Fuel consumption, emissions estimation, and emissions cost estimates using global positioning data

The methodology laid out in this paper shows that typical operational data from vehicle fleets monitored by a global positioning system (GPS) can be used to estimate heavy-duty diesel vehicle (HDDV) emissions, thereby enabling waste managers and governing bodies to internalize the responsibility for socioenvironmental costs traditionally absorbed by external parties. Although municipal solid waste (MSW) collection vehicles are the subjects of this particular study, the methodology presented here can be applied to any fleet of vehicles monitored by GPS. This study indicates that MSW collection trucks may be considerably less fuel efficient in the field than published values for HDDV fuel efficiency suggest. The average fuel efficiency of one MSW collection truck was estimated as 0.90 +/- 0.44 km/L (2.12 +/- 1.03 mi/gal). This same truck would generate approximately 42 metric tons of CO2 equivalents/yr, which is comparable to the greenhouse gas emissions of a large sport utility vehicle driving six times the distance, in town, for a year. In terms of the impacts such emissions have, projections for the monetary cost of emissions are available but highly variable. They suggest that the external monetary costs of emissions range between 6 and 39% of the annual fuel costs for the studied MSW collection truck. The results of this study indicate a need for further research into valuation of the hidden, external costs of emissions, borne by local and global socioecological communities. The possible implications of this result include poorly advised fleet procurement decisions and underestimation of MSW collection fleet emissions.     

NUTRIENT MASS BALANCE AND TRENDS,MOBILE RIVER BASIN,ALABAMA, GEORGIA,AND MISSISSIPPI1

ABSTRACT: A nutrient mass balance — accounting for nutrient inputs from atmospheric deposition, fertilizer, crop nitrogen fixation, and point source effluents; and nutrient outputs, including crop harvest and storage — was calculated for 18 subbasins in the Mobile River Basin, and trends (1970 to 1997) were evaluated as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Agricultural nonpoint nitrogen and phosphorus sources and urban nonpoint nitrogen sources are the most important factors associated with nutrients in this system. More than 30 percent of nitrogen yield in two basins and phosphorus yield in eight basins can be attributed to urban point source nutrient inputs. The total nitrogen yield (1.3 tons per square mile per year) for the Tombigbee River, which drains a greater percentage of agricultural (row crop) land use, was larger than the total nitrogen yield (0.99 tons per square mile per year) for the Alabama River. Decreasing trends of total nitrogen concentrations in the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers indicate that a reduction occurred from 1975 to 1997 in the nitrogen contributions to Mobile Bay from the Mobile River. Nitrogen concentrations also decreased (1980 to 1995) in the Black Warrior River, one of the major tributaries to the Tombigbee River. Total phosphorus concentrations increased from 1970 to 1996 at three urban influenced sites on the Etowah River in Georgia. Multiple regression analysis indicates a distinct association between water quality in the streams of the Mobile River drainage basin and agricultural activities in the basin.     

Adapting the bioblitz to meet conservation needs

When conservation strategies require new, field‐based information, practitioners must find the best ways to rapidly deliver high‐quality survey data. To address this challenge, several rapid‐assessment approaches have been developed since the early 1990s. These typically involve large areas, take many months to complete, and are not appropriate when conservation‐relevant survey data are urgently needed for a specific locale. In contrast, bioblitzes are designed for quick collection of site‐specific survey data. Although bioblitzes are commonly used to achieve educational or public‐engagement goals, conservation practitioners are increasingly using a modified bioblitz approach to generate conservation‐relevant data while simultaneously enhancing research capacity and building working partnerships focused on conservation concerns. We term these modified events expert bioblitzes. Several expert bioblitzes have taken place on lands of conservation concern in Southern California and have involved collaborative efforts of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, botanic gardens, museums, and universities. The results of expert bioblitzes directly informed on‐the‐ground conservation and decision‐making; increased capacity for rapid deployment of expert bioblitzes in the future; and fostered collaboration and communication among taxonomically and institutionally diverse experts. As research and conservation funding becomes increasingly scarce, expert bioblitzes can play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation.     

The Sensitivity of California Water Resources to Climate Change Scenarios1

Abstract: Using the latest available General Circulation Model (GCM) results we present an assessment of climate change impacts on California hydrology and water resources. The approach considers the output of two GCMs, the PCM and the HadCM3, run under two different greenhouse gas (GHG) emission scenarios: the high emission A1fi and the low emission B1. The GCM output was statistically downscaled and used in the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) macroscale distributed hydrologic model to derive inflows to major reservoirs in the California Central Valley. Historical inflows used as inputs to the water resources model CalSim II were modified to represent the climate change perturbed conditions for water supply deliveries, reliability, reservoir storage and changes to variables of environmental concern. Our results show greater negative impacts to California hydrology and water resources than previous assessments of climate change impacts in the region. These impacts, which translate into smaller streamflows, lower reservoir storage and decreased water supply deliveries and reliability, will be especially pronounced later in the 21st Century and south of the San Francisco bay Delta. The importance of considering how climate change impacts vary for different temporal, spatial, and institutional conditions in addition to the average impacts is also demonstrated.     

Demonstration of GIS Capabilities for Fisheries Management Decisions: Analysis of Acquisition Potential Within the Meramec River Basin

/ Geographic information systems (GIS) allow users to explore possible spatial relations that may exist within their data. At the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), GIS data is being used to help make management decisions. Thirteen geographic data layers of the Meramec River Basin, Missouri, were used to help demonstrate the usefulness of GIS for making fisheries management decisions. The data were used to help identify potential acquisition areas within the Meramec River Basin. The basin was separated into 22 strata based on ecoregion boundaries, watershed boundaries, and stream order. Suitability for acquisition was determined for each stratum based on species richness, habitat characteristics, percent of public land, and number of human impacts, such as gravel and ore mining. Eleven strata scored high enough to be recommended as potential acquisition areas. After further evaluation of the 11 strata, three were chosen as areas where available land and willing sellers should be considered. Four strata needed more sampling before land within them should be considered for acquisition. The final four were considered low priority because there was already a considerable amount of public land present in the strata. The analysis was helpful in allowing managers to focus in on a smaller area for acquisition consideration; 91% of the area was eliminated from the analysis. Instead of having to survey every parcel of land that becomes available, parcels that don't fall within the recommended strata can be eliminated without further investigation.     

Using persuasive messages to encourage voluntary hearing protection among coal miners

INTRODUCTION: This longitudinal field study was designed to encourage Appalachian coal miners in West Virginia and Pennsylvania to engage in hearing-protection behaviors. METHOD: Participants were mailed postcards that featured either a positive, negative, or neutral message on the outside of the postcard and a message encouraging hearing protection behaviors on the inside. The first posttest measurement of the effectiveness of the persuasive messages was conducted about a week after the postcards were mailed. The delayed posttest measurement was conducted six weeks later. RESULTS: Responses from 307 coal miners revealed that the positive or neutral messages generated significantly more self-reported hearing protection behaviors than the negative message. Identical results were obtained in a delayed posttest assessment of miners' self-reported hearing protection behaviors. The positive message was also more effective than either the neutral or negative message in preventing defensive mechanisms from emerging over time. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Positive and neutral messages were convincingly more successful than negative messages in facilitating self-reported hearing protection behaviors among coal miners. Similarly, the positive messages kept defensive processes at bay.     

Occurrence of Sediment-Bound Pyrethroids in Danish Streams and their Impact on Ecosystem Function

In a total of 189 water samples collected from Danish streams no traces of the pyrethroid esfenvalerate were detected. However, pyrethroids have previously been found in sediments in 9 out of 30 streams investigated. We found that the shredding activity of the Trichopteran Sericostoma personatum and the amphipod Gammarus pulex was significantly reduced with increased concentration of the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalohtrin adsorbed to the leaves on which they fed. Predation rate on the Plecopteran Leuctra nigra by the leech Erpobdella octoculata increased significantly with increasing concentration of lambda-cyhalothrin on the leaves on which L. nigra was fed. Our results clearly indicate that the ongoing monitoring of pesticides is likely to underestimate pyrethroid occurrence and that sediment-bound pyrethroids have a potential negative impact on ecosystem function and biotic interactions in streams.