The post-Bhopal and post-9/11 transformations in chemical emergency prevention and response policy in the United States

The United States' approach to incident prevention and response to hazardous chemical facilities has undergone two major transformations in the last 20 years. The first was triggered by the Bhopal tragedy in 1984, which led to major changes within the US chemical industry and a series of Federal laws and regulations intended to prevent major chemical accidents. A more recent transformation is currently underway in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. It involves the advent of various security-related requirements affecting many of the same facilities covered under the existing accident prevention rules. This paper provides an overview of these transformations and their impacts.     

Use of AMS in the marine environment

In recent years, the field of AMS has expanded into many areas of science. This paper reviews a variety of applications of AMS in the marine environment, focusing particularly on recent developments and applications. Following a brief summary of the three main isotope techniques used in environmental studies: dating, tracing and source identification, a number of applications are considered. Traditional (14)C-dating is no longer the dominant application of AMS measurements, and together with measurements of (10)Be, (26)Al and (36)Cl, much of the research is now directed towards an understanding of global climate change via studies of oceanic circulation, atmospheric processes and past climates by cosmic ray exposure dating. Profiles of long-lived cosmogenic radionuclides in sediments and ice cores, as a function of depth and, thus, age, provide key information on past solar variability, production rate changes and atmospheric transport and deposition mechanisms. Useful paleoclimatic information may be derived from these archives both because deposition is influenced by climate and because solar activity (which influences production) and solar radiance (which influences climate) are correlated. In recent years, emphasis has been put on the development and application of AMS techniques for the measurement of heavier long-lived isotopes, including (99)Tc, (129)I, (236)U and other actinide isotopes. AMS combines ultra low detection limits and the possibility to analyse isotope ratios that can be difficult with traditional instruments and has been used in a number of applications on the consequences and uses of releases from nuclear energy. Finally, the use AMS in environmental sciences is expected to expand further in the foreseeable future with long-lived cosmogenic radionuclides contributing to a large body of knowledge on processes involving atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets, biosphere, soils and sediments.     

Evaluation of data quality in lichen biomonitoring studies: the Italian experience

A total of 65 operators involved in lichen mapping studies in central and northwestern Italy underwent quality control tests during five lichen biomonitoring workshops organized between 1999and 2000. The results showed that 75% quantitative accuracy and90% quantitative precision can be regarded as satisfactory levels for lichen biodiversity data; 65% proved to be sufficientfor accuracy of taxonomic identification in the field. Average correct assignment of the interpretative naturality/alteration class was only 48.7%. The results indicated the need for taxonomic training.     

Comparing environmental influences on coral bleaching across and within species using clustered binomial regression

Differential susceptibility among reef-building coral species can lead to community shifts and loss of diversity as a result of temperature-induced mass bleaching events. We evaluate environmental influences on coral colony bleaching over an 8-year period in the Florida Keys, USA. Clustered binomial regression is used to develop models incorporating taxon-specific responses to the environment in order to identify conditions and species for which bleaching is likely to be severe. By building three separate models incorporating environment, community composition, and taxon-specific responses to environment, we show observed prevalence of bleaching reflects an interaction between community composition and local environmental conditions. Environmental variables, including elevated sea temperature, solar radiation, and reef depth, explained 90% and 78% of variability in colony bleaching across space and time, respectively. The effects of environmental variables were only partially explained (33% of variability) by corresponding differences in community composition. Taxon-specific models indicated individual coral species responded differently to local environmental conditions and had different sensitivities to temperature-induced bleaching. For many coral species, but not all, bleaching was exacerbated by high solar radiation. A 25% reduction in the probability of bleaching in shallow locations for one species may reflect an ability to acclimatize to local conditions. Overall, model results indicate predictions of coral bleaching require knowledge of not just the environmental conditions or community composition, but the responses of individual species to the environment. Model development provides a useful tool for coral reef management by quantifying the influence of the local environment on individual species bleaching sensitivities, identifying susceptible species, and predicting the likelihood of mass bleaching events with changing environmental conditions.     

Formation and control of nitrogenous DBPs from Western Australian source waters: Investigating the impacts of high nitrogen and bromide concentrations

We studied the formation of four nitrogenous DBPs(N-DBPs) classes(haloacetonitriles,halonitromethanes, haloacetamides, and N-nitrosamines), as well as trihalomethanes and total organic halogen(TOX), after chlorination or chloramination of source waters. We also evaluated the relative and additive toxicity of N-DBPs and water treatment options for minimisation of N-DBPs. The formation of halonitromethanes, haloacetamides, and N-nitrosamines was higher after chloramination and positively correlated with dissolved organic nitrogen or total nitrogen. N-DBPs were major contributors to the toxicity of both chlorinated and chloraminated waters. The strong correlation between bromide concentration and the overall calculated DBP additive toxicity for both chlorinated and chloraminated source waters demonstrated that formation of brominated haloacetonitriles was the main contributor to toxicity. Ozone–biological activated carbon treatment was not effective in removing N-DBP precursors. The occurrence and formation of N-DBPs should be investigated on a case-by-case basis, especially where advanced water treatment processes are being considered to minimise their formation in drinking waters, and where chloramination is used for final disinfection.     

Transboundary Groundwater Policy: Developing Approaches in the Western and Southwestern United States1

Hathaway, Deborah L., 2011. Transboundary Groundwater Policy: Developing Approaches in the Western and Southwestern United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):103‐113. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00494.x Abstract: The western and southwestern United States include dozens of groundwater basins that cross political boundaries. Common among these shared groundwater basins is an overlay of differing legal structures and water development priorities, typically, with insufficient water supply for competing human uses, and often, a degraded ecosystem. Resolution of conflicts over ambiguously regulated groundwater has clarified transboundary groundwater policy in some interstate basins, while transboundary groundwater policy in international basins is less evolved. This paper identifies and contrasts approaches to transboundary groundwater policy, drawing from recent conflicts and cooperative efforts, including those associated with the interstate compacts on the Arkansas and Pecos Rivers; the Hueco and Lower Rio Grande Basins shared by New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico; and the Mexicali Basin in California and Mexico. Some efforts seek to fit groundwater policy into existing surface water allocation procedures; some strive for a better fit – incorporating scientific understanding of key differences between groundwater and surface water into policy frameworks. In some cases, neither policy nor precedent exists. The collective experience of these and other cases sets the stage for improved management of transboundary groundwater; as such, challenges and successes of these approaches, and those contemplated in several hypothetical model agreements, are examined.     

Subpopulation structure of caribou (Rangifer tarandus L.) in arctic and subarctic Canada

Effective management and conservation of species, subspecies, or ecotypes require an understanding of how populations are structured in space. We used satellite-tracking locations and hierarchical and fuzzy clustering to quantify subpopulations within the behaviorally different barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), Dolphin and Union island caribou (R. t. groenlandicus x pearyi), and boreal (R. t. caribou) caribou ecotypes in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada. Using a novel approach, we verified that the previously recognized Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West, Bluenose-East, Bathurst, Beverly, Qamanirjuaq, and Lorillard barren-ground subpopulations were robust and that the Queen Maude Gulf and Wager Bay barren-ground subpopulations were organized as individuals. Dolphin and Union island and boreal caribou formed one and two distinct subpopulation, respectively, and were organized as individuals. Robust subpopulations were structured by strong annual spatial affiliation among females; subpopulations organized as individuals were structured by migratory connectivity, barriers to movement, and/or habitat discontinuity. One barren-ground subpopulation used two calving grounds, and one calving ground was used by two barren-ground subpopulations, indicating that these caribou cannot be reliably assigned to subpopulations solely by calving-ground use. They should be classified by annual spatial affiliation among females. Annual-range size and path lengths varied significantly among ecotypes, including mountain woodland caribou (R. t. caribou), and reflected behavioral differences. An east-west cline in annual-range sizes and path lengths among migratory barren-ground subpopulations likely reflected differences in subpopulation size and habitat conditions and further supported the subpopulation structure identified.     

High‐performer turnover and firm performance: The moderating role of human capital investment and firm reputation

Research has shown a complex relationship between turnover and firm performance. Not only does it matter who leaves (e.g., high‐performing versus low‐performing employees), but the context also stands to influence this effect in complex ways. We apply human capital theory, social capital theory, and the cost–benefit perspective to propose two boundary conditions to the high‐performer turnover and firm performance relationship. Specifically, we predict that the negative impact of high‐performer turnover on firm performance will be the strongest for reputable firms and for firms who invest less in human capital (e.g., selection, training, and incentive‐based pay). We present data from 155 South Korean firms that support the hypothesized model. We discuss findings in terms of current and future theory, practical implications, and subsequent research needs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.