Derivation of a household-level vulnerability index for empirically testing measures of adaptive capacity and vulnerability

Recent studies have projected significant climate change impacts in Africa. In order to understand what this means in terms of human well-being at local level, we need to understand how households can cope and adapt. This need has led many authors to argue for approaches to adaptation that are based on vulnerability analysis. Vulnerability is one of the key terms in the climate change literature, but little progress has been made in the field of its quantification. Typically, indicators are combined according to a weighing scheme, with the identification of indicators and the weighing schemes based on expert judgment rather than empirical evidence. In addition, most quantitative assessments are applied to countries or other administrative units, whereas managing climate risk has traditionally been the responsibility of households. We therefore focus on the adaptive capacity of households. We analyze the coping strategies and vulnerability to climatic stresses of agro-pastoralists in Mozambique and test the validity of a number of commonly used vulnerability indicators. We derive a household-level vulnerability index based on survey data. We find that only 9 out of 26 indicators tested exhibit a statistically significant relationship with households’ vulnerability. In total, they explain about one-third of the variation in vulnerability between households, confirming the need for more research on underlying determinants and processes of vulnerability. With inclusion of local knowledge, our study findings can be used for local targeting, priority setting and resource allocation. Complemented with studies analyzing climate change impacts and findings from country-level adaptive capacity studies, governmental policy can be informed.     

A rainwater quality monitoring network: a preliminary study of the composition of rainwater in Galicia (NW Spain)

A network consisting of 17 sampling stations strategically distributed in the geographical area of Galicia (NW Spain) was set up in January 1999 in order to monitorice the ionic rainwater quality in this Spanish region which has an area approximately 29.575 km(2) and a population of 2.8 million. This paper presents the preliminary results of the exploratory study on the ionic rainfall composition in this area during the first year. In each rainwater sample collected chloride, sulphate, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and ammonium were measured, as were pH, conductivity and precipitation-volume. An univariate study according to the location of each sampling site was performed. Multivariate chemometric techniques, such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis, were applied to the complete data set (consisting of 630 observations) in order to elucidate the factors affecting the ionic composition of rainwater.     

Using Satellite and Other Data to Estimate the Annual Water Demand of an Irrigation District

Locating and forecasting water needs can assist the location of water in dry regions, and improve the management of reservoirs and the canal network. Satellite, ground data, and agrometeorological data were combined to forecast the volume of irrigation water needed during 1993 and 1994 in an irrigation district of 327 km2 located in the Ebro basin, Spain. The main crops were rice, alfalfa plus forage, winter cereals (barley and wheat), sunflower and maize. Their extent was estimated every year by frame area sampling and a regression estimator with satellite data. Initial crop area statistics were obtained by expansion of the sample areas to the entire study area and then a regression estimator with the multitemporal supervised classification of two Landsat-5 TM images was applied. This procedure improved the precision of the estimates by expansion. Net water requiremets (m3 ha-1) of the above mentioned crops were computed from reference evapotranspiration estimates, crop coefficients and effective precipitation. These computations were performed for an average year, i.e. by using long-term averaged meteorological data. Crop hectarage and net crop water requirements were multiplied to obtain, for the entire study area, the volume (hm3 106 m3) of the net crop water requirements. After subtraction of water taken directly from the rivers and non-productive sunflower, the irrigation water volumes were estimated. The comparison of these forecasts with the volumes of water invoiced by the Ebro Basin Water Authority confirmed the feasibility of forecasting the volume of water applied to an individual irrigation district. This is an objective and practical method for estimating the irrigation water volume applied in an irrigated area.     

Delineation and functional status monitoring in small saline wetlands of NE Spain

The small playa-lakes and other saline wetlands of Monegros, scattered over a dry area with winter cereal monoculture, are threatened by the settlement of new irrigation districts and other kinds of human pressure. Enforcing the protection rules of European Union in these valuable habitats requires, first, their delimitation and monitoring. This article shows how these tasks can be undertaken using remote sensing in conjunction with field observations. A series of Landsat images covering different seasons provided a comprehensive view of these wetlands encompassing their changing facies, hydrologic regime, state of conservation, and functional status. Remotely-sensed data were the primary, and in most cases the only available, source of consistent information. Our approach can help planning and surveying for the implementation of saline wetland protection measures in harmony with the conterminous agricultural areas.     

Comparison of the sensitivity of different toxicity test endpoints in a microalga exposed to the herbicide paraquat

The use of herbicides constitutes the principal method of weed control but the introduction of these compounds into the aquatic environment can provoke severe consequences for non-target organisms such as microalgae. Toxic effects of these pollutants on microalgae are generally evaluated using phytotoxicity tests based on growth inhibition, a population-based parameter. However, physiological cellular endpoints could allow early detection of cell stress and elucidate underlying toxicity mechanisms. Effects of the herbicide paraquat on the freshwater microalga Chlamydomonas moewusii were studied to evaluate growth rate and cellular parameters such as cellular viability and metabolic activity assayed by flow cytometry and DNA damage assayed by the comet assay. Sensitivity of growth and parameters assayed by flow cytometry were similar, showing a significant effect in cultures exposed to a paraquat concentration of 0.1 microM or higher, although in cultures exposed during 48 h to 0.05 microM, a significant stimulation of cellular fluorescein fluorescence was observed, related to cellular metabolic activity. After only 24 h of herbicide exposure significant DNA damage was observed in microalgal cells exposed to all paraquat concentrations assayed, with a 23.67% of comets in cultures exposed to 0.05 microM, revealing the genotoxicity of this herbicide. Taking into account the results obtained, comet assay provides a sensitive and rapid system for measuring primary DNA damage in Chlamydomonas moewusii, which could be an important aspect of environmental genotoxicity monitoring in surface waters.     

Occurrence of co-planar polybrominated/chlorinated biphenyls (PXBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in breast milk of women from Spain

In this study, for the first time, levels and accumulation profiles of eight currently available polybrominated/chlorinated biphenyl congeners (PXBs; XB-77, -105, -118, -126A, -126B, -126C, -156 and -169, named according to IUPAC nomenclature) in human breast milk collected form Spanish women in 2005 were reported. Concentrations and congener specific profiles of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including co-planar PCBs, (co-PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were also reported.A concentration of 0.45 pg g⁻¹ lipid weight was found for total PXBs, and arithmetic mean concentrations of 125, 25 and 5.5 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight were determined for total PCBs, co-PCBs and total PBDEs respectively. Detectable levels of all congeners investigated, except CB-123 and XB-169 were found. Levels of PCBs were similar to those found in Spanish samples collected after 2000, and lower than those obtained before 2000. CB-138, -153 and -180 were the predominant PCB congeners. PBDE levels, dominated by BDE-47, -99, -100 and -209, were lower than PCB levels. PXB concentrations were the lowest, with XB-156 being the most abundant. The concentration levels of PCBs and PBDEs found in this study were in the same range as those from other European countries. Levels of PXBs were much lower than published values determined in Japan which were the only data found in the literature.     

Unpacking the spaces and politics of energy poverty: path-dependencies,deprivation and fuel switching in post-communist Hungary

This paper focuses on the embeddedness of energy poverty – understood as the inability to secure a socially and materially necessitated level of energy services in the home – in the socio-technical legacies inherited from past development trajectories, as well as broader economic and institutional landscapes. Using Hungary as an example, we explore the recent expansion of energy poverty across different demographic and income groups. While much of the mainstream literature focuses on cases where energy poverty affects distinct social groups and issues, our analyses examine the systemic implications of a form of deprivation that involves a much wider range of social and spatial strata. We develop a framework that highlights the different ways in which inadequate access to energy services has resulted in the emergence of new political reconfigurations among a variety of actors, while prompting the articulation of household strategies with far-reaching structural consequences.     

Removal of triazine herbicides from freshwater systems using photosynthetic microorganisms

The uptake of the triazine herbicides, atrazine and terbutryn, was determined for two freshwater photosynthetic microorganisms, the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris and the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. An extremely rapid uptake of both pesticides was recorded, although uptake rate was lower for the cyanobacterium, mainly for atrazine. Other parameters related to the herbicide bioconcentration capacity of these microorganisms were also studied. Growth rate, biomass, and cell viability in cultures containing herbicide were clearly affected by herbicide uptake. Herbicide toxicity and microalgae sensitivity were used to determine the effectiveness of the bioconcentration process and the stability of herbicide removal. C. vulgaris showed higher bioconcentration capability for these two triazine herbicides than S. elongatus, especially with regard to terbutryn. This study supports the usefulness of such microorganisms, as a bioremediation technique in freshwater systems polluted with triazine herbicides.     

Influence of task demands on occupational stress: Gender differences

IntroductionOccupational stress is a common phenomenon in our society, and generates problems for both workers' health and the functioning of organizations. Over past decades numerous studies have examined occupational stress from the perspective of gender, offering somewhat contradictory results. Some of them found no differences and others indicated that either men or women suffer from greater amounts of occupational stress.MethodThe purpose of this study was to analyze gender differences in stress in situations that involve certain occupational demands. The data used were taken from a random sample population of 11,054 (5,917 men and 5,137 women) from the VI National Survey on Working Conditions (NSWC) which was conducted in Spain in 2007. To carry out this study, a probabilistic model was constructed using Bayesian networks, with the following variables related to task demands: working with tight deadlines, quick work, intellectually demanding work, complicated tasks, repetitive tasks, excessive work, and work demanding high attention levels.ResultsThe results of this study reveal that: the indicators studied significantly increased stress levels; women initially had higher stress levels than men; and when exposed to determined task demands, stress differences between genders tended to increase.Impact on IndustryCompanies need to consider the gender of their workers when assigning tasks in high demand/stress jobs.