Public participation in environmental monitoring: A means of attaining network capability

In the Puget Sound region of the United States a task force of community volunteers using bees monitored environmental pollution. This paper discusses advantages and limitations of public involvement in the assessment of regional environmental problems, particularly with respect to biological monitoring. This approach not only yielded extensive information about pollution levels but also was very cost effective.Work supported by Cooperative Agreement CR-810035-01-0 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Research Laboratory, Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A.     

Life-history parameters and vertical distribution of Maurolicus muelleri in Masfjorden in summer

Population characteristics, individual life-history variables, feeding and vertical distribution of the mesopelagic fish Müller's pearlside Maurolicus muelleri collected in 1990 in Masfjorden, western Norway, are reported as well as environmental variables from the fjord. Minimum size at maturity was far smaller than reported from previous investigations in the same region. Fecundity was size-dependent and total egg numbers were higher than reported from other investigations of M. muelleri world wide, while the number of maturing eggs was far lower than observed in the same region earlier. Food concentration in the fjord was an order of magnitude lower than previous early summer observations, and several factors indicated that feeding opportunities may have been low for a long period. Daily feeding rate (g prey g^-1 fish) decreased with increasing fish size. These observations fit well with a model of maximizing fitness by means of a flexible size at maturity. Minimum age at maturity seems to be achieved at the expense of fecundity. M. muelleri was concentrated in a 20 to 30 m deep sound scattering layer (SSL). The SSL stayed close to the surface during the night and at 100 to 180 m during the daytime. The vertical position of the SSL varied instantaneously with changes in surface light intensity, remaining at 10^-3 to 10^-4 mol m^-1 s^-1 at the top of the SSL. Stomach fullness was highest during the night; feeding intensity seems to have been peaked at dusk. Cladocerans were the main prey ranked by number, copepods by biomass. Intake of large copepods increased with fish size.     

Polycyclic aromatic compounds in Northwest Atlantic COD (Gadus morhua)

Twenty-seven polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polycyclic aromatic sulphur heterocycles were analysed in muscle, liver and ovaries of cod (Gadus morhua) from the Northwest Atlantic. These PAC include the 16 PAH priority pollutants (EPA recommendation), alkylated naphthalenes, phenanthrene-anthracenes as well as dibenzothiophenes (DBT). Aromatics were undetectable in muscle. One of the analysed PAC was detected in one ovary and six in another ovary sample. Liver samples contained between 1 and 9 PAC. Of the parental PAH, only acenapthene (18 ng/g, dry weight), fluorene (28 ng/g) and chrysene (22 ng/g) were detected once each in two liver samples, while fluorene (72 ng/g) was detected once in one of the ovaries. C-2 DBT was the major component in ovaries and liver (8-86 ng/g), while C-3 and C-4 alkylated phenanthrene-anthracene (12-78 ng/g) were the next major components detected in the liver samples. This is the first detailed study of PAH and PAC in finfish from the Northwest Atlantic.     

Induction of metamorphosis in larvae of the oyster Crassostrea gigas using neuroactive compounds

Chemical (neuroactive compounds at different concentrations and exposure times) and physical (water agitation, light) factors with potential effects on the metamorphosis of larvae of the oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) larvae have been studied. The neurotransmitters l-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DO), epinephrine (EP), norepinephrine (NE), and acetylcholine (AC) have been identified as very active inducers of metamorphosis, whilst serotonin (SE), dopamine (DA) and potassium (K) were less effective inducers. The -aminobutyric acid (GA) and ammonium (AM) were found ineffective at the concentrations tested. Exposure to 10^-4 M EP for 15 min was sufficient to promote >80% metamorphosis within 48 h, whereas NE required 2 h to exert comparable induction. Maximum induction by DO (>50%) was achieved after 2 h exposure to 10^-4 M. However, unlike EP and NE, DO was lethal at that concentration in the long term. Maximum induction by AC (30% metamorphosis) was achieved at a concentration of 10^-4 M. In contrast to other neurotransmitters, AC induced settlement behaviour, cementation and eventual metamorphosis, yielding postlarvae which were all attached to the substratum. EP and NE triggered the morphogenetic changes, by-passing settlement and leading to postlarvae not cemented to the substratum. DO induced mostly attached spat at low concentrations (10^-5 M) and unattached spat at high concentrations (10^-4 M), and a similar pattern was apparent for the weaker inducers SE and DA. Regarding physical factors, a highly reflectant surface significantly increased the percentage of attached spat obtained, compared to a dark bottom. No consistent effect of water current or light was detected on the production of unattached spat. The three different forms of induction are discussed in relation to different regulatory pathways of settlement and metamorphosis.     

Ecoprofit-Styria-prepare Thirteen pollution prevention case studies in the Styrian industry

The paper focuses upon the organization of a federal state-funded pollution prevention project in the Styrian industry. The project includes 13 companies from the textile, pulp and paper, machine building, wood working and printed circuit board manufacturing industries, covering most of the sectors and sizes in the Styrian industry. It started in January 1994 and will last for one year. It will demonstrate the possibilities of pollution prevention and the need for further research work. This project will make use of the methods and tools that were refined in the Austrian Prepare project. As a first step, a systematic balance of all the inputs and outputs of a company is made, after which the weak points and inefficiencies of material and energy use are identified and the options for improvements, both economical and ecological, are defined. Consequently, modifications in products and production lead to a situation with less waste and emissions. The preliminary lessons from these projects are presented: as a rule, the utilities (consumption of process materials and water, cleaning, energy, preparatory and finishing steps) are treated as black boxes and usually represent a considerable optimization potential. In these areas especially there is usually a lack of information and coordination as well as a need for a systematic and comprehensive approach. Leadership in the company and creative consultants are needed for starting lasting successful pollution prevention projects.     

The modern theory of biological evolution: an expanded synthesis

In 1858, two naturalists, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, independently proposed natural selection as the basic mechanism responsible for the origin of new phenotypic variants and, ultimately, new species. A large body of evidence for this hypothesis was published in Darwins Origin of Species one year later, the appearance of which provoked other leading scientists like August Weismann to adopt and amplify Darwins perspective. Weismanns neo-Darwinian theory of evolution was further elaborated, most notably in a series of books by Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ernst Mayr, Julian Huxley and others. In this article we first summarize the history of life on Earth and provide recent evidence demonstrating that Darwins dilemma (the apparent missing Precambrian record of life) has been resolved. Next, the historical development and structure of the modern synthesis is described within the context of the following topics: paleobiology and rates of evolution, mass extinctions and species selection, macroevolution and punctuated equilibrium, sexual reproduction and recombination, sexual selection and altruism, endosymbiosis and eukaryotic cell evolution, evolutionary developmental biology, phenotypic plasticity, epigenetic inheritance and molecular evolution, experimental bacterial evolution, and computer simulations (in silico evolution of digital organisms). In addition, we discuss the expansion of the modern synthesis, embracing all branches of scientific disciplines. It is concluded that the basic tenets of the synthetic theory have survived, but in modified form. These sub-theories require continued elaboration, particularly in light of molecular biology, to answer open-ended questions concerning the mechanisms of evolution in all five kingdoms of life.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr. hc mult. Ernst Mayr on the occasion of his 100th birthdayThis revised version was published online in March 2004, with corrections to the caption of Figure 6.     

Distribution of actinomycetes in oil contaminated ultisols of the Niger Delta (Nigeria)

The distribution of actinomycetes in oil contaminated sandy loam ultisols of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria was studied to aid in understanding the effect of hydrocarbons on indigenous microbial population in tropical soils. The average total counts of actinomycetes in all the oil samples analysed was 103 cfu/g. Higher counts of actinomycetes were observed during the dry season than during the wet season. The counts of hydrocarbonoclastic actinomycetes correlated positively with the total count of actinomycetes.The actinomycetes were generally restricted to the top soil(0-10 cm soil depth) although a seemingly deeper(down to 40 cm soil depth) distribution was noticed in the dry season. The isolates included oil degrading species of Actinoplanes, Norcadia,Streptomyces and Streptosporangium. Their high oil utilization ability indicates their positive potential and role in the bioremediation of oil-spilled soils.