The use of ecological scales for indication of the current state of forest communities

A method for estimating the current state of plant communities based on the ecological amplitudes of constituent species is proposed. An original program, Fitoindikatsiya, has been developed to compute the indices of disturbance and homogeneity of plant communities from species ecological scale values. The current state of pine forests in the part of Novosibirsk oblast east of the Ob River has been analyzed; slightly, moderately, and severely disturbed zones have been distinguished.     

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL: MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND MUNICIPAL TAX INCENTIVE MODEL

The implementation of sustainable development may seem a simple concept when written on paper. However to carry-out long term actions put forward by the Agenda 21 (AG21) at the local level represents one of the main challenges as municipal governments in general do not have the capacity to effectively implement the process. Regional environmental assessment (REA) has shown to be effective in supporting decision-making not only to correct environmental problems due to past unsustainable social-economic developments but also help local governments to implement sustainable actions. However this requires long-term investments of AG21 plans and projects. The allocation of regular and consistent financial resources is one of the main ingredients for the sustainable development process. But traditional plans and projects financed by national and/or international funds may not be sustainable in the long-term because they become dependent on external funding. Research demonstrate that innovative economic instruments such as ecotaxes represent a feasible alternative to sponsor local sustainability because taxes are collected permanently by the government and could be invested in continuous actions. Ecotaxes experiences have provided important reference to structure a municipal incentive model (MIM) to sponsor AG21’s environmental plans and projects on a long-term (permanent) basis. However sustainable development cannot be solely through economic investments. A comprehensive municipal environmental management scheme (MEMS) has been established to support the incentive model. The scheme seeks not only to improve local institutional framework but also incentive continuous participation of local stakeholders at all levels of society. Participatory events and the provision of incentives (educational and financial) are key to motivate society to protect the environment and support actively the sustainable development process as emphasised in the RIO-92 Conference.     

Sorbents for the removal of airborne heavy metals from incinerator effluent

The effectiveness of inorganic alumino-silicate sorbents (alumina and kaolinite) to adsorb airborne lead and cadmium from the effluent stream of a simulated waste incinerator was studied. A 20 kW (68,000 BTU/h) flow reactor was used to achieve the temperature and residence times typical of a waste incinerator. Solutions containing lead or cadmium were introduced yielding airborne metals concentrations between 15 and 150 ppm. Gas samples were drawn into a particle impactor that collected the airborne particles and condensed phase metal aerosols, separating them into ten size ranges from 0.2 μm to greater than 10 μm. Metals to sorbent mass ratios between 0.03 and 1.56 were investigated. Scavenging efficiency increased as the ratio of sorbent to injected metal mass was increased. The scavenging efficiencies were as high as 76% for lead scavenged by kaolinite to as low as 14% for cadmium scavenged by alumina.     

Ecophysiological indicators of the state of animal populations exposed to damaging factors

Indices of abundance and reproduction rate are considered in some groups of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates from the zones of technogenic disasters. Upon a critical population decline caused by external destructive factors, such as emissions of acute ecotoxicants, the ecophysiological and behavioral compensatory mechanisms are activated, which provide for restoration of the total population size to the optimum within a short period of time. Environmental pollution with substances disturbing the reproductive function has the gravest consequences for animals. In this case, population size may remain fairly high, and, therefore, the effect of enhanced reproduction as a response to population decline does not take place, which eventually leads to a gradual but irreversible destruction of the population. Pathologies of reproduction should be used as a criterion for assessing the state of animals in the zones of technogenic disasters.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 1, 2005, pp. 32–38.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Shilova, Shatunovskii.     

Paleoecology and dynamics of forest ecosystems in Central Evenkia during the past 2400 years

New data on the composition of surface assemblages of plant macroremains from soil and swamp samples have been obtained in the study of geomorphologically different localities in the middle reaches of the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River. The results of paleocarpological analysis of forest soil sections supported by relevant palynological and geochronological data are presented. Natural changes of the forest cover over the past 2400 years and quantitative characteristics of the paleoclimate during each stage are described.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 1, 2005, pp. 3–10.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Koshkarova, Koshkarov.     

The effect of nitrogen deficiency,methionine and inhibitors of methionine metabolism on the DMSP contents of Tetraselmis subcordiformis (Stein)

The unicellular alga Tetraselmis (Platymonas) subcordiformis (Prasinophyceae) displayed a two-phase increase in DMSP (dimethylsulfoniopropionate) contents in response to nitrogen deficiency. In the first phase, DMSP pools increased by 75% within 24 h. The second increase in DMSP was observed after 14 d and was accompanied by cyst formation. Methionine metabolism was involved in DMSP accumulation. A 2.6-fold increase of the DMSP pool could be induced by supplementing a complete ASP (artifical seawater Provasoli) medium with 100 M L-methionine. Inhibition of methionine utilization by T. subcordiformis caused by the addition of S-adenosylhomocystein, a competitive inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent transmethylases, resulted in a 24% increase of DMSP contents after 7 h. DMSP accumulation after hyperosmotic shock was significantly delayed when methionine liberation from proteins was inhibited by a set of protease inhibitors. A model for the mechanism of DMSP accumulation is presented on the basis of these data and additional information from the literature. It is proposed that methionine availability in T. subcordiformis determines the rate of DMSP synthesis.     

Variation of leaf gland volatile oil within a population of sweet gale (Myrica gale) (Myricaceae)

Summary The leaf gland volatile oils of ten sweet gale plants from a Scottish population were extracted in early summer. The results differed notably from reports of other populations in respect of the sesquiterpenes, -elemenone and germacrone, which were major components of the volatile oil. Three dihydrochalcones were also detected in the volatile oil. Variation within the population existed, particularly with respect to the relative importance of germacrone. Five plants were resampled in late summer and exhibited a marked reduction in -elemenone, a lesser reduction in germacrone and changes in the proportions of some monoterpenes.     

Sources, distribution, and risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides in Nairobi City, Kenya

The distribution and sources of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in air and surface waters were monitored in Nairobi City using triolein-filled semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs). The SPMDs were extracted by dialysis using n-hexane, followed by cleanup by adsorption chromatography on silica gel cartridges. Sample analysis was done by GC-ECD and confirmed by GC–MS. Separation of means was achieved by analysis of variance, followed by pair-wise comparison using the t-test (p≤ 0.05). The total OCPs ranged between 0.018 – 1.277 ng/m³ in the air and <LOD – 1391.000 ng/m³ in surface waters. Based on the results, the means of Industrial Area, Dandora and Kibera were not significantly different (p≤ 0.05), but were higher (p≤ 0.05) than those of City square and Ngong’ Forest. The results revealed non-significant (p≤ 0.05) contribution of long-range transport to OCP pollution in Nairobi City. This indicated possible presence of point sources of environmental OCPs in the city. The water-air fugacity ratios indicated that volatilization and deposition played an important role in the spatial distribution of OCPs in Nairobi City. This indicated that contaminated surface waters could be major sources of human exposure to OCPs, through volatilization. The incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR) determined from inhalation of atmospheric OCPs were 2.3745  ×  10^?13 – 1.6845  ×  10^?11 (adult) and 5.5404  ×  10^?13 – 3.9306  ×  10^?11 (child) in the order: Dandora > Kibera > Industrial Area > City Square > Ngong’ Forest. However, these were lower than the USEPA acceptable risks, 10^?6 – 10^?4. This study concluded that atmospheric OCPs did not pose significant cancer risks to the residents.