Utilization of Industrial Wastes from Mining and Packaging Industries in Wood-Plastic Composites

The manufacturing industry produces a lot of different by-products and waste. In this research, the utilization of different industrial wastes as a part of wood-plastic composites was tested. Limestone waste and carton cutting waste were tested by replacing part of the reinforcing fibers of the composite with these materials. The materials were made with the extrusion process, and they were tested for their mechanical properties, water absorption and thickness swelling. The materials were also viewed with a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that both industrial wastes affected the properties of the composite. Mining waste in the composite improved the moisture properties, impact strength and hardness of the material. Carton cutting waste improved the impact strength remarkably.     

Community-level and species-specific responses of coastal phytoplankton to the presence of two mesozooplanktonic grazers

The response of phytoplankton to the presence of two mesozooplanktonic grazers was studied in a 44-h laboratory experiment from the phytoplankton perspective. The <45-μm-filtered plankton community, as well as females of the copepod Eurytemora affinis and nauplii of the barnacle Balanus improvisus originated from the northern Baltic Sea. The phytoplankton community was dominated by the dinoflagellate Heterocapsa triquetra, which was preferred as food by the mesozooplanktonic grazers, especially E. affinis. Cryptophytes were eaten by the B. improvisus nauplii, while heterotrophic nanoflagellates increased in the presence of B. improvisus nauplii, and colonial cyanobacteria increased in the presence of E. affinis. Because of the strong selective feeding on the dominant, large-sized phytoplankton species, the negative effect of the mesozooplanktonic grazers on total chlorophyll a was stronger than any cascade effect releasing phytoplankton from protozoan grazing.     

At a tipping point? How the debate on biofuel standards sparks innovative ideas for the general future of standardisation and certification schemes

Consumer demand for environmentally and socially responsible products is the driving force behind the expansion of competing certification systems. Paradoxically, this has led to an increasingly crowded marketplace for labels and confusion among stakeholders such as producers, retailers and buyers, rather than providing clear and reliable product information as intended. The situation has sparked a debate about the future of certification schemes and the need for a more streamlined system. This article explores some of the innovative ideas coming from the current discussion regarding biofuel certification and standardisation and outlines how those ideas can be applied to create a global generic standard-setting scheme for natural resources.     

Predatory insects as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution

Heavy metal concentrations of different predatory insects were studied near by a steel factory and from control sites. Waterstriders (Gerridae), dragon fly larvae (Odonata), antlion larvae (Myrmeleontidae) and ants (Formicidae) were analyzed by AAS. In most cases the metal concentrations were higher near the factory, but e.g. waterstriders had higher cadmium concentrations in control area. Discriminant analysis clearly reveals that all these insect groups can be used as heavy metal indicators. However, the commonly used ants were the least effective in indicating the differences between the factory and control sites. Waterstriders are good in detecting differences in iron and manganese, but seem to be poor in accumulating nickel and lead. Antlions are efficient in detecting differences in iron. Antlions and ants are effective in accumulating manganese; as well antlions are efficient in accumulating cadmium. Waterstriders are poor in accumulating lead, but antlions and ants are effective.     

Deposition of gamma emitters from Chernobyl accident and their transfer in lichen–soil columns

Lichen–soil column samples were taken from several locations in the Southern Finland between 1986 and 2006. Columns were divided into three parts, upper lichen, lower lichen and underlying soil, and their gamma emitting radionuclides, ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs, ¹⁰³Ru, ⁹⁵Zr, ¹⁰⁶Ru, ^110mAg, ¹²⁵Sb and ¹⁴⁴Ce, were measured with gamma spectrometry. Deposition values were calculated as Bq/m² for each sampling site. Distribution of various radionuclides in the three compartments as a function of time was determined. Both effective and ecological half-lives of all radionuclides were calculated for upper lichen, whole lichen and whole lichen–soil column. A linear relation was derived between the physical half-lives and effective half-lives for whole lichen and for whole lichen–soil column. Reindeer meat activity concentrations of various radionuclides and ensuing radiation doses to reindeer-herding people were also estimated for a hypothetical case where a similar high radioactive pollution, as was taken place in the Southern Finland, would have occurred in the reindeer-herding areas in the Finnish Lapland.     

Organic carbon causes interference with nitrate and nitrite measurements by UV/Vis spectrometers: the importance of local calibration

Compared with sporadic conventional water sampling, continuous water-quality monitoring with optical sensors has improved our understanding of freshwater dynamics. The basic principle in photometric measurements is the incident light at a given wavelength that is either reflected, scattered, or transmitted in the body of water. Here, we discuss the transmittance measurements. The amount of transmittance is inversely proportional to the concentration of the substance measured. However, the transmittance is subject to interference, because it can be affected by factors other than the substance targeted in the water. In this study, interference with the UV/Vis sensor nitrate plus nitrite measurements caused by organic carbon was evaluated. Total or dissolved organic carbon as well as nitrate plus nitrite concentrations were measured in various boreal waters with two UV/Vis sensors (5-mm and 35-mm pathlengths), using conventional laboratory analysis results as references. Organic carbon increased the sensor nitrate plus nitrite results, not only in waters with high organic carbon concentrations, but also at the lower concentrations (< 10 mg C L^?1) typical of boreal stream, river, and lake waters. Our results demonstrated that local calibration with multiple linear regression, including both nitrate plus nitrite and dissolved organic carbon, can correct the error caused by organic carbon. However, high-frequency optical sensors continue to be excellent tools for environmental monitoring when they are properly calibrated for the local water matrix.     

Even-Aged and Uneven-Aged Forest Management in Boreal Fennoscandia: A Review

Since WWII, forest management in Fennoscandia has primarily been based on even-aged stand management, clear cut harvesting and thinning from below. As an alternative, uneven-aged management, based on selection cutting of individual trees or small groups of trees, has been proposed. In this review we discuss the theoretical aspects of ecology and economics of the two management approaches. We also review peer-reviewed studies from boreal Fennoscandia, which have aimed at comparing the outcomes of uneven-aged and the conventional even-aged forest management. According to a common view the main obstacle of practicing uneven-aged forestry is its low economic performance. However, the reviewed studies did not offer any straightforward support for this view and several studies have found uneven-aged management to be fully competitive with existing even-aged management. Studies on the ecological aspects indicated that selection cuttings maintain mature or late-successional forest characteristics and species assemblages better than even-aged management, at least at the stand scale and in the short term. We conclude that although the number of relevant studies has increased in recent years, the ecological and economic performance of alternative management methods still remains poorly examined, especially for those stands with multiple tree species and also at wider spatial and temporal scales. For future research we advocate a strategy that fully takes into consideration the interdisciplinary nature of forest management and is better connected to social goals and latest theoretical and methodological developments in ecology and economics.     

Policy and Science Implications of the Framing and Qualities of Uncertainty in Risks: Toxic and Beneficial Fish from the Baltic Sea

Policy and research issues in the framing and qualities of uncertainties in risks are analyzed, based on the assessments of dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) and other ingredients in Baltic Sea fish, a high-profile case of governance. Risks are framed broadly, to then focus on dioxins and beneficial fatty acids, fish consumption, human health, and science-management links. Hierarchies of uncertainty (data, model, decision rule, and epistemic) and ambiguity (of values) are used to identify issues of scientific and policy contestation and opportunities for resolving them. The associated complexity of risks is illustrated by risk–benefit analyses of fish consumption and by evaluations of guideline values, highlighting value contents and policy factors in presumably scientific decision criteria, and arguments used in multi-dimensional risk and benefit comparisons. These comparisons pose challenges to narrow assessments centered, for e.g., on toxicants or on food benefits, and to more many-sided and balanced risk communication and management. It is shown that structured and contextualized treatment of uncertainties and ambiguities in a reflexive approach can inform balances between wide and narrow focus, detail and generality, and evidence and precaution.     

Visual prey detection by near-infrared cues in a fish

Many animal species are able to perceive light wavelengths beyond those visible to humans. While numerous species are additionally sensitive to short wavelengths (UV), long wavelengths such as the near-infrared spectrum (NIR) are supposed to be unsuitable for visual perception. Here, we experimentally show that under exclusive NIR illumination, the cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus displays a clear foraging response towards NIR reflecting prey. Additional control experiments without prey indicate that the observed behavior is not a mere response to the NIR environment. These results give first evidence for NIR visual sensitivity in a functional context and thus challenge the current view about NIR perception.