Wildlife and America : contributions to an understanding of American wildlife and its conservation /

Cosponsored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Collection and analysis of ground-water samples in the Sierra Vista Basin, Arizona, 1996 /

Mode of access: Internet.

The comparative impact of privatisation and regulation on productivity growth in the English and Welsh water and sewerage industry, 1985-99

After the 10 regional water authorities of England and Wales were privatized in November 1989, the successor WASCs (water and sewerage companies) faced a new regulatory regime that was designed to promote productivity growth while simultaneously improving drinking water and environmental quality. As legally mandated quality improvements necessitated a costly capital investment programme, the industry's economic regulator – the Office of Water Services – implemented a RPI + K pricing system, designed to compensate the WASCs for their capital investment programme while also encouraging faster rates of productivity growth. This paper considers the relative effects of privatization and regulation on productivity growth in the industry using both non-parametric and parametric methods to provide a crosscheck on the robustness of the results. While there is evidence that labour productivity improved after privatization, there is no evidence that privatization led to a growth in TFP (total factor productivity). However, there is some evidence of a small increase in the rate of TFP growth in the aftermath of a substantial tightening of the regulatory regime that took place in 1995. These results, therefore, are consistent with evidence from other research that privatization, in the absence of effective competition and/or regulation, is not necessarily associated with improved economic performance.

The impact of privatisation and regulation on the water and sewerage industry in England and Wales:a translog cost function approach

After the ten Regional Water Authorities (RWAs) of England and Wales were privatized in November 1989, the successor Water and Sewerage Companies (WASCs) faced a new regulatory regime that was designed to promote economic efficiency while simultaneously improving drinking water and environmental quality. As legally mandated quality improvements necessitated a costly capital investment programme, the industry's economic regulator, the Office of Water Services (Ofwat), implemented a retail price index (RPI)+K pricing system, which was designed to compensate the WASCs for their capital investment programme while also encouraging gains in economic efficiency. In order to analyse jointly the impact of privatization, as well as the impact of increasingly stringent economic and environmental regulation on the WASCs' economic performance, this paper estimates a translog multiple output cost function model for the period 1985–1999. Given the significant costs associated with water quality improvements, the model is augmented to include the impact of drinking water quality and environmental quality on total costs. The model is then employed to determine the extent of scale and scope economies in the water and sewerage industry, as well as the impact of privatization and economic regulation on economic efficiency.

A influência do conforto luminoso na satisfação dos profissionais que atuam no ginásio do Centro de Reabilitação Infantil, Natal-RN

This study addresses the environmental quality in therapeutic spaces for children's rehabilitation. The assumption that space is active and interfere in interpersonal relationships, highlights the importance of natural light to the hospital architecture, to foster the creation of environments that encourage and assist in the recovery of patients in the rehabilitation process. Therefore, interferes with health humanization through positive actions in the physiological and emotional effects of natural light, as facilitators of the health recovery process. In Brazil hospital openings systems projects are built exclusively to follow requirements of the local construction code which do not consider the landscape, but only ventilation and heat stroke; and the luminance levels are treated just as recommendations for artificial lighting. The National Policy for Healthcare Humanization presents the environmental comfort as a priority. However, it does not guidelines for achieving it. In this context this research aims to evaluate the lighting comfort in infant therapeutic areas from the professional satisfaction, in order to identify human preferences on the variables: technical and constructive aspects, relationship with the exterior, internal visual interface and quality elements. With this purpose it was adopted as research strategy the Post-Occupancy Evaluation (Technical Functional) through a multi method approach, which included a case study in the rehabilitation gym of Children Rehabilitation Center, at Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, and a reference study at SARAH Rehabilitation Center, Fortaleza Unit at Ceará, both in Brazil northeast. The results indicate that the definition of openings systems should consider external and internal factors to the building, as the natural landscape, the immediate surroundings and activities to be performed. The POE found out the preference of the professional visual privacy in detriment to other analyzed aspects. Thus, it is expected that this study can contribute to the discussion of luminous quality and generate inputs for future projects or renovations in the Children's Rehabilitation Centers, which should not be projected as hospitals

Investimentos internacionais e a valorização imobiliária dos municípios de Maxaranguape e Rio do Fogo

Since the middle of 1970´s the world has been undergoing significant transformations, comes in a new era of global capital accumulation, and starts the called productive restructuring. This restructuring is materialized spatially through the reconfiguration of territory, redefining its uses and providing a new spatial structure. With regard to native of Rio Grande do Norte territory, there is, from the 1980s, the emergence of new economic activities, among which stand out tourism, which become stimulated from government policies. In this context, has stood the east coast of the state, because its beaches have recognized scenic appeal and environmental quality. Therewith business opportunity, international investors ended up investing in this portion of Rio Grande do Norte´s territory, especially over the last decade. The expansion of this process, to the north coast, resulted in the emergence of intense property dynamics in the municipalities of Maxaranguape and Rio do Fogo. The low value of the property and buildings, compared to the European market and the availability of real property, were the main factors that explain the attraction of such investors, who are now seen as new business opportunities with high rates of profitability, in tropical areas, hitherto remote geographical location of the economic system. Therefore, the objective of the research is to analyze to what extent the International Investment promoted the appreciation of property in the municipalities of Maxaranguape and Rio do Fogo. The time frame covers the period among 2000- 2013. The methodology consisted of the following proceedings: surveys and analysis of data collected in the property registry office of the Maxaranguape and Rio do Fogo municipalities; interviews with public and private officials that were important for the analysis of spatial transformations and the recovery of the property that occurred in the municipalities studied; collection of secondary data from official bodies, such as IBGE, MTUR, SETUR, BNB etc. Analyzing the information and data that have been cataloged, it was concluded that this investments are reinforcing old leisure and tourism practices existing in the past in those territories and, shifted (creating new territorial arrangements) a significant part of the eastern coast zone areas of the state. Another consequence connected to this recent phenomenon refers to property’s increase in value that has occurred in this part of the state, episode which is directly connected to that event. Therefore, it is realize that the expansion and the incorporation of the capital territories reveal, in part, the strategies of the capitalist mode of production, which are evident in the search for better conditions of accumulation, expanding the alternative of use of the properties which occurs in selective way and uneven in the geographic space form. It is observed that the mechanisms that capital makes use to impose their practices can happen through the property’s increase in value market, meaning, thereby, that the reproduction of imbalances happens, often, through the marked property speculation with the fast increase in value of properties.

Reservatório Tabatinga (Macaíba-RN): qualidade ambiental, conflitos e uso

The reservoirs are water sources built along the fluvial basins, between rivers and dams made by concrete or earth. In Brazil they are built for different purposes, standing out the generation of energy (hydroelectric power station), flowing regulation, water reserves and flooding control, therefore they have played and still play an important role in the modern society.In the Northeastern semiarid region, they are typically used to supply cities and as a source of food.In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the large reservoirs are intended for the same purpose.The cities settled in the riverbanks, or which have river channels crossing them, face flooding related problems. In the city of Macaíba-RN, flooding occurred systematically during the rainy season, causing great inconvenience to the local population.As product of the collective claim Tabatinga Reservoir in Jundiaí river was built, upstream of the city. Facing this background, this thesis aimed to assess the sócio-environmental quality of this reservoir.To achieve this goal, methodologies pointed to assess water quality along with the aplication of a questionnaire were used aimed to verify the quality of water and to know the perception of the residents from urban and rural área settled near to the reservoir was performed. The results showed the existence of conflicts of residents of rural communities and the presence of the reservoir, while for the city's population, the reservoir is considered not only the right solution to solve flooding in urban areas, but also as economic source for the rural population. Considering the water source assessment, this study concluded that the Tabatinga Reservoir is unfit for human use, due to the presence of metals of toxicological significance with the potential to elicit damage to the genetic material of individuals that use water from this reservoir, leading to cause serious risks to health population.

Aplicação do exame da proporcionalidade diante da implantação de empreendimentos eólicos em áreas de preservação permanente

The setting up of wind power enterprises at Permanent Preservation Areas reflects the obvious conflict and necessary convergence between free market and energy security on the one hand, and the promotion of environmental quality on the other. From the perspective of energy sustainability, and in order to achieve development (in its complex meaning, which converges economic, social, environmental and cultural aspects), the harmonization between free market and an ecologically sustainable environment is required. This work aims to identify the link between the protection system of the Permanent Preservation Areas and the current constitutional order, by analyzing the implementation of wind power enterprises in these protected zones focusing on the proportionality aspects. A legal and purposeful research was developed, from a theoretical method, followed by collecting and analyzing both primary and secondary data. From these data, the law, the legal literature and judicial decisions were cross-examined, under the light of the Constitution and guided by the theory of proportionality and related development imperatives. In this context, the present study identified the link between the principles of the economic order, environment and energy law, finding their basis under the Federal Constitution and development. By reproducing this interrelationship and by means of post-crisis institutional reforms, the guiding objectives of the Brazilian electric sector began to corroborate the precepts of development, although issues regarding its sustainability still persist. The appraisal of proportionality indicates that the Permanent Preservation Areas protection system is insufficient to materialize the right to a healthy quality of life upon the implementation of wind projects at Permanent Preservation Areas, albeit seeking the harmonization between free market and environmental protection.

Aplicação do exame da proporcionalidade diante da implantação de empreendimentos eólicos em áreas de preservação permanente

The setting up of wind power enterprises at Permanent Preservation Areas reflects the obvious conflict and necessary convergence between free market and energy security on the one hand, and the promotion of environmental quality on the other. From the perspective of energy sustainability, and in order to achieve development (in its complex meaning, which converges economic, social, environmental and cultural aspects), the harmonization between free market and an ecologically sustainable environment is required. This work aims to identify the link between the protection system of the Permanent Preservation Areas and the current constitutional order, by analyzing the implementation of wind power enterprises in these protected zones focusing on the proportionality aspects. A legal and purposeful research was developed, from a theoretical method, followed by collecting and analyzing both primary and secondary data. From these data, the law, the legal literature and judicial decisions were cross-examined, under the light of the Constitution and guided by the theory of proportionality and related development imperatives. In this context, the present study identified the link between the principles of the economic order, environment and energy law, finding their basis under the Federal Constitution and development. By reproducing this interrelationship and by means of post-crisis institutional reforms, the guiding objectives of the Brazilian electric sector began to corroborate the precepts of development, although issues regarding its sustainability still persist. The appraisal of proportionality indicates that the Permanent Preservation Areas protection system is insufficient to materialize the right to a healthy quality of life upon the implementation of wind projects at Permanent Preservation Areas, albeit seeking the harmonization between free market and environmental protection.

Investigação da rota biohidrometalúrgica com Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans/thiooxidans para recuperação do cobalto de baterias de íons lítio descartadas

The recycling of metals from secondary sources can be advantageous. Among the metals of interest, we have cobalt, a metal used for various purposes. As regards the secondary sources of cobalt, the lithium-ion batteries can be considered, since they contain cobalt oxide in their composition (LiCoO2). This way, the objective of this work was to use the microorganism strains (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans) to bioleach the LiCoO2 extracted from discarded lithium ion batteries with emphasis on the recovery of cobalt for synthesis of new materials of interest. The lineage growth occurred in T&K medium and the growth investigation was made by observing the media, by platelet growth and microscope analysis. Then, the inoculum was standardized on 5 x 106 cells mL-1 and used in bioleaching tests. The bioleaching was investigated: the microorganism nature: separate strains and A. ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans consortium, bioleaching time (0 to 40 days), inoculum proportion (5 to 50% v/v), energy source (iron and sulfur) and residue concentration (1063 to 8500 mg L-1 of cobalt). The cobalt concentration in the media was found by atomic absorption spectrometry and the medium pH was monitored during the bioleaching. The results show that the amount of bioleached cobalt increases with time and the iron concentration. The bioleaching with A. thiooxidans was not influenced by the addition of sulfur. The use of the two lineages together did not improve the bioleaching rates. Among the lineages, the A. thiooxidans presented better results and was able to bioleach cobalt amounts above 50% in most of the experiments. A. thiooxidans presented lower bioleaching rates, with a maximum of 50% after 24 days of experiment. After reprocessing by bioleaching, the cobalt in solution was used for synthesis of new materials: such as LiCoO2 cathode and as adsorbent pesticide double lamellar hydroxide (HDL Co-Al-Cl) by the Pechini and co-precipitation methods. The reprocessed LiCoO2 presented a unique stoichiometric phase relative to the HT-LiCoO2 structure similar to the JCPDS 44-0145, presenting electrochemical activity when tested as a cathode material. The double lamellar hydroxide Co-Al-Cl was tested as pesticide adsorbent, being possible to adsorb around 100% of the pesticide. The bioleaching was efficient in the recovery of cobalt present in lithium-ion batteries and microorganisms presented high tolerance to the residue, being able to bioleach even at higher LiCoO2 concentrations. The cobalt bioleaching medium did not impair the synthesis phases and the obtained materials presented structure and activity similar to the sintered materials from the reagents containing cobalt.

The Roles of Phenotypic Plasticity and Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Evolution of Complex Traits in Boechera stricta

All organisms live in complex habitats that shape the course of their evolution by altering the phenotype expressed by a given genotype (a phenomenon known as phenotypic plasticity) and simultaneously by determining the evolutionary fitness of that phenotype. In some cases, phenotypic evolution may alter the environment experienced by future generations. This dissertation describes how genetic and environmental variation act synergistically to affect the evolution of glucosinolate defensive chemistry and flowering time in Boechera stricta, a wild perennial herb. I focus particularly on plant-associated microbes as a part of the plant’s environment that may alter trait evolution and in turn be affected by the evolution of those traits. In the first chapter I measure glucosinolate production and reproductive fitness of over 1,500 plants grown in common gardens in four diverse natural habitats, to describe how patterns of plasticity and natural selection intersect and may influence glucosinolate evolution. I detected extensive genetic variation for glucosinolate plasticity and determined that plasticity may aid colonization of new habitats by moving phenotypes in the same direction as natural selection. In the second chapter I conduct a greenhouse experiment to test whether naturally-occurring soil microbial communities contributed to the differences in phenotype and selection that I observed in the field experiment. I found that soil microbes cause plasticity of flowering time but not glucosinolate production, and that they may contribute to natural selection on both traits; thus, non-pathogenic plant-associated microbes are an environmental feature that could shape plant evolution. In the third chapter, I combine a multi-year, multi-habitat field experiment with high-throughput amplicon sequencing to determine whether B. stricta-associated microbial communities are shaped by plant genetic variation. I found that plant genotype predicts the diversity and composition of leaf-dwelling bacterial communities, but not root-associated bacterial communities. Furthermore, patterns of host genetic control over associated bacteria were largely site-dependent, indicating an important role for genotype-by-environment interactions in microbiome assembly. Together, my results suggest that soil microbes influence the evolution of plant functional traits and, because they are sensitive to plant genetic variation, this trait evolution may alter the microbial neighborhood of future B. stricta generations. Complex patterns of plasticity, selection, and symbiosis in natural habitats may impact the evolution of glucosinolate profiles in Boechera stricta.

Institutions, Innovation, and Grassroots Change: Alternatives to Transnational Governance in the Global South

Transnational governance has been advanced as a viable option for regulating commodities produced in emerging economies—where incapable or unwilling states may undersupply institutions requisite for overseeing supply chains consistent with the quality, safety, environmental, or social standards demanded by the global marketplace. Producers from these jurisdictions, otherwise left with few venues for securing market access and price premiums, ostensibly benefit from whatever pathways transnational actors offer to minimize barriers to entry—including voluntary certification for compliance with a panoply of public and private rules, such as those promulgated by NGOs like the Fair Trade Federation or multinational retailers like Wal-Mart. Yet, such transnational “sustainability” governance may neither be effective nor desirable. Regulatory schemes, like third-party certification, often privilege the interests of primary architects and beneficiaries—private business associations, governments, NGOs, and consumers in the global North—over regulatory targets—producers in the global South. Rather than engaging with the international marketplace via imported and externally-driven schemes, some producer groups are instead challenging existing rules and innovating homegrown institutions. These alternatives to commercialization adopt some institutional characteristics of their transnational counterparts yet deliver benefits in a manner more aligned with the needs of producers. Drawing on original empirical cases from Nicaragua and Mexico, this dissertation examines the role of domestic institutional alternatives to transnational governance in enhancing market access, environmental quality and rural livelihoods within producer communities. Unlike the more technocratic and expert-driven approaches characteristic of mainstream governance efforts, these local regulatory institutions build upon the social capital, indigenous identity, “ancestral” knowledge, and human assets of producer communities as new sources of power and legitimacy in governing agricultural commodities.

New Principles in Planning Evaluation

Maintaining and enhancing living conditions in cities through a combination of physical planning and environmental management is a newly emerging focus of governments around the world. For example, local governments seek to insulate sensitive land uses such as residential areas from environmentally intrusive activities such as major transport facilities and manufacturing. Regional governments protect water quality and natural habitat by enforcing pollution controls and regulating the location of growth. Some national governments fund acquisition of strategically important sites, facilitate the renewal of brown fields, and even develop integrated environmental quality plans. This book provides recently developed and tested methods for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of planning and policy options. Several contributions focus on new substantive areas of concern in planning evaluation, including environmental justice and sustainable urban development. Applications of evaluation in several planning contexts are demonstrated, and special problems that these pose are assessed. Several chapters address how to communicate the process and results to several stakeholder groups, and how to engage these groups in the evaluation process. Each chapter employs a realworld case in practice, thus dealing with the complexity of applying planning evaluation, and providing practical advice useful in similar situations.

Territorial and demographic aspects of the Networks of Protected Natural Areas of Castilla-La Mancha: 1978-2014

The Autonomous Region of Castilla-La Mancha develops from the approval of the Spanish Constitution a whole executive and legislative branch to implement its policies on environmental protection. The new legislation (Law 9/1999, of 26 May) has pursued the conservation and the integral protection of the natural elements of the territory demanding to new criteria as such the environmental quality of ecosystems or the exceptional landscape. The spread and the declaration of new natural spaces have caused a double geographical and territorial model. First, natural spaces located in rural mountainous areas with depopulation and aging problems. And second, natural spaces situated in areas densely populated

The EU Referendum and the UK Environment: An Expert Review:How has EU membership affected the UK and what might change in the event of a vote to Remain or Leave

This expert review provides a detailed review of the academic evidence on how EU membership has influenced UK policies, systems of decision making and environmental quality. Containing 14 chapters and over 60,000 words, it documents how the EU has affected UK environmental policy and how, in turn, the UK has worked through the EU to shape wider, international thinking. It has been authored by 14 international experts, who have drawn on the findings of over 700 publications to offer an impartial and authoritative assessment of the evidence.