Integrated environmental assessment and pollution prevention in Vietnam: the case of anthracite production

Using the concept of life cycle analysis, the whole life cycle of anthracite production in Vietnam was assessed and the environmental “hot-spots” were identified. These include (i) dust pollution at coal transfer points or piles in storage; (ii) noise pollution resulting from the usage of heavy equipment, and (iii) high volume of acid and turbid mine water discharged into the environment.Pollution prevention and treatment options were identified and discussed in this study which consists of wet treatment of dust, planning, collection and treatment of mine water, planting of trees for dust and noise reduction as well as minimization of erosion. Some recommendations are made for pollution abatement from coal production and improvement of anthracite production in the region.     

A method to reconstruct anguilliform fishes from partially digested items

Estimating the amounts of resources consumed by individuals is important in many studies. For predators, allometric relationships can be used to extrapolate the size of preys from undigested remains found in the stomach and in the faeces. However, such equations are available for a limited number of species. Based on a large sample size gathered in New Caledonia on both predators (sea kraits) and their preys (anguilliform fishes), we provide the first allometric relationships that allow estimating accurately the mass and the size of various anguilliform fish species.     

Croissance et structure de l'opercule calcifié du gastéropode polynésien Turbo setosus (Prosobranchia: Turbinidae): détermination de l'âge individuel

Turbo setosus Gmelin were collected in 1979 and 1982 in French Polynesia (Tuamotu). Ground cross-sections of calcified opercula revealed 3 distinct types of growth lines (A, B and C), the appearance and periodicity of which are described. Two months after fluorescent labelling with alizarin and fluorescein, permanent marks were easily visible in the operculum, enabling the 3 types of growth lines to be interpreted and a growth pattern distinguished: Type A growth lines, which are very translucent under transmitted light, are irregularly deposited after individual traumatisms and are termed stress lines; Type B lines exhibit a regular periodicity and correspond to a daily growth rhythm; Type C lines reflect a subdaily growth pattern. Vital staining enabled calcification of the operculum to be followed, and the speed of deposition has been estimated. The textural organization of the organic and mineral phases varies according to operculum area and depends on local speed of growth. In those areas of rapid growth (more than 20 m d^-1), deposits are cone-shaped and interlocked, and in those areas where growth is slower (less than 20 m d^-1), this type of organization disappears and is replaced by a regular organization without cone-shaped deposits. The number of daily growth lines, counted on 66 opercula, allowed us to accurately assess individual age and longevity in this species, which did not exceed 3 yr in our sample.     

Effects of cadmium on the performance and microbiology of laboratory-scale lagoons treating domestic sewage

Two experiments were performed to assess the impact of cadmium on the sewage lagoon wastewater treatment process. For each one, three laboratory-scale pilot plants with one tank receiving the same raw effluent were used; one plant served as control and the other two were contaminated once only with cadmium. In the first study, the effects of a shock load of two concentrations of cadmium chloride (60 and 300 micrograms/l) on the plant performance, microbial populations (protists and bacteria) and enzyme activities were determined. Initially, most of the performance parameters were affected concentration-dependently. A reduction in the protist population density and some influence on the total bacterial population were observed, and the potential enzymatic activities were also modified. A second experiment with a lower cadmium concentration (30 micrograms/l), supplied as chloride or sulphate, still perturbed most of the parameters studied, and the effects of the two cadmium salts were identical.     

A molecular method for the identification of resting eggs of acartiid copepods in the Thau lagoon, France

Acartia and Paracartia species, often known to co-occur, can exhibit complex life cycles, including the production of resting eggs. Studying and understanding their population dynamics is hindered by the inability to identify eggs and early developmental stages using morphological techniques. We have developed a simple molecular technique to distinguish between the three species of the Acartiidae family (Acartia clausi, A. discaudata and Paracartia grani) that co-occur in the Thau lagoon (43°25′N; 03°40′E) in southern France. Direct amplification of a partial region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene by polymerase chain reaction and subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism results in a unique restriction profile for each species. The technique is capable of determining the identity of individual eggs, including resting eggs retrieved from sediment samples, illustrating its application in facilitating population dynamic studies of this ubiquitous and important member of the zooplankton community.     

Trajectories for Energy Transition in EU-28 Countries over the Period 2000–2019: a Multidimensional Approach

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - Environmental issues have become a major concern for policymakers faced with the threat of global warming. The European Climate Energy Package is an...     

Are sea snakes pertinent bio-indicators for coral reefs? a comparison between species and sites

Classical sampling methods often miss important components of coral reef biodiversity, notably organisms that remain sheltered within the coral matrix. Recent studies using sea kraits (sea snakes) as bio-indicators suggest that the guild of predators represented by anguilliform fish (Congridae, Muraenidae, Ophichthidae, henceforth “eels” for simplicity) were far more abundant and diverse than previously suspected. In the current study, eel diversity (similarity and species richness indices) estimated via sea snake sampling (SSS) was compared among six areas of one of the main oceanic biodiversity hotspot of the Pacific Ocean (southwest lagoon of New Caledonia). Based on the eel diversity in the snakes’ diet, the results obtained in six areas, in two snake species, and using different estimates (ANOSIM, Shannon index…) were consistent, suggesting that SSS provided robust information. Analyses also suggested subtle, albeit significant, differences in the eel assemblages among islets. Such spatial differences are discussed in light of local management practices. As SSS is easy to use, cost-effective, and provides the best picture of eel assemblages to date, it can be employed to monitor the eel assemblages in addition to the snakes themselves in many areas of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, thereby providing an index of the top predator biodiversity of many coral reefs.