Polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in the North American environment

North America consumes over half of the world's production of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. About 98% of global demand for the Penta-BDE mixture, the constituents of which are the most bioaccumulative and environmentally widespread, resides here. However, research on the environmental distribution of PBDEs in North America has lagged behind that in Northern Europe. Examination of available governmentally maintained release data suggests that Deca-BDE use in the US substantially exceeds that in Canada. Penta-BDE use probably follows a similar pattern. PBDE demand in Mexico is uncertain, but is assumed to be comparatively modest. Recent research examining air, water, sediment, sewage sludge and aquatic biota suggests that Penta-BDE constituents are present in geographically disparate locations in the US and Canada. The less brominated congeners have been observed in areas distant from their known use or production, e.g. the Arctic. PBDEs have been detected in low concentrations in North American air, water and sediment, but much higher levels in aquatic biota. Increased burdens as a function of position in the food web have been noted. PBDE concentrations in US and Canadian sewage sludges appear to be at least 10-fold greater than European levels and may be a useful barometer of release. In general, PBDE concentrations in environmental media reported in North America are comparable or exceed those observed elsewhere in the world. In contrast to Europe, environmental burdens are increasing over time here, consistent with the greater consumption of the commercial mixtures. However, data remain relatively scarce. Deca-BDE in the North American environment appears largely restricted to points of release, e.g. urban areas and those where PBDE-containing sewage sludges have been applied. This lack of redistribution is likely due to its extremely low volatility and water solubility. Penta-BDE and Deca-BDE products are used in different applications and this may also be a factor controlling their environmental release.     

Two error components model for measurement error: application to radon in homes

In this paper, a simple model for analysing variability in radon concentrations in homes is tested. The approach used here involves two error components, representing additive and multiplicative errors, together with variation between-houses. We use a Bayesian approach for our analysis and apply this model to two datasets of repeat radon measurements in homes; one based on 3-month long measurements for which the original measurements were close to the current UK Radon Action Level (200 Bq m⁻³), and the other based on 6-month measurement data (from regional and national surveys), for which the original measurements cover a wide range of radon concentrations, down to very low levels. The model with two error components provides a better fit to these datasets than does a model based on solely multiplicative errors.     

大型动物的种群恢复:大象种群增长的生态学效应

博茨瓦纳北部及其毗邻地区分布着世界上最大的非洲象种群(Loxodonta africana),而在100年前,由于过度捕猎,大象的种群数量极为稀少.     

Focus of Attention at Work and Leader-Follower Relationships

Three different studies examine moderating effects of focus of attention at work on leader-follower relationships, using the typology developed by Howell, Dorfman, and Kerr (1986). Survey data were collected from over 1300 subjects. Results indicate that: (1) high focus on the supervisor while at work enhances leader behaviour-subordinate satisfaction and behaviour relationships, (2) high focus on off-job factors while at work enhances leader behaviour-subordinate satisfaction relationships, and (3) high focus on off-job factors while at work weakens leader behaviour-subordinate behaviour relationships. Theoretical implications for the study of organizational behaviour are discussed, as well as practical issues for enhancing leader behaviour effectiveness in work organizations.     

Exploring discourses on international environmental regime effectiveness with Q methodology: a case study of the Mediterranean Action Plan

Extensive research has been done on the 'high politics' of negotiations of international environmental agreements. However, little attention has been paid to the effectiveness of their implementation after coming into force. Effectiveness cannot be easily measured, since different stakeholders use different criteria as the basis of their opinion. The purpose of this study is to investigate discourses on the effectiveness of an international environmental regime. The regime chosen is the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) - and its legal framework, the Barcelona Convention - which was established in 1975 under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Q methodology was used to reveal discourses on the effectiveness of UNEP/MAP. After collecting relevant literature and identifying the stakeholders, 25 in-depth interviews were conducted. The stakeholders were from the Secretariat of the Convention, academia, NGO workers, and others that studied or knew the subject well. From these interviews 294 statements were extracted, from which 44 were finally selected to be used in the Q study. The interviewees were approached for the second time to complete the Q sorts. This study revealed four distinct discourses concerning the effectiveness of international environmental regimes. It concludes that there is no one 'right' way of defining effectiveness and that no approach can provide more than a partial evaluation of the overall effectiveness of a regime.     

Book reviews

Green Culture: environmental rhetoric in contemporary America. C. G. Herndl & S. C. Brown (Eds), 1996, Madison, WI, University of Wisconsin Press, 315 pp. ISBN 0 229 14990 0, £35.95 (hbk) ISBN 0 299 14994 3, £17.50 (pbk)

Earthtalk: communication empowerment for environmental action. S. A. Muir & T. L. Veenendall, 1996, Westport, CT, Praeger, Praeger Series in Political Communication, 233 pp. ISBN 0 275 953700 X, £47.95

Environmentalism and Cultural Theory. Kay Milton, 1996 London & New York, Routledge, 266 pp. ISBN 0 415 115529 9, £45.00 (hbk) ISBN 0 415 11530 2, £13.99 (pbk)

Local Environmental Struggles: citizen activism in the treadmill of production. Kenneth A. Gould, Allan Schnaiberg & Adam S. Weinberg, 1996, Cambridge University Press, 239 pp. ISBN 0 521 55519 1, £40.00 (hbk) ISBN 0 521 55521 3, £14.95 (pbk)

The Language of Environment: a new rhetoric. George Myerson & Yvonne Rydin, 1996 London, UCL Press, 264 pp. ISBN 1 85728 330 9, £35.00 (hbk) ISBN 1 85728 331 7, £11.95 (pbk)

Environmental Issues and Business: implications of a changing agenda. Sally Eden, 1996, Chichester, Wiley, ISBN 0 471 94872 1, £25.00

Green Shift: towards a green sensibility in architecture. John Farmer, edited by Kenneth Richardson, 1996, Oxford, Butterworth Architecture, with World-Wide Fund for Nature, ISBN 07506 15303

Lewis Mumford and the Ecological Region: the politics of planning. Mark Luccarelli, 1995, New York, Guilford Press, ISBN 1572300019, £19.95

The Ecology of Hope: communities collaborate for sustainability. Ted Bernard & Jora Young, 1997, East Haven, CT, New Society Publishers, 233 pp. ISBN 0 86571 355 33 (pbk)

Turning the Tide: integrated local area management for Australia's coastal zone. Valerie A. Brown, 1995, Canberra, Australia, Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories

Involving Communities in Forestry through Community Participation. Forestry Practice Guide 10, Forestry Commission

The Scope for Community Participation in Forest Management. A Report for the Forestry Commission and Scottish Office by Bill Slee, Gill Clark & Patrick Snowdon, £10 (£15 non UK)

The Role of Woodlands in Meeting Planning Objectives in Great Britain. A Report for the Forestry Commission by Professor Paul Selman