Environmental and nature conservation : a facet study of concern for the quality of the natural environment

A multi-variate descriptive model of environmental and nature conservation attitudes and values is proposed and empirically supported. A mapping sentence is developed out of analysis of data from a series of Repertory Grid interviews addressing conservation employees' attitudes towards their profession's activities. The research is carried out within the meta-theoretical framework of Facet Theory. A mapping sentence is developed consisting of 9 facets. From the mapping sentence 3 questionnaires were constructed viewing the selective orientations towards environmental concern. A mapping sentence and facet model is developed for each study. Once the internal structure of this model had been established using Similarity Structure Analysis, the elements of the facets are subjected to Partial Order Scalogram Analysis with base coordinates. A questionnaire was statistically analysed to assess the relationship between facet elements and 4 measures of attitudes towards, and involvement with, conservation. This enabled the comparison of the relative strengths of attitudes associated with each facet element and each measure of conservation attitude. In general, the relationship between the social value of conservation and involvement pledges to conservation were monotonic; perceived importance of a conservation issue appearing predictive of personal involvement. Furthermore, the elements of the life area and scale facets were differentially related to attitude measures. The multi-variate descriptive model of environmental conservation values and attitudes is discussed in relation to its implications for psychological research into environmental concern and for environmental and nature conservation.

Mobilizing capacity of environmental information: the importance of quality journalism to achieve proenvironmental attitudes

Citizens say they are very concerned about the environment, and they know the role they play in their deterioration; but there is a gap between this proclaimed interest and the mobilization against environmental problems. Several news published between 2010 and 2011 about the Spanish energy policy and Doñana have economic and social aspects, that sometimes are confused with environmental aspects. It is worthy of study, therefore, to analyze how the press reflects that citizen interest; and how a critical issue as the quality of the information can influence the attitude of citizens in issues related to the environment. If the journalistic practice does not meet quality its function, it will condition the social participation.

An Objective Framework to Test the Quality of Candidate Indicators of Good Environmental Status

Large efforts are on-going within the EU to prepare the Marine Strategy Framework Directive’s (MSFD) assessment of the environmental status of the European seas. This assessment will only be as good as the indicators chosen to monitor the eleven descriptors of good environmental status (GEnS). An objective and transparent framework to determine whether chosen indicators actually support the aims of this policy is, however, not yet in place. Such frameworks are needed to ensure that the limited resources available to this assessment optimize the likelihood of achieving GEnS within collaborating states. Here, we developed a hypothesis-based protocol to evaluate whether candidate indicators meet quality criteria explicit to the MSFD, which the assessment community aspires to. Eight quality criteria are distilled from existing initiatives, and a testing and scoring protocol for each of them is presented. We exemplify its application in three worked examples, covering indicators for three GEnS descriptors (1, 5 and 6), various habitat components (seaweeds, seagrasses, benthic macrofauna and plankton), and assessment regions (Danish, Lithuanian and UK waters). We argue that this framework provides a necessary, transparent and standardized structure to support the comparison of candidate indicators, and the decision-making process leading to indicator selection. Its application could help identify potential limitations in currently available candidate metrics and, in such cases, help focus the development of more adequate indicators. Use of such standardized approaches will facilitate the sharing of knowledge gained across the MSFD parties despite context-specificity across assessment regions, and support the evidence-based management of European seas.

An Objective Framework to Test the Quality of Candidate Indicators of Good Environmental Status

Large efforts are on-going within the EU to prepare the Marine Strategy Framework Directive’s (MSFD) assessment of the environmental status of the European seas. This assessment will only be as good as the indicators chosen to monitor the eleven descriptors of good environmental status (GEnS). An objective and transparent framework to determine whether chosen indicators actually support the aims of this policy is, however, not yet in place. Such frameworks are needed to ensure that the limited resources available to this assessment optimize the likelihood of achieving GEnS within collaborating states. Here, we developed a hypothesis-based protocol to evaluate whether candidate indicators meet quality criteria explicit to the MSFD, which the assessment community aspires to. Eight quality criteria are distilled from existing initiatives, and a testing and scoring protocol for each of them is presented. We exemplify its application in three worked examples, covering indicators for three GEnS descriptors (1, 5 and 6), various habitat components (seaweeds, seagrasses, benthic macrofauna and plankton), and assessment regions (Danish, Lithuanian and UK waters). We argue that this framework provides a necessary, transparent and standardized structure to support the comparison of candidate indicators, and the decision-making process leading to indicator selection. Its application could help identify potential limitations in currently available candidate metrics and, in such cases, help focus the development of more adequate indicators. Use of such standardized approaches will facilitate the sharing of knowledge gained across the MSFD parties despite context-specificity across assessment regions, and support the evidence-based management of European seas.

Preparation of environmental monitoring plan pattern for surface water quality in Iran (Case study: Gharehsou River)

Using water quality management programs is a necessary and inevitable way for preservation and sustainable use of water resources. One of the important issues in determining the quality of water in rivers is designing effective quality control networks, so that the measured quality variables in these stations are, as far as possible, indicative of overall changes in water quality. One of the methods to achieve this goal is increasing the number of quality monitoring stations and sampling instances. Since this will dramatically increase the annual cost of monitoring, deciding on which stations and parameters are the most important ones, along with increasing the instances of sampling, in a way that shows maximum change in the system under study can affect the future decision-making processes for optimizing the efficacy of extant monitoring network, removing or adding new stations or parameters and decreasing or increasing sampling instances. This end, the efficiency of multivariate statistical procedures was studied in this thesis. Multivariate statistical procedure, with regard to its features, can be used as a practical and useful method in recognizing and analyzing rivers’ pollution and consequently in understanding, reasoning, controlling, and correct decision-making in water quality management. This research was carried out using multivariate statistical techniques for analyzing the quality of water and monitoring the variables affecting its quality in Gharasou river, in Ardabil province in northwest of Iran. During a year, 28 physical and chemical parameters were sampled in 11 stations. The results of these measurements were analyzed by multivariate procedures such as: Cluster Analysis (CA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Factor Analysis (FA), and Discriminant Analysis (DA). Based on the findings from cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and factor analysis the stations were divided into three groups of highly polluted (HP), moderately polluted (MP), and less polluted (LP) stations Thus, this study illustrates the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques for analysis and interpretation of complex data sets, and in water quality assessment, identification of pollution sources/factors and understanding spatial variations in water quality for effective river water quality management. This study also shows the effectiveness of these techniques for getting better information about the water quality and design of monitoring network for effective management of water resources. Therefore, based on the results, Gharasou river water quality monitoring program was developed and presented.

Agriculture, Environmental Incentive Payments, and Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay

Nonpoint sources (NPS) pollution from agriculture is the leading source of water quality impairment in U.S. rivers and streams, and a major contributor to lakes, wetlands, estuaries and coastal waters (U.S. EPA 2016). Using data from a survey of farmers in Maryland, this dissertation examines the effects of a cost sharing policy designed to encourage adoption of conservation practices that reduce NPS pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This watershed is the site of the largest Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implemented to date, making it an important setting in the U.S. for water quality policy. I study two main questions related to the reduction of NPS pollution from agriculture. First, I examine the issue of additionality of cost sharing payments by estimating the direct effect of cover crop cost sharing on the acres of cover crops, and the indirect effect of cover crop cost sharing on the acres of two other practices: conservation tillage and contour/strip cropping. A two-stage simultaneous equation approach is used to correct for voluntary self-selection into cost sharing programs and account for substitution effects among conservation practices. Quasi-random Halton sequences are employed to solve the system of equations for conservation practice acreage and to minimize the computational burden involved. By considering patterns of agronomic complementarity or substitution among conservation practices (Blum et al., 1997; USDA SARE, 2012), this analysis estimates water quality impacts of the crowding-in or crowding-out of private investment in conservation due to public incentive payments. Second, I connect the econometric behavioral results with model parameters from the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program to conduct a policy simulation on water quality effects. I expand the econometric model to also consider the potential loss of vegetative cover due to cropland incentive payments, or slippage (Lichtenberg and Smith-Ramirez, 2011). Econometric results are linked with the Chesapeake Bay Program watershed model to estimate the change in abatement levels and costs for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment under various behavioral scenarios. Finally, I use inverse sampling weights to derive statewide abatement quantities and costs for each of these pollutants, comparing these with TMDL targets for agriculture in Maryland.

Environmental effect on sunflower oil quality.

Sunflower is one of the most important oilseed crops and produces a high-quality edible oil. Balance of fatty acids in standard sunflower oil shows preponderance of linoleic rather than oleic acid, and conditions during seed development, such as temperature, changes the oleic/linoleic ratio of the oil. This work aimed to evaluate the environmental effect on fatty acid profile in a group of standard and high oleic varieties and hybrids. Seeds were produced during regular season crop and during off-season crop featuring different temperatures from anthesis to maturity. Fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. Levels of oleic acid, in standard oil genotypes, raised as the crop developed in warmer environment while levels of linoleic acid decreased, and the opposite was observed when the crop was grown under lower temperature. High oleic genotypes were less sensitive to environment switching and showed lower variation on fatty acid composition.

Guidelines on building design and operation to minimize air quality impacts from major roads in transit oriented development

Poor air quality has a huge detrimental effect, both economic and on the quality of life, in Australia. Transit oriented design (TOD), which aims to minimise urban sprawl and lower dependency on vehicles, leads to an increasing number of buildings close to transport corridors. This project aims at providing guidelines that are appropriate to include within City Plan to inform future planning along road corridors, and provide recommendations on when mitigation measures should be utilised.

Environmental and public health issues in Mount Isa : 2007 community survey

This report presents the results of a random telephone survey of 500 adult residents of Mount Isa, conducted in early November 2007. The study was funded by Xstrata Mount Isa Mines. The primary aim of the survey was to collect data about community perceptions and experiences of air quality in Mount Isa and to compare these results with those of a similar survey conducted in 2000 (MacLennan, Lloyd & Hensley, 2000). Both surveys also included questions relating to other aspects of the Mount Isa environment (e.g. water quality, heat, amount of greenery) as well as questions aimed at ascertaining respondents’ general attitudes towards environmental protection.

An indexing model for stormwater quality in the Gold Coast

In the era of climate change sustainable urban development and in particular provision of sustainable urban infrastructure has become a key concept in dealing with environmental challenges. This paper discusses issues affecting stormwater quality and introduces a new indexing model that is to be used in evaluation of the stormwater quality in urban areas. The model has recently been developed and will be tested in a number of pilot projects in the Gold Coast, one of the fastest growing and environmentally challenged cities of Australia.

Comparison of molecular markers to detect fresh sewage in environmental waters

Human-specific Bacteroides HF183 (HS-HF183), human-specific Enterococci faecium esp (HS-esp), human-specific adenoviruses (HS-AVs) and human-specific polyomaviruses (HS-PVs) assays were evaluated in freshwater, seawater and distilled water to detect fresh sewage. The sewage spiked water samples were also tested for the concentrations of traditional fecal indicators (i.e., Escherichia coli, enterococci and Clostridium perfringens) and enteric viruses such as enteroviruses (EVs), sapoviruses (SVs), and torquetenoviruses (TVs). The overall host-specificity of the HS-HF183 marker to differentiate between humans and other animals was 98%. However, the HS-esp, HS-AVs and HS-PVs showed 100% hostspecificity. All the human-specific markers showed >97% sensitivity to detect human fecal pollution. E. coli, enterococci and, C. perfringens were detected up to dilutions of sewage 10_5, 10_4 and 10_3 respectively.HS-esp, HS-AVs, HS-PVs, SVs and TVs were detected up to dilution of sewage 10_4 whilst EVs were detected up to dilution 10_5. The ability of the HS-HF183 marker to detect freshsewagewas3–4 orders ofmagnitude higher than that of the HS-esp and viral markers. The ability to detect fresh sewage in freshwater, seawater and distilled water matrices was similar for human-specific bacterial and viral marker. Based on our data, it appears that human-specific molecular markers are sensitive measures of fresh sewage pollution, and the HS-HF183 marker appears to be the most sensitive among these markers in terms of detecting fresh sewage. However, the presence of the HS-HF183 marker in environmental waters may not necessarily indicate the presence of enteric viruses due to their high abundance in sewage compared to enteric viruses. More research is required on the persistency of these markers in environmental water samples in relation to traditional fecal indicators and enteric pathogens.