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There has been a limited number of studies on the effects of harmful algal blooms (HABs) on natural rocky intertidal ecosystems. From mid-September to early November 2021, an unprecedented HAB caused by Karenia selliformis hit the Pacific coast of southeast Hokkaido, Japan, for the first time, causing massive mortalities among marine organisms. To clarify the immediate impacts of the HAB on the abundance of 10 rocky intertidal species in four functional groups (macroalgae, sessile invertebrates, molluscan grazers, and molluscan carnivores), we focused on two questions: (1) How did the HAB affect the abundance of each species differently at the regional scale? and (2) How did the impacts of the HAB on the abundance of each functional groups vary spatially, and was the spatial variation of the HAB impacts related to the spatial distribution of the cell density of HAB species? To study these issues, we compared census data for 17 years before the HAB and within one month after it for five shores on the southeast coast of Hokkaido. The results showed that two macroalgae species and all three molluscan grazer species declined significantly after the HAB. Moreover, the decrease in molluscan grazers was significantly correlated with cell density. These results suggest that the impacts of the HAB in southeast Hokkaido on the abundance of rocky intertidal organisms are highly variable depending on species and locality, presumably because of differences in species-specific tolerances to HAB toxins and the spatial variation in the density of the HAB organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization has heightened the urgency of the necessity for sustainable water management in agriculture. This review focuses on the impacts of using reused wastewater in agricultural practices, specifically highlighting the nutrient benefits and consequences of pollutants on important environmental elements. It investigates the impact of contaminants on agricultural ecosystems by assessing the soil composition and nutrient equilibrium. This research also examines the impact of pollution exposure on plants and insects, elucidating the behavioural adaptations and their broader ecological consequences in agricultural environments. Eventually, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to consolidate these findings, emphasizing the challenges and significance of implementing sustainable practices. This study highlights the necessity of addressing the health and environmental concerns associated with the agricultural reuse of wastewater, while also giving valuable information to guide future regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seabirds create fluxes of nutrients from marine to terrestrial ecosystems that influence the food webs of small islands. We investigated how guano inputs shape terrestrial food webs by comparing species of selected plant and animal species in a red-footed booby colony in Mona Island (Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea), to sites of the island lacking guano inputs. We quantified guano deposition and its relationship to plant biomass production, fecundity and density, as well as the activity of native and introduced animal species. In general, guano inputs increased the gross primary plant productivity, size, and fecundity by twofold. Guano inputs were also associated with twofold increases in density of Anole lizards, but also to increases in the activity of introduced pigs (> 500%), goats (> 30%), and cats (> 500%), which negatively impact native species. In particular, elevated pig and cat activity within the booby colony was correlated with lower activity of endemic ground lizards and of introduced rats. Our results also suggest that severe droughts associated with climate change exacerbate the negative effects that introduced species have on vegetation and reduce the positive effects of seabird guano inputs. Our findings underscore the importance of allochthonous guano inputs in subsidizing plant productivity and native and endemic species in small oceanic islands, but also in increasing the negative impacts of introduced mammals. Management and conservation efforts should focus on the exclusion (or eradication) of introduced mammals, particularly pigs and goats, from remnant seabird colonies in Mona Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous studies assessing the effects of microplastics (MPs) on soils and plants and their potential implications for human consumption and agriculture, there remains a lack of exploration on the role of vegetated ecosystems as natural filters of MPs pollution. The MPs stemming from anthropogenic continental activities may undergo retention within these ecosystems, preventing their dispersion into aquatic environments. However, questions are raised about their potential impact on plant health and soil quality. This review aims to address these gaps by examining studies analyzing the role of vegetated ecosystems in MPs retention, the sources and effects of these contaminants on soils, and their absorption/translocation into plants analyzing their direct effects on plant physiology and growth. Finally, future perspectives and knowledge gaps in these crucial research areas were explored.The main findings demonstrate that plants effectively play a crucial role in retaining MPs, with studies mainly focused on vegetated wetlands with halophytes, and that MPs could affect various soil properties, including bulk density, water retention, and microbiota, inducing oxidative stress on plants and disturbing their growth. However, research gaps persist, such as quantifying MPs in natural settings and investigating the complex relationship between MPs, plants, and ecosystems. Experiments often employed high concentrations of MPs, potentially deviating from natural environmental levels and thus requiring assessment of whether observed concentrations can elicit comparable effects. Additionally, the predominant focus on primary MPs in experiments overlooked other types derived from degradation of larger plastic items, warranting attention and inclusion in research efforts.In conclusion, vegetated ecosystems can naturally filter MPs from land-based activities before they reach aquatic environments. Nevertheless, these particles exhibit significant impacts on soil properties and plant growth, posing an emerging threat to terrestrial ecosystems that requires further study.

Rapid urbanization has heightened the urgency of the necessity for sustainable water management in agriculture. This review focuses on the impacts of using reused wastewater in agricultural practices, specifically highlighting the nutrient benefits and consequences of pollutants on important environmental elements. It investigates the impact of contaminants on agricultural ecosystems by assessing the soil composition and nutrient equilibrium. This research also examines the impact of pollution exposure on plants and insects, elucidating the behavioural adaptations and their broader ecological consequences in agricultural environments. Eventually, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to consolidate these findings, emphasizing the challenges and significance of implementing sustainable practices. This study highlights the necessity of addressing the health and environmental concerns associated with the agricultural reuse of wastewater, while also giving valuable information to guide future regulations.

This study delves into the Bromo magnitude of the fire incident in Indonesia, a notable tourism destination, uncovering significant gaps in knowledge regarding tourist-induced forest fires. We comprehensively analyze the incident's environmental, economic, social, and tourism impacts. Environmentally, the fire caused severe damage to the region's ecosystems, upsetting ecological balances and diminishing air quality. This has far-reaching effects on flora, fauna, and the sustainability of natural resources. Forest fires release a significant amount of pollutants into the air, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and other harmful compounds. These pollutants can significantly degrade air quality, leading to health issues for humans and animals. The forest fire in the Bromo region of Indonesia had a profound impact, both economically and environmentally. The closure of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park drastically reduced tourism, leading to an 80 % drop in hotel occupancy and severe losses for local businesses like jeep rentals, eateries, and souvenir shops. Economically, this resulted in a significant decrease in Non-Tax State Revenue. Environmentally, the fire destroyed over 50 hectares of land, severely damaging the national park's ecosystems and affecting biodiversity. The smoke and heat from the fire also led to poor air quality and potential health risks for local residents, as well as adverse effects on nearby agriculture, increasing stress and anxiety in the community.. The study emphasizes the urgent need for stringent regulations, effective community engagement, and educational initiatives in forest conservation areas, particularly those attracting tourists. Our findings offer critical insights for policymakers, local authorities, and stakeholders in the tourism sector, highlighting the necessity of balancing environmental protection with the growth of the global travel industry.

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, environmental security under martial law has become a global issue. The possibility of humanitarian catastrophe due to hostilities creates the threat of chemical, biological and nuclear catastrophes. Most of the damaged territories are arable lands and nature reserves of Ukraine. Military action has a negative impact on the environment, but the extent of this impact is difficult to assess while the fighting continues. The undermining of the Kakhovsky Reservoir dam by the occupying forces has been compared to Chernobyl - it is the biggest man-made disaster in recent decades. The war against Ukraine led to serious consequences for the environment: pollution of air, water, land, radiation danger due to attacks on nuclear plants. Russian aggression justifies the term "ecocide", causing systematic and deliberate destruction of natural resources, violating international humanitarian law. The result of military conflict is massive destruction of biodiversity, pollution of water sources and danger to millions of people. The appeal of the international community to protect the environment during military conflicts and to punish those who commit crimes against nature and humanity becomes extremely important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although social species as diverse as humans and ants are among the most abundant organisms on Earth, animals cooperate and form groups for many reasons. How these different reasons for grouping affect a species' ecological dominance remains unknown. Here we use a theoretical model to demonstrate that the different fitness benefits that animals receive by forming groups depend on the quality of their environment, which in turn impacts their ecological dominance and resilience to global change. We then test the model's key predictions using phylogenetic comparative analysis of >6500 bird species. As predicted, we find that cooperative breeders occurring in harsh and fluctuating environments have larger ranges and greater abundances than non‐cooperative breeders, but cooperative breeders occurring in benign and stable environments do not. Using our model, we further show that social species living in harsh and fluctuating environments will be less vulnerable to climate change than non‐social species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the aspects of military conflicts is environmental. A specific and rather intense impact accompanies the conduct of hostilities and preparations for war on the environment. Although ecological damage is not usually a goal of warfare, such damage is integral to most armed conflicts. There is no single model of how war affects the environment. At the same time, war, like most human activity, changes the environment, damaging natural ecosystems and destroying human habitats. Numerous attempts to classify the environmental consequences of military confrontation boil down to the fact that it is expedient to distinguish direct and indirect implications on different scales and at various stages of military conflict. The destruction of natural systems of Ukraine during the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and the accompanying environmental challenges are numerous and diverse: the use of ammunition and damage to enterprises of various industries, including the chemical industry, the rise of radioactive dust into the air due to the movement of heavy equipment in the Chornobyl zone and strikes on nuclear power plants and associated infrastructure facilities, destruction of gas pipelines and oil storage facilities, numerous fires in populated areas, mining of large areas and the impact of shock waves and combustion products on the components of natural and anthropogenically altered ecosystems, etc. The consequences of hostilities will affect nature, people, and society even after these actions are over. Among other things, the territories and objects of the PZF are in the risk zone. It is essential to record and document the facts of environmental crimes and develop longterm plans to neutralize their consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult to predict and manage the ecological consequences of multiple water quality stressors on our freshwater systems. This is due to the dynamism of the source-stressor-response relationships and multiple factors including lack of data, complex impact pathways and risks, and uncertainties that are difficult to parameterise. We present a risk-based probability modelling approach using a Bayesian network (BN), to manage multiple water quality stressors at multiple spatial scales. We illustrate the use of this approach, by evaluating the probable ecological effects of altered water quality associated with multiple sources in three case study rivers in South Africa. Water quality and land use activity were used to describe conceptual risk pathways, parameterise the BNs and model the probable consequences of multiple water quality stressors. The BN model demonstrated that the endpoints that were selected for the study reflected the risks associated with the levels of the input water quality variables. The model further demonstrated that the electrical conductivity BN was just as sensitive as the more complex salt model. The BN model was further able to accurately represent risks to all systems irrespective the water quality data base size. This approach can contribute towards more sustainable water resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose is quantitative estimation of the mass of emissions of combustion products, chemical elements, the energy and power of acoustic and thermal radiation caused by the forests large tracts burning in the Northern Hemisphere. Methods. Analytical review of investigation problem, theoretical and computational, numerical modeling, system analysis. Results. It was found that large-scale fires in the Northern Hemisphere in 2020 had catastrophic ecological consequences. The greatest contribution was made by the burning of forests in Russia and the USA. Ecosystems were affected on an area of about 15 million hectares. About 3,5 Gt of wood was irretrievably lost. About 140 Mt of smoke and more than 10 Mt of soot were emitted into the atmosphere. The mass of the injected CO gas was about 350 Mt. The mass of hydrocarbons emitted into the atmosphere was about 140 Mt. About 7,8 Gt of CO2 gas was additionally emitted into the atmosphere. Hundreds of megatons of atomic nitrogen, hundreds of tons of potassium and calcium, as well as from units to tens of tons of such chemical elements as Fe, Zn, Cr, Br, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sr and Se have been emitted into the atmosphere. The energy of acoustic radiation was about 100 PJ, which is almost a thousand times higher than its energy under normal conditions. The energy of weakly damped infrasonic radiation was 1–10 PJ. The thermal radiation flux density reached 56–160 kW/m2. Even after the distribution of forest combustion products around the globe, their concentration exceeded the concentration under normal conditions. This primarily applies to smoke, soot and carbon monoxide. The economic damage amounted to about 750 billion US Dollars. Dozens of people died and were injured. Material and moral damage has been caused to many thousands of people. Material and moral damage caused to many thousands of people. Conclusions. The ecological consequences of the forests large tracts burning of Northern Hemisphere in 2020 for the planet became a kind of record.

Copyright of Journal of Hydrobiology is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Hydrobiology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cyanobacteria are important for ecosystem functioning, but eutrophication may affect the surrounding biome by losing ecosystem services and/or through affecting the cyanotoxins production that threatens ecological and human health. Pollution is an environmental issue that affects aquatic ecosystems worldwide, and the knowledge of the role of synthetic chemicals such as pharmaceuticals is still scarce. Therefore, studies coupling these two relevant issues are essential to better understand the ecological risks and the potential threats to public health. Thus, an overview of ecotoxicological tests performed in the literature exposing cyanobacteria to pharmaceuticals and the possible consequences regarding ecological and sanitary aspects was conducted. Moreover, a risk assessment was performed to enable a better understanding of pharmaceuticals affecting cyanobacteria ecology. Most of the studies found in the literature tested isolated pharmaceuticals in laboratory conditions, while others assessed mixture effects on in situ conditions. The endpoints most assessed were growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzyme activity. The studies also point out that cyanobacteria may present resistance or sensitivity depending on the concentrations and the therapeutic class, which may cause a change in the ecosystem dynamics and/or sanitary implications due to cyanotoxin production. The risk assessment highlighted that antibiotics are among the most relevant substances due to the chemical diversity and higher levels found in the environment than other therapeutic classes. This review highlighted gaps regarding cyanotoxin release into aquatic environments due to the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and the need for more realistic experiments to better understand the potential consequences for human and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses a current issue regarding the increasing problem of a decreasing cattle population in the Polish Carpathians. The problem exacerbated after 1990, as a result of changes in prices of the means of production and agricultural products. It intensified even further after Poland joined the EU. The decrease in cattle population is observed in all districts in the Carpathians. This article includes a diagnosis of four such districts: two with the highest decrease (Łańcut: -67.0% and Sucha: -52.6%) and two with the smallest decrease in cattle population (Bieszczdy: -8.1% and Wadowice: -11.5%). Expert assessments were used to this end. The article includes a definition and analysis of the deanimalisation process and an indication of the consequences of this process in agriculture, in the local environment and in the broadly understood ecological context. It follows from the research that favourable natural conditions, good for breeding ruminants, largely determine high cattle density but, at the same time, these conditions do not impact the decrease in the cattle population to such an extent. The decrease is related to the low concentration of herds, generational changes and the disappearance of local dairy markets. As a result of progressing deanimalisation, abandoned meadows and pastures, as well as part of arable lands, are being permanently lost. Instead, these lands become overgrown with invasive plant species and shrubbery.

The long-term reforming of the agricultural sector of the country has led to the fact that the system of agricultural production does not conform with the principles of ecological-economic balance of the development of national economy in general and the agricultural sector In particular. The issues of statistical evaluation of ecological consequences of agricultural activity of enterprises of the country demand development and introduction of new approaches to carrying out of statistical evaluation of the given branch. In the process of research, selective statistical observations of the activities by agricultural enterprises were carried out. According to results of the sample statistical study, a statistical forecasting of emissions of certain types of hazardous substances under the influence of particular factors was carried out.

The current state of environmental issues in our country, in particular those concerning statistical estimation of the environmental consequences of agricultural activities of enterprises, requires developing and implementing new approaches to statistical estimation of this sector. The aim of the article is to perform statistical estimation and statistical forecast of the influence of individual factors on the volumes of nitrogen oxide (NO) and PM10, PM2.5 by means of the methods of linear regression and chain substitution. Using the performed calculations, the information base of which is the data of a sampling, there carried out statistical forecast by means of the methods of linear regression, chain substitutions. The calculation of the forecast values with the application of linear progression, which is performed based on the algorithm for calculating forecast values with the application of linear regression, is justified. There suggested the statistical forecasting of nitrogen oxide (NO) and PM10, PM2.5 emissions with regard to the influence of various factors using the data obtained as a result of the sampling carried out for Zhytomyr region. The equations are calculated with the application of linear regression and imply constructing such straight lines for which the values lying on them will be as close as possible to the actual ones. The assessment of the quality of the trend equations is carried out using the coefficient of determination and the criteria for evaluating the significance.

In 1999, NATO bombed the Republic of Serbia, which inflicted irreparable environmental damage on ecosystems and habitats. The topic of this paper is the method of determining and analyzing the assessment of inflicted ecological damage. Its quantification is possible, but it requires an integrated approach, since the exact value can be estimated only on a case-by-case basis. The financial valorization of environmental damage is an open and complex issue and it implies moral and ethical parameters. The paper presents in general the assessment of ecological damage, and also the assessment of the damage inflicted on endemic and other types of habitats and ecosystems. A special emphasis is paid on the environmental damage assessment and the assessment of human health consequences that have arisen from the use of munitions with depleted uranium. The problem of determining ecological damage and its consequences for ecosystems, habitats and humans due to the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999 is particularly pointed out.

Changes in the composition of ichthyofauna of northeastern European Russia under the effect of biological invasions are analyzed. It is shown that alien invader fish species appeared in the water bodies of the region as a result of acclimatization measures (the Far Eastern pink salmon and Pechora peled in the White Sea basin, the Northern Dvina sterlet and Siberian sturgeon in the Pechora River), intentional (the pike perch) or accidental introduction (the Chinese sleeper), and expansion of species from the Caspian Sea (the white-eye bream and asp) or the Baltic Sea (asp). The results of analysis of long-term changes in the freshwater ichthyofauna show that the appearance of alien fish species in the water bodies of northeastern European Russia has led to an increase in the diversity of ichthyofauna, trophic competition with native species, deterioration of the fishery status an increased mortality risk for juvenile Atlantic salmon, and potential aggravation of the epizootic situation in the lower reaches of the Northern Dvina River. At the same time, the successful acclimatization of the Pechora peled in the White Sea basin has made it possible to develop a scheme for organizing full-cycle lake coregonid farms with the formation of peled brood stocks and local whitefish polyculture. Sturgeon species naturalized in the Onega and Pechora rivers may subsequently diversify the list of commercial fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coast of British Columbia (BC) is host to runs of salmon that have been the economic, social, and cultural basis of Northwest Coast Native societies for millennia. Wild salmon hatch in streams and spend varying amounts of time there before migrating to the ocean. After spending up to several years in the ocean, these fish return to their natal streams to spawn once, then die. These spawning cycles facilitated productive Native fisheries over the centuries and, since the 1870s, industrial fisheries for global markets. Today, industrial salmon aquaculture sites can be found almost everywhere in the protected waters near shore, along the migration routes of what were once flourishing populations of Pacific salmon. Fish farms compound the destructive effects of more than a century of logging, overfishing, and urbanization on the wild salmon fisheries. The most direct and striking impacts of fish farms—ones that are directly observed by many local Native people—are the spread of fish diseases and waste materials into the surrounding habitat. Sea lice infestations of wild stocks are on the rise: these parasites and other disease organisms concentrate in the densely stocked net pens and appear to spread easily to passing wild salmon. Although a few fish farms are stocked with chinook salmon, a species that is native to the region, most farm sites contain Atlantic salmon. The reality of salmon escapes from net pens and the fact that Atlantic salmon originating from fish farms have been shown to spawn successfully in BC’s rivers have raised grave concerns about the ecological consequences of the invasion of local streams by this exotic species of salmon. Furthermore, the effects of the sewage emanating from fish farms are often noted by Native people using traditional clam digging and fishing spots.

Abstract Several studies suggest that alternatives to carbapenems, and particulary beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, can be used for therapy of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE)-related infections in non-ICU patients. Little is known concerning ICU patients in whom achieving the desired plasmatic pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) target may be difficult. Also, in vitro susceptibility to beta-lactamase inhibitors might not translate into clinical efficacy. We reviewed the recent clinical studies examining the use of BL/BLI as alternatives to carbapenems for therapy of bloodstream infection, PK/PD data and discuss potential ecological benefit from avoiding the use of carbapenems. With the lack of prospective randomized studies, treating ICU patients with ESBL-PE-related infections using piperacillin–tazobactam should be done with caution. Current data suggest that BL/BLI empirical use should be avoided for therapy of ESBL-PE-related infection. Also, definitive therapy should be reserved to patients in clinical stable condition, after microbial documentation and results of susceptibility tests. Optimization of administration and higher dosage should be used in order to reach pharmacological targets.

Das soziale System der Krankenbehandlung erbringt nicht nur wesentliche Leistungen in der Gesellschaft, sondern externalisiert systemisch unerwünschte Folgen, z. B. Pharmazeutikarückstände in Gewässern. Diese nicht-intendierten Nebenfolgen resultieren aus unzähligen, alltäglichen Einzelhandlungen, die durch soziale Mechanismen des Umgangs mit Unsicherheit erst ermöglicht werden. Zur Entwicklung von Strategien zur Reduzierung von Pharmazeutikarückständen im Trinkwasser muss die Wirkmächtigkeit von Mechanismen wie Geldzahlungen, Autorität oder Vertrauen besser verstanden werden. Diese bewirken das Zustandekommen von Handlungen, lassen sich aber schwerlich zur Steuerung von erwünschtem Verhalten instrumentalisieren.

Copyright of Annals of the Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists is the property of Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the context of climate changes, detailed information concerning the response of different components of the environment to the observed situation is of high importance. Due to strong correlations of air and water temperatures, water ecosystems have been subject to a considerable transformation for several decades. The paper presents the analysis of long-term (1960-2009) water temperature fluctuations in the Warta River, third longest river in Poland. Based on six stations located along the bank of the Warta River, its thermal parameters and tendencies and rate of changes were determined. Moreover, based on data concerning air temperature, correlations between those two media were analysed. Water temperature in the Warta River over the last fifty years was characterised by low variability, ranging in the analysed stations from 9.5 °C in Sieradz to 10.3 °C in Poznan and Skwierzyna. The Mann-Kendall trend tests, Sen's slope estimator and the Pettitt test were applied to long-term time series of air and water temperature analysis. Long-term fluctuations of mean annual water temperatures were characterised by an increase (statistically significant, depending on the station at a level of p=0.05 and p=0.001) from 0.096 to 0.281 °C.dec-1. Water temperature in the case of the analysed stations appears to be particularly determined by climatic factors, as suggested by very strong correlations with air temperature (from 0.82 to 0.94). Evident changes in the thermal regime of the Warta River in the context of functioning of the entire ecosystem should be considered unfavourable. The observed as well as future increase in water temperature will modify current processes occurring in the river, referring to among others water quality, composition of ichthyofauna, or hydrological conditions. Further temperature changes should be mitigated, by among others appropriate management of the riverbank zone (planting trees) and by increasing the share of forest areas in the catchment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans have drastically altered nocturnal environments with electric lighting. Animals depend on natural night light conditions and are now being inundated with artificial lighting. There are numerous artificial light sources that differ in spectral composition that should affect the perception of these light sources and due to differences in animal visual systems, the differences in color perception of these anthropogenic light sources should vary significantly. The ecological and evolutionary ramifications of these perceptual differences of light sources remain understudied. Here, we quantify the radiance of nine different street lights comprised of four different light sources: Metal Halide, Mercury Vapor, Light Emitting Diodes, and High‐Pressure Sodium and model how five animal visual systems will be stimulated by these light sources. We calculated the number of photons that photoreceptors in different visual systems would detect. We selected five visual systems: avian UV/VIS, avian V/VIS, human, wolf and hawk moth. We included non‐visual photoreceptors of vertebrates known for controlling circadian rhythms and other physiological traits. The nine light types stimulated visual systems and the photoreceptors within the visual systems differently. Furthermore, we modelled the chromatic contrast (Just Noticeable Differences [JNDs]) and color space overlap for each light type comparison for each visual system to see if organisms would perceive the lights as different colors. The JNDs of most light type comparisons were very high, indicating most visual systems would detect all light types as different colors, however mammalian visual systems would perceive many lights as the same color. We discuss the importance of understanding not only the brightness of artificial light types, but also the spectral composition of light types, as most organisms have different visual systems from humans. Thus, for researchers to understand how artificial light sources affect the visual environment of specific organisms and thus mitigate the effects, spectral information is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Animals adapt to the challenges of fluctuations in predator risk and food availability in their natural habitats. Phenotypic plasticity allows animals to handle environmental changes. However, the patterns of flexibility in metabolic rates and its ecological consequences under different predator stress and food availability conditions are poorly understood. Here, we used crucial carp (Carassius auratus) as a prey species and northern snakehead (Channa argus) as a predator to test whether predator stress influences metabolism and growth, and alters the link between flexibility in metabolic rate and its ecological consequences (e.g., growth) in crucial carp. The experiment was carried out under the conditions of predator stress (with or without a predator) and three food availabilities (satiation feeding 1 time per day, low food availability; 2 times per day, intermediate food availability; and 3 times per day, high food availability) for 3 weeks. After 21 days of feeding, the final body mass and body length in the two treatments increased compared to the initial values in all three food availabilities. The feeding intake (FI) and specific growth rate (SGR) of the two treatments increased with increasing food availability. The control treatment had a higher FI and SGR than the predator stress treatment in all three food availabilities. The feeding efficiency (FE) of the two treatments was higher at the high and intermediate food availabilities than at the low food availability. However, no effect of predator stress on FE was detected. The final values of original or standardized SMR were higher in the control treatment than the predator stress treatment at the intermediate and high food availabilities. The changes in SMR (ΔSMR) were higher in the control treatment than in the predator stress treatment. The positive correlation between the ΔSMR and SGR was found in the intermediate food availability in the predator stress treatment, suggesting that individuals with a higher flexibility in SMR had a larger growth rate and vice versa, but this relationship was dependent on food availability. Our results suggest that predator stress decreased maintenance metabolism, feeding and growth of juvenile crucial carp irrespective of food availability. Predator stress does not alter the growth advantages conferred by the metabolic plasticity of the fish under changing food availability. Highlights • The morphology, feeding intake and specific growth rate of the two predator stress treatments increased with increasing food availability. • The changes in standard metabolic rate were higher in the control treatment than in the predator stress treatment at the intermediate food availability. • Predator stress does not alter the correlations between the changes in standard metabolic rate and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of landscape monitoring of the concentrations of acid-extractable Ni, Cu, Co, Mn, and Zn in soils of the local impact zone of the Severonikel industrial complex on the Kola Peninsula are discussed. The aim of monitoring studies was to reveal the spatial and temporal regularities of variation in the degree of soil contamination by heavy metals. In 2001-2011, the concentrations of acid-extractable compounds of the elements in the upper part of organic soil horizons around this plant exceeded their background concentrations by two orders of magnitude for Cu and Co and by three orders of magnitude for Ni. The degree of topsoil contamination with Ni, Cu, and Co generally corresponded to the distance of the plots from the contamination source and to the modern technogenic load. However, because of the long period of the emissions, their extreme amounts, and complex composition, indirect factors—the degree of technogenic soil degradation, the loss of soil organic matter, saturation of the surface soil layers by the contaminating metals, and competitive relationships between the elements—also affect soil contamination level. The concentrations of all the studied metals in the topsoil are characterized by considerable (1.5 to 7 times) variability in their long-term dynamics. The most important factors of this variability for Ni, Cu, and Co are the organic matter content of the samples and the amount of atmospheric precipitation in the year preceding the sampling. An inverse relationship between element concentrations in the soils and the amount of atmospheric precipitation attests to the dynamic nature and reversible character of the accumulation of heavy metals in the soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the broad applications of nanotechnologies in the present age, there are concerns about its ecological consequences. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to analyze ecological consequences of nanotechnology in the field of agriculture. The research method was descriptive, which was carried out by a survey technique for gathering data. The statistical population of the study included all researchers, experts, and faculty members of national agricultural research institutes and centers across Iran (N=190); out of them, 123 individuals were selected by using Krejcie and Morgan sample size Table along with stratified random sampling method with proportional assignment (n=123). The research instrument was a questionnaire whose face and content validity was confirmed by a number of faculty members of agricultural extension and education and experts in the field of nanotechnology. The reliability of ecological consequences of nanotechnology items was also obtained by a pilot study using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α= 0.78). To identify the ecological consequences of nanotechnology by taking advantage of factor analysis, five factors entitled "social consequences", "health-care consequences", "economic consequences", "cultural consequences", and "biological consequences" were extracted. As a whole, these factors explained 58.40 percent of the total variance of ecological consequences of nanotechnology in the field of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]