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Introduction Climate change affects food security and the nutritional well-being of populations worldwide. By 2050, an estimated 183 million additional people will be at risk of hunger linked directly to [...], Rivers are critical, but often overlooked, parts of food systems. They have multiple functions that support the food security, nutrition, health and livelihoods of the communities surrounding them. However, given current unsustainable food system practices, damming and climate change, the majority of the world's largest rivers are increasingly susceptible to environmental degradation, with negative implications for the communities that rely on them. Here we describe the dynamism and multifaceted nature of rivers as food environments (i.e. the place within food systems where people obtain their food) and their role in securing food security including improved diets and overall health. We also provide a conceptual framework that explain rivers as food environments within the broader food system and describe approaches to characterizing these food environments to better inform our understanding of how they influence food security and nutrition outcomes. Applying this framework to the Mekong River in Cambodia, we describe rivers as multifaceted wild food environments embedded within ecosystems, sociocultural and political environments and sectors of influence. We also explain the ways in which individual factors might influence how communities interact with this food environment. Developing and articulating food-related, ecosystem-specific frameworks and their constructs can guide implementation of policies aimed to improve specific public health or environmental sustainability outcomes. Our conceptual framework incorporates the multiple dimensions of rivers, which will aid future work and public health policy framing to better describe, understand and intervene to ensure protection of rivers' biodiversity and ecosystems as well as food security, health and livelihoods. Souvent negliges, les cours d'eau jouent pourtant un role vital dans les systemes alimentaires. Ils remplissent de nombreuses fonctions qui contribuent a la securite alimentaire, a la nutrition, a la sante et aux moyens de subsistance des communautes avoisinantes. Toutefois, en raison d'un systeme alimentaire actuel aux pratiques non durables, de la construction de barrages et du changement climatique, la plupart des grands fleuves et rivieres du monde sont de plus en plus exposes aux degradations environnementales, avec des consequences nefastes pour les communautes qui en dependent. Dans le present document, nous evoquons le dynamisme et les multiples facettes des cours d'eau en tant qu'environnements alimentaires (c'est-a-dire l'endroit oU les gens se procurent de la nourriture au sein d'un systeme alimentaire), ainsi que la maniere dont ils favorisent la securite alimentaire, notamment par le biais d'un regime plus equilibre et d'une meilleure sante en general. Nous fournissons egalement un cadre conceptuel qui definit les cours d'eau comme environnements alimentaires au sein d'un systeme plus vaste et decrit les approches caracterisant ces environnements, afin que nous puissions mieux comprendre l'influence qu'ils exercent sur la securite alimentaire et la nutrition. En appliquant ce cadre au fleuve Mekong, au Cambodge, nous devoilons les multiples facettes de ces environnements alimentaires naturels varies qui font partie integrante des ecosystemes, des milieux politiques et socioculturels, mais aussi des spheres d'influence. Nous expliquons en outre la facon dont certains facteurs individuels sont susceptibles d'interferer dans les interactions que les communautes entretiennent avec cet environnement alimentaire. Developper et formuler des cadres et structures lies a l'alimentation, propres a chaque ecosysteme, peut orienter la mise en oeuvre de mesures visant a ameliorer des resultats specifiques dans le domaine de la sante publique ou de la preservation de l'environnement. Notre cadre conceptuel inclut les differents aspects des cours d'eau, ce qui aidera a mener de futurs travaux et a elaborer des politiques de sante publique pour mieux les qualifier, les apprehender et intervenir en vue d'assurer la protection de la biodiversite et des ecosystemes fluviaux ainsi que la securite alimentaire, la sante et les moyens de subsistance. Los rios son partes fundamentales de los sistemas alimentarios, pero con frecuencia se ignoran. Tienen multiples funciones que favorecen la seguridad alimentaria, la nutricion, la salud y los medios de vida de las comunidades que los rodean. Sin embargo, dadas las actuales practicas insostenibles del sistema alimentario, la construccion de embalses y el cambio climatico, la mayoria de los rios mas grandes del mundo son cada vez mas susceptibles a la degradacion medioambiental, con implicaciones negativas para las comunidades que dependen de ellos. En este documento, se describe el dinamismo y la naturaleza polifacetica de los rios como entornos alimentarios (es decir, el lugar dentro de los sistemas alimentarios donde las personas obtienen sus alimentos) y su funcion para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria, incluida la mejora de los habitos alimentarios y la salud en general. Asimismo, se proporciona un marco conceptual que explica los rios como entornos alimentarios dentro del sistema alimentario en su conjunto y se describen enfoques para caracterizar estos entornos alimentarios con el fin de comprender mejor como influyen en los resultados de la seguridad alimentaria y la nutricion. Mediante la aplicacion de este marco al rio Mekong en Camboya, se describen los rios como entornos alimentarios silvestres multifaceticos integrados en ecosistemas, entornos socioculturales y politicos y sectores de influencia. Ademas, se explican como los factores individuales pueden influir en la interaccion de las comunidades con este entorno alimentario. El desarrollo y la articulacion de marcos especificos de los ecosistemas relacionados con la alimentacion y sus constructos pueden orientar la aplicacion de politicas destinadas a mejorar determinados resultados en materia de salud publica o sostenibilidad medioambiental. El marco conceptual que se presenta incorpora las multiples dimensiones de los rios, lo que ayudara en futuros trabajos y en la formulacion de politicas de salud publica a describir, comprender e intervenir mejor para asegurar la proteccion de la biodiversidad y los ecosistemas fluviales, asi como la seguridad alimentaria, la salud y los medios de subsistencia.

Climate change results from persistent problems, the solving of which calls for innovative approaches. Transition experiments attempt to do just that. The goal of this paper is to present the experimentation project Nos milieux de vie!, carried out in Montreal by the non-profit organization Solon and the UQAM Research Chair on Sustainability Transitions, as well as to elucidate the results obtained during the first phases of the project and the methodological adaptations made over the course of the transition experiments. Our descriptions of the Nos milieux de vie ! project alongside a presentation of results achieved one year into the project have allowed us to identify four principal learnings concerning the crucial role of Solon as a mediator; the existence of diverse temporalities within the project; the importance of adapting to the demands and needs of participants; and the existence of social drivers of sustainability transitions. Keywords: climate change; sustainability transition; experimentation; action research Les changements climatiques decoulent de problemes persistants qui impliquent d'innover dans les manieres de les aborder. Les experimentations de transition representent des tentatives en ce sens. L'objectif de cet article est de presenter le projet d'experimentation Nos milieux de vie! mene a Montreal avec l'organisme Solon, afin de rendre compte des apprentissages acquis lors des premieres phases du projet et des adaptations methodologiques effectuees au cours des experimentations de transition auxquelles ces projets ont donne lieu. Les explications de la demarche du projet Nos milieux de vie! et la presentation des resultats de la premiere annee permettent d'identifier quatre apprentissages principaux : le role crucial de Solon comme organisme de mediation, l'existence de temporalites diverses au sein du projet, l'importance de s'adapter aux demandes et aux besoins des participants, et l'existence de determinants sociaux de la transition ecologique. Mots cles: changements climatiques; transition ecologique; experimentation; recherche-action; durabilite, Introduction The emergence of environmental issues on the public agenda in the 1960s quickly generated interest in social organization at the local level. Approaches such as social ecology, for example, [...]

ABSTRACT: Arctic Indigenous communities have been classified as highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The remoteness of Arctic communities, their dependence upon local species and habitats, and the historical marginalization [...]

Changes in the fire regime can affect the postdisturbance regeneration potential of boreal forest tree species, thereby modifying tree density and cover. This could adversely affect the sustainability of forest management, especially in regions currently characterized by a short fire cycle and low productivity. As a case study, we use a real landscape (1.3 Mha) in the boreal forest of northwestern Quebec, characterized by a high annual area burned and where fire activity is projected to strongly increase, to model the effect of current (baseline) and climate-induced (projected) changes in the fire cycle and harvesting rate on the regeneration failure potential of pure black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) stands. Simulations were carried out over a 50-year period under three reproductive maturity thresholds per species, representing the age at which an adequate seed supply is attained to ensure self-replacement. Results show a progressive increase in the area affected by natural regeneration failure over the course of the simulation period under both climate scenarios, culminating with an 18.5% loss (149 210 ha) of productive area under the baseline scenario and a 65.8% loss (532 141 ha) under the projected scenario (intermediate maturity threshold and current harvest rate). Variation in the fire cycle had the greatest effect on the regeneration failure rate, followed by regeneration threshold age and harvest rate. We outline proactive forest management practices to reduce the likelihood of regeneration failure following fire. This includes intensive stand management and retention strategies following timber harvest. Monitoring of forest recovery after fire would help in assessment of regeneration failure over time and be useful in validating both model results and the efficacy of strategies aimed at minimizing its likelihood. Key words: black spruce, jack pine, regeneration failure, fire cycle, climate change. Les changements dans le regime des feux peuvent affecter le potentiel de regeneration apres perturbation des especes d'arbres de la foret boreale, modifiant ainsi la densite et la fermeture des peuplements forestiers. Cela pourrait nuire a la durabilite de la gestion forestiere, en particulier dans les regions caracterisees actuellement par un cycle de feu court et une faible productivite. A titre d'etude de cas, nous utilisons un veritable paysage (1.3 Mha) de la foret boreale du nord- ouest du Quebec, caracterise par une superficie annuelle brulee elevee et pour laquelle l'activite des feux devrait augmenter fortement, pour modeliser l'effet des cycles de feux actuel et ceux induits par le climat, et le taux de recolte sur le potentiel de regeneration des peuplements purs d'epinette noire (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) et de pin gris (Pinus banksiana Lamb.). Des simulations ont ete effectuees sur une periode de 50 ans selon trois seuils de maturite reproductive par espece, representant l'age auquel un approvisionnement suffisant en semences est atteint afin d'assurer l'auto-remplacement du peuplement. Les resultats montrent une augmentation progressive de la superficie affectee par les accidents de regeneration naturelle au cours de la periode de simulation dans les deux scenarios climatiques, montrant une perte de 18.5 % (149 210 ha) de superficie productive sous le cycle de feu actuel et de 65.8 % (532 141 ha) sous les cycles de feux futurs. Les variations dans le cycle de feu ont eu le plus grand effet sur le taux des accidents de regeneration, suivi par le seuil d'age de regeneration et le taux de recolte. Nous decrivons les pratiques proactives de gestion forestiere et la planification strategique qui inclut le risque de feu peuvent reduire la probabilite par des accidents de regeneration apres feu. Cela comprend la gestion intensive des peuplements et les strategies de retention variable apres la recolte. De meme un reseau de suivi des sites apres feu aiderait a evaluer les accidents de regeneration au fil du temps et serait utile pour valider a la fois les resultats du modele et l'efficacite des strategies visant a en minimiser la probabilite. Mots-cles : epinette noire, pin gris, accidents de regeneration, cycle du feu, changement climatique., Introduction In the boreal forest of North America, the disturbance regime is characterized by large stand-replacing fires (Stocks et al. 2002) that drive stand succession, composition, and community dynamics (Payette [...]

Treatment of error and uncertainty is an essential component of science and is crucial in policy-relevant disciplines, such as climate science. We posit here that awareness of both 'false positive' and 'false negative' errors is particularly critical in climate science and assessments, such as those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Scientific and assessment practices likely focus more attention to avoiding false positives, which could lead to higher prevalence of false-negative errors. We explore here the treatment of error avoidance in two prominent case studies regarding sea level rise and Himalayan glacier melt as presented in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. While different decision rules are necessarily appropriate for different circumstances, we highlight that false-negative errors also have consequences, including impaired communication of the risks of climate change. We present recommendations for better accounting for both types of errors in the scientific process and scientific assessments., The concept of risk has been identified as a fundamental framing to the analysis of what to do about anthropogenic climate change, unanimously agreed to by the signatories of the [...]

Byline: Zhuoting Wu (1), Hongjun Zhang (2), Crystal M. Krause (1), Neil S. Cobb (1) Abstract: We examined both long-term climate variability and anthropogenic contributions to current climate change for Xinjiang province of northwest China. Xinjiang encompasses several mountain ranges and inter-mountain basins and is comprised of a northern semiarid region and a more arid southern region. Climate over the last three centuries was reconstructed from tree rings and temperature series were calculated for the past 50 years using weather station data. Three major conclusions from these analyses are: (1) Although temperature varied considerably in Xinjiang over the last 200 years, it was non-directional until the last 50 years when a substantial warming trend occurred (2) The semiarid North Xinjiang was representative of the northern hemisphere climate, while the more arid South Xinjiang resembled the southern hemisphere climate, meanwhile, (3) The entire Xinjiang province captured the global-scale climate signal. We also compared human contributions to global change between North and South Xinjiang, including land cover/land use, population, and greenhouse gas production. For both regions, urban areas acted as heat islands and large areas of grassland and forest were converted to barren land, especially in North Xinjiang. Additionally, North Xinjiang also showed larger increase in population and greenhouse gas emissions mainly associated with animal production than those in South Xinjiang. Although Xinjiang province is a geographically coupled mountain--basin system, the two regions have distinct climate patterns and anthropogenic activities related to land cover conversion and greenhouse gas production. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA (2) College of Resources and Environment, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China Article History: Registration Date: 04/11/2009 Received Date: 04/04/2007 Accepted Date: 29/07/2009 Online Date: 05/01/2010

There is a traditional view suggesting forests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (Pregitzer & Euskirchen, 2004), but they cease to serve as a carbon sink as they fully mature (Odum, 1969). Recent modeling of old-growth forest carbon sequestration indicate they continue to serve as a 'net sink' of carbon even after maturity (Carey, Sala, Keane, & Callaway, 2001; Zhou et al., 2006)--sequestering an average of 2.4 +/- 0.8 tC [ha.sup.-1] [yr.sup.-1] (tC = metric tons of carbon; ha = hectare; yr =year), and yielding a ratio of heterotrophic respiration (Rh) to net primary production (NPP) of approximately 0.65 +/- 0.02 (Luyssaert et al., 2008). These figures show the strongest correlation amongst temperate forest regions. Two calculations are made using this carbon sequestration average. One is made identifying the amount of carbon sequestered through a small-scale land protection organization, yielding a net carbon sequestration of approximately 224 metric tons of carbon per year. The other is based on the amount of land required to offset current anthropogenic emissions of carbon in the global carbon budget, showing approximately 235 million hectares of new forest growth would be required to offset current global anthropogenic emissions. One implication of these calculations is the traditional assumption of carbon neutrality increasing with age (Magnani et al., 2007) is incorrect, suggesting mature forest protection may be a favored policy choice for carbon sequestration strategies. Keywords: Climate change, Carbon sequestration, Forests, Policy, Law, 1. Introduction For decades in the United States, land use policies have existed that favor planning to include the maintenance of open space. (Note 1) What may become an important [...]

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01404.x Byline: LARA HANSEN (*[double dagger]), JENNIFER HOFFMAN (*), CARLOS DREWS ([dagger]), ERIC MIELBRECHT (*) Keywords: adaptation; adaptive management; climate change; coral reef; mangrove forest; resilience; sea turtle; tiger Abstract: Abstract: To be successful, conservation practitioners and resource managers must fully integrate the effects of climate change into all planning projects. Some conservation practitioners are beginning to develop, test, and implement new approaches that are designed to deal with climate change. We devised four basic tenets that are essential in climate-change adaptation for conservation: protect adequate and appropriate space, reduce nonclimate stresses, use adaptive management to implement and test climate-change adaptation strategies, and work to reduce the rate and extent of climate change to reduce overall risk. To illustrate how this approach applies in the real world, we explored case studies of coral reefs in the Florida Keys; mangrove forests in Fiji, Tanzania, and Cameroon; sea-level rise and sea turtles in the Caribbean; tigers in the Sundarbans of India; and national planning in Madagascar. Through implementation of these tenets conservation efforts in each of these regions can be made more robust in the face of climate change. Although these approaches require reconsidering some traditional approaches to conservation, this new paradigm is technologically, economically, and intellectually feasible. Abstract (Spanish): Diseno de Conservacion Considerando el Clima: Directrices y Estudios de Caso Resumen: Para ser exitosos, los practicantes de la conservacion y los manejadores de recursos deben integrar los efectos del cambio climatico en todos los proyectos de planificacion. Algunos practicantes de la conservacion estan empezando a desarrollar, probar e implementar nuevos metodos disenados para hacer frente al cambio climatico. Disenamos cuatro preceptos basicos esenciales para la adaptar la conservacion al cambio climatico: proteger espacios adecuados y apropiados, reducir los estreses no climaticos, utilizar manejo adaptativo para implementar y probar estrategias de adaptacion al cambio climatico y trabajar para reducir la tasa y extension del cambio climatico para reducir el riesgo global. Para ilustrar la aplicacion de este enfoque en el mundo real, exploramos estudios de caso de arrecifes de coral en los Cayos de Florida; manglares en Fiji, Tanzania y Camerun; elevacion del nivel del mar y tortugas marinas en el Caribe; Tigres en Sundarbans, India y la planificacion nacional en Madagascar. Mediante la implementacion de estos preceptos, los esfuerzos de conservacion en cada una de estas regiones pueden ser mas robustos a la luz del cambio climatico. Aunque estos enfoques requieren la reconsideracion de algunos metodos tradicionales de conservacion, este nuevo paradigma es factible tecnologica, economica e intelectualmente. Author Affiliation: (*)EcoAdapt, P.O. Box 9767, Washington, D.C. 20016-9767, U.S.A. ([dagger])WWF Central America Regional Programme Office, P.O. Box 629-2350, San Francisco de Dos Rios, San Jose, Costa Rica Article note: ([double dagger]) email lara@ecoadapt.org

To reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change, some developed countries are setting targets to increase their use of biofuels. For example, the European Union is setting a target to [...]