Exploring Jiangnan: The Ducks of Gaoyou《走读江南》水养里下河 水乡凫羽
Upon invitation from the local Jiangsu International Channel, I hosted a recent episode of Exploring Jiangnan （走读江南）which was set in Gaoyou, a city not far from Nanjing on the east cost of China. Gaoyou's claim to fame is tasty ducks, which also have a knack for producing double-yolked eggs. I got to see it all first hand; here's your chance to see it too.
11月初，江苏国际频道邀请我去江苏省的高邮市来主持一次《走读江南》节目。在这个冒险中，我体验了一下高邮的养鸭农民的生活，了解一下他们怎么样养鸭子，也顺便挖掘了高邮著名咸鸭蛋的秘诀。跟我一起学习吧！这期《走读江南》本来在江苏国际频道播出于2013年11月15日。
Great Lakes Seminar, Yushun Chen, Ecological responses to water diversion of the eastern route...
Abstract: The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP) of China is the largest water diversion project in the world, diverting water from the Yangtze River to alleviate the pressure of water scarcity in northern China. The eastern route of the SNWDP pumps water from the Lower Yangtze River near Yangzhou, Jiangsu, passes the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and a series of storage lakes, and finally provides water for provinces of Shangdong and Tianjin. We monitored water quality, plankton, macroinvertebrates, aquatic plants, and fishes in two storage lakes, Gaoyou and Dongping, since April 2016 and wanted to detect the effects of the water diversion on lake ecosystems.
The current study showed: (1) water depth increased and varied in the studied lakes; (2) the monitored water quality parameters such as nutrients (nitrate, total ammonia nitrogen, phosphate), total suspended solids (TSS), and conductivity showed seasonal variations in both lakes; (3) heavy metals such as Pb, Zn and Mn showed significantly higher concentrations in summer in both lakes; (4) the abundance of resident fishes (e.g., Culter oxycephaloides (Kreyenberg et Pappenheim), Chanodichtys oxycephalus (Bleeker), Abbottina rivularis) was reduced while lake-river migration fishes (e.g., Mylopharyngodon piceus, Ctenopharyngodon idellus) were increased in both lakes; and (5) the estuary fish Taenioides cirratus was also observed in Gaoyou Lake. The operation of the eastern route SNWDP could change the structure and function of the associated lakes significantly and needs more attention in the future.
Bio: Dr. Yushun Chen is currently a professor and group leader for the Aquatic Ecosystems Health Research Group at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. With funding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and others, Dr. Chen and his lab are conducting research on fish and aquatic communities, water quality, and aquatic ecosystem health in the Yangtze River Basin, basins along the Eastern Route of China’s South to North Water Diversion Project, and the Mississippi-Yangtze Large River Basins through international collaborations. Since 2013, Dr. Chen and colleagues have been promoting large river/lake basin collaborations between the USA and China, and beyond. Before his current position, Dr. Chen earned his Ph.D. from West Virginia University, then worked as a Post-Doc at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, NOAA National Coastal Data Development Center, and as a faculty member at the Aquaculture and Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
14th December 1287: St Lucia's Flood kills over 50,000 people in the Netherlands
Although prone to flooding, the fertile areas close to the sea had attracted many settlers by the 10th century and, by the turn of the millennium, the population began to increase rapidly.
The construction of dikes to hold back the sea consequently became an important part of life in the area. Draining the peat bogs that were left behind provided arable land to feed the growing population, but it also made the ground sink by up to a metre every century.
On 14 December 1287, the day after St. Lucia’s Day, an extreme low pressure system coincided with high tide in the North Sea to cause a huge storm surge that rose far above the usual sea level. The waves battered the dikes built to defend the north and northwestern part of the Netherlands, and poured onto the land below. Numerous villages were destroyed, and records indicate that at least 50,000 people lost their lives.
Meanwhile the floodwaters transformed a shallow freshwater lake into the salty Zuiderzee and created direct sea access to what was then the village of Amsterdam. The flood was therefore directly responsible for the development of one of the world’s leading port cities.
The English coastline was also severely affected by the storm. Although the number of casualties was considerably lower, other effects were just as significant. Combined with another huge flood that had struck southern England in February numerous ports declined after being silted up, while new ones soon appeared.
River Murray floods in 1931 - part 3
Created by Percival Moody in 1931.
Use for any purpose requires written permission from Mr Bill Moody and the State Library of South Australia.
This footage (part 3 of 3) shows the River Murray flood at Murray Bridge on 23rd August 1931. The 3 films include men putting sandbags near railway line; buildings surrounded by floodwater; motor boats moored where owners usually park their cars (6 feet water); Amscol & Farmer's Union factories surrounded by water at Murray Bridge and men and boys rowing cheerfully upon the floodwaters.
The State Library holds more than 200 segments of film taken by Percival Moody who was born at Kent Town in 1890. He filmed historic South Australian events, occasions and attractions between 1929-1950, and raised funds for charity through public film screenings.
For more information about this film see
The Library has endeavoured to identify and contact all copyright holders for this material. The Library invites people who believe they are further copyright holders to contact Library staff to discuss usage of this item.
Contact details: