Arctic marine mammal population status,sea ice habitat loss,and conservation recommendations for the 21st century

Arctic marine mammals (AMMs) are icons of climate change, largely because of their close association with sea ice. However, neither a circumpolar assessment of AMM status nor a standardized metric of sea ice habitat change is available. We summarized available data on abundance and trend for each AMM species and recognized subpopulation. We also examined species diversity, the extent of human use, and temporal trends in sea ice habitat for 12 regions of the Arctic by calculating the dates of spring sea ice retreat and fall sea ice advance from satellite data (1979–2013). Estimates of AMM abundance varied greatly in quality, and few studies were long enough for trend analysis. Of the AMM subpopulations, 78% (61 of 78) are legally harvested for subsistence purposes. Changes in sea ice phenology have been profound. In all regions except the Bering Sea, the duration of the summer (i.e., reduced ice) period increased by 5–10 weeks and by >20 weeks in the Barents Sea between 1979 and 2013. In light of generally poor data, the importance of human use, and forecasted environmental changes in the 21st century, we recommend the following for effective AMM conservation: maintain and improve comanagement by local, federal, and international partners; recognize spatial and temporal variability in AMM subpopulation response to climate change; implement monitoring programs with clear goals; mitigate cumulative impacts of increased human activity; and recognize the limits of current protected species legislation.     

Performance and stability of two-stage anaerobic digestion.

The stability, capacity, and solids destruction efficiency of single versus two-stage anaerobic digestion was studied in bench-scale reactors using combined waste activated and primary sludge. Laboratory staged mesophilic digesters showed an improved volatile solids and volatile suspended solids destruction efficiency over a single-stage system (at the same total solids retention time [SRT]) of approximately 3.2 and 5.8 percentage points, respectively. To quantify stability and capacity, a new digester monitoring method was introduced that measured the digester maximum acetate utilization capacity, V(max,ac), and was used to investigate the potential for digester instability at different transient loadings. The ratio of the V(max,ac) value to the estimated acetate production rate for a given digester loading was termed the acetate capacity number (ACN). Values greater than 1.0 indicate excess acetate utilization capacity. The first stage of the laboratory two-stage mesophilic system (10-day SRT for each stage) had an ACN number of 1.3 compared with a value of 1.8 for the single-stage 20-day SRT digester. Thus, while a staged mesophilic system can improve solids destruction efficiency, it demonstrates a lower capacity for metabolizing highly variable loads.     

黄河包头段不同粒径沉积物分形校正下重金属的吸附研究

推导了分粒级的表面分形维数计算公式,根据推导公式计算了分粒级沉积物的分维值.应用已有的表面分形分维计算公式分别计算了黄河包头段沉积物整体的表面分形分维(1.91)及＜63 μm粒级的分维值(1.36),揭示出黄河水环境的磨蚀和分选2个原因引起黄河包头段沉积物低的分维值.用分形校正吸附模型、Freundlich和Langmuir吸附模型对黄河包头段重金属分粒级沉积物吸附进行了拟合,表明分形校正吸附模型具有较好的适用性,同时揭示分形校正吸附模型与MEA理论结合能更好的对热力学吸附结果进行描述;由吸附结果分析得出4种重金属因粒径引起的吸附量变化程度序列为Cu＞Pb＞Zn≈Cd,初始浓度高的吸附量曲线变化较初始浓度低的曲线变化明显,同时指出Cu、Pb的吸附主要与矿物组成有关,而Zn、Cd的吸附则与吸附剂沉积物空间几何性质(或沉积物表面物理特征)有关.     

Driver mortality in frontal crashes: comparison of newer and older airbag designs

In 1997, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration amended its requirements for frontal crash performance under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 to temporarily allow 30 mi/h (48 km/h) sled tests with unbelted dummies as an alternative to 30 mi/h head-on rigid-barrier vehicle tests. This change permitted automakers to reduce airbag inflation forces so that they would be less likely to injure occupants who are close to airbags when they first deploy. Most vehicle models were sled-certified starting in model year 1998. Airbag-related deaths have decreased since 1997; however, controversy persists about whether reduced inflation forces might be decreasing protection for some occupants in high-severity frontal crashes. To examine the effects of the regulatory changes, this study computed rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for passenger vehicle driver deaths per vehicle registration during 2000-2002 at principal impact points of 12 o'clock for 1998-99 model year vehicles relative to 1997 models. Passenger vehicles included in the study had both driver and passenger front airbags, had the same essential designs during the 1997-1999 model years, and had been sled-certified for drivers throughout model years 1998 and 1999. An adjustment was made for the higher annual mileage of newer vehicles. Findings were that the effect of the regulatory change varied by vehicle type. For cars, sport utility vehicles, and minivans combined, there was an 11 percent decrease in fatality risk in frontal crashes after changing to sled certification (RR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.82-0.96). Among pickups, however, estimated frontal fatality risk increased 35 percent (RR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.12-1.62). For a broad range of frontal crashes (11, 12, and 1 o'clock combined), the results indicated a modest net benefit of the regulatory change across all vehicle types and driver characteristics. However, the contrary finding for pickups needs to be researched further.     

Collective guilt mediates the effect of beliefs about global warming on willingness to engage in mitigation behavior

The present research examines whether collective guilt for an ingroup's collective greenhouse gas emissions mediates the effects of beliefs about the causes and effects of global warming on willingness to engage in mitigation behavior. In Study 1, we manipulate the causes and effects of global warming and then measure collective guilt. Results demonstrate that collective guilt for Americans' greenhouse gas emissions is stronger when participants believe that global warming is caused by humans and will have minor effects. Study 2 employs the same manipulations and then measures collective guilt and collective anxiety, as well as willingness to conserve energy and pay green taxes. This study replicates the effect from Study 1 and rules out collective anxiety as a plausible alternative mediator. Collective guilt for Americans' greenhouse emissions was the only reliable mediator of the effect of beliefs about global warming on willingness to engage in mitigation behaviors. The importance of collective guilt as a tool for promoting global warming mitigation is discussed.     

Market reactions to Australian boutique resource investor presentations

This paper examines the market reactions to 817 investor presentations by 326 Australian resource firms and finds evidence suggesting these events are informative. Furthermore, the positive returns do not reverse over the following 15 days, which contrasts with previous investor presentation research. However, consistent with the prior literature, extended long run cumulative abnormal returns are not significantly different from zero. This paper also documents stronger reactions to first time presenting firms, presentations that are announced to the market and firms exhibiting at the Africa Downunder and Excellence in Oil & Gas conferences. There are also stronger reactions for firms with lower ownership concentration. Examining boutique resource firm investor presentations adds to the existing disclosure and dissemination literature due to the presence of relatively high information asymmetry in the extractive industries, a unique setting, which contrasts with previous studies.