Governance assessment of small-scale inland fishing: The case of Lake Itezhi-Tezhi,Zambia

The small-scale fishing sector in sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing multiple challenges, mainly related to various governance issues. This study assessed the governance approach at a small-scale Lake Itezhi-Tezhi fishery, Zambia and how it relates to sustainable fishing. Data were collected through a mixed-methods approach. The governance approach was assessed by legitimacy criterion. The study revealed that there was no co-management in place but a dual governance approach—fishing community-based approach and central government-controlled approach. Both were ineffective, mainly due to lack of adherence to the legislation for local community participation in fisheries governance and an inadequate policy framework to guide the governance process. Also, the governance approaches lacked legitimacy with stakeholders. As such, unsustainable fishing practices had continued. To move towards sustainable fishing at the fishery, the study suggested the following measures: active stakeholders' collaboration and engagement with the government for prompt implementation of legislation that promotes active local fishers' participation; establishment of an appropriate fisheries policy; and ultimately, a transformation of the current governance approach into a legitimate co-management governance approach. These suggested recommendations might be useful to other African small-scale inland fisheries with similar governance challenges, and also towards meeting Sustainable Development Goal 14 on sustainable fishing.     

Improved mapping of National Atmospheric Deposition Program wet-deposition in complex terrain using PRISM-gridded data sets

High-elevation regions in the United States lack detailed atmospheric wet-deposition data. The National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) measures and reports precipitation amounts and chemical constituent concentration and deposition data for the United States on annual isopleth maps using inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation methods. This interpolation for unsampled areas does not account for topographic influences. Therefore, NADP/NTN isopleth maps lack detail and potentially underestimate wet deposition in high-elevation regions. The NADP/NTN wet-deposition maps may be improved using precipitation grids generated by other networks. The Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) produces digital grids of precipitation estimates from many precipitation-monitoring networks and incorporates influences of topographical and geographical features. Because NADP/NTN ion concentrations do not vary with elevation as much as precipitation depths, PRISM is used with unadjusted NADP/NTN data in this paper to calculate ion wet deposition in complex terrain to yield more accurate and detailed isopleth deposition maps in complex terrain. PRISM precipitation estimates generally exceed NADP/NTN precipitation estimates for coastal and mountainous regions in the western United States. NADP/NTN precipitation estimates generally exceed PRISM precipitation estimates for leeward mountainous regions in Washington, Oregon, and Nevada, where abrupt changes in precipitation depths induced by topography are not depicted by IDW interpolation. PRISM-based deposition estimates for nitrate can exceed NADP/NTN estimates by more than 100% for mountainous regions in the western United States.     

Effects of two sterol-inhibiting fungicides on populations of pest and beneficial arthropods on apple

This research demonstrated that sterol-inhibiting fungicides alter the population structure of some pest and beneficial arthropods in apple orchards. Orchard populations of European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acarina: Tetranychidae); the predacious mite, Typhlodromus caudiglans Schuster (Acarina: Phytoseiidae); the spotted tentiform leafminer, Phyllonorycter blancardella Fabr. (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae); the leafminer parasite Pholetesor ornigis Weed (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); the green apple aphid, Aphis pomi DeGeer (Homoptera: Aphididae); white apple leafhopper, Typhlocyba pomaria McAtee (Homoptera: Cicadellidae); Campylomma verbasci Meyer (Hemiptera: Miridae); chalcids, primarily Sympiesis sericeicornis Nees (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), were monitored for two growing seasons in a McIntosh apple orchard that had received applications, at 2-week intervals, of two sterol-inhibiting fungicides, bitertanol and flusilazole. High rates of flusilazole were associated with increased numbers of European red mite and decreased numbers of predacious mite species, particularly T. caudiglans. Trees receiving a high rate of bitertanol had fewer European red mites and predacious mite species. Fungicides did not influence spotted tentiform leafminer oviposition or the number of leafminer larvae in May and June 1985. However, in September 1985 there were fewer leafminer pupae in plots treated with the two lower rates of flusilazole and more larvae in plots treated with the high rate of bitertanol, relative to trees sprayed with captan. In 1986, there were more leafminer eggs in plots treated with the low rate of bitertanol compared with captan and non-sprayed trees. However, by 24 June, all treatments showed similar levels of leafminer larvae and pupae. Populations of P. ornigis were generally higher in trees treated with flusilazole in both years. Numbers of aphids and mullein bug were higher in trees treated with flusilazole relative to non-sprayed and captan-treated trees. Chalcid populations were higher in bitertanol-treated trees. Fungicides had no apparent effect on populations of white apple leafhopper.     

A female-specific attractant for the codling moth,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Cydia pomonella</Emphasis>, from apple fruit volatiles

Host plant-derived esters were investigated as potential female-specific attractants for the codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella (L.), a key pest of apples worldwide. The behavioural effects of single and combined volatile compounds and of a natural odour blend were examined using olfactometry and wind-tunnel bioassays. The apple-derived volatile butyl hexanoate attracted mated females while it was behaviourally ineffective for males over a dosage range of more than three orders of magnitude in olfactometer assays. Female CM preferred this kairomone to the headspace volatiles from ripe apples. Both no-choice and choice trials in the wind-tunnel suggested that female moths might be effectively trapped by means of this compound. In contrast, headspace volatiles collected from ripe apple fruits as well as a blend containing the six dominant esters from ripe apples were behaviourally ineffective. A female-specific repellency was found for the component hexyl acetate in the olfactometer, but this ester had no significant effect in the wind-tunnel. Butyl hexanoate with its sex-specific attraction should be further evaluated for monitoring and controlling CM females in orchards.     

Using prognostic model-generated meteorological output in the AERMOD dispersion model: an illustrative application in Philadelphia, PA

In this study, we introduce the prospect of using prognostic model-generated meteorological output as input to steady-state dispersion models by identifying possible advantages and disadvantages and by presenting a comparative analysis. Because output from prognostic meteorological models is now routinely available and is used for Eulerian and Lagrangian air quality modeling applications, we explore the possibility of using such data in lieu of traditional National Weather Service (NWS) data for dispersion models. We apply these data in an urban application where comparisons can be made between the two meteorological input data types. Using the U.S. Environment Protection Agency's American Meteorological Society/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model (AERMOD) air quality dispersion model, hourly and annual average concentrations of benzene are estimated for the Philadelphia, PA, area using both hourly MM5 model-generated meteorological output and meteorological data taken from the NWS site at the Philadelphia International Airport. Our intent is to stimulate a discussion of the relevant issues and inspire future work that examines many of the questions raised in this paper.     

Ultrasonic detection of an abnormal mass in a fetus later shown to have trisomy 18

Ultrasonic examination in a thirty-eight year old woman about to undergo midtrimester amniocentesis suggested an intra-abdominal fetal mass confirmed by amniography. The mass was a grossly distended urinary bladder. The patient aborted spontaneously before chromosome analysis demonstrated a 47,XY, + 18 karyotype.