Use of native mosses as biomonitors of heavy metals and nitrogen deposition in the surroundings of two steel works

A biomonitoring survey using the moss species Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. was conducted in the surroundings of two steel plants located in the North of Spain. Levels of V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Pb and N were determined. Very high concentrations in the areas of study were detected when compared to nearby unaffected regions. Similar trends were observed for all the elements in the differently orientated transects, showing an appreciable influence of the NW prevailing winds of the region in the dispersion of pollutants, as well as a clear decreasing gradient in the concentrations of metals in mosses within a distance of 1500 meters from the facilities. A differentiation between the elements emitted by the chimney as result of the industrial activity (V, Cr, Ni, Cu and As) and those with a high presence in steel slag deposits (Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb) was observed. The range of contamination was also established by means of the Contamination Factor, indicating a category 4 out of 6 categories, which shows the high levels reported in the areas of study. A different dynamic was registered for nitrogen regarding the rest of the heavy metals analysed except for Hg, probably due to the elevated volatility and mobility of both elements, as well as their high persistence in the atmosphere.     

Correction to: Status and trends of circumpolar peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon populations

While collating contributions and comments from 36 researchers, the coordinating authors accidentally omitted Dr. Suzanne Carrière from the list of contributing co-authors. Dr. Carrière’s data are described in Tables 1 and 3, Figure 2 and several places in the narrative. The new author list is thus updated in this article.     

Pulmonary function evaluation of cats after one year of exposure to diesel exhaust

Adult male, inbred, disease-free cats of uniform age and size were exposed eight hours per day, seven days per week to a 1 : 18 dilution of diesel exhaust emissions. After one year of exposure, the animals were removed from the chambers for measurement of lung volumes, forced expiratory flow rates, dynamic compliance and resistance, diffusing capacity, and nitrogen washout. No important changes in pulmonary function were detected with the exception of a decrease in closing volume (P < 0.05). The inability to detect decrements in pulmonary function may have been due to insufficient cocentration of exhaust, insufficient exposure length, or to the use of a species resistant to diesel exhaust. To test these possibilities, the cats are being exposed for an additional year, and another species, hamsters, are being exposed for future testing at exhaust dilutions of 1 : 18 and 1 : 9.     

The development and application of remote sensing to monitor sand dune habitats

Sand dunes are complex systems that contain several habitats, often as mosaics or transitions between types. Several of these habitats are afforded protection under European Legislation and in the UK nationally within Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Natural England has a statutory duty to report to Europe on the conservation status and condition of sand dunes; and is required to report to the UK Government on designated sites. To achieve this we have sought ways of capturing, analysing and interpreting data on the extent and location of sand dune habitats. This requires an ability to be able to obtain data over large areas of coastline in an efficient way. Natural England and Environment Agency Geomatics have worked collaboratively for over 16 years, sharing data and ecological knowledge. In 2012 work started to evaluate the use of remote sensing to map UK BAP and Annex I sand dune habitats. A methodology has now been developed and tested to map sand dune habitats. The key objective was to provide an operational tool that will help to map these habitats and understand change on sites around England. This has been achieved through analysis of LIDAR and Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) data using Object Orientated Image Analysis. Quality Control (QC) and accuracy assessments have shown this approach to be successful and 11 sites have been mapped to date. These techniques are providing a new approach to monitoring change in coastal vegetation communities and informing management of protected sites.     

Status and trends of circumpolar peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon populations

Ambio - The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) are top avian predators of Arctic ecosystems. Although existing monitoring efforts are well established for both...     

Trace element uptake in plants grown on fly ash amended soils

Four crop plants were grown in a greenhouse in soils amended with 0, 5, 10, and 20% by weight of coal combustion fly ash to evaluate potential trace element uptake by the vegetation. The leaves and stems from each plant were harvested and analyzed for As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, Se, Tl, and Zn content during early, middle, and late growth. The trace element data were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine whether the trace element uptake in the four crop plants differed significantly between the soil treatments, and to identify significant differences in trace element uptake through time. The results show that the amount of amended fly ash does not significantly influence the concentration of most trace elements in plant tissue, and that some concentrations actually decrease with time. Although this study did not find a significant increase in trace element uptake, care must be taken in a natural environment where plants may behave differently.