Book reviews

Saving the Coast: California's Experiment in Intergovernmental Land Use Control

Melvin B. Mogoluf

D. D. Heath and Co., Lexington, Mass. 1975, xiii + 136 pp., ISBN 0–669–97394–7

The Planning and Design of Rural Roads: The Implications of Landscape & Recreation

David N. Skinner

Scottish Tourist Board/Countryside Commission for Scotland. Price: £4.00

Comparative Land Use Planning and Regulation

Urban Planning Development Series No. 12, University of Washington, Seattle, 1975, 120pp.

’Modern Political Geography‘

R. Muir

Macmillan, 1975, 262pp., Paper cover £2.95; Hard cover £6.95.

Discussion Paper No. 10: “The Layfield Report and Local Government Finance"

G. C. Cameron (ed)

Discussion Papers in Planning, University of Glasgow

Assessment of Major Industrial Applications

Department of the Environment (1976) Research Report 13, H.M.S.O., £2

The Economic Impact of Tourism: a case study in Greater Tayside

D. M. Henderson (1975)

University of Edinburgh: Tourism and Recreation Research Unit

’Urban modelling: algorithms, calibrations, and predictions‘

M. Batty

Cambridge University Press, London, 1976, 381 pages, £17.50

’Urban fields‘

S. Angel and G. M. Hyman

Academic Press, London, 178pp., 1976, £5

Rural Planning Problems

Gordon E. Cherry (Ed.)

Leonard Hill, London, 1976, £6.95

’Living in Cities‘

Charles Mercer

Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 240pp.

Shopping Centres—Planning, Development and Administration

Edgar Lion

Wiley: 1977, 198pp., £9.00.

The Home of Man

Barbara Ward

Penguin Books (Paperback) and Andre Deutsch (Hardback), June 1976, 294 pp., Indexed, 18 photographs, Paperback £1, Hardback £3.75

Runcorn New Town. Master Plan Amendment No. 2

Runcorn Development Corporation, 1975

Available from The Development Corporation, Runcorn New Town, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 5AR, 26 pp., Maps and Plans, Illustrated     

Intensity of territorial defense in red squirrels: an experimental test of the asymmetric war of attrition

Summary Red squirrels defend exclusive, individual territories year round, 20% to 50% of females do not breed in any given year, and breeding females raise juveniles on their territories. Breeding is asynchronous, and the offspring of early-breeding females are more likely to hold an independently won territory than are late-born offspring. Based on the asymmetric war of attrition, we made the following predictions: (1) squirrels would respond more intensely to the calls of unfamiliar individuals than to the calls of neighbors; (2) breeding females would respond more intensely to unknown calls than would non-breeding females or males; (3) early-breeding females would respond more intensely than would late-breeding females to unknown calls; and (4) all classes of squirrels would respond similarly to the calls of neighbors. Playback experiments supported the predictions. Alternative hypotheses of kin selection, risk of infanticide, and seasonal difference in intruder pressure could not explain the results.     

Partial dissolution of ACQ-treated wood in lithium chloride/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone: separation of copper from potential lignocellulosic feedstocks

A cellulose solvent system based on lithium chloride (LiCl) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) was used to assess the merits of partial dissolutions of coarsely ground wood samples. Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ)-treated pine wood was of particular interest for treatment given the potential to generate a copper-rich stream apart from solid and/or liquid lignocellulosic feedstocks. Treatment with NMP alone gave yields of soluble materials that were higher than typical extractives contents thereby suggesting a limited degree of wood dissolution. Inclusion of LiCl, which disrupts hydrogen bonding, gave lower wood residue recoveries (i.e., higher dissolution) with higher LiCl concentration. Lower wood residue recoveries coincided with lower Klason lignin and hemicellulose-derived sugar contents in the wood residues. After treatment with 8% LiCl in NMP, subsequent filtration afforded 34% of the ACQ-treated sapwood as a wood residue retaining only 2% of the original copper. Pouring the filtrate over an excess of water resulted in the recovery of 30% of the solids and 50% of the copper together as a copper-enriched lignocellulosic precipitate. Results demonstrate a solvent system showing potential as a means to separate heavy metals from preservative-treated wood and to recover lignocellulosic feedstocks that may be suitable for use in a biorefinery.     

An assessment of the reported leakage of anthropogenic radionuclides from the underground nuclear test sites at Amchitka Island, Alaska, USA to the surface environment

Three underground nuclear tests representing approximately 15-16% of the total effective energy released during the United States underground nuclear testing program from 1951 to 1992 were conducted at Amchitka Island, Alaska. In 1996, Greenpeace reported that leakage of radionuclides, 241Am and 239+240Pu, from these underground tests to the terrestrial and freshwater environments had been detected. In response to this report, a federal, state, tribal and non-governmental team conducted a terrestrial and freshwater radiological sampling program in 1997. Additional radiological sampling was conducted in 1998. An assessment of the reported leakage to the freshwater environment was evaluated by assessing 3H values in surface waters and 240Pu/239Pu ratios in various sample media. Tritium values ranged from 0.41 Bq/l +/- 0.11 two sigma to 0.74 Bq/1 +/- 0.126 two sigma at the surface water sites sampled, including the reported leakage sites. Only at the Long Shot test site, where leakage of radioactive gases to the near-surface occurred in 1965. were higher 3H levels of 5.8 Bq/1 +/- 0.19 two sigma still observed in 1997, in mud pit #3. The mean 240Pu/239Pu for all of the Amchitka samples was 0.1991 +/- 0.0149 one standard deviation, with values ranging from 0.1824 +/- 1.43% one sigma to 0.2431 +/- 6.56% one sigma. The measured 3H levels and 240Pu/239Pu ratios in freshwater moss and sediments at Amchitka provide no evidence of leakage occurring at the sites reported by Buske and Miller (1998 Nuclear-Weapons-Free America and Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, Ak, p.38) and Miller and Buske (1996 Nuclear Flashback: The Return to Anchitka, p.35). It was noted that the marine sample; 240Pu/239Pu ratios are statistically different than the global fallout ratios presented by Krey et al. (1976) and Kelley, Bond, and Beasley (1999). The additional non-fallout component 240Pu/239Pu ratio, assuming a single unique source, necessary to modify the global fallout 240Pu/239Pu ratio to that measured in the marine samples is on the order of 0.65 (Hameedi, Efurd, Harmon, Valette-Silver, & Robertson, 1999; Kelley et al., 1999). While this potentially suggests another plutonium source, such as high burn-up nuclear reactor fuel, rather than underground nuclear tests, the uncertainties in analyses and environmental processes need to be fully assessed before any conclusion can be reached. Further work is needed to evaluate these findings and to support any radiological assessment of the marine environment surrounding Amchitka. Based on geohydrological testing and modeling, leakage from the Amchitka Underground Nuclear Tests is projected to occur to the marine environment (Claassen, 1978; Fenske, 1972; Wheatcraft, 1995).     

Meta-analysis of time-series studies of air pollution and mortality: effects of gases and particles and the influence of cause of death,age, and season

A comprehensive, systematic synthesis was conducted of daily time-series studies of air pollution and mortality from around the world. Estimates of effect sizes were extracted from 109 studies, from single- and multipollutant models, and by cause of death, age, and season. Random effects pooled estimates of excess all-cause mortality (single-pollutant models) associated with a change in pollutant concentration equal to the mean value among a representative group of cities were 2.0% (95% CI 1.5-2.4%) per 31.3 microg/m3 particulate matter (PM) of median diameter < or = 10 microm (PM10); 1.7% (1.2-2.2%) per 1.1 ppm CO; 2.8% (2.1-3.5%) per 24.0 ppb NO2; 1.6% (1.1-2.0%) per 31.2 ppb O3; and 0.9% (0.7-1.2%) per 9.4 ppb SO2 (daily maximum concentration for O3, daily average for others). Effect sizes were generally reduced in multipollutant models, but remained significantly different from zero for PM10 and SO2. Larger effect sizes were observed for respiratory mortality for all pollutants except O3. Heterogeneity among studies was partially accounted for by differences in variability of pollutant concentrations, and results were robust to alternative approaches to selecting estimates from the pool of available candidates. This synthesis leaves little doubt that acute air pollution exposure is a significant contributor to mortality.     

Comparison of PM10 concentrations in high- and medium-volume samplers in a desert environment

The USEPA replaced TSP with PM₁₀ as the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for particulate matter. The commercially available PM₁₀ sampler is a high-volume model using quartz fiber filters. In certain investigations, such as source apportionment studies, chemical analysis of the filter is necessary, however, many analyses cannot be run on quartz filters. An alternate filter such as Teflon is amenable to XRF and ion chemical analyses but is not amenable to analysis for carbon. To overcome these problems DRI constructed a medium-volume PM₁₀ sampler that is capable of collecting particulates on both Teflon and quartz fiber filters simultaneously. This paper describes the design of the DRI medium-volume PM₁₀ sampler, discusses a method for determining equivalence of two samplers, the results of applying the method to test the equivalence of the medium-volume sampler and a commerical high-volume sampler, and examines differences between PM₁₀ and TSP measurements in a southwestern desert.     

Communal nesting in an ‘asocial’ mammal: social thermoregulation among spatially dispersed kin

Communal nesting can help defray the high cost of endothermic heat production in cold environments, but such social behavior is generally thought to be incompatible with the persistent defense of exclusive territories in typically ‘asocial’ animals. We examined the propensity for communal nesting in female red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), which maintain individual year-round territories, through intensive monitoring of litters over 22 years and by radio-tracking females during 3 years in late winter/early spring. Communal nesting was exceptionally rare during lactation: of 1,381 litters tracked to emergence, we observed a single instance in which two closely related (r?=?0.5) females pooled their litters into a single nest. In contrast, nest sharing between 2–3 females was relatively common in the late winter/early spring, prior to mating; at least 12 of 63 females (19 %) engaged in communal nesting during a year of systematic tracking of radio-collared females from late February to April. Communal nesting occurred more frequently when temperatures were colder, suggesting that such aggregations might function to reduce thermoregulatory costs. These social associations were typically, though not exclusively, between closely related individuals (r?≥?0.25 for seven of eight cases; mother–daughter dyads: four of eight), suggesting this cooperative behavior might evolve through kin selection and/or may reflect extended parental care. Our results demonstrate that female red squirrels engage in communal nesting, typically with closely related kin, despite a dispersed population structure that stems from the persistent defense of individual territories.     

DNAPL Source Depletion: 2. Attainable Goals and Cost–Benefit Analyses

It is difficult to quantify the range in source strength reduction (MdR) that may be attainable from in situ remediation of a dense nonaqueous‐phase liquid (DNAPL) site given that available studies typically report only the median MdR without providing insights into site complexity, which is often a governing factor. An empirical study of the performance of in situ remediation at a wide range of DNAPL‐contaminated sites determined MdRs for in situ bioremediation (EISB), in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), and thermal treatment remedies. Median MdR, geometric mean MdR, and lower/upper 95 percent confidence interval for the mean were: 49x, 105x, 20x/556x, respectively, for EISB; 9x, 21x, and 4x/110x for ISCO; and 19x, 31x, and 6x/150x for thermal treatment. Lower MdR values were determined for large, complex sites and for sites with DNAPL pool‐dominated source zones. A feasibility analysis of partial DNAPL depletion is described for a pool‐dominated source zone. Back‐diffusion from low‐hydraulic conductivity units within a pool‐dominated source zone is shown to potentially sustain a secondary source for more than 1,000 years, indicating that aggressive source treatment may not reduce the remediation timeframe. Estimated plume response demonstrates there may be no reduction in cost associated with aggressive treatment, and little difference in risk reduction associated with the various alternatives. Monitored natural attenuation (MNA) for the source zone is shown to be a reasonable alternative for the pool‐dominated source zone considered in this example. It is demonstrated that pool‐dominated source zones with a large range in initial DNAPL mass (250 to 1,500 kg) may correspond to a narrow range in source strength (20 to 30 kg/year). This demonstrates that measured source strength is nonunique with respect to DNAPL mass in the subsurface and, thus, source strength should not be used as the sole basis for predicting how much DNAPL mass remains or must be removed to achieve a target goal. If aggressive source zone treatment is to be implemented due to regulatory requirements, strategic pump‐and‐treat is shown to be most cost effective. These remedial decisions are shown to be insensitive to a range of possible DNAPL pool conditions. At sites with an existing pump‐and‐treat system, a significant increase in mass removal and source strength reduction may be achieved for a low incremental cost by strategic placement of extraction wells and pumping rate selection. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Adsorption of uranium(VI) on amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide at high concentrations of dissolved carbon(IV) and sulfur(VI)

Amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide is being used to treat groundwater contaminated with uranium(VI); the compound also has potential for use as a component in in situ chemical barriers. To quantitatively evaluate its effectiveness in such applications, adsorption of uranium(VI) onto amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide was experimentally investigated under a wide range of uranium(VI) (8.40·10⁻⁷−2.10·10⁻³ mol L⁻¹; 0.2–500 mg L⁻¹), sulfur(VI) (0–0.07 mol L⁻¹; 0–2240 mg L⁻¹) and carbon(IV) (0–0.0195 mol L⁻¹; 0–234 mg L⁻¹) concentrations, and pH-values (4–9.6). The adsorption behavior of uranium(VI) (uranyl ion and its complexes) is similar to that of other cations; it exhibits a sharp rise in the extent of adsorption with increasing pH. Interactions among uranyl complexes and surface sites are interpreted using a site complexation model. Although the model does not incorporate electrostatics and includes only a single type of adsorption site, it provides a reasonable match to measured adsorption and proton exchange data. The simplicity of the model and the resulting reduction in computational demand allow its efficient incorporation into coupled reaction-transport models.