Combining Power Analysis and Population Viability Analysis to Compare Traditional and Precautionary Approaches to Conservation of Coastal Cetaceans

Abstract: Traditionally, marine resources have been managed such that controls on new developments are implemented only when harmful effects on other environmental or economic interests can be demonstrated. This approach poses particular problems for the conservation of coastal cetaceans because potential threats to their populations are diverse and likely to interact, individual threats may result from multiple sources, and the problems inherent in studying cetaceans result in considerable scientific uncertainty and low statistical power to detect any effects. Consequently, many countries are adopting integrated coastal management programs and precautionary management principles. In practice, however, issues continue to be dealt with within traditional frameworks that require demonstration of harm. Because cetaceans are long-lived, they demand long-term studies, and populations could decline to dangerously low levels before management action is taken. We illustrate these problems using a case study from the Moray Firth, Scotland. This inshore area will soon be designated and managed as a "special area of conservation" to protect bottlenose dolphins (   Tursiops truncatus ) under the European Community's Habitats Directive. The population is small and isolated, and it faces a wide range of potential threats, but there remains considerable uncertainty over the magnitude of each threat. We combined power analysis and population viability analysis to explore the relative consequences of adopting either traditional or precautionary approaches to management. In this case, our results reaffirm the need for precautionary management. More generally, we illustrate how this approach can be used to provide a more scientific basis for determining the level of precaution required to address particular management issues in this and other marine systems.     

Comparison of photocatalytic degradation of dyes in relation to their structure

The photocatalytic degradation of a series of six acid dyes (Direct Red 80, Direct Red 81, Direct Red 23, Direct Violet 51, Direct Yellow 27, and Direct Yellow 50) has been tested compared in terms of color removal, mineralization, and toxicity (Lactuca sativa L. test) after photocatalysis on immobilized titanium dioxide. The dyes were examined at their natural pH and after hydrolysis at pH 12. Results show that hydrolysis decreases strongly the efficiency of color removal, that full mineralization takes much longer reaction time than color removal, and that toxicity is only very partially reduced. Some structural parameters, related to the structure and the topology of the dye molecules, could be correlated with the apparent color removal rates at natural pH.     

Relationships Between Sulfur Dioxide Concentration Determined By the West-Gaeke and Electroconductivity Methods

Sulfur dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are commonly determined by the West-Gaeke and electro-conductivity methods. As a part of the United States-Japan Cooperative Air Pollution Measurement Studies, parallel sampling with a 24-hr bubbler, a 1-hr bubbler, and an electroconductivity instrument was conducted in Kawasaki, Japan, between Jan. 12 and Mar. 25 and between Aug. 19 and Sept. 30, 1966. These time periods were chosen because of the seasonal variation in the air pollution levels. Fair agreement was obtained between the 24-hr sample values and the daily mean values of the 24 hourly samples analyzed by the West-Gaeke method. Sulfur dioxide concentrations determined by the electroconductivity method were greater than those determined by the West-Gaeke method, particularly in the winter season. Relationships between the sulfur dioxide concentrations determined by these two methods are discussed.     

Mean Drop Size in a Full Scale Venturi Scrubber via Transmissometer

This paper describes the construction of and the data obtained from a light transmissometer capable of making mean drop size measurements within about ±15%. The experimental venturi had a throat flow cross-section of 12 in. by 14 in. and overall length in the flow direction was 15 ft. It was found that the Nukiyama-Tanasawa equation gave accurate estimates of Sauter mean drop size only for a throat velocity of 150 ft/sec.     

Effects of SO2 and/or NO2 on Native Plants of the Mojave Desert and Eastern Mojave-Colorado Desert

Ten species of plants, five perennials and five annuals, native to the Mojave desert were grown in pots and fumigated in open top plastic greenhouses, 25 hours/week, with SO₂ and/or NO₂. Three levels of SO₂: 2.0, 0.67, and 0.22 parts per million (ppm); three levels of NO₂: 1.0, 0.33, and 0.11 ppm; three treatments with 2.0 ppm SO₂ + 1.0 ppm NO₂, 0.67 ppm SO₂ + 0.33 ppm NO₂ and 0.22 ppm SO₂ + 0.11 ppm NO₂ plus untreated control plants were used in the fumigations. The perennials were fumigated for 16 weeks in 1977 and 32 weeks in 1978. Three species of annuals were grown and fumigated for 17 weeks, a fourth for 16 weeks, and a fifth for 12 weeks. A second crop of the first three annuals were grown; one for 12 weeks, a second for 8, and a third for 9 weeks.

Individual species differed widely in their particular responses to the fumigants. The fumigations of perennials with 2.0 ppm of SO₂ or NO₂ at 1.0 ppm caused extensive leaf injury, and reduced growth or dry weight of Larrea divaricate Cav., Chilopsls linearis Cav., and Ambrosia dumosa (Gray) Payne. The combined fumigants had additive effects. No suggestion of synergism was noted. These fumigants at lower concentrations stimulated lateral growth of Encelia farinosa Gray ex Torr. and Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Her., dry weight of Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. and Plantago insularis Eastw. and increased flowering of Balleya pleniradiata Harv. and Gray, thus indicating beneficial effects.

Annual species were more severely affected by 2.0 ppm SO₂ than the perennials and extensive injury or death of plants occurred in all annuals. At the 0.67 ppm level severe leaf injury occurred. NO₂ at 1.0 ppm was less injurious than SO₂ and addition of NO₂ to SO₂ suggested an antagonistic effect. Plant survival and flowering was increased by adding NO₂ to plants being treated with SO₂

Comparison of perennial species showed Larrea sensitive, Chilopsis, Encella and Ambrosia intermediate, and Atriplex resistant. The annual species showed Erodium cicutarium and Plantago Insularis to be extremely sensitive, Phacelia crenulata Torr very sensitive and Baileya pleniradiata sensitive. Chaenactis carphoclinia Gray grew poorly and no valid rating was possible.     

An evaluation of the interaction of morning residual layer and afternoon mixed layer ozone in Houston using ozonesonde data

The Tropospheric Ozone Pollution Project (TOPP) launched >220 ozonesondes in Houston (July 2004–June 2008) providing examples of pollution transported into, re-circulated within, and exported from the Houston area. Fifty-one launches occurred during the Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS) II and the summer portion of IONS-06 (INTEX [Intercontinental Transport Experiment] Ozonesonde Network Study). On 11 days during TexAQS II and on 8 other occasions, ozonesondes were launched both at dawn and in the afternoon. Analysis of these “intensive” launch sequences shows that morning residual layer (RL) ozone concentrations ([O₃]) explained 60–70% of the variability found in the afternoon mixed layer (ML). Furthermore, maximum RL [O₃] is nearly identical to the mean ML [O₃] from the previous afternoon (morning minus afternoon = ?1.6 ± 8.4 ppbv). During TexAQS II, mean [O₃] below 1.3 km (the mean ML height from ozonesonde data) increased from 37 ± 22 ppbv in the morning to 74 ± 18 ppbv in the afternoon, suggesting an average net local daily O₃ production of ～500–900 tons over the metropolitan Houston area.     

Enhanced ozone over western North America from biomass burning in Eurasia during April 2008 as seen in surface and profile observations

During April 2008, as part of the International Polar Year (IPY), a number of ground-based and aircraft campaigns were carried out in the North American Arctic region (e.g., ARCTAS, ARCPAC). The widespread presence during this period of biomass burning effluent, both gaseous and particulate, has been reported. Unusually high ozone readings for this time of year were recorded at surface ozone monitoring sites from northern Alaska to northern California. At Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost point in the United States, the highest April ozone readings recorded at the surface (hourly average values >55 ppbv) in 37 years of observation were measured on April 19, 2008. At Denali National Park in central Alaska, an hourly average of 79 ppbv was recorded during an 8-h period in which the average was over 75 ppbv, exceeding the ozone ambient air quality standard threshold value in the U.S. Elevated ozone (>60 ppbv) persisted almost continuously from April 19–23 at the monitoring site during this event. At a coastal site in northern California (Trinidad Head), hourly ozone readings were >50 ppbv almost continuously for a 35-h period from April 18–20. At several sites in northern California, located to the east of Trinidad Head, numerous occurrences of ozone readings exceeding 60 ppbv were recorded during April 2008. Ozone profiles from an extensive series of balloon soundings showed lower tropospheric features at ～1–6 km with enhanced ozone during the times of elevated ozone amounts at surface sites in western Canada and the U.S. Based on extensive trajectory calculations, biomass burning in regions of southern Russia was identified as the likely source of the observed ozone enhancements. Ancillary measurements of atmospheric constituents and optical properties (aerosol optical thickness) supported the presence of a burning plume at several locations. At two coastal sites (Trinidad Head and Vancouver Island), profiles of a large suite of gases were measured from airborne flask samples taken during probable encounters with burning plumes. These profiles aided in characterizing the vertical thickness of the plumes, as well as confirming that the plumes reaching the west coast of North America were associated with biomass burning events.     

Radical Hope for Living Well in a Warmer World

Environmental changes can bear upon the environmental virtues, having effects not only on the conditions of their application but also altering the concepts themselves. I argue that impending radical changes in global climate will likely precipitate significant changes in the dominate world culture of consumerism and then consider how these changes could alter the moral landscape, particularly culturally thick conceptions of the environmental virtues. According to Jonathan Lear, as the last principal chief of the Crow Nation, Plenty Coups exhibited the virtue of “radical hope,” a novel form of courage appropriate to a culture in crisis. I explore what radical hope may look like today, arguing how it should broadly affect our environmental character and that a framework for future environmental virtues will involve a diminished place for valuing naturalness as autonomy from human interference.     

Role of biochemical energy reserves in the metamorphosis and early juvenile development of the oyster Ostrea chilensis

Metamorphosis in the Chilean oyster Ostrea chilensis was complete 36 h after release of the larvae, when 100% of the individuals showed edge growth of the dissoconch. The size of the larval shell did not change during metamorphosis, although the total dry weight of the larva decreased considerably. During this period, when the gill ciliature was undeveloped and the oyster therefore unable to feed, energy demands were met by biochemical reserves retained from the larval phase. Proteins contributed the largest quantity of energy to the metamorphosing oyster, 69.3% of the total expended, whereas lipids supplied 24.3% and carbohydrates only 6.4%. The process of metamorphosis consumed 64.5% of the energy reserves held by the pediveliger at the time of release. When metamorphosis was complete, growth began and tissue reserves were replenished, protein and carbohydrate accumulating rapidly early in the juvenile stage. Received: 26 December 1997 / Accepted: 8 July 1998