Fish abundances in shoreline habitats and submerged aquatic vegetation in a tidal freshwater embayment of the Potomac River

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is considered an important habitat for juvenile and small forage fish species, but many long-term recruitment surveys do not effectively monitor fish communities in SAV. To better understand the impact of recent large increases of SAV on the fish community in tidal freshwater reaches of the Potomac River, we compared traditional seine sampling from shore with drop ring sampling of SAV beds (primarily Hydrilla) in a shallow water (depths, <1.5 m) embayment, Gunston Cove. To accomplish this, we developed species-specific catch efficiency values for the seine gear and calculated area-based density in both shoreline and SAV habitats in late summer of three different years (2007, 2008, and 2009). For the dominant species (Fundulus diaphanus, Lepomis macrochirus, Etheostoma olmstedi, Morone americana, Lepomis gibbosus, and Fundulus heteroclitus), density was nearly always higher in SAV, but overall, species richness was highest in shoreline habitats sampled with seines. Although historical monitoring of fish in Gunston Cove (and throughout Chesapeake Bay) is based upon seine sampling (and trawl sampling in deeper areas), the high densities of fish and larger areal extent of SAV indicated that complementary sampling of SAV habitats would produce more accurate trends in abundances of common species. Because drop ring samples cover much less area than seines and may miss rare species, a combination of methods that includes seine sampling is needed for biodiversity assessment. The resurgence of SAV in tidal freshwater signifies improving water quality, and methods we evaluated here support improved inferences about population trends and fish community structure as indicators of ecosystem condition.     

Temporal trend of mercury in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard using teeth as a biomonitoring tissue

We examined the use of mercury (Hg) and nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes in teeth of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard as biotracers of temporal changes in Hg pollution exposure between 1964 and 2003. Teeth were regarded as a good matrix of the Hg exposure, and in total 87 teeth of polar bears were analysed. Dental Hg levels ranged from 0.6 to 72.3 ng g(-1) dry weight and increased with age during the first 10 years of life. A decreasing time trend in Hg concentrations was observed over the recent four decades while no temporal changes were found in the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ(15)N) and carbon (δ(13)C). This suggests that the decrease of Hg concentrations over time was more likely due to a lower environmental Hg exposure in this region rather than a shift in the feeding habits of Svalbard polar bears.     

A Comparative Study of Pectin Extracted from Passion Fruit Rind Flours

Brazil is the world’s main producer of passion fruit. Previous reports show that passion fruit rinds, an industrial waste, contain large amounts of pectin. Pectin is a dietary fiber that is widely used in the food industry as a gelling agent and stabilizer. In this study, the quality and characteristics of pectin extracted from yellow passion fruit rind flour was investigated. Pectin was extracted from both commercially available and prepared passion fruit peels using nitric acid. Once extracted, the pectin was evaluated for its molecular characteristics and chemical composition as well as for the apparent and reduced viscosity of the gel. Prepared (blanched) rind flour yielded 203.4 g kg⁻¹ of pectin, which contained a uronic acid content of 681 mg g⁻¹, a degree of esterification of 80, a degree of methylation of 80, a reduced viscosity of 6.8 dL g⁻¹ and an apparent viscosity of 13.4 cP. The results suggest a clear influence of the raw material on it’s the resultant characteristics of the pectin. In addition, our results show that therheological properties and molar characteristics of pectin were negatively affected when the rind flours were subjected to high temperatures. Pectin methyl esterase activity was detected in the freeze-dried, unblanched raw material. Extensive efforts have been directed towards minimizing waste and the reported results show that high quality pectin can be obtained from passion fruit rinds, an industrial waste product of passion fruit processing.     

A differentiated approach for sustainable consumption and production policies

The importance of sustainable consumption and production in the international agenda has been growing, both because of unsustainable patterns of consumption and production in industrialized countries and because it appears to be a means for meeting the essential needs of developing countries. Adapting Fernand Braudel's model of the three layers of the economy (everyday life, market economy and global capitalism) to the current situation, this paper advocates for differentiated policies, which cannot be limited to those based on the dominant model of a rational legal system dealing with rational consumers. The cultural and collective dimensions of consumption, the social role of conspicuous consumption, the consumption of ecological services outside formal markets, the diversity of approaches to knowledge and rationality, all plead for an overarching approach and diversified policy tools. The paper underlines the need for global regulation processes which involve all stakeholders by focusing on two examples: the international task force on sustainable tourism, and the ISO 26000 standard on social responsibility.     

Sustainable Forest Management Preferences of Interest Groups in Three Regions with Different Levels of Industrial Forestry: An Exploratory Attribute-Based Choice Experiment

The challenge of sustainable forest management is to integrate diverse and sometimes conflicting management objectives. In order to achieve this goal, we need a better understanding of the aspects influencing the preferences of diverse groups and how these groups make trade-offs between different attributes of SFM. We compare the SFM preferences of interest groups in regions with different forest use histories based on the reasoning that the condition of the forest reflects the forest use history of the area. The condition of the forest also shapes an individual’s forest values and attitudes. These held values and attitudes are thought to influence SFM preferences. We tested whether the SFM preferences vary amongst the different interest groups within and across regions. We collected data from 252 persons using a choice experiment approach, where participants chose multiple times among different options described by a combination of attributes that are assigned different levels. The novelty of our approach was the use of choice experiments in the assessment of regional preference differences. Given the complexity of inter-regional comparison and the small sample size, this was an exploratory study based on a purposive rather than random sample. Nevertheless, our results suggest that the aggregation of preferences of all individuals within a region does not reveal all information necessary for forest management planning since opposing viewpoints could cancel each other out and lead to an interpretation that does not reflect possibly polarised views. Although based on a small sample size, the preferences of interest groups within a region are generally statistically significantly different from each other; however preferences of interest groups across regions are also significantly different. This illustrates the potential importance of assessing heterogeneity by region and by group.     

A Native Species with Invasive Behaviour in Coastal Dunes: Evidence for Progressing Decay and Homogenization of Habitat Types

A new species has recently invaded coastal dune ecosystems in North West Europe. The native and expansive inland grass, Deschampsia flexuosa, progressively dominating inland heaths, has recently invaded coastal dunes in Denmark, occasionally even as a dominant species. A total of 222 coastal locations with 5,000 random sample plots have been investigated. These findings are in contrast to historical records, and D. flexuosa has never been considered belonging to coastal dune ecosystems. The occurrence of the typical inland grass in the coastal dunes is a strong indication of increase in nutrient level and that human influences may cause a native species to be invasive in new ecosystems. This could be a radical example of change in species composition due to a long lasting exceedance of critical load of nitrogen. The investigation also showed a general increase in cover of the most dominant species.     

Stream Condition in Piedmont Streams with Restored Riparian Buffers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed1

Orzetti, Leslie L., R. Christian Jones, and Robert F. Murphy, 2010. Stream Condition in Piedmont Streams with Restored Riparian Buffers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(3):473-485. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00414.x Abstract: This study tested the efficacy of restored forest riparian buffers along streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by examining habitat, selected water quality variables, and benthic macroinvertebrate community metrics in 30 streams with buffers ranging from zero to greater than 50 years of age. To assess water quality we measured in situ parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity) and laboratory-analyzed grab samples (soluble reactive phosphorus, total phosphorus, nitrate, ammonium, and total suspended solids). Habitat conditions were scored using the Environmental Protection Agency Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for high gradient streams. Benthic macroinvertebrates were quantified using pooled riffle/run kick samples. Results showed that habitat, water quality, and benthic macroinvertebrate metrics generally improved with age of restored buffer. Habitat scores appeared to stabilize between 10 and 15 years of age and were driven mostly by epifaunal substrate availability, sinuosity, embeddedness, and velocity depth regime. Benthic invertebrate taxa richness, percent Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera minus hydropsychids (%EPT minus H), % Ephemeroptera, and the Family Biotic Index were among the metrics which improved with age of buffer zone. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that forest riparian buffers enhance instream habitat, water quality, and resulting benthic macroinvertebrate communities with noticeable improvements occurring within 5-10 years postrestoration, leading to conditions approaching those of long established buffers within 10-15 years of restoration.     

Performance of secondary P-fertilizers in pot experiments analyzed by phosphorus X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy

A pot experiment was carried out with maize to determine the phosphorus (P) plant-availability of different secondary P-fertilizers derived from wastewater. We analyzed the respective soils by P K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy to determine the P chemical forms that were present and determine the transformation processes. Macro- and micro-XANES spectroscopy were used to determine the chemical state of the overall soil P and identify P compounds in P-rich spots. Mainly organic P and/or P adsorbed on organic matter or other substrates were detected in unfertilized and fertilized soils. In addition, there were indications for the formation of ammonium phosphates in some fertilized soils. However, this effect was not seen in the maize yield of all P-fertilizers. The observed reactions between phosphate from secondary P-fertilizers and co-fertilized nitrogen compounds should be further investigated. Formation of highly plant-available compounds such as ammonium phosphates could make secondary P-fertilizers more competitive to commercial phosphate rock-based fertilizers with positive effects on resources conservation.     

Below-ground carbon allocation in mature beech and spruce trees following long-term, experimentally enhanced O3 exposure in Southern Germany

Canopies of adult European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) were labeled with CO₂ depleted in ¹³C to evaluate carbon allocation belowground. One-half the trees were exposed to elevated O₃ for 6 yrs prior to and during the experiment. Soil-gas sampling wells were placed at 8 and 15 cm and soil CO₂ was sampled during labeling in mid-late August, 2006. In beech, δ¹³CO₂ at both depths decreased approximately 50 h after labeling, reflecting rapid translocation of fixed C to roots and release through respiration. In spruce, label was detected in fine-root tissue, but there was no evidence of label in δ¹³CO₂. The results show that C fixed in the canopy rapidly reaches respiratory pools in beech roots, and suggest that spruce may allocate very little of recently-fixed carbon into root respiration during late summer. A change in carbon allocation belowground due to long-term O₃ exposure was not observed.     

Application of OMI observations to a space-based indicator of NOx and VOC controls on surface ozone formation

We investigated variations in the relative sensitivity of surface ozone formation in summer to precursor species concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) as inferred from the ratio of the tropospheric columns of formaldehyde to nitrogen dioxide (the “Ratio”) from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). Our modeling study suggests that ozone formation decreases with reductions in VOCs at Ratios <1 and NO_x at Ratios >2; both NO_x and VOC reductions may decrease ozone formation for Ratios between 1 and 2. Using this criteria, the OMI data indicate that ozone formation became: 1. more sensitive to NO_x over most of the United States from 2005 to 2007 because of the substantial decrease in NO_x emissions, primarily from stationary sources, and the concomitant decrease in the tropospheric column of NO₂, and 2. more sensitive to NO_x with increasing temperature, in part because emissions of highly reactive, biogenic isoprene increase with temperature, thus increasing the total VOC reactivity. In cities with relatively low isoprene emissions (e.g., Chicago), the data clearly indicate that ozone formation became more sensitive to NO_x from 2005 to 2007. In cities with relatively high isoprene emissions (e.g., Atlanta), we found that the increase in the Ratio due to decreasing NO_x emissions was not obvious as this signal was convolved with variations in the Ratio associated with the temperature dependence of isoprene emissions and, consequently, the formaldehyde concentration.