No abstract

Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

Nowadays the human activity has increased the pressure on surface water quality. The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental quality of the Seman River water (in Southern part of Albania) through a 5-year monitoring program of 14 parameters (pH, DO, EC, TSS, Cl − , 3 NO − , Total-N, Total-P, BOD 5 , Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ , Pb 2+ , Cd 2+ and Temp. ˚C), that determine the environmental status of this waterbody, as well as the application of WQI (CCME) through a multivariable approach. Based on the cluster dendogram results, it can be concluded that during wet seasons such as winter-spring, there are more sediments which influence other physic-chemical parameters, while during dry seasons (summer-autumn) there are more decomposition reactions of elements released by sediments and influenced by temperature. PCA analysis determines whether the groups of factors correlate strongly or not, depending on the internal structures of the groups and variables "heavy" or latent and vary from season to season with differentiated contributions to the water quality. All three factors influence WQI to the extent of 56% in the summer and spring season and 64% and 40% in the autumn and winter season, respectively.

Soil erosion is one of the most important phenomena affecting land composition and settlement. Among all natural causes of soil erosion such as rainfall intensity, temperature and wind, the human activity; massive deforestation and intensive agriculture, including the latest climate changes are considered as very important factors, especially nowadays. Thus, calculating the soil erosion coefficient appears very important in order to prevent the phenomena. Many methods are used to calculate such coefficient but in the presented research, the Erosion Potential Method was chosen. In this study, eight watersheds in southeastern Albania were evaluated. Results show that erosion is present in all considered watersheds. In one case (Panariti watershed) the erosion coefficient was very high; excessive, while in others it varies from heavy to very slight erosion. In conclusion, it can be stated that the Erosion Potential Method can be applied in the Albanian contest, same as in other neighbor countries. The results from Panariti, Roshani and Gianci should be further investigated due to the high quantity of soil eroded.

<abstract> <p>Soil erosion is a major environmental threat to soil sustainability and productivity with knock-on effects on agriculture, climate change, etc. Factors influencing soil erosion are many and usually divided into natural and human causes. Massive deforestation, intensive agriculture, temperature and wind, rainfall intensity, human activities and climate changes are listed as the main causes of soil erosion. Calculation of the coefficient of soil erosion is very important to prevent the event. One of the methods used worldwide to calculate soil loss and the erosion coefficient is the Erosion Potential Method. In this study, 49 sub-basins of the Vjosa River Basin in Albania were evaluated. Results showed that the phenomenon of erosion is present in all sub-basins, varying from 0.01 to 0.71. Thus, the categorization of soil erosion varies from heavy to very slight erosion. Moreover, the overall sediment yield calculated for the Vjosa River Basin was 2326917 m³/year. In conclusion, the application of the Erosion Potential Method is reliable for evaluating erosion and can further be applied in our country's conditions.</p> </abstract>