Marine otters and their environment
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Toxicity to woodlice of zinc and lead oxides added to soil litter
Previous studies have shown that high concentrations of metals in soil are associated with reductions in decomposer populations. We have here determined the relation between the concentrations of lead and zinc added as oxides to soil litter and the survival and reproduction of a decomposer population under controlled conditions. Laboratory populations of woodlice (Porcellio scaber Latr) were fed soil litter treated with lead or zinc at concentrations that ranged from 100 to 12,800 ppm. The survival of the adults, the maximum number of young alive, and the average number of young alive, were recorded over 64 weeks. Lead at 12,800 ppm and zinc at 1,600 ppm or more had statistically significant (p < 0.05) negative effects on the populations. These results agree with field observations suggesting that lead and zinc have reduced populations of decomposers in contaminated forest soil litter, and concentrations are similar to those reported to be associated with reductions in natural populations of decomposers. Poisoning of decomposers may disrupt nutrient cycling, reduce the numbers of invertebrates available to other wildlife for food, and contribute to the contamination of food chains.
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Long-term persistence of dieldrin, DDT, and heptachlor epoxide in earthworms
Earthworms can accumulate persistent soilborne insecticides and are an important source of contamination of terrestrail wildlife. We treated experimental plots once with dieldrin, DDT, or heptachlor, and measured changes in insecticide concentrations in earthworms over a 20-year period. We estimated 'half-times,' defined as the time for a concentration in earthworms to be reduced by half. Deldrin had a half-time of 5.4 years. DDE, the metabolite of DDT most important to wildlife, increased until the third year and then decreased with a half-time of 5.7 years. Heptachlor epoxide, the metabolite of hepatachlor most important to wildlife, increased until the second year and then decreased with a half-time of 4.3 years. The declining parts of the curves of all three compounds fit exponential decay equations reasonably well. The estimates persistence are relevant to insecticides at low or moderate concentrations in relatively undistrubed soils in temperate climates.
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Mercury concentrations in feathers of wading birds from Florida
Primary or tail feathers were collected from 92 wading birds in Florida from Lake Okeechobee and wetlands farther south, from 1987 to 1990. Mean concentrations detected in feathers of nestlings were 2.0 ppm Hg in roseate spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja), 3.5 ppm Hg in great blue herons (Ardea herodias), 4.7 ppm Hg in great white herons (Ardea herodias occidentalis), and 7.1 ppm Hg in great egrets (Casmerodius albus). Concentrations in feathers of great white herons increased with the age of the bird, from 4.7 ppm Hg in nestlings, to 6.7 ppm Hg in juveniles, and 8.2 ppm Hg in adults. Mercury concentrations were greatest in species consuming large fish. Feathers collected from wood storks (Mycteria americana) contained an average of 3.3 ppm Hg. Mercury concentrations in feathers of wading birds from southern Florida were greater than those reported in feathers of wading birds from Asia. Both liver and feather Hg concentrations were known for 25 wading birds. The regression of liver (wet weight) Hg concentrations (Y) on feather Hg concentrations (X) was: log(Y) = 1.52 log(X) - 0.722. The correlation coefficient was 0.84. If reproductive disorders are expected when concentrations in feathers of adult birds average 9 ppm Hg, as might be inferred from a published laboratory study on mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), then Hg in southern Florida may be high enough to reduce productivity of wading bird populations. However, additional controlled studies are needed before a minimum toxic concentration in feathers can be designated with confidence.
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Trash-caused mortality in Mongolian raptors
On four expeditions (1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998) through Mongolia, we found two kinds of mortality associated with trash gathered by parent raptors as part of the nest building process. Our observations of actual mortality were limited to three species: the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) (2 clutches of eggs), the saker falcon (Falco cherrug) (4 nestlings), and the upland buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) (1 nestling); all from the eastern half of Mongolia.
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Eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs: A framework for making management decisions
The development of management strategies for the protection of environmental quality usually involves consideration both of technical and nontechnical issues. A logical, step-by-step framework for development of such strategies is provided. Its application to the control of cultured eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs illustrates its potential usefulness. From the perspective of the policymaker, the main consideration is that the eutrophication-related water quality of a lake or reservoir can be managed for given water uses. The approach presented here allows the rational assessment of relevant water-quality parameters and establishment of water-quality goals, consideration of social and other nontechnical issues, the possibilities of public involvement in the decision-making process, and a reasonable economic analysis within a management framework.
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A vegetation classification logic-based on remote-sensing for use in global biogeochemical models
A simple new classification logic for global vegetation is proposed. The critical features of this classification are that: it is based on simple, observable, unambiguous character- istics of vegetation structure that are important to ecosystem biogeochemistry and can be measured in the field for validation; the structural characteristics can be determined by remote sensing, so that repeatable and efficient global re-classifications of existing vegetation will be possible; and the defined vegetation classes directly translate into the biophysical parameters of interest by global climate and biogeochemical models. A first test of this logic for the continental United States is presented based on an existing 1 km Normalized Difference Vegetation Index database. Currently recognized global biome classes can easily be derived from this classification by adding climate descriptors and defining mixtures of these fundamental six vegetation classes.
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