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

保持阿蒂特兰蓝色：协调未来合作研究以改善危地马拉阿蒂特兰湖的水质

• 批准号: 0940796
• 负责人: Eliska Rejmankova
• 金额: $ 1.84万
• 依托单位: University of California-Davis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-01-15 至 2010-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0940796&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Keeping; Atitlan; Blue; Coordination; Future

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.

摘要-0940796 ？保持阿蒂特兰蓝色：协调未来合作研究以改善危地马拉阿蒂特兰湖水质 Eliska Rejmankova 加州大学戴维斯分校环境科学与政策系 阿蒂特兰湖是位于危地马拉高地的火山口湖，被许多人描述为世界上最美丽的湖泊之一。该湖在 20 世纪 80 年代已经经历了阿蒂特兰鷊鷉的灭绝（Hunter 1980）带来的生态灾难，目前正面临着水污染日益严重的问题。如果不采取补救措施，这可能会对依赖该湖为生的祖图吉尔印第安人社区构成严重威胁，并导致阿蒂特兰独特的审美地位的丧失。不受控制的营养物质输入湖中导致磷含量过高，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累积直接影响居民。这笔赠款支持加州大学戴维斯分校的研究小组计划前往危地马拉与危地马拉同事会面，参观该湖，并设计一项旨在保护该湖水质的研究计划。 来访者正在与博士见面。拉斐尔兰迪瓦尔大学的 Nancy Girón、Cristina Bailey 和 Pablo Mayorga；危地马拉山谷大学的玛格丽特·迪克斯博士； Reserva Natural Atitlán 的 Alberto Rivera Gutiérrez 博士；和阿蒂特兰湖环境保护协会的胡安·斯金纳博士。 美国联合的目标？危地马拉的活动如下： (1) 评估外部和内部磷负荷； （二）建立水质监测制度； (3) 预测维持湖泊贫营养状态的磷输入阈值； (4)评估蓝藻生长的动态； (5) 分析蓝藻和较高营养级是否存在蓝藻毒素； (6) 开发一种负担得起的蓝藻毒素生物测定方法； (7) 采取措施防止和减少未来的磷投入； (8) 教育当地居民并让他们参与到防止未来湖泊恶化的运动中。人们认为阿蒂特兰湖表明生态系统因人类活动和全球气候变化而面临恶化的风险。因此，这次访问中计划的合作研究是及时且对环境至关重要的。将采取的科学方法具有重要的智力价值，对当地社区的潜在后果以及对太浩湖等其他生态系统的影响构成了宝贵的广泛影响。年轻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。