Atmospheric composition change – global and regional air quality

Air quality transcends all scales with in the atmosphere from the local to the global with handovers and feedbacks at each scale interaction. Air quality has manifold effects on health, ecosystems, heritage and climate. In this review the state of scientific understanding in relation to global and regional air quality is outlined. The review discusses air quality, in terms of emissions, processing and transport of trace gases and aerosols. New insights into the characterization of both natural and anthropogenic emissions are reviewed looking at both natural (e.g. dust and lightning) as well as plant emissions. Trends in anthropogenic emissions both by region and globally are discussed as well as biomass burning emissions. In terms of chemical processing the major air quality elements of ozone, non-methane hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and aerosols are covered. A number of topics are presented as a way of integrating the process view into the atmospheric context; these include the atmospheric oxidation efficiency, halogen and HO_x chemistry, nighttime chemistry, tropical chemistry, heat waves, megacities, biomass burning and the regional hot spot of the Mediterranean. New findings with respect to the transport of pollutants across the scales are discussed, in particular the move to quantify the impact of long-range transport on regional air quality. Gaps and research questions that remain intractable are identified. The review concludes with a focus of research and policy questions for the coming decade. In particular, the policy challenges for concerted air quality and climate change policy (co-benefit) are discussed.     

Individual-level patterns of division of labor in honeybees highlight flexibility in colony-level developmental mechanisms

Honeybee division of labor (DOL) has become a model system for exploring the genetic basis of complex traits and phenotypic plasticity. Although many highly informative behavioral studies have been conducted on this topic (both at the cohort and individual levels), most studies have focused on a few behavioral acts, such as the age of first foraging. Few studies have recorded large numbers of relatively complete individual-level patterns of DOL. Such fine-scale patterns would lay the foundation for rigorous molecular analyses of this phenomenon and allow us to differentiate between competing mechanistic models of DOL. Here, we record over 100 individual-level DOL patterns of bees living under natural conditions. We found that the transitions between castes (polyphenism states) are often gradual, with bees being in multiple castes at once. This is contrary to the traditional view that changes are abrupt. We also found that bees often skip castes, a key prediction of a recent model of DOL. We further confirm variation in the rate at which bees pass through castes and the age of first foraging. Taken together, these results greatly improve our understanding of this model system and allow for a strong revision of current models of honeybee DOL.     

A paradox of the ciliates? High ciliate diversity in a resource-poor environment

Ecological theory predicts that low productivity systems should have low biodiversity. However, despite the oligotrophic status of the Gulf of Aqaba (Northern Red Sea) ciliate species richness was unexpectedly high. In addition, phytoplankton, as main ciliate prey, was made up by only few genera, indicating a significant niche overlap among the grazers. Up to 97% of the ciliates were from the same taxonomic group and of the same size range, implying very similar food niches. Ciliate diversity was highest at times of lowest chlorophyll concentrations, during the period of stable abiotic conditions, but relatively high genetic diversity within the ciliate prey, notably among the cyanobacteria Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus. In the absence of disturbance and with little predation pressure, the alternate explanations for the observed ciliate diversity are either very fine niche partitioning by the ciliates, or their competitive equivalence resulting in a random assortment of species immigrating from a larger metacommunity, in accordance with Hubbell’s, (The unified neutral theory of biodiversity and biogeography. Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2001) neutral model. While the use of species abundance distributions (SAD’s) is far from definitive, the theoretical SAD’s that best fit the Gulf of Aqaba ciliate data was most often not that expected by neutral theory.     

How should surface elevation table data be analyzed? A comparison of several commonly used analysis methods and one newly proposed approach

Environmental and Ecological Statistics - The use of surface elevation table (SET) instruments to monitor elevation changes at low elevation coastal locations has steadily increased in recent...     

Using phytoremediation technologies to upgrade waste water treatment in Europe

Goal, Scope and Background One of the burning problems of our industrial society is the high consumption of water and the high demand for clean drinking water. Numerous approaches have been taken to reduce water consumption, but in the long run it seems only possible to recycle waste water into high quality water. It seems timely to discuss alternative water remediation technologies that are fit for industrial as well as less developed countries to ensure a high quality of drinking water throughout Europe. Main Features The present paper discusses a range of phytoremediation technologies to be applied in a modular approach to integrate and improve the performance of existing wastewater treatment, especially towards the emerging micro pollutants, i.e. organic chemicals and pharmaceuticals. This topic is of global relevance for the EU. Results Existing technologies for waste water treatment do not sufficiently address increasing pollution situation, especially with the growing use of organic pollutants in the private household and health sector. Although some crude chemical approaches exist, such as advanced oxidation steps, most waste water treatment plants will not be able to adopt them. The same is true for membrane technologies. Discussion Incredible progress has been made during recent years, thus providing us with membranes of longevity and stability and, at the same time, high filtration capacity. However, these systems are expensive and delicate in operation, so that the majority of communities will not be able to afford them. Combinations of different phytoremediation technologies seem to be most promising to solve this burning problem. Conclusions To quantify the occurrence and the distribution of micropollutants, to evaluate their effects, and to prevent them from passing through wastewater collection and treatment systems into rivers, lakes and ground water bodies represents an urgent task for applied environmental sciences in the coming years. Recommendations Public acceptance of green technologies is generally higher than that of industrial processes. The EU should stimulate research to upgrade existing waste water treatment by implementing phytoremediation modules and demonstrating their reliability to the public.     

Thyroid ultrasound volume, structure and function after long-term high exposure of large population to polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides and dioxin

We examined 2,046 adults (834 males and 1,212 females aged 20-75 years) from polluted district in East Slovakia (POLL) and two neighboring upstream and upwind located districts of background pollution (BCGR). By ultrasound we estimated the thyroid volume (ThV), hypoechogenicity (HYE), nodules and cysts. Serum levels of thyrotropin (TSH), thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOab) and thyroglobulin were estimated by electrochemiluminiscent assay and these of 15 PCB congeners, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and hexachlorocyclohexane by high-resolution gas chromatography. In 320 subjects also selected hydroxylated and methylsulfonated PCB metabolites, polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDDs), -furans (PCDFs), five dioxin-like coplanar and eight mono-ortho PCB congeners were estimated. Urinary iodine was measured by automatic microplate method. Reciprocal positive association was found between three major POPs (PCBs, DDE and HCB), the levels of these and also PCDDs plus PCDFs in polluted area being considerably higher than in background pollution area. ThV in groups of males and females from POLL with high PCBs level was significantly higher (p<0.001 by t-test) then in age and sex matched groups from BCGR with low PCBs level. In 1,048 males and females aged <60 years with serum PCBs level >1,000 ng g(-1) lipid (median=1,756 ng g(-1)) a significant effect of age on ThV was found (p<0.01 by ANOVA), while in 921 respective subjects with PCBs level <1,000 ng g(-1) (median=661 ng g(-1)) it was not. These findings supported the view on the additional effect of PCBs on ThV other than that of age. Since the urinary iodine in both districts showed optimal range, any interfering effect of unsatisfactory iodine intake on ThV may be excluded. The frequency of autoimmune thyroiditis signs such as HYE, increased serum level of TPOab and TSH resulting in subclinical or overt thyroid hypofunction was positively associated with sex, age and organochlorine levels. The increase of such frequency in males with POPs levels was much more abrupt than that in females. No considerable differences in the frequency of thyroid nodules as related to PCBs level were found.     

Rating the risks of anticoagulant rodenticides in the aquatic environment: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Anticoagulant rodenticides are used worldwide to control commensal rodents for hygienic and public health reasons. As anticoagulants act on all vertebrates, risk...