Monitoring plastic ingestion by the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Sea

The abundance of plastics in stomachs of northern fulmars from the North Sea is used in the OSPAR Ecological Quality Objective (EcoQO) for marine litter. The preliminary EcoQO defines acceptable ecological quality as the situation where no more than 10% of fulmars exceed a critical level of 0.1 g of plastic in the stomach. During 2003-2007, 95% of 1295 fulmars sampled in the North Sea had plastic in the stomach (on average 35 pieces weighing 0.31 g) and the critical level of 0.1 g of plastic was exceeded by 58% of birds, with regional variations ranging from 48 to 78%. Long term data for the Netherlands since the 1980s show a decrease of industrial, but an increase of user plastics, with shipping and fisheries as the main sources. The EcoQO is now also used as an indicator for Good Environmental Status in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive.     

Earth stewardship: Shaping a sustainable future through interacting policy and norm shifts

Transformation toward a sustainable future requires an earth stewardship approach to shift society from its current goal of increasing material wealth to a vision of sustaining built, natural, human, and social capital—equitably distributed across society, within and among nations. Widespread concern about earth’s current trajectory and support for actions that would foster more sustainable pathways suggests potential social tipping points in public demand for an earth stewardship vision. Here, we draw on empirical studies and theory to show that movement toward a stewardship vision can be facilitated by changes in either policy incentives or social norms. Our novel contribution is to point out that both norms and incentives must change and can do so interactively. This can be facilitated through leverage points and complementarities across policy areas, based on values, system design, and agency. Potential catalysts include novel democratic institutions and engagement of non-governmental actors, such as businesses, civic leaders, and social movements as agents for redistribution of power. Because no single intervention will transform the world, a key challenge is to align actions to be synergistic, persistent, and scalable.     

PROTECTING BEIJLNG'S MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY THROUGH WATERSHED MANAGEMEN AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT1

ABSTRACT: Watersheds above the Miyun reservoir, a principal source of surface water for Beijing, are designated to be managed for water production, but under the principle of multiple use. Because of the scarcity of arable land, these watersheds cannot be managed only for drinking water. Efforts are under way to reduce sediment delivery, improve the quality of water entering Miyun reservoir, and improve the welfare of watershed inhabitants. An economic appraisal of a watershed management project for the 3,298‐ha Shixia watershed above the Miyun reservoir, indicates a 24 percent economic rate of return on the investment made in the project. The net present value (NPV) of the project, calculated at a discount rate of 10 percent, is approximately US$3.49 million. Sensitivity analyses indicate that a doubling of labor costs lowers the NPV to US$2.07 million and a 10 percent decrease in benefits lowered the NPV to US$2.87. It is concluded that the implementation of conservation practices on the Shixia Demonstration Watershed represent an economically efficient use of resources.     

Small-scale genetic structure in a marine population in relation to water circulation and egg characteristics

Until the last decade it was assumed that most marine species have pronounced gene flow over vast areas, largely because of their potential for dispersal during early life stages. However, recent genetic, modeling, and field studies have shown that marine populations may be structured at scales that are inconsistent with extensive dispersal of eggs and larvae. Such findings have stimulated the birth of new studies explaining the mechanisms that promote population structure and isolation in the oceans, in the face of high potential for dispersal. Here we study the vertical and horizontal distribution of cod (Gadus morhua) eggs in relation to small-scale circulation and water column hydrography in a coastal location of southern Norway. Previous studies conducted in this region have shown that cod populations inhabiting fjord locations, which are on average 30 km apart, are genetically differentiated, a remarkable outcome considering that Atlantic cod have pelagic egg stages and long pelagic larval duration. We document that cod eggs are found in greater abundance in shallow water layers, which on average are flowing up the fjord (away from the open ocean), and in the inner portion of the fjord, which is subject to lower current speeds compared to the outer or mouth of the fjord. Eggs were found to be neutrally buoyant at shallow depths, a trait that also favors local retention, given the local circulation. The same patterns held during two environmentally contrasting years. These results strongly suggest that population structure of Atlantic cod is favored and maintained by a balance between water circulation and egg characteristics.     

Assessment of the trophic status of four coastal lagoons and one estuarine delta, eastern Brazil

Anthropogenic eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems continues to be one of the major environmental issues worldwide and also of Brazil. Over the last five decades, several approaches have been proposed to discern the trophic state and the natural and cultural processes involved in eutrophication, including the multi-parameter Assessment of Estuarine Trophic Status (ASSETS) index model. This study applies ASSETS to four Brazilian lagoons (Mundaú, Manguaba, Guarapina, and Piratininga) and one estuarine delta (Paraíba do Sul River), set along the eastern Brazilian coast. The model combines three indices based on the pressure–state–response (PSR) approach to rank the trophic status and forecast the potential eutrophication of a system, to which a final ASSETS grade is established. The lagoons were classified as being eutrophic and highly susceptible to eutrophication, due primarily to their longer residence times but also their high nutrient input index. ASSETS classified the estuary of the Paraíba do Sul river with a low to moderate trophic state (e.g., largely mesotrophic) and low susceptibility to eutrophication. Its nutrient input index was high, but the natural high dilution and flushing potential driven by river flow mitigated the susceptibility to eutrophication. Eutrophication forecasting provided more favorable trends for the Mundaú and Manguaba lagoons and the Paraíba do Sul estuary, in view of the larger investments in wastewater treatment and remediation plans. The final ASSETS ranking system established the lagoons of Mundaú as “moderate,” Manguaba as “bad,” Guarapina as “poor,” and Piratininga as “bad,” whereas the Paraíba do Sul River Estuary was “good.”     

Correction to: Small-scale on-site treatment of fecal matter: comparison of treatments for resource recovery and sanitization

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13658-3     

Intersection AEB implementation strategies for left turn across path crashes

Abstract

Objective: Left turn across path with traffic from the opposite direction (LTAP/OD) is the second most frequent car-to-car intersection crash type after straight crossing path (SCP) in Germany and the United States. Intersection automated emergency braking (AEB) for passenger cars can address these crashes.

This study investigates 2 implementation strategies of intersection AEB addressing LTAP/OD crashes: (1) only the turning car is equipped with an intersection AEB and (2) turning and straight-heading cars are equipped with an intersection AEB. For each strategy, the influence of a safety zone around the vehicles that should not be entered is evaluated in terms of accident avoidance, injury mitigation, and change in velocity (delta-V) of remaining accidents. Results are given as a function of market penetration.

Methods: A total of 372 LTAP/OD crashes from the time series precrash matrix (PCM), a subsample of the German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS), were resimulated in the PRediction of Accident Evolution by Diversification of Influence factors in COmputer simulation (PRAEDICO) simulation framework. A Kudlich-Slibar rigid-body impact model and an injury risk curve derived from GIDAS were used to predict remaining moderate to fatal (Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale [MAIS] 2?+?F) injuries among car occupants.

Results: With a safety zone of 0.2 m, when the turning vehicle only was equipped with an intersection AEB, 59% of the crashes were avoided at a 100% market penetration. With both vehicles equipped the percentage increased to 77%. MAIS 2?+?F injured occupants were reduced by 60 and 76%, respectively. Considering both the turning and the straight-heading vehicles, the delta-V decreased strongly with market penetration in remaining left-side impacts but only slightly in remaining frontal and right-side impacts. Eliminating the safety zone substantially decreases effectiveness in all conditions.

Conclusions: Implementation strategy and safety zone definition strongly influence the real-life performance of intersection AEB. AEB should be applied not only for the turning vehicle but also for the straight-going vehicle to benefit from the full potential. Situationally appropriate safety zone definitions, in line with human hazard perception, need more attention and are a key to balance true positive and false positive performance. Remaining delta-V does not decrease broadly; hence, there is no evidence that future LTAP/OD crashes will be generally of lower severity. This highlights the need for continuous development of in-crash protection.     

Aiding multi-level decision-making processes for climate change mitigation and adaptation

Progress towards climate change aware regional sustainable development is affected by actions at multiple spatial scales and governance levels and equally impacts actions at these scales. Many authors and policy practitioners consider therefore that decisions over policy, mitigation strategies and capacity for adaptation to climate change require construction and coordination over multiple levels of governance to arrive at acceptable local, regional and global management strategies. However, how such processes of coordination and decision-aiding can occur and be maintained and improved over time is a major challenge in need of investigation. We take on this challenge by proposing research-supported methods of aiding multi-level decision-making processes in this context. Four example regionally focussed multi-level case studies from diverse socio-political contexts are outlined—estuarine management in Australia’s Lower Hawkesbury, flood and drought management in Bulgaria’s Upper Iskar Basin, climate policy integration in Spain’s Comunidad Valenciana and food security in Bangladesh’s Faridpur District—from which insights are drawn. Our discussion focuses on exploring these insights including: (1) the possible advantages of informal research-supported processes and specifically those that provide individual arenas of participation for different levels of stakeholders; (2) the complexity of organisation processes required for aiding multi-level decision-making processes; and (3) to what extent progress towards integrated regional policies for climate change aware sustainable development can be achieved through research-supported processes. We finish with a speculative section that provides ideas and directions for future research.     

Assessment of short and long-term effects of imidacloprid on the burrowing behaviour of two earthworm species (Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus terrestris) by using 2D and 3D post-exposure techniques

Adverse effects of agrochemicals on earthworms’ burrowing behaviour can have crucial impacts on the entire ecosystem. In the present study, we have therefore assessed short- and long-term effects on burrowing behaviour in the earthworm species Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus terrestris after exposure to a range of imidacloprid concentrations (0.2-4 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight (DW)) for different exposure times (1, 7, 14 d). 2D-terraria were used for the examination of post-exposure short-term effects (24-96 h), while post-exposure long-term effects were assessed by means of X-ray burrow reconstruction in three dimensional soil cores (6 weeks). For the latter each core was incubated with two specimens of L. terrestris and four of A. calignosa. Short-term effects on the burrowing behaviour (2D) of A. caliginosa were already detected at the lowest test concentration (0.2 mg kg⁻¹ DW), whereas such effects in L. terrestris were not observed until exposure to concentrations 10 times higher (2 mg kg⁻¹ DW). For both species tested in the 2D-terraria, “total burrow length after 24 h” and “maximal burrow depth after 24 h” were the most sensitive endpoints. 3D reconstructions of the burrow systems made by both earthworm species in the repacked soil cores revealed a significant linear decrease in burrow volume with increasing imidacloprid concentration.Since many of the observed effects occurred at imidacloprid concentrations relevant to natural conditions and since reduced activities of earthworms in soils can have crucial impacts on the ecosystem level, our results are of environmental concern.