Renewable energy strategies in England, Australia and New Zealand

The development of renewable energy sources is of prime interest to many countries seeking to pursue greenhouse gas emission reduction obligations. The increased use of renewables offers the possibility of not only contributing to emission reduction, but at the same time improving energy supply diversity and security, and developing employment and business in related supply industries. Two main mechanisms are in common use, one a quota (quantity) instrument often associated with tradable certificates, and the other a prescribed pricing mechanism. This paper considers the renewable energy development strategies of three countries (the UK, Australia, and New Zealand) all using a variant of the quota/certificate approach as the central instrument in their programs. The regulatory frameworks defining the application of the certificate systems differ notably, and the likely differing outcomes suggest that these regulatory settings may be at least as important as the selection of the basic policy instrument, in determining the overall success of programs of this nature.     

The C/CO ratio in B335 and the decaying dark matter neutrino hypothesis

C¹⁸O J  = 2–1, C¹⁷O J  = 2–1 and [C  I ] ³P₁–³P₀ emission from the dense cold cloud B335 has been observed and modelled in order to determine the C/CO ratio. The observed ratio is compared with a prediction by Tarafdar who assumes a mechanism in which the CO dissociation is caused by photons of energy ∼ 13.8 eV. These were postulated by Sciama to result from the decay of dark matter neutrinos. Our value for the C/CO ratio sets an upper limit to the strength of the neutrino decay dissociation process, thus providing a significant datum for interstellar chemistry theory.     

Area and volume computation of longitude–latitude grids and three‐dimensional meshes

Longitude–latitude grids are commonly used for surface analyses and data storage in GIS. For volumetric analyses, three‐dimensional meshes perpendicularly raised above or below the gridded surface are applied. Since grids and meshes are defined with geographic coordinates, they are not equal area or volume due to convergence of the meridians and radii. This article compiles and presents known geodetic considerations and relevant formulae needed for longitude–latitude grid and mesh analyses in GIS. The effect of neglecting these considerations is demonstrated on area and volume calculations of ecological marine units.     

Effects of overcrowding on floating behaviour in the mud whelk cominella glandiformis (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

The mud whelk Cominella glandiformis (Reeve, 1874) was observed on a tidal flat “floating” upside down beneath the water surface. Study in the laboratory showed that, when C. glandiformis is “floating”, the foot is distended with blood to approximately twice its normal surface area. In the laboratory C. glandiformis “floated” only during daylight hours, and the incidence of “floating” increased markedly as specimens became more overcrowded. Possibly “floating” is a rapid dispersal mechanism in response to overcrowding; it may also assist respiration in the event of overcrowding producing anaerobic conditions. Its occurrence only during daylight hours suggests that a reaction to light may also be involved.     

Risks of shifting baselines highlighted by anecdotal accounts of New Zealand's snapper (Pagrus auratus) fishery

Anecdotal data sources may constitute an important component of the information available about an exploited species, as record keeping may not have occurred until after exploitation began. Here, we aimed to fill any gaps in the exploitative history of the sparid snapper (Pagrus auratus), using social and historical research methods. Social research consisted of interviews with recreational fishers, focusing on the most and largest snapper they had caught. In addition, the diary‐logs of two recreational fishers were analysed. Historical research consisted of investigation of old books, photos, archives and unpublished sources unconventional to fishery science. Interviews with fishers demonstrated no or weak trends in snapper abundance or size, and were likely impeded by a lack of ability to detect change in a fish stock that may still be considered abundant. The fishers’ perception of change, however, largely reflected recent experiences (last c. 10 years), when biomass is understood to have increased, and mostly did not consider experiences before the 1980s. Alternatively, diary‐logs of fisher catch rates produced a pattern that matched formal stock assessments of snapper biomass, suggesting declines in abundance up until the 1990s and an increase in biomass after that time. Historical research, although more qualitative, had the ability to investigate periods where formal records were not kept and described a fishery vastly different from the current one. Snapper were easily caught, in great abundance and in unusual locations. Localised depletion of snapper was first noticed in the early 20th century, despite spectacular catches of snapper occurring after that time. Snapper behaviour was also likely different, with visual sightings of snapper by onlookers a common occurrence. Although predictions from stock assessment models are consistent with that of the anecdotes listed here (i.e., high biomass in the past), these anecdotes are valuable as they explain lost biomass in a perspective meaningful to all. This perspective may be valuable for managers trying to consider the non‐financial value of a shared fishery but, if unrecognised, represents a shifting baseline.     

Electrochemical detection of harmful algae and other microbial contaminants in coastal waters using hand-held biosensors

Standard methods to identify microbial contaminants in the environment are slow, laborious, and can require specialized expertise. This study investigated electrochemical detection of microbial contaminants using commercially available, hand-held instruments. Electrochemical assays were developed for a red tide dinoflagellate (Karenia brevis), fecal-indicating bacteria (Enterococcus spp.), markers indicative of human sources of fecal pollution (human cluster Bacteroides and the esp gene of Enterococcus faecium), bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus), and a viral pathogen (adenovirus). For K. brevis, two assay formats (Rapid PCR-Detect and Hybrid PCR-Detect) were tested and both provided detection limits of 10 genome equivalents for DNA isolated from K. brevis culture and amplified by PCR. Sensitivity with coastal water samples was sufficient to detect K. brevis that was "present" (相似文献   

Benthic meiofauna community composition at polluted and non-polluted sites in New Zealand intertidal environments

Meiofauna composition was investigated for six field sites, including polluted and non-polluted sites, within two regions (Auckland and Bay of Plenty) during winter (July-August 2004) in the North Island of New Zealand. Physico-chemical parameters were measured during the sampling period and meiofauna distribution and abundance were compared with these measured parameters. Analysis of meiofauna abundance indicated that foraminiferans, nematodes and ostracods were the taxa that contributed to the variability between field sites within the Auckland region. However, no clear taxa dominance was seen in the Bay of Plenty region. Comparison of meiofauna abundance and physico-chemical parameters was done using multivariate analysis (PRIMER). However, no clear relationships between the parameters were observed in any field site in either region. The Shannon-Weiner index of diversity did not show any clear differentiation between polluted and non-polluted field sites. Therefore, from the present study, the taxa or physico-chemical parameters used could not effectively characterise pollution at the investigated field sites.     

High- and low-affinity binding sites for Cd on the bacterial cell walls of Bacillus subtilis and Shewanella oneidensis

Bulk Cd adsorption isotherm experiments, thermodynamic equilibrium modeling, and Cd K edge EXAFS were used to constrain the mechanisms of proton and Cd adsorption to bacterial cells of the commonly occurring Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Shewanella oneidensis, respectively. Potentiometric titrations were used to characterize the functional group reactivity of the S. oneidensis cells, and we model the titration data using the same type of non-electrostatic surface complexation approach as was applied to titrations of B. subtilis suspensions by Fein et al. (2005). Similar to the results for B. subtilis, the S. oneidensis cells exhibit buffering behavior from approximately pH 3-9 that requires the presence of four distinct sites, with pK_a values of 3.3 ± 0.2, 4.8 ± 0.2, 6.7 ± 0.4, and 9.4 ± 0.5, and site concentrations of 8.9(±2.6) × 10⁻⁵, 1.3(±0.2) × 10⁻⁴, 5.9(±3.3) × 10⁻⁵, and 1.1(±0.6) × 10⁻⁴ moles/g bacteria (wet mass), respectively. The bulk Cd isotherm adsorption data for both species, conducted at pH 5.9 as a function of Cd concentration at a fixed biomass concentration, were best modeled by reactions with a Cd:site stoichiometry of 1:1. EXAFS data were collected for both bacterial species as a function of Cd concentration at pH 5.9 and 10 g/L bacteria. The EXAFS results show that the same types of binding sites are responsible for Cd sorption to both bacterial species at all Cd loadings tested (1-200 ppm). Carboxyl sites are responsible for the binding at intermediate Cd loadings. Phosphoryl ligands are more important than carboxyl ligands for Cd binding at high Cd loadings. For the lowest Cd loadings studied here, a sulfhydryl site was found to dominate the bound Cd budgets for both species, in addition to the carboxyl and phosphoryl sites that dominate the higher loadings. The EXAFS results suggest that both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell walls have a low concentration of very high-affinity sulfhydryl sites which become masked by the more abundant carboxyl and phosphoryl sites at higher metal:bacteria ratios. This study demonstrates that metal loading plays a vital role in determining the important metal-binding reactions that occur on bacterial cell walls, and that high affinity, low-density sites can be revealed by spectroscopy of biomass samples. Such sites may control the fate and transport of metals in realistic geologic settings, where metal concentrations are low.     

Utilization of a multicriteria least cost path model in an aquatic environment

A critical component of maintaining biodiversity in fragmented habitats is maintaining connectivity among the usable fragments. Least cost path (LCP) analysis is a tool that can be used for predicting the ability of an organism to move from one habitat patch to another, based on geographical features of the landscape and life history traits of the organism. While this analysis has been utilized for terrestrial habitats, it is rarely applied to aquatic environments. Aquatic hypoxic conditions occur when dissolved oxygen falls below 2 mg/L. These conditions can create barriers in the water column that can either force fish to leave a habitat, or avoid that habitat altogether. Using the lower St. Johns River (LSJR) estuary in Florida, USA, as a study system, the ability of an adult silver perch, Bairdiella chrysoura, to escape a large-scale hypoxic event was modeled using a multicriteria LCP approach. Criteria-specific cost grids were constructed based upon current speed, risk of predation, and whether oxygen levels in the habitat area were normoxic (>5.5 mg/L), or hypoxic (<2.0–1.5 mg/L) as a function of water depth for the LSJR. The criteria cost grids were combined using relative weighting to produce the multicriteria cost grid used to implement the LCP analysis. Three origin and destination point locations within the LSJR study area were selected for modeling whether or not a silver perch would be able to escape a hypoxic zone. Since the LCP model will always determine a LCP from the specified origin point location, ecologically relevant swimming capacities for silver perch under normoxic and hypoxic conditions were then applied to assess the model, and to determine whether the fish would be able to reach areas unimpacted by hypoxia. The LCP model and the swimming capacity results for this study predict that under normoxic conditions, fish movement was unimpeded. During the rapidly developing hypoxic event that was modeled, the results from the LCP model indicate that the fish could move outside the hypoxic zone, but when swimming capacities were applied to the model, the silver perch could not escape. Ecologically, the results of this study suggest that silver perch would experience high mortality under a rapidly developing hypoxic event. Additionally, the results of this study indicate that a LCP model can be applied to an aquatic habitat, as long as the cost grids incorporate relevant abiotic and biotic factors.