Biomonitoring of traffic-related nitrogen oxides in the Maurienne valley (Savoie, France), using purple moor grass growth parameters and leaf N/N ratio

Effects of traffic-related nitrogenous emissions on purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench) transplants, used here as a new biomonitoring species, were assessed along 500 m long transects orthogonal to roads located in two open areas in the Maurienne valley (French Alps). Leaves were sampled during summer 2004 and 2005 for total N-content and ¹⁵N-abundance determination while nitrogen oxides (NO and NO₂) concentrations were determined using passive diffusion samplers. A significant and negative correlation was observed between plant total N-content, and ¹⁵N-abundance and the logarithm of the distance to the road axis. The strongest decreases in plant N parameters were observed between 15 and 100 m from road axis. They were equivalent to background levels at a distance of about 800 m from the roads. In addition, motor vehicle pollution significantly affected vegetation at road edge, as was established from the relationship between leaf ¹⁵N-abundance, total N-content and road traffic densities.     

Sustainable remediation at the Massachusetts Military Reservation

When does remediation do more harm than good? After conducting a sustainability analysis on a large pump‐and‐treat site at the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR), the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE) found evidence suggesting that the remediation systems were creating more pollution than they were remediating. For several years, the AFCEE/MMR has had an aggressive “better, cheaper, faster” optimization program intended to expedite aquifer restoration, reduce costs to the taxpayers, and reduce cleanup time frames. An initial sustainability analysis was conducted in 2005 as part of this program. The analysis identified several concerns, one of which was the indirect generation of air emissions from conventional fossil fuel–based power plants used to power the remediation systems. In addition to the environmental impact of these air emissions, the cost of electricity continues to increase. The AFCEE/MMR evaluated options for addressing both of these concerns and opted to employ renewable energy technology in the form of a utility‐scale wind turbine. This case study presents a more sustainable approach to remediation at the MMR through the use of renewable energy, in the form of a 1,500‐kW wind turbine. Power costs for operating the treatment systems, which processed up to 16 million gallons per day, amounted to over $2.2 million in 2008. The wind turbine is anticipated to reduce the program's electricity costs and offset air emissions, generated indirectly through the use of electricity from fossil fuel–based power plants, by approximately 25 to 30 percent. Based on a range of utility cost projections and an estimate of the turbine's energy production, the $4.6 million project is anticipated to have a payback period between six and eight years. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. *

1 This article is a U.S. Government work and, as such, is in the public domain of the United States of America.

     

Open Air Laboratories (OPAL): a community-driven research programme

OPAL is an English national programme that takes scientists into the community to investigate environmental issues. Biological monitoring plays a pivotal role covering topics of: i) soil and earthworms; ii) air, lichens and tar spot on sycamore; iii) water and aquatic invertebrates; iv) biodiversity and hedgerows; v) climate, clouds and thermal comfort. Each survey has been developed by an inter-disciplinary team and tested by voluntary, statutory and community sectors. Data are submitted via the web and instantly mapped. Preliminary results are presented, together with a discussion on data quality and uncertainty. Communities also investigate local pollution issues, ranging from nitrogen deposition on heathlands to traffic emissions on roadside vegetation. Over 200,000 people have participated so far, including over 1000 schools and 1000 voluntary groups. Benefits include a substantial, growing database on biodiversity and habitat condition, much from previously unsampled sites particularly in urban areas, and a more engaged public.     

Urban heat island intensity and evaluation of outdoor thermal comfort in Chennai,India

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The variation in the atmospheric conditions of urban areas to the fringe areas is termed as urban heat island and is attributed predominantly to the...     

Using citizen science data to identify the sensitivity of species to human land use

Conservation practitioners must contend with an increasing array of threats that affect biodiversity. Citizen scientists can provide timely and expansive information for addressing these threats across large scales, but their data may contain sampling biases. We used randomization procedures to account for possible sampling biases in opportunistically reported citizen science data to identify species’ sensitivities to human land use. We analyzed 21,044 records of 143 native reptile and amphibian species reported to the Carolina Herp Atlas from North Carolina and South Carolina between 1 January 1990 and 12 July 2014. Sensitive species significantly associated with natural landscapes were 3.4 times more likely to be legally protected or treated as of conservation concern by state resource agencies than less sensitive species significantly associated with human‐dominated landscapes. Many of the species significantly associated with natural landscapes occurred primarily in habitats that had been nearly eradicated or otherwise altered in the Carolinas, including isolated wetlands, longleaf pine savannas, and Appalachian forests. Rare species with few reports were more likely to be associated with natural landscapes and 3.2 times more likely to be legally protected or treated as of conservation concern than species with at least 20 reported occurrences. Our results suggest that opportunistically reported citizen science data can be used to identify sensitive species and that species currently restricted primarily to natural landscapes are likely at greatest risk of decline from future losses of natural habitat. Our approach demonstrates the usefulness of citizen science data in prioritizing conservation and in helping practitioners address species declines and extinctions at large extents.     

Second-trimester diurnal variation of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein,human chorionic gonadotropin,and unconjugated oestriol: Is it present and does it affect the prediction of a patient's risk for fetal down syndrome?

Both a cross-sectional and a longitudinal study were performed to investigate whether or not the collection time should be taken into consideration when generating a patient's risk for fetal Down syndrome with multiple marker screening. Diurnal variations of third-trimester alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and first-trimester human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels have been previously reported. In addition, large episodic fluctuations of conjugated and unconjugated oestriol (uE3) as well as a diurnal variation have also been reported in the third trimester. If the levels of these analytes routinely fluctuate during the day, they could affect a patient's risk calculation for fetal Down syndrome. The longitudinal study evaluated ten non-diabetic women who underwent sequential sampling for AFP, hCG, and uE3. The cross-sectional study evaluated 1953 patients for these three markers whose time of sampling was recorded between 8·00 a.m. and 5·59 p.m. Using either study design, no significant effect was seen in the median MOM levels of the screening analytes as a function of the time of day.     

Modern energy region development and income distribution: An input-output analysis

This paper formulates an input-output method for determining the distributional consequences of energy development projects. The method is oriented to the conditions appearing in many contemporary development settings where large resident populations and other factors are likely to inhibit boomtown scenarios. An analysis of geothermal energy development in Imperial County, California, is presented. The results indicate that personal income inequality is likely to increase by several percentage points as measured by the Gini coefficient. The sensitivity of the results is examined with respect to important factors such as labor supply elasticities, preferential employment of local residents, and the concentration of land holdings.