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The Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) was an international, multiplatform field campaign to measure long-range transport of air pollution from South and Southeast Asia toward the Indian Ocean during the dry monsoon season in January to March 1999. Surprisingly high pollution levels were observed over the entire northern Indian Ocean toward the Intertropical Convergence Zone at about 6°S. We show that agricultural burning and especially biofuel use enhance carbon monoxide concentrations. Fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning cause a high aerosol loading. The growing pollution in this region gives rise to extensive air quality degradation with local, regional, and global implications, including a reduction of the oxidizing power of the atmosphere.

Corporate social performance (CSP) is assumed to have a positive impact on macroeconomic sustainability, but empirical evidence of this impact is absent in the literature. The objective of this paper is to investigate the macro impacts of CSP. We first establish a conceptual framework on the relationship between CSP at the individual business level and sustainability at the macro level. Next, we empirically test the relationship between (averaged) CSP scores and greenhouse gas emissions at the macro level for 22 countries during 20042011. We use Granger causality tests to check for Granger causality. The estimation results show that CSP reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but the long-term effect is rather modest.

We characterized the energy transfer pathways in the fucoxanthin-chlorophyll protein (FCP) complex of the diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana by conducting ultrafast transient absorption measurements. This light harvesting antenna has a distinct pigment composition and binds chlorophyll a (Chl-a), fucoxanthin and chlorophyll c (Chl-c) molecules in a 4:4:1 ratio. We find that upon excitation of fucoxanthin to its S2 state, a significant amount of excitation energy is transferred rapidly to Chl-a. The ensuing dynamics illustrate the presence of a complex energy transfer network that also involves energy transfer from the unrelaxed or 'hot' intermediates. Chl-c to Chl-a energy transfer occurs on a timescale of a 100 fs. We observe no significant spectral evolution in the Chl-a region of the spectrum. We have applied global and target analysis to model the measured excited state dynamics and estimate the spectra of the states involved; the energy transfer network is discussed in relation to the pigment organization of the FCP complex.

Major reorganizations in climate and tectonic regime occurred in East Asia during the Pleistocene, resulting in large-scale environmental changes. In this paper a detailed geochemical and mineralogical record of these changes is presented from a distal alluvial fan sedimentary sequence in the northern Weihe Basin. We established that, in addition to glacial-interglacial variation, there are three distinctly different units deposited over the past 1 m.y. These units are the result of variations in the overall tectonic regime in the northern Weihe Basin. Fine-grained detrital minerals were predominantly delivered during colder climatic periods, whereas evaporative minerals were dominantly deposited during the warmer, interglacial periods, probably as a result of strong seasonal contrast. This compositional variation demonstrates the importance of climate control on hinterland erosion, surface runoff, chemical weathering and evaporation. Al-normalized ratios of indicative major elements relative to average loess composition, indicate important variations in sedimentary processes, mostly related to sediment flux. Si-enrichment is an index for past flooding events, while Fe enrichment, just like K and Ti, reflects influx of clays. In contrast, Ca and Mn are strongly enriched throughout the core, associated with the authigenic precipitation of carbonates, especially during interglacial periods. The lower (~ 1000–690 ka) and upper (~ 330–0 ka) units of the core are characterized by relative intense and frequent flooding, which coincided with extensive ponding in the study area. In the middle unit (~ 690–330 ka) increased salinity levels caused by evaporation, as reflected in the high Sr/Ca ratio and dolomite abundance, led to increased carbonate precipitation. Simultaneously, the increased influx of fine sediments indicates increased clay production in the source area as a result of a more intense summer monsoon strength after 600 ka. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.

Better prediction of turbulent airflow around urban trees is necessary because it impacts urban pollutant dispersion, outdoor thermal comfort, energy efficiency, pedestrian-level comfort and urban heat island mitigation. A major challenge is how to obtain an accurate numerical model of the turbulent flow field around trees and an improved parameterization of the turbulent momentum deficit using the drag coefficient (Cd). To address this challenge, we use wind tunnel tests and real trees to measure Cd for four common subtropical tree species: Ficus microcarpa, Mangifera indica, Michelia alba and Bauhinia blakeana. The results show that the Cd of the four trees ranges from 0.523 to 0.932, and that the negative relationship between Cd and wind speed (U) can be expressed by the exponential formula Cd=a*U−b. A three-dimensional model of wind modification by trees is proposed, and its accuracy is verified with wind tunnel measurements. With precise Cd and model, the predictability of the influence of trees on urban wind in subtropical areas is enhanced (root mean square error RMSE ranging from 2.89 m/s to 0.45 m/s). Future development and applications of the numerical model will help provide useful guidelines for urban landscape management and sustainable urban planning in terms of urban ventilation.

As a fast-growing food production industry, aquaculture is dealing with the need for intensification due to the global increasing demand for fish products. However, this also implies the use of more sustainable practices to reduce negative environmental impacts currently associated with this industry, including the use of wild resources, destruction of natural ecosystems, eutrophication of effluent receiving bodies, impacts due to inadequate medication practices, among others. Using multi-species systems, such as integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, allows to produce economically important species while reducing some of these aquaculture concerns, through biomitigation of aquaculture wastes and reduction of diseases outbreaks, for example. Applying mathematical models to these systems is crucial to control and understand the interactions between species, maximizing productivity, with important environmental and economic benefits. Here, the application of some equations and models available in the literature, regarding basic parameters, is discussed – population dynamics, growth, waste production, and filtering rate – when considering the description and optimization of a theoretical integrated multi-trophic aquaculture operation composed by three trophic levels.

AbstractAimBats are promising candidates for studying morphometric responses to anthropogenic climate or land‐use changes. We assessed whether the cranial size of a common bat (Pipistrellus kuhlii) had changed between 1875 and 2007. We formulated the following hypotheses: (1) if heat loss is an important reaction to climate change, body size will have decreased in response to the increased temperatures, because small bats have a larger surface‐to‐volume ratio and dissipate heat more effectively; (2) if water loss is the main driver, body size will have increased in response to the temperature increase, because larger bats will lose water more slowly through a reduced surface‐to‐volume ratio; (3) the energetic benefits provided by urbanization (food concentration at street lamps, warmer maternity roosts in buildings) will lead to a general body size increase in P. kuhlii; and (4) because street lamps impair moth antipredatory manoeuvres, cranial size may have selectively increased as an adaptive response to handle larger prey (moths) in artificially illuminated sites. Ours is the first study to assess temporal trends in bat body size over more than a century and to relate them to urbanization.LocationMainland Italy.MethodsWe used traditional morphometrics to compare seven variables of skull size in 117 museum specimens (75 female, 42 male).ResultsCranial size increased after 1950, but this change was not paralleled by an increase in body size, measured as forearm length. This selective increase matched a rapid increase in electric public illumination in Italy.Main conclusionsStreet lights are crucial foraging sites for P. kuhlii. The directional change that we found in cranial size might represent microevolutionary adaptive tracking of a sudden shift in food size, making more profitable prey available.

The article examines the influence of renewable energy companies on the decision-making process related to the German energy transition. It identifies clusters of different lobbying activities and styles through in depth interviews with 20 stakeholders from policy-making and business. The research used Repertory Grid Technique in combination with HOMALS multivariate analysis. Its main findings are: First, although the big four electric utilities operating on the German energy market still possess wide influence, companies of renewable energy have developed from a niche into important players of the energy regime. Second, lobbies by the renewable energy sector are mainly aimed at the legislative framework, particularly on the Renewable Energy Sources Act and the feed-in-system. Third, interviewees identified 36 different lobby activities; the most effective ones are: 'Regular and personal maintenance of contact to politicians', 'Lobbying within an association', 'Knowledge development with correct information' and 'Top-down contacting of most powerful politicians'. Fourth, the statistical analysis reveals clear distinctions between companies with regards to their lobby strategies which are evaluated differently by stakeholders. Finally, the article concludes that companies have a strong influence on political-decision making and - together with governmental actors - form a 'policy network' that strongly shapes the German energy transition. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.