Sampling of Sparse Species with Probability Proportional to Prediction

In this article, a 3P sampling (Probability Proportional to Prediction) approach is presented for surveying sparse species connected to certain types of substrates. The method uses the surveyors judgement of the probability of finding the species on a substrate as the base for selection of substrates for species inventories. The method is presented together with estimators, variances and variance estimators. The method is first presented for sampling based on all substrates in a study area and then as a subsampling technique in a two-stage design in which plots or strips are selected in a first stage. The presented approach was evaluated as a subsampling technique in a strip survey of calicioid lichen species associated with coarse broadleaf trees. In comparison with a simple random subsampling without replacement, 3P subsampling was in one study area found to be an improvement with 30–55% in terms of standard errors. The improvement was more modest in the other study area, only between 10–16%. The strip survey with 3P subsampling was more cost-efficient than a strip survey without subsampling except in one case. Based on the results in the test, 3P sampling seems to have a potential for sampling sparse species.     

Commentary: Status of road safety in Asia

Objectives: The objective of this article is to assess the status of road safety in Asia and present accident and injury prevention strategies based on global road safety improvement experiences and discuss the way forward by indicating opportunities and countermeasures that could be implemented to achieve a new level of safety in Asia.

Methods: This study provides a review and analyses of data in the literature, including from the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank, and a review of lessons learned from best practices in high-income countries. In addition, an estimation of costs due to road transport injuries in Asia and review of future trends in road transport is provided.

Results: Data on the global and Asian road safety problem and status of prevention strategies in Asia as well as recommendations for future actions are discussed. The total number of deaths due to road accidents in the 24 Asian countries, encompassing 56% of the total world population, is 750,000 per year (statistics 2010). The total number of injuries is more than 50 million, of which 12% are hospital admissions. The loss to the economy in the 24 Asian countries is estimated to around US$800 billion or 3.6% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

Conclusions: This article clearly shows that road safety is causing large problems and high costs in Asia, with an enormous impact on the well-being of people, economy, and productivity. In many Asian low- and middle-income countries, the yearly number of fatalities and injuries is increasing. Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists combined) are particularly at risk. Road safety in Asia should be given rightful attention, including taking powerful, effective actions. This review stresses the need for reliable accident data, because there is considerable underreporting in the official statistics. Reliable accident data are imperative to determine evidence-based intervention strategies and monitor the success of these interventions and analyses. On the other hand, lack of good high-quality accident data should not be an excuse to postpone interventions. There are many opportunities for evidence-based transport safety improvements, including measures concerning the 5 key risk factors: speed, drunk driving, not wearing motorcycle helmets, not wearing seat belts, and not using child restraints in cars, as specified in the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020. In this commentary, a number of additional measures are proposed that are not covered in the Decade of Action Plan. These new measures include separate roads or lanes for pedestrians and cyclists; helmet wearing for e-bike riders; special attention to elderly persons in public transportation; introduction of emerging collision avoidance technologies, in particular automatic emergency braking (AEB) and alcohol locks; improved truck safety focusing on the other road user (including blind spot detection technology; underride protection at the front, rear, and side; and energy-absorbing fronts); and improvements in motorcycle safety concerning protective clothing, requirements for advanced braking systems, improved visibility of motorcycles by using daytime running lights, and better guardrails.     

Coupling Flow Analysis With Geochemical and Microbiological Analyses to Assess the Bioremediation Feasibility of a Contaminated Aquifer

An integrated approach combining classic and molecular microbiological methods, “in vitro” bioremediation assays and groundwater numerical modeling, has been established to identify optimized solutions for remediating aquifers contaminated with organic pollutants. Bacteria have been isolated from an aquifer contaminated with toluene and methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE), selected for their growth with contaminants as a sole carbon source and identified through 16S rDNA partial sequencing. Successive biodegradation laboratory tests have been performed to determine which chemical conditions were more appropriate for the isolated bacteria to more efficiently oxidize toluene and MTBE. A groundwater model was created using FEFLOW code first to determine the movement of the plume front and second to simulate the impact of the biodegradation processes along the groundwater flow directions based on the bioremediation rates obtained in the laboratory. The results show that this innovative and interdisciplinary model can be used to assist in developing monitoring and remediation plans for cleaning up complex contaminated groundwater sites. This approach successfully combines the identification of the optimum biogeochemical conditions for bacterial biodegradation to occur with the predictability of the development of the process over time, ensuring decisive support in the management of contaminated sites. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The role of life histories and trophic interactions in population recovery

Factors affecting population recovery from depletion are at the focus of wildlife management. Particularly, it has been debated how life‐history characteristics might affect population recovery ability and productivity. Many exploited fish stocks have shown temporal changes towards earlier maturation and reduced adult body size, potentially owing to evolutionary responses to fishing. Whereas such life‐history changes have been widely documented, their potential role on stock's ability to recover from exploitation often remains ignored by traditional fisheries management. We used a marine ecosystem model parameterized for Southeastern Australian ecosystem to explore how changes towards “faster” life histories might affect population per capita growth rate r. We show that for most species changes towards earlier maturation during fishing have a negative effect (3–40% decrease) on r during the recovery phase. Faster juvenile growth and earlier maturation were beneficial early in life, but smaller adult body sizes reduced the lifetime reproductive output and increased adult natural mortality. However, both at intra‐ and inter‐specific level natural mortality and trophic position of the species were as important in determining r as species longevity and age of maturation, suggesting that r cannot be predicted from life‐history traits alone. Our study highlights that factors affecting population recovery ability and productivity should be explored in a multi‐species context, where both age‐specific fecundity and survival schedules are addressed simultaneously. It also suggests that contemporary life‐history changes in harvested species are unlikely to increase their resilience and recovery ability.     

Spent sulfuric acid plant catalyst: valuable resource of vanadium or risky residue? Process comparison for environmental implications

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The enormous amount of spent catalysts generated worldwide may pose a risk to the environment because of their high load of metals, including...     

Entropy maximizing evolutionary design optimization of water distribution networks under multiple operating conditions

Environment Systems and Decisions - The informational entropy model for flow networks was formulated over 30 years ago by Tanyimboh and Templeman (University of Liverpool, UK) for a single...     

Migratory and resident blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus differ in their reaction to a novel object

Individuals differ consistently in their behavioural reactions towards novel objects and new situations. Reaction to novelty is one part of a suit of individually consistent behaviours called coping strategies or personalities and is often summarised as bold or shy behaviour. Coping strategies could be particularly important for migrating birds exposed to novel environments on their journeys. We compared the average approach latencies to a novel object among migrants and residents in partially migratory blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus. In this test, we found migrating blue tits to have shorter approach latencies than had resident ones. Behavioural reactions to novelty can affect the readiness to migrate and short approach latency may have an adaptive value during migration. Individual behaviour towards novelty might be incorporated among the factors associated with migratory or resident behaviour in a partially migratory population.