Range-wide effects of breeding- and nonbreeding-season climate on the abundance of a Neotropical migrant songbird

Geographic variation in the population dynamics of a species can result from regional variability in climate and how it affects reproduction and survival. Identifying such effects for migratory birds requires the integration of population models with knowledge of migratory connectivity between breeding and nonbreeding areas. We used Bayesian hierarchical models with 26 years of Breeding Bird Survey data (1982-2007) to investigate the impacts of breeding- and nonbreeding-season climate on abundance of American Redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) across the species range. We focused on 15 populations defined by Bird Conservation Regions, and we included variation across routes and observers as well as temporal trends and climate effects. American Redstart populations that breed in eastern North America showed increased abundance following winters with higher plant productivity in the Caribbean where they are expected to overwinter. In contrast, western breeding populations showed little response to conditions in their expected wintering areas in west Mexico, perhaps reflecting lower migratory connectivity or differential effects of winter rainfall on individuals across the species range. Unlike the case with winter climate, we found few effects of temperature prior to arrival in spring (March-April) or during the nesting period (May-June) on abundance the following year. Eight populations showed significant changes in abundance, with the steepest declines in the Atlantic Northern Forest (-3.4%/yr) and the greatest increases in the Prairie Hardwood Transition (4%/yr). This study emphasizes how the effects of climate on populations of migratory birds are context dependent and can vary depending on geographic location and the period of the annual cycle. Such knowledge is essential for predicting regional variation in how populations of a species might vary in their response to climate change.     

Deriving a bioavailability-based zinc environmental quality standard for France

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - National Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for zinc used for the assessment of ecological status in freshwaters have been shown to vary by over...     

Degradation of benzimidazoles by photoperoxidation: metabolites detection and ecotoxicity assessment using Raphidocelis subcapitata microalgae and Vibrio fischeri

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Benzimidazoles (BZ) are among the most used drugs to treat parasitic diseases in both human and veterinary medicine. In this study, solutions...     

Degradation of antidepressant pharmaceuticals by photoperoxidation in diverse water matrices: a highlight in the evaluation of acute and chronic toxicity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Photoperoxidation (UV/H2O2) was used to degrade three of the worldwide most consumed antidepressant pharmaceuticals—bupropion, escitalopram, and...     

Tracking collaboration: forest planning and local participation on the San Juan National Forest,Colorado

The proliferation of community-based collaborative approaches to public land management and planning has spawned many questions regarding issues of community representation and the effects of participation for local residents. This paper presents a longitudinal assessment of local resident participation in collaborative forest planning on local community–forest relations in southwestern Colorado. Using survey data of participants involved in the San Juan National Forest's forest plan revision community study groups from 1998 to 2003, we assess participation in terms of community representation and the effects of community-based collaboration upon individuals' forest uses, forest values, and the level and form of involvement in forest management and planning activities. Results show that community representation remains slanted towards existing active stakeholders, and that while forest values, uses, and frequencies of involvement change little, participants cite positive effects in terms of the development of new knowledge, personal relationships, and greater confidence to engage in forest management affairs.     

Calculating ecological footprints at the municipal level: what is a reasonable approach for Canada?

No clear ecological footprint calculation strategy is available for small- and mid-sized communities within Canada. By adjusting provincial or national footprint findings using data sets available in the public domain, we develop and test a calculation strategy to estimate municipal ecological footprints. Because the calculation approach is consistent with the Global Footprint Network standardised methodology, it permits meaningful comparisons between communities and with global and national footprint estimates. It offers planners, policy-makers, and community leaders an accessible, straight forward, and cost effective strategy for estimating the ecological footprint at the community and municipal level. The suggested approach is best suited for using the ecological footprint as an awareness and education tool. The large number of limitations associated with calculating the municipal approach and limitations associated with calculating ecological footprints in general at the local level make it an unsuitable tool to inform community planning and policy development.     

The on-road experiences and awareness of sleepiness in a sample of Australian highway drivers: A roadside driver sleepiness study

Objective: Driver sleepiness contributes substantially to road crash incidents. Simulator and on-road studies clearly reveal an impairing effect from sleepiness on driving ability. However, the degree to which drivers appreciate the dangerousness of driving while sleepy is somewhat unclear. This study sought to determine drivers' on-road experiences of sleepiness, their prior sleep habits, and personal awareness of the signs of sleepiness.

Methods: Participants were a random selection of 92 drivers traveling on a major highway in the state of Queensland, Australia, who were stopped by police as part of routine drink driving operations. Participants completed a brief questionnaire that included demographic information, sleepy driving experiences (signs of sleepiness and on-road experiences of sleepiness), and prior sleep habits. A modified version of the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) was used to assess subjective sleepiness in the 15 min prior to being stopped by police.

Results: Participants' ratings of subjective sleepiness were quite low, with 90% reporting being alert to extremely alert on the KSS. Participants were reasonably aware of the signs of sleepiness, with many signs of sleepiness associated with on-road experiences of sleepiness. Additionally, the number of hours spent driving was positively correlated with the drivers' level of sleep debt.

Conclusions: The results suggest that participants had moderate experiences of driving while sleepy and many were aware of the signs of sleepiness. The relationship between driving long distances and increased sleep debt is a concern for road safety. Increased education regarding the dangers of sleepy driving seems warranted.     

A Multiple Lines of Evidence Framework to Evaluate Intrinsic Biodegradation of 1,4‐Dioxane

Development of a multiple lines of evidence (MLOE) framework to evaluate the intrinsic biodegradation potential of 1,4‐dioxane is vital to implementing management strategies at groundwater sites impacted by 1,4‐dioxane. A comprehensive MLOE approach was formed to provide significant evidence of natural degradation of 1,4‐dioxane comingled with tetrahydrofuran (THF) within a large, diffuse plume. State‐of‐the art molecular biological analyses and compound‐specific isotope analysis (CSIA) were employed to support more traditional approaches for data analysis (concentration trend analyses, spatial distribution, temporal changes, geochemical biodegradation attenuation indicators, plume mass estimates, and fate and transport modeling). The molecular analyses demonstrated that microorganisms capable of both metabolic and cometabolic degradation of 1,4‐dioxane were present throughout the groundwater plume, whereas the CSIA data provided supporting evidence of biodegradation. 1,4‐Dioxane biomarkers were present and abundant throughout the 1,4‐dioxane plume, and our biomarkers tracked the plume with reasonable accuracy. Evidence also suggests that THF‐driven cometabolic biodegradation as well as catabolic 1,4‐dioxane biodegradation were active at this site. These data supplemented the traditional lines of evidence approaches, which demonstrated that 1,4‐dioxane attenuation was occurring across the groundwater plume and that nondestructive physical processes alone did not account for the observed 1,4‐dioxane attenuation. This MLOE framework combining new and traditional analyses demonstrates that this site has a significant capacity for intrinsic biodegradation of 1,4‐dioxane. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.