Absorption cross-sections of atmospheric constituents: NO2, O2, and H2O

Absorption spectroscopy, which is widely used for concentration measurements of tropospheric and stratospheric compounds, requires precise values of the absorption cross-sections of the measured species. NO₂, O₂ and its collision-induced absorption spectrum, and H₂O absorption cross-sections have been measured at temperature and pressure conditions prevailing in the Earth’s atmosphere. Corrections to the generally accepted analysis procedures used to resolve the convolution problem are also proposed.     

Quantifying and mapping species threat abatement opportunities to support national target setting

The successful implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity's post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will rely on effective translation of targets from global to national level and increased engagement across diverse sectors of society. Species conservation targets require policy support measures that can be applied to a diversity of taxonomic groups, that link action targets to outcome goals, and that can be applied to both global and national data sets to account for national context, which the species threat abatement and restoration (STAR) metric does. To test the flexibility of STAR, we applied the metric to vascular plants listed on national red lists of Brazil, Norway, and South Africa. The STAR metric uses data on species’ extinction risk, distributions, and threats, which we obtained from national red lists to quantify the contribution that threat abatement and habitat restoration activities could make to reducing species’ extinction risk. Across all 3 countries, the greatest opportunity for reducing plant species’ extinction risk was from abating threats from agricultural activities, which could reduce species’ extinction risk by 54% in Norway, 36% in South Africa, and 29% in Brazil. Species extinction risk could be reduced by a further 21% in South Africa by abating threats from invasive species and by 21% in Brazil by abating threats from urban expansion. Even with different approaches to red-listing among countries, the STAR metric yielded informative results that identified where the greatest conservation gains could be made for species through threat-abatement and restoration activities. Quantifiably linking local taxonomic coverage and data collection to global processes with STAR would allow national target setting to align with global targets and enable state and nonstate actors to measure and report on their potential contributions to species conservation.     

Selenium and arsenic content of agricultural soils from Bangladesh and Nepal

Arsenic (As) contamination of the available domestic drinking water from shallow aquifers to villagers in Bangladesh often exceeds the newest WHO standard of <10 µg As L^?1 and the older Bangladeshi standard of <50 µg As L^?1. An estimated 9.2 million shallow tube wells in Bangladesh deliver water to 97% of the rural population, placing an estimated 57 million people at risk for arsenicosis. The contamination of drinking water by As extends to W. Bengal, India and Nepal. The same shallow aquifers used for domestic water are also used to irrigate food crops, particularly rice. Irrigation adds As to soils and increases exposure of the population to additional As via foods consumed. Selenium (Se), an essential trace mineral found in soils, is absorbed by plants, entering the human food chain. It was suggested that a low dietary intake of Se may be contributing to the problem of human arsenicosis in Bangladesh. Dietary Se acts as a natural antidote to As by (1) accelerating As excretion, (2) sequestering As by complexation and (3) as an antioxidant component of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase that may counteract the prooxidant effects of As that contribute to arsenicosis and cancer. Analysis of 70 agricultural soil samples from Bangladesh by fluorimetry, ICP-AES and Neutron Activation Analysis showed the soils analyzed to be high in As (～33 µg g^?1) and biologically low in soluble Se (～0.02 µg g^?1). A low dietary intake of Se related to low soil content and this mineral in foods may be contributing to human arsenicosis in the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta.     

Complex social structure of southern flying squirrels is related to spatial proximity but not kinship

Social individuals have organized relationships that affect fitness and so a species' tendency to be social has important implications for its population ecology, gene flow, and its distribution in space and time. We quantitatively examined the social structure of southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) and tested for a role of kinship and prior familiarity in predicting social structure. To quantify social structure, we monitored nest group composition of southern flying squirrels. All squirrels at the study site were marked with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and nest cavity entrances were monitored with automated PIT tag recorders for a period of 28 months. Squirrels were genotyped at eight microsatellite loci. Permutation tests of associations suggested that individuals nested with other specific individuals more often than expected by chance. The lagged association rate indicated that relationships were stable and persisted across seasons and years. Multiple summer nest associates came together in winter to form larger nest groups which were likely important for social thermoregulation. A measure of prior familiarity, but not kinship, was related to the proportion of time individuals nested together during winter. We suggest that the evolution of sociality in southern flying squirrels is driven largely by mutually beneficial behaviors related to social thermoregulation although other, as of yet, unidentified mechanisms are needed to explain sociality in the warm season. We hypothesize that minimum group size requirements associated with social thermoregulation could explain the absence of this species in patchy landscapes and aspects of range boundary dynamics near their northern range boundary.     

The Estuarine Component of the Us E.P.A.'S Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program

The US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development has initiated the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) to monitor status and trends in the condition of the nation's near coastal waters, forests, wetlands, agro-ecosystems, surface waters, deserts and rangelands. the programme is also intended to evaluate the effectiveness of Agency policies at protecting ecological resources occurring in these systems. Monitoring data collected for all ecosystems will be integrated for regional and national status and trends assessments. the near coastal component of EMAP consists of estuaries, coastal waters, and the Great Lakes. Near coastal ecosystems have been regionalized and classified, and an integrated sampling strategy has been developed. EPA and NOAA have agreed to coordinate and, to the extent possible, integrate the near coastal component of EMAP with the NOAA National Status and Trends Program. A demonstration project was conducted in estuaries of the mid-Atlantic region (Chesapeake Bay to Cape Cod) in the summer of 1990. in 1991, monitoring continued in mid-Atlantic estuaries and was initiated in estuaries of a portion of the Gulf of Mexico. Preliminary results indicate: there are no insurmountable logistical problems with sampling on a regional scale; several of the selected indicators are practical and sensitive on the regional scale; and an efficient effort in future years will provide valuable information on condition of estuarine resources at regional scales.     

Induction of a reproductive-specific cuticular hydrocarbon profile by a juvenile hormone analog in the termite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zootermopsis nevadensis</Emphasis>

Establishment and maintenance of the reproductive division of labor within social insect colonies relies on clear communication between nestmates. Fertile members convey their status to prevent others from becoming reproductively active. Recent findings in some basal termites indicate that cuticular hydrocarbon profiles may indicate reproductive state, but there is little evidence to show a direct link between reproductive status and hydrocarbon production—a prerequisite for an “honest” fertility signal. Here, we report that the putative signaling mechanism is influenced by juvenile hormone (JH), a primary regulator of gonadal development and activity in insects. Topical application of a JH-analog (pyriproxyfen) to reproductively inactive alates of the basal dampwood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis induced both females and males to express significantly more of a reproductive-specific hydrocarbon (6,9,17-tritriacontatriene). However, the JH-analog did not significantly enhance gonadal development or activity in treated termites beyond what is usually observed in maturing alates released from the inhibitory stimuli of their natal nest. These results suggest that a rise in JH following disinhibition drives the expression of reproductive-specific hydrocarbons, but that an individual’s hydrocarbon profile is not directly linked to its gonadal state. Rather than directly driving the expression of reproductive-specific hydrocarbons, the gonads may act indirectly through their influence on circulating JH.     

Geomorphology as an indicator of the biophysical vulnerability of estuaries to coastal and flood hazards in a changing climate

Climate change is increasing the need to characterise the vulnerability of coastal landscapes to coastal and flood hazards that result in erosion and inundation. Indices, such as the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI), have emerged as useful tools with which coastal managers can prioritise areas for further detailed assessment of vulnerability, risk, resilience and adaptation options. Approaches, such as the use of an index, efficiently characterise the vulnerability of linear, one-dimensional coastal features such as coastlines; however, they do not capture variability in coastal processes affecting more complex, non-linear features, such as estuaries, or interactive effects of coastal processes between linear (e.g. coastlines) and non-linear (e.g. estuaries) landforms. We present an approach that uses geomorphology to indicate biophysical vulnerability of estuaries to coastal and flood hazards. The approach is applied to the South Coast of NSW; a wave-dominated coastline of approximately 400 km length that contains more than 100 estuaries. We demonstrate the simplicity of the approach and its utility in identifying areas requiring higher resolution assessments. Although this approach does not include socio-economic factors, we demonstrate the capacity to incorporate socio-economic components of vulnerability using regional land use mapping. We infer that the most vulnerable estuaries are characterised by large catchment areas, broad estuarine valleys, mature stages of infill, or entrances oriented towards the prevailing wave direction. The area below 15 m elevation was identified as a robust indicator of the total area of vulnerability within a catchment. This approach can be applied to one-dimensional and more complex two-dimensional landscapes, such as estuaries; integrates varying sea-level rise projections; and incorporates a wider range of hazards that operate in the coastal zone.     

Phylogeography of the Indo-Pacific parrotfish Scarus psittacus: isolation generates distinctive peripheral populations in two oceans

Phylogenetic, phylogeographic, population genetic and coalescence analyses were combined to examine the recent evolutionary history of the widespread Indo-Pacific parrotfish, Scarus psittacus, over a geographic range spanning three marine biogeographic realms. We sequenced 164 individuals from 12 locations spanning 17,000 km, from 55oE to 143oW, using 322 base pairs of mitochondrial control region (D-loop). S. psittacus displayed high haplotype (h = 0.83–0.98), but low nucleotide (<1%) diversity. Most (>83%) genetic variation was within populations. AMOVA revealed significant partitioning and identified five geographic groups. These included one central population and four populations peripheral to the centre. The central population occupied reefs from Western Australia to Tahiti and represented the central Indo-Pacific biogeographic realm. Cocos Keeling was distinct from central and western Indo-Pacific biogeographic realms occupying a position intermediate to these. Peripheral populations (Hawaii, Marquesas) represented the eastern Indo-Pacific biogeographic realm, while Seychelles represented the western Indo-Pacific biogeographic realm. All but the central population expanded (<163 kya). Whilst all populations experienced major sea level and SST changes associated with Pleistocene glaciation cycles, the genetic structure of the central population was relatively homogenous unlike the remaining genetically distinctive populations.     

Assessing vulnerability to sea-level rise using a coastal sensitivity index: a case study from southeast Australia

Many of the world’s coasts appear vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise. This paper assesses the application of a coastal sensitivity index (CSI) to the Illawarra coast, a relatively well-studied shoreline in southeast Australia. Nine variables, namely (a) rock type, (b) coastal slope (c) geomorphology (d) barrier type (e) shoreline exposure (f) shoreline change (g) relative sea-level rise (h) mean wave height and (j) mean tide range, were adopted in calculation of the CSI (the square root of the product of the ranked variables divided by the number of variables). Two new variables, shoreline exposure and barrier type, were trialled in this analysis and the extent to which these increased the discriminatory power of the index was assessed. Four iterations of the CSI were undertaken using different combinations of ranked variables for each of 105 cells in a grid template, and the index values derived were displayed based on quartiles, indicating sections of coast with very high, high, moderate and low sensitivity. Increasing the number of variables increased the discriminatory power of the index, but the broad pattern and the rank order were very similar for each of the iterations. Rocky and cliffed sections of coast are least sensitive whereas sandy beaches backed by low plains or dunes record the highest sensitivity. It is difficult to determine shoreline change on this coast, because individual storms result in substantial erosion of beaches, but there are prolonged subsequent periods of accretion and foredune rebuilding. Consequently this variable is not a good indicator of shoreline sensitivity and the index is unlikely to provide a clear basis for forecasting future recession of beaches. The results of this study provide a framework for coastal managers and planners to prioritize efforts to enhance the resilience or consider adaptation measures in the coastal zone within a study region. Sensitivity of the coast if considered in conjunction with other social factors may be an input into broader assessments of the overall vulnerability of coasts and their communities.     

Risk assessment of the use of PAS100 green composts in sheep and cattle production in Scotland

A generalized quantitative risk assessment for the use of source-segregated green waste (SSGW) compost use in livestock production is presented. This assessment focussed on potential risks associated with a specific product, PAS100 compost that meets the UK publicly available specification 100 and represents the majority of compost available for use in extensive Scottish livestock systems. A hazard screening approach was used to identify all potentially hazardous agents present in compost. A total of 497 potentially hazardous agents were screened, with 147 finally put forward for quantitative risk assessment. Scenarios modelled in the assessment included surface application of compost to grazing land and also incorporation into soil and subsequent uptake by fodder crops. Risk estimates were compared to those associated with six comparator materials, including various sludges, slurries and farm yard manures. Overall, five potentially hazardous agents (PCB28, PCB138, PCB153, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, Clopyralid) returned a hazard quotient >1 but within margins of uncertainty, indicating that further investigation may be required. Within the limitations of available information, SSGW compost was found to pose less risk to grazing livestock, or the environment, than other commonly-used soil amendments. While this assessment relates to a specific product/standard used in the UK, the methodology could easily be applied to other composts/products/situations. Therefore these results have wider applicability.