Individual differences in nest defense in the colonial breeding Black-tailed Gulls

Often in colonial seabirds, all colony members are believed to defend against nest predators and experience equal nest predation risk. However, the variation of defense behavior among members and its reproductive consequences are largely unknown. We investigated (1) individual variation in the nest defense of breeding Black-tailed Gulls Larus crassirostris against a natural egg predator, the Jungle Crow Corvus macrorhynchos and (2) how this behavioral variation affects an individual’s own nest predation risk and that of their neighbors. Results were compared between 2 years where crow attack levels were manipulated to average 5 and 22 times normal rates (“low” and “high” predation risk years, respectively) by the placement of varying numbers of artificial nests containing unguarded eggs at the perimeter of the gull colony. In both years, 23–38% of parents, mostly males, showed “aggressive” defense behavior (strikes or chases) against crows and decoys. Other “non-aggressive” gulls showed no defense. In the year of low predation risk, intrusion rates by crows (landing within 0.5 m of an individual gull’s nest) were similar for aggressive and non-aggressive gulls. In the year of high predation risk, however, the rates of intrusion for aggressive gulls (4%) and for non-aggressive gulls with an aggressive neighbor (37%) were significantly lower than for non-aggressive gulls without an aggressive neighbor (76%). These results indicate that aggressive individuals reduce nest predation risk for themselves and conspecific neighbors in a colonially breeding species.     

Speed or deliberation: a comparison of post‐disaster recovery in Japan,Turkey, and Chile

This paper compares recovery in the wake of three recent earthquakes: the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011; the Van earthquake in Turkey in October 2011; and the Maule earthquake in Chile in February 2010. The authors visited all three locations approximately 12–18 months after the incidents and interviewed earthquake specialists, disaster managers, urban planners, and local authorities. A key challenge to post‐disaster recovery planning is balancing speed and deliberation. While affected communities must rebuild as quickly as possible, they must also seek to maximise the opportunities for improvement that disasters provide. The three case studies bring this dilemma into stark relief, as recovery was respectively slow, fast, and just right in the aftermath of the events: the Government of Japan adopted a deliberate approach to recovery and reconstruction; speed was of the essence in Turkey; and an effective balance between speed and deliberation was achieved in Chile.     

Assessing suitability of apple cultivation under climate change in mountainous regions of western Nepal

Mustang, a mountainous region in the Kali Gandaki River Basin in western Nepal, has been increasingly experiencing climatic changes (e.g., higher temperatures). Rising temperatures lead to ecological shifts, which, in turn, can lead to the expansion of the lower limit for the cultivation of apple trees in this area. Apple cultivation can provide opportunities for adaptations under climate change through vulnerability reduction, income source diversification, livelihood improvement, and capacity building for farmers. As there is a lack of a strong basis to justify the expansion of apple cultivation in Mustang, this study examines the biophysical and socioeconomic suitability of apple cultivation in the area. Necessary data and information were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Findings of biophysical suitability using variable and equal weights to the indicators showed that 5.2 and 4.1 % of the areas are highly suitable for apple cultivation, respectively. However, not all potential farming areas are currently in use. Thus, there is the possibility to expand apple cultivation into unplanted areas and to integrate apple crops with other crops on cultivated lands. Increasing temperature may increase the suitable areas for the cultivation of apples in the coming years. High, benefit–cost ratio for land use confirmed the economic suitability of apple farming when compared to other land uses. The social suitability assessment showed no social discords, conflicts, or disagreements with apple cultivation, which is a positive indicator for the expansion of apple cultivation in western Nepal.     

Difficulties in applying extended producer responsibility policies in developing countries: case studies in e-waste recycling in China and Thailand

Developing Asian countries have started to apply the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR) to electronics and electrical equipment waste (e-waste). This policy approach aims to give electronic appliance manufacturers and importers responsibility for the collection and recycling of discarded electronic equipment. China and Thailand have drafted regulations on the recycling of e-waste with common characteristics such as the financial responsibility of producers and subsidies for collection. Although the proposed system is sensible, taking into account the fact that e-waste is a market-traded commodity, there are two major difficulties in implementing EPR in developing countries. First, it may be difficult for governments to collect funds from producers or importers if smuggled, imitation, or small shop-assembled products have a large share in the market. Second, the system creates incentives for collectors and recyclers to over-report the amount of collected e-waste in order to gain extra subsidies from the fund. Other policy measures such as the enforcement of pollution control regulations on informal recyclers, the prevention of smuggling, and the protection of intellectual property rights should accompany EPR policies.     

Influence of benomyl and prometryn on the soil microbial activities and community structures in pasture grasslands of Slovakia

The effects of pesticides (a herbicide and a fungicide) on the microbial community structure and their activity were analyzed in soil from four alpine pasture grasslands in Slovakia. Specifically, the effects of the herbicide, Gesagard (prometryn active ingredient), and fungicide, Fundazol 50 WP (benomyl active ingredient), on the microbial respiration activity (CO₂ production), the numbers of selective microbial physiological groups (CFU.g^?1) and the structure (relative abundance) of soil microbial communities [(phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA)] were analyzed under controlled laboratory conditions. All treatments including the treatments with pesticides increased (statistically significantly) the production of CO₂ in all fields during 21 days of incubation and posed a statistically insignificant negative influence on the numbers of the observed physiological groups of microorganisms. The significantly negative influence was evaluated only in the numbers of two physiological groups; spores of bacteria utilizing organic nitrogen and bacteria, and their spores utilizing inorganic nitrogen. A shift in the microbial composition was evident when the PLFA patterns of samples from different sites and treatments were compared by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). According to the second component PCA 2 (15.95 %) the locations were grouped into two clusters. The first one involved the Donovaly and Dubakovo sites and the second one contained the Velka Fatra and Mala Fatra locations. The PLFA composition of the soils showed important changes after the treatment with pesticides according to PCA 1 (66.06 %). Other treatments had not had a significant effect on the soil microbial community with the exception of the population of fungi. The lower relative abundance (significant effect) of Gram-positive bacteria, actinomycetes and general group of bacteria were determined in samples treated by the herbicide Gesagard. The application of fungicide Fundazol decreased (statistically significantly) the relative abundance of actinomycetes and general group of bacteria and paradoxically increased the population of fungi.     

PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB in Hong Kong air in relation to their regional transport in the Pearl River Delta region

PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB were measured in 142 air samples of Hong Kong. The annual average PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB concentrations obtained for Hong Kong air at Tap Mun (PCDD/F: 1724+/-1984; dioxin-like PCB: 1572+/-1170 fg m(-3)), Yuen Long (PCDD/F: 2927+/-2695; dioxin-like PCB: 4331+/-1962 fg m(-3)) and Tsuen Wan (PCDD/F: 1875+/-1502; dioxin-like PCB: 2972+/-1510 fg m(-3)) from January 2004 to March 2005 were comparable to other urban centers around the world and were within the Japanese and USA ambient air quality guidelines. A clear seasonal pattern was observed for PCDD/F, generally with a 50-60 times higher air concentration in winter when background northerly wind was weaker and land-sea breeze prevailed, resulting in regional transport; and a lower concentration in summer, due to the inflow of clean oceanic southeasterly wind from the South China Sea. A higher WHO-TEQ value of dioxin-like PCB (mainly attributed to the relatively higher WHO-TEQ value of PCB 126) in Yuen Long during winter, compared with other months, could also be related to the regional transport by the winter monsoon wind and the low mixing height in winter. Spatially, air concentrations of PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB demonstrated a west-to-east gradient (with Yuen Long>Tsuen Wan>Tap Mun). It is suggested that PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB were transported into the western airshed of Hong Kong from the Pearl River Delta by land-sea breeze circulation and confined to the northwestern part, due to the blocking effect of the northwestern airshed in Hong Kong.     

A quantitative risk assessment of waterborne infectious disease in the inundation area of a tropical monsoon region

Flooding and inundation are annual events that occur during the rainy season in Cambodia, and inundation has a strong relationship with human health. This study simulated the coliform bacteria distribution using a hydraulic model and estimated the impact of inundation on public health using a dose–response model. The model parameters were calibrated using field survey data from Cambodia and obtained good agreement with the coliform group count distribution. The results suggest that the impact of inundation on human health is most noticeable in residential areas. The annual average risk of infection during medium-sized flood events is 0.21. The risk due to groundwater use ranges from 0.12 to 0.17 in inundation areas and reaches as high as 0.23 outside the inundation areas. The risk attributed to groundwater use is therefore higher than that for surface water use (0.02–0.06), except in densely populated areas at the city center. There is a high risk for infection with waterborne disease in residential areas, and the annual average risk during small flood events is 0.94. An assessment of possible countermeasures to reduce the risk shows that the control of inundation may bring more risk to public health in Cambodia. Shallower inundation water (<0.3 m) leads to a higher risk of infection, but if the depth is greater than 2 m, the risk is low in residential areas. The simulated results explain the spatial distributions of infection risk,, which are vitally important for determining the highest priority places with relatively high risk and will be helpful for decision makers when considering the implementation of countermeasures.     

The circular economy and the Green Jobs creation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The circular economy (CE) is a proposal for a new, more sustainable, and durable economy model. As a consequence, this pro-environmental economic...