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Vegetation communities in restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana were studied 6–21 years after restoration to assess progress toward restoration objectives. The study focused on four sites that were restored to compensate for resource injuries after contaminant releases. The restored sites were compared with four reference‐site conditions, including crops (prerestoration condition), old field communities representing a no‐management alternative, locally sampled second‐growth mature forests, and forest community types described by the US National Vegetation Classification (USNVC), which represent ideal or defining conditions of recognized vegetation communities. Fixed‐area plots provided data on field‐sampled environmental variables, vegetation, soil, and hydrological conditions for crops, old fields, restored areas, and mature forests. The USNVC database provided quantitative data for three historically and geographically relevant reference forest community types for comparison with the sampled communities. Results of nonmetric multidimensional scaling based on species cover revealed clear gradients relating to site age and canopy development. Along those gradients, restored areas demonstrated increasing similarity to mature forest reference communities in terms of floristic composition. Specifically, the floristic quality of restored areas was significantly greater than that of crops and old fields. Furthermore, soil health measurements of physical, chemical, and hydrological conditions indicated significant improvements in restored site soils compared with prerestoration conditions represented by cropland soils. Descriptions and data from the USNVC provided ecological context for restoration target conditions and facilitated the assessment of restoration recovery along a trajectory from starting conditions to those target conditions. Descriptions by USNVC also helped identify deviations from the intended restoration objectives (e.g., invasive species recruitment) and potential adaptive management actions to return sites to their intended trajectories. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1917–1938. Published 2024. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). Key Points: Bottomland forest restoration sites were sampled to document the recovery of vegetation communities, soil and hydrological conditions, carbon storage, the return of lost services, and the functional status of the forest ecosystem.Restored sites were compared with a range of reference communities representing starting conditions (cropland), no‐management old fields, local mature second‐growth forests, and historically and geographically relevant US National Vegetation Classification communities.Vegetation community composition placed the four sampled restoration sites on an age‐related gradient between crops and mature forests, driven by indicators of canopy development and shifts in ground flora to species that thrive in shaded conditions.Improved ecological function in restored site soils was reflected in lower bulk density, increased water aggregate stability, and greater infiltration capacity, indicators of increased nutrient processing and reduced runoff, which are known to reduce sediment and nutrient loads in receiving streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of organisms like macroinvertebrates in developing bioassessment tools, such as multimetric indices (MMIs), is gaining global recognition in monitoring the health status of lakes. The transition from traditional methods of physico-chemical parameters is due to the financial and time costs involved in their analysis while failing to provide accurate early warning signals on ecosystem conditions. Currently, there is scanty information on the use of MMIs in the conservation and management of lakes in Nigeria. This study aimed at developing a macroinvertebrate-based MMI to assess the ecological status of lakes in North Central Nigeria. The study was conducted on Tagwai and Old Gawu Lakes, from April to October 2022. Sampling sites were clustered based on organic pollution and categorized into reference (four) and impaired (four) sites. Out of 54 macroinvertebrate-based candidate metrics, only five were selected after discriminatory, stability, and redundancy tests (performed using R software). The final metrics were abundance of Ephemeroptera + Trichoptera; abundance of Coleoptera + Ephemeroptera; Gastropoda richness; Shannon Wiener index; and percentages of shredders + predators + scrapers, hereafter referred to as North Central Nigeria-Lakes Multimetric Index (NCN-LMMI). The NCN-LMMI values ranged as follows: 21–25, 16–20, 11–15, and 5–10 corresponding to categories I, II, III, and IV for water quality, as indications of good, fair, poor, and very poor ecological status of the lake, respectively. The developed NCN-LMMI will be a useful tool for aquatic resource managers and environmentalists to assess the ecological condition of lakes, mainly the North Central Nigeria municipal lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion can have a multitude of negative impacts on agroecosystems and society and there remains an urgent need for tools to support its management. Quantitative benchmarks based on holistic understanding of erosion processes, ecosystem function, and land use objectives can be used with monitoring data and models to inform assessments and make objective and actionable decisions about erosion management. However, managers currently lack a framework for establishing benchmarks. Here, we present a framework and evaluation of different approaches to establishing quantitative benchmarks for soil erosion and ecological monitoring and assessment that can inform land management decisions. We use monitoring data collected across Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems in the United States and an aeolian sediment transport model to illustrate how benchmarks can be established. Approaches include establishing benchmarks from relationships between soil erosion indicators, reference states and land potential, including state-and-transition models, and desired conditions from existing monitoring data. We discuss the benefits and caveats of the different approaches and show how combining different benchmarking approaches can help users ensure that benchmarks appropriately reflect thresholds for soil erosion and achievable management outcomes. We finish by identifying future research needs to support establishment and application of erosion benchmarks across agroecosystems and recognize the opportunity to extend the benchmarking approaches to management of other agroecosystem processes and services.

Land pollution at gold mine dumps requires sustainable rehabilitation. A study was conducted at Muriel gold mine, Zimbabwe to investigate the integrated effects of dump age, topographic position and soil depth on chemical degradation, and vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) performance. The triplicated experiment was set up as a split–split plot, where dump age (fresh dump, old dump and reference site) was the main treatment; topographic position (upper, middle, lower) was the sub treatment and soil layer (0–20 cm, 20–50 cm) was the sub–subtreatment. Samples collected from soil layers were analysed for total lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), pH, and salinity. Irrigated vetiver growth was monitored over 12 weeks through measuring changes in height, rooting depth, and shoot numbers. The old dump was acidic (pH = 4.30 ± 0.207); fresh dump alkaline (pH = 8.32 ± 0.142) and reference site slightly alkaline (pH = 7.9 ± 0.09). Salinity was highest in the 20–50 cm layers on old dump lower slopes due to salt concentrating processes of: evaporation, metal dissolution, and translocation of cyanidation effluents. Total Pb, Zn, and Fe concentrations were highest (p < 0.05) at the old dump; lower (p < 0.05) in the 0–20 cm layers and differed (p < 0.05) in the order: upper < middle < lower slope. Soil Zn and Pb concentrations exceeded safe limits at lower slope positions of both dumps. Vetiver growth parameters were 1.5–3 times higher (p < 0.05) on the reference site compared with the dumps. Sterilisation of gold dumps was determined by chemical transformation and translocation processes on the landscape. Expeditious biological rehabilitation of dumps is recommended to evade unsuitable conditions created by rapid acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fallout radionuclide (FRN) analysis needs a reference site (RS) inventory to determine erosion and sedimentation in the study area. The investigated area is in the upstream Citarum watershed, West Java, Indonesia. Twenty-seven corings and 22 scrap samples have been prepared well and measured using HPGe gamma spectroscopy. The data below the minimum detectable activity (MDA) was found for 137Cs in RS6 cor 4 and 7 (<0.16 ± 0.08 Bq kg–1). MDA quantification implies that the inventory below MDA eroded greater than its maximum value (76.02 tons ha–1 a–1). The comparison 137Cs inventory in this study is lower than the three estimation models; however, the inventory of Mt. Papandayan is closer to the model. This study found the depth percentage of 20–30 cm using the proportion of 0–20 cm/0–30 cm ratio and predicted the portion of the existence of 137Cs and 210Pbex in the 20–30 cm in the bulk sample. The highest H0 (142.04 kg m–2), the relaxation length λ, and proportion of 20% of 137Cs in 20–30 cm depth imply that 137Cs inventory activity is possibly deeper than 30 cm. This study recommends that Mt. Papandayan could be the alternative RS for the upstream Citarum watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sharp decline in seminatural areas worldwide is undisputed, but the consequences of this decline, apart from the loss of biodiversity, cannot be fully assessed. To restore ecosystems or landscapes, it is essential to have so-called reference sites. We want to show how reliable reference sites can be found in heavily used landscapes with the help of independent sources, and we present an approach that can be used in other regions, because it is very well suited for developing essential databases in the context of theses at different levels. A forest of seminatural stocking was selected in northeast Germany as a case study. The mapping of archival sources and the analyses of historical maps as well as field investigations were combined to reconstruct the dynamics of vegetation and soil for the last several centuries to thousands of years. Palynological data from nearby sites show that the study area has been forested for several millennia and has been less influenced by humans in the last 450 years. Together with historical maps of tree species composition, it allows to infer that the specific forest has been preserved in good ecological conditions for at least 250 years. Soil inventory and field studies on two catenas and corings support this conclusion, as they rarely show signs of anthropogenic erosion and related colluviation. Using a multisource approach, it is possible to identify potential reference sites that provide a reliable basis for ecosystem or landscape restoration.

There is a growing consensus on a need for measuring the dynamic soil properties of croplands and even comparisons with a reference state or native land. These measurements and paired comparisons will create the capacity to determine soil health management effects and targets. However, the complex soil heterogeneity and climate variations make soil health potential variable and confound the effects of land-use and management practices and comparisons between soils from different sites. Identifying a discrete landmass unit where all soils have similar health potential will be critical in conducting meaningful comparative studies and measuring the impact of conservation practices. This methodological paper proposes and discusses a land unit, Cropland Reference Ecological Unit (CREU), that accounts for soil genoform and climate variabilities and covers an area with a presumably similar soil health potential. An example CREU has been developed, for one Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) in Nebraska, which is an area delineated based on the standard United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) hierarchical land classification system. This example portrays an actual difference in soil health for different land use and agronomic management practices can be determined by comparing sites under the framework of CREU. Evaluation of management effects on soil health indicators in a CREU will adequately illustrate the beneficial impact of such practices without being confounded by agroecological variations. This proposed framework addresses researchers' current interest in comparing soil health parameters among croplands and reference sites to benchmark soil health measurements, set soil health targets, and determine the effects of different management practices.

Permafrost degradation is a growing direct impact of climate change. Detecting permafrost shrinkage, in terms of extension, depth reduction and active layer shift is fundamental to capture the magnitude of trends and address actions and warnings. Temperature profiles in permafrost allow direct understanding of the status of the frozen ground layer and its evolution in time. The Sommeiller Pass permafrost monitoring station, at about 3000 m of elevation, is the key site of the regional network installed in 2009 during the European Project "PermaNET" in the Piedmont Alps (NW Italy). The station consists of three vertical boreholes with different characteristics, equipped with a total of 36 thermistors distributed in three different chains. The collected raw data shows a degradation of the permafrost base at approximately 60 m of depth since 2014, corresponding to about 0.03 °C/yr. In order to verify and better quantify this potential degradation, three on-site sensor calibration campaigns were carried out to understand the reliability of these measurements. By repeating calibrations in different years, two key results have been achieved: the profiles have been corrected for errors and the re-calibration allowed to distinguish the effective change of permafrost temperatures during the years, from possible drifts of the sensors, which can be of the same order of magnitude of the investigated thermal change. The warming of permafrost base at a depth of ∼ 60 m has been confirmed, with a rate of (4.2 ± 0.5)∙10−2 °C/yr. This paper reports the implementation and installation of the on-site metrology laboratory, the dedicated calibration procedure adopted, the calibration results and the resulting adjusted data, profiles and their evolution with time. It is intended as a further contribution to the ongoing studies and definition of best practices, to improve data traceability and comparability, as prescribed by the World Meteorological Organization Global Cryosphere Watch programme. [Display omitted] • Permafrost temperature measurements are important for global warming evaluation. • Uncertainty and sensor drift can mask climate change signal. • Calibration and accurate evaluation of uncertainty are fundamental. • On-site permafrost thermometers calibrations in the Italian Alps were performed. • Sensor drift has been evaluated, and vertical temperature profiles corrected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large river systems are one of the most important water resources for human societies. However, the ecological integrity of large rivers has been altered greatly by human activities. To monitor and manage these ecosystems, multimetric indices (MMI) are considered as efficient tools. This study aimed to develop and validate a fish‐based multimetric index for the Karun River basin, Iran (Karun fish‐based multi‐metric index [KFMMI]). Eighteen rivers and 54 sites in the basin were sampled in July–August 2019, and physico‐chemical and habitat characteristics were used to identify reference sites based on principal components analysis (PCA). Of the 54 sites, 14, 26, and 14 sites were classified as least, moderate, and most disturbed sites, respectively. Fifty‐four candidate metrics were evaluated for range, responsiveness, and redundancy with other metrics. This resulted in the identification of eight metrics (relative abundance of native and endemic taxa, relative richness of migratory taxa, relative richness of Leuciscidae taxa, relative richness of herbivorous taxa, relative abundance of cyprinid taxa, relative richness of vegetative inhabitant taxa, relative abundance of slow water flow, and relative richness of edge inhabitant taxa) that informed on species richness and composition, migratory status, functional feeding groups, and habitat preferences. The KFMMI showed excellent performance in separating least, moderate, and most disturbed sites in our study area. Regarding water quality, the KFMMI was classified 16, 5, and 29 sites as good, moderate, and bad, respectively. The discrimination efficiency of KFMMI was 81.6%, which makes it an effective management tool for directing restoration actions at most disturbed sites and intensifying protection of least disturbed sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparative analysis of biotic indices and parameters was performed for assessing the water quality of small rivers. The small Baitugan River in the forest–steppe zone of the High Transvolga Region was studied as part of the environmental monitoring and singled out as a reference river based on its hydrochemical parameters. Using the specific combinatorial index of water pollution, it was found that the water quality of the Baitugan River at all reference sites corresponds to class II (slightly polluted). The methods and metrics of the EU Framework Water Directive (WFD) and the methods that are commonly applied in Russia were used for comparative analysis of the biotic indices. The statistical analysis of the indicator significance of the studied indices showed that the TBI (Trent Biotic Index) and the BMWP (Biological Monitoring Working Party Index) indices are mostly effective for bioindication due to their low variability in water quality assessment and consistency with hydrochemical analysis. These indices can be used for the purposes of hydrobiological monitoring of small rivers in the forest–steppe zone of the Lower Volga River basin.

China Camp State Park and Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve contain rare examples of historic tidal wetlands, undeveloped coastal hills and grasslands, and a variety of ecotones once common (but now rare) in the San Francisco Estuary. The San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve was designated in 2003 to support coastal management through long-term monitoring and research at China Camp and Rush Ranch. This two-part Special Issue [9(3) and 10(2)] summarizes the current regional context of the marshes at China Camp and Rush Ranch and reviews key aspects of their ecology. Scientific activities at these sites are complemented by stewardship and education programs that offer unique opportunities to improve the conservation and restoration of tidal wetlands throughout the estuary.

In 2013, the European Commission founded the platform European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging as a communication and innovation network in this domain. The goal of the current study was the development of an integrated regional ecosystem for active and healthy aging for the region of Styria via a step-by-step co-creation process. A mixed model approach was used to establish an ecosystem for active and healthy aging, which includes macro-, meso- and micro-level stakeholders in the province of Styria, Austria. Based on the results, eight recommendations for the deployment of a healthy aging region were developed. The visibility and accessibility of healthy aging products and services were evaluated as key factors for innovation in active and healthy aging in the region. Health professionals were identified as major drivers of innovation related to active and healthy aging in Styria. The study presented in this article assessed the capacities for healthy aging in the Styria region and identified the need to improve communication pathways between all levels of the public health system and market.

Seed delivery to site is a critical step in seed‐based restoration programs. Months or years of seed collection, conditioning, storage, and cultivation can be wasted if seeding operations are not carefully planned, well executed, and draw upon best available knowledge and experience. Although diverse restoration scenarios present different challenges and require different approaches, there are common elements that apply to most ecosystems and regions. A seeding plan sets the timeline and details all operations from site treatments through seed delivery and subsequent monitoring. The plan draws on site evaluation data (e.g. topography, hydrology, climate, soil types, weed pressure, reference site characteristics), the ecology and biology of the seed mix components (e.g. germination requirements, seed morphology) and seed quality information (e.g. seed purity, viability, and dormancy). Plan elements include: (1) Site treatments and seedbed preparation to remove undesirable vegetation, including sources in the soil seed bank; change hydrology and soil properties (e.g. stability, water holding capacity, nutrient status); and create favorable conditions for seed germination and establishment. (2) Seeding requirements to prepare seeds for sowing and determine appropriate seeding dates and rates. (3) Seed delivery techniques and equipment for precision seed delivery, including placement of seeds in germination‐promotive microsites at the optimal season for germination and establishment. (4) A monitoring program and adaptive management to document initial emergence, seedling establishment, and plant community development and conduct additional sowing or adaptive management interventions, if warranted. (5) Communication of results to inform future seeding decisions and share knowledge for seed‐based ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study concerns the distribution of elements in the atmospheric precipitation–throughfall–soil water system of the Gusinoe Lake watershed in the Valdai Upland. The chemical compositions of precipitation, throughfall, and soil water, as well as soils, are determined. Element budgets are calculated in the soil profile studied for the summer–autumn period. Estimates are made of the soil enrichment in elements and the intensity of element migration in soil water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the community structure of the order Ephemeroptera in the Eastern Part of the Black Sea Region of Turkey by using multivariate analyses such as Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN). For this purpose, 12,117 individuals of Ephemeroptera belonging to seven families, 11 genera and 28 species were sampled at 24 collecting sites and identified. Environmental variables measured at each collecting site were dissolved oxygen (DO), water temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, PO4-P, NO3-N, NO2-N, NH4-N and SO4. The study area covered the eastern part of the Black Sea Region of Turkey, as it is a sub-ecoregion of the Caucasus Biodiversity Hotspots. With CCA analysis, the relationship between the mayfly species and the environmental variables was analysed for the first time for the region. In addition, TWINSPAN analysis determined the indicator species at the collecting sites. According to the results of CCA, Baetis milani, B. gemellus, Alainites muticus and Electrogena quadrilineata were positively related to PO4-P but negatively related to temperature. Baetis rhodani, B. lutheri, B. fuscatus, Electogena affinis, E. starmachi, Caenis macrura, C. luctuosa and Epeorus zaitzevi were positively related to SO4, NO2-N, EC and pH but negatively related to dissolved oxygen. Rhithrogena iridina, R. zelinkai, Ecdyonurus picteti, E. helveticus, Epeorus sylvicola, E. znojkoi, E. caucasicus and Habroleptoides confusa were positively correlated with DO but negatively correlated with SO4, EC, NO2-N and pH. Rhithrogena semicolorata, R. puytoraci, R. beskidensis, Seratella ignita and Potamanthus luteus were positively correlated with temperature but negatively correlated with PO4-P. In addition, according to the results of TWINSPAN, the collecting sites divided into two main group (Group A and B). Epeorus sylvicola, E. znojkoi and E. caucasicus were assigned as the indicator species for the sites in Group A. However, there were no indicator species assigned for Group B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Unprecedented monitoring datasets are available to support land health assessments. • Benchmarks enable objective and actionable data-informed management decisions. • Framework for establishing benchmarks and illustrated examples are presented. • Potential caveats and best practices for benchmarking approaches are described. • Future research needs identified for benchmark research and applications. Soil erosion can have a multitude of negative impacts on agroecosystems and society and there remains an urgent need for tools to support its management. Quantitative benchmarks based on holistic understanding of erosion processes, ecosystem function, and land use objectives can be used with monitoring data and models to inform assessments and make objective and actionable decisions about erosion management. However, managers currently lack a framework for establishing benchmarks. Here, we present a framework and evaluation of different approaches to establishing quantitative benchmarks for soil erosion and ecological monitoring and assessment that can inform land management decisions. We use monitoring data collected across Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems in the United States and an aeolian sediment transport model to illustrate how benchmarks can be established. Approaches include establishing benchmarks from relationships between soil erosion indicators, reference states and land potential, including state-and-transition models, and desired conditions from existing monitoring data. We discuss the benefits and caveats of the different approaches and show how combining different benchmarking approaches can help users ensure that benchmarks appropriately reflect thresholds for soil erosion and achievable management outcomes. We finish by identifying future research needs to support establishment and application of erosion benchmarks across agroecosystems and recognize the opportunity to extend the benchmarking approaches to management of other agroecosystem processes and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuing loss of urban wetlands due to an expanding human population and urban development pressures makes restoration or creation of urban wetlands a high priority. However, urban wetland restorations are particularly challenging due to altered hydrologic patterns, a high proportion of impervious surface and stormwater runoff, degraded urban soils, historic contamination, and competitive pressure from non-native species. Urban wetland projects must also consider human-desired socio-economic benefits. We argue that using current wetland restoration approaches and existing regulatory “success” criteria, such as meeting restoration targets for vegetation structure based on reference sites in non-urban locations, will result in “failed” urban restorations. Using three wetland Case Studies in highly urbanized locations, we describe geophysical tools, stormwater management methods, and design approaches useful in addressing urban challenges and in supporting “successful” urban rehabilitation outcomes. We suggest that in human-dominated landscapes, the current paradigm of “restoration” to a previous state must shift to a paradigm of “rehabilitation”, which prioritizes wetland functions and values rather than vegetation structure in order to provide increased ecological benefits and much needed urban open space amenities.

Land reclamation associated with natural gas development has become increasingly important to mitigate land surface disturbance in western North America. Since well pads occur on sites with multiple land use and ownership, the progress and outcomes of these efforts are of interest to multiple stakeholders including industry, practitioners and consultants, regulatory agents, private landowners, and the scientific community. Reclamation success criteria often vary within, and among, government agencies and across land ownership type. Typically, reclamation success of a well pad is judged by comparing vegetation cover from a single transect on the pad to a single transect in an adjacent reference site and data are collected by a large number of technicians with various field monitoring skills. We utilized "SamplePoint" image analysis software and a spatially balanced sampling design, called balanced acceptance sampling, to demonstrate how spatially explicit quantitative data can be used to determine if sites are meeting various reclamation success criteria and used chi‐square tests to show how sites in vegetation percent cover differ from a statistical standpoint. This method collects field data faster than traditional methods. We demonstrate how quantitative and spatially explicit data can be utilized by multiple stakeholders, how it can improve upon current reference site selection, how it can satisfy reclamation monitoring requirements for multiple regulatory agencies, how it may help improve future seed mix selection, and discuss how it may reduce costs for operations responsible for reclamation and how it may reduce observer bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it was aimed to use diatoms as representatives of phytobenthos for estimating the ecological status in Upper Sakarya Basin. Samples were taken seasonally from ten stations from April 2015 to December 2015. Stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were selected from rivers, stations 8 and 9 were selected from ponds which form Sakarya Springs. Station 10 was located at the outlet of Cifteler Aquaculture and Research Station. Diatoms were identified, counted and 19 diatom indices were calculated. Moreover, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity were measured in situ, and total nitrogen, orthophosphate and alkalinity were analysed. Finally, ecological status was estimated by evaluating biological, chemical and hydromorphological status according to Water Framework Directive. In total, 96 diatom species were identified from samples and Achnanthidium minutissimum, Cymbella excisa, Craticula subminuscula and Fragilaria brevistriata were the dominant species. Among diatom indices, IDP index which shows a high correlation with total nitrogen was used for the evaluation of the biological status. As a result, ecological status of the station 2 was estimated as high (class I), the status of stations 1, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10 was estimated as good (class II), and the status of stations 3, 5, 6 was estimated as moderate (class III). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing interest in seismic hazards following the Gyeongju earthquake (ML 5.8; 2016), information on site amplification characteristics is essential for the effective analysis of seismic hazards in urban areas. To assess amplification characteristics, this study used three reference site methods. Two new modified reference methods were compared with the existing method, which relies on the horizontal/vertical (H/V) ratios of ground motions at the target and reference sites. For each type of seismic energy (S-wave, coda wave and background noise), similarities between the H/V spectral ratios (HVSR) for all three reference site methods were investigated. Site amplification characteristics were analysed using 216 acceleration ground motions of horizontal and vertical components for three earthquakes (Odaesan, Jeju and Gongju), observed simultaneously at four sites and having a magnitude > 3.4. Most electric substations showed similar HVSR behaviour for the three types of seismic energy and three reference site methods over a significant frequency range, with few exemptions. Although site amplification characteristics in the low- and high-frequency ranges, as well as the specific resonance frequency of each electric substation, varied greatly, the site amplification characteristics of the four sites could be classified into two groups: sites with a resonance frequency and those without. First, with the exception of New Taeback (NTB), the sites shared fundamental resonance frequencies in the range between ∼ 5 and ∼ 10 Hz. Second, NTB did not show any significant resonance, which may imply that it is located on a very firm rock formation. Considering all the resonance frequencies, the four sites can be classified as TB or harder rocks. By comparing the results with those from other regions, it is possible to provide insight into the site characteristics and the site classification methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sediment samples were collected from twelve selected sites of the Sangu River estuary and seven metals (As, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni, Zn) were analyzed with Inductively Coupled Plasma-mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess the contamination degree of heavy metals in the Sangu River estuary and to represent it as a reference site. This study revealed the descending order of studied metals (mg/kg) observed in sediment as Zn (88.97 ± 58.97) > Ni (32.75 ± 16.09) > Cu (29.2 ± 10.78) > Cr (25.14 ± 5.20) > Pb (19.57 ± 7.01) > As (2.58 ± 2.55). Cadmium was observed below the detection level. Various indices like geo-accumulation index (I geo), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) suggested that the Sangu River estuary is not contaminated by studied metals excepting Pb. PCA and correlation matrix analysis indicates that Pb and Zn may have anthropogenic sources and As, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr may come from natural sources. Highlights • I geo , CF and PLI were used to profile contamination levels of heavy metals in sediments of the Sangu River estuary. • The estuary is not contaminated by studied metals excepting Pb. • PCA and correlation matrix indicates that Pb and Zn may have anthropogenic sources and the rest from natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed whether forest restoration was successful in Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, which was planted in the 1970s with native late-successional tree species. Detailed survey and analysis of species composition, stand vertical stratification, and forest dynamics, including comparison with a reference, natural late-successional forest, were conducted. The restoration plots had grown to larger basal area compared with the reference plots, however, this was a consequence of very high densities of the overstory trees due to low self-thinning rate. Stand vertical structure of the restoration plots was biased toward overstory layers, causing high mortality of understory trees and shrubs. Because there are no mature forests near the restoration site that could act as a seed source, abundance and diversity of understory trees are likely to continue decreasing in the restoration plots, resulting in single-layered forest structure similar to those of monocultures and even-aged forests. Many seedlings of exotic species emerged in the restoration plots and this could lead to a plagiosere where exotic species dominate the vegetation inhibiting regeneration and growth of native species. Ordination analysis using different measures, basal area and abundance, showed apparently contradicting results, suggesting that multiple criteria are needed to evaluate forest restoration success. Our results indicate restoration of mature, late-successional forest cannot be achieved by simultaneous planting of native species. To sustain urban forests into the future, we must conduct long-term monitoring and management referencing natural forest structure and dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental science has benefited a great deal from omics-based technologies. High-throughput toxicology has defined adverse outcome pathways (AOPs), prioritized chemicals of concern, and identified novel actions of environmental chemicals. While many of these approaches are conducted under rigorous laboratory conditions, a significant challenge has been the interpretation of omics data in “real-world” exposure scenarios. Clarity in the interpretation of these data limits their use in environmental monitoring programs. In recent years, one overarching objective of many has been to address fundamental questions concerning experimental design and the robustness of data collected under the broad umbrella of environmental genomics. These questions include: (1) the likelihood that molecular profiles return to a predefined baseline level following remediation efforts, (2) how reference site selection in an urban environment influences interpretation of omics data and (3) what is the most appropriate species to monitor in the environment from an omics point of view. In addition, inter-genomics studies have been conducted to assess transcriptome reproducibility in toxicology studies. One lesson learned from inter-genomics studies is that there are core molecular networks that can be identified by multiple laboratories using the same platform. This supports the idea that “omics-networks” defined a priori may be a viable approach moving forward for evaluating environmental impacts over time. Both spatial and temporal variability in ecosystem structure is expected to influence molecular responses to environmental stressors, and it is important to recognize how these variables, as well as individual factor (i.e. sex, age, maturation), may confound interpretation of network responses to chemicals. This mini-review synthesizes the progress made towards adopting these tools into environmental monitoring and identifies future challenges to be addressed, as we move into the next era of high throughput sequencing. A conceptual framework for validating and incorporating molecular networks into environmental monitoring programs is proposed. As AOPs become more defined and their potential in environmental monitoring assessments becomes more recognized, the AOP framework may prove to be the conduit between omics and penultimate ecological responses for environmental risk assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]