained the majority of the variation in phallus size on all lakes. These data suggest that the differences in sex steroids and phallus size observed in alligators from Lake Apopka are not limited to that lake, nor to one with a history of a major pesticide spill. Further work examining the relationship of sex steroids and phallus size with specific biotic and abiotic factors, such as antiandrogenic or estrogenic contaminants, is needed.

Water quality of selected lakes in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington with respect to lake acidification

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turney, G.L.; Dion, N.P.; Sumioka, S.S.

1986-01-01

Thirteen lakes in Mount Rainier National Park were evaluated for general chemical characteristics, sensitivity to acidification by acidic precipitation, and degree of existing acidification. The lakes studies were Allen, one of the Chenuis group, Crescent , Crystal, Eleanor, Fan, one of the Golden group, Marsh, Mowich, Mystic, Shriner, and two unnamed lakes. The lakes were sampled in August 1983. Specific conductance values were generally 21 microsiemens/cm at 25 C or less, and dissolved solids concentrations were generally 20 mg/L or less. The major cations were calcium and sodium, and the major anion was bicarbonate. Alkalinity concentrations ranged from 2.1 to 9.0 mg/L in 12 of the lakes. Allen Lake was the exception, having an alkalinity concentration of 27 mg/L. The pH values for all of the lakes ranged from 5.8 to 6.5. In most of the lakes, vertical profiles of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance were relatively uniform. In the deeper lakes, temperature decreased with depth and dissolved-oxygen concentrations increased to about 20 feet, remained constant to 80 ft, then decreased with increasing depth. Exceptions to general water quality patterns were observed in three lakes. Allen Lake had a specific conductance value of 58 Microsiemens/cm. The lake of the Golden group was anaerobic at the bottom and had relatively high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved metals, and a lower light transmission than the other lakes studied. One of the unnamed lakes had relatively high concentrations of phytoplankton and dissolved organic carbon and relatively low levels of light transmission. Comparisons of lake data to acid-sensitivity thresholds for specific conductance and alkalinity indicated that all of the lakes except Allen would be sensitive to acidic precipitation. The small sizes of the lakes, and their locations in basins of high precipitation and weathering-resistant rock types, enhance their sensitivity. None of the lakes in this study appeared to be presently acidified. (Lantz-PTT)

Movement patterns of Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus during breeding and post-breeding periods at Qinghai Lake, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cui, P.; Hou, Y.; Tang, M.; Zhang, H.; Zhou, Y.; Yin, Z.; Li, T.; Guo, S.; Xing, Z.; He, Y.; Prosser, D.J.; Newman, S.H.; Takekawa, John Y.; Yan, B.; Lei, F.

2011-01-01

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak at Qinghai Lake, China, in 2005 caused the death of over 6,000 migratory birds, half of which were Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus. Understanding the movements of this species may inform monitoring of outbreak risks for HPAI viruses; thus, we investigated the movement patterns of 29 Bar-headed Geese at Qinghai Lake, China during 2007 and 2008 by using high resolution GPS satellite telemetry. We described the movements and distribution of marked Bar-headed Geese during the pre-nesting, nesting, and moulting periods. Of 21 Bar-headed Geese with complete transmission records, 3 moved to other areas during the nesting period: 2 to Jianghe wetland (50 km northwest of Qinghai Lake) and 1 to Cuolongka Lake (220 km northwest of Qinghai Lake) during the nesting period. We identified nesting attempts of 7 of the marked geese at Qinghai Lake. Four completed successful nesting attempts according to our rules of judgment for the breeding status, and 2 geese lost broods soon after hatching (hereafter referred to as unsuccessful breeders). Of 18 geese present at Qinghai Lake during the nesting period, 9 (6 non-breeders, 2 successful breeders and 1 unsuccessful breeder) remained at Qinghai Lake during the moulting period; and 9 (5 non-breeders, 4 unsuccessful breeders) left Qinghai Lake for moulting. Kuhai Lake, Donggeicuona Lake, Alake Lake, Zhaling-Eling Lake area and Huangheyuan wetland area were used as moulting sites. Geese that moulted at Qinghai Lake, Cuolongka Lake, Kuhai Lake, Donggeicuona Lake and Alake Lake also moved to Zhaling-Eling Lake area or Huangheyuan wetland area and stayed there for several days prior to autumn migration. Mean home range and core area estimates did not differ significantly by sex, year and between breeders and non-breeders. ?? 2010 Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V.

Spatial and temporal trends of mercury and other metals in landlocked char from lakes in the Canadian Arctic archipelago.

PubMed

Muir, Derek; Wang, Xiaowa; Bright, Doug; Lockhart, Lyle; Köck, Günter

2005-12-01

Spatial and temporal trends of mercury (Hg) and 22 other elements were examined in landlocked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) from six lakes in the Canadian Arctic (Char, Resolute and North Lakes, and Amituk Lake on Cornwallis Island, Sapphire Lake on Devon Island and Boomerang Lake on Somerset Island). The objectives of the study were to compare recent concentrations of Hg and other metals in char with older data from Amituk, Resolute and Char Lakes, in order to examine temporal trends as well as to investigate factors influencing spatial trends in contaminant levels such as lake characteristics, trophic position, size and age of the fish. Geometric mean Hg concentrations in dorsal muscle ranged from 0.147 microg/g wet weight (ww) in Resolute Lake to 1.52 microg/g ww in Amituk Lake for samples collected over the period 1999-2003. Char from Amituk Lake also had significantly higher selenium (Se). Mercury in char from Resolute Lake was strongly correlated with fish length, weight, and age, as well as with thallium, lead and Se. In 5 of 6 lakes, Hg concentrations were correlated with stable nitrogen isotope ratios (delta15N) and larger char were feeding at a higher trophic level presumably due to feeding on smaller char. Weight adjusted mean Hg concentrations in char from Amituk Lake, and unadjusted geometric means in Char Lake and Resolute Lakes, did not show any statistically significant increase from the early 1990s to 2003. However, small sample sizes from 1999-2003 for fish <1000 g limited the power of this comparison in Char and Amituk Lakes. In Resolute Lake char, manganese, strontium and zinc showed consistent decreases from 1997 or 1999 to 2003 while nickel generally increased over the 6 year period. Differences in char trophic level inferred from delta15N values best explained the higher concentrations of Hg in Amituk Lake compared to the other lakes.

Sublake geologic structure from high-resolution seismic-reflection data from four sinkhole lakes in the Lake Wales Ridge, Central Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tihansky, A.B.; Arthur, J.D.; DeWitt, D.W.

1996-01-01

Seismic-reflection profiles from Lake Wales, Blue Lake, Lake Letta, and Lake Apthorp located along the Lake Wales Ridge in central Florida provide local detail within the regional hydrogeologic framework as described by litho- and hydrostratigraphic cross sections. Lakes located with the mantled karst region have long been considered to be sinkhole lakes, originating from subsidence activity. High-resolution seismic- reflection data confirm this origin for these four lakes. The geologic framework of the Lake Wales Ridge has proven to be a suitable geologic setting for continuous high-resolution seismic-reflection profiling in lakes; however, the nature of the lake-bottom sediments largely controls the quality of the seismic data. In lakes with significant organic-rich bottom deposits, interpretable record was limited to areas where organic deposits were minimal. In lakes with clean, sandy bottoms, the seismic-reflection methods were highly successful in obtaining data that can be correlated with sublake subsidence features. These techniques are useful in examining sublake geology and providing a better understanding of how confining units are affected by subsidence in a region where their continuity is of significant importance to local lake hydrology. Although local geologic control around each lake generally corresponds to the regional geologic framework, local deviations from regional geologic trends occur in sublake areas affected by subsidence activity. Each of the four lakes examined represents a unique set of geologic controls and provides some degree of structural evidence of subsidence activity. Sublake geologic structures identified include: (1) marginal lake sediments dipping into bathymetric lows, (2) lateral discontinuity of confining units including sags and breaches, (3) the disruption and reworking of overlying unconsolidated siliciclastic sediments as they subside into the underlying irregular limestone surface, and (4) sublake regions where confining units appear to remain intact and unaffected by nearby subsidence activity. Each lake likely is underlain by several piping features rather than one large subsidence feature.

1. GENERAL VIEW OF THE LOWER END OF TWIN LAKES ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. GENERAL VIEW OF THE LOWER END OF TWIN LAKES SHOWING THE HISTORIC OUTLET WORKS AT THE EDGE OF THE WATER NEAR CENTER OF THE PHOTO WITH THE NEW TWIN LAKES DAM JUST BEHIND. VIEW LOOKING SOUTHEAST. - Twin Lakes Dam & Outlet Works, Beneath Twin Lakes Reservoir, T11S, R80W, S22, Twin Lakes, Lake County, CO

76 FR 2579 - Safety Zone; Lake Mead Intake Construction, Lake Mead, Boulder City, NV

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-14

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Lake Mead Intake Construction, Lake Mead, Boulder City, NV AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... waters of Lake Mead in support of the construction project for Lake Mead's Intake 3 during the first 6... blasting operations for the placement of a water intake pipe in Lake Mead during the first 6 months of 2011...

75 FR 13232 - Safety Zone; Lake Mead Intake Construction, Lake Mead, Boulder City, NV

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-19

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Lake Mead Intake Construction, Lake Mead, Boulder City, NV AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... waters of Lake Mead in support of the construction project for Lake Mead's Intake 3. This safety zone is... for the placement of an Intake Pipe from Lake Mead throughout 2010. This safety zone is necessary to...

78 FR 17869 - Safety Zone; Desert Storm Shootout; Lake Havasu, Lake Havasu City, AZ

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-25

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Desert Storm Shootout; Lake Havasu, Lake Havasu City, AZ AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... navigable waters of the Colorado River in Lake Havasu, Lake Havasu City, Arizona in support of the Desert... Coast Guard to establish safety zones (33 U.S.C 1221 et seq.). Lake Racer LLC is sponsoring the Desert...

Bathymetric Contour Maps of Lakes Surveyed in Iowa in 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Linhart, S.M.; Lund, K.D.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, conducted bathymetric surveys on seven lakes in Iowa during 2005 (Arrowhead Pond, Central Park Lake, Lake Keomah, Manteno Park Pond, Lake Miami, Springbrook Lake, and Yellow Smoke Lake). The surveys were conducted to provide the Iowa Department of Natural Resources with information for the development of total maximum daily load limits, particularly for estimating sediment load and deposition rates. The bathymetric surveys provide a baseline for future work on sediment loads and deposition rates for these lakes. All of the lakes surveyed in 2005 are man-made lakes with fixed spillways. Bathymetric data were collected using boat-mounted, differential global positioning system, echo depth-sounding equipment, and computer software. Data were processed with commercial hydrographic software and exported into a geographic information system for mapping and calculating area and volume. Lake volume estimates ranged from 47,784,000 cubic feet (1,100 acre-feet) at Lake Miami to 2,595,000 cubic feet (60 acre-feet) at Manteno Park Pond. Surface area estimates ranged from 5,454,000 square feet (125 acres) at Lake Miami to 558,000 square feet (13 acres) at Springbrook Lake.

Hydrogeologic controls on the groundwater interactions with an acidic lake in karst terrain, Lake Barco, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, T.M.

1996-01-01

Transient groundwater interactions and lake stage were simulated for Lake Barco, an acidic seepage lake in the mantled karst of north central Florida. Karst subsidence features affected groundwater flow patterns in the basin and groundwater fluxes to and from the lake. Subsidence features peripheral to the lake intercepted potential groundwater inflow and increased leakage from the shallow perimeter of the lake bed. Simulated groundwater fluxes were checked against net groundwater flow derived from a detailed lake hydrologic budget with short-term lake evaporation computed by the energy budget method. Discrepancies between modeled and budget-derived net groundwater flows indicated that the model underestimated groundwater inflow, possibly contributed to by transient water table mounding near the lake. Recharge from rainfall reduced lake leakage by 10 to 15 times more than it increased groundwater inflow. As a result of the karst setting, the contributing groundwater basin to the lake was 2.4 ha for simulated average rainfall conditions, compared to the topographically derived drainage basin area of 81 ha. Short groundwater inflow path lines and rapid travel times limit the contribution of acid-neutralizing solutes from the basin, making Lake Barco susceptible to increased acidification by acid rain.

Limnology of selected lakes in Ohio, 1975

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tobin, Robert L.; Youger, John D.

1977-01-01

Water-quality reconnaissance by the U.S. Geological Survey and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, to evaluate the status of Ohio's lakes and reservoirs was begun in 1975 with studies of 17 lakes. Spring and summer data collections for each lake included: profile measurements of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance; field and laboratory analyses of physical, biological, chemical organic characteristics; (nutrient), and concentrations of major and minor chemical constituents from composites of the water column; and physical and chemical data from major inflows.Light penetration (secchi disk) ranged from 9.4 feet (2.9 meters) in Lake Hope to 0.4 feet (0.1 meter) in Acton Lake. Seasonal thermal stratification or stability is shown for 10 lakes deeper than 15 feet (4.6 meters). Unstable or modified temperature profiles were observed in shallow lakes (depths less than 15 feet) or lakes controlled through subsurface release valves.Dissolved oxygen saturation ranged from 229 percent (20.8 milligrams per liter) in the epilimnion of Paint Creek Lake to zero in the bottom waters of all thermally stabilized lakes. Marked chemical and physical differences and nutrient uptake and recycling developed within different thermal strata. Anaerobic zones were frequently characterized by hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.Calcium was the dominant or codominant cation, and bicarbonate and(or) sulfate were the major anions in all lakes sampled. Only Hope and Vesuvius Lakes had soft water (hardness less than 61 milligrams per liter as CaCO3 ), and both lakes were further characterized by low pH (less than 7.0). Specific conductance ranged from 510 micromhos (Deer Creek and Salt Fork Lakes) to 128 micromhos (Lake Hope). Pesticide residues were detected in Acton Lake, and concentrations of one or more trace metals were at or above Ohio Environmental Protection Agency recommended limits in 11 lakes.Fecal coliform colony counts were below 400 colonies per 100 milliliters in 13 lakes; higher counts were observed in Acton, Cowan, Harrison, and Paint Creek Lakes in samples taken during runoff events. Phytoplankton densities greater than 100,000 cells per milliliter were observed in 12 lakes and reached a maximum of over 2,800,000 cells per milliliter in Grand Lake St. Marys. Summer domination of the algal community by blue-green algae (Cyanophyta) was indicated for 16 of the 17 lakes.Streams are a major source of macronutrients to Ohio's lakes. Concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate and total Phosphorus in 38 inflow samples to the 17 lakes averaged 2.17 milligrams per liter as N and 0.29 milligrams per liter as P, respectively.

Hydrology of Central Florida Lakes - A Primer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schiffer, Donna M.

1998-01-01

INTRODUCTION Lakes are among the most valued natural resources of central Florida. The landscape of central Florida is riddled with lakeswhen viewed from the air, it almost seems there is more water than land. Florida has more naturally formed lakes than other southeastern States, where many lakes are created by building dams across streams. The abundance of lakes on the Florida peninsula is a result of the geology and geologic history of the State. An estimated 7,800 lakes in Florida are greater than 1 acre in surface area. Of these, 35 percent are located in just four counties (fig. 1): Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Polk (Hughes, 1974b). Lakes add to the aesthetic and commercial value of the area and are used by many residents and visitors for fishing, boating, swimming, and other types of outdoor recreation. Lakes also are used for other purposes such as irrigation, flood control, water supply, and navigation. Residents and visitors commonly ask questions such as Whyare there so many lakes here?, Why is my lake drying up (or flooding)?, or Is my lake spring-fed? These questions indicate that the basic hydrology of lakes and the interaction of lakes with ground water and surface water are not well understood by the general population. Because of the importance of lakes to residents of central Florida and the many questions and misconceptions about lakes, this primer was prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the St. Johns River Water Management District and the South Florida Water Management District. The USGS has been collecting hydrologic data in central Florida since the 1920s, obtaining valuable information that has been used to better understand the hydrology of the water resources of central Florida, including lakes. In addition to data collection, as of 1994, the USGS had published 66 reports and maps on central Florida lakes (Garcia and Hoy, 1995). The main purpose of this primer is to describe the hydrology of lakes in central Florida, the interactions between lakes and ground- and surface-waters, and to describe how these interactions affect lake water levels. Included are descriptions of the basic geology and geomorphology of central Florida, origins of central Florida lakes, factors that affect lake water levels, lake water quality, and common methods of improving water quality. The geographic area discussed in this primer is approximate (fig. 1) and includes west and east-central Florida, extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean coastlines, northward into Marion, Putnam, and Flagler Counties, and southward to Lake Okeechobee. The information presented here was obtained from the many publications available on lakes in central Florida, as well as from publications on Florida geology, hydrology, and primers on ground water, surface water, and water quality. Many publications are available that provide more detailed information on lake water quality, and this primer is not intended as an extensive treatise on that subject. The reader is referred to the reference section of this primer for sources of more detailed information on lake water quality. Lakes discussed in this report are identified in figure 2. Technical terms used in the report are shown in bold italics and are defined in the glossary. The classification of some water bodies as lakes is highly subjective. What one individual considers a lake another might consider a pond. Generally, any water- filled depression or group of depressions in the land surface could be considered a lake. Lakes differ from swamps or wetlands in the type and amount of vegetation, water depth, and some water-quality characteristics. Lakes typically have emergent vegetation along the shoreline with a large expanse of open water in the center. Swamps or wetlands, on the other hand, are characterized by a water surface interrupted by the emergence of many varieties of plant life, from saw grasses to cypress trees. Lakes may be na

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY CEMETERY LOCATER), SALT LAKE CITY, UT. VIEW LOOKING NORTHEAST AT CHINESE PLAT MARKER AND BURNER. - Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N Street, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT

11. Photographic copy of copy of Twin Lakes Outlet Works ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

11. Photographic copy of copy of Twin Lakes Outlet Works construction drawing dated January 15, 1951. Drawn by W.A. Doe for the Twin Lakes Reservoir and Canal Co. (copy in possession of Bureau of Reclamation, location of original unknown) 'AS CONSTRUCTED' PLANS OF 1949-1950, REHABILITATION OF TWIN LAKES RESERVOIR OUTLET WORKS, DETAILS OF UPSTREAM WING WALLS. - Twin Lakes Dam & Outlet Works, Beneath Twin Lakes Reservoir, T11S, R80W, S22, Twin Lakes, Lake County, CO

12. Photographic copy of copy of Twin Lakes Outlet Works ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. Photographic copy of copy of Twin Lakes Outlet Works construction drawing dated January 15, 1951. Drawn by W.A. Doe for the Twin Lakes Reservoir and Canal Co. (copy in possession of Bureau of Reclamation, location of original unknown) 'AS CONSTRUCTED' PLANS OF 1949-50, REHABILITATION OF TWIN LAKES RESERVOIR OUTLET WORKS, DETAILS OF DISCHARGE BASIN. - Twin Lakes Dam & Outlet Works, Beneath Twin Lakes Reservoir, T11S, R80W, S22, Twin Lakes, Lake County, CO

Hydrogeology, hydrologic budget, and water chemistry of the Medina Lake area, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambert, Rebecca B.; Grimm, Kenneth C.; Lee, Roger W.

2000-01-01

A three-phase study of the Medina Lake area in Texas was done to assess the hydrogeology and hydrology of Medina and Diversion Lakes combined (the lake system) and to determine what fraction of seepage losses from the lake system might enter the regional ground-water-flow system of the Edwards and (or) Trinity aquifers. Phase 1 consisted of revising the geologic framework for the Medina Lake area. Results of field mapping show that the upper member of the Glen Rose Limestone underlies Medina Lake and the intervening stream channel from the outflow of Medina Lake to the midpoint of Diversion Lake, where the Diversion Lake fault intersects Diversion Lake. A thin sequence of strata consisting primarily of the basal nodular and dolomitic members of the Kainer Formation of the Edwards Group, is present in the southern part of the study area. On the southern side of Medina Lake, the contact between the upper member of the Glen Rose Limestone and the basal nodular member is approximately 1,000 feet above mean sea level, and the contact between the basal nodular member and the dolomitic member is approximately 1,050 feet above mean sea level. The most porous and permeable part of the basal nodular member is about 1,045 feet above mean sea level. At these altitudes, Medina Lake is in hydrologic connection with rocks in the Edwards aquifer recharge zone, and Medina Lake appears to lose more water to the ground-water system along this bedding plane contact. Hydrologic budgets calculated during phase 2 for Medina Lake, Diversion Lake, and Medina/Diversion Lakes combined indicate that: (1) losses from Medina and Diversion Lakes can be quantified; (2) a portion of those losses are entering the Edwards aquifer; and (3) losses to the Trinity aquifer in the Medina Lake area are minimal and within the error of the hydrologic budgets. Hydrologic budgets based on streamflow, precipitation, evaporation, and change in lake storage were used to quantify losses (recharge) to the ground-water system from Medina Lake, Diversion Lake, and Medina/Diversion Lakes combined during October 1995–September 1996. Water losses from Medina Lake to the Edwards/Trinity aquifers ranged from -14.0 to 135 acre-feet per day; Diversion Lake ranged from -1.2 to 93.1 acre-feet per day; and Medina/Diversion Lakes combined ranged from 36.1 to 119 acre-feet per day.Monthly average recharge during December 1995–July 1996 was estimated using an alternative method developed during this study (current study method) and compared to monthly average recharge during December 1995–July 1996 estimated using the existing USGS method and the Trans-Texas method. Recharge to the Edwards aquifer estimated using the current study method was about 69 and 73 percent of the recharge estimated using the USGS and Trans-Texas methods, respectively. The USGS and Trans-Texas methods overestimated recharge from Medina Lake compared to the recharge estimated with the current study method when Medina Lake stage was between about 1,027 and 1,032 feet above mean sea level and underestimated recharge from Medina Lake when lake stage was between about 1,036 and 1,045 feet above mean sea level. The USGS and Trans-Texas methods underestimated recharge from Diversion Lake compared to the recharge estimated with the current study method when Diversion Lake stage was greater than 913 feet above mean sea level and overestimated recharge from Diversion Lake when lake stage was less than 913 feet above mean sea level.The water quality of Medina Lake and Medina River and in selected wells and springs in the Edwards and Trinity aquifers was characterized during phase 3 of the study. Environmental isotope analyses and geochemical modeling also were used to determine where water losses from the lake system might be entering the ground-water-flow system. Isotopic ratios of deuterium, oxygen, and strontium were analyzed in selected surface-water, lake-water, and ground-water samples to trace the isotopic “signature” of the lake water as it mixes with the ground water and to determine the fraction of lake water and ground water in selected Edwards aquifer wells. Isotopic data and geochemical modeling were used to show that lake water is moving into the Edwards aquifer in two fault blocks in the eastern Medina storage unit. One fault block is bounded on the north by the Vandenburg School fault and on the south by the Haby Crossing fault, and the second fault block is bounded on the north by the Diversion Lake fault and on the south by the Haby Crossing fault. In selected Edwards aquifer wells located southwest of Medina Lake and west of Diversion Lake, the proportion of lake water ranged from about 10 to 45 percent. Geochemical modeling using NETPATH confirms the degree of mixing between lake water and aquifer water shown by the isotopes.

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) suppression for bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) recovery in Flathead Lake, Montana, North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, Michael J.; Hansen, Barry S; Beauchamp, David A.

2016-01-01

Non-native lake trout Salvelinus namaycush displaced native bull trout Salvelinus confluentus in Flathead Lake, Montana, USA, after 1984, when Mysis diluviana became abundant following its introduction in upstream lakes in 1968–1976. We developed a simulation model to determine the fishing mortality rate on lake trout that would enable bull trout recovery. Model simulations indicated that suppression of adult lake trout by 75% from current abundance would reduce predation on bull trout by 90%. Current removals of lake trout through incentivized fishing contests has not been sufficient to suppress lake trout abundance estimated by mark-recapture or indexed by stratified-random gill netting. In contrast, size structure, body condition, mortality, and maturity are changing consistent with a density-dependent reduction in lake trout abundance. Population modeling indicated total fishing effort would need to increase 3-fold to reduce adult lake trout population density by 75%. We conclude that increased fishing effort would suppress lake trout population density and predation on juvenile bull trout, and thereby enable higher abundance of adult bull trout in Flathead Lake and its tributaries.

Discrimination among spawning concentrations of Lake Superior lake herring based on trace element profiles in sagittae

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bronte, Charles R.; Hesselberg, Robert J.; Shoesmith, John A.; Hoff, Michael H.

1996-01-01

Little is known about the stock structure of lake herring Coregonus artedi in Lake Superior, and recent increases in harvestable stock sizes has led to expanded exploitation in some areas. Research on marine teleosts has demonstrated that chemical differences in sagittal otoliths can be used for identification of fish stocks. We used plasma emission spectrophotometry to measure the concentrations of 10 trace elements in the sagittal otoliths from lake herring captured at eight spawning sites in Lake Superior and from Little Star Lake, an inland lake outside the Lake Superior basin. Discriminant function analysis indicated that elemental concentrations provided site-specific information but that considerable overlap existed among some locations, especially those in western Lake Superior. Correct classification rates varied from 12.0% to 86.1% and were generally higher for spawning locations from embayments in eastern Lake Superior and for the outgroup population from Little Star Lake. The results presented here demonstrate the potential usefulness of this technique for strictly freshwater species, especially those that live in highly oligotrophic waters such as Lake Superior.

Hydrology of the Lake Deaton and Lake Okahumpka area, Northeast Sumter County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simonds, Edward P.; German, E.R.

1980-01-01

The Floridan aquifer in the Lake Deaton and Lake Okahumpka area is 50 to 130 feet below land surface. During the 16-year period 1963-78 lake evaporation exceeded rainfall by 0.4 inches. Drainage from Lake Deaton and its surrounding area goes into Chitty Chatty Creek and on the Hogeye Sink when the altitude of the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer is low. During a higher altitude of the Floridan potentiometric surface, Hogeye Sink may discharge water; this water, along with the normal runoff, goes into Lake Okahumpka. Average lake fluctuation is 1.5 to 2.0 feet per year. Lake Deaton supports a large population of blue-green algae and Lake Okahumpka is choked with aquatic plants. The water quality of the two lakes differ, with Lake Deaton having a sodium chloride water and Lake Okahumpka having a calcium bicarbonate water. Analysis of water and bottom material samples showed that only cadmium and mercury exceeded the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation 's criteria for Class III waters; however, the amounts detected were at or slightly above the limits of the analytical method. (USGS)

Evidence of widespread natural reproduction by lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in the Michigan waters of Lake Huron

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riley, S.C.; He, J.X.; Johnson, J.E.; O'Brien, T. P.; Schaeffer, J.S.

2007-01-01

Localized natural reproduction of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Huron has occurred since the 1980s near Thunder Bay, Michigan. During 2004–2006, USGS spring and fall bottom trawl surveys captured 63 wild juvenile lake trout at depths ranging from 37–73 m at four of five ports in the Michigan waters of the main basin of Lake Huron, more than five times the total number captured in the previous 30-year history of the surveys. Relatively high catches of wild juvenile lake trout in bottom trawls during 2004–2006 suggest that natural reproduction by lake trout has increased and occurred throughout the Michigan waters of the main basin. Increased catches of wild juvenile lake trout in the USGS fall bottom trawl survey were coincident with a drastic decline in alewife abundance, but data were insufficient to determine what mechanism may be responsible for increased natural reproduction by lake trout. We recommend further monitoring of juvenile lake trout abundance and research into early life history of lake trout in Lake Huron.

Heritage strain and diet of wild young of year and yearling lake trout in the main basin of Lake Huron

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseman, E.F.; Stott, W.; O'Brien, T. P.; Riley, S.C.; Schaeffer, J.S.

2009-01-01

Restoration of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush stocks in Lake Huron is a fish community objective developed to promote sustainable fish communities in the lake. Between 1985 and 2004, 12.65 million lake trout were stocked into Lake Huron representing eight different genetic strains. Collections of bona fide wild fish in USGS surveys have increased in recent years and this study examined the ancestry and diet of fish collected between 2004 and 2006 to explore the ecological role they occupy in Lake Huron. Analysis of microsatellite DNA revealed that both pure strain and inter-strain hybrids were observed, and the majority of fish were classified as Seneca Lake strain or Seneca Lake hybrids. Diets of 50 wild age-0 lake trout were examined. Mysis, chironomids, and zooplankton were common prey items of wild age-0 lake trout. These results indicate that stocked fish are successfully reproducing in Lake Huron indicating a level of restoration success. However, continued changes to the benthic macroinvertebrate community, particularly declines of Mysis, may limit growth and survival of wild fish and hinder restoration efforts.

Role of the Lakes in Groundwater Recharge and Discharge in the Young Glacial Area, Northern Poland.

PubMed

Jaworska-Szulc, Beata

2016-07-01

The aim of this research was to delineate characteristic hydrogeological lake types in the Young Glacial Area (YGA). The YGA is in the central and east part of the Kashubian Lake District (KLD) in Northern Poland, an area covered by deposits of Quaternary glaciation. All the bigger lakes were investigated in the area of about 1500 km(2) (39 lakes). The role of lakes in groundwater recharge and discharge was determined from total dissolved solids (TDS) in lake waters and also from groundwater flow simulation. The general trend was that gaining lakes, as determined by flow modeling, had higher values of TDS than losing lakes. In addition to typical gaining lakes (with TDS > 250 mg/l), there were losing lakes perched on glacial till deposits with very low TDS (<100 mg/l). Two groups of losing lakes were delineated: ones with very low TDS and another group with slightly higher TDS (due to local contact with groundwater). Flow-through lakes with TDS of 170-200 mg/l were also delineated. © 2015, National Ground Water Association.

Satellite monitoring of dramatic changes at Hawai'i's only alpine lake: Lake Waiau on Mauna Kea volcano

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patrick, Matthew R.; Kauahikaua, James P.

2015-01-01

Lake Waiau is a small, typically 100-meter-long lake, located near the summit of Mauna Kea volcano, on the Island of Hawaiʻi. It is Hawaiʻi’s only alpine lake and is considered sacred in Hawaiian cultural tradition. Over the past few years, the lake has diminished in size, and, by October 2013, surface water had almost completely disappeared from the lake. In this study, we use high-resolution satellite images and aerial photographs to document recent changes at the lake. Based on our reconstructions covering the past 200 years, the historical lake surface area has typically ranged from 5,000 to 7,000 square meters, but in 2010 a dramatic plunge in lake area ensued. The lake area rebounded significantly in early 2014, following heavy winter storms. This near disappearance of the lake, judging from analysis of visitor photographs and field reports, appears to be highly unusual, if not unprecedented, in the historical record. The unusually low water levels in the lake are consistent with a recent severe drought in Hawaiʻi.

Effects of acid mine effluent on sediment and water geochemistry, Ruttan Cu-Zn mine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shilts, W.W.

1996-01-01

Waters were collected from the surface and bottom of four lakes as well as from the Churchill River and approximately 20 small ponds beside the Leaf Rapids-Ruttan mine-South Indian Lake road to determine geochemical variations related to tailings and waste rock disposal from the Ruttan Cu-Zn VHMS deposit. Using sonar profiling as a guide, grab samples and cores of sediments were also collected in Ruttan, Brehaut, Rusty, and Alto lakes to investigate the geochemical and sedimentological effects of liming the acid (pH 2.5) outflow from Ruttan Lake. Preliminary results indicate that metals anthropogenically enriched in Ruttan Lake (Zn, Cd, and Hg in particular) are scavenged and precipitated at the inflow end of Brehaut Lake as a result of adding lime solutions to the Vermilion River, midway through the 500 m reach that connects Ruttan Lake and Brehaut Lake. Zn in Ruttan Lake water (up to 17 ppm) is precipitated in the limey sediment. Zn is not enriched in waters of Rusty Lake, the next lake downstream from Brehaut Lake. Rusty Lake has Zn concentrations comparable to background water from Alto Lake (<10 ppb Zn). At present, liming appears to be controlling metal migration effectively, but a body of Zn-Cd-Hg-rich carbonate precipitate occupies the south end of Brehaut Lake which, without liming, would be receiving water of pH 2.5 from Ruttan Lake, resulting in a remobilization of metals. The related study also showed that Zn concentrations are elevated in water in contact with waste rock used to upgrade sections of the Leaf Rapids-South Indian Lake and Brehaut Lake roads.

Mid Holocene lake level and shoreline behavior during the Nipissing phase of the upper Great Lakes at Alpena, Michigan, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, T.A.; Lepper, K.; Endres, A.L.; Johnston, J.W.; Baedke, S.J.; Argyilan, E.P.; Booth, R.K.; Wilcox, D.A.

2011-01-01

The Nipissing phase was the last pre-modern high-water stage of the upper Great Lakes. Represented as either a one- or two-peak highstand, the Nipissing occurred following a long-term lake-level rise. This transgression was primarily an erosional event with only the final stage of the transgression preserved as barriers, spits, and strandplains of beach ridges. South of Alpena, Michigan, mid to late Holocene coastal deposits occur as a strandplain between Devils Lake and Lake Huron. The landward part of this strandplain is a higher elevation platform that formed during the final stage of lake-level rise to the Nipissing peak. The pre-Nipissing shoreline transgressed over Devils Lake lagoonal deposits from 6.4 to 6.1. ka. The first beach ridge formed ~ 6. ka, and then the shoreline advanced toward Lake Huron, producing beach ridges about every 70. years. This depositional regression produced a slightly thickening wedge of sediment during a lake-level rise that formed 20 beach ridges. The rise ended at 4.5. ka at the Nipissing peak. This peak was short-lived, as lake level fell > 4. m during the following 500. years. During this lake-level rise and subsequent fall, the shoreline underwent several forms of shoreline behavior, including erosional transgression, aggradation, depositional transgression, depositional regression, and forced regression. Other upper Great Lakes Nipissing platforms indicate that the lake-level change observed at Alpena of a rapid pre-Nipissing lake-level rise followed by a slower rise to the Nipissing peak, and a post-Nipissing rapid lake-level fall is representative of mid Holocene lake level in the upper Great Lakes. ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Limitations to lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) rehabilitation in the Great Lakes imposed by biotic interactions occurring at early life stages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Michael L.; Eck, Gary W.; Evans, David O.; Fabrizio, Mary C.; Hoff, Michael H.; Hudson, Patrick L.; Janssen, John; Jude, David; O'Gorman, Robert; Savino, Jacqueline F.

1995-01-01

We examine evidence that biotic factors, particularly predation, may be limiting early survival of wild lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) juveniles in many areas of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes contain numerous potential predators of lake trout eggs and fry, some of which are recent invaders, and most of which were probably absent when lake trout most recently re-invaded the Great Lakes after the last ice age. Simple quantitative models of predation suggest that plausible assumptions about prey densities, predator feeding rates, and duration of exposure of predator to prey can lead to very high estimates of predation mortality, in some instances approaching 100%. Indirect evidence from inter-Great Lake comparisons and inland lake examples also suggest that biotic factors may impede successful lake trout colonization. Our synthesis of the evidence leads to recommendations for research to better define field feeding rates of lake trout egg and fry predators and comparative studies of densities of potential egg and fry predators on lake trout spawning reefs. Management options should be designed to provide useful information as well as achieve short-term goals. From a management standpoint we recommend that: newly constructed lake trout reefs should be placed well away from concentrations of potential predators; offshore spawning reefs should be stocked; salmonine stocking, nutrient abatement, and commercial harvest of alewives should all be considered as options to enhance survival of young lake trout; hatchery lake trout should not be stocked at sites where wild lake trout are showing signs of recovery; and exotic species expansions or introductions must be curtailed to maintain or improve on our recent successes in lake trout rehabilitation.

Biotic and abiotic factors related to lake herring recruitment in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior, 1984-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoff, Michael H.

2004-01-01

Lake Superior lake herring (Coregonus artedi) recruitment to 13-14 months of age in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior varied by a factor of 5,233 during 1984-1998. Management agencies have sought models that accurately predict recruitment, but no satisfactory model had previously been developed. Lake herring recruitment was modeled to determine which factors most explained recruitment variability. The Ricker stock-recruitment model derived from only the paired stock and recruit data explained 35% of the variability in the recruitment data. The functional relationship that explained the greatest amount of recruitment variation (93%) included lake herring stock size, lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population size, slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) biomass, the interaction of mean daily wind speed in April (month of hatch) and lake herring stock size, and mean air temperature in April (when lake herring are 12-months old). Model results were interpreted to mean that lake herring recruitment was affected negatively by: slimy sculpin predation on lake herring ova; predation on age-0 lake herring by lake trout; and adult cannibalism on lake herring larvae, which was reduced by increased wind speed. April temperature was the variable that explained the least amount of variability in recruitment, but lake herring recruitment was positively affected by a warm April, which shortened winter and apparently reduced first-winter mortality. Stock size caused compensatory, density-dependent mortality on lake herring recruits. Management efforts appear best targeted at stock size protection, and empirical data implies that stock size in the Wisconsin waters of the lake should be maintained at 2.1-15.0 adults/ha in spring, bottom-trawl surveys.

Lake level variability in Silver Lake, Michigan: a response to fluctuations in lake levels of Lake Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Timothy G.; Loope, Walter L.

2004-01-01

Sediment from Silver Lake, Michigan, can be used to constrain the timing and elevation of Lake Michigan during the Nipissing transgression. Silver Lake is separated from Lake Michigan by a barrier/dune complex and the Nipissing, Calumet, and Glenwood shorelines of Lake Michigan are expressed landward of this barrier. Two Vibracores were taken from the lake in February 2000 and contain pebbly sand, sand, buried soils, marl, peat, and sandy muck. It is suggested here that fluctuations in the level of Lake Michigan are reflected in Silver Lake since the Chippewa low phase, and possibly at the end of the Algonquin phase. An age of 12,490 B.P. (10,460±50 14C yrs B.P.) on wood from a buried Entisol may record the falling Algonquin phase as the North Bay outlet opened. A local perched water table is indicated by marl deposited before 7,800 B.P. and peat between 7,760-7,000 B.P. when Lake Michigan was at the low elevation Chippewa phase. Continued deepening of the lake is recorded by the transition from peat to sandy muck at 7,000 B.P. in the deeper core, and with the drowning of an Inceptisol nearly 3 m higher at 6,410 B.P. in the shallower core. A rising groundwater table responding to a rising Lake Michigan base level during the Nipissing transgression, rather than a response to mid-Holocene climate change, explains deepening of Silver Lake. Sandy muck was deposited continually in Silver Lake between Nipissing and modern time. Sand lenses within the muck are presumed to be eolian in origin, derived from sand dunes advancing into the lake on the western side of the basin.

Perchlorate in the Great Lakes: isotopic composition and origin.

PubMed

Poghosyan, Armen; Sturchio, Neil C; Morrison, Candice G; Beloso, Abelardo D; Guan, Yunbin; Eiler, John M; Jackson, W Andrew; Hatzinger, Paul B

2014-10-07

Perchlorate is a persistent and mobile contaminant in the environment with both natural and anthropogenic sources. Stable isotope ratios of oxygen (δ(18)O, Δ(17)O) and chlorine (δ(37)Cl) along with the abundance of the radioactive isotope (36)Cl were used to trace perchlorate sources and behavior in the Laurentian Great Lakes. These lakes were selected for study as a likely repository of recent atmospheric perchlorate deposition. Perchlorate concentrations in the Great Lakes range from 0.05 to 0.13 μg per liter. δ(37)Cl values of perchlorate from the Great Lakes range from +3.0‰ (Lake Ontario) to +4.0‰ (Lake Superior), whereas δ(18)O values range from -4.1‰ (Lake Superior) to +4.0‰ (Lake Erie). Great Lakes perchlorate has mass-independent oxygen isotopic variations with positive Δ(17)O values (+1.6‰ to +2.7‰) divided into two distinct groups: Lake Superior (+2.7‰) and the other four lakes (∼+1.7‰). The stable isotopic results indicate that perchlorate in the Great Lakes is dominantly of natural origin, having isotopic composition resembling that measured for indigenous perchlorate from preindustrial groundwaters of the western USA. The (36)Cl/Cl ratio of perchlorate varies widely from 7.4 × 10(-12) (Lake Ontario) to 6.7 × 10(-11) (Lake Superior). These (36)ClO4(-) abundances are consistent with an atmospheric origin of perchlorate in the Great Lakes. The relatively high (36)ClO4(-) abundances in the larger lakes (Lakes Superior and Michigan) could be explained by the presence of (36)Cl-enriched perchlorate deposited during the period of elevated atmospheric (36)Cl activity following thermonuclear bomb tests in the Pacific Ocean.

Lake Level Variation in Small Lakes: Not a Clear Picture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starratt, S.

2017-12-01

Lake level is a useful tool for identifying regional changes in precipitation and evaporation. Due to the volume of water in large lakes, they may only record large-scale changes in water balance, while smaller lakes may record more subtle variations. However, the record of water level in small lakes is affected by a number of factors including elevation, bathymetry, nutrient load, and aquatic macrophyte abundance. The latest Quaternary diatom records from three small lakes with areas of <10 ha (Hobart Lake, OR, 1458 masl; Swamp Lake, CA, 1554 masl; Favre Lake, NV, 2899 masl) and a larger lake (Medicine Lake, CA, 2036 masl, 154 ha) were compared in this study. All the lakes have a deep central basin (>10 m) surrounded by a shallow (1-2 m) shelf. Changes in the abundance of diatoms representing different life habits (benthic, tychoplanktic, planktic) were used to identify lake level variation. Benthic taxa dominate the assemblage when only the central basin is occupied. As the shallow shelf is flooded, the abundance of tychoplanktic taxa increases. Planktic taxa increase with the establishment of stratification. Favre Lake presents the clearest indication of initial lake level rise (7600-5750 cal yr BP) and intermittent flooding of the shelf for the remainder of the record. Stratification appears to become established only in the last few hundred years. Higher nutrient levels in the early part of the Hobart Lake record lead to a nearly monotypic planktic assemblage which is replaced by a tychoplanktic-dominated assemblage as the lake floods the shelf at about 3500 cal yr BP. The last 500 years is dominated by benthic taxa associated with aquatic macrophytes. The consistent presence of planktic taxa in the Swamp Lake record suggests that the lake was stratified during most of its history, although slight variations in the relative abundances of planktic and tychoplanktic groups occur. The Medicine Lake record shows a gradual increase in planktic species between 11,400 and 5500 cal yr BP, reflecting a gradual increase in stratification. Changes in the abundance of benthic and planktic taxa during the remainder of the record indicate variations in the shallow (<2 m) part of the lake. These results indicate diatom ecological groups show promise as a proxy for lake level reconstructions, and further ground-truthing is necessary.

Influence of geomorphic setting on sedimentation of two adjacent alpine lakes, Triglav Lakes Valley (Julian Alps, NW Slovenia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smuc, Andrej; Skabene, Dragomir; Muri, Gregor; Vreča, Polona; Jaćimović, Radojko; Čermelj, Branko; Turšič, Janja

2013-04-01

The Triglav Lakes Valley is elongated, 7km long depression, located high (at places over 2000 m.a.s.l.) in the central part of the Julian Alps (NW Slovenia). It hosts 6 small isolated lakes that formed due to the combination of Neogene tectonic and Pleistocene glaciation. The study is focused on the 5th and 6th Triglav Valley Lakes that characterize lower part of the valley. The lakes are located so close to each other that they are even connected in times of high water. Thus, they share the same bedrock geology, are subjected to the same climatic forcing and share similar vegetation communities. Despite their proximity, the lakes differ in their hydrologic and geomorphic setting. The lakes have no permanent surface tributaries; however 5th is fed periodically, at times of high water level, by the Močivec spring, while additional water flows from the swamp area near its northern shore. An underground spring on the eastern side of 5th represents the lake's only permanent freshwater inflow, while drainage takes place to the west via a small ponor. 6th has only one weak underground spring on the eastern side of the lake. Water levels may fluctuate between 2 and 3 m. Additionally, the lakes have different configuration of lakes shores; the northern shores of the 5th lake are low-angle soil and debris covered plateau, while southern shores of the 5th lake and shores of the 6th lake are represented by heavily karstified carbonate base rock and covered partly by trees. The detailed sedimentary analysis of the lakes record showed some similarities, but also some significant differences. Sediments of both lakes are represented by fine-grained turbidity current deposits that are transported from lake shores during snow melt or storms. The grain-size and sedimentary rates of the lakes are however markedly different. The 5th lake has coarser grained sediments, with mean ranging from 46 to 60 µm and records higher sedimentation rates of ~0,57 cm/year, compared to the 6th lake that has sediments with mean of 23-36 µm and sedimentation rate of 0,34 cm/year. The mineralogical composition of the lake sediments is similar. Calcite predominates strongly, comprising more than 77% of total minerals, while dolomite and quartz are rare. We attributed discrepancies in sedimentary record to different hydrologic and geomorphic setting of the lakes. The northern shores of the 5th lake contribute more and coarser grained eroded material to the lake. It is evident that the 5th lake functions as a sink for coarser and heavier mineral components, leaving only finer, suspended grain portion to be transported into the 6th lake when lakes are connected during periods of high water levels.

Groundwater and surface-water interactions near White Bear Lake, Minnesota, through 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Perry M.; Trost, Jared J.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Jackson, P. Ryan; Bode, Jenifer A.; O'Grady, Ryan M.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the White Bear Lake Conservation District, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and other State, county, municipal, and regional planning agencies, watershed organizations, and private organizations, conducted a study to characterize groundwater and surface-water interactions near White Bear Lake through 2011. During 2010 and 2011, White Bear Lake and other lakes in the northeastern part of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area were at historically low levels. Previous periods of lower water levels in White Bear Lake correlate with periods of lower precipitation; however, recent urban expansion and increased pumping from the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer have raised the question of whether a decline in precipitation is the primary cause for the recent water-level decline in White Bear Lake. Understanding and quantifying the amount of groundwater inflow to a lake and water discharge from a lake to aquifers is commonly difficult but is important in the management of lake levels. Three methods were used in the study to assess groundwater and surface-water interactions on White Bear Lake: (1) a historical assessment (1978-2011) of levels in White Bear Lake, local groundwater levels, and their relation to historical precipitation and groundwater withdrawals in the White Bear Lake area; (2) recent (2010-11) hydrologic and water-quality data collected from White Bear Lake, other lakes, and wells; and (3) water-balance assessments for White Bear Lake in March and August 2011. An analysis of covariance between average annual lake-level change and annual precipitation indicated the relation between the two variables was significantly different from 2003 through 2011 compared with 1978 through 2002, requiring an average of 4 more inches of precipitation per year to maintain the lake level. This shift in the linear relation between annual lake-level change and annual precipitation indicated the net effect of the non-precipitation terms on the water balance has changed relative to precipitation. The average amount of precipitation required each year to maintain the lake level has increased from 33 inches per year during 1978-2002 to 37 inches per year during 2003-11. The combination of lower precipitation and an increase in groundwater withdrawals can explain the change in the lake-level response to precipitation. Annual and summer groundwater withdrawals from the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer have more than doubled from 1980 through 2010. Results from a regression model constructed with annual lake-level change, annual precipitation minus evaporation, and annual volume of groundwater withdrawn from the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer indicated groundwater withdrawals had a greater effect than precipitation minus evaporation on water levels in the White Bear Lake area for all years since 2003. The recent (2003-11) decline in White Bear Lake reflects the declining water levels in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer; increases in groundwater withdrawals from this aquifer are a likely cause for declines in groundwater levels and lake levels. Synoptic, static groundwater-level and lake-level measurements in March/April and August 2011 indicated groundwater was potentially flowing into White Bear Lake from glacial aquifers to the northeast and south, and lake water was potentially discharging from White Bear Lake to the underlying glacial and Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifers and glacial aquifers to the northwest. Groundwater levels in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer below White Bear Lake are approximately 0 to 19 feet lower than surface-water levels in the lake, indicating groundwater from the aquifer likely does not flow into White Bear Lake, but lake water may discharge into the aquifer. Groundwater levels from March/April to August 2011 declined more than 10 feet in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer south of White Bear Lake and to the north in Hugo, Minnesota. Water-quality analyses of pore water from nearshore lake-sediment and well-water samples, seepage-meter measurements, and hydraulic-head differences measured in White Bear Lake also indicated groundwater was potentially flowing into White Bear Lake from shallow glacial aquifers to the east and south. Negative temperature anomalies determined in shallow waters in the water-quality survey conducted in White Bear Lake indicated several shallow-water areas where groundwater may be flowing into the lake from glacial aquifers below the lake. Cool lake-sediment temperatures (less than 18 degrees Celsius) were measured in eight areas along the northeast, east, south, and southwest shores of White Bear Lake, indicating potential areas where groundwater may flow into the lake. Stable isotope analyses of well-water, precipitation, and lake-water samples indicated wells downgradient from White Bear Lake screened in the glacial buried aquifer or open to the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer receive a mixture of surface water and groundwater; the largest surface-water contributions are in wells closer to White Bear Lake. A wide range in oxygen-18/oxygen-16 and deuterium/protium ratios was measured in well-water samples, indicating different sources of water are supplying water to the wells. Well water with oxygen-18/oxygen-16 and deuterium/protium ratios that plot close to the meteoric water line consisted mostly of groundwater because deuterium/protium ratios for most groundwater usually are similar to ratios for rainwater and snow, plotting close to meteoric water lines. Well water with oxygen-18/oxygen-16 and deuterium/protium ratios that plot between the meteoric water line and ratios for the surface-water samples from White Bear Lake consists of a mixture of surface water and groundwater; the percentage of each source varies relative to its ratios. White Bear Lake is the likely source of the surface water to the wells that have a mixture of surface water and groundwater because (1) it is the only large, deep lake near these wells; (2) these wells are near and downgradient from White Bear Lake; and (3) these wells obtain their water from relatively deep depths, and White Bear Lake is the deepest lake in that area. The percentages of surface-water contribution to the three wells screened in the glacial buried aquifer receiving surface water were 16, 48, and 83 percent. The percentages of surface-water contribution ranged from 5 to 79 percent for the five wells open to the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer receiving surface water; wells closest to White Bear Lake had the largest percentages of surface-water contribution. Water-balance analysis of White Bear Lake in March and August 2011 indicated a potential discharge of 2.8 and 4.5 inches per month, respectively, over the area of the lake from the lake to local aquifers. Most of the sediments from a 12.4-foot lake core collected at the deepest part of White Bear Lake consisted of silts, sands, and gravels likely slumped from shallower waters, with a very low amount of low-permeability, organic material.

Water quality of potential reference lakes in the Arkansas Valley and Ouachita Mountain ecoregions, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Justus, B.G.; Meredith, Bradley J.

2014-01-01

This report describes a study to identify reference lakes in two lake classifications common to parts of two level III ecoregions in western Arkansas—the Arkansas Valley and Ouachita Mountains. Fifty-two lakes were considered. A screening process that relied on land-use data was followed by reconnaissance water-quality sampling, and two lakes from each ecoregion were selected for intensive water-quality sampling. Our data suggest that Spring Lake is a suitable reference lake for the Arkansas Valley and that Hot Springs Lake is a suitable reference lake for the Ouachita Mountains. Concentrations for five nutrient constituents—orthophosphorus, total phosphorus, total kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total organic carbon—were lower at Spring Lake on all nine sampling occasions and transparency measurements at Spring Lake were significantly deeper than measurements at Cove Lake. For the Ouachita Mountains ecoregion, water quality at Hot Springs Lake slightly exceeded that of Lake Winona. The most apparent water-quality differences for the two lakes were related to transparency and total organic carbon concentrations, which were deeper and lower at Hot Springs Lake, respectively. Our results indicate that when nutrient concentrations are low, transparency may be more valuable for differentiating between lake water quality than chemical constituents that have been useful for distinguishing between water-quality conditions in mesotrophic and eutrophic settings. For example, in this oligotrophic setting, concentrations for chlorophyll a can be less than 5 μg/L and diurnal variability that is typically associated with dissolved oxygen in more productive settings was not evident.

Seasonal Variations in Water Chemistry and Sediment Composition in Three Minnesota Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lascu, I.; Ito, E.; Banerjee, S.

2006-12-01

Variations in water chemistry, isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon, sediment geochemistry and mineral magnetism were monitored for several months in three Minnesota lakes. Lake McCarrons, Deming Lake and Steel Lake are all small (<1 km2), deep (>16 m), stratified lakes that contain varved sediments for some time intervals or throughout. Deming Lake and Steel Lake are situated in north-central Minnesota, about 40 km apart, while Lake McCarrons is located in the heart of the Twin Cities and is heavily used for recreational purposes. The lakes have different mixing regimes (Steel is dimictic, Deming is meromictic and McCarrons is oligomictic) but all have well defined epilimnia and hypolimnia during the ice-free season. Water samples were collected bi-weekly from the epilimnia, upper and lower hypolimnia, while sediments were collected monthly from sediment traps placed in shallow and deep parts of the lakes. All lakes are moderately alkaline (80-280 ppm HCO3-) carbonate-producing systems, although calcite is being dissolved in the slightly acidic hypolimnetic waters of Deming Lake. The magnetic parameters reveal different distributions of the magnetic components in the three lakes, but all exhibit a general increase in the concentration of bacterial magnetosomes towards the end of summer. Differences in elemental concentrations, cation and anion profiles, and chemical behavior as the season progressed are also obvious among the three lakes. For the two lakes situated in the same climatic regime, this implies additional controls (besides climate) on water and sediment composition, such as local hydrology, substrate composition and biogeochemical in-lake processes.

Using high hydraulic conductivity nodes to simulate seepage lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Mary P.; Hunt, Randall J.; Krohelski, James T.; Chung, Kuopo

2002-01-01

In a typical ground water flow model, lakes are represented by specified head nodes requiring that lake levels be known a priori. To remove this limitation, previous researchers assigned high hydraulic conductivity (K) values to nodes that represent a lake, under the assumption that the simulated head at the nodes in the high-K zone accurately reflects lake level. The solution should also produce a constant water level across the lake. We developed a model of a simple hypothetical ground water/lake system to test whether solutions using high-K lake nodes are sensitive to the value of K selected to represent the lake. Results show that the larger the contrast between the K of the aquifer and the K of the lake nodes, the smaller the error tolerance required for the solution to converge. For our test problem, a contrast of three orders of magnitude produced a head difference across the lake of 0.005 m under a regional gradient of the order of 10−3 m/m, while a contrast of four orders of magnitude produced a head difference of 0.001 m. The high-K method was then used to simulate lake levels in Pretty Lake, Wisconsin. Results for both the hypothetical system and the application to Pretty Lake compared favorably with results using a lake package developed for MODFLOW (Merritt and Konikow 2000). While our results demonstrate that the high-K method accurately simulates lake levels, this method has more cumbersome postprocessing and longer run times than the same problem simulated using the lake package.

Climate-induced lake drying causes heterogeneous reductions in waterfowl species richness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roach, Jennifer K.; Griffith, Dennis B.

2015-01-01

ContextLake size has declined on breeding grounds for international populations of waterfowl.ObjectivesOur objectives were to (1) model the relationship between waterfowl species richness and lake size; (2) use the model and trends in lake size to project historical, contemporary, and future richness at 2500+ lakes; (3) evaluate mechanisms for the species–area relationship (SAR); and (4) identify species most vulnerable to shrinking lakes.MethodsMonte Carlo simulations of the richness model were used to generate projections. Correlations between richness and both lake size and habitat diversity were compared to identify mechanisms for the SAR. Patterns of nestedness were used to identify vulnerable species.ResultsSpecies richness was greatest at lakes that were larger, closer to rivers, had more wetlands along their perimeters and were within 5 km of a large lake. Average richness per lake was projected to decline by 11 % from 1986 to 2050 but was heterogeneous across sub-regions and lakes. Richness in sub-regions with species-rich lakes was projected to remain stable, while richness in the sub-region with species-poor lakes was projected to decline. Lake size had a greater effect on richness than did habitat diversity, suggesting that large lakes have more species because they provide more habitat but not more habitat types. The vulnerability of species to shrinking lakes was related to species rarity rather than foraging guild.ConclusionsOur maps of projected changes in species richness and rank-ordered list of species most vulnerable to shrinking lakes can be used to identify targets for conservation or monitoring.

Survey design for lakes and reservoirs in the United States to assess contaminants in fish tissue.

PubMed

Olsen, Anthony R; Snyder, Blaine D; Stahl, Leanne L; Pitt, Jennifer L

2009-03-01

The National Lake Fish Tissue Study (NLFTS) was the first survey of fish contamination in lakes and reservoirs in the 48 conterminous states based on a probability survey design. This study included the largest set (268) of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals ever studied in predator and bottom-dwelling fish species. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) implemented the study in cooperation with states, tribal nations, and other federal agencies, with field collection occurring at 500 lakes and reservoirs over a four-year period (2000-2003). The sampled lakes and reservoirs were selected using a spatially balanced unequal probability survey design from 270,761 lake objects in USEPA's River Reach File Version 3 (RF3). The survey design selected 900 lake objects, with a reserve sample of 900, equally distributed across six lake area categories. A total of 1,001 lake objects were evaluated to identify 500 lake objects that met the study's definition of a lake and could be accessed for sampling. Based on the 1,001 evaluated lakes, it was estimated that a target population of 147,343 (+/-7% with 95% confidence) lakes and reservoirs met the NLFTS definition of a lake. Of the estimated 147,343 target lakes, 47% were estimated not to be sampleable either due to landowner access denial (35%) or due to physical barriers (12%). It was estimated that a sampled population of 78,664 (+/-12% with 95% confidence) lakes met the NLFTS lake definition, had either predator or bottom-dwelling fish present, and could be sampled.

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

CHINESE PLAT, 1919 (L19 19 4 E, SALT LAKE CITY CEMETERY LOCATER), SALT LAKE CITY, UT. VIEW LOOKING NORTHEAST AT CHINESE PLAT MARKER, BURNER & CHINESE GRAVES. - Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N Street, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT

Predicting Maximum Lake Depth from Surrounding Topography

EPA Science Inventory

Lake volume aids understanding of the physical and ecological dynamics of lakes, yet is often not readily available. The data needed to calculate lake volume (i.e. bathymetry) are usually only collected on a lake by lake basis and are difficult to obtain across broad regions. ...

Lake Baikal, Russia as seen by STS-60

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Lake Baikal, in southeastern Siberia, is the largest freshwater lake in the world. This view shows the northern end of the lake, and was taken in the early morning with low sun highlighting the mountain ranges rimming the lake basin. Pristine forests surround the lake.

Contaminants in American alligator eggs from Lake Apopka, Lake Griffin, and Lake Okeechobee, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heinz, Gary H.; Percival, H. Franklin; Jennings, Michael L.

1991-01-01

Residues of organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 16 elements were measured in American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) eggs collected in 1984 from Lakes Apopka, Griffin, and Okeechobee in central and south Florida. Organochlorine pesticides were highest in eggs from Lake Apopka. None of the elements appeared to be present at harmful concentrations in eggs from any of the lakes. A larger sample of eggs was collected in 1985, but only from Lakes Griffin, a lake where eggs were relatively clean, and Apopka, where eggs were most contaminated. In 1985, hatching success of artificially incubated eggs was lower for Lake Apopka, and several organochlorine pesticides were higher than in eggs from Lake Griffin. However, within Lake Apopka, higher levels of pesticides in chemically analyzed eggs were not associated with reduced hatching success of the remaining eggs in the clutch. Therefore, it did not appear that any of the pesticides we measured were responsible for the reduced hatching success of Lake Apopka eggs.

Water-quality and lake-stage data for Wisconsin lakes, water year 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, W.J.; Garn, H.S.; Goddard, G.L.; Marsh, S.B.; Olson, D.L.; Robertson, Dale M.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with local and other agencies, collects data at selected lakes throughout Wisconsin. These data, accumulated over many years, provide a data base for developing an improved understanding of the water quality of lakes. The purpose of this report is to provide information about the chemical and physical charac-teristics of Wisconsin lakes. Data that have been collected at specific lakes, and information to aid in the interpretation of those data, are included in this report. Data collected include measure-ments of in-lake water quality and lake stage. Time series graphs of Secchi depths, surface total phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations collected during non-frozen periods are included for all lakes. Graphs of vertical profiles of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance are included for sites where these parameters were measured. Descriptive infor-mation for each lake includes: location of the lake, area of the lake's watershed, period for which data are available, revisions to previously published records, and pertinent remarks.

Rapid increase of lakes in Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, H.; Fan, W.; Yao, Y., Sr.; Tian, D.; MA, B.; LIU, R.; Qin, Q.

2016-12-01

The Tibetan Plateau, covered with a huge area of snow, glaciers and lakes, feeds several large rivers, incluidng Yangtze River, Yellow River, Yarlung Tsangpo River and Lancang River. Climate change can cause lakes to expand and bring floods and mudflows, and the response of lakes in this plateau to global climate change is very crucial. Using time-series Landsats clear-sky images in summer from the late 1980s to 2015, we established a new finer-resolution (30m) database of lakes in the plateau among five stages (1980s, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2015), analyzed lake changes in the past three decades, and explored the possible driving forces. Results and discussions(1) Changes in lakes > 1km2 between 1980s and 2015The changes of lake numbers and surface areas were investigated between 1980s and 2015. The lakes were identified by visual interpretation and classified to several different sizes: small (1-10km2), medium (10-50km2), large (50-100km2) and huge (>100km2) lakes. A total of 1375 lakes (>1km2) were detected in 2015, in which the small, medium, large and huge lakes respectively account for 97, 74, 262 and 942 (Fig.1 and Table 1). The numbers of lakes (> 1km2 ) has increased by 384 from 991 in 1980s (Fig.2 a, b). Meanwhile, a rapid increase of lake surface area also occurred: increased by 28.2% from 37711.0km2 in 1980s to 48335.2km2 in 2015 (Fig.2c and Table 1). (2) Temporal changes in lakes > 10km2 between 1980s and 2015Temporal variation in all lakes > 10km2 were investigated at the five stages. Most lakes have expanded (Fig.3). The water surface area of large and huge lakes increased by 13.7% from a total area of 32056.7km2 in 1980s to 36437.0km2 in 2015. For example, Siling Co, which is the largest lake in Tibet region and second largest lake in Tibetan Plateau, has increased by 702.1 km2 (41.0%) to 2416.08 km2 since 1980s with an rate about 28 km2 /a. Some new lakes or water bodies appeared due to melting glaciers or anthropogenic intervention. A few of small lakes were dried up. (3) Effects analysis on Lake changesWe used annual average temperature (AVT), annual precipitation (AP), snow cover (SC) and glacier cover (GC) in spring, and lake salt mining (LSM). The preliminary results shows that the AVT anomaly and GC are the possible drivers for most lake changes, while some lakes are affected by LSM. More details are still on investigation.

78 FR 39597 - Safety Zone; “Lights on the Lake” Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-02

... Zone; ``Lights on the Lake'' Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake Tahoe, CA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... the ``Lights on the Lake'' Fourth of July Fireworks display, South Lake Tahoe, CA in the Captain of...) for the ``Lights on the Lake'' Fourth of July Fireworks, South Lake Tahoe, CA in 33 CFR 165.1191...

Patterns in the Physical, Chemical, and Biological Composition of Icelandic Lakes and the Dominant Factors Controlling Variability Across Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greco, A.; Strock, K.; Edwards, B. R.

2017-12-01

Fourteen lakes were sampled in the southern and western area of Iceland in June of 2017. The southern systems, within the Eastern Volcanic Zone, have minimal soil development and active volcanoes that produce ash input to lakes. Lakes in the Western Volcanic Zone were more diverse and located in older bedrock with more extensively weathered soil. Physical variables (temperature, oxygen concentration, and water clarity), chemical variables (pH, conductivity, dissolved and total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, and dissolved organic carbon concentration), and biological variables (algal biomass) were compared across the lakes sampled in these geographic regions. There was a large range in lake characteristics, including five to eighteen times higher algal biomass in the southern systems that experience active ash input to lakes. The lakes located in the Eastern Volcanic Zone also had higher conductivity and lower pH, especially in systems receiving substantial geothermal input. These results were analyzed in the context of more extensive lake sampling efforts across Iceland (46 lakes) to determine defining characteristics of lakes in each region and to identify variables that drive heterogeneous patterns in physical, chemical, and biological lake features within each region. Coastal systems, characterized by high conductivity, and glacially-fed systems, characterized by high iron concentrations, were unique from lakes in all other regions. Clustering and principal component analyses revealed that lake type (plateau, valley, spring-fed, and direct-runoff) was not the primary factor explaining variability in lake chemistry outside of the coastal and glacial lake types. Instead, lakes differentiated along a gradient of iron concentration and total nitrogen concentration. The physical and chemical properties of subarctic lakes are especially susceptible to both natural and human-induced environmental impacts. However, relatively little is known about the contemporary physical and chemical properties of Icelandic lakes, despite their abundance and importance as freshwater resources. Here we report an analysis of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of a set of subarctic lakes and use spatial Information to infer controls on lake heterogeneity within and across regions.

Hydrology of Crater, East and Davis Lakes, Oregon; with section on Chemistry of the Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Kenneth N.; Van Denburgh, A.S.

1968-01-01

Crater, East, and Davis Lakes are small bodies of fresh water that occupy topographically closed basins in Holocene volcanic terrane. Because the annual water supply exceeds annual evaporation, water must be lost by seepage from each lake. The seepage rates vary widely both in volume and in percentage of the total water supply. Crater Lake loses about 89 cfs (cubic feet per second), equivalent to about 72 percent of its average annual supply. East Lake loses about 2.3 cfs, or about 44 percent of its estimated supply. Davis Lake seepage varies greatly with lake level, but the average loss is about 150 cfs, more than 90 percent of its total supply. The destination of the seepage loss is not definitely known for any of the lakes. An approximate water budget was computed for stationary level for each lake, by using estimates 'by the writer to supplement the hydrologic data available. The three lake waters are dilute. Crater Lake contains about 80 ppm, (parts per million) of dissolved solids---mostly silica, sodium, and bicarbonate, and lesser amounts of calcium, sulfate, and chloride. Much of the dissolved-solids content of Crater Lake---especially the sulfate and chloride---may be related to fumarole and thermal-spring activity that presumably followed the collapse of Mount Mazama. Although Grater Lake loses an estimated 7,000 tons of its 1.5million-ton salt content each year by leakage, the chemical character of the lake did not change appreciably between 1912 and 1964. East Lake contains 200 ppm of dissolved solids, which includes major proportions of calcium, sodium, bicarbonate, and sulfate, but almost no chloride. The lake apparently receives much of its dissolved solids from subsurface thermal springs. Annual solute loss from East Lake by leakage is about 450 tons, or 3 percent of the lake's 15,000-ton estimated solute content. Davis Lake contains only 48 ppm of dissolved solids, much of which is silica and bicarbonate; chloride is almost completely absent. Approximate physical and hydrologic data for the lakes are summarized in the following table. [Table

Macroinvertebrates as indicators of fish absence in naturally fishless lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schilling, Emily Gaenzle; Loftin, C.S.; Huryn, Alexander D.

2009-01-01

1. Little is known about native communities in naturally fishless lakes in eastern North America, a region where fish stocking has led to a decline in these habitats. 2. Our study objectives were to: (i) characterise and compare macroinvertebrate communities in fishless lakes found in two biophysical regions of Maine (U.S.A.): kettle lakes in the eastern lowlands and foothills and headwater lakes in the central and western mountains; (ii) identify unique attributes of fishless lake macroinvertebrate communities compared to lakes with fish and (iii) develop a method to efficiently identify fishless lakes when thorough fish surveys are not possible. 3. We quantified macroinvertebrate community structure in the two physiographic fishless lake types (n = 8 kettle lakes; n = 8 headwater lakes) with submerged light traps and sweep nets. We also compared fishless lake macroinvertebrate communities to those in fish-containing lakes (n = 18) of similar size, location and maximum depth. We used non-metric multidimensional scaling to assess differences in community structure and t-tests for taxon-specific comparisons between lakes. 4. Few differences in macroinvertebrate communities between the two physiographic fishless lake types were apparent. Fishless and fish-containing lakes had numerous differences in macroinvertebrate community structure, abundance, taxonomic composition and species richness. Fish presence or absence was a stronger determinant of community structure in our study than differences in physical conditions relating to lake origin and physiography. 5. Communities in fishless lakes were more speciose and abundant than in fish-containing lakes, especially taxa that are large, active and free-swimming. Families differing in abundance and taxonomic composition included Notonectidae, Corixidae, Gyrinidae, Dytiscidae, Aeshnidae, Libellulidae and Chaoboridae. 6. We identified six taxa unique to fishless lakes that are robust indicators of fish absence: Graphoderus liberus, Hesperocorixa spp., Dineutus spp., Chaoborus americanus, Notonecta insulata and Callicorixa spp. These taxa are collected most effectively with submerged light traps. 7. Naturally fishless lakes warrant conservation, because they provide habitat for a unique suite of organisms that thrive in the absence of fish predation. ?? 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Hydrography and circulation of ice-marginal lakes at Bering Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Josberger, E.G.; Shuchman, R.A.; Meadows, G.A.; Savage, S.; Payne, J.

2006-01-01

An extensive suite of physical oceanographic, remotely sensed, and water quality measurements, collected from 2001 through 2004 in two ice-marginal lakes at Bering Glacier, Alaska-Berg Lake and Vitus Lake-show that each has a unique circulation controlled by their specific physical forcing within the glacial system. Conductivity profiles from Berg Lake, perched 135 m a.s.l., show no salt in the lake, but the temperature profiles indicate an apparently unstable situation, the 4??C density maximum is located at 10 m depth, not at the bottom of the lake (90 m depth). Subglacial discharge from the Steller Glacier into the bottom of the lake must inject a suspended sediment load sufficient to marginally stabilize the water column throughout the lake. In Vitus Lake, terminus positions derived from satellite imagery show that the glacier terminus rapidly retreated from 1995 to the present resulting in a substantial expansion of the volume of Vitus Lake. Conductivity and temperature profiles from the tidally influenced Vitus Lake show a complex four-layer system with diluted (???50%) seawater in the bottom of the lake. This lake has a complex vertical structure that is the result of convection generated by ice melting in salt water, stratification within the lake, and freshwater entering the lake from beneath the glacier and surface runoff. Four consecutive years, from 2001 to 2004, of these observations in Vitus Lake show little change in the deep temperature and salinity conditions, indicating limited deep water renewal. The combination of the lake level measurements with discharge measurements, through a tidal cycle, by an acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) deployed in the Seal River, which drains the entire Bering system, showed a strong tidal influence but no seawater entry into Vitus Lake. The ADCP measurements combined with lake level measurements established a relationship between lake level and discharge, which when integrated over a tidal cycle, gives a tidally averaged discharge ranging from 1310 to 1510 m3 s-1. ?? 2006 Regents of the University of Colorado.

Three-Dimensional Simulation of Avalanche-Generated Impulse Waves and Evaluation of Lake-Lowering Scenarios at Lake Palcacocha, Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chisolm, R. E.; McKinney, D. C.

2014-12-01

Accelerated retreat of Andean glaciers in recent decades due to a warming climate has caused the emergence and growth of glacial lakes. As these lakes continue to grow, they pose an increasing risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). GLOFs can be triggered by moraine failures or by avalanches, rockslides, or ice calving into glacial lakes. For many decades Lake Palcacocha in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru has threatened citizens living in the city of Huaraz which was devastated by a GLOF in 1941. A safety system for Lake Palcacocha was put in place in the 1970's to control the lake level, but the lake has since grown to the point where it is once again dangerous. Overhanging ice from the glaciers above and a relatively low freeboard make the lake vulnerable to avalanches and landslides. Lake Palcacocha is used as a case study to investigate the impact of an avalanche event on the lake dynamics. Three-dimensional lake modeling in the context of glacial hazards is not common, but 3D simulations can enhance our understanding of avalanche-generated impulse waves and their downstream impacts. In this work, a 3D hydrodynamic model is used to simulate the generation of an impulse wave from an avalanche falling into the lake, wave propagation, and overtopping of the terminal moraine. These results are used as inputs to a downstream model to predict the impact from a GLOF. As lowering the level of the lake is the most likely mitigation alternative, several scenarios are considered to evaluate the impact from avalanche events with a reduction in the lake level. The results of this work can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the current lake management system and potential lake-lowering alternatives. Use of a robust 3D lake model enables more accurate predictions of peak flows during GLOF events and the time scales of these events so that mitigation strategies can be developed that reduce the risk to communities living downstream of hazardous lakes.

Salinity and hydrology of closed lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langbein, Walter Basil

1961-01-01

Lakes without outlets, called closed lakes, are exclusively features of the arid and semiarid zones where annual evaporation exceeds rainfall. The number of closed lakes increases with aridity, so there are relatively few perennial closed lakes, but "dry" lakes that rarely contain water are numerous.Closed lakes fluctuate in level to a much greater degree than the open lakes of the humid zone, because variations in inflow can be compensated only by changes in surface area. Since the variability of inflow increases with aridity, it is possible to derive an approximate relationship for the coefficient of variation of lake area in terms of data on rates of evaporation, lake area, lake depth, and drainage area.The salinity of closed lakes is highly variable, ranging from less than 1 percent to over 25 percent by weight of salts. Some evidence suggests that the tonnage of salts in a lake solution is substantially less than the total input of salts into the lake over the period of existence of the closed lake. This evidence suggests further that the salts in a lake solution represent a kind of long-term balance between factors of gain and loss of salts from the solution.Possible mechanisms for the loss of salts dissolved in the lake include deposition in marginal bays, entrapment in sediments, and removal by wind. Transport of salt from the lake surface in wind spray is also a contributing, but seemingly not major, factor.The hypothesis of a long-term balance between input to and losses from the lake solution is checked by deriving a formula for the equilibrium concentration and comparing the results with the salinity data. The results indicate that the reported salinities seemingly can be explained in terms of their geometric properties and hydrologic environment.The time for accumulation of salts in the lake solution the ratio between mass of salts in the solution and the annual input may also be estimated from the geometric and hydrologic factors, in the absence of data on the salt content of the lake or of the inflow.

The importance of geomorphic and hydrologic factors in shaping the sensitivity of alpine/subalpine lake volumes to shifts in climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mercer, J.; Liefert, D. T.; Shuman, B. N.; Befus, K. M.; Williams, D. G.; Kraushaar, B.

2017-12-01

Alpine and subalpine lakes are important components of the hydrologic cycle in mountain ecosystems. These lakes are also highly sensitive to small shifts in temperature and precipitation. Mountain lake volumes and their contributions to mountain hydrology may change in response to even minor declines in snowpack or increases in temperature. However, it is still not clear to what degree non-climatic factors, such as geomorphic setting and lake geometry, play in shaping the sensitivity of high elevation lakes to climate change. We investigated the importance of lake geometry and groundwater connectivity to mountain lakes in the Snowy Range, Wyoming using a combination of hydrophysical and hydrochemical methods, including stable water isotopes, to better understand the role these factors play in controlling lake volume. Water isotope values in open lakes were less sensitive to evaporation compared to those in closed basin lakes. Lake geometry played an important role, with wider, shallower lakes being more sensitive to evaporation over time. Groundwater contributions appear to play only a minor role in buffering volumetric changes to lakes over the growing season. These results confirm that mountain lakes are sensitive to climate factors, but also highlight a significant amount of variability in that sensitivity. This research has implications for water resource managers concerned with downstream water quantity and quality from mountain ecosystems, biologists interested in maintaining aquatic biodiversity, and paleoclimatologists interested in using lake sedimentary information to infer past climate regimes.

Water quality of least-impaired lakes in eastern and southern Arkansas.

PubMed

Justus, Billy

2010-09-01

A three-phased study identified one least-impaired (reference) lake for each of four Arkansas lake classifications: three classifications in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) ecoregion and a fourth classification in the South Central Plains (SCP) ecoregion. Water quality at three of the least-impaired lakes generally was comparable and also was comparable to water quality from Kansas and Missouri reference lakes and Texas least-impaired lakes. Water quality of one least-impaired lake in the MAP ecoregion was not as good as water quality in other least-impaired lakes in Arkansas or in the three other states: a probable consequence of all lakes in that classification having a designated use as a source of irrigation water. Chemical and physical conditions for all four lake classifications were at times naturally harsh as limnological characteristics changed temporally. As a consequence of allochthonous organic material, oxbow lakes isolated within watersheds comprised of swamps were susceptible to low dissolved oxygen concentrations to the extent that conditions would be limiting to some aquatic biota. Also, pH in lakes in the SCP ecoregion was <6.0, a level exceeding current Arkansas water-quality standards but typical of black water systems. Water quality of the deepest lakes exceeded that of shallow lakes. N/P ratios and trophic state indices may be less effective for assessing water quality for shallow lakes (<2 m) than for deep lakes because there is an increased exposure of sediment (and associated phosphorus) to disturbance and light in the former.

Glacial lakes in the Indian Himalayas--from an area-wide glacial lake inventory to on-site and modeling based risk assessment of critical glacial lakes.

PubMed

Worni, Raphael; Huggel, Christian; Stoffel, Markus

2013-12-01

Glacial lake hazards and glacial lake distributions are investigated in many glaciated regions of the world, but comparably little attention has been given to these topics in the Indian Himalayas. In this study we present a first area-wide glacial lake inventory, including a qualitative classification at 251 glacial lakes >0.01 km(2). Lakes were detected in the five states spanning the Indian Himalayas, and lake distribution pattern and lake characteristics were found to differ significantly between regions. Three glacial lakes, from different geographic and climatic regions within the Indian Himalayas were then selected for a detailed risk assessment. Lake outburst probability, potential outburst magnitudes and associated damage were evaluated on the basis of high-resolution satellite imagery, field assessments and through the use of a dynamic model. The glacial lakes analyzed in the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh were found to present moderate risks to downstream villages, whereas the lake in Sikkim severely threatens downstream locations. At the study site in Sikkim, a dam breach could trigger drainage of ca. 16×10(6)m(3) water and generate maximum lake discharge of nearly 7000 m(3) s(-). The identification of critical glacial lakes in the Indian Himalayas and the detailed risk assessments at three specific sites allow prioritizing further investigations and help in the definition of risk reduction actions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial and temporal assessment of mercury and organic matter in thermokarst affected lakes of the Mackenzie Delta uplands, NT, Canada.

PubMed

Deison, Ramin; Smol, John P; Kokelj, Steve V; Pisaric, Michael F J; Kimpe, Linda E; Poulain, Alexandre J; Sanei, Hamed; Thienpont, Joshua R; Blais, Jules M

2012-08-21

We examined dated sediment cores from 14 thermokarst affected lakes in the Mackenzie Delta uplands, NT, Arctic Canada, using a case-control analysis to determine how retrogressive thaw slump development from degrading permafrost affected the delivery of mercury (Hg) and organic carbon (OC) to lakes. We show that sediments from the lakes with retrogressive thaw slump development on their shorelines (slump-affected lakes) had higher sedimentation rates and lower total Hg (THg), methyl mercury (MeHg), and lower organic carbon concentrations compared to lakes where thaw slumps were absent (reference lakes). There was no difference in focus-corrected Hg flux to sediments between reference lakes and slump-affected lakes, indicating that the lower sediment Hg concentration in slump-affected lakes was due to dilution by rapid inorganic sedimentation in the slump-affected lakes. Sedimentation rates were inversely correlated with THg concentrations in sediments among the 14 lakes considered, and explained 68% of the variance in THg concentration in surface sediment, further supporting the dilution hypothesis. We observed higher S2 (algal-derived carbon) and particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations in sediment profiles from reference lakes than in slump lakes, likely because of dilution by inorganic siliciclastic matter in cores from slump-affected lakes. We conclude that retrogressive thaw slump development increases inorganic sedimentation in lakes, and decreases concentrations of organic carbon and associated Hg and MeHg in sediments.

The use of total lake-surface area as an indicator of climatic change: Examples from the Lahontan basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.V.; Paillet, Frederick L.

1989-01-01

Variation in the size of lakes in the Lahontan basin is topographically constrained. River diversion also has played a major role in regulating lake size in Lahontan subbasins. The proper gage of lake response to change in the hydrologic balance is neither lake depth (level) nor lake volume but instead lake-surface area. Normalization of surface area is necessary when comparing surface areas of lakes in basins having different topographies. To a first approximation, normalization can be accomplished by dividing the paleosurface area of a lake by its mean-historical, reconstructed surface area. ?? 1989.

The Great Lakes' regional climate regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyama, Noriyuki

For the last couple of decades, the Great Lakes have undergone rapid surface warming. In particular, the magnitude of the summer surface-warming trends of the Great Lakes have been much greater than those of surrounding land (Austin and Colman, 2007). Among the Great Lakes, the deepest Lake Superior exhibited the strongest warming trend in its annual, as well as summer surface water temperature. We find that many aspects of this behavior can be explained in terms of the tendency of deep lakes to exhibit multiple regimes characterized, under the same seasonally varying forcing, by the warmer and colder seasonal cycles exhibiting different amounts of wintertime lake-ice cover and corresponding changes in the summertime lake-surface temperatures. In this thesis, we address the problem of the Great Lakes' warming using one-dimensional lake modeling to interpret diverse observations of the recent lake behavior. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

47 CFR 80.951 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... MARITIME SERVICES Radiotelephone Installation Required for Vessels on the Great Lakes § 80.951... Great Lakes by Means of Radio, 1973, applies to vessels of all countries when navigated on the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Agreement defines the Great Lakes as “all waters of Lakes Ontario, Erie...

47 CFR 80.951 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... MARITIME SERVICES Radiotelephone Installation Required for Vessels on the Great Lakes § 80.951... Great Lakes by Means of Radio, 1973, applies to vessels of all countries when navigated on the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Agreement defines the Great Lakes as “all waters of Lakes Ontario, Erie...

47 CFR 80.951 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... MARITIME SERVICES Radiotelephone Installation Required for Vessels on the Great Lakes § 80.951... Great Lakes by Means of Radio, 1973, applies to vessels of all countries when navigated on the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Agreement defines the Great Lakes as “all waters of Lakes Ontario, Erie...

47 CFR 80.951 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... MARITIME SERVICES Radiotelephone Installation Required for Vessels on the Great Lakes § 80.951... Great Lakes by Means of Radio, 1973, applies to vessels of all countries when navigated on the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Agreement defines the Great Lakes as “all waters of Lakes Ontario, Erie...

47 CFR 80.951 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... MARITIME SERVICES Radiotelephone Installation Required for Vessels on the Great Lakes § 80.951... Great Lakes by Means of Radio, 1973, applies to vessels of all countries when navigated on the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Agreement defines the Great Lakes as “all waters of Lakes Ontario, Erie...

Biogeochemical phosphorus mass balance for Lake Baikal, southeastern Siberia, Russia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Callender, E.; Granina, L.

1997-01-01

Extensive data for Lake Baikal have been synthesized into a geochemical mass balance for phosphorus (P). Some of the P budget and internal cycling terms for Baikal have been compared to similar terms for oligotrophic Lake Superior, mesotrophic Lake Michigan and the Baltic Sea, and the Ocean. Lake Baikal has a large external source of fluvial P compared to the Laurentian upper Great Lakes and the Ocean. The major tributary to Lake Baikal has experienced substantial increases in organic P loading during the past 25 years. This, coupled with potential P inputs from possible phosphorite mining, may threaten Baikal's oligotrophic status in the future. Water-column remineralization of particulate organic P is substantially greater in Lake Baikal than in the Laurentian Great Lakes. This is probably due to the great water depths of Lake Baikal. There is a gradient in P burial efficiency, with very high values (80%) for Lake Baikal and Lake Superior, lower values (50%) for Lake Michigan and the Baltic Sea, and a low value (13%) for the Ocean. The accumulation rate of P in Lake Baikal sediments is somewhat greater than that in the Laurentian upper Great Lakes and the Baltic Sea, and much greater than in the Ocean. Benthic regeneration rates are surprisingly similar for large lacustrine and marine environments and supply less than 10% of the P utilized for primary production in these aquatic environments.

Causes of declining survival of lake trout stocked in U.S. waters of Lake Superior in 1963-1986

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, Michael J.; Ebener, Mark P.; Schorfhaar, Richard G.; Schram, Stephen T.; Schreiner, Donald R.; Selgeby, James H.; Taylor, William W.

1996-01-01

Survival of the 1963-1982 year-classes of stocked yearling lake trout Salvelinus namaycush declined significantly over time in Lake Superior. To investigate possible causes of this decline, a Ricker model of stock-recruitment was used to describe the catch per effort (CPE) of age-7 stocked lake trout in the Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior as functions of the numbers of yearlings stocked 6 years earlier (an index of density dependence), the density (CPE) of wild adult lake trout (an index of predation), and large-mesh (a?Y 114-mm stretch-measure) gill-net fishing effort (an index of fishing mortality). Declining CPE of stocked lake trout in Michigan and Wisconsin was significantly associated with increasing large-mesh gillnet fishing effort. Declining CPE of stocked lake trout in Minnesota was significantly associated with increasing density of wild lake trout. Declining survival of stocked lake trout may therefore have been caused by increased mortality in large-mesh gill-net fisheries in Michigan and Wisconsin, and by predation by wild lake trout that recently recolonized the Minnesota area. We recommend that experimental management be pursued to determine the relative importance of large-mesh gillnet fishing effort and of predation by wild lake trout on the survival of stocked lake trout in U.S. waters of Lake Superior.

Late Holocene lake-level fluctuations in Walker Lake, Nevada, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yuan, F.; Linsley, B.K.; Howe, S.S.; Lund, S.P.; McGeehin, J.P.

2006-01-01

Walker Lake, a hydrologically closed, saline, and alkaline lake, is situated along the western margin of the Great Basin in Nevada of the western United States. Analyses of the magnetic susceptibility (??), total inorganic carbon (TIC), and oxygen isotopic composition (??18O) of carbonate sediments including ostracode shells (Limnocythere ceriotuberosa) from Walker Lake allow us to extend the sediment record of lake-level fluctuations back to 2700??years B.P. There are approximately five major stages over the course of the late Holocene hydrologic evolution in Walker Lake: an early lowstand (> 2400??years B.P.), a lake-filling period (??? 2400 to ??? 1000??years B.P.), a lake-level lowering period during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) (??? 1000 to ??? 600??years B.P.), a relatively wet period (??? 600 to ??? 100??years B.P.), and the anthropogenically induced lake-level lowering period (< 100??years B.P.). The most pronounced lowstand of Walker Lake occurred at ??? 2400??years B.P., as indicated by the relatively high values of ??18O. This is generally in agreement with the previous lower resolution paleoclimate results from Walker Lake, but contrasts with the sediment records from adjacent Pyramid Lake and Siesta Lake. The pronounced lowstand suggests that the Walker River that fills Walker Lake may have partially diverted into the Carson Sink through the Adrian paleochannel between 2700 to 1400??years B.P. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ice cover, landscape setting, and geological framework of Lake Vostok, East Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Studinger, M.; Bell, R.E.; Karner, G.D.; Tikku, A.A.; Holt, J.W.; Morse, D.L.; David, L.; Richter, T.G.; Kempf, S.D.; Peters, M.E.; Blankenship, D.D.; Sweeney, R.E.; Rystrom, V.L.

2003-01-01

Lake Vostok, located beneath more than 4 km of ice in the middle of East Antarctica, is a unique subglacial habitat and may contain microorganisms with distinct adaptations to such an extreme environment. Melting and freezing at the base of the ice sheet, which slowly flows across the lake, controls the flux of water, biota and sediment particles through the lake. The influx of thermal energy, however, is limited to contributions from below. Thus the geological origin of Lake Vostok is a critical boundary condition for the subglacial ecosystem. We present the first comprehensive maps of ice surface, ice thickness and subglacial topography around Lake Vostok. The ice flow across the lake and the landscape setting are closely linked to the geological origin of Lake Vostok. Our data show that Lake Vostok is located along a major geological boundary. Magnetic and gravity data are distinct east and west of the lake, as is the roughness of the subglacial topography. The physiographic setting of the lake has important consequences for the ice flow and thus the melting and freezing pattern and the lake's circulation. Lake Vostok is a tectonically controlled subglacial lake. The tectonic processes provided the space for a unique habitat and recent minor tectonic activity could have the potential to introduce small, but significant amounts of thermal energy into the lake. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Usefulness of natural regions for lake management: Analysis of variation among lakes in northwestern Wisconsin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omernik, James M.; Rohm, Christina M.; Lillie, Richard A.; Mesner, Nancy

1991-03-01

A map of summer total phosphorus in lakes was compiled recently for a three-state area of the upper Midwest for purposes of identifying regional patterns of total phosphorus in lakes and attainable lake trophic state. Spatial patterns in total phosphorus from approximately 3000 lakes were studied in conjunction with maps of geographic characteristics that tend to affect phosphorus balance in lakes to identify regions of similarity in phosphorus concentrations in lakes or similarity in the mosaic of values as compared to adjacent areas. While degrees of relative homogeneity are apparent at many scales, the map was designed at a scale that would yield regions with sufficient homogeneity to be useful for lake management throughout the area. In this study, data from 210 lakes in a 1560-mi2 area in northwestern Wisconsin, sampled by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the spring of 1988 (subsequent to the compilation of the phosphorus map), were examined to: (1) substantiate the existence of the regions depicted on the map in northwest Wisconsin, (2) determine the nature and relative precision of the regional boundaries, (3) determine the relative importance of natural and anthropogenic watershed characteristics, lake types, lake area, and lake depth in explaining within-region differences in lake phosphorus, and (4) demonstrate how the regions might be used by local lake managers.