To cope or to sustain? Eroding long-term sustainability in an Indonesian coral reef fishery

Small-scale fisheries in coral reef areas support the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. Anthropogenic impacts such as overfishing and climate change increasingly threaten both the reef ecosystem and the livelihood security of the people that depend on the reefs. Adaptive management strategies are needed to adequately deal with these threats, but they require an understanding of the underlying drivers, which often originate and act on multiple levels. Using a social-ecological system approach, the coral reef fishery of the Spermonde Archipelago in South Sulawesi/Indonesia is assessed to identify key drivers and strategic leverage points for management. Under the influence of international markets and technological changes, several export-oriented fisheries have developed in the area that led to distinct subsequent peaks in fishing activity in a pattern of sequential marine resource exploitation. In response to stressors such as seasonality and overfishing of individual locations or species, a number of coping strategies have developed locally. These include extensive borrowing from fishing patrons, diversification of fishing methods, fishing migrations, and the crafting of local institutions to regulate fishing activity. However, the coping strategies hinder, and even decrease, the capacity of the system to adapt to future stressors and undermine the sustainability of the fishery. Potential strategies that target different levels of the fishery system in order to strengthen adaptive management are identified.     

Aufnahme und Verteilung von Trichloressigsäure in Trieben Norwegischer Fichte

To elucidate the uptake of TCA by roots and its distribution in Norway spruce shoots, experiments with [¹⁴C]TCA were carried out in combination with radioactivity measurements after combustion, and with autoradiographic detection methods. It was shown that the uptake of TCA by spruce shoots is faster during the growth period in June than in the post-growth period in September. A high uptake of radioactivity was observed in the current-year needles, especially in the top of them, and in the corc cambium of the one-year-old wooden parts of the spruce shoots. The results of our experiments suggest uptake of TCA into spruce needles from the soil water with the transpiration stream.     

An integrated approach to mangrove dynamics and management

The main objective of the MADAM project (Mangrove Dynamics and Management) is to generate the scientific basis enabling the sustainable stewardship of the resources of the Caeté mangrove estuary in Northeast Brazil in the sense of integrated coastal (zone) management. To achieve this, it is necessary to acquire in-depth knowledge of natural processes as well as of the relevant institutional, cultural, economic, social and political dynamics. Causal linkages within the ecosystem, as well as between ecosystem, economy and society, are analysed and explained via dynamic and trophic modelling. Scenario construction is intended to forecast the effects of acute or chronic interference on utilized resources, and to answer wider, management-related questions (e.g. restoration of destroyed areas, utilization potential for aquaculture). This paper describes the project strategy as developed and modified in the context of research results from the initial 2-yr project phase. It is argued that a continuous discussion process is essential to assess the validity of the strategies formulated at the beginning of a medium-time project, particularly if the project is of interdisciplinary nature.     

Ozone fumigation (twice ambient) reduces leaf infestation following natural and artificial inoculation by the endophytic fungus Apiognomonia errabunda of adult European beech trees

In 2006, a controlled infection study was performed in the ‘Kranzberger Forst’ to address the following questions: (1) Will massive artificial inoculation with Apiognomonia errabunda override the previously observed inhibitory effect of chronic ozone? (2) Can biochemical or molecular markers be detected to account for the action of ozone? To this end six adult beech trees were chosen, three ozone fumigated (2× ozone) and three control trees (ambient = 1× ozone). Spore-sprayed branches of sun and shade crown positions of each of the trees, and uninoculated control branches, were enclosed in 100-L plastic bags for one night to facilitate infection initiation. Samples were taken within a five-week period after inoculation. A. errabunda infestation levels quantified by real-time PCR increased in leaves that were not fumigated with additional ozone. Cell wall components and ACC (ethylene precursor 1-amino cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) increased upon ozone fumigation and may in part lead to the repression of fungal infection.     

Environmental scanning electron microscopy as a new technique to determine the hygroscopic behaviour of individual aerosol particles

The hygroscopic behaviour of NaCl, (NH₄)₂SO₄, Na₂SO₄ and NH₄NO₃ particles in the size range of 0.1–20 μm was studied by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). This technique allows the in-situ observation of individual aerosol particles while changing the temperature and/or relative humidity (RH) in the sample chamber. The hygroscopic behaviour of these particles (e.g., deliquescence, adsorption of water on the particle surface) becomes directly observable with a lateral resolution of the order of 8–15 nm. The deliquescence relative humidities (DRH) of the different salts, the temperature dependence of the DRH for NH₄NO₃, and the growth factors (at increasing relative humidities) for NaCl were determined. Generally, a good agreement between the values obtained by ESEM and those found in literature was achieved. However, the DRH of NaCl determined by ESEM is systematically higher (approximately 2%, absolute) than the values obtained by other techniques, which can be explained by the observed strong absorption of water onto the crystal surface prior to droplet formation. The efflorescence behaviour of individual particles can be studied only qualitatively due to influences of the sample substrate. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the activation of soot can be studied at high resolution by ESEM.     

Prospects for the co‐management of mangrove ecosystems on the North Brazilian coast: Whose rights,whose duties and whose priorities?

This article describes the co‐management approach in situations of open access to and of increasing pressure on resources, using a mangrove coastal zone in North Brazil as an example. Co‐management clearly has the potential to turn nonviable, de facto open access to mangroves into effective common property management. Alliances of different political and ideological groups have been formed under the RESEX (reservas extrativistas — natural resource user reserve) model of coastal co‐management. Local economic interests have been mobilized as client constituencies. The RESEX system of co‐management assigns additional duties to both co‐managing parties, i.e., the state administration and the local users, in exchange for new rights. The authors argue that local support for the RESEX model has been gained on partially distorted premises. As the public authority passes on responsibility for management to local users under the RESEX model, this entails a number of duties for the local users. Thus local users assume the duty to implement and monitor resource management; they also appear to gain the right to take local decisions, such as excluding outsiders from resource access, and designing local resource management rules. However, as this article shows with two examples, some important new rights for local users under the RESEX co‐management concept are contrary to environmental legislation in force. This conflict is at present unresolved. It is argued that increased transparency about their precise rights for local resource co‐managers will considerably improve the prospects of coastal co‐management in Brazil.     

Seasonal variation in uptake and depuration of anthracene by the brackish water clam Rangia cuneata

Rangia cuneata were collected every six weeks for one year from February 1984 to January 1985 at the mouth of the Dog River, Alabama, USA and dosed with 200 ppb [9–¹⁴C] anthracene at 10, 20, and 30°C. Uptake rates of [9–¹⁴C] anthracene measured over a 15-h period were not significantly different (P>0.05), but depuration rates measured over a two-week period were significantly higher with increasing temperature. The seasonal changes in rates were related to the annual changes in biochemical composition of the clams associated with the reproductive cycle. Lipid levels were nearly constant over the year, averaging 88.0±2.0 mg/g dry wt. The level of carbohydrates peaked in July, a month before the maximal gonad index, and decreased steadily through September during spawning. The level of proteins increased from 76.6 mg/g dry wt prior to spawning to 138.3 mg/g dry wt after spawning. Uptake rates were highest in late summer during the peak of gametogenesis and decreased during spawning in the fall. Depuration rates remained low from March through August and rapidly increased to the highest levels during the fall spawning period. The results suggest that the stage of the reproductive cycle, with its associated biochemical changes, and temperature play an important role in the pattern of accumulation and release of anthracene in R. cuneata.     

Evidence of a fall in cord blood lead levels in South Wales 1984–85

A monitoring scheme for blood lead was based on cord blood samples and maternal blood samples taken in Swansea, South Wales. A fall of around 20% during 1984–85 is described. During this period there was virtually no change in petrol sales in the area and no overall change in air lead levels. Air lead showed large seasonal changes but these were not reflected in blood lead. Water lead levels gave no evidence of changes of any importance during the period of monitoring. These results suggest that petrol lead was at most a minor contributor to blood lead.