Why geodiversity matters in valuing nature's stage

Geodiversity—the variability of Earth's surface materials, forms, and physical processes—is an integral part of nature and crucial for sustaining ecosystems and their services. It provides the substrates, landform mosaics, and dynamic physical processes for habitat development and maintenance. By determining the heterogeneity of the physical environment in conjunction with climate interactions, geodiversity has a crucial influence on biodiversity across a wide range of scales. From a literature review, we identified the diverse values of geodiversity; examined examples of the dependencies of biodiversity on geodiversity at a site‐specific scale (for geosites <1 km² in area); and evaluated various human‐induced threats to geosites and geodiversity. We found that geosites are important to biodiversity because they often support rare or unique biota adapted to distinctive environmental conditions or create a diversity of microenvironments that enhance species richness. Conservation of geodiversity in the face of a range of threats is critical both for effective management of nature's stage and for its own particular values. This requires approaches to nature conservation that integrate climate, biodiversity, and geodiversity at all spatial scales.     

Case 5B: Proposed overhead aqueduct (Aqua Marcia) for the city of Rome

These days almost any construction plan gives rise to environmental, economic, and other concerns. In November 1977, the EPA funded a $9,000 two-day seminar at the University City Science Center in Philadelphia to examine the possible merits of Environmental Mediation as a procedure. The study materials supplied in advance contained eight cases for discussion. Case 5B was not one of them and was not prepared by federal officials. Though the situation described in Case 5B dates from 165 BC it is, coincidentally, in the same style and format (situation, problems, possible options) as the other eight cases of current vintage.However, there is one important difference. While the necessary permits for a proposed refinery at Portsmouth, Virginia (Case 2), or for conversion of VEPCO's power plant at Yorktown, Virginia from oil to coal (Case 3), or the Trexler, Pennsylvania, Lake Project (Case 7), may be held up forever, the aqueduct in Case 5B was built and performed its intended function well.     

Examining the economics of remediation by fluid injection with vacuum extraction

Enhanced methods of in-situ remediation based on patented technology involving fluid injection with vacuum extraction have been used successfully at the Sand Creek Superfund Site in Commerce City, Colorado. Approximately 177,000 pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were removed from the subsurface in six months, two months ahead of schedule. Remediation goals were achieved on this thermally enhanced soil vapor extraction project by using vertical and horizontal wells interchangeably in vacuum or pressure service for vapor extraction, dual vacuum extraction, heated vapor reinjection, and air sparging. Although VOCs consisted of mixed chlorinated and petroleum hydrocarbons, the petroleum hydrocarbons, some in the form of nonaqueous phase liquids, had not been fully characterized. This article examines the evolution of the remedial design from that conceptualized in the Record of Decision (ROD) of the U.S. EPA, presents the rationale for the selection of alternative system components, and provides a cost analysis of the selected remedial technology, with comparisons to that of alternatives considered for use at Sand Creek.     

Sex chromosome mosaicism not detected at amniocentesis

Amniocentesis was performed because of a fetal abdominal wall defect, and a 45,X karyotype was obtained. A near-normal male infant with no features of Turner syndrome was delivered. The karyotype of the infant was 45,X/46,X, dic(Y)(q11), with each of the cell lines present in approximately 50 per cent of the lymphocytes and fibroblasts examined.     

Application of expert systems to study of acid soils in Rwanda

Two expert programs, soil fertility capability classification (SFCC) and ACID4, were used to assess fertility of some soils in the highland region of Rwanda. Soils were grouped with respect to altitude, rainfall and parent material into three agro-ecological zones. Soils in Zone 3 with high rainfall, low altitude and underlain by quartzite-schists complex were lower in pertility and more acidic than their counterparts in Zones 1 and 2. N, P and K were generally deficient. Ca and Mg were considered as borderline cases and are expected to fall below acceptable levels after few years of cultivation. The SFCC identified clayey topsoils (> 35% clay), acidic (Al saturation between 10 and 60%) and low K reserves (exchangeable K < 0.2 mEq (100 g)⁻¹) as the dominant fertility class. Crop residue management, agroforestry and green manure systems are recommended in addition to P and K fertilization to alleviate nutrient deficiency problems. Soil acidity was associated with exchangeable Al and Al saturation was > 50% at pH <5.2. Base saturation was negatively correlated with Al saturation and positively related to Ca+Mg. Therefore liming to supply Ca and Mg may reduce exchangeable Al, improve ECEC and nutrient retention. Lime requirement ranged from 0 to 6 t CaCO₃ ha⁻¹ and was directly proportional to exchangeable Al (r = 0.95^**) and inversely related to pH (fr = −0.73^**). Results from lime prediction equation, estimated lime requirement (Y) = 1.332×Al−0.11, computed for soils in the region concurred with those of other workers.     

Toxic effects of endocrine disrupters on freshwater sponges: common developmental abnormalities

Endocrine disrupters are of substantial concern, in large part because effects of these compounds on the growth and development of many aquatic organisms are unknown. We examined toxic effects of three substances (ethylbenzene, nonylphenol, and bisphenol A), that are known to be hormonally active in many animals, on growth and development of two species of freshwater sponge. A common developmental abnormality was observed when sponges were treated with each of these compounds. The three compounds also caused significant reductions in growth rates. Lower concentrations resulted in malformed water vascular systems in several replicates. The utility of freshwater sponge bioassays is discussed as it relates to understanding possible mechanisms of action of endocrine disrupters on aquatic invertebrates.