Water and sanitation represents a key battlefront in combating the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Basic water sanitation infrastructure is an essential first step to protecting public health, thereby limiting the spread of pathogens and the need for antibiotics. AMR presents unique human health risks, meriting new risk assessment frameworks specifically adapted to water and sanitation-borne AMR. There are numerous exposure routes to AMR originating from human waste, each of which must be quantified for its relative risk to human health. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a vital role in centralized collection and treatment of human sewage, but there are numerous unresolved questions in terms of the microbial ecological processes occurring within and the extent to which they attenuate or amplify AMR. Research is needed to advance understanding of the fate of resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in various waste management systems, depending on the local constraints and intended re-use applications. WHO and national AMR action plans would benefit from a more holistic 'One Water' understanding. Here we provide a framework for research, policy, practice, and public engagement aimed at limiting the spread of AMR from water and sanitation in both low-, medium- and high-income countries, alike.

The present thesis investigated the diversity and distribution of amphipods (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in Switzerland, based on an extensive collection and analysis of faunistic and ecological data. The thesis aimed to provide an updated and substantiated foundation for future ecological, faunistic and taxonomic research on these important crustaceans, with a particular focus on Switzerland. The thesis was conducted as integral part of the project Amphipod.CH that was initiated to intensify the study of amphipods in Switzerland. <br/><br/> Amphipods are an order of crustaceans that represent keystone species in a wide variety of both marine and freshwater ecosystems. As such they contribute considerably to the biodiversity and functioning of these ecosystems, for example by linking different trophic levels or as major decomposers. In many temperate freshwater ecosystems (including groundwater, caves, lakes and stream ecosystems), amphipods are among the most abundant macroinvertebrates. However, their communities are also rapidly changing due to their high sensitivity to environmental change and pollution as well as a high proportion of non-native amphipod species reaching new habitats, particularly in Europe and Switzerland. It is therefore crucial to understand their ecology and systematics in order to detect and understand such changes and take appropriate conservation measures. <br/><br/> In my thesis I focused on improving the knowledge and data on amphipods in Switzerland. Before the onset of the project, only limited information on amphipods had been available for the European Alps and Switzerland in particular. With several major European drainage areas originating in Switzerland, the region represents a biogeographically interesting area . In a first step, I reviewed for the thesis all previously published literature on amphipods and summarized this ecological and faunistic information for a general introduction to amphipods of Switzerland. This includes publications from the 19th century up to the most recent findings from 2017. I then described several new species for Switzerland or even new to science based on molecular methods and morphological features, some of these species are even endemic to Switzerland. Based on this work, I developed a fully illustrated species identification key. It covers all 44 species of amphipods known from Switzerland, is fully compliant with recent systematics and covers all drainage areas of Switzerland. Thereby, it is the first ever key to all amphipods of Switzerland. Finally, I analyzed amphipod communities using diversity analyses covering a large spatial extent to get a deeper insight into the importance of dispersal and habitat connectivity for community formation and biological invasions in dendritic networks. Overall, my thesis improves and synthesizes the knowledge on amphipods of Switzerland and will hopefully ease all future work on this important taxonomic group of freshwater macroinvertebrates.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used as antimicrobial agents. During their life cycle, some of the AgNPs are released into natural environments, where chronic exposure to them can continue to cause harmful effects on microorganisms. However, very little is known about long-term impacts on important ecosystem compartments such as periphyton, a microbial community of algae and bacteria that covers submerged surfaces and contributes importantly to primary production and other ecosystem processes. Thus, the present study focused on assessing the accumulation of citrate-coated AgNPs and dissolved Ag⁺ in periphyton and on testing chronic effects on periphyton community structure and a range of functional endpoints. Stream periphyton grown in microcosms was exposed to 0.1, 1 and 10 μM AgNPs and 0.1 μM AgNO₃ (a source of Ag⁺ ions) for up to 21 days. By that time, 84 to 98% of the total available silver in the microcosms was strongly associated with the periphyton. The strongest and broadest impacts on functional endpoints were observed at the highest AgNP concentration (10 μM), which caused a decline in algal primary production and microbial respiration but a simultaneous increase in bacterial secondary production and total biomass accrual. The community structure of both phototrophs and heterotrophs was also changed. Overall, our results reveal that periphyton strongly accumulates AgNPs, leading to a shift of community metabolism towards heterotrophy, with possible consequences for trophic transfer in aquatic food webs exposed to Ag contamination.

Im Rahmen eines Umwelttechnologieförderungsprojekts des Schweizerischen Bundesamts für Umwelt (BAFU) wurden verschiedene Werkzeuge für die bessere Ausnutzung der vorhandenen Abwasserinfrastruktur entwickelt. Als Kernstück des Projektes wurde ein generischer Abflussregler für die Bewirtschaftung von Entwässerungssystemen entwickelt und durch den Praxispartner eine Entwicklungsumgebung für konkrete Umsetzungen von Abflussregelungen geschaffen. Es stehen dabei verschiedene Zielfunktionen für die Abflussregelung zur Verfügung, darunter auch eine selbst-adaptierende Funktion. Des Weiteren wurden konkrete Software-Werkzeuge entwickelt, welche die praktische Projektierung und Implementation unterstützen. Dazu gehören zum Beispiel ein Screening-Tool zur Potenzialabschätzung und zur automatischen Datenanalyse von Betriebsdaten. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf ein beträchtliches Potential für Abflussregelungen in der Schweiz hin. Eher wissenschaftlich-orientierte Untersuchungen zeigen erstens, dass Schmutzfracht-basierte Regelung anhand von Ersatzparametern wie beispielswiese Temperatur oder Leitfähigkeit möglich sein können. Zweitens scheinen zur Leistungsüberprüfung von Abflussregelungen die Reduktion von Entlastungsvolumen alleine ungeeignet, da sie die Wirkung der Behandlungsanlagen auf den Gewässerschutz vermutlich unterschätzen.

Biofilms are dynamic consortia of microorganism that play a key role in freshwater ecosystems. By changing their community structure, biofilms respond quickly to environmental changes and can be thus used as indicators of water quality. Currently, biofilm assessment is mostly based on integrative and functional endpoints, such as photosynthetic or respiratory activity, which do not provide information on the biofilm community structure. Flow cytometry and computational visualization offer an alternative, sensitive, and easy-to-use method for assessment of the community composition, particularly of the photoautotrophic part of freshwater biofilms. It requires only basic sample preparation, after which the entire sample is run through the flow cytometer. The single-cell optical and fluorescent information is used for computational visualization and biological interpretation. Its main advantages over other methods are the speed of analysis and the high-information-content nature. Flow cytometry provides information on several cellular and biofilm traits in a single measurement: particle size, density, pigment content, abiotic content in the biofilm, and coarse taxonomic information. However, it does not provide information on biofilm composition on the species level. We see high potential in the use of the method for environmental monitoring of aquatic ecosystems and as an initial biofilm evaluation step that informs downstream detailed investigations by complementary and more detailed methods.

Globally, 756 million people in urban areas have no access to improved sanitation, while the urban population is increasing rapidly. Providing toilets has often not been a sustainable solution because of failure to link them to the necessary service infrastructure. Resolving urban sanitation problems in low-income countries requires innovations in approaches covering infrastructure, technology, social embedding, financial mechanisms and cost recovery. This paper explores the potential challenges and contribution of NGOs in facilitating new, integrated solutions to urban sanitation problems that address the entire sanitation chain, promising better social, financial and environmental sustainability. A case study of a sanitation project initiated by a large Dutch NGO is presented, using reconstruction of project documentation and interviews with project stakeholders. The analytical framework combines elements from Transition Management (TM) with insights from process approaches to development projects and community development. The choice of the TM concept is motivated by the notion that the new NGO approaches could be conceived as efforts to initiate a sustainability transition process in urban sanitation, whereas its complementation with insights from the development studies domain answers to the need to attune a TM-based framework to participation in the socio-institutional context in low-income countries, to understand the progress of governing transition processes in informal, low-income settings. This context requires special attention for capacity-building and creation of organizational structures in poor local communities. The case study shows that this entailed specialised groundwork, with which the NGO laid a crucial foundation that enabled transition frontrunners to act. Simultaneously, this focus on bottom-up empowerment created challenges for the NGO in effectively involving the right frontrunner actors who could put pressure on incumbent societal structures and institutions. We conclude that transitions in low-income contexts require extra attention to local empowerment and institution building to lay the required foundations for a locally rooted transition process. Development NGOs like the one in our case study have the skills to do this, but need to learn how to combine these with additional necessary competences to facilitate systemic change.

Members of the gammaproteobacterial clade SUP05 couple water column sulfide oxidation to nitrate reduction in sulfidic oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). Their abundance in offshore OMZ waters devoid of detectable sulfide has led to the suggestion that local sulfate reduction fuels SUP05-mediated sulfide oxidation in a so-called "cryptic sulfur cycle". We examined the distribution and metabolic capacity of SUP05 in Peru Upwelling waters, using a combination of oceanographic, molecular, biogeochemical and single-cell techniques. A single SUP05 species, <i>^U Thioglobus perditus</i>, was found to be abundant and active in both sulfidic shelf and sulfide-free offshore OMZ waters. Our combined data indicated that mesoscale eddy-driven transport led to the dispersal of <i>^UT</i>. perditus and elemental sulfur from the sulfidic shelf waters into the offshore OMZ region. This offshore transport of shelf waters provides an alternative explanation for the abundance and activity of sulfide-oxidizing denitrifying bacteria in sulfide-poor offshore OMZ waters.

Biological systems consist of elements that interact within and across hierarchical levels. For example, interactions among genes determine traits of individuals, competitive and cooperative interactions among individuals influence population dynamics, and interactions among species affect the dynamics of communities and ecosystem processes. Such systems can be represented as hierarchical networks, but can have complex dynamics when interdependencies among levels of the hierarchy occur. We propose integrating ecological and evolutionary processes in hierarchical networks to explore interdependencies in biological systems. We connect gene networks underlying predator–prey trait distributions to food webs. Our approach addresses longstanding questions about how complex traits and intraspecific trait variation affect the interdependencies among biological levels and the stability of meta-ecosystems.

<i>Background</i>: Coping planning, the formation of plans to overcome behavioral barriers is assumed to promote health behavior maintenance, but the literature on this is inconsistent. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of a coping planning intervention that adversely affected maintained safe water consumption. We also explored perceived behavioral difficulty as a potential moderator of coping planning interventions. <i>Methods</i>: In the second phase of a cluster-randomised trial, households (<i>N</i> = 177 analyzed) were randomly allocated to a coping planning intervention or a comparison group (repetition of interventions from first intervention phase). Safe water consumption, the mechanisms of coping planning, and perceived difficulty were measured pre-post. The data were analyzed using mediation and moderated mediation analysis. <i>Results</i>: Changes in behavioral intention mediated the intervention effects on behavioral maintenance (<i>b</i> = -0.36, 95% CI [-0.91, -0.03]). Changes in perceived coping planning (<i>b</i> = 0.08, 95% CI [-0.12, 0.34]), and maintenance self-efficacy (<i>b</i> = -0.13, 95% CI [-0.45, 0.01]) did not mediate the effects. Prior perceived difficulty moderated the coping planning intervention effects on maintenance via intention. <i>Conclusions</i>: Coping planning may decrease motivation for health behavior maintenance for persons who experienced few barriers prior to the planning intervention.

Speciation of carbon during the anoxic corrosion of steel is poorly known, whereas its knowledge would be of great importance in connection with assessments of the safe disposal of 14C-containing irradiated steel in repositories for radioactive waste. The chemical form of the 14C-bearing organic compounds determines routes of migration from engineered barrier systems and their reactivity at disposal sites. Batch-type corrosion experiments with unirradiated iron powders reported in this study show for the first time that both reduced and oxidized carbon species are present in corroding iron-water systems in anoxic conditions. Methane and volatile C2-C4 alkanes and alkenes were produced during the course of corrosion whereas formate, acetate, and oxalate were released to solution in the early stage of the corrosion process. Evidence is provided that reduced and oxidized hydrocarbons were produced by two different processes. Formation of reduced hydrocarbons occurred at the surface of iron particles by a Fischer-Tropsch-type mechanism, whereas oxidized hydrocarbons were produced in the course of oxidative pretreatment of iron particles and released instantaneously from the surface in contact with alkaline solution. Results from this study have implications for safety assessments of radioactive waste disposal sites as they suggest predominant formation of alkanes and alkenes during anoxic steel corrosion and instantaneous release of only a small fraction of carbide carbon as oxidized hydrocarbons.

A novel discrete choice experiment (DCE) design allows testing of substitution effects based on the framing of, and distances to, substitute sites. The same ecosystem services and biodiversity provided at different sites are valued independently in single- site DCEs and simultaneously in a multiple- site DCE, using an identical experimental design. Site-specific utility functions are estimated with and without controlling for spatial preference heterogeneity. Framing choices as alternative projects at single or multiple sites significantly influences substitutability between sites, choice behavior, and welfare estimates. Distance decay displays significant heterogeneity in different directions from the valued sites and between urban and rural areas.

When defining the variables to predict sewer failure and therefore optimise sewer systems maintenance, it is important to identify the ones that most significantly influence the quality of the predictions or to define the smallest number of variables that is sufficient to obtain accurate predictions. In this study, three different statistical variable selection algorithms are applied for the first time to identify the most important variables for sewer failure prediction: the mutual information indicator, the out-of-bag samples concept, based on the random forest algorithm, and the stepwise search approach. The methods were applied to a real data-set that consists of the categorisation of sewer condition and associated physical characteristics. The mutual information and the stepwise search methods provided good predictions while those obtained using out-of-bag samples based on random forest were somewhat different, justified by the lack of robustness to imbalanced class distributions.

Perennial rivers and streams make a disproportionate contribution to global carbon (C) cycling. However, the contribution of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), which sometimes cease to flow and can dry completely, is largely ignored although they represent over half the global river network. Substantial amounts of terrestrial plant litter (TPL) accumulate in dry riverbeds and, upon rewetting, this material can undergo rapid microbial processing. We present the results of a global research collaboration that collected and analysed TPL from 212 dry riverbeds across major environmental gradients and climate zones. We assessed litter decomposability by quantifying the litter carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and oxygen (O₂) consumption in standardized assays and estimated the potential short-term CO₂ emissions during rewetting events. Aridity, cover of riparian vegetation, channel width and dry-phase duration explained most variability in the quantity and decomposability of plant litter in IRES. Our estimates indicate that a single pulse of CO₂ emission upon litter rewetting contributes up to 10% of the daily CO₂ emission from perennial rivers and stream, particularly in temperate climates. This indicates that the contributions of IRES should be included in global C-cycling assessments.

Vegetation is a highly dynamic component of the Earth surface and substantially alters the water cycle. Particularly the process of oxygenic plant photosynthesis determines vegetation connecting the water and carbon cycle and causing various interactions and feedbacks across Earth spheres. While vegetation impacts the water cycle, it reacts to changing water availability via functional, biochemical and structural responses. Unravelling the resulting complex feedbacks and interactions between the plant-water system and environmental change is essential for any modelling approaches and predictions, but still insufficiently understood due to currently missing observations. We hypothesize that an appropriate cross-scale monitoring of plant-water relations can be achieved by combined observational and modelling approaches. This paper reviews suitable remote sensing approaches to assess plant-water relations ranging from pure observational to combined observational-modelling approaches. We use a combined energy balance and radiative transfer model to assess the explanatory power of pure observational approaches focussing on plant parameters to estimate plant-water relations, followed by an outline for a more effective use of remote sensing by their integration into soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) models. We apply a mechanistic model simulating water movement in the SPAC to reveal insight into the complexity of relations between soil, plant and atmospheric parameters, and thus plant-water relations. We conclude that future research should focus on strategies combining observations and mechanistic modelling to advance our knowledge on the interplay between the plant-water system and environmental change, e.g. through plant transpiration.

Ozonation and subsequent post-treatments are increasingly implemented in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for enhanced micropollutant abatement. While this technology is effective, micropollutant oxidation leads to the formation of ozonation transformation products (OTPs). Target and suspect screening provide information about known parent compounds and known OTPs, but for a more comprehensive picture, non-target screening is needed. Here, sampling was conducted at a full-scale WWTP to investigate OTP formation at four ozone doses (2, 3, 4, and 5 mg/L, ranging from 0.3 to 1.0 gO₃/gDOC) and subsequent changes during five post-treatment steps (<i>i.e.</i>, sand filter, fixed bed bioreactor, moving bed bioreactor, and two granular activated carbon (GAC) filters, relatively fresh and pre-loaded). Samples were measured with online solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) using electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive and negative mode. Existing non-target screening workflows were adapted to (1) examine the formation of potential OTPs at four ozone doses and (2) compare the removal of OTPs among five post-treatments. In (1), data processing included principal component analysis (PCA) and chemical knowledge on 31 possible oxidation reactions to prioritize non-target features likely to be OTPs. Between 394 and 1328 unique potential OTPs were detected in positive ESI for the four ozone doses tested; between 12 and 324 unique potential OTPs were detected in negative ESI. At a specific ozone dose of 0.5 gO₃/gDOC, 27 parent compounds were identified and were related to 69 non-target features selected as potential OTPs. Two OTPs were confirmed with reference standards (venlafaxine <i>N</i>-oxide and chlorothiazide); 34 other potential OTPs were in agreement with literature data and/or reaction mechanisms. In (2), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was applied on profiles detected in positive ESI mode across the WWTP and revealed 11 relevant trends. OTP removal was compared among the five post-treatments and 54–83% of the non-target features that appeared after ozonation were removed, with the two GAC filters performing the best. Overall, these data analysis strategies for non-target screening provide a useful tool to understand the behavior of unknown features during ozonation and post-treatment and to prioritize certain non-targets for further identification.

Productos Bioorganicos (ProBio) is Mexico's largest compost and vermicompost producer with the well-known Humibac brand. Although recently, its name changed to Viohache, this presentation is still using "ProBio". ProBio is a private company created in 2003 to manage the animal waste generated by SuKarne – the largest beef producer and marketer in Mexico. Given the significant quantities of livestock waste produced by SuKarne, traditional waste disposal (i.e. landfilling) systems no longer seemed sustainable and the identification of viable and environmentally safe alternatives was imperative. ProBio maintains a strategic partnership with SuKarne by providing pen-cleaning services in return for their feedstock – animal waste. The business processes 420,000 tons of livestock waste per annum to produce a total of 231,000 tons of compost and 500,000 liters of nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer from processed leachate. It operates in five locations around the country, and supplies a low cost, high quality organic fertilizer to the vegetable, fruit and grain crop sectors. ProBio implements a commodity-value based business model by using simple, low-cost and innovative strategies for the production and branding of the products they offer. It has garnered significant market demand through third party certification and the tailoring of its products to specific clients and agricultural purposes. The business also takes advantage of economies of scale and focuses on low cost, yet efficient technologies for organic fertilizer production and improved waste management. ProBio's operations have had a strong impact on society and the environment as its activities contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, on-site waste odor, groundwater and surface water contamination, agricultural crop burning, and local air and soil pollution, among a few.

Grupo Viz (GV), a family business in the commercial cattle industry, was established in 1969 in Mexico. SuKarne, one of the five business entities of GV group, with annual sales of over USD 2 billion is the third largest feedlot grain-fed company in the world and fifth largest beef provider in North America. SuKarne's business chain produces both animal and slaughter waste, and it sells some of the waste to its affiliated companies (also owned by GV). In 2012, SuKarne began construction of a biogas pilot plant, a first for the cattle industry that uses a mixture of animal waste and residual biomass, with the lagoon's water, to produce biogas for electricity and thermal energy. At full capacity, it is expected to generate approximately 3.2 MW of electricity for self-consumption and 3 MJ to displace boiler diesel with the heat generated. It will also be possible to further treat the biogas to produce liquid fuel or compressed gas to feed the trucks used throughout the whole operation. The plant will also generate organic bio-fertilizer to be sold to an affiliated company. The project was at the time of assessment under commercial-scale development and expected for construction and commissioning in 2015, with possibilities to replicate the model in its other four facilities in Mexico. The plan is that each plant will be self-sufficient in both electricity and thermal energy. The project's feasibility study is registered in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and subject for final approval for a Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) agreement.

Due to shortcomings in sewage treatment systems and the availability of a large number of cement pit latrines without good maintenance and service planning, an informal sector of micro business ventures named "honey suckers" has emerged to fulfil the market need for on-site sanitation services. "Honey suckers" is the term given to the businesses that pump the waste out of pit-latrines, septic tanks and other types of on-site wastewater treatment plants. These businesses have been successful in exploiting this opportunity for the past few years and Bangalore now has an estimated 300 of such businesses. The primary market is where honey suckers collect fecal sludge from pit latrines for a fee. The sludge is then disposed of either at an approved site (rarely) or more typically it is dumped illegally on open lands or into drains. A secondary market has emerged in which the honey suckers deposit the sludge on farmlands at the farmer's demand, either in pits or directly on designated sites. There is usually no fee but the farmer may tip the driver. The sludge is used as a fertilizer and in some cases for the water content. The value for household is the clean removal of fecal sludge to ensure a working water closet and a clean property and environment. The value for farmers resides in obtaining nutrient-rich manure for free or for a very low fee. This model works well, because no other fast, reliable, high-quality pit cleaning service is available. The model works best when the cleaning service is easily combined with the dumping service, for which a smart network with farmers is required. The socioeconomic and environmental benefits can be significant, with the creation of jobs, reduction of wild sludge dumping and associated health and environmental problems, improved sanitation and living comfort. However, risks have to be controlled and the informal nature of honey suckers and 'illegal' aspect of the business (i.e. the supply of collected fecal sludge to the farmers) prevents monitoring of the practice.

Sadia is one of the world’s leading producers of chilled and frozen foods with approximately 10,000 integrated poultry and pork farms, which supply raw material to its industrial plants. In order to abate the environmental impacts associated with its swine production farms and to institute sustainability into the pork meat supply chain, Sadia designed and implemented the Program for Sustainable Swine Production (3S Program) in 2003. The 3S Program provides swine producers with bio-digesters and is designed to reduce GHG emissions from the more than 3,500 swine producers in Sadia’s supply chain and to qualify the emission reductions as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project. Sadia installs the bio-digesters on its swine producers on a B&T (Build and Transfer) basis. The program seeks to bring sustainability to the company’s supply chain by providing additional revenue from carbon credits and better working conditions for swine producers, while reducing the environmental impact associated with swine production. The biogas generated at the swine farms is used on-site and thus significantly saving operational costs for the swine farms. The program contributes to improving the local environmental condition by improving quality of water and reducing soil pollution and foul odors. Moreover, the 3S Program is expected to help disseminate environmental education among swine producers and the surrounding community. Through the design and implementation of the 3S Program, Sadia has incorporated environmental sustainability into its revenue design.

Biofilme in Duschschläuchen sind ein kritischer Punkt in Hausinstallationen und deshalb zunehmend Gegenstand von Forschungsprojekten. Ausmass und Zusammensetzung der Biofilme werden massgeblich von der Wahl des Schlauchmaterials beeinflusst. Dies ist insbesondere deshalb wichtig, da sich Bakterien aus dem Biofilm in die Wasserphase ablösen (v. a. während der Stagnation). Somit nimmt die Materialwahl direkten Einfluss auf die asserqualität und letztendlich auf den Konsumenten.

L’utilisation de systèmes composites combinant une couche biologique (le biofilm) supportée par une barrière physique (la membrane) a de multiples avantages pour le traitement des eaux (production d’eau potable, recyclage des eaux grises). Cet article présente comment tirer profit de la microbiologie des biofilms afin d’améliorer la qualité du perméat et faire fonctionner des systèmes membranaires à flux constant pendant plusieurs années, et ce sans maintenance.

Deux détecteurs en ligne (cytomètre de flux et analyseur d’adénosine triphosphate) ont été testés à grande échelle dans une usine de traitement d’eau potable. Des variations quotidiennes dans la concentration et la viabilité bactériennes ont été relevées et mises en relation avec les conditions d’opération de l’usine. La combinaison des deux technologies d’analyse microbiologique a fourni des informations complémentaires entre elles, ainsi que de nouvelles perspectives pour l’analyse en ligne de l’eau potable.

The amphipod genus <i>Niphargus</i> (Amphipoda: Niphargidae Bousfield, 1977) is the most species-rich genus of freshwater amphipods in the World. Species of this genus, which live almost exclusively in subterranean water, offer an interesting model system for basic and applied biodiversity science. Their use, however, is often limited due to the hitherto unresolved taxonomy within the whole genus. As a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the currently >425 <i>Niphargus</i> species is too demanding, it has been suggested that the taxonomy of the genus could be advanced in smaller steps, by reviewing regional faunas, that would eventually integrate into a global revision. In this study, we provide such a revision of <i>Niphargus</i> in Switzerland. First, we molecularly delimited, morphologically diagnosed, and formally described two new species, namely <i>Niphargus luchoffmanni</i> sp. n. and <i>Niphargus tonywhitteni</i> sp. n. Second, we updated and revised a checklist of <i>Niphargus</i> in Switzerland with new findings, and prepared a list of reference sequences for routine molecular identification, available at BOLD and GenBank. All available specimens of 22 known species from the area were morphologically examined, and their morphological variation was compiled in a data file of DEscription Language for TAxonomy, which can be used for automated generation of dichotomous or interactive keys. The data file is freely available at the World Amphipoda Database. Together, the checklist, the library of reference sequences, the DELTA file, but also a list of hitherto unresolved aspects are an important step towards a complete revision of the genus within a well-defined and biogeographically interesting area in Central Europe.

Wind turbines represent a source of hazard for bats, especially through collision with rotor blades. With increasing technical development, tall turbines (rotor-swept zone 50–150 m above ground level) are becoming widespread, yet we lack quantitative information about species active at these heights, which impedes proposing targeted mitigation recommendations for bat-friendly turbine operation. We investigated vertical activity profiles of a bat assemblage, and their relationships to wind speed, within a major valley of the European Alps where tall wind turbines are being deployed. To monitor bat activity we installed automatic recorders at sequentially increasing heights from ground level up to 65 m, with the goal to determine species-specific vertical activity profiles and to link them to wind speed. Bat call sequences were analysed with an automatic algorithm, paying particular attention to mouse-eared bats (<I>Myotis myotis and Myotis blythii</I>) and the European free-tailed bat (<I>Tadarida teniotis</I>), three locally rare species. The most often recorded bats were the Common pipistrelle (<I>Pipistrellus pipistrellus</I>) and Savi's pipistrelle (<I>Hypsugo savii</I>). Mouse-eared bats were rarely recorded, and mostly just above ground, appearing out of risk of collision. <I>T. teniotis</I> had a more evenly distributed vertical activity profile, often being active at rotor level, but its activity at that height ceased above 5 ms^-1 wind speed. Overall bat activity in the rotor-swept zone declined with increasing wind speed, dropping below 5% above 5.4 ms^-1. Collision risk could be drastically reduced if nocturnal operation of tall wind turbines would be restricted to wind speeds above 5 ms^-1. Such measure should be implemented year-round because <I>T. teniotis</I> remains active in winter. This operational restriction is likely to cause only small energy production losses at these tall wind turbines, although further analyses are needed to assess these losses precisely.

Among a wide range of possible applications of nanotechnology in agriculture, there has been a particular interest in developing novel nanoagrochemicals. While some concerns have been expressed regarding altered risk profile of the new products, many foresee a great potential to support the necessary increase in global food production in a sustainable way. A critical evaluation of nanoagrochemicals against conventional analogues is essential to assess the associated benefits and risks. In this assessment, recent literature was critically analysed to determine the extent to which nanoagrochemicals differ from conventional products. Our analysis was based on 78 published papers and shows that median gain in efficacy relative to conventional products is about 20–30%. Environmental fate of agrochemicals can be altered by nanoformulations, but changes may not necessarily translat controls. Currently, there is no comprehensive study in the literature that evaluates efficacy and environmental impact of nanoagrochemicals under field conditions. This is a crucial knowledge gap and more work will thus be necessary for a sound evaluation of the benefits and new risks that nanoagrochemicals represent relative to existing products.

The extraction and disposal of heat from lakes and rivers is a large yet scarcely exploited source of renewable energy, which can partly replace fossil fuel heating and electrical cooling systems. Its use is expected to increase in the near future, which brings attention to the impacts of discharging thermally altered water into aquatic systems. Our review indicates that thermal discharge affects physical and ecological processes, with impacts recorded at all levels of biological organization. Many in situ studies found local effects of thermal discharge (such as attraction or avoidance of mobile organisms), while impacts at the scale of the whole water body were rarely detected. In complex systems, diffuse impacts of thermal discharge are difficult to disentangle from natural variability or other anthropogenic influences. Discharge of warm water in summer is likely to be most critical, especially in the context of climate change. Under this scenario, water temperatures may reach maxima that negatively affect some species. Given the diversity and complexity of the impacts of thermal pollution on aquatic systems, careful planning and judicious management is required when using lakes and rivers for extraction and disposal of heat. We discuss the drivers that influence the severity of potential impacts of such thermal use, and the options available to avoid or mitigate these impacts (such as adapting the operating conditions).

Si vous voyez une personne portant un vêtement de protection orange vif sortir d’une bouche d’égout avec un ordinateur portable, il pourrait bien s’agir d’un collaborateur ou d’une collaboratrice de l’Institut de recherche de l’eau Eawag. Surtout dans la commune zurichoise de Fehraltorf. En effet, l’Eawag y installe depuis 2016 un réseau unique au monde de capteurs destinés à documenter le cycle de l’eau en milieu urbain.

When a person wearing a bright-orange protective suit and carrying a laptop climbs out of a sewer shaft, it could well be an employee of the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). Especially if this happens in Fehraltorf. Since 2016, Eawag has been constructing an internationally unique net of sensors that document water circulation in residential areas.

Wenn eine Person im leuchtorangen Schutzanzug mit einem Laptop-Computer aus einem Abwasserschacht klettert, könnte dies eine Mitarbeiterin oder ein Mitarbeiter vom Wasserforschungsinstitut Eawag sein. Vor allem in der zürcherischen Gemeinde Fehraltorf. Dort baut die Eawag seit 2016 ein weltweit einzigartiges Netz von Sensoren auf, welche den Wasserkreislauf im Siedlungsraum dokumentieren.

Following the adoption of the Paris Agreement, there has been an increasing interest in quantifying impacts at discrete levels of global mean temperature (GMT) increase such as 1.5°C and 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Consequences of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on agricultural productivity have direct and immediate relevance for human societies. Future crop yields will be affected by anthropogenic climate change as well as direct effects of emissions such as CO₂ fertilization. At the same time, the climate sensitivity to future emissions is uncertain. Here we investigate the sensitivity of future crop yield projections with a set of global gridded crop models for four major staple crops at 1.5°C and 2°C warming above pre-industrial levels, as well as at different CO₂ levels determined by similar probabilities to lead to 1.5°C and 2°C, using climate forcing data from the Half a degree Additional warming, Prognosis and Projected Impacts project. For the same CO₂ forcing, we find consistent negative effects of half a degree warming on productivity in most world regions. Increasing CO₂ concentrations consistent with these warming levels have potentially stronger but highly uncertain effects than 0.5°C warming increments. Half a degree warming will also lead to more extreme low yields, in particular over tropical regions. Our results indicate that GMT change alone is insufficient to determine future impacts on crop productivity.

Un petit canard jaune ou un crocodile vert pomme ― quel enfant n'a pas eu ces compagnons de jeu dans sa baignoire ? Une étude de l'Eawag montre maintenant que ces jouets si mignons peuvent cacher un coeur menaçant. En plus du plastique qui est en soi sujet à caution, les canards de bain offrent en leur sein un milieu favorable à la croissance de nombreuses bactéries.

Rubber ducks and crocodiles have always been popular bathtime companions. An Eawag study has now revealed the "dark side" of flexible plastic bath toys. Diverse microbial growth is promoted not only by the plastic materials but by bath users themselves.

Gelbe Entchen oder ein giftgrünes Krokodil – welches Kind hat nicht schon mit ihnen gespielt in der Badewanne? Eine Untersuchung der Eawag zeigt nun, weshalb das Innere der weichen Plastikspielsachen ziemlich hässlich sein kann. Nebst dem Plastikmaterial tragen auch die Badenden selbst dazu bei, dass in den Entchen vielfältige Bakterienkulturen aufwachsen können.

Die Gewässer zwischen Gletschereis und Bergbächen sind zwar meist eisig kalt, die Lebensbedingungen sind aber für Gewässerbewohner gleichförmiger als für Landorganismen. Während der vier Feldtage fanden wir rund 90 Kleintierarten und 215 Arten von Kieselalgen. Diese widerspiegeln die kleinräumige Vielfalt der unterschiedlichen Gewässertypen. Bei den artenreichen Köcherfliegen wurde die Larve einer Art gefunden, die bisher nur als erwachsenes Tier bekannt war. Bei den Kieselalgen gelangen zwei Erstnachweise für die Schweiz.

Schmetterlinge bilden mit über 150 000 Arten eine der grössten Insektenordnungen der Welt. In der Schweiz kommen rund 3700 Arten vor, davon sind 182 Arten echte Tagfalter. Wir konnten auf der Furka in kurzer Zeit 27 Tagfalterarten (15%) und 77 nachtaktive Arten feststellen. Zudem wurden 22 Kleinschmetterlingsarten beobachtet.