Liaison entre problèmes environnementaux et problèmes socio-économiques dans le cadre des croissances urbaines

International audienceSéminaire de préparation du projet ENVIL (villes et environnement) qui sera présenté à l'UNESCO en mai 1995, réuni à l'Université de Laval (Québec, Canada), du 24 au 27 janvier 1995.Les quatre journées de travail ont rassemblé 25 personnes en provenance de 8 pays francophones (Canada, France, Belgique, Suisse, Haïti, Sénégal, Côte-d'Ivoire, Maroc) et réuni les différentes disciplines nécessaires (géographie, écologie, sociologie, ingénierie, médecine, urbanisme, architecture). Le but du projet est en effet de traduire la notion de politique environnementale en fonction des problèmes environnementaux propres à chaque ville, les mises en place des politiques publiques et leurs impacts socio-économiques. L'étude veut notamment faire la démonstration que le développement de politiques environnementales appropriées et bien gérées peut susciter un type de développement économique et social plus en mesure de contribuer à la solution des problèmes environnementaux urbains. Le projet, qui a déjà retenu l'attention de l'UNESCO (programme MOST) lors de l'examen d'une lettre d'intention, devait être étoffé dans sa problématique et ses méthodes et nécessitait donc la réunion des divers partenaires

La maîtrise des oiseaux en milieu urbain

International audienceIntervenir contre les oiseaux indésirables en ville est depuis plusieurs années une réalité : de nombreuses municipalités se défendent des pigeons, des étourneaux, des goélands ou des corvidés en pratiquant des effarouchements, des stérilisations ou des captures. Cependant, les villes se sentent la plupart du temps démunies face à ces problèmes biologiques et demandent de plus en plus souvent conseil aux organismes chargés de gérer la faune sauvage

Biodiversity and urban planning

La biodiversité est définie par la richesse en espèces, gènes, et écosystèmes mais aussi et surtout par leurs interrelations, c’est-à-dire le fonctionnement du système. Pour développer de la biodiversité, ce fonctionnement impose de prendre en compte à la fois différents types d’espèces et différentes échelles de processus, notamment l’échelle globale du territoire (dispersion des individus). En ville, les services écologiques rendus par cette biodiversité sont fondamentaux à la durabilité urbaine. Un changement de paradigme de l’urbanisme devrait inscrire la géographie et l’écologie fonctionnelle dans les diagnostics de base, au même titre que la mobilité par exemple. Les surfaces non-bâties prennent alors une signification aussi importante que le bâti et cela reposerait d’emblée la place de l’écologie des espaces au même niveau que l’architecture.Biodiversity is defined by the richness in species, genes and ecosystems but also and especially by their interrelations, i.e. the system functioning. To develop biodiversity, this functioning requires considering both different types of species and different scales of processes, including the global scale of the territory (dispersion of individuals). In town, the ecological services provide by biodiversity are fundamental to urban sustainability. An urban planning paradigm shift must register geography and functional ecology in diagnostics, as well as mobility for example. Consequently, the non-built areas could have an important meaning as building and the ecology of areas could be considered at the same level as architecture

Mise en place d'une gestion intégrée d'un oiseau ravageur des cultures à la Réunion

La gestion intégrée des oiseaux ravageurs des cultures est une alternative aux luttes chimiques ou mécaniques, et s'inscrit dans les projets d'agriculture durable. La prise en compte, d'une part d'un partenariat des différents acteurs en recherche/ingénierie/action, et d'autre part des différents niveaux fonctionnels tant administratif que biologique est un des moyens de construction d'une telle gestion. Nous avons appliqué cette démarche pour répondre aux dégâts causés à la production fruitière par un oiseau récemment introduit à la Réunion. La construction d'un groupe de travail pluri-organisme, les premiers résultats scientifiques d'une thèse en biologie des populations et les stratégies d'intervention ont été replacés dans une approche pluri-échelle et permettent d'illustrer l'emboîtement des prises de décision. / Integrated management of agricultural pest birds is an alternative of chemical and mechanical actions, and it is in keeping with the general pattern of sustainable agriculture. Taking into account of a multiple partners in research/engenery/action, and of multiple levels of administration and biological organizations, is a way of this management construction. We have applied this to resolve fruit production damage by a bird recently introduced on Reunion island. Multiple level method was involved in the construction of a pluri-organization work group, in the methods and first results of a population biology thesis, and in the application strategies. We present here some results that illustrate the interest of hierarchical steps in decision making

Variabilité quotidienne et saisonnière de l'îlot de chaleur urbain à Rennes : premiers résultats du programme ECORURB

International audienceThis paper presents the first results of the research program ECORURB (Ecology Rural to Urban) of which one of the objectives is to measure the impact of the city on the local climate. For this study, a network of 16 automatic weather stations was installed according to a gradient from downtown area to periphery countryside. The results show the temporal variability of the UHI (urban heat island). Thus, in 2006, the intensity of the UHI was especially marked at the end of the night during the summer (more 2,5°C on average of 22:00 to 5:00 in July against 1 to 1,3°C during the winter). On the other hand, during the day, the time average deviations between the downtown area and the countryside do not exceed some tenth of degrees.Cet article présente les premiers résultats du programme de recherche ECORURB (Ecologie du Rural vers l'Urbain) dont un des objectifs est de mesurer l'impact de la ville sur le climat local. Pour cette étude, un réseau de 16 stations météorologiques automatiques a été installé selon un gradient centre-ville périphérie campagne. Les résultats obtenus permettent de montrer la variabilité temporelle de l'ICU (îlot de chaleur urbain). Ainsi, en 2006, l'intensité de l'ICU a surtout été marquée en fin de nuit pendant l'été (plus de 2,5°C en moyenne de 22h à 5h en juillet contre 1 à 1,3°C pendant les mois d'hiver). En revanche, pendant la journée, les écarts moyens horaires entre le centre-ville et la campagne ne dépassent pas quelques dixièmes de degrés

Diet of the Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus introduced in France: a generalist or specialist species ?

The Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus escaped from wildlife centres in Brittany and Languedoc-Roussillon (Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of France, respectively) during the 1980s-1990s has settled in natural habitats where it rapidly spread. We have studied the species diet and feeding behaviour, which might explain why the species is so successful. Data obtained from both direct observations and analyses of 70 stomach contents and 160 regurgitated bowls illustrate the species generalist character. Invertebrates and food refuse are the main swallowed items, and we present proofs that feeding on bird eggs and young is a regular habit. Overall, the diet is opportunistic but each individual might show some level of specialization, at least temporarilyL'Ibis sacré Threskiornis aethiopicus qui s'est échappé de parcs animaliers en Bretagne et en Languedoc-Roussillon dans les années 1980 et 1990, s'est reproduit en liberté et s'est propagé rapidement sur les littoraux français. Nous analysons ici son régime alimentaire, qui pourrait être un des mécanismes expliquant le succès de cette espèce. L'ensemble des résultats obtenus par les observations directes de nombreux ornithologues et par l'étude de 70 estomacs et de 160 régurgitations tend à souligner le caractère généraliste de l'espèce. Les invertébrés et les déchets sont les items dominants mais nous apportons la preuve que l'alimentation sur œufs et jeunes d'oiseaux coloniaux est un phénomène récurrent. Si le régime alimentaire global est bien de type opportuniste, il semble que chaque individu tende vers une forme de spécialisation alimentaire, au moins temporairement

Assessing the assessments: evaluation of four impact assessment protocols for invasive alien species

Aim: Effective policy and management responses to the multiple threats posed by invasive alien species (IAS) rely on the ability to assess their impacts before conclusive empirical evidence is available. A plethora of different IAS risk and/or impact assessment protocols have been proposed, but it remains unclear whether, how and why the outcomes of such assessment protocols may differ. Location: Europe. Methods: Here, we present an in-depth evaluation and informed assessment of the consistency of four prominent protocols for assessing IAS impacts (EICAT, GISS, Harmonia and NNRA), using two non-native parrots in Europe: the widespread ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) and the rapidly spreading monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus). Results: Our findings show that the procedures used to assess impacts may influence assessment outcomes. We find that robust IAS prioritization can be obtained by assessing species based on their most severe documented impacts, as all protocols yield consistent outcomes across impact categories. Additive impact scoring offers complementary, more subtle information that may be especially relevant for guiding management decisions regarding already established invasive alien species. Such management decisions will also strongly benefit from consensus approaches that reduce disagreement between experts, fostering the uptake of scientific advice into policy-making decisions. Main conclusions: Invasive alien species assessments should take advantage of the capacity of consensus assessments to consolidate discussion and agreement between experts. Our results suggest that decision-makers could use the assessment protocol most fit for their purpose, on the condition they apply a precautionary approach by considering the most severe impacts only. We also recommend that screening for high-impact IAS should be performed on a more robust basis than current ad hoc practices, at least using the easiest assessment protocols and reporting confidence scores.This study is a joint effort from a workshop organized under COST European Cooperation in Science and Technology Actions Parrotnet (ES1304) and Alien Challenge (TD1209). We would also like to thank two anonymous referees for helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. D.S is currently funded by a Marie Skłodowska‐Curie Action under the Horizon 2020 call (H2020‐MSCA‐IF‐2015, grant number 706318) and acknowledges the Danish National Research Foundation for support to the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (grant number DNRF96). J.C.S. was supported by funds from the Ministry of Economy and Competitivity, Spanish Research Council (CGL‐2016‐79568‐C3‐3‐P)

Can starling eggs be useful as a biomonitoring tool to study organohalogenated contaminants on a worldwide scale

Large-scale international monitoring studies are important to assess emission patterns and environmental distributions of organohalogenated contaminants (OHCs) on a worldwide scale. In this study, the presence of OHCs was investigated on three continents (Europe, North America and Australasia), using eggs of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris and Sturnus unicolor) to assess their suitability for large-scale monitoring studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using bird eggs of the same species as a biomonitor for OHCs on an intercontinental scale. We found significant differences in OHC concentrations of the eggs among sampling locations, except for hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs). Mean concentrations of sum polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in eggs ranged from 78 ± 26 ng/g lipid weight (lw) in Australia to 2900 ± 1300 ng/g lw in the United States. The PCB profile was dominated by CB 153 and CB 138 in all locations, except for New Zealand, where the contribution of CB 95, CB 101 and CB 149 was also high. The highest mean sum polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations were found in Canada (4400 ± 830 ng/g lw), while the lowest mean PBDE concentrations were measured in Spain (3.7 ± 0.1 ng/g lw). The PBDE profile in starling eggs was dominated by BDE 47 and BDE 99 in all countries, but in Belgium, the higher brominated PBDEs had a higher contribution compared to other countries. For the organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) ranged from 110 ± 16 ng/g lw in France to 17,000 ± 3400 ng/g lw in New Zealand, while HCHs and hexachlorobenzene were generally in low concentrations in all sampling locations. Chlordanes were remarkably high in eggs from the United States (2500 ± 1300 ng/g lw). The OCP profile in all countries was largely dominated by p,p′-DDE. In general, the worldwide trends we observed in starling eggs were in accordance with the literature on human and environmental OHC data, which suggests that there is potential for using starling eggs as a biomonitoring tool on a large geographical scale. This article is available under the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND license and permits non-commercial use of the work as published, without adaptation or alteration provided the work is fully attributed

The safety and efficacy of an injectable bone substitute in dental sockets demonstrated in a human clinical trial.

International audienceThis study is the first report of a clinical evaluation of an injectable bone substitute (IBS). This IBS was prepared by suspending biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) particles with diameters ranging between 80 and 200 microm in a water-soluble cellulose polymer carrier phase. It was used for filling bone defects after tooth extractions in 11 patients. The first objective of the study was to investigate the safety of the filler material. The second objective was to investigate the efficacy of the material for filling human tooth sockets and preventing alveolar bone loss. Radiographic density measurements of the surgical sites gradually increased to those of the surrounding host bone. Three years after surgery, small biopsies of the implanted areas were harvested and analyzed by using micro-computed tomography, non-decalcified histology and histomorphometry. The BCP granules appeared in direct contact with mineralized bone tissue, thereby supporting bone growth. A gradual substitution of the filler by bone tissue was observed thus preserving the height of the alveolar bone crest

Une écologie du paysage urbain

National audienc