Exploring potential socio-ecological impacts of changes to the Loliondo Gamed Controlled Area,Northern Tanzania: the case of the pastoral village Ololosokwan

Recent plans to alter the Loliondo Game Controlled Area (GCA), a nature conservation area located in Northern Tanzania, would result in substantial reduction of rangelands in the region. We quantify the current and hypothetical levels of the aboveground Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production (aHANPP) in one of the affected villages, and estimate the maximum exploitability rate of rangelands by livestock in the region. We find that the current aHANPP of the village amounts to 34–38% of the potential productivity, which could increase to 59–67% due to the altered GCA. On rangelands, livestock-induced aHANPP would increase from the current level of 30–34% to 54–61%, which is far above a maximum exploitability rate of 40–41%. Our results reveal that the intended changes to the Loliondo GCA will severely affect the current livelihood strategy of the Maasai, which is based on pastoralism.     

Effects of wastewater from olive processing on seed germination and early plant growth of different vegetable species

Abstract

The effects of wastewater from olive processing on seed germination and early plant growth of different vegetable species were examined. Three types of wastewater at different concentrations were tested: raw wastewater, wastewater with organic matter removed and deionized wastewater.

Results generally indicate an inhibitory effect on seed germination and early plant growth by all treatments containing any kind of wastewater. Of the three types of effluent, raw wastewater had the greatest depressive effect, followed by deionized wastewater and finally effluent with organic matter removed. Barley showed the least sensitivity to phytotoxic effects while tomato was the plant most affected. The remaining vegetable species showed an intermediate sensitivity.     

Modeling the influence of climate change on the mass balance of polychlorinated biphenyls in the Adriatic Sea

Climate forcing is forecasted to influence the Adriatic Sea region in a variety of ways, including increasing temperature, and affecting wind speeds, marine currents, precipitation and water salinity. The Adriatic Sea is intensively developed with agriculture, industry, and port activities that introduce pollutants to the environment. Here, we developed and applied a Level III fugacity model for the Adriatic Sea to estimate the current mass balance of polychlorinated biphenyls in the Sea, and to examine the effects of a climate change scenario on the distribution of these pollutants. The model’s performance was evaluated for three PCB congeners against measured concentrations in the region using environmental parameters estimated from the 20th century climate scenario described in the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) by the IPCC, and using Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis. We find that modeled fugacities of PCBs in air, water and sediment of the Adriatic are in good agreement with observations. The model indicates that PCBs in the Adriatic Sea are closely coupled with the atmosphere, which acts as a net source to the water column. We used model experiments to assess the influence of changes in temperature, wind speed, precipitation, marine currents, particulate organic carbon and air inflow concentrations forecast in the IPCC A1B climate change scenario on the mass balance of PCBs in the Sea. Assuming an identical PCBs’ emission profile (e.g. use pattern, treatment/disposal of stockpiles, mode of entry), modeled fugacities of PCBs in the Adriatic Sea under the A1B climate scenario are higher because higher temperatures reduce the fugacity capacity of air, water and sediments, and because diffusive sources to the air are stronger.     

An integrated approach to mangrove dynamics and management

The main objective of the MADAM project (Mangrove Dynamics and Management) is to generate the scientific basis enabling the sustainable stewardship of the resources of the Caeté mangrove estuary in Northeast Brazil in the sense of integrated coastal (zone) management. To achieve this, it is necessary to acquire in-depth knowledge of natural processes as well as of the relevant institutional, cultural, economic, social and political dynamics. Causal linkages within the ecosystem, as well as between ecosystem, economy and society, are analysed and explained via dynamic and trophic modelling. Scenario construction is intended to forecast the effects of acute or chronic interference on utilized resources, and to answer wider, management-related questions (e.g. restoration of destroyed areas, utilization potential for aquaculture). This paper describes the project strategy as developed and modified in the context of research results from the initial 2-yr project phase. It is argued that a continuous discussion process is essential to assess the validity of the strategies formulated at the beginning of a medium-time project, particularly if the project is of interdisciplinary nature.     

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.     

Evaluation of cetacean exposure to organotin compounds in Brazilian waters through hepatic total tin concentrations

In Brazil, there is no restriction to the use of organotins (OTs). Previous investigations have shown that hepatic ∑Sn in cetaceans is predominantly organic. Hepatic ∑Sn concentrations were determined by GFAAS in 67 cetaceans (13 species) that stranded on Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and Espirito Santo (ES) states. Concentrations (in ng/g wet wt.) of marine tucuxis (n = 20) from the highly contaminated Guanabara Bay (in RJ) varied from 1703 to 9638. Concentrations of three marine tucuxi foetuses and one newborn calf (all from Guanabara Bay) varied between 431 and 2107. Contrastingly, the maximum level among 19 oceanic dolphins was 346, and 15 out of these 19 specimens presented concentrations below detection limit. The levels of Sn in six marine tucuxis from a less contaminated area (ES) varied from below detection limit to 744. Comparing to the literature, coastal cetaceans from Brazil appear to be highly exposed to OTs.     

The role of the egg jelly coat in protecting<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hyla regilla</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bufo canorus</Emphasis> embryos from ultraviolet B radiation during development

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation may play a role in amphibian population declines. Some of these studies also indicate that egg hatching success is unaltered in some species of anurans as a result of UVB exposure. It has been proposed that the egg mass jelly provides photoprotection to the developing embryos. METHODS: Direct spectrophotometric scans of egg jelly, scans of egg jelly methanol extracts, and experimental manipulation in a solar simulator during development were all used to assess the role of egg mass jelly as a photoprotective agent. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: For Hyla regilla, scans of egg jelly and methanolic extracts (for mycosporine-like amino acid content) both displayed no absorption in the UV range. Experimental manipulation (removal of egg mass jelly) with both Hyla regilla and Bufo canorus egg masses in a solar simulator demonstrated that egg mass jelly played no apparent role in photoprotection of either of these species. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results in this study it seems unlikely that the egg jelly coat is playing a crucial role in protecting developing embryos from the impact of UVB radiation.     

Elevated concentrations of primordial radionuclides in sediments from the Reedy River and surrounding creeks in Simpsonville, South Carolina

A gamma-ray survey and analysis of 16 riverbed samples from the Reedy River watershed near Simpsonville, SC were conducted and compared with national and international studies of primordial radionuclides. The study reported here follows on a recent discovery of anomalously high uranium concentrations in several private well waters in the area. An HPGe spectrometer was used for quantification of gamma emitting radionuclides in the sediments. All sediments contained radionuclides from the uranium and thorium series as well as (40)K. Uranium-238 concentrations in sediment samples ranged from 11.1 to 74.2Bqkg(-1). The measured radionuclide concentrations were compared with data from UNSCEAR and NURE reports. The river and stream sediment data were augmented by in situ NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectrometer measurements. Comparisons between the ex situ and in situ measurements indicate equivalently distributed uranium in the surface soils and stream sediments, the source of which is likely attributed to the monazite belts that are known to exist in the area.     

A list of fish species that are potentially exposed to pesticides in edge-of-field water bodies in the European Union—a first step towards identifying vulnerable representatives for risk assessment

Surrogate species are used in standard toxicity tests for the environmental risk assessment of chemicals. Test results are then extrapolated to the situation in the field, which is often associated with a large degree of uncertainty. Since a vulnerable species in the field is not only characterised by its intrinsic sensitivity to a stressor but also by its potential for exposure and its population resilience, the identification of focal species based on these three components of vulnerability is needed for a more ecologically relevant risk assessment. This study listed European fish species that are susceptible to pesticide exposure in the field and thus achieved the first step towards identifying focal species for the risk assessment of pesticides for fish in Europe. A step-wise filtering approach was applied to list freshwater fish species that are native to Europe and widespread in the European Union, which inhabit streams, ditches or ponds in agricultural landscapes and therefore, are at an elevated risk of being exposed to pesticides. Out of the 579 fish species occurring in European freshwater, 27 species met the filtering criteria. The resulting list was verified based on monitoring studies that were conducted in agricultural landscapes over the past 20 years. Focal fish species that can be used for a more ecologically relevant environmental risk assessment of pesticides in Europe can be identified from the produced list of species by further assessing their ecological (life history and dispersal characteristics) and intrinsic sensitivities.     

Phytoavaelability and extractability of copper and zinc in calcareous soil amended with composted Urban wastes

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted under simulated field conditions using large‐capacity plastic pots, filled each one with 25 kg of air‐dried calcareous soil. Besides the control, four treatments were prepared by applying separately two rates (20 and 80 Mg ha^‐1) of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost, and co‐composted municipal solid waste and sewage sludge (MSW‐SS). Lettuce was planted and harvested 2.5 months later. The application of composted urban wastes tended to increase Cu concentration in lettuce with respect to the control, but it was only significant when the higher rate of MSW compost was applied. The control showed values of Zn concentration in plant within a deficient range. In general, composted urban wastes treatments had increased Zn concentration values, which were within the sufficiency range. Both treatments with MSW compost increased Cu and Zn uptake in comparison with MSW‐SS co‐compost treatments. At the postharvest, all composted urban wastes treatments increased significantly DTPA‐extractable Cu content in soil with respect to the control; it was also significant the increase in AAAc‐EDTA‐extractable Cu in soil produced by the addition of the higher rate of MSW compost. The application of composted urban wastes increased significantly DTPA‐extractable and AAAc‐EDTA‐extractable Zn contents in soil versus the control, except for the lower rate of MSW‐SS co‐compost. The values of DTPA‐extractable/total ratio for Cu and Zn were under 10%, except for the treatment applying the higher rate of MSW compost which promoted higher values. The values of AAAc‐EDTA‐extractable/total ratio for Cu were above 10% in all treatments including the control. This tendency was also observed in AAAc‐EDTA‐extractable/total ratio for Zn when applying both rates of MSW compost or the higher rate of MSW‐SS co‐compost.