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Author Weerahewa, J.; Timsina, J.; Wickramasinghe, C.; Mimasha, S.; Dayananda, D.; Puspakumara, G. url  openurl
  Title Ancient irrigation systems in Asia and Africa: Typologies, degradation and ecosystem services Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Agricultural Systems Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 205 Issue Pages 103580  
  Keywords Agriculture, Climate change, Hydrology, Village tank cascade system, Tank irrigation, Watershed  
  Abstract CONTEXT Ancient irrigation systems (AISs) have been providing a multitude of ecosystem services to rural farming and urban communities in Asia and Africa, especially in arid and semi-arid climatic areas with low rainfall. Many AISs, however have now been degraded. A systematic analysis of AISs on their typologies, causes of degradation, and their ecosystem services is lacking. OBJECTIVE The objective of this review was to synthesize the knowledge on AISs on their typologies, status and causes of degradation, ecosystem services and functions, and identify gaps in research in Asia and Africa. METHOD A critical review of peer-reviewed journal papers, conference and workshop proceedings, book chapters, grey literature, and country reports was conducted. Qualitative and quantitative information from journal papers were used to conceptualize the typologies and analyze the status and causes of degradation, and ecosystems services and functions provided by the AISs. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Based on the review, we classified AISs into three groups by source of irrigation water: Rainwater harvesting system (RHS) with small reservoirs, ground water based system, and floodwater based system. The RHSs, which used to receive reliable rainfall and managed by well cohesive social organizations for their maintenance and functioning in past, have now been silting due to extreme rainfall pattern and breakdown of the cohesive organizations in recent decades. In ground water based systems, indiscriminate development of deep tube wells causing siltation of channels has been a major challenge. In floodwater irrigation systems, irregular rainfall in the highlands and the breakage of irrigation structures by destructive floods were the main causes of degradation. Lack of maintenance and increased soil erosion, inadequate skilled manpower, and declining support from the government for repair and maintenance were the main causes of degradation of all AISs. The main ecosystem service provided by all AISs is water for agriculture. In tank- and pond-based systems, fish farming is also practiced. Tank irrigation systems provide various types of provisioning, regulatory, cultural and supporting services, especially in India and Sri Lanka. Ground water based systems provide water for domestic purposes and various cultural services. Floodwater based systems provide water for power generation and wildlife habitat maintenance and help in flood control. SIGNIFICANCE The knowledge generated through the review provide evidence-based information, and help aware governments, private sectors and development agencies for improved policy planning and decision making, and prioritizing the restoration, rehabilitation, and management of various AISs.  
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  ISSN 0308-521x ISBN Medium  
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  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Weerahewa2023103580 Serial 275  
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Author Vushe, A.; Amutenya, M. url  openurl
  Title Investigating nitrate retention capacity, elementary and mineral composition of Kalahari sandy soils at Mashare farm in Namibia, Okavango river basin Type Journal Article
  Year 2019 Publication Scientific African Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 6 Issue Pages 00193  
  Keywords Irrigated field, Cultivated Kalahari sandy soil, Leaching, Nitrate retention capacity, Quartz mineral, Water saturated  
  Abstract Kalahari sands which cover a large part of Southern Africa and extend into Central Africa are infertile and marginal soils for intensive agriculture. Therefore, high nitrogen fertilisation rates may degrade ecosystems of rivers with catchments covered by the Kalahari sands. A study on Mashare Farm located in the Okavango River basin showed that irrigated Kalahari sandy soils had a nitrate retention capacity, which enabled the soil to resist nitrate leaching in water saturated conditions. The irrigated soils were modified by agricultural activities; hence this study investigated if uncultivated and cultivated Kalahari sand soils had similar nitrate retention properties. The elementary composition of the soils was investigated for obtaining an insight into chemical properties that may be causing the nitrate retention capacity. A permeameter was used to leach out nitrates from irrigated and uncultivated soil samples, and nitrate concentrations were measured on the leaching effluent from the permeameter. Elemental analysis was done on the cultivated and the uncultivated soil samples using a Scanning Electron Microscope, a portable X-Ray Fluorescence analyzer, and an X-Ray Diffraction machine, and the later was also used for crystalline structure analyses. Sieve analyses confirmed that the Mashare’s cultivated and uncultivated topsoils were similar, and both were similar to Botswana Kalahari topsoil. The irrigated and cultivated subsoil had a higher average nitrate retention capacity of 76% compared to 73% for the uncultivated subsoil. Both samples had the same elements, although the proportions were different. Both soil samples were dominated by a quartz mineral, but the field soil had traces of palygorskite. The presence of aluminum and transition metals outside the minerals structure, but as coatings on the quartz sand grains enhanced nitrate retention capacity properties of the Kalahari sand soils.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2468-2276 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ VUSHE2019e00193 Serial 277  
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Author Heaton, T.H.E. url  openurl
  Title Sources of the nitrate in phreatic groundwater in the western Kalahari Type Journal Article
  Year 1984 Publication Journal of Hydrology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 67 Issue 1 Pages 249-259  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Elevated levels of nitrate occur in phreatic groundwater in the western Kalahari, Namibia. Nitrate in water containing 0.4–3.1 meq NO−3l−1, of widespread occurrence, has δ15N values in the range +4.9 to +8.0‰, suggesting natural derivation from the soil. The sporadic occurrence of very high levels of nitrate (> 4 meq NO−3l−1), which has δ15N between +9.3 to +18.7‰, reflects pollution derived from animal waste. The importance of considering the possible isotopic effects of denitrification, and the significance of leaching in the nitrogen budget of the Kalahari soil, are also discussed.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0022-1694 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Heaton1984249 Serial 278  
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Author Stone, A.E.C.; Edmunds, W.M. url  openurl
  Title Naturally-high nitrate in unsaturated zone sand dunes above the Stampriet Basin, Namibia Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication Journal of Arid Environments Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 105 Issue Pages 41-51  
  Keywords Kalahari, Namibia, Nitrate in the unsaturated zone, Stampriet Basin, Transboundary basin, Unsaturated zone recharge  
  Abstract Elevated groundwater nitrate levels are common in drylands, often in excess of WHO guidelines, with concern for human and animal health. In light of recent attempts to identify nitrate sources in the Kalahari this paper presents the first unsaturated zone (USZ) nitrate profiles and recharge rate estimates for the important transboundary Stampriet Basin, alongside the first rainfall chemistry records. Elevated subsurface nitrate reaches 100–250 and 250–525 mg/L NO3–N, with NO3–N/Cl of 4–12, indicating input above evapotranspiration. Chloride mass balance recharge rates range from 4 to 27 mm/y, indicating a vertical movement of these nitrate pulses toward the water table over multi-decadal timescales. These profiles are sampled from dune crests, away from high concentrations of animals and without termite mounds. Given low-density animal grazing is unlikely to contribute consistent spot-scale nitrate over decades, these profiles give an initial estimate of naturally-produced concentrations. This insight is important for the management of the Stampriet Basin and wider Kalahari groundwater. This study expands our knowledge about elevated nitrate in dryland USZs, demonstrating that it can occur as pulses, probably in response to transient vegetation cover and that it is not limited to long-residence time USZs with very limited downward moisture flux (recharge).  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0140-1963 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Stone201441 Serial 279  
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Author Vogel, J.C.; Talma, A.S.; Heaton, T.H.E. url  openurl
  Title Gaseous nitrogen as evidence for denitrification in groundwater Type Journal Article
  Year 1981 Publication Journal of Hydrology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 50 Issue Pages 191-200  
  Keywords  
  Abstract By investigating the nitrate, oxygen, nitrogen and argon concentrations and 15N14N ratios in artesian groundwater with radiocarbon ages ranging up to 27,000 yr. a process of very slow denitrification in a confined aquifer is demonstrated. The calculated nitrogenisotope fractionation factor associated with this reaction is comparable to that reported for bacterial cultures in vitro and in vivo.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0022-1694 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Vogel1981191 Serial 280  
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Author Wilson, G.B.; McNeill, G.W. url  openurl
  Title Noble gas recharge temperatures and the excess air component Type Journal Article
  Year 1997 Publication Applied Geochemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 12 Issue 6 Pages 747-762  
  Keywords  
  Abstract The calculation of a groundwater recharge temperature based on the dissolved concentrations of Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe requires a correction for noble gas supersaturation due to excess air entrainment. This entrainment is commonly attributed to the recharge process or to air contamination at the wellhead during sample collection. With the exception of some local studies, most work has concentrated on interpretation of the recharge temperature or quantification of the radiogenic content for palaeoclimatic and dating purposes. The magnitude and source of the excess air is not directly relevant to these studies and so is often ignored. In this work, excess air Ne and other data have been calculated from new and published noble gas data sets for several groundwater systems. For younger groundwaters which have been recharged under one broad climatic regime, the amount of air entrainment increases according to lithology in the order granites, sandstones and limestones respectively. A negative correlation between precipitation and excess air entrainment is identified in at least one aquifer, and some of the mechanisms which may influence the entrainment process are discussed.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0883-2927 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Wilson1997747 Serial 281  
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Author Heaton, T.H.E.; Talma, A.S.; Vogel, J.C. url  openurl
  Title Origin and history of nitrate in confined groundwater in the western Kalahari Type Journal Article
  Year 1983 Publication Journal of Hydrology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 243-262  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Data are presented for nitrate, dinitrogen and argon concentrations and 15N14N ratios in groundwater, with radiocarbon ages up to 40,000 yr. for three confined sandstone aquifers in the western Kalahari of South West Africa/Namibia. The nitrate is probably generated within the soil of the recharge areas, and its production rate during the period 3000-40,000 B.P. has remained between 0.5 and 1.6 meq NO−3l−1 of recharge water, with ° 15N between + 4 and + 8‰. Variations in the amount of nitrate and of “excess air” in groundwater recharge are found, and can only reflect changes in the environmental conditions during recharge. They must therefore be caused by the climatic changes that have taken place during the past 25,000 yr.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0022-1694 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Heaton1983243 Serial 282  
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Author Christofi, C.; Bruggeman, A.; Külls, C.; Constantinou, C. url  openurl
  Title Isotope hydrology and hydrogeochemical modeling of Troodos Fractured Aquifer, Cyprus: The development of hydrogeological descriptions of observed water types Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Applied Geochemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 123 Issue Pages 104780  
  Keywords Isotope hydrology, Hydrogeochemical modelling, Hydrochemistry, Kargiotis, Troodos  
  Abstract The origin of groundwater recharge and subsequent flow paths are often difficult to establish in fractured, multi-lithological, and highly compartmentalized aquifers such as the Troodos Fractured Aquifer (TFA). As the conjunctive use of stable isotopes and hydrogeochemical data provides additional information, we established a monitoring network for stable isotopes in precipitation in Cyprus. The local meteoric water line, altitude effect and seasonal variation of stable isotopes in precipitation are derived from monitoring data. Stable isotopes and hydrogeochemical data are combined to model water-rock interactions and groundwater evolution along a complete ophiolite sequence. As a result a generic hydrogeologic description for the observed water types is developed. Isotope hydrology was applied in conjunction with hydrogeochemical modelling in Kargiotis Watershed, a major north-south transect of the TFA. PHREEQC was used for hydrogeochemical modelling to establish generic descriptions for observed water types. Mean precipitation-weighted values from 16 monitoring stations were used to calculate the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL), which was found to be equal to δ2H = (6.58 ± 0.13)*δ18O + (12.64 ± 0.91). A general decrease of 1.22‰ for δ2H and 0.20‰ for δ18O in precipitation was calculated per 100 m altitude. A generic groundwater evolution path was established: 1. Na/MgClHCO3, 2. MgHCO3, 3. Ca/MgHCO3, 4. Ca/MgNaHCO3, 4a. MgNa/CaHCO3/Cl, 5. NaMg/CaHCO3/Cl, 6. NaHCO3, 7. Na/MgHCO3SO4, 8. NaSO4Cl/HCO3. Hydrogeologic descriptions, consisting of groundwater origin, flow path and possible active water-rock processes, have been realised for the observed water types. The first two water types occur in serpentine and ultramafic-gabbro springs. Type 3 waters represent early stages of recharge and/or short flow paths, in gabbro whereas types 4 and 5 are typical for further percolating waters in gabbro and diabase. Water types 6 and 7 occur both in diabase and in the basal group and represent the regional flow. Water type 8 is the end member of regional, upwelling groundwater in the basal group. The presented descriptions and methods have practical applications in groundwater exploration, characterization, and protection. The methodology can be applied in other complex aquifer systems.  
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  Language english Summary Language english Original Title  
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  ISSN 0883-2927 ISBN Medium  
  Area Cyprus Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Christofi2020104780 Serial 76  
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Author Eliades, M.; Bruggeman, A.; Djuma, H.; Christofi, C.; Kuells, C. url  doi
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  Title Quantifying Evapotranspiration and Drainage Losses in a Semi-Arid Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) Field with a Dynamic Crop Coefficient (Kc) Derived from Leaf Area Index Measurements Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Water Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 14 Issue 5 Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Quantifying evapotranspiration and drainage losses is essential for improving irrigation efficiency. The FAO-56 is the most popular method for computing crop evapotranspiration. There is, however, a need for locally derived crop coefficients (Kc) with a high temporal resolution to reduce errors in the water balance. The aim of this paper is to introduce a dynamic Kc approach, based on Leaf Area Index (LAI) observations, for improving water balance computations. Soil moisture and meteorological data were collected in a terraced nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) orchard in Cyprus, from 22 March 2019 to 18 November 2021. The Kc was derived as a function of the canopy cover fraction (c), from biweekly in situ LAI measurements. The use of a dynamic Kc resulted in Kc estimates with a bias of 17 mm and a mean absolute error of 0.8 mm. Evapotranspiration (ET) ranged from 41% of the rainfall (P) and irrigation (I) in the wet year (2019) to 57% of P + I in the dry year (2021). Drainage losses from irrigation (DR_I) were 44% of the total irrigation. The irrigation efficiency in the nectarine field could be improved by reducing irrigation amounts and increasing the irrigation frequency. Future studies should focus on improving the dynamic Kc approach by linking LAI field observations with remote sensing observations and by adding ground cover observations.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2073-4441 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Marinos2022 Serial 82  
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Author Emparanza, A.R.; Kampmann, R.; Caso, F.D.; Morales, C.; Nanni, A. url  openurl
  Title Durability assessment of GFRP rebars in marine environments Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Construction and Building Materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 329 Issue Pages 127028  
  Keywords Composite FRP rebar, Durability, Service life, Marine structures, Reinforced concrete  
  Abstract Technologies developed over the last two decades have facilitated the use of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars as internal reinforcement for concrete structures, specially in coastal environments, mainly due to their corrosion resistance. To-date, most durability studies have focused on a single mechanical parameter (tensile strength) and a single aging environment (exposure to high alkalinity). However, knowledge gaps exists in understanding how other mechanical parameters and relevant conditioning environments may affect the durability of GFRP bars. To this end, this study assesses the durability for different physio-mechanical properties of GFRP rebars, post exposure to accelerated conditioning in seawater. Six different GFRP rebar types were submerged in seawater tanks, at various temperatures (23°C, 40°C and 60°C) for different time periods (60, 120, 210 and 365 days). In total six different physio-mechanical properties were assessed, including: tensile strength, E-modulus, transverse and horizontal shear strength, micro-structural composition and lastly, bond strength. It was inferred that rebars with high moisture absorption resulted in poor durability, in that it affected mainly the tensile strength. Based on the Arrhenius model, at 23°C all the rebars that met the acceptance criteria by ASTM D7957 are expected to retain 85% of the tensile strength capacity.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0950-0618 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes (up) Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Ruizemparanza2022127028 Serial 83  
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