Detecting water quality patterns in New Hampshire’s estuaries using National Coastal Assessment probability-based survey data

Between 2000 and 2006, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the University of New Hampshire collected water quality samples at 25 to 40 stations per year in a 56.5-km² estuary as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Coastal Assessment program. Due to the high density of stations, probabilistic statistics for the estuary could be calculated with low uncertainty. The proportions of the estuary exceeding thresholds in each year were calculated for temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, nitrogen as nitrate and nitrite, nitrogen as ammonium, phosphorus as orthophosphate, total suspended solids, and fecal coliform bacteria. These values were tested for trends over time and correlations with climate variables. The same statistical tests were applied to monthly grab sample data from a representative station in the estuary. The outcomes of the statistical tests on the two datasets were compared to determine if they provided similar information to coastal managers. Trends and correlations were equally likely to be detected using the probability-based data and the fixed station data, but the results were different for the two datasets. The differences were likely due to the distributed nature of the probability-based sampling design, which places stations in all sections of the estuary. In addition, expressing the probabilistic datasets as estimated proportions reduced variability in volatile parameters, such as bacteria, relative to the grab sample dataset. It will be important to develop tools to rectify trends from probability-based surveys with fixed station monitoring to provide clear information to managers.     

A framework for the management of sand dune systems in Wales

The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) is developing a management framework with the primary aim of restoring favourable conservation status to the sand dune resource of Wales. It will take onboard the requirements of both national and international conservation legislation and will also help CCW integrate its responsibilities for biodiversity, geodiversity, landscape, access and recreation for this habitat. In order to achieve certain conservation goals it will be necessary to have in place a variety of different types of management ranging from non- or minimal intervention through to intensive single species management and habitat re-creation. However, it will not provide a comprehensive framework for all aspects of site management, but only those that are deemed to be of strategic importance, and have significance within an all-Wales perspective for their nature conservation importance.     

RELATIVE REGIONAL VULNERABILITY OF WATER RESOURCES TO CLIMATE CHANGE1

ABSTRACT: Changes in global climate may alter hydrologic conditions and have a variety of effects on human settlements and ecological systems. The effects include changes in water supply and quality for domestic, irrigation, recreational, commercial, and industrial uses; in instream flows that support aquatic ecosystems, recreation uses, hydropower, navigation, and wastewater assimilation; in wetland extent and productivity that support fish, wildlife, and wastewater assimilation; and in the frequency and severity of floods. Watersheds where water resources are stressed under current climate are most likely to be vulnerable to changes in mean climate and extreme events. This study identified key aspects of water supply and use that could be adversely affected by climate change, developed measures and criteria useful for assessing the vulnerability of regional water resources and water dependent resources to climate change, developed a regional database of water sensitive variables consistent with the vulnerability measures, and applied the criteria in a regional study of the vulnerability of U.S. water resources. Key findings highlight the vulnerability of consumptive uses in the western and, in particular, the southwestern United States. However, southern United States watersheds are relatively more vulnerable to changes in water quality, flooding, and other instream uses.     

Genetic structure of summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) populations north and south of Cape Hatteras

Genetic divergence among samples of summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus, Linnaeus) was estimated to evaluate the effect of Cape Hatteras, a well-known zoogeographic barrier in the western Atlantic Ocean, on intraspecific gene flow. Previous studies based on meristic and morphometric variation and tagging data suggested that gene flow might be limited among summer flounder populations north and south of Cape Hatteras, although the high vagility of both juveniles and adults suggests otherwise. We analyzed genetic diversity revealed in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region in samples of juveniles and adults collected in 1992 to 1996 from coastal sites from Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts to Charleston, South Carolina. In contrast to previous morphological studies, analyses of mtDNA variation reveal no significant population subdivision centered around Cape Hatteras. Received: 17 September 1997 / Accepted: 8 September 1998     

A PROPOSED APPROACH TO COORDINATION OF WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS1

ABSTRACT: The planning and developing of water resources to meet the country's needs for water supply, flood control, hydroelectric power, irrigation, and navigation now needs to take more account of environmental needs and regulations. Water resource development is often beneficial to the environment, but may also be harmful, as in cases involving salmon and various other endangered species. As a national objective, the environment must be preserved and in some cases restored; but how can this be done consistent with other national objectives, relating to life and welfare of human beings? This problem has aroused the concern of many engineers and water scientists. As a result, a national conference on this subject was held in Chicago in June 1998, as an integral part of ASCE's Annual Conference on Water Resources Planning and Management and the Annual Conference on Environmental Engineering. At the conclusion of that conference, a post-conference meeting was held by a group of prominent water resource practitioners. It was concluded at this meeting that action should be taken by our government to establish a new form of interagency approach, involving the states, as a means of coordination in cases of national importance.     

Is the bat os penis sexually selected?

. The mammalian os penis or baculum is an extremely diverse bone but our understanding of the selective forces behind this diversity remains poor. While genital morphology is generally assumed to be sexually selected, there have been relatively few attempts to test this hypothesis. Here we investigate associations between baculum length and two measures of sexual selection intensity (mating system and testis mass) across bats. Analyses were conducted using both species-level data and phylogenetic comparative techniques. Controlling for the effect of male body mass, baculum length was positively associated with relative testis mass in all cross-species analyses. Additionally, in an analysis that also included mating system, there was an interaction between testis mass, body mass and mating system that significantly influenced baculum length. However, after using independent contrasts to control for phylogenetic inertia in these data, baculum length was not significantly associated with mating system, testis mass or body mass. Thus, increased length of the baculum in bats appears not to be associated with increased sperm competition risk or sexual selection intensity.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in feathers of colonial water-bird species from Pakistan

Feathers of two colonial water-birds species (Bubulcus ibis, Egretta garzetta) from four heronries in the Punjab province, Pakistan were analysed for 28 Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) congeners. Median concentrations of ∑PBDEs were 2.41 and 1.91 ng/g in little and cattle egrets. PBDE-47, -100, -138, -153 were abundant and detected in >70% of feather samples in both species. Species-specific differences based on dietary preferences indicated higher concentration of PBDE-47, -66, -75, -100, -153, -154, and -183 in fish eating little egret. BDE-47 and -100 were more frequent in little egrets and BDE-99 was more dominant in cattle egret which feed on terrestrial habitat. Higher ∑hexa- and hepta-BDEs congeners showed larger concentrations in feathers from heronries close to water bodies which receive urban and industrial effluents whereas lower-brominated congeners (BDE-47-BDE-100) dominated in rural/agricultural regions. Hazard quotients (HQs) indicated that measured ∑PBDEs pose no risk to egret population.     

Workers' exposure to dust, endotoxin and β-(1-3) glucan at four large-scale composting facilities

Objectives

To characterise compost workers’ exposure to dust, endotoxin and β-(1-3) glucan during various operational practices and investigate whether dust concentrations are a useful indicator of endotoxin exposure in compost workers.

Methods

This study assessed inhalable dust fractions, bacterial endotoxin and β-(1-3) glucan in 117 personal samples and 88 ambient samples from four large-scale composting facilities.

Results

Employees’ exposures to inhalable dust, endotoxin and β-(1-3) glucan exhibited a large range. Inhalable dust was found to be generally low (GM 0.99 mg/m³, GSD 2.99 mg/m³). Analysis of the biological component of the dust showed that employees’ exposures to endotoxin were elevated (GM 35.10 EU/m³, GSD 9.97 EU/m³). Employees’ exposure to β-(1-3) glucan was low (GM 0.98 ng/m³, GSD 13.39 ng/m³). Dust levels were elevated during manual sorting and screening of waste and high levels of endotoxin and β-(1-3) glucan were observed during all practices involving the movement of waste. A significant correlation was observed between the personal dust levels and personal endotoxin concentrations (r = 0.783, p < 0.05) and that personal inhalable dust concentration may be a valuable predictor for personal endotoxin concentration in the sites studied.

Conclusions

Workers at composting sites are exposed to high levels of bacterial endotoxin consistent with adverse respiratory outcomes even though in most cases, their personal dust exposure is below the suggested regulatory levels. Dose-response data for the biological components present in the dust encountered at composting sites are not well established at this time and site operators should adopt precautionary measures when assessing and managing these potential risks.     

Calculating the benefit to workers of averting a radiation exposure lasting longer than the working lifetime

The J-value method enables health and safety schemes aimed at preserving or extending life to be assessed on a common, objective basis for the first time, irrespective of industrial sector. For this it requires an estimate of the improvement in life expectancy that the health and safety scheme will bring about. This paper extends the range of nuclear-safety-system lifetimes for which it is possible to calculate the increased life expectancy amongst nuclear-plant workers whose radiation exposure the safety system has reduced. Whereas the previous mathematical technique was able to cater for a nuclear-safety-system lifetime up to the working lifetime of the nuclear-plant workers (typically between 45 and 50 years), the new method extends without limit the range of tractable, safety-system lifetimes. This is important now that the design lifetime of nuclear power stations can be up to 60 years. The development will also facilitate the assessment of safety systems and procedures to protect workers on long-term nuclear decommissioning and waste sites; in the latter case, the service life-time could be hundreds of years. The case when the safety-system lifetime is greater than the working lifetime is addressed by splitting the workforce into a set of three cohorts, one for existing workers and two for new recruits. The discounted life expectancy is found for each cohort, and then a weighted average is used to give the overall value. An additional mathematical device is then used to reduce the number of cohorts required from three to two, namely existing workers and new recruits. A similar mathematical device is applied (in Appendix A) to reduce from three to two the number of workforce cohorts needed when the length of the safety system's service lifetime is less than the working lifetime. Finally, a further mathematical instrument is incorporated in the model equations, which allows a unified treatment to be applied to each of the cohorts, existing workers and new recruits, across all possible service lifetimes of a nuclear safety system. Since new results on gain in life expectancy may be fed into a J-value analysis, this development extends significantly the range of nuclear-safety systems for which the J-value technique may be used to measure cost-effectiveness.