An individual-oriented model for ecological risk assessment of wading birds

The contribution of certain contaminants to reproductive failure in many avian species has been an ongoing concern. Appropriate quantitative techniques have focused either on the individual organisms by providing explicit bioaccumulation dynamics or on whole ecosystems by looking at the fate of the contaminant but fail to make the necessary link via population dynamics of interacting individuals. We used the individual-oriented approach in an effort to quantify effects of chronic contaminant exposure on individual birds. This was made possible by the use of an object-oriented model, where individual birds are interacting objects, and their actions are implemented by passing to them appropriate messages. Using this modeling approach a breeding colony of Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) is simulated as an assemblage of interacting individuals whose daily actions (foraging, growth, feeding of the young) are simultaneously followed over short time intervals for a nesting season. Spatial distribution of the contaminants in prey resources is used on a cell by cell basis and their effects on certain behavior characteristics of adult birds (e.g. foraging efficiency, effects on flying efficiency, parental care) are taken into account. Results showed that sublethal effects could have a considerable effect on colony success. Appropriate selection of endpoints for risk assessment yields a variety of scenarios for colony success.     

Is there a Relation Between Ecological Practices and Spirituality? The Case of Benedictine Monasteries

For decades there has been a controversial debate over how far religious faith communities are specifically engaged in ecological practices (EP). Therefore we studied four Austrian and two German Benedictine monasteries religious ethics and spirituality as a means of a driving force for initiating EP. We draw upon theories of organizational learning processes and capacity-building of sustainability to interpret our empirical findings. The majority of monasteries are highly engaged in EP, initiated either as an outcome of individual activities or through a specific mostly informally acting group, but rarely an organizationally or systematically integrated goal of the monasteries, or a focus of capacity building. Monasteries follow a technical and economic decision-making process in implementing EP. Spirituality plays a limited role in the initiation of EP. The environment of monasteries–acceptance or critique against ecological practices–influences the monasteries decisions. Institutionalization of ecological practices into the monasteries organizational structure is rare.