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Non-native species are spreading at an unprecedented rate over large spatial scales, with global environmental change and growth in commerce providing novel opportunities for range expansion. Assessing the pattern and rate of spread is key to the development of strategies for safeguarding against future invasions and efficiently managing existing ones. Such assessments often depend on spatial distribution data from online repositories, which can be spatially biased, imprecise, and lacking in quantity. Here, the influence of disparities between occurrence records from online data repositories and what is known of the invasion history from peer-reviewed published literature on non-native species range expansion was evaluated using 6693 records of the Pacific oyster, Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793), spanning 56 years of its invasion in Europe. Two measures of spread were calculated: maximum rate of spread (distance from introduction site over time) and accumulated area (spatial expansion). Results suggest that despite discrepancies between online and peer-reviewed data sources, including a paucity of records from the early invasion history in online repositories, the use of either source does not result in significantly different estimates of spread. Our study significantly improves our understanding of the European distribution of M. gigas and suggests that a combination of short- and long-range dispersal drives range expansions. More widely, our approach provides a framework for comparison of online occurrence records and invasion histories as documented in the peer-reviewed literature, allowing critical evaluation of both data sources and improving our understanding of invasion dynamics significantly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During the next decade it will be necessary to develop novel combinations of management strategies to sustainably increase crop production and soil resilience. Improving agricultural productivity, while conserving and enhancing biotic and abiotic resources, is an essential requirement to increase global food production on a sustainable basis. The role of farmers in increasing agricultural productivity growth sustainably will be crucial. Farmers are at the center of any process of change involving natural resources and for this reason they need to be encouraged and guided, through appropriate incentives and governance practices, to conserve natural ecosystems and their biodiversity, and minimize the negative impact agriculture can have on the environment. Farmers and stakeholders need to revise traditional approaches not as productive as the modern approaches but more friendly with natural and environmental ecosystems values as well as emerging novel tools and approaches addressing precise farming, organic amendments, lowered water consumption, integrated pest control and beneficial plant-microbe interactions. While practical solutions are developing, science based recommendations for crop rotations, breeding and harvest/postharvest strategies leading to environmentally sound and pollinator friendly production and better life in rural areas have to be provided., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Although coastal eutrophication is generally recognised as a recent phenomenon related to the well-documented increase in riverine nutrient delivery during the last 30 or 40 years, a few historical records paradoxically show that, in some places like the Southern Bight of the North Sea, or the Northern Adriatic, algal proliferation as intense as presently observed was already regularly occurring at the end of the 19th century. Estimated riverine nutrient loads from diffuse sources or from domestic point sources of waste water at that time are too low to account for these observations. We attempted a retrospective evaluation of the possible contribution of industrial activity to nutrient river loading. The figures indicate that, by the end of the last century, large scale use of traditional processes in textile and paper industries, in tanneries, candles factories and others was responsible for a dominant part of the nutrient load carried by rivers in Western Europe and could have caused nutrient inputs to coastal zones similar to the present ones.

This opinion paper introduces a special series of articles dedicated to freshwater benthic algae and their use in assessment and monitoring. This special series was inspired by talks presented at the 9th International Congress on the Use of Algae for Monitoring Rivers and Comparable Habitats (Trento, Italy, 2015), the latest of a series of meetings started in 1991. In this paper, we will first provide a brief overview of phytobenthos methods in Europe. Then, we will turn towards the ‘dark side’ of phytobenthos and describe four particular problems for phytobenthos assessment in the European Union: (1) over-reliance on a single group of algae (mostly diatoms) to the exclusion of other groups; (2) relatively low adoption of benthic algae for ecological assessments in lakes; (3) absence of measures of phytobenthos abundance; (4) approaches used to define boundaries between ecological classes. Following this, we evaluate the strengths and limitations of current phytobenthos assessment methods against 12 criteria for method evaluation addressing four areas: ecological rationale, performance, feasibility of implementation, and use in communication and management. Using these criteria, we identify and discuss three general challenges for those developing new methods for phytobenthos-based assessment: a weak ecological rationale and insufficient consideration of the role of phytobenthos as a diagnostic tool and for communicating ecosystem health beyond a narrow group of specialists. The papers in the special series allow a comparison with the situation and approaches in the USA, present new methods for the assessment of ecological status and acidification, provide tools for an improved management of headwaters and petrifying springs, discuss the utility of phytobenthos for lake assessments, and test the utility of functional measures (such as biofilm phosphorus uptake capacity, PUC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prescribed burning is a technically demanding and usually highly scrutinized and debated practice. Barriers of various natures have constrained the development of prescribed burning in forests (PUB) in southern Europe, with insufficient research and outreach among the contributing factors. This paper synthesizes PUB knowledge in the region and identifies research needs. PUB research in the western Mediterranean basin was fostered by international cooperative projects that studied the ecological and management ramifications of low-intensity burning for fire hazard mitigation. Effects of PUB on soil and vegetation are minor and short-lived and regulated through forest floor moisture content, fire intensity, tree resistance to fire, and ignition patterns. Generic burn prescriptions are available and specific burn windows targeting site-specific burn objectives can be developed with the existing software tools. However, the need to increase the depth and breadth of PUB research is apparent. Current knowledge is based upon pine forests, particularly Pinus pinaster , as past research has overlooked hardwoods; was obtained across a limited number of research teams and study sites; and essentially reflects short-term treatments. Fuel consumption by PUB effectively decreases fire potential, but post-treatment fuel dynamics and effects on wildfire spread and severity warrant further study. Future work should devote more attention to the socioeconomic, biodiversity and carbon storage implications of PUB and should expand to encompass cumulative effects and the whole PUB regime and its variation; long-term experiments and monitored management programs are crucial to this end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is an important external driver of European agricultural production. Nowadays and in its envisioned future structure post-2020, the CAP has among its major objectives tackling climate change, for what concerns both adaptation and mitigation strategies. However, little is known about the link between past CAP reforms and agricultural greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. This paper investigates the possible role played by the Fischler Reform (FR) on the agricultural GHG emissions at the farm level. The FR represents a major CAP reform for which data availability allows an ex-post analysis about its actual impacts. The empirical analysis concerns a balanced panel of 6542 Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network observed over years the 2003–2007. Multinomial Logit models are estimated in sequence to express how the farm-level production choices, and the respective emissions, vary over time also in response to CAP expenditure. Results suggest that CAP expenditure had a role in the evolution of the farm-level emissions, though the direction of this effect may differ across farms and deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a demand regarding the assessment of release of dangerous substances from construction products was raised by European Commission which has issued the Mandate M/366 addressed to CEN. This action is in relation with the Essential Requirement No. 3 “Hygiene, Health and Environment” of the Construction Products Directive (89/106/EC). The potential hazard for environment and health may arise in different life cycle stages of a construction product. During the service life stage, the release of substances due to contact with the rain water is the main potential hazard source, as a consequence of the leaching phenomenon. The objective of this paper is to present the development of a coupled chemical-transport model for the case of a concrete based construction product, i.e. concrete paving slabs, exposed to rain water under outdoor exposure conditions. The development of the model is based on an iterative process of comparing the experimental results with the simulated results up to an acceptable fit. The experiments were conducted at laboratory scale (equilibrium and dynamic leaching tests) and field scale. The product was exposed for one year in two types of leaching scenarios under outdoor conditions, “runoff” and “stagnation”, and the element release was monitored. The model was calibrated using the experimental data obtained at laboratory scale and validated against measured field data, by taking into account the specific rain water balance and the atmospheric CO2 uptake as input parameters. The numerical tool used in order to model and simulate the leaching behaviour was PHREEQC, coupled with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) thermodynamic data base. The simulation results are satisfying and the paper demonstrates the feasibility of the modelling approach for the leaching behaviour assessment of concrete type construction materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

More than 130 million microwaves are affected by European Union (EU) legislation which is aimed at reducing the consumption of electricity in the standby mode (‘Standby Regulation’) and at more sustainable management of end-of-life electrical and electronic waste (‘WEEE Directive’). While legislation focuses on these two life cycle stages, there is little information on the environmental impacts of the entire life cycle of microwaves. To address this gap, this paper presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment of microwaves and assesses the environmental implications of the Standby Regulation and the WEEE Directive at the EU level. The impacts are first considered at the level of individual appliances and then at the EU level, with the aim of evaluating the potential environmental implications of the full implementation of the above two EU regulations by 2020. The effects of the electricity decarbonisation and the expected increase in the number of microwaves in use have also been considered. The results suggest that implementation of the EU regulation by 2020 will reduce the environmental impacts considered by 4%–9% compared to the current situation. The majority of these reductions is due to the Standby Regulation, with the contribution of the WEEE Directive being small (~ 0.3%). However, the expected decarbonisation of electricity will result in much higher reductions (6%–24%) for most impact categories. The results also show that the materials used to manufacture the microwaves, the manufacturing process and end-of-life disposal are environmental hot-spots for several impacts, including depletion of abiotic elements. Therefore, efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of a future electricity mix should be combined with the development of specific eco-design regulations for microwaves that stipulate optimisation of resource consumption. Possible future trends, such as shorter lifetimes and limited availability of some resources, make the development of such product regulations more critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic matter (OM) has numerous geochemical and ecological functions in inland waters and can affect water quality. Different parameters of aquatic OM are measured with various methods as no single analytical tool can provide definitive structural or functional information about it. In the present paper we review different OM metrics used in the European Union (EU) lake surveillance monitoring programmes and assess their suitability to provide sufficient data about the brownification and enrichment with oxygen consuming substances in European lakes. In the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), metrics of OM are not mandatory physico-chemical parameters, but only recommended parameters to characterize water transparency, oxygenation conditions or acidification status. Our analysis shows that, as lake OM is monitored under the WFD in only 14 countries, no Europe-wide conclusions on the situation regarding brownification and organic enrichment can be drawn based on these data. Applied parameters in lake surveillance monitoring programmes are biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), water colour (WCol), and yellow substance. Different national OM metrics used avoid getting a broad picture of lake OM concentration changes in Europe over the last decades. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that the possibilities to convert different OM parameters to each other are limited because empirical relationships between them are region-specific. OM sensors for continuous measurements and remote sensing surveys could improve the effectiveness of lake OM monitoring, especially its temporal and spatial representativeness. It would be highly suggested to include in lake monitoring programmes also methods (e.g. absorbance or fluorescence spectroscopy) allowing to characterize the composition of OM as it influences strongly the biogeochemical role of OM in lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the second half of the 20th century farming systems in hilly and mountainous areas of Mediterranean Europe were progressively abandoned and the forest cover subsequently re-expanded. This paper investigates the environmental impacts of land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes on hydrological ecosystem functions (HEFs) in the Upper Alento River Catchment (UARC) in southern Italy. We document the human-driven post-war landscape in 1955 with its maximum expansion of pasture and crops. By 1998 forest cover had doubled and cropland had roughly halved due to decades of land abandonment and reduction in human pressure. In 2015 secondary forests occupied about 70% of the catchment and orchards about 20%. The 1998 land-use scenario was implemented within the Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) model which was calibrated and validated by direct water yield measurements recorded in the period 1995–2004 in the water reservoir delimited by an earth-dam located at the UARC outlet. Numerical simulations, assumed under “steady” climate conditions, offer “pseudo-realistic” scenarios that help interpret differences in water budget and sediment transport when the 1998 land-use scenario is compared to those of 1955 and 2015. With reference to funding opportunities offered by the European Union in the recent decades, this study provides some practical guidance on the impact of cropland reconversion on HEFs and on measures to mitigate soil erosion in this Mediterranean area. Viewed from the demand-side perspective, natural re-expansion of forest and afforestation reduce water yield and increase actual evapotranspiration. However, our modeling results are framed also within a supply - side approach examining the sensitivity of water yield to precipitation characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is widespread across the EU and has caused considerable impacts on freshwater ecosystems. To revert the degradation caused to streams and rivers, research and restoration efforts have been developed to recover ecosystem functions and services, with the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) playing a significant role in strengthening the progress. Analysing recent peer-reviewed European literature (2009–2016), this review explores 1) the conflicts and difficulties faced when restoring agriculturally impacted streams, 2) the aspects relevant to effectively reconcile agricultural land uses and healthy riverine ecosystems and 3) the effects and potential shortcomings of the first WFD management cycle. Our analysis reveals significant progress in restoration efforts, but it also demonstrates an urgent need for a higher number and detail of restoration projects reported in the peer-reviewed literature. The first WFD cycle ended in 2015 without reaching the goal of good ecological status in many European water-bodies. Addressing limitations reported in recent papers, including difficulties in stakeholder integration and importance of small headwater streams, is crucial. Analysing recent developments on stakeholder engagement through structured participatory processes will likely reduce perception discrepancies and increase stakeholder interest during the next WFD planning cycle. Despite an overall dominance of nutrient-related research, studies are spreading across many important topics (e.g. stakeholder management, land use conflicts, climate change effects), which may play an important role in guiding future policy. Our recommendations are important for the second WFD cycle because they 1) help secure the development and dissemination of science-based restoration strategies and 2) provide guidance for future research needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though researchers have paid a great deal of attention to wetland loss and status, the actual extent of wetland loss on a global scale, especially the loss caused directly by human activities, and the actual extent of currently surviving wetlands remains uncertain. This paper simulated the potential distribution of global wetlands by employing a new Precipitation Topographic Wetness Index (PTWI) and global remote sensing training samples. The results show earth would have approximately 29.83 million km 2 of wetlands, if humans did not interfere with wetland ecosystems. By combining datasets related to global wetlands, we found that at least 33% of global wetlands had been lost as of 2009, including 4.58 million km 2 of non-water wetlands and 2.64 million km 2 of open water. The areal extent of wetland loss has been greatest in Asia, but Europe has experienced the most serious losses. Wetland-related datasets suffer from major inconsistencies, and estimates of the areal extent of the remaining global wetlands ranged from 1.53 to 14.86 million km 2 . Therefore, although it is challenging, thematic mapping of global wetlands is necessary and urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-perennial rivers and streams (NPRS) cover > 50% of the global river network. They are particularly predominant in Mediterranean Europe as a result of dry climate conditions, climate change and land use development. Historically, both scientists and policy makers underestimated the importance of NRPS for nature and humans alike, mainly because they have been considered as systems of low ecological and economic value. During the past decades, diminishing water resources have increased the spatial and temporal extent of artificial NPRS as well as their exposure to multiple stressors, which threatening their ecological integrity, biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of the structural and functional characteristics of NPRS in the European Mediterranean, and discuss gaps and problems in their management, concerning their typology, ecological assessment, legislative and policy protection, and incorporation in River Basin Management Plans. Because NPRS comprise highly unstable ecosystems, with strong and often unpredictable temporal and spatial variability – at least as far as it is possible to assess – we outline the future research needs required to better understand, manage and conserve them as highly valuable and sensitive ecosystems. Efficient collaborative activities among multidisciplinary research groups aiming to create innovative knowledge, water managers and policy makers are urgently needed in order to establish an appropriate methodological and legislative background. The incorporation of NPRS in EU-Med River Basin Management Plans in combination with the application of ecological flows is a first step towards enhancing NPRS management and conservation in order to effectively safeguard these highly valuable albeit threatened ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term energy poverty is used to describe a situation of a household not able to satisfy socially and materially the required levels of its energy services. Energy and fuel poverty is an increasing problem in the European Union. Although the specific conditions vary from country to country the drivers defining fuel and energy poverty are similar in all Europe. This paper aims to present the state of the art regarding the energy demand and indoor environmental quality of low income households in Europe. The characteristics of this specific population group are presented including details on the specific energy consumption, the indoor comfort and finally the impact of the specific living conditions on the occupants' health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer products are frequently and regularly used in the domestic environment. Realistic estimates for product use are required for exposure modelling and health risk assessment. This paper provides significant data that can be used as input for such modelling studies. A European survey was conducted, within the framework of the DG Sanco-funded EPHECT project, on the household use of 15 consumer products. These products are all-purpose cleaners, kitchen cleaners, floor cleaners, glass and window cleaners, bathroom cleaners, furniture and floor polish products, combustible air fresheners, spray air fresheners, electric air fresheners, passive air fresheners, coating products for leather and textiles, hair styling products, spray deodorants and perfumes. The analysis of the results from the household survey (1st phase) focused on identifying consumer behaviour patterns (selection criteria, frequency of use, quantities, period of use and ventilation conditions during product use). This can provide valuable input to modelling studies, as this information is not reported in the open literature. The above results were further analysed (2nd phase), to provide the basis for the development of ‘ most representative worst-case scenarios ’ regarding the use of the 15 products by home-based population groups (housekeepers and retired people), in four geographical regions in Europe. These scenarios will be used for the exposure and health risk assessment within the EPHECT project. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that daily worst-case scenarios are presented in the scientific published literature concerning the use of a wide range of 15 consumer products across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sarno River trend analysis during the last 60 years was traced focusing on the socio-economic and environmental issues. The river, originally worshiped as a god by Romans, is affected by an extreme level of environmental degradation, being sadly reputed as the most polluted river in Europe. This is the “not to be followed” example of the worst way a European river can be managed. Data about water, sediment, soil, biota and air contamination were collected from scientific papers, monitoring surveys, and technical reports depicting a sick river. Originally, the river was reputed as a source of livelihood, now it is considered a direct threat for human health. Wastewater can still flow through the river partially or completely untreated, waste production associated with the manufacture of metal products and leather tanning continues to suffer from the historical inadequacy of regional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), associated with the partial or no reuse of effluents. All efforts should be devoted to solving the lack of wastewater and waste management, the gap in land planning, improving the capacity of existing WWTPs also via the construction of new sewer sections, restoring Sarno River minimum vital-flow, keeping to a minimum uncontrolled discharges as well as supporting river contracts. The 2015 goal stated by the Water Framework Directive ( 2000/60/EC ) is still far to be reached. The lesson has not been learnt yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the inhalation nickel (Ni) exposure of humans via the environment for the regional scale in the EU, together with a tiered approach for assessing additional local exposure from industrial emissions. The approach was designed, in the context of REACH, for the purpose of assessing and controlling emissions and air quality in the neighbourhood of Ni producers and downstream users. Two Derived No Effect Level (DNEL) values for chronic inhalation exposure to total Ni in PM 10 (20 and 60 ng Ni/m 3 ) were considered. The value of 20 ng Ni/m 3 is the current EU air quality guidance value. The value of 60 ng Ni/m 3 is derived here based on recently published Ni data (Oller et al., 2014). Both values are protective for respiratory toxicity and carcinogenicity but differ in the application of toxicokinetic adjustments and cancer threshold considerations. Estimates of air Ni concentrations at the European regional scale were derived from the database of the European Environment Agency. The 50th and 90th percentile regional exposures were below both DNEL values. To assess REACH compliance at the local scale, measured ambient air data are preferred but are often unavailable. A tiered approach for the use of modelled ambient air concentrations was developed, starting with the application of the default EUSES model and progressing to more sophisticated models. As an example, the tiered approach was applied to 33 EU Ni sulphate producers' and downstream users' sites. Applying the EUSES model demonstrates compliance with a DNEL of 60 ng Ni/m 3 for the majority of sites, while the value of the refined modelling is demonstrated when a DNEL of 20 ng Ni/m 3 is considered. The proposed approach, applicable to metals in general, can be used in the context of REACH, for refining the risk characterisation and guiding the selection of risk management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is now well established as the key management imperative in river basins across Europe. However, there remain significant concerns with the way WFD is implemented and there is now a need for water managers and scientists to communicate better in order to find solutions to these concerns. To address this, a Science-Policy Interface (SPI) activity was launched in 2010 led by Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and Onema (the French national agency for water and aquatic ecosystems), which provided an interactive forum to connect scientists and WFD end-users. One major aim of the SPI activity was to establish a list of the most crucial research and development needs for enhancing WFD implementation. This paper synthesises the recommendations from this event highlighting 10 priority issues relating to ecological status. For lakes, temporary streams and transitional and coastal waters, WFD implementation still suffers from a lack of WFD-compliant bioassessment methods. For rivers, special attention is required to assess the ecological impacts of hydromorphological alterations on biological communities, notably those affecting river continuity and riparian covering. Spatial extrapolation tools are needed in order to evaluate ecological status for water bodies for which no data are available. The need for more functional bioassessment tools as complements to usual WFD-compliant tools, and to connect clearly good ecological state, biodiversity and ecosystem services when implementing WFD were also identified as crucial issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the current knowledge on climate change impacts on mass movement activity in mountain environments by illustrating characteristic cases of debris flows, rock slope failures and landslides from the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps. It is expected that events are likely to occur less frequently during summer, whereas the anticipated increase of rainfall in spring and fall could likely alter debris-flow activity during the shoulder seasons (March, April, November, and December). The magnitude of debris flows could become larger due to larger amounts of sediment delivered to the channels and as a result of the predicted increase in heavy precipitation events. At the same time, however, debris-flow volumes in high-mountain areas will depend chiefly on the stability and/or movement rates of permafrost bodies, and destabilized rock glaciers could lead to debris flows without historic precedents in the future. The frequency of rock slope failures is likely to increase, as excessively warm air temperatures, glacier shrinkage, as well as permafrost warming and thawing will affect and reduce rock slope stability in the direction that adversely affects rock slope stability. Changes in landslide activity in the French and Western Italian Alps will likely depend on differences in elevation. Above 1500 m asl, the projected decrease in snow season duration in future winters and springs will likely affect the frequency, number and seasonality of landslide reactivations. In Piemonte, for instance, 21st century landslides have been demonstrated to occur more frequently in early spring and to be triggered by moderate rainfalls, but also to occur in smaller numbers. On the contrary, and in line with recent observations, events in autumn, characterized by a large spatial density of landslide occurrences might become more scarce in the Piemonte region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The CAQI or Common Air Quality Index was proposed to facilitate the comparison of air quality in European cities in real-time. There are many air quality indices in use in the world. All are somewhat different in concept and presentation and comparing air quality presentations of cities on the internet was virtually impossible. The CAQI and the accompanying website www.airqualitynow.eu and app were proposed to overcome this problem in Europe. This paper describes the logic of making an index, in particular the CAQI and its update with a grid for PM2.5. To assure a smooth transition to the new calculation scheme we studied the behaviour of the index before and after the changes. We used 2006 Airbase data from 31 urban background and 27 street stations all across Europe (that were monitoring PM2.5 in 2006). The CAQI characterises a city by a roadside and urban background situation. It also insists on a minimum number of pollutants to be included in the calculation. Both were deemed necessary to improve the basis for comparing one city to another. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates the comparative behaviour of the street and urban background stations and presents the sensitivity of the CAQI outcome to the pollutants included in its calculation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the framework of the European Directive 2002-49-EU, the medium sized cities of Volos and Larissa in central Greece recently completed (2012) their strategic noise maps and relevant action plans that define the main strategies to reduce noise exposure of residents and introduce and preserve “quite zones”. For the first time in this framework, it has been decided to introduce, as well, a general study for five specific urban districts covering not only the measurement and modeling of environmental noise levels but also qualitative surveys on the sound perception by the residents and several analyses of the urban and architectural tissue. The districts (respectively four in Volos and one in Larissa with the two of them in the center of both agglomerations) were chosen as representatives of urban situations due to their proximity to transportation infrastructures (main road network, industrial harbor facilities and both regional and intercity train network) and also because they represent different urban typologies (residential district, downtown area with or without shops, more or less densely populated neighborhood, etc.…). Sociological surveys on sound and noise perception have been implemented on some 15% of the residents per district using opened questionnaires. Soundscape analysis was also conducted through qualitative criteria. A cross-analysis of these data explains in detail the physical reasons for the existence of sound qualities that contribute to the identity of each distinct neighborhood. This paper, in a strategic plan level, has introduced valuable recommendations in order not only to preserve the sound quality on the existing sites but also to authorize developers and decision makers (mayors, architects, town planners) to evolve them positively over time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Several studies in Germany aimed at the development of a sound database on existing waste prevention measures by public bodies at the local, regional and federal levels. These results are the starting point for the creation of a national prevention program, which has to be presented by all European Member States until the end of 2013 — due to the revised European Waste Framework Directive. Based on this empirical foundation, this paper draws conclusions with regard to drivers and barriers for eco-innovations in the field of waste prevention. The analysis shows that an optimized adaptation of information on waste prevention to the needs of specific target groups is still missing but could be a relevant driver. With regard to barriers the results of the study show that waste prevention is by no means always a win–win-situation. Institutional frameworks are missing to coordinate the different interests and for the exchange of experiences that could help to realize learning effects regarding innovation approaches. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A review by Hollander et al. (in preparation), discusses the relative potentials, advantages and shortcomings of spatial and non spatial models of chemical fate, highlighting that spatially explicit models may be needed for specific purposes. The present paper reviews the state of the art in spatially explicit chemical fate and transport modeling in Europe. We summarize the three main approaches currently adopted in spatially explicit modeling, namely (1) multiple box models, (2) numerical solutions of simultaneous advection–dispersion equations (ADE) in air, soil and water, and (3) the development of meta-models. As all three approaches experience limitations, we describe in further detail geographic information system (GIS)-based modeling as an alternative approach allowing a simple, yet spatially explicit description of chemical fate. We review the input data needed, and the options available for their retrieval at the European scale. We also discuss the importance of, and limitations in model evaluation. We observe that the high uncertainty in chemical emissions and physico-chemical behavior in the environment make realistic simulations difficult to obtain. Therefore we envisage a shift in model use from process simulation to hypothesis testing, in which explaining the discrepancies between observed and computed chemical concentrations in the environment takes importance over prediction per se. This shift may take advantage of using simple models in GIS with residual uses of complex models for detailed studies. It also calls for tighter joint interpretation of models and spatially distributed monitoring datasets, and more refined spatial representation of environmental drivers such as landscape and climate variables, and better emission estimates. In summary, we conclude that the problem is not “how to compute” (i.e. emphasis on numerical methods, spatial/temporal discretization, quantitative uncertainty and sensitivity analysis…) but “what to compute” (i.e. emphasis on spatial distribution of emissions, and the depiction of appropriate spatial patterns of environmental drivers). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper addresses problems arising from effects of natural environmental factors on toxicity of pollutants to organisms. Most studies on interactions between toxicants and natural factors, including those completed in the EU project NoMiracle (Novel Methods for Integrated Risk Assessment of Cumulative Stressors in Europe) described herein, showed that effects of toxic chemicals on organisms can differ vastly depending purely on external conditions. We compiled data from 61 studies on effects of temperature, moisture and dissolved oxygen on toxicity of a range of chemicals representing pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, plant protection products of bacterial origin and trace metals. In 62.3% cases significant interactions (p ≤0.05 or less) between natural factors and chemicals were found, reaching 100% for the effect of dissolved oxygen on toxicity of waterborne chemicals. The meta-analysis of the 61 studies showed that the null hypothesis assuming no interactions between toxic chemicals and natural environmental factors should be rejected at p =2.7×10−82 (truncated product method probability). In a few cases of more complex experimental designs, also second-order interactions were found, indicating that natural factors can modify interactions among chemicals. Such data emphasize the necessity of including information on natural factors and their variation in time and across geographic regions in ecological risk assessment. This can be done only if appropriate ecotoxicological test designs are used, in which test organisms are exposed to toxicants at a range of environmental conditions. We advocate designing such tests for the second-tier ecological risk assessment procedures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Large-scale use of leaded gasoline was an important source of the neurotoxin lead in the European environment. After a sequence of regulations on the allowed gasoline lead content and, eventually, a ban on the use of lead additives in gasoline, road transport was no longer considered a source of atmospheric lead. Currently a discrepancy exists between measured atmospheric lead concentrations and model-predicted concentrations, suggesting that lead emissions to the atmosphere may be underestimated. Recently it was suggested that lead emission from unleaded gasoline combustion is still an important source and may (partly) fill the gap between modelled and observed atmospheric lead concentrations. In this paper we assess the plausibility of the latter suggestion by following various emission estimation methodologies. The uncertainty of lead emissions from road transport is further reduced by chemical analysis of fuel samples. The result of our assessment is that lead from road transport fuel combustion is not the missing lead source needed to fill the gap between modelled and observed lead concentrations. Road transport is still a source of lead through brake wear and a small contribution from exhaust emissions but this contributes no more than 5–8% of the EU25 total emission. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The impact of climate change on monuments and historic buildings is addressed for the first time, in terms of modelling and predicting thermal stress on stone in Europe over the next century. While the effect of changing climate on frost in porous materials and on surface recession of carbonate stone, has recently been treated, prediction of the future evolution of thermal stress on stones still requires elucidation. The present paper provides maps showing future scenarios of thermal stress on Carrara marble for the 21st century, using the output data from the Hadley general and regional climate models in the European window. The work carried out made it possible to forecast in the near and far futures (i.e. 2010–2039, 2070–2099) the number of events per year of thermal stress in marble greater than 20 MPa, the latter being adopted as the maximum sustainable load for this specific material. The data demonstrate that the Mediterranean area will continue to experience the highest level of risk from thermal stress, with more than 300 events/year predicted in the 2070–2099 period. In addition, Central Europe will be more affected by thermal stress during the present century compared to the baseline period, 1961–1990, taken as reference. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Climate change is currently attracting interest at both research and policy levels. However, it is usually explored in terms of its effect on agriculture, water, industry, energy, transport and health and as yet has been insufficiently addressed as a factor threatening cultural heritage. Among the climate parameters critical to heritage conservation and expected to change in the future, precipitation plays an important role in surface recession of stone. The Lipfert function has been taken under consideration to quantify the annual surface recession of carbonate stone, due to the effects of clean rain, acid rain and dry deposition of pollutants. The present paper provides Europe-wide maps showing quantitative predictions of surface recession on carbonate stones for the 21st century, combining a modified Lipfert function with output from the Hadley global climate model. Chemical dissolution of carbonate stones, via the karst effect, will increase with future CO2 concentrations, and will come to dominate over sulfur deposition and acid rain effects on monuments and buildings in both urban and rural areas. During the present century the rainfall contribution to surface recession is likely to have a small effect, while the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration is shown to be the main factor in increasing weathering via the karst effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes work carried out within the EU-funded FOOTPRINT project to characterize the diversity of European agricultural and environmental conditions with respect to parameters which most influence the environmental fate of pesticides. Pan-European datasets for soils, climate, land cover and cropping were intersected, using GIS, to identify the full range of unique combinations of climate, soil and crop types which characterize European agriculture. The resulting FOOTPRINT European agro-environmental dataset constitutes a large number of polygons (approximately 1,700,000) with attribute data files for i) area fractions of annual crops related to each arable-type polygon (as an indicator of its probability of occurrence); and, ii) area fractions of each soil type in each polygon (as an indicator of its probability of occurrence). A total of 25,044 unique combinations of climate zones, agricultural land cover classes, administrative units and soil map units were identified. The same soil/crop combinations occur in many polygons which have the same climate while the fractions of the soils and arable crops are different. The number of unique combinations of climate, soil and agricultural land cover class is therefore only 7961. 26-year daily meteorological data, soil profile characteristics and crop management features were associated with each unique combination. The agro-environmental scenarios developed can be used to underpin the parameterization of environmental fate models for pesticides and should also have relevance for other agricultural pollutants. The implications for the improvement and further development of risk assessment procedures for pesticides are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Europe, the last two decades witnessed growing water stress, both in terms of water scarcity and quality deterioration, which prompted many municipalities for a more efficient use of the water resources, including a more widespread acceptance of water reuse practices. Treatment technology encompasses a vast variety of options. Constructed wetlands are regarded as key elements in polishing conventionally treated wastewater for recreational and environmental applications. A survey was conducted to assess the performance of tertiary free water surface constructed wetlands in treating both key and emerging contaminant categories in the perspective of water reuse. A database was created with information concerning systems with emerging and free-floating macrophytes. The database includes results from both full-and pilot-scale systems, and considers a broad variety of operating conditions. This paper provides an overview of the treatment performances of the constructed wetlands in the database and discusses their significance in the optic of water reclamation and reuse practices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mine water pollution is a major cause of surface-and groundwater pollution in former mining districts throughout Europe. It is a potential barrier to achieving good status water bodies, which is a requirement of the EU Water Framework Directive. In the UK, a concerted effort has been made over the last decade or so to address the scientific and practical challenges relating to the remediation of mine water pollution. However, most of this work has focused on remediation of point sources of pollution (typically arising from abandoned mines and shafts), while the behaviour of mine water at the groundwater–surface water interface (the “hyporheic zone”) has received far less attention in relevant scientific and engineering literature. The extent of mine water pollution and capacity for its attenuation at the hyporheic zone has not been well quantified while, furthermore, the complex chemical and microbial processes occurring there (specifically with reference to mining-derived pollutants) have not been investigated in any depth. The absence of such data may relate, in a large part, to the difficulty in physically measuring volumes and concentrations associated with these river inputs/exports. A far greater body of literature addresses biogeochemical processes at the hyporheic zone (especially relating to manganese), albeit many such articles relate to aqueous metal dynamics in general, rather than mine water specifically. This paper presents a review of the natural attenuation processes that may limit the movement and availability of mining-derived pollutants at the groundwater–surface water (GW–SW) interface, and specifically within the hyporheic zone. A substantial part focuses on precipitation and adsorption processes at the hyporheic zone, as well as discussing the role of microbial processes in governing metal ion mobility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Diffuse pollution of water resources from agricultural sources is a major environmental issue in the European Union, and has been dealt with by specific legislation: the Nitrate Directive of 1991 and the Water Framework Directive of 2000. These attempts to provide a coordinated approach to solving environmental problems require methods and tools for spatial analysis and modelling on a continental scale, with river basins being used as spatial units. This paper presents a screening model (Ag-PIE), developed in a GIS environment, for the assessment of pressures from agricultural land use and the consequent impacts on surface and groundwater. Ag-PIE has been applied at the European scale (EU15), with focus on nitrogen pollution from chemical fertilisers and manure. The model adopts a multi-criteria evaluation procedure applied to spatial data layers which represent the variety of factors affecting the pollution process. The DPSIR (Driving forces, Pressures, State, Impact, Responses) approach is applied to provide the modelling approach with a conceptual framework and to further analyse and communicate results. Ag-PIE is ultimately aimed at providing a tool making use of state-of-the-art geographical databases to support policy-makers at the European level. The scale of reference adopted is the river basin, in particular those that extend across national boundaries. The quality of the results obtained has been assessed against existing related studies and monitoring reports and by means of sensitivity analysis. Conclusions are driven by considering the potential of Ag-PIE in devising policy support and its strengths and weaknesses in view of identifying future research needs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) (2002/96/EC), to be implemented in stages from August 2004, attempts to tackle the growing quantity WEEE by making producers responsible for the costs of the collection and recycling of their products at the end of usable life. This is considered to give producers a financial incentive to reduce waste at source through eco-design. This link is, however, under-researched and little is known generally about the effectiveness of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and policies to promote it. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study to address these important gaps in knowledge. Literature review was used to develop an analytical framework to explain the relationships between the drivers for eco-design and the role of policies to promote EPR. This was applied to eight case studies of firms from the European lighting sector. While quantitative data to confirm the link between EPR and eco-design were difficult to obtain, the case studies showed that EPR has had little effect on product development so far. Within the sector studied, most producers have been able to pass on incremental costs associated with EPR to customers with negligible effects on sales. This reflects perceptions in the lighting sector that, because demand for products is relatively price inelastic and the regulation affects all producers equally, EPR is unlikely to drive eco-design at least in the short run. The cases also showed that choice between individual and centrally provided waste recovery schemes rested on perceptions of relative costs and practicability. It was evident that other drivers, such as bans on hazardous substances, product declarations and supply chain pressures, were often more effective promoters of eco-design. Thus it seems a mix of policy measures is required rather than reliance on economic instruments alone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The socio-economic and ecological value of wetland ecosystems is widely acknowledged. As a result, considerable efforts are now being made to rehabilitate and in some cases recreate wetlands throughout Europe. An option for the restoration of worked-out peat pits is to establish reed beds. Ham Wall, located in Somerset in the UK, comprises reed bed and a mosaic of other wetland habitats that has been constructed as a wildlife area. Since 1996, water chemistry has been monitored for a 16.5 ha wetland compartment planted with reeds in July 1995. Water is pumped into the reed bed from Ham Wall Rhyne, a drainage ditch supplied with nutrient-rich runoff from the surrounding agricultural land. The principal objectives of the research described in this paper were to investigate differences in the chemistry of water from different locations in the vicinity of the wetland and to evaluate seasonal changes and trends in water quality as the reeds matured. The results obtained provide insight into the biogeochemical functioning of the wetland system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

International cooperation has contributed to major declines in SO2 emission and S deposition during the last two decades in Europe. The chemical recovery from already anthropogenically acidified sites however, has been slow. In the present paper, long-term trends of chemical fluxes from nine selected forested reference catchments were studied, to detect recovery from acidification and leaching of S and base cations (BC). A decline in S deposition resulted in a decreased flux of non-marine sulfate (SO4*) in seven of nine streams, with statistically significant changes in four. The two cases with slight increases in SO4* flux resulted from increasing water flow. The SO4* decrease was followed by a recovery from acidification in terms of increased ANC flux in those sites in southern Sweden that were chronically acidified. The recovery was probably slowed down by leaching of SO4 from the soil and a decrease in the flux of BC. A better understanding of the processes for leaching of SO4 and BC is needed in order to quantify the need for further restrictions of sulfur emissions to allow a long term recovery of acidified catchments. The flux calculations available from small catchments such as those in this study, are of value for that understanding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines the potential effects on car exhaust emissions of a range of alternative lead replacement gasolines in the context of south European countries such as Greece. The main objective of this study was to assess the effects on emissions from non-catalyst passenger vehicles by the substitution of leaded (‘super’) gasoline with Euro95 unleaded enriched with the additive MMT or other alternative to leaded gasoline fuels. Regulated emissions, two non-regulated pollutants and vehicle performance were measured on two catalyst-equipped and two conventional, non-catalyst vehicles. It was found that there was no measurable effect on regulated emissions (CO, HC and NOx) and on fuel consumption by the introduction of the lead replacement fuels for both catalyst and non-catalyst cars. In the case of the non-catalyst car, the shift from leaded to unleaded gasoline was associated with an increase in benzene and formaldehyde emissions, a trend probably attributable to the increased aromatics content of the lead replacement fuels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chronic exposure to ambient PM 2.5 is the largest environmental health risk in Europe. We used a chemical transport model and recent exposure response functions to simulate ambient PM 2.5 , contribution from fires and related health impacts over Europe from 1990 to 2019. Our estimation indicates that the excess death burden from exposure to ambient PM2.5 declined across Europe at a rate of 10,000 deaths per year, from 0.57 million (95 % confidence intervals: 0.44-0.75 million) in 1990 to 0.28 million (0.19-0.42 million) in the specified period. Among these excess deaths, approximately 99 % were among adults, while only around 1 % occurred among children. Our findings reveal a steady increase in fire mortality fractions (excess deaths from fires per 1000 deaths from ambient PM 2.5 ) from 2 in 1990 to 13 in 2019. Notably, countries in Eastern Europe exhibited significantly higher fire mortality fractions and experienced more pronounced increases compared to those in Western and Central Europe. We performed sensitivity analyses by considering fire PM 2.5 to be more toxic as compared to other sources, as indicated by recent studies. By considering fire PM 2.5 to be more toxic than other PM 2.5 sources results in an increased relative contribution of fires to excess deaths, reaching 2.5-13 % in 2019. Our results indicate the requirement of larger mitigation and adaptation efforts and more sustainable forest management policies to avert the rising health burden from fires., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Throughout history, humans have relied on wood for constructions, tool production or as an energy source. How and to what extent these human activities have impacted plant abundance and composition over a long-term perspective is, however, not well known. To address this knowledge gap, we combined 44,239 precisely dated tree-ring samples from economically and ecologically important tree species (spruce, fir, pine, oak) from historical buildings, and pollen-based plant cover estimates using the REVEALS model from 169 records for a total of 34 1° × 1° grid cells for Central Europe. Building activity and REVEALS estimates were compared for the entire study region (4-15°E, 46-51°N), and for low (<500 m asl) and mid/high elevations (≥500 m asl) in 100-year time windows over the period 1150-1850. Spruce and oak were more widely used in wooden constructions, amounting to 35 % and 32 %, respectively, compared to pine and fir. Besides wood properties and species abundance, tree diameters of harvested individuals, being similar for all four species, were found to be the most crucial criterion for timber selection throughout the last millennium. Regarding land use changes, from the 1150-1250's onwards, forest cover generally decreased due to deforestation until 1850, especially at lower elevations, resulting in a more heterogeneous landscape. The period 1650-1750 marks a distinct change in the environmental history of Central Europe; increasing agriculture and intense forest management practices were introduced to meet the high demands of an increasing population and intensifying industrialization, causing a decrease in palynological diversity, especially at low elevations. Likely the characteristic vegetation structure and composition of contemporary landscapes originated from that period. We further show that land use has impacted vegetation composition and diversity at an increasing speed leading to a general homogenization of landscapes through time, highlighting the limited environmental benefits of even-aged plantation forestry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hydrological droughts are expected to increase in frequency and severity in many regions due to climate change. Over the last two decades, several droughts occurred in Europe, including the 2018-drought, which showed major adverse impacts for nature and different sectoral uses (e.g. irrigation, drinking water). While drought impacts on water quantity are well studied, little understanding exists on the impacts on water quality, particularly regarding pharmaceutical concentrations in surface waters. This study investigates the impact of the 2018-drought on concentrations of four selected pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac and metoprolol) in surface waters in Europe, with a major focus on the Elbe and Rhine rivers. Monitoring data were analysed for the period of 2010-2020 to estimate the spatiotemporal patterns of pharmaceuticals and assess the concentration responses in rivers during the 2018-drought compared to reference years. Our results indicate an overall deterioration in water quality, which can be attributed to the extremely low flow and higher water temperatures (∼ + 1.5 °C and + 2.0 °C in Elbe and Rhine, respectively) during the 2018-drought. Our results show an increase in the concentrations of carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, and metoprolol, but reduced concentrations of diclofenac during the 2018-drought. Significant increases in carbamazepine concentrations (+45 %) were observed at 3/6 monitoring stations in the upstream part of the Elbe, which was mainly attributed to less dilution of chemical loads from wastewater treatment plants under drought conditions. However, reduced diclofenac concentrations could be attributed to increased degradation processes under higher water temperatures (R 2  = 0.60). Moreover, the rainfed-dominated Elbe exhibited more severe water quality deterioration than the snowmelt-dominated Rhine river, as the Elbe's reduction in dilution capacity was larger. Our findings highlight the need to account for the impacts of climate change and associated increases in droughts in water quality management plans, to improve the provision of water of good quality for ecosystems and sectoral needs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phytosanitary threats can pose substantial risks to global agriculture and ecological systems, affecting biodiversity, human well-being, and food security. Meanwhile, global warming is projected to exacerbate these threats in the future. One in Europe already widely distributed potential phytosanitary threat that may benefit from global warming is the house cricket Acheta domesticus. This study explored the potential of A. domesticus as a relevant non-native phytosanitary threat under changing climatic conditions by conducting a series of functional response experiments across a temperature gradient (20, 25, and 30 °C). Acheta domesticus exhibited comparable patterns of seed consumption and functional responses. Seed type (millet seeds, wheat grains) and temperature increase influenced the damage inflicted on seeds, with softer and smaller seeds being more susceptible to damage, further amplified by warmer temperatures. The study's outcomes underline the phytosanitary threat that A. domesticus may pose. Considering the species' established presence and adaptable nature in urban environments exacerbates the potential for A. domesticus to transition to rural and agricultural areas. Its increasing production as a food item, paired with the here-identified potential to damage seeds, emphasizes the need for proactive and science-based strategies to address emerging phytosanitary threats driven by non-native species under changing climatic conditions. As global temperatures continue to rise, the assessment and management of potential pest species like A. domesticus will be crucial for safeguarding agriculture productivity and ecological balance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are strategical elements playing a crucial role in the industry, especially in producing high-tech materials. Therefore, REEs are new contaminants of emerging concerns. However, due to the lack of exposure data on REE occurrence in environmental matrices, especially in European countries, it is still tricky to establish environmental background levels to assess the ecotoxicological risk related to REEs exposure. The present study aimed to evaluate the liver concentrations of REEs in domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and Apennine wolves (Canis lupus italicus) living in the Abruzzo region, Italy. Moreover, for the scope of the present study, the dog's group was divided according to their sex, age, lifestyle, and diet. Wolves were categorized concerning their sex and genetic characteristics. Liver samples from dogs and wolves were collected during diagnostic necropsies from carcasses, sample mineralization was performed by a microwave digestion system with a single reaction chamber, and simultaneous determination of the presence of REEs was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (Q-ICP-MS) using standard mode for all rare earth elements except scandium (Sc) which was acquired in kinetic energy discrimination (KED) mode. Hepatic concentrations of REEs were statistically significantly higher in wolves compared to dogs. Moreover, significant differences in REEs concentrations arose also from the genetic type of wolf, since "pure wolves" had higher liver concentrations of REEs compared to wolf-dog hybrids. Female and adult dogs also showed elevated REEs compared to male and juvenile dogs, while no significant differences were demonstrated for dogs' diet and lifestyle. The results of the present study confirm the exposure of domestic and wild carnivores to REEs, showing also the ability of REEs to accumulate in carnivore livers, suggesting the potential role of this species as an alternative bioindicator., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study examines the determinants of the ecological footprint of production in European countries from 1992 to 2020. Using partial and semipartial correlation analyses and Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) approach for the first time, the research identifies key variables affecting ecological footprint. Using Bayesian methods, posterior inclusion probabilities (PIPs) were calculated for each variable's coefficient estimates, revealing their relative importance. Biocapacity, energy consumption, industrialization, financial development, life expectancy, and globalization displayed notably high PIPs, indicating their strong influence on the ecological footprint. In addition, the study employs cointegration tests to examine the long-run relationship between ecological footprint and explanatory variables. The results indicate significant cointegration between these variables across panels, supported by various test statistics. In the Weighted Pooled DOLS estimation, biocapacity, energy consumption, and life expectancy significantly influence the ecological footprint, while industrialization, financial development, and globalization exert a comparatively smaller impact. Researchers and policymakers should consider these determinants for effective sustainable development planning. These findings underscore the intricate interplay of factors shaping the ecological footprint and offer insights for effective policy interventions towards sustainable development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Crop diversification can enhance farm economic sustainability while reducing the negative impact on the environment and ecosystem services related. Despite the market and non-market benefits of crop diversification, monocropping is a widely used dominant practice in Europe. In this context, this works aims to assess the overall economic impact of several crop diversification systems across Europe and compared it to the monocropping system. For this purpose, an economic valuation by integrating market and non-market values for eight case studies distributed across three different European pedoclimatic regions (Southern Mediterranean, Northern Mediterranean and Boreal) is proposed. The economic valuation was conducted both in the short and medium-long term. For the short-term we conducted a social gross margin analysis, while for the medium-long term a cost-benefit analysis is developed. The results show an improvement in social gross margins for most of the diversification scenarios assessed when environmental and socio-cultural benefits are considered in the short-term. In the medium and long-term the transformation of cropping towards a more diversified agriculture is encouraged by greater economic benefits. These results provide a first insight in global economic performance of diversified cropping systems, whose main contribution relies on the integration of market and non-market values of ecosystem services from crop diversification. They are expected to be useful for guiding policy makers to promote crop diversification practices as a key instrument for building resilience in farming systems for an adaptive management to climate change., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Biodiversity underpins the functioning of ecosystems and the diverse benefits that nature provides to people, yet is being lost at an unprecedented rate. To halt or reverse biodiversity loss, it is critical to understand the complex interdependencies between biodiversity and key drivers and sectors to inform the development of holistic policies and actions. We conducted a literature review on the interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change, food, water, energy, transport and health ("the biodiversity nexus"). Evidence extracted from 194 peer-reviewed articles was analysed to assess how biodiversity is being influenced by and is influencing the other nexus elements. Out of the 354 interlinkages between biodiversity and the other nexus elements, 53 % were negative, 29 % were positive and 18 % contained both positive and negative influences. The majority of studies provide evidence of the negative influence of other nexus elements on biodiversity, highlighting the substantial damage being inflicted on nature from human activities. The main types of negative impacts were land or water use/change, land or water degradation, climate change, and direct species fatalities through collisions with infrastructure. Alternatively, evidence of biodiversity having a negative influence on the other nexus elements was limited to the effects of invasive alien species and vector-borne diseases. Furthermore, a range of studies provided evidence of how biodiversity and the other nexus elements can have positive influences on each other through practices that promote co-benefits. These included biodiversity-friendly management in relevant sectors, protection and restoration of ecosystems and species that provide essential ecosystem services, green and blue infrastructure including nature-based solutions, and sustainable and healthy diets that mitigate climate change. The review highlighted the complexity and context-dependency of interlinkages within the biodiversity nexus, but clearly demonstrates the importance of biodiversity in underpinning resilient ecosystems and human well-being in ensuring a sustainable future for people and the planet., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Canopy accession strategies reveal much about tree life histories and forest stand dynamics. However, the protracted nature of ascending to the canopy makes direct observation challenging. We use a reconstructive approach based on an extensive tree ring database to study the variability of canopy accession patterns of dominant tree species (Abies alba, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies) in temperate mountain forests of Europe and elucidate how disturbance histories, climate, and topography affect canopy accession. All four species exhibited high variability of radial growth histories leading to canopy accession and indicated varying levels of shade tolerance. Individuals of all four species survived at least 100 years of initial suppression. Fir and particularly beech, however, survived longer periods of initial suppression, exhibited more release events, and reached the canopy later on average, with a larger share of trees accessing the canopy after initially suppressed growth. These results indicate the superior shade tolerance of beech and fir compared to spruce and maple. The two less shade-tolerant species conversely relied on faster growth rates, revealing their competitive advantage in non-suppressed conditions. Additionally, spruce from higher-elevation spruce-dominated forests survived shorter periods of initial shading and exhibited fewer releases, with a larger share of trees reaching the canopy after open canopy recruitment (i.e. in absence of suppression) and no subsequent releases compared to spruce growing in lower-elevation mixed forests. Finally, disturbance factors were identified as the primary driver of canopy accession, whereby disturbances accelerate canopy accession and consequently regulate competitive interactions. Intensifying disturbance regimes could thus promote shifts in species composition, particularly in favour of faster-growing, more light-demanding species., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Many phenological studies have shown that spring geophytes are very sensitive to climate change, responding by shifting flowering and fruiting dates. However, there is a gap in knowledge about climatic drivers of their distributions and range shifts under climate change. Here we aimed to estimate climate niche shifts for four widely distributed and common geophytes of the nemoral zone of Europe (Anemone nemorosa, Anemone ranunculoides, Convallaria majalis and Maianthemum bifolium) and to assess the threat level under various climate change scenarios. Using MaxEnt species distribution models and future climate change scenarios we found that the precipitation of the warmest quarter was the most important factor shaping their ranges. All species studied will experience more loss in the 2061-2080 period than in 2041-2060, and under more pessimistic scenarios. M. bifolium will experience the highest loss, followed by A. nemorosa, A. ranunculoides, and the smallest for C. majalis. A. ranunculoides will gain the most, while M. bifolium will have the smallest potential range expansion. Studied species may respond differently to climate change despite similar current distributions and climatic variables affecting their potential distribution. Even slight differences in climatic niches could reduce the overlap of future ranges compared to present. We expect that due to high dependence on the warmest quarter precipitation, summer droughts in the future may be particularly severe for species that prefer moist soils. The lack of adaptation to long-distance migration and limited availability of appropriate soils may limit their migration and lead to a decline in biodiversity and changes in European forests., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pesticides are widely used as plant protection products (PPPs) in farming systems to preserve crops against pests, weeds, and fungal diseases. Indoor dust can act as a chemical repository revealing occurrence of pesticides in the indoor environment at the time of sampling and the (recent) past. This in turn provides information on the exposure of humans to pesticides in their homes. In the present study, part of the Horizon 2020 funded SPRINT project, the presence of 198 pesticide residues was assessed in 128 indoor dust samples from both conventional and organic farmworker households across Europe, and in Argentina. Mixtures of pesticide residues were found in all dust samples (25-121, min-max; 75, median). Concentrations varied in a wide range (<0.01 ng/g-206 μg/g), with glyphosate and its degradation product AMPA, permethrin, cypermethrin and piperonyl butoxide found in highest levels. Regarding the type of pesticides, insecticides showed significantly higher levels than herbicides and fungicides. Indoor dust samples related to organic farms showed a significantly lower number of residues, total and individual concentrations than those related to conventional farms. Some pesticides found in indoor dust were no longer approved ones (29 %), with acute/chronic hazards to human health (32 %) and with environmental toxicity (21 %)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite the EU states being under the umbrella of the European Directive 2013/59/Euratom, a certain degree of heterogeneity may be noticed in the implementation of EU recommendations concerning regulation and handling of NORM into national legislation and practice. This is mainly a result of the still existing incomplete international knowledge about different phenomena related to NORM. Therefore, the attempt to advance the understanding of the behaviour and exposure of NORM is at the core of the European RadoNorm project. Within this context, an international survey on NORM has been prepared. The goals of the survey were to gather information and data from European countries that will contribute making an updated and/or new (a) systematic overview of NORM exposure situations and their analysis with respect to different radiation protection aspects, (b) knowledge about applied radioecological models in a variety of NORM exposure situations to improve evaluation of possible exposure doses and risk for population and workers, as well as of environmental risk, and (c) overview of overall mitigation measures applied in NORM involving industries, and possible remediation activities applied at NORM affected legacy sites. The survey is built upon an extended list of NORM-involving industries and processes, covers general aspects of NORM, presence of multi-stressors, as well as practical procedures applied in management and regulation, also in the context of a circular economy. The survey responses were obtained from 19 countries. An analysis of survey responses proved that NORM control is still a complex issue for many countries, and the recently-introduced regulatory solutions require further interpretation for developing procedures and good practices. The present work provides a detailed analysis of the survey responses with respect to regulation, management and investigation of NORM., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Norwegian Radiation And Nuclear Safety Authority. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aeroallergens or inhalant allergens, are proteins dispersed through the air and have the potential to induce allergic conditions such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma. Outdoor aeroallergens are found predominantly in pollen grains and fungal spores, which are allergen carriers. Aeroallergens from pollen and fungi have seasonal emission patterns that correlate with plant pollination and fungal sporulation and are strongly associated with atmospheric weather conditions. They are released when allergen carriers come in contact with the respiratory system, e.g. the nasal mucosa. In addition, due to the rupture of allergen carriers, airborne allergen molecules may be released directly into the air in the form of micronic and submicronic particles (cytoplasmic debris, cell wall fragments, droplets etc.) or adhered onto other airborne particulate matter. Therefore, aeroallergen detection strategies must consider, in addition to the allergen carriers, the allergen molecules themselves. This review article aims to present the current knowledge on inhalant allergens in the outdoor environment, their structure, localization, and factors affecting their production, transformation, release or degradation. In addition, methods for collecting and quantifying aeroallergens are listed and thoroughly discussed. Finally, the knowledge gaps, challenges and implications associated with aeroallergen analysis are described., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Young birds at an intensive growth stage are especially vulnerable to the deleterious effects of contaminants such as lead (Pb). This element negatively influences organs, development and even behavior, which can consequently lead to lower survival and reproductive success of the population. There was a suspicion that these mechanisms, along with other factors, retarded population growth of the Black Stork - still a heavily understudied species in respect to pollution, especially Pb. Therefore, we undertook a study concerning Pb concentrations in the down and blood of Black Stork nestlings from breeding grounds in central and southern Poland (Europe). To investigate the effects of Pb exposure on nestling condition, scale mass index and reduced glutathione levels were also studied, but results indicated that Pb did not influence either of these parameters. The highest blood Pb concentration reached 0.247 μg/g, while the highest down Pb concentrations was significantly higher reaching 4.95 μg/g. Concentrations in blood and down were not correlated with each other. Nest location and year of sampling were not influential for blood but were influential for down Pb concentrations. Relationships between Pb concentrations, habitat characteristics and proximity to emitters were not significant. Overall Pb concentrations in Black Stork nestlings were below the toxicity threshold and did not have negative effects on specimens studied. They were probably related to maternal exposure during migration, on stopover and breeding grounds as well as with food provided by parents., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In Central Europe the most common allergies are provoked by grass or birch pollen allergens. We determined the intra-daily behavior of airborne pollen grains of grasses (Poaceae) and birch (Betula ssp.) in Central Europe, based on data obtained from a network of automatic pollen monitors over Europe (www.pollenscience.eu). Our aim was to determine the time of day when the lowest concentrations occur, to provide allergic individuals the optimal time to ventilate their homes. The study was carried out in three Central European capitals, Berlin (Germany), Paris-Saclay (France), and Luxembourg (Luxembourg), as well as in eight stations in Germany (Altötting, Feucht, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Hof, Marktheidenfeld, Mindelheim, Munich and Viechtach). The diurnal rhythm of these eleven locations was analyzed for either the complete, first week, peak week, peak day and last week of the pollen season. The data studied were reported as pollen/m 3 measured in 3 h periods. Stations were classified as city, semi-populated or countryside areas using land-use and population density criteria. Grass pollen has a more pronounced diurnal rhythm than birch pollen concentrations. A significant difference was observed when comparing day (6-21 h) versus night (21-6 h) for all stations. No difference was detected between city and countryside for both pollen types, although for Poaceae a longer period of maximum concentrations was observed in big cities and higher day/night-time differences were registered in the countryside (6.4) than in cities (3.0). The highest pollen concentrations were observed between 9 and 18 h for grass, but the rhythm was less pronounced for birch pollen. For allergic individuals who want to bring in fresh air in their homes, we recommend opening windows after 21 h, but even better early in the morning between 6 and 9 h before pollinations (re)starts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)