Parent-offspring aggression in moorhens

Summary Colonial orb-weaving spiders from Mexico were studied to test predictions of risksensitive foraging theory: 1. group foraging increases prey capture/individual, and reduces prey variance; 2. spiders should be expected to exhibit risk-averse behavior (forage in groups) when the average level of prey exceeds individual needs, and exhibit risk-prone behavior (forage solitarily) when prey are searce. Laboratory and field studies show that group foraging increases capture efficiency and reduces variability in prey captured per spider. In desert/mesquite grassland habitat, where prey availability is low, M. atascadero forage solitarily in most cases. In tropical rainforest/agriculture sites, M. increassata forage in large colonies of thousands of webs. In intermediate habitats, M. spinipes forages solitarily or in groups, depending on prey availability. Over a range of sites with varying levels of prey, M. spinipes shifts from a risk-prone to a risk-averse group foraging strategy as prey increases.Group foraging behavior observed in colonial Metepeira fits the predictions of risk-sensitive foraging models. These findings explain why spiders tend to group webs together only in areas of superabundant prey. The role of risk-sensitivity in the evolution of coloniality in spiders is discussed.     

Effective Communications for Project Success

Successful soil remediation depends on many factors that project managers know well: accurate assessments as to the extent and nature of contamination; the right choice and proper implementation of remediation technologies; and, deft negotiation of regulatory requirements and review. One equally important factor that often receives too little attention is stakeholder communication. Effective communication strategies and tactics can help avoid project delays and cost overruns related to stakeholder concerns and opposition, and inoculate owners and others against frivolous litigation. Remediation projects also offer opportunities to bolster the brands and images of engaged parties, including owners, engineering and environmental contractors—and even the regulatory agencies that oversee them. Understanding the skills and techniques necessary to communicate effectively when people are angry, upset, and suspicious of everything you say is essential to project success. This article will explore six rules for effective communication—brought to life by genuine case studies where they have been followed to positive effect—that encapsulate the skills and techniques project managers can apply in difficult situations involving the remediation of contaminated sites. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Sediment Quality of Estuaries in the Southeastern U.S.

A study was conducted to assess the condition of estuaries in the EMAP Carolinian Province (Cape Henry, VA - St. Lucie Inlet, FL). Synoptic measures of sediment contamination, toxicity, and macroinfaunal condition were made at 82 and 86 stations in 1994 and 1995, respectively, in accordance with a probabilistic sampling design. These data were used to estimate percentages of degraded vs. undegraded estuarine area from the perspective of sediment quality. Each year a sizable portion of the province (36% in 1994, 51 % in 1995) showed some evidence of either degraded benthic assemblages, contaminated sediments in excess of bioeffect guidelines, or significant sediment toxicity (based on Ampelisca abdita and Microtox® assays). However, co-occurrences of a degraded benthos and adverse exposure conditions (sediment contamination and/or toxicity) were much less extensive – 17% of the province in 1994 and 25% in 1995. Each year only four sites, representing 5% of the province in 1994 and 8% in 1995, had degraded infauna accompanied by both sediment contamination and toxicity, suggesting that strong contaminant-induced effects on the benthos (based on such combined weight-of-evidence) were limited to a fairly small percentage of estuarine area province-wide. PCBs and pesticides (lindane, dieldrin, DDT and derivatives) were the most dominant contaminants over the two-year period. The broad-scale sampling design of EMAP was not intended to support detailed characterizations of potential pollutant impacts within individual estuaries. Thus, some estuaries classified as undegraded may include additional degraded portions outside the immediate vicinity of randomly sampled sites. Such localized impacts (not accounted for in the above estimates) were detected in this study at additional nonrandom supplemental sites near potential contaminant sources.     

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION: THE CHALLENGE OF TRANSLATION1

ABSTRACT: Global climate change is examined from the perspective of its relevancy and urgency as a public policy issue. Interpreting from literature specific to investigations into public awareness and concern, climate change is seen as a legitimate though less than urgent issue. The literature reveals that the general public holds surprising misconceptions about the processes contributing to climate change, including failure to grasp the fundamental connection to CO₂. General ambivalence is also suggested from the results of two surveys conducted by The Groundwater Foundation. They first asked participants in a recent Groundwater Guardian Conference to rate levels of discussion and concern for water resources implications in the participants' communities. A second survey polled national water resource organizations about the extent climate change has been a focus of their educational, investigative, or advocacy efforts. The paper concludes by describing basic barriers to stimulating public response to climate change, which education about the issue should address, and by offering a model to educate and involve citizens based on the Groundwater Guardian program developed by the The Groundwater Foundation.     

Commercial trials evaluating the novel use of ethyl formate for in-transit fumigation of shipping containers

Sediment samples from 25 sites in 17 rivers of the Pantanal (Brazil) were analyzed with the objective of evaluating pesticide contamination in sediments. Samples were extracted with an acetone, ethylacetate, and water mixture 2:2:1 (v/v/v). The extract was purified by flash chromatography with aluminum oxide and florisil. A multiresidue gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was applied to monitor 23 pesticides of different chemical classes (organochlorine, organophosphorus, triazines, anilides and pyrethroids) with some of their degradation products. Compounds identified in sediment samples included λ -cyhalothrin (1.0 to 5.0 μ g kg^{? 1}), p,p′-DDT (3.6 μ g kg^{? 1}), deltamethrin (20.0 μ g kg^{? 1}) and permethrin (1.0 to 7.0 μ g kg^{? 1}).     

The Accumulation of Fluorine by Plants

The accumulation and distribution of fluorine (F) in -plant leaves have been studied to better understand the response of plants to concentrations of atmospheric fluoride (F) that are similar to those found in urban or industrial areas. The results indicate that F from the air can be adsorbed to the surface of leaves as well as accumulated internally and that F in leaves can be translocated outward to the surface as well as upward to the tips. F injury and accumulation can be induced in any desired location on a gladiolus blade by restricting gas exchange of the blade, indicating that all parts of a blade are sensitive to F-induced injury. It is, therefore, suggested that the wide differences often found between plant species and varieties with respect to both susceptibility to injury and degree of F accumulation may be explained by differences in the means of accumulation, trans-location, and distribution of F. F remains in a soluble form in plant leaves and maintains the chemical properties of free, inorganic F. The solubility and mobility of F and the ease of removal from plant tissues indicate that irreversible binding to cellular components does not occur.     

Studies on the Measurement of Fluoride in Air and Plant Tissues By the Willard-Winter and Semiautomated Methods

Determinations of F in plant tissues by the Willard-Winter and semiautomated methods have been studied for the presence of determinate and indeterminate errors by multiple linear regression analysis. The results have provided a better understanding of the magnitude of differences between tissue samples required for statistical significance and have suggested that the errors involved are much greater both in number and magnitude than usually assumed. The results have also established that the semiautomated method is a satisfactory alternative to the Willard-Winter method for determining the F content of plant tissues. Investigations of the sources of error in F determinations by the semi-automated method were carried out, and the results indicated a number of ways of reducing errors. Determinations of the F content of air by three methods were compared and studied to estimate the magnitude and locate the sources of error. Here, too, the results indicated that present estimates of the reliability of determinations of the F content of air may be overrated, and they have suggested that improvement in the means of collection of HF is the best way of improving reproducibility.     

Perceptions and attitudes towards gas flaring in the Niger Delta,Nigeria

Gas flaring is the burning of crude oil’s associated gas. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta, the flaring process is usually very close to communities and their farmlands and has been implicated in serious environmental degradation of the region. Studies have suggested links between gas flaring and health problems in the communities and others have established relationships between gas flaring and poor agricultural yields. This study explores how the people in the region perceive gas flaring and what their attitudes are toward it. Ubeji town, a community where gas flaring takes place, was selected as a case study. It was found that the residents perceive gas flaring as hazardous to health, environment, and general well-being of the community. Most residents seem to be resigned to the continued presence of gas flaring activities in the community. The study, however, raised several questions on modeling perception and attitudes toward environmental problems in areas where political tension and economic adversity are prevalent.