Framework for the environmental impact assessment of operational shipping

Shipping is an important source of pollution affecting both atmospheric and aquatic environments. To allow for efficient mitigation of environmental degradation, it is essential to know the extent of the impacts of shipping in relation to other sources of pollution. Here, we give a perspective on a holistic approach to studies of the environmental impacts of operational shipping through presentation of an assessment framework developed and applied on a case of shipping in the Baltic Sea. Through transfer of knowledge and concepts, previously used in assessments of air pollution, now applied to assessments of marine pollution and underwater noise, the horizon of understanding of shipping-related impacts is significantly improved. It identifies the main areas of environmental degradation caused by shipping and potential improvements through legislation and technological development. However, as the vast majority of contaminants discharged into the sea are not routinely monitored and assessed, the links between pressure of contaminants from shipping and environmental state and impacts will not be caught in the current environmental regulatory frameworks.     

Accumulation of Heavy Metals by in vitro cultures of plants

The aim of the project is to study heavy metals accumulation by the selected plants in both laboratory and field conditions. Within the experiments the aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and corn (Zea mays) plants were studied. The reasons for this selection were: a fast growth of these plants, an accumulation capacity and an ability to survive in different types of soils. The study was carried out on the aspen plantlets grown in vitro. The plants were exposed to the aqueous solutions having concentrations 0.1 mM, 0.5 mM of Pb²⁺ or Ni²⁺, respectively. The accumulation capacityfor aspen, was about 70% of Pb²⁺ originally present in the solution. The starting concentration of Pb²⁺ (0.5 mM) exhibited no negative impact on the growth. Besides in vitro expositions, a pilot-scale phytoremediation experiment was carried out at the polluted industrial area (Zn – 75000 mg/kg), (Pb – 16000 mg/kg), (Cr – 590 mg/kg), (Cd – 90 mg/kg) and (Cu – 1700 mg/kg).     

Prioritizing species conservation programs based on IUCN Green Status and estimates of cost-sharing potential

Over 1 million species around the world are at risk of extinction, and conservation organizations have to decide where to invest their limited resources. Cost-effectiveness can be increased by leveraging funding opportunities and increasing collaborative partnerships to achieve shared conservation goals. We devised a structured decision-making framework to prioritize species’ conservation programs based on a cost–benefit analysis that takes collaborative opportunities into account in an examination of national and global conservation return on investment. Conservation benefit is determined by modifying the novel International Union for the Conservation of Nature Green Status for Species to provide an efficient, high-level measure that is comparable among species, even with limited information and time constraints. We applied this prioritization approach to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Canada, a nonprofit organization seeking to increase the number of species it assists with conservation translocations. We sought to identify and prioritize additional species’ programs for which conservation translocation expertise and actions could make the most impact. Estimating the likelihood of cost-sharing potential enabled total program cost to be distinguished from costs specific to the organization. Comparing a benefit-to-cost ratio on different geographic scales allowed decision makers to weigh alternative options for investing in new species’ programs in a transparent and effective manner. Our innovative analysis aligns with general conservation planning frameworks and can be adapted for any organization.     

Influence of H2SO4 and ferric iron on Cd bioleaching from spent Ni–Cd batteries

The paper is concerned with biohydrometallurgical methods of cadmium recovery from spent Ni–Cd batteries. Cd leaching efficiency from electrode material in different media (H₂SO₄ and Fe₂(SO₄)₃ solutions), at different Fe(III) concentrations and using the bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were investigated. The main aim of this study was to understand which from the bioleaching products (sulphuric acid or ferric sulphate) play a main role in the bioleaching process of Cd recovery. The influence of Fe ions on Cd leachability was confirmed. The best leaching efficiency of Cd (100%) was reached by bioleaching and also by leaching in Fe₂(SO₄)₃ solution. The results of X-ray diffraction confirmed that no cadmium was present in solid residuum obtained after the Cd bioleaching as well as Cd leaching using solely ferric iron. The use of H₂SO₄ solution resulted in the lowest efficiency of Cd leachability, the presence of hydroxides in electrode materials caused neutralization of the leaching solution and inhibition of Cd leaching.     

Genetic relationships between roost-mates in a fission–fusion society of tree-roosting big brown bats (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eptesicus fuscus</Emphasis>)

Kin-based patterns of associations are often observed in group living mammals. Colonies of forest-living big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) exhibit fission–fusion roosting behavior and female philopatry. Within a roosting area of forest, adult females are distributed into several subgroups roosting in different trees during the day. At night, adult females leave the roost subgroups to forage and, upon return to the roosting area at dawn, both the individual composition and location of subgroups often change. Individuals exhibit nonrandom roosting associations, and we hypothesized that genetic relationships would influence roosting associations. We determined (1) whether the strength of roosting associations between pairs of bats (based on radiotelemetry) was correlated with relatedness, (2) whether individuals that roosted together in roost subgroups were more related than by chance, and (3) from roost subgroups, the pairs of bats that roosted nonrandomly and whether the proportion of related pairs was higher than expected at random. Relatedness measures were based on microsatellite genotyping and mitochondrial DNA sequences. We found from all analyses that roosting associations were not influenced by relatedness or matrilineal relationships. These results provide clear evidence that, contrary to other mammals, kinship does not mediate roosting associations within forest living big brown bats that exhibit fission–fusion roosting behavior.     

The emergence of team helping norms: Foundations within members' attributes and behavior

This research examined the antecedents of organizational citizenship behavior helping norms in teams, specifically with regard to how members' personality, values, beliefs, and helping behavior predict the emergence of helping norms in newly formed project teams. We drew from theory on emergent phenomena and team composition research to propose and test a compilation model of how helping norms are influenced by having at least one member with particularly low (minimum) or high (maximum) levels of attributes that may influence helping‐norm development (i.e., conscientiousness, agreeableness, other‐oriented values, personal helping beliefs). We further examined the extent to which members' helping behaviors, as rated by peers, predicted helping norms and whether these behaviors mediated the relationship between individual attributes and helping norms. The results of a longitudinal study of 47 student project teams revealed that teams' minimums on agreeableness, other‐oriented values, and personal helping beliefs had direct relationships with helping‐norm emergence, and the effects of agreeableness were mediated through mean helping behavior. By contrast, teams' maximums on these attributes showed no relationships with helping norms, and only a team maximum on agreeableness was associated with teams' mean helping behavior. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Accelerating urban sprawl in depopulating regions: a scenario analysis for the Elbe River Basin

The paper presents a method and results for the generation of future residential land use scenarios for the Elbe River Basin. The challenge of this study is to develop scenarios that consider two processes, accelerated urban sprawl in growth centres while peripheral regions are depopulating. The question is whether the demand for built-up areas can be reduced to achieve the objective of the German sustainability strategy. Current socioeconomic developments of the study area are described, and approaches to calculate residential land use demand are reviewed. Regionalised socioeconomic scenarios of the IPCC-SRES as well as households and housing forecasts are applied to calculate residential land demand for regions. The Land Use Scanner, a spatially explicit land use change model, is then used to allocate the demand on grid-cells within the spatial planning units. The results show a shift of residential developments from urban areas in general to agglomerations leading to a polarisation of developments. Residential land consumption can only be minimised to achieve the sustainable development goals if a strict land use policy with the implementation of higher building densities, activation of inner city quarters and application of effective planning instruments is followed.     

Dose Dependent Interactions Between Ammonification Potential and Bacteria in Three Tropical Pond Ecosystems

Using six different doses of peptone (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.50 gl^-1) and nine different periods of inclubation (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 days), the rates of ammonification potential (AP) were monitored in three tropical ponds of differetn ecological status, during winter and summer periods. During the winter, the AP (ammonifying bacteria) exhibited peaks on day 4 of incubation in all the test doses of peptone in all the three ponds, except in the lowest dose in eutrophic and chemically polluted pond where the peaks preceded by a day. the responses of AP to the lowest doses of substrate did not differ between summer and winter, while the AP-peaks at higher doses were delayed by 2 days in summer. the concentrations of nitrate in vitro were the inverse and direct functions of the AP and dissolved oxygen of water. at moderate dose (0.75 gl^-1) of peptone, both AP and dissolved oxygen at higher doses, and by AP at the lowest dose of peptone.     

Integrating renewable and nonrenewable energy sources

Using renewable energy sources along with fossil fuels can help reduce our dependency on imported oil while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Alternative energy technologies

Technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce energy without reliance on fossil fuels can play a significant role in sustainably meeting our energy needs.© 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.