Integrated regional modelling and scenario development to evaluate future water demand under global change conditions

Within climate change impact research, the consideration of socioeconomic processes remains a challenge. Socioeconomic systems must be equipped to react and adapt to global change. However, any reasonable development or assessment of sustainable adaptation strategies requires a comprehensive consideration of human-environment interactions. This requirement can be met through multi-agent simulation, as demonstrated in the interdisciplinary project GLOWA-Danube (GLObal change of the WAter Cycle; ). GLOWA-Danube has developed an integrated decision support tool for water and land use management in the Upper Danube catchment (parts of Germany and Austria, 77,000 km²). The scientific disciplines invoked in the project have implemented sixteen natural and social science models, which are embedded in the simulation framework DANUBIA. Within DANUBIA, a multi-agent simulation approach is used to represent relevant socioeconomic processes. The structure and results of three of these multi-agent models, WaterSupply, Household and Tourism, are presented in this paper. A main focus of the paper is on the development of global change scenarios (climate and society) and their application to the presented models. The results of different simulation runs demonstrate the potential of multi-agent models to represent feedbacks between different water users and the environment. Moreover, the interactive usage of the framework allows to define and vary scenario assumptions so as to assess the impact of potential interventions. It is shown that integrated modelling and scenario design not only provide valuable information, but also offer a platform for discussing complex human-environment-interactions with stakeholders.     

Untersuchungskonzept zur Charakterisierung toxischer Stoffe in belastetem Wasser

Simple biotests are frequently used for the ecotoxicological assessment of waste water. Unfortunately, and not too rarely, effects are detected and the question concerning water-polluting substances has to be answered. The latter are enriched by solid phase extraction (SPE), then isolated and fractioned by thinlayer chromatography using automatic multiple development (AMD). One strip of the DC-plate is separated and used without further atterations for the biological detection with microorganisms (Bacillus subtilis, luminous bacteria). With this system, toxic bands can be identified. From the other part of the DC plate, an UV-spectrum can be taken of the toxic bands using a DC scanner. Subsequently, the corresponding bands are scratched out and the toxic substance is eluted and analysed with infrared spectroscopy. The infrared spectrum can be characterised by comparing it with reference spectra. In this submitted work, a concept is presented with an example of a “nipple rubber” eluate. It shows that this rubber article liberates a vulcanization accelerator, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole.     

Long-term reactions of plants and macroinvertebrates to extreme floods in floodplain grasslands

Extreme summertime flood events are expected to become more frequent in European rivers due to climate change. In temperate areas, where winter floods are common, extreme floods occurring in summer, a period of high physiological activity, may seriously impact floodplain ecosystems. Here we report on the effects of the 2002 extreme summer flood on flora and fauna of the riverine grasslands of the Middle Elbe (Germany), comparing pre- and post-flooding data collected by identical methods. Plants, mollusks, and carabid beetles differed considerably in their response in terms of abundance and diversity. Plants and mollusks, displaying morphological and behavioral adaptations to flooding, showed higher survival rates than the carabid beetles, the adaptation strategies of which were mainly linked to life history. Our results illustrate the complexity of responses of floodplain organisms to extreme flood events. They demonstrate that the efficiency of resistance and resilience strategies is widely dependent on the mode of adaptation.     

Implementation of a medical command and control team in Switzerland

In case of a major incident or disaster, the advance medical rescue command needs to manage several essential tasks simultaneously. These include the rapid deployment of ambulance, police, fire and evacuation services, and their coordinated activity, as well as triage and emergency medical care on site. The structure of such a medical rescue command is crucial for the successful outcome of medical evacuation at major incidents. However, little data has been published on the nature and structure of the command itself. This study presents a flexible approach to command structure, with two command heads: one emergency physician and one experienced paramedic. This approach is especially suitable for Switzerland, whose federal system allows for different structures in each canton. This article examines the development of these structures and their efficiency, adaptability and limitations with respect to major incident response in the French‐speaking part of the country.     

Epidemiology of centipede exposures reported to Texas poison control centers, 1998–2004

Centipedes are found globally, including the southern United States. Although centipede bites may cause pain, the bite is generally not considered life threatening. The present retrospective investigation studied the epidemiology of centipede exposures reported to Texas poison control centers. Cases were all human exposures reported during 1998–2004 that involved centipedes. There were totally 851 cases. Among the cases with a known patient age, 16% were less than 6 years of age, 19% were 6–19, and 65% were greater than 19 years. Females accounted for 55% of the patients with known gender. The reported centipede exposures were managed on site (outside of a health care facility) in 93% of the cases. Of the 305 cases with a known clinical outcome, 82% had minor effects. Cases exhibited a seasonal trend, with most of the reports occurring during July–September. There was no clear geographic pattern to the reported centipede exposures, although the highest rate occurred in West Texas. Dermal irritation or pain was reported in 73% of cases and the treatment by decontamination via irrigation was reported for 76% of the cases during 2000–2004.     

Growth pattern of the sea urchin, Loxechinus albus (Molina, 1782) in southern Chile: evaluation of growth models

The growth pattern of Loxechinus albus in southern Chile was studied using size-at-age data obtained by reading growth bands on the genital plates. The scatter plots of sizes-at-age for samples collected in three different locations indicated that growth is linear between ages 2 and 10. Five different growth models, including linear, asymptotic and non-asymptotic functions, were fitted to the data, and model selection was conducted based on the Akaike information criteria (AIC) and the Bayesian information criteria (BIC). The AIC identified the Tanaka model as the most suitable for two of the three sites. However, the BIC led to the selection of the linear model for all zones. Our results show that the growth pattern of L. albus is different from the predominantly asymptotic pattern that has been reported for other sea urchin species.