Long-term land-cover/use change in a traditional farming landscape in Romania inferred from pollen data,historical maps and satellite images

Regional Environmental Change - Traditional farming landscapes in the temperate zone that have persisted for millennia can be exceptionally species-rich and are therefore key conservation targets....     

The measurement of water scarcity: Defining a meaningful indicator

Metrics of water scarcity and stress have evolved over the last three decades from simple threshold indicators to holistic measures characterising human environments and freshwater sustainability. Metrics commonly estimate renewable freshwater resources using mean annual river runoff, which masks hydrological variability, and quantify subjectively socio-economic conditions characterising adaptive capacity. There is a marked absence of research evaluating whether these metrics of water scarcity are meaningful. We argue that measurement of water scarcity (1) be redefined physically in terms of the freshwater storage required to address imbalances in intra- and inter-annual fluxes of freshwater supply and demand; (2) abandons subjective quantifications of human environments and (3) be used to inform participatory decision-making processes that explore a wide range of options for addressing freshwater storage requirements beyond dams that include use of renewable groundwater, soil water and trading in virtual water. Further, we outline a conceptual framework redefining water scarcity in terms of freshwater storage.     

Adaptation policy and community discourse: risk,vulnerability, and just transformation

How can public engagement assist in the development of just processes and outcomes in adaptation discourse and policymaking? A concern with justice is at the center of thinking about adaptation that is not only resilient, but also public, engaging, and transformative. Theoretically, the intersection of adaptation, transformation, and environmental and climate justice is examined, before exploring the specific concerns and normative foundations for adaptation policy articulated by local governments, environmental groups, and local residents engaged in adaptation planning in Australia. Despite a discursive disconnect between governmental focus on a risk or resilience-based approach and a community concern with the vulnerability of basic needs and capabilities of everyday life, deliberative engagement in adaptation planning can both address issues of justice and represent a transformative practice.     

Constraining SWAT Calibration with Remotely Sensed Evapotranspiration Data

Historically, many watershed studies have been based on using the streamflow flux, typically from a single gauge at the basin's outlet, to support calibration. In this setting, there is great potential for equifinality of parameters during the optimization process, especially for parameters that are not directly related to streamflow. Therefore, some of the optimal parameter values achieved during the autocalibration process may be physically unrealistic. In recent decades a vast array of data from land surface models and remote sensing platforms can help to constrain hydrologic fluxes such as evapotranspiration (ET). While the spatial resolution of these ancillary datasets varies, the continuous spatial coverage of these gridded datasets provides flux measurements across the entire basin, in stark contrast to point‐based streamflow data. This study uses Global Land Evaporation: the Amsterdam Model data to constrain Soil and Water Assessment Tool parameter values associated with ET to a more physically realistic range. The study area is the Little Washita River Experimental Watershed, in southern Oklahoma. Traditional objective metrics such as the Nash‐Sutcliffe coefficients record no performance improvement after application of this method. However, there is a dramatic increase in the number of days with receding flow where simulations match observed streamflow.     

The city as a refuge for insect pollinators

Research on urban insect pollinators is changing views on the biological value and ecological importance of cities. The abundance and diversity of native bee species in urban landscapes that are absent in nearby rural lands evidence the biological value and ecological importance of cities and have implications for biodiversity conservation. Lagging behind this revised image of the city are urban conservation programs that historically have invested in education and outreach rather than programs designed to achieve high‐priority species conservation results. We synthesized research on urban bee species diversity and abundance to determine how urban conservation could be repositioned to better align with new views on the ecological importance of urban landscapes. Due to insect pollinators’ relatively small functional requirements—habitat range, life cycle, and nesting behavior—relative to larger mammals, we argue that pollinators put high‐priority and high‐impact urban conservation within reach. In a rapidly urbanizing world, transforming how environmental managers view the city can improve citizen engagement and contribute to the development of more sustainable urbanization.     

A framework for understanding climate change impacts on coral reef social–ecological systems

Corals and coral-associated species are highly vulnerable to the emerging effects of global climate change. The widespread degradation of coral reefs, which will be accelerated by climate change, jeopardizes the goods and services that tropical nations derive from reef ecosystems. However, climate change impacts to reef social–ecological systems can also be bi-directional. For example, some climate impacts, such as storms and sea level rise, can directly impact societies, with repercussions for how they interact with the environment. This study identifies the multiple impact pathways within coral reef social–ecological systems arising from four key climatic drivers: increased sea surface temperature, severe tropical storms, sea level rise and ocean acidification. We develop a novel framework for investigating climate change impacts in social–ecological systems, which helps to highlight the diverse impacts that must be considered in order to develop a more complete understanding of the impacts of climate change, as well as developing appropriate management actions to mitigate climate change impacts on coral reef and people.     

Editor's perspective‐‐‐Shale gas development: Environmental issues and opportunities

Many professionals in the environmental industry have questioned whether the rapid expansion in shale gas development, particularly in the Marcellus Shale Play, is providing business opportunities. While gas production is a routine practice, the development of shale gas requires a process (fracturing, or, more commonly, “fracing'') that uses chemicals and is far more intrusive to the subsurface environment than traditional gas production. In this Editor's Perspective, we evaluate the environmental issues surrounding shale gas development, with a specific focus on the Marcellus Shale Play because it is currently the most active play in the United States, from both the drilling and political perspectives. In addition, we examine where the business opportunities are likely to be for environmental professionals relative to shale gas development. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Absorption of Gaseous Air Pollutants By a Standardized Plant Canopy

Concentration profiles for hydrogen fluoride(HF), sulfur dioxide(SO₂), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide(NO₂), and nitric oxide(NO) generated in a standardized alfalfa canopy are presented. Wind, light, temperature, and carbon dioxide(CO₂) profiles, canopy pollutant uptake rates, and canopy structural data are also given. Canopy pollutant concentration profile characteristics were studied to evaluate the relative potentials for major air pollutants to penetrate into canopies. The study was conducted in an environmental growth chamber equipped to control automatically environmental conditions and monitor continuously gas exchange rates. HF, SO₂, and NO₂ profiles suggested that these gases were removed efficiently by the upper portion of the canopy as well as by the immediate subsurface vegetation. The steady state HF profile showed the greatest displacement within the canopy. The NO profile was displaced the least. The uptake rate of NO by plants was apparently too slow in comparison with gas transport and mixing within the canopy to affect the internal profile substantially. O₃ appeared to be readily deposited on the surface tissues, but the deeper tissues in the canopy had less effect on the concentration profile. Data are also presented to show the relationship between NO₂ concentration within the canopy and changes in the air concentration above the vegetation. The results indicated that gas transport between the atmosphere and canopy interior was rapid. The data presented should be of current interest to agriculturists, researchers, administrators, and environmental planners concerned with effects of air pollutants on plants and on the fate of pollutants in the microenvironment.