‘Contractual’ and ‘cooperative’ civic engagement: The emergence and roles of ‘flood action groups’ in England and Wales

Devolution of responsibilities is transforming how flood risk is managed in many countries. Research assessing the emergence and role of a new element in the governance of flood risk management in England explored the numerous ‘flood action groups’ that have developed over the last decade. We identified two broad categories of relationship between the public and authorities. The first displays ‘contractual’ characteristics: a level of protection provided by the authority in exchange for taxes or similar support. The second embodies a ‘collaborative’ relationship: public knowledge, social and financial resources are equal and complementary to those of authority, and seeking ‘collective security’. In general, the former were more successful than the latter, but common lessons were that success in FRM should not be defined purely as the ability to prevent flooding, but as the ability to access a variety of resources across different levels of society at different stages of flood risk management.     

New jet-aeration system using ‘Supercavitation’

Background, aim and scope  

A newly developed fine bubble aeration system, by which air is transferred under supercavitation conditions, shows a clearly better performance than traditional, well-known aerators that rely on the jet-pump principle and its performance can be compared to oxygen transfer rates achieved in membrane and foil plate aerators.     

Effect thresholds and ‘Adequate Control’ of risks

BACKGROUND: Preparation of the new European REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals) regulation on chemicals has reached a critical stage. Depending on how key elements of the legislative proposal are finalised, especially that on authorisation of uses of 'substances of very high concern', REACH could either provide an effective measure to drive innovation towards cleaner and safer alternatives, or instead lead to further avoidable chemical exposures on the basis of demonstrated 'adequate control' of risks. Given that some key indicators of human and wildlife reproductive health continue to decline in parts of Europe, while evidence for chemical exposure as a contributory factor grows, it will clearly be vital to get the legislation right. GOAL AND SCOPE: Whereas there is now a consensus between the European Parliament and Council of the European Union that uses of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances should only be permitted when no safer alternatives are available, major differences remain regarding the manner in which other 'substances of very high concern' (including substances which are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (CMRs) and endocrine disruptors) are addressed. This paper examines those differences in more detail and proposes some ways forward. METHODS: Using case studies of specific chemicals as examples, the paper critically evaluates the concepts of 'effect thresholds' and 'adequate control' of risks, which underpin the Council's proposal for many CMRs and endocrine disruptors. RESULTS: The subjectivity and uncertainties inherent in the threshold approach proposed by the Council, as illustrated by these case examples, bring its ability to ensure a high level of protection for the environment and human health into question: i. the nature and extent of toxic effects recorded depend on many different factors, including the type of test and conditions selected, the organisms exposed, the timing of exposure and precisely which effects are measured and over what timeframe. ii. doses considerably below 'no effect levels' for survival could nevertheless be causing significant impairment to health and/or reproductive success. iii. chemicals present in mixtures at levels below established thresholds for effects may, in combination, induce significant toxicological responses. DISCUSSION: Under the Council's current proposal, companies will be granted authorisations for some uses of CMRs and endocrine disruptors, even if safer alternatives without these properties are already on the market. The high level of evidence required for identification of substances as being of equivalent concern represents an additional weakness in the Council approach. CONCLUSIONS: Instead, a requirement (along the lines of the Parliament's proposals) to address the availability of alternatives in all cases, to use them when available and to initiate their development when not, represents a more robust, defensible and protective approach to the management of 'substances of very high concern'. The possibility for authorisation of essential uses would remain, while all avoidable uses and exposures would progressively be prevented and sustainable innovation supported. PERSPECTIVES: In the long run, this can only lead to a more sustainable future for the chemical industry in Europe, as well as delivering benefits of increased protection for our environment and health for generations to come.     

日本开发出小型风力发电机‘风流鲸’

据日刊《资源环境对策》报道，日本大和住宅工业公司所属日科公司（石川县白山市）己开发出10kW的小型风力发电机‘风流鲸’。主要出售对象为工厂和事业单位，预计每年可出售30台。新产品特征是对任何风向都有效，控制风车头部，可很好地进行发电。采用可降低起动转矩（开始旋转时的阻力）的发电扣，风速2．5m／s便可开始发电。设置于年平均风速6m／s的地方，年可发电约25000度，可提供5栋一般住宅所需的电力。     

‘Fishing’ for Alternatives to Mountaintop Mining in Southern West Virginia

Mountaintop removal mining (MTR) is a major industry in southern West Virginia with many detrimental effects for small to mid-sized streams, and interest in alternative, sustainable industries is on the rise. As a first step in a larger effort to assess the value of sport fisheries in southern West Virginia, we estimate the potential abundances of two popular sport fishes—smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)—in the Coal River Basin (CRB). A self-thinning model that incorporates net primary production and terrestrial insect subsidies is first used to predict potential densities of adult (age 1+) smallmouth bass and brook trout. Predicted densities (fish ha^?1) are then multiplied by the surface area of the CRB stream network (ha) to estimate regional abundance. Median predicted abundances of bass and trout are 38 806 and 118 094 fish (total abundances with the CRB), respectively. However, when streams that intersect permitted MTR areas in the CRB are removed from the dataset, predicted abundances of bass and trout decrease by ~12–14 %. We conclude that significant potential exists in the CRB to capitalize on sport fisheries, but MTR may be undermining this potential.     

Linnaeus’ study of Swedish swidden cultivation: Pioneering ethnographic work on the ‘economy of nature’

Carl Linnaeus’ work on the ‘economy of nature’ was a major early development in what became the modern field of ecology. This analysis suggests that a key subject of this work that has been ignored or misunderstood for 250 years is the rural livelihoods, especially swidden (or slash-and-burn) agriculture, which Linnaeus studied during his expeditions through rural Sweden. Rereading his reports in the light of modern work on swiddens, political ecology, and the history of science affords a new appreciation of Linnaeus’ insights into traditional systems of resource exploitation. The logic of nutrient cycling in swidden agriculture and its utilization of natural dynamics to serve human ends exemplify the principles of the ‘economy of nature’, and gave Linnaeus a philosophical basis for understanding and defending this system of agriculture as well as other rural resource use systems in Sweden. This analysis sheds new light on Linnaeus’ ethnographic work, his view of folk environmental knowledge, and his often derided identification with Sweden’s ethnic peoples.     

The Johannesburg summit and the difficulty with the term ‘sustainability’

Many different events occurred at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). In fact, WSSD was a ‘container” of high politics, social issues, ethics and science, a display of their purposes and wishes, with little or no connection between them.     

Particulate emissions from ‘in-use’ motor vehicles—I. Spark ignition vehicles

A detailed study has been undertaken of the exhaust particulate matter (EPM) emitted by 22 spark ignition (S.I.) vechicles driven over an urban drive cycle on a chassis dynamometer. A super-grade petrol (97 octane) containing 0.4 g Pbℓ⁻¹ was used throughout the tests. Emission rates were found to vary between 0.29 and 1.70 g kg⁻¹ fuel for the ADR 37 test cycle with an average value of 0.67 g kg⁻¹. Emission rates were generally highest during the first 505 s of the cycle and covered the range 0.4–2.85 g kg⁻¹. High EPM emission rates were associated with high non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) levels but were not correlated with CO, NO_x or odometer readings. The bulk (85%) of the EPM was aerodynamically < 1 μm in diameter. The major species in the EPM were C, Pb and Br⁻, and C being very largely organic rather than sooty in nature. When ¹³C-labelled lubricating oil was added to two vehicles, the oil contribution to the EPM was found to be 15% w/w.     

Ansatz zur Optimierung biologischer Reinigungsstufen durch das Ph?nomen der ‘biologischen Resonanz’

Ohne Zusammenfassung Siehe UWSF12 (6) 350 (2000)     

Trace and major elements in atmospheric deposition in the ‘Campo de Gibraltar’ region

The total (wet and dry) deposition of trace and major elements from the atmosphere was measured throughout 1 year at twelve sampling stations in the ‘Campo de Gibraltar’, an industrial zone where there are important residential areas. The data included in this paper have contributed to a better knowledge of the regional deposition of Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cl⁻, NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻and SO₄²⁻ in both soluble and insoluble form.     

Taking a ‘Big Data’ approach to data quality in a citizen science project

Data from well-designed experiments provide the strongest evidence of causation in biodiversity studies. However, for many species the collection of these data is not scalable to the spatial and temporal extents required to understand patterns at the population level. Only data collected from citizen science projects can gather sufficient quantities of data, but data collected from volunteers are inherently noisy and heterogeneous. Here we describe a ‘Big Data’ approach to improve the data quality in eBird, a global citizen science project that gathers bird observations. First, eBird’s data submission design ensures that all data meet high standards of completeness and accuracy. Second, we take a ‘sensor calibration’ approach to measure individual variation in eBird participant’s ability to detect and identify birds. Third, we use species distribution models to fill in data gaps. Finally, we provide examples of novel analyses exploring population-level patterns in bird distributions.     

Snow-pile and chamber experiments during the Polar Sunrise Experiment ‘Alert 2000’: exploration of nitrogen chemistry

Snow chamber and snow-pile experiments performed during the ‘Alert 2000’ campaign show significant release of NO, NO₂, and HONO in steady ratios under the influence of irradiation. Both light and a minimal degree of heating are required to produce this effect. We suggest diffusion and re-distribution of NO₃⁻ in the form of HNO₃ as an important step in the mechanism of active nitrogen release from the snowpack.     

A comprehensive bibliometrics of ‘walkability’ research landscape: visualization of the scientific progress and future prospects

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study quantitatively investigated the scientific progress of walkability research landscape and its future prospects using bibliometric...     

Evaluation of TEOMTM ‘correction factors’ for assessing the EU Stage 1 limit values for PM10

A study has been carried out to compare the results of PM10 determinations using TEOM^TM and gravimetric instruments. Whilst the TEOM instruments have been used by the UK Government for many years to develop a National Air Quality Objective, the European Directive (99/30/EC) Stage 1 limit values for PM10 require a gravimetric method (or an approved equivalent method) to be used. However, there are significant differences between the two techniques, which have been investigated by co-locating a TEOM PM10 monitor and a gravimetric (Partisol) PM10 sampler at Marylebone Road, London between June 1997 and January 2000. This paper investigates the current practice of using a single ‘correction factor’ on TEOM PM10 data when these data are being used to assess the EU Stage 1 limit values for PM10, which should be measured using a gravimetric technique. The ability of the ‘corrected’ TEOM PM10 values to accurately reflect the annual mean and the number of 24 h means above 50 μg m⁻³ produced by the co-located Partisol PM10 sampler is used as the test for the suitability of the single correction factor. This study demonstrates that a single ‘correction factor’ will not reflect the site and season specificity.     

An investigation to human health risks from multiple contaminants and multiple origins by introducing ‘Total Information Management’

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A capability for aggregating risks to aquifers is explored in this paper for cases with sparse data exposed to anthropogenic and geogenic contaminants...     

Derivation of soil values for the path ‘Soil-Soil Organisms’ for metals and selected organic compounds using species sensitivity distributions

BACKGROUND, AIMS AND SCOPE: According to the German Federal Soil Protection Act, the natural function of soil as a habitat for human beings, animals, plants and soil organisms is, among other things, to be protected by deriving soil values for important chemicals regarding their amounts in the environment, their persistence and/or their toxicity. This contribution presents the results of the mathematical derivation of such values for nine metals and ten organic substances from soil ecotoxicological effect values available in the literature for microbial processes, plants and soil invertebrates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ecotoxicological data were mostly extracted from published papers and reports and had to originate from valid studies that were performed according to internationally standardised guidelines (e.g. ISO) or were otherwise well documented, plausible and performed according to accepted laboratory practice. As test results, both structural (i.e., effects on mortality, growth or reproduction) and functional (i.e., effects on microbial activity or organic matter breakdown) parameters were included. The derivation of soil values was performed using the distribution based extrapolation model (DIBAEX) and EC(50)s (Effective Concentration) as input data. RESULTS: For 19 compounds, soil values could be calculated. In 18 of these 19 cases clear laboratory ecotoxicological effects (i.e., EC50 values) below the calculated soil value have been found in the literature. DISCUSSION: In those few cases where a comparison with field studies is possible, effects have been observed in the same order of magnitude as the calculated soil values. A comparison with other similar approaches confirmed the plausibility of the calculated values. CONCLUSIONS: The DIBAEX-method is a feasible and widely accepted method for deriving soil values from ecotoxicological input data. Data availability was already satisfactory for some substances, but other substances, especially organics, were only poorly covered. The soil values presented here were based on EC50 input data. However, depending on the protection level aimed at by using soil values in legislation, it might be appropriate to use other input data such as NOECs in the derivation process. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: It is recommended to generate an appropriate number of data for further relevant substances by means of a test battery or multi-species approaches such as terrestrial model ecosystems. These tests should also consider the influence of the bioavailability of substances. A final recommendation for legally binding soil values demands a plausibility check of the mathematically derived values. This should include a comparison with natural background concentrations, soil values for other pathways and soil values used in legislation of other countries. Finally, expert judgement always has to be considered.