Feeding ecology of sympatric European shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis and great cormorants P. carbo in Iceland

The feeding ecology of the European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and the great cormorant (P. carbo) in Iceland was studied. These bird species may affect their marine environment, for instance, by predating on several commercially important fish species in coastal waters. The shag and cormorant diets were studied throughout the year in the period 1996–2000 by analysing the content of about 300 stomachs from each species. The shag relies heavily on sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) in the breeding season, whereas bull-rout (Myoxocephalus scorpius) and gadoids (Gadidae) become increasingly important in autumn and winter. The main food of the cormorant in all areas and seasons is the bull-rout. Depending on location and season, secondary food consists mainly of butterfish (Pholis gunnellus), gadoids and flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes). Similarity in diets of these two co-existing bird species was least in the breeding season when overlap in the birds’ distribution was greatest. The results suggest that predation by shags and cormorants could sometimes affect the stocks of the commercially important saithe (Pollachius virens) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) in Iceland.     

Housing values,census estimates,disequilibrium, and the environmental cost of airport noise: A case study of Atlanta

Two unresolved issues about airport noise-property value studies are addressed. The first issue concerns the comparability of empirical results from aggregate census data vs individual sales values, and the second issue concerns the homogeneity and stability of results from housing price studies over time and across markets. Hedonic price models from two sets of data for a residential area near the Atlanta International Airport are estimated at two points in time 1979–1980 and 1970–1972. The available data yield similar estimates of the noise discount over time, and from the prices of individual house sales vs owner-appraised census block aggregates.     

Interaction of phenanthrene and its primary metabolite (1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid) with estuarine sediments and humic fractions

Experiments were conducted to compare the sorption and desorption of phenanthrene and its primary degradation product, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA), in estuarine sediment, humic acid (HA) and humin. Ionic composition, ionic strength (0.4 M) and pH (7.6) were employed to mimic native estuarine pore water at the sediment-water interface. Sorption to whole sediment and organic matter (OM) fractions was significantly lower for HNA than for phenanthrene. Whereas HNA did not sorb to HA, uptake to sediment and humin was observed, suggesting that HNA does not bind directly to OM. Phenanthrene uptake was characterized by hysteretic behavior and exhibited slow desorption. In contrast, HNA initially was more readily desorbed from sediment and humic fractions, but a significant fraction was not recovered in repeated desorption runs. The lower sorption of HNA reflects its greater polarity and water solubility, but the consistent retention of a non-desorbing fraction suggests strong binding and/or chemical transformation reactions may be important. It was postulated that abiotic transformation of HNA may occur in estuarine sediments, in part due to the presence of redox active minerals (Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides). The presence of Fe and Mn solids in the estuarine sediment was verified by sequential extraction and studies were then conducted to investigate the transformation of HNA in the presence of synthetic goethite (alpha-FeOOH) and birnessite (delta-MnO2) as model solids. Reaction with birnessite led to transformation of all HNA in solution within 24 h and resulted in the formation of partial oxidation products (POPs). Following reaction with goethite, HNA was present in solution and POPs were observed in the weakly bound fraction. This study indicates that degradation products of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may have distinctly different sorption affinities and reactivities toward environmental surfaces than their parent compounds.     

Expect Déjà vu all over again

It is difficult to define “property damage,” but one knows it when one sees it. Groundwater and soil impacts are readily discernible. However, owners of property that has been adversely affected by environmental conditions caused by others have recently sought recovery for the stigma which may attach to property which has in the past been affected by hazardous substances, even after remediation. These cases are particularly interesting in light of the traditional causes of action for negligence, trespass, and nuisance, and the statutes of limitations which may affect both rights to sue and damages. This article addresses “stigma” as an emerging area and an element of damages in environmental cases.     

Introduction to the special issue on Advances in Life-Cycle Approachesto Business and Resource Management in the Asia-Pacific Region

This special issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production was initiated as a result of the 5th and 6th meetings of the Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP), which were held in Melbourne, Australia and Hanoi, Vietnam, respectively. A need identified at those meetings was to create another means of communicating the best ideas and papers being presented, to a wider audience. The Asia Pacific region has special development needs given its rapid emergence as a global production hub, but coupled to that are also the rapid social adjustments and shifts in patterns of consumption and production which aren't positive for the environment. This special issue contains eight papers covering the implementation of cleaner production and life cycle principles at the systems and regional planning level. These articles cover urban development, corporate CP programs, supply chain management, eco-industrial networks, and industrial parks, recycling, and understanding the role of human factors in bringing about environmental change.     

Single-cell sequencing and mini-sequencing for preimplantation genetic diagnosis

There is increasing interest in the use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) as an alternative to routine prenatal diagnosis. However, the costs associated with development and testing of new PGD protocols have forced some PGD centres to limit the number of diseases for which PGD is offered. One of the main factors in the design of new protocols, which affects cost and accuracy, is the choice of the mutation-detection technique. We have assessed the reliability of DNA sequencing and mini-sequencing for clinical diagnosis at the single-cell level and have found them to be rapid and accurate. Extensive optimisation for individual mutations is not usually necessary when employing these versatile techniques and consequently a smaller investment of time and resources should be required during development of new protocols. Additionally, we report single-cell protocols for the diagnoses of cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anaemia and β-thalassaemia, which utilise mini-sequencing. Unlike most mutation-detection techniques, mini-sequencing permits analysis of very small DNA fragments. Small amplicons experience low allele dropout (ADO) rates, and consequently this approach could potentially improve the reliability of PGD. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

CLIMATE CHANGE: POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND INTERACTIONS IN WETLANDS OF THE UNTTED STATES1

ABSTRACT: Wetlands exist in a transition zone between aquatic and terrestrial environments which can be altered by subtle changes in hydrology. Twentieth century climate records show that the United States is generally experiencing a trend towards a wetter, warmer climate; some climate models suggest that this trend will continue and possibly intensify over the next 100 years. Wetlands that are most likely to be affected by these and other potential changes (e.g., sea‐level rise) associated with atmospheric carbon enrichment include permafrost wetlands, coastal and estuanne wetlands, peat lands, alpine wetlands, and prairie pothole wetlands. Potential impacts range from changes in community structure to changes in ecological function, and from extirpation to enhancement. Wetlands (particularly boreal peat‐lands) play an important role in the global carbon cycle, generally sequestering carbon in the form of biomass, methane, dissolved organic material and organic sediment. Wetlands that are drained or partially dried can become a net source of methane and carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, serving as a positive biotic feedback to global warming. Policy options for minimizing the adverse impacts of climate change on wetland ecosystems include the reduction of current anthropogenic stresses, allowing for inland migration of coastal wetlands as sea‐level rises, active management to preserve wetland hydrology, and a wide range of other management and restoration options.     

Why should I be generous when I have valued and accessible alternatives? Alternative exchange partners and OCB

An Erratum has been published for this article in Journal of Organizational Behavior 26(7) 2005, 873. Previous research on the relationship between alternative employment opportunities and cooperation has neglected the distinction between evaluations and restrictions. Thus, one cannot analyze the relationship between attractiveness of alternative employment opportunities and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) under different levels of perceived ease of finding alternative employment. In a pilot study with N = 149 German employees, we confirm the proposed distinction with confirmatory factor analyses. Based on power‐dependence theory and rational choice models, we predict that under high ease the relationship between attractiveness and OCB should be more strongly negative than under conditions of low ease. In addition, we hypothesize that the interaction between attractiveness and ease should be greater for OCB than for task performance because task performance is exchanged in a relationship with an enforceable, binding contract, while OCB is voluntarily. Results from moderated multiple regression analysis on N = 86 German professional–supervisor dyads support our prediction for a negative relationship between attractiveness and OCB under high ease. Under low ease, we find a positive relationship between attractiveness and OCB. Moreover, there was no relationship with the interaction and task performance. Implications of the findings both for extra‐role and job mobility theory formation and research are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.