Validation studies of turbulence closure schemes for high resolutions in mesoscale meteorological models – A case of gas dispersion at the local scale

This work is a contribution to a large project, aimed at the development of an advanced environmental assessment modelling system to be used in Japan. The modelling system here considered consisted of the RAMS and HYPACT coupled models. The RAMS code was modified to properly simulate local scale phenomena using a fine mesh size of 250 m. In this direction, the main aim here was to investigate the effect of the choice of the turbulence closure scheme on the dispersion of pollutants. Our modified version of the RAMS/HYPACT model chain was validated using field experiments which were carried out by the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) in the area of Mt. Tsukuba (Japan). The mean flow, turbulence and concentration fields obtained using two alternative turbulence closure schemes are compared. A discussion on the different performances of the turbulence closures is presented and the influence of the closure schemes over the plume dispersion is investigated.     

Penetration of submicron amino-functionalized graphene quantum dots in plant stomata,implication for the depollution of atmospheric soot particles

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Plants remove efficiently atmospheric pollution by soot particles, yet the mechanisms used by leaves to capture soot particles are unclear. Here, we studied the...     

Development of a new standardised method for sustainable monitoring of the vulnerable pink sea fan Eunicella verrucosa

The aim of this survey was to test a standardised method to follow the demographic evolution of a dense aggregative ‘forest’ population of the temperate gorgonian Eunicella verrucosa (Octocorallia, Gorgoniidae) using in situ photographic recordings. Distribution, density, growth and demographic evolution of the colonies was compared along two parallel transects. Computer treatment allowed the estimation of the total branch fan surface area, and the individual growth of tagged colonies was determined by measuring the increase in this surface area, using consecutive photographs taken at two-year intervals. To integrate the potential bias of branch overlapping, we proposed a correction factor between the in situ photographic surface area and the surface area of the gorgonian calculated from ex situ photographic surface area with all branches deployed. The surface-frequency distribution of colonies was converted to estimated-age-frequency distribution using an estimated growth curve based on the net growth rate. The technique used revealed significant differences in population structure and the dynamics of gorgonian colonies, as the two transects appeared to be influenced by different environmental conditions. The recruitment also seemed to vary according to year and transect, resulting in different densities. Our work showed clear results in characterising the variations of gorgonian demographic evolution at a small spatial scale; thus, it is assumed that this method could be a sustainable tool for coastal environmental managers.     

The Declining Influence of Science On Marine Environmental Policy

Abstract

Differences between the scientific and environmental policy communities regarding marine environmental protection strategies are discussed in the context of the nature and extent of scientific influence on marine environmental policy. Public perceptions of the nature and severity of marine pollution frequently differ from scientific assessments. the thesis of this paper is that the increasing influence of public perception on marine environmental protection policy is leading to the adoption of simplistic and unnecessarily extreme approaches to marine pollution prevention and to a reduced reliance on science. This trend is illustrated by some recent international developments and some suggestions are made towards enhancing the influence of science on marine protection policy.     

Safety testing of pesticides and methods of evaluating human exposure in the field

Abstract

The importance of field surveys to provide data on acute pesticide hazards is discussed. The types of questions which small field surveys of pesticide exposure should answer are presented. In addition to protective clothing, the value of distance, time, and personal hygiene in reducing exposure are considered. Finally, the importance of an adequate data base for the development of protocols and guidelines for public protection is discussed.     

Sustainable poverty alleviation through a forestry project in Tamilnadu State of India

The World Development Report 2000–2001 recommends action on three complementary and synergistic fronts for poverty alleviation – promoting opportunity, facilitating empowerment and enhancing security. This paper analyses the Tamilnadu Forestry Project, funded by US$100 million from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, for community forestry. The project was launched in 1997–1998 in this southern state of India and has evolved into a comprehensive poverty alleviation programme for the forest abutting villages where the proportion of poor people is largest. It endeavours to explain how the project provides the above three elements at the local level for sustainable poverty alleviation. Regeneration of forests, improvement of basic infrastructure through integration of line departments and promotion of alternate livelihoods provide ample economic opportunities. Establishment of Village Forest Councils, and delegation of sufficient powers to these Councils, has empowered the poorest of the poor. Tree assets, promotion of alternate income generation activities and water harvesting structures have provided security by reducing vulnerability to natural vagaries, particularly drought. In this project, the restoration of biodiversity and people development go hand in hand in a synergistic way that makes the project worth replicating elsewhere in the country and other parts of the world, with suitable modifications.     

What motivates OCB? Insights from the volunteerism literature

This paper argues that taking a functionalist perspective can contribute to a more complete understanding of why employees engage in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Informed by the volunteerism literature, a number of other‐oriented and self‐oriented functions are identified as predictors of OCB including value‐expression, social, and career‐related motives. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Age before beauty? Relationships between fertilization success and age-dependent ornaments in barn swallows

When males become more ornamented and reproduce more successfully as they grow older, phenotypic correlations between ornament exaggeration and reproductive success can be confounded with age effects in cross-sectional studies, and thus say relatively little about sexual selection on these traits. This is exemplified here in a correlative study of male fertilization success in a large colony of American barn swallows (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster). Previous studies of this species have indicated that two sexually dimorphic traits, tail length and ventral plumage coloration, are positively correlated with male fertilization success, and a mechanism of sexual selection by female choice has been invoked. However, these studies did not control for potential age-related variation in trait expression. Here, we show that male fertilization success was positively correlated with male tail length but not with plumage coloration. We also show that 1-year-old males had shorter tails and lower fertilization success than older males. This age effect accounted for much of the covariance between tail length and fertilization success. Still, there was a positive relationship between tail length and fertilization success among older males. But as this group consisted of males from different age classes, an age effect may be hidden in this relationship as well. Our data also revealed a longitudinal increase in both tail length and fertilization success for individual males. We argue that age-dependent ornament expression and reproductive performance in males complicate inferences about female preferences and sexual selection.     

Defending the scientific integrity of conservation‐policy processes

Government agencies faced with politically controversial decisions often discount or ignore scientific information, whether from agency staff or nongovernmental scientists. Recent developments in scientific integrity (the ability to perform, use, communicate, and publish science free from censorship or political interference) in Canada, Australia, and the United States demonstrate a similar trajectory. A perceived increase in scientific‐integrity abuses provokes concerted pressure by the scientific community, leading to efforts to improve scientific‐integrity protections under a new administration. However, protections are often inconsistently applied and are at risk of reversal under administrations publicly hostile to evidence‐based policy. We compared recent challenges to scientific integrity to determine what aspects of scientific input into conservation policy are most at risk of political distortion and what can be done to strengthen safeguards against such abuses. To ensure the integrity of outbound communications from government scientists to the public, we suggest governments strengthen scientific integrity policies, include scientists’ right to speak freely in collective‐bargaining agreements, guarantee public access to scientific information, and strengthen agency culture supporting scientific integrity. To ensure the transparency and integrity with which information from nongovernmental scientists (e.g., submitted comments or formal policy reviews) informs the policy process, we suggest governments broaden the scope of independent reviews, ensure greater diversity of expert input and transparency regarding conflicts of interest, require a substantive response to input from agencies, and engage proactively with scientific societies. For their part, scientists and scientific societies have a responsibility to engage with the public to affirm that science is a crucial resource for developing evidence‐based policy and regulations in the public interest.