Attitudes towards the conservation of biological diversity—A case study in Kristianstad Municipality,Sweden

Human actions towards land, freshwater and oceans have already caused biodiversity to decline. This study aims to investigate attitudes towards the conservation of biological biodiversity among different groups in a Swedish city, Kristianstad. An inquiry including statements measuring attitudes towards the conservation of habitats, animals and plants, to the biological diversity within selected local areas, to global and national areas, and to societal issues, was replied to by 271 persons. Deciduous forests, birds and wild flowers were given highest priority. An area categorized as wetland including lakeshore meadows with a rich bird life was prioritized as most important for conservation while a forest area was chosen as best for recreation. The experts gave lower priority to arable land, urban parks, domestic animals, agricultural and garden plants and to conifer forests compared to the other groups. Knowledge about what people in general value as important could facilitate the future planning of nature areas in the city of Kristianstad.     

Long-term fire frequency not linked to prehistoric occupations in northern Swedish boreal forest

Knowledge of past fire regimes is crucial for understanding the changes in fire frequency that are likely to occur during the coming decades as a result of global warming and land-use change. This is a key issue for the sustainable management of forest biodiversity because fire regimes may be controlled by vegetation, human activities, and/or climate. The present paper aims to reconstruct the pattern of fire frequency over the Holocene at three sites located in the same region in the northern Swedish boreal forest. The fire regime is reconstructed from sedimentary charcoal analysis of small lakes or ponds. This method allows fire events to be characterized, after detrending the charcoal influx series, and allows estimation of the time elapsed between fires. The long-term fire regime, in terms of fire-free intervals, can thus be elucidated. At the three sites, the mean fire-free intervals through the Holocene were long and of similar magnitude (approximately 320 years). This similarity suggests that the ecological processes controlling fire ignition and spread were the same. At the three sites, the intervals were shorter before 8600 cal yr BP (calibrated years before present), between 7500 and 4500 cal yr BP, and after 2500 cal yr BP. Geomorphological and vegetation factors cannot explain the observed change, because the three sites are located in the same large ecological region characterized by Pinus sylvestris-Ericaceae mesic forests, established on morainic deposits at the same elevation. Archaeological chronologies also do not match the fire chronologies. A climatic interpretation is therefore the most likely explanation of the long-term regional pattern of fire. Although recent human activities between the 18th and the 20th centuries have clearly affected the fire regime, the dominant factor controlling it for 10000 years in northern Sweden has probably been climatic.     

Atmospheric pathways of chlorinated pesticides and natural bromoanisoles in the northern Baltic Sea and its catchment

Long-range atmospheric transport is a major pathway for delivering persistent organic pollutants to the oceans. Atmospheric deposition and volatilization of chlorinated pesticides and algae-produced bromoanisoles (BAs) were estimated for Bothnian Bay, northern Baltic Sea, based on air and water concentrations measured in 2011–2012. Pesticide fluxes were estimated using monthly air and water temperatures and assuming 4 months ice cover when no exchange occurs. Fluxes were predicted to increase by about 50 % under a 2069–2099 prediction scenario of higher temperatures and no ice. Total atmospheric loadings to Bothnian Bay and its catchment were derived from air–sea gas exchange and “bulk” (precipitation + dry particle) deposition, resulting in net gains of 53 and 46 kg year^?1 for endosulfans and hexachlorocyclohexanes, respectively, and net loss of 10 kg year^?1 for chlordanes. Volatilization of BAs releases bromine to the atmosphere and may limit their residence time in Bothnian Bay. This initial study provides baseline information for future investigations of climate change on biogeochemical cycles in the northern Baltic Sea and its catchment.     

The Chemical Sensitivity Scale: Psychometric properties and comparison with the noise sensitivity scale

A questionnaire-based tool for quantifying self-reported affective reactions to and behavioral disruptions by odorous/pungent substances, called the Chemical Sensitivity Scale (CSS), analogous to the Noise Sensitivity Scale (NSS), was evaluated regarding psychometric properties. Twenty-six members from the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association and 124 control participants responded to the CSS, the NSS, and to additional questions for evaluation of the validity of the CSS and NSS. The results showed that the CSS generates approximately normal distributions, has good test–retest reliability (r_xy=0.87), good internal consistency (r_α=0.88), and satisfying predictive and concurrent validity. These metric properties of the CSS and NSS were in general very similar. The content validity of the CSS is discussed. Two major dimensions of the CSS appear to represent sensory/somatic and neurasthenic symptoms, respectively. The analogy of the CSS to the NSS implies that use of both scales in combination may enhance understanding for the issue of general environmental sensitivity versus specific sensitivity to chemicals. Correlation coefficients between CSS and NSS scores for the asthma and allergy members (r_xy=0.40) and controls (r_xy=0.42) imply a moderate correspondence between chemical and noise sensitivity.     

New approaches for assessment of occupational exposure to metals using on-site measurements

Traditional assessment of occupational exposure to metals typically involves static or personal aerosol sampling on a membrane filter followed by a laboratory determination of the metal content on the filter sample. These techniques give results with high accuracy and low detection limits. However, they all have a drawback in that, since the samples have to be analysed in a laboratory, the results will usually be obtained days or weeks after the sampling took place. Today there is available a new generation of portable electronic micro-balances and instruments for metal analysis based on X-ray fluorescence. These instruments will make on-site measurements of metal exposure possible, which opens the way for new approaches for assessment of occupational exposure to metals. In combination with high-flow pumps, short-term sampling is possible, which allows monitoring of the exposure variation during a work shift as well as the exposure during individual work tasks of short duration. Screening measurements and emission measurements are other examples of monitoring that are facilitated using on-site determinations. Measure control monitoring can effectively be performed using on-site measurements and is an effective tool in the assessment of workplace improvements. On-site determinations can also form an effective and pedagogic tool showing workers how to perform specific tasks and demonstrating the effectiveness of different measures intended to improve their work environment. Other examples are the assessment of skin exposure using aerosol deposition on pads and screening of contamination using bulk samples.     

Conflict resolution by participatory management: remote sensing and GIS as tools for communicating land-use needs for reindeer herding in northern Sweden

When seeking to resolve complex land-management issues, geographical assessment of resources that are in short supply or in dispute can aid the communication of knowledge and the understanding among and between different stakeholders. In this paper, we illustrate how remote sensing and GIS can be used to gather and compile information regarding land-use activities and patterns among reindeer herders and other land users (forestry, mining, tourism, etc) in northern Sweden. The project represents a novel user-oriented effort largely based on the work carried out by the principal end user, i.e. the reindeer herders themselves. The basis for development of land-use plans for reindeer husbandry, was the following: to collect and digitally systemize traditional ecological and landscape knowledge of reindeer habitat use; to integrate this information with results from field inventories and satellite-based vegetation classifications; to map activities of other land users. The resulting land-use plans provide information that can facilitate consultation between the reindeer herders and other stakeholders and can facilitate operational work in reindeer management. This project can serve as a model for participatory involvement and planning, bringing indigenous knowledge and advanced remote-sensing techniques together in an interactive process.     

Determination of Mancozeb in air. Occupational exposure during its use in control of potato late blight

A simple method for the determination of occupational exposure to Mancozeb (an ethylenebisdithio-carbamate) was evaluated. This method is based on filter sampling and determination of the manganese content in the samples by means of atomic absorption spectroscopy. The method shows good linearity and accuracy for determinations in the range 0.05 to 2 mg/m³. Exposure during field application of Mancozeb in potato cultivations was studied and was found, during preparation and filling of the spraying liquid, to be 0.22 mg/m³ on average (n=18). The highest individual eight-hour time-weighted average exposure was 0.05 mg/m³.     

Release of sex pheromone and its precursors in the pine sawfly Diprion pini (Hym., Diprionidae)

Summary. The first identification of a sex pheromone of a pine sawfly (Hymenoptera, Diprionidae) dates back almost thirty years. Since then, female-produced pheromones of over twenty diprionid species have been investigated by solvent extraction followed by separation and identification. However, no study has shown what the females actually release. Collection of airborne compounds using absorbtion on charcoal filter as well as solid phase microextraction (SPME) followed by analysis employing gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), revealed an unusual system in Diprion pini, in which the pheromone precursor alcohol, 3,7-dimethyl-2-tridecanol, is released together with acetic, propionic, butyric and isobutyric acids. The corresponding acetate, propionate and butyrate esters of 3,7-dimethyl-2-tridecanol were also found in the samples. All esters were electrophysiologically active, and the propionate and isobutyrate were attractive in trapping experiments. Based on these and earlier reported results, it seems that at least in part of its range, the pheromone response of D. pini is not very specific with regard to the functional group, as long as this is an ester.     

Exposure to anti-cancer drugs during preparation and administration. Investigations of an open and a closed system

Systems for the preparation and administration of drugs are designed to ensure that the drug is not contaminated. They do not necessarily consider the work environment for the medical staff and new techniques are therefore desirable. The aim of this work is to compare a new closed system for the preparation and administration of drugs with the traditional technique with regard to airborne emission and surface spillage of drugs. Platinum, determined using adsorptive voltammetry, was used as the tracer for airborne emission. Air samples were collected during the preparation and administration, and the collected platinum on the filters was determined by adsorptive voltammetry. For determination of spills and leakage onto surfaces the radioisotope 99m-technetium was used as a tracer. The radiation from the isotope was determined on protective gloves and bench covers after preparation and administration. The mean airborne emission was 6 ng m(-3) with the closed system and 15 ng m(-3) with the traditional pump technique. The average surface spillage using the closed technique was 0.005 microL. This is significantly smaller than with the traditional technique, which resulted in an average spillage of 64 microL. Our results also show that the dominant part of the leakage is surface spillage. Inexperienced nurses could also adequately handle the closed system.