Management of Groundwater Resources in Eastern Saudi Arabia
Effective management of groundwater in arid countries, such as Saudi Arabia, is an important factor in sustainable development. A regional numerical simulation model of a multi-aquifer system including the Dammam and Umm Er Radhuma (UER) aquifers was developed to assess the behaviour of the aquifer system under long-term water stresses. The model was utilized to predict the responses of the aquifer system under three alternative pumping schemes over a planning horizon of 31 years (1995-2025). Model results postulate that dewatering of the Dammam aquifer will occur at low productivity sites and along the outcrop with the current trend towards increasing abstraction. The UER will exhibit significant cones of depression at large irrigation projects. Aquifer dewatering and drawdowns will be minimal with the conservation alternative. This management scheme should be adopted for the future development and protection of groundwater in the province.
Climate change and epidemiology of human parasitoses in Saudi Arabia: A review
Climate change is one of the most serious and rapidly emerging global issues. Such change and its sequels are strongly affected by human activities and not by natural fluctuations[1]. Human activities that depend on fossil fuels as a source of energy result in the production of greenhouse gases like CO2. Such gases cause temperature-increment in the troposphere. Recent global warming is unusual in the view of the time scale accompanied with natural climate oscillations. Many reports showed the sensitivity of water resources to climate change. The variations in temperature, evaporation, precipitation, the recharge to aquifers and the general hydrologic cycle are all interacting[2]. Climate change is anticipated to have significant consequences on ecosystems and socioeconomic systems[3,4]. Saudi Arabia, like many countries in the world, suffers from severe climate change that will mainly influence peoples’ behaviour, health and agriculture. Studies on correlations between climate change and public health in Saudi Arabia are still lacking. It is important to understand how the epidemiology of human parasites may respond to the climate change expected in the country in the next decades. Thus, it is timely and appropriate to make a brief revision on the predicted climate change and its consequences on the epidemiology of human parasitoses in Saudi Arabia.
Distribution and ecology of non-marine ostracods (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from Friuli Venezia Giulia (NE Italy)
From August 1981 to July 2007, 200 inland water bodies were sampled to gather information on the Recent ostracod fauna of Friuli Venezia Giulia (NE Italy). A total of 320 samples were collected from surface, interstitial and ground waters. Whenever possible, ostracod identification was performed at species level based on the morphology of both valves and limbs. Seventy-four taxa in 30 genera belonging to 9 different families (Darwinulidae, Candonidae, Ilyocyprididae, Notodromadidae, Cyprididae, Limnocytheridae, Cytheridae, Leptocytheridae and Xestoleberididae) were identified. The maximum number of taxa per site was seven. The most common species was Cypria ophthalmica (133 records), followed by Cyclocypris ovum (86 records), C. laevis (49 records), Cypridopsis vidua (40 records) and Notodromas persica (28 records). Of particular relevance is the occurrence of six species new to Italy: Microdarwinula zimmeri, Penthesilenula brasiliensis, Fabaeformiscandona wegelini, Pseudocandona semicognita, Candonopsis scourfieldi, and C. mediosetosa. Scanning electron microscopy images of valves are provided for most of the described taxa. Geographical distribution of ostracods and their occurrence in relation to environmental variables were examined. The results of this study indicate that Friuli Venezia Giulia hosts a very diverse ostracod fauna, representing a significant proportion of all ostracod taxa known thus far from Italy.