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This article examines land-use, market and welfare implications of lignocellulosic bioethanol production in Hawaii to satisfy 10% and 20% of the State's gasoline demand in line with the State's ethanol blending mandate and Alternative Fuels Standard (AFS). A static computable general equilibrium (CGE) model is used to evaluate four alternative support mechanisms for bioethanol. Namely: (i) a federal blending tax credit, (ii) a long-term purchase contract, (iii) a state production subsidy financed by a lump-sum tax and (iv) a state production subsidy financed by an ad valorem gasoline tax. We find that because Hawaii-produced bioethanol is relatively costly, all scenarios are welfare reducing for Hawaii residents: estimated between -0.14% and -0.32%. Unsurprisingly, Hawaii.s economy and its residents fair best under the federal blending tax credit scenario, with a positive impact to gross state product of $49 million. Otherwise, impacts to gross state product are negative (up to -$63 million). We additionally find that Hawaii-based bioethanol is not likely to offer substantial greenhouse gas emissions savings in comparison to imported biofuel, and as such the policy cost per tonne of emissions displaced ranges between $130 to $2,100/tonne of CO2e. The policies serve to increase the value of agricultural lands, where we estimate that the value of pasture land could increase as much as 150% in the 20% AFS scenario.

Recurrent cycles of climatic change during the Quaternary period have dramatically affected the population genetic structure of many species. We reconstruct the recent demographic history of the coyote ( Canis latrans ) through the use of Bayesian techniques to examine the effects of Late Quaternary climatic perturbations on the genetic structure of a highly mobile generalist species. Our analysis reveals a lack of phylogeographic structure throughout the range but past population size changes correlated with climatic changes. We conclude that even generalist carnivorous species are very susceptible to environmental changes associated with climatic perturbations. This effect may be enhanced in coyotes by interspecific competition with larger carnivores.

The study evaluated the effect of environmental conditions and morphometric parameters on lake water temperature changes. The analysis was carried out on the basis of 14 lakes located in northern Poland. The assessment was based on the daily water and air temperatures from 1972 to 2016. It took into account the location of lakes (latitude, longitude, altitude) morphometric parameters (surface area, maximum and mean depth, volume), hydrological processes (rate of water exchange, course of ice phenomena), and trophic status (water transparency) as factors that can modify lake water temperature changes. Direction and rate of air and water temperature changes were analysed by means of Mann–Kendall’s and Sen’s tests. Cluster analysis (CA) was applied to group lakes characterised by similar water temperature changes. The effect of climatic and non-climatic parameters on a lake’s water temperature was assessed on the basis of principal component analysis (PCA). Water temperatures in the lakes in the years 1972–2016 were characterised by a higher rate of increase of 0.43 °C·dec−1 than the air temperature decrease of 0.34 °C·dec−1. The analysis showed a faster rate of heating of waters in western Poland. This can be explained by shorter duration of ice cover. Moreover, the changes of water temperature were affected by other factors, including the location of the lakes, their morphometric parameters, wind speed, water transparency and water exchange time.

AbstractChaetosiphella stipae stipaeis a xerothermophilous aphid, associated with Palaearctic temperate steppe zones or dry mountain valleys, where there are grasses from the genusStipa. Its geographical distribution shows several populations that are spread from Spain, across Europe and Asia Minor, to Mongolia and China. Geographical variation in chaetotaxy and other morphological features were the basis to consider whether individuals from different populations are still the same species. Moreover, usingCh. stipae stipaeandStipaspecies occurrences, as well as climatic variables, we predict potential geographical distributions of the aphid and its steppe habitat. Additionally, forStipaspecies we projected current climatic conditions under four climate change scenarios for 2050 and 2070. While highly variable, our results of morphometric analysis demonstrates that allCh. stipae stipaepopulations are one very variable subspecies. And in view of predicted climate change, we expect reduction ofStipagrasslands. The disappearance of these ecosystems could result in stronger separation of the East-European and Asian steppes as well as European ‘warm-stage’ refuges. Therefore, the geographic morphological variability that we see today in the aphid subspeciesCh. stipae stipaemay in the future lead to speciation and creation of separate subspecies or species.

Natural and semi-natural habitats are declining. However, little is known of the value of artificial and human-altered habitats for biodiversity maintenance in fragmented landscapes. We hypothesized that railway tracks can have great value for butterflies as an alternative habitat. Using 200-m-long transects, we investigated species richness and two main types of β-diversity, i.e. nestedness and community dispersion, for both butterflies and their nectar plants in eight sites under an expected gradient of habitat quality – meadows, railway tracks, forest clearings and degraded meadows. Railway tracks and meadows had higher butterfly species richness than forest clearings and degraded meadow. Butterfly species distribution among sites was strongly related to the gradient of habitat quality that was measured as nectar plant composition. Railway tracks contained the widest pool of butterflies with species of various biotopes as well as a wide pool of nectar plants at a nested subset pattern of β-diversity. However, the pattern of community dispersion was opposite to what had been expected. Meadows and railway tracks, being more heterogeneous sites in terms of composition of nectar plants, supported slightly more homogeneous butterfly communities. This suggests that habitats of low quality, i.e. forest clearings and degraded meadows, have less-stable butterfly communities. We concluded that railway tracks located on sun-warmed embankments containing a reach pool of nectar plants could enable multi-species communities to persist in an environment of good suitability. Conservation managers should therefore focus on enhancing the quality of railway tracks and their vicinity through the preservation of a high abundance of various flowering plants.

AbstractThis article provides useful information for universities offering forestry programs and facing the growing demand for bioeconomy education. An explorative survey on bioeconomy perception among 1400 students enrolled in 29 universities across nine European countries offering forestry programs was performed. The data have been elaborated via descriptive statistics and cluster analysis. Around 70% of respondents have heard about the bioeconomy, mainly through university courses. Students perceive forestry as the most important sector for bioeconomy; however, the extent of perceived importance of forestry varies between countries, most significantly across groups of countries along a North–South European axis. Although differences across bachelor and master programs are less pronounced, they shed light on how bioeconomy is addressed by university programs and the level of student satisfaction with this. These differences and particularities are relevant for potential development routes towards comprehensive bioeconomy curricula at European forestry universities with a forestry focus.