Excrement from Heron colonies for environmental assessment of toxic elements

Excrement cast from Great Blue Heron nests was collected during the nesting period of 1978 from four colonies in Washington and Idaho. Cheesecloth strips placed on the ground beneath the nests served as excrement collecting devices. Chemical analysis for lead, mercury and cadmium were performed on dried samples. Lead was the most abundant trace metal found in heron debris. The Idaho colony at Lake Chatcolet had an average concentration of 46 ppm in the beneath-nest samples and 6 ppm in control samples. A heron colony near Tacoma, Washington had beneath-nest samples averaging 28 ppm and control samples averaging 20 ppm. Two colonies located in the interior region of Washington had substantially lower concentrations of lead. The difference observed between colonies was attributed to their associations with a polluted watershed (Chatcolet colony) an interstate highway (Tacoma colony) and an unpopulated largely agricultural area (inland Washington).     

Soil properties and crop productivity as influenced by flyash incorporation in soil

Field experiments were carried out during 1996–97at Gulawathi, Muthiani and Salarpur Villages, IARI Farm, NewDelhi and NCPP Campus, Dadri to evaluate changes in soilcharacteristics and growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.),mustard (Brassica juncea L.), lentil (Lence esculentaMoench.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) byvarying amounts of flyash addition (up to 50t ha^-1) in soils atsowing/transplanting time of crops. Flyash addition in areasadjoining NCPP Thermal Power Plant, Dadri, Ghaziabad, U.P.ranged from 5–12 t ha^-1 yr^-1 in 1995–96. Shoot and root growthand yield of test crops at different locations after flyashincorporation resulted in beneficial effects of flyashaddition in most cases. The silt dominant texture of flyashimproved loamy sand to sandy loam textures of the surfacesoils at the farmers' fields. The increased growth in yield ofcrops with flyash incorporation was possibly due tomodifications in soil moisture retention and transmissioncharacteristics, bulk density, physico-chemical characterssuch as pH and EC and organic carbon content. The response offlyash addition in the soil on soil health and cropproductivity needs to be evaluated on long-term sustainableaspects.     

The Challenge of Urban Growth and Sustainable Development for Asian Cities in the 21st Century

The challenges of urban growth for mega-cities in Asia, now and over the next few decades, are examined with particular reference to the ability or inability of those in charge of cities, elected officials and administrators, to provide for the legitimate demands of citizens. Issues such as population growth, industrialization, urbanization, financing, employment, health care, social services, public safety, transportation, water supply, waste disposal, and cultural and recreational facilities are included. While sustainable development of cities is advocated strongly by environmentalists and administrators, the past history of urban growth is quite often the opposite. Why? This paper examines the severe constraints that urban developments are subjected to, and might be possible to change in order to create a better future, with particular emphasis on Asia. Finally, the important contributions made by environmental scientists and engineers towards more sustainable development are placed in context with the reality of urban growth. The approach taken is my personal view, having lived for over a period of 62 years in Europe, North America and now Asia, and having practised as an engineer and educator for almost 40 years.     

Environmental and sustainability indicators and the concept of situational indicators. A systems approach

Through a systems approach indicators are shown to have the nature of variables, adopting different values or states, while other associated terms allude to special meanings assigned to specific values of the indicators. Practical implications are discussed. The concept of situational indicators of sustainability is introduced, representing a non-numerical function of both “pressures” or “driving forces” and “state” variables. A cost-effective multi-tiered approach to situational indicators is proposed. The concept of situational indicators is shown to be a particular case of indicators of systems behavior. A general systems formulation of the problem of sustainability highlights the importance of indicators of systems behavior and the central role of models in their definition.     

The efficacy of a limestone doser to mitigate stream acidification in a Maryland coastal plain stream: Implications for migratory fish species

The objective of this two-year study was to determine the efficacy of an automated limestone slurry doser to neutralize acidic pulses and improve water quality conditions for enhancing survival of early life stages of migratory fish species in a Maryland coastal plain stream. Implications for survival of early life stages of migratory fish species such as yellow perch (Perca flavescens), white perch (Morone americana), blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) and alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) are discussed based on the improved chemical conditions in the dosed area of the stream. Despite problems with overdosing in 1991 and failure of the stage transducer to work properly in 1992, the doser was generally effective in neutralizing acidic pulses (pH depressions) in the stream during three major rain events in both years. Chemical conditions (pH and inorganic monomeric aluminum) reported in the non-dosed area during major rainfall events were potentially stressful to both alewife and blueback herring although neither species was reported spawning in the stream during either year. Mitigating the potential impact of acidic conditions on early life stages of important migratory fish species was not sufficient to ensure spawning. It is therefore recommended that habitat improvement measures and well designed fish stocking programs be implemented concurrently with doser operations if the goal is to create optimum spawning conditions for migratory species.     

The need for long-term stream monitoring programs in forest ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest

Concepts, planning and design procedures are examined that are needed in the development of long-term stream monitoring programs in forested regions. A long-term stream monitoring program is viewed as the key component for bringing together management organizations, researchers and decision-makers to improve the management of natural resources. The keystones of such ecosystem monitoring are long-term data records that provide the basis for analysis of environmental assessment objectives, predictions and analysis of outcomes which in-turn can be used to modify and improve future projects. Management organizations that initiate long-term monitoring programs are urged to use monitoring actions and information to facilitate decision-making processes that pertain to conserving and allocating resources for future beneficial uses. Recommendations are provided for careful planning and definition of interactive activities of monitoring programs and that should provide information feedbacks that can be used to evaluate issues pertaining to beneficial uses of resources. Procedural requirements and literature sources are suggested for developing long-term stream monitoring programs. They include reviews of background and historical information to provide precise definitions of long-term objectives, planning considerations and monitoring methods. Examples are given of specific procedures that need to be identified during the planning process. They include the application of management standards to variable conditions encountered within natural ecosystems and the detection of the timing of recovery phases of stream ecosystem development following a disturbance. These procedures are viewed as being essential for improving applications of management standards and perceived thresholds to stream and watershed ecosystems monitoring programs.     

Within-and among-clutch variation of organochlorine residues in eggs of black-crowned night-herons

Within-clutch variability of DDE and PCB residues in eggs from 62 clutches of black-crowned night-herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) was small (12% and 17%) compared to among-clutch variability (88% and 83%). Significant correlations between concentrations of DDE (median r=0.8885) and of PCBs (median r=0.8244) occurred when 501 correlations were run on two randomly selected eggs from within the same clutch; no significant correlation occurred for either concentrations of DDE (median r=0.0353) or PCBs (median r=–0.0843) when eggs were not restricted to the same clutch but were restricted to the same colony. The probability of finding infrequently detected organochlorine contaminants (e.g., DDT, cis-chlordane) in eggs from the same clutch varied from 43–96% and increased as the chemical became more prevalent and the number of eggs per clutch became smaller. These results further support one of the basic assumptions of the sample egg technique, that the chemical residues in one egg in a clutch accurately reflect residues in the remaining eggs of the clutch.     

Polycyclic aromatic compounds in Northwest Atlantic COD (Gadus morhua)

Twenty-seven polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polycyclic aromatic sulphur heterocycles were analysed in muscle, liver and ovaries of cod (Gadus morhua) from the Northwest Atlantic. These PAC include the 16 PAH priority pollutants (EPA recommendation), alkylated naphthalenes, phenanthrene-anthracenes as well as dibenzothiophenes (DBT). Aromatics were undetectable in muscle. One of the analysed PAC was detected in one ovary and six in another ovary sample. Liver samples contained between 1 and 9 PAC. Of the parental PAH, only acenapthene (18 ng/g, dry weight), fluorene (28 ng/g) and chrysene (22 ng/g) were detected once each in two liver samples, while fluorene (72 ng/g) was detected once in one of the ovaries. C-2 DBT was the major component in ovaries and liver (8-86 ng/g), while C-3 and C-4 alkylated phenanthrene-anthracene (12-78 ng/g) were the next major components detected in the liver samples. This is the first detailed study of PAH and PAC in finfish from the Northwest Atlantic.     

A polyiodide with regular I 4 2− chains: Tl6PbI10

The Science of Nature -