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The widespread distribution and environmental impact of microplastics (MPs) have been a global challenge for several decades. There is an increasing interest in the dissemination, impact, and determination of MPs in the environment. Some reviews have emphasized the cause and effect of MPs, while others have reported on analytical techniques for their identification and quantification. However, there is still a research gap in the global distribution-impact evaluation of MPs. This review highlights the global distribution of MPs and their effects on humans and the ecosystem. Furthermore, we have classified the analytical techniques for the identification and quantification of MPs into three groups: traditional, post-traditional, and advanced. Having addressed the global distribution-impact analysis, we also presented some possible approaches for the removal of MPs including degradation and the use of biodegradable plastic substitutes. Lastly, we suggested perspectives for improving analyses, coverage, and sustainable approach toward MPs pollution control., Author(s): Kingsley I. John [sup.1] [sup.2] , Martins O. Omorogie [sup.3] [sup.4] [sup.5] , Aderemi T. Adeleye [sup.6] , Ajibola A. Bayode [sup.3] , Brigitte Helmreich [sup.5] Author Affiliations: (1) [...]

In the debate concerning environmental protection issues there is a clash between the positions held by the advocates of anthropocentric and eco-bio-centric environmental ethics. Although wildlife conservators criticize anthropocentrism as the main cause behind the ecological crisis, (1) its structure as a psychological construct underlying the anthropocentric orientation is unclear and (2) there is no psychometrically adequate measure of anthropocentrism that would allow for determining its relations to other constructs. To fill this gap, we conducted two studies. The concept of anthropocentrism, understood as including the finalistic, metaphysical, epistemological, and axiological aspects distinguished in the philosophical debate, was operationalized as the Anthropocentric Beliefs Scale (ABS). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) of the results of Studies 1 and 2 showed that anthropocentrism was a one-dimensional construct. Study 2 also revealed that it was negatively related to environmental attitudes and positively related to negative attitudes toward robots, centrality of religiosity, and right-wing authoritarianism. The construct validity and measurement reliability of the ABS were supported., Author(s): Pawel Fortuna [sup.1] , Zbigniew Wróblewski [sup.2] , Oleg Gorbaniuk [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.37179.3b, 0000 0001 0664 8391, Institute of Psychology, The John Paul II Catholic University of [...]

As the global population increases, the expansion of road networks has led to the destruction and disturbance of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Road-related stressors have significant effects on both lotic and lentic habitats. While there are several systematic reviews that evaluate the effects of roads on lotic environments, there are none that consider their effects on lentic habitats only. We conducted a literature review to achieve two objectives: (1) to summarize the effects of roads on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of lentic environments; and (2) to identify biases and gaps in our current knowledge of the effects of roads on lentic habitats, so that we could find promising areas for future research. Our review found 172 papers published between 1970 and 2020. The most frequently studied stressors associated with roads included road salt and heavy metal contamination (67 and 43 papers, respectively), habitat fragmentation (37 papers), and landscape change (14 papers). These stressors can lead to alterations in conductivity and chloride levels, changes in lake stratification patterns, increases in heavy metal concentrations in water and organisms, and significant mortality as amphibians disperse across roadways. We also identified a variety of other stressors that may be understudied based on their frequency of appearance in our search results, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, road dust, increased accessibility, hydrological changes, noise pollution, dust suppressants, sedimentation, invasive species introductions, and water withdrawal. Our review indicated that there are strong geographic biases in published studies, with 57.0% examining North American sites and 30.2% examining European sites. Furthermore, there were taxonomic biases in the published literature, with most studies focusing on amphibians (41.7%), fish (15.6%), and macroinvertebrates (14.6%), while few considered zooplankton (8.3%), diatoms (7.3%), amoebas (5.2%), water birds (3.1%), reptiles (2.1%), and macrophytes (1.0%). Based on our review, we have identified promising areas for future research for each of the major stressors related to roadways. However, we speculate that rectifying the geographic and taxonomic bias of our current knowledge could significantly advance our understanding of the impacts of roads on lentic environments, thereby better informing environmental management of these important habitats. Key words: lakes, ponds, roads, lentic, habitat, anthropogenic stress Avec l'augmentation de la population mondiale, l'expansion des reseaux routiers a entraine la destruction et la perturbation des habitats terrestres et aquatiques. Les facteurs de stress lies aux routes ont des effets importants sur les habitats lotiques et lentiques. Alors que plusieurs revues systematiques evaluent les effets des routes sur les environnements lotiques, aucune ne considere leurs effets sur les habitats lentiques uniquement. Les auteurs ont effectue une revue de la litterature pour atteindre deux objectifs : (1) resumer les effets des routes sur les proprietes physiques, chimiques et biologiques des milieux lentiques; et (2) identifier les biais et les lacunes des connaissances actuelles quant aux effets des routes sur les habitats lentiques afin de trouver des domaines prometteurs pour les recherches futures. Leur examen a permis de repertorier 172 articles publies entre 1970 et 2020. Les facteurs de stress associes aux routes les plus frequemment etudies sont le sel de deneigement et la contamination par les metaux lourds (67 et 43 articles respectivement), la fragmentation de l'habitat (37 articles) et la modification du paysage (14 articles). Ces facteurs de stress peuvent entrainer des modifications de la conductivite et des niveaux de chlorure, des changements dans les patrons de stratification des lacs, des augmentations des concentrations de metaux lourds dans l'eau et les organismes, et une mortalite significative lorsque les amphibiens se dispersent sur les routes. Ils ont egalement identifie une variete d'autres facteurs de stress qui peuvent etre sous-etudies en fonction de leur frequence d'apparition dans leurs resultats de recherche, notamment les hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques, la poussiere des routes, l'accessibilite accrue, les changements hydrologiques, la pollution sonore, les depoussierants, la sedimentation, l'introduction d'especes envahissantes et le retrait de l'eau. Leur examen a indique qu'il existe de forts biais geographiques dans les etudes publiees, 57,0 % d'entre elles portant sur des sites nord-americains et 30,2 % sur des sites europeens. De plus, il existe des biais taxonomiques dans la litterature publiee, la plupart des etudes se concentrant sur les amphibiens (41,7 %), les poissons (15,6 %) et les macroinvertebres (14,6 %), tandis que peu d'entre elles consideraient le zooplancton (8,3 %), les diatomees (7,3 %), les amibes (5,2 %), les oiseaux aquatiques (3,1 %), les reptiles (2,1 %) et les macrophytes (1,0 %). Sur la base de cet examen, ils ont identifle des domaines prometteurs pour la recherche future pour chacun des principaux facteurs de stress lies aux routes. Cependant, ils supposent que la rectification des biais geographiques et taxonomiques des connaissances actuelles pourrait faire progresser de maniere significative notre comprehension des impacts des routes sur les environnements lentiques, et ainsi mieux eclairer les decision en matiere de gestion environnementale de ces habitats importants. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : lacs, etangs, routes, lentique, habitat, stress anthropique, 1 Introduction The Earth currently contains over 21 million km of roads, and models predict that several million more km will be constructed by the year 2050 (Meijer et al. [...]

Telemetry has major potential for application to fish habitat science and management, but to date it is underutilized in this regard. We posit this is because (1) fish telemetry projects are often geared towards detecting fish movement, opposed to systematically sampling habitat selection, and (2) there are often differences in scale between telemetry data and management decisions. We discuss various ways in which telemetry can contribute to fish habitat science and present some considerations for improving its application to this field. To date, most fish telemetry studies have been descriptive (e.g., fish use area A more than area B); greater adoption of more inferential study approaches that assess causal ecological drivers of movement and space use would be of value and require more extensive measurement of environmental conditions. We conclude by presenting a conceptual framework for scaling from individual studies to broad applications in habitat management. Established telemetry networks can readily support synthesis activities, although fish tracking data and environmental data are rarely stored together, and current disconnects among repositories may constrain broad integration and scalability. Si le potentiel d'application de la telemetrie a l'etude et a la gestion des habitats du poisson est important, l'approche demeure sous-utilisee a ce jour. Nous postulons que les causes en sont (1) le fait que les projets de telemetrie appliquee au poisson sont souvent axes sur la detection des deplacements des poissons, par opposition a l'echantillonnage systematique de la selection d'habitats et (2) les differences d'echelles frequentes entre les donnees de telemetrie et les decisions de gestion. Nous abordons differentes approches par lesquelles la telemetrie peut contribuer a l'etude de l'habitat du poisson et certaines considerations permettant d'en ameliorer l'application a ce domaine d'etude. La plupart des etudes telemetriques sur les poissons a ce jour sont descriptives (p. ex. les poissons utilisent plus la region A que la region B). Une adoption plus large d'approches plus inferentielles qui evaluent les facteurs ecologiques causals des deplacements et de l'utilisation de l'espace serait utile et necessiterait des mesures plus vastes des conditions environnementales. Nous concluons en presentant un cadre conceptuel pour passer de l'echelle d'etudes individuelles a celle d'applications plus larges en gestion des habitats. Des reseaux telemetriques etablis peuvent aisement appuyer des activites de synthese, mais les donnees de suivi des poissons et les donnees environnementales sont rarement conservees ensemble et le manque d'harmonisation des depots de donnees peut limiter l'integration et l'extensibilite de ces dernieres. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Effective management of fish populations requires careful consideration of their habitat requirements, including the physical/ structural (e.g., substrate, macrophytes), chemical/limnological (e.g., water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration), and biological (e.g., [...]

Energy retrofits can improve the sustainability of a building by decreasing the energy consumption and resulting GHG emissions throughout its life. Adopting critical life cycle thinking is crucial when deciding on how to implement building retrofits. This article first evaluates innovative and proven building energy retrofits through a life cycle thinking lens. Next, it develops a methodological framework to assess building retrofits using four principal measures: environmental, economic, social, and technical criteria. The proposed method was demonstrated using an institutional building in Windsor, Ontario, as a case study. The case study revealed that the selected retrofit might result in the least energy savings, but it is still the preferred alternative because other factors can present valuable trade-offs that are desirable. The outcomes of this research, with the demonstrated tool, will assist building managers in determining the optimal energy retrofit for their buildings. Key words: environmental sustainability, buildings, energy retrofit, life cycle assessment. Les ameliorations ecoenergetiques peuvent augmenter la durabilite d'un batiment en reduisant la consommation d'energie et les emissions de GES qui en decoulent tout au long du cycle de vie. L'adoption de la pensee critique par rapport au cycle de vie est cruciale pour decider de la facon de mettre en oeuvre les modernisations des batiments. Cet article evalue d'abord les ameliorations econergetiques novatrices et reconnues pour les batiments en tenant compte du cycle de vie. Ensuite, on elabore un cadre methodologique pour evaluer les modernisations des batiments en utilisant quatre mesures principales : les criteres environnementaux, economiques, sociaux et techniques. La methode proposee a ete demontree a l'aide d'un batiment institutionnel a Windsor, en Ontario, comme etude de cas. Les resultats de cette recherche, avec l'outil confirme, aideront les gestionnaires d'immeubles a determiner les ameliorations econergetiques optimales pour leurs immeubles. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : durabilite de l'environnement, batiments, amelioration econergetique, evaluation du cycle de vie., 1. Introduction Climate change poses a momentous threat across the globe and from sources not typically associated with the mainstream images of pollution generators, such as transportation and heavy industry. [...]

Winter roadway operations, commonly known as snow and ice control operations, are one of the most critical functions of state, provincial, and local transportation agencies in cold regions. These operations aim to provide safety and mobility through the timely and effective application of materials and mechanical removal. The most common materials used are salt (sodium chloride, solid or liquid brine), magnesium chloride-based, calcium chloride-based deicers, agro-based additives and blends, and abrasives. In practice, the specific choice and application method and rate of these materials are dependent on pavement temperature, precipitation type, level of service goals, budget, and environmental sustainability considerations. Best practices of material application are designed to apply the right type and amount of materials in the right place at the right time. This review presents a literature review and agency interviews that were conducted to gather information about the use of materials, including types of materials, application strategies, application rates, and application equipment. Key words: winter road maintenance, review, material, strategy, application rate, equipment. Les operations hivernales sur les routes, communement appelees operations de deneigement et de deglacage, sont l'une des fonctions les plus critiques des organismes de transport d'Etat, provinciaux et locaux dans les regions froides. Ces operations visent a assurer la securite et la mobilite par la rapidite et l'efficacite de l'epandage de materiaux et du deblaiement de la neige. Les materiaux les plus couramment utilises sont le sel (chlorure de sodium, solide et saumure), et les materiaux deglacants a base de chlorure de magnesium et de chlorure de calcium, les additifs et melanges agro-industriels et les abrasifs. En pratique, le choix et la methode d'epandage specifiques de ces materiaux dependent de la temperature, du type de precipitation, des objectifs de niveau de service, du budget et de la durabilite environnementale. Les meilleures pratiques d'epandage des materiaux sont concues afin d'epandre le bon type et la bonne quantite de materiau au bon endroit au bon moment. Cet exam presente une revue de la litterature et des entrevues menees par des organismes pour recueillir de l'information sur l'utilisation des materiaux, y compris les types de materiaux, ainsi que les strategies, les taux et l'equipement d'epandage. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: entretien hivernal des routes, revue, materiau, strategie, taux d'epandage, equipement., 1. Introduction Approximately 70% of the US roads are located in snowy regions, with nearly 70% of the US population living in these regions (FHWA 2013). As such, there is [...]

I. Geographer Dennis Cosgrove has written that American landscapes may best be apprehended from the air. So vast are US landscapes and, likewise, our interventions to rework them, that a [...]

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a management tool that could help mitigate the conflict that exists between the American lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery and the net-pen salmon aquaculture industry in the Canadian Maritime provinces. We developed adult American lobster species distribution models (SDMs) for use in MSP in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, through remote sensing data collection methods. A single-beam echo sounder was used to collect bathymetry and seafloor substrate data, and an aerial drone collected lobster presence data through the georeferenced photography of lobster trap buoys. The SDMs display trends in lobster presence likelihood that correspond with established patterns of habitat selection in adult lobsters. The areas where lobsters are predicted to have the highest likelihood of presence are sections of hard and rocky substrate, though that association is confounded by depth. The uncertainty of the SDMs was quantitatively assessed and the importance of explicitly analysing the effects of scale and resolution of spatial data are highlighted. La planification spatiale marine (PSM) est un outil de gestion qui pourrait aider a attenuer le conflit actuel entre le secteur de la peche au homard (Homarus americanus) et celui de la salmoniculture en parcs a filet dans les provinces maritimes canadiennes. Nous avons developpe des modeles de repartition de l'espece (MRE) pour les homards adultes a utiliser pour la PSM a Liverpool (Nouvelle-Ecosse), en faisant appel a des methodes de collecte de donnees telemetriques. Un echosondeur a faisceau unique a ete utilise pour recueillir des donnees bathymetriques et sur le substrat marin et un drone aerien a recueilli des donnees sur la presence de homards par photographie georeferencee de bouees de pieges a homards. Les MRE revelent des tendances de probabilite de presence de homards qui correspondent a des motifs etablis de selection d'habitats chez les homards adultes. Les zones ou les plus grandes probabilites de presence de homards sont predites sont des secteurs de substrat dur et rocheux, bien que la profondeur complique cette association. L'incertitude associee aux MRE est evaluee de maniere quantitative et l'importance d'analyser explicitement les effets de l'echelle et de la resolution des donnees spatiales est soulignee. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Coastal marine waters in Atlantic Canada are used for a variety of activities, including fishing, aquaculture, resource extraction, transport, shipping, and recreation. The proximity and occasional overlap of some [...]

Chemical incompatibility between sodium bentonite (NaB) and aggressive waste solutions has led to the development of enhanced bentonites for geoenvironmental applications. Enhanced bentonites, such as bentonite-polyacrylic-acid composite (BPC), have been shown to maintain low enough values of hydraulic conductivity (e.g., Key words: bentonite-polymer composite, diffusion, enhanced bentonite, geosynthetic clay liner, leaching. L'incompatibilite chimique entre la bentonite de sodium (NaB) et les solutions de dechets agressives a conduit au developpement de bentonites ameliorees pour des applications geoenvironnementales. Il a ete demontre que les bentonites ameliorees, telles que le composite bentonite-acide polyacrylique (BPC), maintiennent des valeurs de conductivite hydraulique suffisamment basses (par exemple Mots-cles : composite bentonite-polymere, diffusion, bentonite amelioree, revetement d'argile geosynthetique, lixiviation., Introduction Sodium bentonite (NaB) is an essential component in engineered barriers for many geoenvironmental containment applications (e.g., landfills, waste impoundments, radioactive waste disposal, vertical cutoff walls) (Gleason et al. 1997; [...]

The Forest Resources Inventory provides the base layer to support decision-making for a variety of stakeholders in Ontario, Canada. The inventory is used to identify areas of high economic potential, endangered species habitat, and recreational opportunities. As technology evolves, the inventory creation process has changed. From fully manual efforts conducted in the era before planes or roads to hand-drawn sketches made aboard early aircraft, the early inventory program was designed to provide a rough context of timber availability. As society changed, more was asked of the inventory, and ecological and biological features were added. With a land area larger than many European countries to inventory, the creation of an accurate forest inventory in Ontario is a technological and logistical challenge. Although the acquisition technology and strategy have changed over time, the goal of providing an improved understanding into the extent and distribution of natural resources in the province of Ontario has not changed. This review aims to provide a comprehensive look at the history of these inventory efforts in Ontario, as well as provide some context for why the inventory contains the attributes it does today. Key words: forest inventory, Ontario, timber sketching, aerial photography, LiDAR, photo interpreter. L'inventaire des ressources forestieres fournit la carte de base pour la prise de decision par une variete d'intervenants en Ontario, au Canada. L'inventaire est utilise pour identifier les zones a fort potentiel economique, l'habitat d'especes en voie de disparition et le potentiel recreatif. A mesure que la technologie evolue, le processus de creation de l'inventaire a change. A partir des efforts entierement manuels fournis a l'epoque oU les avions ou les routes n'existaient pas, jusqu'aux croquis dessines a la main a bord des premiers aeronefs, le programme d'inventaire initial etait concu pour fournir une information approximative quant au bois disponible. Au fur et a mesure que la societe changeait, on a exige davantage de l'inventaire d'oU l'ajout de caracteristiques ecologiques et biologiques. Avec une superficie a inventorier plus vaste que celle de nombreux pays europeens, la creation d'un inventaire forestier precis en Ontario presente un defi technologique et logistique. Bien que la technologie et la strategie d'acquisition de l'information aient change au fil du temps, l'objectif de fournir une meilleure comprehension de l'etendue et de la repartition des ressources naturelles dans la province de l'Ontario est reste le meme. Cette revue vise a fournir une vision complete de l'historique de ces efforts d'inventaire en Ontario, ainsi qu'a fournir un certain contexte qui explique pourquoi l'inventaire contient les attributs qu'il comporte aujourd'hui. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : inventaire forestier, Ontario, delimitation des peuplements, photographie aerienne, lidar, photo-interprete., Introduction Ontario is a large province of Canada with a vast forest resource to manage. The total land area of Ontario is 107520421 ha, with 56 094 000 ha of [...]