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Communication at the NABS Annual meeting, Keystone, 2000
(290) WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN RUSSIA AND NORTH AMERICA: COMPARISON AND PERSPECTIVES.
T.S. Vshivkova1, J.C. Morse2, E.A. Makarchenko1, and T.V. Nikulina1. 1Institute of Biology and Soil Sciences, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science, Vladivostok 690022, Russia, 2Department of Entomology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0365 USA
Water quality monitoring in Russia is conducted under the Hydrometeorological Institute, Moscow. There are some regional agencies and a net of special hydrometeorological stations throughout the country taking samples of water, air, and soil for analyzing and recording environmental conditions. Results are not open and usually are available only with special permission. Freshwater quality is evaluated mainly by chemical analyses. Invertebrates are routinely sampled, but analysis of the data is very superficial: Government Standard GOST 17.13.07-82 merely computes the ratio of non-oligochaete density to oligochaete density relative to current speed. In North America, of course, things are different. Cheap, accurate, standard methods are used in the different states/provinces for analyzing periphyton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish, and the resulting data carry as much or more weight than chemical data. All information is available for citizens and they can test water quality themselves using simple methods and equipment. As a result North American industries and municipalities are more responsible for their ecological impact and do much to purify their sewage. Ecological politics in Russia can change for the better if they will be based on modern methods such as those widely used in North America and in more progressive European countries.
Presented at 1:45 PM on Thursday, June 1, 2000 in Integrating Physical, Chemical, and Biological Indicators of Water Quality I
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