Performance of a northwestern Mediterranean bottom trawl fleet: How the integration of landings and VMS data can contribute to the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management

The European Union has established a framework to achieve or maintain good environmental status in the marine environment by 2020. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires the application of the ecosystem approach to the management of human activities, covering all sectors having an impact on the marine environment. However, fisheries in the Mediterranean are far from a systematic implementation of an ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). Aiming to address this issue, this study explores the potential of the relationship between daily yield by vessel (landings and income by species) and vessel position (known via vessel monitoring system) as a tool for fleet management. This approach is possible due to the current dynamics of Mediterranean fleets, with vessels returning daily to the harbour where landings are registered as weight and income by vessel. Moreover, vessels of >15 m total length have been compulsory monitored by VMS since 2005. A bottom trawl fleet that operates in the northwestern Mediterranean was chosen to develop this approach. Different groups of trawlers were identified, which could be linked to the strategies displayed by the fishermen that were mainly driven by the target species dynamics. Accurate knowledge of the fishing targets driving the fleet dynamics and of the fishing strategies at the vessel level (i.e. fishing ground habitat where the fishing pressure is exerted and corresponding landings) are shown to be a feasible tool for fleet management.     

Integrating environmental variables and WorldView-2 image data to improve the prediction and mapping of Thaumastocoris peregrinus (bronze bug) damage in plantation forests

This study integrated environmental variables together with high spectral resolution WorldView-2 imagery to detect and map Thaumastocoris peregrinus damage in Eucalypt plantation forests in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The WorldView-2 bands, vegetation indices and environmental variables were entered separately into PLS regression models to predict T. peregrinus damage. The datasets were then integrated to test the collective strength in predicting T. peregrinus damage. Important variables were identified by variable importance (VIP) scores and were re-entered into a PLS regression model. The VIP model was then extrapolated to map the severity of damage and predicted T. peregrinus damage with an R² value of 0.71 and a RMSE of 3.26% on an independent test dataset. The red edge and near-infrared bands of the WorldView-2 sensor together with the temperature dataset were identified as important variables in predicting T. peregrinus damage. The results indicate the potential of integrating WorldView-2 data and environmental variables to improve the mapping and monitoring of insect outbreaks in plantation forests. The result is critical for plantation health monitoring using a new sensor which contains important vegetation wavelengths.     

Outstanding challenges for urban conservation research and action

Researchers, advocates and policymakers have proposed urban conservation as an emerging, integrative discipline that can contribute to sustainable cities by delivering co-benefits to human and non-human components of biodiversity. Given the recent growth in biodiversity-friendly designs and management schemes, there is an urgent need for a synthesis of this fragmented research base to inform planners and decision-makers. We conducted a systematic multidisciplinary literature review (787 papers) and found that the importance of urban areas for general conservation is not convincingly supported by empirical research. Only few studies demonstrated that cities can directly contribute to conservation efforts, by hosting viable populations of rare or endangered species, or by providing green corridors for the passage of natural populations. From a social perspective, while several studies demonstrated that green infrastructure could provide services for people (notably cultural services), only few studies explored the role of species diversity per se. Our review also shows strong geographical, location and taxonomic biases in urban biodiversity conservation research that make generalisations difficult. It is a disturbing paradox that while research in urban biodiversity conservation is rising exponentially, the main motivations for conserving urban biodiversity remain largely untested and unproven. We thus propose a framework for promoting integrative urban conservation research to bridge those gaps. Together, these findings warn against expanding cities under green planning and call for enhancing biodiversity experience by improving the quality of existing green spaces throughout the entire urban matrix. We provide a set of recommendations for practitioners and decision-makers to continue action.     

Health risk assessment for typical and abandoned chromium-contaminated sites

Chromium pollution were investigated by sampling the abandoned chromium contaminated sites in Chongqing. Its health risk was assessed following the procedures made by USEPA. The results showed that the most seriously polluted land was found at the former production area （G4） with average Cr（VI） concentration of 3369.2 mg kg-1 on the surface soil. The assessment indicated that there was high risk of non-carcinogens for children. The assessed risk of the first layer of office area （G1） for children, chromium slag transition （G2）, drainage pipeline chromium slag transition （G3） and production area （G4） for both children and adults were not acceptable （〉1.00× 106）. It was strongly suggested that the accessible measures of remediation should be taken for a portion of contaminated sites before the reuse of abandoned lands.     

Exploring the factors affecting urban ecological risk: A case from an Indian mega metropolitan region

Assessment of ecological risk (ER) is a key approach to adapting and mitigating ecological deterioration in cities of developing countries. In developing countries, the ecological landscapes such as vegetation cover, water bodies, and wetlands are highly vulnerable due to rapid urban expansion. Therefore, urban ER (UER) assessment and its drivers are crucial to guide ecological protection as well as restoration. This study aims to explore the spatiotemporal pattern of UER and the impact of urban spatial form on UER in the Kolkata Megacity Region (KMR), India. This study developed a UER index and used spatial regression models across the urban centres. The ER has been assessed at city scale as well as grid-scale (2 km × 2 km and 5 km × 5 km) from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that ER has substantially increased over the last 20 years. The urban centres with very high and high ER substantially increased, i.e. from 21.95% in 2000 to 31.70% in 2020. Kolkata and its surrounding urban centres were mostly characterized by very high and high ER. ER was influenced by spatial variables (such as land use and landscapes pattern). However, remote sensing parameters were weakly related to ER. The spatial lag model (SLM) (R² = 0.8686) was found to be better fit model than spatial error model (SEM) (R² = 0.8661) and ordinary linear regression model (OLS) (R² = 0.8641). Thus, the findings of the study can improve research and a comprehensive framework for urban ecological resources and provide a scientific basis for urban ecosystem planning and restoration. In addition to this, it will guarantee the sustainable utilization of urban ecosystems.     

山东省沂南县东部土壤重金属生态健康风险评价

【研究目的】 山东是中国矿业与农业发达省份、沂南县东部堪称其代表。掌握当地土壤重金属污染及对生态健康风险的影响对生态环境保护有重要意义。【研究方法】 系统调查分析表层土壤样品4779件,获取Hg、Cd、Cr、Ni、As、Cu、Pb、Zn等元素分布最新数据,并用地累积指数法、潜在生态危害指数法和健康风险评估模型等评价研究了生态健康风险及相关问题。【研究结果】 （1）上述重金属均量与临沂市土壤背景值大致相当,仅Hg略偏高且变异系数最大,指示当地土壤Hg受人类活动影响明显。与国家农用地土壤污染风险筛选值相比,Cu、Cr、Ni是相对主要超标元素,As、Cd、Cu、Pb超标倍数大,它们均可能会产生生态健康危害;（2）据地累积指数平均值,该区土壤总体无污染,据单样值,Hg、Cu污染最突出,其他6元素污染较轻;（3）生态风险方面,Hg、Cd是主要生态风险元素,As、Cu次之。高生态风险区为铜井镇南东部、界湖镇西北金场附近以及县城西部主城区3个片区;（4）人体健康风险方面,重金属对成人不具有非致癌风险和致癌风险,极个别地区对儿童具有非致癌风险和致癌风险,Cr、As是主要非致癌风险元素,As致癌风险最大。【结论】 沂南县东部土壤质量总体较好,铜井镇南东部、界湖镇西北金场附近以及县城西部主城区3个片区为高生态风险区,Hg、Cr、As为主要生态健康风险元素。     

赣南北部黄陂河流域离子型稀土矿地区水质与健康风险评价

水质安全和健康是保障中国赣南老区乡村振兴发展的重要因素。赣南离子型稀土矿长期开发利用,导致浸矿剂和矿体中重金属元素等危害人体健康的物质进入水循环系统,给周边乡村饮用水卫生安全带来了潜在风险。目前,针对当地复垦后稀土矿及周边地区水质和健康风险缺乏系统调查评价,本文以《生活饮用水卫生标准》(GB 5749—2006)为评价依据,选择赣南北部黄陂河流域典型离子型稀土矿及周边的水体开展调查研究,采用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱/质谱等技术测定锰、镉等元素含量,采用水质指数(WQI)、危害商(HQ)、致癌风险(CR)评价了锰和铅等9种指标及其健康风险。结果表明：地表水中的异常指标有氨氮(平均值750μg/L)、锰(平均值207μg/L),地下水中的异常指标有氨氮(平均值4533μg/L)、锰(平均值4009μg/L);世界卫生组织(WHO)公布的Ⅰ类致癌物砷在地表水及地下水均未见异常。WQI显示研究区内85.7%的地表水适宜饮用。地表水及地下水中氨氮的HQ平均值<1,对人类健康没有不良影响;地下水中锰的HQ平均值>1,可能会对人类健康产生不良影响。地表水及地下水中致癌元素砷的CR值分布区...     

四川邻水县华蓥山—西槽土壤Cu地球化学特征与生态健康

铜(Cu)是人体所必需的微量元素,目前我国还没有农作物Cu含量的推荐值,更缺少开发富Cu土地资源的土壤Cu含量标准。本文以四川省邻水县华蓥山—西槽耕地区为研究区,根据1∶5万土地质量地球化学调查获取的表层土壤、农作物及根系土中Cu含量数据调查结果,研究了土壤与农作物中Cu的含量及分布特征,分析了玉米籽实Cu生物富集系数(BAF)的影响因素,构建了玉米籽实Cu的BAF预测模型,提出了开发富Cu玉米和富Cu土地资源的Cu含量最佳赋值范围。研究结果显示:(1)研究区表层土壤Cu含量范围为(3.33～173)×10^-6,平均值、中位值分别为26.85×10^-6、25.60×10^-6。土壤Cu高值区主要分布在邻水县华蓥山玄武岩、碳酸盐岩与炭质页岩为成土母岩的地区,土壤Cu低值区分布在西槽侏罗系砂页岩为成土母岩的地区。(2)研究区玉米籽实Cu含量范围为(0.80～2.71)×10^-6,平均值为1.76×10^-6,中位值为1.82×10^-6。(3)为保证人体摄入Cu安全...     

Classifying high-prevalence neighborhoods for cardiovascular disease in Texas

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death in the state of Texas. In order to develop effective healthcare policies to combat CVD, it is essential to understand what types of communities are most affected. In this paper, we develop a classification scheme to segment high-prevalence communities based on selected social and demographic characteristics. We find that while many high-prevalence areas reflect traditional relationships between socioeconomic deprivation and poor health outcomes, a subset of more affluent communities in Texas are also affected. This suggests the importance of tailored approaches to prevention that account for this diversity among high-prevalence neighborhoods.     

Using simulated data to investigate the spatial patterns of obesity prevalence at the census tract level in metropolitan Detroit

Obesity is a serious public health problem in the United States. It is important to estimate obesity prevalence at the local level to target programmatic and policy interventions. It is challenging, however, to obtain local estimates of obesity prevalence because national health surveys such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) are not designed to produce direct estimates at the local levels (e.g. census tracts) due to small population samples and the need to preserve individual confidentiality. In this study we address the problem of estimating local obesity prevalence rates by implementing a spatial microsimulation modeling technique to proportionally replicate the demographic characteristics of BRFSS respondents to census tract populations in metropolitan Detroit. Obesity prevalence rates are examined for high and low spatial clusters and studied in relation to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) measures of low-income neighborhoods and local food deserts and CDC's measure of healthy and less healthy food environments currently used to target obesity reduction initiatives. This study found that obesity prevalence was largely clustered in the City of Detroit extending north into contiguous suburbs. The spatial patterns of highest obesity prevalence tracts were most similarly aligned with USDA-defined low-income tracts and CDC's less healthy food tracts. The locations of USDA's food desert tracts rarely overlapped with the highest obesity prevalence tracts. This study demonstrated a new methodology by which to assess local areas in need of future obesity interventions.