Adaptation in integrated assessment modeling: where do we stand?

Adaptation is an important element on the climate change policy agenda. Integrated assessment models, which are key tools to assess climate change policies, have begun to address adaptation, either by including it implicitly in damage cost estimates, or by making it an explicit control variable. We analyze how modelers have chosen to describe adaptation within an integrated framework, and suggest many ways they could improve the treatment of adaptation by considering more of its bottom-up characteristics. Until this happens, we suggest, models may be too optimistic about the net benefits adaptation can provide, and therefore may underestimate the amount of mitigation they judge to be socially optimal. Under some conditions, better modeling of adaptation costs and benefits could have important implications for defining mitigation targets.     

Trace element fractionation and distribution in turbidites,homogeneous and pelagic deposits; the Zaire Fan,Southeast Atlantic Ocean

In turbidites, homogeneous and pelagic deposits of the Zaire Fan Th, La, Sm, and Rb and to a lesser extent Yb and Ta correlate strongly. La, Sm, Yb, Rb, Ta, and Th increase two-fold in Te3 turbidite intervals relative to Te 1 due to an increase in clay fraction with which these elements occur associated preferentially.Hf and Zr are anomalously high in Tel and Tel intervals which is probably a result of mineral separation. Zr is absent in Te3 intervals and the homogenous and pelagic deposits. Ba, Br. and U are lowest in turbidites and highest in homogenous continental slope deposits which is probably caused by upwelling. Cc anomalies may be related to the crystallinity of smectite.     

Genetic Relationships Among One Non-Endemic and Two Endemic Mediterranean Triplefin Blennies (Pisces, Blennioidei)

Abstract. Three triplefin blennies occur sympatrically in the Mediterranean Sea; Tripterygion tripteronotus and T. melanurus are endemic, whereas T. delaisi is also found in the Eastern Atlantic. Although very similar in morphology, ecology and behaviour, some striking differences exist among reproductive strategies. Several authors proposed hypotheses on the evolution of these species. In order to enhance insight into the genetic structure of this genus, an enzyme electrophoretic survey was performed. Samples of 40 to 45 specimens of each species were collected near Calvi (Corsica, France). Twenty-four enzyme loci were analysed, of which 17 appeared polymorphic. T. delaisi showed a high level of average observed heterozygosity (H_o) of 0.140, as opposed to very low levels of 0.009 and 0.021 in T. tripteronotus and T. melanurus , respectively. Nei's genetic distance was 0.21 between T. delaisi and T. tripteronotus , 0.35 between T. delaisi and T. melanurus and 0.45 between T. tripteronotus and T. melanurus . We hypothesise that divergence of these species started before the Pleistocene and that the endemic species survived the Pleistocene glaciations in refugia within the Mediterranean. The possibility that T. tripteronotus and T. delaisi diverged through sympatric speciation is discussed.     

Relation between responses in the neutral red retention test and the comet assay and life history parameters of Daphnia magna.

Responses of the neutral red retention (NRR) assay as test for lysosomal stability and the comet assay as test for DNA integrity were measured in the water flea, Daphnia magna, and compared with mortality and effects on population growth rate during short- or long-term exposure to seven different toxicants. The NRR test and the comet assay were performed with fresh preparations of pieces of tissue from the digestive tract or with cell preparations from whole daphnias. Five toxicants caused responses of the NRR test or the comet assay after short-term exposure at concentrations below the acute toxicity level. Preliminary results of long-term exposure experiments suggest that these biomarker responses can be related to chronic effects on survival and/or reproduction of D. magna. This type of research should provide the basis for future use of the NRR test and the comet assay as early warning biomarkers for effects of toxicants on Daphnia populations.     

Zinc speciation in the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean

Measurements of zinc and zinc complexation by natural organic ligands in the northeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean were made using cathodic stripping voltammetry with ligand competition. Total zinc concentrations ranged from 0.3 nM in surface waters to 2 nM at 2000 m for open-ocean waters, whilst nearer the English coast, zinc concentrations reached 1.5 nM in the upper water column. In open-ocean waters zinc speciation was dominated by complexation to a natural organic ligand with conditional stability constant (log K_ZnL′) ranging between 10.0 and 10.5 and with ligand concentrations ranging between 0.4 and 2.5 nM. The ligand was found to be uniformly distributed throughout the water column even though zinc concentrations increased with depth. Organic ligand concentrations measured in this study are similar to those published for the North Pacific. However the log K_ZnL′ values for the North Atlantic are almost and order of magnitude lower than those reported by Bruland [Bruland, K.W., 1989. Complexation of zinc by natural organic-ligands in the central North Pacific. Limnol. Oceanogr., 34, 269–285.] using anodic stripping voltammetry for the North Pacific. Free zinc ion concentrations were low in open-ocean waters (6–20 pM) but are not low enough to limit growth of a typical oceanic species of phytoplankton.     

Size of flatfish larvae at transformation, functional demands and historical constraints

At hatching the larvae of flatfish closely resemble the bilateral symmetric larvae of other teleosts, especially perciforms. Literature data show that transformation to asymmetric benthic juveniles normally occurs at body lengths between 10 and 25 mm. Unexpectedly, minimal size at its completion (including eye migration) can be 4.1 mm SL and maximal size is over 72 mm. In this paper we consider the functional requirements for a successful switch from a symmetric pelagic larva to a typical asymmetric juvenile benthic flatfish partly based on evidence from other teleosts. The unfavourable period of eye migration and transition to a benthic habitat requires some food reserves and rewiring and/or recalibration of vision and gravity-associated structures utilised previously by the still symmetric larvae for e.g. food detection. Binocular fixation of the prey probably occurs in that stage. Critical or sensitive periods occurring during development of fish larvae suggest that a completely functional symmetric stage of development must precede transformation. The normal size range in flatfish larvae at transformation seems to confirm our considerations. Recent data on temperature effects during development provide an explanation for metamorphosis at the minimal size. Some evidence for paedomorphic heterochrony in flatfish larvae is presented.     

Growth and reproduction of the bivalve Spisula subtruncata (da Costa) in Dutch coastal waters

The bivalve Spisula subtruncata is usually abundant in shallow coastal waters along the Dutch coast. However, its biomass has been decreasing since 1995. In order to assess whether reproductive failure may be the cause of the observed decline over the last decades, the energy investment in reproduction of a population of S. subtruncata from central Dutch coastal waters was studied. The population studied consisted of individuals of up to four years old. Shell length reached maximum values of around 32 mm and individual total body, somatic and gonadal ash-free dry mass reached maximum values of about 278 mg AFDM, 252 mg AFDM and 76 mg AFDM, respectively. A clear seasonal cycle in somatic and gonadal mass was observed. Somatic and gonadal mass indices increased in early spring and reached maximum values during summer, followed by a decrease to minimum values at the beginning of the following year. Spawning was in June–July and settlement of spat seems to have occurred in July–August. Mean oocyte diameter was 57.43 ± 0.03 μm, corresponding to a volume of 98972 μm³. These results suggested that reproductive failure was not the cause of the current population decline. Most likely, unsuccessful settlement of spat and/or severe predation during the first months of life were responsible for the observed patterns.