A comparison of new economic methods in USSR environmental policy with western approaches

Previous comparative studies on environmental policies in the East and West mainly focused on relating differing features of environmental management to different political, social/economic, and ideological conditions in both systems. The present article attempts to identify common experiences. In this respect, an obvious similarity can be seen in the fact that environmental management in the East and West emerged as a regulatory “command and control” approach, which was supplemented later by economic incentives. The 1988 USSR Resolution “On the Radical Transformation of the System of Natural Conservation” introduces a set of economic instruments as one of its main elements. This is less a radical change of environmental policy than a determined acceleration of previous approaches. Existing and newly designed economic methodologies provoke a comparison with similar approaches in market economies. The economic methods designed in the 1988 resolution include charges for the use of natural resources and the emission of pollutants, which are notable for their firm commitment to reduce emissions even below set regulatory standards. While experiences with this approach may be of great interest for Western countries, liability regulations of the United States can be of great use for designing relevant provisions implementing the USSR resolution. A number of bilateral treaties have demonstrated already the political relevance of an East-West exchange of experience in environmental management.     

BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES TO TWO ESTUARINE FISH SPECIES SUBJECTED TO BIS (tri-n-butyltin) OXIDE1

ABSTRACT: The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the avoidance responses of juvenile striped bass, Morone saxatilis and Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus to bis (tri-n-butyltin) oxide. An avoidance responses was exhibited by striped bass at a total organic tin concentration of 24.9 μg/L. Atlantic menhaden exhibited avoidance to total organic tin concentrations of 5.5 μg/L and greater. Atlantic menhaden are generally more sensitive to toxicants than striped bass; therefore, avoidance responses reported in this study are not surprising. It is highly likely that the concentrations of total organic tin that were avoided by the test species in this study were much higher than expected environmental concentrations. Ecologically significant hazards may occur due to potential effects that unperceived or non-avoided organotin concentrations may have on behavioral responses mediated by chemosensory systems.     

Singing and the establishment and maintenance of dominance hierarchies in captive brown-headed cowbirds

Summary The importance of singing in the establishment and maintenance of dominance rank was investigated in captive flocks of brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). Each flock consisted of 3 males and 1 female. In one experiment the two largest males in each of 4 flocks were temporarily devocalized by puncturing the interclavicular air sac just before group formation. The third male in each group was sham-operated. There was a significant tendency for the non-devocalized birds to become the dominant member of their group. Only sham-operated males sang immediately after the operation. In a second experiment, dominant males from flocks with established hierarchies were temporarily devocalized. None of these males lost their dominant positions, despite their inability to sing. These results suggest that song is important in the establishment of dominance rank; however, once established, social hierarchies may be maintained by non-vocal means, such as social inertia or individual recognition.     

Analyzing spatial count data,with an application to weed counts

Count data on a lattice may arise in observational studies of ecological phenomena. In this paper a hierarchical spatial model is used to analyze weed counts. Anisotropy is introduced, and a bivariate extension of the model is presented.     

Mesoscale ecohydrological modelling to analyse regional effects of climate change

Hydrological processes and crop growth were simulated for the state of Brandenburg (Germany) using the hydrological/vegetation/water quality model SWIM, which can be applied for mesoscale river basins or regions. Hydrological validation was carried out for three mesoscale river basins in the area. The crop growth module was validated regionally for winter wheat, winter barley and maize. After that the analysis of climate change impacts on hydrology and crop growth was performed, using a transient 1.5 K scenario of climate change for Brandenburg and restricting the crop spectrum to the three above mentioned crops. According to the scenario, precipitation is expected to increase. The impact study was done comparing simulation results for two scenario periods 2022–2030 and 2042–2050 with those for a reference period 1981–1992. The atmospheric CO₂ concentrations for the reference period and two scenario periods were set to 346, 406 and 436 ppm, respectively. Two different methods – an empirical one and a semi-mechanistic one – were used for adjustment of net photosynthesis to altered CO₂. With warming, the model simulates an increase of evapotranspiration (+9.5%, +15.4%) and runoff (+7.0%, +17.2%). The crop yield was only slightly altered under the climate change only scenario (no CO₂ fertilization effect) for barley and maize, and it was reduced for wheat (–6.2%, –10.3%). The impact of higher atmospheric CO₂ compensated for climate-related wheat yield losses, and resulted in an increased yield both for barley and maize compared to the reference scenario. The simulated combined effect of climate change and elevated CO₂ on crop yield was about 7% higher for the C₃ crops when the CO₂ and temperature interaction was ignored. The assumption that stomatal control of transpiration is taking place at the regional scale led to further increase in crop yield, which was larger for maize than for wheat and barley. The regional water balance was practically not affected by the partial stimulation of net photosynthesis due to higher CO₂, while the introduction of stomatal control of regional transpiration reduced evapotranspiration and enlarged notably runoff and ground water recharge.     

Chemisch-analytische Untersuchung von Arsenkampfstoffen und ihren Metaboliten

Zusammenfassung  Arsenkampfstoffe sind in der Umwelt persistent und kontaminieren bis heute Boden und Grundwasser. In diesem Beitrag werden die chemischen Reaktionen der Arsenkamptstoffe Diphenylarsinchlorid (CLARK I), Phenylarsindichlorid (PFIFFIKUS), Ethylarsindichlorid (DICK) sowie von Chlorvinylarsinverbindungen (LEWISITE) dargestellt. Die M?glichkeiten der chemisch-analytischen Erfassung dieser chemischen Kampfstoffe als Originalsubstanzen und als Thiol-Derivate werden pr?sentiert.      

Die Isolierung eines kristallisierten Peptids aus Tabakmosaikvirus

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