Conflict resolution by participatory management: remote sensing and GIS as tools for communicating land-use needs for reindeer herding in northern Sweden

When seeking to resolve complex land-management issues, geographical assessment of resources that are in short supply or in dispute can aid the communication of knowledge and the understanding among and between different stakeholders. In this paper, we illustrate how remote sensing and GIS can be used to gather and compile information regarding land-use activities and patterns among reindeer herders and other land users (forestry, mining, tourism, etc) in northern Sweden. The project represents a novel user-oriented effort largely based on the work carried out by the principal end user, i.e. the reindeer herders themselves. The basis for development of land-use plans for reindeer husbandry, was the following: to collect and digitally systemize traditional ecological and landscape knowledge of reindeer habitat use; to integrate this information with results from field inventories and satellite-based vegetation classifications; to map activities of other land users. The resulting land-use plans provide information that can facilitate consultation between the reindeer herders and other stakeholders and can facilitate operational work in reindeer management. This project can serve as a model for participatory involvement and planning, bringing indigenous knowledge and advanced remote-sensing techniques together in an interactive process.     

Influence of special surfactants on the microbial degradation of mineral oils

Various surfactants belonging to the group of fatty acid-acylated amino acids were tested for their ability to accelerate the microbial degradation of mineral oil. Of the lauric acid-acylated amino acids, aliphatic acids and histidine were found to be the most suitable. By the aid of these compounds additional 20-60% of a residual oil fraction could be degraded. The longer the chain of the fatty acid moiety, the more effective the surfactants are. Natural L-amino acids were more effective than their D-configuration. Since the special surfactants are easily biologically degradable, multiple replenishment is required in long-term experiments. The faster, more complete degradation of mineral oil is caused solely by interfacial activity; the growth of biomass due to the function of surfactants as substrate had no effect.     

Seed and establishment limitation contribute to long-term native forb declines in California grasslands

The effects of exotic species invasions on biodiversity vary with spatial scale, and documentation of local-scale changes in biodiversity following invasion is generally lacking. Coupling long-term observations of local community dynamics with experiments to determine the role played by exotic species in recruitment limitation of native species would inform both our understanding of exotic impacts on natives at local scales and regional-scale management efforts to promote native persistence. We used field experimentation to quantify propagule and establishment limitation in a suite of native annual forbs in a California reserve, and compared these findings to species abundance trends within the same sites over the past 48 years. Observations at 11 paired sites (inside and outside the reserve) indicated that exotic annual plants have continued to increase in abundance over the past 48 years. This trend suggests the system has not reached equilibrium > 250 years after exotic species began to spread, and 70 years after livestock grazing ceased within the reserve. Long-term monitoring observations also indicated that six native annual forb species went extinct from more local populations than were colonized. To determine the potential role of exotic species in these native plant declines, we added seed of these species into plots adjacent to monitoring sites where plant litter and live grass competition were removed. Experimental results suggest both propagule and establishment limitation have contributed to local declines observed for these native forbs. Recruitment was highest at sites that had current or historical occurrences of the seeded species, and in plots where litter was removed. Grazing history (i.e., location within or outside the reserve) interacted with exotic competition removal, such that removal of live grass competition increased recruitment in more recently grazed sites. Abundance of forbs was positively related to recruitment, while abundance of exotic forbs was negatively related. Thus, exotic competition is likely only one factor contributing to local declines of native species in invaded ecosystems, with a combination of propagule limitation, site quality, and land use history also playing important and interactive roles in native plant recruitment.     

Air quality mapping using GIS and economic evaluation of health impact for Mumbai City,India

Mumbai, a highly populated city in India, has been selected for air quality mapping and assessment of health impact using monitored air quality data. Air quality monitoring networks in Mumbai are operated by National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). A monitoring station represents air quality at a particular location, while we need spatial variation for air quality management. Here, air quality monitored data of NEERI and BMC were spatially interpolated using various inbuilt interpolation techniques of ArcGIS. Inverse distance weighting (IDW), Kriging (spherical and Gaussian), and spline techniques have been applied for spatial interpolation for this study. The interpolated results of air pollutants sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) were compared with air quality data of MPCB in the same region. Comparison of results showed good agreement for predicted values using IDW and Kriging with observed data. Subsequently, health impact assessment of a ward was carried out based on total population of the ward and air quality monitored data within the ward. Finally, health cost within a ward was estimated on the basis of exposed population. This study helps to estimate the valuation of health damage due to air pollution.

Implications: Operating more air quality monitoring stations for measurement of air quality is highly resource intensive in terms of time and cost. The appropriate spatial interpolation techniques can be used to estimate concentration where air quality monitoring stations are not available. Further, health impact assessment for the population of the city and estimation of economic cost of health damage due to ambient air quality can help to make rational control strategies for environmental management. The total health cost for Mumbai city for the year 2012, with a population of 12.4 million, was estimated as USD8000 million.     

Metrics for integrating sustainability evaluations into remediation projects

The US Sustainable Remediation Forum (SURF) created a compilation of metrics (Metrics Toolbox) in response to a need for a broad set of metrics that could be used to assess and monitor the effectiveness of remedies in achieving sustainability goals. Metrics are the key impacts, outcomes, or burdens that are to be assessed or balanced to determine the influences and impacts of a remedial action. Metrics can reflect any of the three aspects of sustainability (i.e., environmental, social, or economic) or a combination of these aspects. Regardless, metrics represent the most critical sustainable outcomes from the perspective of the key stakeholders. The Metrics Toolbox is hosted online at www.sustainableremediation.org/library/guidance‐tools‐and‐other‐resources . By selecting metrics from the Metrics Toolbox as a starting point and considering a potentially wider suite of metrics in remedial program decisions, appropriate assessments can be made. Qualitative and quantitative metrics are tabulated for each remedial phase: remedial investigation, remedy selection, remedial design, remedial construction, operation and maintenance, and closure. Attributes for each metric are described so that remediation practitioners and key stakeholders can view the universe of metrics available and select the most relevant, site‐specific metrics for a particular site. For this reason, SURF recommends that remediation practitioners consider the metrics compiled in the Metrics Toolbox as a companion to the sustainable remediation framework published elsewhere in this journal and other sustainability evaluations. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Climate change and coastal aquaculture farmers’ risk perceptions: experiences from Bangladesh and Denmark

This paper addresses the issue of risk perception in relation to climate change threats, comparison of risk perceptions in two different regions, and derives general results of what affect peoples’ level of risk perceptions. Revelation of individual risk perception is essential for local acceptance and cooperation. We do this by a comparative study with Bangladesh shrimp farmers and Danish mussel farmers. Since these people live on the edge of subsistence, already small changes in the climate will affect them significantly. Farmers in both developed and developing economies are concerned about global climate change but there are significant differences in farmers’ perceptions of the causes of global climate change in developed and developing countries.     

Disaccharidase deficiency in amniotic fluid from cases of cystic fibrosis

The activities of the disaccharidases maltase and sucrase in 4 amniotic fluid from cystic fibrosis (CF) pregnancies have been compared to those of 120 non CF-pregnancies. Very low levels were found in 3 of the CF-fluids. The fourth CF-fluid was normal in all measured microvillar enzyme activities. Elevated levels of disaccharidases in meconium from one of the patients born with CF, supports the idea that these enzymes are trapped in the intestinal cavity by sticky meconium.     

Multifunctional landscapes--perspectives for the future

New methods in landscape ecology to study the link between landscape between landscape heterogeneity and landscape functionality are needed.Heterogeneity is a basic characteristic of Iandscape,and landscape fnction is the capacity to change the structural heterogeneity of a landscape ystem.In most developed countries the industrialisation of agriculture has in general resulted in a change of agricultural landscapes from a small-grained heterogeneous pattern towards more monotonous and monofunctional landscapes.During the 1990‘s this trends seems to have changed due to a diversification of rural land use and new trends in urbanisation.Weather these phases of landscape development should be expected in developing countries is a totally open question.Dealing with the study of multifunctionality of landscapes it is proposed to distinguish between ecological functionality of landscape ecosystems,functionality.Further,the relation between function,space and scale is important by the determination of spatial and time segregation as well as spatial and time integration of multifunctionality in landscapes.     

Modern energy region development and income distribution: An input-output analysis

This paper formulates an input-output method for determining the distributional consequences of energy development projects. The method is oriented to the conditions appearing in many contemporary development settings where large resident populations and other factors are likely to inhibit boomtown scenarios. An analysis of geothermal energy development in Imperial County, California, is presented. The results indicate that personal income inequality is likely to increase by several percentage points as measured by the Gini coefficient. The sensitivity of the results is examined with respect to important factors such as labor supply elasticities, preferential employment of local residents, and the concentration of land holdings.