The role of household demographic factors in shaping transportation spending in Turkey

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Factors at the family scale, for which dynamic decisions and proper investments need to be made at the national level in curbing greenhouse gas...     

Heterogeneous impact of agricultural support policies: evidence from Turkey

Agricultural support policies, which increase production to excessive levels, have been heavily criticized for their distortional effects on farmers’ decisions. High input consumption, which harms the environment, and the distribution of supports, which causes income inequality among farmers, are also the other factors that economists criticize these support policies. However, in recent years, the use and dependence on production and land have been increasing globally due to fears of food insecurity in several countries. In this article, the impact of a support policy on cotton farmers’ land in Turkey is evaluated using a detailed farm-level micro dataset. We use the dynamic panel model to consider the production dynamics, unobservable individual heterogeneity, and the endogeneity of the support variable. Our results show that considering the support variable as endogenous significantly increased its impact on farmers’ land. A farmer’s past land allocation decisions also affected their current lands holdings. However, the results varied considerably between regions and between different land sizes. Therefore, the findings show the importance of heterogeneity in the impact of support policies. We conclude that due to the heterogeneous impact of support policies, it might not be possible to discuss the effect of support policies using an average estimate applicable for all farmers. Therefore, a different support policy considering regional characteristics or farm size is necessary to obtain the desired policy outcomes.

     

Mass media and environmental knowledge of secondary school students in Hong Kong

A postal survey on a random cluster sample of 1032 secondary school students in Hong Kong was conducted to investigate what and how much students know about the environment and how their knowledge is related to use of mass media. Results indicated that students were very knowledgeable on general and local environmental issues. The average score for environmental knowledge was 60.7 on a 100-point scale. There was some indications that students' environmental knowledge was shaped and limited by the reporting of environmental news in Hong Kong. Television news viewership had positive correlation with students' environmental knowledge while Chinese newspaper readership had a positive but weak correlation. Male students and students in higher forms were more knowledgeable about the environment. The study established a comprehensive measure for both general and local environmental knowledge with an acceptable level of internal consistency for subsequent studies.     

Understanding the Large‐Scale Influence of Levees on Floodplain Connectivity Using a Hydrogeomorphic Approach

The widespread construction of levees has reduced river–floodplain connectivity and altered associated fluvial processes in many river systems. Despite the recognition that levees can alter floodplain connectivity, few studies have examined the role of levees in reducing floodplain areas at large watershed scales. This paper explores the application of a hydrogeomorphic floodplain inundation model in the Wabash Basin, located in the Midwestern United States, to assess changes in floodplain area in levee‐protected areas. We evaluate 10‐ and 30‐m topographic resolutions and spatially examine the influence of levees on floodplain area in relation to river network attributes. Generally, floodplains in levee‐protected areas were influenced by topographic resolution, stream order, and elevation details of levees found in topography datasets. We show, when compared to Federal Emergency Management Agency maps, our approach underpredicts floodplain area when using 10‐m resolution topography data but only slightly overpredicts when using 30‐m resolution data. After removing details of levees from topography data, we found changes in floodplain area varied spatially, but basin‐aggregate results changed little compared to topography datasets that contain levees, though larger floodplain areas were produced in some regions where levees were removed. This work contributes to a growing research emphasis on using hydrogeomorphic floodplain models to understand floodplain disconnectivity.     

Evaluating the Applicability of a Two‐dimensional Flow Model of a Highly Heterogeneous Domain to Flow and Environmental Management

Two‐dimensional simulation of highly heterogeneous domains, especially those with disparate length scales, roughness conditions, and geometries, often leads to challenges such as long computation times and numerical instability. Simulation of challenging domains is often needed to guide flood management and environmental regulation agencies in operation and potential domain modifications. This work evaluates the ability of a two‐dimensional unsteady hydrodynamic model to represent long‐duration transient flows over a domain with highly heterogeneous roughness, geometric characteristics, and length scales through bed roughness representation. The domain includes 13 km of Cache Creek and the 14.5 km² Cache Creek Settling Basin, which traps both sediment and mercury. Calibration under different bed roughness methods, validation, and modeling results of bathymetric modification scenarios are presented. The modeling approach's performance supports its application as a tool for management of similar domains, such as settling basins, leveed floodplains, and reservoirs. Accurate representation of flow dynamics can also inform environmental management that involves transport of sediments, nutrients, and heavy metals. This study found that a two‐dimensional unsteady flow model can accurately represent long‐duration transient flow in a large settling basin with highly heterogeneous characteristics without parsing of the domain or flow events simulated.     

Assessment of ambient air quality in Eskişehir, Turkey

This paper presents an assessment of air quality of the city Eski?ehir, located 230 km southwest to the capital of Turkey. Only five of the major air pollutants, most studied worldwide and available for the region, were considered for the assessment. Available sulphur dioxide (SO(2)), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), ozone (O(3)), and non-methane volatile organic carbons (NMVOCs) data from local emission inventory studies provided relative source contributions of the selected pollutants to the region. The contributions of these typical pollution parameters, selected for characterizing such an urban atmosphere, were compared with the data established for other cities in the nation and world countries. Additionally, regional ambient SO(2) and PM concentrations, determined by semi-automatic monitoring at two sites, were gathered from the National Ambient Air Monitoring Network (NAAMN). Regional data for ambient NO(2) (as a precursor of ozone as VOCs) and ozone concentrations, through the application of the passive sampling method, were provided by the still ongoing local air quality monitoring studies conducted at six different sites, as representatives of either the traffic-dense-, or coal/natural gas burning residential-, or industrial/rural-localities of the city. Passively sampled ozone data at a single rural site were also verified with the data from a continuous automatic ozone monitoring system located at that site. Effects of variations in seasonal-activities, newly established railway system, and switching to natural gas usage on the temporal changes of air quality were all considered for the assessment. Based on the comparisons with the national [AQCR (Air Quality Control Regulation). Ministry of Environment (MOE), Ankara. Official Newspaper 19269; 1986.] and a number of international [WHO (World Health Organization). Guidelines for Air Quality. Geneva; 2000. Downloaded in January 2006, website: http://www.who.int/peh/; EU (European Union). Council Directive 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead in ambient air. Of J Eur Communities L 163: 14-30; 29.6.1999; EU (European Union). Council Directive 2002/3/EC relating to ozone in ambient air. Of J Eur Communities. L 67: 14-30; 9.3.2002.; USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Downloaded in January 2006, website: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/] ambient air standards, among all the pollutants studied, only the annual average SO(2) concentration was found to exceed one specific limit value (EU limit for protection of the ecosystem). A part of the data (VOC/NO(x) ratio), for determining the effects of photochemical interactions, indicated that VOC-limited regime was prevailing throughout the city.     

Biosorption of Cu^2＋ and Zn^2＋ by raw and autoclaved Rocella phycopsis

The behavior of Cu2+ and Zn2+ biosorption onto raw and modified Roccella phycopsis from aqueous solutions was studied. Modification process was applied by autoclavation at 121°C for 30 min. The effcts of pH, initial metal concentration and biosorbent dosage were investigated. The maximum Cu2+ biosorption was achieved at pH 5.0 and the maximum biosorption capacities of 31.5 and 37.8 mg/g were recorded for raw and modified biosorbent, respectively. In the case of Zn2+ biosorption, maximum biosorption capacities were obtained at pH 4.0 as 29.1 and 35.3 mg/g for raw and modified biosorbent, respectively. Biosorption of Zn2+ and Cu2+ on all form of R. phycopsis increased much quickly with increasing initial metal concentrations from 10 to 100 mg/L. After modification process, probable changes in the surface polarity of raw and modified R. phycopsis were investigated by contact angle measurements. As expected, R. phycopsis has a polar surface and shows a highest contact angle with water, while after autoclavation water contact angle of R. phycopsis was significantly decreased from 47.5° to 34.4°.     

Voices in the dark: predation risk by owls influences dusk singing in a diurnal passerine

Predation is an important cost of communication in animals and thus a potent selection pressure on the evolution of signaling behavior. Heterospecific eavesdropping by predators may increase the vulnerability of vocalizing prey, particularly during low light, such as at dusk when nocturnal predators are actively hunting. Despite the risk it entails, dawn and dusk chorusing is common in passerines. However, the dusk chorus has not been studied much, neglecting the opportunity for understanding how eavesdropping between predators and prey may shape communication in birds. Here, we report the first demonstration of simulated predation risk (playback of owl vocalizations) altering the dusk chorus of a diurnal passerine, the veery (Catharus fuscescens). Veeries have a pronounced dusk chorus, singing well after sunset and potentially exposing themselves to predation by owls. In response to brief playbacks of owl calls (~30 s of calls presented three times over 25 min), veeries sang fewer songs post-sunset and stopped singing earlier relative to control trials. These changes in singing remained evident 30 min after the last owl stimulus. Although the avian dusk chorus has received relatively little attention to date, our results suggest that the dusk chorus may pose a higher predation risk to singing males that may influence the evolution of singing behavior in diurnal birds.     

Detection of lipid peroxidation and cytotoxicity induced by aluminium (Al) and cobalt (Co) ions in barbunia root tip cells

The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of different concentrations of Aluminium (Al) and Cobalt (Co) heavy metal ions on Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Barbunia (Fabaceae) root tips. We used the germination percentage (GP), root length (RL), weight gain (WG) and micronucleus (MN) frequency as indicators of cytotoxicity and correlated these data with statistical parameters. Additionally to the cytogenetic analysis, lipid peroxidation and DNA analyses were performed in root tips of barbunia seeds treated with Al and Co metals. The seeds were divided into five groups as control, Al and Co treatment groups. They were treated with 25 and 50 ppm doses of Al and Co during 7 days. The results indicated that there was an alteration in the GP, RL, WG and MN frequency depending on the treatment dose in the seeds exposed to Al and Co metal ions when compared with the controls. Al and Co metal ions at both the doses significantly reduced the GP, RL and WG in seeds of all the treatment groups. The highest GP was observed in seeds of the control group (in proportion as 96%). 25 and 50 ppm doses of Co and Al caused 30, 50 and 42, 64% decrease of seed germination, respectively. In the control group, the final weights of all the seeds increased about 1.31 g when compared to initial weight. The mean RL of control seeds were measured as 3.71 cm at the end of experimental period. In Co andAl groups, the final weights of seeds increased about 0.34 g and 0.19 g according to initial weight at 50 ppm dose, respectively But, Al and Co ions caused a dose-dependent increase in the frequency of MN. The highest frequency of MN was observed at 50 ppm dose of Al and least frequency of MN was observed at 25 ppm dose of Co. Besides, 25 and 50 ppm concentrations of Al and Co significantly enhanced the lipid peroxidation and caused an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels at both the doses. In roots treated with 25 and 50 ppm doses of Al, the increase of MDA was about 62 and 136% according to control, respectively In Co-treated roots, the increase of MDA was about 31 and 91% according to the control at 25 and 50 ppm doses, respectively The investigated parameters (except MN and MDA) were higher in the seeds exposed to Co than the seeds treated with Al. Moreover, it was observed that the yields of DNA in the seeds treated with Al andCo metals were lower than recorded in the controls. Hence, DNA yields exposed to Al and Co were run ahead on agarose gel according to the control group. The results of the present study indicate that Al and Co metal ions have toxic effects on barbunia root tip cells, and the selected parameters such as the GP, RL, WG, MN and MDA are very sensitive and useful biomarkers for biomonitoring these effects.     

Use of environmental teaching kits in Hong Kong

A systematic postal survey of 449 schools in Hong Kong (including kindergartens, primary and secondary schools) was conducted to investigate the use of environmental education teaching kits and to obtain feedback from teachers about the view and comments in using these kits. Results indicated that kindergartens used teaching kits more frequently than secondary and primary schools. Most of the schools found the existing teaching kits helpful. Appropriate content, updated information, attractiveness to students and inclusion of a teachers' guide were considered important criteria in deciding the use of the teaching kits. Good illustrations, quality production and appropriate duration for the class were considered important factors too. The tight teaching schedule was the major hindrance for secondary and primary schools in the use of the environmental teaching kits. However, the main hindrance for using environmental teaching kits in kindergartens was that they did not have sufficient copies. Hong Kong schools would like to see new teaching kits about waste recycling, energy conservation, green behaviour, air pollution, noise pollution, sewage treatment and wildlife endangering, focusing on Hong Kong and China.