Abundance patterns and foraging activity of ant communities in abandoned,organic and commercial apple orchards in Northern California

The abundance patterns of ant communities were monitored with pitfall traps during 14 weeks in four northern California, dry farmed, apple orchards: an abandoned orchard undisturbed for 25 years, two ‘organically’ managed orchards, one with a cover crop of bell beans (Vicia faba) and grasses and the other kept clean of cover by discing, and a ‘commercial’ clean cultivated orchard sprayed with organophosphate insecticides. Six species of ants coexisted in the abandoned orchard, whereas only two species were found in the managed orchards. In both the organic and sprayed, clean cultivated systems, ants were more abundant in the orchard edges than in the vegetation-free centers. This trend was not apparent in the abandoned or organic cover orchards, where plant diversity in the center was similar to that of the edges. Ant predation on potato tuberworm larvae, Phthorimaea operculella, artificially placed on the orchard floor, declined with the intensity of management and vegetational simplication. A higher incidence of larval removal occurred in the edges than in the centers of the clean cultivated orchards. No noticeable populations of ants were detected on the trees in any of the orchards. Increased vegetational diversity and lack of disturbance appeared to affect ant locomotory activity and foraging efficiency by creating preferred sheltering and feeding sites.     

Are ecosystem service hotspots located in protected areas? Results from a study in Southern Italy

Ecosystems are essential in providing multiple services to society. However, understanding ecosystem services (ESS) in terms of spatial distribution and trade-offs still remains a challenge for landscape planners and natural resource managers. In this paper, we analyzed the supply of a set of ESS – carbon storage, soil erosion protection, biodiversity, and recreation – within the landscape surrounding the city of Bari in Southern Italy. Through an analysis of this landscape, which includes natural protected areas, such as Natura 2000 Network sites, national and regional parks and nature reserves, and in view of the recent Fitness Check of the Nature Directives, we aimed to provide answers to the following questions: (i) Where are the areas of high and low supply of individual ecosystem services located?; (ii) Where do ecosystem service trade-offs (i.e., ‘hotspots’ and ‘coldspots’) occur?; and (iii) To what extent are ecosystem service hotspots and coldspots located within or outside of natural protected areas? Results show that most of the landscape in the study area supplied at least one of the selected ESS and that ESS hotspots were mostly located within forested and/or natural areas. Hotspots occupied 8.0% of the total landscape, with 23.7% located in natural protected areas. Coldspots were scarce and equal to 2.4%; they constituted only 0.1% of natural protected areas. Almost all of the landscape (89.6%) consists of intermediate areas (i.e., between hotspots and coldspots); 76.2% of natural protected areas consists of intermediate areas. This latter finding is relevant because the high intermediate classes are potentially high-performing areas, which lie mainly on the borders of protected spaces; they can positively influence ecological processes and thus enhance a wide-ranging provision of ESS. Our results highlight the importance of analyzing landscapes to facilitate the selection of priority areas where management efforts would yield maximum benefits.     

Early succession arthropod community changes on experimental passion fruit plant patches along a land-use gradient in Ecuador

Many tropical landscapes are today characterized by small forest patches embedded in an agricultural mosaic matrix. In such highly fragmented landscapes, agroforests have already been recognized as refuges for biodiversity but few studies have investigated the potential of non-forested land-use types to contribute to overall biodiversity of functionally important taxa in the tropics. This study experimentally investigated species richness, abundance, and community similarity of arthropods on Yellow Passion fruit plants, planted in standardized patches in 30 sites along a land-use intensity gradient. The gradient comprised all major land-use types of the area: forest fragments, abandoned coffee agroforests, coffee agroforests managed under shade trees, pastures, and rice fields in Coastal Ecuador. We found a total of 2123 individuals belonging to 242 species. Overall arthropod species richness increased with light intensity and leaf-surface area and decreased with land-use intensity: forest fragments and abandoned coffee agroforests harboured significantly more species than rice or pastures. Overall diversity in managed coffee agroforests was intermediate between the intensively managed and more natural habitats. However, the three most abundant taxa of arthropods (ants, spiders, and beetles) had the highest number of species in managed coffee agroforests, while ant abundance was highest in abandoned coffee agroforests and spider abundance highest in managed coffee agroforests. Analyses of community similarity revealed that open (pasture, and rice) and shaded (forest, abandoned and managed coffee agroforests) land-use types had distinct arthropod communities. In conclusion, although open agricultural land-use types tend to have fewer species in lower numbers, all land-use types contribute to overall biodiversity of the agricultural matrix because of distinct communities in shaded vs. non-shaded land-use types.     

Advertent/inadvertent effect on ‘rainfall center’ displacement in Northern Israel

This study of cloud seeding and urbanization effects on the spatial rainfall distribution was carried out in two stages. In the first stage the location of a ‘rainfall center’ (the area with the rainfall maximum) for annual amounts of rainfall was established by applying the Distance Correlation Matrix (DISTCORMAT) technique. Besides ‘natural’ climatic fluctuations there are two other factors which could also cause a shift in the ‘rainfall center’, namely, cloud seeding operations and the inadvertent urban influences. Rainfall centers were computed for the two experimental cloud seeding periods and for a subsequent period of operational seeding.Comparison of the DISTCORMAT outputs revealed that the ‘rainfall centers’ are located, as expected, in the Upper Galilee for the first experimental period and later were displaced westward by 2–4 km. Since in the second random experiment the seeding flight route and target area were shifted eastward, it seems that there is no evidence supporting the cloud seeding rainfall excess determined by various statistical methods. However, it is possible to attribute the center's displacement to the massive urbanization process along the Mediterranean coastal plane.In the second stage only 40 rain stations in the extreme northern part of the country were used and the DISTCORMAT was computed separately for ‘seeded days’ and ‘non-seeded days’. The results indicate that, although the center moved eastward on ‘seeded days’ during the second experiment, it moved westward for the ‘non-seeded days’ sample. Thus the finding offers evidence of both effects: advertent cloud seeding and the inadvertent urbanization factor.     

The dynamics of colonizing arthropod communities at the interface of abandoned,organic and commercial apple orchards and adjacent woodland habitats

Considerable numbers of arthropods were intercepted by Malaise traps at the interface of abandoned, organic and sprayed apple orchards with adjacent woodlands. Low exchange of arthropods was registered between the abandoned orchard and its margins. The data suggest that arthropods invaded the orchards from the surrounding woodlands and subsequent colonization of trees was influenced by orchard management intensity, vegetational diversity and distance of trees from borders. More natural enemies established and remained in the organic orchards than in the sprayed orchard, whereas more rosy apple aphids and several species of leafhoppers invaded the sprayed orchard. A declining gradient in predator abundance on the apple trees was observed from abandoned to sprayed orchards, paralleling a decrease in vegetational diversity and an increase in management intensity. Predators were more abundant on trees close to the woodlands than in the centers of the managed orchards. Herbivores exhibited an opposite trend. The rates at which predators removed prey that were placed on cards in the trees and on the ground were higher in the field margins than in the centers of the organic and sprayed orchards. Predation was highest in the abandoned orchard and in the organic orchard with cover crop.     

Public acceptance of tree health management: Results of a national survey in the UK

Assumptions about public stakeholder attitudes to pest and disease management can influence the decisions of forest managers and NGOs involved in responding to pests and diseases; however, they are rarely assessed directly. Evidence on the social acceptability of tree health management methods is required to inform government led policy and management. A nationally representative survey of 2000 members of the UK public was used to address two research questions: (1) How acceptable are tree health management methods to the public? (2) How do opinions about woodland functions, concern and awareness of tree pests and diseases, and demographics influence acceptance of management methods? We found that public stakeholders are highly supportive of tree health management; however, knowledge about tree pests, diseases, and management options is low. Methods seen as more targeted and ‘natural’ were preferred, e.g. felling and burning only affected trees and using biological control rather than chemical control. There were demographic differences in attitudes: men and older people are more likely to support management interventions and stronger management methods than females and younger people. Acceptance of management can also differ according to location and local context (e.g. management is less supported when it may impact on wildlife) and values (e.g. those with economic values are more supportive of management). These findings provide evidence to support current government initiatives on tree health and should improve confidence amongst managers tasked with carrying out tree pest and disease management. However, there is a need for in-depth qualitative studies to explain the beliefs which influence demographic variations in acceptance and the influence of concepts such as ‘nativeness’ and ‘naturalness’.     

重庆三峡库区非点源污染评价与影响因子分析

选取重庆三峡库区4个行政建制镇进行非点源污染监测与调查,以COD、TN、TP、Cu、Zn等指标为主要研究内容对库区农村环境进行污染特性分析并且利用等标污染负荷法对其生活污水、生活垃圾、畜禽养殖、水产养殖、化肥流失、农药流失、水土流失等污染源进行非点源污染评价。结果表明:COD、TN、TP、Cu、Zn的平均排放浓度分别为22.15 mg/L、6.37 mg/L、1.49 mg/L、47.73 g/kg、85.24 g/kg,库区主要污染物依次为TN、TP、COD、Cu、Zn等,主要污染源依次是畜禽养殖、化肥流失、生活污水、生活垃圾、农药流失、水土流失、水产养殖等。采用SPSS软件对影响库区环境污染的季节、收入水平、地域、畜禽养殖规模、环境基础设施完善程度等因子进行了分析,结果显示:COD主要影响因子是地域和畜禽养殖规模,TN主要影响因子是季节、地域和畜禽养殖规模,TP主要影响因子是环境基础设施完善程度、畜禽养殖规模和地域,Cu、Zn主要影响因子均是畜禽养殖规模。该研究可为重庆三峡库区生态修复、城乡统筹下的城乡规划及产业布局提供理论基础。     

Landscape structure and bird's diversity in the rural areas of Taiwan

This study tries to discuss the relationship between landscape structure and organisms in the perspective of landscape architecture.The research hypotheses were then proposed as (1) there are relationships between landscape structure indexes and birds‘ diversity in the rural areas of Taiwan;(2)the relationships between landscape structure and birds‘ diversity will be different in different hierarchical levels.In order to increase the bird species,landscape planners could tries to increase the density of water bodies,but decrease the farms and human planted woods.Decrease the density of constructed and human planted grasslands.Increase the area of un-worked acres,natural grasslands,and the area of water bodies and circular the water bodies and natural forest.In order to increase birds‘ diversity,landscape planners could decrease the concentration of paved areas.Concentrate the human planted trees to increase the core areas of woodlands.Increase the area of natural grassland circular.In order to increase the total number of birds in the planning areas,landscape planners could scattered the paved areas and lengthen the constructed areas.Decreases the core region of the constructed areas.Increase the area of un-worked acres and water bodies.Decrease the disturbance of both the interior area of natural and human planted woodlands and try to increase the density of water bodies.The analysis results showed that the small grain size indexes are more suitable for the rural areas of Taiwan to capture the influential factors of bird communities.The high fragmentation of land usages in Taiwan lessens the influences of the regional landscape pattern.     

废弃采石场植被自然恢复过程中物种多样性变化特征

以浙江省舟山市的废弃采石场为例,在对植被情况进行调查的基础上,采用时空互代的方法,探讨废弃采石场植被自然恢复过程中物种多样性的变化规律. 结果表明:随着废弃地自然恢复年限的增加,植物种的组成发生较大变化,由单一的物种组成结构逐渐发展为复杂的物种组成结构,并逐渐趋于动态平衡. 在近50 a的自然恢复过程中,在样方中共出现20科40属42种植物,其中以禾本科和菊科为主. 在整个自然恢复过程中,群落物种多样性指数(H′,D)、丰富度指数(Ma,Pa)和均匀度指数(Jp,Ea)随植被恢复表现出由低至高而后又降低的变化趋势. 均匀度指数(Jp,Ea)在15～<25 a达到峰值,而多样性指数(H′,D)和丰富度指数(Ma,Pa)的峰值则出现在25～<40 a. 根据不同恢复年限群落物种种类的演替特征和物种多样性指数的变化规律,可大致将研究区废弃地植被自然恢复过程划分为初级演替期(<9 a)、初级交替期(9～<15 a)、高级交替期(15～<25 a)、高速恢复期(25～<40 a)以及恢复稳定期(40～50 a)5个演替阶段.      

Numerical simulation of small area fires

Plume dynamics and smoke injection into the atmosphere from large area fires ensuing a nuclear exchange are currently simulated by prescribed burns of smaller areas (radius < 1 km). The extent to which small area fire plumes accurately characterize those from larger urban fires (radius > 5 km) is not well established. A ‘large’ fire has a radius comparable to the stratification scale height of the atmosphere. Numerical simulations of smoke plumes and condensed-moisture clouds generated by small area fires are presented for three fire sizes and two ignition patterns for ‘average’ September Pacific Northwest atmospheric conditions. We find that the plume rise from small area fires is governed by the total heat release and entrainment, whereas that from large area fires is controlled primarily by the fire heating rate per unit area and the atmospheric stratification.     

中国粮食主产区耕地撂荒程度及其对粮食产量的影响

耕地撂荒严重地影响着我国的粮食安全。以我国粮食主产区为研究区域,在识别撂荒地分布的基础上,测度了撂荒地空间分布格局,并建立耕地撂荒中介效应模型,探究了耕地撂荒对区域粮食产量的影响机制。结果表明：（1）中国粮食主产区耕地撂荒规模为405.53万hm²,撂荒率约为5.85%;空间上撂荒地规模分布呈“T”字形空间格局,黑龙江东北部、吉林西北部以及内蒙古南部地区为撂荒地主要集聚区。（2）耕地撂荒对于粮食主产区粮食产量具有显著负向影响,2017年我国粮食主产区因耕地撂荒损失的农田生产潜力达到1339.15万t,损失的粮食产量高达2265.6万t,损失比例达4.69%;内蒙古自治区成为粮食产出损失量和损失比例最大的地区。（3）粮食播种面积、农田生产潜力和农业技术投入均发挥了部分中介作用,系数分别为-0.194、-0.025和0.006。（4）应遵从城乡融合以及农业农村发展态势,强化粮食主产区农业生产现代要素投入与政策扶植,构建粮食生产—耕地休耕空间转换弹性机制,保障我国粮食安全。     

不同生态修复模式下土壤水文性质及其对溶质运移的影响

煤矿区生态修复过程中不可避免地改变了土壤水和溶质运移过程.土壤水是溶质运移的主要载体,溶质运移受土壤水文性质与植被状况影响.以我国北方典型半干旱区山西古交矿区草本、灌草和乔灌草3种不同生态修复区和撂荒地的土壤为研究对象,揭示不同生态修复模式下土壤水文性质变化规律及其对溶质运移的影响.结果表明,土壤持水性从大到小依次为乔灌草地灌草地草地撂荒地,草本、灌草和乔灌草3种植被修复区的土壤持水量相对于撂荒地分别增加了33.79%、59.19%和62.71%,植被修复有助于增加土壤层蓄水能力.土壤饱和导水率由大到小依次为草地(1.736 mm·min~(-1))灌草地(1.678 mm·min~(-1))乔灌草地(1.564 mm·min~(-1))撂荒地(1.012 mm·min~(-1)),非饱和导水率随吸力增大而呈指数下降,植被修复过程中降低容重的同时提高了土壤持水性,改善土壤持水性能.不同生态修复区土壤中溶质穿透时间呈草地灌草地乔灌草地撂荒地的趋势.CDE、SC和TRM模型均可对矿区不同生态修复模式土壤的溶质运移过程进行较好的表达,其中CDE模型拟合效果最好.结果表明研究区溶质运移方式以对流为主,而且土壤容重和砂粒含量是影响溶质运移的主要因素.     

Assessing the socioeconomic effects of multiple-use MPAs in a European setting: A national stakeholders’ perspective

The designation of marine protected areas (MPAs) may have intense social and economic effects on human communities. Driven by overarching global and European policies and national legislations, current systematic conservation planning in the UK and France requires an ecosystem approach that takes into account not only nature but also the human activities that take place in an area. Here, we identified a set of 64 socioeconomic variables potentially relevant for marine and coastal stakeholders in a European context and a comprehensive set of 20 marine and coastal stakeholder categories. Ninety national organisations in the UK and France belonging to those categories and potentially affected by/interested in the designation of multiple-use MPAs were identified and surveyed. Results show that environmental NGOs, research centres, local councils, managing agencies and statutory nature conservation bodies perceived that they are positively affected by these MPAs, whereas fishers’ organisations, shipping and aggregate industrial organisations and recreational organisations perceived to be chiefly negatively affected by MPAs. On average, the ecological effects of multiple-use MPAs are perceived as ‘largely positive’, though 30% of respondents did not perceive any positive ecological effects from these MPAs. The social, economic and cultural effects of such MPAs are perceived as ‘moderately positive’. Most respondents perceived broad range (>10 km) and permanent ecological, social, economic and cultural effects from multiple-use MPA designation suggesting high societal expectations towards these areas. However, only five variables were perceived to vary in intensity after the designation of multiple-use MPAs: ‘research’, ‘environmental performance by citizens, businesses and towns’, ‘number of green businesses’, ‘tourism’ and ‘economic activities’. The most important ‘social’ variables for stakeholder organisations referred to local populations’ engagement with the MPA, tourism and research. The most important ‘economic’ variables were linked to fishing, shipping and aquaculture activities. These variables highlight relevant topics to be considered in MPA planning, designation and management processes, especially in the UK and France. There were statistically significant differences in the ratings of socioeconomic variables between many organisations belonging to the same intuitive stakeholder categories, suggesting the importance of including as wide a range of stakeholder organisations as feasible in MPA socioeconomic-related processes. Our methods and findings can help to inform and streamline ongoing and future participatory MPA planning, management and monitoring processes in Europe and in other regions with similar socioeconomic characteristics.     

Exploring public perceptions of solutions to tree diseases in the UK: Implications for policy-makers

Tree diseases are on the increase in many countries and the implications of their appearance can be political, as well as ecological and economic. Preventative policy approaches to tree diseases are difficult to formulate because dispersal pathways for pest and pathogens are numerous, poorly known and likely to be beyond human management control. Genomic techniques could offer the quickest and most predictable approach to developing a disease tolerant native ash.The population of European Ash (Fraxinus Excelsior) has suffered major losses in the last decade, due to the onset of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (previously called Chalara Fraxinea) commonly known in the UK as ash dieback. This study presents evidence on the public acceptability of tree-breed solutions to the spread of Chalara, with the main aim to provide science and policy with an up-stream ‘steer’ on the likely public acceptability of different tree breeding solutions. The findings showed that whilst there was a firm anti-GM and ‘we shouldn’t tamper with nature’ attitude among UK publics, there was an equally firm and perhaps slightly larger pragmatic attitude that GM (science and technology) should be used if there is a good reason to do so, for example if it can help protect trees from disease and help feed the world. The latter view was significantly stronger among younger age groups (Millennials), those living in urban areas and when the (GM)modified trees were destined for urban and plantation, rather than countryside settings. Overall, our findings suggest that the UK government could consider genomic solutions to tree breeding with more confidence in the future, as large and influential publics appear to be relaxed about the use of genomic techniques to increase tolerance of trees to disease.     

上海江湾机场植物群落多样性研究

以市区内江湾机场失去管理后出现的自然植被为研究对象，通过群落学调查研究，分析了群落的种类组成以及结构特征，阐明了群落的恢复过程和潜力。结果表明，江湾机场的植被可划分为4个外貌类型，16个群落类型。自然植被表现为以草本群落为主、辅以少量木本植物群落为特征的分布格局。非地带性因素主导着植被发生和演替，很难达到上海以亚热带常绿阔叶林为主的地带性植被类型。     

Heavy metal accumulation by panicled goldenrain tree （Koelreuteria paniculata） and common elaeocarpus （Elaeocarpus decipens） in abandoned mine soils in southern China

Phytoremediation can be used as a sustainable technology for mine spoil remediation to remove heavy metals. This study investigated the concentration of 7 heavy metal contamination in soil and plant samples at an abandoned mine site. We found that, after vegetation remediation at the abandoned mine site, the reduction rates for 7 heavy metals were in the range of 4.2%–86%, where reduction rates over 50% were achieved for four heavy metals (Zn, Mn, Cd, Ni). Transfer coe cients of the panicled goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm) and the common elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpus decipens) for Zn, Mn, Ni, and Co were more than 1. Enrichment coe cients of both trees for Mn were higher than 1. Our results suggest that the panicled goldenrain tree and the common elaeocarpus tree may act as accumulators in remediation. Moreover, the woody vegetation remediation in abandoned mining areas play an important role in improving scenery besides removing heavy metal from contaminated soil.     

石家庄地区近70年来伴随经济发展的水文环境变化分析

论文系统分析了石家庄地区70年来伴随社会经济发展的水资源开发历史,结合水文资料探讨了人类活动对区域水文环境变迁的影响。并通过对地下水采样,结合室内水化学和氚同位素测定,确认区域地下水补给来源主要是通过河道得到线状的垂向补给,和上游含水层的侧向补给两种天然途径。城市及工农业发展改变了区域水循环系统的补排结构。河流断流减少了地下水的垂向补给,造成地下水的补给源从原来的天然垂向补给和上游的侧向补给,变为单一的侧向补给。另一方面,大量开采地下水已成为区域地下水排泄的主要方式。其中用于农业灌溉的大部分以蒸发、蒸腾的形式耗散于大气,无法回补。地下水位的持续下降、地下水化学类型转变及其空间分布显示了水量和水质以及生态环境的变化。     

Quantifying the effect of buffer zones,crop areas and spatial aggregation on the externalities of genetically modified crops at landscape level

The development of genetically modified (GM) crops has led the European Union (EU) to put forward the concept of ‘coexistence’ to give farmers the freedom to plant both conventional and GM varieties. Should a premium for non-GM varieties emerge in the market, ‘contamination’ by GM pollen would generate a negative externality to conventional growers. It is therefore important to assess the effect of different ‘policy variables’ on the magnitude of the externality to identify suitable policies to manage coexistence. In this paper, taking GM herbicide tolerant oilseed rape as a model crop, we start from the model developed in Ceddia et al. [Ceddia, M.G., Bartlett, M., Perrings, C., 2007. Landscape gene flow, coexistence and threshold effect: the case of genetically modified herbicide tolerant oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Ecol. Modell. 205, pp. 169–180] use a Monte Carlo experiment to generate data and then estimate the effect of the number of GM and conventional fields, width of buffer areas and the degree of spatial aggregation (i.e. the ‘policy variables’) on the magnitude of the externality at the landscape level. To represent realistic conditions in agricultural production, we assume that detection of GM material in conventional produce might occur at the field level (no grain mixing occurs) or at the silos level (where grain mixing from different fields in the landscape occurs). In the former case, the magnitude of the externality will depend on the number of conventional fields with average transgenic presence above a certain threshold. In the latter case, the magnitude of the externality will depend on whether the average transgenic presence across all conventional fields exceeds the threshold. In order to quantify the effect of the relevant ‘policy variables’, we compute the marginal effects and the elasticities. Our results show that when relying on marginal effects to assess the impact of the different ‘policy variables’, spatial aggregation is far more important when transgenic material is detected at field level, corroborating previous research. However, when elasticity is used, the effectiveness of spatial aggregation in reducing the externality is almost identical whether detection occurs at field level or at silos level. Our results show also that the area planted with GM is the most important ‘policy variable’ in affecting the externality to conventional growers and that buffer areas on conventional fields are more effective than those on GM fields. The implications of the results for the coexistence policies in the EU are discussed.     

城市化对城市森林组成和结构的影响——以上海“城-郊”样带为例

由于城市森林可改善人居环境并提高居民的生活环境质量而备受关注,而城市化进程的加剧使生态系统的结构也发生了很大变化。论文以快速城市化进程中上海“城-郊”样带为例,基于地理信息技术,采用景观格局分析和数理统计方法,有效量化“城-郊”样带;并借助植被功能分类的相关理论,以乔木组成和结构变化为载体,探讨城市化程度对城市森林的影响。结果表明：1）城区乔木丰富度指数（S）、Shannon-Wiener指数（H）和Simpson指数（D）高于郊区,二者存在显著性差异（P<0.05）;但城区和郊区乔木物种均匀度分别为0.448±0.043和0.394±0.038,不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。2）城区乔木的密度小于郊区,分别为248±25和472±57株/hm²;且二者间存在显著性差异（P<0.05）。3）城区和郊区的城市森林群落的生长潜能存在一定的差异,郊区具有较多数量的高生长潜能乔木,而城区中低生长潜能的常绿乔木密度比郊区高;4）城区、郊区中各胸径量级的乔木数量分布均呈倒J型曲线。通过该研究以期促进城市森林生态系统服务功能发挥的同时也为进行城市森林的管理提供科学依据。     

The roles of cleaner production in the sustainable development of modern societies: an introduction to this special issue

This issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production is based upon papers presented at the 1st International Workshop Advances in Cleaner Production (CP) held in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2007. The conference had the short-term purpose of deepening the Brazilian discussion on “The Roles of Cleaner Production in the Sustainable Development of Modern Societies”, and it had the long-term objective of providing an on-going interdisciplinary forum for knowledge development and exchange on Cleaner Production (CP) and Sustainable Development. This issue is devoted to papers covering a broad range of perspectives of CP practices and strategies. A special focus is placed upon methodological tools designed to support effective decision-making pertaining to quantitative benefits from CP.The ten papers provide insights from research designed to holistically integrate CP to help society make effective progress to sustainability. Papers cover the importance of informal knowledge, as complementary to formal knowledge, in performing effective ‘Environmental Impact Assessments.’ One paper explores the roles of radical and incremental innovation in the context of alternative automotive technologies. Benefits of Ecodesign are explored in two papers; one concerning its integration with remanufacturing to extend the life of used products and one focusing the adoption of ‘Emergy Environmental Accounting,’ as a complementary decision-making tool. The development of the Brazilian LCI database for ‘hydroelectric power generation’ and its contribution to support regionally relevant LCA studies is highlighted in one paper. The complete production chains of biodiesel and bioethanol are evaluated by using global methodologies, which help in the development of more objective and effective solutions. A “compensatory area”, calculated in terms of emergy, is proposed in order to work in a sustainable way for bamboo production. Finally, a paper about a novel approach for recycling used PET is also included.