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Individual-based models (IBMs) are increasingly used to explore ecological systems and, in particular, the emergent outcomes of individual-level processes. A major challenge in developing IBMs to investigate the movement ecology of animals is that such models must represent and parameterise unobserved behaviours occurring at multiple hierarchical levels. Approaches based on approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) methods have been used to support the parameterisation, calibration and evaluation of IBMs. However, a key component of the ABC approach is the use of multiple quantitative patterns derived from empirical data to exclude model structures and parameterisations that generate atypical or implausible patterns. We propose a modelling framework that integrates information derived from statistical inferential models, which are now widely used to describe the behaviour of moving animals, with ABC methodologies for the parameterisation and analysis of IBMs. To demonstrate its application, we apply this framework to high-resolution movement trajectories of the foraging trips of black petrels ( Procellaria parkinsoni ), an endangered seabird endemic to New Zealand. The outcomes of our study show that the use of inferential statistical models to summarise movement data can aid model selection and parameterisation procedures via ABC, and yield valuable insights into the modelling in movement ecology of animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the web of relationships established between Early and Middle Bronze Age communities and their environment in Northwest Iberia. Charcoal remains recovered from settlements and funerary sites in this area can inform a greater understanding of wood resource procurement and woodland management strategies adopted by these small-scale communities. Although charcoal analysis of contexts with chronologies ranging from 2200 to 1200 cal. BC is not commonly undertaken in this area, data from this period are of great importance because it represents a phase of major deforestation and landscape change. Wood resources were local and exploitation was conditioned by their availability in the environs of the sites. These communities established a clear preference for Quercus wood, combined recurrently with shrubby species of the Fabaceae family. This co-occurrence, previously observed in Middle and Late Bronze Age contexts, could extend back to the Early Bronze Age and even to the Late Neolithic. The presence of small trees and shrubs such as Rosaceae/Maloideae and Corylus avellana could be related with the open landscape that characterises this period, and with the existence of woodland management practices designed to prevent forest regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River valleys in the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan have served as corridors for human dispersal since the Palaeolithic but little information exists on the history of human occupation in this remote and inaccessible region. Here, we report the results of a multidisciplinary study of Airgyrzhal-2, a high elevation (2005 m) site in the Naryn valley in central Kyrgyzstan. Two main occupation horizons were recognized, the earliest belonging to the Mesolithic (12th millennium cal. BC) and a later one dating from the Bronze Age (first half of the 2nd millennium cal. BC). Land snail analyses from the two horizons yielded almost identical assemblages of species of dry, open environments. Archaeobotanical data, however, revealed marked differences. The greater representation of willow/poplar ( Salix/Populus ) in the charcoal from the Mesolithic suggests more focused activity along the river, which might have been closer to the site at this time. The occurrence of spruce ( Picea ) and other species in the Bronze Age charcoal indicates exploitation of resources from more distant upland locations. The occurrence of the remains of cereals, including both grains and chaff, provides unexpected evidence for both consumption and cultivation of wheat and barley at this high elevation during the Bronze Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been growing research interest in processes of selective 'ecological gentrification' and 'environmental enclosure' in cities where environmental controls are used to attract and retain more affluent residents and attract higher value economic development. This dimension of urban policy might be increasingly relevant to major Chinese cities, which are facing increasing competitive pressures to reorient modes of growth and development around ecological security and quality of life in social and environmental domains. In that context, we examine the development and implementation of the 'basic ecological control line' policy (BECL) in the fast-growing city of Shenzhen. In essence the BECL marks a rezoning of the city to enhance ecology and reverse previous environmental degradation, but in doing so it also does political work in reordering space in line with changing economic and social priorities. The question we ask is how the BECL might be read in the context of ecological gentrification and the wider political context of Chinese urban policy. Through detailed empirical investigation, we trace the political economy of the BECL and draw out the insights it offers on transitional urban economy-ecology relations in China and theories of urban environmentalism more generally. • The BECL policy in SZ was introduced to address pressures and constraints on the future growth and economic prosperity of the city. • The policy resonates with aspects of debates about the use of ecological and environmental policy in support of gentrification and 'environmental enclosure'. • However the BECL also reflects longer-term technocratic processes of ecological management. • The BECL marks a rezoning of the city to enhance ecology and reverse environmental degradation, but it also does political work in reordering space in line with changing economic and social priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of exergy analysis for environment, ecology and sustainable development implications are reviewed in this study. There is perfect relationship between environment, ecology and sustainable development. If a proper balance is maintained among these three aspects then exergy for the welfare of human being is obtained. Efficient energy use which requires exergy analysis is a key solution to the environmental problems. A primary aim of minimizing the environmental impact is to increase the efficiency and decrease the related overall environmental impacts such as global warming, ozone depletion, and acid rain. This study has been written with a view to draw attention and to examine the range of views for integration of exergy for environment, ecology and sustainable development. Much of the information presented in this study is basically to acquire an understanding of exergy relations with environment, ecology and sustainable development. This study will be useful for those involved in exergy activities and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that introducing external incentives to encourage pro-social behavior, such as monetary rewards or regulation, may crowd out voluntary pro-social activity. This has implications for the appropriate design and use of such incentive-based programs. This study investigates motivational crowding out in the case of conservation auctions, a relatively new tool that provides monetary incentives to encourage landowners to adopt environmentally friendly management practices. Our experimental evidence shows that the introduction and subsequent removal of a conservation auction significantly reduces voluntary provision of environmental quality (via monetary donations to an environmental charity), compared to a control group that does not experience an auction. We also attempt to examine some economic theories of behavior that explain this effect according to either individual motivations or social interactions, and our initial exploration finds that crowding out occurs regardless of whether or not participants have opportunities to interact with one another during the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the intertemporal effect of environmental performance on financial performance and propose a method to assess the environmental performance in a fuller manner based on the weighting various pollutants according to their dangerousness to environment. Using our improved measures of environmental performance applied to the firm level data from the Czech Republic, the results suggest that while the effect of environmental performance on financial performance is negative for environmental performance lagged by 1year lag, it becomes positive for 2years lag. As a consequence, our findings indicate that Porter hypothesis holds in the long-run. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The European Water Framework Directive is shaping a new conception of integrative water protection. In this article, the consequences of the Water Framework Directive in respect to national environmental policy will be discussed in referring to the notion of responsibility which is a central concept of political philosophy and theory. It will be shown that the new conception of integrative water protection entails a fundamental change in European water protection policy and also environmental policy at all. It implies that environmental policy has not only to prevent environmental damage but in particular has to warrant a good status of the environment, such that it must maintain a good status of water or even achieve it if this status does not exist. Achieving and maintaining a good status of the environment is, however, an encompassing task. Thereby, state power will eventually be overexerted. The threat of such overexertion has to be kept in mind in discussing the perspective of the so called New Environmental Governance. It will be pointed out that the New Environmental Governance is not primarily a form of some sort of democratic participation but rather designed to improve state power in environmental politics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Environmental justice advocates in the US and internationally have argued that hazardous materials industries are a source of significant community disruption and environmental hazard. Few of these studies, however, have examined firms’ accident frequencies or how accidents are distributed across metropolitan regions. This research argues that accident frequencies differ significantly among firms, and they are an important part of understanding industries and their distribution within metropolitan regions. The accident records of the risk management plan (RMP) facilities in southern California provide an illustration for the discussion. Statistical tests demonstrate that previous accident counts correlate with future counts. The research heightens the usability of the existing accident record for local governments in the US. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The acid-volatile sulfide (AVS), simultaneously extracted metals (SEM), total metals, and pore-water metal concentrations were studied in Vojvodina (Serbia) sediments. In Serbia, there are no regulations concerning sediment quality standards and sediment management. Harmonization of legislation in the domain of environmental protection with EU requirements will increase the significance of the sediment issue. Sediment quality was assessed according to Dutch standards, but the results were also compared with Canadian and USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines for sediment quality. A comparison of the results based on different criteria for sediment quality assessment shows that they are sometimes contradictory. Therefore, a single approach to quality assessment may be insufficient. The Σ[SEM]/[AVS] ratio was found to be greater than one at several locations that were already recognized as places of high risk based on Dutch standards. Some other samples had Σ[SEM]/[AVS]<1, despite of the high risk classification based on the Dutch evaluation. However, not all sediments with Σ[SEM]/[AVS]>1 can cause increased toxicity because there are many other metal-binding phases in sediments. Metals that are associated with AVS may be released within sediments through storms, dredging activities, oxidation, etc., and may have adverse environmental impacts. This has to be taken into account during dredging, which is for some sediments necessary because the sediment is of class 4 (Dutch evaluation), because the dredging process will certainly increase the concentration of bioavailable heavy metals and disturb the sedimentation dynamics. The obtained results will be invaluable for future activities regarding dredging and sediment management in the country. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We study a problem of environmental regulation, where the firm may suffer from a certain degree of ignorance about the damage its activity may cause. In a framework with asymmetric information, we analyze the impact of the presence of informed third-parties on the regulatory process. Studying and comparing the role of environmentalists and of unbiased experts, our analysis allows us to support the spirit of the actual E.U. legislation concerning the assessment of the impact of public and private projects on the environment and provides insights about the potential role of interested parties as information providers in a regulatory process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article approaches the concept of ecological indicators from a social science perspective. By applying theoretical concepts from policy analysis and social studies of science about knowledge utilization, problem structuring and the boundaries between science and policy to the issue of ecological indicators, we aim to contribute to our understanding not only of the development but more importantly of the actual use of ecological indicators in policy processes and the importance of political context. Our interest is in those ecological indicators that attempt to measure the ecological quality of ecosystems and that can be or are specifically developed to be used as instruments to evaluate the effects of policies on nature. We claim that these indicators, although they are highly dependent on scientific knowledge, cannot be solely science-based, due to the complexity of ecosystems and the normative aspects involved in assessing ecosystem quality. As a result, we situate ecological indicators in a fuzzy area between science and policy and between the production and the use of scientific knowledge. We will argue that ecological indicators can be expected to be used or rejected strategically, dependent on policy context. Furthermore we will argue that ecological indicators cannot be evaluated with traditional scientific quality criteria alone. The article concludes with some lessons for future indicator development one of them being the inclusion of stakeholder perspectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the prospects for integrating Internet platform GIS or ‘web-GIS’ into environmental justice and related public health research. Specifically, we document the development of a web-GIS created for investigating relationships between health, air quality and socioeconomic factors in Hamilton, Canada. After development of the web-GIS site, we assembled a focus group of public health professionals to test functionality and render opinions about the potential of the site and geographic information in their program implementation. Results show overwhelming support for the further integration of GIS into public health practice. The results also underscore the potential of web-GIS to alleviate concerns of cost and data availability that often limit the use of GIS in community debates centred on environmental justice issues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The environmental justice literature has described differential health effects of environmental toxins and pollutants on people of different socio-economic status (SES) that may not always reflect differing levels of exposure. We offer four questions or contentions that together may contribute to understanding this conundrum and then present an empirical exploration of one of these questions: Does the relationship between SES and self-perceived status vary in space? Utilizing data from an original questionnaire survey of randomly selected adults conducted in twenty-five communities in British Columbia, Canada, a supplementary data set containing demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the communities themselves, and multilevel modelling techniques, this article describes relationships between objective and subjective measures of social status, by gender and in space. Our analysis contributes to the development of innovative environmental justice models by bringing some spatial sensitivity to interrelationships among these aspects of status. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the spatial point pattern of industrial toxic substances and the associated environmental justice implications in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. Using a spatial analysis method called Ripley''s K we assess environmental justice across multiple spatial scales, and we verify and quantify the West Oakland neighborhood as an environmental justice site as designated by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Further, we integrate the ISCST3 air dispersion model with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify the number of people potentially affected by a particular facility, and engage the problem of non-point sources of diesel emissions with an analysis of the street network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was utilized along with wind direction and backward trajectory analyses, to identify and apportion local and regional sources to airborne PM2.5 in the metropolitan St. Louis, MO, area using data from the US Environmental Protection Agency''s Speciation Trends Network. Local non-ferrous metal smelting and steel processing factors were identified by combining PMF contributions and wind direction analysis. Mobile (gasoline and diesel) sources were also resolved. Secondary sulfate and secondary nitrate factors appeared to have regional source origins that are located in the Ohio River Valley and the Midwestern agricultural farm lands, respectively. The transport of agriculturally emitted ammonia appears to be a major contributing factor to secondary nitrate formation in the Midwest. Impacts of African dust transport to the Midwestern PM2.5 were observed as well as transport of biomass burning aerosol from southern US area. This study presents an application of PMF and surface and upper air wind data to source identification of Midwestern fine aerosol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nonmarket valuation remains a central issue in ecological and environmental economics. This paper examines the properties of an ex post revealed preference approach to value nonmarket goods-valuation through observed effort expended in an environmental conflict. We consider the strategic interaction between players in a conflict, address the implied Nash equilibrium, and report a benchmark 4x-rule as an ex post valuation estimate for a symmetric player conflict. We then illustrate the degree of bias that exists once one allows for asymmetries in delegation, ability, and valuation. The benchmark tends to overestimate value if a firm hires a powerful delegate who receives a large contingency fee. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The interest in microbial biosurfactants has steadily increased during the past decade. In addition to the classical application as emulsifiers of hydrocarbons, they can be used in environmental protection, crude-oil recovery, food-processing industries and in various fields of biomedicine. Biosurfactants have several advantages over chemical surfactants including lower toxicity and higher biodegradability, and are likely to become molecules of the future in areas such as biomedicine and therapeutics. Here, we discuss the role and applications of biosurfactants (mainly glycolipids and lipopeptides) focusing on medicinal and therapeutic perspectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Prager and Shertzer [] made three points on our intergenerational discounting approach presented in Sumaila and Walters [Sumaila, U.R. and Walters, C., 2005. Intergenerational discounting: a new intuitive approach. Ecological Economics 52: 135–142]. We comment on each of these in this short response to their comments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]