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Bird feathers have been widely used as environmental indicators, providing key information on environmental pollution. However, there is little available information on the adsorption of natural radioactivity in bird feathers and consequently, its impact on the field of movement ecology is not yet known. This study investigates the concentration and distribution of 210 Pb in wing- and tail-feathers of different bird species with contrasting migratory strategies, and discusses its potential use as a tracer of age and flight times. Adsorption of 210 Pb in bird feathers is directly related to the interaction of feathers with air, therefore it is hypothesised that the presence of this radionuclide is proportional to the length of flight times, and is asymmetrically distributed in flight feathers. Consequently, a significant difference is expected between 210 Pb concentrations in feathers of long-distance migrants when compared to sedentary species. For this purpose, a total of 45 samples from eight individuals of three bird species with distinct migratory strategies were analysed: a highly aerial and long-distance migratory species (Common swift Apus apus), and two largely sedentary species widely distributed across Europe (Great tit Parus major and Tawny owl Strix aluco). Novel findings show that the content of 210 Pb in bird feathers of adult migratory birds is much higher than in sedentary birds or juvenile individuals, demonstrating this naturally occurring radionuclide can provide information about the contact time between feathers and air. Additionally, 210 Pb adsorption was not evenly distributed in bird feathers. The findings provide a new method to trace age and flight time of birds using 210 Pb in feathers, complementing conventional techniques in bird migration studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Four bituminous coals of different origins and ranks and one industrial coal blend were carbonized at a semi-pilot scale at various temperatures to study the effect of heat treatment (i.e., different heating rates) on the structural evolution and hence the subsequent reactivity of the resulting cokes and their mechanical strength. The development of the coke microstructural order under different thermal treatments during carbonization was assessed by means of Raman spectroscopy. The results indicated an improvement in the structural order with increased operating temperatures and hence increased heating rates and a decrease in the active sites. The quality of the cokes was determined by means of the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) and the Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC) tests. In addition, the apparent reaction rate of cokes was measured using a fixed bed reactor. The increase in the heating rate during carbonization led to cokes with a lower mechanical strength and apparent reaction rate. Good correlation was found between the apparent reactivity of cokes and the coke strength after reaction., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

To obtain a better understanding of the development of coking pressure during the carbonization process, the plastic and semicoke layers of nine coking coals were investigated. The permeability of the plastic layer to the passage of gas and the porosity of the semicoke were analyzed at two temperatures, 500 and 800 °C. In the case of dangerous coals, there was a wide zone of low permeability covering most of the plastic layer and part of the semicoke, whereas safe coals had a very narrow permeability zone that affected only a small part of the plastic layer. It seems that dangerous coals have a higher porosity and a lower Hg apparent density than safe coals. In addition, the semicokes obtained at 800 °C from the dangerous coals had a higher macropore volume with pore size between 50 nm and 12 μm but a lower suprapore volume (pore size between 12 and 250 μm)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 American Chemical Society.)

Secondary succession on abandoned agricultural lands can produce climate change mitigation co-benefits, such as soil carbon sequestration. However, the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Mediterranean regions has been difficult to predict and is subject to multiple environmental and land management factors. Gains, losses, and no significant changes have all been reported. Here we compile chronosequence data (n = 113) from published studies and new field sites to assess the response of SOC to agricultural land abandonment in peninsular Spain. We found an overall SOC accumulation rate of +2.3% yr -1 post-abandonment. SOC dynamics are highly variable and context-dependent. Minimal change occurs on abandoned cereal croplands compared to abandoned woody croplands (+4% yr -1 ). Accumulation is most prevalent within a Goldilocks climatic window of ~13-17 °C and ~450-900 mm precipitation, promoting >100% gains after three decades. Our secondary forest field sites accrued 40.8 Mg C ha -1 (+172%) following abandonment and displayed greater SOC and N depth heterogeneity than natural forests demonstrating the long-lasting impact of agriculture. Although changes in regional climate and crop types abandoned will impact future carbon sequestration, abandonment remains a low-cost, long-term natural climate solution best incorporated in tandem with other multipurpose sustainable land management strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

For many centuries, hunter-gatherer societies relied on subsistence practices and traditional diets. However, forces of globalization have increased market involvement, thereby fueling the nutrition transition of hunter-gatherer societies. We review the academic literature on market involvement of hunter-gatherer societies in the Western Amazon and its consequences on diet, health and well-being. First, we elaborate on four main determinants of market involvement (accessibility, monetary income, wild meat trade and social capital), showing how each determinant draws individuals toward or away from markets. Thereafter, we discuss how these determinants alter diet, health and well-being. Our results add to the understanding of the complex relations between market involvement, dietary change, health and well-being of indigenous societies. Furthermore, they bring to light that additional research is needed on the topic to support decision-makers and help preserve indigenous values.

This paper compares the importance of the texture and surface chemistry of waste tyre activated carbons in the adsorption of commercial dyes. The adsorption of two commercial dyes, Basic Astrazon Yellow 7GLL and Reactive Rifafix Red 3BN on activated carbons made up of reinforcing fibres from tyre waste and low-rank bituminous coal was studied. The surface chemistry of activated carbons was modified by means of HCl-HNO3 treatment in order to increase the number of functional groups. Moreover, the influence of the pH on the process was also studied, this factor being of great importance due to the amphoteric characteristics of activated carbons. The activated carbons made with reinforcing fibre and coal had the highest SBET, but the reinforcing fibre activated carbon samples had the highest mesopore volume. The texture of the activated carbons was not modified upon acid oxidation treatment, unlike their surface chemistry which underwent considerable modification. The activated carbons made with a mixture of reinforcing fibre and coal experienced the largest degree of oxidation, and so had more acid surface groups. The adsorption of reactive dye was governed by the mesoporous volume, whilst surface chemistry played only a secondary role. However, the surface chemistry of the activated carbons and dispersive interactions played a key role in the adsorption of the basic dye. The adsorption of the reactive dye was more favored in a solution of pH 2, whereas the basic dye was adsorbed more easily in a solution of pH 12., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) is a migratory species in the western Mediterranean wintering in the Gulf of Guinea region, West Africa. In autumn and spring, this species, along with the populations breeding in Ireland and Britain, uses the Italian peninsula as its main axis of migration. From the data of captured birds at several ringing stations in the western Mediterranean (Balearic Islands and coastal Iberian Peninsula), we analyzed capture rates of the species during spring migration from 1993 to 2007. Based on the selection of days with a significant number of captures and those without captures, we analyzed the effect of wind direction over the western Mediterranean to determine a relationship between winds and the number of captures. From a total of 663 wood warblers captured between 1993 and 2007, a total of 31 days have been selected as significant days with a high number of captures, and 31 days have been selected as no-capture days. On days of maximum captures, winds coming from an easterly direction, i.e. Algeria and Tunisia, were dominant, indicating days with a clear eastern component. Contrary to expected results, captures were also made on days when the wind direction was predominantly from a northerly direction. Analysis of the origin of the winds in north eastern Spain (western Mediterranean) revealed that the majority of northerly winds originated from Africa and not from Europe as is usual for this region. Days or periods selected as no-capture days were characterized by winds coming from a northerly (European origin) or westerly direction.

1. Climate change has been associated with shifts in the timing of biological events, including the spring arrival of migratory birds. Early arrival at breeding sites is an important life-history trait, usually associated with higher breeding success and therefore, susceptible to selection and evolution in response to changing climatic conditions. 2. Here, we examine the effect of changes in the environmental conditions of wintering and passage areas on the mean passage time of 13 trans-Saharan passerines during their spring migration through the western Mediterranean over the 15 years from 1993 to 2007. 3. We found that most of the species studied have been advancing the timing of their passage in recent years. However, annual variation in the mean date of passage was positively correlated with vegetation growth (measured as the normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]) both in the Sahel (the region of departure) and in northern Africa (the passage area). Thus, migration dates were delayed in years with high primary productivity in passage and wintering zones. All species seem to respond similarly to NDVI in the Sahel; however, late migrants were less affected by ecological conditions in northern Africa than those migrating earlier, suggesting differences based on species ecology. 4. Mean timing of passage was not related to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), temperature or NDVI in the species-specific wintering areas (the overwintering region) when analysed in combination with the other covariates. 5. Our findings show that ecological conditions in the winter quarters (specifically the Sahel) and en route are relevant factors influencing trends in the passage dates of trans-Saharan migratory birds on the southern fringe of Europe. Possible long-term consequences for late arriving spring migrants are discussed., (© 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 British Ecological Society.)