Recovering from disasters: a study of livelihoods in post‐quake villages in northern Pakistan

The October 2005 earthquake in northern Pakistan severely affected the livelihoods of 1.5 million people. With the destruction of material assets and communications infrastructure, the quake had a devastating impact on people's way of life in this remote mountainous region. This paper explores livelihood revival interventions undertaken during the earthquake response, and considers how differentiated livelihood outcomes were achieved. In addressing this objective the paper examines livelihood rehabilitation schemes in terms of structural aspects, working strategies, key factors, strengths of interventions and the role of human agency in influencing livelihood trajectories of quake‐affected communities. Primary data for this study was gathered in northern Pakistan between October 2008 and January 2009. The study identifies structural shortcomings and strengths of the programmes attempting to revive the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable households. It identifies how households in two villages made the most of opportunities to improve their lives and move towards favourable outcomes.     

Connecting international priorities with human wellbeing in low-income regions: lessons from hawksbill turtle conservation in El Salvador

Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are highly endangered in the eastern Pacific Ocean, yet their eggs continue to be an important subsistence resource for impoverished coastal residents in El Salvador. In this study, we use naturalistic inquiry to explain the realities experienced by coastal residents who share habitat with hawksbills in El Salvador, and then suggest implications of the disparities between these realities and international priorities for hawksbill conservation and community development in El Salvador and other low-income regions. To provide a context for understanding hawksbill conservation and its implications for similar challenges related to conservation and wellbeing, we first summarise the conservation context, including the emergence of sea turtle conservation in El Salvador. We then describe our naturalistic approach, including the ethnographic methodology for this study. Finally, we detail the analysis of interviews conducted with tortugueros (i.e. local sea turtle egg collectors), to help explain how hawksbills fit into local realities. Our results demonstrate that, from the perspective of tortugueros, (1) the primary importance of hawksbills is the economic value attached to egg sales, but there exists a deeper connection to local culture; (2) egg purchase by hatcheries is a socially just conservation strategy that benefits both hawksbill and human wellbeing; and (3) opportunities for local residents to participate in decision-making regarding sea turtle conservation are limited, and should be increased. We argue that harmonising international conservation priorities with local community development realities is one path towards simultaneously contributing to long-term sea turtle recovery and human wellbeing in low-income regions.     

Using Ecological Function to Develop Recovery Criteria for Depleted Species: Sea Otters and Kelp Forests in the Aleutian Archipelago

Abstract: Recovery criteria for depleted species or populations normally are based on demographic measures, the goal being to maintain enough individuals over a sufficiently large area to assure a socially tolerable risk of future extinction. Such demographically based recovery criteria may be insufficient to restore the functional roles of strongly interacting species. We explored the idea of developing a recovery criterion for sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in the Aleutian archipelago on the basis of their keystone role in kelp forest ecosystems. We surveyed sea otters and rocky reef habitats at 34 island‐time combinations. The system nearly always existed in either a kelp‐dominated or deforested phase state, which was predictable from sea otter density. We used a resampling analysis of these data to show that the phase state at any particular island can be determined at 95% probability of correct classification with information from as few as six sites. When sea otter population status (and thus the phase state of the kelp forest) was allowed to vary randomly among islands, just 15 islands had to be sampled to estimate the true proportion that were kelp dominated (within 10%) with 90% confidence. We conclude that kelp forest phase state is a more appropriate, sensitive, and cost‐effective measure of sea otter recovery than the more traditional demographically based metrics, and we suggest that similar approaches have broad potential utility in establishing recovery criteria for depleted populations of other functionally important species.     

Apoplastic ascorbate contributes to the differential ozone sensitivity in two varieties of winter wheat under fully open-air field conditions

We studied leaf apoplastic ascorbates in relation to ozone (O₃) sensitivity in two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties: Yangfumai 2 (Y2) and Yangmai 16 (Y16). The plants were exposed to elevated O₃ concentration 27% higher than the ambient O₃ concentration in a fully open-air field from tillering stage until final maturity. The less sensitive variety Y16 had higher concentration of reduced ascorbate in the apoplast and leaf tissue by 33.5% and 12.0%, respectively, than those in the more sensitive variety Y2, whereas no varietal difference was detected in the decline of reduced ascorbate concentration in response to elevated O₃. No effects of O₃ or variety were detected in either oxidized ascorbate or the redox state of ascorbate in the apoplast and leaf tissue. The lower ascorbate concentrations in both apoplast and leaf tissue should have contributed to the higher O₃ sensitivity in variety Y2.     

Fate of atrazine and chlorpyrifos during solid state fermentation—examination of processes

Abstract

Solid state fermentation (SSF) was investigated as a means to dispose of two commonly used pesticides, chlorpyrifos (O, O‐diethyl O‐(3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridyl) phosphorothioate) and atrazine (2‐chloro‐4‐ethylamino‐6‐isopropylamino‐1,3,5‐triazine). SSF experiments were carried out in bench‐scale bioreaetors (equipped with CO₂ and volatile organic traps) containing a mixture of lignocellulosic materials and a radiolabeled pesticide. Ethyl acetate‐extractable, alkali soluble, and alkali insoluble fractions were evaluated for radioactivity following a 60‐d incubation period at 40°C. The majority of the [2, 6‐pyridyl‐¹⁴C]chlorpyrifos was associated with the ethyl acetate extract (about 74%), 17% was trapped as organic volatiles by polyurethane foam traps and < 0.5% of the chlorpyrifos was mineralized to CO². Only small amounts of the radioactivity were associated with alkali soluble (0.0003%) and alkali insoluble (0.3%) fractions. In the [¹⁴C‐U‐ring] atrazine bioreactors, very little of the radioactivity volatilized (<0.5%) and less than 0.5% was mineralized to CO₂. Approximately 57% of the applied radioactivity was associated with the ethyl acetate extract while 9% and 24% of the radioactivity was associated with the alkali soluble (humic and fulvic acids) and alkali insoluble fractions, respectively. Possible reaction mechanisms by which covalent bonds could be formed between atrazine (or metabolites) and humic substances were investigated. The issue of bound atrazine residue (alkali soluble fraction) was at least partially resolved. Oxidative coupling experiments revealed that formation of covalent bond linkages between amino substituent groups of atrazine residue and humic substances is highly unlikely.     

Understanding the Role of Representations of Human–Leopard Conflict in Mumbai through Media‐Content Analysis

Attempts to minimize the effects of human–wildlife conflict (HWC) on conservation goals require an understanding of the mechanisms by which such conflicts are caused and sustained. This necessitates looking beyond the natural sciences to the human dimensions of wildlife management. Public dissemination of information regarding HWC occurs largely through the mass media. We conducted a content analysis of print media articles on human–leopard conflict in Mumbai, India. We sought to understand the framing of HWC and the changes in media coverage over a 10‐year period (2001–2011) during which a large number of attacks on people prior to 2005 were followed by a program of trapping and relocation. After 2005, when there was a decrease in the level of conflict, the tone of English‐language media reports changed. The perpetrator framing was over 5 times more likely before 2005, whereas a neutral framing was twice as likely after 2005. English‐language and non‐English‐language print media differed significantly in their framing of HWC and in the kinds of solutions advocated. Our results also suggest the print mass media in Mumbai could be an influential conduit for content that diminishes HWC. These media outlets seem attentive to human–leopard conflict, capable of correcting erroneous perceptions and facilitating mitigation and effective management. We believe better contact and mutual understanding between conservation professionals and the mass media could be an important component of managing HWC. We further suggest that in such interactions conservation professionals need to be aware of cultural and linguistic differences in reporting within the country. Entendiendo el Papel de las Representaciones del Conflicto Humano–Leopardo en Mumbai A Través del Análisis de Contenido de Medios     

Transient‐phase and steady‐state kinetics of lipase‐catalyzed ester hydrolysis 1

Abstract

An experimental study has been made of both the steady‐state and the transient‐phase (presteady‐state) kinetics of the hydrolyses of several saturated aliphatic esters of p‐nitrophenol catalyzed by wheat germ lipase. The analysis of the presteady‐state part revealed two transients indicating that lipase‐catalyzed reactions proceed via a two‐intermediate mechanism suggested for other esterases. The possibility of more than one species of the enzyme engaged in catalytic activity is discussed and a reaction mechanism scheme is proposed accordingly.     

Variability in Population Abundance and the Classification of Extinction Risk

Abstract: Classifying species according to their risk of extinction is a common practice and underpins much conservation activity. The reliability of such classifications rests on the accuracy of threat categorizations, but very little is known about the magnitude and types of errors that might be expected. The process of risk classification involves combining information from many sources, and understanding the quality of each source is critical to evaluating the overall status of the species. One common criterion used to classify extinction risk is a decline in abundance. Because abundance is a direct measure of conservation status, counts of individuals are generally the preferred method of evaluating whether populations are declining. Using the thresholds from criterion A of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List (critically endangered, decline in abundance of >80% over 10 years or 3 generations; endangered, decline in abundance of 50–80%; vulnerable, decline in abundance of 30–50%; least concern or near threatened, decline in abundance of 0–30%), we assessed 3 methods used to detect declines solely from estimates of abundance: use of just 2 estimates of abundance; use of linear regression on a time series of abundance; and use of state‐space models on a time series of abundance. We generated simulation data from empirical estimates of the typical variability in abundance and assessed the 3 methods for classification errors. The estimates of the proportion of falsely detected declines for linear regression and the state‐space models were low (maximum 3–14%), but 33–75% of small declines (30–50% over 15 years) were not detected. Ignoring uncertainty in estimates of abundance (with just 2 estimates of abundance) allowed more power to detect small declines (95%), but there was a high percentage (50%) of false detections. For all 3 methods, the proportion of declines estimated to be >80% was higher than the true proportion. Use of abundance data to detect species at risk of extinction may either fail to detect initial declines in abundance or have a high error rate.     

经济高速增长条件下中国区域可持续发展状态的综合评价

本文从区域的可持续发展的观点出发,建立了全国的可持续发展指标体系,运用可持续发展指标对全国３１个省市区的经济发展、社会进步、资源与环境保障及可持续发展能力进行了综合评价,阐述了在高速增长经济条件下我国的可持续发展状态。     

Levels of Heavy Metals in Karelian Wildlife, 1989–91

The levels of mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, nickel, zinc and iron were determined in samples of liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart, lungs and hair of moose (N = 67), reindeer (N = 45), brown bear (N = 18), wild boar (N = 10) and squirrel (N = 18) shot in Karelia from 1989 to 1991 during regular hunting. The highest heavy-metal concentrations were found in livers, kidney, lungs and hair samples. The samples of muscle contained lowest levels of these elements. The tissues of moose, reindeer and brown bear were contaminated with heavy metals to a greatest extent. Lowest levels of toxicants were recorded in wild boar. Results indicate a widespread presence of heavy metal in the environment and in wildlife, which may be linked to acid precipitation. There was no evidence of these elements accumulated to toxic levels, but Karelian public have been informed that the eating of moose liver and kidney would probably result in their exceeding WHO standard weekly intake limit for cadmium.