A roadmap for the conservation of freshwater mussels in Europe

Europe has a long history of human pressure on freshwater ecosystems. As pressure continues to grow and new threats emerge, there is an urgent need for conservation of freshwater biodiversity and its ecosystem services. However, whilst some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received a disproportionate amount of attention and funds, other groups remain largely off the public and scientific radar. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) are an alarming example of this conservation bias and here we point out six conceptual areas that need immediate and long-term attention: knowledge, threats, socioeconomics, conservation, governance and education. The proposed roadmap aims to advance research, policy and education by identifying the most pressing priorities for the short- and long-term conservation of freshwater mussels across Europe.     

Accumulating pollutants in conifer needles on an Atlantic island - a case study with Pinus canariensis on Tenerife, Canary Islands

Concentrations of potential pollutant elements Na, Cl, and S were investigated in needles of Pinus canariensis grown at 55 field plots in Tenerife. Microelement concentrations (including heavy metals) were measured at a subset of 18 plots. Na and Cl concentrations were high at low elevations (up to 8 mg g(-1) Cl and 5.5 mg g(-1) Na). Na/Cl ratio close to standard seawater indicated sea spray influence up to 1200 m a.s.l. Only at few plots, sulphur concentrations indicated possible pollutant impact. Cluster and correlation analyses identified a related group of V, As, Cr, Fe, Mo, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Al, possibly related to traffic exhaust aggregated with soil particles. Mainly north-eastern, lower elevated plots were exposed to those immissions, but metal concentrations were generally low compared to data from other studies. In conclusion, seawater and soil particles explained most of the element distribution pattern in pine needles in Tenerife, but strong indications for some effect of local sources of air pollutants were detected.     

Ambient halocarbon mixing ratios in 45 Chinese cities

During this study 158 whole air samples were collected in 45 Chinese cities in January and February 2001. The spatial distribution of different classes of halocarbons in the Chinese urban atmosphere, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Halon-1211, and other chlorinated compounds is presented and discussed. Most of these compounds were enhanced compared to background levels. However, the mean enhancement of CFCs was relatively small, with CFC-12 and CFC-11 increases of 6% (range 1–31%) and 10% (range 2–89%), respectively, with respect to the global background. On the contrary, strongly enhanced levels of CFC replacement compounds and halogenated compounds used as solvents were measured. The average Halon-1211 concentration exceeded the background of 4.3 pptv by 75% and was higher than 10 pptv in several cities. Methyl chloride mixing ratios were also strongly elevated (78% higher than background levels), which is likely related to the widespread use of coal and biofuel in China.     

Optimal spatial sampling schemes for environmental surveys

A practical problem in spatial statistics is that of constructing spatial sampling designs for environmental monitoring network. This paper presents a fractal-based criterion for the construction of coverage designs to optimize the location of sampling points. The algorithm does not depend on the covariance structure of the process and provides desirable results for situations in which a poor prior knowledge is available. The statistical characteristics of the method are explored by a simulation study while a design exercise concerning the Pescara area monitoring network is used to demonstrate potential designs under realistic assumptions.     

Removal of a red dye using noncommercial peroxidase extracted from rice bran

The present study investigates the application of a noncommercial peroxidase enzyme, which was extracted from rice bran, to decolorize wastewater that was simulating effluent from a textile manufacturer using a red dye in its coloration process.     

Cellulose and Nanocellulose from Maize Straw: An Insight on the Crystal Properties

In this work cellulose was extracted from corn/maize straw (Zea mays) by means of an environmental-friendly multistep procedure involving alkaline treatment and a totally chlorine-free bleaching. This multistep procedure efficiently removed lignin and hemicelluloses. The pulp resulting from each step was characterized by attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The optimum pulping time (time of alkaline treatment) was determined by means of thermogravimetric analysis. The extracted cellulose is highly crystalline as verified by X-ray diffraction. The partial acid hydrolysis with sulfuric acid led to the isolation of cellulose whiskers in aqueous suspension as confirmed by light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The depolarization ratio value of these nanocrystals is the same as that determined for cotton whiskers, showing that this ratio does not depend on the cellulose source. The maize whiskers are arranged laterally in bundles with average thickness around five times that of the crystallite.     

Patterns of biodiversity and habitat sensitivity in agricultural landscapes

Design of landscape is the process of the arrangement of spatial features with the objective of sustaining ecosystem services, and maintaining ecological functionality to meet societal needs. Along a gradient of cultivation intensity, the functional quality of agricultural landscape was explored and the relationships between landscape metrics and functional quality were analyzed, in order to make effective recommendations for landscape design aimed at sustainable land use schemes. The functional quality of landscape was calculated using the InVest model for 20 farm landscapes (North-Eastern Italy) where biodiversity (plant taxa) and sensitivity to disturbance (hemeroby) were used as model inputs. Results highlighted the importance of specific habitat types such as meadows and woodlands rather than other habitats for improving the biodiversity of agricultural landscapes. A high proportion of these habitats enhanced the functional quality of the landscape when the habitats were organized in large and not isolated patches in heterogeneous landscapes.