Response to ‘Discussion of the paper “Cost effective policies for alternative distributions of stochastic water pollution” by Gren, Destouni and Tempone’ by Kampas and Adamidis

The note by Kampas and Adamidis (2004; KA) argues for a series of limitations in the paper by [Gren, I.-M., Destouni, G., Tempone R., 2002. Cost effective policies for alternative distributions of stochastic water pollution. Journal of Environmental Management, 66, 145–157.]. We systematically go through and reply to the arguments made by KA, showing that they are all based on misunderstanding of the pollutant load quantities involved in the GDT study and of the scope and purpose of the study. Specifically, the KA arguments are critically based on the invalid assumption of log-normality in individual, basin-scale annual pollutant loads, which are the basic pollutant transport quantities involved in the GDT study. We show that GDT never made, or had physical reason to make any such assumption, whereby the following KA arguments become irrelevant.     

Economic development,institutions, and biodiversity loss at the global scale

Current accelerating biodiversity loss is by many conservationists regarded as a result of economic development. Some economists agree on this viewpoint but argue it is valid at low income levels because of the need to secure a minimum living standard. On the other hand, economic development at higher income levels can instead mitigate biodiversity loss because of improved willingness and affordability to implement measures such as protected areas. This so-called environmental Kuznets relation is tested in this study by econometric analysis of cross-sectional data on a global scale. However, the results do not support this relation. Instead, we found a relation between economic and institutional development where economic development decreases biodiversity loss at a minimum level of institutional quality, i.e. minimum capacity to implement and secure property rights for the citizens. Our results thus question policies that neglect institutional quality for reversing biodiversity loss. Further, it was found that biodiversity loss increases with invasive species, high average temperature and precipitation, and spatial autocorrelation.     

Effects of an invasive polychaete on benthic phosphorus cycling at sea basin scale: An ecosystem disservice

Macrofaunal activities in sediments modify nutrient fluxes in different ways including the expression of species-specific functional traits and density-dependent population processes. The invasive polychaete genus Marenzelleria was first observed in the Baltic Sea in the 1980s. It has caused changes in benthic processes and affected the functioning of ecosystem services such as nutrient regulation. The large-scale effects of these changes are not known. We estimated the current Marenzelleria spp. wet weight biomass in the Baltic Sea to be 60–87 kton (95% confidence interval). We assessed the potential impact of Marenzelleria spp. on phosphorus cycling using a spatially explicit model, comparing estimates of expected sediment to water phosphorus fluxes from a biophysical model to ecologically relevant experimental measurements of benthic phosphorus flux. The estimated yearly net increases (95% CI) in phosphorous flux due to Marenzelleria spp. were 4.2–6.1 kton based on the biophysical model and 6.3–9.1 kton based on experimental data. The current biomass densities of Marenzelleria spp. in the Baltic Sea enhance the phosphorus fluxes from sediment to water on a sea basin scale. Although high densities of Marenzelleria spp. can increase phosphorus retention locally, such biomass densities are uncommon. Thus, the major effect of Marenzelleria seems to be a large-scale net decrease in the self-cleaning capacity of the Baltic Sea that counteracts human efforts to mitigate eutrophication in the region.     

Cadmium in food production systems: a health risk for sensitive population groups

This paper gives an overview of the cadmium (Cd) situation in agricultural systems and human exposure in Sweden. Cadmium levels in agricultural soils (the plow layer) increase by 0.03% to 0.05% per year. Feed can give substantial contributions of Cd to local agricultural systems. Effects on human kidney function are indicated by some measurements already at today's exposure levels. If food products reach the maximum permissible levels given by the European Union, 10% to 25% of the Swedish population will be exposed to Cd levels above the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI 7 microg Cd kg(-1) body weight). Sensitive groups in the population are individuals with low iron status (mainly women) and kidney disorders. Recent studies indicate that Cd plays a role in osteoporosis and that further research is needed to clarify if Cd is neurotoxic in early developmental stages. Firm actions have to be taken in order to stop a further increase of Cd in agricultural soils. Suggestions for prevention and measures are given in this paper.     

Cost effective management of stochastic coastal water pollution

This study develops a theoretical tool for investigating the impact on cost effective coastal water management from explicit treatment of: coastal pollutant transports, stochastic pollutant transports in the catchment areas, and wetlands as a pollutant abatement option. It is applied to a relatively well investigated estuary, Himmerfjärden, south of the Swedish capital, Stockholm. The theoretical results indicate that all three factors influence cost effective allocation of measures and associated design of economic instruments. The consideration of stochastic pollutant transports will increase costs, but the direction of influence of the other two factors cannot be determined without empirical support. The application to nitrogen transport in Himmerfjärden shows that, for target nitrogen reductions given in terms of a percentage of pre-abatement loads, the inclusion of coastal transports in the cost calculations lowers the estimated total costs for targets interpreted in terms of nitrogen loads to the marine water. The alternative investigated target interpretation was in terms of nitrogen loads to coastal waters. Depending on the ability of wetlands to abate nitrogen and to change the variance in pollutant load to the coastal recipients, costs are either increased or decreased as compared to when wetlands are excluded as nitrogen abatement options.     

Reconnecting Cities to the Biosphere: Stewardship of Green Infrastructure and Urban Ecosystem Services

Within-city green infrastructure can offer opportunities and new contexts for people to become stewards of ecosystem services. We analyze cities as social–ecological systems, synthesize the literature, and provide examples from more than 15 years of research in the Stockholm urban region, Sweden. The social–ecological approach spans from investigating ecosystem properties to the social frameworks and personal values that drive and shape human interactions with nature. Key findings demonstrate that urban ecosystem services are generated by social–ecological systems and that local stewards are critically important. However, land-use planning and management seldom account for their role in the generation of urban ecosystem services. While the small scale patchwork of land uses in cities stimulates intense interactions across borders much focus is still on individual patches. The results highlight the importance and complexity of stewardship of urban biodiversity and ecosystem services and of the planning and governance of urban green infrastructure.     

粮食生产系统中的镉:对敏感人群的健康威胁

本文概述了瑞典农业系统中镉的状况以及镉的人类暴露状况.农业土壤(耕层)中的镉每年增加0.03%～0.05%.饲料是当地农业系统中镉增加的重要原因.当前暴露水平下已经有一些测量表明人体肾功能受到影响.如果粮食中的水平达到欧盟允许的最大限度,那么10%～25%的瑞典人群暴露的镉水平将超过暂时可容忍的每周摄入量(PTWI,7μg Cd/kg体重).人群中的敏感者是那些低铁状况(主要是女性)和肾紊乱的个体.最近的研究表明镉对骨质疏松症有影响,但还需要进一步的研究来辨别镉是否在早期发展阶段毒害神经.必须采取坚决行动来阻止农业土壤中镉含量进一步增加.本文给出了预防及采取措施的建议.     

Single and joint effects of regional- and local-scale variables on tropical seagrass fish assemblages

Seagrass beds are highly important for tropical ecosystems by supporting abundant and diverse fish assemblages that form the basis for artisanal fisheries. Although a number of local- and regional-scale variables are known to influence the abundance, diversity and assemblage structure of seagrass-associated fish assemblages, few studies have evaluated the relative and joint (interacting) influences of variables, especially those acting at different scales. Here, we examined the relative importance of local- and regional-scale factors structuring seagrass-associated fish assemblages, using a field survey in six seagrass (Thalassodendron ciliatum) areas around Unguja Island (Zanzibar, Tanzania). Fish density and assemblage structure were mostly affected by two regional-scale variables; distance to coral reefs, which positively affected fish density, and level of human development, which negatively affected fish density. On the local scale, seagrass biomass had a positive (but weaker) influence on fish density. However, the positive effect of seagrass biomass decreased with increasing level of human development. In summary, our results highlight the importance of assessing how multiple local and regional variables, alone and together, influence fish communities, in order to improve management of seagrass ecosystems and their services.     

Operationalising a social–ecological system perspective on the Arctic Ocean

We propose a framework to support management that builds on a social–ecological system perspective on the Arctic Ocean. We illustrate the framework’s application for two policy-relevant scenarios of climate-driven change, picturing a shift in zooplankton composition and alternatively a crab invasion. We analyse archetypical system dynamics between the socio-economic, the natural, and the governance systems in these scenarios. Our holistic approach can help managers identify looming problems arising from complex system interactions and prioritise among problems and solutions, even when available data are limited.     

Development and non-indigenous species at the global scale

This paper investigates the explanatory power of development, prosperity and regulatory capability as proximate causes of non-indigenous species (NIS) occurrence in different countries, doing this by statistically analysing a global cross-sectional data set. Since the quantification of development is subject to much discussion, two different indicators are tested: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and the United Nations human development index (HDI). A corruption index is used as an indicator of regulatory capacity. In addition, variables capturing country openness, which facilitates NIS introduction, and habitat conditions, which determine NIS establishment, are included as explanatory variables. The GDP indicator together with the corruption index fits the NIS data best, where the number of NIS is higher in countries with larger incomes. However, countries with relatively high income but low institutional capacity show a larger number of NIS than countries with a similar level of income but with higher institutional capacity. The results also point to the significant contributions of openness and habitat fragmentation to NIS occurrences in the countries.