The short term agronomic impact of raising canal water levels in grassland areas: A case study in the Belgian polders

This study tested the hypothesis that raising canal water levels with 30 cm beyond the growing season in intensively managed lowland grassland (2.4-3.7 m above sea level) in Belgium decreases the agronomic value of pastures The study ran 3 years before and 3 years after the water elevation. Using five pairs of plots inside and outside the wetted perimeter, it was not possible to demonstrate significant impacts of the elevated water level on dry matter yield, forage quality, botanical composition, and penetration resistance of the top soil layer of the grassland. In an ex situ lysimeter experiment, simulating the effect of a water level in canals up to 50 cm beneath the surface of the pastures indicated a significant decrease of the penetration resistance of the top soil layer.Results are discussed and confronted with the difficulties of field research addressing the elevation of water levels.     

Maternal liver transplant: Another cause of discordant fetal sex determination using cell-free DNA

Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) can very accurately determine fetal sex during pregnancy. We present an exceptional case where NIPT contradicts the ultrasound-based sex determination. The pregnant woman was recipient of a liver transplant from a male donor. Graft-derived cell-free DNA released into the maternal circulation clouded the NIPT-based sex determination. Hence, NIPT is not advisable when the pregnant mother underwent an organ transplant.     

A Value-Informed Framework for Interdisciplinary Analysis: Application to Recovery Planning for Snake River Salmon

Economic and social variables, in addition to biological variables, are often critical forces in directing recovery planning for threatened and endangered populations. Although including these variables in scientific analyses for recovery planning may be important, there is little agreement on how to integrate the relevant disciplines. The dilemma associated with interdisciplinary collaboration is that, while a diversity of values and perspectives is unavoidable, this diversity stands as a barrier to agreement on an integrative research approach. We describe a general framework for interdisciplinary analysis designed to support recovery planning that does not rely on choosing a single interdisciplinary approach. Rather, it uses value conflicts potentially arising in an interdisciplinary setting to select a diverse set of scientific approaches relevant to a particular conservation effort. We apply this framework to recovery planning for threatened Snake River chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) and examine the implications of conflicts over the acceptability of institutional change, technological solutions, and transferability of recovery effort across groups responsible for the current status of the species.     

Environmental Protection in the Russian Federation: Lessons and Opportunities

Environmental managers in Russia face severe problems, both from Soviet-era and continuing environmental degradation and due to the weakness of current institutions with responsibilities for environmental protection. This paper draws on surveys, a case study of water pollution and workshops on Russian environmental decision making to explore prospects for environmental improvements. Using concepts from the regulatory reform literature, it focuses on the use of market incentives, the construction of a civil society and community involvement, and emphasizes that Russian non-governmental organizations may have a particularly important role to play in improving environmental management. Solidifying their legal base, coalition-building skills and the capability to conduct independent, pragmatic policy analyses would enhance their contribution.     

Relationships between river sediment characteristics and trace metal concentrations in tubificid worms and chironomid larvae

Surficial sediments, midge larvae (Chironomidae, Diptera) and tubificid worms (Tubificidae, Oligochaeta) were collected at 65 sampling sites located in four different river basins in Flanders (Belgium). Concentrations of the trace metals Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were measured in organisms and sediments by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Sediments were subjected to a simultaneous extraction scheme to identify trace metal partitioning among various geochemical phases. Three geochemical characteristics of the sediment were analysed; Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Fe oxides and Mn oxides. Non-linear regression models were constructed to determine the relative importance of the different sediment factors contributing to the variation in metal accumulation by the tubificid worms and chironomids. Generally, the amount of variation that could be explained by these models was limited, with coefficients of determination ranging from 0.05 to 0.66. In most cases, metal levels in organisms were positively related to the easily reducible and reducible metal fractions, and negatively related to the TOC and Fe sediment content. The correlations between metal concentrations in tubificid worms and chrinomid larvae were also rather poor, with coefficients of determinations ranging from 0.01 to 0.52. This indicates that understanding the chemistry of the environment does not suffice to predict the concentrations in organisms. Differences in the structural and functional organisation of the organisms, which among others determine the route of exposure, are at least equally important causes of variability in metal availability and accumulation.     

The cost of mating with a non-virgin male in a monandrous butterfly: experimental evidence from the speckled wood, Pararge aegeria

Contrary to vertebrates, sperm production in insects may bear considerable costs for males. This is especially true in species that donate spermatophores containing sperm and nutrient-rich accessory gland products like in butterflies. Hence, spermatophores at first and subsequent copulations can differ in a quantitative and qualitative way. Such effects have particularly been shown in polyandrous species providing large spermatophores. Here we experimentally tested the effect of male mating status (virgin male vs recently mated male) on copulation duration, spermatophore size and females’ fitness components in a monandrous butterfly Pararge aegeria that typically donates small spermatophores. Copulations with non-virgin males lasted on average five times longer than that with virgin males and resulted in a spermatophore which was on average three times smaller. Number of eggs laid and female life span were not affected by the mating status treatment, but there was a significant effect on the number of living caterpillars a female produced, as copulations with virgin males resulted in higher numbers of larval offspring. Interestingly, the difference in spermatophore mass at the first and the second copulation increased with male body size. This suggests differential spermatophore allocation decisions among males of different size. Consequences for females and potential mechanisms influencing female fitness components are discussed. Given the small absolute size of spermatophores in P. aegeria, components other than consumable nutrients (perhaps hormones) should cause the observed effects.     

Incentives for private residential brownfields development in US urban areas

Public agencies in the US have committed resources to encourage private investment in reusing contaminated sites. With public funds in short supply, the effectiveness of their efforts matters both to the agencies and the development community. This paper draws on a mail survey of private developers that uses conjoint choice experiments to investigate the relative attractiveness of incentives to promote residential infill on contaminated property. Results suggest protection from third party liability offers the most value, with protection from cleanup liability and relief from public hearing requirements also important. The findings indicate several opportunities for planners to promote infill on contaminated sites in a socially and environmentally appropriate manner.     

Analyzing motorists’ responses to temporary signage in highway work zones

For decades, the importance of highway work zone safety has increased considerably with the continual increase in the number of highway work zones present on highways for repairs and expansion. Rural work zones on two-lane highways are particularly hazardous and cause a significant safety concern due to the disruption of regular traffic flow. In this study, researchers determined motorists’ responses to warning signs in rural, two-lane highway work zones. The researchers divided vehicles into three classes (passenger car, truck, and semitrailer) and compared the mean change in speed of these classes based on three different sign setups: portable changeable message sign (PCMS) OFF, PCMS ON with the message of Slow Down, Drive Safely, and a temporary traffic sign (W20-1, “Road Work Ahead”). Field experiments were conducted on two two-lane work zones with flagger control. Statistical analyses were performed to determine whether there was a significant interaction between motorists’ responses and the sign setups. Data analysis results show that a visible PCMS, either turned on or off, was most effective in reducing truck speeds in rural, two-lane work zones. The temporary traffic sign (W20-1) was more effective in reducing the vehicle speeds of passenger car and semitrailer. Results of this research project will help traffic engineers to better design the two-lane work zone setup and take necessary safety countermeasures to prevent vehicle crashes.