Transaction costs for carbon sequestration projects in the tropical forest sector

There is general consensus that carbon (C) sequestration projects in forests are a relatively low cost option for mitigating climate change, but most studies on the subject have assumed that transaction costs are negligible. The objectives of the study were to examine transaction costs for forest C sequestration projects and to determine the significance of the costs based on economic analyses. Here we examine four case studies of active C sequestration projects being implemented in tropical countries and developed for the C market. The results from the case studies were then used with a dynamic forest and land use economic model to investigate how transaction costs affect the efficiency and cost of forest C projects globally. In the case studies transaction costs ranged from 0.38 to 27 million US dollars ($0.09 to $7.71/t CO₂) or 0.3 to 270 % of anticipated income depending principally on the price of C and project size. The three largest cost categories were insurance (under the voluntary market; 41–89 % of total costs), monitoring (3–42 %) and regulatory approval (8–50 %). The global analysis indicated that most existing estimates of marginal costs of C sequestration are underestimated by up to 30 % because transaction costs were not included.     

Two solitudes: post‐tsunami and post‐conflict Aceh

In August 2005, after the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean Basin, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the cessation of hostilities was signed by Aceh's longstanding adversaries—the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The tsunami was a major catalyst for ‘disaster diplomacy’—international political pressure, which, this paper argues, was an important ingredient in creating conditions for the MoU, although the situation within Aceh also shaped the peace process. Based on interviews conducted in 2006 and 2007 with government officials, GAM representatives and fighters, and non‐governmental organization staff in Aceh, this paper finds that assistance for tsunami survivors far exceeds that available for conflict survivors and ex‐combatants. The formation of these two solitudes—the tsunami‐affected and the conflict‐affected—compounds challenges for sustaining peace in Aceh. This research points to an enduring lack of livelihoods for former fighters and conflict victims that may threaten a sustainable peace.     

Effects of riparian forest buffers on in-stream nutrient retention in agricultural catchments

In northeastern Austria, marshlands have been turned into the most productive arable land of the country. As a result, most headwater streams show structurally degraded channels, lacking riparian buffer zones, which are heavily loaded with nutrients from the surrounding crop fields. The present study examines whether longitudinally restricted riparian forest buffers can enhance the in-stream nutrient retention in nutrient-enriched headwater streams. We estimated nutrient uptake from pairwise, short-term addition experiments with NH, NH, PO, and NaCl within reaches with riparian forest buffers (RFB) and degraded reaches (DEG) of the same streams. Riparian forest buffers originated from the conservation of the pristine vegetation or from restoration measures. Hydrologic retention was calculated with the model OTIS-P on the basis of conductivity break-through curves from the salt injections. A significant increase in surface transient storage was revealed in pristine and restored RFB reaches compared with DEG reaches due to the longitudinal step-pool pattern and the frequent occurrence of woody debris on the channel bed. Ammonium uptake lengths were significantly shorter in RFB reaches than in DEG reaches, resulting from the higher hydrologic retention. Uptake velocities did not differ significantly between RFB and DEG reaches, indicating that riparian forest buffers did not affect the biochemical nutrient demand. Uptake of NH was mainly driven by autotrophs. Net PO uptake was not affected by riparian forest buffers. The study shows that the physical and biogeochemical effects of riparian forest buffers on the in-stream nutrient retention are limited in the case of highly eutrophic streams.     

Effect of field exposure to 38-year-old residual petroleum hydrocarbons on growth, condition index, and filtration rate of the ribbed mussel, Geukensia demissa

In September 1969, the Florida barge spilled 700,000 L of No. 2 fuel oil into the salt marsh sediments of Wild Harbor, MA. Today a substantial amount, approximately 100 kg, of moderately degraded petroleum remains within the sediment and along eroding creek banks. The ribbed mussels, Geukensia demissa, which inhabit the salt marsh creek bank, are exposed to the spilled oil. Examination of short-term exposure was done with transplantation of G. demissa from a control site, Great Sippewissett marsh, into Wild Harbor. We also examined the effects of long-term exposure with transplantation of mussels from Wild Harbor into Great Sippewissett. Both the short- and long-term exposure transplants exhibited slower growth rates, shorter mean shell lengths, lower condition indices, and decreased filtration rates. The results add new knowledge about long-term consequences of spilled oil, a dimension that should be included when assessing oil-impacted areas and developing management plans designed to restore, rehabilitate, or replace impacted areas.     

Development of a regenerable system employing silica-titania composites for the recovery of mercury from end-box exhaust at a chlor-alkali facility

The release of mercury to the environment is of particular concern because of its volatility, persistence, and tendency to bioaccumulate. The recovery of mercury from end-box exhaust at chlor-alkali facilities is important to prevent release into the environment and reduce emissions as required by NESHAP (National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants). A pilot-scale photocatalytic reactor packed with silica-titania composite (STC) pellets was tested at a chloralkali facility over a 3-month period. This pilot reactor treated up to 10 ft3/min (ACFM) of end-box exhaust and achieved 95% removal. The pilot reactor was able to maintain excellent removal efficiency even with large fluctuations in influent mercury concentration (400-1600 microg/ft3). The STC pellets were regenerated ex situ by regeneration with hydrochloric acid and performed similarly to virgin STC pellets when returned to service. On the basis of these promising results, two full-scale reactors with in situ regeneration capabilities were installed and operated. After optimization, these reactors performed similarly to the pilot reactor. A cost analysis was performed comparing the treatment costs (i.e., cost per pound of mercury removed) for sulfur-impregnated activated carbon and the STC system. The STC proved to be both technologically and economically feasible for this installation.     

Modeling in-situ uranium(VI) bioreduction by sulfate-reducing bacteria

We present a travel-time based reactive transport model to simulate an in-situ bioremediation experiment for demonstrating enhanced bioreduction of uranium(VI). The model considers aquatic equilibrium chemistry of uranium and other groundwater constituents, uranium sorption and precipitation, and the microbial reduction of nitrate, sulfate and U(VI). Kinetic sorption/desorption of U(VI) is characterized by mass transfer between stagnant micro-pores and mobile flow zones. The model describes the succession of terminal electron accepting processes and the growth and decay of sulfate-reducing bacteria, concurrent with the enzymatic reduction of aqueous U(VI) species. The effective U(VI) reduction rate and sorption site distributions are determined by fitting the model simulation to an in-situ experiment at Oak Ridge, TN. Results show that (1) the presence of nitrate inhibits U(VI) reduction at the site; (2) the fitted effective rate of in-situ U(VI) reduction is much smaller than the values reported for laboratory experiments; (3) U(VI) sorption/desorption, which affects U(VI) bioavailability at the site, is strongly controlled by kinetics; (4) both pH and bicarbonate concentration significantly influence the sorption/desorption of U(VI), which therefore cannot be characterized by empirical isotherms; and (5) calcium-uranyl-carbonate complexes significantly influence the model performance of U(VI) reduction.     

Crowding and Experience-Use History: A Study of the Moderating Effect of Place Attachment Among Water-Based Recreationists

Effective recreation resource management relies on understanding visitor perceptions and behaviors. Given current and increasing pressures on water resources, understanding crowding evaluations seems important. Beyond crowding, however, variables that possibly relate to or influence crowding are of interest and in particular, place attachment and experience-use history (EUH). As EUH is related to place attachment and likely affects crowding, this study explored the moderating effect of place attachment dimensions on the relationships between EUH and visitor crowding evaluations. Water based recreationists at a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers site were contacted onsite and asked questions related to experience-use history, crowding evaluations, place attachment, and activity participation. Anglers and campers at the site identified similar crowding perceptions and place attachments. Only one of eight models tested revealed a moderating effect. Specifically, place identity moderated the relationship between the total times visited in the past twelve months and expected crowding among anglers. As such, the quest continues to understand the relationship among these important variables.     

货物集装箱扫描技术的发展

恐怖分子利用货物集装箱走私核武器或用于放射性频散装置(RDD)的放射性材料,美国和其他国家目前都在面临这一严重威胁.