Foraging grounds, movement patterns and habitat connectivity of juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) tracked from the Adriatic Sea

Knowledge about migratory routes and highly frequented areas is a priority for sea turtle conservation, but the movement patterns of juveniles frequenting the Adriatic have not been investigated yet, although juveniles represent the bulk of populations. We tracked by satellite six juvenile and one adult female loggerhead from the north Adriatic. The results indicated that loggerhead juveniles (1) can either show a residential behaviour remaining in the Adriatic throughout the year or perform seasonal migrations to other areas, (2) can remain even in the coldest, northernmost area during winter, (3) can frequent relatively small foraging areas, (4) mostly frequent the eastern part of the Adriatic, and (5) follow preferred migratory routes along the western and eastern Adriatic coasts. The movements of the adult turtle also revealed (6) a behavioural polymorphism in Mediterranean adults, which included a lack of area fidelity and connection between distant neritic foraging grounds.     

From farm to gun and no way back: Habsburg gunpowder production in the eighteenth century and its impact on agriculture and soil fertility

Understanding the dynamics of society’s physical exchange processes with the environment (society’s metabolism) is a major theme of long-term socioecological research. In this paper, we adapt the concept of socioecological metabolism to analyze the competition between gunpowder production and agriculture for nitrogen (N) in the pre-industrial agro-ecosystem of Pamhagen in the late eighteenth century. Saltpeter (KNO₃)—the main ingredient of gunpowder—was chemically refined from agricultural waste products, in particular manure and wood ash, which were vital for the maintenance of soil fertility. In this paper, we reconstruct nitrogen flows in the agro-ecosystem of Pamhagen and establish a nutrient balance, which allows assessing the impact of saltpeter production on agricultural soil fertility management. We find that nitrate extracted by saltpeter production in our case study was equivalent to 23 % of the total available nitrogen in manure in 1778 and 12 % in 1780. The growing demand for gunpowder and thus the artisanal production of saltpeter became influential drivers in the management of societal nitrogen flows on the local level, competing over key resources for sustaining soil fertility and leaving a substantial imprint on the nutrient budget of agricultural soils as less nitrogen was available for plant uptake.     

Odorous emission reduction from a waste landfill with an optimal protection system based on fuzzy logic

Effective landfill management and operation require an accurate evaluation of the occurrence and extent of odour emission events, which are among the main causes of resident complaints and concerns, in particular in densely urbanised areas. This paper proposes a fuzzy optimal protection system (FOPS) based on fuzzy logic to manage odour production from a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. The case study is a MSW landfill in an old quarry site located 6 km north-west of Naples city centre (Italy). The aim is to reduce the odour nuisance in the area surrounding the landfill where there are several sensitive receptors. FOPS is based on logical relationships between local atmospheric dynamics, number and intensity of odour pollution events detected by certain fixed receptors and odour emission rate via an optimal fuzzy approach. Such system allows to start, in real time, established mitigation actions required to further reduce the odorous emissions from the landfill itself (e.g. spraying of perfumed substances and activation of extraction wells), especially when weather conditions might not be favourable and cause by causing a higher odour perception. The fuzzy system was coupled with the air pollutant transport software CALPUFF to simulate the odour dispersion in the considered area taking into account both different odour emission rates and local weather conditions. FOPS results show that this approach can be very useful as, by measuring the odour concentrations, a significant reduction of the odour exceedances over the thresholds fixed, to minimise the olfactory harassment, was observed in the whole area studied.

     

Innovative approach and design for environmental protection from arising threats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research -     

Determination of human error probabilities for offshore platform musters

The focus of this work is on prediction of human error probabilities during the process of emergency musters on offshore oil and gas production platforms. Due to a lack of human error databases, and in particular human error data for offshore platform musters, an expert judgment technique, the Success Likelihood Index Methodology (SLIM), was adopted as a vehicle to predict human error probabilities. Three muster scenarios of varying severity (man overboard, gas release, and fire and explosion) were studied in detail. A panel of 24 judges active in the offshore oil and gas industry provided data for both the weighting and rating of six performance shaping factors. These data were subsequently processed by means of SLIM to calculate the probability of success for 18 muster actions ranging from point of muster initiator to the final actions in the temporary safe refuge (TSR). The six performance shaping factors considered in this work were stress, complexity, training, experience, event factors and atmospheric factors.     

Early prenatal sonographic diagnosis of neuropathic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita with osseous heterotopia

A prenatal diagnosis of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) has been carried out on a 19-week-old fetus by means of echography. The ultrasonographic characteristics were unnatural position of the four limbs associated with articular anomalies together with absence of active fetal movements. A therapeutic interruption of pregnancy was performed and the diagnosis was confirmed. At autopsy, architectural disorder of the motor neurons of the anterior medullary horn revealed a neuropathic pathogenesis of the arthrogryposis. Moreover, at the lumbar level the spinal cord was progressively replaced by heterotopic bony tissue which caused a more severe deformity of the lower limbs compared with the upper. The aspects of anatomo-pathological, genetic, and differential diagnosis are discussed showing the precocity of the prenatal diagnosis and the peculiarity of the aetiology of our case.     

The greenhouse work environment: a modifier of occupational pesticide exposure?

Abstract

Greenhouses are enclosed structures which have various characteristics that enhance crop productivity, but the implications for workers’ pesticide exposure and uptake are not well understood. A narrative literature review was conducted to explore the mechanism/s of interactions between greenhouse characteristics and occupational pesticide exposure. Using a “work”, “worker” and “workplace” conceptual framework, the greenhouse environment (hot and humid microclimate, limited space and dense crop arrangements) combines with work characteristics (high work and pesticide use intensity, multi-tasking, predominantly manual spraying techniques and quick reentry to treated farms) to potentially increase occupational pesticide exposure, compared with open field farming. Greenhouse environments, are variable but have been shown to influence pesticide availability, route, pathways and frequency of exposure, deposition and distribution on a worker’s body as well as use and performance of exposure control methods. Training programs can emphasize the differences in exposure potential between greenhouse and open field farming. Development of tailored guidelines for exposure control strategies to better suit the level of uniqueness of greenhouse agriculture seems warranted.