Sex or Food? Appetetive Learning of Sex Odors in a Male Moth

Moths learn to associate a flower odor with a food reward after a few learning trials. Can a hungry, male moth learn to associate a sex attractant with food instead of with sex? We provided a hungry male with odors of single female sex pheromone components, of the full sex pheromone blend or of a flower odor component as cues in an appetitive learning assay. The male learned the single pheromone components just as well as the flower odor. Learning was, however, severely impaired when the full sex pheromone blend was used as conditioning stimulus. The "hard-wiring" between pheromone odor and sex thus seems to be restricted to those circumstances when the male moth experiences the full blend.     

An evaluation of public participation information for land use decisions: public comment,surveys, and participatory mapping

ABSTRACT

Public participation in the form of public meetings and written submissions has been criticised as a democratic ritual that fails to give citizens a real voice in government decisions. Participatory mapping and community surveys are alternative public participation (PP) methods that can augment legally required processes for land use planning. To date, there has been little evaluation research comparing the information content generated by required PP processes and alternative PP sources with respect to local land use decisions. Using multiple development projects from a case study community, we analysed and compared information generated from three different sources of public participation: (1) formal public comment (written submissions), (2) responses to community survey questions, and (3) land use preferences generated from participatory mapping. We found public comment strongly supported development while results from survey questions and participatory mapping methods revealed community ambivalence. The differences in public opinion are attributed to two key factors: the representativeness of participants in the PP process and the specific methods used for measuring public opinion. Community surveys and participatory mapping generated more accurate and representative community information compared to the formal PP process which was characterised by lower participation and vulnerability to special interest manipulation. For local government decision makers, the political risk of broadening PP information appears high relative to the risk of inaccurately assessing public opinion thus limiting adoption of alternative PP methods such as participatory mapping.     

CSHM: Web-based safety and health monitoring system for construction management

INTRODUCTION: This paper describes a web-based system for monitoring and assessing construction safety and health performance, entitled the Construction Safety and Health Monitoring (CSHM) system. METHOD: The design and development of CSHM is an integration of internet and database systems, with the intent to create a total automated safety and health management tool. A list of safety and health performance parameters was devised for the management of safety and health in construction. A conceptual framework of the four key components of CSHM is presented: (a) Web-based Interface (templates); (b) Knowledge Base; (c) Output Data; and (d) Benchmark Group. RESULTS: The combined effect of these components results in a system that enables speedy performance assessment of safety and health activities on construction sites. With the CSHM's built-in functions, important management decisions can theoretically be made and corrective actions can be taken before potential hazards turn into fatal or injurious occupational accidents. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: As such, the CSHM system will accelerate the monitoring and assessing of performance safety and health management tasks.     

Field trial of a new aeration system for enhancing biodegradation in a biopile

The influence of a new aeration system on the biopile performance was investigated. The purpose was to increase biodegradation efficiency by optimising airflow through the pile. During a 1-month field trial, the performance of a new system using two perforated vertical pipes with wind-driven turbines was compared with that of a standard pile configuration with two horizontal perforated pipes. Both piles were composed of a similar mix of diesel-contaminated soils, woodchips, compost and NPK fertiliser. Hydrocarbons were recovered using solvent extraction, and determined both gravimetrically and by gas chromatography. Total heterotrophs, pH and moisture content were also assessed. Air pressure measurements were made to compare the efficiency of suction in the pipes. Results at the end of the experiment showed that there was no significant difference between the two piles in the total amount of hydrocarbon biodegradation. The normalised degradation rate was, however, considerably higher in the new system than in the standard one, suggesting that the vertical venting method may have improved the efficiency of the biological reactions in the pile. The pressure measurements showed a significant improvement in the suction produced by the new aeration system. However, many factors other than the airflow (oxygen supply) may influence and limit the biodegradation rates, including moisture content, age of contaminants and the climatic conditions. Additional experiments and modelling need to be carried out to explore further the new aeration method and to develop criteria and guidelines for engineering design of optimal aeration schemes in order to achieve maximum biodegradation in biopiles.     

Variation in root density along stream banks

While it is recognized that vegetation plays a significant role in stream bank stabilization, the effects are not fully quantified. The study goal was to determine the type and density of vegetation that provides the greatest protection against stream bank erosion by determining the density of roots in stream banks. To quantify the density of roots along alluvial stream banks, 25 field sites in the Appalachian Mountains were sampled. The riparian buffers varied from short turfgrass to mature riparian forests, representing a range of vegetation types. Root length density (RLD) with depth and aboveground vegetation density were measured. The sites were divided into forested and herbaceous groups and differences in root density were evaluated. At the herbaceous sites, very fine roots (diameter < 0.5 mm) were most common and more than 75% of all roots were concentrated in the upper 30 cm of the stream bank. Under forested vegetation, fine roots (0.5 mm < diameter < 2.0 mm) were more common throughout the bank profile, with 55% of all roots in the top 30 cm. In the top 30 cm of the bank, herbaceous sites had significantly greater overall RLD than forested sites (alpha = 0.01). While there were no significant differences in total RLD below 30 cm, forested sites had significantly greater concentrations of fine roots, as compared with herbaceous sites (alpha = 0.01). As research has shown that erosion resistance has a direct relationship with fine root density, forested vegetation may provide better protection against stream bank erosion.     

Development and validation of a method for analysis of "dioxin-like" PCBs in environmental samples from the steel industry

A method, previously used for determination of 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), has been modified for quantitative analysis of "dioxin-like" polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in environmental samples from the steel industry. The existing sample clean-up procedure, involving liquid chromatography on multi-layered silica and Florisil columns, has been extended to include a third chromatography stage on a basic alumina stationary phase. The additional clean-up stage is required for PCB analysis in order to eliminate interferences from relatively large concentrations of saturated cyclic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Samples were analysed for WHO-12 congeners using high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) and standard solutions of the method US EPA 1668A. Replicate analysis of method blanks revealed background contamination for PCBs 118, 105 and 77, which are generally abundant in ambient air. These contaminants were taken into account using a subtraction method. The entire procedure was validated by replicate analysis (N = 3) of a certified reference sediment. The RSD for each WHO-12 congener was below 15%, 13C12-labelled PCB internal standard recoveries were in the range 70-95%. A waste dust sample collected in the electrostatic precipitator of a UK sinter plant was analysed for determination of PCDD/Fs and WHO-12 PCBs and exhibited a PCDD/F I-TEQ of 148.5 +/- 21.2 ngkg(-1) and a WHO-TEQ of 7.2 +/- 1.5 ngkg(-1). WHO-12 congeners contributed only 4.6% to the overall TEQ and PCB 126 was the major congener contributing to the WHO-TEQ (96%). The contribution to the overall TEQ of the waste dust sample was mainly attributed to PCDF followed by PCDD, which accounted for 86.6% and 8.7% to the overall TEQ, respectively.     

Heavy metals in four fish species from the French coast of the Eastern English Channel and Southern Bight of the North Sea

Shallow coastal waters act as nurseries for various fish species and have been recognized as essential fish habitat. We studied heavy metal concentrations in four fish species (plaice, dab, flounder and cod) as an indicator of large-scale habitat quality. The study took place along the French coasts between the Eastern English Channel and the Southern Bight of the North Sea. All species show different concentrations of measured metals (e.g., Cd, Cu, Mn and Pb) in liver but not in muscle. The highest concentrations are found for the flounder and the lowest for cod which is consistent with their habitat and diet. Although our results do not highlight levels of appreciable pollution within the study area, inter-site differences are mainly observed in the muscle tissues and are generally in agreement with the known environmental data (e.g., anthropogenic pressure). However, in the Bay of Seine, one of the most contaminated estuaries in Europe, metal concentrations are in the same range or even lower than those found in fish collected from areas distant from any anthropogenic pressures. At one site, the comparisons of the Cd, Cu and Pb concentrations between healthy and diseased dabs have been carried out on the muscle and liver tissues. The results of this preliminary study show a relationship between metal concentrations and the pathological status of the fish. The use of fish health as indicator of habitat quality is discussed.     

Observations on the workshop as a means of improving communication between holders of traditional and scientific knowledge

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and the information and insights it offers to natural resource research and management have been given much attention in recent years. On the practical question of how TEK is accessed and used together with scientific knowledge, most work to date has examined documentation and methods of recording and disseminating information. Relatively little has been done regarding exchanges between scientific and traditional knowledge. This paper examines three workshop settings in which such exchanges were intended outcomes. The Barrow Symposium on Sea Ice, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Program Synthesis/Information Workshops, and the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee illuminate certain features of the preparation, format, and context of workshops or series of workshops and their eventual outcomes and influence. The examples show the importance of long-term relationships among participants and thorough preparation before the actual workshop. Further research should look more systematically at the factors that influence the success of a given workshop and the various ways in which participants perceive success.     

State of the marine environment at Little Bay Arm,Newfoundland and Labrador,Canada, 10 years after a "do nothing" response to a mine tailings spill

In 1989, the tailings pond dam at the site of a former copper mine near Little Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, ruptured and tailings spilled into Little Bay Arm. At the time, no action was taken to arrest the flow of tailings or to mitigate the effects of the spill. To date, no action has been taken to repair the dam and tailings continue to flow into Little Bay Arm. As a result, the marine environment around Little Bay Arm has become contaminated with heavy metals from the tailings. However, the tailings are not the only source of heavy metals to the ecosystem. An old slag heap and what is presumably concentrated copper ore spilled during the loading of ore freighters, are also contributing to the ecosystem's metal load. Marine sediment throughout the Arm contained elevated concentrations of Cu, Ni, Zn, As, V, Co, and Mn. Beach material also contained elevated concentrations of metals with material near the slag heap being the most contaminated. At this site, Cu concentrations were in excess of 5000 mg kg(-1) dry weight, Zn greater than 3000 mg kg(-1) and Co concentrations exceeded 700 mg kg(-1). The highest concentrations of metals in biota were found near the slag heap, near the tailings dam breach, and at the site of the former concentrate loading dock. Despite elevated metal concentrations, the tailings and nearby sediment were not devoid of life. Bivalves and seaweed were abundant in the area and there were no obvious signs of tissue damage or disease in soft shell clams (Mya arenaria) living in the tailings. These clams may be suffering from chronic exposure to the tailings, however, evidence of lipid peroxidation in the clams was inconclusive.     

Airborne reduced nitrogen: ammonia emissions from agriculture and other sources

Ammonia is a basic gas and one of the most abundant nitrogen-containing compounds in the atmosphere. When emitted, ammonia reacts with oxides of nitrogen and sulfur to form particles, typically in the fine particle size range. Roughly half of the PM(2.5) mass in eastern United States is ammonium sulfate, according to the US EPA. Results from recent studies of PM(2.5) show that these fine particles are typically deposited deep in the lungs and may lead to increased morbidity and/or mortality. Also, these particles are in the size range that will degrade visibility. Ammonia emission inventories are usually constructed by multiplying an activity level by an experimentally determined emission factor for each source category. Typical sources of ammonia include livestock, fertilizer, soils, forest fires and slash burning, industry, vehicles, the oceans, humans, pets, wild animals, and waste disposal and recycling activities. Livestock is the largest source category in the United States, with waste from livestock responsible for about 3x10(9) kg of ammonia in 1995. Volatilization of ammonia from livestock waste is dependent on many parameters, and thus emission factors are difficult to predict. Despite a seasonal variation in these values, the emission factors for general livestock categories are usually annually averaged in current inventories. Activity levels for livestock are from the USDA Census of Agriculture, which does not give information about animal raising practices such as housing types and grazing times, waste handling systems, and approximate animal slurry spreading times or methods. Ammonia emissions in the United States in 1995 from sources other than livestock are much lower; for example, annual emissions are roughly 8x10(8) kg from fertilizer, 7x10(7) kg from industry, 5x10(7) kg from vehicles and 1x10(8) kg from humans. There is considerable uncertainty in the emissions from soil and vegetation, although this category may also be significant. Recommendations for future directions in ammonia research include designing experiments to improve emission factors and their resolution in all significant source categories, developing mass balance models, and refining of the livestock activity level data by eliciting judgment from experts in this field.