Scales of integration for sustainable development governance

Efforts at integration are central in the Sustainable Development Goals and the wider Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. While integration forms a major focus of this agenda, there are fundamental limitations on pursuing this focus. The global governance discussions on integration lack a clear conceptualization of what it is, do not have any tools for measurement or assessment, and are narrowly focused around policy integration between global institutions. This article develops a framework for conceptualizing cross-level and cross-scale integration which addresses these problems and introduces the opportunities and challenges of pursuing different types of integration in global governance. Cross-level integration involves governance efforts which seek to bridge similar institutions with one another (for example, bringing together efforts by environmental ministries and development ministries). Cross-scale integration, in contrast, deals with governance efforts that bring together institutions which have distinct scopes, jurisdictions, and epistemologies. With this important distinction, the article explores the opportunities for cross-scale integration as part of the global sustainable development efforts and particularly expanding the policy integration focus with spatial and temporal integration as well. The conclusion uses the Earth System Governance perspective to focus on the trade-offs that are likely as wider forms of institutional integration are pursued beyond environmental mainstreaming and policy integration.     

Influences of a calcium gradient on soil inorganic nitrogen in the Adirondack Mountains, New York

Studies of the long-term impacts of acidic deposition in Europe and North America have prompted growing interest in understanding the dynamics linking the nitrogen (N) and calcium (Ca) cycles in forested watersheds. While it has been shown that increasing concentrations of nitrate (NO3-) through atmospheric deposition or through nitrification can increase Ca loss, the reciprocal effects of Ca on N transformation processes have received less attention. We studied the influence of soil Ca availability on extractable inorganic N (NO3- + NH4+) across a Ca gradient in the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA. Our results did not show the direct Ca-N interaction that we had expected, but instead showed that exchangeable Ca coupled with soil moisture, soil organic matter, and ambient temperature accounted for 61% of the variability in extractable inorganic N across 11 sites over two growing seasons. Soil Ca concentrations were, however, positively related to sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and American basswood (Tilia americana) basal areas and negatively related to American beech (Fagus grandifolia) basal area. Based on litter chemistry differences among these tree species and reported potential N mineralization values, we suggest that the influence of Ca on soil inorganic N is through a multistep pathway: reciprocal interactions between soil Ca concentrations and species composition, which in turn affect the quality of litter available for N mineralization. If chronic soil Ca depletion continues, as reported in some forested ecosystems, potential shifts in biotic communities could result in considerable alterations of N cycling processes.     

Eggshell pigmentation in the blue tit: male quality matters

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology - Many prey species mob predators to drive them away, thereby reducing their immediate and future predation risk. Given that mobbing is risky, it may also serve...     

High Volume Sampling of Acid Mist

Many nonferrous metals are produced from sulfur-bearing minerals. When pyrometallurgical processes are used, sulfur dioxide gas is formed as a byproduct. In many cases, a small but significant portion of the SO₂ is oxidized further to SO₃ within the pyrometallurgical reactor system. Upon cooling of the gases, as would occur when such gases contact the atmosphere, SO₃ will absorb moisture and condense as a sulfuric acid aerosol, typically referred to as acid mist.     

Public Participation in Local Government Review of Development Proposals in Hazardous Locations: Does it Matter, and What Do Local Government Planners Have to Do with It?

Natural hazard investigators recommend that local governments adopt mitigation plans to help reduce hazard losses. However, such plans are unlikely to be effective unless a wide range of public stakeholders is involved in their creation. Previous research shows that stakeholder participation levels in hazard mitigation planning tend to be low, though there may be particular choices that local government planners can make to foster participation. We examine the importance of planners’ choices and role orientations (i.e., beliefs regarding appropriate behavior in the workplace) for participation levels in site plan review, wherein local governments review site plans for proposed development projects to ensure compliance between project design and applicable plans and policies. Using a national sample of 65 development projects located in areas subject to natural hazards, and bivariate and multivariate analyses, we examine whether participation levels during site plan review depend upon planners’ choices and role orientations, and whether participation levels are correlated with the incorporation of hazard mitigation techniques into development projects. We find significant correlations between participation levels and planners’ choices, between participation levels and planner’s role orientations, and between participation levels and the incorporation of hazard mitigation techniques. We encourage local government planners to revisit their beliefs, choices, and behaviors regarding public participation in site plan review.     

CO2 capture from pre-combustion processes—Strategies for membrane gas separation

The application of membrane gas separation to CO₂ capture from a coal gasification process is one potential solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This review considers the potential for either H₂- or CO₂-selective membranes in an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) process. In particular, the advantages and disadvantages of metallic, porous inorganic and polymeric membranes are considered. This analysis is extended to consider membrane technology as an enhancement to the water-gas shift reaction, to drive the production of hydrogen above the thermodynamic limit. The review concludes with a brief overview of the economics of incorporating membrane gas separation into the IGCC process and gives an indication of the potential economic use of membrane gas separation technology in the IGCC process.     

Compromised metamorphosis and thyroid hormone changes in wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) raised on reclaimed wetlands on the Athabasca oil sands

The wet landscape approach to oil sands tailings reclamation in the Athabasca Oil Sands region involves creating wetlands from fluid tailings in mined-out pits. We measured time to metamorphosis, thyroid hormone status, and detoxification enzyme (EROD) induction in Wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpoles raised on reclaimed oil sands wetlands of different ages [young (≤7 yr) vs. old (>7 yr)] and compared data with tadpoles raised on reference (control) wetlands. Metamorphosis was delayed or never occurred in tadpoles raised in young tailings; those exposed to older tailings developed similarly to those in reference wetlands. Thyroid hormone disruption likely played an important role in the metamorphosis delay as the T3:T4 ratio was lowest in tadpoles raised in young, tailings-affected wetlands. Our findings suggest tailings wetlands become less toxic with age, and that these amphibians will be able to complete their life cycle in tailing wetlands that have sufficiently detoxified with age.     

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.     

Regional geochemical baselines for Portuguese shelf sediments

Metal concentrations (Al, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) from the DGM-INETI archive data set have been examined for sediments collected during the 1970s from 267 sites on the Portuguese shelf. Due to the differences in the oceanographic and sedimentological settings between western and Algarve coasts, the archive data set is split in two segments. For both shelf segments, regional geochemical baselines (RGB) are defined using aluminium as a reference element. Seabed samples recovered in 2002 from four distinct areas of the Portuguese shelf are superimposed on these models to identify and compare possible metal enrichments relative to the natural distribution. Metal enrichments associated with anthropogenic influences are identified in three samples collected nearby the Tejo River and are characterised by the highest enrichment factors (EF; EF(Pb)<3, EF(Zn)<4). EF values close to 1 suggest a largely natural origin for metal distributions in sediments from the other areas included in the study.     

Interlaboratory comparison exercise for the analysis of PCDD/Fs in samples of digested sewage sludge

Five UK laboratories participated in a study designed to explore the principal sources of interlaboratory variation in the analysis of PCDD/Fs in sewage sludge. Samples of wet sludge, dry sludge, toluene extract of sludge and cleaned extract of sludge were prepared by an organising laboratory. The samples were analysed in duplicate by each laboratory along with a solution of PCDD/F standards and reference sediment. Mean coefficients of variation between laboratories were 45% for the wet sludge, 33% for the dry sludge, 32% for the extract of sludge, 36% for the cleaned extract of sludge, 32% for the reference sediment and 28% for the standard solution. The results were subjected to statistical analysis, which showed that there was no specific part of the analysis that introduced a dominant part of the variation. The spread of data generated from the analysis of wet sludge samples was not appreciably greater than the spread for the analysis of cleaned extracts. Thus the drying, extraction and clean up processes in the PCDD/F analysis of wet sludge did not have a dramatic effect on the interlaboratory variation.