Temporal changes in wetland landscapes of a section of the St. Lawrence River,Canada

Historical aerial photographs (from 1946 through 1983) were used to study and describe the nature and extent of changes in wetland vegetation of a section of the St. Lawrence River and to evaluate the relative importance of water level, fire, and vegetational development as causal factors of these historical changes. Data were encoded and analyzed using a geographical information system, autocorrelation, and Mantel tests. Results show three temporal patterns in wetland dynamics. First, some wetland zones have been reduced by human activities (urbanization, landfilling, canal dredging). The second group consists of wetland areas that remain stable and do not change over time. They are generally protected sites artificially maintained by water-level control. A third situation has occurred in the Lake Saint-François National Wildlife Area, where no significant wetland losses were detected, but where landscape structure has changed greatly. Modeling with Mantel tests suggests that, in the latter case, these changes in wetland landscape are related to the suppression of burning (fires set deliberately by Indians) since the purchase of the territory by the Canadian federal government. This situation has caused rapid replacement of wet meadows byAlnus rugosa scrub and a possible decline in habitat diversity.     

Trends and patterns in section 404 permitting requiring compensatory mitigation in Oregon and Washington,USA

The effects of permitting decisions made under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for which compensatory mitigation was required were examined. Information was compiled on permits issued in Oregon (January 1977–January 1987) and Washington (1980–1986). Data on the type of project permitted, wetland impacted, and mitigation project were collected and analyzed. The records of the Portland and Seattle District Offices of the US Army Corps of Engineers and of Environmental Protection Agency Region X were the primary sources of information. The 58 permits issued during the years of concern in Oregon document impacts to 82 wetlands and the creation of 80. The total area of wetland impacted was 74 ha while 42 ha were created, resulting in a net loss of 32 ha or 43%. The 35 permits issued in Washington document impacts to 72 wetlands and the creation of 52. The total area of wetland impacted was 61 ha while 45 ha were created, resulting in a net loss of 16 ha or 26%. In both states, the number of permits requiring compensation increased with time. The area of the impacted and created wetlands tended to be ≤0.40 ha. Permitted activity occurred primarily west of the Cascade Mountains and in the vicinity of urban centers. Estuarine and palustrine wetlands were impacted and created most frequently. The wetland types created most often were not always the same as those impacted; therefore, local gains and losses of certain types occurred. In both states the greatest net loss in area was in freshwater marshes. This study illustrates how Section 404 permit data might be used in managing a regional wetland resource. However, because the data readily available were either incomplete or of poor quality, the process of gathering information was very labor intensive. Since similar analyses would be useful to resource managers and scientists from other areas, development of an up-to-date standardized data base is recommended.     

Blue Tits use fledgling quantity and quality as public information in breeding site choice

Public information (PI), which is the information that can be derived from the behavior and performance of conspecifics, has been demonstrated to be used in many fitness-enhancing decisions. In the context of breeding habitat choice, PI use has been called "habitat copying." We experimentally tested the existence of habitat copying in the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), a nonmigratory, short-lived hole-nesting bird. We manipulated the mean number of fledglings raised locally (quantity) and their condition (quality) as components of PI by transferring nestlings from Decreased (D) patches to Increased (I) patches. Our manipulations caused a negative relationship between fledgling quantity and quality that does not exist naturally: I patches had a higher number of fledglings that were in poorer condition, whereas D patches had a lower number in better condition. Control (C) patches, whether manipulated or not, had intermediate levels in terms of fledgling quantity and quality. Adult emigration the following year was higher from D than from C or I patches. Similarly, adult dispersal distance decreased for individuals coming from D to C to I patches. This suggests that resident breeders rely mainly on fledgling quantity to make emigration decisions. Emigration patterns of juveniles did not vary in relation to our patch manipulation. Immigration rates were higher and similar in I and D patches than in C patches. Hence, immigrant Blue Tits seem to rely on one of the manipulated components of PI and are insensitive to the discrepancy between fledgling quantity and quality. This shows that even nonmigratory species, such as Blue Tits, may use PI in their dispersal decisions but weigh its components differently for emigration and immigration. Differences among species in the importance of PI in breeding habitat choices may be explained by differences in life histories.     

Entwicklung und Einsatz eines standardisierten Labortests für Dungkäfer (Aphodius constans) zur Prüfung der Ökotoxizität von Veterinärpharmaka

Goal, Scope, and Background

According to European legislation, an environmental risk assessment of veterinary pharmaceuticals for dung beetles is required if the substance is a parasiticide for the treatment of pasture animals. However, the demonstration of the environmental safety of those substances for dung beetles is strongly hampered by the fact that no standardized test system is available so far. Therefore, starting with recommendations from the SETAC advisory group DOTTS (Dung Organism Toxicity Test Standardization), a test system using the widespread temperate dung beetle species Aphodius constans was developed.

Methods

Using experiences gained at the University of Montpellier (e.g. in field studies) and in other terrestrial tests, details of culturing and testing of A. constans were investigated in a project sponsored by the German Environment Protection Agency (UBA). Basically, the survival of young larvae of A. constans exposed to the test substance spiked into formulated (i.e. dried, grounded and re-wetted) or fresh dung is measured over a period of three weeks. Using the model substance dimethoate (an insecticide required as positive control in tests with the predatory mite Hypoaspis aculeifer) the suitability of the new test was checked. Afterwards, the new test method was used to determine the toxicity of four common veterinary pharmaceuticals (ivermectin, dicyclanil, moxidectin, praziquantel) in formulated and fresh dung. Finally, the effects of ivermectin on the dung beetles were determined in a test using fresh dung from treated cattle.

Results and Conclusions

For Dmethoate LC₅₀-values were found in a range of 1–3 mg a.s./kg dung (dew.), depending on the dung type. Praziquantel did not show eirecis in the tested concentration range (i.e. up to 1000 mg a.s./kg Dung (DW). The LC₅₀-values of the other three pharmaceuticals were very low (<6 mg a.s./kg dung (DW)). With the exception of Dicyclanil no differences between formulated and fresh dung were identified. In the case of ivermectin the LC₅₀-value were even lower: about 0.5 mg a.s./kg dung (DW). No differences between the results of test in which the substance was spiked into dung and those tests which were performed with dung from treated cattle were found. These results prove the sensitivity as well as the robustness of this test method.

Recommendations and Perspectives

Based on the experiences reported here, it is recommended to standardize this test in an international ring test so that it can be incorporated in the risk assessment process for veterinary pharmaceuticals as described in the currently developed international registration guidelines.     

Modelling concentrations of airborne primary and secondary PM10 and PM2.5 with the BelEUROS-model in Belgium

The Eulerian Chemistry-Transport Model BelEUROS was used to calculate the concentrations of airborne PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 over Europe. Both primary as well as secondary particulate matter in the respirable size-range was taken into account. Especially PM_2.5 aerosols are often formed in the atmosphere from gaseous precursor compounds. Comprehensive computer codes for the calculation of gas phase chemical reactions and thermodynamic equilibria between compounds in the gas-phase and the particulate phase had been implemented into the BelEUROS-model. Calculated concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 are compared to observations, including both the spatial and daily, temporal distribution of particulate matter in Belgium for certain monitoring locations and periods. The concentrations of the secondary compounds ammonium, nitrate and sulfate have also been compared to observed values. BelEUROS was found to reproduce the observed concentrations rather well. The model was applied to assess the contribution of emissions derived from the sector agriculture in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, to PM₁₀- and PM_2.5-concentrations. The results demonstrate the importance of ammonia emissions in the formation of secondary particulate matter. Hence, future European emission abatement policy should consider more the role of ammonia in the formation of secondary particles.     

Persistence of Violation and Crash Behavior Over Time

This analysis examines the ability of previous offenses to predict future high-risk offenses, and similarly, the ability of crashes to predict future high-risk crashes, using the complete driver history data (up to 9 years) for a set of young Michigan subjects. As expected, those with previous ticketed offenses or reported crashes are at greater risk for future offenses or crashes; with a previous-year serious offense doubling the odds of serious offenses during the subsequent year, and a previous-year at-fault crash increasing the odds of subsequent-year at-fault crashes by nearly 50%. There is modest evidence that serious offenses and at-fault crashes may better predict subsequent behavior in females and in more experienced drivers. This latter finding is also evidenced by the fact that records of these young drivers are less predictive of subsequent driving history than is true for records of all drivers in general found in other studies. This suggests that, in the early stages of driving, offenses and crashes are, at least in part, attributable to inexperience, and hence, characteristic of all beginning drivers.     

Heavy metal contamination from mining sites in South Morocco: 2. Assessment of metal accumulation and toxicity in plants

Metalliferous soils cover a relatively large surface area in Morocco, and up to now no hyperaccumulating plants have been identified on these mining or these industrial sites. The aim of this work was to assess the extent of metal accumulation by plants found in three mining areas in southern Morocco with the ultimate goal of finding metal hyperaccumulating species by using the MetPAD biotest. The biotest helps to obtain information on the selective metal toxicity of aqueous extracts from the plants. A strong metal toxicity, as revealed by the biotest is an indication of a hyperaccumulating plant. Toxicity tests were run concurrently with chemicals analyses of metals in plants and their water extracts. The chemical analyses allow the determination of the hyperaccumulated metal(s). Specimens of the plant species mainly growing on and in the vicinity of the three mines were sampled with their corresponding soils. The results show that all plants analyzed had lower heavy metal content and toxicity despite the relatively very high soil concentrations. A comparison of our results with the criterion used to classify the hyperaccumulator plants indicates that plants we collected from mining sites were hypertolerant but not hyperaccumulators. This was confirmed by transfer factors generally lower than 1. Nevertheless, these tolerant plants species can be used as tools for revegetation for erosion control in metals-contaminated sites (phytostabilization).     

The role of personality characteristics in young adult driving

BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle injury is the major cause of mortality among young adults. Information about the individual characteristics of those who drive dangerously could enhance traffic safety programs. The goal of this research was to examine the association between various personality-related characteristics and risky driving behaviors. METHODS: Young adults in Michigan, USA (n = 5,362) were surveyed by telephone regarding several personality factors (risk-taking, hostility, aggression, tolerance of deviance, achievement expectations) and driving behaviors (competitive driving, risk-taking driving, high-risk driving, aggressive driving, and drink/driving). Michigan driver records were obtained to examine offenses, serious offenses, driving offense points, crashes and serious crashes in the three pre-interview years. Multivariate regression analyses, adjusting for age, race, and marital status were conducted separately by sex to identify personality factors related to driving. RESULTS: For men and women, greater risk-taking propensity, physical/verbal hostility, aggression, and tolerance of deviance were significant predictors of a competitive attitude toward driving, risk-taking driving, high-risk driving, driving aggression, and drink/driving. Greater risk-taking propensity, physical/verbal hostility, aggression, and to a small degree, expectations for achievement predicted higher numbers of offenses, serious offenses, and points. CONCLUSION: Traffic safety policies and programs could be enhanced through recognition of the role personality factors play in driving behavior and the incorporation of this knowledge into the design and implementation of interventions that modify the behaviors associated with them.