Indicator Species

Aquatic ecosystems
Oyster: They fed on organic material and pollutants in the water. They filter the water, removing the particles.
Vertebrate and invertebrate species: Found in rivers and streams. Can determine the grange pollution to kept in check.
Lilies: rivers, lakes, ponds and swamps. They absorb oxygen and sunlight. Indicate abundance of nutrients, which leads to eutrophication.

Mayfly larvae: Native specie that are adapted to live in certain biome. When its number decreases it is a very clear sign that the pollution levels are increasing. They reappear downstream as the effects of the discharge are diluted. This help to indicate the level of pollution in water.
Sludge Worm. Common in lakes and rivers. All fresh water ecosystems. They fed on the sediments and bacteria, hence a great population on them might indicate great pollution in the body water and oxygen-poor water. They indicate stagnant water unfit to drink.
Soil Indicator species
The plants that are found in certain soil might indicate the presence or absence of a specific substance.
Besides plants, there are many other indicators.
Birds eggs can be analyze to find out pesticide sin the soil.
Invertebrates:. Indicator species to identify the use of foreign soils, insecticides, pesticides, and other pollutants.
In Canada there are plans to use soil-living arthropods in order to quantify the pollution in the forests.
A good way to measure the healthiness of an ecosystem and to determine the presence of pollution is biodiversity. High biodiversity indicates a strong and healthy environment.

  .

Direct and Indirect Measurements

Direct sampling

• In situ. Actually, in the studied place.

Reliable and the best option because of the exact results gases
It is difficult to carry all of the instruments

• Ex situ. Off from the place where sample is established

Use of more methods and instruments, flexible
You cannot experiment instantly and so the sample could suffer some changes.
Shipping and handling is necessary.
When measuring pollution, direct measurements could be use to measure the concentration of:

• gases
• particulate matter
• pH
• dissolved oxygen
• biomass content
• salts
• conductivity
• turbidly

Most of the measurements are giving in units per area, or per
Indirect sample
These measurements are the ones where we measure one factor in order to study or get conclusions for other factor. They don’t really tell you the concentration, you need to interpret them.
Examples of it are

• Indicator species,  They define an specific area or a specific biome
• Biodiversity indexes
• Chromatography
• Spectroscopy

Pollution management: Measuring Pollution

We need to measure pollution in order to control the measured levels. With the exact number, people could regulate their activities to maintain or reach a certain level to maintain balance in an specific zone or area.

The monitoring of pollution can be done directly or indirectly:

• Direct: Measuring the concentration of pollutants. 
• Acidity of rain
• Amount of gases (atmosphere or by emissions)
• pH of soil
• Presence/concentration of nitrates/phosphates/sulfates in soil and water,
• Amount of organic matter, amount of bacteria, concentration of metals
• BOD: Biochemical Oxygen Demand amount of oxygen to determine the pollution of water
• Indirect:
• Indicator species (absence or presence)

In Mexico, the IMECA’s were created to measure the pollution found in the air. It takes into account PM, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and ground level ozone. Specific marks are established to define the air quality.

Each mark counts with an specific color and recommendations to follow at each level in order to reduce risks. In general, the indices advise you to stay at home or go out.

If you want to check the IMECA’s per zone in the Mexico city, check out the following

link http://www.sma.df.gob.mx/simat/

A effect of extremely high air pollution is acid rain. It is generated in cities due to the combustion of cars and combine with oxygen and sulfur and nitrogen and water: forming sulfuric and nitric acid. This substances fall down with rain. The effects of this acid rain harms the cultural patrimony of the affected areas and damage the equilibrium of the environment by acting upon the flora and fauna.

Main Pollutants

The next table presents some of the main pollutants presented in air, water, or soil. Some of them naturally occur, while other are released by industrial and other human actives.

Click in the image to open it in another page with a bigger size.

 

 

 

Air pollution in the area of Monterrey, Mexico, is mainly due to Particulate Matter (PM). The specifications of this pollutant are presented in the previous table, but the next diagram presents the percentage of PM’s emission from Human Activity.

 

 

Wait for new entries about pollution and check out the previous posts of this month:

• Pollution Management
• Atmospheric layers, air pollution, and its effects

References

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/101/common-pollutants.html

http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/Air-Pollutants-Summary.html

http://www.springerlink.com/content/978-3-540-70775-2/#section=229365&page=3&locus=12

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/09-06/water-pollution-causes-article.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?Main-Causes-of-Water-Pollution&id=527329

http://www.excelwater.com/eng/b2c/about_3.php

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/environ/lead-plomb-eng.php

http://www.epa.gov/glo/health.html

http://biology.about.com/od/molecularbiology/a/carbon_monoxide.htm

Atmospheric layers, Air Pollution and its effects over environment

Behavior of the atmospheric layers.

As we can appreciate in the diagram above, the conditions of pressure and temperature at each level.

The ozone layer, which shields the earth from the direct radiation of Sun’s UV rays, is located in the stratosphere. Ozone is vital for life in Earth, but at ground level, ozone could be very harmful due to its high oxidation levels.

In the troposphere we find the harm of the green house gases. Carbon dioxide and methane directly contribute to global warming and its effect over climatic conditions.

Primary pollutants are the ones that come directly from sources like volcanic eruptions and dust storms. Methane (SO2) and CO2 are generated by natural and anthropogenic (human activity) sources. Human activity generates pollution mainly by combustion and industrial activity (SO2).

Secondary pollutants are the ones that have already changed in composition from the primary ones due to chemical reactions in body waters, soil or even by the effect of Sun’s radiation (sunlight).

Pollution Management

Introduction of contaminants into the environment that harm the ecosystem.

Remember when we talk about pollution last semester. Now, it is time to go deeper on this topic. We must understand how pollution is generated by human activity and how we can reduce pollution.

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, Earth have had to endure a variety of new and increased amount of pollutants.

Fossil fuels + big factories around the world + increased of population and production = Poll

Nowadays, governments of all around the world and the global society have started to be aware about the harm that human activity is causing to the world and are trying to reducing it working towards a sustainable development.

Pollution Management

The following concepts have been already established in a previous post

Point source: The origin of the pollution can be tracked down easily to an specific agents

Non-point source: There are many damaging agents that might cause the pollution

We could classify the sources of pollutants according from where they are found: air, soil, water.

Water pollution generated by the oil spills by the British Petroleum Company in the Gulf of Mexico is an example of point source pollution.

Another point source pollution: The wastes left by  the activity of “the mining and metals company Molymex’s plant in the city of Cumpas in northern Mexico’s Sonora state, is severely contaminated with baked trioxide molybdenum, according to a University of Arizona study release last week. (Business News Americas).

http://www.bnamericas.com/news/metals/Study_Detects_Molymex_Soil_Pollution

Air pollution in Mexico city due to mostly due to vehicle exhausts. Pollutants include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, benzenes and aldehydes.

http://www.sbg.ac.at/ipk/avstudio/pierofun/mexico/air.htm

Water pollution in Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, a factory directly discharges wastewater into Poyang Lake.

http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/photosvideos/slideshows/china-water-pollution-slidesho

Lightning is a major natural source of nitrogen oxides pollution.

Natural sulphur dioxide pollution come from different sources. They include release from volcanoes, biological decay and forest fires. Actual amounts released from natural sources in the world are difficult to quantify.

http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/acid_rain/older/Natural_Sources.html

Population Policies in Australia and Russia for sustainable development

Australia: Sustainable Population Strategy

-          The objective:

Improve the well-being through management of population change’s impacts.

The thing is not to stop the growth, but address the issues that it generates in an adequate way.

Seeks to identify and take action in areas where population change may lead to unsustainable environment and natural resource management practices.

-          How it is supposed to address the issues:

Carefully planned, sustainable management of this natural capital is essential to ensure it remains healthy and available to current and future generations

-          How do the policies will affect population growth?

•         The Sustainable Population Strategy will considered, and thus, affect directly aspects of population dynamics such as fertility, life expectancy, internal movements, and migration levels.

•          It will intend to look after the condition of different growth rates and conditions for different areas of the Australian territory.

•          It will work with the National Urban Policy that will make able to maintain the urban population, which represents almost the 80%, by addressing and controlling issues, such as: water scarcity, service delivery, food security and health services.

•          The research for the strategy has given out results that show that the increase of Australian food production in the last decades are due to an increase in efficiency and productivity, rather than the disposition of more agricultural land. The strategy intends to exploit productivity in order to handle the increasement of population.

•          Carbon dioxide emissions will be lowered as the strategy plans a reduction in the pollution per capita. This will lead to greener practices among the population, better living standards and the move towards sustainable power sources.

•          The country establishes a great importance in the population growth due to the need of work force.

•          Migration is an important factor to consider as it represents skilled workforce, innovation, a dynamic society with different views, connection with other nations, and foreign capital in the Australian economy.

The Strategy would set three different independent panels to look at population change through different lenses:

1. Demography and liveability
2.  Productivity and prosperity
3.  Sustainable development

Russia policies of population strategy

In recent years Russia’s government, led by President Vladimir Putin, has established new population and sustainable development policies that are intend to response to the issues that the country is facing. A shortening population, lack of workers

Russian government feels that the worst problem is the issue is the population crisis of implosion. The government has decided to implement policies that will increase the birth and fertility rate of the country by trying to increase the number of children per family.

A repatriation program has been set by the government in order to bring back the former Russians that have left the country looking for specialized opportunities aboard. The program includes monetary incentives, social benefits and employment opportunities.

There is a proposal to change he immigration policies in order to make them friendlier with foreigners, increasing the appeal of the country to skilled and non-skilled outsiders.

Russia is the second nation that receives more immigrants, being USA the first one.  A great part of these immigrants are illegal. Illegal immigrants are subject to bad job possibilities and don’t contribute the activation of the economy. New migration policy will control the access of illegal immigrants and will concede legal registration and working permit to the greater part of the illegal immigrants that are already in Russia. The law defines quotas for migrant sending countries and high penalties for employers who illegally employ migrants.

References

1. Hibbard, Courtney. "Russia's Population Plan - San Diego Public Policy | Examiner.com."Washington DC News, Washington DC Information, Washington DC Events - Examiner.com | Examiner.com. 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2011. <http://www.examiner.com/public-policy-in-san-diego/russia-s-population-plan>

2. Banjanovic, Adisa. "Russias New Immigration Policy Will Boost the Population Euromonitor Archive." Market Research for Industries, Market Research for Countries, Market Research on Consumers. 14 June 2007. Web. 11 Jan. 2011. <http://www.euromonitor.com/Russias_new_immigration_policy_will_boost_the_population>.

3. Commonwealth of Australia. "A Sustainable Population Strategy for Australia - Issues Paper - online version."Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPaC) - Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2011. <http://environment.gov.au/sustainability/population/publications/issues-paper2.html>.