Transshipment site selection using the AHP and TOPSIS approaches under fuzzy environment

Site selection is an important issue in waste management. Selection of the appropriate solid waste site requires consideration of multiple alternative solutions and evaluation criteria because of system complexity. Evaluation procedures involve several objectives, and it is often necessary to compromise among possibly conflicting tangible and intangible factors. For these reasons, multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) has been found to be a useful approach to solve this kind of problem. Different MCDM models have been applied to solve this problem. But most of them are basically mathematical and ignore qualitative and often subjective considerations. It is easier for a decision-maker to describe a value for an alternative by using linguistic terms. In the fuzzy-based method, the rating of each alternative is described using linguistic terms, which can also be expressed as triangular fuzzy numbers. Furthermore, there have not been any studies focused on the site selection in waste management using both fuzzy TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution) and AHP (analytical hierarchy process) techniques. In this paper, a fuzzy TOPSIS based methodology is applied to solve the solid waste transshipment site selection problem in Istanbul, Turkey. The criteria weights are calculated by using the AHP.     

Cryptic mammalian species: a new species of whiskered bat (Myotis alcathoe n. sp.) in Europe

The analysis of morphological, behavioural and genetic characters of whiskered bats revealed a new European bat species within the family Vespertilionidae. We describe the morphology, karyology, genetic similarity, ecology and distribution of Myotis alcathoe n. sp. It closely resembles Myotis mystacinus, Myotis brandtii and Myotis ikonnikovi in morphology, but all four species show clear genetic differences in two mitochondrial genes (ND1 and 12S rRNA). Myotis alcathoe n. sp. is the smallest species among the European whiskered bats and uses the highest-frequency echolocation calls of all the European Myotis species. It prefers to hunt in small valleys with deciduous trees and flowing water, which is an endangered habitat. Records from Greece and Hungary indicate a distribution range in south-eastern Europe.     

Experimental support for the use of egg uniformity in parasite egg discrimination by cuckoo hosts

Common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) parasitism drastically reduces the reproductive success of their hosts and selects for host discrimination of cuckoo eggs. In a second stage of anti-parasite adaptation, once cuckoos can lay eggs that mimic those of their hosts, a high uniformity of host egg appearance within a clutch may favour cuckoo egg discrimination. Comparative evidence provides indirect support for this hypothesis although experimental support is currently lacking. Here, we studied the effect of experimentally decreased uniformity of host egg appearance on cuckoo egg discrimination by great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) hosts in a population in which long-term cuckoo parasitism has led to high levels of cuckoo–host egg mimesis. We manipulated host clutch uniformity by adding extra spots to fresh host eggs just after they were laid. Rejection of non-mimetic experimental eggs added to these nests was compared with those in control nests in which uniformity was not altered. Previously, by over-painting real spots in a control group of nests, we showed a negligible effect of our paints on hosts’ perception of their eggs. We show that for the great reed warbler, non-mimetic experimental eggs were relatively more tolerated in experimental nests, i.e. with lower uniformity (40%) than in control nests (5%). This is the first experimental study, to our knowledge, which demonstrates a reduced discrimination of foreign eggs as a consequence of an increase of egg phenotypes variation perception in a cuckoo host.     

Development of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system model for predict trihalomethane formation potential in distribution network simulation test

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Trihalomethanes (THMs), which is one of the major classes of DBP known to be highly cytotoxic and genotoxic, were formed and modeled under controlled...     

Microbial activity and water-soluble trace element species in the rhizosphere of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. USU-Perigee)

The influence of microbial activity on the concentration and speciation of trace elements (TEs) was assessed in a study on the bioavailability of TEs for edible plants. A growth chamber experiment with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. USU-Perigee) was conducted and the bulk (Bk) and the rhizosphere (Rz) soil components were collected at maturity. A characterization of the microbial activity and population was made by measuring the microbial biomass, enzymes (acid phosphatase, arylsulfatase, dehydrogenase and urease) and 16S rDNA DGGE profiles. In soil water extracts, major solutes (H(+), Ca, Mg, Na, NH(4), K, Cl, NO(3), SO(4), total N, DON and DOC) and trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Ce, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Tl, and Zn) including monomeric Al species, free Cu(2+) and labile Zn were determined. The partition of the variation indicated that 12.1% of the distribution of TEs in the Bk soil was significantly and exclusively explained by chemical properties while this value was less than 0.1% for the Rz soil. To the contrary, microbial properties contributed significantly to 12.3% of the distribution of TEs in the Rz soil whereas it explained less than 0.1% for the Bk soil. Detailed redundancy analyses identified several potential mechanisms (e.g. weathering of primary mineral, solubilisation of sesquioxides, bacterial effect on the redox status) explaining the fate of TEs in the Bk and Rz soils. This study revealed that microbial activity is strongly associated to the speciation of trace elements in the Rz of edible plants and points to some microbial processes influencing TE speciation.     

Decrease in air pollution load in urban environment of Bratislava (Slovakia) inferred from accumulation of metal elements in lichens

The study illustrates the response of epiphytic lichens to changing atmospheric conditions in Central Europe, where the emission of air pollutants has significantly decreased from 1990, in the area in and around Bratislava City. Variation in concentrations of seven metal elements (Cu, Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the thalli of Evernia prunastri, Hypogymnia physodes and Parmelia sulcata is assessed. Samples of these species were exposed in lichen bags in 39 sites throughout the territory of the city (more than 300 km(2)) during the period December 2006-February 2007. The samples were analyzed by AAS for metal element contents prior to and after exposure. The decrease in air pollution (for all studied elements by more than 90%) corresponded to a decrease in the accumulation of elements in lichen thalli, e.g. the contents of Pb decreased by 69% and of Cd by 34% on average. The results show also variations in accumulation between with different lichen species. The background values of metal element contents in thalli of H. physodes growing in situ were measured in semi-natural sites in Slovakia. It is suggested that these can be used as a reference in large-scale monitoring studies in Central Europe. Analysis of compatible data from the current study, and the study performed at the end of 1990s shows a significant decrease of metal elements in the air pollution load.