First Europe-wide correlation analysis identifying factors best explaining the total nitrogen concentration in mosses

In this study, the indicative value of mosses as biomonitors of atmospheric nitrogen (N) depositions and air concentrations on the one hand and site-specific and regional factors which explain best the total N concentration in mosses on the other hand were investigated for the first time at a European scale using correlation analyses. The analyses included data from mosses collected from 2781 sites across Europe within the framework of the European moss survey 2005/6, which was coordinated by the International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops (ICP Vegetation). Modelled atmospheric N deposition and air concentration data were calculated using the Unified EMEP Model of the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). The modelled deposition and concentration data encompass various N compounds. In order to assess the correlations between moss tissue total N concentrations and the chosen predictors, Spearman rank correlation analysis and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) were applied. The Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the total N concentration in mosses and modelled N depositions and air concentrations are significantly correlated (0.53 ≤ r_s ≤ 0.68, p < 0.001). Correlations with other predictors were lower than 0.55. The CART analysis indicated that the variation in the total N concentration in mosses was best explained by the variation in NH₄⁺ concentrations in air, followed by NO₂ concentrations in air, sampled moss species and total dry N deposition. The total N concentrations in mosses mirror land use-related atmospheric concentrations and depositions of N across Europe. In addition to already proven associations to measured N deposition on a local scale the study at hand gives a scientific prove on the association of N concentration in mosses and modelled deposition at the European scale.     

The change of European landscapes: human-nature relationships, public attitudes towards rewilding, and the implications for landscape management in Switzerland

The rewilding of landscapes is one of the most important and intensively discussed landscape changes occurring in Switzerland, as the need for agricultural and forest land is decreasing. To ensure that decisions concerning future landscape management will be supported by the public, it is crucial to take public opinion into account. Hence the present study aims to assess the public attitudes towards nature and "rewilding" processes. In order to analyze these attitudes, we sent a standardized questionnaire to 4000 randomly selected households throughout Switzerland. A cluster analysis led to a typology with four different types of human-nature relationship ("nature lovers", "nature sympathizers", "nature-connected users" and "nature controllers") that each characterize a particular attitude towards nature. These human-nature relationship types differ in their attitudes towards rewilding as well, allowing a rough classification of the sample into wilderness opponents (51.1%) and wilderness proponents (49.9%). However both groups agree with regard to their opinion concerning the rules and regulations that should apply in future wilderness areas. The parallels of the human-nature relationship typology of this survey with other typologies, and the implications for further research are discussed. We can conclude that, due to the differences concerning the attitudes towards wilderness between the human-nature relationship types, between the rural and urban dwellers, and between the language regions, a uniform strategy for the designation and management of wilderness areas in Switzerland is not possible. We recommend that, when managing landscape change, all stakeholders are included in a participatory process and we advise a thorough assessment of the attitudes of the involved persons towards nature and rewilding at the start of such processes. Such an assessment would facilitate the identification of well-defined target groups allowing specific interventions and management actions customized to the needs and characteristics of each of these groups. In addition we see the commonalities between wilderness opponents and wilderness proponents concerning the rules in wilderness areas as an ideal starting point for a successful participatory process.     

Assessing spatial patterns of metal bioaccumulation in French mosses by means of an exposure index

Background, aim and scope  

The European Heavy Metals in Mosses Surveys (UNECE-ICP Vegetation) is a programme performed every 5 years since 1990 in at least 21 European countries. The moss surveys aim at uncovering the spatiotemporal patterns of metal and nitrogen bioaccumulation in mosses. In France, the moss survey was conducted for the third time in 2006. Five hundred thirty-six monitoring sites were sampled across the whole French territory. The aim of the presented study is to give an integrative picture of the metal bioaccumulation for the entire French territory without geographical gaps. Furthermore, confounding factors of the metal bioaccumulation in mosses should be investigated.     

Geographic bias in citation rates of conservation research

We investigated whether the impact of conservation science is greater for research conducted in countries with more pressing conservation problems. We quantified research impact for 231 countries based on 2 citation metrics (mean cites per paper and h index) and fitted models predicting research impact based on number of threatened bird and mammal species (as a measure of conservation importance of a country) and a range of demographic variables. Citation rates of conservation research increased as a country's conservation need increased and as human population, quality of governance, and wealth increased. Even after accounting for these factors, citation rates among regions and countries within regions varied significantly. The conservation research community needs to consider ways to begin addressing the entrenched disadvantages some countries have when it comes to initiating projects and producing high‐quality research.     

Adaptive superparasitism and patch time allocation in solitary parasitoids : the influence of pre-patch experience

Summary Dynamic optimal diet models predict that host selection decisions and patch time allocation are influenced by the resource value of the habitat. We tested these predictions using the solitary' parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma. Assuming that travel times between patches, the quality of previously visited patches and parasitoid density affect the parasitoids' estimation of the resource value of the habitat, different treatments were given before introducing parasitoids singly to a patch containing 5 unparasitized and 15 parasitized hosts. The decision to superparasitize is only slightly influenced by the rate of patch encounter. The quality of the previously visited patch has a strong influence. When a poor patch has been visited on the previous day, more superparasitism is observed in the partly depleted patch than when a rich patch has been searched. More superparasitism is also observed when the parasitoids are kept with conspecifics before the experiment than when they are kept alone. Increasing patch residence times are observed as the quality of the previously presented patch decreases. Host selection decisions and patch time allocation are thus clearly influenced by the pre-patch experience of the parasitoid, as predicted by dynamic optimal diet models. This can also explain why females that have never oviposited in unparasitized hosts will superparasitize readily. Correspondence to: M.E. Visser     

Catalytic NOx reduction with simultaneous dioxin and furan oxidation

The engineering, construction, performance and running costs of a catalytic flue gas cleaning component in the low dust area of a municipal waste incinerator is discussed. For this purpose, the case study of a Flemish incineration plant is presented, covering the history, the design procedure of the catalyst, relevant process data and the financial aspects. A reliable PCDD/F-destruction by means of oxidation by the catalyst to typical values of 0.001 ng TEQ/Nm3 has been demonstrated. At the same time, NOx- and CO-emissions are reduced by 90% and 20% to about 50 mg/Nm3 and below 10 mg/Nm3, respectively.     

Sorption of cobalt and nickel on anaerobic granular sludges: isotherms and sequential extraction

The objective of this study was to investigate the sorption capacity and the fractionation of sorbed nickel and cobalt onto anaerobic granular sludges. Two different anaerobic granular sludges (non-fed, pH=7) were loaded with nickel and cobalt in adsorption experiments (monometal and competitive conditions). The combination of sequential extraction with the sorption isotherm analysis allowed the assessment of the sorption capacity of individual fractions present in the anaerobic granular sludges. The operational fractionation of the sorbed heavy metals was determined using a modified Tessier sequential extraction procedure. The sorption characteristics of each extracted fraction (exchangeable, carbonates, organic matter/sulfides and residual fractions) fitted well to the Langmuir model. The organic matter/sulfides fraction showed the highest affinity for cobalt and nickel in both sludges investigated compared to the other operationally defined fractions. The presence of iron negatively affected cobalt and nickel accumulation in this organic matter/sulfides fraction. The trace metals-iron sulfide interactions are likely to be the key process in controlling the distribution of cobalt and nickel during sorption onto non-fed methanogenic granules due to the high affinity of iron sulfides towards the metals studied.     

Inter-sexual conflicts over copulations in the European starling: evidence for the female mate-guarding hypothesis

Recent studies have suggested that conflicts of interests between the sexes may lead to variation in copulation behavior among pairs. We examined differences in the rate and timing of copulation solicitations and copulations among females of different mating status in the facultatively polygynous starling in an attempt to explain why females copulate repeatedly with their mate. All within-pair copulations were female-solicited indicating that females control copulations in the starling. Before egg laying, females solicited copulations at a high rate (usually more than 2 per hour). In contrast to most other species studied so far, females continued to solicit copulations throughout the egg laying period, and also solicited after egg laying (the latest solicitation occurred when the nestlings were 4 days old). Primary females solicited more copulations than monogamous females both during and after the fertile period. Many copulation solicitations of primary females occurred at the nestbox where their male was singing to obtain an extra female. Both primary and secondary females solicited more copulations after the egg-laying period than monogamous females. A large proportion of female copulation solicitations was refused by the male partner: female solicitation resulted in more male refusals in primary females than in monogamous females. Primary females were more likely to be chased aggressively when they solicited a copulation than monogamous females; most aggressive chases occurred when primary females flew towards their male to solicit copulation when he was singing at another nestbox. Overall, our results demonstrate that there is a conflict over copulation between males and females in polygynous pairs. The conflict presumably relates to the cost of sharing male parental investment: females use copulation solicitation behavior to interrupt their singing males apparently in an attempt to prevent them from becoming polygynous. We present the first empirical evidence that female songbirds use copulation solicitation behavior as a form of mate guarding, often in a non-reproductive context. We did not find a positive relationship between copulation rate during the fertile period and the amount of male parental care as is predicted by the paternity confidence hypothesis.     

Potential malaria outbreak in Germany due to climate warming: risk modelling based on temperature measurements and regional climate models

Purpose  

Climate warming can change the geographic distribution and intensity of the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as malaria. The transmitted parasites usually benefit from increased temperatures as both their reproduction and development are accelerated. Lower Saxony (northwestern Germany) has been a malaria region until the 1950s, and the vector species are still present throughout Germany. This gave reason to investigate whether a new autochthonous transmission could take place if the malaria pathogen was introduced again in Germany.