Assessing trade-offs in large marine protected areas

This is the final version. Available on open access from Public Library of Science via the DOI in this recordData Availability: Data of coded case-studies can be viewed at: https://sesmad.dartmouth.edu/ses_casesLarge marine protected areas (LMPAs) are increasingly being established and have a high profile in marine conservation. LMPAs are expected to achieve multiple objectives, and because of their size are postulated to avoid trade-offs that are common in smaller MPAs. However, evaluations across multiple outcomes are lacking. We used a systematic approach to code several social and ecological outcomes of 12 LMPAs. We found evidence of three types of trade-offs: trade-offs between different ecological resources (supply trade-offs); trade-offs between ecological resource conditions and the well-being of resource users (supply-demand trade-offs); and trade-offs between the well-being outcomes of different resource users (demand trade-offs). We also found several divergent outcomes that were attributed to influences beyond the scope of the LMPA. We suggest that despite their size, trade-offs can develop in LMPAs and should be considered in planning and design. LMPAs may improve their performance across multiple social and ecological objectives if integrated with larger-scale conservation efforts.Social Science and Humanities Research Council of CanadaNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canad

Alkali activation of dif ferent type of ash as a production of combustion process

Presented study deals with the final struc ture and radiological properties of different fly-ash based geopolymers. Lig nite fly-ash (lignite Kolubara – Ser bia) and wood fly ash were obtained in combustion process together with commercial fly-ash. Synthesis of the geopolymers was con ducted by mixing fly-ash, sodium silicate solution, NaOH and water. The sam ples were strength ened 60 °C for 48 hours af ter stay ing at room temperature in covering mold for 24 hours. The X-ray dif frac tion, Fou rier trans form in fra red and SAM mea sure ments were conducted on the sam ples af ter 28 days of geopolymerization pro cess. The X-ray dif frac tion measurements of lignite fly-ash sam ples show anhydrite as the main constituent, while wood fly-ash samples consist of cal cite, albite and gypsum minerals. Besides determination of physicochemical properties, the aim of this study was radiological characterization of lignite fly-ash, wood fly-ash and the obtained geopolymer products. Ac tiv ity con cen tra tion of 40 K and radionuclides from the 238 U and 232 Th decay series, in ash sam ples and fly-ash based geopolymers, were determined by means of gamma-ray spectrometry, and the absorbed dose rate, D, and the annual effective dose rate, E, were calcu lated in accordance with the UNSCEAR 2000 report

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE OF CANINE DIOCTOPHIMOSIS

Dioctophimosis is an endoparasitism in dogs caused by Dioctophyma renale, a nematode with an indirect life cycle and high zoonotic potential. Infection in dogs occurs through ingestion of transitional/paratenic hosts containing infective larvae. The preferred site of parasitism is the right kidney, although the parasite may also be ectopically localized in subcutaneous tissue, internal organs, peritoneum, and mediastinum. Since dogs are usually infected with a small number of parasites, the disease is asymptomatic, making the diagnosis of this disease in clinical veterinary practice rather difficult. In addition, as dogs are usually infected with a small number of parasites, the disease is asymptomatic, which makes the diagnosing of this disease in clinical veterinary practice difficult. The long prepatent period, lasting three to five months, makes it impossible to diagnose the disease in dogs younger than six months. Clinical suspicion of dioctophimosis in dogs is established on the basis of anamnestic/epizootiologic data and the clinical picture, while the final diagnosis is made ante mortem or post mortem on the basis of reliable diagnostic parameters and methods. The most practical application in routine diagnosis of canine dioctophimosis is the detection of D. renale eggs in urine sediment. When dioctophimosis is suspected in carnivores, the differential diagnosis should exclude urinary capillariosis, feline polycystic nephropathy, leptospirosis, renal fibrosis, and nephritis of various etiology. The outcome of treatment is uncertain and includes surgical removal of the affected kidney or drug therapy with avermectin derivatives. Prophylaxis consists of preventing contact of dogs with potential transitional hosts and controlling the feeding of their heat-untreated meat. Because of the potential risks that D. renale may have on the health of dog owners, education on the etiopathogenesis and means of occurrence, maintenance, and spread of this nematode is necessary

Assessing Trade-Offs in Large Marine Protected Areas

Large marine protected areas (LMPAs) are increasingly being established and have a high profile in marine conservation. LMPAs are expected to achieve multiple objectives, and because of their size are postulated to avoid trade-offs that are common in smaller MPAs. However, evaluations across multiple outcomes are lacking. We used a systematic approach to code several social and ecological outcomes of 12 LMPAs. We found evidence of three types of trade-offs: trade-offs between different ecological resources (supply trade-offs); trade-offs between ecological resource conditions and the well-being of resource users (supply-demand trade-offs); and trade-offs between the well-being outcomes of different resource users (demand trade-offs). We also found several divergent outcomes that were attributed to influences beyond the scope of the LMPA. We suggest that despite their size, trade-offs can develop in LMPAs and should be considered in planning and design. LMPAs may improve their performance across multiple social and ecological objectives if integrated with larger-scale conservation efforts. © 2018 Davies et al

Lessons learned from synthetic research projects based on the ostrom workshop frameworks

A generalized knowledge of social-ecological relationships is needed to address current environmental challenges. Broadly comparative and synthetic research is a key method for establishing this type of knowledge. To date, however, most work on social-ecological systems has applied idiosyncratic methods to specific systems. Several projects, each based on the frameworks developed by Elinor Ostrom and colleagues, stand out for their application of consistent methods across a broad range of cases. In this paper we compare seven of these projects and draw conclusions regarding their potential benefits and the challenges that scholars can expect in conducting this type of research. The two main challenges that we identified are (1) the collective-action dilemmas that collaborators face in producing and maintaining the social and technical infrastructure that is needed for such projects; and (2) balancing complexity and comparability in the structure of the databases used and the associated methods for characterizing complex social-ecological cases. We discuss approaches for meeting these challenges, and present a guiding checklist of questions for project design and implementation to provide guidance for future broadly comparative research

Polarised Photoluminescence from Surface-Passivated PbS Nanocrystals

Effective surface-passivation of PbS nanocrystals in aqueous colloidal solution has been achieved following treatment with CdS precursors. The resultant photoluminescent emission displays two distinct components, one originating from the absorption band-edge and the other from above the absorption band-edge. We show that both of these components are strongly polarised but display distinctly different behaviours. The polarisation arising from the band-edge shows little dependence on the excitation energy while the polarisation of the above-band-edge component is strongly dependent on the excitation energy. In addition, time resolved polarisation spectroscopy reveals that the above-band-edge polarisation is restricted to the first couple of nanoseconds, while the band-edge polarisation is nearly constant over hundreds of nanoseconds. We recognise an incompatibility between the two different polarisation behaviours, which enables us to identify two distinct types of surface-passivated PbS nanocrystal.Comment: Preprint, 19 pages, 4 figure

Chemical, physical and radiological evaluation of raw materials and geopolymers for building applications

The main goal of this study was the evaluation of physical–chemical, as well as radiological properties of residual materials used for geopolymer synthesis and those final products as a possible application as new materials in a civil engineering industry. Concentration of 40K and radionuclides from the 238U and 232Th decay series in waste precursors, their metaphases and geopolymer samples synthetized by alkali activation were determined together with corresponding absorbed dose rate (D˙) and the annual effective dose rate. Natural activity concentrations in the alkali-activated material (geopolymer) were found to be lower than that of both residual materials and calcined ones

Influence of diatomite microstructure on its adsorption capacity for Pb(II)

The effect of microstructural changes caused by mechanical modification on adsorption properties of diatomite samples were investigated The microstructure has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) while the degree of metal adsorption was evaluated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP AES). The results show that metal sorption capacity of diatomite is considerably improved after mechanical modification and it can be attributed to amorphysation of the material. Immobilization efficiency increased from 22% for untreated to 81% for the treated sample after 5h at BPR 4. This qualifies natural diatomite as a material for wastewater remediation