Ecoregions and ecodistricts: Ecological regionalizations for the Netherlands' environmental policy

For communicating data on the state of the environment to policy makers, various integrative frameworks are used, including regional integration. For this kind of integration we have developed two related ecological regionalizations, ecoregions and ecodistricts, which are two levels in a series of classifications for hierarchically nested ecosystems at different spatial scale levels. We explain the compilation of the maps from existing geographical data, demonstrating the relatively holistic, a priori integrated approach. The resulting maps are submitted to discriminant analysis to test the consistancy of the use of mapping characteristics, using data on individual abiotic ecosystem components from a national database on a 1-km² grid. This reveals that the spatial patterns of soil, groundwater, and geomorphology correspond with the ecoregion and ecodistrict maps. Differences between the original maps and maps formed by automatically reclassifying 1-km² cells with these discriminant components are found to be few. These differences are discussed against the background of the principal dilemma between deductive, a priori integrated, and inductive, a posteriori, classification.     

Spatial interpolation of ambient ozone concentrations from sparse monitoring points in Belgium

Due to scientific interest on the one hand and political and regulatory obligations on the other hand the monitoring of ozone in the troposphere is an important issue. To this end, in Belgium as in many other countries, a fixed network of monitoring stations is operated. In order to estimate the ozone concentrations over the whole territory, a model is needed to spatially complement the sparse measurements. This paper describes the development of an interpolation scheme which is aimed at fast operational use. The model uses the population density as auxiliary data to remove a spatial trend due to titration by nitric oxide. The residuals are interpolated by kriging. As a benchmark the inverse distance weighting interpolation method is used with and without the detrending. The proposed model systematically improves the interpolation and makes a significant difference when estimating human exposure to ozone. It is generic in design, easy to implement and flexible to changes in the monitoring network.     

A Simple Value-Distinction Approach Aids Transparency in Farm Animal Welfare Debate

Public debate on acceptable farm animal husbandry suffers from a confusion of tongues. To clarify positions of various stakeholder groups in their joint search for acceptable solutions, the concept of animal welfare was split up into three notions: no suffering, respect for intrinsic value, and non-appalling appearance of animals. This strategy was based on the hypothesis that multi-stakeholder solutions should be based on shared values rather than on compromises. The usefulness of such an artificial value distinction strategy was tested in a small series of experiments. The results demonstrate that the chosen concept to distinguish between values is effective in a stakeholder context. Farmers’ views on doing good to animals appeared to be largely based on their value to prevent suffering and predominantly focused on the provision of regular care. Their priority for this value is clearly shared with other stakeholders, providing a basis for joint solutions. The concept of intrinsic value does not play a discernable role in farmers’ considerations. Based on the varying views on welfare, it can be inferred that there is a gradual rather than a principal difference between government legislation and farmers’ values, whereas public perception and acceptance of farm practices remains complicated. Distinction between value groups and focusing on a selected notion (such as no suffering) proved to be effective in bringing representatives of stakeholder groups together, but is unlikely to bridge the emotional gap between commercial farm practices and public ideals.     

Investigation of NiO/NiAl2O4 oxygen carriers for chemical-looping combustion produced by spray-drying

Chemical-looping combustion is a novel combustion technology with inherent separation of the greenhouse gas CO₂. The technology uses circulating oxygen carriers to transfer oxygen from the combustion air to the fuel. In this paper, oxygen carriers based on commercially available NiO and α-Al₂O₃ were prepared using the industrial spray-drying method, and compared with particles prepared by freeze-granulation. The materials were investigated under alternating oxidizing and reducing conditions in a laboratory fluidized bed, thus simulating the cyclic conditions of a chemical-looping combustion system. The particles produced by spray-drying displayed a remarkable similarity to the freeze-granulated oxygen carriers, with high reactivity when the bed was fluidized and similar physical properties when sintered at the same temperature. This is an important result as it shows that the scaling-up from a laboratory production method, i.e. freeze-granulation, to a commercial method suitable for large-scale production, i.e. spray-drying, did not involve any unexpected difficulties. A difference noticed between the spray-dried and freeze-granulated particles was the sphericity. Whereas the freeze-granulated particles showed near perfect sphericity, a large portion of the spray-dried particles had hollow interiors. Defluidization was most likely to occur for highly reduced particles, at low gas velocities. The apparent density and crushing strength of the oxygen carriers could be increased either by increasing the sintering temperature or by increasing the sintering time. However, the fuel conversion was fairly unchanged when the sintering temperature was increased but was clearly improved when the sintering time was increased.     

Integrating climate change adaptation into Dutch local policies and the role of contextual factors

Moving towards a more sustainable adaptation process requires closer integration of policies related to the environment. An important actor in this is the local government. This paper examines to what extend adaptation is currently being integrated into Dutch local policies, and what the role is of a municipality's size, risk and experience in the encountered manifestations of adaptation. First, it was determined that adaptations taking place only anticipate currently perceivable weather extremes – mostly increasing precipitation. Second, it was determined that the realisation of further adaptations is hindered by a strongly sectoral divided reality. Adaptation is now heavily dominated by the water department, while spatial planning and the environment are only limitedly involved. Finally, it was observed that the contextual factor size proved to most important for horizontal policy integration, whereas the contextual factor extreme-weather experience was the most definite for the realisation of adaptations. We conclude that a more sustainable adaptation should first tackle the sectoral divides which requires administrative efforts, for example, professional training. These would preferably be initiated from a vertical direction.     

Soil and plant biodegradation of chlorpyrifos in fields of cauliflower and brussels sprouts crops

For the protection of early and summer cauliflower and brussels sprouts crops against root fly, the insecticide chlorpyrifos was applied at planting onto soil around the stem of the plant, or in the planting line. In the soil, chlorpyrifos (1) was transformed into the insecticide metabolites oxon, 0,0‐diethyl‐0‐(3,5,6‐tri‐chloro‐2‐pyridinyl) phosphate (2), and 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol (3). The soil half life time of chlorpyrifos could be 2.8 times greater (42 days relative to 15 days) when the field history as to cauliflower monoculture and insecticide treatments was short (1 year), than when it was long (8 years). Rains and season also had cumulative effects on the chlorpyrifos soil half life times. In the leaves of cabbage, chlorpyrifos and compound 3 were observed at concentrations which were higher, especially when their soil concentrations were high. Chlorpyrifos and compounds 2 and 3 however were not detected in the “flower” of cauliflower, nor in the brussels sprouts itself, the limit of sensitivity being 0.02 ppm of fresh weight.