Fisheries regulatory regimes and resilience to climate change

Climate change is already producing ecological, social, and economic impacts on fisheries, and these effects are expected to increase in frequency and magnitude in the future. Fisheries governance and regulations can alter socio-ecological resilience to climate change impacts via harvest control rules and incentives driving fisher behavior, yet there are no syntheses or conceptual frameworks for examining how institutions and their regulatory approaches can alter fisheries resilience to climate change. We identify nine key climate resilience criteria for fisheries socio-ecological systems (SES), defining resilience as the ability of the coupled system of interacting social and ecological components (i.e., the SES) to absorb change while avoiding transformation into a different undesirable state. We then evaluate the capacity of four fisheries regulatory systems that vary in their degree of property rights, including open access, limited entry, and two types of rights-based management, to increase or inhibit resilience. Our exploratory assessment of evidence in the literature suggests that these regulatory regimes vary widely in their ability to promote resilient fisheries, with rights-based approaches appearing to offer more resilience benefits in many cases, but detailed characteristics of the regulatory instruments are fundamental.     

Moving from the 'why' to the 'how': reflections on humanitarian response in urban settings

Given the rising numbers of crises in urban settings, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is currently shifting its focus from 'why' it should intervene to 'how' it should intervene effectively in these contexts. Beyond communities affected by natural disasters and epidemics, MSF has chosen to target populations in urban settings that are affected by violence or by marginalisation and neglect: these groups appear to suffer the greatest number of severe threats to their health and well-being. Recent reflection within MSF has identified a number of key operational challenges to confront in order to respond efficiently to the needs of these populations. These include: appropriate assessments; measurable indicators of vulnerability and impact; pertinent operational approaches and medical strategies; adapted security management; and responsible closure of activities. This paper summarises the main lessons learned from working in urban settings with the principal aim of mutual sharing and understanding.     

Mechanistic insights into acetaminophen removal on cashew nut shell biomass-derived activated carbons

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Activated carbons prepared from cashew nut shells by chemical activation with phosphoric acid were tested for the removal of acetaminophen. It was...     

How to stay together? Habitat use by three sympatric sharks in the western coast of Baja California Sur,Mexico

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Sharks are top predators and play an important role in the regulation of marine ecosystems at lower trophic position. Mustelus californicus, Sphyrna...     

Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of White (Fiano cv) and Red (Negroamaro cv) Grape Pomace Skin Based Films

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Grape pomace, as by-product of wine making, is a source of polyphenols, fibers, fatty acids, metals, and organic acids, which could be used as raw...     

Perceived and measured levels of environmental pollution: interdisciplinary research in the subarctic lowlands of northeast European Russia

Using interdisciplinary field research in the Usa Basin, northeast European Russia, we compared local inhabitants' perception of environmental problems with chemical and remote-sensing signatures of environmental pollution and their local impacts. Extensive coal mining since the 1930s around Inta and Vorkuta has left a legacy of pollution, detected by measuring snowpack, topsoil, and lichen chemistry, together with remote-sensing techniques and analysis of lake water and sediments. Vorkuta and its environs suffered the worst impacts, with significant metal loading and alkalization in lakes and topsoils, elevated metals and cations in terricolous (reindeer) lichens, and changes in vegetation communities. Although the coal industry has declined recently, the area boasts a booming oil and gas industry, based around Usinsk. Local perceptions and concerns of environmental pollution and protection were higher in Usinsk, as a result of increased awareness after a major oil spill in 1994, compared with Vorkuta's inhabitants, who perceived air pollution as the primary environmental threat. Our studies indicate that the principal sources of atmospheric emissions and local deposition within 25 to 40 km of Vorkuta were coal combustion from power and heating plants, coal mines, and a cement factory. Local people evaluated air pollution from direct observations and personal experiences, such as discoloration of snow and respiratory problems, whereas scientific knowledge played a minor role in shaping these perceptions.     

Triadimefon Causes Branchial Arch Malformations in Xenopus laevis Embryos (5 pp)

- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1065/espr2006.01.014 Background, Aims and Scope Triazole-derivatives are potent antifungal agents used as systemic agricultural fungicides and against fungal diseases in humans and domestic animals. They act by inhibiting the cytochrome P-450 conversion of lanosterol to ergosterol, thus resulting in faulty fungal cell wall synthesis. Some data have been published about the teratogenic activity of triazoles on rodent embryos: Hypoplasias, abnormal shape, agenesis of the branchial arches, for example, were reported as typical induced malformations. Unfortunately, no data are available on the embryotoxicity of these compounds in amphibians, despite the increasing concern among the scientific community about the phenomenon of global amphibian population declines. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the embryo-lethal and teratogenic potentials of Triadimefon (FON), a triazolederivative widely used as an antimycotic in agriculture, by the test FETAX (Frog Embryos Teratogenic Assay, Xenopus) with particular attention being paid to the analysis of branchial arch malformations. Methods Xenopus laevis embryos were exposed continuously from stage 9 to increasing concentrations of FON and analyzed at stage 47 for mortality and teratogenicity (group I) to determine the median lethal (LC50) and teratogenic (TC50) concentrations. Another two pools of larvae were exposed to FON for a 2 hour period at early gastrula (Group II) or neurula (Group III) stages to verify which period of development is the most sensitive to FON. The malformations observed were further investigated by histological section and cartilage staining with Alcian blue. Results and Discussion The assay has estimated LC50 and TC50 values of 63.8 μM and 2.73 μM, respectively; the resulting TI (Teratogenic Index = LC50/TC50) value of 23.4 has underlined the very high teratogenic risk associated with this compound. Neurulation was more sensitive to FON exposure than gastrulation, since the TC50 estimated values for group III (neurula exposed) specimens was 7.6 times lower than those of group II (gastrula exposed). Interestingly, for each group analyzed, 100% of malformed embryos showed alterations at branchial arch derived cartilages: Anterior cartilages were reduced, missing, fused or incorrectly positioned while gill cartilages were altered only in the most severely affected specimens. In some cases these malformations were associated with hyperpigmentation. Our results support the hypothesis that FON can interfere with Neural Crest Cell (NCC) migration, since craniofacial components and melanophores are derived from neural crest material. Conclusion In conclusion, our data show Triadimefon to be a potent teratogen able to induce specific craniofacial malformation in Xenopus laevis embryos, probably interfering with the NCC migration into the branchial mesenchyme. These results are also interesting for ecotoxicological reasons as FON, as well as other pesticides, are likely to be present in water systems near agricultural or urban areas which may serve as habitats for developing amphibians and fishes. Recommendation and Outlook Our results are in agreement with the data obtained on in vitro cultured rat embryos suggesting that the FON mechanism of action involves strongly conserved molecules. The choice of Xenopus laevis as the model organism allows us to extend the toxicological and teratological observations to a molecular level, in order to search for novel genes regulated by FON exposure.     

Assessment of Allowable Thermal Load for a River Reservoir Subject to Multi-Source Thermal Discharge from Operating and Designed Beloyarsk NPP Units (South Ural,Russian Federation)

This study develops a quantitative approach to the establishment of a maximum allowable thermal discharge into a freshwater body (the Beloyarsk Reservoir) incorporated in the once-through cooling technology at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant (NPP) (South Urals, Russian Federation). The study is based on a 3-D hydrodynamic model, embracing water circulation, heat transfer, and ice-cover formation in the Beloyarsk Reservoir. The model is driven by atmospheric forcing, river runoff, and the discharge/intake of NPP cooling water. It was used to simulate the horizontal and vertical distribution of water temperature under the effect of the operation of existing (number 3) and anticipated (numbers 4 and 5) nuclear power units. The model is validated by the comparison of the computation results with observed water temperature distribution and ice-cover configuration obtained with remote sensing techniques. The model was also used to predict the future evolution of water temperature after the launching of two new power units, which, having a common cooling system, may affect each other. It was shown that the first of the new units, no. 4, will not dramatically affect the existing thermal conditions in the reservoir, while launching one more unit, no. 5, will apparently result in overheating of the reservoir water in response to the greater volume of cooling-water discharge from the two power units. Because of a specific configuration of the recirculation flow, the reservoir may fail to cope with the dissipation of the generated heat, leading to a steady (uncontrolled) rise of water temperature in the inlet channel to one of the power units. This will reduce the potential of NPP, using the once-through cooling technology, and will most likely have an adverse effect on the survival of aquatic organisms in the Beloyarsk Reservoir. Therefore, some other environment-saving technologies must be developed for removing surplus heat from the unit no. 5 of the Beloyarsk NPP.