Biotransformation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by enchytraeids (Enchytraeus albidus) in vivo and in vitro

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is toxic to soil invertebrates, but little is known about its toxicokinetic behavior in soil. Tissue residue analysis was used to evaluate whether the presence of TNT and its reduced metabolites in soil invertebrates was due to uptake of these compounds from the soil into the organism, or due to microbial transformation of TNT associated with the organism followed by uptake. Adult white potworms (Enchytraeus albidus) were exposed to non-lethal concentrations of TNT in amended artificial soil for 21 d, or to TNT in solution for 20 h. Soil exposure studies confirmed earlier reports that TNT was transformed in enchytraeids in vivo to 2- and 4-aminodinitrotoluenes. However, enchytraeid exposure to TNT in solution led to the additional presence of 2,4-diaminonitrotoluene as well as 2- and 4- hydroxyamino-dinitrotoluenes and azoxy-compounds, suggesting that TNT can be metabolized in vivo in the absence of soil. Incubation of unexposed enchytraeid homogenates with TNT led to a protein-dependent appearance of these metabolites in vitro after > or =16 h incubation. Cellular fractionation studies indicated that most of this activity resided in the 8000 x g pellet, and was completely inhibited by broad-spectrum antibiotics. These studies demonstrate that enchytraeids can transform TNT in vivo and in vitro, at least in part, by bacteria associated with the host organism.     

Ecotoxicological implications of aquatic disposal of coal combustion residues in the United States: a review

We provide an overview of research related to environmental effects of disposal of coal combustion residues (CCR) in sites in the United States. Our focus is on aspects of CCR that have the potential to negatively influence aquatic organisms and thehealth of aquatic ecosystems. We identify major issues of concern, as well as areas in need of further investigation.Intentional or accidental release of CCR into aquatic systemshas generally been associated with deleterious environmental effects. A large number of metals and trace elements are presentin CCR, some of which are rapidly accumulated to high concentrations by aquatic organisms. Moreover, a variety of biological responses have been observed in organisms following exposure to and accumulation of CCR-related contaminants. In some vertebrates and invertebrates, CCR exposure has led to numerous histopathological, behavioral, and physiological (reproductive, energetic, and endocrinological) effects. Fish kills and extirpation of some fish species have been associatedwith CCR release, as have indirect effects on survival and growth of aquatic animals mediated by changes in resource abundance or quality. Recovery of CCR-impacted sites can be extremely slow due to continued cycling of contaminants withinthe system, even in sites that only received CCR effluents forshort periods of time. The literature synthesis reveals important considerations for future investigations of CCR-impacted sites. Many studies have examined biological responses to CCR with respect to Se concentrations and accumulation because of teratogenic andreproductively toxic effects known to be associated with thiselement. However, the complex mixture of metals and traceelements characteristic of CCR suggests that biologicalassessments of many CCR-contaminated habitats should examine avariety of inorganic compounds in sediments, water, and tissuesbefore causation can be linked to individual CCR components. Most evaluations of effects of CCR in aquatic environments havefocused on lentic systems and the populations of animalsoccupying them. Much less is known about CCR effects in loticsystems, in which the contaminants may be transported downstream,diluted or concentrated in downstream areas, and accumulated bymore transient species. Although some research has examinedaccumulation and effects of contaminants on terrestrial and avianspecies that visit CCR-impacted aquatic sites, more extensiveresearch is also needed in this area. Effects in terrestrial orsemiaquatic species range from accumulation and maternal transferof elements to complete recruitment failure, suggesting that CCReffects need to be examined both within and outside of theaquatic habitats into which CCR is released. Requiring specialattention are waterfowl and amphibians that use CCR-contaminatedsites during specific seasons or life stages and are highlydependent on aquatic habitat quality during those periods.Whether accidentally discharged into natural aquatic systems or present in impoundments that attract wildlife, CCR appears topresent significant risks to aquatic and semiaquatic organisms. Effects may be as subtle as changes in physiology or as drasticas extirpation of entire populations. When examined as a whole,research on responses of aquatic organisms to CCR suggests thatreducing the use of disposal methods that include an aquaticslurry phase may alleviate some environmental risks associatedwith the waste products.     

Citizen board issues and local newspaper coverage of risk,remediation, and environmental management: Six U.S. nuclear weapons facilities

We examined site‐specific advisory board (SSAB) minutes and local newspaper coverage of the Fernald, Hanford, Idaho, Oak Ridge, Rocky Flats, and Savannah River sites of the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) in order to determine the importance of risk‐related issues related to remediation and other forms of environmental management. About one‐third of SSAB issues were risk‐related, and these were disproportionately major issues at meetings. The media focused on risks associated with remediation and other forms of waste management. The analysis implies that contractors and government officials need to establish and maintain communications with advisory panels and accentuate these contacts well in advance of contemplated new actions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Field-testing the protandry-based mating system for the lizard, Anolis carolinesis: does the model organism have the right model?

Using the lizard Anolis carolinensis as its subject, an early and enduring model of psychobiology was presented in which neuroendocrines and social behavior interact to coordinate reproduction between the sexes. The adaptive context for the model was protandry, here defined as a "male-first" emergence pattern from winter dormancy to the onset of breeding. In the protandry scenario, males emerge, become reproductive, and contest for territories. Then, pre-reproductive females emerge to settle on male territories, whereby ovarian recrudescence is facilitated by the behavior of courting males. A collateral inference of the protandry sequence is that females are choosing their future mates from among local males and their territories (i.e., intersexual selection). The model and its assumptions, though never validated by field data, have served as the paradigm for many laboratory experiments on A. carolinensis. Recently, however, field studies described an intrasexually selected mating system for A. carolinensis, without evidence of direct female choice. Differences between the selective inferences from the two perspectives led us to test in the field a number of protandry-based characteristics previously ascribed to A. carolinensis. We monitored free-ranging adults across the winter-to-breeding period using data on sex ratios, social behavior, gut contents, sex steroids, and gonadal condition. We found no evidence of protandry, and little support for any of the associated assumptions. Instead, the sexes broadly overlapped in their temporal transition from winter retreats to an active status in the habitat, with average male reproductive development about 1-2 weeks in advance of females. We replace the traditional protandry-based A. carolinensis paradigm with a realistic onset sequence into the breeding season and a new model for the species' mating system. Our study underscores the need for field validation when laboratory-generated data are fitted to adaptive paradigms.     

Can California coastal managers plan for sea-level rise in a cost-effective way?

This paper examines five representative sites on the California coast to illustrate a cost-effective methodology using tools and data that local decision makers can apply to analyse the economics of sea level rise (SLR) adaptation. We estimate the costs/benefits of selected responses (e.g. no action, nourishment, seawalls) to future flooding and erosion risks exacerbated by SLR. We estimate the economic value of changes to public/private property, recreational and habitat value, and beach related spending/tax revenues. Our findings indicate that the costs of SLR are significant but uneven across communities, and there is no single best strategy for adaptation. For example, Los Angeles's Venice Beach could lose $450 million in tourism revenue by 2100 with a 1.4 m SLR scenario while San Francisco's Ocean Beach would lose $80 million, but the impacts to structures could total nearly $560 million at Ocean Beach compared to $50 million at Venice Beach.     

Stigmatisation and rejection of survivors of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Studies report that between 6 per cent and 29 per cent of survivors of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are rejected by their families and communities. This research project was designed to provide insights into survivors' experiences of stigmatisation and rejection. Surveys were conducted with 310 women as they sought psychosocial services in eastern DRC. In total, 44.3 per cent of women reported suffering rejection after sexual violence. The majority of women felt that their status in the household (58.0 per cent) and community (54.9 per cent) diminished after rape. The odds of rejection were greater among women reporting ongoing displacement, pregnancy owing to sexual violence, worsening family relations, and diminished community status. This work highlights the extremely high levels of loss associated with the war in eastern DRC, particularly among survivors of sexual violence. The rejection of a survivor of rape has concrete and devastating psychosocial consequences.     

Estimating biodiversity impacts without field surveys: A case study in northern Borneo

In many regions of the world, biodiversity surveys are not routinely conducted prior to activities that lead to land conversion, such as development projects. Here we use top-down methods based on global range maps and bottom-up methods based on macroecological scaling laws to illuminate the otherwise hidden biodiversity impacts of three large hydroelectric dams in the state of Sarawak in northern Borneo. Our retrospective impact assessment finds that the three reservoirs inundate habitat for 331 species of birds (3 million individuals) and 164 species of mammals (110 million individuals). A minimum of 2100 species of trees (900 million individuals) and 17 700 species of arthropods (34 billion individuals) are estimated to be affected by the dams. No extinctions of bird, mammal, or tree species are expected due to habitat loss following reservoir inundation, while 4–7 arthropod species extinctions are predicted. These assessment methods are applicable to any data-limited system undergoing land-use change.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-015-0683-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Exploring barriers to home gardening in Ohio households

Scholars have noted that race and ethnicity, socio-economic status (SES) as well as other socio-demographic factors may limit participation in local food systems based on the historic and structured patterns of inequalities that remain in communities promoting alternative agriculture and food (agrifood) activities. However, few empirical studies have examined the barriers which prevent people from participating in local food system activities. This paper uses survey data from the 2008 Ohio Survey of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Issues to consider whether barriers such as interest, time, financial resources, geography and space impact the participation of households in home gardening. Results from logistic regression show that SES, the availability of space and housing type are important factors which limit or enable household participation in home gardening. This paper contributes to our understanding of the barriers that prevent households from participating in home gardening, a form of food system localisation that, while a potentially powerful way to transform the agrifood system, has been underexamined in its own right.