Ion exchange treatment of rinse water generated in the galvanizing process.

A study was conducted of the viability of using the cationic exchange resins Amberlite IR-120 and Lewatit SP-112 to treat rinse water generated in the galvanizing process as well as acidic wastewater containing zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe). Solutions containing either 100 mg/L of Zn at pH 5.6 (rinse water) or Fe and Zn at concentrations of 320 and 200 mg/L at pH 1.5 (acidic water), respectively, were percolated through packed beds until the resins were exhausted. Breakthrough capacities obtained ranged between 1.1 and 1.5 meq metal/mL resin. The elution of metal and the regeneration of resins were performed with hydrochloric acid. The influence of the flowrate used during the loading stage was also studied, with 0.5 bed volumes/min (3.2 cm/min) found to be the optimum flowrate.     

Detection of ciliostatic activity in fungal growth on building materials

Varying ciliostatic activity was found in extracts of biomass from building materials inoculated with pure isolates of some molds previously isolated from buildings. Extracts from growth on materials composed of finely divided cellulose (plaster board and construction cardboard) were more active than those from growth on Rockwool. Extracts of biomass from all three materials demonstrated an activity greater than control samples. Based on the activity observed here, it is conceivable that the measurement of ciliostatic activity of biomass scraped from contaminated building materials could be useful for planning removal strategies.     

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital human cytomegalovirus infection

Fifteen fetuses at risk of congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection underwent prenatal diagnosis at 16–30 weeks' gestation by a combination of amniocentesis and fetal blood sampling. HCMV was isolated from the amniotic fluid in six patients, but HCMV-specific IgM was detected in only three of them. Two of the nine neonates, who were delivered following a negative prenatal diagnosis, had congenital HCMV infection diagnosed by virus isolation in the urine. The interval from infection to prenatal testing was 3 and 4 weeks in the two false-negative cases and ⩾ 7 weeks in the true-positive cases. Although timely testing for HCMV infection allows the option of termination of pregnancy, it may be flawed by false-negative results.     

Great spotted cuckoo fledglings are disadvantaged by magpie host parents when reared together with magpie nestlings

The post-fledging period is a critical phase for juvenile survival, and parental care provided during this period is a key component of avian reproductive performance. Very little is known about the relationships between foster parents and fledglings of brood parasites. Here, we present the results of a 5-year study about the relationships between fledglings of the non-evictor brood parasitic great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) and its magpie (Pica pica) foster parents. Sometimes, great spotted cuckoo and magpie nestlings from the same nest can fledge successfully, but most often parasitic nestlings outcompete host nestlings and only cuckoos leave the nest. We have studied several aspects of cuckoo post-fledging performance (i.e. feeding behaviour, parental defence and fledgling survival) in experimental nests in which only cuckoos or both magpie and cuckoo nestlings survived until leaving the nest. The results indicate that great spotted cuckoo fledglings reared in mixed broods together with magpie nestlings were disadvantaged by magpie adults with respect to feeding patterns. Fledgling cuckoos reared in mixed broods were fed less frequently than those reared in only cuckoo broods, and magpie adults approached less frequently to feed cuckoos from mixed broods than cuckoos from only cuckoo broods. These results imply that the presence of host's own nestlings for comparison may be a crucial clue favouring the evolution of fledgling discrimination; and furthermore, that the risk of discrimination at the fledgling stage probably is an important selection pressure driving the evolution of the arms race between brood parasites and their hosts.     

Applying the Ecosystem Approach to Select Priority Areas for Forest Landscape Restoration in the Yungas, Northwestern Argentina

This paper proposes a method to select forest restoration priority areas consistently with the key principles of the Ecosystem Approach (EA) and the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) framework. The methodology is based on the principles shared by the two approaches: acting at ecosystem scale, involving stakeholders, and evaluating alternatives. It proposes the involvement of social actors which have a stake in forest management through multicriteria analysis sessions aimed at identifying the most suitable forest restoration intervention. The method was applied to a study area in the native forests of Northern Argentina (the Yungas). Stakeholders were asked to identify alternative restoration actions, i.e. potential areas implementing FLR. Ten alternative fincas—estates derived from the Spanish land tenure system—differing in relation to ownership, management, land use, land tenure, and size were evaluated. Twenty criteria were selected and classified into four groups: biophysical, social, economic and political. Finca Ledesma was the closest to the economic, social, environmental and political goals, according to the values and views of the actors involved in the decision. This study represented the first attempt to apply EA principles to forest restoration at landscape scale in the Yungas region. The benefits obtained by the application of the method were twofold: on one hand, researchers and local actors were forced to conceive the Yungas as a complex net of rights rather than as a sum of personal interests. On the other hand, the participatory multicriteria approach provided a structured process for collective decision-making in an area where it has never been implemented.     

Groundwater dependent ecosystems. Part I: Hydroecological status and trends

Groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) include valuable ecosystems such as springs, wetlands, rivers, lakes and lagoons. The protection of these systems and services they provide is highlighted by international agreements, i.e. Ramsar convention on wetlands, and regional legislation, i.e. the European Water Framework Directive. Groundwater provides water, nutrients and a relatively stable temperature. However, the role of groundwater in surface ecosystems is not fully understood. The ecosystem can depend on groundwater directly or indirectly, and the reliance can be continuous, seasonal or occasional. This has implications for the vulnerability of ecosystems, as some may be easily affected by external pressure. Conceptual models and quantitative assessments of how groundwater interacts with the environment are needed. GDEs are also threatened by different land use activities and climate change. Hence, we need to understand how GDEs are affected by changes in groundwater quantity and quality, as severe groundwater changes have been observed in many regions. This study examines key aspects of GDEs (hydrogeology, geochemistry and biodiversity) in order to improve conceptual understanding of the role of groundwater in such ecosystems. The status and baseline of different types of GDEs are discussed, with particular emphasis on past evidence of environmental change and potential thresholds and threats in GDEs in various parts of Europe with different land use, climate and geology.