ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF APPLYING MANURE,FERTILIZER, AND SEWAGE BIOSOLIDS ON A DAIRY FARM1

ABSTRACT: Farms that once spread only manures are now also applying sewage biosolids (sludge) and/or other wastes such as those from food processing. The objective of this study was to monitor environmental impacts at a dairy farm applying these materials. Fields were selected representing recent waste applications of manure (M1, M2), sewage biosolids (B1, B2), or fertilizer only control (F1, F2), although most fields had historical biosolids applications. Fields representing each treatment were not experimental replicates because of varying applications and soil characteristics. Septage and food processing wastes were also applied. Soil percolates were collected with wick lysimeters. Runoff was sampled at seven stream sites. Test field soils and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) were analyzed for trace elements. Cumulative trace metal loadings were low, at most only 1 percent of USEPA Part 503 limits. Surface soil enrichment was most evident for Mo, P, and S. Alfalfa tissue showed no trends of concern. The B2 site had the greatest percolate concentrations for 6 of 13 elements. Percolate Cu was somewhat elevated at Sites M1, M2, B2, and Fl. Percolate sodium was elevated on all M and B fields and sulfur was greatest at M2, B1, and B2. Soluble orthophosphate correlated with stream discharge during intensive monitoring of Stream Sites S1 (fertilizer) and S2 (biosolids). Peaks in S2 streamwater Mo lagged large runoff events by five days. Total streamwater export of Cu, Na, Mo, and soluble P were greater from the S2 biosolids subwatershed than from the S1 fertilizer subwatershed. Percolate concentrations exceeded corresponding streamwater concentrations in most cases.     

Success in negotiating environmental regulations

The US Environmental Protection Agency recently completed two regulatory negotiation demonstrations. These demonstrations suggest that the current EPA rule-making process could be improved through the introduction of face-to-face negotiation at the earliest stages of rulemaking. In the demonstrations, EPA (1) relied on a consensus building process to forestall litigation after the promulgation of the final rule; (2) Used a nonpartisan facilitator to convene the negotiations; (3) Defined criteria to determine which parties should be represented in the negotiation. From the perspective of participants, the negotiating consensus version of a draft regulation is a successful alternative to the traditional rulemaking process. It is still too soon to say negotiated rulemaking significantly reduces the likelihood of ligitation. The results of the demonstration indicate that it is possible for either an agency employee or a neutral outsider to facilitate the sessions. A successful negotiation also requires top level agency support as well as the confidence of the environmental community. The single most important outcome of the negotiations was that the participants developed a greater understanding of the interests of the other parties. The demonstrations also suggest possible changes in future regulatory negotiations.     

Social actors’ perceptions of wildlife: Insights for the conservation of species in Mediterranean protected areas

AbstractIn the current Anthropocene Era, with numerous escalating challenges for biodiversity conservation, the inclusion of the social dimension into management decisions regarding wildlife and protected areas is critical to their success. By conducting 354 questionnaires in a Mediterranean protected area (the Biosphere Reserve of Bardenas Reales, Northern Spain), we aim to determine sociodemographic factors influencing knowledge levels and perceptions of species and functional groups as, emblematic and threatened. We found that hunters and animal husbandry workers knew more species than other social actors. Additionally, the perception of functional groups as threatened or emblematic differed between social actor groups, with statistically significant associations between perceptions and the characteristics of respondents. Interestingly, we found that although elusive steppe species are globally considered as endangered, these species were the least known by all social actor groups and rarely perceived as emblematic. This research is a novel approach and provides a better understanding of how perceptions can facilitate conservation decisions, particularly regarding endangered speciesGraphic abstract Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01546-6.     

Translating science into policy: using ecosystem thresholds to protect resources in Rocky Mountain National Park

Concern over impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to ecosystems in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, has prompted the National Park Service, the State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency, and interested stakeholders to collaborate in the Rocky Mountain National Park Initiative, a process to address these impacts. The development of a nitrogen critical load for park aquatic resources has provided the basis for a deposition goal to achieve resource protection, and parties to the Initiative are now discussing strategies to meet that goal by reducing air pollutant emissions that contribute to nitrogen deposition in the Park. Issues being considered include the types and locations of emissions to be reduced, the timeline for emission reductions, and the impact of emission reductions from programs already in place. These strategies may serve as templates for addressing ecosystem impacts from deposition in other national parks.     

Degradation of ethylenethiourea pesticide metabolite from water by photocatalytic processes

In this study, photocatalytic (photo-Fenton and H₂O₂/UV) and dark Fenton processes were used to remove ethylenethiourea (ETU) from water. The experiments were conducted in a photo-reactor with an 80 W mercury vapor lamp. The mineralization of ETU was determined by total organic carbon analysis, and ETU degradation was qualitatively monitored by the reduction of UV absorbance at 232 nm. A higher mineralization efficiency was obtained by using the photo-peroxidation process (UV/H₂O₂). Approximately 77% of ETU was mineralized within 120 min of the reaction using [H₂O₂]₀ = 400 mg L^?1. The photo-Fenton process mineralized 70% of the ETU with [H₂O₂]₀ = 800 mg L^?1 and [Fe²⁺] = 400 mg L^?1, and there is evidence that hydrogen peroxide was the limiting reagent in the reaction because it was rapidly consumed. Moreover, increasing the concentration of H₂O₂ from 800 mg L^?1 to 1200 mg L^?1 did not enhance the degradation of ETU. Kinetics studies revealed that the pseudo-second-order model best fit the experimental conditions. The k values for the UV/H₂O₂ and photo-Fenton processes were determined to be 6.2 × 10^?4 mg L^?1 min^?1 and 7.7 × 10^?4 mg L^?1 min^?1, respectively. The mineralization of ETU in the absence of hydrogen peroxide has led to the conclusion that ETU transformation products are susceptible to photolysis by UV light. These are promising results for further research. The processes that were investigated can be used to remove pesticide metabolites from drinking water sources and wastewater in developing countries.     

Improved Spatial Allocation Methodology for On-Road Mobile Emissions

ABSTRACT

Emissions from automobiles and trucks operating on public roads represent a major portion of the air pollutants included in emission inventories. When emission data are prepared for air quality modeling studies, such as those supporting development of a State Implementation Plan, an emission processor matches the spatial and temporal resolution of the emissions to the requirements of the modeling study. However, the spatial location of vehicular emissions is not known and must be estimated. This paper presents a methodology for determining the spatial distribution of the roads belonging to a road class using geospatial data functions, such as those commonly provided by a geographic information system. Vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) are then allocated to medium-resolution (12 x 12-km) and fine-resolution (4 x 4-km) modeling grids using both this methodology and the existing top-down methodology, which uses population density. The results show a significant difference in the spatial distribution of VMT between these two methodologies. Based upon these results, we recommend using the road class-specific methodology in lieu of the population methodology for spatially allocating vehicular emissions for medium- and finer-resolution modeling grids.     

Tundra in the Rain: Differential Vegetation Responses to Three Years of Experimentally Doubled Summer Precipitation in Siberian Shrub and Swedish Bog Tundra

Precipitation amounts and patterns at high latitude sites have been predicted to change as a result of global climatic changes. We addressed vegetation responses to three years of experimentally increased summer precipitation in two previously unaddressed tundra types: Betula nana-dominated shrub tundra (northeast Siberia) and a dry Sphagnum fuscum-dominated bog (northern Sweden). Positive responses to approximately doubled ambient precipitation (an increase of 200 mm year^?1) were observed at the Siberian site, for B. nana (30 % larger length increments), Salix pulchra (leaf size and length increments) and Arctagrostis latifolia (leaf size and specific leaf area), but none were observed at the Swedish site. Total biomass production did not increase at either of the study sites. This study corroborates studies in other tundra vegetation types and shows that despite regional differences at the plant level, total tundra plant productivity is, at least at the short or medium term, largely irresponsive to experimentally increased summer precipitation.     

The adsorption of short single-stranded DNA oligomers to mineral surfaces

We studied the adsorption of short single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) oligomers, of approximately 30 nucleotides (nt) in length, of varying sequence, adenine + guanine + cytosine (AGC) content, and propensity to form secondary structure, to equal surface area samples of olivine, pyrite, calcite, hematite, and rutile in 0.1 M NaCl, 0.05 M pH 8.1 KHCO₃ buffer. Although the mineral surfaces have widely varying points of zero charge, under these conditions they show remarkably similar adsorption of ssDNA regardless of oligomer characteristics. Mineral surfaces appear to accommodate ssDNA comparably, or ssDNA oligomers of this length are able to find binding sites of comparable strength and density due to their flexibility, despite the disparate surface properties of the different minerals. This may partially be due charge shielding by the ionic strength of the solutions tested, which are typical of many natural environments. These results may have some bearing on the adsorption and accumulation of biologically derived nucleic acids in sediments as well as the abiotic synthesis of nucleic acids before the origin of life.     

Incidence of thyroid disease following exposure to polybrominated biphenyls and polychlorinated biphenyls, Michigan, 1974-2006

Thyroid hormones, which influence body metabolism and development, could be affected by persistent organic pollutants. We sought to examine the relationship between polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and thyroid disease. We employed incidence density sampling to perform a nested case control analysis of the Michigan Long-Term PBB Cohort. Cohort members (n = 3333) were exposed to PBBs through contaminated cattle feed in 1973-1974 and to PCBs through daily life. Those with detectable serum PBB and PCB concentrations at enrollment were categorized into tertiles of PBB and PCB exposure. Case-patients were cohort members answering “Yes” to “Has a healthcare provider ever told you that you had a thyroid problem?” during follow-up interviews; control-patients were cohort members answering “No”. We used odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to compare odds of thyroid disease by PBB and PCB exposure and by various risk factors. Total cumulative thyroid disease incidence after 33 years was 13.9% among women and 2.6% among men. After adjusting for body mass index, we found no statistically significant differences in odds of any type of thyroid disease among women or men with elevated PBB or PCB exposure. Compared to control-patients, women with thyroid disease had increased odds of being overweight/obese (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.94-4.11) and developing infertility (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.08-2.69), diabetes (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.04-2.51), or arthritis (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.18-2.50) during follow-up. Additional research should explore potential associations between PBBs/PCBs and thyroid disease among children exposed in utero.     

A plea to implement robustness into a breeding goal: poultry as an example

The combination of breeding for increased production and the intensification of housing conditions have resulted in increased occurrence of behavioral, physiological, and immunological disorders. These disorders affect health and welfare of production animals negatively. For future livestock systems, it is important to consider how to manage and breed production animals. In this paper, we will focus on selective breeding of laying hens. Selective breeding should not only be defined in terms of production, but should also include traits related to animal health and welfare. For this we like to introduce the concept of robustness. The concept of robustness includes individual traits of an animal that are relevant for health and welfare. Improving robustness by selective breeding will increase (or restore) the ability of animals to interact successfully with the environment and thereby to make them more able to adapt to an appropriate husbandry system. Application of robustness into a breeding goal will result in animals with improved health and welfare without affecting their integrity. Therefore, in order to be ethically acceptable, selective breeding in animal production should accept robustness as a breeding goal. L. Star, E. D. Ellen contributed equally to this work. Star belongs to the Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University, and the rest of the authors belong to the Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University.