Food web and water quality in water bodies in Khorezm, Uzbekistan

1. Food web and water quality in water bodies in Khorezm, Uzbekistan Laurel Saito, University of Nevada Reno, USA Margaret Shanafield, National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Australia John Lamers, ZEF-UNESCO German-Uzbek Khorezm Project, Uzbekistan Bakhriddin Nishonov, Hydrometeorological Research Institute, Uzbekistan Dilorom Fayzieva, Institute of Water Problems, Uzbekistan

2. Acknowledgements • ZEF (University of Bonn) • UNESCO • Michael Rosen, USGS • Sudeep Chandra, UNR • Julian Scott, UNR • Arica Crootof, UNR • Elena Ginatullina, IWP • Nodirbek Mullabaev, IWP • Marhabo Bekchonova, URDU • Diana Shermetova, URDU • AkmalNigmadjanov, IWP • Farida Kadirkhodjhaeva, NIGMI • Liliana Sinn, Natalia Shermetova, Christopher Martius

3. Presentation outline • Background of NATO project • Education and training • Food web results • Water quality results • Suggestions for further research

4. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Khorezm • Agricultural economy • UNESCO World Heritage Site (Khiva) 2004 Khiva UZBEKISTAN Courtesy of ZEF 1960 Khorezm

5. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Can these small lakes havesocio-economic benefit to the local population through fisheries/tourism? Courtesy of ZEF

6. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Project objectives • Investigate water quality and aquatic ecosystems in irrigation runoff lakes in Khorezm • Develop aquatic food web and water quality models • Determine potential utility of irrigation runoff lakes for aquaculture, water supplies, and other uses • Train young Uzbek scientists at Urgench State University (End-User), State Committee for Nature Protection (End-User), and Hydrometeorological Research Institute (End-User) Urgench State University students collecting aquatic insect specimens

7. Sample collection Physical water quality Aquatic food web SPMDs Bioassays Lake cores Sample analysis Water quality Stable isotope processing Stable isotope analyses SPMD extraction SPMD analyses Chlorophyll Age-dating of lake cores Data analysis and model parameterization Food web modeling Water quality modeling Data synthesis and evaluation Assessment of environmental security Coordination with ZEF models/data Model results Assessment of suitability of water resources Implementation at End-User Training of young scientists Final workshop of results, training, and hand over Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Goals and milestones

8. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Sites sampled

9. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Eshan Rabat (ESH) Tuyrekkul (TUY) Khodjababa (KHO) Shurkul (SHK)

10. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Education and training • 8 young scientists in Uzbekistan • NATO funding • 3 young scientists in US • Fulbright student fellowship • Teaching assistantships • National Science Foundation (NSF) • End-User training • NATO funding ZEF-Republic of Uzbekistan-WHO May 2011

11. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Contributions of each partner • IWP – Dr. D. Fayzieva • Overall project coordination • Supervision of young scientists • Lead organizer of final workshop and training • UNR – Dr. L. Saito, Dr. S. Chandra • Lead for training on food web and water sampling and analysis • Lead for training on food web and water quality modelling • Sampling, analysis and modeling • NIGMI – Dr. B. Nishonov • Provide equipment for analyses • Perform water quality analyses • GOSSIAK and NIGMI (End-Users) • Participation in workshops and trainings • Application of methods into nation-wide monitoring practices • USGS – Dr. M. Rosen • Lead for training on SPMD deployment, retrieval, analysis, lake coring • Sampling and analysis • URDU (End-User) • Participation in sampling, analyzing, workshops, trainings • Application of innovative technology into education system • ZEF – Dr. J. Lamers • Provide equipment and facilities • Coordination of KEOM with project models

12. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Young Scientist: Bakhriddin Nishonov • NIGMI researcher • Trained on: • Bioassay analysis • Lake coring • Sediment sampling • SPMD deployment and retrieval • Microbial analyses • Supervised and trained Uzbek young scientists

13. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Young Scientists: Marhabo Bekchonova and Diana Shermetova • BS/MS students at URDU • Trained on: • Water quality sampling • Food web sampling • Stable isotope processing • Bioassays • Lake coring • Sediment sampling • SPMD deployment and retrieval • Evaporation pans

14. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Young Scientists: Elena Ginatullina, Nodirbek Mullaboev, and AkmalNigmadjanov • MS and PhD students, IWP scientists • Trained on: • Food web sampling • Stable isotope processing • SPMD deployment and retrieval • Sediment sampling • Trained Uzbek young scientists

15. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Young Scientists: Yevgeniya Lee and Farida Kadirkhodjaeva • Young scientists at NIGMI • Trained on: • Water quality analyses • Water quality sampling

16. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Young Scientists: End User Training • Held June 2009 (Tashkent) and October 2009 (Urgench) • 21 scientists in Tashkent, 12 students in Urgench • Training done by Uzbek young scientists • Trained on: • Water quality sampling • Food web sampling • Stable isotope processing • SPMD deployment and retrieval • Sediment sampling

17. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Young Scientist: Margaret Shanafield • PhD student at UNR • Funded on Fulbright Student Fellowship • Trained on: • Water quality sampling • Food web sampling • Stable isotope processing • Sediment sampling • SPMD deployment and retrieval • Trained Uzbek young scientists and initiated site selection

18. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Young Scientists: Julian Scott and Arica Crootof • MS students at UNR • Funded on teaching assistantships and NSF project • Trained on: • SPMD deployment and retrieval • Evaporation pans • Lake coring • Trained Uzbek young scientists

19. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Trainings • Training 1: stable isotope and limnological sampling (Khorezm, Uzbekistan) • June 2006 • Training 2: sediment sampling, SPMD (Khorezm, Uzbekistan) • June 2007 • Training 3: computer modelling and sampling (Reno, USA) • July 2007 • Trainings 4 and 5: theses, working with data (Reno, USA) • March 2008 and January 2009 • Closing workshop: present results and training in Russian (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) • June 2009

20. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Fish, macroinvertebrates, and zooplankton • 16 species of fish • most common: carp, goldfish, snakehead • Species composition and fish body condition, length, and weight were different across lakes and years • ~30 zooplankton taxa • Zooplankton biomass peaks in spring to early summer and late summer to early fall • Highest zooplankton biomass observed in Tuyrekkul • Macroinvertebrates at all lakes

21. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Stable isotopes • Looked at carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopes • Fish • Zooplankton • Macroinvertebrates • Zooplankton differences may be due to species variability Zooplankton

22. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research

23. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Nitrogen and phosphorus

24. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research SPMDs Minimal impacts • All units are pg TEQ/mL • SPMD results are not significantly different from blanks, indicating very little organic contaminant presence June 2007

25. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Pesticides in water

26. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Lake core pesticides ESH KHO TUY SHK

27. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Pesticides in fish USDA recommended DDT maximum: 5.0 mg/kg

28. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Conclusions • Nutrient concentrations vary over time • Pesticide contamination appears to be low in lake waters and sediments • Lakes currently contain many fish, zooplankton, and macroinvertebrate taxa • Most lakes probably suitable for aquaculture

29. Background Educ. & training Food web results Water quality results Future research Future research needs • Examine low pesticide concentrations in lakes • Lake coring • Microbial experiments • Investigate health impacts of using lake water • Pathogens, viruses • Investigate health impacts if lakes dessicate

30. QUESTIONS?