The effect of humic substances on Cu migration in the soil profile

Humic substances (HS) are widely used for diverse purposes. The effect of HS on the metal’s status in contaminated soils is contradictory. The aim of this work was to investigate the Cu migration in soils treated with HS. A model field experiment with the addition of Cu (1.243?mg?Cu/kg) and HS Extra® (potassium humate) was performed. The Cu addition resulted in acidification (by 0.7 pH) after 3 months. The major part of the added Cu remained in the upper 7-cm-thick soil layer; 4% reached the lower soil layer, while only 0.1% were removed beyond the profile. The addition of HS mitigated soil acidification increased the content of Cu bound to solid-phase organic substances and abruptly reduced the Cu activity in the soil liquid phase. Simultaneously, the HS addition increased the water-soluble organic substances (WSOS) by four times, including those in the hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions, resulting in a twofold increase in the content of soluble Cu. Copper complexes with hydrophilic WSOS mainly reached lysimeters, and hydrophobic organic substances were absorbed by the soil. The HS addition to a slightly acidic soil can accelerate the migration of Cu to adjacent environments.     

On the coadaptation of offspring begging and parental supply—a within-individual approach across life stages

Parental care is often characterized by complex behavioral interactions between offspring soliciting for food and parents providing food. During this interplay both behaviors, offspring begging and parental provisioning, can exert a selective pressure on the expression of the other. It has, therefore, been predicted that traits involved in this interplay may coevolve and ultimately become (genetically) correlated. Such covariation has—at least at the phenotypic level—been found in a number of cross-fostering studies, including evidence from the canary (Serinus canaria), our model species. However, a common challenge for these studies has been to establish a genetic covariation given the difficulty to disentangle the relative contribution of genetic and maternal effects, as the latter may act already before cross-fostering. We addressed this problem by studying within-individual covariation between begging (expressed at the nestling stage) and provisioning (expressed at the adult stage). In addition, we estimated the degree of heritability of these behaviors using parent-offspring regressions, as inheritance forms a prerequisite for any genetic correlation. Both traits showed a low to moderate non-significant heritability, similar to those previously reported in other bird species. However, offspring begging and parental provisioning did not covary at the intra-individual level. Thus, individuals begging intensively as nestlings were not necessarily individuals that provided more food as adults or vice versa. These findings provide important insights for our understanding of coadaptation, suggesting that factors other than genes such as maternal effects may play a role in adjusting offspring begging to the levels of parental provisioning.     

Mobility of toxic elements in carbonate sediments from a mining area in Poland

The Boles?aw–Bukowno mining area in Poland is highly polluted by elements such as Zn, Pb, Cd and As. The reactivity and mobility of toxic elements such as Tl are poorly known. Here, we studied by sequential extraction the mobility of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, Tl and Zn in sediments from two water reservoirs near Bukowno. Results show that available As, Co, Mn, Pb and Zn are found in carbonate minerals. Available Cd, Cu and Tl are found in sulphides and organic matter. The extractability of As, Cr, Mo and Tl was rather poor. By contrast, 85 % of total Cd, Pb and Zn was mobile. We discuss Tl and Mo association in carbonate sediments from ore deposits.     

Remediation of soils on municipal rendering plant territories using Miscanthus × giganteus

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Phytoremediation, as a cost-effective, highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and green approach, gained attention to the removal of metals,...     

Biochemical and genotoxic effects in women exposed to pesticides in Southern Ecuador

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Toxicity refers to the potential of a substance such as a pesticide to cause damage to the structure or functions of an exposed organism. Pesticides...     

Local knowledge about dugout canoes reveals connections between forests and fisheries

Dugout canoes are traditional boat types made from a single tree trunk. This type of boat can reveal unique connections between forest and fisheries in coastal areas: their construction and the species used depend on the local ecological knowledge of artisans and the plant resources available and are also influenced by the type of fisheries in which the canoe will be used. Our objective was to analyze how dugout canoes are constructed, maintained, and currently used in the central coastal region of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The study emphasizes the interaction between the use of forest resources and artisanal fishing in this coastal environment. The data collected were based on interviews with 30 artisans and participant observation. Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) Blake, Ocotea porosa (Nees & Mart.) Barroso, Ocotea Aubl../Nectandra Roll. Ex Rottb., and Aspidosperma Mart. & Zucc. are the main taxa used to construct the canoes. Many canoe sizes are used, and based on the boat type, the trunk diameters needed to construct them varies from 0.6 to 2.9 m and trunk heights from 4 to 10 m. Different types of canoe are used according to the type of fishing and especially to the environment conditions. The construction of canoes in the region has decreased due to difficulties in acquiring wood, changes in fishing activities, and reasons related to labor and apprenticeship, all causes related to modernization of the society and urban growth. The knowledge of plant species used can contribute to shape policies to improve forest management. The survival of cultural practices in artisanal fishing communities should be stimulated in sustainable development programs, and it involves maintaining ecological and technical knowledge related to fishing and the plant resources used to manufacture and maintain fishing equipment.     

Beyond men and women: a critical perspective on gender and disaster

Consideration of gender in the disaster sphere has centred almost exclusively on the vulnerability and capacities of women. This trend stems from a polarised Western understanding of gender as a binary concept of man—woman. Such an approach also mirrors the dominant framing of disasters and disaster risk reduction (DRR), emphasising Western standards and practices to the detriment of local, non‐Western identities and experiences. This paper argues that the man—woman dichotomy is an insufficient construct with which to address the gendered dimensions of a disaster as it fails to capture the realities of diverse gender minorities in non‐Western contexts. The paper presents case studies from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Samoa, where gender minorities display specific patterns of vulnerability associated with their marginal positions in society, yet, importantly, also possess a wide array of endogenous capacities. Recognition of these differences, needs, skills, and unique resources is essential to moving towards inclusive and gender‐sensitive DRR.     

Is Green Chemistry a feasible tool for the implementation of a circular economy?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The main goal of this research is to evaluate the contributions of Green Chemistry as a potential tool to drive the transition to circularity. For...     

Using the Framework for Integrated Sustainability Assessment (FISA) to expand the Multiregional Input–Output analysis to account for the three pillars of sustainability

Decision makers interested in promoting sustainable development must simultaneously consider the environmental, economic and social implications of any action. This article proposes the Framework for Integrated Sustainability Assessment (FISA), a methodological framework for conducting a sustainability impact assessment of any investment project. Based on a Multiregional Input–Output (MRIO) framework, FISA links the extended MRIO results with social risk data from the Social Hotspots Database (SHDB) in order to integrate the social with the environmental and economic pillars. Resulting impacts are simultaneously considered and reported by means of FISA charts, making it possible to assess the different impacts within the three sustainability pillars across countries involved in the whole supply chain of investment projects. This methodological framework can be applied not only to compare the sustainability impacts of two alternative projects, but also to derive specific recommendations aimed at minimizing the harmful social, environmental and economic effects along the whole project supply chain.     

Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity in Brazilian Hot Spots

Hot spots in Brazil include a variety of ecosystems, such as mangroves, forests, and the Brazilian savannah, locally called cerrado. Some of the rural populations in these hot spots are the caiçaras in SE Atlantic Forest coast, and the caboclos in the Amazon. In this study, we are concerned especially with the knowledge of caiçaras and caboclos, associated with practices that might have implications for management. Data were gathered through interviews with adults at the various communities studied, and through systematic observations, including samples of fishing trips and the mapping of fishing spots used in the Atlantic Forest coast. The use of resources from the surrounding vegetation includes collection of plants, cultivated fruit gardens, the swidden system, and a careful and managed extraction of fibres. Among animal resources, food taboos seem to be useful practices that might contribute to the maintenance of local natural resources. Potential management practices should be locally developed, such as the informal division of fishing spots in Atlantic Forest sites, and the maintenance of the diversity of cassava varieties in both the Atlantic Forest and Amazonian areas.