Secure and Prepared Newsletter, December 14, 2012, Vol. 8, no. 23

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, January 2013, Vol. 9, no. 1

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, February 2013, Vol. 9, no. 2

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, April 2013, Vol. 9, no. 4

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, May 2013, Vol. 9, no. 5

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, March 2013, Vol. 9, no. 3

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, June 2013, Vol. 9, no. 6

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, July 2013, Vol. 9, no. 7

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, August 2013, Vol. 9, no. 8

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, October 2013, Vol. 9, no. 10

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, September 2013, Vol. 9, no. 9

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, November 2013, Vol. 9, no. 11

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management

Reproducibility of species lists, visual cover estimates and frequency methods for recording high mountain vegetation

Question: When multiple observers record the same spatial units of alpine vegetation, how much variation is there in the records and what are the consequences of this variation for monitoring schemes to detect change? Location: One test summit in Switzerland (Alps) and one test summit in Scotland (Cairngorm Mountains). Method: Eight observers used the GLORIA protocols for species composition and visual cover estimates in percent on large summit sections (>100 m2) and species composition and frequency in nested quadrats (1 m2). Results: The multiple records from the same spatial unit for species composition and species cover showed considerable variation in the two countries. Estimates of pseudoturnover of composition and coefficients of variation of cover estimates for vascular plant species in 1m x 1m quadrats showed less variation than in previously published reports whereas our results in larger sections were broadly in line with previous reports. In Scotland, estimates for bryophytes and lichens were more variable than for vascular plants. Conclusions: Statistical power calculations indicated that, unless large numbers of plots were used, changes in cover or frequency were only likely to be detected for abundant species (exceeding 10% cover) or if relative changes were large (50% or more). Lower variation could be reached with the point methods and with larger numbers of small plots. However, as summits often strongly differ from each other, supplementary summits cannot be considered as a way of increasing statistical power without introducing a supplementary component of variance into the analysis and hence the power calculations.

A regional Industrial Symbiosis methodology and its implementation in Geneva, Switzerland

The Agenda 21 for the Geneva region is the results from a broad consultation process including all local actors. The article 12 stipulates that « the State facilitates possible synergies between economic activities in order to minimize their environmental impacts » thus opening the way for Industrial Ecology (IE) and Industrial Symbiosis (IS). An Advisory Board for Industrial Ecology and Industrial Symbiosis implementation was established in 2002 involving relevant government agencies. Regulatory and technical conditions for IS are studied in the Swiss context. Results reveal that the Swiss law on waste does not hinder by-product exchanges. Methodology and technical factors including geographic, qualitative, quantitative and economical aspects are detailed. The competition with waste operators in a highly developed recycling system is also tackled.The IS project develops an empirical and systematic method for detecting and implementing by-products synergies between industrial actors disseminated throughout the Geneva region. Database management tool for the treatment of input-output analysis data and GIS tools for detecting potentials industrial partners are constantly improved. Potential symbioses for 17 flows (including energy, water and material flows) are currently studied for implementation.

Secure and Prepared Newsletter, January 2014, Vol. 10, no. 1

A bi-weekly newsletter for those involved in the fields of homeland security and/or emergency management