Effects of land use,cover, and protection on stream and riparian ecosystem services and biodiversity

Protected areas are an important part of broader landscapes that are often used to preserve biodiversity or natural features. Some argue that protected areas may also help ensure provision of ecosystem services. However, the effect of protection on ecosystem services and whether protection affects the provision of ecosystem services is known only for a few services in a few types of landscapes. We sought to fill this gap by investigating the effect of watershed protection status and land use and land cover on biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services. We compared the ecosystem services provided in and around streams in 4 watershed types: International Union for Conservation of Nature category II protected forests, unprotected forests, unprotected forests with recent timber harvesting, and unprotected areas with agriculture. We surveyed 28 streams distributed across these watershed types in Quebec, Canada, to quantify provisioning of clean water, carbon storage, recreation, wild foods, habitat quality, and terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity richness and abundance. The quantity and quality of ecosystem services and biodiversity were generally higher in sites with intact forest—whether protected or not—relative to those embedded in production landscapes with forestry or agriculture. Clean-water provision, carbon storage, habitat quality, and tree diversity were significantly higher in and around streams surrounded by forest. Recreation, wild foods, and aquatic biodiversity did not vary among watershed types. Although some services can be provided by both protected and unprotected areas, protection status may help secure the continued supply of services sensitive to changes in land use or land cover. Our findings provide needed information about the ecosystem service and biodiversity trade-offs and synergies that result from developing a watershed or from protecting it.     

A framework for profiling a lake's riparian area development potential

Some of the greatest challenges for managing residential development occur at the interface between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems--in a lake's riparian area. Land use planners need a framework they can use to identify development hotspots, areas were the next push for development will most likely occur. Lake riparian development profiles provide a framework for linking ecological and social factors important to development. In a test of this framework in northern Minnesota, researchers identified seven constructs influencing riparian area development: current general development, current housing development, and availability, accessibility, suitability, aesthetics, and proximity to services. Profiles display a lake's value for each construct relative to the range of values for all lakes in the county. Maps, developed using indicators for several constructs, allow us to identify how the factors interact and are dispersed across the landscape. These profiles help policy makers, planners, and managers identify lakes that are potential development hotspots so they can take timely steps to manage development or control the impacts of development.     

Changing patterns of radionuclide distribution in Irish Sea subtidal sediments

This paper presents new data on the distribution of long-lived radionuclides in Irish Sea subtidal sediments, contaminated as a result of the BNFL Sellafield discharges. The results from different sampling campaigns in 1999 have been combined to assess the extent of radionuclide mobility relative to earlier surveys, in both the eastern and western Irish Sea areas, and to investigate changes in radionuclide distribution over time. The results appear to confirm the trend of continuing re-distribution and transfer of contamination away from the English coast. West of the Isle of Man, radionuclide concentrations and inventories have remained more or less constant. The inventory of radionuclides in sandy sediments in the eastern Irish Sea is still under-represented by current sampling, but could be improved by deeper and more extensive vibrocoring.     

Effects of manufactured nanomaterials on algae: Implications and applications

● Summary of positive and negative effects of MNMs on algae. ● MNMs adversely affect algal gene expression, metabolite, and growth. ● MNMs induce oxidative stress, mechanical damage and light-shielding effects on algae. ● MNMs can promote production of bioactive substances and environmental remediation. The wide application of manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) has resulted in the inevitable release of MNMs into the aquatic environment along their life cycle. As the primary producer in aquatic ecosystems, algae play a critical role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems’ energy flow, material circulation and information transmission. Thus, thoroughly understanding the biological effects of MNMs on algae as well as the underlying mechanisms is of vital importance. We conducted a comprehensive review on both positive and negative effects of MNMs on algae and thoroughly discussed the underlying mechanisms. In general, exposure to MNMs may adversely affect algae’s gene expression, metabolites, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation and growth rate. The major mechanisms of MNMs-induced inhibition are attributed to oxidative stress, mechanical damages, released metal ions and light-shielding effects. Meanwhile, the rational application of MNMs-algae interactions would promote valuable bioactive substances production as well as control biological and chemical pollutants. Our review could provide a better understanding of the biological effects of MNMs on algae and narrow the knowledge gaps on the underlying mechanisms. It would shed light on the investigation of environmental implications and applications of MNMs-algae interactions and meet the increasing demand for sustainable nanotechnology development.