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Full-Text Articles in Water Resource Management

Modeling Spatial And Temporal Variation In Natural Background Specific Conductivity, John Olson, Susan M. Cormier Mar 2019

Modeling Spatial And Temporal Variation In Natural Background Specific Conductivity, John Olson, Susan M. Cormier

John Olson

ABSTRACT: Understanding how background levels of dissolved minerals vary in streams temporally and spatially is needed to assess salinization of fresh water, establish reasonable thresholds and restoration goals, and determine vulnerability to extreme climate events like drought. We developed a random forest model that predicts natural background specific conductivity (SC), a measure of total dissolved ions, for all stream segments in the contiguous United States at monthly time steps between the years 2001 to 2015. Models were trained using 11 796 observations made at 1785 minimally impaired stream segments and validated with observations from an additional 92 segments. Static predictors …


Predicting Combined Effects Of Land Use And Climate Change On River And Stream Salinity, John Olson Dec 2018

Predicting Combined Effects Of Land Use And Climate Change On River And Stream Salinity, John Olson

John Olson

Agricultural, industrial and urban development have all contributed to increased salinity in streams and rivers, but the likely effects of future development and climate change are unknown. I developed two empirical models
to estimate how these combined effects might affect salinity by the end of this century (measured as electrical conductivity, EC). The first model predicts natural background from static (e.g. geology and soils) and dynamic
(i.e. climate and vegetation) environmental factors and explained 78% of the variation in EC. I then compared the estimated background EC with current measurements at 2001 sites chosen probabilistically from all conterminous USA streams. …


Tiered Approaches In Analyzing Rice Field Pesticide Fate And Transport For Ecological Risk Assessment, Ruoyu Wang Jul 2018

Tiered Approaches In Analyzing Rice Field Pesticide Fate And Transport For Ecological Risk Assessment, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

No abstract provided.


Assessment Of Optional Sediment Transport Functions Via The Complex Watershed Simulation Model Swat, Ruoyu Wang Jan 2017

Assessment Of Optional Sediment Transport Functions Via The Complex Watershed Simulation Model Swat, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

The Soil andWater Assessment Tool 2012 (SWAT2012) offers four sediment routing methods
as optional alternatives to the default simplified Bagnold method. Previous studies compared only
one of these alternative sediment routing methods with the default method. The proposed study
evaluated the impacts of all four alternative sediment transport methods on sediment predictions:
the modified Bagnold equation, the Kodoatie equation, the Molinas and Wu equation, and the
Yang equation. The Arroyo Colorado Watershed, Texas, USA, was first calibrated for daily flow.
The sediment parameters were then calibrated to monthly sediment loads, using each of the four
sediment routing equations. An automatic …


Combined And Synergistic Effects Of Climate Change And Urbanization On Water Quality In The Wolf Bay Watershed, Southern Alabama, Ruoyu Wang Jan 2017

Combined And Synergistic Effects Of Climate Change And Urbanization On Water Quality In The Wolf Bay Watershed, Southern Alabama, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

This study investigated potential changes in flow, total suspended solid (TSS) and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) loadings under future climate change, land use/cover (LULC) change and combined change scenarios in the Wolf Bay watershed, southern Alabama, USA. Four Global Circulation Models (GCMs) under three Special Report Emission Scenarios (SRES) of greenhouse gas were used to assess the future climate change (2016–2040). Three projected LULC maps (2030) were employed to reflect different extents of urbanization in future. The individual, combined and synergistic impacts of LULC and climate change on water quantity/quality were analyzed by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). …


Biophysical And Hydrological Effects Of Future Climate Change Including Trends In Co2, In The St. Joseph River Watershed, Eastern Corn Belt, Ruoyu Wang Sep 2016

Biophysical And Hydrological Effects Of Future Climate Change Including Trends In Co2, In The St. Joseph River Watershed, Eastern Corn Belt, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

Future climate change has the potential to significantly impact crop growth, both directly due to CO2 enhancement and indirectly, through temperature and moisture impacts. This work investigates the biophysical and hydrological effects of future climate change, including trends in CO2, in the St. Joseph River watershed, Eastern Corn Belt. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was first modified to take dynamic CO2 concentration as input. A regional crop leaf development curve from Landsat TM imagery was also used to adjust model performance in corn leaf area development for the historical period. A multi-objective calibration strategy was …


Water, Growth And The Endangered Species Act, Holly Doremus Aug 2016

Water, Growth And The Endangered Species Act, Holly Doremus

Holly Doremus

24 pages.


Water, Growth And The Endangered Species Act, Holly Doremus Aug 2016

Water, Growth And The Endangered Species Act, Holly Doremus

Holly Doremus

24 pages.


Water, Growth And The Endangered Species Act, Holly Doremus Aug 2016

Water, Growth And The Endangered Species Act, Holly Doremus

Holly Doremus

24 pages.


Role Of Multiple High-Capacity Irrigation Wells On A Surficial Sand And Gravel Aquifer, Logan Seipel, Eric Wade Peterson, David H. Malone, Jason F. Thomason Dec 2015

Role Of Multiple High-Capacity Irrigation Wells On A Surficial Sand And Gravel Aquifer, Logan Seipel, Eric Wade Peterson, David H. Malone, Jason F. Thomason

Eric Wade Peterson

Within McHenry County, IL, the fastest growing county in Illinois, groundwater is used for 100% of
the water needs. Concerns over water resources have prompted the investigation of the surficial
sand and gravel aquifers of the county. While the eastern portion of the county is urbanizing, the
western portion remains devoted to agriculture. High-capacity irrigation wells screened within
the surficial sand and gravel aquifer are used for crop production. To assess the impacts of the ir-
rigation wells on the aquifer, a groundwater flow model was developed to examine five different
scenarios reflecting drought conditions and increased pumping. Results show …


Simulating Management Effects On Crop Production, Tile Drainage, And Water Quality Using Rzwqm–Dssat, S. A. Saseendran, Liwang Ma, Robert W. Malone, Philip Heilman, Lajpat R. Ahuja, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Douglas L. Karlen, G. Hoogenboom Dec 2015

Simulating Management Effects On Crop Production, Tile Drainage, And Water Quality Using Rzwqm–Dssat, S. A. Saseendran, Liwang Ma, Robert W. Malone, Philip Heilman, Lajpat R. Ahuja, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Douglas L. Karlen, G. Hoogenboom

Douglas L Karlen

The objective of this study was to explore if more crop-specific plant growth modules can improve simulations of crop yields, and N in tile flow under different management practices compared with a generic plant growth module. We calibrated and evaluated the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) with the Decision Support for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT v3.5) plant growth modules (RZWQM–DSSAT) for simulating tillage (NT — no till, RT — ridge till, CP — chisel plow, and MP — moldboard plow), crop rotation {CC — continuous corn, and CS — corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]}, and nitrogen (N) …


Evaluating And Predicting Agricultural Management Effects Under Tile Drainage Using Modified Apsim, Robert W. Malone, N. Huth, P. S. Carberry, Liwang Ma, Thomas C. Kaspar, Douglas L. Karlen, T. Meade, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Philip Heilman Dec 2015

Evaluating And Predicting Agricultural Management Effects Under Tile Drainage Using Modified Apsim, Robert W. Malone, N. Huth, P. S. Carberry, Liwang Ma, Thomas C. Kaspar, Douglas L. Karlen, T. Meade, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Philip Heilman

Douglas L Karlen

An accurate and management sensitive simulation model for tile-drained Midwestern soils is needed to optimize the use of agricultural management practices (e.g., winter cover crops) to reduce nitrate leaching without adversely affecting corn yield. Our objectives were to enhance the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) for tile drainage, test the modified model for several management scenarios, and then predict nitrate leaching with and without winter wheat cover crop. Twelve years of data (1990–2001) from northeast Iowa were used for model testing. Management scenarios included continuous corn and corn–soybean rotations with single or split N applications. For 38 of 44 observations, …


Effects Of Liquid Swine Manure Applications On No3–N Leaching Losses To Subsurface Drainage Water From Loamy Soils In Iowa, Allah Bakhsh, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Douglas Karlen Dec 2015

Effects Of Liquid Swine Manure Applications On No3–N Leaching Losses To Subsurface Drainage Water From Loamy Soils In Iowa, Allah Bakhsh, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Douglas Karlen

Douglas L Karlen

Long-term applications of organic or inorganic sources of N to croplands can increase the leaching potential of nitrate–nitrogen (NO3–N) for soils underlain by subsurface drainage “tile” network. A field study was conducted for 6 years (1993–1998) to determine the effects of liquid swine manure and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution fertilizer applications on NO3–N concentrations and NO3–N losses with subsurface drainage water under continuous corn (Zea maize L.) and corn after soybean (Glycine max. L.) production systems. The field data collected at Iowa State University's northeastern research center near Nashua, Iowa, under …


Empirical Analysis And Prediction Of Nitrate Loading And Crop Yield For Corn–Soybean Rotations, Robert W. Malone, Liwang Ma, Douglas L. Karlen, T. Meade, D. Meek, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Jerry L. Hatfield Dec 2015

Empirical Analysis And Prediction Of Nitrate Loading And Crop Yield For Corn–Soybean Rotations, Robert W. Malone, Liwang Ma, Douglas L. Karlen, T. Meade, D. Meek, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Jerry L. Hatfield

Douglas L Karlen

Nitrate nitrogen losses through subsurface drainage and crop yield are determined by multiple climatic and management variables. The combined and interactive effects of these variables, however, are poorly understood. Our objective is to predict crop yield, nitrate concentration, drainage volume, and nitrate loss in subsurface drainage from a corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation as a function of rainfall amount, soybean yield for the year before the corn–soybean sequence being evaluated, N source, N rate, and timing of N application in northeastern Iowa, U.S.A. Ten years of data (1994–2003) from a long-term study …


Corn-Soybean And Alternative Cropping Systems Effects On No 3 -N Leaching Losses In Subsurface Drainage Water, Rameshwar S. Kanwar, Richard M. Cruse, Mohammadreza Ghaffarzadeh, Allah Bakhsh, Douglas Karlen, Theodore B. Bailey Dec 2015

Corn-Soybean And Alternative Cropping Systems Effects On No 3 -N Leaching Losses In Subsurface Drainage Water, Rameshwar S. Kanwar, Richard M. Cruse, Mohammadreza Ghaffarzadeh, Allah Bakhsh, Douglas Karlen, Theodore B. Bailey

Douglas L Karlen

Alternative cropping systems can improve resource use efficiency, increase corn grain yield, and help in reducing negative impacts on the environment. A 6-yr (1993 to 1998) field study was conducted at the Iowa State University’s Northeastern Research Center near Nashua, Iowa, to evaluate the effects of non-traditional cropping systems [strip inter cropping (STR)-corn (Zea mays L.)/soybean (Glycine max L.)/oats (Avina sativa L.)]; alfalfa rotation (ROT)-3-yr (1993 to 1995) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) followed by corn in 1996, soybean in 1997, and oats in 1998), and traditional cropping system (corn after soybean (CS) and soybean after corn (SC) on the flow …


Rzwqm Simulation Of Long-Term Crop Production, Water And Nitrogen Balances In Northeast Iowa, L. Ma, Robert W. Malone, Philip Heilman, Douglas L. Karlen, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Cynthia A. Cambardella, S. A. Saseendran, Lajpat R. Ahuja Dec 2015

Rzwqm Simulation Of Long-Term Crop Production, Water And Nitrogen Balances In Northeast Iowa, L. Ma, Robert W. Malone, Philip Heilman, Douglas L. Karlen, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Cynthia A. Cambardella, S. A. Saseendran, Lajpat R. Ahuja

Douglas L Karlen

Agricultural system models are tools to represent and understand major processes and their interactions in agricultural systems. We used the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) with 26 years of data from a study near Nashua, IA to evaluate year to year crop yield, water, and N balances. The model was calibrated using data from one 0.4 ha plot and evaluated by comparing simulated values with data from 29 of the 36 plots at the same research site (six were excluded). The dataset contains measured tile flow that varied considerably from plot to plot so we calibrated total tile flow …


Simulated N Management Effects On Corn Yield And Tile-Drainage Nitrate Loss, Robert W. Malone, Liwang Ma, Philip Heilman, Douglas L. Karlen, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Jerry L. Hatfield Dec 2015

Simulated N Management Effects On Corn Yield And Tile-Drainage Nitrate Loss, Robert W. Malone, Liwang Ma, Philip Heilman, Douglas L. Karlen, Ramesh S. Kanwar, Jerry L. Hatfield

Douglas L Karlen

Thoroughly tested simulation models are needed to help quantify the long-term effects of agriculture. We evaluated the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) response to different N management strategies and then used the tested model with observed weather data from 1961–2003 to quantify long-term effects on corn (Zea mays L.) yield and flow weighted nitrate-N concentration in subsurface “tile” drainage water (Nconc). Fourteen years (1990–2003) of field data from 30, 0.4 ha plots in northeast Iowa were available for model testing. Annual crop yield, nitrate-N loss to subsurface “tile” drainage water (Nloss), Nconc, and subsurface “tile” drainage amount (drain) …


Estimation Of The Effects Of Climate Variability On Crop Yield In The Midwest Usa, Ruoyu Wang Nov 2015

Estimation Of The Effects Of Climate Variability On Crop Yield In The Midwest Usa, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

Crop yield is strongly affected by climate variability. When applying ecohydrologic models to study climate impacts on crop yield, especially interannual yield responses to climate stresses, the model simulation of plant available soil moisture must be constrained in order to reproduce plant production variation via moisture related bio-climate variables. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is used to investigate the relationship between climate variability and crop yield at four sites (Boone, Woodbury, Madison, and Mason) in the Midwestern USA. The model was first calibrated for soil moisture at the plot scale. The calibrated model was then …


Water Quality Effects Of Cellulosic Biofuel Crops Grown On Marginal Land, Ruoyu Wang Jul 2014

Water Quality Effects Of Cellulosic Biofuel Crops Grown On Marginal Land, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

Since Congress' Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, there has been increasing interest
in the ability to reach the cellulosic renewable fuel goal of 60.5 billion liters. Cellulosic biofuel crops include
sorghum, switchgrass, Miscanthus, woody crops, and crop residue, among others. Because of concern about
food production on existing highly productive agricultural lands, there is an interest regarding biofuel crop
production on marginal lands. Second generation biofuels, such as perennial grasses and woody plants,
provide an alternative to traditional crops; however, their effects on water quality are not well studied when
grown on marginal lands. Because grasses and woody …


Responses Of Hydrological Processes And Water Quality To Land Use/Cover (Lulc) And Climate Change In A Coastal Watershed, Ruoyu Wang Jan 2014

Responses Of Hydrological Processes And Water Quality To Land Use/Cover (Lulc) And Climate Change In A Coastal Watershed, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

Land use/cover (LULC) and climate change are two main factors affecting watershed hydrology and, in turn, influencing water quality. In this paper, the potential changes in flow, Total Suspended Solid (TSS) and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) loadings were investigated under climate, LULC and combined change scenarios in the Wolf Bay watershed in coastal Alabama, USA. Four Global Circulation Models (GCMs) under three Special Report Emission Scenarios (SRES) of greenhouse gas were used to demonstrate the future climate change (2016-2040). Three projected LULC maps (2030) were employed to reflect different extents of urbanization in future. The individual, combined and synergistic impacts …


The Effects Of Surface Water Velocity On Hyporheic Interchange, Timothy Sickbert, Eric Wade Peterson Dec 2013

The Effects Of Surface Water Velocity On Hyporheic Interchange, Timothy Sickbert, Eric Wade Peterson

Eric Wade Peterson

When evaluating hyporheic exchange in a flowing stream, it is inappropriate to directly compare stream stage with subsurface hydraulic head (h) to determine direction and magnitude of the gradient between the stream and the subsurface. In the case of moving water, it is invalid to ignore velocity and to assume that stage equals the net downward pressure on the streambed. The Bernoulli equation describes the distribution of energy within flowing fluids and implies that net pressure decreases as a function of velocity, i.e., the Venturi Effect, which sufficiently reduces the pressure on the streambed to create the appearance of a …


Individual And Combined Effects Of Land Use/Cover And Climate Change On Wolf Bay Watershed Streamflow In Southern Alabama, Ruoyu Wang Sep 2013

Individual And Combined Effects Of Land Use/Cover And Climate Change On Wolf Bay Watershed Streamflow In Southern Alabama, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

Land use/cover (LULC) and climate change are two main factors affecting watershed hydrology. In this paper, individual and combined impacts of LULC and climate change on hydrologic processes were analysed applying the model Soil and Water Assessment Tool in a coastal Alabama watershed in USA. Temporally and spatially downscaled Global Circulation Model outputs predict a slight increase in precipitation in the study area, which is also projected to experience substantial urban growth in the future. Changes in flow frequency and volume in the 2030s (2016–2040) compared to a baseline period (1984–2008) at daily, monthly and annual time scales were explored. …


Climate Change Adaptation Chapter: Marshfield, Massachusetts, Joshua H. Chase, Jonathan G. Cooper, Rory Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Filipe Antunes Lima, Sally R. Miller, Toni Marie Pignatelli Feb 2013

Climate Change Adaptation Chapter: Marshfield, Massachusetts, Joshua H. Chase, Jonathan G. Cooper, Rory Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Filipe Antunes Lima, Sally R. Miller, Toni Marie Pignatelli

Sally Miller

Climate change, understood as a statistically significant variation in the mean state of the climate or its variability, is the greatest environmental challenge of this generation (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001). Marshfield is already being affected by changes in the climate that will have a profound effect on the town’s economy, public health, coastal resources, natural features, water systems, and public and private infrastructure. Adaptation strategies have been widely recognized as playing an important role in improving a community’s ability to respond to climate stressors by resisting damage and recovering quickly. Based on review of climate projections for the …


Variation Of Hyporheic Temperature Profiles In A Low Gradient Third-Order Agricultural Stream – A Statistical Approach, Vanessa Beach, Eric Wade Peterson Dec 2012

Variation Of Hyporheic Temperature Profiles In A Low Gradient Third-Order Agricultural Stream – A Statistical Approach, Vanessa Beach, Eric Wade Peterson

Eric Wade Peterson

Sediment size governs advection, controlling the hydraulic conductivity of the stratum, and conduction, influencing the amount of surface area in contact between the sediment particles. To understand the role of sediment particle size on thermal profiles within the hyporheic zone, a statistical approach, involving general summary statistics and time series cross-correlation, was employed. Data were collected along two riffles: Site 1: gravel (d50 = 3.9 mm) and Site 2: sand (d50 = 0.94 mm).Temperature probe grids collected 15-minute temperature data at 30, 60, 90, and 140 cm below the streambed surface over a 6-month period. Surface water and air temperature …


First-Order Catchment Mass Balance During The Wet Season In The Panama Canal Watershed, Fred Ogden Aug 2012

First-Order Catchment Mass Balance During The Wet Season In The Panama Canal Watershed, Fred Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

Tropical hydrology is poorly understood for a number of reasons. Intense biological activity in the tropics introduces complexities to the hydrologic process. Bioturbation, rapid rates of decay, and intensive insect activity all tend to promote rapid flow paths in the upper soil. Aggressive weathering leads to clays depleted of light cations and deep soil profiles. Processes in the seasonal tropics are further complicated by seasonal transitions, and very large changes in catchment storage between seasons. Beginning in 2005, we installed a suite of hydrologic sensors in a 16.7 ha first-order catchment in the Panama Canal Watershed to observe hydrologic variables …


Exploring The Effects Of Aperture Size, Aperture Variability And Matrix Properties On Biocolloid Retention In A Single, Saturated Fracture, Margaret Burke Jan 2012

Exploring The Effects Of Aperture Size, Aperture Variability And Matrix Properties On Biocolloid Retention In A Single, Saturated Fracture, Margaret Burke

Sarah E Dickson

No abstract provided.


The Effects Of Evapotranspiration Upon Recharge Using The Stable Isotopes Of Oxygen And Hydrogen In The Carbonate Aquifers Of The Cumberland Plateau In Southeast Kentucky, Lee J. Florea Nov 2011

The Effects Of Evapotranspiration Upon Recharge Using The Stable Isotopes Of Oxygen And Hydrogen In The Carbonate Aquifers Of The Cumberland Plateau In Southeast Kentucky, Lee J. Florea

Lee J Florea, PhD, P.G.

In this brief manuscript, we consider the variation of the stable isotopes of oxygen, δ18O, and hydrogen, δ2H, in samples collected during 2010 and 2011 from precipitation and shallow groundwater along the Cumberland Plateau of southeast Kentucky. These data from the 1,900-ha Redmond Creek karst aquifer lend insight into the source and timing of recharge to shallow groundwater in the epigenic karst of the U.S midcontinent. Specifically, we find that only 43% of precipitation remains as potential recharge after accounting for evapotranspiration, and 85% of this potential recharge occurs during only four two-week sampling periods. The isotopic composition of precipitation …


Determining Nutrient And Sediment Critical Source Areas With Swat: Effect Of Lumped Calibration, Ruoyu Wang Oct 2011

Determining Nutrient And Sediment Critical Source Areas With Swat: Effect Of Lumped Calibration, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

In many watershed modeling studies, due to limited data, model parameters for flow, sediment, and nutrients are calibrated and validated against observed data only at the watershed outlet. Model parameters are adjusted systematically for the entire watershed to obtain the closest match between the model-simulated and observed data at the watershed outlet (lumped calibration). It is hypothesized that the relative loadings of pollutants and/or sediments contributed by each computational unit are not affected by this calibration procedure. In other words, areas generating relatively higher pollutant loads with an uncalibrated model will still generate relatively higher loads after calibration. This study …


Effect Of Spontaneous Gas Expansion And Mobilization On The Aqueous-Phase Concentrations Above A Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid Pool., Kevin G. Mumford, James Smith, Sarah E. Dickson Dec 2009

Effect Of Spontaneous Gas Expansion And Mobilization On The Aqueous-Phase Concentrations Above A Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid Pool., Kevin G. Mumford, James Smith, Sarah E. Dickson

Sarah E Dickson

This paper presents a framework to quantify the overall variability of the model estimations of Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Total PCBs) concentrations in the Niagara River on the basis of the uncertainty of few model parameters and the natural variability embedded in some of the model input variables. The results of the uncertainty analysis are used to understand the importance of stochastic model components and their effect on the overall reliability of the model output and to evaluate multiple sources of uncertainty that might need to be further studied. The uncertainty analysis is performed using a newly developed point estimate method, …


A Method For Computing Infiltration And Redistribution In A Discretized Moisture Content Domain, Fred L. Ogden Jul 2008

A Method For Computing Infiltration And Redistribution In A Discretized Moisture Content Domain, Fred L. Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

A new one-dimensional infiltration and redistribution method is proposed as an alternative to the Richards equation (RE) for coupled surface and subsurface models. The proposed method discretizes soil water content into hypothetical hydraulically interacting bins. The entry and propagation of displacement fronts in each bin are simulated by means of explicit infiltration and drainage approximations based on capillary and gravitational driving forces. Wetting front advances within bins create water deficits that are satisfied by capillary-driven interbin flow. The method inherently provides numerical stability by precluding the need to directly estimate nonlinear gradients through numerical schemes. Comparisons of the performance of …