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Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) aim to assess the predicted effects of future projects on the environment, human health, and the economic potential of a region. They are an instrumental tool for sustainable development and to reduce the impact of large-scale industrial projects on biodiversity. The accurate assessment of the effects of projects on wildlife populations has a variety of ecological, cultural, and economic implications. However, assessments are commonly done using indirect indicators such as the predicted impact of changes in the quantity and quality of wildlife habitat and (or) predicted changes in nonspecific wildlife population metrics (e.g., relative abundance). In recent decades, the interpretation of wildlife health has moved from the classical dichotomous state of 'disease presence/absence' to a broader concept that integrates the interaction of biological, social, and environmental health determinants. We sought to determine how wildlife health metrics are used in EIA processes and propose a framework to characterize, quantify, and monitor wildlife health in future EIAs. First, we performed a targeted review of EIA documents from three jurisdictions in Canada to characterize the relevance and use of 'wildlife health' in these documents. Then, we reviewed case studies and research examples to understand wildlife health in different contexts associated with conservation biology to propose a framework to incorporate wildlife health into baseline monitoring and mitigation processes in EIAs. Our targeted review illustrates that while wildlife health and related terminology is often invoked in the main and specific objectives of EIAs, it is rarely tracked and quantified in EIAs and related processes. We identified approaches that can be used to effectively incorporate wildlife health in EIAs, including contextspecific wildlife health metrics, participatory epidemiology, community-based sampling, and local ecological knowledge. We illustrate case studies where wildlife health can facilitate the inclusion of communities, Indigenous governments, and local ecological knowledge into the evaluation process of projects and developments and into comanagement practices of wildlife. Our work highlights the critical need to move towards incorporating wildlife health into EIA processes to provide a more direct and holistic perspective on the potential environmental impacts and improve the opportunities for early implementation of mitigation measurements. Key words: wildlife health, environmental impact assessments, traditional knowledge, wildlife conservation, wildlife diseases, health metrics, One Health, Introduction The current unprecedented rates of anthropogenic environmental changes and disturbances are driving a myriad of wildlife populations and hundreds of species to extinction every year (Ceballos and Ehrlich 2002; [...]

Water management activities are currently predicated on the assumption of a stationary climate, despite the reality of climate change. Hydrologic impacts of climate change for three sub-watersheds north of Toronto for 2041-70 were investigated using the precipitation-runoff modeling system to model six global climate model projections from each of representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5. Annual groundwater recharge, evapotranspiration, and the 7[Q.sub.20] low streamflow statistic were projected to change from 1976- 2005 conditions by -2.2% to +20.5%, +0.9% to +14.4%, and -25.5% to +9.8%, respectively. Seasonal shifts included an earlier date of peak streamflow for the majority of simulations and a +14.0% to +103.9% increase in winter recharge. A steady-state MODFLOW model was employed as a preliminary assessment into the effects of climate change on source water protection outputs. The results of this research further the understanding of climate change impacts on human and ecological systems in southern Ontario. Key words: climate change, hydrologic modelling, recharge, evapotranspiration, streamflow, source water protection, groundwater modelling. Les activites de gestion de l'eau reposent actuellement sur l'hypothese d'un climat stationnaire, malgre la realite du changement climatique. Les impacts hydrologiques du changement climatique dans le cadre de trois sous-bassins hydrographiques au nord de Toronto de 2041 a 2070 ont ete etudies a l'aide du systeme de modelisation des precipitations et du ruissellement (<< precipitation-runoff modeling system >>) afin de modeliser six projections de modeles climatiques mondiaux pour chacun des profils representatifs d'evolution des concentrations, << representative concentration pathway >> RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5 et RCP 8.5. La recharge annuelle des eaux souterraines, l'evapotranspiration et la statistique de debit d'etiage 7[Q.sub.20] devraient changer par rapport aux conditions de 1976-2005, soit de - 2,2 a +20,5 %, de +0,9 a +14,4 % et de -25,5 a +9,8 %, respectivement. Les changements saisonniers comprenaient une date anterieure du debit maximal pour la majorite des simulations et une augmentation de +14,0 a +103,9 % de la recharge hivernale. Un modele MODFLOW de regime etabli a ete utilise comme evaluation preliminaire des effets du changement climatique sur les resultats de la protection des sources d'approvisionnement en eau. Les resultats de cette recherche permettent de mieux comprendre les repercussions du changement climatique sur les systemes humains et ecologiques dans le sud de l'Ontario. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : changement climatique, modelisation hydrologique, recharge, evapotranspiration, debit, protection des sources d'approvisionnement en eau, modelisation des eaux souterraines., 1. Introduction Changes in the hydrologic cycle are one of the primary ways in which climate change is expected to disrupt human systems (McBean and Huang 2017; UN Water 2010; [...]

Leaching tests are an important component in assessing the potential of contaminants to leach from waste materials to the environment. Numerous leaching test protocols have been developed for different applications. In this study, we compare four different methods in the context of assessing leaching of inorganic ions from oil sands tailings. The four methods compared were: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure; ASTM D6234; ASTM D3987; and what we refer to as the Deionized method (modified from Syncrude Analytical Aqueous Extraction of Oil Sand Method 1.7). It was found that the EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure generally resulted in the highest ion concentrations. The EPA method had statistically different results for three of the four tailings mixes when compared with the other three leaching methods. For Mo andTi the EPA method always resulted in the lowest concentrations compared with the other methods, and As, T1, and Pb sometimes resulted in the lowest concentrations. The other three leaching protocols resulted in similar dissolved ion concentrations. Key words: leaching, oil sands tailings, ASTM D6234, ASTM D3987, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). Les essais de lixiviation sont un element important de l'evaluation du potentiel de lixiviation des contaminants de dechets dans l'environnement. De nombreux protocoles d'essai de lixiviation ont ete developpes pour differentes applications. Dans cette etude, nous comparons quatre methodes differentes dans le contexte de l'evaluation de la lixiviation des ions inorganiques provenant de residus de sables bitumineux. Les quatre methodes comparees etaient les suivantes : le procede caracteristique de toxicite de lixiviation de << l'Environmental Protection Agency >> (<< EPA >>) des Etats-Unis; la norme de procedure de lixiviation D6234 ASTM; la norme de pratique D3987 ASTM; et ce que nous appelons la methode deionisee (modifiee a partir de la methode 1.7 de l'extraction aqueuse analytique des sables bitumineux de Syncrude). On a constate que le procede caracteristique de toxicite de lixiviation de l'EPA donnait generalement les concentrations d'ions les plus elevees. La methode de l'EPA a donne des resultats statistiquement differents pour trois des quatre melanges de residus miniers comparativement aux trois autres methodes de lixiviation. Pour Mo et Ti, la methode de l'EPA a toujours donne les concentrations les plus faibles comparativement aux autres methodes, et As, Tl et Pb ont parfois donne les concentrations les plus faibles. Les trois autres protocoles de lixiviation ont donne lieu a des concentrations d'ions dissous similaires. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : lixiviation, residus de sables bitumineux, norme de procedure de lixiviation D6234 ASTM, norme de pratique D3987 ASTM, procede caracteristique de toxicite de lixiviation (<< TCLP >>)., Introduction In northeastern Alberta, Canada, bitumen is extracted from oil sand deposits. These deposits represent the third largest oil reserves in the world (Alberta 2019). When these deposits occur less [...]

Natural disturbances such as fires and severe storms can have profound impacts on the hydrology and ecology of inland waters, potentially altering the structure and function of the ecosystem for extended periods of time. Studies of the initial impacts are, however, uncommon. Here we report on the shortterm impacts of Hurricane Irma in the structure of the phytoplankton association in Lake Louise, a small blackwater lake in southern Georgia. Irma hit the region on September 11, 2017, with tropical storm force winds. The event corresponded to a period during which we were conducting routine weekly monitoring of environmental conditions in the lake. Parameters monitored included temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and light from the surface to a depth of 6 m. Chlorophyll concentrations and the structure of the phytoplankton were also determined at 1 m intervals from the surface to a depth of 5 m. An increase in the overall abundance of phytoplankton in the upper meter of the lake and a decrease in the abundance of phytoplankton deeper in the water column were observed immediately after Hurricane Irma. These decreases were followed by a bloom involving several species of cyanobacteria beginning about four weeks after the passage of the hurricane. Signatures of the passage of the hurricane were erased in early December as cooler temperatures created isothermal conditions in the lake. Keywords: Hurricane Irma, hurricane impacts, Lake Louise, phytoplankton, INTRODUCTION Aquatic ecosystems are in a constant state of flux as the biotic components respond to changes in the abiotic conditions and to each other. Some of these changes, the [...]

Natural disturbances such as fires and severe storms can have profound impacts on the hydrology and ecology of inland waters, potentially altering the structure and function of the ecosystem for extended periods of time. Studies of the initial impacts are, however, uncommon. Here we report on the shortterm impacts of Hurricane Irma in the structure of the phytoplankton association in Lake Louise, a small blackwater lake in southern Georgia. Irma hit the region on September 11, 2017, with tropical storm force winds. The event corresponded to a period during which we were conducting routine weekly monitoring of environmental conditions in the lake. Parameters monitored included temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and light from the surface to a depth of 6 m. Chlorophyll concentrations and the structure of the phytoplankton were also determined at 1 m intervals from the surface to a depth of 5 m. An increase in the overall abundance of phytoplankton in the upper meter of the lake and a decrease in the abundance of phytoplankton deeper in the water column were observed immediately after Hurricane Irma. These decreases were followed by a bloom involving several species of cyanobacteria beginning about four weeks after the passage of the hurricane. Signatures of the passage of the hurricane were erased in early December as cooler temperatures created isothermal conditions in the lake. Keywords: Hurricane Irma, hurricane impacts, Lake Louise, phytoplankton, INTRODUCTION Aquatic ecosystems are in a constant state of flux as the biotic components respond to changes in the abiotic conditions and to each other. Some of these changes, the [...]

Metabarcoding is a powerful, increasingly popular tool for biodiversity assessment, but it still suffers from some drawbacks (specimen destruction, separation, and size sorting). In the present study, we tested a non-destructive protocol that excludes any sample sorting, where the ethanol used for sample preserving is filtered and DNA is extracted from the filter for subsequent DNA metabarcoding. When tested on macroinvertebrate mock communities, the method was widely successful but was unable to reliably detect mollusc taxa. Three different protocols (no treatment, shaking, and freezing) were successfully applied to increase DNA release to the fixative. The protocols resulted in similar success in taxa detection (6.8-7 taxa) but differences in read numbers assigned to taxa of interest (33.8%-93.7%). In comparison to conventional bulk sample metabarcoding of environmental samples, taxa with pronounced exoskeleton and small-bodied taxa were especially underrepresented in ethanol samples. For EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) taxa, which are important for determining stream ecological status, the methods detected 46 OTUs in common, with only 4 unique to the ethanol samples and 10 to the bulk samples. These results indicate that fixative-based metabarcoding is a non-destructive, time-saving alternative for biodiversity assessments focussing on taxa used for ecological status determination. However, for a comprehensive assessment on total invertebrate biodiversity, the method may not be sufficient, and conventional bulk sample metabarcoding should be applied. Key words: non-destructive, environmental DNA, macroinvertebrates, metabarcoding. Le meta-codage a barres est un outil puissant de plus en plus utilise pour mesurer la biodiversite, mais il presente toujours certains inconvenients (destruction, separation et triage des specimens). Dans le present travail, les auteurs ont explore un protocole non-destructif qui exclut tout triage des echantillons; l'ethanol employe pour preserver l'echantillon est filtre et l'ADN est extrait du filtre pour etre employe subsequemment pour le meta-codage a barres. Lorsque teste sur des communautes simulees de macro-invertebres, la methode s'est largement averee un succes, sans toutefois reussir a detecter de maniere fiable les mollusques. Trois protocoles differents (aucun traitement, agitation et congelation) ont ete appliques pour augmenter la liberation de l'ADN. Ces protocoles ont entraine un succes comparable en matiere de detection de taxons (6,8 a 7 taxons), mais des nombres variables de sequences assignees aux taxons d'interet (33,8 a 93,7 %). Comparativement aux methodes conventionnelles employees sur des echantillons environnementaux, les taxons avec des exosquelettes prononces ou encore de petite taille etaient particulierement sous-representes au sein des echantillons d'ethanol. Pour les taxons EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), lesquels sont importants pour determiner le statut ecologique des ruisseaux, les methodes ont permis de detecter 46 OTU en commun, tandis que 4 etaient uniques aux echantillons d'ethanol et 10 aux echantillons traditionnels en composite. Ces resultats indiquent que la methode de meta-codage a barres faisant appel au fixatif constitue une alternative non-destructive et rapide pour les mesures de la biodiversite portant sur des taxons utilises pour determiner l'etat des ecosystemes. Cependant, pour une evaluation exhaustive de la biodiversite totale, la methode n'est peut-etre pas suffisante et il faudrait employer des methodes conventionnelles d'analyse d'echantillons composites. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : non-destructif, ADN environnemental, macro-invertebres, meta-codage a barres., Introduction DNA metabarcoding was developed to improve the efficiency, reliability, and resolution of biodiversity assessments. The technique is based on parallel sequencing of standardised DNA barcode markers. Due to the [...]

While hurricanes are known to cause immediate destruction through flooding and strong winds, pathogenic diseases as a result of hurricanes are less recognized. Evidence shows that airborne opportunists and waterborne diseases are more common in the environment after hurricanes, as are visits to the emergency room for respiratory and skin ailments. In addition, infections that result from overcrowding tend to increase in shelters while mosquito-borne viruses can increase in number over the long-term. Understanding the effect of hurricanes on these pathogens in the environment can help public health professionals and the public be better prepared when major hurricanes occur, as well as decrease the incidence of illness and death after a hurricane., Introduction2017 was a year of extreme hurricane activity in Texas and Puerto Rico, with lasting effects that will not quickly be forgotten. Extensive flooding and damaging winds are usually the [...]

The problems of the application of total indices 'phenolic index' and 'petroleum products' for water quality assessment are considered. It is demonstrated that these indices do not reflect the actual contamination of aquatic media by phenols and petroleum hydrocarbons. The effect of hydrocarbons of different classes on the error in determining petroleum products was revealed. The presence of phenols and other organic compounds was found to affect the results of the determination of the phenolic index. It is necessary to identify pollutants contained in wastewater to assess the applicability of total indices in the analysis of such waters. Marker components of wastewater must be included in the research program, in addition to total indices. Keywords: phenolic index, phenol, oil products, petroleum hydrocarbons, HPLC, IR spectrophotometry, A chemical-analytical study of the environment and sources of its contamination is a specific and complex section of analytical chemistry because many of the impurities are contained in the investigated [...]

Long-term regional environmental monitoring, coupled with shorter-term and more localized monitoring carried out under regulatory permitting processes, is foundational to identifying, understanding, and effectively managing cumulative environmental effects. However, monitoring programs that emerge to support cumulative effects science are often short-lived initiatives or disconnected from land use planning and regulatory decision making. This paper examines the history and evolution of environmental monitoring in the Lower Athabasca region of Alberta, Canada, and the enabling and constraining influences of institutional arrangements. Methods involved a review of regional-scale monitoring programs based on an analysis of monitoring agency mandates, performance reports, and external program reviews, supplemented by discussions with monitoring program or agency key informants to triangulate results. Results show that monitoring to support cumulative effects understanding in the Lower Athabasca has advanced considerably, especially since the mid-1990s, but its relevance to, and impact on, cumulative effects management and decision making has been stifled by institutional arrangements. Monitoring has been episodic, reflecting shifting priorities and competing mandates; criticized by stakeholders based on concerns about transparency, credibility, influence over decision making; and characterized by short-lived commitments by the agencies involved. This has generated significant uncertainty about the stability of institutional arrangements to support long-term environmental monitoring, and tensions between the need for scientific autonomy for credible science whilst ensuring the pursuit of monitoring questions that are relevant to the day-to-day needs of regulatory decision makers. Regional monitoring programs require, at a minimum, clear vision and agreed-upon monitoring questions that are of scientific and management value, meaningful and balanced stakeholder engagement, and a clear governance process to ensure credibility and influence of monitoring results on decision making. Key words: cumulative effects, environmental monitoring, Lower Athabasca, land use planning, institutional arrangements. La surveillance environnementale regionale a long terme, jumelee a la surveillance a plus court terme et effectuee localement suite a l'emission de permis, est fondamentale a l'identification, a la comprehension et a la gestion efficace des effets environnementaux cumulatifs. Cependant, les programmes de surveillance mis sur pied pour soutenir la science des effets cumulatifs sont des initiatives souvent de courte duree ou non lies a la planification de l'utilisation des terres et a la prise de decisions reglementaire. Dans le cadre de cette revue, on examine l'histoire et l'evolution de la surveillance environnementale dans la region du cours inferieur de la riviere Athabasca en Alberta au Canada et les effets favorables et contraignants des dispositions institutionnelles. Les methodes employees comprenaient un examen des programmes de surveillance a l'echelle regionale se basant sur une analyse des mandats de surveillance des agences, des rapports de performance et des examens de programmes externes, a cela s'ajoutent des discussions avec des informateurs cles de programmes ou d'agences de surveillance afin de corroborer les resultats. Les resultats montrent que la surveillance visant a augmenter la comprehension des effets cumulatifs dans le cours inferieur de l'Athabasca a progresse considerablement, surtout depuis le milieu des annees 1990, mais sa pertinence par rapport a la gestion et la prise de decisions quant aux effets cumulatifs et les impacts de ceux-ci a ete passee sous silence en raison d'arrangements institutionnels. La surveillance a ete episodique, refletant le changement de priorites et la concurrence des mandats; critiques par les parties prenantes par rapport a des preoccupations quant a la transparence, a la credibilite, a l'influence sur la prise de decisions; et marques d'engagements de courte duree par les agences impliquees. Ceci a donne lieu a une importante incertitude face a la stabilite des arrangements institutionnels qui soutiennent la surveillance environnementale a long terme et face au tiraillement entre le besoin d'autonomie scientifique pour une science credible en assurant la recherche de questions liees a la surveillance qui sont pertinentes aux besoins quotidiens de decideurs reglementaires. Les programmes regionaux de surveillance necessitent, au minimum, une vision claire et un accord sur les questions de surveillance qui ont une valeur au niveau scientifique et de gestion, un engagement significatif et equilibre des parties prenantes et un processus de gouvernance clair pour assurer la credibilite et l'influence des resultats de surveillance sur la prise de decisions. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : effets cumulatifs, surveillance environnementale, cours inferieur de la riviere Athabasca, planification de l'utilisation des terres, arrangements institutionnels., Introduction Government agencies and scholars have invested significant resources in cumulative effects science (Noble 2015; Jones 2016). Efforts have focused on the development of new methods and tools for assessing [...]

The oil and gas industry has grown significantly throughout the boreal and arctic ecosystems of North America. A major feature of the ecological footprint of oil and gas exploration is seismic lines--narrow corridors used to transport and deploy geophysical survey equipment. These lines, which traverse forests, tundra, uplands, and peatlands, were historically up to10mwide. Over the past decade, seismic lines have decreasedinwidth (in some cases downto1.75-3m); however, their density has increased drastically and their construction is expected to continue in regions of Canada and the United States that are rich in oil and gas resources. We examine the literature related to the environmental impacts of, and restoration and reclamation efforts associated with, seismic lines in the boreal and arctic ecosystems of North America. With respect to conventional seismic lines, numerous studies report significant and persistent environmental changes along these lines and slow recovery of vegetation that translates into a lasting fragmentation of the landscape. This fragmentation has many ramifications for biodiversity and ecosystem processes, including significant implications for threatened woodland caribou herds. While modern, low-impact seismic lines have comparatively lower ecological effects at the site-level, their high density and associated potential edge effects suggest that their actual environmental impact may be underestimated. Seismic line restoration is a critical aspect of future integrated landscape management in hydrocarbon-rich regions of the boreal-arctic, and if widely applied, has the potential to benefit a wide range of species and maintain or re-establish key ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Key words: linear disturbances, low-impact seismic lines, conventional seismic lines, environmental footprint, regulations, restoration methods. L'industrie petroliere et gaziere s'est developpee considerablement partout dans les ecosystemes boreaux et arctiques de l'Amerique du Nord. Une caracteristique majeure de l'empreinte ecologique de l'exploration petroliere et gaziere reside dans les profils sismiques--couloirs etroits utilises pour transporter et deployer l'equipement pour les leves geophysiques. Ces lignes, qui traversent des forets, la toundra, de hautes terres et des tourbieres, etaient historiquement jusqu'a 10 m de largeur. Au cours de la derniere decennie, les lignes sismiques ont diminue en largeur (dans certains cas aussi etroites que 1,75-3 m); cependant, leur densite a augmente considerablement et on s'attend a ce que leur construction continue dans les regions du Canada et des Etats-Unis qui sont riches en ressources petrolieres et gazieres. Nous examinons la litterature portant sur les impacts des lignes sismiques sur l'environnement et les efforts de restauration et de remise en etat associes a celles-ci dans les ecosystemes boreaux et arctiques de l'Amerique du Nord. En ce qui concerne les lignes sismiques traditionnelles, de nombreuses etudes font etat de changements environnementaux importants et persistants le long de ces lignes et du lent retablissement de la vegetation ce qui mene a une fragmentation durable du paysage. Cette fragmentation a beaucoup de ramifications au niveau de la biodiversite et des processus des ecosystemes,ycompris des repercussions importantes sur les troupeauxdecaribous des bois qui sont menaces. Tandis que les lignes sismiques modernes a faible impact ont des effets ecologiques comparativement inferieurs au niveau du site, leur forte concentration et les effets lisieres possibles y etant lies suggerent que leur reel impact sur l'environnement puisse etre sous-estime. La restauration de lignes sismiques est un aspect critique au niveau de la gestion future de paysage integree dans les regions riches en hydrocarbures de l'Arctique boreale et, si elle est appliquee a grande echelle, elle a la possibilite d'avantager un large eventail d'especes et de maintenir ou de retablir des services ecosystemiques cles comme la sequestration du carbone et la biodiversite. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : perturbations lineaires, lignes sismiques a faible incidence, lignes sismiques traditionnelles, empreinte ecologique, reglements, methodes de restauration., 1. Introduction Seismic lines, narrow linear clearings created during hydrocarbon exploration, are a common feature in the hydrocarbon-rich boreal and tundra ecosystems of North America (Fig. 1). As of 1999, [...]

The pollutants released from fireworks may seriously deteriorate air quality and adversely impact human health. To aid in obtaining comprehensive observations and in establishing effective legislation aimed at controlling the short-term effects of fireworks, we systematically reviewed the findings of previous studies of the impact of fireworks. These studies, primarily located in Asia (>70% studies), Europe, and North America considered particle concentrations, size distribution, morphology, noise, and chemical composition (including water-soluble ions, elements, carbonaceous material, organic matter, and trace gases), along with the associated human health effects during a fireworks display. Forty-one percent of the studies suggested that the concentrations of firework particles were reported to be 1-5 times higher than the respective background values, and the mean ratios [PM.sub.10]/TSP, [PM.sub.2.5]/[PM.sub.10], and [PM.sub.1.0]/[PM.sub.2.5] were 0.64, 0.72, and 0.65, respectively. During festivals, the concentrations of S[O.sub.4.sup.2-] and [K.sup.+] were the highest of the water-soluble ions with the highest concentrations of K and S for major elements and CO and S[O.sub.2] for gaseous pollutants. The health effects of particles and gaseous pollutants, including metals, emitted from fireworks need further epidemiological study to aid in the prevention of health problems and for the treatment of patients. Fireworks industries should use technical innovation to reduce pollutant emissions. Emissions inventories of fireworks displays should be compiled and used in Eulerian models to forecast the spatiotemporal distribution of pollutants and to further assistant the government in establishing appropriate restriction levels and legislations that balance environmental protection with the festive spirit. Key words: fireworks, atmospheric pollutants, physicochemical characteristics, environmental effects, management and prevention. Les polluants emis par les feux d'artifice peuvent serieusement deteriorer la qualite de l'air et avoir des effets negatifs sur la sante humaine. Dans le but d'aider a obtenir des observations detaillees et a etablir des mesures legislatives efficaces visant a controler les effets a court terme des feux d'artifice, nous avons systematiquement passe en revue les constatations des etudes anterieures sur les effets de feux d'artifice. Ces etudes, principalement menees en Asie (plus de 70% des etudes), en Europe et en Amerique du Nord, ont pris en consideration les concentrations de particules, la repartition de taille, la morphologie, le bruit et la composition chimique (incluant les ions hydrosolubles, les elements, la matiere carbonee, la matiere organique et les gaz de traces), ainsi que les effets sur la sante humaine pendant la presentation de feux d'artifice. 41% des etudes ont avance que les concentrations de particules provenant de feux d'artifice aient ete 1-5 fois plus elevees que leurs valeurs de fond. Et les rapports moyens [PM.sub.10]/TSP, PM2,5/[PM.sub.10] et [PM.sub.1],0/PM2,5 etaient 0,64, 0,72 et 0,65, respectivement. Pendant des festivals, les concentrations de S[O.sub.4.sup.2-] et de [K.sup.+] etaient les plus elevees des ions hydrosolubles. Pour les principaux elements et polluants gazeux, K, S et CO, S[O.sub.2] indiquaient les plus hautes concentrations, respectivement. Il serait necessaire que les effets sur la sante causes par les particules et les polluants gazeux, y compris les metaux, emis par les feux d'artifice fassent l'objet de nouvelles etudes epidemiologiques afin d'aider dans la prevention de problemes de sante et le traitement de patients. Les industries de feux d'artifice devraient faire de l'innovation technique pour reduire les emissions de polluants. Les inventaires d'emissions aux presentations de feux d'artifice devraient etre compiles et utilises dans des modeles Eulerian, afin de predire la repartition spatiotemporelle de polluants et d'aider le gouvernement dans l'etablissement de niveaux de restriction appropries et de mesures legislatives qui creent une egalite de force entre la protection de l'environnement et l'esprit festif. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : feu d'artifice, polluants atmospheriques, caracteristiques physicochimiques, effets sur l'environnement, gestion et prevention., 1. Introduction Fireworks are generally used to celebrate special events, such as festivals and (or) official celebrations and thus become one of the most unusual sources of air pollution. Traditional [...]

An experiment was conducted to assess the selectivity in a typical Mediterranean bottom trawl, equipped with a square-mesh panel inserted in front of the cod end, for Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), poor cod (Trisopterus minutus), broadtail shortfin squid (Illex coindetii), and deep-water rose shrimp (Parapaeneus longirostris). The release efficiency of undersized individuals through the panel was low. The differences in selectivity between the gear with and without the panel were very small. The low release efficiency of the square-mesh panel was caused by the lack of fish contact with the panel as they drifted towards the cod end, since the average contact probability was estimated not to exceed 9% for any of the species investigated. A low probability of contact with the selection device was thus found to be the reason for the low efficiency of the square-mesh panel. Une experience a ete menee dans le but d'evaluer la selectivity d'un chalut de fond mediterraneen typique equipe d'un panneau a mailles carrees insere en avant du cul, pour le chinchard (Trachurus trachurus), le merlu blanc (Merluccius merluccius), le rouget de vase (Mullus barbatus), le capelan de l'Atlantique (Trisopterus minutus), l'encornet europeen (Illex coindetii) et la crevette rose du large (Parapaeneus longirostris). L'efficacite de la liberation des individus trop petits a travers le panneau etait faible. Les differences de selectivite entre l'engin avec et sans le panneau etaient egalement faibles. Cette faible efficacite de liberation du panneau a mailles carrees est due a l'absence de contact des poissons avec le panneau durant leur derive vers le cul, la probabilite de contact moyenne estimee ne depassant 9 % pour aucune des especes etudiees. Une faible probabilite de contact avec l'appareil de selection s'avere donc etre la cause de la faible efficacite du panneau a mailles carrees. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction According to Damalas et al. (2015), in the past 70 years, the practice of discarding has increased in northern Mediterranean fisheries. There are many potential factors that could have [...]

The escape of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from aquaculture facilities can result in both negative genetic and ecological interactions with wild populations, yet the ability to predict the associated risk to wild populations has remained elusive. Here we assess the potential of a spatiotemporal database of aquaculture facility locations, production estimates, and escape events to predict the distribution of escaped farmed salmon and genetic impacts on wild populations in the Northwest Atlantic. Industry production data, reported escape events, and in-river detections of escaped farmed salmon were collected from across the Northwest Atlantic. Genetic estimates of impact were obtained using single nucleotide polymorphisms (95 loci) representing aquaculture and wild salmon throughout the region (30 populations, 3048 individuals). Both the number of escaped farmed salmon detected at counting facilities and the magnitude of genetic impacts were positively correlated with a cumulative spatial measure of aquaculture production. Our results suggest that the risk of escapees and genetic introgression from wild-farmed salmon interactions can be assessed using information on farm production characteristics. This represents a first step in predicting the impact of existing cage-based farms on wild Atlantic salmon. Si l'echappement de saumons atlantiques (Salmo salar) d'etablissements piscicoles peut se traduire par des interactions genetiques et ecologiques negatives avec les populations sauvages, la capacite de predire le risque associe pour ces populations sauvages demeure limitee. Nous evaluons le potentiel d'une base de donnees spatiotemporelles sur les emplacements d'etablissements piscicoles, les estimations de la production et les cas d'echappement pour la prediction de la repartition de saumons d'elevage echappes et de leurs impacts genetiques sur les populations sauvages dans le nord-ouest de l'ocean Atlantique. Des donnees de production provenant de l'industrie, les cas d'echappement signales et les detections en riviere de saumons d'elevage echappes ont ete compiles pour toute cette region. Des estimations des impacts genetiques ont ete obtenues en utilisant des polymorphismes mononucleotidiques (95 sites) representant les saumons d'elevage et les saumons sauvages a la grandeur de la region (30 populations, 3048 individus). Le nombre de saumons d'elevage echappes detectes dans des lieux de comptage et l'ampleur des impacts genetiques sont tous deux positivement correles a une mesure spatiale cumulative de la production aquacole. Nos resultats donnent a penser que les risques d'echappement et d'introgression genetique decoulant d'interactions de saumons sauvages avec des saumons d'elevage echappes peuvent etre evalues en utilisant de l'information sur les caracteristiques de la production piscicole. Il s'agit d'une premiere etape dans la prediction des impacts de piscicultures a base de cages sur le saumon atlantique sauvage. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is one of the most valuable aquaculture fish species, and the salmon aquaculture industry is expanding worldwide (FAO 2016). Despite continued refinement of production [...]

Many of the features that make estuaries among the most productive natural systems on earth also make them prone to acidification. Understanding the effects of estuarine acidification on different components of an ecological community is an important step in identifying indicators of ecosystem degradation. This study examined the impact of estuarine acidification, as a result of acid sulfate soil runoff, on wild Sydney rock oysters Saccostrea glomerata and their associated epifaunal communities in estuaries experiencing acid sulfate soil runoff in New South Wales, Australia. The responses of oysters and their invertebrate epifaunal communities to chronic acidification (greater than 6 mo; represented by oyster source site conditions) were assessed by examining the differences in oyster communities associated with moderate acidification (3.5 km from the source of acidification) or low acidification (8.2 km from the source). Oysters from moderate- or low-acidification sites were transplanted to a site with high exposure to acidification (less than 3 km from the source) or back to their original source sites (control) to mimic episodic acidification (2 wk). Epifaunal mussels Xenostrobus securis and limpets Patelloida mimula showed a negative association with oyster mortality, suggesting that these communities are closely tied to oyster survival. Oyster-associated epifaunal communities exposed to both chronic and episodic acidification were significantly different from communities with low exposure. Epifaunal communities exposed to episodic acidification were significantly less diverse than the control. Spionid and syllid worms were significantly less abundant and the mussel X. securis was significantly more abundant on oysters with moderate exposure or chronic exposure to acidification, as compared with communities from areas with low exposure to acidification. The mussel X. securis and the snail Bembicium auratum were significantly less abundant in oyster communities that were exposed to episodic acidification, as compared with the control. In systems where community composition depends on a single habitat-forming species, maintaining resistance may rely on the ability of that species to persist in the face of environmental stress. KEY WORDS: gastropod, bivalve, estuarine acidification, multiple stressors, diversity, INTRODUCTION Coastal ecosystems such as estuaries are some of the most productive natural systems on earth (Duarte et al. 2008). Many of the features that make estuaries so productive, including [...]

High-intensity infection with the protozoan parasite Perkinsus olseni is lethal to the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum, especially to juvenile clams; however, how this parasite impacts its host remains unclear. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of P. olseni on the growth, condition index, burrowing behavior, and filtration activity of the Manila clam to elucidate mechanisms by which the infection causes death of the clams. Juvenile Manila clams (5-9 mm in shell length) were challenged with parasitic zoospores and were then reared in seawater for 52 days. Growth and condition index were frequently, but not always, significantly lower in the challenged group compared with the unchallenged group during the challenge experiment. Fewer individuals from the challenged groups compared with the unchallenged groups exhibited lower burrowing activity, when they were placed on sand in wells of 24-well plates. Furthermore, to compare filtration activity, clams from both groups were maintained in separate suspensions of diatoms. Diatom density remained higher in the challenged clams compared with the unchallenged clams, indicating that challenged clams exhibited lower levels of filtration activity. Decreased burrowing activity may cause higher predation rates and make the clams vulnerable to turbulent water and periodic tidal air exposure, resulting in death of Manila clams under natural conditions. In addition, suppression of filtration activity by infection may cause decrease in food and oxygen intake, leading to mortality induced by nutrient loss and hypoxia. KEY WORDS: Perkinsus olseni, pathogenicity, Ruditapes philippinarum, growth, condition index, filtration activity, burrowing behavior, INTRODUCTION The Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum (Adams and Reeve) is one of the most important commercial bivalves in Japan. The annual catch of Manila clam has, however, declined since the [...]

Abstract: Feral pigs (Sus scrofa L.) are perhaps the most abundant, widespread, and economically significant large introduced vertebrate across the Pacific island region. Unlike many other nonnative invasive species, feral [...]

Spatial patterns in the distribution of sizes and ages of fish (patterns due to the behavior of fish) are common. Because movement rates may be difficult to estimate as part [...]

We quantified damage by a microburst windstorm to a northern hardwood forest (Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire). These storms may be important in regulating the structure and composition of forests of the northeastern United States, but few studies of damage patterns from microbursts have been reported. In the 600 ha area most heavily impacted by the microburst at Hubbard Brook, 4.6% of the canopy was removed. Although most disturbances were small ( Key words: treefall, gap dynamics, thunderstorm, intermediate disturbance, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Nous avons quantifie les dommages causes par une microrafale dans une foret feuillue nordique a la foret experimentale d'Hubbard Brook, au New Hampshire. Ces tempetes peuvent jouer un role important dans le processus de regulation de la structure et de la composition des forets du nord-est des Etats-Unis, mais il existe peu d'etudes des patrons de dommages causes par les microrafales. Dans la zone de 600 ha la plus fortement touchee par la microrafale a Hubbard Brook, 4,6 % du couvert forestier a ete elimine. Bien que la plupart des perturbations aient ete petites ( Mots-cles: chute d'arbres, dynamique des trouees, orage, perturbation intermediaire, foret experimentale d'Hubbard Brook., Introduction For the northern hardwood forests of the northeastern United States (US), vegetation change is dominated by tree-by-tree replacement in small gaps caused by the death of one or a [...]

We employed simulations by forest ecosystem (SIMA) and mechanistic wind damage (HWIND) models in upland boreal forests throughout Finland to study regional risks of wind damage under changing management preferences and climates (current and RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios) over 2010-2099. We used a critical wind speed for the uprooting of trees as a measure of vulnerability, which together with the probability of such wind speed defined a level of risk. Based on that, we also predicted the stem volume of growing stock at risk and the amount of damage. In this work, medium fertility sites were planted to one of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), or silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) or to the tree species that was dominant before the final clear-felling. The vulnerability to wind damage, the volume of growing stock at risk, and the amount of damage all increased, increasing the most in the south when the proportion of Norway spruce (with shallow rooting) of the growing stock increased. Under a severe climate warming, the proportion of Norway spruce decreased the most in the south, opposite to that of birch. This decreased the risk of damage in autumn (when birch is leafless), unlike in summer. The low risk of damage in the north was due to the large proportion of Scots pine. Key words: CMIP5 multimodel climate projections, forest ecosystem modeling, mechanistic wind damage modeling, tree species, forest management. Nous avons effectue des simulations avec un modele d'ecosysteme forestier (SIMA) et un modele mecaniste des dommages causes par le vent (HWIND) dans des forets boreales bien drainees partout en Finlande pour etudier les risques regionaux de dommages causes par le dans le contexte de l'evolution des preferences en amenagement et du climat (actuel et scenarios RCP4,5 et RCP8,5) durant la periode 2010 a 2099. Nous avons adopte une vitesse du vent critique pour le deracinage des arbres comme mesure de vulnerabilite qui, avec la probabilite d'une telle vitesse du vent, definissait un niveau de risque. Sur cette base, nous avons aussi predit le volume des troncs du materiel sur pied a risque et la quantite de dommages. Dans ce travail, des stations de fertilite moyenne ont ete plantees soit avec du pin sylvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.), de l'epicea commun (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) ou du bouleau verruqueux (Betula pendula Roth) ou soit avec l'espece dominante avant la coupe a blanc finale. La vulnerabilite aux dommages causes par le vent, le volume de bois sur pied a risque et la quantite de dommages ont tous augmente, surtout dans le sud, lorsque la proportion d'epicea commun (dont l'enracinement est superficiel) dans le bois sur pied augmentait. Dans des conditions de rechauffement climatique severe, la proportion d'epicea commun a davantage diminue dans le sud contrairement a celle du bouleau. Cela diminuait le risque de dommages a l'automne (alors que le bouleau n'a pas de feuilles) contrairement a l'ete. Le faible risque de dommages dans le nord etait du a la forte proportion de pin sylvestre. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: projections climatiques de l'ensemble multimodele CMIP5, modelisation de l'ecosysteme forestier, modelisation mecaniste des dommages causes par le vent, especes d'arbres, amenagement forestier., 1. Introduction Since the 1990s, strong winds and storms have caused large economic losses in forestry in central and northern Europe (e.g., Schelhaas et al. 2003; Gregow 2013). In Finland, [...]

Abstract: To meet the demand for more and larger tallgrass prairie restorations, seed is frequently collected en-masse from remnant native plant populations. Overharvesting of seed may lead to population extinctions, [...]

Leaf phenology in tropical deciduous forests significantly influences water and carbon exchanges between vegetation and the atmosphere. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of hydrometeorological variables on the growing period is essential for predicting plant water use following climate change. We investigated whether leaf phenology, bud break, and leaf abscission in mature deciduous teak trees (Tectona grandis L. f.) were induced by the root zone soil moisture content. Using heat pulse velocity and photographic imagery, we compared the deciduous periods (DPs) of two teak trees under natural conditions and two underirrigated conditions. DPs ranged from 47 to 84 days under natural conditions, whereas irrigation shortened the DP by approximately 2 weeks and promoted high levels of water use for 10 months. Thus, the annual water use of irrigated trees far exceeded that of control trees. Under irrigated conditions, leaf abscission and reduced water use were accelerated when the daily mean vapor pressure deficit exceeded 14 hPa following a period of gradual senescence. This study presents preliminary results regarding the impact of irrigation on the teak tree DP. However, uncertainty remains due to insufficient replication; thus, further tests are needed. Nonetheless, our results may predict leaf phenology after short dry periods. Key words: deciduous period, heat pulse velocity, irrigation, relative soil moisture, teak (Tectona grandis). La phenologie foliaire dans les forets tropicales decidues a une influence significative sur les echanges d'eau et de carbone entre la vegetation et l'atmosphere. Par consequent, une comprehension exhaustive des effets des variables hydrometeorologiques sur la periode de croissance est essentielle pour predire l'utilisation de l'eau par les plantes a la suite des changements climatiques. Nous avons cherche a savoir si la phenologie foliaire, le debourrement et l'abscission des feuilles chez les tiges matures de teck (Tectona grandis L. f.), une espece decidue, etaient induits par la teneur en humidite du sol dans la zone des racines. A l'aide de la methode basee sur la vitesse de deplacement d'une impulsion de chaleur et de l'imagerie photographique, nous avons compare les periodes decidues (PD) chez deux tiges de teck qui etaient irriguees et deux autres qui ne l'etaient pas. La PD variait de 47 a 84 jours sans irrigation tandis que l'irrigation a ecourte la PD d'environ 2 semaines et favorise un niveau eleve d'utilisation de l'eau pendant 10 mois. Par consequent, l'utilisation annuelle de l'eau par les arbres irrigues a largement depasse celle des arbres temoins. Chez les arbres irrigues, l'abscission des feuilles et l'utilisation reduite de l'eau ont ete accelerees lorsque la moyenne journaliere du deficit de saturation excedait 14 hPa a la suite d'une periode de senescence graduelle. Cette etude presente des resultats preliminaires concernant l'impact de l'irrigation sur la PD du teck. Cependant, l'incertitude demeure a cause du manque de repetitions; par consequent, d'autres tests sont necessaires. Neanmoins, nos resultats peuvent predire la phenologie foliaire apres de courtes periodes de secheresse. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: periode decidue, vitesse de deplacement d'une impulsion de chaleur, irrigation, humidite relative du sol, teck (Tectona grandis)., Introduction Events related to leaf phenology in tropical deciduous forests, including bud break, leaf growth, and leaf abscission, significantly influence water and carbon exchanges between vegetation and the atmosphere. The [...]

We utilized an ecosystem model and life cycle assessment tool for studying carbon flows between the ecosystem, technosystem, and atmosphere for scenarios utilizing forest biomass (biosystem) against fossil fuel intensive materials (fossil system). The net climate impacts were studied for a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stand over two consecutive rotation periods (2 x 80 years) in the boreal conditions in central Finland (62[degrees]N, 29[degrees]E). The effects of alternative forest management on the carbon dynamics in the biosystem were studied in comparison with the fossil system by using an unmanaged and baseline thinning regime. The results showed that the biosystem produced carbon benefits compared with the similar system with the use of fossil fuel intensive materials and energy. The unmanaged stand stored the highest amount of carbon and retained carbon the longest when solely the ecosystem was considered. Studying the ecosystem and the technosystem together, the biosystem was found effective in storing and increasing the residence of carbon with or without changing the life span of biomass-based products. We found that the increase of the life span of biomass-based products could reduce emissions up to 0.28 t C[O.sub.2] x [ha.sup.-1] x [year.sup.-1] depending on the management regimes over the study period. The increased stocking regimes could increase negative net climate impact by 47% over the study period compared with the use of baseline thinning in the biosystem. The proper climate mitigation strategies should consider the benefits from forest management and forest biomass in storing carbon into both the ecosystem and technosystem. Key words: forest management, life cycle assessment, materials, substitution, timber, net climate impact. Nous avons utilise un modele ecosystemique et un outil d'analyse du cycle de vie pour etudier les flux de carbone entre l'ecosysteme, le techno-systeme et l'atmosphere pour des scenarios utilisant la biomasse forestiere (biosysteme) plutot que des materiaux voraces en combustibles fossiles (systeme fossile). Les impacts nets du climat ont ete etudies pour un peuplement d'epicea commun (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) pendant deux rotations consecutives (2 x 80 ans) dans le centre de la Finlande (62[degrees]N, 29[degrees]E). Les effets d'un amenagement forestier alternatif sur la dynamique du carbone dans le biosysteme ont ete etudies comparativement au systeme fossile en utilisant un regime d'eclaircie correspondant a la pratique courante et un regime sans amenagement. Les resultats ont montre que le biosysteme a ete benefique en termes de carbone comparativement au systeme semblable utilisant de l'energie et des materiaux voraces en combustibles fossiles. Le peuplement non amenage a emmagasine la plus grande quantite de carbone et retenu le carbone le plus longtemps lorsqu'on tenait compte seulement de l'ecosysteme. En etudiant simultanement l'ecosysteme et le techno-systeme, le biosysteme s'est avere efficace pour sequestrer et augmenter le temps de sejour du carbone en changeant ou non la duree de vie des produits a base de biomasse. Nous avons trouve que l'augmentation de la duree de vie des produits a base de biomasse pouvait reduire les emissions jusqu'a 0, 28 t C[O.sub.2] x [ha.sup.-1] x [an.sup.-1] dependamment du regime d'amenagement durant la periode etudiee. Les regimes qui augmentaient la densite pouvaient accroitre l'impact negatif net du climat de 47 % au cours de la periode etudiee comparativement a l'utilisation d'une eclaircie conventionnelle dans le biosysteme. Les strategies appropriees d'attenuation du climat devraient tenir compte des benefices provenant de l'amenagement forestier et de la biomasse forestiere associes au stockage du carbone dans l'ecosysteme et le techno-systeme. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: amenagement forestier, analyse du cycle de vie, materiaux, substitution, bois, impact climatique net., Introduction Forests and forest biomass offer several ways to mitigate climate change, for example by (i) increasing the carbon density in existing forests (i.e., ecosystem) and (ii) increasing the use [...]

Under climate change, the importance of biomass resources is likely to increase and new approaches are needed to analyze future material and energy use of biomass globally and locally. Using Sweden as an example, we present an approach that combines global and national land-use and forest models to analyze impacts of climate change mitigation ambitions on forest management and harvesting in a specific country. National forest impact analyses in Sweden have traditionally focused on supply potential with little reference to international market developments. In this study, we use the global greenhouse gas concentration scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change to estimate global biomass demand and assess potential implications on harvesting and biodiversity in Sweden. The results show that the short-term demand for wood is close to the full harvesting potential in Sweden in all scenarios. Under high bioenergy demand, harvest levels are projected to stay high over a longer time and particularly impact the harvest levels of pulpwood. The area of old forest in the managed landscape may decrease. This study highlights the importance of global scenarios when discussing national-level analysis and pinpoints trade-offs that policy making in Sweden may need to tackle in the near future. Key words: forest impact analysis, forest product demand, scenario analysis, Swedish National Forest Inventory (NFI), wood supply potential. Avec le changement climatique, l'importance des ressources en biomasse a des chances d'augmenter et de nouvelles approches sont necessaires pour analyser la matiere a venir et l'utilisation energetique de la biomasse localement et globalement. En prenant la Suede comme exemple, nous presentons une approche qui combine l'utilisation globale et nationale des terres ainsi que des modeles forestiers pour analyser les impacts des ambitions d'attenuation du changement climatique sur l'amenagement forestier et la recolte dans un pays en particulier. Les analyses d'impact de la foret nationale en Suede ont traditionnellement mis l'accent sur le potentiel d'approvisionnement en se preoccupant peu de l'evolution des marches international. Dans cette etude, nous utilisons les scenarios de concentration globale de gaz a effets de serre du Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'evolution du climat pour estimer la demande mondiale de biomasse et evaluer les implications potentielles sur la recolte et la biodiversite en Suede. Les resultats montrent que la demande de bois a court terme atteint presque le plein potentiel de recolte peu importe le scenario. En situation de forte demande de bioenergie, on prevoit que les niveaux de recolte vont demeurer eleves plus longtemps et vont surtout avoir un impact sur le niveau de recolte de bois a pate. Il est possible que les zones de vieille foret diminuent dans le paysage sous amenagement. Cette etude fait ressortir l'importance de scenarios globaux lorsqu'il est question d'analyse du niveau national de recolte et identifie les compromis auxquels les decisions politiques pourraient avoir a s'attaquer dans un proche avenir en Suede. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : analyse des impacts sur la foret, demande de produits forestiers, analyse de scenarios, inventaire national des forets (INF) en Suede, offre potentielle de matiere ligneuse., Introduction Forests have an important role in climate change mitigation, both as a carbon sink and for production of renewable materials and energy (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) 2014b). [...]

During Biogenic Aerosols--Effects on Clouds and Climate (BAECC), the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program deployed the Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) to Hyytiala, Finland, for an [...]

Blue crab (Callinecles sapidus) landings along Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts have been decreasing for several years. Given the euryhaline nature of blue crabs, culture in inland ponds may provide a means of meeting demand. The goal of this study was to develop an ionic environment containing 1 g/l total dissolved solids (TDS) that would support the survival and growth of juvenile blue crabs. The 1 g/l TDS level was selected to minimize the cost of preparing ponds, and potentially to reduce the need for effluent permitting in inlands areas. The general approach was to provide selected ions in approximate concentrations found in 1 g/l dilute seawater. In a series of four 3-wk experiments, beginning with ~20-mm carapace width crabs, it was observed that blue crabs can survive and grow in a simple aqueous solution containing 1 g/l TDS (0.445 g/l sodium chloride, 0.120 g/l sodium sulfate, 0.022 g/l potassium chloride, 0.045 g/l calcium chloride dihydrate, 0.349 g/l magnesium chloride hexahydrate, 0.133 g/l sodium bicarbonate, and 0.002 g/l strontium nitrate), and this growth is equivalent to that of crabs in 1-8 g/l dilute seawater. It was further observed that blue crabs in 1 g/l TDS aqueous solution are susceptible to environmental nitrite with an average of 49% (range = 17%--85%) of crabs dying after exposure for 5 days to a nominal 2 mg/l nitrite-N in 26[degrees]C water. This work indicates that blue crab culture in inland ponds containing 1 g/l TDS may be feasible. KEY WORDS: blue crabs, salinity, nitrite, Callinectes sapidus, INTRODUCTION The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) supports a $138 million fishery along the mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico states (McGaw 2006, VanderKooy 2013) and plays a major role in the [...]

ABSTRACT The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the spring/summer of 2010 occurred during the peak spawning season of the blue crab Callinecles sapidus in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The [...]

Concerted political attention has focused on reducing deforestation (1-3), and this remains the cornerstone of most biodiversity conservation strategies (4-6). However, maintaining forest cover may not reduce anthropogenic forest disturbances, which are rarely considered in conservation programmes (6). These disturbances occur both within forests, including selective logging and wildfires (7,8), and at the landscape level, through edge, area and isolation effects (9). Until now, the combined effect of anthropogenic disturbance on the conservation value of remnant primary forests has remained unknown, making it impossible to assess the relative importance of forest disturbance and forest loss. Here we address these knowledge gaps using a large data set of plants, birds and dung beetles (1,538, 460 and 156 species, respectively) sampled in 36 catchments in the Brazilian state of Para. Catchments retaining more than 69-80% forest cover lost more conservation value from disturbance than from forest loss. For example, a 20% loss of primary forest, the maximum level of deforestation allowed on Amazonian properties under Brazil's Forest Code (5), resulted in a 39-54% loss of conservation value: 96-171% more than expected without considering disturbance effects. We extrapolated the disturbance-mediated loss of conservation value throughout Para, which covers 25% of the Brazilian Amazon. Although disturbed forests retained considerable conservation value compared with deforested areas, the toll of disturbance outside Para's strictly protected areas is equivalent to the loss of 92,000-139,000 [km.sup.2] of primary forest. Even this lowest estimate is greater than the area deforested across the entire Brazilian Amazon between 2006 and 2015 (ref. 10). Species distribution models showed that both landscape and within-forest disturbances contributed to biodiversity loss, with the greatest negative effects on species of high conservation and functional value. These results demonstrate an urgent need for policy interventions that go beyond the maintenance of forest cover to safeguard the hyper-diversity of tropical forest ecosystems., Protecting tropical forests is a fundamental pillar of many national and international strategies for conserving biodiversity (4-6). Although improved regulatory and incentive measures have reduced deforestation rates in some tropical [...]

Tornado disasters and their potential are a product of both hazard risk and underlying physical and social vulnerabilities. This investigation appraises exposure, which is an important component and driver of [...]

A major hurricane [96+ knots (kt; 1 kt = 0.51 m [s.sup.-1]) of maximum sustained wind] has not made landfall in the United States since Wilma (2005). Recent elegant stochastic-statistical [...]

The identification of properties that contribute to the persistence and resilience of ecosystems despite climate change constitutes a research priority of global relevance (1). Here we present a novel, empirical [...]