Natural Environmental Changes Research Articles

Quantitative analysis of land use and land cover changes from the multi-temporal remote sensing data in the Bosten Lake Basin, Chinese Tian Shan

In this paper, the spatial changes of land use and land cover (LUCC) in Bosten Lake Basin from 1985 to 2015 were analyzed, based on the 3S technology and four periods of remote sensing images in 1985, 1998, 2008 and 2015. The driving force of the LUCC was analyzed quantitatively using principal component analysis (PCA) method. The results showed that there was a wide change of LUCC in the Bosten Lake Basin in the past 30 years. During this periods, natural grassland decreased with a rate of 62.6 km2/a, while cultivated land and residential land increased with a rate of 28.9 km2/a. The rapid expansion of cultivated land was the result of natural grassland and unused land reclamation. Meanwhile, other land use types changed slightly. The results of PCA analysis indicated that the LUCC change was result of the interaction of human activity (social and economic factors) and natural environmental changes (climate change). Therefore, it is necessary to consistently improve the natural environment of Bosten Lake Basin. This study can provide stable basis of the theory and practice for sustainable development of Bosten Lake Basin.

An empirical research framework for the aesthetic appreciation of the urban environment

Abstract The present article aims to construct an empirical research framework for the aesthetic appreciation of the urban environment. By applying the concept of “environmental aesthetics” to “consumer aesthetics,” the present article remarks that urban environments are considered as aesthetic environments when they resemble natural environments. This article proposes an empirical research framework composed of two factors. The first factor is the similarity of the urban environment to the natural environment. This factor is classified into two categories: (1) assimilation into the natural environment and (2) natural change caused by the passage of time. The second factor is the consumer's relationship with the urban environment. This factor is also classified into two categories, borrowing the two terms of environmental aesthetics: (1) “engaged” and (2) “observational.” This article also discusses the research methods appropriate for this framework.

Resource composition mediates the effects of intraspecific variability in nutrient recycling on ecosystem processes

Despite the growing evidence for individual variation in trophic niche within populations, its potential indirect effects on ecosystem processes remains poorly understood. In particular, few studies have investigated how intraspecific trophic variability can modulate the effects of consumers on ecosystems through potential changes in nutrient excretion rates. Here, we first quantified the level of intraspecific trophic variability in 11 wild populations of the omnivorous fish Lepomis gibbosus. Outputs from stomach content and stable isotope analyses revealed that the degree of trophic specialization and trophic positions were highly variable between and within these wild populations. There was intrapopulation variation in trophic position of more than one trophic level, suggesting that individuals consumed a range of plant and animal resources. We then experimentally manipulated intraspecific trophic variability to assess how it can modulate consumer‐mediated nutrient effects on relevant processes of ecosystem functioning. Specifically, three food sources varying in nutrient quality (e.g. plant material, macro‐invertebrate and fish meat) were used individually or in combination to simulate seven diet treatments. Results indicated that intraspecific variability in growth and nitrogen excretion rates were more related to the composition of the diet rather than the degree of specialization, and increased with the trophic position of the diet consumed. We subsequently used microcosms and showed that critical ecosystem functions, such as primary production and community respiration, were affected by the variability in excretory products, and this effect was biomass‐dependent. These results highlight the importance of considering variation within species to better assess the effects of individuals on ecosystems and, more specifically, the effects of consumer‐mediated nutrient recycling because the body size and the trophic ecology of individuals are affected by a large spectrum of natural and human‐induced environmental changes.

A paleolimnological archive of metal sequestration and release in the Cumberland Basin Marshes, Atlantic Canada

We used a paleolimnological approach at Long Lake, Nova Scotia, to construct a 10 500-year record of metal deposition in lakebed sediments and elucidate the influence of both natural and anthropogenic environmental changes. Aquatic sediment concentrations of mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) in Long Lake fluctuated substantially and, during some periods, exceeded guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Increases in lead (Pb), Hg, Cr, trace metals, and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ15N) were broadly coincident with a period of widespread drying from ca. 8000 to 4000 cal BP and were likely a consequence of regional fires. From ca. 4000 cal BP until 1700 AD, metal levels in general were low due to decreased erosion, increased precipitation, and reduced fire activity. Water level lowering and forced sediment aggradation (tiding) in the 1800s led to increases in minerogenic Pb and Cr, though fossil fuel combustion also likely contributed to total Pb concentrations. Stratigraphic proxies indicated increased inorganic sedimentation rates, and reduced autochthonous productivity were coincident with lower Hg and As concentrations in the Long Lake sediment. Our data indicate that natural phenomena (fire) can result in sediment contaminant exceedances, that most metals have multiple sources, and that both human-induced disturbance and emissions have contributed to Pb contamination in the last 200 years. In addition, wetter and generally cooler climate appeared to favour lower concentrations of contaminants in lake sediments. Although wetland sediments in the Cumberland Basin Marshes are not heavily polluted with metals, the development of constructed wetlands and the disruption of aquatic sediments have the potential to concentrate, mobilize, and increase the bioavailability of metals.

Long-term dynamics in a soft-bottom amphipod community and the influence of the pelagic environment

The processes and patterns seen in coastal benthic communities can be strongly influenced by the overlying pelagic environmental conditions. Integrating long-term biological and environmental data (both benthic and pelagic) can give insight into the specific relationships between key benthic functional groups and natural temporal changes in the marine environment. The identity and abundance of amphipod species found at Station L4 (Western English Channel) were tracked for 7 years (2008–2014), whilst simultaneously, annual changes in phytoplankton biomass, water temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a concentration were also characterized. The main species were persistent and showed little variability along the study period. Overall, however, there were significant changes in the structure of the whole community between sampling times, highlighting the importance of less numerically-dominant species in driving temporal variability. Surprisingly, the current study did not detect a significant influence of the phytoplankton biomass on benthic amphipod dynamics. On the other hand, there was a clear and constant correlation between bottom water temperatures and amphipod abundance. This pattern is different from that observed in other detritivorous species at L4, highlighting the complexity of benthic-pelagic coupling and the high variability of the response to pelagic conditions among different groups. As a result of the biogeographic position of the Western English Channel, the key role of amphipods in benthic communities, the influence of the temperature in their populations dynamics, as well as the solid baseline provided here and in previous studies, the monitoring of long-term amphipod dynamics in the English Channel could be a valuable tool to evaluate the biological effect of climate change over marine benthic communities.

Future Development Trend and Main Ideas of American Transportation

American transportation has always been the wind vane of the world’s transportation. This paper starts from American transportation development history, analyzes the influences of the population growth, economic globalization, new technology application, the change of natural environment and the shortage of funds on traffic development in the coming 30 years. This paper puts forward the main ideas of American transport Act and the Strategic plan to address these challenges and strategic focus of recent American transportation development trend, in order to provide an analysis of American transportation development trend with historical depth and future prospects, and to provide reference for Chinese transportation development.

The response of Opalinus Clay when exposed to cyclic relative humidity variations

Abstract. Clay shale specimens were exposed to cyclic relative humidity (RH) variations to investigate the response of the material to natural environmental changes. Opalinus Clay, a clay shale chosen as host rock for nuclear waste disposal in Switzerland, was utilized. The specimens were exposed to stepwise relative humidity cycles in which they were alternately allowed to equilibrate at 66 and 93 % relative humidity. Principal strains were monitored throughout the experiments using strain gauges. After each relative humidity cycle, Brazilian tensile strength tests were performed to identify possible changes in tensile strength due to environmental degradation.Results showed that Opalinus Clay follows a cyclic swelling–shrinkage behaviour with irreversible expansion limited to the direction normal to bedding, suggesting that internal damage is restricted along the bedding planes. The Brazilian tensile strength in direction parallel and normal to bedding as well as the water retention characteristic remained unaffected by the RH variations.

Impact of historical land use changes on lacustrine sedimentation recorded in varved sediments of Lake Jaczno, northeastern Poland

Varved lake sediments provide an invaluable archive of natural and human-induced environmental changes. We present results of sedimentological, geochemical and pollen analyses of recent sediments from Lake Jaczno (northeastern Poland). The sediment record was dated using varve chronology validated with 137Cs fallout peaks. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and stratigraphically constrained cluster analysis were used to identify four major phases of lake development during the last 200years. These results were compared with maps and archival data. At the beginning of the studied period (1839–1853), the lake catchment was already partly deforested and used for agriculture, which resulted in intensive soil erosion and high input of minerogenic matter. Next, a short period (1854–1864) characterized by fire events is recorded by microcharcoal in the sediments. The following phase (1865–1971) shows major changes in the catchment area including further deforestation and shortening of the major inflow feeding the lake. This caused a major change from allochthonous (minerogenic) to autochthonous (biogenic) sedimentation, expressed by the transition from clastic-organic to biogenic varves. The most recent phase (1972–2013) is characterized by natural afforestation, reduction of allochthonous inputs and increase in autochthonous deposition. Our study shows how intensification of agriculture and related land use changes in small catchments influences sedimentation processes and the formation of varves.

Temporal and Spatial Variation Characteristics of Natural Woodland in the Upper Reaches of the Tarim River in Recent 25 Years

Natural woodland is highly prized in the Tarim River Basin for its great ecological, economic and social benefits, and it occupies an important position in the “The Belt and Road” strategy, but influenced by the natural environment changes and human activities, the natural woodland has changed in some way. So we implemented the dynamic monitoring of land use and natural woodland in the upper reach of the Tarim River and analyzed their changes, based upon the Landsat remote sensing images of 1990-2015. The results showed that: (1) From 1990 to 2015, the land use degree in the study area showed a significantly increasing trend, yet the land use degree and development intensity stayed in a relatively low level between two counterparts of the natural and agricultural land use. (2) In the past 25 years, the natural woodland area reached higher level in the middle terms (1995-2005), while remained lower at both ends. Additionally, the dynamic changes had a high increase speed during 1990-1995 as well as had a high decrease speed during 2005-2010. (3) The transfer features of natural woodland from 1990 to 2015 was: natural woodland were mainly changed into farmland, and the newly increased natural woodland mainly came from grassland and saline alkali land.

Organic geochemical and palynological evidence for Holocene natural and anthropogenic environmental change at Lake Dojran (Macedonia/Greece)

In this study, we present lipid biomarker and palynological data for a sediment core from Lake Dojran (Macedonia/Greece), which covers the entire Holocene period. We analyzed vascular plant-derived n-alkanes, combustion-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fecal steroids, and bacterial and archaeal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) lipids in concert with microcharcoal and pollen assemblages to reconstruct climatic, environmental, and human impact in the Dojran catchment and the greater Dojran area. Overall, our results suggest a relationship between anthropogenic activity and environmental/climatic change since increased human impact corresponds to phases of higher humidity and high lake levels at Lake Dojran. During the early Holocene, the record reveals increasing temperatures and humidity and concurrent increasing vegetation cover and runoff/soil erosion, respectively. Following a thermal maximum during the middle early Holocene, temperatures decrease gradually until present. The middle-Holocene at Lake Dojran is characterized by relatively stable environmental conditions followed by greater climatic instability and strong anthropogenic overprint during the late-Holocene. The fecal stanol record reveals phases of increased human impact during the early Bronze Age, the late Bonze/early Iron Age, and the Middle Ages. A phase of low stanol and PAH concentrations from the late Iron Age until the early Middle Ages is either related to ecosystem changes and/or changes in settlement pattern since concurrent pollen data indicate intensified land use. Human impact re-intensified during the Middle Ages with some variability probably related to climatic variations of the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ and the ‘Little Ice Age’.

A systematic review of research studies on the estimation of net primary productivity in the Three-River Headwater Region, China

The Three-River Headwater Region (TRHR), known as the “Water Tower of China”, is an important ecological shelter for national security interests and regional sustainable development activities for many downstream regions in China and a number of Southeast Asian countries. The TRHR is a high-elevation, cold environment with a unique, but typical alpine vegetation system. Net primary productivity (NPP) is a key vegetation parameter and ecological indicator that can reflect both natural environmental changes and carbon budget levels. Given the unique geographical environment and strategic location of the TRHR, many scholars have estimated NPP of the TRHR by using different methods; however, these estimates vary greatly for a number of reasons. To date, there is no paper that has reviewed and assessed NPP estimation studies conducted in the TRHR. Therefore, in this paper, we (1) summarized the related methods and results of NPP estimation in the TRHR in a systematic review of previous research; (2) discussed the suitability of existing methods for estimating NPP in the TRHR and highlighted the most significant challenges; and (3) assessed the estimated NPP results. Finally, developmental directions of NPP estimation in the TRHR were prospected.

Mangrove Response to Environmental Change in Kakadu National Park

The responses of mangroves to climate-related phenomena are difficult to decipher in many areas as human activities also influence changes in their extent and biophysical properties. In Kakadu National Park (KNP) in Australia's Northern Territory, human disturbance of mangroves is minimal and hence observed changes are more likely to indicate a natural environmental change, including that associated with climatic fluctuation. Using fine (<;2 m) resolution aerial photography, hyperspectral, and light detection and ranging data from 1991, 2002, and 2011, respectively, maps of mangroves were generated for four catchments in the Alligator Rivers Region, the Wildman, West, South and East Alligator Rivers, and Field Island. The net change in mangrove for all areas where data intersected were 1.29 km 2 , but redistributions approximating 18.5 km 2 occurred with both losses and gains toward the coast and inland intrusion along many smaller creeks. A close correspondence between the planimetric canopy cover (PCC; %) within 25-m cells, as determined from aerial sensor data, and Landsat-derived foliage projected cover (FPC) was observed. A FPC threshold of ≥30% (~50% PCC) best captured mangrove extent and was used to quantify annual changes in the area for all catchments and Field Island from 1987-2012 Landsat sensor data. Over the period of the time-series, fluctuations in extent above this threshold were observed with these corresponding to changes in sea level and, to a lesser extent, river discharge. The study concludes that changes in mangrove extent and cover in KNP are indicating a changing climate, as manifested by fluctuations (and a general) rise in sea level and changes in rainfall amounts. Such changes are anticipated to lead to alterations of the hydrological regime, with these further affecting mangroves and potentially impacting on the internationally important wetlands of KNP.

Holocene changes in the trophic ecology of an apex marine predator in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Predators may modify their diets as a result of both anthropogenic and natural environmental changes. Stable isotope ratios of nitrogen and carbon in bone collagen have been used to reconstruct the foraging ecology of South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis) in the southwestern South Atlantic Ocean since the Middle Holocene, a region inhabited by hunter-gatherers by millennia and modified by two centuries of whaling, sealing and fishing. Results suggest that the isotopic niche of fur seals from Patagonia has not changed over the last two millennia (average for the period: δ13C2200-0BP=-13.4±0.5‰, δ15N2200-0BP=20.6±1.1‰). Conversely, Middle Holocene fur seals fed more pelagically than their modern conspecifics in the Río de la Plata region (δ13C7000BP=-15.9±0.6‰ vs. δ13CPRESENT=-13.5±0.8‰) and Tierra del Fuego (δ13C6400-4300BP=-15.4±0.5‰ vs. δ13CPRESENT=-13.2±0.7‰). In the latter region, Middle Holocene fur seals also fed at a higher trophic level than their modern counterparts (δ15N6400-4300BP=20.5±0.5‰ vs. δ15NPRESENT=19.0±1.6‰). Nevertheless, a major dietary shift was observed in fur seals from Tierra del Fuego during the nineteenth century (δ13C100BP=-17.2±0.3‰, δ15N100BP=18.6±0.7‰), when marine primary productivity plummeted and the fur seal population was decimated by sealing. Disentangling the relative roles of natural and anthropogenic factors in explaining this dietary shift is difficult, but certainly the trophic position of fur seals has changed through the Holocene in some South Atlantic regions.

NDVI indicated long-term interannual changes in vegetation activities and their responses to climatic and anthropogenic factors in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China

Natural and social environmental changes in the China's Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) have received worldwide attention. Identifying interannual changes in vegetation activities in the TGRR is an important task for assessing the impact these changes have on the local ecosystem. We used long-term (1982–2011) satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) datasets and climatic and anthropogenic factors to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of vegetation activities in the TGRR, as well as their links to changes in temperature (TEM), precipitation (PRE), downward radiation (RAD), and anthropogenic activities. At the whole TGRR regional scale, a statistically significant overall uptrend in NDVI variations was observed in 1982–2011. More specifically, there were two distinct periods with different trends split by a breakpoint in 1991: NDVI first sharply increased prior to 1991, and then showed a relatively weak rate of increase after 1991. At the pixel scale, most parts of the TGRR experienced increasing NDVI before the 1990s but different trend change types after the 1990s: trends were positive in forests in the northeastern parts, but negative in farmland in southwest parts of the TGRR. The TEM warming trend was the main climate-related driver of uptrending NDVI variations pre-1990s, and decreasing PRE was the main climate factor (42%) influencing the mid-western farmland areas' NDVI variations post-1990s. We also found that anthropogenic factors such as population density, man-made ecological restoration, and urbanization have notable impacts on the TGRR's NDVI variations. For example, large overall trend slopes in NDVI were more likely to appear in TGRR regions with large fractions of ecological restoration within the last two decades. The findings of this study may help to build a better understanding of the mechanics of NDVI variations in the periods before and during TGDP construction for ongoing ecosystem monitoring and assessment in the post-TGDP period.

DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND LABORATORY CALCIFICATION OFHOMOTREMA RUBRUMFROM TENNESSEE REEF, FLORIDA KEYS, USA

Homotrema rubrum is a (sub)tropical, sessile foraminiferan that reinforces the coral-reef framework by calcifying in cracks, crevices and on the cryptic undersides of coral colonies and other reef substrata. It secretes a pigmented carbonate skeleton that can be well preserved in the fossil record and, thus, has the potential to influence paleoecological analyses. In an effort to gain insights about the ecology and laboratory maintenance of this species, we studied its distribution in the field as well as its survival in the laboratory under different environmental conditions. The distribution of H. rubrum along transects across Tennessee Reef (Florida Keys, USA) revealed an abundance of encrusting, knobby and hemispherical morphologies on the reef flat, and all five of the morphotypes delineated by others were identified. The highest abundances of H. rubrum occurred on the reef flat, shoreward of the living reef, attached to non-living, detrital coral, most of which was covered by a veneer of coarse carbonate sediment. Direct observation of living individuals and epifluorescence microscopy of specimens incubated with calcein demonstrate that H. rubrum can calcify under controlled laboratory conditions. Calcification is not limited to chamber formation, but rather occurs differentially over the surface. Of the five distinct designs tested for laboratory maintenance of this species, the quasi-static aquarium in indirect natural light proved the most effective. Together, these findings help establish H. rubrum as a useful model for studying natural environmental changes and anthropogenic impacts on marine ecosystems.

Forest regeneration affects dung beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the most diverse environments, but it is also one of the most threatened areas in terms of loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Assessment of changes in the community structure during the recovery of forests can be performed using indicator organisms. Dung beetles perform several ecological functions and show high sensitivity to natural and anthropogenic environmental changes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of regeneration time of Atlantic Forest sites on structure of Scarabaeinae assemblages. We sampled dung beetles using ten baited pitfall traps per site, in six sites grouped into three classes of forest regeneration time (~30, ~60 and >80 years) in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, during January 2015. A total of 520 individuals belonging to 16 species and nine genera of dung beetles were sampled. Rarefied species richness did not differ between sites with different regeneration times. Average species richness and abundance of Scarabaeinae was smaller in areas of shorter recovery time. True alpha diversity was higher in areas with intermediate recovery whereas Shannon diversity showed higher values in areas of shorter recovery. Approximately 29 % of the variation in abundance data of Scarabaeinae was explained by environmental variables, with one-third of this variation explained also by spatial predictors. External factors such as landscape management and farming practices in the surroundings must be taken into consideration in management plans and the management of natural areas for the recovery of biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest. These external factors can considerably affect the structure of communities and lead to scenarios of greater diversity in intermediate regeneration sites due to the heterogeneity of the landscape.

Environmental gradients structure tropical tree assemblages at the regional scale

AbstractQuestionsEnvironmental filtering and niche differences influence assembly of tree communities at multiple spatial scales. At regional scales, determining the environmental variables that primarily influence compositional variation in species assemblages reveals ecologically relevant habitat types for conservation. Strength of species’ association with these habitats and differences in species occurrence along environmental gradients lend credence to niche‐based assembly and help estimate responses of tree communities to natural or human‐mediated environmental change.LocationWestern Ghats, India.MethodsWe analysed an openly available data set of ca. 62 000 trees (&gt;10 cm DBH) in 96 1‐ha plots across a 22 000 km2 landscape, using multivariate regression trees (MRT) to identify compositional groups related to combinations of temperature, rainfall and soil type. Next, we conducted indicator species analysis to assess species associations with habitats. We then compared species richness and diversity among habitats. Finally, to discern niche overlap we assessed pair‐wise differences between species in their abundance distributions along environmental gradients.ResultsEnvironmental gradients clearly influenced landscape‐scale tree assemblages in this region. Nine ecological habitat types were identified: annual rainfall was the most important variable driving compositional differences, followed by temperature, seasonality and soils. Approximately 17% of 398 species tested were associated with single habitats. Number of species associations and local diversity varied significantly among habitats. Between 29 and 50% of species pairs showed significant differences in their distributions along environmental gradients considered.ConclusionsRelating compositionally defined tree assemblages to combinations of abiotic variables allows ecologically robust recognition of habitat types for conservation planning. Compositional differences structured by annual rainfall and temperature suggests that climate change can impact species persistence and tree community composition in the Western Ghats. Specifically, future research should assess drought response of forests by examining recruitment and survival of species in different combinations of rainfall, temperature and human disturbances.

A collections-based approach to the species and their distribution based on the bladed Bangiales (Rhodophyta) of Iceland

Abstract An assessment of the 11 species of bladed Bangiales from Iceland in a collection of approximately 1770 specimens collected between 1883 and 2013 was undertaken by combining results from molecular analysis with examination of morphological variation in order to determine their distribution in detail. Seven of the species grow all around Iceland. Of the remaining four species, Porphyra linearis, P. dioica and Pyropia leucosticta have their northern limit of distribution along the southwestern and western part of the country, and Pyropia thulaea, an arctic species, only grows at the eastern coast, which is the coldest part of the coastline. Detailed reliable records of species distribution are important to detect future changes in the flora due to anthropogenic or natural environmental changes and have implications for conservation policy.

Mikhail Budyko's (1920–2001) contributions to Global Climate Science: from heat balances to climate change and global ecology

Mikhail Ivanovich Budyko (1920–2001) was a Soviet climatologist perhaps best known in the West for his contribution to understandings of climate change. He acted as director of the Main Geophysical Observatory (named after A.I. Voeikov) in Leningrad (St Petersburg) from 1954 and played an active role in advancing Soviet climate agendas within an international context. Three main stages in the development of Budyko's work related to climate systems and global ecology (late 1940s‐mid 1980s) are identified. The first period encompasses his early efforts devoted to understanding and quantifying the interrelationship between the lower atmosphere and the earth's surface. This stage of his career was also characterized by a growing interest in regional‐ and global‐scale processes, and was underpinned by collaborative work involving climatologists, physical geographers, and other cognate scientists. The second stage highlights the broadening of his global interest in order to engage more deeply with both natural and anthropogenic climatic and environmental change. The third stage reflects on the development of his expansive and evolutionary approach to the biosphere, and his insight into the formative role of climate with respect to the functioning of physical and biological processes. Furthermore, this later work also exhibited a strong belief in the ability of humankind to reflect wisely on its growing influence on the physical environment and respond appropriately. WIREs Clim Change 2016, 7:682–692. doi: 10.1002/wcc.412This article is categorized under: Climate, History, Society, Culture &gt; Thought Leaders

Measuring Environmental Factors: Unique and Overlapping International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Coverage of 5 Instruments

ObjectivesTo describe the unique and overlapping content of the newly developed Environmental Factors Item Banks (EFIB) and 7 legacy environmental factor instruments, and to evaluate the EFIB's construct validity by examining associations with legacy instruments. DesignCross-sectional, observational cohort. SettingCommunity. ParticipantsA sample of community-dwelling adults with stroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury (N=568). InterventionsNone. Main Outcome MeasuresEFIB covering domains of the built and natural environment; systems, services, and policies; social environment; and access to information and technology; the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) short form; the Facilitators and Barriers Survey/Mobility (FABS/M) short form; the Home and Community Environment Instrument (HACE); the Measure of the Quality of the Environment (MQE) short form; and 3 of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System's (PROMIS) Quality of Social Support measures. ResultsThe EFIB and legacy instruments assess most of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) environmental factors chapters, including chapter 1 (products and technology; 75 items corresponding to 11 codes), chapter 2 (natural environment and human-made changes; 31 items corresponding to 7 codes), chapter 3 (support and relationships; 74 items corresponding to 7 codes), chapter 4 (attitudes; 83 items corresponding to 8 codes), and chapter 5 (services, systems, and policies; 72 items corresponding to 16 codes). Construct validity is provided by moderate correlations between EFIB measures and the CHIEF, MQE barriers, HACE technology mobility, FABS/M community built features, and PROMIS item banks and by small correlations with other legacy instruments. Only 5 of the 66 legacy instrument correlation coefficients are moderate, suggesting they measure unique aspects of the environment, whereas all intra-EFIB correlations were at least moderate. ConclusionsThe EFIB measures provide a brief and focused assessment of ICF environmental factor chapters. The pattern of correlations with legacy instruments provides initial evidence of construct validity.