Transfrontier conservation areas: Integrating biodiversity and poverty alleviation in Southern Africa

Sub‐Saharan Africa continues to face the daunting challenge of alleviating poverty due to slow economic growth. In southern Africa, most countries are adopting policies that promote the integration of biodiversity conservation and rural development to contribute to rural poverty alleviation. Numerous approaches have been undertaken in this endeavour, including Transfrontier Parks (TFPs) and Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). This paper discusses some of the limitations of the TFPs. In conclusion I posit that unlike TFPs, which are state controlled and managed, TFCAs, which promote multi‐land use and multi‐stakeholder participation are attainable and have a higher probability of sustaining biodiversity conservation and contributing to the alleviation of rural poverty, if: (i) areas of high biodiversity conservation within communal areas can be identified, zoned and leveraged to biodiversity conservation and managed in partnership between the communities and the private sector; (ii) local communities can secure legal rights to their customary land being devoted to biodiversity conservation and use such pieces of land as collateral in negotiating partnerships with the private sector in developing conservation‐based enterprises; (iii) functional community natural resource governance institutions can be established and empowered to represent their constituencies in securing fair equity from profits made from sustainable use of the conserved biodiversity assets and tourism businesses; (iv) concerted effort can be invested in developing and implementing family planning and fertility reduction strategies that would slow down human population growth to levels that can be sustained by the available natural resources; and (v) if sustainable financing mechanisms can be developed, and the governance of protected areas occurring in the TFCAs can be broadened to include other stakeholders.     

Ecotoxic Effect of Photocatalytic Active Nanoparticles (TiO2) on Algae and Daphnids (8 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope Due to their large potential for manifold applications, the use of nanoparticles is of increasing importance. As large amounts of nanoparticles may reach the environment voluntarily or by accident, attention should be paid on the potential impacts on the environment. First studies on potential environmental effects of photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles have been performed on the basis of widely accepted, standardized test systems which originally had been developed for the characterization of chemicals. The methods were adapted to the special requirements of testing photocatalytic nanoparticles. Materials and Methods: Suspensions of two different nanoparticles were illuminated to induce their photocatalytic activity. For testing, the growth inhibition test with the green alga Desmodesmus subspicatus and the immobilization test with the daphnid Daphnia magna were selected and performed following the relevant guidelines (algae: ISO 8692, OECD 201, DIN 38412-33; daphnids: ISO 6341, OECD 202, DIN 38412-30). The guidelines were adapted to meet the special requirements for testing photocatalytic nanoparticles. Results: The results indicate that it is principally possible to determine the ecotoxicity of nanoparticles. It was shown that nanoparticles may have ecotoxicological effects which depend on the nature of the particles. Both products tested differ in their toxicity. Product 1 shows a clear concentration-effect curve in the test with algae (EC50: 44 mg/L). It could be proven that the observed toxicity was not caused by accompanying contaminants, since the toxic effect was comparable for the cleaned and the commercially available product. For product 2, no toxic effects were determined (maximum concentration: 50 mg/L). In the tests with daphnids, toxicity was observed for both products, although the concentration effect-curves were less pronounced. The two products differed in their toxicity; moreover, there was a difference in the toxicity of illuminated and non-illuminated products. Discussion: Both products differ in size and crystalline form, so that these parameters are assumed to contribute to the different toxicities. The concentration-effect curves for daphnids, which are less-pronounced than the curves obtained for algae, may be due to the different test organisms and/or the differing test designs. The increased toxicity of pre-illuminated particles in the tests with daphnids demonstrates that the photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles lasts for a period of time. Conclusions: The following conclusions can be drawn from the test results: (I) It is principally possible to determine the ecotoxicity of (photocatalytic) nanoparticles. Therefore, they can be assessed using methods comparable to the procedures applied for assessing soluble chemicals. - (II) Nanoparticles may exert ecotoxicological effects, which depend on the specific nanoparticle. - (III) Comparable to traditional chemicals, the ecotoxicity depends on the test organisms and their physiology. - (IV) The photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles lasts for a relevant period of time. Therefore, pre-illumination may be sufficient to detect a photocatalytic activity even by using test organisms which are not suitable for application in the pre-illumination-phase. Recommendations and Perspectives: First results are presented which indicate that the topic 'ecotoxicity and environmental effects of nanoparticles' should not be neglected. In testing photocatalytic nanoparticles, there are still many topics that need clarification or improvement, such as the cause for an observed toxicity, the improvement of the test design, the elaboration of a test battery and an assessment strategy. On the basis of optimized test systems, it will be possible to test nanoparticles systematically. If a potential risk by specific photocatalytic particles is known, a risk-benefit analysis can be performed and, if required, risk reducing measures can be taken.     

Relationship between organizational justice and employee work outcomes: a cross‐national study

This study examined the influence of organizational justice perceptions on employee work outcome relationships as moderated by individual differences that are influenced by societal culture. Power distance, but not country or individualism, moderated the relationships between perceived justice and satisfaction, performance, and absenteeism. The effects of perceived justice on these outcomes were stronger among individuals scoring lower on power distance index, and most of these study participants were in the U.S. (versus Hong Kong) sample. Limitations of the study and the implications of the findings for managing cross‐culturally are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmentally Friendly Disposal Behaviour and Local Support Systems: Lessons from a metropolitan area

This paper describes some of the insights gained by the authors in the development of an approach for systemic sustainability analysis to arrive at sustainability indicators (SIs) for development. The paper describes the problems of perspective and mindset which such research involves, and the necessity to rethink both the purpose and content of SIs as well as taking into account the perspective of the researcher. The result represents a new perspective on the classification of SIs that serves to highlight one of the central difficulties encountered so far with these tools, namely their limited use in management and the setting of policy. We argue that this is due in large part to the nature of the SI frameworks created to date, even if carried out in a 'participative' mode. The framework itself is representative of a mindset or paradigm of understanding which, when applied as the sole device, we find less than adequate in achieving useful SIs. SIs arising from this mindset tend to be quantitative and explicit (clearly stated and with a defined methodology), while in practice most people's and institutions' use of SIs tends to be more qualitative and implicit ('understood' to apply in vaguer terms, with no defined methodology). These two paradigms or mindsets are represented here as the reductionist and the conversational : the first is characterised by quantitative and explicit indicators (or QNE* indicators); and the second is characterised by qualitative and implicit indicators (QLI* indicators). We suggest that what is required is far more research on the evolution and use of QLI* SIs (and the mindset which is necessary to develop them), in order to best appreciate how they can be hybridised with the QNE* group. The result may be termed 'multiple perspective' SIs. Este documento describe algunas de las ideas obtenidas por los autores en el desarrollo de un acercamiento por análisis de sostenimiento sistemático para llegar a los indicadores de sostenimiento (SIs) por desarrollo. El documento describe los problemas de perspectiva y patrones que dicha investigación involucra, y la necesidad de repensar tanto en el propósito como en el contenido de los SIs así como tambien toma en cuenta la perspectiva del investigador. El resultado representa una nueva perspectiva en la clasificación del los SIs la cual sirve para resaltar una de las dificultades centrales encontradas hasta ahora con estas herramientas; especificamente su limitado uso en el manejo y establecimiento de políticas. Nosotros argumentamos que ésto se debe en gran parte a la naturaleza de las estructuras de los SIs creadas hasta la fecha, incluso si se lleva a cabo en un modo 'participativo'. La estructura por si misma es representativa de un patron o paradigma de entendimiento el cual cuando es aplicado al esquema único encontramos menos adecuado alcanzar SIs útiles. Los SIs que surgen de este patrón tienden a ser cuantitativos y explícitos (claramente señalados y con una metodología definida), mientras que en la practica el uso de los SIs por parte de la mayoria de la personas e instituciones tiende a ser mas cualitativo e implicito ('entendido' a aplicar en terminos mas vagos, con metodología mas definida). Estos dos paradigmas o patrones son representados aquí como el reduccionista y el coloquial — uno es caracterizado por indicadores cuantitativos y explícitos (o indicadores QNE*), el otro por indicadores cualitativos e implícitos (QLI*) respectivamente. Nosotros sugerimos que lo que se requiere es mucha mas investigación en la evolución y uso de SIs de QLI* (y el patrón que es necesario para desarollarlo), para apreciar mejor como ellos pueden ser mezclados con el grupo de QNE*. El resultado puede ser denominado indicadores de sostenimiento de perspectiva multiple.     

Resilience engineering: theory and practice in interdependent infrastructure systems

The economy and well-being of modern societies relies on complex and interdependent infrastructure systems to enable delivery of utilities and movement of goods, people and services. This complexity has resulted in an increased potential for cascading failures, whereby small scale initial failures in one system can result in events of catastrophic proportions across the wider network. Resilience and the emerging concept of resilience engineering within infrastructure are among the main concerns of those managing such complex systems. However, the disparate nature of resilience engineering development in various academic and industrial regimes has resulted in a diversity of definitions and characterisations. These are discussed in this paper, as are the commonalities between sectors and between different engineering disciplines. The paper also highlights the various methodologies used as part of resilience engineering implementation and monitoring, current practices including existing approaches and metrics, and an insight into the opportunities and potential barriers associated with these methodologies and practices. This research was undertaken for the Resilience Shift initiative to shift the approach to resilience in practice for critical infrastructure sectors. The programme aims to help practitioners involved in critical infrastructure to make decisions differently, contributing to a safer and better world.     

Transient division of labor and behavioral specialization in the ant Formica schaufussi

Cooperative prey retrieval in the monomorphic ant Formica schaufussi is carried out by workers that perform functionally distinct roles which persist only for the duration of a single retrieval event. A forager (scout) that locates prey too large to retrieve individually organizes cooperative prey transport by recruiting nestmates (recruits) to assist in retrieval. The scout and recruit roles appear to be determined by whether a worker activates recruitment or is recruited from the nest. Scouts organize recruitment and play a key role in maintaining the cohesion of the retrieval group. If a scout that has initiated group transport is experimentally removed, the recruited workers composing the retrieval group typically abandon the prey and cooperative foraging is terminated. In this context, recruits are unable to function as scouts and reorganize group transport. Individuals marked as recruits in one prey retrieval, however, can switch and act as scouts in subsequent retrievals. Because the roles of individuals persist within but not between retrieval events, the specialization involved in cooperative prey retrieval cannot easily be explained as a response associated with age-related or genetic predispositions. This transient division-of-labor, in which individual roles may persist only for the duration of a single group action, represents a novel type of short-term individual specialization.