Brazilian Amazonia: Industrial development and environmental monitoring

After a critical analysis of the strategies for conservation of the environment in Latin America and of large-scale development projects (agriculture and livestock raising, mining and electrical power plants) in the Amazon region of Brazil, this paper deals with the use of high-resolution satellite imagery for environmental monitoring. Two areas were considered in the study, Tucurui and Altamira. Spot/XS and Landsat/TM multispectral images were used, together with color aerial photographs of these areas. A computer-assisted visual interpretation procedure was employed to analyze images, and linear multispectral transformation was applied in selected subscenes in order to improve information extraction. The results indicate that high-resolution satellite imagery is generally compatible with the scale of the environmental problems in Amazonia and is a very efficient source of detailed information at a local scale on many aspects of the environment, in particular for monitoring changes over time in selected areas. Therefore, commercial satellite imagery, processed by specialized software, can accommodate a variety of analysis needs for decision makers and can also be an effective means of verification of international agreements on conservation of the environment in Amazonia.     

Biomonitoring of chemical elements in an urban environment using arboreal and bush plant species

Purpose  

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of using several bush and arboreal plant species, usually present as ornamental plants in street and parks, as environmental indicators of pollution. This is a research paper that evaluates the real possibility of using a fast and low-cost procedure to evaluate the pollution degree through data obtained from plant species growing within an urban environment.     

Influence of thermally activated paper sludge on the behaviour of blended cements subjected to saline and non-saline environments

Background, aim and scope  One of the problems to affect Portland cement matrices is low resistance to aggressive agents, due principally to the presence of a high content of portlandite in the hydrated cements. Pozzolanic materials have played an important role in the improving the durability of cement-based materials for decades. This work studies the behaviour of cement mortar matrices blended with 10% calcined paper sludge (source for metakaolinite) and exposed to different environmental conditions (saline and non-saline environments) after 6 and 12 months of exposure. Materials and methods  Two cements were studied: an ordinary Portland cement (CEM 1, 42.5R), acting as reference cement, and a blended cement formulated by mixing 90% (by mass) of CEM 1, 42.5R with 10% (by mass) of paper sludge calcined at 700°C for 2 h. The specimens were exposed 1 year to saline and non-saline environments. All the mineralogy samples were studied through X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyser. The in-depth study on ionic mobility was performed on samples subjected to natural exposure (coast and tableland) for 6 and 12 months. Results  Portland cement was composed of quartz, calcite, calcium hydroxide and tobermorite gels. The pozzolanic cement (10% calcined paper sludge) is of the same composition but a high calcite concentration and barium carbonate. SEM analysis from coastline show deposits of variable composition. The deposits are identified on the surface of different mineral components. The minerals from tableland are much fractured, i.e. calcite and feldspars. Inside the fractures, the deposits and the ions are located and trapped superficially. Discussion  SEM analysis of control cement Portland and 10% calcined paper sludge shows deposits on quartz and calcite with a very high concentration of Pb, Zn, Cl and barium sulphate. A very porous aspect is due to the presence of the different aggregate types. This porous configuration permits retention of the ion environment. The pozzolanic cement in environments subject to the saline mist favours the retention and transport of ions observed. Something similar also happens with the increase in exposure to outdoor weather. Non-saline samples show temperature changes (ice or thaw cycles). Barium retention is kept on the surface in fracture lines by the gelification processes. In general, it may be inferred that an increase in exposure time increases the diffusion of ions towards test piece interiors. The chemical composition profiles show that the ions present different penetration speeds. Conclusions  The results indicate the better vulnerability of pozzolanic cements from calcined paper sludge in saline and non-saline environments. The cements with a 10% addition of calcined paper sludge favour retention and transport of ion has been observed. Recommendations and perspectives  Today, projects are centred on a new recycling line for industrial waste of this kind, with special attention on its incorporation in cement manufacture as a pozzolanic material, setting the most appropriate activation conditions of the mineralogical compound in this waste (kaolinite and metakaolinite) and taking them as a starting point for this project. The use of pozzolanic cement with 10% addition of calcined paper sludge is a system which favours ionic retention.     

Using certified timber extraction to benefit jaguar and ecosystem conservation

The jaguar Panthera onca requires large areas of relatively intact habitats containing adequate amounts of prey to survive. Since a substantial portion of jaguar range occurs outside of strict protected areas, there is a need for economic incentives for habitat conservation, which carefully managed selective logging can provide. Forest Stewardship Council and Pan European Forest Council certifications intended to regulate wood extraction to maintain the ecological functions of forests require evidence of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. We draw on twelve surveys across four countries and a range of biomes to present evidence that adequate logging management can maintain jaguar populations, but that they are at risk without efficient control of secondary impacts of access and hunting. Where resident, the presence of jaguars can serve as an indication that the ecological requirements of certified timber extraction are being met. We present a gradient of rigor for monitoring, recommending cost-effective options.     

The transboundariness approach and prioritization of transboundary aquifers between Mexico and Texas

“Transboundariness” refers to a new approach that identifies and prioritizes transboundary aquifers using socio-economic and political criteria, improving their characterization by using other variables in addition to their mere physical boundaries. This approach is applied to the hydrogeological units/aquifers shared by Mexico and Texas, with the following results. First, the rankings agree with the current level of attention to transboundary aquifers in the region by both countries, providing a quantifiable system that could be tested in other transboundary aquifers. Second, this approach provides a holistic and integrative perspective for transboundary aquifer assessment and prioritization. Third, this prioritization exercise expands the criteria currently used into a more integrative regime of groundwater links to the community as a whole. Finally, the results reflect not only how the transboundary aquifers are being used (or neglected) but also the socio-political context of the populations that depend on these resources for current and future development.     

Naticid snail predation on early post-settlement surfclams (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spisula solidissima</Emphasis>) on the inner continental shelf of New Jersey,USA

Naticid gastropod predators leave characteristic boreholes in the shells of their bivalve prey that allow the evaluation of spatial differences in occurrence and intensity of predation. This approach, extensively used in paleobiological research, was used to compare spatial variation in predation by moonsnails (Euspira heros Say) on initial recruits of the Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima Dillwyn). A four-year sampling at two 12-m deep stations on either flank of Beach Haven Ridge on the inner continental shelf detected temporal and spatial differences in surfclam densities following a large settlement pulse in early July. Between-station density differences were large during the first peak in surfclam density, but decreased in August-September, when densities at both stations also decreased. Surfclam seasonal peaks were followed by peaks in density of articulated shells (recent mortality due to non-crustacean predators and/or intrinsic mortality) and surfclams with boreholes (mortality due to naticids). The proportion of surfclams with boreholes was consistently higher (more than twice, on average) at the station where the highest densities of surfclams were also detected. These spatial differences are interpreted as differences in predation intensity resulting from a corresponding higher abundance of moonsnails at the same station. Although naticid predation is not the primary source of surfclam mortality, it consistently contributes to the reduction of spatial differences in density initially created by dissimilar levels of larval surfclam settlement.     

Nation‐building policies in Timor‐Leste: disaster risk reduction,including climate change adaptation

Few studies have explored the relationships between nation‐building, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Focusing on small island developing states, this paper examines nation‐building in Timor‐Leste, a small island developing state that recently achieved independence. Nation‐building in Timor‐Leste is explored in the context of disaster risk reduction, which necessarily includes climate change adaptation. The study presents a synopsis of Timor‐Leste's history and its nation‐building efforts as well as an overview of the state of knowledge of disaster risk reduction including climate change adaptation. It also offers an analysis of significant gaps and challenges in terms of vertical and horizontal governance, large donor presence, data availability and the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for nation‐building in Timor‐Leste. Relevant and applicable lessons are provided from other small island developing states to assist Timor‐Leste in identifying its own trajectory out of underdevelopment while it builds on existing strengths.     

The Syrian refugee crisis: how local governments and NGOs manage their image via social media

This study, based on situational crisis communication theory and set in the context of the Syrian refugee crisis, seeks first to conduct a comparative analysis of the management of online citizen engagement by local governments and non‐governmental organisations (NGOs). Second, it aims to examine the relationship between certain factors pertaining to the types of responses submitted by citizens via the social media of the aforementioned actors. The sample is composed of several Spanish local governments and NGOs belonging to Red de Municipios de Acogida de Refugiados (Local Government Network for Refugee Allocation). The main findings are that NGOs' online engagement with citizens is more than that of local governments. Notably, NGOs are much more active on their Facebook pages than are local governments. The two actors converge, though, in terms of disseminating instructive information and paying less attention to ‘basic crisis response options’. Moreover, the factors ‘content type’, ‘reputation’, and ‘woman’ affect the type of response messages sent by citizens.     

Brown trout as a sentinel organism for organic pollution in the field using catalytic and immunochemical assays of cytochrome P-450 1A

The measurement in some living organisms of adequate biomarkers (e.g. cytochrome P-450) to assess the organic pollution in freshwater ecosystems is well established. However, the sensitivity of this approach depends on the analytical measurement method employed and on the chosen living organism for the biomonitoring. Three analytical methods were compared for measuring cytochrome P-450 1A levels in wild brown trout (Salmo trutta): a catalytic one, based on measurement of the ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, and two immunochemical methods, namely, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blotting. The P-450 1A levels in those animals from a river located in an industrialized area (Trubia River, Northern Spain) and also from individuals living in a low-contamination reference area have been studied. Significant differences (Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.01) between rivers were found (ELISA and EROD assays), with the values for Trubia river being similar to those observed in laboratory experiments with well known P-450 1A inducers. However, no significant differences were observed in terms of sex and age. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of a single band of 56 kDa (corresponding with P-450 1 A protein) in microsomes of fish caught in the Trubia river. On the other hand, and associated with the chemical analysis of PAHs in the waters of both rivers by SPME-GC-MS, high levels of naphthalene (P-450 1A inducer) in the contaminated river were found. In brief, a wide difference between basal levels and P-450 1A induction levels could be detected in trout living in natural field conditions using both EROD activity assay and immunochemical methods. Therefore, brown trout could constitute a good sentinel organism to biomonitor the exposure to PAHs in rivers using P-450 1A measurements.     

Leachate chemistry of field-weathered spent mushroom substrate

Passive leaching by rainfall and snowmelt is a popular method to treat piles of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) before its reuse. During this field weathering process, leachate percolates into the underlying soils. A field study was conducted to examine the chemistry of SMS leachate and effects of infiltration. Two SMS piles were deposited (90 and 150 cm in height) over a Typic Hapludult and weathered for 24 mo. Leachate was collected biweekly using passive capillary samplers. The SMS leachate contained high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC; 0.8-11.0 g L(-1)), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; 0.1-2 g L(-1)), and inorganic salts. The pH, electrical conductivity, and acid neutralizing capacity were 6.6 to 9.0, 21 to 66 ds m(-1), and 10 to 75 mmolc L(-1), respectively. Inorganic chemistry of the leachate was dominated by K+, Cl-, and SO24-. Leachate DOC was predominantly low molecular weight (<1000 Da) organic acids. During 2 yr of weathering, the 90-cm SMS pile released (per cubic meter of SMS) 3.0 kg of DOC, 1.6 kg of dissolved N, and 26.6 kg of inorganic salts. The 150-cm pile released (per cubic meter of SMS) 2.8 kg of DOC, 0.7 kg of dissolved N, and 13.6 kg of inorganic salts. The 150 cm pile retained more water and exhibited lower net nitrification compared with the 90-cm pile. The top 90 cm of soil retained 20 to 89% of the leachate solutes. Weathering of SMS in piles of 90 cm depth or greater may adversely affect ground water quality.