Expansion of invasive alien plant species in the republic of Bashkortostan, the Southern Urals: Analysis of causes and ecological consequences

The causes and ecological consequences of alien plant species invasions in the Southern Urals are analyzed. Aggressive invasive species of North American origin??Ambrosia trifida L., A. psylostachya DC., Cyclachaena xanthiifolia (Nutt.) Fresen., Hordeum jubatum L., Oenothera biennis L., Bidens frondosa L., etc.??have invaded synanthropic and natural plant communities and became dominant, with their proportion varying from 10 to 99%. The biomass of these plants may reach 6 kg/m²; density, more than 1000 shoots per square meter; and seed production, up to 30000 seeds per plant, which explains their dominance in communities. The ecological hazard they pose lies in the displacement of native species, overgrowing of disturbed land areas, and allergenicity of their pollen.     

Could alternative energy sources in the transport sector decarbonise the economy without compromising economic growth?

There are numerous challenges that evaluators face when determining the success of urban climate resilience initiatives (e.g., how to attribute impacts to initiatives). Fortunately, a growing body of literature—much of it dealing with climate change adaptation—has emerged which can help address these challenges. This narrative review of academic and grey literature reviews various monitoring and evaluation methods that can assess the inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes, and impacts that result from climate resilience planning and action. Since there is no commonly accepted monitoring and evaluation approach, the literature stresses the importance of acknowledging the context in which resilience is being evaluated, in order to ensure that appropriate methods are chosen. This context includes the ways that the resilience framework and definition chosen for a project constrain and determine the monitoring and evaluation approaches which can be adopted. As a result of this, a blend of quantitative and qualitative approaches is often recommended, with sufficient evidence suggesting that qualitative approaches (e.g., outcome harvesting) are essential. Nuanced approaches to monitoring and evaluation give evaluators additional means of reporting progress, and of demonstrating success, which is especially important as cities begin to implement resilience initiatives in the coming years.     

Plant Adaptation to Oil Stress

Changes in the contents of anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and riboflavin were studied in plants growing under pollution with petroleum products along railroad tracks (Geum urbanum L., Anthriscus sylvestris L., Glecoma hederata L., Taraxacum officinalisL., Dactylis glomerata L., and Achillea millefolium L.) and in seedlings grown in soil containing 5–10% crude oil (Hordeum vulgare L., D. glomerata, Vicia sativa L., Panicum miliaceum L., and Zea mays L.). In the former case, the plants accumulated ascorbic acid and anthocyanins (on average, 2 and 5.2 times those in the norm, respectively), and riboflavin (in both reduced and oxidized forms). In the latter case oil-induced stress also proved to stimulate the accumulation of all test substances in the seedlings. The content of anthocyanins is proposed as a test parameter reflecting the degree of environmental pollution, which may be useful for prompt bioindication of pollutants in the ecological monitoring of plant communities.     

Temperature adaptation of the heart in the grass snake (Natrix natrix L.), common European viper (Vipera berus L.), and steppe viper (Vipera renardi Christoph) (Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes)

Changes in the heart rate (HR) in more and less thermophilic reptiles (Natrix natrix L., Vipera berus L., and V. renardi Christoph) exposed to heating from 0 to 40°C under anesthesia have been found to depend on the previous adaptation of the animals to the temperature parameters characteristic of the natural habitats of their populations.     

The flow/fund model of Conga: exploring the anatomy of environmental conflicts at the Andes–Amazon commodity frontier

This paper aims to contribute toward improved understanding of complex ecological distribution conflicts at the commodity frontiers, where increasing metabolism in industrial societies is leading to increased environmental destruction in resource-rich countries throughout the world. The focus of this paper is the Conga gold mine project in northern Peru, where there have been violent clashes between the Minera Yanacocha mining company and the local population, represented mainly by campesinos that live in the highlands of the Andes–Amazon region. We do this by using the flow/fund model developed by Georgescu-Roegen and extended by Giampietro and Mayumi, to help us trace the anatomy of this conflict, using simplified representations of the central economic processes involved: gold mining and milk production. By complementing the concept of Ricardian land—an indestructible fund—with the concept of land materials, which is susceptible to qualitative change, and therefore can be either a fund or a flow element of the economic process, we illustrate that the gold extraction process, which treats this land material as a flow, stands in conflict with the milk production process, at least in part, because that process is using these land materials as a fund, i.e., in order to make production possible. The paper employs the concept of environmental valuation triadics, developed by Farrell, in order to explore how the boundaries—physical frontiers and temporal durations—of a specified economic process are related to flow/fund element identities. We conclude with some reflections on potential future applications for the methods employed and on the implications of our analytical results.     

The Response of Hydrophytes to Environmental Pollution with Heavy Metals

The effects of Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Ni²⁺ at low and high concentrations (0.025 and 0.25 mg/ml) on the accumulation capacity, the state of the pigment complex, and photosynthesis rate have been studied in model experiments with three floating hydrophytes (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L., Lemna gibba L., and Potamogeton natans L.) and four submerged hydrophytes (Elodea canadensis Michx., Lemna trisulka L., Ceratophyllum demersum L., and Potamogeton lucens L.). Copper and cadmium are especially toxic at the concentrations studied. The effect of Cu²⁺ was the strongest in hydatophytes, and the effect of Cd²⁺, in pleustophytes. It is hypothesized that the differences between hydrophytes with respect to accumulation of metals and decrease in photosynthesis rate may cause predominant elimination of submerged species. Therefore, changes in the species structure of hydrophyte communities may be expected in waters polluted with metals.     

Effect of Host Plants on the Viability of Black-veined White Aporia crataegi L. at Low Natural Population Density

Russian Journal of Ecology - Patterns of interaction of an oligophagous insect, black-veined white Aporia crataegi L., with host plants in years with a low density of its natural population are...     

Good Food,Good Intentions: Where Pro-sustainability Arguments Get Stale in US Food Documentaries

Focusing on recent documentaries about sustainable agriculture in the US—Food, Inc., The Garden, Fresh, and Farmageddon—this paper examines how pro-sustainable food arguments fail to merge environmentalism and environmental justice. By framing their approach to sustainable food production around the normative issue of “good food” for capitalist consumers, such documentaries ignore questions about community and cultural conceptions of farmers. In the process the films promote a problematic vision of the white family farm. As a consequence, these films limit a reimagining of alternative food systems, the roles for diverse actors within those systems, and possibilities for eaters beyond “voting with your fork.” Several exceptions, most notably The Garden, are used to suggest how cinema might radically re-envision participation in alternative forms of agriculture.     

Natural radioactivity in Brazilian groundwater

More than 220 groundwater samples were analyzed for 228Ra, 226Ra, 222Rn, 210Pb, U(nat), Th(nat), pH, conductivity, fluoride and some additional elements determined by ICP-MS. Since samples from several Brazilian states were taken, involving areas with quite different geologies, no general trend was observed relating the chemical composition and the natural radionuclide content. On the other hand, 210Pb strongly depends on the water content of its progenitor, 222Rn. The values obtained during the present work were compared with those reported by Hainberger et al. [Hainberger, P.L., de Oliveira Paiva, I.R., Salles Andrade, H.A., Zundel, G., Cullen, T.L., 1974. Radioactivity in Brazilian mineral waters. Radiation Data and Reports, 483-488.], when more than 270 groundwater samples were analyzed, mainly, for 226Ra. Based on the results of both works, it was possible to build a database including the results of both works, generating a set with the radium content of circa 350 groundwater sources. It was demonstrated that 228Ra, 226Ra, 222Rn, 210Pb and U(nat) content in Brazilian groundwater follows a lognormal distribution and the obtained geometric mean were 0.045, 0.014, 57.7, 0.040 BqL(-1) and 1.2 microgL(-1), respectively.     

Mainstreaming climate adaptation into urban planning: overcoming barriers, seizing opportunities and evaluating the results in two Dutch case studies

With cities facing climate change, climate adaptation is necessary to reduce risks such as heat stress and flooding and maintain the goals of sustainable urban development. In climate change literature, the focus has been on developing a new dedicated policy domain for climate adaptation. Yet, empirical evidence shows that in practice actors are searching for solutions that not only serve climate adaptation, but integrate the adaptation objective in existing policy domains (e.g., urban planning, water management, public health). The integration of adaptation in other policy domains, also called “mainstreaming climate adaptation,” can stimulate the effectiveness of policy making through combining objectives, increase efficient use of human and financial resources and ensure long-term sustainable investments. A better understanding of the process of mainstreaming is, however, lacking. The article introduces a conceptual model for mainstreaming climate adaptation to enhance our understanding of the concept as well as the barriers and opportunities that influence these integration processes and to explore strategies for overcoming barriers and creating opportunities. Two Dutch case studies—related to urban planning—are used to illustrate the value of the model. The cases demonstrate the dynamic process of mainstreaming and raise discussion of the appropriate criteria for evaluating mainstreaming in relation to the aims of climate adaptation. The paper concludes with an exploration of specific strategies to facilitate the mainstreaming of adaptation in existing and new policy domains.     

Passive sampling: A cost-effective method for understanding antibiotic fate,behaviour and impact

The occurrence of antibiotics in the environment has raised much concern in recent years. Understanding their release, fate and behaviour in the environment is vital to assess potential risks. In this study, a novel passive water sampler – diffusion gradients in thin-films for organics (o-DGT) – was employed to assess the occurrence and removal of antibiotics in two waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) — one in China and the other in the United Kingdom (UK). Of the targeted compounds, 11 of 19 were detected in the Chinese WWTP (ND—200 ng/L) and 10 of 40 were found in the UK plant (ND—1380 ng/L). Florfenicol, lincomycin, ofloxacin and roxithromycin were most abundant in the Chinese WWTP (influent), while anhydrous erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim, ofloxacin and sulfapyridine were the most abundant in the UK influent samples. Estimated Chinese and UK consumption data are used to interpret the results. Neither of the WWTPs was very effective at removing antibiotics: ~ 40–50% (overall) was removed by the two plants, with the rest being discharged into the receiving rivers. This is the first study using o-DGT to assess the occurrence and removal of antibiotics in WWTPs. o-DGT is a useful, cost-effective tool to assess WWTP performance and can highlight the effectiveness of treatment steps, which can be applied to wastewater based epidemiology studies.     

Environmental estrogens in an urban aquatic ecosystem: I. Spatial and temporal occurrence of estrogenic activity in effluent-dominated systems

The present study investigated occurrence of environmental estrogens (EEs) in waterways managed by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (‘District’) — one of the largest and most complex water districts in the United States. The objectives of the study were: (i) to document spatial and temporal occurrence of EEs in the Chicago Area Waterways (CAWs); (ii) to determine whether water reclamation plant (WRP) effluents contribute to estrogenic pollution of the receiving streams; (iii) to determine whether the mandated water quality monitoring data could be used to predict estrogenic pollution in the receiving streams; and (iv) to determine whether snow melt, storm runoff and combined sewer overflows may also be contributors of estrogenic activity to these systems. The estrogenic potency of the waterways was assessed using a cell-based reporter gene assay. The water quality data was readily available as part of the District's regular monitoring program. Our findings indicate that EEs are commonly found in the CAWs, and that WRP effluents are one of, but not the only important contributor to estrogenic activity. Mean estrogenic activities in CAWs (11 ng estradiol equivalents (EEQs/L)) are well within the values reported for other urban areas and WRP effluents. The estrogenic activity exhibited significant seasonal variation with highest values noted during the spring and summer months. When comparing the mean estrogenic activity of general use waters, secondary contact waters and WRP effluents, we found that general use waters had significantly lower estrogenic activity (ca 5 ng EEQ/L) than the other two matrices (ca 15 and 17 ng EEQ/L respectively). Our analyses indicate that estrogenic activity of the waterways was not reliably associated with mandated water quality parameters, and that such measurements may not be useful for predicting estrogenic activity, especially so in the complex urban systems. One of the prominent findings of this study is that EEs do not follow predictable spatial patterns — many of the upstream sites in the heavily urbanized areas had levels of estrogenic activity comparable to those found in the effluents and downstream locations. Our data suggest that surface runoff and snow melt are estrogenic (0–9 ng EEQ/L), and given that their estrogenic activities are similar to those of their receiving waterways (0–7 ng EEQ/L), we conclude that these non-WRP sources are important contributors to estrogenic activity of the CAWs.     

The sustainability of positive environments

Inspired by the emergence of the positive psychology (PP) movement, recent environmental psychology studies have identified a need for further inquiry into “positive environments” (PEs). Recognizing that PP has largely neglected the role of environmental factors in the appearance of positivity, this paper proposes the study of person–environment relations in order to explain human well-being, psychological growth, sustainable behaviors, and other psychological positive factors, in addition to studying the material and social well-being that a positive environment provides. The traditional view of environmental positivity (i.e., the environment as an inexhaustible and infinite source of resources that satisfy human needs) is contrasted against an ecological vision of PE in which the conservation of the quality of the environment is as important as the satisfaction of human needs. A definition of positive environment is presented and discussed, which conceives PE as a context that promotes individual and collective benefits and that also influences human predispositions to conserve—in the long run—the sociophysical structures on which life depends.     

Productivity of rainfed wheat as affected by climate change scenario in northeastern Punjab, India

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is grown as a rainfed crop in the sub-mountainous region of the Punjab state of India, with low crop and water productivity. The present study aims to assess the effect of climate change scenario (A1B) derived from PRECIS—a regional climate model—on wheat yield and water productivity. After minimizing bias in the model climate data for mid-century (2021–2050), evapotranspiration (ET) and yield of wheat crop were simulated using Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer, version 4.5, model. In the changed climate, increased temperature would cause reduction in wheat yield to the extent of 4, 32 and 61 % in the mid-century periods between 2021–2030, 2031–2040 and 2041–2050, respectively, by increasing water stress and decreasing utilization efficiency of photosynthetically active radiation. The decreases in crop water productivity would be 40, 56 and 76 %, respectively, which are caused by decreased yield and increased ET. Planting of wheat up to November 25 till the years 2030–2031 seems to be helpful to mitigate the climate change effect, but not beyond that.     

Gradient Genogeographic Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L. Populations in Europe

Gradients of Nei's genetic distances between 15 samples of Pinus sylvestris L. trees were analyzed along three submeridional transects, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean and Transcaucasia. As a result, distinct chorogenetic differentiation was revealed between the populations of this species growing in climatically specific regions of northern and southern Europe. Considerable Nei's distances (DN = 0.045–0.056) and their gradients, combined with differences in stable phenotypic characters (the composition of monoterpenes and morphological parameters of cones) determined at the Pyrenean and Caucasian mountain borders, suggest that the P. sylvestris species structure includes two South Eurasian subspecies, the Pyrenean P. sylvestris L., ssp. iberica Svoboda and the Transcaucasian P. sylvestris L., ssp. hamata (Stev.) Fomin.     

林(竹)草不同植被恢复模式下的土壤物理特性

利用建立生态定位观测场,对华西雨屏区洪雅县低山区退耕还林中的桦木+扁穗牛鞭草、苦竹+扁穗牛鞭草、纯扁穗牛鞭草和撑绿杂交竹＋扁穗牛鞭草4种林（竹）草植被类型进行定位观测,研究不同植被恢复类型对土壤物理特性的改良。试验结果表明：林（竹）草不同植被类型植被恢复5年后,土壤0～40 cm土层的砂粒和粗粉粒百分含量均有一定的下降,在一定程度上逆转了原坡耕地土壤继续“粗化”的趋势;4种植被恢复类型土壤0～40 cm土层的物理性粘粒含量与农耕地相比均有一定提高,在一定程度上增强了固持土壤养分的能力,以苦竹＋扁穗牛鞭草改良效果最好;与农耕地相比,4种植被恢复类型土壤0～40 cm土层土壤容重有增有减,以苦竹＋扁穗牛鞭草和撑绿杂交竹＋扁穗牛鞭草植被恢复类型改良效果相对较优;虽然除纯牛鞭草地外其它3种植被恢复类型土壤0～40 cm的总孔隙度与农耕地相比都有一定程度的增加,但土壤总孔隙度都偏小,非毛管孔隙/毛管孔隙值也不合理。可见土壤结构的改良并非退耕后植被恢复短期内就能实现的,还需长时间的植被保护、合理的经营。〖     

Chernov’s compensation principle and the effect of rodent community completeness on the variability of bank vole (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys glareolus</Emphasis>) population in the Middle Urals

Using methods of geometric morphometrics, significant differences have been revealed in manifestations of variability and morphological disparity in allochronous samples from the population of model species, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreb. 1780), in the Middle Urals at different levels of rodent community (taxocene) completeness in different years. Two states of the taxocene—oligospecific (two species) and polyspecific (five species)—and the level of relative abundance of bank voles (high or low) have been taken into account. Comparative analysis of variation in the size and shape of the mandible in same-aged (late-summer) young of the year has shown that significant morphogenetic differences exist between the animals sampled from the rodent taxocene at its different states (oligospecific and polyspecific) and, to a lesser extent, at high and low levels of abundance. The level of variation and the parameter of intragroup morphological disparity (MNND) in the mandible shape reach a maximum when the community has a reduced composition and decrease to a minimum when its composition is complete (i.e., in the oligo- and polyspecific taxocene). A parallelism is observed in the manifestation of morphofunctional changes of the mandible in male and female voles under conditions when the taxocene has high abundance and oligospecific composition or low abundance but polyspecific composition. Different morphogenetic responses of the population to oligo- and polyspecific composition of the community are considered as a compensatory increase of morphological disparity in the dominant species (the bank vole) under conditions of incomplete composition of the taxocene and low population density, in accordance with Chernov’s ecological compensation principle.     

Photosynthetic and biochemical characteristics of invasive species (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Ambrosia trifida L.</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Iva xanthifolia Nutt.</Emphasis>) depending on soil humidity and phenological phase

Environmental factors like temperature and soil humidity are recognized as influencing factors on photosynthetic response and organic productivity, distribution and biochemical characteristics of plants. Here we present measurements of gas exchange parameters, water-use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) of field-grown invasive species Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Ambrosia trifida L. and Iva xanthifolia Nutt., in order to define their potentials as colonizers. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) in leaves and flowers depending on soil humidity were also investigated.     

Sisters in sustainability: municipal partnerships for social,environmental, and economic growth

While debates about sustainable development tend to focus on national- and international-scale problems, sustainability programs and research generally focus on the regional, county, municipal, or even household level. Less research has focused on evaluating the benefits of pairing two cities (i.e., sister city partnerships) with different needs and capabilities to jointly enhance the potential for sustainable practices between the cities. Given shrinking state and federal budgets and the nascent national climate policy, how might US cities use existing resources to achieve greater levels of sustainability? This paper presents a new data-driven mathematical tool—the partnership assessment for intra-regional sustainability—that city planners can use to explore the prospects for improving sustainability practices by leveraging existing resources and establishing synergistic partnerships with neighboring cities. The efficacy of the tool is assessed through the presentation of a Southern California case study and the results of a psychological survey of Southern California residents. Results indicate that cities of different size and scale would benefit from synergistic sustainability programs that pool the resources and needs of both cities. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential societal implications, methodological issues, and barriers to implementation.     

Factors of Carbon and Nitrogen Contents in the Fine Roots of Plants in the Middle Urals

Russian Journal of Ecology - Abstract—Some factors influencing C and N contents in fine plant roots were studied in the Middle Urals. They included ecological (edaphic) features of habitats;...