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

abstractoise - 0940796 ?保持Atitlan的蓝色：未来合作研究的协调，以改善Atitlan湖，危地马拉的水质Eliska rejmankova加州大学环境科学与政策系-戴维斯湖Atitlan，一个火山口湖位于危地马拉的高地，被许多人描述为世界上最美丽的湖泊之一。美国最美丽的湖泊。已经经历了1980年的生态灾难？随着阿提兰grebe的灭绝（Hunter 1980），该湖目前面临着日益严重的水污染问题。如果不采取补救措施，这可能会对主要依靠该湖谋生的祖图吉尔印第安人社区构成严重威胁，并导致阿提兰的丧失。美国独特的审美地位。不受控制的营养物输入湖泊导致高磷水平，开始形成蓝藻华。这些藻华能够产生各种毒素，可以通过饮用水和食物链中的生物积累直接影响居民。这笔拨款支持加州大学戴维斯分校的一组研究人员计划访问危地马拉，与危地马拉的同事会面，参观该湖，并设计一个旨在保护该湖水质的研究项目。来访者正在会见博士。拉斐尔大学的Nancy Girón、Cristina Bailey和Pablo Mayorga Landívar；危地马拉山谷大学的玛格丽特·迪克斯博士；自然保护区的Alberto Rivera gutimacrirez博士Atitlán；以及湖Atitlán环境保护协会的胡安·斯金纳博士。美国联合军演的目标是什么？危地马拉的活动如下：(1)评估外部和内部磷负荷；（二）建立水质监测系统；(3)预测维持湖泊的P输入阈值？S贫营养状态；(4)评估蓝藻生长动态；(5)分析蓝藻和更高营养水平的蓝藻毒素的存在；(6)开发负担得起的蓝藻毒素生物测定法；(7)采取措施预防和减少未来磷的投入；(8)教育并让当地居民参与到防止未来湖泊恶化的运动中来。人们认为，阿蒂特兰湖表明，由于人类活动和全球气候变化，生态系统正面临恶化的风险。因此，这次访问计划的合作研究是及时的，对环境至关重要。要采取的科学方法具有重大的智力价值，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是值得注意的。

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.