Evaluation of Sampling Methods for Maturation Stage Determination in the European Eel Anguilla anguilla

Monitoring data is important in ecological research, but differences between and within areas or species in data collection methods could introduce bias in the analyses. Standardizing data collection is particularly important when monitoring migratory species that have a distribution that crosses several national borders. The European Eel Anguilla anguilla is an extreme example of such a species since it constitutes one stock across the entire distribution area. One important variable collected for the European Eel is maturation stage. This data is needed to monitor silver eel escapement to assess population trends. To determine maturation, data on length, weight, diameter of the eyes, and pectoral fin length are used to calculate Pankhurst eye index and Durif's silver index. In this study, we investigated effects of precision and interobserver variability on data collection relevant for maturation stage determination according to Pankhurst and Durif's indices. We found that eye diameter differed in size between the left and right eyes; however, the mean difference (0.19 mm) is probably an artifact of the large sample size (n = 16,977) and can be regarded as being within the measurement precision. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in pectoral fin length. These results suggest that either side of the eel could be used without losing precision. Visually determined maturation stage classifications differed from those calculated with Pankhurst and Durif's indices but could still provide useful information; hence, it is recommended to collect this variable. Measurements performed using computer software generated greater precision than using calipers, which increased interobserver variability. Since the difference was relatively small and since computer analysis of images may not always be an option, measuring method can be decided based on the level of precision needed in each case. These suggested implementations can reduce observation bias and streamline the data collection used for stock assessments of the European Eel

Severe thiamine deficiency in eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua)

The eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) population has been decreasing in the Baltic Sea for at least 30 years. Condition indices of the Baltic cod have decreased, and previous studies have suggested that this might be due to overfishing, predation, lower dissolved oxygen or changes in salinity. However, numerous studies from the Baltic Sea have demonstrated an ongoing thiamine deficiency in several animal classes, both invertebrates and vertebrates. The thiamine status of the eastern Baltic cod was investigated to determine if thiamine deficiency might be a factor in ongoing population declines. Thiamine concentrations were determined by chemical analyses of thiamine, thiamine monophosphate and thiamine diphosphate (combined SumT) in the liver using high performance liquid chromatography. Biochemical analyses measured the activity of the thiamine diphosphate-dependent enzyme transketolase to determine the proportion of apoenzymes in both liver and brain tissue. These biochemical analyses showed that 77% of the cod were thiamine deficient in the liver, of which 13% had a severe thiamine deficiency (i.e. 25% transketolase enzymes lacked thiamine diphosphate). The brain tissue of 77% of the cod showed thiamine deficiency, of which 64% showed severe thiamine deficiency. The thiamine deficiency biomarkers were investigated to find correlations to different biological parameters, such as length, weight, otolith weight, age (annuli counting) and different organ weights. The results suggested that thiamine deficiency increased with age. The SumT concentration ranged between 2.4-24 nmol/g in the liver, where the specimens with heavier otoliths had lower values of SumT (P = 0.0031). Of the cod sampled, only 2% of the specimens had a Fulton's condition factor indicating a healthy specimen, and 49% had a condition factor below 0.8, indicating poor health status. These results, showing a severe thiamine deficiency in eastern Baltic cod from the only known area where spawning presently occurs for this species, are of grave concern

Nature and health

Outdoor environments for health and well-being is the main topic for an international master’s programme offered at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, leading to a master's degree with a major in Landscape Architecture (120 credits). The programme is offered at full time and part time study. Each course includes 2-4 meetings. The programme offers both theoretical foundation within environmental perception, place attachment and landscape architecture. There are courses covering topics on health promoting outdoor environments for different groups of users ranging from public places for children’s play and education for elderly in sheltered living. The courses also focus on specific target groups with specific needs such as rehabilitation or therapy. Two such courses are: 1) Nature-Based Interventions (NBI), with focus on the different types of outdoor environments where the na-tural space is the primary element of the intervention (focus on the landscape and places as health promoting resources) and the course 2) Nature-Assisted Interventions (NAI), with focus on nature and natural elements such as plants and animals as a medium in a health promoting intervention with focus on activi-ties (focus on the actvities that can be perfor-med either outdoors or indoors such as hospitals, elder care homes, schools, space shuttles/in space, etc.). This factsheet is based on students’ work within the course Nature-Assisted Interven-tions during spring 2018. The course is divided into four modules where the two first blocks provide overview and introduction into the field of research on plant-human interactions and animal-human interactions as well as introduction to practical examples in real world situations. The third module is performed as a case study, where the student visit and study practical examples of Nature-Assisted Interventions with focus on activities (independent of place - outdoors or indoors). The last module focuses on abstraction of knowledge from the cases. The students presented their cases for each other in smaller groups and afterwards, extracted what they understood as the “core essences” of NAI. From there, the students discussed and wrote abstracts on the topic illustrated in posters, presented in this factsheet

Data for wetlandscapes and their changes around the world

Geography and associated hydrological, hydroclimate and land-use conditions and their changes determine the states and dynamics of wetlands and their ecosystem services. The influences of these controls are not limited to just the local scale of each individual wetland but extend over larger landscape areas that integrate multiple wetlands and their total hydrological catchment – the wetlandscape. However, the data and knowledge of conditions and changes over entire wetlandscapes are still scarce, limiting the capacity to accurately understand and manage critical wetland ecosystems and their services under global change. We present a new Wetlandscape Change Information Database (WetCID), consisting of geographic, hydrological, hydroclimate and land-use information and data for 27 wetlandscapes around the world. This combines survey-based local information with geographic shapefiles and gridded datasets of large-scale hydroclimate and land-use conditions and their changes over whole wetlandscapes. Temporally, WetCID contains 30-year time series of data for mean monthly precipitation and temperature and annual land-use conditions. The survey-based site information includes local knowledge on the wetlands, hydrology, hydroclimate and land uses within each wetlandscape and on the availability and accessibility of associated local data. This novel database (available through PANGAEA https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.907398; Ghajarnia et al., 2019) can support site assessments; cross-regional comparisons; and scenario analyses of the roles and impacts of land use, hydroclimatic and wetland conditions, and changes in whole-wetlandscape functions and ecosystem services

Priorities and interactions of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with focus on wetlands

Wetlands are often vital physical and social components of a country's natural capital, as well as providers of ecosystem services to local and national communities. We performed a network analysis to prioritize Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets for sustainable development in iconic wetlands and wetlandscapes around the world. The analysis was based on the information and perceptions on 45 wetlandscapes worldwide by 49 wetland researchers of the GlobalWetland Ecohydrological Network (GWEN). We identified three 2030 Agenda targets of high priority across the wetlandscapes needed to achieve sustainable development: Target 6.3-'Improve water quality'; 2.4-'Sustainable food production'; and 12.2-'Sustainable management of resources'. Moreover, we found specific feedback mechanisms and synergies between SDG targets in the context of wetlands. The most consistent reinforcing interactions were the influence of Target 12.2 on 8.4-'Efficient resource consumption'; and that of Target 6.3 on 12.2. The wetlandscapes could be differentiated in four bundles of distinctive priority SDG-targets: 'Basic human needs', 'Sustainable tourism', 'Environmental impact in urban wetlands', and 'Improving and conserving environment'. In general, we find that the SDG groups, targets, and interactions stress that maintaining good water quality and a 'wise use' of wetlandscapes are vital to attaining sustainable development within these sensitive ecosystems. © 2019 by the authors

Correction: Priorities and interactions of sustainable development goals (SDGs) with focus on wetlands. Water 2019, 11, 619 doi: 10.3390/w11030619

10.3390/w12010088Water (Switzerland)1218

National policies on internally displaced persons : A comparative study on policies inclusiveness of environmental IDP´s in Cambodia and Papua new Guinea

The impacts from climate change is among the most pressing issues that the international community is currently faced with. Climate change makes that thousands of people all over the world are and will continue to be forced to flee from their homes, thus becoming displaced. Very little is written about this group of environmental IDP´s and their protection by national policies. This is especially problematic for less developed countries, where little focus is on the IDP´s but where their plight is even more dire. This is due to the fact that those countries to a greater extent lack resources to manage climate change disasters in effective ways. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the debate on IDP´s, and to address the need to involve IDP´s in national policies, in an effort to protect those groups. This research problem was examined through analysing two cases, i.e. the development countries, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea, which have been studied through a qualitative case study with the use of structured focused comparison.    The analytical framework used to analyse the findings retrieved from the cases was the Policy implementation process framework, which offered different variables to examine and guide the analysis. This was further complemented by the concept vulnerability, in order to get a more comprehensive picture on influencing variables.     The findings illustrate that both cases has managed to introduce extensive policy frameworks on the subject of climate change and environmental disasters, but only PNG explicitly incorporates IDP´s in their policy plan. The study further recognised the shared challenges for both cases on policy implementations. Insufficient human and financial resources due to lack of commitment and mainstreaming at government-levels are the main problems facing both Cambodia and Papua New Guinea. For future research it is therefore important to continue efforts of recognising the need for national protection for environmental IDP´s and to continue evaluating national frameworks

Validation and development of an electroplating process to deposit a black chromium coating from a trivalent chromium electrolyte

SAAB AB coats a part of their magnetron with black chromium to enhance its ability to radiate thermal radiation. Today an electrodeposition process that has hexavalent chromium as its main component is used, but hexavalent chromium is carcinogenic and will be prohibited. This project examines if an electrolyte based on trivalent chromium can result in a black chromium coating. The project was divided into in four experimental parts: investigation of the adhesion on copper, the effect on color if copper was added to the electrolyte and investigation of the process parameters with and without cooling of the electrolyte. It was concluded that a black chromium coating can be deposited from a trivalent electrolyte. Heating the sample after plating and addition of iron or copper in the electrolyte darkens the color but addition of copper can not produce a coating on copper substrates with good adhesion. To examine how the coating thickness and emissivity vary with the current density, electrolyte temperature and plating time, the coatings thickness and emissivity were measured for different settings. It was shown that the coating thickness increased with plating time and current density until a critical value was reached and the coating started to peel off. No correlation between the emissivity and process parameters could be shown. It is suggested that further experiment are conducted to investigate if a variation in pH- value effects the emissivity. Based on the results and conclusions it is recommended that the addition of iron to the electrolyte is further examined

Validation and development of an electroplating process to deposit a black chromium coating from a trivalent chromium electrolyte

SAAB AB coats a part of their magnetron with black chromium to enhance its ability to radiate thermal radiation. Today an electrodeposition process that has hexavalent chromium as its main component is used, but hexavalent chromium is carcinogenic and will be prohibited. This project examines if an electrolyte based on trivalent chromium can result in a black chromium coating. The project was divided into in four experimental parts: investigation of the adhesion on copper, the effect on color if copper was added to the electrolyte and investigation of the process parameters with and without cooling of the electrolyte. It was concluded that a black chromium coating can be deposited from a trivalent electrolyte. Heating the sample after plating and addition of iron or copper in the electrolyte darkens the color but addition of copper can not produce a coating on copper substrates with good adhesion. To examine how the coating thickness and emissivity vary with the current density, electrolyte temperature and plating time, the coatings thickness and emissivity were measured for different settings. It was shown that the coating thickness increased with plating time and current density until a critical value was reached and the coating started to peel off. No correlation between the emissivity and process parameters could be shown. It is suggested that further experiment are conducted to investigate if a variation in pH- value effects the emissivity. Based on the results and conclusions it is recommended that the addition of iron to the electrolyte is further examined

Validation and development of an electroplating process to deposit a black chromium coating from a trivalent chromium electrolyte

SAAB AB coats a part of their magnetron with black chromium to enhance its ability to radiate thermal radiation. Today an electrodeposition process that has hexavalent chromium as its main component is used, but hexavalent chromium is carcinogenic and will be prohibited. This project examines if an electrolyte based on trivalent chromium can result in a black chromium coating. The project was divided into in four experimental parts: investigation of the adhesion on copper, the effect on color if copper was added to the electrolyte and investigation of the process parameters with and without cooling of the electrolyte. It was concluded that a black chromium coating can be deposited from a trivalent electrolyte. Heating the sample after plating and addition of iron or copper in the electrolyte darkens the color but addition of copper can not produce a coating on copper substrates with good adhesion. To examine how the coating thickness and emissivity vary with the current density, electrolyte temperature and plating time, the coatings thickness and emissivity were measured for different settings. It was shown that the coating thickness increased with plating time and current density until a critical value was reached and the coating started to peel off. No correlation between the emissivity and process parameters could be shown. It is suggested that further experiment are conducted to investigate if a variation in pH- value effects the emissivity. Based on the results and conclusions it is recommended that the addition of iron to the electrolyte is further examined