Keeping Atitlan Blue: Coordination of Future Collaborative Research to Improve Water Quality at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

抽象声音-0940796？保持阿蒂特兰蓝色：协调未来的合作研究，以改善水质在阿蒂特兰湖，危地马拉Eliska Rejmankova环境科学与政策系加州大学戴维斯阿蒂特兰湖，一个火山口湖位于危地马拉高地，已被许多人描述为世界之一？这是最美丽的湖泊。在1980年已经经历了生态灾难？随着阿蒂特兰的灭绝（亨特1980），该湖目前正面临着日益严重的水污染问题。如果不采取补救措施，这可能会严重威胁到主要依赖该湖为生的Tzutujil印第安社区，并导致失去Atitlan？独特的美学地位。不受控制的营养物输入湖泊导致高磷水平，引发蓝藻水华的形成。这些水华能够产生各种毒素，可以通过饮用水和食物链上的生物积累沿着直接影响居民。这笔赠款支持加州大学戴维斯分校的一个研究小组计划访问危地马拉，与危地马拉同事会面，参观湖泊，并设计一个旨在保护湖泊水质的研究计划。 访问者将会见拉斐尔·兰迪瓦尔大学的南希·吉隆、克里斯蒂娜·贝利和巴勃罗·马约加博士;危地马拉瓦莱大学的玛格丽特·迪克斯博士;阿蒂特兰自然保护区的阿尔贝托·里维拉·古铁雷斯博士;阿蒂特兰湖环境保护协会的胡安·斯金纳博士。 联合国的目标是什么？危地马拉的活动如下：（1）评估外部和内部的磷负荷;（2）建立水质监测系统;（3）预测磷输入的阈值，将维持湖泊？的贫营养状态;（4）评估蓝藻生长的动力学;（5）分析蓝藻和更高营养水平的蓝藻毒素的存在;（6）开发一种负担得起的蓝藻毒素生物测定法;（7）采取措施防止和减少未来的磷输入;（8）教育当地居民并使其参与防止未来湖泊恶化的运动。据认为，阿蒂特兰湖表明，由于人类活动和全球气候变化，生态系统面临恶化的风险。因此，这次访问计划进行的合作研究是及时的，对环境至关重要。将采取的科学方法具有重要的知识价值，对当地社区的潜在后果以及对其他生态系统，如太浩湖的影响，构成了宝贵的广泛影响。青年研究人员参与规划访问和建立有意义的国际合作也值得注意。

ABSTRACTOISE-0940796 ? Keeping Atitlan Blue: Coordination of Future Collaborative Research to Improve Water Quality at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala Eliska RejmankovaDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy University of California - DavisLake Atitlan, a caldera lake located in the highlands of Guatemala, has been described by many as one of the world?s most beautiful lakes. Having already experienced ecological catastrophe in 1980?s with the extinction of the Atitlan grebe (Hunter 1980), the lake is presently facing problems with increasing water pollution. Without remediation, this may present a serious threat to the predominantly Tzutujil Indian community dependent on the lake for their livelihood as well as lead to the loss of Atitlan?s unique aesthetic status. Uncontrolled nutrient input into the lake has led to high phosphorus levels, initiating the formation of cyanobacterial blooms. These blooms, capable of producing various toxins, can directly impact residents via drinking water and bioaccumulation along the food chain. This grant supports a planning visit for a team of researchers from the University of California-Davis to Guatemala to meet with Guatemalan colleagues, to visit the lake, and to design a research program aimed to protect the water quality in the lake. The visitors are meeting with Drs. Nancy Girón, Cristina Bailey, and Pablo Mayorga of the Universidad Rafael Landívar; Dr. Margaret Dix of the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala; Dr. Alberto Rivera Gutiérrez of the Reserva Natural Atitlán; and Dr. Juan Skinner of the Lake Atitlán Environmental Protection Society. The goals of joint US ? Guatemalan activities are to be the following: (1) to evaluate external and internal P loading; (2) to set up a monitoring system for water quality; (3) to predict threshold values for P input that would sustain the lake?s oligotrophic status; (4) to assess the dynamics of cyanobacterial growth; (5) to analyze cyanobacteria and higher trophic levels for presence of cyanotoxins; (6) to develop an affordable bioassay for cyanotoxins; (7) to initiate steps to prevent and reduce future P input; and (8) to educate and involve local residents in a movement to prevent future lake deterioration. It is considered that Lake Atitlan is indicative of ecosystems that are at risk for deterioration as a result of human activity and global climate change. Thus, the collaborative research to be planned in this visit is timely and environmentally critical. The scientific approach to be undertaken carries significant intellectual merit, and the potential consequences for the local communities as well as the implications for other ecosystems, such as Lake Tahoe, constitute valuable broad impact. The involvement of young researchers in the planning visit and the establishment of a meaningful international collaboration are also notable.