Rapid land use change threatens provisioning ecosystem services in miombo woodlands

Rural communities in sub‐Saharan Africa rely upon provisioning ecosystem services (ES) to support their livelihoods, yet in areas where rapid land use change is occurring the relationship between environmental change, provisioning ES availability and livelihoods is not fully understood. This relationship is explored here within a typical rural miombo woodland landscape in south‐west Tanzania, which is undergoing rapid land use change due to expanding tobacco cultivation. The types of provisioning ES used, who uses them, changes in their availability, and the possible future impacts of these changes were explored using a mixed‐method approach. Our findings identify 19 provisioning ES used by households regardless of economic status. Firewood, building materials, and fresh water are used by almost all households, and these are perceived to be declining in availability. Households identified this as a negative environmental impact of land use change and that provisioning ES loss would be ‘bad’ for their households. Given the multi‐purpose nature of miombo woodlands, an adaptive co‐management approach, which can achieve multiple objectives through encouraging participation, learning, and empowerment of local communities, could be an appropriate strategy to achieve sustainable land use management and maintain the provision of ES within miombo woodland landscapes of sub‐Saharan Africa.     

LONG TERM TRENDS OF ANNUAL AND MONTHLY PRECIPITATION IN JAPAN1

ABSTRACT: Long term trends in Japan's annual and monthly precipitation are investigated in this study. The statistical significance of a trend at a study site is assessed by the Mann‐Kendall (MK) test, and field significance of trends in climatic Regions II, III, and IV is evaluated using the bootstrap test preserving cross correlation. The practical significance of a trend is judged by a percentage change of the sample mean over an observation period. The field significance assessment demonstrates that annual precipitation in Region II did not show any significant change, but regional precipitation shifts occurred in different months. Precipitation significantly increased by 12.2 percent in May, while it significantly decreased by 12.0, 10.5, 15.6, and 19.7 percent, respectively, in April, September, October, and December. In Region III, annual precipitation declined by 11.8 percent, and monthly precipitation significantly decreased from September through January and in April, with the greatest decrease (38.2 percent) in December. In Region IV, significant reductions occurred in both annual precipitation (by 15.6 percent) and monthly precipitation from September through February and in June and July, with the worst reduction (44.7 percent) in December.     

Unpacking the post‐Haiyan disaster resettlement narratives of young Filipino women informal settlers in Tacloban City,Philippines

Post‐disaster resettlement narratives encapsulate the complex mobile–spatial processes that are embedded in a post‐disaster context. The existing literature on disaster relocation and resettlement accords primacy to the logistical, practical, structural, and physical dimensions of residential transitioning. Building on this knowledge, this study conducted a spatial narrative inquiry to generate a link to mobile–spatial realities interspersed in diverse temporal trajectories. It did so by tracking the embodied rhythms of people and objects evoked through the retelling of post‐disaster resettlement stories by 12 young Filipino women informal settlers. The key findings are organised in three spatial narratives: ‘house near the sea'; ‘there at the bunkhouse'; and ‘here in Ridgeview'. These narratives are anchored in the overarching dimensions that underpin Filipino informal settlers’ experiences of (not) moving in and out of disaster resettlement areas. Lastly, the findings are explained in the light of the theoretical, empirical, and practical implications of disaster resettlement specific to informal settlers.     

Phylogeography and Limited Genetic Connectivity in the Endangered Boring Giant Clam across the Coral Triangle

Abstract: The Coral Triangle is the global center of marine biodiversity; however, its coral reefs are critically threatened. Because of the bipartite life history of many marine species with sedentary adults and dispersive pelagic larvae, designing effective marine protected areas requires an understanding of patterns of larval dispersal and connectivity among geographically discrete populations. We used mtDNA sequence data to examine patterns of genetic connectivity in the boring giant clam (Tridacna crocea) in an effort to guide conservation efforts within the Coral Triangle. We collected an approximately 485 base pair fragment of mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) from 414 individuals at 26 sites across Indonesia. Genetic structure was strong between regions (φ_ST=0.549, p < 0.00001) with 3 strongly supported clades: one restricted to western Sumatra, another distributed across central Indonesia, and a third limited to eastern Indonesia and Papua. Even within the single largest clade, small but significant genetic structure was documented (φ_ST=0.069, p < 0.00001), which indicates limited gene flow within and among phylogeographic regions. Significant patterns of isolation by distance indicated an average dispersal distance of only 25–50 km, which is far below dispersal predictions of 406–708 km derived from estimates of passive dispersal over 10 days via surface currents. The strong regional genetic structure we found indicates potent limits to genetic and demographic connectivity for this species throughout the Coral Triangle and provides a regional context for conservation planning. The recovery of 3 distinct evolutionarily significant units within a well‐studied taxonomic group suggests that biodiversity in this region may be significantly underestimated and that Tridacna taxa may be more endangered than currently recognized.     

The adsorption of PCBs to Yangtse River sediment

The adsorption of six PCB congeners to natural sediments from the Yangtse River was investigated. Experiments were conducted at different PCB concentrations to get the adsorption isotherm for each compound. Analytical determinations were carried out using gas chromato‐graphy with ECD detector. Results showed that the adsorption mechanism of PCBs on Yangtse River sediment fitted the best to the Langmuir adsorption model. It was also found that the adsorption rate decreased as the solubility increased or the octanol‐water partition coefficient decreased for each compound.     

Ecotoxicological investigations of extremely acidic mining lakes using bioassays suitable for testing at low pH

In this investigation different bioassays were used to detect the physiological and genotoxic effects of water samples of mining lakes. Especially bioassays with higher plants were used like the duckweed bioassay with Lemna minor, the cress bioassay with Lepidium sativum, the Tradescantia‐micronucleus bioassay and the Arabidopsis bioassay. In addition the algae‐motility bioassay with Euglena gracilis were used. All these bioassays were found to be suitable to investigate mining lake samples of extreme acidic character. Four mining lakes (ML 107, ML 111, ML 117, ML F) were selected. They show equally low pH‐values, but differ in size, age, hydro‐chemical and biological state. The results demonstrated that it is possible to differentiate the mining lakes based on the results of bioassays. Samples of ML 107 and 111 showed significant physiological and genotoxic effects. Water samples of both lakes caused severe damages and decreased growth at the same dilution level in all plant bioassays. ML F causes different effects on bioassays. The highest negative effect was observed on root development of L. sativum. ML 117 did not show any effects on duckweed, algae, Tradescantia or Arabidopsis bioassays. There was only a slight effect on the root development in the cress bioassay.     

Removal of Diazo dye from aqueous phase by algae Spirogyra species

This communication presents a preliminary study conducted to investigate dye (Direct Brown 2‐Diazo) colour removal using viable algae Spirogyra species. The results indicate the ability of algae Spirogyra species to remove dye colour and found to be dependent on the contact time and biomass. Colour removal mechanism by algae Spirogyra species may be attributed to biosorption and/or bioconversion and/or biocoagulation.     

Evaluation of porous cup soil‐water samplers under laboratory conditions: Comparison of ceramic and PTFE cups

Three different types of soil solution samplers (two ceramic cups and PTFE) were tested in the laboratory to validate their use for collecting soil‐water samples and for monitoring the chemical composition of soil solutions. Interactions between porous materials and chemical solutions were examined under different experimental conditions for several major cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺) and anions (HCO^‐ ₃, NO^‐ ₃, SO₄ ^2‐ and Cl^‐) and for several minor ions (NH⁺ ₄, NO^‐ ₄, PO₄ ^3‐and B).

The results show that ceramic cups are not inert for bicarbonate, calcium and phosphate ions. Their use is only valid for a limited number of ions such as chloride and nitrate which, however, are the most studied ions in field experiments. PTFE cups have less restrictions although their use in measuring sulphates, phosphates and ammonium presents some problems.

Choosing the appropriate type of cup depends on the objectives. In any case, laboratory experiments must be performed before installation.     

Monitoring of drinking water treatment plants using ICP‐MS

More than sixty inorganic parameters were monitored in the Ter and Llobregat Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs) using ICP‐MS. Both DWTPs supply approximately four million inhabitants with water in Barcelona and neighbouring areas (NE Spain). The profile of inorganic parameters throughout the treatment process is similar in the Ter and Llobregat DWTPs. Sodium, K, Mg, Ca, Si, Cl^‐, SO₄ ^‐2, Li, Rb, Cs (only in the case of the Llobregat DWTP), Sr, Ba, B, Ti, Cr, V, Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Sb, Mo, Pb and U were not removed from raw water. Consequently, no improvement was shown as regards the high salinity of Llobregat raw water which is related to the mining activities on the large salt deposits located in the upper part of the basin. However, P, Fe, Mn, Cu and As were removed during treatment. The results obtained reveal the suitability of ICP‐MS for inorganic water quality monitoring in DWTP.     

Study on polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans in rivers and estuaries in Osaka Bay in Japan

In order to search the source of polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in blue mussel in Osaka bay, sediments from Osaka bay and from rivers running near an urban municipal incinerator were analysed for PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs. The river and estuary sediments were all found to be contaminated with PCDDs at average levels of 9.8 and 12ppb on the dry basis, PCDFs of 7.8 and 5.1 ppb, and PCBs of 1600 and 1300ppb, respectively. The two sediments contained similar profiles of specific isomers and congeners of PCDDs and PCDFs with each other. In addition, there was observed positive close correlations between PCDD and PCDF levels in the two specimens as well as fly ash from urban municipal incinerators. These allow the conclusion that the main source of the two chemicals in Osaka bay is fly ash from waste incineration.