Description and evaluation of imposex in Strombus canarium Linnaeus, 1758 (Gastropoda, Strombidae): a potential bio-indicator of tributyltin pollution

Strombus canarium Linnaeus, 1758 is an important gastropod species within the study area and was traditionally collected for food by the locals. The objective of the present study is to assess the incidence of imposex and its severity in this species. Adult conchs were sampled during their main reproductive period, from October 2005 to January 2006, at Sungai Pulai estuary, Johor Straits, Malaysia. A total of 32.81% of adult females showed imposex characteristics, with varying degrees of severity though. The relative penis size (RPS) index ranged from 1.74 to 33.29 (mean = 13.40 ± 2.27, n?=?21), while the relative penis length (RPL) index ranged from 6.28 to 55.19 (mean = 25.83 ± 3.33, n?=?21). The use of vas deferens sequence (VDS) index was however cannot be applied as the presence of egg groove obscured any vas deferens development in affected females. Sequence of imposex (male penis) development in female conch, from merely a small stump to an advance male penis homologous was therefore carefully analyzed and described, and an alternative imposex classification scheme was proposed. S. canarium can be a good indicator for monitoring of organotin pollution within the study area. However, more studies are needed in order to further develop and test its validity and application, such as its correlation with levels of pollutant within the tissues and the environment, as well as its application on other Strombus species.     

Assessment of the Condition of Agricultural Lands in Five Mid-Atlantic States

Indicators of the condition and sustainability of agricultural lands in five Mid-Atlantic states were measured in 1994. Indicators were selected to reflect crop productivity and land stewardship on annually harvested herbaceous crop (AHHC) land, which covers almost 10% of the land area in this region. Overall, condition of agricultural lands in the region is good. Crops generally yielded more than those grown in the 1980s, with a mean observed/expected yield index greater than 1. The mean soil quality index was slightly better than a "moderate" rating for crop growth. Almost 2/3 of the AHHC land is covered by crop rotation plans, with the remaining land mostly in hay fields. Insecticides were applied to less than 20% of AHHC land, and less than 20% of the land where pesticides were applied has high to moderately high potential for pesticides leaching into groundwater. However, integrated pest management (IPM) is practiced on less than 20% of AHHC land. Hay showed more efficient use of nitrogen than seed crops, and non-tilled sites, which are mostly hay, had more microbial biomass (suggesting more nutrient cycling) than tilled sites. This information could provide a baseline for a long-term monitoring program for agroecosystems in the region.     

On Evaluating Compliance With Air Pollution Levels “Not To Be Exceeded More Than Once A Year”

Five years (1969-1973) of sulfate and nitrate fractions were analyzed from high-volume particulate samples at 8 stations in the San Francisco Bay Area. These particulate data have been compared with simultaneous SO₂ and NO_x gas data and emission inventory data. On an annual basis, the sulfate and nitrate particulates closely track the emission inventory data, while the gas data vary more widely in response to local sources and to meteorological factors. The area-wide five year mean for sulfates is 2.68 µ/m³, only slightly above the remote nonurban sulfate background level. However, the similar five year nitrate mean of 2.78 µ/m³ is well above the national urban average. On isolated occasions, when extreme cold required "in-terruptible" sources to switch from natural gas to fuel oil, both sulfate and nitrate fractions showed 24 hour values in excess of 20 µ/m³.     

Policy challenges and approaches for the conservation of mangrove forests in Southeast Asia

Many drivers of mangrove forest loss operate over large scales and are most effectively addressed by policy interventions. However, conflicting or unclear policy objectives exist at multiple tiers of government, resulting in contradictory management decisions. To address this, we considered four approaches that are being used increasingly or could be deployed in Southeast Asia to ensure sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. First, a stronger incorporation of mangroves into marine protected areas (that currently focus largely on reefs and fisheries) could resolve some policy conflicts and ensure that mangroves do not fall through a policy gap. Second, examples of community and government comanagement exist, but achieving comanagement at scale will be important in reconciling stakeholders and addressing conflicting policy objectives. Third, private‐sector initiatives could protect mangroves through existing and novel mechanisms in degraded areas and areas under future threat. Finally, payments for ecosystem services (PES) hold great promise for mangrove conservation, with carbon PES schemes (known as blue carbon) attracting attention. Although barriers remain to the implementation of PES, the potential to implement them at multiple scales exists. Closing the gap between mangrove conservation policies and action is crucial to the improved protection and management of this imperiled coastal ecosystem and to the livelihoods that depend on them.     

浅谈生态墙在乌鲁木齐生态城市建设中的作用

根据乌鲁木齐市的经济社会和城市规划建设现状,研究与构建乌鲁木齐城市生态框架,整治城市环境污染,提高环境质量,健全气流通道,协调水利,并通过绿色通道及“绿楔”、“绿脉”形成通畅的气流,恢复城市外部范围生物的正常输入和市中心区生物基因的自然调节使城市动植物群落之间相适宜,把乌鲁木齐市建成空气清新、景观秀丽、环境宜人的生态城市。