An analysis of the causes of the mitigation bias in international climate finance

Research on international climate finance got a new impetus from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Cancun Accords in 2010 which pledge to mobilize US dollars (USD) 100 billion in international climate financing annually by 2020. The Accords’ specification that adaptation must be addressed with the same priority as mitigation is not reflected in current patterns of international climate finance where we face a strong bias towards mitigation finance. A recent study by Buchner et al. (2011) ascertains a split between mitigation and adaptation finance of 95:5. In this paper, we investigate potential reasons for this bias. In our framework, we distinguish different decision layers and actors involved in international climate finance in order to categorize the causes responsible for the low priority of adaptation in international finance. The identification of obstacles for international adaptation funding is a first crucial step in the search for ways to overcome respective barriers. We find several different causes of the mitigation bias and these might offer starting points for policies aiming at raising adaptation finance and curing this bias. Furthermore, we describe interrelations between these causes which effective policies have to take into account.     

Importance of dispersal and thermal environment for mycorrhizal communities: lessons from Yellowstone National Park

The relative importance of dispersal and niche restrictions remains a controversial topic in community ecology, especially for microorganisms that are often assumed to be ubiquitous. We investigated the impact of these factors for the community assembly of the root-symbiont arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) by sampling roots from geothermal and nonthermal grasslands in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), followed by sequencing and RFLP of AMF ribosomal DNA. With the exception of an apparent generalist RFLP type closely related to Glomus intraradices, a distance-based redundancy analysis indicated that the AMF community composition correlated with soil pH or pH-driven changes in soil chemistry. This was unexpected, given the large differences in soil temperature and plant community composition between the geothermal and nonthermal grasslands. RFLP types were found in either the acidic geothermal grasslands or in the neutral to alkaline grasslands, one of which was geothermal. The direct effect of the soil chemical environment on the distribution of two AMF morphospecies isolated from acidic geothermal grasslands was supported in a controlled greenhouse experiment. Paraglomus occultum and Scutellospora pellucida were more beneficial to plants and formed significantly more spores when grown in acidic than in alkaline soil. Distance among grasslands, used as an estimate of dispersal limitations, was not a significant predictor of AMF community similarity within YNP, and most fungal taxa may be part of a metacommunity. The isolation of several viable AMF taxa from bison feces indicates that wide-ranging bison could be a vector for at least some RFLP types among grasslands within YNP. In support of classical niche theory and the Baas-Becking hypothesis, our results suggest that AMF are not limited by dispersal at the scale of YNP, but that the soil environment appears to be the primary factor affecting community composition and distribution.     

Proximate causes of natal dispersal in female yellow-bellied marmots, Marmota flaviventris

We investigated factors influencing natal dispersal in 231 female yearling yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) using comprehensive analysis of 10 years (1983-1993) of radiotelemetry and 37 years (1963-1999) of capture-mark-recapture data. Only individuals whose dispersal status was verified, primarily by radiotelemetry, were considered. Univariate analyses revealed that six of the 24 variables we studied significantly influenced dispersal: dispersal was less likely when the mother was present, amicable behavior with the mother and play behavior were more frequent, and spatial overlap was greater with the mother, with matriline females, and with other yearling females. Using both univariate and multivariate analyses, we tested several hypotheses proposed as proximate causes of dispersal. We rejected inbreeding avoidance, population density, body size, social intolerance, and kin competition as factors influencing dispersal. Instead, our results indicate that kin cooperation, expressed via cohesive behaviors and with a focus on the mother, influenced dispersal by promoting philopatry. Kin cooperation may be an underappreciated factor influencing dispersal in both social and nonsocial species.     

Ecological benefits of the alley cropping agroforestry system in sensitive regions of Europe

Alley cropping is an agroforestry system that offers a promising land use alternative for the temperate zone. On the same field, the sustainable production of food and biomass is possible, while simultaneously, especially in marginal areas, the ecological function of the landscape can be improved. Thus, alley cropping corresponds with the increasing demand for renewable energy resources and for a specific adaptation to the predicted changes of climatic conditions within Central Europe.However, presently, little knowledge exists regarding the effects of alley cropping on the environment. In this study a literature survey was undertaken to provide an overview of the different ecological benefits arising from alley cropping systems within temperate Europe. Abiotic factors (nutrient cycle, microclimate), biotic factors (biodiversity) and the effects on the carbon cycle are discussed in detail.Summarising, the results showed that alley cropping may be an ecologically advantageous land use system for sustainable food and biomass production in comparison with conventional agricultural practices. As a very flexible, but low-input system, alley cropping can supply biomass resources in a sustainable way and at the same time provide ecological benefits.     

Wireless acquisition of temperature data from embedded thin film sensors in cutting insert

This paper presents the results of wireless data acquisition experiments from embedded micro thin film sensors in cutting inserts for machining. A bluetooth module is used to acquire data and establish communication with a receiver PC over the serial port profile (SPP). A signal conditioning circuit is designed and developed to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the embedded micro thin film sensors. Moreover, an averaging filter algorithm is implemented as a software interface. To characterize the wireless data acquisition (DAQ) system, laser heating and turning tests are conducted. Both tests show that the wireless DAQ system is able to provide desirable capabilities as well as the wired one for the embedded thin film sensors in cutting inserts.     

Landscape-level influences of terrestrial snake occupancy within the southeastern United States

Habitat loss and degradation are thought to be the primary drivers of species extirpations, but for many species we have little information regarding specific habitats that influence occupancy. Snakes are of conservation concern throughout North America, but effective management and conservation are hindered by a lack of basic natural history information and the small number of large-scale studies designed to assess general population trends. To address this information gap, we compiled detection/nondetection data for 13 large terrestrial species from 449 traps located across the southeastern United States, and we characterized the land cover surrounding each trap at multiple spatial scales (250-, 500-, and 1000-m buffers). We used occupancy modeling, while accounting for heterogeneity in detection probability, to identify habitat variables that were influential in determining the presence of a particular species. We evaluated 12 competing models for each species, representing various hypotheses pertaining to important habitat features for terrestrial snakes. Overall, considerable interspecific variation existed in important habitat variables and relevant spatial scales. For example, kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula) were negatively associated with evergreen forests, whereas Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni) occupancy increased with increasing coverage of this forest type. Some species were positively associated with grassland and scrub/shrub (e.g., Slowinski's cornsnake, Elaphe slowinskii) whereas others, (e.g., copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix, and eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus) were positively associated with forested habitats. Although the species that we studied may persist in varied landscapes other than those we identified as important, our data were collected in relatively undeveloped areas. Thus, our findings may be relevant when generating conservation plans or restoration goals. Maintaining or restoring landscapes that are most consistent with the ancestral habitat preferences of terrestrial snake assemblages will require a diverse habitat matrix over large spatial scales.     

Resilienz vs. Effizienz – ein kritischer Blick auf die Umweltökonomie

Background, aim, and scope Economists assess politics (also concerning energy supply) due to the efficiency criterion. Thus, economic instruments for environmental protection shall contribute to achieve ecological goals in an (cost-)efficient way. We show that the overemphasis of efficiency is an alien in the way (ecological) systems are working. Mostly, ecological systems are not high-grade efficient. Hence, economic instruments of environmental protection introduce an inappropriate logic to ecological systems that may have severe impacts on their resilience. We illustrate this with the example of emission trading. Time efficiency is considered to be a powerful criterion due to the interest yield requirements of investors, also for ecological investments. We show how the concentration on time efficiency destroys diversity and has negative impacts on the resilience of (eco-)systems. Main features The economic system is embedded in society and natural environment (as self-organizing, living systems). The economy as an ‘instrumental system’ should serve these systems. The guiding value approach (a system theory approach) gives indication that overemphasizing certain guiding values (such as efficiency, as the economic science does) may weaken the functional capability of systems and finally may lead to a collapse of the systems. Results and discussion The article tries to change the focus of the discussion. An altered focus probably has to be implemented by scientists of other subject areas. Contemporary environmental economics (with its focus on efficiency) is unable to give satisfying answers on the pestering problems. Conclusions Criticising the primacy of efficiency is not the same as generally to disclaim considering efficiency needs. Instead, based on the guiding value theory, we want to be contrary to the one-sided and dominating stressing of the of the efficiency criterion. Perspectives Not following the efficiency guide any more means to think over some ‘sacred cows’ such as emission trading or shareholder value. Instead we have to think over alternative designs to reach the ecological targets.     

Diel vertical movements of adult male dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the western central Atlantic as determined by use of pop-up satellite archival transmitters

The vertical movements of six adult male dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) (95–120 cm estimated fork length), caught using standard sportfishing methods, were investigated using high-rate single-point pop-up satellite archival transmitters from 2005 to 2011 in the western central Atlantic. Data revealed a diel activity pattern within the mixed surface layer with dives below the thermocline suggesting temperature is not a barrier to vertical movements for short periods of time. Dolphinfish were tracked for periods of 4.96–30.24 day (Σ = 83.37 day), reaching depths >200 m, and in temperatures ranging from 16.20 to 30.87 °C. The six tags allowed comprehensive vertical movement analyses by time of day, duration at depth, and based on vertical movement patterns. The longest (>60 min), deepest (>30 m), and most extensive vertical movement patterns occurred during night rather than day, with the most time spent near the surface during the day. Dolphinfish spent 66 % of their time in the surface layer (0–9.9 m) and only one individual spent 8 % of the monitoring period diving >8 °C from the maximum surface temperatures recorded while tracked. Two tags were analyzed based on lunar phase and revealed contrasting relationships between vertical movements during new and full phases. Our results suggest dolphinfish vertically shift between surface and at-depth feeding strategies to exploit aggregating epipelagic and mesopelagic prey items leading to predictable diel vertical movements.