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The recovery of white paper stock from waste newspapers using dissolved air flotation unit was studied. The most efficient deinking of the waste newspapers in terms of relative brightness of the pulp was achieved by using 6% commercial kerosene containing 0.5% CCl4, 2% water‐glass, 6% detergent and 5% borax (on dry paper weight basis) at room temperature, maintaining the pH of the pulp at 9.

Growth and nutrient uptake of three container grown nursery crops were compared using different potting media, including bark mixed with varying amounts, 0, 33, 67, and 100% by volume, of raw paper mill sludge and Phase I (fresh) and Phase II (aged) sludge composts. Species grown were: Tartarian dogwood (Cornus alba L.), Coral Beauty cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri C. K. Schneid.), and Variegata Nana weigela [Weigela florida (Bunge) A.DC.]. Each compost consisted of ca. 40% paper mill sludge. Despite differences in response of species to the amount and source of sludge, plants grew well in media containing Phase I and II composts and produced plants of marketable size at harvest. Media with >33% raw sludge resulted in fewer marketable plants and had a greater volume reduction with increasing amounts of sludge. This was also accompanied by declining shoot and root dry weight. Media containing Phase I compost showed less volume reduction than those with raw sludge, and yielded growth comparable to that obt...

Actinomycetes-a group of antimicrobial producing bacteria-have been successfully cultured and characterized from the nest material of diverse arthropods. Some are symbionts that produce antimicrobial chemicals found to protect nest brood and resources from pathogenic microbes. Others have no known fitness relationship with their associated insects, but have been found to produce antimicrobials in vitro. Consequently, insect nest material is being investigated as a new source of novel antimicrobial producing actinomycetes, which could be harnessed for therapeutic potential. To extend studies of actinomycete-insect associations beyond soil-substrate dwelling insects and wood boring excavators, we conducted a preliminary assessment of the actinomycetes within the nests of the paper wasp, Polistes dominulus (Christ). We found that actinomycetes were readily cultured from nest material across multiple invasive P. dominulus populations-including members of the genera Streptomyces, Micromonospora, and Actinoplanes. Thirty of these isolates were assayed for antimicrobial activity against the challenge bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, and Bacillus subtilis. Sixty percent of isolates inhibited the growth of at least one challenge strain. This study provides the first assessment of bacteria associated with nests of P. dominulus, and the first record of antimicrobial producing actinomycetes isolated from social wasps. We provide a new system to explore nest associated actinomycetes from a ubiquitous and cosmopolitan group of insects.

Understanding intraspecific geographic variation in animal signals poses a challenging evolutionary problem. Studies addressing geographic variation typically focus on signals used in mate-choice, however, geographic variation in intrasexual signals involved in competition is also known to occur. In Polistes dominulus paper wasps, females have black facial spots that signal dominance: individuals wasps with more complex 'broken' facial patterns are better fighters and are avoided by rivals. Recent work suggests there is dramatic geographic variation in these visual signals of quality, though this variation has not been explicitly described or quantified. Here, we analyze variation in P. dominulus signals across six populations and explore how environmental conditions may account for this variation. Overall, we found substantial variation in facial pattern brokenness across populations and castes. Workers have less broken facial patterns than gynes and queens, which have similar facial patterns. Strepsipteran parasitism, body size and temperature are all correlated with the facial pattern variation, suggesting that developmental plasticity likely plays a key role in this variation. First, the extent of parasitism varies across populations and parasitized individuals have lower facial pattern brokenness than unparasitized individuals. Second, there is substantial variation in body size across populations and a weak but significant relationship between facial pattern brokenness and body size. Wasps from populations with smaller body size (e.g. Italy) tend to have less broken facial patterns than wasps from populations with larger body size (e.g. New York, USA). Third, there is an apparent association between facial patterns and climate, with wasp from cooler locations tending to have higher facial pattern brokenness than wasps from warmer locations. Additional experimental work testing the causes and consequences of facial pattern variation will be important, as geographic variation in signals has important consequences for the evolution of communication systems and social behavior.

We compared species mean data on the size of functionally distinct brain regions to test the relative rates at which investment in higher-order cognitive processing (mushroom body calyces) versus peripheral sensory processing (optic and antennal lobes) increased with increasing brain size. Subjects were eusocial paper wasps from queen and worker castes of 10 species from different genera. Relative investment in central processing tissue increased with brain size at a higher rate than peripheral structure investment, demonstrating that tissue devoted to higher-order cognitive processing is more constrained by brain size. This pattern held for raw data and for phylogenetically independent contrasts. These findings suggest that there is a minimum necessary investment in peripheral sensory processing brain tissue, with little to gain from additional investment. In contrast, increased brain size provides opportunities to invest in additional higher-order cognitive processing tissue. Reproductive castes differed within species in brain tissue investment, with higher central-to-peripheral brain tissue ratios in queens than in workers. Coupled with previous findings that paper wasp queen, but not worker, brain architecture corresponds to ecological and social variation, queen brain evolution appears to be most strongly shaped by cognitive demands, such as social interactions. These evolutionary patterns of neural investment echo findings in other animal lineages and have important implications, given that a greater investment in higher-order processing has been shown to increase the prevalence of complex and flexible behaviors across the animal kingdom.

International audience; First of all, we recall that the message conveyed in our paper is that Amazonian forest and old tropical pastures act as C sinks by accumulating recurrently (continuously) C in biomass and soil. We do not support the idea that deforestation increases soil C as suggested in the title of Schipper and Smith comment. In our study, pasture C sink was estimated by two independent methods: eddy covariance measurements (Eddy) and a 36-years chronosequence analyzing soil organic C stock to a depth of 100 cm (Chrono). Both methods provide evidence that pastures ≥24 years can restore all or part of C sink of Amazonian forest if sustainable management is applied. Realizing that old pastures accumulate C is crucial in the Amazonian context where pastures are currently replaced by intensive crops (e.g. soybean) inducing a possible loss of this C sink.

Nest usurpation in the subtropical paper waspRopalidia fasciata was studied in Okinawa, southern Japan. Eight of 14 usurpations occurred around the first worker emergence (within 3 days before and 3 days after the emergence). A discriminant analysis showed that the usurpers preferred colonies that had fewer adult females and fewer cells but abundant pupae, compared with non-usurped colonies in the study area on same dates. This suggests that usurpers can assess the development of other colonies and then select a nest that is easy to usurp (fewer females) but has valuable resources (abundant pupae).

Polistes sulcifer is a cuckoo paper wasps, an obligate social parasite which must usurp a colony of another species in order to reproduce. Field data show thatP. sulcifer females usurp exclusively nests belonging to one species only (P. dominulus). Moreover, they are more frequently found on large and puparich nests. A series of laboratory trials, in which parasite females were offered a binary choice of nests with different characteristics, confirm both the species specificity betweenP. sulcifer andP. dominulus and the parasite's preference to usurp larger nests containing pupae. The data support the hypothesis thatP. sulcifer females choose between available nests. The biological meaning of these findings is discussed.

The global distribution of citrus black spot (CBS) disease, caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa, is climatically constrained, which is evident from its occurrence in citrus growing areas with warm, summer rainfall and its absence from areas with cooler, Mediterranean-type winter rainfall. Various epidemiological and modelling studies have supported this observation, predominantly estimating unsuitability for P. citricarpa in Mediterranean type climates, with no more than marginal suitability estimated at a few localities within some regions with Mediterranean type climates. The study by Martinez-Minaya et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 143, 69–83, 2015), describes an historic sequence of recorded CBS occurrence in parts of South Africa, conducts an autocorrelation analysis and a correlative analysis with Koppen-Geiger climate zones and makes observations about the occurrence of certain Koppen-Geiger climate zones in the European Union. The study suggests that significant portions of the European Union and the broader Mediterranean basin are climatically similar to warm, summer rainfall areas in South Africa where P. citricarpa persists and causes CBS disease and concludes that the potential distribution of P. citricarpa is less constrained by climatic factors than spatial contagion. However, in this critique we expose methodological shortcomings in the Martinez-Minaya et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 143, 69–83, 2015) study and conclude that the study grossly overestimated the extent of the geographical area that could support P. citricarpa, thereby rendering the findings scientifically unreliable.

Eciton burchellii is a Neotropical army ant that consumes a variety of arthropods captured during swarm raids. Wasp larvae and pupae provide an important food source for E. burchellii, and this ant species is thought to be a major predator on immature wasps in many Neotropical areas. Some birds also prey on wasp brood. Numerous bird species regularly follow E. burchellii swarms but are thought to typically avoid eating army ants. Rather, the birds feed on the arthropods that the ant swarms flush from the leaf litter. I report observations of ant-following birds, the Gray-headed Tanager Eucometis penicillata and the Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata consuming E. burchellii workers that were carrying Polistinae wasp larvae and pupae. It has been suggested that ant-following birds may impose a cost to army ants by consuming arthropods and competing with ants for food resources. Also, it has been speculated that army ants emigrate at night to avoid the loss of their brood to birds, but lack of ...

Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger spore and Staphylococcus albus are typical biological indicators for the inactivation of airborne pathogens. The present study characterized and compared the behaviors of B. subtilis subsp. niger spores and S. albus in regard to inactivation by chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 ) gas under different gas concentrations and relative humidity (RH) conditions. The inactivation kinetics under different ClO 2 gas concentrations (1 to 5 mg/liter) were determined by first-order and Weibull models. A new model (the Weibull-H model) was established to reveal the inactivation tendency and kinetics for ClO 2 gas under different RH conditions (30 to 90%). The results showed that both the gas concentration and RH were significantly ( P < 0.05) and positively correlated with the inactivation of the two chosen indicators. There was a rapid improvement in the inactivation efficiency under high RH (>70%). Compared with the first-order model, the Weibull and Weibull-H models demonstrated a better fit for the experimental data, indicating nonlinear inactivation behaviors of the vegetative bacteria and spores following exposure to ClO 2 gas. The times to achieve a six-log reduction of B. subtilis subsp. niger spore and S. albus were calculated based on the established models. Clarifying the kinetics of inactivation of B. subtilis subsp. niger spores and S. albus by ClO 2 gas will allow the development of ClO 2 gas treatments that provide an effective disinfection method. IMPORTANCE Chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 ) gas is a novel and effective fumigation agent with strong oxidization ability and a broad biocidal spectrum. The antimicrobial efficacy of ClO 2 gas has been evaluated in many previous studies. However, there are presently no published models that can be used to describe the kinetics of inactivation of airborne pathogens by ClO 2 gas under different gas concentrations and RH conditions. The first-order and Weibull (Weibull-H) models established in this study can characterize and compare the behaviors of Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger spores and Staphylococcus albus in regard to inactivation by ClO 2 gas, determine the kinetics of inactivation of two chosen strains under different conditions of gas concentration and RH, and provide the calculated time to achieve a six-log reduction. These results will be useful to determine effective conditions for ClO 2 gas to inactivate airborne pathogens in contaminated air and other environments and thus prevent outbreaks of airborne illness.

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment protocols for conducting Daphnia magna acute lethal toxicity tests were evaluated for pulp and paper mill effluents. The evaluation included an interlaboratory study and an intralaboratory assessment using different dilution waters, test containers and pH adjustment. When the tests were conducted under similar conditions, the results (i.e., 48-h LC50s) from four participating laboratories were similar. With one exception, the coefficients of variation for interlaboratory testing ranged from 3.0 to 17%. However, within a laboratory, the ratio of the highest to lowest LC50 values for a particular effluent ranged from 1.9 to 3.8 when using different dilution waters and ranged from 1.3 to 1.9 when the test solution pH was adjusted to the same level as the dilution water pH. The D. magna were found to be 1.5 to 4.0 times less sensitive than rainbow trout and 1.6 to 3.0 times less sensitive than Ceriodaphnia affinis to pulp and paper mill effluents, and dehydroabietic acid.

Phosphate is an essential nutrient for heterotrophic bacteria, affecting bacterioplankton in aquatic ecosystems and bacteria in biofilms. However, the influence of phosphate limitation on bacterial competition and biofilm development in multispecies populations has received limited attention in existing studies. To address this issue, we isolated 13 adhesive bacteria from paper machine aggregates. Intergeneric inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa WW5 by Serratia marcescens WW4 was identified under phosphate-limited conditions, but not in Luria–Bertani medium or M9 minimal medium. The viable numbers of the pure S. marcescens WW4 culture decreased over 3 days in the phosphate-limited medium; however, the mortality of S. marcescens WW4 was significantly reduced when it was co-cultured with P. aeruginosa WW5, which appeared to sustain the S. marcescens WW4 biofilm. In contrast, viable P. aeruginosa WW5 cells immediately declined in the phosphate-limited co-culture. To identify the genetic/inhibitory element(s) involved in this process, we inserted a mini-Tn5 mutant of S. marcescens WW4 that lacked inhibitory effect. The results showed that an endonuclease bacteriocin was involved in this intergeneric inhibition by S. marcescens WW4 under phosphate limitation. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of nutrient limitation in bacterial interactions and provides a strong candidate gene for future functional characterisation.

Genotypes of a queen and the first brood of workers of 20 colonies of Polistes chinensis antennalis were electrophoretically analyzed. We found allelic polymorphisms in two loci which encodes two enzyme, i.e., creatine kinase (CK) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH). The genotype array of the first brood of workers in five colonies could not be explained by monoandry of the queen. Two to four suggested multiple mating of the queen, and one to three suggested replacement of the queen. Although multiple matings of some queens is apparent, the mean estimate of relatedness of the first brood of workers from the genotype frequency data, 0.648, is ambiguous, because it is not significantly different from 0.75 (one singly-mated queen) nor 0.545 (one doubly-mated queen).

Paper wasp, Polistes hebraeus (F.), nests appear to serve as reservoirs of fungi. Eighty-nine fungal isolates were obtained from larvae and meconia of this wasp collected on La Reunion Island. Thirty-one fungal genera were recovered and at least 52 species identified. These numerous molds and yeasts survive or grow as saprophytes in excreta; among them two genera were predominant, Aspergillus and Penicillium . This mycoflora which is spread in the environment when the nest breaks up contains potentially entomopathogenic and phytopathogenic fungi, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus tamarii, Paecilomyces farinosus, Alternaria alternata , remaining viable after passing through wasp intestines.

Many animals have ornaments that mediate choice and competition in social and sexual contexts. Individuals with elaborate sexual ornaments typically have higher fitness than those with less elaborate ornaments, but less is known about whether socially selected ornaments are associated with fitness. Here, we test the relationship between fitness and facial patterns that are a socially selected signal of fighting ability in Polistes dominula wasps. We found wasps that signal higher fighting ability have larger nests, are more likely to survive harsh winters, and obtain higher dominance rank than wasps that signal lower fighting ability. In comparison, body weight was not associated with fitness. Larger wasps were dominant over smaller wasps, but showed no difference in nest size or survival. Overall, the positive relationship between wasp facial patterns and fitness indicates that receivers can obtain diverse information about a signaler's phenotypic quality by paying attention to socially selected ornaments. Therefore, there are surprisingly strong parallels between the information conveyed by socially and sexually selected signals. Similar fitness relationships in social and sexually selected signals may be one reason it can be difficult to distinguish the role of social versus sexual selection in ornament evolution.

We isolated 13 microsatellite markers for the Japanese paper wasp Polistes chinensis antennalis. Null alleles were ruled out in the loci because we could detect polymerase chain reaction products for 578 haploid males. Our results indicate that these markers are excellent tools for the analysis of pedigrees within colonies for species with a complicated pedigree structure due to worker reproduction (male production by workers in queen-right colonies).

Nest predation is an important factor in the colony mortality of paper wasps. Although a variety of animals are known to prey on paper wasp nests, colony failure of unknown cause often occurs in the field, and the existence of still-unknown predators is possible. Here, I report predation on nests of paper wasps, Polistes chinensis antennalis, by introduced terrestrial slugs, Lehmannia valentiana. The slugs were found on the wasps’ nests despite the presence of the owners on the nests and ate eggs, larvae, and presumably cell walls of the nests. This is the first report of predation on paper wasp nests by slugs.

A method for assessing disinfection protocols based on their effect on indicator Baculovirus in filter paper strips is described. Virus activity was demonstrable for at least 3 months in indicator strips stored at 37°C or at a lower temperature. The virucidal activities of disinfectants frequently used in shrimp mariculture operations (i.e., benzalkonium chloride, sodium hypochlorite, formalin, calcium hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide:calcium hydroxide) were evaluated with this method. Results suggest that formalin solutions containing formaldehyde at concentrations of 50 mg/L or more would be adequate for disinfecting surfaces, aquaria, and ponds in the shrimp mariculture setting.

Partial and total measures of factor productivity are presented for the pulp and paper industries of the United States and Canada, from 1959 to 1987. Total factor productivity was measured with (1) a Tornqvist–Theil index, (2) a nonparametric index with translating hypothesis, and (3) a nonparametric index with distance functions. Method 1 implied a constant return to scale translog production function. Methods 2 and 3 removed any assumption on the functional form of the production function. Furthermore, method 3 allowed for fully disaggregated outputs. Methods 1 and 3 gave similar results within countries: an increase in total factor productivity of 0.7% per year in the United States and of 0.5% per year in Canada. Method 2 gave rates of growth of total factor productivity that were twice as high, but unreliable because of the assumptions of the method. From 1961 to 1984, when comparable data are available, methods 1 and 3 gave growth rates of total factor productivity that were significantly higher, statistically, in the United States than in Canada. Nevertheless, the differences seem to be too small to be of economic significance.

The building decision process of the paper wasp,Polistes fuscatus, was studied by 1) analyzing the search pattern of the wasps prior to the addition of pulp to different areas of the nest, 2) comparing the pulp addition needs of the cell chosen for lengthening to those of other cells in the nest, and 3) presenting the wasps with eight types of dichotomous building choices, which provided information about the relative influence of different building cues. Wasps conduct a hierarchical search prior to pulp addition, which means that they search the comb face and petiole disproportionately more often and more thoroughly than the comb back and sides. Once a particular nest area triggers closer scrutiny, comparisons are made with adjoining areas. The most needy location is then chosen based on nest cues. When lengthening a cell, the development of the brood and relative cell length have a strong influence on which cell is chosen at all times, while distance of the brood from the cell mouth becomes important during the later stages of brood development. The results indicate that there is no simple hierarchical weighting of cues. The decision process involves comparisons among multiple cues, which for the most part have an additive influence when variation in relative cue strength is considered.

Fifty actinomycete strains isolated from lignocellulosic substrates were examined for the ability to remove the color from a paper mill effluent obtained after semichemical alkaline pulping of wheat straw. Streptomyces sp. strains UAH 15, UAH 23, UAH 30, and UAH 51 were selected for their ability to decolorize the effluent in a liquid medium containing 1% (wt/vol) glycerol, 0.2% (wt/vol) ammonium sulfate, and 80% (vol/vol) effluent. The highest levels of decolorization achieved after the strains grew were 60 to 65%. Strains UAH 30 and UAH 51 were selected for further study because of their different patterns of effluent decolorization during growth. Fractionation of the decolorized effluent by gel permeation chromatography demonstrated that there were reductions in the levels of absorbance of the high- and medium-molecular-weight compounds. These fractions were mainly responsible for the color of the effluent, while the last fractions, the low-molecular-weight compounds, could have been responsible for the residual color of the decolorized effluent. Thin-layer chromatography revealed significant differences among the patterns of bands corresponding to the acidified supernatants obtained after precipitation of alkali-lignin from the effluent samples decolorized by different Streptomyces strains.

Although jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.), which represents 20% of the total softwood volume, is one of the most abundant commercial softwood species in Canada, its rate of utilization in pulping is surprisingly low. This paper reviews the literature concerning the physical and chemical properties as well as the pulping characteristics of this species by mechanical, thermomechanical, chemithermomechanical, chemimechanical, and chemical processes to better understand its potential use in papermaking. The objective is to identify the problems related to the use of jack pine so that solutions might be sought to promote its usage. Some recommendations are put forth concerning future research.

Winter flounder, Pleuronectes americanus, inhabiting a marine inlet (Port Harmon) adjacent to a pulp and paper mill, and from a reference site (St. George's) 12 km away, were examined for signs of stress. Fish from Port Harmon showed significantly lower condition (k) factors, hepatosomatic indices, blood haemoglobin, and lymphocyte levels, than those from the reference site. Delayed spawning or spermiation were evident in female and male flounder, respectively, from Port Harmon compared with those from St. George's. Prevalence and intensity of larval anisakid nematodes, metacercariae of the digenetic trematode, Cryptocotyle lingua, and cysts of the microsporan, Glugea stephani, were significantly higher at Port Harmon than at St. George's, whereas prevalence and intensity of an intestinal acanthocephalan were significantly lower at Port Harmon. The percentage of flounder with external lesions (fin necrosis, ulcers) was significantly higher at Port Harmon than at St. George's. Anaemia, low lymphocyte levels, low somatic indices, high incidence of external lesions, and abnormal parasitic infestations are all suggestive of immunosuppression. Because basic water chemistry at the two sites was similar, the evidence of chronic stress observed in winter flounder from Port Harmon can most likely be attributed to pollutants from the effluent that have accumulated in the sediment.

Genetic relatedness and the breeding structure of a Japanese paper wasp. Polistes jadwigae, population was studied using electrophoresis ol adults collected from 1985 to 1988. Mean genetic relatedness among female offspring was estimated to be 0.729 when data for 4 years were combined. This value was not significantly different from a hypothetical value (0.75) for the case where one single-mated queen is the mother of all female progeny. No sign of inbreeding was detected. Mating frequency of queens estimated by using the goodness of fit test on Chi-square distribution and the ANOVA method, also suggests that it was most probable that female progeny of P. jadwigae colonies were produced by a single queen mated only once.

SUMMARY Insect social life is governed by chemicals. A great number of studies have demonstrated that the blend of hydrocarbons present on the cuticle (CHCs) plays a pivotal role in intra- and inter-specific communication. It is not surprising, therefore, that social parasites, specialized in exploiting the costly parental care provided by host workers, exploit the host chemical communication system too. Throughout their life cycle, social parasites intercept and break this CHC-based code. Recently, however, several polar compounds (mainly peptides) have been found in addition to CHCs both on the cuticle and on the comb surface of social insects, and their semiochemical role has been demonstrated in some circumstances. In the present study, we used the paper wasp social parasite–host system Polistes sulcifer (Zimmerman)–Polistes dominulus (Christ) to evaluate the relative importance of the CHCs and polar compounds in two different steps of the host exploitation process: host nest detection by the pre-usurping parasite and parasite chemical integration into the host colony. After separating the polar and apolar fractions of the host nest as well as those of pre- and post-usurpation parasites, we carried out laboratory assays based on the binary choice model. Our results show that nest polar compounds neither are used by the parasite to detect the host's nest nor play a role in parasite chemical integration into the host colony. In contrast, we demonstrate that CHCs are fundamental in both steps, thus confirming their primary role in social insect life and consequently in social parasite–host interactions.

It is not immediately clear how costly behavior that benefits others evolves by natural selection. By saving on inherent costs, individuals that do not contribute socially have a selective advantage over altruists if both types receive equal benefits. Restrained consumption of a common resource is a form of altruism. The cost of this kind of prudent behavior is that restrained individuals give up resources to less-restrained individuals. The benefit of restraint is that better resource management may prolong the persistence of the group. One way to dodge the problem of defection is for altruists to interact disproportionately with other altruists. With limited dispersal, restrained individuals persist because of interaction with like types, whereas it is the unrestrained individuals that must face the negative long-term consequences of their rapacity. Here, we study the evolution of restraint in a community of three competitors exhibiting a nontransitive (rock–paper–scissors) relationship. The nontransitivity ensures a form of negative feedback, whereby improvement in growth of one competitor has the counterintuitive consequence of lowering the density of that improved player. This negative feedback generates detrimental long-term consequences for unrestrained growth. Using both computer simulations and evolution experiments with a nontransitive community of Escherichia coli , we find that restrained growth can evolve under conditions of limited dispersal in which negative feedback is present. This research, thus, highlights a set of ecological conditions sufficient for the evolution of one form of altruism.

Changes in macroinvertebrate communities exposed to pulp and paper mill effluent (PPME) have been seen in mesocosm and short-term field studies. However, long-term patterns of macroinvertebrates in PPME receiving streams have not been examined. We conducted a study of 4 PPME receiving streams (Codorus Creek, PA; the Leaf River, MS; and the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, OR) over 9 y to assess temporal patterns in macroinvertebrate community structure and metrics related to PPME discharge. Study streams represented different ecoregions, warm-/cold-water systems, gradients of PPME concentration (1%-33%), and mill process types. Bray-Curtis similarity and nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed significant community differences across sites in Codorus Creek, but differences were related to stream temperature patterns and not PPME. In the other study streams, seasonal community differences across years were greater than differences across sites. General linear models were used to examine spatial and temporal variation in macroinvertebrate metric response (% dominant taxa, density, richness, Hilsenhoff Biotic Index [HBI], Simpson's Index, and ash-free dry mass). Mean HBI scores indicated that the macroinvertebrate community reflected fair to very good water quality conditions, with water quality typically classified as "good" at most sites. Significant site differences in macroinvertebrate metric response were uncommon in the Leaf, McKenzie, and Willamette rivers but were seen in all metrics in Codorus Creek, where metric response was spatially variable. In the McKenzie River, there was an increase in mean HBI scores at sites downstream of the mill relative to 1 of the 2 upstream sites. However, significant differences were seen only between 1 upstream and downstream site, and HBI scores at all downstream sites consistently reflected "good" water quality. Significant annual differences in metric response were typical in all rivers. Water quality (pH, conductivity, total nitrogen) and habitat (velocity, depth, substrate composition) variables explained community structure patterns in the Leaf and McKenzie rivers, but macroinvertebrate-environment relationships were weak in the other 2 streams. The results of this study indicate that macroinvertebrate community structure is temporally variable and reiterate the importance of long-term studies for accurate determination of the effects of point sources such as PPME on receiving systems.

Edgar, Ward, and Stuart-Smith (2018) argue that Australian fishery stocks are suffering rapid declines and that to meet sustainability targets an expanded network of ‘no-fishing’ reserves is required. The three lines of evidence used were underwater visual surveys (UVSs), Australian catches, and one case study.

Colonies of an Australian swarm founding polistine wasp,Ropalidia romandi, on the Atherton Tableland, Queensland, manage perennial nests by practicing seasonal colony activity. In “summer” nests, most cells were occupied by immatures of all developmental stages. The proportion of cells that did not contain immatures increased towards “winter”, when most nest cells did not contain immatures and half of these “winter” nests had rather large amounts of nectar deposited in empty cells. While the visits to tree flowers byR. romandi were not frequent in “summer”, nearly 60 % of insects collected on tree flowers in “winter” wereR. romandi. With such seasonal switching in the modes of colony reproductive activity and of nectar foraging behavior,R. romandi responds to its physical and biotic environment. In this way,R. romandi may be able to continue colonies throughout the year, with much reduced level of colony activity in “winter”, in areas with seasons that are unfavorable for reproductive activity of a colony.

An overview of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a mixed tropical hardwood integrated pulp and paper mill in Sabah, Malaysia, is presented. The EIA before the mill construction included, among other things, a detailed baseline study and also environmental impact predictions based on certain mill design and pollution abatement measures. Subsequent to mill construction (during the operational stage), data were gathered to determine the quality of the ambient air as well as the effluent and the receiving bay water quality. These post-construction monitoring results were then compared with the earlier impact predictions, and showed, in general, a good correspondence.

The effects of paper mill effluents on the prooxidant-antioxidant balance in the liver of bullhead were studied in fish from a contaminated river. After the low-water period (theoretical concentration of waste water 1.7%) the aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase was strongly induced, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, reduced glutathione and vitamin C were lower, and catalase was unaltered. Following the high-water period (theoretical waste water concentration 0.5%), signs of oxidative stress were no longer detectable. The risks of oxidative damage due to biochemical changes during the low-water period are discussed.

The paper comprises recommendations presented and discussed at several workshops of the 3rd International Marine Protected Areas Congress (Marseille, France, 21–27, October, 2013) to achieve effective management of marine protected areas in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. It highlights the similarities but also differences between the two areas as a result of their distinct biogeographic and cultural characteristics. The biophysical setting, socioeconomic scenario and issues related to marine protected areas in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas are summarized and case studies from both regions are presented that illustrate the level of success thus far achieved by MPAs. Factors contributing to MPA success are related to ecological conditions, the involvement of stakeholders in decision-making processes, and to better governance, as well as improved communication and training. The SPAW and SPA regional environmental agreements administered by the UNEP Regional Seas Programmes in collaboration with government and non-government partners and the MPA managers' networks have provided technical assistance that has led to improved management. The experience of the last 3 years of contacts between both regional networks of MPA scientists and practitioners (i.e. MedPAN and CaMPAM) highlights the benefits of such an initiative and suggests the need to develop a robust transoceanic Exchange Programme to facilitate knowledge transfer. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adoption of abandoned or orphaned nests by adult females occurs commonly during the colony-founding period of the primitively eusocial paper wasp, Polistes dominulus. Our evidence indicates that adoption reflects: (1) ‘making the best of a bad situation,’ for queens who have lost their nests; (2) subordinates leaving multiple-foundress associations; and (3) possibly, a ‘sit-and-wait’ strategy, in which non-nesting females wait for nests to be orphaned. A ‘it-and-wait strategy’ implies that wasps facultatively delay personal reproduction rather than that the delay in reproduction is due to physiological constraints (sensu Gadagkar, 1991a). Orphaned nests with related brood are not more attractive than those bearing unrelated brood, suggesting that nest-adoption has not evolved primarily as a strategy to rescue non-descendant kin. Instead, all wasps tend to adopt nests that theoretically maximize their selfish genetic interests: the most attractive nests were large combs at an advanced stage of development. These nests can produce more workers and are closer to worker emergence, at which time colony survival per unit time dramatically rises. The primary proximate cue for adoption seems to be whether nests contain later-instar larvae or pupae. Since developmental stage of brood correlates with nest size, preferred nests thus tend to be relatively mature and large.

This paper analyzes the productivity performance of the Canadian pulp and paper industry for the 1963–1984 period. The industry's productivity is first measured, then its sources are analyzed. Total factor productivity is used to measure industry productivity, and statistical estimation of neoclassical cost functions are used to determine sources of the productivity changes. In addition to decomposing the productivity changes into technical changes and changing the scale of the industry's output and capacity utilization, an attempt is also made to assess the impact of pollution control expenditures. The paper finds that although labour productivity grew at 2.5% per year (modest in comparison to other industries), the gross total factor productivity grew only by 1.2% per year. This is largely due to the fact that capital investment raises labour productivity but retards overall productivity. Of the 1.2% growth in total factor productivity, 0.88% was due to the increased scale of the industry output and 0.32% to technical change. Although there is no statistically conclusive evidence, the point estimate indicates that pollution control expenditures may have retarded productivity growth. However, this subject requires further investigation.

In order to understand how the apparent freedom of individual movements can concur with social order in a colony, we investigated spatial relationships between foundresses, workers and immature brood in a paper wasp. This is the first time an ecological analytical approach (home range analysis) has been employed to describe small scale spatial use in a social context. In this study, home range was not used in its strictly ecological sense, but rather applied to the comb. Our results show that the positions individual wasps assumed on Polistes dominulus combs are spatially structured. Workers and foundresses do not occupy the comb in random distribution, but rather follow predictable spatial patterns. Each active wasp has its own spatial fidelity area, at least over a 1 d observation period, spending the majority of its time within a very small area averaging approx. 12% of the comb but occasionally it may cover an area of up to 50% of the comb surface. Dominant females occupied a significantly smaller area that either subordinate foundresses or workers. Areas patrolled by workers varied in shape and size, with no relation to time spent on the comb, wasp density or position of immature brood. All the wasps clumped around the dominant female, who proved to be the only individual affected by cell content. Nevertheless, although the wasps tended to clump together, average superimposition rates among nest-mates was very low (higher in workers than foundresses), suggesting that the wasps limit each other’s individual spaces.

Differences in long-chain hydrocarbon mixtures among reproductive and nonreproductive individuals have been often revealed in social insects. However, very few papers demonstrated that these signatures actually act as contact pheromones used by nonreproductive to recognize the presence of a related queen in the colony. Cuticular and glandular hydrocarbons of Polistes paper wasps have been extensively studied, but, until now, the perception and recognition of such cues was not demonstrated. In this paper, we show, for the first time in Vespidae, that Polistes gallicus workers distinguish nestmates from alien individuals and queens from workers by the hydrocarbon mixtures of the Van der Vecht organ secretion (VVS). We also demonstrated that stroking behavior (a peculiar behavior of Polistes by which queens probably lay VVS on the nest) acts as an inhibitor of ovarian development in workers.

Potential risks to terrestrial wildlife were estimated from exposure to 2,3,7,8-TCDD/TCDF in paper pulp sludges applied to or disposed of on land. Comparative risks were assessed for land application uses in forests, mine reclamation, and agriculture, versus other disposal methods, such as in landfills and surface impoundments. Potential risks to fish and aquatic wildlife were also estimated for runoff from such land uses and disposal sites. The general types of wildlife species predicted as potentially most exposed via eating TCDD/TCDF contaminated prey were terrestrial animals such as shrews, woodcocks, and robins. TCDD/TCDF levels in eggs from several bird species collected from Wisconsin pine plantations amended with such pulp sludges corroborated the transfer of TCDD/TCDF from soil via prey species into avian eggs, particularly robin eggs.

Four riverine animal communities were measured to assess the impact of extensively treated wastewater from a pulp and paper mill on the lower La Trobe River in Victoria, Australia. Benthic macroinvertebrates in channel and bankside habitats were sampled using a new air-lift corer. Population density was expressed in relation to substrate volume. Other communities measured at five sites upstream and downstream of the mill's wastewater outfall were the zooplankton, and the animals associated with submerged littoral vegetation. Ten environmental variables were also measured during the two sampling periods.

Two methods of hole repair used by the paper wasp, Polistes fuscatus,were examined and compared, and the hypothesis that nest repair behavior may improve with experience was tested. Similarly sized holes were repeatedly made in the sides of nests and the repair behavior of the nest residents was recorded. The distance of the hole from the cell mouth determined which repair method was used. In addition, both the amount of time for hole repair completion and the number of pulp loads used in making the repair decreased significantly with experience.

A study was conducted to determine the effects, geographical distribution, and prevalence of a microsporan parasite, Glugea stephani, in winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) in Newfoundland. Fish were captured by SCUBA divers in several coastal areas, including 2 embayments where pulp and paper mill effluent was discharged, as well as a number of pristine sites. Fish health was assessed by comparing histological profiles, condition factors (K), organosomatic indices and blood values between infected and uninfected samples. Multifocal xenomas of G. stephani were observed in several organs of fish taken near contaminated sites, whereas infected samples captured at a pristine site harbored the cysts only in the wall of the digestive tract. Proliferative inflammation, granuloma formation, and focal necrosis were associated with the infection primarily in the liver and kidney. Condition factors and blood values were lower and ovarian development inhibited or delayed in infected flounder. The multifocal infection occurred only in flounder in 2 embayments in western Newfoundland where pulp and paper mill effluent was discharged. Prevalence varied seasonally, with a peak in autumn and a low in spring. It is likely that the multifocal infection was associated with immunodepression after exposure to the contaminant.

The authorships of the taxa described in the paper of Lienig & Zeller, 1846, are discussed. The authorship of all species newly described in this paper should be assigned to both. A list of the taxa newly described in that paper and their current taxonomic status is provided. Zusammenfassung. Die Autorenschaft fur die in der Arbeit von Lienig & Zeller, 1846, beschriebenen Taxa wird diskutiert. Fur alle in dieser Arbeit neu beschriebenen Arten sollten beide Namen als Autoren angesehen werden. Eine Liste der neubeschriebenen Taxa mit ihrem gegenwartigen taxonomischen Status